Who Knew

Life is interesting. All the twist and turns it takes you on. I would have never thought I'd be were I am today. Yet, I am so grateful I am. 

It dawned on me I have made a major move every ten years of my adult life so far. I left Pennsylvania for Virginia when I was 19. I left Virginia for Texas when I was 29. I'm planning to leave Texas to return to Virginia. I'll be 39. What a journey. 

When I left Pennsylvania I had with me a bag of dreams. Dreams of what my life would become. Naturally I would be married by 25. I would spend the rest of my life in the church I was in. Honestly I held the belief that beyond where I was the world was flat. That may seem absurd now. At the time nothing I had experienced before could measure what was happening at the time nor could I imagine anything topping that. 

I was in an amazing church. I was growing and learning. I had great network of friends and surrogate extended family.I had a group of young women I was mentoring and doing life with. How could things get better? Eventually after failed relationships and hearing great reports from friends who moved out of state I began thinking... maybe the world wasn't so flat.

When I drove into Texas I had with me a trunk of expectations. Expectations of how my life would be. None of my expectations were fulfilled. However, a few dreams came true along with a few lovely surprises.

I've traveled to four foreign nations. India, Japan, Nigeria and Mexico. I read Danielle Steel's "Wanderlust" when I was 13 years old. Ever since then it was dream of mine to see the world. I told my aunt upon graduation I was going to the University of FarAway. So to actually go... breathtaking.



Then I met my husband. I'd known him for years. However, I hadn't really met him. His strength, intelligence, generosity and ferocity for God I really knew nothing about. He is an amazing man. With a smile in my heart I still stay he was worth waiting for.


What can I say about my children? My girls 7 years apart. Each advanced in their stages of development. Each make me so proud. They are lovely and altogether delightful. How grateful I am to have them. I kiss them before putting them bed. I kiss them in the morning. I pray everyday they know what it feels like to be loved.

This is not the end to my story. There is so much more to come. So much more to see. I'm looking forward to the next chapter.

I let it go...

I woke up at 5am Saturday morning to my 5 month old moaning in her bed. I didn't move with the hope of her going back to sleep. She did. I laid there in bed until 6am. At 6:01 I heard my 7yr olds pink alarm clock go off. I held my breath. After a few moments I assume she's gone back to sleep. My morning was my own. Whew, and I almost lost it.

I turned on my light so I could continue reading my copy of The Help. I haven't laughed out loud with a book in a long time.Okay so I feel a little guilty that I"m grabbing my Bible before a fiction book. Nevertheless, I am absorbed.

6:45 I hear my husband come bustling in the house. He works the night shift. I hold my breath. Who knows maybe he'll lay on the couch for a few minutes reading a book on his IPod. Maybe he'll continue listening to some podcast he started in the car. Maybe he'll destroy the kitchen cooking a wonderful breakfast. He comes straight to our room...

He tells me to put on my pajamas. Hmm, I have on my pajamas. He leaves the room and wakes up our 7yr old. I did say it was 6:45am? He begins working on a homemade hot chocolate recipe. Tells me to get a notebook. We're having a family meeting. I have to admit I came out of our room with my The Help book and my brown blanket in tow. I didn't know I was going to be put to work as mother secretary.

My 7yr old is eating a pop tart. My husband is rustling in the kitchen after bringing our 5 month old to me. When did she wake up? Back to the meeting... Well we are writing down family decrees. Daddy get's 3 decrees a year. Mommy gets two decrees a year. Each child gets one decree a year. Still haven't figured how this decree business got divided out this way. On the first Saturday of the month any member of the family can appeal rules or decrees. The first week on the month is good eats week. We cook recipes as a family. On this week we'll splurge a little on groceries to get the necessary ingredients. I can bore you with more of the details of all the wonderful things we plan to do as a family this year and next. I'll wait for another blog to do that.

I'll end this one with my morning coming to a close and afternoon approaching. The remnants of homemade hot chocolate, Belgium waffles and pizza omelets are scattered about the kitchen. My husband has run out of steam and has gone to bed. My 5 month old is in her crib asleep for her morning nap. My 7yr old is in her room doing something. Me I standing in the midst of it all. My morning wasn't at all what I thought it would be. I let it go. You do that when you have a family as random as mine. You learn to go with the flow. I could have been frustrated at the state of the kitchen. I could have been agitated at the loss of my morning plans. However, when it's all said and done... I love my family.