I would have missed out

There was a song that was popular when I was a teenager by the group "Chicago". The title was something like "If she would have been faithful". This group was the soundtrack to love and relationships during my teenage years and this particular song became the title track to a mixed tape that was given to me by some boyfriend. The lyrics made their way into my heart and head, and anyways, now, 20- some years later I woke up this morning singing them. Pushing aside the song's original meaning, I was thinking that I could re-write the song with the title "If the ladder would have been stable". Because IF it had been... then I wouldn't have fallen, and I wouldn't have broken anything, and YET... I wold have certainly missed out on so much. As the original ballad by "Chicago" goes on to say, and of course I am paraphrasing - if the bad hadn't happened, the good wouldn't have ever come. I am sure that there are other authors who have penned the same message, but none says it so eloquently or poignantly as the music of my youth. This message has been shouted, sung, cried, said, and demonstrated to me over the past 2 weeks in so many ways. I haven't ever felt more blessed, more cared for, more taken care of. Friends, neighbors, family, church family, have done so much. They have cooked for me, cleaned for me, done laundry for me, cared for my kids, painted my toenails, sent me beautiful cards, rubbed my sore hands, fattened me up with baked goods, taken me on a picnic, driven to my house just to sit and chat with me, swept my kitchen floor, shopped for me, loved me. They have been the hands, arms and feet of Jesus, giving comfort and help where I have needed it most. I would have missed out on all of this had it not been for my broken heel, and I dare say, it has been worth it. Even in my "casted" state, I feel blessed.

Days gone by

Labor Day always seems to signal the end of summer and Memerolia Day usually announces that the summer is ready to begin. This year, we went camping in the mountains on Memorial Day and one of the things that we did one afternoon as we were waiting for the rain to pass by was to make this poster. On it, each of us wrote down the things that we wanted to do as a family over the summer. The activities we all listed ranged from the mundane and common-place to the sublime and out -of-this-world. We have had it hanging in the kitchen and have checked it frequently, making sure that nothing (realistically!) is getting overloooked. We've even used it as an answer to summer boredom - "Hey we haven't done_____ yet! " . Now that Labor Day is passed and the swimming pool has finally closed, it really feels like it's time to take the poster down and look forward - Forward to the school year in full swing, birthdays, holidays, etc. I feel like we had a wonderful summer. We have on-line photo albums and hearts full of memories; empty sunscreen and mosquito spray cans that need to be disposed of; drawers that need cleaned out and stored in the hand-me-down bins. I've washed all of the pool towels for the last time, and the plants in my pots are just about out of life. Fall is around the corner and its another time of year that I just love. Summer is over but there is lots of fun coming up. The kids have been talking about their Halloween costumes for days now!! So far the ideas I've heard of seem cute and creative. Who knows what the next few months have in store for us!

My bud

Yesterday, after we dropped the girls off at school, Michael said to me, "Well, it's just you and me again, Mama." It was so cute, his saying that. I think it must be something that I have said many times over the past few weeks. Since the girls started school, he has been my little companion, and we go everywhere together. The park, the library, the store, church, the gym. These past 2 weeks have been especially challenging, and he has really been so easy to have around. He has gone to several doctor appointments with me, sat through 2 different x-rays, and even sat quietly next to me while the "cast girl" made the cast for my foot. He has been my bud and such a trooper. I'm so happy to have this time just the two of us.