...with so much energy focused on our new president, politics, and protests...I thought you could all use a little stress break! Pour that cup of coffee, that glass of wine, and get comfy...here we go again.
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Just got back from a whirlwind Northeast Circle road trip. I promised my friends and family a recap, and since the only way I seem to remember things these days is if I write them down, here's my story...summarized in a dozen "points of interest."
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What is it about the end of an old year and beginning of a new that makes us reevaluate our lives, our homes, our organizational systems, our BMI, our sugar addictions, our finances, our spirituality, our parenting, our marriages, our passions, and everything else under the sun?
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After dropping Leah off at DePauw a month ago, I (like any parent of a new college student) have been asked numerous times, "How is she doing?" Naturally, friends and family are curious if she made "the right choice," if she's homesick, and if she is getting along with her roommate. Some may also wonder how she's managing with Type One Diabetes at college.
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With one week of school under our belts, and my summer vacation officially over, I feel it's time to talk frankly about some of the not-so-great moments of Summer, 2015. True, we've had one big blessing after another...
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This Saturday is our baby's sweet 16th birthday and we'll be celebrating with a day of shopping and adventure in Chicago with her friends. Chloe's been anticipating this milestone for some time, and I must agree...that number 16 is quite magical.
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I'm not always the "cool mom," but sometimes I hear I am. Cool...like when I TRY to be cool but don't quite get it. Like that morning when Chloe told me her friend complimented her hair, so when I saw her by her locker at school, I tried to do the same, in that same teenage lingo: "Chloe...your hair is 'point on' today." Bwahahahaha!
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The second mission of our New York City trip, and the one that inspired the trip initially, was to pay a visit to our friends. For a little background, Marv and Linda lived in South Bend and were church friends of ours for many years. Their son Morgan is age-wise right between our two boys…
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On the morning of January 1st, Tom and I hopped in the car (because with gas prices below $2/gallon, who could resist?), and after about 12 hours on the road, we arrived in New York City! The purpose of our trip was twofold. One: we wanted to have a good time and check some things off the bucket list. Two: we planned to visit our friends who have been half-transplanted to NYC for their son's cancer treatment.
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As I write this, our son Jared is attempting to run his first marathon. The reason? It's on his bucket list. He's the type of kid that probably had a bucket list before the term came into vogue. He is always off on some new passion, adventure or quest.
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Fall is in the air, and one sure sign is our church's Chili Cook-off. At Church of the Savior (formerly SBCRC), the cook-off is one of the most highly anticipated meals of the year. We sample wonderful mini-bowls of chili with every conceivable combination of beans, meat and spices.
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Falling. It starts as soon as we take those first steps in life. Step, step, bump, plop. Goose-eggs from coffee table corners and bruised knees bring comforting hugs from mama. Not long after our first falls, most of us learn pretty well how to avoid them.
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Seasons have a funny way of bringing back memories and then repeating themselves in a similar, but new and different way. Now that summer has arrived, I catch myself reliving memories of past summers. Working in my garden makes me recall the summers I toiled and sweated to put in the plants that are now fully grown. It motivates me to keep planting new ones for the future.
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