The Perfect Storm

When you hear the phrase "the perfect storm" it usually means all factors come together in just the right way to create a massive and powerful storm. 

This is how it is in my life right now.  Everything is coming together to cause the perfect storm within me emotionally.  Anything and everything reduces me to a red-eyed, wet-cheeked mess. 

The factors? 

Eva Lynn will be born in the next 2 weeks.  Every text, or phone call brings her to mind.  I think of her day and night.  Thoughts of sweaters, and dresses I want to make, purchases of carseats and strollers, even looking through the baby clothes at Costco last night...it all brings me to my knees with tears in my eyes.  Envisioning the day of her birth, and seeing Peter and Daphne holding their daughter...lump in throat as I write those words.  Joy and blessings!

Seeing piled fall leaves, walking through them and kicking them into the air.  Their smell and vibrant colors.

The holidays are here.  Our first Christmas gifts are purchased, and made.  We are making plans for implementing our traditions.  The smell of cinnamon.  I'm SO looking forward to the day after Thanksgiving as we spend the day in Seattle starting with the Christmas parade, and ending with the tree lighting in Westlake Center and every blessed minute of laughter, good food, and just being with the people we love.  Or the next day when we get our Christmas tree and have our Christmas tree decorating party.  Each ornament pointing to our Savior, each cup filled with sparkling or spiced cider, each tummy filled with Buckeyes, cheese ball, and meatballs, each heart overwhelmed with warmth and joy.  Anticipation of such joyous times together as a family...send me over. 

Timothy and I are going to Las Vegas(the trip I won), for our 24th anniversary in early December.  We SO enjoyed our trip to the island, and we are really looking forward to our time in Vegas. 

And difficult things too:

My heart aches for those in our lives who want the simplest things that so many take for granted.  They struggle, and are working with external issues that are out of their control.  They pay great amounts of money to experts to try to figure out the answers...and wait, their hearts breaking daily with the lack of forward progress, yet desperately trying not to lose hope or faith.  

Frustrations that range from wasted food and overly full garbage cans to wasted time and overly full calendars.  Time and all that it could be versus all that it is currently.  Unmet goals, and longings.   

Oh and did I mention menopause...enough said.

These beautiful, difficult, wonderful, sad things, and so many more have come together to make the perfect storm for this Mama/Wife/Grandmama/Daughter/Employee/Friend.  This storm spills over with tears of joy, sadness, anticipation, hope, frustration, longings, love, and so on.   J.

The Middle Years

Along with the aches and pains, the gray hair, the wrinkles and age spots, and the never ending struggle with weight, there are wonderful joys involved in being middle aged. Much more comfortable with ourselves, not nearly as self-conscious, we can even embrace the pleasant eye wrinkles which were made by all the smiles, and concerns over the years. During the middle years you are still young enough to do whatever comes your way, and your palette is much more seasoned, and developed, which helps you appreciate things just a little bit more. While we take our cholesterol medication, and truly effort to eat better, we have found the balance between that and enjoying a great big piece of cheese cake.

The greatest thing so far about middle age has been the joy of watching our children grow up and become fully functioning adults, with all the bumps, and bruises that come with it. Enjoying the marriage of our son to his beloved Daphne, and now the expectation of our first grandchild, sweet, precious joy! Do you hear that sound? It’s the sound of us drinking it all in, savoring it, and thanking God for every bit of it. J.