Heath had to have his appendix taken out earlier this week (maybe I'll blog about that next), so I find myself with a cleared out schedule and being forced to stay at home. I've already washed all the bedding in the house and brought out kid's winter clothes......I don't really feel like cleaning the bathrooms...or anything......So, here I am updating the blog since it's pretty far behind. Here's a little look at the last month+.
We celebrated my mom's 70th birthday party last month. It was one of my brother's ideas to do this and we all quickly jumped on board. We certainly felt like she was worth celebrating. So, we picked a date that worked for all of us (which isn't always easy). And then we booked a location. And finally, we told her about it. Of course, she was surprised and didn't want us to go to that trouble. But at that point, it was already too late. We invited a number of family and friends and spent a beautiful day celebrating her.
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| Mom and her children....and their children.....and their children. |
And I'm so glad we did! I'm beyond grateful that I still get to have my mom present. A month before her birthday, I was sitting and talking with 3 other women. They were all reminiscing about their mothers - all of which are no longer alive. And it hit me how blessed I am to still have her here. I don't want to think about life without having her here. I already fully know that there is no love like the love of a good mother and I don't even want to think about that inevitable and gaping void. So, we celebrate what we have! There is not a person I know that is more humble, more giving, more joyous, more generous, and more kind. If you don't know her, you are missing out.
We also passed the 5-year anniversary of Adam's biking accident that left him with a spinal cord injury. Nothing momentous was done. It was actually a really busy week for us. It just left me with a deep thankfulness that we can even lead such a busy life and that Adam can do all that he is able to. We certainly don't want to forget how life can change in an instant. Or how God gave unexplainable peace and comfort when there were so many unknowns. Or how God healed him much more than what could have been predicted by professionals. Or how God moved people to be so good at caring for us. I talked with the boys about all of that recently. Landon is the only one that actually has some memories from that time. He was 5 then.
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| This is how old the boys were when Adam's accident was. (5 1/2, 4, and 10months) They were all being ninjas in this picture. Not much has changed. |
As for an update on where Adam is. At his yearly appointment with his spinal doctor last spring, he actually succumbed to being put on some medication to help with spasms and nerve pain. It's the biggest bother at night and in the early morning. Adam has always been a light sleeper, so it doesn't help when his body is spasming and tightening up. It's a low dosage, but he has been taking it regularly. He's not completely convinced he needs it. Otherwise, Adam is as active as he can. He's hunting this fall, coaching Heath's soccer team, and by considerable prodding and encouragement from his wife, will be finishing our basement in the coming months. We were doing backyard races last month, thanks to a fun timer that Aunt Jaime had given us. He even joined in and raced 5-year old Heath. He lost to the kindergartener, but he says it was because he was laughing so hard (which he was laughing considerably hard - which is always fun to watch). (Don't you want to know who the fastest in the family is??!?! This race consists of hitting a timer and then running across the yard, touching the fence and hitting the timer again at the start line to stop the time.) (It's me. That's right, 38-year old me - another milestone we celebrated this past month. I figure I need to live it up as long as I can before these boys can beat me. Landon and Tate are still a good second behind me.) (However, we don't need to talk about how badly my hips and butt hurt the next couple of days from all of that sprinting. Yee-ouch!).
Adam's new teaching job is busy. He has 5 classes to prep for, plus oversees service projects and the weekly chapel session. He has work to do most nights. But he feels valued and finds purpose in what he's doing. And that is good.
I had a weekend with girlfriends from high school days recently. Fun and refreshing! So glad we are still connected and able to do this! Thankful for these women and I look forward to this annual weekend so much!
Adam and I had found ourselves feeling busy and basically high-fiving in the driveway as one of us was coming/going. So, when a dear man from our old church in GR passed away, we both took the day off and made the trip together. A sort of day date.....to a funeral. But let me tell you.....as I sat in that service, I honestly was so moved by the choice and singing of hymns, by the beautiful testimony of this man's life, sitting and holding hands with my husband....I honestly could not think of anywhere else I would rather be. It crossed my mind that there was no sporting event or concert that I could have imagined to have been better. Really. This was a glimpse of a 90+ year life on this earth well lived to the very end. Taking that in is way better, and more impacting, than any sort of competition or entertainment.
Looking back, I'm so grateful to have multiple things happen recently that have reminded me to relish loved ones in my life, live intentionally, and to be grateful for the life God has given me.
