Crazy Ride

What a long, strange trip it's been. This year has been a whirlwind. We started the year contemplating law school. Brad was finishing his philosophy degree and in school full-time, working two full-time jobs, and studying for the LSAT. I remember counting down until the end of the semester until the LSAT would be over and we would have some relief. Then, Brad decided to run for City Council. So, we spent the Summer and Fall campaigning. That was exhausting with two kids and jobs to juggle. But a good experience overall. We lost, but that's okay. It is all part of a bigger plan (as is usually the case). It also kept us too busy to think about when we would hear back from law schools. But we were also in a perpetual state of "what if this" and "what if that". Again, exhausting. Then, last week, it came. Brad had been checking the mail box everyday. And this day I happened to be home cleaning for a holiday party. He rushed in and I think we both screamed for half an hour. It was a good day. Most people don't know how far Brad and I have come. We have had many internal struggles in our marriage but we've learned that conflict is not always bad. It is because of the conflict that we are closer today and because we are closer, we can share in this awesome joy together. It was a really good day. I am so proud of him!

So, on to the next adventure. We will be leaving Jonesboro for Little Rock. Brad will be attending Bowen Law School which is part of the UALR system. We have a lot to do over the next few months. So, it looks like 2009 will start just as busy as 2008. But first, I am going to enjoy the cruise I bought us! More on that later.

I think this news helped us enjoy the holidays a lot more. It was a relief to get the news BEFORE Christmas. We are so very blessed. I hope we can all focus on the many blessings we have as the new year comes around. It will be hard for me to make any resolutions because I don't think I could possibly work on anything else and don't want to endure the disgrace of breaking a resolution within the first week of 2009.

Snow Day

One of the great things about living in the South is that even when we get less than an inch of snow, everything shuts down. I have a friend who lives in Michigan and recently took a stroll through the woods with 12+ inches of snow on the ground and got up the next morning and everyone went to work...a normal day. On Monday night, we got a pleasant surprise when a "Winter Storm Gripped the Region" (or so the newspaper said). In truth, we received about 1/2 inch of solid ice with a little snow on top for effect. It was beautiful and a bit unexpected to have winter weather BEFORE Christmas!! As predicted, schools were out and many businesses closed. Our favorite pizza parlor refused to open (how dare they!). I let my employees off for the day because I deeemed it "too unsafe for them to be traveling". Actually, I wanted to stay home and sled with Kiley. After about an hour of sledding we were done with that and the kids went to Grandma's so Mom could get ready for Christmas by purging all of the unused toys and sundries from the playroom without grabby hands interupting to say "But that's my favorite toy". It is always a real treat when you get two days in a row out of school around here. This time, the conditions were just right and the needle didn't go above freezing all day yesterday (this is how I am certain there is a God who loves me). So, we had another snow day today! We loaded up the kids to head to Burger King for breakfast before going about our daily activities. While we were there, a big 18-wheeler tried to drive up the slight incline of BK to make his delivery. He got stuck in the entrance of BK. Consequently, we were all stuck in the BK parking lot for about an hour. I wasn't panicked because I was enjoying the snow day. But there were those in the drive- through who were a little less than happy. We were actually inside the restaurant enjoying our breakfast and an intriguing thing happened. As soon as the unfortunate truck driver got stuck, it was like a vail of difference was lifted from the patrons of BK and instantly we were all in community. The chatter rose, we had our noses stuck to the window, people were asking what they could do to help, someone went outside to direct traffic from the drive-through. We suddenly had this unifying event unfolding. As we watched the poor truck driver exit his rig and walk over to the dysfunctional tires to pour salt under them, he tripped and fell flat on his back and drenched the backside of his jeans (this guy was having a really bad day, and, since it was about 9:00a,it was possible this was his first delivery for the day. I hope his day gets better). But I digress. We all suddenly has this commonality that was so poignant and tangible. It was a forced moment to stop and take in the only commodity available to us....each other. This is why I love snow days. God creates this divine chaos so we will all take inventory of ourselves and check the condition of each other. Everyone seems to be watching out for one another a little more. Whenever you leave you are admonished to "Be careful out there". Hmmm, shouldn't everyday be this way?

Transition

There have been so many times over the last few days that I've thought, 'Oh I need to blog about that'. My girls are growing so fast and I feel like I can't capture each minute as well as I want to. It's kind of like how a picture can never do the actual view justice. I know that blogging about their lives pales in comparison to the joy of watching them unfold. I am thankful today to be in this moment and not begging for the next to come quickly. I am thankful that I am engaged with Robyn especially. I feel like I have lost a good portion of her first two years being distracted by so many other things. Her birthday is in a few days and I am more excited about that than Christmas this year! I am praying that 'The Christmas Spirit' doesn't overwhelm me and take away this joy of being in the moment. I have some of my shopping done but am not in a hurry to finish the rest of it. It's a good place to be. It will get done when it gets done. I have but a wreath on my door this year and nothing else outside. In fact, we still have our halloween pumpkins on the porch. Hey, why not make the season last as long as possible. At this rate, we'll take down Christmas sometime in March. We did get the tree up this weekend. It was a blast. We made cookies, we sang loud off-key Christmas songs, we put all of the ornaments on the first 2 feet of the tree because that's as high as the girls could reach. I can't remember decorating for Christmas being such a family event before. Brad even took pictures!! In a time of such transition and uncertainty in our future, there is peace in our family right now. And that is truly Divine.

Christmas Song

Okay, so it's been a while. A lot has changed. The St. Jude race is this weekend. We are NOT participating. What were we thinking to sign up in the first place?? Anyway, I'm glad to not have the stress of it right now. Still no news on law school. We'll let you know as soon as we have more information. Probably, after the first of the year. I've thought of a thousand things to blog about over the last 2 months, I just haven't found time to sit down and actually write. But I was reminded of this song earlier this morning. There is this song by The Dave Matthews Band, maybe you've heard of it. It is not "The Christmas Song" you may be thinking of. No chestnuts roasting over a fire in this song. The Dave Matthews version is simply "Christmas Song" and is a poignant reminder from an unexpected artist about the significance of this time of year. Lyrics are below video. Listen and enjoy...




Lyrics:

She was his girl; he was her boyfriend
She'd be his wife and make him her husband
A surprise on the way, any day, any day
One healthy little giggling dribbling baby boy
The wise men came, three made their way
To shower him with love
While he lay in the hay
Shower him with love love love
Love love love
Love love was all around

Not very much of his childhood was known
Kept his mother Mary worried
Always out on his own
He met another Mary who for a reasonable fee,
less than reputable was known to be.

His heart full of love love love
Love love love
Love love was all around

When Jesus Christ was nailed to his tree
Said "oh, Daddy-o, I can see how it all soon will be
I came to shed a little light on this darkening scene
Instead I fear I've spilled the blood of my children all around"

The blood of my children all around
The blood of my children's all around

So I'm told, so the story goes
The people he knew were
Less than golden hearted
Gamblers and Robbers
Drinkers and Jokers, all soul searchers
Like you and me
Like you and me

Rumors insisted he soon would be
For his deviations
Taken into custody
By the authorities less informed than he.
Drinkers and Jokers all soul searchers
Searching for love love love
Love love love
Love love was all around

Preparations were made
For his celebration day
He said "eat this bread and think of it as me
Drink this wine and dream it will be
The blood of our children all around
The blood of our children's all around
The blood of our children all around

Father up above, why in all this hatred do you fill
Me up with love, love, love
Love love love
Love love was all around
Father up above, why in all this anger do you fill
Me up with love, fill me love love love
Love love love
all you need is love
you can't buy me love
Love love love
Love love
And the blood of our children's all around