I admit it.
I am stressed out.

Let's look at the past year.

My sweet baby boy graduated
high school.  My little buddy
is gone and in his place is a
man.  Sniff, sniff.

One year and four days ago I
watched my first born walk down
the aisle to a sweet boy I love as much
as the ones I gave birth too. I'll write
more about that day later.

Since watching my eldest start the
first chapter in the book of her family
I have completely re-painted a house
and made countless upgrades.

I have married my best friend and
moved the rest of us, his and mine,
into a new/old house.

We still have both smaller houses
on the market for a total of three
house payments.

I have learned that blending a
family is not easy even when you
love them all.

I learned that blending dogs is
just as hard as blending kids.

I have worried about a child who
has pain in her joints that the
orthopedist and the physical
therapist can't relieve.

I have worried about my mother
as she struggled to eat for months
on end and I have been kicked in
the stomach by words like cancer
and inoperable.

I have been honored to care for my
mother in those last sixteen days.
To hold her hand.
To watch her face.
To administer the medication that
will keep the pain at bay.
And finally to watch her take that
last breath here on earth and to
know that her soul had taken flight
to Jesus.

I have thoroughly enjoyed a very challenging
school year.  One that pushed my limits but that
also brought me great joy in times of grief.

If you look at a scale of life stresses you will
see that most of these things are rated very
high. 

As I typed these words with the intent of asking
for prayers for relief of some of these difficult things
GOD was whispering in my ear.

My daughter has a partner in life better than any
I could have ever chosen myself.  A Godly,
compassionate,man who will take better care of
her than I could.

I am now a passable painter.  Maybe I have a second
career to fall back on as the governor takes more and
more from my paycheck.  I also know how to lay
laminateflooring, nail boards to a deck and clean
spilled deck stain from concrete.

My baby boy amazes me with his sense of
responsibility, his compassion and his
maturity.

We have a daignosis for the joint pain.  And it is
neither a life time or a life threatening diagnosis.

We are still making all three house payments and
I am not in this alone.  My best friend and I lay
down under the same roof every night now. 

The dogs don't fight much anymore and I haven't
threatened to take the four upstairs dogs to the
pound in at least a week.

If the children aren't exactly blending at
least they are learning that life isn't always
about them and sometimes you have to be
last in line for the shower.

I choose to trust in God that I
made a difference in the lives
of a few students.  I will remember
them with laughter and with love.

I was honored to care for my

mother in those last sixteen days.
To hold her hand.
To watch her face.
To administer the medication that
will kept the pain at bay.
And finally to watch her take that
last breath here on earth and to
to Jesus.


God IS good!  Isn't he?