A Running Collection

Saturday seemed to be one of those no good very bad days. At least that is what I was making it out to be. As much as I love an adventure, the lack of sleep, a fussy baby, packing to move to a new state, and other such arrangements, made an adventure seem like the most unlikely way to go about the day. George knew this wasn't what I was digging. A simple day at home seemed good, but we do have a house in Gainesville that we are residing and renting and we do need to see that all of that happens and soon. I didn't really go with gladness in my heart and I didn't show any sort of enthusiasm for a day at a house under construction with three children and very little planning for food, naps, etc. But the children did get to swim at a friends and they got to help their daddy power wash. And everyone was having a pretty dandy time. Well, not me. I wasn't going to let that happen. And then, when the work day was done, there was the blue grass jam next to a gurgling stream pe...

It was his smile. It was his delight in the simplest things. It was his work ethic. It was his love for my grandma. It was his honesty. It was his drive to learn new things. It was that he would drop anything at anytime to listen and care. It was his strength. It was his joy. My grandpa lived and breathed the word of God and it was clear in his life. He loved without reservation. He trusted, he rejoiced, he believed, he gave generously. He taught with his words and his actions what it looks like to put others before yourself, to put complete faith in Jesus, and to walk humbly. He loved dessert. He loved Christmas. He loved traditions. He gardened. He grew the biggest tomatoes and always had more cucumber than anyone could stand. He didn't let disease or sickness or pain stop him. He had the worst voice. He sang all the time. He came for me when I was lost. Literally lost in the middle of the night in the middle of no where. He came to me when I was broken. Broken down on the ...

Amelia drew a picture of George's wounds last Friday when he came home from the hospital. A week later, I dropped the two older children off at a birthday party, slipped into a fancy dress, strapped William on and headed to the Coliseum to watch George's hooding ceremony. He is finally finished. This chapter is closed. It has been a beautiful and hard experience. I don't want to say goodbye to it, but it feels so good and right to do so.  Some people in this world take really good photos, especially of important occasions. Well, we manage pretty good photos of every day life, but when we have to pull it together on important days, we just don't manage as well. Well, here we are on a very important day.  This is sweet Donna. She served as George's advisor and was a committee member, cheerleader, friend, music lover, the list is endless. We are so very thankful for Donna. And George's parents. They have been huge supporters of th...

It happened so fast. Monday and Tuesday. Where are they? Wednesday? I think I was complaining about the fact that we had a lot to do and didn't have time to get it done. There were some rather unkind words shared with the family and gestures and sounds. Words of obvious disdain and frustration. Why were we so stagnant? Why were we not getting anything done? Things done is what I wanted. UNDONE. There is nothing more healing than coming undone. George went to the doctor with stomach pain Wednesday afternoon. At 10:30 p.m. he had an emergency appendectomy. It happened so fast. Now all the things that somehow seemed so important were not even on the radar. It was paused. Call friends for help. Lean heavy on the community to care for the children. Kiss George as he slides down the hall with the surgeons and hope and pray that it will all be okay. It is a routine surgery and it is modern medicine that I am suddenly thankful for. I sit and wait because that is all there is to do. I p...