Changes!

Up early this morning.... my hubby had a bad night so sleep was was elusive and dream-filled!  I am excited today for the beautiful weather - AND I get to pick up my youngest grand-girl for her first overnight with us.  I have a feeling that this will be more of a challenge for her mom than for us :-)  

 We will spend some of our time outdoors digging in the dirt.... turning over one of my garden plots.. getting ready to plant salad sorts of things.  And we will spend time reading and playing with her uncle's old toys.  It's kind of fun for the little girls to play with the trains and cars and things we still have around.

And, of course, time navigating the pets.... introducing them to her again.  Just one night... but a grand adventure for a two-year-old and her adults!  I have a post for tomorrow but may not have time for a personal note!  If so, I will catch up with you in a day or so :-)

Have a great weekend!

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Changes!


It is fitting that starting the season of Lent..... of working on my soul.... my life is undergoing so many BIG changes.

Changes happen to all of us.  We plan for them, we avoid them, we recover from them... but most of all, for some reason... we don't think they are really going to happen!

The real truth of life is that one of the few CONSTANTS... is CHANGE.   Births, deaths, marriages, vacations, dreams, jobs, re-locations, aging...  CHANGES, all.

We (my husband and I) have been dealing lately with loss of income and figuring out what we want to do next.  It is a frightening thing that so many of us have had to deal with in this strange economy... like so many, we are faced with the possibility of moving and of losing our home within the next few years as we search for employment to help us get to - and beyond - retirement.

Grandchildren..... kids in college.... and looking for work.  We may have to move out-of-state.

We are not alone.  We know this.  But it is sad to contemplate the changes.

I was blessed with a major epiphany the other day.

The changes I am facing have not really changed much.

What????

The reality is.... that if I had all the money in the world.... I still want to live closer to my children.  As much as I love my home... and will mourn leaving it.... leave it, I will.

I am getting older... I do not want to live more than 30 minutes away from a doctor as I age.  I cannot drive at night.  I have lived with this for 15 years.. by NOT being regularly employed and by choosing to stay home or ask my husband to drive me places at night.  As I age, I would like to live where I can use public transportation or where it is not an imposition to have a friend swing by to pick me up.

If I had all the money in the world, I will still be facing a time when my last children will be gone and my husband and I will be starting over.  Whether it is here in this house or somewhere else.... the situation remains the same.  It may be a blessing in disguise if we get to do it as an 'extended second honeymoon' in another location.  We know that we will choose to come back to the area where our children are..... in a few years.  Years..... that are shorter now than they used to be!

So.... in short... if I had all the money in the world.... I will still be looking at moving within the next few years.... and I will still be dealing with change.

I have a choice.  I can mourn my losses..... or I can reach out for freedom and adventure.    Hmmm..... want to guess where I CHOOSE for my brain to GO?

Where are YOU choosing to plan and dream?  Mourning or Anticipation?