Tag Archives: visit

The joy of no plans

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My sister arrived today from Phoenix to visit for a few days.  I was able to take those days off of work and so now we can do whatever our little hearts desire.  We have no big set agenda and we love it that way.  Well, Five Guys is definitely going to happen somewhere in the mix.  We might take a walk or two or three, might sit by the lake and watch the sun reflect on the water while we visit, might eat some ice cream, might just drive around through the open countryside and listen to music, will most definitely have some good laughs and heart-to-hearts.

She’s not much of a shopper so I asked her if she would still enjoy walking around the downtown square of Noblesville sometime this weekend.  She asked me, “Will you be there?”  I said, “Well yeah!”  She said, “Then I want to do that.”

I love my sister.

Randomizer

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The last time I posted a bullety, random post I accidentally deleted it.  Here’s to not accidentally clicking the wrong button anymore.

  • I say cautiously that I think we may have kicked the bed bugs out for good.  It’s been 3 days since we’ve seen one.  Our friends who lent the personal steamer said we can keep it for a while, just in case.  Thanks!
  • My 14-year-old nephew has arrived from Phoenix at the Indy airport and is awaiting my husband and two older daughters who are picking him up.  He’s here to visit for a week an we’re so excited!  He’s one of the neatest kids I’ve ever met. Ever.
  • One of the bonuses of the bed bug “experience” is a super-clean (at least for now) townhouse.  Ahhhh.  Rugs are clean, base boards are clean, all the blankets and linens and clothes are clean.   Now if we could only keep this up.  Yeah, right!
  • I’m reading I Samuel right now and was curious when I read that once Saul had disappointed God, God sent a tormenting spirit to give Saul a hard time.  I didn’t know God would do things like that.  I asked John what he thought and he said maybe God was punishing him.  Hmmm…     Told you God was a mystery!
  • I was all concerned about my youngest the other day but God has really been answering prayers and showing in clearly visible ways that He’s able to break through and speak to her, guide her, and love her – even without my advice or help.  It sure does this mom’s heart good.  Thank you, God!
  • I’ve been really busy and working hard since…well…it seems like forever… especially last week and over the weekend.  As a result I’m realllly tired.  I feel good but just tired.   I keep hoping one day I’ll get a day all to myself, no kids at home, no husband, just me, the quiet animals, and Jesus.  Now THAT would be something.
  • I so need to get back into an exercise routine.  It’s amazing how quickly the body shape changes and muscle turns to flab when you just sit around.  Crazy!   It would probably help if I stop eating ice cream.
  • John just preached about trusting and obeying God under pressure and today I felt a lot of pressure.  I am trying to trust and obey!  I think God decided I needed object lessons to go along with that message so I’d be sure to understand and internalize the idea. 
  • We’re still waiting for someone to rent or lease to own our house in Missouri.  It is taking forever!  That’s another thing we keep waiting and waiting on, trying to fully trust and know God will do something sometime.  I wish we could go see it for ourselves and make sure it’s okay.  It’s hard being 5 hours away – it costs more for us to make a trip over than ask someone to clean the yard for us, etc.
  • I tried something new at McAlister’s today for lunch – a harvati sweet chipotle chicken panini.  Try saying that ten times fast!  It was delicious!  I love it when trying something new has good results.  I’m such a creature of habit, ordering things I KNOW taste good.  I felt adventurous and daring today evidently.
  • My doggy has a tumor the size of a small loaf of bread on her side!  The vet said it wasn’t cancerous (at least it wasn’t at Christmas time) and we can’t afford to get it removed so she looks rather lumpy and lopsided, poor thing.  It doesn’t seem to bother her.  She’s so sweet.  I love her.  What a great companion.
  • The new Christy Nockels CD is so good!  You should give a listen sometime.  I especially love the song “By Our Love.”
  • Once Curtis gets here and I give hugs, I’m going to bed!  I’m pooped!

My mom, my friend

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img_0614I just enjoyed a few days with my mom.  She came over to visit since my girls are on spring break so I took two days off work.  We saw a movie, shopped ’til we dropped (groceries and the mall), ate some M & M’s and ice cream, drank diet cokes & coffee, and just relaxed.  My favorite part of the visit was when we had breakfast together at Bob Evans one morning, not because of the yummy omelet and pancake, but because of the heartfelt open conversation.

One of my mom’s famous lines when I was a teenager was “I’m your mom, so I can’t always be your friend.”  In other words, “I’m laying down the law here whether you like me or not.  We’re not gonna be buddies right now.”  It was the right thing to do and I’ve told my girls that quite a few times myself.  They just love it.

Thankfully that’s only true for a while.  Once I got married and began my life with John the relationship changed a little.  We were more friends than mom and daughter, though I still felt like her little girl.  When I became a mom myself, all sorts of light bulbs went on in my head as I experienced the joys and trials of raising little ones.  “Ohhhhh – now I see why she said that or did that.”  As the years go by, I’ve become more and more comfortable just being my mom’s friend.   The roles have changed.  I’m not the self-centered teenager I used to be.  I actually see that my mom has needs, has hurts, has things she wants and needs to talk about.  She wants to share joys and answers to prayer and have me rejoice with her.  It never occurred to me before when my mind was preoccupied with dating, doing my own thing, and arguing with her about curfews.  I forgot that my mom and dad were people, too, not just parents.  Imagine that!

As we sat and visited the other day, my eyes were opened a little bit more to the hurts my mom has trudged through and how God has ministered to her heart.   Continue reading →