Monday, November 4, 2019

Seasons of change

I was looking through old pictures today because I was searching for one particular picture, one that I knew was pretty old.  It required me to sift through a few of my old scrapbooks dating back to when Jay and Nick were babies.  I was on a mission so I didn't spend a lot of time reminiscing but as I quickly went through the pages looking for the one particular picture I stumbled on pictures of my grandparents at Kim's pool, sitting in their lawn chairs, waving at the camera.  There was a picture of Jay at 18 months old smiling a toothy grin in his dinosaur jams (my favorite).  The picture of Nick with his beautiful blond hair and big blue eyes, just learning how to walk, in his adorable monkey outfit.  The picture of Jenny and I, taken in front of the Christmas tree, pregnant with Jay and Curt.  Pictures of Mike working on a home project (that is the one thing that hasn't changed).  A sweet memory of my mom dancing around her kitchen with Jay at age 2 and his "Dancing Elmo."  A picture of my dad before he went to the nursing home, cuddled up with Jay in his Halloween costume at his dining room table.  And many pictures of Kim and I looking a lot thinner than we are now!  I can remember when many of those pictures were taken like it was yesterday, but then some of the pictures remind me how just how old I'm getting (in years, not in how I feel.....wink, wink).  It's true that all good things must come to an end and in this life, we must enjoy every second because it all changes. My grandparents and my dad died.  Jay is practically a legal adult.  Nick will be in high school next year.  Mike runs his own carpentry business.  Mike and Jenny moved to Texas, and dancing for my mom would be very difficult (not impossible but difficult) as she has suffered two strokes.  Kim and I being fat is just part of being middle age - what fun.  The message I am getting from God these days is one of rest and to enjoy the company of my husband.  Mike and I don't have much in common.  It's true, folks!  The only TV show we watch together and enjoy is "Hoarders" on Sunday morning before church. Don't get me wrong, our marriage is solid.  I've always said Mike is easy to love but sometimes hard to like, but with every year that goes by I like Mike more.  What I'm having trouble with is being still with him.  I'm uncertain what the next season of my life will look like but as with most seasons that have already passed I look back at them with fondness, knowing even though they are over, there are new seasons just over the horizon, waiting to be experienced.