Tidbits

Greetings to the few of you who still check my blog for updates! I figure since March is almost over I should probably check in and let you know what's happening. I truly don't have much time to post blog updates, but sometimes you have to make time to share the things that are going on. So this post will be a random collection of tidbits of the recent happenings in the life of me.

To begin with, school is awesome! I love it and am really enjoying my classes. However, I have added an extra class for the last half of this semester, and it has made life quite interesting. I now have class 3 nights a week instead of just 2, and adding that extra night really does make a big difference. I am taking a Play Therapy class though that I absolutely love, and since that is the extra class, it makes the additional stress somewhat okay. :) I'll try to write a separate post soon about what Play Therapy is and how I hope to incorporate it with my clients someday, but suffice it to say that I'm super excited and am enjoying learning about something that I feel like I was made to do!

Work is going well. We are beginning to pick up with spring breakers and as we get closer to summer, we will get busier and busier. I got to be the baby cow on Saturday at the store and had a blast! I danced around, gave people high fives, gave kids little mini-cows and even blew some kisses. It was a fun time. Here I am as the cow:

My dear friend Jenn had baby number 2 on Friday, and I finally got to go visit her at the hospital today. As I was holding baby Mia, I couldn't help but marvel at the creation and design God has in place for new life. I don't see how it's possible to watch a baby grow in someone for 9 months and then hold the new creation and not believe in God. The way He creates is amazing and getting to hold a brand new life is one of the greatest privileges!


Prior to going to the hospital, I met my friends Liz & Tony, who are in town for the weekend, and we got to go see a Braves spring training game. It was sooooo hot (hence my wilted appearance when holding Mia - what happens after you spend 3 hours sweating!), but it was so much fun! It was great to see them and catch up some, and of course I always love watching some baseball. Liz and I bonded many years ago over our mutual love for sports, and even though it's nice to visit and catch up, I must confess I love going to games with people who love the game as much as me and like watching it! :) This was the 3rd game I've been to this spring and the first one the Braves lost, so I'm blaming Liz for that one. :) The regular season finally starts Thursday night - I can't wait! Although I won't have much time to watch any games, there is just something more right with the world when baseball season is going on.


Today is my baby brother Michael's 29th birthday! Happy birthday brother! I can't believe that next year we will all be in our 30's. I hope that this next year brings him many blessings and fun adventures.

In other random news, my dad was informed on Thursday that his job was being eliminated. That came as quite a shock, as he was just coming up on his first anniversary with this company. My parents don't know what they will be doing next, as there are many factors to continue. Please pray that my dad will find something soon that will provide for them and that will be a good fit for him and for the family circumstances that have to be considered. There is certainly never a dull moment in life, is there? If nothing else, this job allowed my parents to be back in GA for some significant family events that took place this past year, including my grandmother's surgery, so I know they are thankful they have been there. I also know they would like to stay there, but they are trusting God to direct this next step. I will certainly keep you posted.

I think that is all of my tidbits for now. I have a few things to finish up for school before I can sleep, so I shall go for now. I'll try to be better about posting but make no promises until this semester is over! :) Just know this - a lack of posts means insanity in life, and so prayers are always appreciated as I continue on this journey that God has allowed me to travel. There is definitely a sense of balance that I am trying to maintain with work, school, homework, an occasional moment of downtime and some occasional sleep. While this is just for a season, I also want to enjoy this season for what it is and not miss what God is doing everyday around me. So prayers are certainly appreciated, and I'll do my best to keep you updated when I can! Hope you have a great week!

Dreams

When I was a little girl, I remember having 2 dreams for most of my life as I grew up. I wanted to be a teacher, and I wanted to be a wife and a mommy. Well, I actually pursued the teacher track for awhile and found it wasn't for me, so I'm okay for that dream to not have come true. And as for the other dream....it has sometimes seemed nightmarish over the last five years and sometimes it still feels like a dream that could come true.

It's interesting how as we live life and get a little older and go through more experiences - good and bad - it seems easier to just stop dreaming. Or to at least pretend our dreams don't matter that much. That way if they don't come true, we won't be as disappointed. And I do believe there is a fine line to walk with being okay with exactly where God has you, whether or not your dreams come true for your life, and not being afraid to dream. For example, if I am single for the rest of my life, if I never get to be a mom or a wife again, I will be okay. I will live a full life, I will make a difference, and my life will matter. But the dream of my heart still exists.

As much as I go through stages where I think I could never do it again - I could never risk again - something inevitably happens that leads me back to awareness of what my heart is really saying. This past weekend was Nikki's birthday, and we spent Sunday at the Magic Kingdom celebrating. While we were waiting to get on our boat at the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, there was a lengthy delay. We, along with the rest of the line, watched as 3 people tried to get an older lady loaded into the ride. She was completely paralyzed from at least the waist down and it was like taking a limp doll and trying to get her situated in the seat. Once they got her down, her husband sat down next to her, wrapped his arm around her shoulder, and adjusted her hat. I could just imagine him giving her a hard time about how cute she looked with her hat crooked, just to ease the embarrassment of the moment. All of us had tears in our eyes as we watched a visual representation of true love play out before us.

Then today at the mall, I was passing out fliers at the stores. I went into a children's store, and they had their Easter displays out. I have always loved the color lavender and if I were having a little girl would want to paint a nursery lavender instead of pink. They had the most adorable dresses that were lavender and white and lavender and other colors. It hit me like a ton of bricks - the desire that one day I might have a little girl I could put a dress on and have a lavender nursery.

I don't know what God has planned for me, and I know I truly will be okay with whatever He has planned. But the events of the past two days have reminded me that no matter how much the thought of marriage again someday scares me or taking a risk is terrifying, the dreams are still there. And after all this, the fact that the dreams are still there and I do still have hope....well, that is a miracle to me!

So I just wanted to share what I am pondering with all of you. Perhaps you could ponder it too. What are the deepest dreams of your heart? What are you afraid of? Jesus will meet you there, wherever it is. And He will love you enough to not let you stay in your fears and to fan the flames of your dreams so that His even bigger dreams for you can become a reality. I know this from experience! :)