Good Day - 3 yrs...

Today was a good day.  I've been looking forward to today since the beginning of the week.  It was a genuine day off for me, and my folks and Les were coming up for a visit prior to L's 3-year check up.  I was able to get some housework done this morning prior to their arrival and that felt good.  Not only to get a cleaner house, but also knowing that it would be a great way to serve Melissa as well. Mom and Dad were bringing lunch so really the only thing I had to do was make some good coffee.  So I did :-)

Leslie has been wanting a demonstration of my "clever coffee" dripper ever since I told her about it being a french press... but better.  There was a lot of good catching up and just general chatter around the table which is just the kind of family visiting that I've always remembered and usually long for.  Good food + Good conversation = one satisfied soul.

One of the conversation threads turned toward's reminiscing about the memories and the "where were you's?" when Kennedy was killed.  Being of a different generation it was good to soak it up.  The closet things I've encountered that could be comparable in magnitude has to be 9/11 for my generation.

Out of all the visiting we had though, L was surely the star :-)  He has grown up SOOO much!  In fact he has literally grown 2 inches in the past 4 months which is just astounding.  I love his mannerisms.  And honestly a big part of writing this blog post is to capture some of that because I know how quickly things change and I'd like to preserve this memory.

L has taken to calling hummingbirds "honey-birds" and I love how whenever he says "I am!" it always comes out "I 'Mam."  Lately one of his latest catch phrases is "Yeah, I know" and he repeats it often, but the context can frequently be quite amusing.  Just this weekend at our family reunion when Jason was "roping" with L he exclaimed to L, "I don't know about this... it's kind of like the blind leading the blind." Insert> "Yeah, I know!"

I'm proud of him beyond measure and I think he's going to be a great big brother to little Baby-D on the way.  

I hope to instill in both of them a courage for life that is wise and fearless... simultaneously.  I want to share my passion with them... to love deeply, commit fully, cook creatively, and enjoy music masterfully.  Above all I want my legacy for them to be that God comes first and to hold our blessings with an open hand.  

I wish music, writing, cooking, reading and just general creativity had more of a time share in my life at the moment... but it doesn't.  Taking care of my family is the highest priority and responsibility I have right now.  From what I also gather from my father, and from those that have been through these footsteps in their prior years, I understand that these years in my life are some of the most demanding and busy years that I can have.

I am establishing myself in my career, and I am carving a path not only for myself, but for the future of my family.  

I'm thankful to have time with my parents, and I'm realizing today that I am somewhat jealous of how close in proximity my sister and her family are to them.  It's challenging for me to stay connected with them on a day-to-day basis and certainly the physical distance is a road block as well.  As my parents are to my sister and her family, my in-laws are to mine.  My sister and I are both richly blessed to have family so close to help with childcare. I just wish I could see Dad and Mom more often, and I'd love for mine and my sister's family to have more time together as well.

I'm not sure what the next chapter will look like when Baby-D arrives... but I will step forth boldly knowing that I have a strong family behind me - immediate, and extended; and I have an even stronger God that can see beyond these feeble footsteps with a bigger plan and purpose for my life than I could ever imagine.