Rollercoaster!

You know how sometimes something so big happens that you can't really get your mind around it or even really know how to express your feelings about it? That is how I feel about the birth of our little granddaughter. When everything started to happen days before she came into the world, I sort of went on autopilot, wanting to be a support to Bryce and Kaylee. The birthing story is Kaylees to tell so I won't tell it here, but I can truly say that it was the most amazing thing, apart from my own kids' births, that I have ever been a part of. To see my little girl having a little girl was absolutely incredible! I still can't really absorb it most of the time, but then I see this teeny tiny little girl and I want to weep she is so beautiful, so special. I am so in love! I watch my little girl take such good care of her little one, diapering her and feeding her and kissing her and talking to her, I am proud. She is a good mama already! What a joy to see her finally get to nurture.

Little Lucy has funny facial expressions. I know it is really really early in her life, but I can't remember ANY of our kids making faces like she does. She does the funniest things with her mouth. Yes, she smiles in her sleep, but this is more like twisting it here and there and scrunching up her nose and making Aaron and I laugh. I think she is going to be a hilarious little girl when she gets up and running. Her grandpa is in complete adoration. He looks at her and you just see love pouring out of his eyes. It is the cutest thing.

On other fronts, Ryan started COLLEGE!!!!!!!!!!! After having to wait a year to get going he was able to start at ITT Tech. He has a 3 day a week schedule and is living with my neice Jodie and her husband Kenny. I can't think of a better place for him to live and thank God for them letting him live there with them (I know what an adjustment that can be). He loves it there. He and Bri are still crazy about each other so are busy finding ways to keep in touch while she is also in college in San Diego. Aaron just started his senior year and is hating it already! He would rather be working with his dad. He DOES have a good schedule though, getting to sleep in til 9. Of course he is still dating Alexis, our sweet girl! Matt has a young lady he is seeing and really seems to like. We met her on the phone and she sounds very sweet so if the relationship continues, we would really like to meet her in person. He is doing all kinds of things as life changes for him. He will be escorting a Pavelow the AF is retiring (the first one he worked on) to Utah and then will be moving over to the C-130 Gunship. Not all that excited about that. He is working on his Personal Trainers Certificate and hopes to do something with it when he receives it.

Last week I told Pastor Arte that one of the things about having kids close together is that a lot of times things happen all at once in their lives. At least that seems to be the theme in our life. It has been that way for what seems like forever! As I get older, it seems to take me longer to assimilate it all but I wouldn't change a thing as our kids reach out, grow, learn, become better people and desire to be all that they truly can be. I don't know that John and I instilled this quality in them at least I DO know we didn't do it alone, we certainly had the Lord with us the ENTIRE time. I know that with out Him we would never have made it through what we have had to go through so far and we will continue to stand on the ROCK that holds us up through things we really don't want to go through. I love that about Him, that we can KNOW that He never changes, He never leaves us and that He loves us. I can trust Him with my heart because I know He has my best interests in His sights. I am excited to see where this next phase of our lives will take us. With 25 years of marriage under our belts, a new granddaughter in our lives, our oldest finding some answers in his life, our middle son starting his future and our youngest in the final year of his high school "career", we have much to be thankful for, we have much to look forward to. Sometimes I want to stop this rollercoaster that my life is perpetually on, but knowing I can't, I just hang on to my Jesus and my husband and laugh, scream, cry, hold my hands up in the air and lift my face to the wind. My stomach dips, I feel dizzy, and then, OH LOOK! I can see way way far out there and it is BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!! You know what? It all comes down to one thing, the ONE thing, for me. I know that my Redeemer lives, I KNOW that my REDEEMER lives. He will carry me through this whole ride and He will continue to help me when I am in the low places and even when I am in the high ones. When I don't understand what is happening, He patiently waits for me, guiding me, teaching me, giving me gentle instruction. He makes life worth living.

Have a good day folks, enjoy the final days of summer and this amazingly beautiful weather we are having!