Today was a day for the books. I nailed it. I was so productive that I'm about to get in bed... and it's not even 7:00 yet.
Apart from my productivity (which I now refuse to document on here, lest I jinx my life) (and yes, I may be a wee bit superstitious from past experience), today stood out because of the roller-coaster-ness of it all.
Our pre-bus time was great this morning. E woke up on the right side of the bed (surprisingly, since she went to bed so super late) and we enjoyed a cooked breakfast before school. Cooked Breakfast doesn't always happen. There's usually cereal, and 80% of the time she's finishing it at the bus stop. But this morning, we had time- shower and all- for her to enjoy a more filling option.
I came in from the bus stop feeling my "I nailed it" High and got on Facebook. Within moments I learned the tragic news that my home church family was hurting. Death is never easy, especially when it's one so young. My heart plummeted into the "there is so much sadness in this world" realm... I am grieving with you, Hominy Baptist.
I worked on uploading the pictures that my friend John had sent of items in my Mom's house. Rather than head home to take pictures of items we have for sale, I emailed one of my oldest friends and asked him for a favor. As I uploaded pictures, I was comforted by the love I've gotten from my second family... the past 2 years (and the 35 before that) when I've needed something they have been the first to arrive with helping hands. I can only imagine that E will have that same kind of connection with one of her oldest friends, too. Preschool connections are beautiful... we both are blessed to have them.
Thankfully, I've had lots of friends check in on me as I've posted details about closing up my Bradshaw Lane world. While Monday threw me for a loop, today was less rough as I went about details about moving. And as people started buying furniture, I knew that it was a blessing that the first 3 pieces to go were purchased by people I love so much. One by my 2nd grade best friend, one by my high school BFFs sister (and the older sister that I coveted), and one by someone who is one of Mom's caretakers here. It feels like Doing Good to pass things on to loved ones and not "just" selling them at a yard sale. (But we're not above that. Need some random furniture? Let me know!)
I left that task feeling accomplished and encouraged and went on to my main task of the day. Part of it was overwhelming, part of it was thrilling to finally have some organization to a previously messy part of my life. And during it, a message popped up that one of my besties got AMAZING news today regarding her adoption process. Such beauty in the midst of sadness.
I then went into full on Business Mode and made more phone calls on Mom's behalf... I am thankful to have time in my day to knock these things out. They aren't "fun", but as I've said before, I feel like I'm honoring her life by taking good care of her affairs.
Shortly after (yes, the day went that fast) a sweet first grader ran off the bus full of stories of today's field trip. We enjoyed catching up while I fixed dinner. And then my sum-total of today hit me. I was standing over the oven- looking at what I was cooking. Normally, my meals "make sense" and fit together nicely. We usually have dishes that would make sense in a menu-planning session. But tonight's meal didn't. Without thinking much about it, I prepared my Daddy's spaghetti sauce and my Mom's broccoli casserole. I've never made those two dishes together- usually we'd have a salad or steamed broccoli if anything. But tonight it felt right. And I'm not surprised. Sometimes, even your subconscious needs a little bit of home and it comes out in comfort food.
While we ate dinner tonight, I reflected on the sadness- and the happiness- of my day. Broccoli casserole and spaghetti may not go together, but neither do tragic death and joyful adoptions. Neither do Power of Attorney work and making chocolate chip pancakes. Well, we don't seem to think they go together... but in this twisted up world we live in, they do. I won't try to explain it... at this point I won't even try to understand it... but sometimes dishes go together and life goes together and emotions go together and it all just happens.
Apart from my productivity (which I now refuse to document on here, lest I jinx my life) (and yes, I may be a wee bit superstitious from past experience), today stood out because of the roller-coaster-ness of it all.
Our pre-bus time was great this morning. E woke up on the right side of the bed (surprisingly, since she went to bed so super late) and we enjoyed a cooked breakfast before school. Cooked Breakfast doesn't always happen. There's usually cereal, and 80% of the time she's finishing it at the bus stop. But this morning, we had time- shower and all- for her to enjoy a more filling option.
I came in from the bus stop feeling my "I nailed it" High and got on Facebook. Within moments I learned the tragic news that my home church family was hurting. Death is never easy, especially when it's one so young. My heart plummeted into the "there is so much sadness in this world" realm... I am grieving with you, Hominy Baptist.
I worked on uploading the pictures that my friend John had sent of items in my Mom's house. Rather than head home to take pictures of items we have for sale, I emailed one of my oldest friends and asked him for a favor. As I uploaded pictures, I was comforted by the love I've gotten from my second family... the past 2 years (and the 35 before that) when I've needed something they have been the first to arrive with helping hands. I can only imagine that E will have that same kind of connection with one of her oldest friends, too. Preschool connections are beautiful... we both are blessed to have them.
Thankfully, I've had lots of friends check in on me as I've posted details about closing up my Bradshaw Lane world. While Monday threw me for a loop, today was less rough as I went about details about moving. And as people started buying furniture, I knew that it was a blessing that the first 3 pieces to go were purchased by people I love so much. One by my 2nd grade best friend, one by my high school BFFs sister (and the older sister that I coveted), and one by someone who is one of Mom's caretakers here. It feels like Doing Good to pass things on to loved ones and not "just" selling them at a yard sale. (But we're not above that. Need some random furniture? Let me know!)
I left that task feeling accomplished and encouraged and went on to my main task of the day. Part of it was overwhelming, part of it was thrilling to finally have some organization to a previously messy part of my life. And during it, a message popped up that one of my besties got AMAZING news today regarding her adoption process. Such beauty in the midst of sadness.
I then went into full on Business Mode and made more phone calls on Mom's behalf... I am thankful to have time in my day to knock these things out. They aren't "fun", but as I've said before, I feel like I'm honoring her life by taking good care of her affairs.
Shortly after (yes, the day went that fast) a sweet first grader ran off the bus full of stories of today's field trip. We enjoyed catching up while I fixed dinner. And then my sum-total of today hit me. I was standing over the oven- looking at what I was cooking. Normally, my meals "make sense" and fit together nicely. We usually have dishes that would make sense in a menu-planning session. But tonight's meal didn't. Without thinking much about it, I prepared my Daddy's spaghetti sauce and my Mom's broccoli casserole. I've never made those two dishes together- usually we'd have a salad or steamed broccoli if anything. But tonight it felt right. And I'm not surprised. Sometimes, even your subconscious needs a little bit of home and it comes out in comfort food.
While we ate dinner tonight, I reflected on the sadness- and the happiness- of my day. Broccoli casserole and spaghetti may not go together, but neither do tragic death and joyful adoptions. Neither do Power of Attorney work and making chocolate chip pancakes. Well, we don't seem to think they go together... but in this twisted up world we live in, they do. I won't try to explain it... at this point I won't even try to understand it... but sometimes dishes go together and life goes together and emotions go together and it all just happens.
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