I have not posted anything recently, although I have had all of the best intentions. So I thought I would send one big update instead.
Where to start? How about with the good stuff! I drove to Pittsburgh, PA this past weekend for a girls weekend with my five best friends. Unfortunately, one of the five was not able to come because of a sick husband and children - her absence was felt deeply. We chose Pittsburgh as our destination this year because Sarah was 38 weeks pregnant with their first child. She just glowed and was so darn cute - looked like she just had a beach ball under her shirt! Made me sick! :) I guess the excitement of the weekend took it's toll on baby as she began to have labor pains the morning we left and gave birth to Samuel David on Monday night. Mom and baby are doing well - per the grapevine. We had a fabulous time of food, drink and deep discussion. As always, it was hard to leave....was so much better when I could just walk down the hall or across the room to be in relationship with all of them. We celebrate 15 years of friendship this year and I am so stinking blown away by this circle of amazing women who call me friend.
My cousin John Goodrich is living in Rome this summer for 12 weeks doing a PT internship at Floyd Medical Center. He came over for dinner last night and it was so great to get caught back up with him! He only lives in Atlanta but due to the horrendous traffic that normally separates us - he might as well live in Italy!
The boys are doing great! I could spend an hour just sharing stories about things they have done recently that just crack me up. They are such humorous beings - a true reflection of ourselves, which is sometimes very scary! As Micah was dodging me the other night at bedtime and playing keep away with his person (on my king size bed) I tried to grab him - smiling he said to me - "Let's do this the HARD way". He also educated me the other night on the fact that Michael Jackson did drugs and died, oh and that he sang a song called "Beat It". Supposedly, MJ was the topic of conversation on the preschool playground. Micah requested that his back to school haircut this year be a green mohawk - yes you read that correctly. Could he be more my child??????? We have one more week before he starts KINDERGARTEN!!! I am sure I will post on August 3rd with pictures and an account of what an absolute mess I was!
Richard is taking Sex and Gender in school right now. "My Life Is OVER" is dramatically said in our home these days. The last class he said that about was English. He will probably get an A....he always does! Have I mentioned recently how proud I am of him????
As for me, I have been doing a lot of soul searching lately. One of the reasons I drove myself to Pittsburgh last weekend. Just needed time to think and pray about where I am at in life. This year has been particularly hard for me - call it mid-life crisis (at not really the middle of my life - hopefully!)....not really sure what it is....but, I am really praying for some answers soon because I don't know how much more I can take.
My job has been the major source of my stress and anxiety. I have been doing very well at combating the stress with running and working out, but within the past week I have had two anxiety attacks. The attacks, the personal reflection and prayer, and the weekend away with my friends (they always force me to look deeper than the every day surface crap) has made me reevaluate where I am in life and what God wants for my life. My friend Terri has shared with me the website from her church and I have been listening to some amazing sermons/speakers and mulling the soul searching questions they are posing. I am conflicted with my desire to "dream big"/follow the heart of what I was truly created for and the reality of being a 33 year old mom and wife and responsible adult. Is there a common ground where these two coexist peacefully? I'll let you know if I ever figure it out.
Love to you all.
