My WW (Warriors Writing) assignment for May was connected to Mother's Day. I ended up writing about what is like to be a mother or "mothering". Hope you enjoy it.

Where in the world did April come from and then where did it go?!

My family faced some scary moments with my mom toward the end of 2024. As we moved into 2025, decisions were being made about where best it would be for my parents to live. In March, we moved them into independent living apartment and listed the farm. We have made lots of weekend and even some week day trips to help or visit. We've sorted, packed/moved, dived out lots of their things. It has been emotional and feels like life has taken big turns/changes. But I love their apartment - the safety and ease of living that it brings them. 
 
I have been maybe hard on my body....I sprained my ankle (maybe that was in 2024), I've had right hand carpal tunnel surgery and I will have my left hand done next month, had a tooth pulled and braved a tooth implant. 

My youngest has been prepping for college. We are in full college prep currently (visits, getting supplies, figuring finances, etc) and time seems to be slipping away for having her home. I will miss her, but can't wait to see her spread her wings!

We have been having lots of work on our land/backyard to prep for a fence. We are ready, as Oscar probably is, for some freedom. He has been reliant on us to take him out for the last two years. I can't wait to just open a door to let him out again!

We continue to settle into our new normal. My love and I hit the 1/2 year mark this month. We've been trying to get finances and budgeting while dealing with life's extras that get added. We have been continuing to make upgrades to the interior of the house too. We've painted the main bathroom and living room. We rearranged furniture in the living room to create a more open space. My love added a shelf in the basement area that allowed for extra needed storage and clearing out of stuff. There always seems to be something - the "to do" list is long.

We have and continue to navigate schedules, appointments, church activities, work responsibilities, children, and family stuff.  Somehow my love and I find at least 30 minutes for just us a day and most weeks get our date in.

Unfortunately, I've not done as good of a job with calling friends/family or getting together with them as much as I'd like. I've not blogged or had as much writing time...both time and just making time as issues. And my walks are mostly necessity for Oscar to "go". 

But as I sit and type this, I'm content. In the midst of it all, I can't imagine doing anything with anyone else. I celebrate the friends and family around me. I am beyond thankful for my love and the chance to experience a depth of love that I had no idea was possible.

You couldn't hear it, but I just had one big contented inhale and exhale! Life is busy, but life is good. 

Take that inhale as you think about the blessings in your life and exhale your thankfulness!

Awhile back my youngest created this sign and I've always loved it. I love the old weathered look to it, the flowers, and the saying as well. In all of our purging over the last couple years, I've held onto it. And now, it serves as a reminder to my 2025 #oneword and goal for the year - to grow in grace.

I think the key word is "grow". 
Grow = come to feel or know something over time
Growth is a process or something that happens over time. 
To grow in grace is going to take time!​ 

Knowing that grace was my word for this year, my love spied a book on our church resource wall and nabbed it for me....the title, "Grace Upon Grace". It is a journaling devotional by Sophie Hudson. Although her target audience might have been younger than me, I have enjoyed what I have read so far. And honestly, the introduction had me....

God's grace is at work here --> active process
"He is" --> active, relational, teaching/correcting, loving God.
Teaching, changing, reminding, loving, increasing --> giving grace, allowing me to grow in grace.

She goes on to say, "the grace of God....changes everything....teaches us what we would never learn on our own".

Let that sit and marinate for a bit...that grace can teach us something that we would never learn on our own. There is a hard truth to that, because I think learning grace involves others. 

Can I be honest? I think I expect grace to be extended to me, but I struggle with extending it at times. I am going to have to remind myself (over and over) that grace is not asked for nor deserved, but is freely given...oof! Freely given...time after time, when I'm frustrated and tired, when I don't feel like it and when I do. And maybe give myself a little extra grace too as I learn and grow...remembering that learning is a process. 

My takeaway...
​To grow in grace is going to take time!​ 
​But God's grace is just in time...all the time!!

I'll leave you with a wonderful song that we heard this week at Praisefest in Branson by the group Peach Goldman - "Grace Meets You Where You Are".

It's February and you might pause at the title to think that this post is a few weeks off the marked day on the calendar. However, today, February 24th is my love day.

One year ago today, I met my love at a coffee shop. That meeting would be 30 years after really first meeting him. And a meeting that would come after a couple months of casually chatting via messenger. 

That meeting is forever etched in both of our minds. We often reflect on memories of that time and the different vivid points. I remember pulling up to park, passing him in his vehicle, stepping out, looking toward him and in a higher than desired voice saying "hey there".  We walked toward each other, taking in the physical presence behind the chats. As I neared, he said "give me a hug". (He would later comment on the impact of that hug.) We walked side by side into the coffee shop. As we reviewed the menu options, I realized I was standing very close to his side. There is something about our love that is like a magnet, pulling us toward each other. I've always loved that! 

We ordered, sat and chatted up a storm. It was a busy Saturday at the shop, but it was just the two of us somehow. Sipping coffee, listening and talking, catching up and filling in knowledge of each other. Enjoying the ability to look into each others eyes....oh, goodness how I love his eyes! Nerves and excitement (and maybe some caffeine) buzzing within me. We finished, walked out side by side, and chatted as we both walked to our cars. I remember driving away full - good coffee and conversation full. But also filled with a hope that maybe there could be more than friendship between us.

​There are funny moments that we look back on - like the fact that he never took off his coat, that I didn't realize where to order even though I'd been there before and that we were crammed in a corner with a small table.  I couldn't tell you much of anything we talked about, but know conversation flowed easily between us. 

As I write this my heart beats a happy, excited beat. I love thinking back on our love day and the coffee that started it all. 
​
We had a sign at our wedding (and now hangs in our kitchen) that said, "Great things start over a cup of coffee". Today we celebrate that great start, all the moments from that coffee time....especially the love story that began!

Take a minute and look at your hand. Move and flex your hand and fingers. Make a fist, the "ok" sign, and touch your thumb to your pinky. Now, think about all you do with your hand on a daily basis. 

This could be true about any part of our bodies, but we often do not realize all we do with those individual parts...the various movements, muscles and all involved. Our bodies are simply amazing in their design. 

I had been having some trouble with my hands with numbness and tingling in my thumb and two fingers. It was bad enough that I finally saw an orthopedic hand specialist/surgeon about it. He sent me for a nerve test. I was in shock (pun intended - those that have had this test will get it) that our nerves could be tested! The result was carpel tunnel in both hands, just worse in my right. Surgery was planned and performed for my right hand. The surgery was quick and smooth - I actually watched the carpel tunnel release on a tv screen as the surgeon performed it. The recovery is harder!

Go back to your reflection of your hands.  This has made me some much more aware of all our hands do, because I've NOT been able to as normal for the last couple of weeks. Every day is better, but with my surgery follow up I learned that it could be a couple more months of soreness. And now the harder part....I have to at some point do the left hand...knowing what is coming! 

Matthew 6:3 (although talking about giving to the needy), says it well...
"do not let your left hand know what you right hand is doing". My left hand is definitely better off not knowing about this (ha).

I'll be honest, not being able to use my hand as normal has been frustrating. I've become quite independent and want to do things myself...aka do not like asking for help. But I have HAD to have help with some normal tasks and go about tasks differently.  

My hand soreness will serve as a "handy reminder" over the next couple of months that healing is still ongoing.  Healing is a process and takes place over time - a time period that isn't outlined and is different for each person and situation.

I've also been reminded that....
​Having to change the "normal" is good. It can make us aware, thankful, slow down, depend on others, etc. It makes me think of my goal of Risk. Sometimes when we are "forced" out of our normal, we are able to risk doing things differently. It is going to be uncomfortable, maybe frustrating...but it is good for us!
Sometimes we have to face something that we know is going to be hard for our own good. Facing surgery on my left hand is going to be hard, but necessary for better functionality and less pain/issues (as was with my right).
Allowing others to help is good for you and them. 
We are "fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:14) by an amazingly creative Creator! Just look at the intricate design of our hands!