What a day...

There were so many places to be today.  And so many places that I wanted to be, and could not.  The day began as it normally does with the dog wanting to go outside while it was still dark outside.  Then, after everyone was up, dressed, and fed, we went to watch my niece perform for the Destination Imagination Regional Tournament.  Then, off to take my youngest to his soccer game, and one of his friends took him home to their house afterwards because we had to go back to the Destination Imagination Tournament to watch my daughter's team perform.

As they performed their play it was amazing to see how much their team of 4 boys and 3 girls had improved since last year.  Then picked up lunch and we all ate lunch at home together.  Then, off to my daughter's basketball game.  It was a single elimination tournament and if she won this game at noon, then there was a game at 4 and the final tomorrow.  They played great, but lost.

Then, we split up again so I could take my son to his basketball game and my husband could take our daughter back for the instant challenge at the Destination Imagination Tournament.

Now, here is where it gets interesting.  As I was driving the 20 minutes to the next basketball game, I received a call that one of the parents had found a cell phone and they were inquiring if it was ours.  They described my husband's cell phone case!  They said they had given it to the referee, so we quick turned around and ran back to the gym.  The next game was underway so we had to wait for a time-out, so I could ask the referee.  These were not the same referees from 15 minutes before, and they had no idea what I was talking about.  They said we had to get in touch with the office Monday morning.

So, back in the car and the 20 minute drive to the next game.  When we were almost there, the person who found the cell phone called and said that they had actually given it to a parent from the teams that were playing the next game.  That parent was going to take it to the referees.  So, maybe the phone was back at the gym I had left 20 minutes before?

So, back to the gym.  Luckily, my mom is visiting for the weekend and was able to watch Everett during his basketball game.

I found the person who had the phone, drove back to watch Everett's game, then headed home.  I dropped everyone off and then headed to Greenland Hills UMC where I had the great privilege of praying for an Eagle Scout ceremony.

All of that busyness was wonderful and exciting, but there was somewhere else that I wanted to be.  At 2 pm just as I was driving back and forth trying to get my husband's cellphone, there was a wedding.  A wedding that I wanted to be at.  A wedding that more than a dozen of my fellow North Texas clergy attended.  When I read Rev. Mike Baughman's quote in this story, it made me smile.  Mike brought his two children aged 7 and 5 to the wedding.  Mike said, "I'm here as a pastor so that Bill (McElvaney) won't be alone.  I'm here as a father so that my kids will know this (same-sex marriage) is OK."

We have signed our kids up for all of these activities: soccer, basketball, Destination Imagination, because we want to teach them about the joy of sports, the joy of working together as a team, the joy of hard work.  But I also want them to learn about love, and they can learn from Jack and George how to celebrate 53 years together.

Being a parent is hard, exhausting work, but I know that I only have a brief time to teach them.  A year ago my at-the-time 8 year old asked if boys could marry boys and if girls could marry girls.  My response to her was, "Not in Texas."  This fall when my at-the-time 5 year old asked if boys could marry boys and girls could marry girls, my husband's response was, "In some places, yes."

It is not if, it is when.

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love."  1 John 4:18

2014

A year for milestones...  I will turn 40 (how did that happen?!), my oldest will turn 10 (seriously, how did that happen?), and my mom will turn 70 (fun!).  It should be a great year!

Trips planned:
1. spring break - Lee and I taking our oldest child to Washington D.C.  Our youngest child will be staying with Nana and Papa.
2. summer - south padre with all my mom's children and grandchildren to celebrate her 70th.
3. fall - Rhode Island for a friend's wedding

Activities for me -
working!
handbells - LOVE!
book clubs!
Girl Scout cookie mom - delivery is January 10!
in charge of donuts with dads at the elementary school this spring
training for the Komen 3-day for the Cure (walking 60 miles in 3 days) with my mom for our 5th time

Activities for the kids -
Basketball, volleyball, soccer, taekwondo, selling 1000 girl scout cookies, piano, jazz, church choir

The goal this spring is to eat more at home. With the working full-time transition and the increase in kid activities around dinnertime, I am hoping to be more organized so we can cook more dinners at home instead of eating out.

And more family bike rides!  We had one tonight and they make my heart so happy.

There will be loss this year, there will be tears and there will be sadness, but I am surrounded by love from God, my family, my friends, and my church family.  I am utterly blessed.  May I wake up every day with a heart filled with joy for the gift of life that I have been given that day!