What I Did Today

I am trying to remember this time last year - the big ticket items. In April 2006, Michael and I were sorting out what we would do as a family because we had recently been told that our church, where Michael was on staff, was being closed by presbytery. I was teaching children's church regularly and part of the church's women's ministry team. I was a stay-at-home mom of a one and a half year old, seven months pregnant with a baby girl, and working from home as a grant writer, bookkeeper and executive assistant. I was soon to find out that my sister possibly had cervical cancer. My father had recently rented a limo and been driven about 3 hours to his brother's doorstep with no belongings, a brother he had not seen in approximately 10 years, and would be deposited at his departed mother's home with in-home care. I missed my husband who had two full-time jobs.

Such contrast today . . . I squeezed in about an hour and a half in the office where I am now a resource development director planning our organization's basketball tournament fundraiser. I am normally in the office all day on Wednesday, but my dear daughter, Harper, has ear infections, a continuing fever and much crankiness. My son, Asher, is spending the day at daycare, which he loves and has already improved his speaking ability. I spend what seems like hours on the phone speaking with the new bookkeeper about procedures, with a long-term care facility in California about finding care for my dad who is in the last stages of Huntington's Disease, with a lawyer, mediator and financial planner about options for filing a legal separation, with the doctor's office about Harper's health, and with Katy Snow, a friend of my friend, Megan, getting updates on Megan's surgery which resulted in the removal of an ovary, six inches of small intestine and part of her colon. I look forward to Michael leaving in the morning for his job at a shoe store and in the evening to Megan's apartment, where he is currently staying, after giving him copies of the preliminary separation papers. I settle in after Harper goes to bed to play army men, cowboys and airplane with my two and half year old.

My self of only one year ago can only ask, where am I? What alternate universe is this? I sent a package of mail to Megan, who has been away for a month now, a vacation that turned into a longer stay with her family due to health problems, with a card addressed to Megan Hyatt, c/o Crazy Train A, Alternate Universe. I am along side her on Crazy Train B. Someone stop the train!

I am blessed with God's grace, how He brought me through the trials of last year and promises to bring me through again. How good it feels to sit on the couch and put my feet up, let my mind wander from all the future questions and decisions to fluttering words.