On My Watch

Let me know when you leave for here. Let me know when you get home. Don't laugh.  How many times have you heard me say this? My kids will say all, and I do mean ALL the time. 

I know they can get everywhere they need to go in life without checking in with me.  But on my watch, I need to know they are safe.   

On my watch in the city, I used to pray whenever I heard a siren or saw a cop or fire truck en route.  Now my watch includes the farmers, the crop dusters, the truckers on the road and an occasional 13 stripe squirrel racing for his hole in the road. Now why? Why would a squirrel build a home in the middle of the road? Boggles my little blonde head I tell you.   

My watch include our dogs and foster dogs.  My social media friends, and you bet, their dogs too.  I should be tired from all this watching, but mostly I am blessed.

Lately I've been watching the corn and beans grow and the pivot roll. I walk the garden and watch it grow daily.  I watch the 4 0'clocks open and close. Sometimes twice a day. Probably sounds like I've lost my mind.  But I beg to differ. 

In the comings and goings of life we need to watch more of what we love. And love more of what we watch. So if I ask you to let me know when you get home, or when you are leaving for here take it as a compliment.  I rest easier when all on my watch are safe and accounted for.  

Next Four Exits....

Next four exits....could mean anything.  Last chances, next chances, close to the destination, beyond....

We have four exits...and have a sign to prove it.  Now, the state didn't post the sign.  It's tongue-in-cheek.  It looks like a genuine road sign, but it is just a genuine reproduction of a road sign. Sometimes we need a sign. Sometimes we are the sign.

Patterson, Main, and Scott are three of the exits.  Don't blink or you'll miss them. Now, I'll have to do some research to figure out who Patterson and Scott are, or were as the case may be.  Main Street goes without saying. Pretty much every town is founded with a Main Street. Perhaps you drive one daily.

The story is told that the sign was for visitors from the East coast coming for a wedding.  They kept asking for directions and which exit to take. Granted we are a little difficult to find.  But which exit is rarely an issue. Perhaps you can see the humor in our sign saying Stockham, Next 4 Exits.

The last exit, or the first depending on which way you are coming, is Grace Street.  Quite fitting.  We could all use a street full of grace. Maybe even more than a street full.  If that is the case, I'd like all the exits to lead to grace.  The next four, heck, even the next 44.  Even if that never happens, I know we've found grace in Stockham.  

Little Town

Over the years we've downsized just a bit.  From living in a city with a population of roughly 1.3 million residents within a 50 mile radius, to a city with a population just shy of 50,000, to a village with a population of about 42.  You might think we're nuts. There was a time we pondered that possibility. Now, we know for a fact insanity is not our problem. Okay, you might still think we're nuts, but we don't and that's all that matters.

Since we live just outside of town, we rarely see the other 42 of our closest neighbors.  Good thing I like my husband.  Better yet I like the privacy, best of all we love the countryside.

What we are delighting in is the sense of community and camaraderie we have found in our little town. It's like an onion (assuming you like onions), layer upon layer to be unpeeled over the seasons. 

A year ago, we'd been here for 9 months and hardly knew a soul. Speculation was we were members of the witness protection program. Now we know most everyone, and we're slightly less suspect. We've been to the town bbq/street dance, July 4th picnic, golf tournament, glow ball tournament, hog butchering, the local cemetery and a progressive dinner.  In no specific order. There is a men's group and a women's group.  This might be heaven.

Alright, I heard you snicker at that last comment.  Life is what you make of it. It is not the size of the city that makes you belong.  It is the investment you make in it.  

So on this Independence Day we celebrate our country, and our "country".   We do this with fireworks in the sky, in our hearts and gratitude for our little town.  

Changing It Up

This blog began when life gave us a second chance at marriage and the journey that entailed. You know, second time down the aisle, planning a wedding, finding what had celebratory meaning for us.  All that jazz.

Now we find ourselves on the cusp of our 3rd anniversary.  Clearly not newly weds..not quite old married folk.  Still searching for ways to celebrate us.  Of late, it's been suggested I write about our life in the country.  After all, we are city people blessed to be enjoying life in the country.  I can do that, I can change it up.  

First of all, though we thought it would be great to own some land and get out of the city, neither of us thought it would ever happen.  We still marvel at that.  Sometimes it's the marvel of these are our weeds needing to be treated, those are our tree limbs downed in the storm, that's our lane needing to be plowed.  

Once we took the leap of faith we never looked back.  Except maybe when we leave for work and wish we didn't have to: a) work, b) work in the city and c) leave home to do so.  

I remember years ago taking a drive in the country and wondering who are these people that live out there and why would they.  Well now I know. In the city I would look at my yard and think this is my yard.  Now I look at my yard and think this is my YARD!  We're living an upper case life in the middle of heaven.  Well, heaven as we've come to know it.  

Changing it up is not without challenges.  But that's where humor, faith and a stiff drink comes in to play.  First you laugh, rather than cry, pray (sometimes in the form of a rant) and have a drink because hydration is important!  Okay, I'd be a liar if there weren't a few tears along the way.  I am one of those weepy women.  Owning it is the first step...go ahead, I dare you to put on your surprised face.  

Who would have thought a hot date on a Friday night would involve walking the garden, watching the corn grow and, you guessed it having a drink.  We used to go to the bar to drink. Now home holds the best bar available.  That and the fact we live 12 miles, give or take, from the closest bar.  

I used to think there was nothing out there, and now I find everything is out here.  Such is our life.  

Two Years Ago

In the beginning there was a man in Reno and a woman in Omaha. And God laughed. Because he new the bigger plan. Okay, so I'm thinking he's still laughing at us, with us, for us.

Almost exactly two years ago we walked down the aisle, I giggled my way through our vows, enjoyed a fabulous party and began married life. For the second time. I do believe it's sweeter the second time around.

Since then we've sold a house, moved twice, started a new job and moved to new locations. Just a few life stress's in that. Here's the deal. I am so grateful. The road led us to places we could never have imagined. It included a fall out of an attic. That first step's a doozy. I don't recommend that trip. It has included downsizing dramatically and then upsizing remarkably. Okay, the yard increased substantially, the view unbelievably and the house, though small is just perfect for us.

Two years ago we looked forward with faith, humor and the support of our family and friends. We still count on that. There have been bumps in the road. They happen. They have been tears - of laughter and of sorrow. There have been foster dogs...seven since then. Ha...a revolving door of dogs! Our world and welcome too it.

All this said, I believe I'll sign up for another year, or two...God willing. Since God was willing to bring us together in the first place I think that's a good place to start.

Chin Up

Dear Friend.....

I know you are in for a rough time.  Cancer sucks, but it does not define you.  You will get through this.  It will change you, but it will be for the better.

May I just say chin up.  Chin up to better days ahead.  Lean on the strength of those who love you.  Trust in the power of prayer.  Believe.  Breathe...it helps. Breathe again....it helps.

Let people be there for you.  You will be amazed at where the support comes from.  It's okay to lean on others.  Hold fast to the hands that reach out to you until you regain your balance.

It's not a journey we would choose, but there will be blessings you could never expect.  Don't forget to breathe...and hold you chin up.  

I have faith in you, I'm here for you.  Breathe.... 

In Good Times and in Bad

I'm thinking those terms are relative.  A good time to me, might be a slice of hell for you.  A good time is hanging out in our little house on the prairie and watching the dogs.  A good time to you may be the hustle bustle of the big city. Bad times are part of life.  They often kick us in the pants when we need to move to a new place in life.

All of us in relationships....and aren't we all in relationships of some sort, have the good times and the bad.  Work relationships, friendships, spouses, siblings, neighbors...all of the above. Heck even pack dynamics with the dogs have their moments.  There are times you want to throw in the towel, run home to Mom, kick the cat (my apologies to the cats of the world -it's just an analogy). You envy your single friends, who envy their married friends.  

In good times it's easy, in bad times we are called to love.  In reality we might feel more called to murder at that particular moment, but trust me it's love we need.  The challenge is to move towards healing.  Because it's much easier to hold onto the pain than to reach out in peace.

At some point you can go back and laugh at the audacity of the situation, giggle at the irony, chuckle at the way it all played out.  Give thanks the creek is not deep enough for a body.  To make that happen you both have to give a little...and find your way back to the good times.