Pay no attention.  I’m not really here.
I need to unload and don’t know where else to do it.  I am assuming after two years of non-activity, that nobody is checking out my little place in blog land anymore, so I’m going to just sneak back in.
I’ve always known that time has a way of sneaking in and changing how you look, act, feel, and react to things.  I’ve experienced these many changes as the years have marched along.  I truly thought I had been through the difficult ones - you know, babies go to school, then they leave home for school, jobs, marriage, etc.  My once noisy, full home got too quiet.  But before I knew it, where there was five of us, there was 8, then 10, 12, 16, 18 and sometime in the near future, with the engagement of our oldest granddaughter, we will begin a new count - and a new generation where responsibilities and priorities will once again shift.
Such a full, fun, time.  Play days, babysitting, sleepovers, birthday parties.  Even Dr. Appointments - because I was needed.  And in between all of this fun, our personal lives were full with work, friends and parties, church activities, travel.  Sometimes I’d just tell myself “breathe”.
Somehow the next phase has snuck up on me - us.  I still have to tell myself to “breathe” but for different reasons.  Everybody is B.U.S.Y!  The pace is fast and it is so much easier for them to move along with the flow without having to stop and think about dragging the folks along.  There is basketball, softball, cheer, dance, judo, show choir, music competitions, homecoming, and on and on.  Typically we don’t know about things until the last minute or until we see the photos on facebook.  I get it.  But that doesn’t mean I like it. It means so much to us to be there when one of our grandkids receive an honor.
Slow the years down!  Jim had knee replacement surgery several weeks ago.  He will have his other knee replaced Feb. 23rd.  So our life is revolving around Dr. Appointments and physical therapy.  Not much fun going on for sure.  With the flu making its rounds, and with busy schedules, it has turned out that no-one has been able to visit or really have time to much care.  I guess everyone figures we’ve got this - and we do.  But oh how nice it would be to hear something like “hey, we are over the flu, can we come see you tonight?”  Our granddaughter, Emily, is going to college in JC, so she pops out in between classes or we go to lunch or shop.  What a breath of fresh air she is!
We have this beautiful, large Christmas wreath hanging on the wall above the stairs to the downstairs.  The string holding it in place is pulled tight on the nail, so I can’t just grab the bottom of the wreath and lift it off.  We should have gotten it down before Jim’s surgery, but we didn’t. I’m too chicken to crawl out on a board to get it and even though Jim is game to try, I won’t let him.  I guess it will stay there until Easter, which is more than likely the next time any of our kids head this direction.  I’m thinking dyed eggs would dress it up pretty.
Yes, we are in a next phase.  It is a phase of letting go and realizing we are loved but not needed - it is up to us to keep busy - and we will - and treasure the times when we are included in their lives.
We have been doing lots of updates around the house and have a few more planned in the near future.  We were planning on RVing through Alaska this summer with our little Casita travel trailer, but have decided to postpone that for a year.  We want those new knees in top notch order so we can do some hiking and see the beauties up close and personal.
Life marches on, that is for sure.