Happy Birthday, DQ!

She dropped into our lives one day - totally unexpected, but totally wanted and loved. We welcomed her with open arms and loving hearts, and here she will stay for all time. We are blessed by her smile, her sense of humor, her strong convictions to stick up for the underdog, and her loyalty to her family. Her smile is gorgeous, her spirit is untamed, and her faith is unwavering. She has been through some very tough times, what with the prejudice she experienced at a private school and her older sister's illness. Sometimes, she has been pushed into the background as other crises have taken my time and energy away from her, and for those times, I am truly sorry. But, I love her so deeply and profoundly, and I will always consider her my "baby".

Happy Sweet 16th, DQ! I hope this year is your BEST ever!

Prayers, Please

Hi everybody. Would you be so kind to say a prayer for both of my daughters right now? The oldest is sick with a viral infection, and because of her lupus, it can get worse fairly quickly. The youngest is struggling with a couple of different things right now which I can't really go into at this time. I appreciate it, and thank you!

Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring - Celtic Woman

A beautiful way to start the Lenten season.

The Lenten Season

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Last year, I participated in a group blog and found the experience quite fulfilling. This year, what with all the changes going on in my life, I have decided to focus solely on deepening my relationship with Christ throughout the next 40 days. There are things I am going to do outwardly - such as attend Mass more than once a week, go to Eucharistic Adoration one time a week, and begin a year-long journey by praying "The Fifteen St. Bridget Prayers" each night. This prayer focuses on Jesus' suffering and death. I prayed it for a year in the 1980's and the experience was amazing as my understanding and appreciation of the Lord's suffering deepened. There are things I am going to be diong inwardly, too - which I may or may not share with you as I go through this process. It is my hope that my journey over the next forty days will allow me to become a more compassionate and humble person who will follow God's will at ALL times, and not just when His plan happens to coincide with mine.

February Song

Gorgeous song by Josh Groban. It reminds me of my best friend, Ruth, who slipped away from this world 11 years ago. She would have celebrated her 53rd birthday on February 17th. I love and miss you, Ruth!

Horizons

It looks like we're in for a snowstorm - anywhere from 3 to 12 inches is the prediction. Actually, I love snowstorms - I kind of miss them. Ohio doesn't get nearly as much snow as Michigan does, and most of the winter here is spent looking at brown grass rather than white snow. I smile when the kids say "oh wow, look at all that snow" - and there might be two inches on the ground!

Things here are so-so. Just lots of changes to think through, adjust to, and accept. Transitioning to a new stage of life this time around seems to be more difficult than before - and I wonder if that's because I'm older now, or if it's because this transition is truly harder than the other ones.

DQ turns 16 in two weeks. In just two short years, she'll be leaving for college! I didn't get the chance to prepare for TP's leaving in advance because we were so focused on her health, so when the time came for her to actually leave last fall, it came as a real shock to me. I don't think that I helped TP as much as I should have for all the changes she would go through, and I know I didn't prepare myself in advance to help me get through it all. But, I am hoping that over the course of the next two years, I'll be able to prepare myself and prepare DQ for the changes which will happen in both of our lives when she leaves the nest.

These transitions in our lives challenge us - and we either grow in our relationships with each other and with God, or we become bitter and angry over leaving behind a certain period in our lives which we've thoroughly enjoyed, or we get "stuck" in our old patterns of behavior rather than changing or adapting to our new lives. I admit I'm stumbling - I'm trying to grow in light of these changes, but there are times that I try desperately to hold on to the old rather than embrace the new. At times, I find myself with tears in my eyes as I remember when the girls were little- and I catch my breath because it hurts to think things are never going to be the same as they used to be, with their little girl giggles and their words of "you're the best mommy ever". I truly do know in my head that there are wonderful times ahead for me (hey, the best is yet to come, right?) - but my heart still longs for the simpler times of having both girls safely tucked into their beds at night.

So, while the snow is swirling around me tomorrow, I will remember the simpler times when I was a child and how the snow would mesmerize me. I would stare at it and wonder what my life would be like when I would be older. A part of that mystery has been solved, for I have lived many years - but there is still much more to discover about what God has in store for me. And I look forward to (albeit, at times, a bit reluctantly) seeing what this next stage of my life will bring.

Baby It's Cold Outside

Wind chill factor -15.

So much for "global warming".

Love is in the Air!

Please go and check out February's issue of Christian Women Online. This month's theme, of course, is LOVE! As usual, Darlene has published an outstanding edition - I am amazed at, and grateful for, her talent and passion for this ministry. My article is entitled "Love is Color-Blind", and discusses some of the issues of raising an adopted biracial daughter. The link to the ezine is http://www.christianwomenonline.net .