For our friends who somehow find us amusing…

“A mom is your first friend, your best friend, your forever friend.”

My daddy and I spent four wonderful days camping in the mountains of West Virginia recently. Hours of hiking, kayaking, campfires, dinners for two, and silly laughter filled our hours together. Surrounded by the very fingerprints of God, I could only marvel…

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“…May the Lord rejoice in His works – He who looks at the earth, and it trembles, who touches the mountains, and they smoke.”

(Psalm 104:31-32)

Dinner for two…

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[photos marked (C) or (H) indicate those taken by Christopher and those taken by me.]

Brother and I spent an extended period of time in the car together last Wednesday… (I got a little goofy. You’ve been warned.)

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My second 5k race went to the dogs…literally. Last Saturday was the Dog Jog downtown, where two and four-legged runners turned out to pound the pavement and support the local animal shelter. For the dog-less among us (guess who) , you could “rent-a-dog” from the shelter, and I was handed the lease to a friendly pooch named Libby. She dragged me around to sniff everything possible before the race and jogged along quite happily once we got going, before tuckering out halfway through.

This was the first time my dad and I have ever run together….and he totally showed me up! (So not fair when I’m the one making all those trips to the gym.) We finished in 39:24 (3 min. under my last race – woot!) and he could’ve easily outrun me. Which he won’t let me forget, either. As it was he got second place in his age group while I was still gasping for breath!

I see a rematch in our future…

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Friday morning we loaded on the metro for our big day to see the sights of downtown DC. While there simply wasn’t enough time (or leg energy) to see all the wonderful places we wanted to, we thoroughly enjoyed what we were able to experience. The sheer amount of history and amazing architecture found on every corner just blew us away and kept us stopping to snap pictures almost constantly. Being face to face with places and things I have only read and heard about my entire life brought our Nation’s history into awe-inspiring proximity. It was unbelievable.

My personal favorites were The White House (no surprise, huh), The National Archives, and the Lincoln Memorial. Without a doubt, viewing the founding documents in the rotunda of the National Archives was the most incredible moment of the day. To be inches away from THE Declaration of Independence is enough to give a person the chills! When you think about who touched that piece of paper, and where we would be if those words had not been written…WOW.

Over 12 hours later, with Murphy’s law relentlessly bearing down in the most annoying ways and our legs aching in agony with every slow step, we ended our day in refreshingly cool darkness next to the shining column of stones known as the Washington Monument. We had survived DC. And look at the memories!!

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(photography by Christopher, with a few shots by me)

Day one of our whirlwind brother-sister weekend road trip…so many sights, so little time! It’s been GREAT. Here’s a peek at what we saw today…

Mount Vernon, George Washington’s home…

I was a little awe-struck to be walking around where this incredible man once lived!

George & Martha Washington’s tomb

Arlington National Cemetery – Tomb of The Unknown Soldier. Standing there really brought out the reality of how much so many have sacrificed…people I never knew, but who made all the difference…it was humbling and touching. I am so thankful!!

After 8 hours in the car and 4 more on foot…yeah, you could say I was tired…

:: Complete Photo Album Here ::

I’ve been dreamin’ dreams of a heavenly place/ ’cause this world is not my home

Some days, I would do anything to hear that bell ring again, the little one she kept on her night table. Even at 3 am. I would spring out of my bed, cover the few steps between her door and mine, and help her out of bed or adjust the covers or get her a drink. That blessed little bell. What I wouldn’t give for another smile. Another hug. Another I love you.

Valentine’s Day marked 1 year and 6 months since my grandma went to be with the Lord. It seems like such a long time, and yet some days it seems like I just lost her yesterday. Even as I post this, a friend’s elderly brother, an exuberant, dearly loved man, lies in the hospital and may not live to see another morning on this earth, another shattering reminder of the pain we all face.

There is a sweet beauty in all of this – that our loved ones who know Jesus, whether they are gone now or will go in the future, know the joys of a much better place, and are so fully satisfied with Christ that we could never wish them back. But that will never stop it from hurting.

When you hear those words “There’s nothing we can do”, something breaks inside of you. Life on earth loses a little more of its luster with every breath. Grandma had been through so much. She’d fought through so much. I had prayed many nights for God to please let her come home from the hospital alive. And she had. And then, when we were finally about to pull ourselves over the top of the mountain, an avalanche came crashing down on top of us.

There was weeping in that little house on sixth avenue that night, after those words from the doctor. Not because we were scared to say goodbye, for we knew she was ready, but because saying goodbye for that last time is the hardest thing you’ll ever have to do. It breaks your heart.

That summer was such a gift from God. One that I will always treasure. One that no one else could ever understand. It wasn’t always easy, but I wouldn’t change it if I could. I made memories to last a lifetime, memories that are a healing balm to the tears. I have the comfort of knowing I gave Grandma as much love as I could.

If this is what God wants, if this is what God says/ who am I to doubt or try to figure out the circumstance

And it’s okay. Not in my earthly eyes, no, but in my spiritual eyes. Because if there’s one thing I know, it’s that His eye is on the sparrow and that no matter what happens, it IS well with my soul.

His time was not my time, but His ways are not my ways. And I don’t really expect to ever understand. Sorrow runs deep, and some dreams will always be broken. But I trust that it is not in vain. I may never see the good, but by faith I know it is there.

Our real home waits on the other side/where our treasures lie in store/no need to grieve for this old place/for heaven holds much more

“I love you. We’ll see you in the morning.” Those were the last words I said to my grandma. And so we will. No goodbye can ever change that. For this world…this world is NOT my home.

I love you, Grandma.

I was at a store across town, on a mission to find the elusive pair of jeans for my dress-over-jeans fashion attempt. (Those of you who have been jeans shopping know what the big sigh I just uttered means. Another reason to love skirts.) Having tried on about 8 pairs in the store next door to no avail, I was hoping this shop would prove more fruitful.

Barely in the door, my cell rings. Not a common occurrence, so I know it’s probably my dad, calling to tell me it’s time to come home. I dig the phone out of my purse and answer. It’s Daddy alright, but on a different mission than I suspect. We exchange pleasantries and I inquire as to what he needs.

“I just called to see if you’re happy.”

I giggle. Only my dad would call for a reason like that. “Well….I don’t know. I haven’t found what I’m looking for yet.” I grunt, looking at the lengthy rack of jeans.

“That shouldn’t have any effect on whether you’re happy or not.”

(Is my daddy smart or what?)

“True…I’m happy then.” I assure him, grinning, with more giggles.

His voice holds that familiar note of amusement it gets when he’s doing something just for the fun of it. I suspect he must be really bored, but he says he’s not. He just wanted to know if I was happy. I think it means he loves me.

That “random” phone call made me happy for the rest of the night. I still get happy thinking about it. Like the glitter from a special greeting card that you find on your shirt days later, it’s the little stuff that puts the sparkle in life.

Thanks, Daddy. (And I even found that pair of jeans.)

Thank you to my family for making the day special and sweet – I couldn’t think of three people I’d rather have spent it with!

To my friends everywhere, thank you for your warm wishes, phone calls, and beautiful gifts – I feel so blessed.

Most of all, thank you Lord, for lending me life.

(*just to be clear, that’s a legal-at-any-age strawberry lemonade I’m drinking)