Blessed
Wow! I am so blessed! Tonight I babysat for a single mother (Andrea) of 4 boys. She has a set of twins that are a little over a year old (Leham and Justus), a 3 1/2 year old Kaleb and 7 1/2 year old Jeshua. Her husband and her have been married for 14 years, were both heavily involved in mission work and the church, but 3 months after the twins were born he up and left and said he couldn't deal with it. He lives in Charlotte now.
I arrived with the house in disarray and started helping her clean while the kids were still down for a nap as we chatted about our lives. Once the kids were up and gleefully playing with toys in the living room, we started putting together some quick dinner. After she left for her Experiential Discipleship class we ate dinner and the twins woke up to join us at the table. Then I started the kids on a movie, while I cleaned up the kitchen again and started a load of laundry. Then the twins got changed and went to bed again, one of which was teething and not enjoying being put down in his crib. Then the other two boys brushed their teeth and I read them some books. They took a little fighting to get to sleep, but finally they calmed down. Then I continued to churn out laundry. Andrea's poor bed was covered in so many dirty clothes, papers, books and life's junk. I just felt bad thinking she probably usually just crashes here and rarely gets to sleep in a clean bed so I changed out her sheets and made up a nice bed for her. I saw a box in the corner full of mismatched socks, so I started going through the socks and pairing them back together. She came home just as I had started doing this and we worked on it together while talking about her situation and her life.
The thing is she continually just says "I couldn't do this without God. He has continually blessed me with help from the church." In the midst of just surviving this storm she is so sweet, hopeful and geared on being a child of God. She actually has her Masters in Social Work. It was funny cause she said that a few years ago she had her life planned out for the next 12 years and that, obviously, her 12 year plan didn't work out the way she thought that it would. She said "you can only pencil in your plans but you have to give God the eraser." This I know to be true, but I still have problems handing over control of my life, even though I know it is in his hands anyways.
Right now I just know that I am blessed to have some peace and quiet when I come home, for God to have supported my degree plans so far, and to not be in a relationship with someone who isn't worth it. Andrea is a real American hero!
Friday, January 23, 2009
I have decided to divide up this blog into several mini-blogs because I have so much to catch everyone up on.
This is why I call myself a nomad!
So New Years was spent with the lovely Ellen and Justin in Pittsburgh. Another fabulous, but much better planned than previous years, night out downtown filled with the symphony, ballet, improv comedy nights, and trash sculpting (mainly on Justin and Ellen's part). Of course, there was also the counting down of the year and I always wonder where time goes. Sometimes I imagine God getting impatient for the 2nd coming, just like a kid waiting to get down from his high-chair after a meal. So in his impatience he decides to speed up ;ife without us realizing it. I'm sure it isn't the case, but I really do want to savor life more.
Leaving Ellen with hugs and kisses, I certainly did not think that I would see her again so soon. Back to DC I drove to spend a few more days with my family and then on dasher, on prancer, and all the rest of those sweet little left over reindeer took me home to Greensboro. After receiving a very saddening e-mail that 'Mama' (Ellen's grandmother who raised her) was passing away and that Ellen and Mary were on their way down, Rachel and I waited in the wings ready to swoop in with quiet, yet, strong support when needed. Unfortunately, 'Mama' had passed away before Ellen and Mary made it home to say their goodbyes. The night before the funeral I stayed with Rachel. Driving down to Charlotte tears strewn down my face just thinking of the amazing Crocker family and all of the pain that Ellen was facing. Rachel and I meandered through my first Bojangles experience before hitting the road for the plantation (Ellen's home).
The funeral was hard for everyone. Justin, Rachel and I all holding each other as we watered the grass with sadness and watched Ellen's family in pain. Words during a time like that really don't say much. The only thing to say is "Ellen we love you." Everything else just seemed too cheesy, so I really was just expecting to be sitting around their house in supporting silence; however, laughter soon broke out amongst a sea of busy family members eating and talking. The thing is I swear I am so blessed to know Rachel and Ellen! I constantly am reminded of just how blessed I am to have them in my life. My mom has a prayer up in our house that says "When one of you weeps, may the other taste salt." Even though that prayer is about marriage, I feel it is true about our friendship. When Rachel and Ellen suffer I do feel like I taste some of that suffering along with them.
At the end of the day, I travelled to Atlanta for a few days to shadow at Hirsch Bedner and Associates, the top hospitality firm in the United States. Wow, blow my mind experience! The type of projects that they work on and the relaxed environment that they do it in are all exciting. I definitely would love to work for them!
On my way back up to Greensboro I stopped and had dinner in Spartanburg with Ellen and a plethora of other Spartanburgers. We had conversations about the strangest restaurants in the world...you don't even want to know!
By the time I got home I was exhausted. YET, two days later I left for Charlotte again for Rachel's birthday where good Italian food, tango lessons and, of course, salsa dancing were all intertwined into a delicious evening.
Back in Greensboro...Now I was really exhausted from traveling and was set on being lazy for a little while. Sigh...Pittsburgh, DC, Spartanburg 2x, Atlanta, Greensboro and Charlotte 2x in a matter of 15 days was a lot.
The ticking time bomb...
So I've successfully avoided, well you know who, for about 2 and a half months, which is awesome! Yet, I know that the city is a landmine and I will eventually run into him and, knowing my luck, his new girlfriend. So now I am wondering if it is best not to wonder the streets and local events in fear, but rather to prepare myself to hurry up and get this over with. The awkward "How are you?" "I'm great! And you?" "Doin great!"...I just need to get it done! I thought that was what I was doing on Sunday when I went to the Well because I looked hott and felt confident, but of course he was not there. It almost happened tonight...it was a VERY close call, but I was unprepared and the situation didn't lend itself to seeing each other! We were within mere feet of each other but never saw each other...thank god! Bahhh!
Cough, Cough, insert manly Emily voice here
So definitely getting over some nasty kind of cold. Not the kind that kicks you in the gut for a few days and won't let you stand, but more like the kind where you hesitate breathing because you'll cough up a whole bunch of nothing at all!
Noooooo.....Not Valentines again
Shit...I hate Valentines day. I'm counting down the days till doom. You know what is even suckier is that Valentines is on a Saturday. Saturdays are suppose to be a day of joy. Lonely Valentine Days are suppose to be spent working feverishly away to avoid the pain of being alone, BUT SATURDAY IS MY DAY OFF!!! WOULD ANYONE MIND IF WE RESCHEDULE IT THIS YEAR OR MAYBE JUST POST-PONE UNTIL I HAVE A BOYFRIEND (ONE ACTUALLY WORTH KEEPING). Bah...I digress! Have fun all of you fools for love!
Going, Going....Really? Going, Going....Damn it...Gone!
On a similar note of love, or, rather, the lack of it, I cut off nurse boy (David). After not receiving a real phone call from him for about a month and only very lame text messages I simply sent him one back that said "I hope you find what you're looking for." Of course, he said "What are you talking about?" To which I did not reply! Men need to wake up and realize that if you really want a relationship it takes time and work, not just a "hey" text every week...that is called adolescence and I hope to never return to it again.
This is why I call myself a nomad!
So New Years was spent with the lovely Ellen and Justin in Pittsburgh. Another fabulous, but much better planned than previous years, night out downtown filled with the symphony, ballet, improv comedy nights, and trash sculpting (mainly on Justin and Ellen's part). Of course, there was also the counting down of the year and I always wonder where time goes. Sometimes I imagine God getting impatient for the 2nd coming, just like a kid waiting to get down from his high-chair after a meal. So in his impatience he decides to speed up ;ife without us realizing it. I'm sure it isn't the case, but I really do want to savor life more.
Leaving Ellen with hugs and kisses, I certainly did not think that I would see her again so soon. Back to DC I drove to spend a few more days with my family and then on dasher, on prancer, and all the rest of those sweet little left over reindeer took me home to Greensboro. After receiving a very saddening e-mail that 'Mama' (Ellen's grandmother who raised her) was passing away and that Ellen and Mary were on their way down, Rachel and I waited in the wings ready to swoop in with quiet, yet, strong support when needed. Unfortunately, 'Mama' had passed away before Ellen and Mary made it home to say their goodbyes. The night before the funeral I stayed with Rachel. Driving down to Charlotte tears strewn down my face just thinking of the amazing Crocker family and all of the pain that Ellen was facing. Rachel and I meandered through my first Bojangles experience before hitting the road for the plantation (Ellen's home).
The funeral was hard for everyone. Justin, Rachel and I all holding each other as we watered the grass with sadness and watched Ellen's family in pain. Words during a time like that really don't say much. The only thing to say is "Ellen we love you." Everything else just seemed too cheesy, so I really was just expecting to be sitting around their house in supporting silence; however, laughter soon broke out amongst a sea of busy family members eating and talking. The thing is I swear I am so blessed to know Rachel and Ellen! I constantly am reminded of just how blessed I am to have them in my life. My mom has a prayer up in our house that says "When one of you weeps, may the other taste salt." Even though that prayer is about marriage, I feel it is true about our friendship. When Rachel and Ellen suffer I do feel like I taste some of that suffering along with them.
At the end of the day, I travelled to Atlanta for a few days to shadow at Hirsch Bedner and Associates, the top hospitality firm in the United States. Wow, blow my mind experience! The type of projects that they work on and the relaxed environment that they do it in are all exciting. I definitely would love to work for them!
On my way back up to Greensboro I stopped and had dinner in Spartanburg with Ellen and a plethora of other Spartanburgers. We had conversations about the strangest restaurants in the world...you don't even want to know!
By the time I got home I was exhausted. YET, two days later I left for Charlotte again for Rachel's birthday where good Italian food, tango lessons and, of course, salsa dancing were all intertwined into a delicious evening.
Back in Greensboro...Now I was really exhausted from traveling and was set on being lazy for a little while. Sigh...Pittsburgh, DC, Spartanburg 2x, Atlanta, Greensboro and Charlotte 2x in a matter of 15 days was a lot.
The ticking time bomb...
So I've successfully avoided, well you know who, for about 2 and a half months, which is awesome! Yet, I know that the city is a landmine and I will eventually run into him and, knowing my luck, his new girlfriend. So now I am wondering if it is best not to wonder the streets and local events in fear, but rather to prepare myself to hurry up and get this over with. The awkward "How are you?" "I'm great! And you?" "Doin great!"...I just need to get it done! I thought that was what I was doing on Sunday when I went to the Well because I looked hott and felt confident, but of course he was not there. It almost happened tonight...it was a VERY close call, but I was unprepared and the situation didn't lend itself to seeing each other! We were within mere feet of each other but never saw each other...thank god! Bahhh!
Cough, Cough, insert manly Emily voice here
So definitely getting over some nasty kind of cold. Not the kind that kicks you in the gut for a few days and won't let you stand, but more like the kind where you hesitate breathing because you'll cough up a whole bunch of nothing at all!
Noooooo.....Not Valentines again
Shit...I hate Valentines day. I'm counting down the days till doom. You know what is even suckier is that Valentines is on a Saturday. Saturdays are suppose to be a day of joy. Lonely Valentine Days are suppose to be spent working feverishly away to avoid the pain of being alone, BUT SATURDAY IS MY DAY OFF!!! WOULD ANYONE MIND IF WE RESCHEDULE IT THIS YEAR OR MAYBE JUST POST-PONE UNTIL I HAVE A BOYFRIEND (ONE ACTUALLY WORTH KEEPING). Bah...I digress! Have fun all of you fools for love!
Going, Going....Really? Going, Going....Damn it...Gone!
On a similar note of love, or, rather, the lack of it, I cut off nurse boy (David). After not receiving a real phone call from him for about a month and only very lame text messages I simply sent him one back that said "I hope you find what you're looking for." Of course, he said "What are you talking about?" To which I did not reply! Men need to wake up and realize that if you really want a relationship it takes time and work, not just a "hey" text every week...that is called adolescence and I hope to never return to it again.
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