Every now and again....

You need a week like this to remind you of how good life is. It's been a rough week. There was a young man, eighteen years old, named Chris Sacca who died this past Wednesday in a motorcycle accident right outside Lake Magdalene Methodist Church on Fletcher Avenue. A 78-year-old man driving with his wife pulled an illegal U-turn in front of him. He ran into the back of them and that was the end of the world for Chris.

Lots of questions for God and lots of amazement at His infinite wisdom. The biggest question is, "Why can't we know when those around us are going to go?" and the most amazing answer...."Because then you'd all be living in fear and anger and determination and you'd spend all your time being so stressed about the end that you couldn't enjoy the journey." And so the only answer for how to get humans to enjoy life....don't tell them when it's over. It's so painfully simple, but I have to say that if I were in the Creator's seat, I never would have thought of it.

But still, I wonder....and I will continue, just like every human that has gone before me and every one that will follow. I'm feeling very Ecclesiastes right now. Very.

I can't imagine what it feels like to have raised a child and then the minute he starts to spread his wings to fly from the nest, he's shot down out of the sky. So what was the purpose of the last eighteen years for Katie and Terry, his parents? To laugh and cry and learn....but why? To fill time? To teach them something? To bring them to the point of having to make a decision for or against Christ? It seems a bit extreme to me to pluck someone's son away when you could just go another route to that destination. I just don't get it. And I suppose God doesn't blame me for not getting it. I'm not privy to the Big Picture.

And another thing that upsets me is that tomorrow is the Super Bowl and there's not much Katie enjoyed more than wrapping up in her football blanket and watching the Super Bowl at church and now that will forever be lost for her because every year when the Super Bowl rolls around, it will always remind her of the day before she buried her son in the ground. I doubt she'll be there tomorrow, but even if she's not, she'll always remember why she didn't watch the 2008 Super Bowl.

So anyway....that's where my mind has been much of the week (since Wednesday evening, anyway). It's not a good place, but I think it's necessary. For a little while, anyway.

On with my life, since I am so fortunate....

Ethan finally learned to ride his bicycle this week! He's nine, for cryin' out loud! He started trying last week after his friend Andrew rode over on his bike. So Monday he started trying in earnest. I assured him that one time he'd just take off and be totally surprised by it. He was so funny...on Tuesday, he came inside literally next to tears and said, "It's no use! I'll NEVER learn to ride my bike! I've been trying for over 15 minutes and I just keep falling off! I'll NEVER learn to ride it!" Very upset, indeed! Two days later, he took off and was totally surprised by it. By the time Dad got home, he was riding like a pro....almost. Friday, by the time Dad got home, he was riding back and forth on the driveway turning really tight turns so he wouldn't have to stop. (The driveway is only 12 feet wide.) Friday evening he went on his first real bike ride with Dad. Today, he went on another one. He loves it! We've been trying to convince him to ride without training wheels since he was six!

Seth is in the process of being diagnosed with ADHD (we think). The doctor wants me to pursue behavior modification through a psychiatrist, but hasn't responded to my request for him to recommend one (or more) from our list from the insurance company. I get to follow up on that next week. Our sweet middlest is giving us all sorts of challenges in the area of discipline, decorating the walls with various writing implements, aiming straight for the toilet, and nose-picking. He's the one to rely on if you want a yellow or red report from school (instead of green). He's very sweet, though, and enjoys staying home over going just about anywhere. At least he's easy to please.

Rachael is learning more words every day. She's not as easy to understand as Ethan was...you sort of have to know her language, but she says probably about 50 different words. We were right that when she started talking she wouldn't shut up. She doesn't eat well, preferring cookies and peppermint balls over anything and everything. She's 22 months old this week.

Eric is in the process of being promoted to Tech Manager in the Information Security organization at Verizon. We're hoping that a good pay increase will go along with that, but we don't know yet. (Who fills out a job application without knowing the salary level?!) Anyway.... He's still working with youth at church and will be for the foreseeable future. He's pretty confident of his calling, even if it was a surprise to all who knew him as much as it was a surprise to himself. (Except God, that is....see Jeremiah 29:11.)

Me...I'm just Mom....and wife....and Preschool Coordinator....and Children's Teacher.....and the Cookie Lady.....and the Wedding Coordinator.....I think I'll just leave it there so that you can wonder what fills my time so much that I never blog. But I'm glad to say I didn't make it a New Year's Resolution to blog more. Because I knew I wouldn't.

God bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you! (I got that from my mom.)