Four Weekends

(Author's note: I have been trying to post this for a week, and internet was acting crazy! Sooo, I changed and updated it, and tried to post it Friday. To no avail. Alas, here it is. Crazy technology!)

I am B. E. A. T., but nearing recovery.

My physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual states have been put in a blender for the last month. Somehow, a year's worth of events got pushed into consecutive weekends, mostly because there is nothing I love more than packing for a family of five (or four, if Geoff can't make it), driving a couple hours, unpacking, repacking, driving home, unpacking, doing laundry, and then gearing up to do it all again a few days later. (Yes, that was, indeed, sarcastic.)

But in this case, it was pretty unavoidable. Huge events that I couldn’t – wouldn’t – miss. And though I'm happy that we got to go head home each weekend, I’m happy that, for now, we’re done, and we can finally get our feet wet in this new community.

The first trip was unexpected and unhappy. We drove to Slaton for the funeral of a good man and long-time family friend. He was my oldest brother's best friend, who died suddenly in his sleep. He was 41. We went to his Rosary, funeral, and burial, which culminated in a barbeque in his honor. The tribute paid to his life was absolutely beautiful, and he will be terribly missed.  The weekend was full of laughter and tears, and though it zapped our emotion and energy, I am so grateful that we were blessed to know the loving servant that Brian was, and that we were able to show up to help send him off. 
 

The next weekend I returned with the kiddos to help host a baby shower for my Goddaughter and friend, Karly. It was crazy! Rushing from here to there and trying to fit too much into one day was not smart. I was in charge of invitations, icing the cake (pictured below. Somehow I don’t have one picture of me with my Goddaughter. Wha?! – not my best cake work, but I was in a hurry. Don’t judge.), putting together the “candy bar” (which was sooo cute – all green and orange candy – though it wasn’t easy to pull together it was worth every penny and every minute and every store.), and helping decorate the place. As my eyelids drew heavy, the joy on that pretty girl's face zinged me back. Good friends and punch and food and laughter, and later, a night of pajamas and a movie with an old friend, and the weekend was wrapped up with a smile.
 

Two weekends ago we swooped down for the wedding of a friend. It was simple and beautiful, laced with bright yellow sunflowers and royal blue dresses, boots and burlap. The chapel was one of the more adorable little places I've seen in my life, and the bride and her daughter (one of my eldest daughter's best friends) were stunning. Geoff and I are so happy that we were able to share the day with Amanda and her husband, Dusty. We wish them a blessed forever, filled with smiles and sunshine, laughter and forgiveness, joy and hand-holding until their hair turns grey and falls out!

This past weekend, I suited up the cases again, and we headed down for the crème de la crème, the celebration of my parents' FORTY-FIFTH wedding anniversary! I'm incredibly proud to be the daughter of these two flower children, who are living examples of what it means to live a simple, God-fearing, loving, forgiving, fun, intentional life. 
 
My mother, the hostess and living saint, and my father, the wise man. They're a duo like none other I've ever encountered, and the hundreds who have flowed through their home at Loyalty, TX, feel the same. I'm honored and blessed to have been born into this family, and it was uber fun (FUN FACT: uber is German - it means "over")) to have dinner and a show with them. Our eldest and her cousin served dinner as the “Italian” waitresses, dubbed Sophia and Lucia. We then all loaded up and headed to a showing of “The Compleat Wrks of Willm Shkspre” put on by the Lubbock CATS community theatre. It was pretty cute, and good for some laughs. (Got to see my sister and her Magic White Guy, too, which is always a highlight!)

All that being said, I am so, so happy to be home. I can't wait to put away the suitcases (nope, it’s Friday, and they’re still sitting there), get the laundry done, and spend a slow Saturday in my new tiny little town. I’ve been dreaming of a weekend when my minivan sits in the garage undriven, and giving GREAT THANKS to God that He's kept it running smoothly for us. I can't recall it ever running as good as it has been the last few weeks. This last trip home it cried for help, however. It’s done traveling, too!

Wednesday night I joined our new church’s choir for practice, where I played guitar and got to sing a little praise. It felt really good to meet some people and have some laughs and worship. Looking forward to coming weekends, where the kids will meet more kiddos, we’ll make some friends, and we can jump into the town that we’re just now getting to know!

Cheerio!
Jessica