Five Minute Friday: Grace

I'm trying something new here on Fridays. Or Saturdays if I'm running late.

I'm joining in with Lisa Jo Baker for a five minute writing session.  The basic idea is that a prompt is given weekly, then I spend only five minutes writing whatever comes to mind. You can get the full scoop here. And maybe think about joining in!




Today's prompt: Grace

When grace is joined with wrinkles, it is adorable. There is an unspeakable dawn in happy old age.

     -Victor Hugo 

I wouldn't say I'm old (but my kids would!)

But I'm definitely in that "middle-age" range.

And I find myself thinking about life a bit more.

Where have I been and where will I be going?

Who do I want to be?

How do I want to treat others in my life?

You see, I've not always been happy with the relationships around me.

Wanting more of this or less of that.

But I've learned that I can't change anyone.

Ever.

I can talk to them, but that usually ends in an epic fail.

But I can change me.

I can choose my own actions and words.

And I do.

I'm creating the life I want. Every. Single. Day.

But, the funny thing is, I get that what I want may not be the same thing that others around me want.

Meaning that I may be disappointing, upsetting those around me.

What to do about this?

Just try to pay attention to the world around me and live with as much grace as possible.

Yep. That's what I'll do.

Five Minute Friday: Together

I'm trying something new here on Fridays. Or Saturdays if I'm running late.

I'm joining in with Lisa Jo Baker for a five minute writing session.  The basic idea is that a prompt is given weekly, then I spend only five minutes writing whatever comes to mind. You can get the full scoop here. And maybe think about joining in!



This week's prompt is Together.

Together.

We're better together, as Jack Johnson likes to sing.

And I believe it's true with this family of mine.

I love it when I get to have all my kids together around the dinner table.

Laughing together. Fighting together, Annoying together. Being loud together.

Together makes me feel complete. And I can tell it makes my family feel complete. Even if they don't know it just yet. While they are still kids. But I can see the joy in their faces when they are together. And I know it is true in their hearts.

It feels like old times, before life marched on and one moved out.

And now my family is a bit bigger when we're together. A new daughter and grand baby.

Sometimes I wonder what life will be like in 5 years....in 10.

How big will we be when we are all together. How crazy and chaotic. How big will the dinner table need to be. How big will my heart become as we grow from being a family of six, to a family of eight, to a family of who knows how many.

But I do know that I want to be smack dab in the middle of together, holding onto my husband's hand, relishing every moment!

5 Minute Friday: Laundry

I'm trying something new here on Fridays. Or Saturdays if I'm running late.

I'm joining in with Lisa Jo Baker for a five minute writing session.  The basic idea is that a prompt is given weekly, then I spend only five minutes writing whatever comes to mind. You can get the full scoop here. And maybe think about joining in!



This week's prompt is Laundry:

Always there. In a family of six. It. Is. Always. There. One has moved out, but he still brings his laundry here every few weeks. And now there are girlfriend clothes and itty, bitty, baby girl clothes too. That makes it a family of eight.

We bought those machines, the washer and dryer years ago, when we made a major life move. A move to a house we would be spending the rest of our lives in. That was 3 houses ago.

Ha.

Sometimes life does not go as planned.

But back to the laundry. And the machines.

They have seen so many changes over the past 8 years. Back then, the kids were 13, 9, 6, and 4. Now the oldest is turning 21 in 9 days. Another is graduating high school this year, and will probably be moving out not in the too distant future. It's amazing what things have changed over those years, moving from toys and crayons in the pockets of jeans, to work schedules and drivers' license's.