What a busy weekend it has been!! Last night we all fell into our places on the couch and felt like we had run a marathon. Eli and Jill arrived Friday evening and we have been laughing and loving with each other non stop and we still have one more day until their sad departure. Eli wanted to cram as much as he could into these few days with his brothers, so they have been on the tennis courts, at the bowling alley and golf,golf and more golf from the get go. Last night was a pizza throw down which I guess you could say Ira won but only because Eli was out of his element....he's got his "white pie" down pat at home.
Jill and I sat back and watched the fun and took pictures. We've got so many good ones. Fathers day was shared with George and Nellie and all the brothers in an arcade in Lenoir of all places. George and Nellie held up pretty well through all the craziness and noise and I think really enjoyed themselves.
It was just good to all be together as they don't get to see the kids that often now that everyone is getting so spread out. Only Bethany and Gabe were missing but we heard from them several times over the weekend.
The next big event is the arrival on maybe Thursday of our newest addition to the family......Zoe!! Yes, we decided to do it and make it my birthday present but wanted to wait until all the hoopla dies down so we don't scare her to death. After a short trip to Atlanta on Tuesday, we will ride out to the farm to pick her up. I have been thinking non-stop about her all week and as much as I know there will be much work and responsibility associated with this decision, I think I am in need of all that she will bring to our life . As I've said before, are you ever really ready for the work that love requires?? Thinking a lot about that aspect of love....the sacrifice. This line from a Christina Rossetti poem speaks to where I've inched towards the past few years and have felt that as life has calmed down somewhat, I don't feel there has been much fruit and isn't it all about bearing the fruit of the vine?
God hardens me against myself,
The coward with pathetic voice
Who craves for ease, and rest and joys;
Myself, arch-traitor to myself;
My hollowest friend, my deadliest foe,
My clog whatever road I go.
Yet one there is can curb myself,
Can roll the strangling load from me,
Break off the yoke and set me free.
Of course that is the Lord that desires to live my life with all the twists and turns that will ever be with me until we meet face to face. I'm saying bring it on!! We now enter into a new generation of family members that will supply a new map and I know the journey will be a roller coaster ride...just like the beginning. I'm too young to be sitting in my rocking chair in a retired mentality of life but after such a crazy,hectic, thirty eight years of children,animals,businesses and the immense responsibility with each one, I just got burned out. I always tell Ira that I think I need new shock absorbers because mine are worn out.
So I've been praying for a new set of whatever that thing is that softens the hard knocks, so that I can continue on for the next 20-30 years. Love will require sacrifice....just face it. There is no easy road around it but the reward is worth every difficult day!
I think my new baby Zoe will be the front runner.
