...til we meet again

I have learned two very valuable lessons this week.

1. it is much easier to move away from your parents than it is to have them move away from you.
2. strength is not something you have. it is something you're blessed with from God.

I do not remember the last time I have shed so many tears. Yesterday was a very long and emotional day. My heart has been cracking and splintering every hour.

There have been many thing in my life that have been difficult to bear. Being barren has certainly been at the top of that list. But the Lord heard my cries and bore the sorrow of my heart with me. He sent me a balm of Gilead in the form of Madi and jack. I have fallen short of being a good mother to them in many ways. But I do love them. If I didn't I could never have made it through yesterday. They, and Jeff, are the only anchors I have left here.

Yesterday we packed up everything my parents own and loaded them into a Uhaul and they drove away with my heart. Many have born harder burdens than mine. I know this. And yet, the Lord still has blessed me with comfort and strength time and time again including this weekend so that I can make it through.

And although I cried yesterday, and I'm still crying today and will miss my parents with the very core of who I am I know that we are an eternal family. I know the Lord loves me and will never leave me. I know this and because I know this my faith in Christ will see me through this heartache.

Today is another day. Tomorrow will come. So i will wipe my eyes... again... take a deep breath, and endure this new challenge the best I can.

I love you mom and dad. I love you so much! Thank you for leaving me with such a strong testimony of the love of my Savior so I am not ever really alone. This is the greatest gift you have ever given me. It is the perfect heirloom. And I will keep it dusted, polished, and the centerpiece of my home.... until we meet again...

Dreams

Today some things changed and I think a new window opened.

I'm prompted to ask myself "What do I want to be when I grow up?"

I don't have to search hard to find the answer. There are two things that I love to do. The first is to program blogs and webpages the second is to teach. However, I do not necessarily like teaching how to program a blog LOL

I have a dream... that someday my sore little tootsies will be able to rest comfortably in some nice moccasins under my desk in my cabin on a lake.

This will do...



See the little fishing pond in the back? There is also a little garden back behind the cabin too. :-)

So now I need to make a plan so I can have my dream. Want to join me?

Weekends

I've had a lot of great weekends in my life. Most of my favorite weekends are spent up in the mountains. This weekend i have to work and so does Jeff. I keep telling myself that "at least we both have good jobs". But I wonder... sometimes it seems like employers forget that you have to recharge your batteries. If deadlines are so tight that you cannot even take a Saturday to recharge maybe it's time to reconsider the deadline. Then again... I have many friends that are either out of work or living on much smaller salaries so I do recognize that we are blessed.

Last night I watched Date Night. Awesome movie by the way... I heart Steve Carrol. Anyway... they lived in the coolest house. Now, I'm not a stalker but with some Google skills I was able to find the house. Phil and Claire Foster’s house from Date Night is located at 620 Vallombrosa Drive in Pasadena. Now i would NOT like to live in Pasadena but I WOULD like to have a house that looked like this. :) I wonder how difficult it would be to add some black shutters and a lot of landscaping to my house to make it look similar... other than money and hard work what's stopping me? LOL

Well, since I do have to work today I better go but I'll leave you with this final thought...

Typical Ritter Date Night:
Movie - $20 tickets
popcorn & soda - $25
Dinner - $60
TOTAL - $105

Last night's date:
Goodwill - free :)
Dollar Store - $2.50 (two bags of Red Vines to eat while we watched a DVD)
Blockbuster - $4.00 (rented Date Night)
Subway - $15
TOTAL - $21.50

Guess which date was more fun? :-) Oh... and the bonus... I was asleep and snoring in my bed by 9:30~!~!!~ Can't beat that! :)

Stuck

Tonight there are news choppers, police choppers, news crews, rescue teams, and neighbors all milling about. A horse has fallen into a hole. I am amazed at the number of people who care and at the number of people it will take to rescue this horse.

Tonight M is at an away volleyball game. I hope she's playing well. I hope she wins.

Tonight I made Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo for dinner. It was amazing.

Tonight I'm not tired yet. I should be but I'm not.

Tonight is my mom's birthday. 60 years of wonderful. 60 years of making the world a better place. I only got to enjoy about 38 of those years but they have been the best years of my life. Actually they have been all of the years of my life. I'm so blessed to have such a kind, loving, helpful, strong, charitable mom.

Sometimes you get stuck with family. I like to think of it as being blessed to have the family I have. A horse is stuck and lots of people are coming to his rescue tonight.

I was stuck in this family and my mom has spent her whole life rescuing me so that I can be the best possible person I can be. Thanks mom! Happy birthday!

beginnings...

My mommy has a blog. It's a great blog. I love reading it. When I read it I feel like I am with her. I miss her. She moved north this summer. I'm starting this blog so she and I can check in with each other often. I hope the rest of my friends and family will join in on the fun too. Now... I just need to find my camera so I can add pics of my life. :-)

Smiles,
~Nickels