Together at the Beach Soon Enough

We are packing for our 40th anniversary trip to Pismo Beach in California. This trip is and is not about Ron and me. Our hope is to have all our kids and grandkids under one roof for a few days. It has been 7 long years since we were all together. That was when we all clung to each other over losing our son, brother, husband, father, Ryan. It has been too long since we have come together. This trip is an opportunity to reconnect, laugh and converse with each other. What I need to remember is that it is okay.
 It is okay if someone doesn't make it.
 It is okay if everyone doesn't get along.
It is okay if I don't get my perfect family picture.
It is okay if I don't win at cards.

What is not okay is for me to let anything rob me of the moments with those who are able to be there.
It is not okay for me to dwell on the 'if onlys' and 'what ifs' when God is providing me with opportunities to spend time with my family.

This trip is about Ron and me. The family we built through the heartbreak of infertility and adoptions that didn't work out, became this family, our family. God had the perfect plan to give us our heart's desire. A family filled with love and joy. Ron's mom told me years ago as we were launching our adoption process. God has the children out there you are supposed to embrace. You just have to go out and find them.   She was absolutely right. These our our kids and now our grandkids. God had the perfect plan all along.

So the prayer I need for this gathering is to have a grateful heart. To cast off jealousy that others get time all together more often and that Ryan won't be with us. What we do have is time to hang out, play games, laugh, swim, and just be with one another.

Cam and Britt called last night and asked if we were doing anything special that they needed to pack fancy clothes for. No special clothes required. Just being together will make it special even if we hang at the beach in our bathing suits or lounge on the couches in our pajama pants.

I can't wait to watch this next week unfold. The pictures in my head are already full of beaming smiles of this family God created just for us.

In Him,
Joyful
7-3-17