This sweet smile is so precious and here I am sitting here with a life lived since this picture was taken. The reality of my life is that I have had dreams that came true beyond my imagination and heartbreaks that I could never conceive living through. But the whole picture of my journey is one of faith and those who have walked beside me throughout the years.
Ronnie B and I have our oldest who is turning forty and grand kiddos and great-grands from twenty to two months old. The crushing truth of my infertility and adoptions that didn’t work out left me without hope of a family. Yet here we are with a family that is our heart’s desire realized. Four kids, six kid-in- loves, eight grandkids and two greats that we get to share life with. The extra in-loves are because we lost a son and then his wife’s second husband to suicide. We count him as our son and now her new man is also our son-in-love. God has blessed us with a growing family to keep us entertained as well as young at heart.
Last week was my sister’s birthday and she was my only sister and she celebrated in heaven with mom and dad. I was a bit jealous of them and threw a small pity party for myself that none of my nuclear family is here with me. They don’t get a call from me on their birthdays and can’t call me on mine. But I am thankful for my aunts who never forget me on any of our birthdays. They knew and loved the little sweetheart in this picture and still love me in my senior moments. It is good to have others who shared our childhood with us. Cousins check in a bit more since Teri died and they recognize my need for them a bit more often now.
Being home alone has made me reflective on the gifts I have received in my life. I know I have been a bit lax in appreciating and embracing all those I love. So what did I do? I made a list of people I want to be intentional about connecting with. So don’t be surprised if you get a phone call from me. Or better yet, pick up the phone and give me a jingle. Whether we have spoken in the past few days or it has been decades, it would be good to catch up. There is a girl from my past who contacted me on FB that I hadn’t thought about in so long. I am glad she reached out and we have connected a lifetime later.
So here I sit getting back into my routine of writing and sharing where I am with you. The Bahamas are always fabulous since I get to spend so much of my day in the water. Sharing life with Ronnie B is my greatest joy. That sweet little face at the top of this blog could not have known what a wonderful life she would get to lead. I do now and am so grateful
In Him,
Joyful
7-23-24
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