We are all safe...our house is still standing...our lil' existence was unscathed by the storm that wreaked havoc in parts of our city & in neighboring counties.
Since our TV's not on much, I chance turned it on Saturday afternoon. I heard the all too familiar emergency beeping. I listened and the fear entered. I went upstairs to get Seth. We started "preparing" - we closed blinds, we got stuff down outside, we stayed glued to the TV. As we heard familiar roads/areas announced, saw colors on the radar we'd never seen, saw where our home is on the map - storms coming towards us on either side...we waited...and we waited. We got the flashlights, we put some pillows in the bathroom, John cuddled on my lap (not saying a word), Seth brought Ella downstairs. We watched and we waited. It passed right by us...we were fortunate...so many were not.
So the blessed part of the weekend - that our family & our home were spared, that's what is heavy in my heart this morning. Driving into work, seeing the devastation as you come into town...looking like a war zone - traffic slowed to a funeral procession pace, taking it all in...I'm just further thankful. I'm thankful and horrified all in the same breath...devastation and destruction so close to home - very hard to process. Hard not to ask "why" - "why them and not us"...
In looking through pictures from the weekend - ones taken in moments where we weren't fearing for our safety, in one way I feel they are mundane and maybe a lil' indulgent. But by and large I feel they are "us". They capture details of moments...they capture the essence of how we live...appreciating the small things - the nuances - the time spent together. It's our token way of counting and capturing the lil' blessings all around...
Our "small things" looked a lil' like this...
A reason to smile just by the return address
Having appropriate "mail reading beverage" on hand
"Our kinda people" (amen to that) ~ there's not many of us around...thanks Margaret for reminding me what a special breed we are :) love you bunches!
TGIF Mama ~ yes dear, it sure is ~ happy faces all around :)
Some of us celebrate by slathering our face with food :)
Skipping the normal weekly jaunt to the grocery store for a "date night" spread via the Fresh Market (swoon)...starting with a "real" bottle of wine...no "2 buck chuck" to be found :)
Enjoyin' a lovely candle-lit dinner for two
just for the occasion playlist ~ "bLu"
A most yummy dessert ~ a too many ingredients to name slice of cheesecake
Finishin' off the evening w.some porchin', a 2nd bottle of wine (had to get out the 2 buck chuck) and a swisher sweet...parts 2 & 3 of that were hindsight stupid :)
Saturday morning egg hunts at church
Enjoyin' our spoils as we moved "stations"
After a wonderful lunch at Smithfield's, enjoyin' the balloon weight Teddy Grahams at home...balloon was also thoroughly enjoyed (although popping of said balloon was threatened a number of times)
Proudly displaying John's Easter craft from the hunt...my lil' buddy was a rock star at craft time (sigh)...by his account, "I made a purty flower!"
New shoes! That we even want to wear to bed :)
Big Brother/Lil' Sister bonding :)
Wanting to enjoy the calm after the storm ~ getting out for a Sunday morning stroll
The whole family :)
Outdoor dining :)
Boo boo icing...quite comical :)
Soakin' up bright as sunshine smiles via our sweet Ella Bella :)
"Ribbittt"
A boy & a toad...the boy was certainly having a good time :)
FINALLY hangin' some pics of our lil' sweet pea ~ yes, it was level
Deddy ~ he's more fun than you know :)
Re-purposed flowers being demoted, I mean relocated to bask in the sunlight & enjoyed on the porch :)
Glorious sunshine ~ a beautiful calm after the storm
Awesome temps ~ instigated a lot of time well wasted :)
More outdoor dining, a last minute, but good decision
Welcome...Relax...Serenity ~ sure earmarks to a beautiful Sunday spent enjoying the day & each other
Peace ~ a feeling in our hearts as we went to bed last night...safe & sound in our home, our babies sleeping footsteps away, having each other to hold there in the dark - the value of peace is immeasurable...
Having appropriate "mail reading beverage" on hand
"Our kinda people" (amen to that) ~ there's not many of us around...thanks Margaret for reminding me what a special breed we are :) love you bunches!
TGIF Mama ~ yes dear, it sure is ~ happy faces all around :)
Some of us celebrate by slathering our face with food :)
Skipping the normal weekly jaunt to the grocery store for a "date night" spread via the Fresh Market (swoon)...starting with a "real" bottle of wine...no "2 buck chuck" to be found :)
Enjoyin' a lovely candle-lit dinner for two
just for the occasion playlist ~ "bLu"
A most yummy dessert ~ a too many ingredients to name slice of cheesecake
Finishin' off the evening w.some porchin', a 2nd bottle of wine (had to get out the 2 buck chuck) and a swisher sweet...parts 2 & 3 of that were hindsight stupid :)
Saturday morning egg hunts at church
Enjoyin' our spoils as we moved "stations"
After a wonderful lunch at Smithfield's, enjoyin' the balloon weight Teddy Grahams at home...balloon was also thoroughly enjoyed (although popping of said balloon was threatened a number of times)
Proudly displaying John's Easter craft from the hunt...my lil' buddy was a rock star at craft time (sigh)...by his account, "I made a purty flower!"
New shoes! That we even want to wear to bed :)
Big Brother/Lil' Sister bonding :)
Wanting to enjoy the calm after the storm ~ getting out for a Sunday morning stroll
The whole family :)
Outdoor dining :)
Boo boo icing...quite comical :)
Soakin' up bright as sunshine smiles via our sweet Ella Bella :)
"Ribbittt"
A boy & a toad...the boy was certainly having a good time :)
FINALLY hangin' some pics of our lil' sweet pea ~ yes, it was level
Deddy ~ he's more fun than you know :)
Re-purposed flowers being demoted, I mean relocated to bask in the sunlight & enjoyed on the porch :)
Glorious sunshine ~ a beautiful calm after the storm
Awesome temps ~ instigated a lot of time well wasted :)
More outdoor dining, a last minute, but good decision
Welcome...Relax...Serenity ~ sure earmarks to a beautiful Sunday spent enjoying the day & each other
Peace ~ a feeling in our hearts as we went to bed last night...safe & sound in our home, our babies sleeping footsteps away, having each other to hold there in the dark - the value of peace is immeasurable...
Continuing to count our blessings today. Saddened by the imagery that is sure to haunt us for many weeks and months to come. Praying for those less fortunate - hoping they find peace amidst their despair.
Reminded once again how precious each day and moment are. In a moments time - everything could be lost...our shelter, our loved ones. Days and moments aren't meant to be wasted...by and large, they are really all we have. The intangibles - those are life's real gifts.
Riding on the roller coaster of life as of late, I ventured into The Little Art Gallery in Cameron Village a couple of weeks ago. Plopped down all too familiarly on the stool and took to flipping through the prints. The one I walked away with was "Invitation"...
Reminded once again how precious each day and moment are. In a moments time - everything could be lost...our shelter, our loved ones. Days and moments aren't meant to be wasted...by and large, they are really all we have. The intangibles - those are life's real gifts.
Riding on the roller coaster of life as of late, I ventured into The Little Art Gallery in Cameron Village a couple of weeks ago. Plopped down all too familiarly on the stool and took to flipping through the prints. The one I walked away with was "Invitation"...
It is not what you think, this reaching across the generations. There is no effort of will, no fierce glare in the face of the sideways dance of everyday. There is only the quiet house each morning, filled with soft breathing while you hold your tea in the cool air & always that moment when your love spreads a cloth upon the table & invites the whole day in again.
A good, loving reminder to "invite" each day in...to revel in the "dance of everyday"...to bask in the "quiet"...it really is that simple.
Have a blessed week.
Again, just counting blessings today and every day.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Have a blessed week.
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