Had some errands to run Friday morning, and stopped at the library to pick up a book on hold. Passed over the shelves of fiction and found a book by Anne-Marie Casey (unknown to me until now) called No One Could Have Guessed the Weather, and read it within 24 hours. There's swearing and other stuff in it, yes, but some truths directed at women of my age---things I needed to hear. Elizabeth Berg is a good one for that. Worldly, but so empowering at the same time.
And while Casey's book isn't aimed at Christian women, hey, the Lord can use anyone to drive a point home. After I finished the book, feeling a bit more myself afterward, I took a dose of William Faulkner's short stories to steady myself. It all balances out.
Moving on.
In the nonsense I've lived through these past three years especially, I've lost myself. Hobbies, favorite things to do, joy---it's been swept under the rug. Have spent so much time just trying to maintain my sanity, which my sweet chickens in the backyard have helped with, but still, hard to keep ahold of.
Morning tea and quiet time first thing every day have kept me from totally losing my mind. Just sort of kidding. And these past six months I've watched the health of my oldest daughter and my husband (and myself) suffer. Whatever our Achilles' heel is---it's been attacked. And I think our whole household is a bit delirious, in a good way, at the idea of this wedding being over this week. It's a reminder of so much that's passed in its wake. We're all happy at the thought of turning a much-dogeared page.
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One thing that'll really help in the running of things this week is our three girls skipping the rehearsal and heading straight to the rehearsal dinner venue. They'll take the food, set it up and make sure everything's Jake for when the rest of us leave the rehearsal. Brilliant plan concocted by oldest daughter. My girls aren't part of the wedding, even the cutting of the cake (yeah, sort of miffed, but as my dear friend, Tina, said---we're spared the expense of bridesmaids' dresses) so are free to do whatever. Sure helps me.
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Might be cliché, but the phrase One Day at at Time really is priceless. Tomorrow we shop for Mom. Period. One day. I can do that.
