Support

For someone who isn't particularity enamored of computers I find myself on it a lot more than usual, writing and checking emails and reading people's blog postings. It took me a while but I did figure out why. It's hard to be away from Grand Rapids. I miss many, many things about GR but what is most apparent is my lack of a support network of friends here. It's like walking on a narrow span with a nice big safety net. Suddenly, the net disappears and only one, slender rope is below, between you and an infinitely deep chasm. Anyone who has faced depression knows that its depths are limitless and must not be explored.

The first step in re-making the net is to seek the supplier, ie., God. We tend to shunt Him aside when we feel our net is adequate. A rather foolish, prideful thing to do considering He is the one holding it together. I need to rely first on Him alone and wait for Him to supply relationships outside the home as I take care of the responsibilities He has given.

Bobbie, Jill, Angie, Bobby, Cathy, Kathy, Ria, Lisa, Phyllis, Wendy, Amy, Trish, Mary Jo, Becky, Shannon, Leslie, Betty, Carol, Diane, Ruth, Jackie, Ruthie, Donna, Dayna, Mary, Julie, Sandy, Bridgot and a host of old ladies: I MISS YOU!

Puppy Love

My mother called me a ninny but she didn't look deeply into the eyes of the puppy.

When our old neighbor offered me a 6 week old Yorkie Poo the words "NO, thank you" were on my tongue but died there. The two shiny black button eyes stared out from a tiny face covered in glossy black fur and just sucked me right in. I thought things would be OK with my husband, because he's a soft touch with puppies, but was still a bit nervous arriving home with the "gift" on Tuesday evening. In the end, the biggest issue was what to name the completely black puppy.

Everyone in the family suggested names and we assigned number values to our favorites and ended up with three top contenders. Lollipup was the actual winner but one child went into a deep blue funk because he hated the name and would "rather call her Fence Post!" The other son was sympathetic and accommodating and wanted his brother to be happy, saying, "I really don't care what we name the puppy." Thus, we went with choice #3 and her name is Mrs. Peel.

Mrs. Peel is one of the two main characters in the early 60's British spy thriller series, "The Avengers". My brother had four or five seasons of it on video in a nice boxed collection and gave them to us when he got rid of his TV. Every night at dinner we watch 1 or 2 episodes. The special effects and fight scenes are cheesy, at best, but the humor is there and, like most Americans, we can hardly resist a proper British accent. Mrs. Peel is the real brains of the outfit, though her partner, John Steed, is quite bright and charming. She is slim and beautiful and sophisticated and without exception, wears a glossy black sleuthing suit when she is doing spy stuff. The boys are in love with her and noted that the puppy' s fur was glossy and black just like Mrs. Peel's outfit. So--there you are.

How do you settle a Heart?

Do you remember the last time you moved? You know, relocated? It's been two and one half weeks since the kids and I officially left Grand Rapids to join hubby Scott in Indy and I've been hearing one particular phrase an awful lot. "So...are you settled yet?"or some variation of that question (though always with the word "settle",) seems to pop out of someones mouth at least every other day. Friends are both curious and concerned and I appreciate their interest but sometimes I just don't know how to answer them. I can tell someone how many boxes I've unpacked that day, how many pictures got hung, how many good shopping places I've found, how close the nearest library is or how nice a certain church is but how about my heart? How do I settle that?

The long, enforced separation is over for Scott and me and our family is whole, at least in body. But some part us, varying in degree with each person, refuses to leave Michigan. Unfortunately for me, it's my heart. Some of it is here, with the ones I love, and some is stuck up north, twined around dear friends, two "home" churches and a city that I love not only for its beauty and familiarity but for the memories of so many things that we were a part of there. Of course, being here in an apartment that I know full well is only a temporary home ( for a year or so,) doesn't help the nesting instincts to kick in either. Our house in MI is neither rented out nor sold and that is another pull to the old heart strings. "Sigh...our first house, where our youngest was born and we..." etc., etc., etc. Even our four year old, out of the blue, will say things like, "I want to live in the yellow and white house,(in MI). Can we go there?"

Some people have pointed out that this is a great time to bond as a family, isolated from all the old commitments and schedules. Set up new routines and start new traditions and make new family friends! It's all so exciting! I'm sure that for some adventurous, sanguine types this would be a regular tea party but I find it draining, to say the least. God has been and is faithful to show Himself in things like getting the boys into a sister-school to the one they just left and providing convenient housing. Now I just desire to feel contented and at rest here.