Some days I get stumped and have a difficult time writing about anything, much less writing about what might or might not interest the reader!!  I reached out on my blog site and my friend, Angie, posed this question, “What is the most surprising thing that has happened in your life?”  Well……. that question brings to mind many, many things; some good, some not so good!!

Initially I thought that the most surprising thing I had happen was the surpise of my last baby, who is now 18!!  I was most definitely surprised and her entire story is journey in surprises! In retrospect maybe I wouldn’t  call it “surprising”, I think it is certainly miraculous!!  I was often surprised by events in my youth!   I was surprised when I met my husband almost 29 years ago, when I had baby number one, number 2, number 3, and when I lost a baby between number 1 and 2.  I was surprised at the amount of joy that one heart can absorb!  I am still reeling at many of the surprises in my life, the best and biggest of all is Finn! I am surprised by the amount of love my heart can hold!  For years I have heard others talk about the joy of grandchildren, and quite honestly I thought they were over the top!  Their eagerness to show me pictures, tell me stories, “have you seen my grandson?” conversations, and their audicity to think that their grandkid is the cutest ever wore me out!!!!  Now I say….”Crow tastes pretty good when I  eat every bite!!!”   Mine is the cutest ever, just ask me!!

I have been blessed with a daughter in law whom I love like my own girls.  She has been incredibly generous when it comes to sharing Finn and giving Gramps and I a lot of time with this baby.   We were over the moon on November 7, 2017 that we were able to share in welcoming of that sweet baby into this rough old world.  On that day, there couldn’t have been more love and I wasn’t surprised!  This year has been a difficult year on many fronts but even in the dark times, there has been a surprisingly bright beacon of light within their little family and they have openly shared that light with us.  Happiness isn’t always easy to come by, but it certainly arrived in the form of a little human.

Yesterday, I got to meet in Wilson to drop off parts and I got to have 15 minutes of sheer joy and lots of kisses from that wonderful bundle!! I opened the car door and he was sleeping, the brisk air woke him up immediately and he gave me a double take!! “CoCo, I didn’t expect to see you here” look!  He smiled and smiled and I couldn’t have been more smitten (well maybe with his Daddy) .  Out of the car seat and into my arms!  He has learned so much in a short year I had forgotten how fast it goes!! He eats everything, walks, tries to put on his own shoes, loves the tractor and farming, plays trucks, loves  being outside and is the best baby I have known!!  I am surprised at how quickly a baby can turn his Gramps to mush and soften the hard old shell!! I am surprised how quickly this life has passed me by and I didn’t even see it coming.  I am surprised how the fall makes me reminisce and get lost in the romance of life when my babies were young,  and somehow I have convinced myself that life was easier then…. I think it was…..  I am surprised how the inhumanity of man can grow every single day and yet, in the cracks there is light.  I am surprised that I am still here to witness it all; good/bad, difficult/easy, high/low, truth/lies, compassion/hate, fun/work, boredom/busy, life and death.

I worry every day and I am not surprised.  That’s my predisposed programming.  I can’t change the channel, or just will myself to think differently, so in my worry, I pray.  My prayers are for the world, for my children, for my grandchildren and for yours.  I pray that all surprises are good ones, that the world will soften and we will find the goodness in all again, I pray that if things become difficult that you have someone who loves you to bear your burden.  I pray for the ones who don’t know they need prayers.  I pray that today, you think about the SURPRISES in your life and count yourself as grateful and blessed.  This, afterall, is the season of Thanksgiving and remember that it is not relagated to one day out of the year.

until then….grateful,

e