Let me start out by saying that I will NOT go over all the things that have happened these last few weeks during my hiatus from blogging. Because if I did you would all accuse me of being a liar and I would lose my credibility. Let’s just say that it’s been a wild ride. And, as I have said to almost everyone, I am looking forward to getting into our new routine here in Georgia as soon as humanly possible. This girl is ready for normal. Boring, lovely, everyday normal. I didn’t appreciate it when I had it . . . I will try very hard not to do that again.
And because I have far too many pent up words, discipline shall prevail and I’m only going to touch on three things in order to keep my mind and my fast typing fingers from turning this into a slightly longer and less exciting version of The Iliad and the Odyssey.
Christmas
I love it. But it’s very different this year as we find ourselves trying to move and re-settle. More on that in a minute. But the thing I find beautiful is that even without all the trappings (I haven’t baked one cookie and have only a few decorations up in the new house) it is still Christmas. And that Christmas feeling, as it turns out, really doesn’t live at the mall or even in my gorgeous decorations or homemade sugar cookies with the really amazing frosting that’s made from egg whites which I know can kill you but I don’t care because the powdered stuff doesn’t taste the same. It’s right here. As Dr. Seuss so expertly wrote:
It came without ribbons. It came without bags. It came without packages, boxes or bags.Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.
Yes. It does. I love that.
Moving
Don’t do it. Ever. And definitely don’t do it at Christmas. Unless, of course, God calls you to a new place and a new job and a new life. And then do it. But be sure you have an amazing realtor, great friends, great co-workers, a madly supportive husband, and a mom that will fly from Arizona to get your house packed even though you won’t even be there because of your new job. Only do it then.
Friendships
It always seems we don’t fully appreciate the friends God has given us until we have a parting. Leaving my friends has been one of the toughest things about this move. I cried like I haven’t cried in years but I am so grateful for those tears because they mean that God has given me people who really are my family. And just the silly detail that I have moved several states away won’t change that, ever. Because, as Michael W. Smith sang, Friends are friends forever . . .sorry, couldn’t help myself;). But I truly and deeply love my tribe.
AND I am developing my new tribe here. Not a better tribe and not a replacement tribe, just a new one. For this season. They are starting to appear and I am grateful because I know God has sent them. Just for me.
You’ll notice I didn’t even talk about the running. That’s a post for another day. I am doing it, mind you, and I’m working on a post about how we get back in the saddle again and how we forget what happened before and press ahead into the now.
So please stay tuned! I promise the writing, the giveaways and the happy running will get back to normal soon.
Happy running. And Merry Christmas.
Jen