Quiet Corners

Oh friends.  My job as a nurse practitioner.  What a gift it is, indeed.  It is a gift to be able to watch people heal, families celebrate that healing and live better more healthy lives.  It is such a heartache, too, to be the one.  The one who says, in those quiet corners, where there are no bright lights, there are no neon signs, there are no letters in ink...the one who says, "I am so sorry, I think we all need to prepare ourselves that this may not turn out the way we had all hoped."  The one who holds the hand of that mother, crying her eyes out in disbelief, soaking the once white lab coat with a stream of dying dreams.

That one who gets the call in the middle of life from a parent whose child is wrestling deep deep depression, begging for removal from this life.  That one who stops, sits, listens and prays.  Gives hope.  Gives direction.  Answers the call...in the midst of the merry-go-round, when taking the call means an abrupt stop, a cocked head, a wonder of what is that important to step away.

There are other ones...that one who sees the hurt in a stranger, as her child hits, screams and bites her in a public place. Everyone else looks on, shakes their heads, judges.  That one who comes along side, grabs her bags, walks her to her car with umbrella to shelter she and that child from the pouring rain.  That one who stops to pray, to allow the very presence of God and his mercy and grace to meet his children right there in a crowded, rain stricken life and parking lot.

I have wrestled with this so many times in my career.  The work of the ones whose names no one sees in the write up about the nation's best hospital. The work of the ones who cry with the heartbroken. The work of the ones who take the time to listen, to really listen, even when they themselves are so so spent. The work of the ones who go against the grain, against the pace of the rat race to the top of the political ladder. Against the rat race of success as defined by this world.

I know many of these.  I see them. I see the ones who work in quiet corners.

The ones who take time to allow God-interruptions to happen, to heal and to reap a harvest when that time is divine.  These ones work tirelessly to hear His voice, to "unhurry", to grasp at and hold tight the very presence of God.

It may seem so small, each of these divine moments, but each of them are not just drops of any kind of water in a big bucket...they are drops of living water.  Wow.  Think about that...  "But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again.  It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life." John 4:14.

I am not there yet, friends. I am thinking, I am learning, I am seeking God in his wisdom in why he has me in this career and why he gave me this heart.  It is so incredibly hard and thankless so much of the time. Oh, that I would see his living water dropping into each of the buckets that I have the opportunity to be a part of Him filling. Oh, that I would be humble enough to see Him, focusing on His work and not the work of the wheel.  Oh, that I would still be me, not changing to fit into this world of neon lights and words in ink.  Oh, that I would see that His work in and through me is what is lasting, what matters and what happens in those quiet corners of the room, behind closed doors.

Winter Fun 2016!!

Well, we sure have had a great January!! We started 2016 at the ice skating rink and have thoroughly enjoyed continuing to brave the chilly weather with warm toboggans, coats, gloves and boots.  Enjoy some fun fun memories... 

The three amigos! We love when Nathaniel comes to town!  These three boys had a blast at the ice rink together the first day of 2016.  What a fun time for all...and the boys did not want to leave they were having so much fun!

I have to admit, I was a little nervous about how the boys would do, but was absolutely delighted to be able to spend such special time with my boys and sweet Nathaniel. :)

Oh, they were excited...what an experience for a kiddo!

And a grown up!  Tori and Katie were so sweet to invite us!

Landon was really great on skates!  Shocker...my little athlete!  He was determined, a word I use to describe him an awful lot!  Look at that cute little sly grin.

The boys had to stop for a breather...

Landon looking up at me from the ice, one of his falls, saying, "Mom, have you fallen yet?" To which I replied, "No...why?"  He then attempted to get me off balance...did I also mention that he was competitive?

Tori and the little boys.  Such a sweet little bond she and Katie have with Nathaniel...and my sweet boys. Such sweet smiles in this picture.

I would say Tori was a real trooper that day! "Come on Tori!!!"

And no trip to the skating rink is complete without a Zamboni show!!

Love these boys!  I think they didn't really mind hanging out with me that day...

And Connor was as happy as a clam, hanging out with Nathaniel the whole day and even getting to have a sleep over that night!

And...onto a cold winter morning in Old Fort...for our annual MLK weekend with Mike and Allison. Oh, the memories, the wonderful time spent reconnecting and spending hours upon hours talking, laughing and of course shopping for the girls and golfing for the boys.

Chillaxin'

Stan had to pose for this one...not exactly sure why the first one I took did not suit.  It looked exactly the same to me. :)

Me and my girl.  We have been the best of friends through thick, thin, good, bad, ugly, funny, tender, trying...you name it...times together.  From college and dating to husbands and babies...and now...life is so much sweeter with Allison by my side...and it certainly helps that Mike and Stan are like two peas in a pod!

Sweet pose with my honey.

Mike and Allison...

Mike and Allison being goofy...as always!

Such great times, such great friends.  Wouldn't trade these times for anything!!!

We made our first trip down to the waterfall this year!  I couldn't believe the four of us had never been there before, but then again, we do alternate where we go and the last two times we were at my parents' cabin we had little babes with us!

Did I mention how much a love this sweet soul?

Meanwhile, the kids were with my parents making snow babies...you know us Southerners...we have to make the most of every single piece of snow...

Speaking of my parents!  They graciously keep these three rascals every MLK for this tradition for Mike, Allison, Stan and I.  What a gift.  Someone told me that time away from the kids for parents is just as important as feeding the children.  Oh, how I love my babies, but this is so true.  I am grateful for my parents and for Allison's parents for this gift!!!

And we arrived home, just in time for Lindsay Jane to have a fun fun morning at home with mommy before the big snow storm arrived on Thursday.

School's out!  You all know me...any chance I get to make sugar cookies!!!  We swapped kids with our dear neighbors and Connor and Anna were with me first.  So, I took advantage of having the calmer more baking bent pair to cut out the cookies.  I think they had fun. :)

And, just as suspected, they were very serious about the methodology of sugar cookie making.

And eating...

Meanwhile...Landon decided it was time to head outside to check out the ice pellets...

I think it worked out well for him!

Connor soon followed and had a blast as well!

Snowball anyone?

These three with snowballs?  Watch out.  Be scared.  Be very scared!

 Goof balls!

 Anna and Connor decided to stay warm in the playhouse.

Landon sillies.

 Um. Not exactly the way I would go with this situation...

Rachel and Lindsay Jane had to make sure to get their little meals ready for their restaurant.  It was so cute. Rain, sleet or shine, these girls are going to serve you "food" in their little play dishes.

Cookie decorating time!! And my turn with the big boys!

Pretty focused, these boys!  I did have to have a talk with them about not using all of my sprinkles and using a little self control with icing.  :)

Um. I am not sure she got the memo about not too much icing...

Stan stepped away from his desk to get a few throws in...I heard Porter say, "This is what snow days are for..." and I loved it!!!  I love that these kids are enjoying the sweet memories of snow "storms" in the south.  You know, where we stop, we play, we scrape whatever snow that falls on the ground into snowmen or snowballs and we hole up and sit in front of the fire with our hot chocolate and grilled cheese and tomato soup.  Yeah. The south. Love it.

We do...get a little stir crazy...

Lindsay Jane was ready to head out on day 2!!  This girl dresses herself in these clothes.  I am not so sure what to do with myself...the boys, let's just say, nope.

She looks unsure, but she really was excited to go outside sledding with mommy!

After all, she had been watching these guys!

Oh so fun!!!  She wanted to do it over and over again!! I did too!

Then, we decided it was high time for a family sled race.  Stan won, of course.  But we all had fun!

JD posed for a quick picture for his crazy neighbor mama.

Lindsay Jane got to go with daddy too.  :)

Our sweet neighbors, the Harris's walked down to enjoy the fun!  I just love our neighborhood!

I am pretty sure he does too...

Somehow, the Christmas tree that still has not been picked up by our trash crew ended up in our ditch...and stopped the kids from sliding into it.  They started all the way at the top of our neighbor's house across the street from our house, went down their driveway, across the street, across our yard and into our ditch!  It was a wild ride!

Happy faces!!!  Love it!

 Sibling snow angels...

My annual snow picture of all three of my babies!

I absolutely love this one of sweet Landon.

This one says, "Come on mom, stop taking pictures..."

We headed across the street to where Sam had made a fire...and did not want to pose for a picture...so proceeded to show us his "best side" first...note Sarah's face in the first one...after I said that was Sam's "best side".  Haha!  Love my silly neighbors!

 Landon trying to sled down the Poley's driveway like a penguin...

We looked over into our driveway to see Lindsay Jane and Stan rolling around laughing in the snow. So fun!

Sweet friends...

Hot chocolate time!

  And back outside!

More fun with Scott and Lila!

Lindsay Jane, "Mom, I am nervous, leave me alone...sigh..."

OK, I will show you my Minnie Mouse ears...whatever...

Remember I mentioned that we can get a little stir crazy???  See these 7 kids?  We hired a neighborhood pair of sisters to watch all of them.  They walked down to the Woodruff's house while we...

Did this...did I mention my neighbor, Sam, is a chef?  And not just any chef...can ya tell?  Delicious does NOT do it justice.  And as Sam mentioned, it was the good company, conversation and memory making that made this night so special.  But, the food...ah, the food...

What a blessed crew we are!  These are my neighbors, guys.  We love each other, we look out for each other, our kids love each other.  We do life together.  Would not trade our neighbors for anything.  I have to pinch myself sometimes...

Hot chocolate...

Dry snow gear by the fire...

Play Monopoly...

And...more snow play...and repeat all of the above.

Hard to believe it is only January 26th!  All of the fun from this post and the last one all packed into 26 days!  I hope you all had a chance to slow down during our snow storm and play, delighting in the slowed pace, the staying home, the memories there for the making.  Hey, I am not saying my kids did not want to poke each others' eyes out by the end...but, hey, that's what siblings are for.  What a wonderful time!  Hope you enjoyed. I did.