Festival Fun

Are you a Festival-goer?  We normally aren't, other than the occasional Renaissance Festival or Fall Festival at church.  However, this past Saturday we had planned to do SOMETHING with the three of us together.  It was a gorgeous east coast day.  We chose to go to the National Apple Harvest Festival near Gettysburg,  PA.  It was a fun day for the most part.

But I am wondering why we go to festivals?  First of all, we paid $9 per person to get in - to get in to do exactly what?

To give us the privilege to stand by apple photo spots:

Or to look at crafts, and spend money on them:

Or to buy a metal mug for $12 that gives you unlimited soda - all day long.  Of course, it's only located in one spot, so getting there is a challenge to refill.  It was tasty though.

Or, to have a photo taken that reminds you of the photos taken 40 years ago of your own mother, photos which you used to laugh at because she always had her purse down to her side, and always had her big sunglasses, and almost always, a button-down blouse. 

Scary......., oh so scary...........

So, we paid that $27 and we walked around in the hot sun all day, ate fried food, drank soda, saw a lot of crafts and heard a little BlueGrass, maneuvered crowds, had some apple crisp, bought a craft kit, and hung out together. 

Shoulda gone to the CornFusion Corn Maze.  Maybe next year.....

Catch-Up

Wow-- it's been a while.  I have avoided writing here lately, and have kind of felt at a loss for what to blog about. I still am - this won't be too exciting, I promise.   But, to start off, for those who don't live close by, things that were very difficult a few weeks ago have calmed and are much, much better.  We are blessed.

I'm not 50 anymore.  I am now 51. Ew.  A few weeks before my birthday, I started reinventing myself and got a new car (new to me - a 2007 Mazda CX-9 which I adore), a new haircut, and a new phone.  I miss certain things about my Blackberry, yes I do.  But I like my Droid....although I hate that it is a Google phone. The haircut?  We have a love/hate relationship.  I don't miss the bob.

Because of my church calling, I was recently in charge of a large stake Relief Society meeting before the Women's Broadcast.  What an interesting journey that was!   Several months ago, I was blessed with a picture in my head of what this event should be like.  My presidency and I pulled together a great committee with wonderful women, most of whom were the under- 30 crowd, who are my favorites! ( no offense, old friends).  The activity was a hit - we have received a great deal of positive feedback.  The picture in my head was fulfilled.  What an amazing experience.  When all was over and l looked back, I was amazed at how relaxed I had been for the most part through the process.  That in itself is a blessing for me personally.  That's not my normal mode when it comes to things like this.  The spirit is real, and Heavenly Father is in charge.

One of the most fun things I am doing these days is keeping up 3 missionary blogs.  One for my cousin's son, who comes home in about 5 weeks, one for my niece, Bailee, and one for my friend Kaylene's daughter.   I love doing this!  Such a small thing to serve these dedicated soldiers of truth. 

I am looking forward to General Conference.  I need it.  I am ready for some guidance. 

I can't WAIT!

Jumping

I don't really know what to write here, except that I need to write something.  I refer back to this post wherein I described a fear of L doing a little "jumping".  Those fears have become reality.  She chose to not catch herself.  We can no longer catch her if she is unwilling for us to do so.  As Hubby and I deal with free-falling into a reality we did not choose, and one we fought mightily against, we wait for a phone call that she is now ready to be caught.   We are not sure where that phone call will come from, nor if it will in fact come at all.

How do parents deal with these types of situations? I'm still not sure.  I never, ever saw myself in this type of position.  I don't mean to be cryptic, but I really don't want to "air it all out" here.  I count myself blessed to know that many friends are praying for us and for her.  That is all anyone can do at this point.   Yet, who wants to be in a position where YOU are the one being prayed for, and worried about?  I don't want to be.  I'd rather be praying for someone else. Surely that is one of the keys.  That is what the gospel teaches.

We'll just have to wait a little while.....or, maybe a really long one this time.

Satisfying Sunday

I feel very blessed tonight, as the weekend ends.  Do not interpret that as a weekend of great things, or easy things, or that any problems went away.  Quite the opposite.  But, the Lord blessed me with strength and with more inspiration.

Friday afternoon I had an email from my visiting teacher who gave "it" to me straight.  You know, the "it" that you don't want to hear but that you should anyway.  She is wise beyond her years, and took a risk.  She followed the Holy Spirit and told me things I needed to deal with.  She blesses my life.

I attended a session in the temple with my dear friend Diane on Friday afternoon.  She is great to just listen.   She doesn't push, doesn't give unsolicited advice.  She asked no questions about the challenges I currently face, and yet she knows well what they are.  She knew I did not want to discuss them - she followed the Spirit.  She is very wise and full of a fabulous sense of humor.  What did I do before she moved into the area?  And, I mean that, Diane. 

The temple is a place for learning, pondering, and for counting blessings.  I often don't learn a whole lot there, and I often come away feeling like I should have but that I messed up somewhere in that process.   This time was different - I was instructed by the Spirit.  Answers to prayers were given. 

There was a lot of difficulty with a certain "drama queen" in my life.  Crises could have occurred.  The Spirit walked by my side and helped me walk her through some great difficulty.  Tonight, things are calm.

As I serve in my church calling, I often visit the Relief Society lessons of other wards on Sundays.  Last night at the last minute, I decided that today I would attend one in a nearby town.  The lesson was given by their Relief Society president and it was entitled, "Remember Lot's Wife".   Her lesson was about moving forward and not looking back.  I needed to hear that today.  I was again blessed with the Spirit confirming these truths to me.  I was also inspired by the testimonies given by several sisters.

I try to chat with other sisters in our stake when I visit their meetings.  I spoke with two women I had never met before who have no idea how they blessed my life today.   They thanked me for things that I had done in my calling - things that I had hoped would affect someone, but had no way of knowing if they had.  Those are the "pay-off" moments.  Those moments are humbling and gratifying.  Those moments make us grateful to be in His service.  I am blessed.  I am so grateful.

Inspiration Road

I drive a lot for my job.  I go pretty  much all over Maryland except for the Eastern Shore.  I have seen some beautiful countryside.  Now that I have a GPS, I go on roads that I have never seen before because I know I won't get lost.  That has been great fun for me. 

There is one road in particular that has great meaning to me.  I drive on it several times a month.  It is curvy and windy, quiet, and no matter the season, it is always beautiful.  About two years ago, while seeking and needing some important help and inspiration from my Heavenly Father, I was driving on that road, turned off my radio, and just thought, prayed, pleaded  and listened.  Answers came.  Guidance was given that was difficult to follow, but it was undeniably clear that it was my answer. Now, every time I drive there, I turn off my radio just in case there is something I need to listen to and learn. 

Yesterday, I drove on that road.   I was again at a point where I needed some clear guidance from Him.  I turned off the radio, pleaded again for much needed comfort and guidance.  Answers and solutions came to my mind and I once again felt the love of my Heavenly Father. 

I felt very blessed to know that I can ask and get answers.  I love my Inspiration Road.

Dear Anonymous:

Great point - thank you for your comment.  I did NOT update everyone about the carpet and flooring, and how it went when "she" visited.  Thanks to "anonymous", I shall do so now.

I decided to just get the two kids' bedrooms and the bathroom flooring done before "she" came.  I allowed enough time for painting the master bedroom before the carpet guys came again to put those rooms' carpet down.  Well, due to busy lives and craziness, the painting never got done before the carpet came.  I just couldn't get to it.  Ugh.  It is still the same ugly outdated green.  BUT, I LOVE the carpet!  It is  a lovely shade of brown - better than the OLD brown.

OH, and "she"?  Well, her visit was lovely.  A very nice girl - I enjoyed her very much. 

Graduation

I am about to walk out the door and drive to my baby's high school graduation.   I am not ready for this.  Ok, I am clothed and have a fabulous skirt on - and my hair even looks great for this horribly humid day.  But I am not ready.  She thinks she is ready, but I know she is not.  I probably thought I was ready back in 1902 when I graduated (no, that's not a typo - tee hee).   Since Aspergers is so very prevalent in her dear life, she thinks that she is 18 and now a graduate and by golly, she is ready to make ALL decisions and do whatever she wants.  That scares me.  It should scare her.  Actually, I think it does and so she is not so calm, cool and collected these days.  I'm not either. 

Her dad reminded me of how, when she was a toddler, she would climb and climb to the top of the jungle gyms with no fear.  We would have to stand underneath her and with great fear and anticipation, we would be there to catch her if she fell.  We were there to save her from herself, from her thinking that she could handle anything.  Well, we are back there again.  We are ready to stand ready to catch her.  This time, she doesn't want us there.  This time, the stakes are higher.  This time, the consequences could be more than a scratch or a bruise.  This time, we have to pray that we have done enough, and turn it over to Heavenly Father in prayer.  

This time, she may have to catch herself.  We'll have to wait and see if she will.