Today is the first day of five where I am unattached body, soul and mind from any sort of nursing related work. I need this. My mini vacation started well last evening when I won my first game of Settlers of Catan at the local Oberweis dairy with Ivan and a pal of his. That was super gratifying, especially since I have played over 10 times with no luck or skill to be had. I find myself to be super competitive in these games and it doesn’t help that Ivan has steam boiling out his ears when the “robber” gets placed in his corner blocking all production and we are running neck and neck for longest road. In other words, we are both competitive with each other. But, I won. (gloating)

This morning started off with a delayed Saturday morning making of waffles (we went to a butt-hot wedding for my dear Sabrina in Champaign on Saturday). Yumm. And then some knitting; I have been making, redoing and making some more this little comfort blanket for Scarlet. I just can’t get my vision in my head (for the texture) to come out on the needles and into the soft and cozy yarn. But I think I may have found it…bobbles. They are awfully cute.

AA and I headed to the beach after that for some play time with our new friends, Hope and Finn and their mommy Lizzie. It was a gorgeous morning with no one around and the water glistening and the wind whipping over the water making the most beautiful designs. The water was peripheral neuropathy-causing but the sand was warm and the company good. I found my inner world just hunkering down kind of the way you might nestle your butt in the crater of sand on the beach. Just being, just watching, just lingering.

Did some errands, most importantly retrieving my repaired mini van from the body shop after some kid smacked into me and oh so daintily dented in my side door. Made chili and cornbread (cuz it’s cool enough out) and then took some to the neighbor who just had a baby and had a nice chat with them. Realized there are many men in my neighborhood out of work and it makes me sad and a bit distraught. So used to seeing the cars and work trucks leave at a certain time in the morning and come home at a certain time at the end of the day. Odd having so many just hanging around. But I guess that is what happens to the poor, reminiscing Manila, Philippines.

And then to top off the evening, more connection with my aforementioned friend, Lizzie. I cannot tell you how happy it makes my heart that God is providing a friend that lives 2 blocks north and 3 blocks west that I can come over and sit on her couch and talk, talk, and talk and maybe cry a bit. Sheer gift. I am so used to driving one hour to see friends and then driving one hour back, juggling schedules, kids, energy levels, gas for the car. Oh, to have friends that live in my neighborhood. It’s a dream come true.

A window into my inner world today: Lizzie prayed for me at the end of our time of hanging out and she had a sense that this next season of life for me and my family is one of new beginnings. I think she may be right. A time where little shoots are coming up and some we can’t even see because they are under the ground and doing that “growing thing”. This made me feel hopeful and less stuck and stagnant. My family and I are going somewhere together and moving on from so much loss into a new place, a new beginning which ushers in hope and new life. God will and is putting my life back together. Some how and some way He will do it.

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