Hard to Lose

Sometimes you are put in situations that are very difficult to deal with. Which way do you choose? One way or the other you lose. Danged if you do, danged if you don't.

Rarely are people able to choose and have it all. Very rarely.

It was the hardest thing for me to deal with when Jacob went off to Iraq. I couldn't go to see him off because of obligations at home and I couldn't go to see him return for the same reasons.

Same thing happened when he deployed to Afghanistan. So hard. I had a heavy heart and countenance for days each time. Wanting to go, to be there yet not being able to. We did eventually get to go visit him after his last return and deployment and again before he finished his active duty. Wasn't quite what I wanted but, it was the way it had to be.

The foster parenting chapter of our lives closed, college graduation finally behind and at a job long enough to have sufficient vacation in place and so I got to go welcome home our sailor.

What a feeling of relief and release. It's okay with me if none of my children ever have to go so far away again. Really it is.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

FAVORITE CHILDHOOD SONGS

My favorite childhood songs were the ones my mama taught me. 1) One day as I was seated on the subway, my high silk hat, my high silk hat; I laid it on the seat beside me, my high silk hat, my high silk hat; A big (sung in deep voice) fat lady came and sat upon it, my high silk hat, my high silk hat (sung in high pitch tiny voice); A big (sung in deep voice) fat lady came and sat upon it, my high silk hat, my high silk hat (sung in high pitch tiny voice); Christopher Columbus now what do you think of that? A big fat lady sat upon my hat! She broke my hat, now what’s the joke? She broke my hat, now what’s the joke? Christopher Columbus now what do you think of that? 2) The golden sun sinks in the west, Great Spirit calls all scouts to rest. We’ve had our work, We’ve had our play And we have lived, The true scout way. Upon my honor, I will try, To do my duty, To God on high, To help all other people out, And live the life of a real Girl Scout. 3) I had a little parasol long, long ago. A
Read more

The Measure of a Man

I loved this song. It was sung by Brett Raymond and it gave me a tremendous sense of where young men need to center themselves. The whole tape (yes, I have a cassette) is great, but this song speaks volumes. I played it often when my boys were teens-as much for me as for them. My youngest son even sang it at a program once-ah heaven-maybe some of it was getting where I really wanted it to go! The Measure of a Man comes from the album of the same name. It is by Clive Romney and friends. I have the hologram sticker that came with it. On the back of the jacket to the cassette case it says: "Though beautiful in any light, this holographic cover is most beautiful when viewed by the light of the sun. Life, likewise, is most beautiful when viewed by the light of the Son. Try it!" Is it the width of your shoulders how tall you stand Or how far you tip the scale The size of your biceps the strength of your hands Your prowess in games of skill Is it the style of your hair, the way that
Read more

A Cerulean Blue Ice Cream

Image
  Being a grandma, I have a tendency to like to ‘kidnap’ one of our grand kids and take them out for an ice cream. Not just because I love my grand kids and want to establish a relationship with them, but also because I like ice cream. You learn a lot of things from your kids if you watch and interact with them. Things like you can’t leave a three-year old unsupervised with scissors for very long. Disaster is definitely going to happen. Or with a permanent marker…around leather furniture. That kind of learning from your kids. Guess what?! The learning goes on with grand kids too! I took a grandson out for an ice cream. Small shop, 31 flavors of ice cream to choose from. With so very many options to choose from, the choice can be overwhelming. He chose his favorite color. He loves cerulean blue, so it stands to reason, in the mind of a young child, that the ice cream flavor had to be as endearing to him as the color was. He ordered it, was handed it and took a lick and before I ev
Read more