Happy September Days

 

Good Friday morning! September days have blessed us with slightly cooler weather, and I love it. While many people thrive on the hot, sunny summer days, I relish the cooler autumn ones, just like yesterday.

If you have read here for a while, you may remember our beautiful friend, Blueberry Mary. We met Mary and her husband, Tom, years ago at church. We call her Blueberry Mary because she used to pick the best blueberries ever and would always bring us some. Tom passed away several years ago, and Mary often joined us for dinner and game nights. We haven't seen Mary as much since we moved, but we still have weekly phone visits, and at ninety-two, Mary is as sharp as she has always been. She now lives in an assisted living, and this week, Steve and I had the chance to surprise her with a visit!

We had the most wonderful time! She showed us all around, we sat and talked, and I showed her pictures of the kids. She is a wonderful, classy lady; we were so thankful to spend some time with her. Look what she had on her wall. She gave me permission to take a picture of it. Look at this beautiful photo of two young people, ready to begin a life together.

Yesterday morning looked like this. How fitting since yesterday was my birthday! I told you I am an autumn soul. This just sealed the deal. 

I had a fantastic day turning fifty-four. I was home, happy with my people, doing what I love: teaching. Flynn and I did homeschool, and Rhett and Kyrstin got lunch for us all. I sat outside for a bit, and then my best friend Heather brought the party to me! She made homemade chicken parmesan, garlic bread, carrot cake, and peanut butter pie! For all of us! It was so delicious! Then there were gifts and laughs and our family tradition of each person sharing something he or she loves about the birthday person and a special memory we share. We have done this forever, and I am always touched by what is shared. My sister Margie called when she was with my momma, so I was able to have a beautiful birthday visit with her on the phone. I thought back fifty-four years to when she was a young woman, bringing her fourth little girl into the world. I thought of all the things she has done for me over the years and how, on that day so many years ago, she wouldn't have thought that someday, that little baby would be a fifty-four-year-old, and she an eighty-six-year-old, and the two would be visiting on the phone. That is the beauty of the circle of life. Living in the moment, letting tomorrow be, and smiling when remembering the past.

I've learned so many things throughout my life, and not least among them is this. When you find joy in doing things for others, allowing others to do the same for you can be difficult. Yet, I finally realized that I cannot rob them of experiencing that same great joy of doing for someone, for blessing them with your care. And so last night, I sat down and let my kids and Heather do it all. They did the cooking, decorating, serving, and cleaning from start to finish. I was so happy and so blessed.

That ends the birthday celebrations for a couple months. Now, we settle into all things autumn. We are heading down to Maryland next week, so I plan on getting some things together and doing a few things around here this weekend. We have a family wedding on Saturday, a visit to see my momma on Sunday, a football game, and a lunch date. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, my friends. Thank you for visiting!

I am looking forward to visiting you this weekend!

BillieJo