We were blessed this time to visit friends whom we haven’t seen in many many years. What a delightful treat! We even took a day to make a special drive to peek at where I first lived after college and had my first nursing job. From there, we ate lunch with dear friends and even saw our priest who married us. He gave us a special blessing which will hopefully carry through for another thirty years! The afternoon was spent with fond reminiscing and laughter. Our hearts were definitely lifted up and filled with joy.
Praying that my head and body would hold up through the next part of the trip, we continued down to VA to visit more friends whom we haven’t seen in years. What an absolute delight. We stayed at their bed and breakfast and were royally spoiled. I wish to give a shout out to Windridge Manor near Lynchburg,VA. Kelly and John Heckman are the owners, and they truly have an amazing place! They focus on it being a wedding venue, but we were able to stay a few days as guests. Oh.my.gosh. The home and property are stunning.
During our visit, I actually saw my husband RELAX. Yep, you read it correctly—- RELAX. He breathed in and exhaled slowly and purposefully for those few days. Woo hoo! We enjoyed a combination of sitting and rocking on their balcony as well as some sightseeing around the area. The weather was extremely hot and humid so that limited our time outdoors. No problem. We sat ourselves down in their manor and just chatted. We intentionally leaned into one another, listened, and shared life together. How wonderful is that?
Life slowed down a bit for those few days not only because we didn’t have a rushed agenda to fulfill but also because we could barely move after breakfast. I am not kidding. Kelly prepared a breakfast fit for a king and queen! It was enough food to last us all day! Unbelievable you all!
Too funny and totally a “Kelly thing”!
A real gift was my ability to take each day, check in with my head, and move forward with some plans whether they be sightseeing or taking it easy at the manor. I believe my new medicine is slowly helping decrease some tough M attacks. I am more able to abort them with the necessary meds and not be completely flat out in bed. Praise God. Gently stepping back into my life is refreshing to say the least.
Michael and I talked about our thirty plus years together and we couldn’t believe how fast those years have flown by. Unbelievable really. We talked about the good, the not so good, and all the in between. Most days consist of the messy middle and the normal in between. These past eight years of my illness have been a real difficult challenge to our marriage in many ways. But—-we are better and stronger for it. I guess God really does know what crosses we can bear only WITH Him. He placed the right people in our path to help us along the journey. And He still does.
September is a time for new beginnings and a new season. Change is all around us. Some of it good and some may be more challenging which could be tough to navigate. It is not all sunshine and rainbows. I get that. I really do. Physically my body has a rough time with more painful days slipping into another season. I will prepare as I can and then go with the flow. We all realize that the hardships don’t get easier just because we transition from summer to fall. Things take time to work themselves out. Hopefully, day by day, some of our longings and desires will come to fruition.
Michael and I are extremely grateful for our mini getaway. We love our anniversary being Labor Day weekend because it is in between Summer and the beginning of Fall. It is the letting go as well as the receiving of new gifts and opportunities.
Friends, I wish you a smooth transition from Summer to Fall, and I hope you are looking forward to new adventures and opportunities. May the hot apple cider, pumpkin loafs, and the changing of leaves bring peace and calm to you.
