Sandwiched

My husband and I recently repaid our parent loans for our children's college. That ended twelve years of monthly payments to various financial institutions- a huge relief. The respite didn't last long as we realized that my mom needed a home. So now she is moving in with us before winter comes.

For some reason it seems like a good idea, not something that we have to do out of honor or duty. We're making plans for fixing up our old house and adding bird feeders along the porch. Mom and I are signed up to go to a writer's conference and we're going to cook and workout together. I'm looking forward to the time together. My mom is somewhat like my chocolate lab: I can say anything to her or ignore her for days. But when I call her she's still my mom, faithful and responsive.

I think I like being in the middle because I have a little wisdom and experience, but yet I still have time to learn and change the pattern of my life. I know that it won't be long before my children will be sandwiched in between me and their children. But for now I like being in the middle.

Multi-tasking

Perhaps you wonder why I don't blog every day. While I uploaded the latest picture I swept my living room and ate my bedtime snack. The speed of my dial up allows me plenty of time to do other things. At 9.6k to 20k my connection speed is prehistoric. If you have broadband your connection is 17 times faster than my average connection speed of 14.8 kbits. The only alternative I have seems to be broadband satellite at a $100 a month. I think I'll go watch the trees grow while this current post publishes.

Broadband speeds

I hope you dance

I loved watching you dance with your little boy a couple of years ago when I took this picture. The joy in you is living in him now. You've given up a career, a masters and time alone to be a stay at home mom. While your little baby thinks that you are the only person in the world it's hard for you to get away from his constant demands. The pictures on my desk show two smiling faces of the little boys that take up the time in your days and leave you tired at night. Their personalities are nurtured and secure in your love. But you will be blessed when you look back and remember the time that you gave for the love of your children. The memories will be sweet and the boredom will be forgotten as you watch them grow up and they become attached to someone else. And then you will dance and dance and dance again for the joy of it all.