Two weeks have passed since we loaded the car one last time and drove home from our recent road trip around the country. When we got into the car that Monday afternoon and I heard the voice from the GPS say "navigating home", that was music to my ears!
After more than 8,000 miles, 21 states, 19 different hotels, and far to many restaurant meals, it was good to be finally home. These two weeks since we returned home have been busy weeks. Unpacking, catching up on laundry, grocery shopping, all the things that are part of getting back to "normal", whatever that is!
Before the trip, I had spent more than four month focused on my stroke recovery. I spent my time going to therapy and to Doctor visits, doing my therapy "homework", and napping. Before we left on the trip, I "graduated" from therapy, which means that I had a new routine to get accustomed to. And since living on the road is completely different from life at home, I find myself once again making adjustments and trying to find my new normal.
One of the most interesting things about this trip was how different parts of the country experience spring. Here in South Carolina, spring usually comes pretty early. Things around here warm up and green up pretty quickly. It was warm when we left here in April and even warmer when we got to Florida. But after that we headed north, and I was reminded that spring comes much later to other parts of the country. When were in St. Louis, it was very cold and wet, and that's what we experienced as we headed further north and east. In fact, we had to buy some warner clothes!
Now that we have returned home, we have passed warm weather and have headed straight to hot! This leaves my system a little discombobulated!
Getting our "normal" back after an eight week road trip requires a period of adjustment! Recovering from the fatigue that is part of such a long trip, adjusting back to our regular schedules, trying to shed those extra pounds that inevitably show up after travel - it's all part of the recovery process. Perhaps it's because I'm getting older, or perhaps it's stroke-related, but it seems this road-trip-recovery is a very slow process.
Even so, I am thrilled to be back home. Back in my own space. Back in my comfort zone. While we were away, we saw some beautiful scenery. Ate some delicious food. Stayed in some really nice hotels.
I'm thankful for all these experiences. Thankful that I could experience them with Al. And now I'm looking forward to whatever lies ahead as we recover from this adventure and move on the next one!
"The Lord's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:22-23 NASB)
Monday, June 19, 2017
Wednesday, June 7, 2017
It's Anniversary Week!
Several of my friends are celebrating wedding anniversaries today, and others will be celebrating in the next week or so. I'll just give them all one big "Happy Anniversary!" shout-out rather than mentioning each of them by name, since I would inevitably leave someone out.
On a more personal note, Saturday of this week marks another milestone in the journey of my life. 45 years ago - June 10, 1972 - I said "I do". For the past (almost) 45 years, my life has been shared with the man of my dreams. And what a life it has been!
We began our married life in a little house in the "Avenues" of West Columbia, SC. (If you're from Cayce/West Columbia, that will mean something to you. Otherwise, probably not!) When I say it was a "little" house, that's exactly what I mean. It was a very small house, less than 1000 square feet. We have since lived in apartments that were larger than that house!
We had some expectations when we married. We expected to live out our days in West Columbia. (Or maybe we might move to Cayce!) We expected to move someday to a larger house. We expected that we would have children. I'm sure that back then we had other expectations as well.
In many ways, life has far exceeded our expectations, even our wildest dreams. Over the years we have moved far beyond the boundaries of Cayce/West Columbia. Far beyond South Carolina. To Colorado and to Connecticut. To Minnesota and to Florida (talk about climate extremes!). We lived in the mountains of North Carolina, and now we find ourselves back in our home state.
We have traveled to places we only read about or dreamed of visiting. All across these United States. Thanks to our road trip two summers ago, we have now both been in all 50 states at least once. We've visited such far away places as Tokyo and Paris. Sydney and Cairo. Edinburgh and Jerusalem. And numerous other spots in between. What an amazing journey we have had together!
I've said many times before that every journey has hills and valleys, smooth roads and potholes. Sometimes the scenery is beautiful. Sometimes not so much. Sometimes the road is straight. Sometimes there are curves. Bends in the road. It's all part of the journey. And we've experienced some of all of it!
Even so, there's joy in the journey. Joy because we're right where our LORD wants us to be. Joy because we're taking the journey together.
As we have been for almost 45 years. Through thick and thin. In good times and in not-so-great. Through it all. Joy in our journey. Together.
This last year has certainly put the "for better, for worse; in sickness and in health" to the test! Even through all that, there is joy in the journey. And I wouldn't want to take this journey with anyone else!
On a more personal note, Saturday of this week marks another milestone in the journey of my life. 45 years ago - June 10, 1972 - I said "I do". For the past (almost) 45 years, my life has been shared with the man of my dreams. And what a life it has been!
We began our married life in a little house in the "Avenues" of West Columbia, SC. (If you're from Cayce/West Columbia, that will mean something to you. Otherwise, probably not!) When I say it was a "little" house, that's exactly what I mean. It was a very small house, less than 1000 square feet. We have since lived in apartments that were larger than that house!
We had some expectations when we married. We expected to live out our days in West Columbia. (Or maybe we might move to Cayce!) We expected to move someday to a larger house. We expected that we would have children. I'm sure that back then we had other expectations as well.
In many ways, life has far exceeded our expectations, even our wildest dreams. Over the years we have moved far beyond the boundaries of Cayce/West Columbia. Far beyond South Carolina. To Colorado and to Connecticut. To Minnesota and to Florida (talk about climate extremes!). We lived in the mountains of North Carolina, and now we find ourselves back in our home state.
We have traveled to places we only read about or dreamed of visiting. All across these United States. Thanks to our road trip two summers ago, we have now both been in all 50 states at least once. We've visited such far away places as Tokyo and Paris. Sydney and Cairo. Edinburgh and Jerusalem. And numerous other spots in between. What an amazing journey we have had together!
I've said many times before that every journey has hills and valleys, smooth roads and potholes. Sometimes the scenery is beautiful. Sometimes not so much. Sometimes the road is straight. Sometimes there are curves. Bends in the road. It's all part of the journey. And we've experienced some of all of it!
Even so, there's joy in the journey. Joy because we're right where our LORD wants us to be. Joy because we're taking the journey together.
As we have been for almost 45 years. Through thick and thin. In good times and in not-so-great. Through it all. Joy in our journey. Together.
This last year has certainly put the "for better, for worse; in sickness and in health" to the test! Even through all that, there is joy in the journey. And I wouldn't want to take this journey with anyone else!
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