Just When It All Seemed So Right

You know the feeling when it seems like all is right with the world? The job you've been hoping to get is in the bag; a long waited for trip is around the corner; that remodeling project is almost done; your relationship is finally on the right track.  Then there's that twist, just like in a good crime novel or movie, that changes everything.  We've experienced that a couple times this week.

The first didn't directly involve our family, but still hit close to home and brought feelings of shock and grief.  A young man from our town, who graduated two years ahead of my daughter Amy, joined the Marines and was happy to be serving his country.  He did a tour in Afghanistan, and returned last year to serve stateside at Camp Lejeune.  A young woman who we've known well for many years through church and youth group waited for him.  They were married last October and have spent the last months settling into life together, planning for a wonderful future.  Tragically, over last weekend Mark was taken from this life far sooner and far more suddenly than anyone expected.  His bride Maria is a widow at 21.  My heart aches for what she and both of their families must be going through.  Imagine your daughter being hundreds of miles from home and getting what must have been a horrifying phone call from her, knowing that her world had just been turned upside down and there's nothing you can do to make it better.

On a far less dramatic, but more personal note, we had a minor crisis at our house.  We've been working on completing a small apartment for Amy in the finished basement.  New wood laminate was laid, just waiting some finishing of trim and putting new quarter round on the baseboards.  She's had her bedroom set up for a few weeks, with furniture in place and pictures on the walls.  Most of her clothes are moved down there, with the exception of hanging items because we need to install closet rods in an alcove.  The living room area is still a jumble of furniture and boxes until the final edging of the wood is done.

Last night, when she got back from an evening with a high school friend, she said there was something wrong with the floor in her room.  She showed me where water was seeping up through the cracks between the laminate pieces.  The basement is humid, as most basements are, but we've never had problems with that kind of moisture, and it has been very hot and dry all week.  Lo and behold, when I opened the door to the utility/storage room I found water all over the floor from a broken water heater.  So, a day off work to contact a plumber, a new water heater, and several hundred dollars later, we are looking to tear out the laminate.  Even if it would somehow miraculously not need to be replaced, we need to dry out the concrete floor underneath.  But, wood laminate is not known for reacting well to being wet, so it looks like after just a month we will be installing new floor yet again.  At least the trim and quarter round weren't down yet.  And at least the old carpet wasn't still there.  It was in less than pristine shape anyway (hence the replacement with laminate) but it would have been a soggy mess to tear out and drag upstairs.

We finalized vacation plans last week.  Rather than a cruise, we opted for five days in Cancun in mid-August.  Here's hoping the next seven weeks go smoothly.

It's All in How You Say It

It really is.  I had this reinforced today at a meeting at work (I know, you're thinking "will she shut up about work already").  We were looking at a spreadsheet about who knows kind of financial metrics - is that really a word? - for our somewhat recently joined-on-paper office of Cleveland/Akron.  One column was simply headed "CT" and nobody knew what it stood for.  I suggested contract type...turns out I was right, and even though I was actually guessing, it sounded like I knew what I was talking about, so go figure.

This same principle applies to babies and dogs.  It's all in the tone of voice.  When your 3-month-old has been screaming nonstop for an hour, you can look at him and say, in a sing-song voice, "If you don't shut up real soon, I'm going to poke my eardrums out with kabob skewers" and he has no clue you are exhausted, frustrated, and contemplating exactly what you suggested.  Dogs are the same way, but they just cock their heads to the side as if they didn't quite hear right.

Once the kids are older, that tactic doesn't work so well.  If you and the school system have done their job right, kids develop this thing called a vocabulary, as well as a sense of perspective, and skepticism, so they generally know exactly how you feel and how far you'll really go.  They also become deaf to most vibratory frequencies associated with adult voices, although a firm tone of voice (read: screeching full name, including middle) can occasionally get a reaction out of them.  Or a whisper from two rooms away suggesting pizza for dinner or a trip to anywhere fun.

I'm learning to believe this also works in my conversations with God.  It's not about what you're praying for, it's in how you pray it.  Do you truly believe that God will give what you're asking for?  Have you studied on His word and feel confident that your prayer is in line with His plan?  Yes, you need to be sure to ask if it's in His will, but if you've done your homework and trust that He will always answer you, then you can be sure that He will see to all your needs.

Oh the Places You'll Go

I mus admit I've never read the Dr. Seuss book with this title in its entirety.  I know it's often gifted to high school and college graduates because it's supposed to be a great metaphor for starting out in life.  A variety of conversations in our household recently have dealt more literally with the idea.


My daughter Amy will be headed to Cincinnati again this week for a couple days with her boyfriend, including a concert and a Reds game.  This will be her third trip in two months, plus he's made two trips up here.  He'll be up again at the end of the month, when they're also taking a quick trip to Niagara Falls.  They're working very hard at this long distance relationship (and racking up the miles).  


We're also trying to decide on where and when to take a vacation this summer.  We're leaning toward a cruise to the Bahamas in August.  We've never cruised before but finally have passports and are ready to take the plunge.  It will be our end of summer, right before she goes back to school trip.  Kind of weird how similar that is to when she was a little girl.


But she's all grown up now, and she's making lots of decisions about her future.  She started a new job recently, is considering career paths, and is thinking about what classes to take in the fall.  On top of the whole boyfriend-in-another-city-who-she-wishes-was-closer-and-thinks-is-really-the-one situation.  It's good to see her excited and happy about starting school.  She only took one semester off, but she's ready to head back and move further along the path to her degree.


I must admit it's a new experience to have an adult daughter living at home but living her own life.  I'm so glad we get along and have a terrific relationship.  We truly enjoy spending time together, but also like our privacy and alone time.  We're figuring out how to balance it all, and the basement apartment for her definitely helps (which hopefully will be finished soon - more for her sake than mine).


Oh, I almost forgot...we're also talking about another trip to Guatemala...maybe next winter or spring...our hearts are forever tied to the Peten and seeing our friends Tim & Doris before Memorial Day just reinforced that.  We spent a week there this past Christmas and it was truly the best holiday I've ever had.  I can't wait to go back, to see more of the country, see God at work through Hospital Shalom, and get first-hand updates on people we met on our first trip.  I never would have thought missionary work was for me, but I can definitely see why  people are so drawn to it.


I'm on my own for a couple days since Amy left this morning.  Time to dream about the places I'll go...