Dear Mom, An Update

Dear Mom,

It has been nine years since you went home to be with Jesus.  It is hard to believe that next year will be ten years.  It seems surreal to me that you are gone and yet life continued.  So much has happened.  I am sure that you probably know everything because you get filled in while in heaven or are allowed to find out for yourself.  But here is the low down, just in case you have been too busy to find out for yourself.

Daphne is now a licensed driver.  She will be a senior this year and I am fearful of what she will eat when she graduates college because currently she only knows how to fix frozen pizza.  I don't worry about while she is in college because we have visited several colleges and they still offer food there.  The issue is when she graduates from college.  What will she survive on if the only thing I've taught her to cook is frozen pizza?  Epic fail on my part.

Megan has her permit and I'm too big of a chicken to let her drive me around.  I guess I feel about driving the way you felt about sex ed. it's best left up to the professionals.  We have had several talks with them about sex, drugs, and rock and roll?  I just have a fear of having them drive me and the rest of the family around.  Also I may have failed at teaching them to cook and to reapply sunscreen.  It is entirely possible that I sheltered them so much they may live with me forever and I will have built in house sitters forever when Vaughn and I want to travel.  But I digress....

Scotty is growing up.  He went to camp for the first time this year.  We missed him so much.  He brings balance to our home.  He has a lot of his dad in him.  They both have a calming quality to them.  Our peacemaker had the time of  his life in the great outdoors and cannot wait to go back next year.  I'm pretty sure that he has decided he loves camp more than he loves baseball.  He doesn't want to miss it again now that he has experienced it.  (Much the way I feel about the Women of Faith conference.  Now that I've experienced it, I never want to miss it again.)  He is so smart and so kind.  You would have really enjoyed getting to know the boy we were both nervous about.

I have made mistakes but I have gotten a few things right too.  They are all great swimmers and so brave.  They amaze me with the things they have been able to do.  They are so unique.  Each one of them so different.  I had no idea that they would all turn out so differently.  I thought being raised in the same family under the same roof would make them similar.  They are also so funny and they have such big dreams.  I can't wait to see how they all turn out.  Truth be known I'm hoping that I haven't messed them up too much and that they will succeed in spite of me.

I'm working on book number two and hoping to have it out by Christmas.  I would like to try my hand at fiction but I can't seem to find the time when the kids keep giving me so much new material.  (Also read here that every time I sit down to write the kids take it in turn asking me questions and distracting me.  It's like when I get on the phone.  If I don't do anything they ignore me.  Once I attempt to accomplish something, suddenly I'm the most interesting thing in their world.  Did I do that to you?) I am also hoping to be working with kindergarteners again this year.  I love that age.  They are so eager to learn and they say the funniest things.  Their eyes shine when they learn something new.  I have also loved getting to know all of the people I work with.  I have made some new friends and for that I am thankful.

Vaughn is still working hard to keep food on the table and a roof over our heads.  He really is the most amazing husband and father.  I am very blessed.  We are dreaming of the future and enjoying the moment.  He makes me a better me.  He takes me out of my comfort zone on occasion.  He has me try things I am afraid of yet protects me at the same time.  I may not experience life  and all it has to offer if it weren't for him.  He helps me live even when life seems overwhelming and I just want to hide.  I hope we get to grow old and grey together and feed each other oatmeal.

OH!  Guess what?  Misty is getting married!  It is so exciting.  I am so happy for her I could burst.  I hope to be able to attend the wedding.  I love that she is getting her happily ever after.  I hope you will all be watching on the big day.  It sounds like it is going to be quite the event.

I think that wraps it all up for a little while.  Except that my birthday will be celebrated on January 15th from now on.  Now we can see who has the blizzard on her birthday me or you.  I'm sure I won't actually get away with it and will be forced to keep celebrating my actual birthday but it would be nice to be able to switch to a much less stressful and emotional time of year.

As always I miss you and long for the day that Jesus comes to take us home so we can all be together again.  I long to be at home in my Father's house.  I hope to be fulfilling His work for me so that one day He will tell me "well done good and faithful servant."  I hope this letter finds you and you know that although you are gone you are still loved and not forgotten.  You continue to live in my heart and if you could send me a message once in awhile, especially when I'm attempting to cook,  my family would thank you.

Love Always,

Heather