Lydia's 7th Birthday Interview

Favorite color - Blue
Favorite book - Fancy Nancy
Favorite movie - Coco
Favorite thing I did with my family this year - Camping
Favorite foods - fruits - mango, watermelon, cantelope
Favorite number - 10
Who is your best friend? - Joselyn, Charlie, Haylee, Aicelan, Nora Grace, Madison
Favorite game - I Found It
Favorite thing to play or do in free time - Go outside
Favorite person to play with - Friends
  What do you want to be when you grow up? - a mom
Where in the world do you want to visit? - Hawaii
What are you most grateful for?  the world
What is your favorite holiday?  my birthday and Christmas
  What is your favorite type of flower?  rose
  What have you enjoyed learning about this year? Opinions
  What kind of car do you want when you grow up?  a van that has automatic doors
  What is your favorite dance move or type?  the hokey pokey, macarena
What is your favorite song?  Bulletproof
  What is one thing you want to do this year?  go to Hawaii, go to a place with rocks to climb on a hammocks to get in.
  What do you want to learn how to do better?  Write
If you could tell your 25 year old self something what would you say?  I'm getting old
If you were to perform in a talent contest - what would you do?  dance
What is your favorite thing to wear? short sleeve and leggings - a shirt dress that has bird on it
What have you accomplished this year that is new? Jump roping 3rd place in class, bike riding

2018

I had to let go of some things in 2017 - Lay down desires, preferences, wants, ideas - choose to shake my picture of what is looks like to be a mom of 4 wonderfully amazingly unique active children, full-time ER nurse, wife to one, daughter to two dearly loved parents who live far away, friend to those spread around and near, inhabitant of this weary, wearing-out body (its been in good use for the last 40 years :).  I thought I would be more intentional to spend time with friends, with mama, with books.  I thought I would let go of some "unnecessary for this stage of life" things and pick up some necessary things.  It didn't look as I planned.

When I say I really wanted to spend more time having coffee with friends, talking on the phone, walking and talking - I really wanted to.  I needed to be encouraged and wanted to be intentional, it was worth the investment and I was committed.  As with many of my plans - I can count on my hand the times this year this happened.

What I needed I got but not in the way I planned.  Though not as planned what I got were glimpses into the lives of friends who are making it, living life, walking with the LORD, trying hard to be who they have been called to be, walking through hard things, rejoicing in bumps and bruises, grieving difficult circumstances.  I ran into a friend I hadn't seen in years while visiting a church with my neice - encouraged that she is still walking with the LORD despite the horrible trials I knew she has walked through, I got to spend a weekend with friends who know and love me and my family, I had dinner with three women who encourage my heart with their laughter and friendship, a text from a long time friend, a glimspe into a friend's heart through an email,  a picture of another.  Just knowing they were still walking with the LORD in their circumstances gave me HOPE and strength to continue in my life - hoping, praying, leaning on the truths that give me strength for another day.

I still want that cup of coffee, that long meandering conversation but a glimpse may be all I get at this stage...and God turns it into just what I need for the moment.