5 hours?

So I may write for the next 5 minutes or the next 5 hours! Cohesive thoughts are not here right now. Just pretty excited that I have some time to explore the ideas, dreams, thoughts and experiences that are floating around in my mind tonight.

I am very tired today. Still working the crazy shift at the Y but as much as I complain, I love it! The members that come in that early are priceless. From Sam, the 93 year old who recently lost his wife to dear Sally (yes, that's her name!) who makes me smile as she and I giggle saying each others name again and again! Each member has a story. And I love to listen to them tell it!

Sam loved his wife. He would come in early so that he could be home when she woke up in the mornings. We would not have known of her passing if it weren't for another member asking how she was feeling. He came in the day she passed, the day they buried her and the day they held a celebration of her life. The Y has become Sam's family. His words have years of wisdom behind them and even though he has lost his hearing, I love to ask him simple questions. His reply is always a statement that I know that I must remember. Today he spoke of caring. I listened and shed a tear. I am so thankful for Sam.

My co-workers have also taught me of generosity, friendship, laughter, love. Mondays with my friend Nick have been some pretty EPIC shifts! We do not allow our lack of sleep the night before interfere with connecting with our members. We have laughed and cried on Mondays. I can honestly say that Mondays are the hardest in the week, for sure, but I look forward to them. Nick is another person with much wisdom, even though he doesn't have the years behind him as does Sam. He was raised in a Christ-centered home and I would love the opportunity to thank his mom and dad...they have raised a fine, Godly young man of character.

The winter has been hard here in Central Ohio. 25 inches of snow in February. It has been fun for the kids but hard on the drivers and the commute to and from work. Central Ohioans aren't used to this kind of winter, we are not equipped for this kind of winter but we are resilient and realize that Spring will be here and all will be well again.

My husband is still spectacular! So many stories that I could insert here, so many reasons that illustrate why he makes me so incredibly proud to be called his wife. All I can say is that I am so thankful for the way God moved us both to Canton, Ohio close to 24 years ago. My heart still skips a beat when he arrives home in the evening, realizing that he chooses us to come home to...

The kids are great! They are still growing, still healthy and have had many accomplishments these past few months. Often times I look at the kids and try and envision what their adult life will look like. Who will they marry? Where will they go to school? Sports in the future? And then God puts a reign on that thought and reminds me to live today. Make a difference in their lives today. I try. I struggle. I want to be the best Mom for them but I know that I fail miserably. But we laugh! We laugh. That's what I want them to remember; that we may have had moments of hardship but laughter filled our home.

As for the Sports scene...OSU beat the Ducks of Oregon, which made me very happy! We have moved to the basketball season and the Lady Bucks are having another good year. Olympics are in full swing yet they have not kept my attention as they usually do but I am trying to catch some of the events in the evening.

It is time for me to close for tonight yet I still have a thought on my heart... I have been challenged by a sermon that I heard today about becoming the best Me that God intended me to be...40 day challenge. I believe that God wants me to be a better version of who I am today. I am praying...God, show me who it is You want me to become.

Goodnight.