Permission to Live
Wow! Been gone for 10 days, and without Internet for the last 6! Now we are finally home and instead of unpacking the boxes and bags piled in my kitchen, I am sitting on the computer. The need to write is almost suffocating me, so I think I will do some Quick Takes and hope that gets the writing bug out of my system for a bit. To read more Quick Takes (or share your own) hop over to Conversion Diary!
1.
Before we left, we watched 7 Pounds. I do not recommend it. Of course the acting is very good, and from everything I had heard it was supposed to be a brilliant movie. Too bad I didn’t read a spoiler ahead of time! The whole movie is about this guy that commits suicide and donates many of his organs to many different people. Since I had heard it was a good movie, I kept expecting it to get better (as in the guy doesn’t kill himself), as he was dying I kept thinking that any minute someone would walk in and save him, or maybe the love of his life would send him a text message or something and he would change his mind. Then I thought that in the hospital they would be able to shock him back to life or something. But no. He was dead, and I was disappointed.
2.
While visiting family we stopped to see my husband’s grandparents and they brought us to see their church. There is something awe-inspiring about a 90 year old man showing you through the church that he grew up in, raised his own children in, and still attends to this day. Watching him pull off his hat as he walked into the sanctuary sent chills down my spine.
3.
Another major highlight of the trip was visiting my own grandfather who has been battling cancer for 2 years. He is nearing death now, and while it was gut-wrenching to see him in such frail condition, I was greatly encouraged by our short visit to his home. In struggling with my own doubts and questions about God, I often wonder why it even matters, and why I should even try to believe in a God. But seeing his peace in his suffering, reminds me that God is there. He’s got to be there.
4.
The rest of the trip was filled with days talking with, eating with and hanging out with family. Watching my kids play in the kiddie pool and on the slip and slide, chase around all the dogs and cats, play with all the little aunts and uncles, meet their first little cousin, try to keep all the grandparents straight, and contract colds that they have yet to shake. It was wonderful.
5.
On the way home, after starting our day at 4:30 AM and driving for 13 hours straight, we were ready for a break. So instead of hitting the drive-through for dinner, we decided to do something nicer. So we dragged our dirty bedraggled selves into Denny’s. We figured it would be a good way to have a quick meal without eating fast food. We were wrong. It took the waitress 1/2 an hour to get around to taking our order, and then it took almost an hour for the food (which was cold) to arrive! Amazingly the children all behaved extremely well the entire time, with the distraction of Mom drawing strange pictures all over the place-mats, and Dad letting them sip his lemonade. When our food finally showed up we inhaled it in less than 10 minutes, flagged down a different waitress to get our check and hightailed it out of there!
6.
Speaking of the drive home, I often wonder what the other people in the rest stops must think when they overhear my daughters on potty break. You know, the shrieks of terror and delight when they discover that the toilet flushes all by itself! The way they shout to hear the echo bounce off the walls. Ms. Drama insisting that she is “not done yet” and Ms. Action excusing herself loudly for every little noise made while using the toilet or announcing at the top of her lungs “Someone’s pooping mom! Someone are pooping!”. Or the way Ms. Drama is horrified by the blow dryers and refuses to go near them, and how Ms. Action introduces herself to every lady who comes into the bathroom and yells in surprise “There’s someone else in here mom!” when she spots the feet under a stall door.
7.
All in all, we are glad to be back. The trip went faster than I had anticipated, and I did not get to see some of the people I had hoped to get in touch with, but I guess that will have to wait until next time. I’m just happy to be back in my home, with my own bed! I hope that the colds disappears quickly, and that I can get everything unpacked and cleaned up. And since I have already made a trip to the grocery store (with all the kiddo’s in tow) I’m getting off to a pretty good start. 🙂
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