Five Minute Friday: TOGETHER

 This post is part of the weekly Five Minute Friday series. Five minutes of free-flow writing shared with whoever wants to read it. This week’s prompt is: TOGETHER

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This time next week, we will enter a new stage.  One I've dreaded for 5 years and 10 months.  Millie is going to Kindergarten!

She is so ready.  She is smart.  Fiercely independent.  A loyal friend.  And brave beyond belief.

She is a momma's girl, through and through.  Over the past two years, we have spent a ton of time together.  She missed out on almost two years of daycare because of COVID, so she hasn't had the socialization that Jude had at her age.  However, her going off to school just feels different.  She didn't get very much 1-on-1 Momma time.  Jude came home from school in early 2020 when COVID hit and the babies came that same year.  I feel like her 'middle childness' hit her in the midst of so much life upheaval. A pandemic, my high risk pregnancy, no more daycare, Jude at home 24/7, moving homes, missing our church and Sunday school, Jude doing virtual school at home, twin baby sisters arrive and stay in the NICU for a month, with MIA Momma and Daddy as a result, and even more isolation to keep us all safe.

It's fine.  We're fine.  She's gonna do great.  I know it.  I will eventually get on board.  I'm excited to see her blossom into who the Lord has made her to be.  But right now, all I know is that I'm gonna miss my little sidekick and I'm sad this stage is a week away from being officially over. 

Five Minute Friday: BE

 This post is part of the weekly Five Minute Friday series. Five minutes of free-flow writing shared with whoever wants to read it. This week’s prompt is: BE

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Be still and know that I am God.

Be of good courage!

I hardly ever talk about it, but I had cancer.  Parotid Gland Cancer to be exact.  Somehow, for some reason, cancer decided to set up shop in my parotid gland... It's an extremely rare form of head and neck cancer, but despite it being rare, it happened to me.

I had no symptoms, no clues as to what was going on, other than a very slow growing lump in front of my ear.

At one of my OBGYN appts, I finally had to courage to bring it up, "Hey, I've noticed this lump.  Is this some weird pregnancy thing?" cause if I've learned anything after 3 go 'rounds, pregnancy is cuckoo cocopuffs.  

Turns out this is a story that's longer than 5 minutes, so I'll just end by saying, as I was being wheeled into surgery, scared out of my mind, I kept reciting Joshua 1:9... "Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go....

even here.  Even in this surgical room."

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Five Minute Friday: CHANCE

This post is part of the weekly Five Minute Friday series. Five minutes of free-flow writing shared with whoever wants to read it. This week’s prompt is: CHANCE

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So, I'm starting school on Monday.  I am almost as nervous and I am excited. It's going to be so different this time around... 

I graduated with my BS in 2007.  The last time I went "back to school" was after I graduated HS in 2003, which was really just a continuation of my education in a new place.  I had never taken a break in my education before, let alone a 15 year one.  That realization is shocking. 

However, last time I was in school, I had notebooks, binders, and a lot of notecards and highlighters.  This go around, I have my computer, an ebook and a big ol' pot of coffee brewing at 11:00pm.

This program is all online, which is truly the only way I could make this happen.  I work full time in a thriving ministry, not to mention my four kids, two of whom "work from home" with me every day.  Do I really have time to work on a Masters degree on top of my life right now?

Who knows how this is gonna go, how long it'll take, or how much I'll love it until I give it a chance.  Ready or not, here I go!