Eyes Open

I am back, everyone! Inconsistency doesn't accurately describe my blogging habit at all--it's definitely more like a hiatus. Let me sum up my excuse: A year ago I wasn't even in school to teach and now I am teaching Kindergarten. It has been a whirlwind to say the least. A really wonderful, stressful, lean-on-the-Lord kind of whirlwind. I am not saying it's going to get any better, at least for a while.

That said, I feel incredibly happy to be where I am in my life. I am counting these blessings and wanted to share one of the highlights with you. A few weeks ago, my discipleship group at church threw a baby shower for an 18 year old Nepali refugee. That experience was extremely eye-opening. I am taking more education classes this semester and one of our assignments is to write three poems; I wrote one of them about this experience. I thought I would share it with you:

Refugee Baby Shower

She had a name I couldn’t pronounce as we were introduced.

I knew nothing of her before that day; I was wrapped up in my own freedoms.

She came here by plane with her husband just two weeks prior.

He carried the single bag they shared.

She carried a miracle inside.

She had had no physician care until that very day.

Her young eyes were tired, her body frail.

The miracle remained.

The games we played involved no words.

She smiled for the first time in months.

We taught her how to diaper and how to bathe.

“This small bath is better than a shower floor.”

We gave her the first gifts she had ever received.

She unwrapped them, stone-faced.

She carefully wrapped them back up in tissue, preserving the newness.

Her translated thank-you engulfed me.

I was changed.

She named the miracle “Grace.”

Love,

L.W.

You Gotta Have Friends

I am filthy rich. And, no, I didn't win the lottery or inherit a large sum of money. I am referring to the fact that I am blessed beyond measure and rich with love from family, friends, and blessings from one amazing God. It's really hard for me to wrap my head around, actually.

When you (pretty much) live in the same town your whole life and spend as much time with your family as I have, it's easy to take your surroundings for granted. One thing I have absolutely adored about this move is that I have gained a whole new perspective on my life and the people in it. At times, when we lived in Greenville, I often felt frustrated that most of my best friends from high school and college lived so far away. They were all spread out EVERYWHERE. Many times, it was lonely and it was hard. Now that I am also "far" away, I realize how much we will always need each other. It's not so hard to be there for each other, no matter how distant we get. I will be the first to admit that my friendships often took a backseat to my other relationships; I now know God had a purpose for that because I have an amazing husband to show for it. Now that I am in a new "season of life" -if you will- it's easier to be there for them.  I have always known how amazing each of my friends are but, as we get older, I truly appreciate their individuality and their gifts even more. As I picture each of them, these words come to mind:  beautiful, creative, loving, fun, quirky, artistic, Godly, inspiring, smart, funny, driven, caring and even athletic. I am blown away at how each of them have been there for me these last few months. It means more to me than you know. When I think about my friends I realize I have some of the best--The one you can tell anything to. The one you can sing duets with. The one you can be silly with. The one you can pray with. The one who laughs a lot. The one who makes you laugh a lot. The creative one. The musical one. The athlete. The intellectual one. The one you can shop with. The one you can enjoy a glass of wine with. The one you can party with....I really have them all.

This past weekend I got to see some of my friends from high school, my friends from college, and a lot of my family. My birthday is coming up in two days and I honestly feel like I was already given the ultimate gift. To gain utmost appreciation for those you love, to spend time with them, and to feel loved and appreciated back is, honestly, one of my very favorite things in the world. Friendship should not be difficult. This post would not be complete without mentioning that I have already made some AMAZING friends here in Roanoke already. I am so grateful to my new church friends and my friends from work. I have to tell you, although I am pretty exhausted, my heart is happy and oh-so-full. Once again, thank you Roanoke. Thank you, Lord.

Pictures from this weekend:

Kathryn, Laura, Whitney, Me (High school)

Me and Carly (High school & college!)

Me, Carly, Helen (mostly college)

Me, Maddie (elementary school & college!), Carly

Carly, Me, Emily & Christen (College-senior year roomies!)

Love,

Seeing Clearly Now

For the last time

It actually happened. I knew this day would come, I just had no clue how bad it would hurt and how quick it was really coming. Today Chris began our move to VA and just pulled out of 1060 Summit Dr. for the last time. I'll be staying here in G'ville for a couple of weeks to go through the closing on this house and keep the dogs until our VA house is closed on.

Today was strange. We woke up, I went to grab breakfast for us at Dunkin Donuts (our pantry and fridge are now bare). I brought breakfast home and we did some things around the house/packed up clothes in wardrobe boxes. For lunch we decided to go to our favorite Mexican restaurant, Compadres, one more time. They know us so well they don't even bother to hand out the menus. We ate a very good lunch (that salsa is oh-so-addicting!) then came home to realize we had locked ourselves out of the house.  The last thing we wanted to do was call a locksmith on a Sunday to let us back into our own house. [Side note: If you've ever been through a move, you know how pricey it can be.] For such a mindless mistake we knew there was likely a (yet another) big price to pay. The locksmith came out and it turns out we have an upside-down lock (and it was impossible to pick) so he had to replace the whole darn thing. TWO HUNDRED dollars later--it was fixed.

Of course Chris also somehow managed to lose/misplace one of his shoes and his sunglasses (which only added to the chaos of the day as he was trying to get packed up and out the door). The contractor doing all the house repairs was banging on the house fixing board after board. Eventually, we both just couldn't take any more stress, noise, to-dos, bills, or phone calls. All the little things and much bigger things were mounting up.We just held onto each other and cried. In that moment in my busy brain I knew it was the last time we'd be standing in our first home, the last time we'd be in the space we tried so hard to make ours. Flashbacks of eating pizza on the bare floors on move-in day, putting up the icicle lights at Christmas, eating our chili on the porch as trick-or-treaters arrived, cooking glorious meals in our kitchen, having our friends and family over, landscaping the yard, planting our garden, picking out new furniture and paint all just whirled around making me dizzy with emotion then extremely still.The world just stopped around us and things felt quieter. The dogs even felt it and stayed right there with us. I fell in love all over again. We had made all those memories together. Chris eventually walked out the door for the last time, got in the car, pulled out of the driveway and signed an "I love you" as he always does through the car window. I reciprocated  by signing it back then holding up "2" fingers as I always do. That, my friends, will never change.

Before

 

 

 

After

I know I will be okay as long as I can just be there to hold Chris and tell him I love him, feel it back and have our pups by our sides. No matter where we live or what we live in--that's what will matter most. There are new memories to be made.

Love,

Missing Him Already



"If I lay here, If I just lay here, would you lie with me and just forget the world?"- Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol

Reason for the Season #2

Honestly, nothing makes me happier than making our house our home and being there; this especially applies this time of year. Home means Chris and two loving dogs. Home means curling up by the real wood burning fireplace. Home means cooking and inventing in the kitchen. Home means wrapping gifts by mixing and matching paper with sparkly wired ribbon. Home means cleaning for guests to arrive. Home means potted pansies by the door. Home means chocolate after dinner. Home means a relaxing bubble bath. Home means saying prayers with my husband. Home is just, well, good.

At home the other day, I realized that there's one small and seemingly simple part of wrapping gifts that, subliminally, is a much bigger deal. You know when you get to the bow-tying process and you need someone to push down on the ribbon with their finger to tie the knot? Yeah, that's actually not necessary. If you had to, you could just do it yourself. I think there's something more to it. I started thinking about how ridiculous it was that I actually called Chris in from the other room and had him put down everything he was doing just to press down the ribbon for me to tie a knot. In actuality, I just wanted to see him for a minute and know that, in a way, he helped me complete that gift. To give and to be with those you love. Both a tangible part of Christmas and the season among so many crucial intangibles. In that moment, I had both and my heart was very happy.

Please Come Home for Christmas

by Charles Brown

Bells will be ringing, the glad, glad news;
Oh, what a Christmas, to have the blues;
My baby's gone;
I have no friends;
To wish me greetings, once again;
Choirs will be singing, Silent Night
Oh, Christmas Carols, by candlelight;

Please come home for Christmas;
Please come home for Christmas;
If not for Christmas, by New Year's Night;

Friends and relations;
Send salutations;
Just as sure as the stars shine above;

This is Christmas, Christmas my dear;
The time of year to be with the one that you love;
Then will you tell me, you'll never more roam;
Christmas and New Year will find you home;
There'll be no more sorrow;
No grief or pain;
'Cause I'll be happy that it's Christmas once again

 

If you have anyone to spend the holiday with, be joyful! Be thankful. Give, love, and be loved.


Merry Christmas,

L. Winchester