Tuesday, September 18, 2018

Time Passages

Today is my birthday and my plan is to sip coffee on the porch in my pjs until I feel like doing something else. Daughter2 is coming out for dinner and she might just find me on the porch sipping coffee in my pjs when she arrives.

I kid. I've never been that person who stays in their pjs all day. I might stay in my bathing suit all day, but definitely not my pjs.

When I'm through sipping coffee I have big plans to take my book and my raft and float beside the dock. Hubs will tie a line to the raft so I don't float away because I honestly plan to be that chill. We have road tripped over 1100 miles in the past ten days and I'm ready for a day of doing nothing.

The first stop on our road trip was Annapolis. We lived there once upon a time or was it only yesterday? Our house sat in a cozy little cul-de-sac where kids gathered in the middle of the street to ride big wheels and bicycles and slap hockey pucks with too big sticks.

Where they drew houses made of chalk and played flashlight tag as cicada sang their goodnight song. Where mothers walked to the bus stop and could be counted on to pick up a sick child from school if you were out of reach. A sweet safe place to be a kid.


It doesn't seem that long ago, yet there we were Saturday before last watching one of those littles walk down the aisle to her waiting groom.

Time slips by and you hardly notice until you notice.


Fifteen years ago we moved to England. We pulled out of that cul-de-sac in a hired car, tissue in hand, while our neighbors stood in the driveway and waved goodbye til we were out of sight. It was raining and there were tears, I do remember that. Some of them were mine.

What were we doing?

We didn't know exactly but we buckled in to our airplane seats and the next chapter of our lives and soared on into the future.  And these girls...


One already a Mrs. and a mama and one soon to be a Mrs.


Time presses on.

Hubs and I spent a few days with my mom on this most recent road trip. Something warm and familiar wraps itself around me as we pull into the drive. I marvel at the way I can walk through the front door and feel like I still live there. I pray I always remember the way home feels.


Technically I haven't called this place 'home' in some forty years. I know this for certain because I have a high school reunion happening next week. A reunion I won't be able to attend, but I do think about the number and the years and the friends all the same.

Forty years ago I graduated from high school? Can that be right? Didn't my soon-to-be Mrs. just graduate from high school? I guess not.


Time is funny.

Also bittersweet, slower than molasses, and faster than the speed of light. Mostly though, it's precious. Oh so very precious.

On my birthday I'll be grateful for the gift of another day. For girls who bloom where they're planted but keep their momma close in heart. For friends always near no matter how far the miles or years between. For family and home and memory.

For what's behind and what's ahead and all that glorious in between.

15 comments:

  1. Enjoy your relaxing day. Sounds delightful!

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  2. Ah, my dear you are just a kid. Younger than me. Life is wonderful, isn't it? I smiled as I read your post recalling my own adventure of living in West Berlin (before the wall came down). Adventure and the willingness to embrace it, is the key to life! Happy Birthday and sending love and hugs!

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  3. As Kenny Chesney sings’Dont blink’... just like that your babies grow up. Enjoy your day sipping and floating and having happy thoughts! Happy birthday!

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  4. LOVED this! Collecting friends as we travel through this life is just a blessing, but keeping them even when years and miles separate us, is about as good as it gets. Your birthday plans sounded wonderful. Hope you had a good day! Happy birthday to you! ❤️

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  5. Happy Birthday to you!!!!
    Birthdays are always such a time to reflect at how beautiful life is through the years.

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  6. Well, not sure why, but this made me teary eyed. I loved where you said that you hope it will always feel like home. So, so sweet and I so hope that my two will always say that. I sort of feel that way when I go over to see my Dad in his little apartment in the assisted living facility. All seems right with the world as I'm sitting visiting with him. Hope your day just gets better and better and the year ahead is filled with God's blessings. Hugs!

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  7. Happy Birthday! I hope you spend the day exactly how you want and with those you love.

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  8. Happy birthday, Joyce!! This post is so beautiful!! Wishing you a year ahead full of many wonderful blessings!

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  9. This was beautiful and I hope you chilled all day and had a wonderful birthday. You are blessed to be able to visit your home with so many memories. What sweet photos of your daughters, your friends and you with your Mom.

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  10. Belated birthday wishes, Joyce! It sounds like you knew the perfect way to celebrate :)

    I drop by here, from time to time, but don't always take time to comment. There never seems to be enough time... I think it takes me twice as long to do half as much, these days!

    While I'm writing, I want to take time to thank you so much for hosting The Wednesday Hodgepodge for so long. It was a lot of fun and you did a fantastic job, but I know all good things must come to an end. I will always treasure some of the friendships I made through the Hodgepodge, especially yours. Thanks again. (Kathy)

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  11. Happy Birthday Joyce and many more to come! Sweet post. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Hope you had fun reading on the lake.

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  12. Such a lovely post! Happy belated Happy Birthday!!

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