Girly Mom Writes

I finally feel settled enough to open up the house and take you on a little tour. Still a number of things we’d like to do, but if I wait until it’s perfect, I’ll never get this done! So here we go, starting with the view from the entryway:

Living Room:

A close up of Hudson. You’re welcome.

Other half of the living room:

And a close up of my little snowy village on top of the piano:

Dining Room:

Christmas Mittens on the Stairs:

This corner cabinet used to be white. How boring. I painted it “Summer Marigold” because I couldn’t think of a good reason not to!

The kitchen! Please notice Lydia’s new telescope. She got if for Christmas from my dad last weekend. To say she is thrilled is an understatement. She wanted to know if she could point it at the neighbor’s house. Um, no, dear. So we moved it to the kitchen for a clear look at the sky!

And a closeup of my new favorite household item. Isn’t she beautiful?

And here is my favorite room. This little nook has become my favorite spot to work on my computer, drink my coffee, play scrabble, have conversations. I just love it. I feel like I have a coffee shop right in my house!

And just in case you think my house is perfect, let me leave you with a reality check:

That’s right. We’ve still got some work to do. Now that Conrad is on Christmas break, we have plenty of projects to tackle, and this room (the study/storage/closet/catch-all) is at the top of the list.

I don’t plan to do a tour of the other half of the house, including all the bedrooms and bathrooms. . .something about that creeps me out a little. We are enjoying our new space and it feels good to be settled in. Now I’m off to enjoy a little quiet time with my book!

It was a year ago this week that I arrived home after spending two weeks in Cambodia and Thailand with Destiny Rescue. I still think often about my time there, and truth be told, I still lay awake at night, haunted by the images seared into my mind, and by the knowledge that human trafficking is still alive and well across the globe.

If you are interested in reading (or re-reading) about my life-altering experiences on that trip, here are the posts:

Safe in Bangkok

Update from Cambodia

Update Number 2

Update from Thailand

Final Update

A Few Pictures

Hello Jet Lag! Nice to See You Again!

Second Slum Village

Pattaya

Scenic Photos

A Breath of Fresh Air

What Kept Me Going

My Response

Friday morning I got a call from my mom that her older sister, my aunt Betty, passed away. She fought a hard battle against lung cancer, and while it’s always hard to say good-bye, her death meant the end of suffering and so there was relief amidst the sorrow. My sister and I began making plans to drive to Mississippi to attend the memorial service. The distance is long, but this is my family, and I will be there when we say good-bye to Aunt Betty.

Later Friday afternoon, I got another phone call. This time the news took me by surprise. Merlin Yoder, a man of utmost character, who loved his wife and kids, who farmed the land with passion, who rode miles upon miles on his bike just for the sheer joy of it, was badly injured in a farming accident. His injuries were extensive and the prognosis was grim. He passed away early Monday morning.

My heart broke as I got the news of his passing. I knew that his death would rock the community of Pigeon, Michigan, my home. Those of us who grew up around Merlin and his wife, Pat, began sharing memories on Facebook. Several times throughout the day, I found myself wiping away the tears as I recalled my own memories.

In this, I saw demonstrated what I love most about my hometown: We are a community. We support each other. We love each other. We belong to one another. And even for those of us who have moved onto other places around the globe, we still belong.

In the case of my aunt Betty, we are related. Our blood lines flow from the same source. My mother’s sister. I loved her sassiness. I feared her sassiness. And despite the miles between us, we belonged to each other.

As I reflect on this concept of belonging, I am struck by this: If we did not belong, we would have less grief, it’s true. But, we would also experience less joy. For it is in the belonging to others that we share our lives, both the triumphs and the sorrows.

So today, I’m thankful for my people. My clan. My homies. My tribe. My peeps. My family, whether we are connected by bloodlines or not. They are part of who I have become.

To the Yoder Family: I share in your grief. Merlin influenced my life and I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to know him. If I could find a way to transcend time and geography, I would be in Pigeon on Thursday to celebrate his life with you. Instead, I will be heading south to stand by my mom as we celebrate my aunt Betty. But, no matter, we belong to one another, and for that I thank God.