April 9, 2013 Greetings My Friend, Junior and J have insulated the front porch that Junior enclosed when we moved in so we could store stuff till we found a home and then decided to make it part of inside. Part of it will be our master bedroom down the road with a bathroom and the other part will open up our TV room more so. We will then also have a view to the road at the front of our house. Right now all we see is the side of the driveway where we come in and a neighbor’s house a ¼ of a mile away. I like the idea of seeing more of what is going on outside. As Junior has had J here the last week they have finished working on the new porch area and the insulation for the enclosed porch and even hung some sheet rock in the dining room. Two years into this process I still wish Junior would work on one room at a time, finish it and move on. To my amazement all of a sudden a room will be done and I will love it. I have learned to accept this quirk in his nature. I don’t like it but I accept it. My dream at present is maybe I’ll become a cook again like I have been in the past. Hard to say if that is true or not but it is my dream. I bought the bread maker last fall at a resale store but have yet made the bread. I still think it may happen. My marriage prayer continues and frankly I think the more I desire a good marriage and pray for one God has given me the desire of my heart. Throughout the moving and renovating process I have kept a steady prayer life for our marriage. We continue to seem to draw closer and closer. I love it. I have found that Junior’s quirky ways at one time in my life would have annoyed me to no end. I more than likely would have found myself telling my mate off and being angry. Not these days. I believe my patience is nothing to do with me but more with God’s direction in my life. When I compliment Junior and see his face light up I find I am grateful for keeping my mouth shut. As he finishes things and I totally adore his work he seems to light up. It is worth learning how to keep my thoughts to myself. I have sat more these past few years than I have ever sat in my life. Part of me thinks God has allowed my body to slow down and sit for a couple of reasons. One is I am in Bible study more, prayer more and the other is I accept Junior’s to me strange way of working with grace. These days I don’t have to be gone all the time. Part of my running throughout my life has been I’ve been ADHD and the other part is I found if I was not at home all the time then I would not enter into another fight. These days I have learned to stay home days on end, not even getting dressed and to tell you the truth I love it. When we were first married we took country dancing classes, took a computer class and we were involved with our church and we both loved the running. As we have gotten older and retired we find we don’t need to run anymore. We aren’t even traveling like we did the first few years we were married. We are content with each other’s company and frankly that feels nice. I spend time writing and Junior spends time working on our home. I hope when the major renovating is done he will build himself a workshop in one of the sheds to do his crafts in. I can envision him going outside for several hours a day to work. I can even see me calling him in for lunch. I love the idea that we work and come together throughout the day and then in the evening we watch TV, go to a movie or whatever. We both worked for the first years of our marriage and the work now is different but we are working. It feels good. When Junior brings in the mail and goes through it, he often will do it in the chair next to me in the TV area. We have a discussion about whatever and I find I enjoy this time greatly. His being busy means I can do things I like without being concerned about his needs. I can also share in what I have done when we are together. One of my favorite lines is “Come here and see” when Junior wants me to check out his progress. Due to Junior’s back being so bad I also know he will come take a nap in the afternoon. Again I have quiet time to do my thing. I am sure I will again do cross stitch, make dishcloths and bake. I do like baking sweet breads and the like. I also find so far anyway going to the church on Fridays to be a lot of fun. I am with other women. The same for my monthly Bible study. I go have women time and enjoy it a whole bunch. As I re-read the above paragraphs I again realize I am finally into retirement routines. The first several years were hard but now there is a rhythm to life and it feels real nice. I want to work at a job and find that this old body aint what it used to be. I find I am no longer upset about it but have learned how to cope with the body I now have and frankly I still feel life is full and rewarding. Even my sleep has settled down into a routine. I wanted to be up about 7 or so. Nope because I can’t get to sleep most nights till midnight I’m up later and I’m even accepting that. May God bless you and keep you, make His face to shine upon you. Love Janet