May 26 2015

May 26 2015 Greetings My Friend I have been outside cleaning the yard from debris, porch sitting and cleaning for a while now. Junior and I are starting to unwind at night before heading back into watch TV and head to bed. As I realize that this is a dream I longed for I marvel because I am not sure I ever realized it was a dream. When I started writing Junior his letters all those years ago I was encouraged by him to write. The more the “writing” dream took shape I started to see myself writing in a country wooded home looking out and enjoying the beauty and peacefulness of it. In all of the confusion of retirement, moving out of state and then buying this home with all of the renovating I lost sight of my dream. I had it at the same time. Somehow I knew that I would begin to live the fullness of our dream and I find that this moment has arrived. The house has more porches to be widened, a metal roof to put on, the kitchen done more so than it is now and a master bedroom with bathroom attached. As we sit on the porch our dreams are moving from constant renovating to a new dream that is forming. Our new dream is to repurpose old furniture and things and sell them, give them away I am not sure but it is the start of new dream. These dreams are forming in our older years. Junior will be 69 this fall and am in my early 60’s and we have new dreams. As I realize the outside porch dream I also see those other dreams I never formed into words coming to pass. I longed to be retired with Junior for many years before either one of us died. Mom and Dad never saw that day so it became important to me. God has given me this dream. I have been retired 7 years now. I pray there will be many more too. As a young person I loved camping. I grew tired of tents but loved the woods so many vacations found us in cabins and such. Now it is our everyday. It is even in our trips around town. We see mountains and woods and God's awesome creation. My last few years of working was hard for me to do. I was chronically tired and my wish was to sleep as I needed to sleep. Today I woke up with nausea and vomiting. I went back to bed after drinking lemon ginger tea and eating saltine crackers. I feel pretty good now and I know that I will enter into the day feeling content with the work I will accomplish. In the mundane I find life full. Oh there is that dream too. The one where I will wake up and enjoy a conversation with my husband. We will discuss our faith, the news or whatever else. I did not know this close intimacy in my first marriage so I relish it now. I do have my challenges with my health so does Junior but even so we seem to still have the need to dream to live the dream and to dream new dreams. God has given us this desire and I am so thankful. May God bless you and keep you make His face shine on you. Love Janet