Rolling Thunder

   

Daddy and his girls.  Snuggle lumps on a Saturday morning.

The thunder is rolling in as I sit here on the couch with Violet.  She has a fever at the moment and has been out-of-commission all day.  We have managed to get a bit done today despite being one Orelove down, including groceries, exercise, vacuuming, and cleaning with some laundry here and there.  

Now it is quiet, as Audrey and Kim are out shopping for back-to-school items and getting some salad to bring home.  Violet sits watching me type, the Tylenol must be kicking-in again.  Poor kiddo.  And the thunder rolls on.

Making cookies with Audrey.

There is something about the storm approaching that either scares or delights people.  I fall into the latter category.  Thunder is comforting, and reminds me that I am small and not in control of things.  I know that sounds counter intuitive, but there is something nice about being reminded that I am not the center of any universe, let alone the one I am currently in.  There is a storm coming, and I can't control that.  I have to accept that life can't be controlled.  Sometimes I forget that lesson and it is important to be reminded of it.  My work in education is constantly teaching me that there are so many things that are variables outside of the realm of control.  It teaches me that I must always plan, and look at the things that are in my power to alter.  I try to look at facts, see who I can communicate with, and then make the best decisions I can that will help the most people.

Violet, a monster, and Daddy.  

There are times in life when I am scared by the thunder.  The difficult decisions.  The not knowing what will happen next.  Facing new situations that don't have immediate answers.  Life is full of thunder and storms, but I do my best to prepare for them, and the thing about storms is this:  They come whether you want them to, or not.  I doubt there are too many situations in life where a person is hoping for a difficult situation and then gets one.  I was not wishing for a storm right now, yet here it is.  So I clean, watch a movie, get the dishes done, fold some laundry, make some cookies, read, nap, exercise, play with the girls...the things in life that help me get through.  

And now the thunder rolls past.  I can still hear it, but the worst is over.  I look out my window to see a fierce pink sunset on the horizon.  We have made it through the storm, only to find ourselves in a position to savor the most beautiful part of the day.

-a