Bittersweet

Mike finally found a job -- in Columbus, OH.  It's a bittersweet ending to 2010 to know that I have a short time left here in Albuquerque, but I'm getting excited about our new adventure. I really haven't been able to wrap my mind around it, though. I thought we were here to stay after eight years of roaming around on the other side of the country.  My cousin Sherrie called the other day and mentioned the lack of news on this blog and was wondering if it was true that we were moving.  It will be good to live close to her family in Michigan.  We'll also live close to Mike's family in Tennessee, Indiana, and Michigan.

I'm so proud of Mike, though.  He weathered through a tough year and we made it to the other side.

Mike started work this week and will be able to come visit once a month until we leave in June. Before he left last week we sang "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow".  He stopped in St. Louis and took advantage of going up to the arch the day the tornadoes swept through Arkansas.  Just as my dad called me with concern about Mike's whereabouts, I received a text message from Mike telling me that he was on top of the arch but that they were being instructed to go back to the bottom because it was swaying.  "Because there's a tornado headed your way!!!" I wanted to shout.  In the meantime, the Weather Channel was saying that a tornado watch was in effect in St. Louis until 3:00 PM.  But he was able to leave quickly before the city was shut down and head east to Indiana ahead of the storm as it continued northeast.

I feel like everything is whirling by so fast like a twister -- the children are growing so fast and I rarely have a video camera handy to capture their voices, their songs, their sweetness through the lens.  I feel the clock ticking and I worry that I will miss too much.  I want more time.  Time stands still when I focus on the now.

Time stands still

I'm not looking back

But I want to look around me now

See more of the people

And the places that surround me now.

Freeze this moment

A little bit longer

Make each sensation

A little bit stronger

Experience slips away.

I turn my face to the sun

Close my eyes

Let my defenses down

All those wounds

That I can't get unwound.

I let my past go too fast

No time to pause

If I could slow it all down

Like some captain

Whose ship runs aground

I can wait until the tide

Comes around.

-Rush

Time Stands Still