{Re} Purposed

Ahem.

{I could bore you with all the excuses for not blogging for two years. But I'm not going to. So let's proceed...}

It's been graduation announcement-palooza around here, and I recently picked up this crazy re-purposing bug, and it's all got me thinking...

It's been thirteen years since I graduated from high school--since I gave some elaborate response when asked where I'd be in ten years. I don't remember exactly what I said, but I'll tell you what, I'm pretty sure it had nothing in common with where I actually am now.

Like--at all.

What I had pictured for my body, my family, my surroundings, my daily tasks, my purpose in general - not the same.

I had planned to continue in the path I'd always been on, to keep being the person I was then. Or at least some version of that.

Turns out I've been stretched in just about every direction except that one. And you know what? I think I'm better off for it. I know I'm better off for it, actually.

Don't get me wrong, I'm still a serious work in progress, very much in the becoming stage of something--everything. But holy smokes, I feel like I've earned a few of the recently-more-obvious lines in my face, and the silver hairs showing up in my once all-brown locks.  I feel like there's more depth to me, and that I have a little more strength to face whatever's next--knock on wood.

For reals--knock on wood for me.

See these people? (Well, creatures--Hudson thinks he's a person, but he's a creature.)

 They're my life. My WHOLE life. And none of them came into it the way I thought they would. But I'm sure glad they did. I'm crazy about them.

That picture? It's outside my home in Chubbuck where I never wanted to live. That's my dog who ended up being my first child; my daughter who arrived 5 years later than I wanted her too; my husband who I sealed the deal with way later and in crazier circumstances than I had imagined; and my sweet son whom I adore, who we adopted and who, I'd thought, I'd be giving birth to.

The person I was 13 years ago was a good person, I had friends, I think I was decent. I tried to do what I thought I should--what I thought I was meant to.

But I'm not her now.

I've been sanded around the edges a bit, I've been roughed up a little, I've got some scars and crows feet and stretch marks. And I'm still me deep down, at the core, but I'm serving a different purpose now.

A gentle carpenter saw what I was and accepted it, but realized that if I could change, I could be something more, something a little different. He's sanded down the frills and finish and polish, and replaced them with others.

And I'm so grateful. Glad I was what I was, but glad to be becoming something other than my limited imagination had planned.

Happy I'm being re-purposed.

Recently

We hoped and prayed and added this little angel to our family:Which you probably already know (but I'm easing into blogging again).

We're crazy about him.

And adoption in general. It has changed our lives. I'll tell you all about it, a little bit at a time. I think I'm finally ready to do that.

A week ago today our adoption was finalized in court. We took an oath, took the stand, testified, signed papers. It was interesting. Made me think a lot about the miracle and blessing and privilege it is to be a parent. He's officially ours; legally Luke Brian Schow. But you know what? He's felt like ours all along. In fact, I hadn't really been anticipating this day much, as far has him becoming part of our family. However it is nice to be able to relax a little more. To take some of the final steps in the official process.

It was a heart-filling day. Sweet and wonderful. A little like Christmas. Lots of excitement and hullabaloo in the morning; lots of sitting and thinking and enjoying all afternoon as a family. I love spending a day apart. A day different from every other day. It was special.He was happy and gooing and cuddly. Adi was excited and lovey as always.

We're so so blessed.

the chickens came first

Look what was waiting for me in the coop this afternoon:

Courtesy of this fine lady (we call her Penelope):

I almost hugged her. Its our first egg.
Ever.

She's been cackling and restless all day. No wonder. I feel like a little kid at Christmas.

And amazed by it all, actually.