Life

I was so blessed to have an extra cup of coffee with Richard today before he left.  

We sat at the kitchen table with our cups full of O'Henry's Southern Pecan Blend.  I don't really remember all that we were talking about.  I'm not sure there was really a theme there ...

I just remember looking at him and the thought of "I fell in love with a soldier" crossing my mind.  I suppose I could have fallen in love with a doctor, someone in construction or even anyone from an athlete to a politician.  But, I fell in love with a soldier.  

A steady flow of tears just started pouring from my already swollen eyes at this point.  If I had fallen in love with just about anyone else, I probably wouldn't be in the situation that I was.  Yet all that doesn't matter.  I don't know why I never really thought of it in this way before, but at that point I realized that that is just the way life is ... a series of choices and unexpected outcomes.  That's what makes life, life.  And that is what makes the day to day so wonderful.  

My brother and his family lives in Mountainbrook, Alabama.  The few hours I spent there Friday night and Saturday morning just made me wonder, as it always does, what it would be like to live there.  The houses are unique and beautiful. The neighborhood is old and new all in one and it is perfectly quaint.  How I would love to live there and for us to raise our girls in a place like that.  

But ... I fell in love with a soldier.  No, I fell in love with Richard and if being in the Army is what his calling is, then I'm more than okay with that.  How blessed I am to have him in my life.  Separation comes with the territory.  And you're all right, we are "used" to this, but the knowledge of the reality only makes it a whole lot more dreaded.  All the same, if I had to do it all over again ... even knowing what I know now, I'd do it all the same and I'd only hope to be so blessed to be sitting at the kitchen table sharing one more cup of coffee before saying goodbye.

May God keep us all safe, and keep us close.  May His light shine in our lives, and may the glory be His.