Birthday Club

Besties
oil on gallery wrapped canvas
on sale at
Blue Giraffe
Watercolor, Florida
850-231-5112

It has been a while since my last post. I have missed being here and talking with you. I am at the beach, my favorite place in the world! and I am with my family, my favorite company in the world. My husband and I are blessed with five children and God has sweetly provided for me to be able to be at home with them as they are growing up. I love every minute! It is truly the most fun job in the world. Like anything there are tough days, but those days always bring the sweetest rewards. Since our children were tiny we have always done everything as a family. If someone had a sport we all went to cheer. If someone had a performance we all went to watch. We rarely had little friends over because we had each other. In fact my oldest daughter had a friend over in the seventh grade. Her friend thought she was coming to hang out with MaryCam and much to her surprise she got all MaryCam's siblings as well. Drop offs at camp and college are always so much fun because we go as family. We are kind of a package deal. But as the years go by and our children are getting older it is getting more difficult to do as  a family. Our second child went off to college this year and I found myself thinking "when she gets home we will do this or that" I realized I had to be a mama to the three at home and not wait for the other two to come home to plan fun family things. It was weird. We actually took our first family vacation this year with one less child. It was tough. But I did so cherish the time with the ones that did go. It was different. I like change. I like adventure. But these changes tug on your heart in a little different way than a new vacation spot or whatever the case may be. My nest is changing. One of my friends is in a "Birthday Club" She eats with this group of girls once a month and celebrates somebody's birthday. I have never done that. My family is my "birthday club"My third oldest came downstairs the other morning and put his big strong arm around me and smiled this most handsome smile and said"Mom, I am  a SENIOR!" Of course, we all oohed and aahed and chanted senior cheers and I held back bursting into tears. My nest is changing everyday. I am excited about the journey and a little hesitant as well. Its a new adventure for  sure. I love love love my birds in my nest. We have so much fun! I am trying to imagine my life with all my birds flying out and about the nest. Making their own adventures. No, not yet. I've still got a little while. I will enjoy each day and not think too hard about tomorrow. So follow me on my way to "empty nest" and we will take this journey together. And if you are ahead of me on this journey, I would so treasure any advice or lessons you've learned along the way!  Love love love Ruthie