Five Minute Friday: Beyond

Every Friday, Gypsy Mama has a writing exercise called "Five Minute Friday."  Each Friday, she gives a prompt, and you write for just five minutes on that prompt.  In her words, "No extreme editing; no worrying about perfect grammar, font, or punctuation.  Unscripted.  Unedited.  Real."  The main rule is:

"1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking."

This is my first, ever attempt!  So please forgive the stream-of-consciousness.

This week's prompt is: Beyond

GO

It's amazing how often things go beyond what we imagine; sometimes, in a better way, and sometimes in a worse way.  I guess I mean that sometimes things wildly exceed our expectations, our dreams taking on wings of their own, soaring high, high above us.  And sometimes things get much more out of joint--out of sync--than we ever thought possible.

source

I think of the ways in which I, myself, have gone beyond what I ever thought possible for me--maybe even beyond what I somehow thought was humanly possible.  I gave birth in my upstairs bathroom.  Almost completely alone; completely alone, in fact, until the very last minute, when a friend came in.  My strength has lasted beyond what I thought possible, as a single mother; hardly noticing now that i do the job of two people...or more.  I can't even remember the days when my husband was still here.  My muscles have performed beyond what I thought possible, now that i'm running again.  It's exciting to see how I underestimated myself.

Sometimes a nightmare can go beyond what you ever imagined possible.  How did the dysfunction in my marriage go way beyond the bounds of normal?  How did my pain and suffering in that relationship go beyond what I could have fathomed?  Looking at my wedding pictures, I had no idea....

I wish I always felt like God has gone beyond my expectations.  Sometimes, in moments of reflection and gratitude, I know He has.  Other times, if I'm honest, I feel like asking, "Is there really something beyond all this, God?"

STOP

click this text to link back to

We're back! Happy Birthday, Mr. D

We're home from our 3 week trip to Colorado.  Sort of.  Adjusting to the time change is MUCH harder when you're coming back East!  So, we're on a late-ish schedule, but it's summer, so who cares!  I've also lost my cell phone, so I still feel disconnected, but I'm enjoying it in a way.  Things sure are quieter!

I can hardly believe that my oldest is turning 10 tomorrow.  How can my baby be hitting double-digits?  We went on a lovely "date" last night, thanks to my parents babysitting the other three kids.  And let me tell you, it was LONG overdue.  I can't remember the last time just the two of us did something together.  I always say, "I fall in love with each of my children again when we get one-on-one time."  And, boy, is it true.  If you don't do it regularly, try "dating" your kids.  It is a breath of fresh air, in the midst of the usual refereeing and multi-tasking. 

In keeping with my "no boundaries" motto this year, we did something radical--rock climbing!   I am pathetically afraid of heights, so this was big, folks.  And we went here.  Yeah.  IT ROCKED!!!  (he he he-sorry!)

My boy was the star.  Really.  All the other parents kept asking me, "Has he been doing this for a while?"  Uhhhh....no.  He's a novice.  That's just pure talent.  He didn't get those genes from me!

How can can this big boy with the man-feet be my lil' guy??  I remember when you were just two years old and running around the living room, laughing and clapping your chubby hands.  I thought it would never, never end.  How wrong I was.  I wasn't prepared for being so teary this weekend, but I am!  I love you, Dom the Bomb.