My annual year end/New Year blog post. Lil recap and reflection. I’d have to say 2017 was mediocre at best. Not the worst, not the greatest. No huge changes with the Richardson 4, just making it day by day.
Jake started his senior year. That in and of itself makes me a very happy mom. He did meet someone super special that he adores and the rest of us do too. She fits in, appreciates our weirdness and I think enjoys being with us. She’s beautiful, smart, and she comes from good people. Couldn’t have picked a better one myself Jake! He’s finishing his high school career exceptionally, with awesome grades and plans to attend GA Highlands since he’s still on the fence of a major. Fine with this mom—one leaving the nest may be too much for me. 😒 Excited about his graduation and have started the planning of a senior trip. He’s overcome and accomplished much and makes me proud. Big year coming up for this one, excited and anxious with and for him.
Sam started his freshman year. For 2017 he grew and grew and grew. He now looks down at me too. He’s a super student, his determination and organization amazes me. Didn’t get it from me. I see him stepping into his dads shoes with business sense and drive. He’s ending 2017 with a concussion from basketball. Been pretty bummed to not be playing his favorite sport. He’s finally on the mends and makes me laugh on the reg. He gets his learners in February. Help me now!! Proud of this one.
Molly. Sweet Molls. She’s in the midst of finishing out her elementary school years. As God would have it, He took care of things and landed her in an awesome teachers class. She adores her and wants to be like her. I’ve actually joked and said I think they may be one in the same person. 😊 Heading to middle school in 2018. Oh. My. Word. NO!!!!! With this year I’ve seen many changes in her. She’s slowly becoming more independent, more confident in who she is. Got to see a brave side of her -a stent in the ER and she amazed this mama with her braveness facing needles and test. Her heart continues to amaze me, and her smile continues to get me through many days. Her sass and ‘tude takes me back to 11 years old. I’m proud of her. Little by little she’s growing up.
Me. Like I said a mediocre year. Maybe that’s the wrong word but it wasn’t the best or the worst. I guess a year that you overcome hurdles and deal with life issues is more than mediocre-I guess it’s more fantastic. Mediocre doesn’t mean I haven’t recognized and appreciate all my blessings. Lord, I’m blessed. Everyday I get to wake up in a house that’s mine, with kids that are mine and I have people that are mine that love me and I love them. I get to wake up everyday with the breathtaking assurance that I am HIS. I laugh uncontrollably some days with people I interact with daily, I laugh at myself more than not and my kids and I-boy do we laugh together. There’s not much more you can ask for than to just be comfortable with the ones you love. Nothing more satisfying in being comfortable with who you are. Nothing more sure in knowing Who has my days.
I guess the mediocrity comes with the fact that my oldest sis was delivered the stinking cancer diagnosis, knowing she already had financial issues, with 2 kids in their teens. Watching her endure chemo would actually be less than mediocre. Down right hard. Mediocrity comes with watching someone endure months of limbo of a decision to be made by someone else, that could change lives. Mediocrity comes from days that are just days of getting up, doing life and not appreciating where I’m at. Mediocrity is looking too far ahead into things and becoming disappointed because I haven’t lived in the moments enough. Mediocrity is not trusting God enough when I know He is more than what I should ever need. Mediocrity is knowing there is so much more than just this...
But maybe, just maybe, a mediocre year is ok. Maybe mediocre keeps me humble and desiring more. Desiring more from others, from life, from God. Maybe that word will drive me to more for the New Year. Prayerfully knowing that more time with God is so much more than mediocre, living in the moment instead of looking too far ahead will make the mediocre more joyful and enjoyable. I can attest-moments are fleeting, watching my 3 get older-so fast. Thinking about my lil grandmom turning 98 in November, and now is being made comfortable with hospice, after a fall, makes me wonder what she’s thought about in these slower years. Makes me wonder what moments she wished she’d stayed in just a bit longer. Makes you wonder who’d she choose to spend more time with if she could, what she would cut out of her life to make it better and if there were times she’d stopped looking to the future and just stayed in the moment.
Maybe mediocre is good but maybe there’s more than just mediocrity and maybe it’s in the moments before us and not in the future. So here’s to a mediocre 2017 -the love that was felt and shown, may 2018 be much of the same but with so much celebration of right decisions, cancer cures, graduations, driving, growing, becoming. May we all just stay in the mediocre moments and big moments a bit longer, hold the ones we love a tad tighter and longer, knowing that this New Year will be over quickly too. God Bless and Happy New Year to you and yours. ~D
