Today I have been reflecting on some special things that have happened recently.
First, my nephew is back in town. He is a college freshman now and goes to school in the city. There was a backlog on housing, plus a nasty situation where an entire dormitory had to be shut down due to mold, so he is living at my mother's house for now. He lived the first 13 years of his life there, and it is odd to see him back. He's not a kid anymore. All of my memories of him living in that house are of him as a child.
It's great to have him back though. I feel like he has been paroled or something. Now if I could just do something about his silly allegiance to the St. Louis Cardinals...
Second, some dear friends of ours threw an engagement party for us last Saturday night. It was humbling, and I mean that in the nicest way possible, because it was amazing to realize that more than thirty people had gathered for the specific reason of celebrating Kristen and mine's April 2005 wedding. I've been to my share of wedding celebrations, but it just hasn't fully sunk in yet that this is indeed happening to me, to us, that WE are the ones marrying this time. It is surreal. I remind myself that for a great deal of time I was convinced that marriage was not for me, and while I know that this is going to be the single greatest experience of my life, every once in a while a part of me wants to know why I changed my mind.
I can't answer that. All I can say is that it is just our time.
It was just such an honor to see so many people genuinely happy for us at the party. Everyone had words of congratulations, and I was particularly struck by three things that people wrote in cards that we received:
"All things that are meant to be together come together in their own time."
"Enjoy this time before your wedding-it is like no other."
"Two of our favorite people are about to become one of our favorite married couples."
I have never felt as fortunate to be alive as I do now, and it has nothing to do with me. It's all about the people around me, and the kindness they show. As I said before, it's humbling. It really is.
2 comments:
Your nephew which you write about a lot seems like he is very special to you. The only thing that is ever negative is his allegiance to the Cardinals. (Go Cards!0 It;s nice to hear how happy you are about him being back, but St. Louis I am sure was never horrible to him. I bet he has a very nice life there.
You're absolutely right, he does have a good life in St. Louis with his parents, sister and friends. I am just being selfish, he was here for the first 13 years of his life and it is just so good to have him back, for however long that will be!
Jim
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