I am a mom!!

It is official! And I have a dandelion bouquet to prove it!
Happy Mother's Day to me!
And to you too, mom. I love you!

17

17 was a favorite number of mine growing up.
Not sure how that started.
17 always seemed like a good age - still a kid - not yet an adult. The letter "Q" is the 17th letter in the alphabet and I always felt it was underused. 17 is a good number of m&ms to munch on and every girl should have at least 17 pairs of shoes in the closet. Mark Grace played for the Cubs and was #17.
Oh, 17......

As of today I have been married for 17 years.

Wait a minute? What? How can that be?

How can a girl my age be married that long? (Sometimes, I forget that I am getting older - then I get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and I remember).
So, 17 years - wow. I think an average phone call to a friend lasts for 17 minutes. I think it takes a chick 17 days to hatch from it's shell. I think the average Hollywood marriage lasts for 17 months. But, 17 years..... That is 6209 days (with some leap days added in). That is 6209 nights of listening to someone snoring! oh, my!
We have had some struggles but also lots of fun. So today we will celebrate and begin another year together.
Happy Anniversary.

This is a big deal.

Monday morning my mom told me the news that Osama Bin Ladin was dead. Maybe she was surprised by my response..... I didn't really have one. But, I have been thinking about it since then and here are my thoughts.

As far as I know, he was responsible for training the terrorists who caused so many deaths on 9/11 and so many tears in the days to follow. So many innocent people lost their lives that day. So many mothers lost a child. So many children lost a parent. So many people lost a friend. A country lost it's sense of security and peace. To know that he was captured and killed brings closure to a lot of people.

But you know what?
I too, like Osama, would stand condemned. If all the wrongs I've ever done, thought or said were put up for the world to see, I'm pretty sure people would react with disgust and horror. Osama's guilty because the world can see what he's done wrong. And if the world could see me for who I really am... they'd condemn me as guilty too.

But, then I think of Jesus - a man that didn't deserve to die, because He didn't do anything wrong. He died, taking the punishment I deserved. And He rose again, so that death, for those who believe in Him, won't be final. It is how we know we are loved, and how we know He is love.

And one day He is coming back to put all the wrong things right. All those cruelties at 9/11? He will wipe away every tear and there will be no more pain. God will bring unending comfort, tenderness, peace and healing.

I am so thankful and so blessed.