Time Flies!

I am an advocate of living life one day at a time. Sometimes, those days accumulate and fly by so fast it leaves me asking questions like, “Where did the summer go?” “How did my niece just get her license and my nephew start high school? Weren’t we just changing their diapers yesterday?” I’m sure you can relate on some level!

It has been another whirlwind couple of weeks in Val Land. I had the wonderful gift of spending five days with my two little angels, Maya and Nicky, before starting my new job on Monday. Barb and I were grateful to be able to help out our friends and take the kids while they dealt with some childcare challenges that coincided with work travel. We had a blast with the little ones – even if it was a bit of a reminder that I am no longer the spring chicken I might once have been!

Auntie Val & her little angels

I have been especially aware of the passage of time through the recent reconnection with a couple of dear friends from my first couple of years in the Army. On the one hand, it seems as though it was just last week I was walking across post with Lisa at Fort Gordon, GA, or welcoming my roommate Lori back from a trip to Egypt at Fort Huachuca, AZ. As we have been catching up on what we’ve been up to over the past couple of decades, however, it becomes readily apparent that a significant number of one-day-at-a-times have piled up. But, the bond of friendship itself is timeless.

I believe God puts people in our life just when we need them to help us learn whatever lessons are in front of us. Such was the case with these two particular friends. I met them during the last couple years of my drinking (I am gratefully in recovery today!), and they certainly saw me at my worst. They also stuck by me and supported me when I was trying to get sober, teaching me that not all friends are of the fair-weather type…and that there are some with whom you can pick right back up after 10 or 15 or 20 years as if you had just seen each other last week. I am so grateful for those friends!

I am also thinking of a few other friends who have touched my life so significantly over the years, and with whom I have lost contact. I think I need to schedule some letter-writing time this weekend!

And now, for a brief “Pryo Plug” – since I did start this thing to talk about my pyrography…

My burning area

I took advantage of one or two of my last days off before I started the new job at the beginning of this week to set up an area for the craft in my basement. Previously, I worked in what I lovingly called the “dungeon” area – a back area of the basement where I had combined my “study” with my “studio.” I love the new area! I get actual sunlight…it’s spacey…I feel a little more organized. Now, if I can only get some time to actually use it! Between having the kids through the weekend and starting my job this week, I haven’t had time to fire up the burners much. I did, however, make a little progress on the carousel horse I am making for my niece, Grace. It is next in line in the growing list of requests I have for plaques, and I am hoping to finish it this weekend.

Grace's plaque in-progress with pattern by Lora Irish

Thanks for reading…and remember to reach out to some of those friends who have touched your life…just to say Hi, or to let them know they’re special to you!