They drive off, the three of them, in the oldest’s truck, and I walk back into an empty house. Not empty-sad, mind, just empty. And I think, there go my blessings.
I text my husband who is working away from home, and I say the same thing. And tell him I miss him.
I settle into the silence, magnified by the hum of the fridge and the oh-so-noisy click of the keyboard keys and the glug glug of the water as I pour it into my glass.
I look around my home, filled with things that make me happy, and think how breathless I am without the family.
I remember when the boys were small and we lived in that tiny house where the oldest boys slept in our closet and the youngest slept in the hallway outside our room. I remember when we moved from there, and how in the new house the boys slept in a room of their own with a door and everything, and I couldn’t sleep at first because I couldn’t hear them breathe.
These little times of absence, like today, are training I think. Helping me learn to breathe on my own.
But they are reminders, too. When I feel a lack of time or money or holiday or luxury, when I feel a lack of anything, I am reminded by days like today that all my really true blessings breathe and I am blessed above and beyond the edges of my cup.
February 26, 2014 at 4:29 pm
Beautifully written and lovely thoughts.
February 26, 2014 at 6:05 pm
Thanks Carol. Always good to have another blogger in our midst:)
February 26, 2014 at 4:35 pm
My blessings are gone more and more these days, just as they should be, but it hasn’t gotten easier.
February 26, 2014 at 6:07 pm
It is as it should be, although when they all go at once it feels like foreshadowing:) They are all home now and hungry, do back to normal!
February 26, 2014 at 5:53 pm
This is so beautiful Janelle. And a good reminder for me too. All my blessings breathe as well. 🙂
February 26, 2014 at 6:08 pm
They don’t have to be children to be blessings, right? But people (or dogs) trump things every time:)
March 3, 2014 at 8:43 am
And cats! I can’t believe how I have come to appreciate the affection of my cat.
February 26, 2014 at 6:15 pm
I love this. A sweet reminder of what really matters. Cheers!
February 27, 2014 at 4:35 am
Yep, what really matters. The true blessings are not special favour, they are special people.
February 26, 2014 at 10:40 pm
I miss my blessings like crazy, but am blessed to recreate and redefine my life together with my blessing that I married 29 years ago. Blessings all around!
February 27, 2014 at 4:37 am
I agree. Life happens Ina hurry and the real blessings are the people who make it rich.
February 26, 2014 at 10:48 pm
enjoy this time, my ears and heart have been lonely today, missing my girls. Got to talk to my oldest for her commute home, but it still is too quiet and lonely with just hubby and I. Great post.
February 27, 2014 at 4:40 am
So thankful for communication technology. I’m glad you had a visit with her. They are our most precious gifts.
February 27, 2014 at 9:59 am
that they are… I get to go visit our youngest and Little Man the second week in March… so excited!
February 27, 2014 at 4:45 am
I was looking forward to having an empty-nest, but some days there is too much space to breath in.
February 27, 2014 at 8:31 am
I understand this:)
February 27, 2014 at 12:03 pm
gulp. yes.
February 28, 2014 at 5:28 am
🙂
February 27, 2014 at 8:39 pm
How wonderfully worded Janelle. It is hard to watch them leave, but at the same time it is life changing as we learn to rediscover who we are as women and wives and friends and just as individuals. We are blessed and as our family grows the blessings multiply.
Thanks for this.
February 28, 2014 at 5:26 am
So true, my friend. I’m getting a taste of that “rediscovering” and it is really wonderful!
July 15, 2015 at 8:52 am
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