Mom's favorite photos and new beginnings!

Yesterday I had a great day helping a friend along the path to completing a scrapbook for her son.  She had started this book but had gotten a bit bogged down in the process.  She had lots and lots of pictures but had a good bit of organizing already done.  I helped her make sense out of the process and together we were able to get ideas for the remainder of the pages of her album, and then match pictures to those pages.  We actually only completed one page while I was there, but we also arranged two more pages that were mostly ready to go.  Additionally, we had another two pages pretty well designed.  She also got a good start on scanning her photos before she uses them in an album.  So, all in all, it was a successful day.  It is so life-giving to help someone else when it is a passion for you!  She was concerned that I was getting bored helping her!  This was not a problem, I can assure you.  Scrapbooking is my happy place!  As she was looking through pictures, she pulled out a couple that were favorites of hers.  I know how this is!  You have some shots that your kids don't really like, but you just love!  I encouraged her to make a page of "mom's favorites" in her album!

After having that conversation with her I knew just the photos that I would include if I were doing an album right now.  The first picture that came to mind was this one.....

This picture of Gwen and I was taken just before Doug was born!  While it is not a very flattering picture of me, I just love having this shot of Gwen and me - when it was just the two of us!  And with my Facebook feed filled with first day of school photos, I was also remembering a couple of those pictures.  This one is especially important to me since it was the first time I ever sent a child off to school.  It was preschool, but it was still a really big deal to me.

It was a much harder adjustment for ME than for Gwen, who happily marched into the classroom, never looking back.  Yes, this was the first of many beginning school photos!  And it is a favorite of mine!

Today I am especially grateful to add another photo to my list of very favorite photos....

Susie shared this last night on Facebook.  What a sweet way to announce that Doug and Susie are expecting a baby!  And what a joyous and wonderful announcement for this Grandma!  Our entire family is so ready for this new life.  I love that Susie honored Lucas in this announcement.  At the time that my kids were born, having "Big Sister" or "Big Brother" shirts was unheard of.  Lucas will always be the big brother to this baby.  Lucas is remembered and loved in our family and we will share his story with his new sibling. 

Yes, this is a season of "new beginnings".  In addition to a new school year, as a country we are moving into a time of a new administration.  As I have said on this blog, I am staying out of all the political stuff as much as possible.  Even still, you can just feel that there is a new thing out there on the horizon.  And now, as our family is looking ahead to this new baby, my heart soars at all that might be in store.  We are extremely thankful for this new life!  

As I was typing this blog, I found myself humming a very old song...  This song was popular when I was in high school (oh, so long ago!).   They lyrics are actually straight out of the Bible - found in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8.  The song is Turn, Turn, Turn by the Byrds.  Here is the text from the Bible...

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, a time to reap that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

I just love that in these verses, there is a transition from weeping to laughing and from mourning to dancing.  I am so thankful that tonight we can laugh and dance and celebrate this new life!  Yes, I just love being a grandma!  

Jesus, thank you so much for time with friends that included so much sharing and prayer and scrapbooking!  Thank you for this new baby in our family.  Holy Spirit guard and protect everyone as we walk into this new season and these new beginnings.  Keep us mindful of the seasons of our life and help us to remember that there is a purpose for each season.  Amen