May 1, 2026 - Time

There are seasons in life that move so quickly, we barely notice them passing. The days blur together, routines take over, and before we know it, time has quietly slipped through our fingers. It’s been two weeks since my surgery. And in two more weeks, we will be preparing for Maci’s graduation. Seasons of life… some unexpected, some uninvited… that just slow everything down. A season that forces you to sit still, to look a little closer and feel a lot deeper.

For the last ten months, I have, myself been in what I would call one of these slower seasons. And believe me, while this is not the season I would have chosen, I can honestly say it has been good for me. Quite honestly… not just the last ten months… but the time since I have resigned from my position at the school…  such a period of hard learning, personal growth and coming to a real sense of peace.

When life presses pause, whether through healing, hardship, or simply a shift in pace, you really begin to see things differently. Your perspective changes and you may finally have the time to notice the small things that once felt ordinary. Some things that have always been there, but you actually have the time to stop and recognize. For example, I love the way the sun comes into our house every morning… something that happens pretty much every day, but I have started to look for exactly where the sunshine is hitting the spaces in the room. I absolutely love hearing Louis’ laugh when he is watching something online and he doesn’t realize anyone notices. There are so many things that in the quiet, I have just sat back and watched. I have an amazing and constant presence of people who choose to stay by my side, even on the hard days. I’m sure these people have always been there, but damn… they’ve shown up a lot lately. You start counting blessings you didn’t even realize you were overlooking.

I know that time is such a gift… and a bit of a thief. It’s something we’re given in these huge amounts, yet we don’t always recognize its real value until we’re reminded how fragile it can be. And for as much as I would like to fast forward a bit, to be a healthier version of me, no arm brace, no leg brace, be able to just do the things I want… soaking in the now… is a present in itself.

In so much quiet time, I’ve had more time to reflect than ever… not just on where I’ve been, but on who has been there with me. The people who show up without being asked. The quiet acts of love, care and kindness, the daily check-ins, the conversations that I have finally caught up on… these all have helped with healing in more ways than I ever expected.

I think it is real easy to get caught up in what we’re missing or what we wish was different. Being “stuck” at home, not being able to drive where I want and when I want, being “forced” to slow down… there is something grounding about intentionally choosing gratitude… the “I get to” instead of “I have to” - that even here, in this moment, there is always good, always something to be thankful for.

There is good in the extra time spent together, even if it wasn’t planned. The time I had with my mom last week was so full of conversation. We talked every day, pretty much from the time we got up, until the time we went to bed… well mom went to bed, I stayed in the chair that has become my bed. We talked about things that maybe we would have, maybe we wouldn’t have… had we not had that time… such a gift! How many people just get an entire week with their mom, to talk, laugh and just be?

There is good in the slower mornings and unhurried conversations. While everyone else is rushing out the door, I’m left in the quiet. I have had more quality time with Louis over the last year than I have had in all of our years of marriage. I’m not sure he’s enjoyed it all, but through everything, I don’t know if I have heard even one complaint. He has learned my movements before I’m even there… and lately I noticed that the instant I start my coffee, he’s reaching for my creamer. Maybe a small thing, but not to me.

Time has a way of allowing us to learn so much about each other… even when we think we already know everything.

With the extra help needed, I have enjoyed more time with Alivia than I would have gotten without my so called injuries. Watching her step into a caregiver role is nothing new, but has meant the world when taking care of her own momma. I have had to ask Maci for help at times too. Having a driver, having someone to help with grocery pickup, put away the groceries… things that in the past may have been small potatoes, are now making such a difference for me.

Over the last year or so, I have tried really hard to eliminate some of the every day unnecessary. It seems with each passing day, I’m able to focus more and more on what’s important to me… what’s real, my faith, my family, my connection to everything around me, and through it all… my own resilience. I am reminded that life isn’t just about how much we can fit into twenty four hours, but how deeply we can experience the time we are given.

So today, I’m choosing to count my blessings. I can’t get the song out of my head… “Counting My Blessings” and I think Alexa has played it three times already this morning. And no, this isn’t because everything in my life is perfect, but because I truly believe the imperfect gives us more purpose than anything. Yes, I believe this 100%… the imperfect gives us more purpose than anything! Even in the waiting, growth, slowing down, there is something so incredibly important to not miss. So today I’m choosing to keep counting my blessings… not because everything is easy, not because I have it all figured out, but because I can see more clearly now than I ever have before. I can see my people, the moments, the quiet gifts that were always there… just waiting for me to really notice.