I find that doing of the will of God leaves me no time for disputing about His plans.

George MacDonald

This quote is really resonating with me today. There are so many big changes on the horizon and some of them really scare me. 

I’m not religious. I’m a believer. I believe in lots of things that sync up with many, many faiths. What I believe in most of all, though, is that love is the power that drives us, the feeling that guides us, and the binds that tie us. (Yes, I stole that from one of my songs. I know, it’s cheesy.) I believe that everything that happens to us is the best thing that could happen. Even when the lesson is tough, it’s a lesson we needed to learn. I believe that the source of everything we are and the place that we’re going to is love.

So I have to, I just have to believe that these changes are for my greater growth and good. It’s time to relax and be lead by the infinite power of love.

I got to spend time with family that I’ve missed so, so much! My cousin, Mary, (who was practically raised as my sister) was back from college. My aunt, uncle, and other cousin, Steven, were all able to make it over as well! That alone was reason to celebrate, even if it wasn’t Mothers’ Day!

We decided to have a nice, low-key barbecue and had a lovely time. We bounced around ideas about our upcoming redesign of the back yard, we had a delicious grilled lunch, talked about our futures and plans for the summer and the upcoming year. I’ve longing for get-togethers like this for so long! It was a nice little slice of the South I’ve been missing and right in my own back yard.

Unfortunately, during Riley’s “let’s burn off some energy before our guests arrive” walk, his collar broke. (Cue me lunging at him dramatically, even though he hadn’t noticed he was free from my control.) I caught him just fine, but it was clearly time for a new collar! So, after everybody left, I decided to spoil my puppy as a pseudo-Mothers’ Day gift to myself! So he has a pretty new leather collar and an appropriately sized name tag, since I hadn’t ever gotten around to replacing his itty-bitty puppy tag! The new sound of his tags jingling is going to take some getting used to!

Justin surprised me with the best Mothers’ Day gift I’ve been given yet! I’m not quite ready to share it, though. So, it’s filed away as another “secret to blurt out accidentally” and I promisepromisepromise, Internet, you’ll be among the first to know when I am ready!