Joy |8-20-16|

The last few days have been nothing short of amazing. The "normalness" of our old life crept in, and I wish I could say that it was here to stay. I have felt a joy so deep that I know it's going to hold on through these next few months.

Wednesday was Molly's first day of school, and that kickstarted the days of routine and schedules and it made me so happy. She has a wonderful teacher, in a wonderful school and I feel so confident in the fact that she will be taken care of and she is happy. This transition will be easier on her than I anticipated.

Thursday evening, Steve & Jenny Sodergren, from the Running 4 community, drove up from Topeka to have Mike autograph Steve's marathon shirt, and deliver meals from their sister initiative, Cooking 4. Visiting with them gave Mike and I an amazing feeling that we've had a hard time describing. We felt so much gratitude. We hugged and cried after they left. We felt a renewed strength that will get us through the hard days ahead. We felt a peace and a calm, and a joy, and a love. From complete strangers. Although, that will be the last time I call Steve or Jenny "strangers". They feel like family to me. Steve is running his next marathon in Detroit, so I will be following him on his route. (Just online, I don't think I could even walk 26.2 miles!) (Ok, maybe I could if the streets were lined in chocolate chip cookies.)

Have you checked out the Running 4 and Cooking 4's pages on facebook yet? Please do. You'll be blown away. They brought us so much food that it filled out extra freezer. They just kept coming back in with boxes from their car. I couldn't process all of it. I still can't. Angels on Earth, these people. I want to be this kind of person.

Friday was the most normal day so far. Like, we haven't had a day like this in about 11 months. Mike rode with us to drop Molly off at school, and then he went to his shop to help his dad & Joe work on the combine. We didn't see him until he got home just in time for dinner. (I actually cooked!) It was the most mundane day. It was the kind of day that a year ago, I wouldn't have thought about for 2 seconds. And yesterday, it will be in my memory forever. I want so many more "normal" "boring" "typical" days. I want them so bad I can barely breathe thinking about it.

This morning, Mike got up and get this... he put on his overalls! I'M REJOICING OVER OVERALLS! Someone call a doctor for me, I think I'm sick.

So today, on this cool, fall like day, I'm filled with joy and contentment. I'm ready to walk this road with him. I'm ready to be all the things I'm going to need to be, and do all the things I'm going to need to do. I feel renewed and I'm ready to get the show on the road.

Change is coming. I am SO ready.

xo

Robin