When you can laugh and cry at the same time <3

 

One day last fall, Russ and I headed up north for Grandparent Day at Emmett’s school.

In a phone conversation the night before, for some reason, Papi asked what color Emmett would like us to wear.

With much thought and great deliberation, he selected orange.

Needless to say, Papi immediately set his University of Illinois pullover in the car so it would be ready to go when I picked him up from the office at 8:45 sharp.

I thought I would be able to pull off orange as well, but realized as I hurriedly dressed that morning that my orange sweaters and such are really more in the rust family…but well…I look better in rust than true orange so that would have to do.

I picked Russ up and away we went.

But not without a comment from my better half that he hoped for my sake Emmett considered THAT color to be orange because it sure looked more like red to him.

We razzed each other about that for a bit in a good natured way….and then I thought of my mom.

I told Russ…if I was my mom, I would be in orange from head to toe and most likely would have found earrings with miniature oranges in my vast array of funky jewelry to complete the outfit.

We laughed til we cried.

You would have had to have known her to appreciate that there was no holiday garb too gaudy or goofy for Nell Lochner to don.

She had a bright green crocheted vest that was her uniform for St Pat’s Day and then was combined with red blouse and skirt for Christmas…along with her Santa socks of course.

She wore a pair of glitter glue earrings that Sarah made for her just about every time she came to see us.

Nostalgia hits at odd times and brings a mix of tears and laughter as we remember loved ones.

The holidays seem to be ripe with opportunities for tender thoughts.

In the midst of things that tug at our hearts…things that stir both good and hard memories….

and even those things that remain separated, lost and unresolved…

in the midst of all those things…

we choose to be thankful.

Thankful to God who provides what we need, who is faithful to finish what He has started.

To God who sustains us and carries us; who loves us and understands the depths of feelings and emotions that tumble around inside of us.

May God bless each one of you…

whatever your various holidays are looking like throughout this year.

I pray you know the Presence of the Lord as your first and most honored guest at every occasion <3