This life I lead - not exactly the one I envisioned when I stepped out of my parents' home and on to the road that I believed would lead me a life filled with challenges and opportunities, a chance to use the talents God had given me. I wanted to live as Robert Frost suggested:  "...long I stood/And looked down one as far as I could."  As a result, "Man plans; God laughs" has been my motto since I told my college roommate, upon meeting the tall tennis player with the deep-set eyes, "That guy is a jerk."  That tennis player and I celebrated our thirty-fifth anniversary a few weeks ago.  That same tennis player turned down a great job offer as he was completing his masters program, explaining, "That job will require us to move every few years."  Five states, seven houses, two condos, three apartments, and several hotels later, we wonder if the moves would have been fewer had we accepted the first offer.

Now I sit in a house we built fourteen years ago; the same one that we refused to upgrade in any way since we knew we would not stay more than two years.  The loveseat that we bought so our sons and their friends could play video games and laugh and discover the world through conversation is now my favorite spot.  With a strong light for these eyes, I stitch away the frustrations and worries that accompany each of us on our journey.  The fabrics and threads come together through the repetitive movement of my needle.  The cares of the day slide away as I watch something new form.