Sweet Memories

Me and My Sisters
On Tuesday I went to my mom's house and had a reunion. My sister Katie and her husband were there from Mississippi and my brother Jeb was back from North Georgia College. My cousins Megan and Nancy were back from U of Alabama and Ga Tech. So many people that I love so dearly were there, all under one roof, talking a mile a minute trying to catch up with one another. I sat and just simply delighted in being surrounded by so much love.

My sister Katie recently found out that her and Theo will be moving to Washington state near the Seattle area. Theo is a recent graduate from pilot training and will flying C-17's there. They will be in WA for three years. I grew up having an aunt and uncle in the Army and having to live far away places. Once a year we'd drive up to Myrtle Beach, SC and they'd drive down and we'd spend a week or two in paradise with my grandparents. One year we drove all the way to Michigan and another, all the way to New York to visit them. I can remember having so much fun and holding on to every moment knowing that once the trip was over, it might be a whole year until I got to see them again. I can't imagine how hard it was on my mom and my aunt having to be so far away from each other.

When I found out that Katie was moving to practically the farthest place away in the US you could get, all I could think of was, "There's no Myrtle Beach to meet them half way. How will I ever get to see her? What if she has her first baby and I can't be there?" So many selfish thoughts ran through my head.

And I heard God's sweet, calm voice say, "Do you trust me? Do you still believe I am in control of not just your life, but of hers as well? Did it happen by chance that they are going there? Was this the Air Force's doing...or Mine?" and my response to Him was, "Please promise me that You will let me go out there to visit and that You will take care of them (Don't you think He just laughs when we add conditions to our prayers?!) Protect Theo if and when he goes to fight in this war and give my sweet, sister a friend out there." I started right then and there praying for the friends they will meet, the house they will live in, the adventures they will go on. The world awaits them.

Then there is my other sister, Kelsey who is going away to college for the first time. She will be joining my brother Jeb at North Georgia on January 3rd. This is my sweet baby sister who loves to come over and read to Randol, she loves being the aunt that can quiet Will when he's crying or that Foster will run up too as soon as she walks into the door. She is the one who so graciously watches my children so my husband and I can have a date every once in a while. She spent the night at my house when Will had his tubes. We are 9 years apart, but I feel close to her, that age doesn't matter. This is the last of the Graydon girls to leave home. This will be hard on my mom. There is something special forged between women, we need each other. We are tied at the heart strings. It is a very special thing. I am so blessed to have the two sisters that I've got and to have such a wonderful relationship with my parents.

Me and my brother, Jeb
Now, moving on from my sisters, there's my brother Jeb. I have a feeling that him living four hours or so away at college may the closest he ever lives here. Being in the Army, he's hoping to be overseas and he's quite sure his feet will have to hit desert sand at some point. Jeb may be my younger brother, but he has always looked after me like an older brother would. He is so sweet and yet so manly all at once. (If that makes any sense!)

I look at my family and I can't help but wonder how different we'll all be in a year from now. Katie and her hubby will have been gone for 9 months, Kelsey will have been away at college for a whole year, Jeb will only have a semester left to graduate, Jackson (my youngest brother) will be in high school. I'll be watching my children grow older. Next Christmas, Will will be running all over the place, chasing his brother, and opening presents. In just a short year so many things will have changed.

This Christmas is extra special for me because for the next week or so, everyone will be home, tucked inside the house we all grew up in. I can't help but want to be over there visiting. I can't help but treasure every moment I have, sitting around the table playing cards or sipping coffee or watching movies together. The Lord has blessed me so much.

Me (pregnant!), Wesley's mom, Kim,
His sister Keri, and his brothers wife, Amanda

Looking at Wesley's family, its a totally different situation. All of his siblings live here within a 15 minute drive of one another. I always feared that my children would miss out on playing with cousins because I am so much older than my siblings...but the Lord answered my prayer in the form of Wesley's sister, Keri. Our children are very close in age and they play together all the time. While my family is scattering all over the place, Wesley's family is all joined right here in our home town. My sisters are all leaving, but Keri and Amanda are close enough to get together with once a week. I pray that our friendships will continue to grow. I am so blessed to have them.

Time changes things, nothing stays the same forever. We are always evolving, learning new things. One day I'll be looking back on the pictures I'll take tomorrow and think, "How could 20 years have passed so quickly?" Every day we are given, is a treasure, it truly is a gift to wake up every morning. Who knows what will happen in this next year, except God Himself? Remember that, when you start to get upset over your husband not taking out the trash, or your child not cleaning up their room. Remember that, when you look around your kitchen and see a huge mess or you look in your checkbook and see a small balance. Life is so much bigger than all of that stuff. Scoop up your loved ones, tell them how much you treasure and adore them. Never waste a minute to get to know them better. Store up your memories because when the moment is gone, the memories are all you will have left.

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps."

~Proverbs 16:9