Who would have thought? Not me!

 when i turned 50

my husband surprised me

with a trip to ireland

we would celebrate

turning 50 together

in the land

from which his ancestors came

the land of my favorite authors and novels

i chose ardmore

for the first bed and  breakfast

after leaving dublin

i was told  of a trilogy by nora roberts

based on a real family from ardmore

though she's not a favorite
i read the tirlogy before arriving

then

had to see the pub
and
 celtic shrines

featured

in the novels

hubby patiently hiked with me
taking pictures

we were on an adventure

but we had begun one at home

as well

i had been hired by a rural school district

near our home town

i would 'batch' it a year

to see if i really did

want to go

back home

then he would move up

3 sick parents

and

our first grandchild

sealed the deal

but our lives took a different turn

we lost his parents within 14 months

of me being hired

he ended up staying in cincinnati

to earn his pension

and more money

it's been a long 7 years

and

i've known a loneliness

like i've not experienced

since elementary days

our situation was unique

no one understood it
some even hinted at possible divorce
that was never a consideration

the teacher friends i made at school

were my age

but single all their lives

so

we could be friends to a point

add to that fibromyalgia

osteo-arthritis

stenosis of the spine

the sum is a woman

who has to catch up

on weekends

what teaching takes out

during the week

while spending time

with

an every other weekend husband

(who finally lives in our hometown
with me)

in the midst of these 7 years

i had 3 close friends lose their husbands

in their 50s

suddenly

what if that happened to me

can you imagine the guilt trip?

but the decision was taken out of our hands

when his company

began a phase out of his department

i had to stay here

for health insurance reasons

so where am i going with this?

fellowship

i desperately needed it

i marveled at the new friends

my daughter made blogging

about her pregnancy

the support she received

awed me

meanwhile

God kept nudging me

to create a blog

i scooted away

He followed and nudged some more

eventually i stopped scooting

and began writing

the world that has opened up to me

is

phenomenal

sisters in Christ

who fight depression

who deal with chronic illness

or a physical handicap

who have had their worlds turned

upside down

and

yet have kept and continue to keep

 their faith

thanks to susie

i picked up my camera

and

found a creative release

that blended well

with writing

while her character strength

has upheld me

nancy makes me laugh

i marvel at her playfulness with words

i never know what to expect

and

love not knowing

sweet leslie shares the chronic illness walk

with me

we find solace in each other's

support
her gentle spirit, gift of words,
and experimentation with the camera
uplift me

there is caryjo

who emailed me through

a tough spring

last year
and understands
that
second time round
can bring
the love of your life

linda who supports me in prayer

along with glenda

we are grandmothers

dealing with life

we relate

then there is retired teacher betsy

who takes me traveling with her

almost daily

her posts restore my mind, heart, and soul

she too is a grandmother

she understands change

her comments continually cheer me

also
there's the younger emily of imperfect thursdays
who has introduced me
to a free-spirited style
that has shaken this english teacher's
foundation
in a good way

bridget whose carnival
challenges me

these are the main ones

though there are others who have commented support

whose blogs i enjoy

whose thoughts

have caused me to think and rethink

whose photos

inspire me

to become better

with a camera

whose words
insprire me
to  stretch my writing horizons

my world is broader, deeper, richer

fellowship

who would have thought it would come

from the internet?

not me!

yet i'm exceedingly grateful

it did

 different views of a shrine at ardmore

a country road in ireland---

yet another path

i never thought i'd take

but have meandered over

after all

A new commandment I give unto you,
That ye love one another;
as I have loved you,
that ye also love one another.
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples,
if ye have love one to another.
John 13:34, 35

Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart,
 and of a good conscience,
and of faith unfeigned.
I Timothy 1:5

part of one word at a time carnival