Peace and Quiet

Sunday, March 15, 2015

Today I am grateful for peace and quiet. Our weekend in Philly at our son’s wedding simply couldn’t have been more fantastic. Seeing all of our kids and grandkids in the same place at the same time was a gift from Heaven. Add to that our family-of-choice friends, siblings and extensions and we are over-the-top with joy. Turns out joy and elation can be exhausting!

For today I wanted to choose pictures that would best describe what I am feeling at this very moment. This is the youngest grandson, Donovan, at the wedding reception, on a couple of pushed-together chairs totally crashed in complete exhaustion. He slept for over an hour while the party raged on around him. That’s me today. Let the party rage on. . .someplace else!

I am putting John and our son, Matt Mooney, who is still with us a few more days, (not to be confused with the other Matt, the groom) on the 10:51 train to Philly for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. They are excited. So am I. It’s a wonderful chance for them to do some much desired, one-on-one bonding. I will be blowing a kiss from the station and coming back home. Alone. Just me. All day.

Our time in Philly was so chocked full of Heartprints that I am having a difficult time sorting through them all. I gave my camera to my brother-in-law and between us we got some fantastic pictures, some just okay and some blurry, but each one is still wonderful. I bawled harder looking at the pictures than I did at the wedding! Be patient. You’ll see them soon.

My absolute all-time favorite is of all five grandkids looking relaxed, happy and casual at the rehearsal dinner. Or maybe it’s the one of my younger son sitting on his big brothers lap in his white t-shirt and lime green under shorts which he wore coming down the elevator because he was getting dressed in our room; or maybe it’s my niece, Molly and her man, David, looking ecstatic; or the dancing fools, like my sister dancing with my daughter-in-law, Karen and all of the grandkids being crazy wild and having a blast; or the line-dancing instructions; or the captured couples sharing an intimate moment; or Susan’s mom, Margo throwing her head back in joy as she watched her daughter and husband dance; or my sister-in-law, Betty with her niece, John’s oldest, Beth at the brunch. . . or maybe it’s our family of choice friends. . .or the waiters who were wonderful. . .or the cake. . .or the orchids. . .or the goofy faces that have happiness and love written all over them. Or the way my son’s bride looks at him. . .and he at her. They’re all there. Wait for them.

But today? I might unpack. I might wash a load of clothes. I might put some stuff away. I might watch a movie. I might nap. . .probably during the movie. I might just sit and stare out the window. Reflecting. Alone in my house. These last few days were fantastic, yet brimming with a thousand details to meet the needs of the masses. But today is mine. . .and I am grateful for the peace and quiet.