A Quiet Place

Our back deck at the beginning of Hurricane Sandy

There are days that I find it hard to write.  Or should I say, find a quiet space and time to write.  There always seems to be something going on around the VanDyke home.  Quiet moments are rare and then when they finally do arrive, I just want to sit and absorb the peace and quiet.  I know it may sound crazy to some but I do love the quiet times.  Probably because these moments are rare and when something is rare, you cherish it more.

I look back at the days when my children were little and I lived for 8pm.  8pm was their bedtime and what I called, "Mommy time".  Bo worked a lot at night and I needed a little time just to be.  The kids would complain, "When I have kids, they will be able to do whatever they want and never have to go to bed unless they want to."  This statement always made me laugh and still does.  Juliana and Tori would say that they were going to live together, have lots of animals and never clean their house.  I remember Cheryl and I laughing and telling them not to worry about having visitors because no one would want to come over to a house full of animals that is never clean.

Night time was when I found  quiet time when my children were little, now, it's the morning.  I love when Henry is watching Dino Dan in the family room and I am sitting at the kitchen table drinking a cup of coffee and I get to read scripture, think and write.  Yes, the TV is on and its right in my view but no one is actually talking to me.  I can keep an eye on Henry and get a little Grammy time all at once.  Believe me, there are times when people are coming in and out of the house so much that thinking a full thought is impossible.  So to me, this is quiet time.

I do love the commotion of a big family and it has always been a huge part of my life.  I do not look forward to the day when quiet times are all I have.  I prefer them to be a rare part of my day or week.  I like that we have a growing family and we have people who love us.  I like the loudness of family life.  Without the daily noise, I couldn't appreciate the quiet moments.

Henry watching it rain, wanting to go
outside.  Even has on his backpack.

My family whether quiet or loud is my favorite part of the day.  Each moment is a precious gift that we too often take for granted.  Today is like the quiet break after the storm.  Everyone is back to work and life is starting to go back into a routine (at least for us).  My heart goes out to the victims of Sandy who can't go back to the normal.  They are in my prayers and thoughts.  I pray that they find a little quiet time and that they find peace during this terrible time.  Even though the storm is gone for us, it continues to roll in the lives of the victims in so many parts of our country, Cuba and Haiti. 

So in our rare quiet moments today, don't forget to say a prayer for the victims of Hurricane Sandy.  And remember to look around at see what makes your life a Blessed Life.