Callin All Cars.....

My WORD some people don't know how to drive! What a day yesterday was. Oy vey.

We started at Doug's work Christmas lunch in Allegan. Very lovely. Jacob was such a good boy, so well behaved, and just tickling everyone's funny bone. He was showing off his animal sounds and language skills. What a kid! They had lots of cheese and fruit left over, so Doug and I got to take home three huge partially filled trays of meat, cheese and fruit. Awesome!

Then we were going to stop by Linda's folks house and pick up some more stuff that they found that they wanted me to have. On the way, we got off M-6 onto Byron Center Ave, and got up to speed. From the other side of the road, a woman came flying off the exit ramp, ran a redlight, and forced us into the lane next to us by very nearly broadsiding us. Thank GOD there wasn't anyone next to us, but Doug had to slam on the brakes not to hit this crazy woman OR the people in front of us. Thankfully, we didn't hit anything, Jacob wasn't bothered at all, and we were okay.

Our lovely fruit and cheese trays, however, were not.

They came flying off the back ledge and backseat and slammed open into the back of the front seats and all over the floor. I was NOT happy. Doug was even not happier. He followed the woman, (In a brand new white Mercedes...at least she wasn't on the phone, I would have stroked out then...). I asked him quietly what he was planning on doing, and he said, "I just want to see where to had to go in such a hurry," And I told him she was going to the mall. I just knew it.

And where did she go? TO THE MALL. I was like, well thank the Lord she made it to the mall on time, after nearly killing us. He followed her all around but she obviously realized it and we got stuck in traffic. I told HIM I wanted her to come and look at the back seat and my child and ask her what would have happened if she HAD run into us and my baby son got hurt. But unfortunately we didn't have the opportunity.

So we finally get back on track to go to Linda's parents, and visited with them for a few minutes. It was hard. Sad. They are doing okay, considering. They don't feel much like Christmas, but they went ahead and put up the tree. I told them I was glad they did, that Linda would want them to, and that they needed to celebrate the REAL Reason for Christmas anyway! That without the baby Jesus, Linda would not right now be dancing in the presence of her God. Then we hugged and cried. : )

Finally it was on to Costco before visiting Doug's folks in Wayland on the way home.

Going through Linda's stuff at home is wonderful and horrible at the same time. Laughing through tears. Seeing projects she was working on. Seeing some of her "business" stuff from Creative Memories. A frame with a picture of her cat Misty. Her handwriting. It was a bit overwhelming, so I had to stop. My heart just isn't the same. Especially this time of year. But I have to just keep concentrating on how happy SHE is....not how sad I am.

My dear, precious Linda...I thank God you knew Him and are living and loving Him right now. I miss you more than I know how to deal with, and there will never be another you. I'm trying to learn to live life without you being a part of it, and it feels so unnatural. Every day I think of you. Watching a show we both watched, ready to grab the phone and say, DID YOU SEE THAT??? I have some of your books. I see your handwriting. I look at the albums you did for me. I see your pictures. Oh, my dear friend, I miss you.