The Five of Us, Soon to Be Four

The five of us sisters are the best of friends...
I don't know what we'll do when Jemima's gone!
L-R: Mary, Jemima, Liz, Ruth, Joanna
(taken Sept. 09 at Bakersville)

As most people are busily wrapping presents and stringing the last of the Christmas lights, our house is abuzz with activity, too... except it's more like the sewing machine humming over yards of midnight blue satin and dresses and sashes hanging everywhere. Seventy-five of the pies were baked last week and are in the freezer. The ribbon and tulle and candles are stacked in boxes in the bedrooms and we are busily checking off to-do lists daily. I know it won't all get done the way we want it to by the wedding day (January 2), but the point of the wedding is celebration of what God is doing in joining two lives. So, if everything's not perfect, it will be okay! Jemima keeps reminding us that she would much rather have her family and family-to-be happy on her wedding day, than everything be completely perfect and us stressed out and irritated with one another. I think it's a great goal. :)

People keep asking me how I'm handling losing Jemima. Honestly, reality hasn't hit yet that she's going to be gone forever. We talk about it and even as we help her pack up her things, it's hard to imagine her not coming back. It's really not very real yet that she will have another life and family ....that she will be more interested in her own new family than our cozy nest. We'll just have to have her visit often to keep ourselves from getting too depressed!

For now, I'm rejoicing in the things that God has given me. Josh and Jemima found a house... of all places, three blocks from my new office in Springfield!! I didn't even wishfully ask God to do that for me... but He did! I can walk over to her house for lunch in between prenatal visits or we can walk around the block on nice afternoons when I'm waiting for the next pregnant lady to show up. I can't say how excited I am about this fun surprise! :)