Friday Morning at Shady Acres

Yesterday morning, on my way to my sister’s house to pick up some rather stellar Portabella mushrooms, my mind was anywhere but here in Delaware.  Somehow the absence of Oldest Son and his fair spouse was weighing heavily on my heart.  They moved to Ohio a month ago, (actually it was four weeks ago yesterday) and even though Raph had some odd jobs lined up, there was no promise of anything beyond temporary.  As the weeks have passed, I’ve been reluctant to even call him to hear “No, Momma.  No job.  Not yet.” 

I’ve prayed about this, been grateful for Regina’s good family who love our son unabashedly.  I’ve been happy about Regina’s job, and for the way she has settled back into it.  I’ve been glad for the way they found an apartment so quickly, and reassured by the friends they seem to be making, thankful that Regina can be near her mom and sisters and the three little nieces that light up their lives, but so sad that Raph hasn’t been able to find that elusive job.  I fought tears as I went down old Blacksmith Shop Road yesterday morning, and thought about the things I miss.  I miss the Sunday family lunches, I miss the good-natured teasing about life and sports and work.  I miss the top of the head kiss that he often dropped when he hugged me, the occasional drop in after work and the always, always, always, “Love you, Momma!” when he left.  I miss them as a couple, Raph and Gina, who quietly (and often not so quietly) added to our lives in a thousand different ways.

In true “Momma Fashion” I tried to figure out what I should do.  Maybe I should just call more.  Maybe I ought to revert to the old “letter in the mail” business like my Grandpa Yoder did for the many long years when his children were scattered from Michigan to Florida to Ethiopia and often various places in between.  I remember that he would sit at his old typewriter and peck out page after page.  He sometimes did carbon paper, but when he wrote to my Uncle Paul, a missionary doctor to Ethiopia, he would use those old airmail fold together page and envelope all in one.  They fascinated me.  He would fill up every printable corner, and carefully fold and seal them and send them off.  I love the kind of instant communication that we have now, but when someone hardly ever checks their e-mail, doesn’t read his Momma’s blog, and has trouble sometimes finding time to call — well, there has to be some way of bridging the gap.

All these things were rolling around in my head as I bumped down the road.  I wondered how my Son was getting along.  Was he homesick?  Was he discouraged over not having a job?  Did he have any prospects?  Was he carefully pursuing any leads that he had?

I pulled into the drive at my sister’s house, and took care of business there, and headed home again.  The plans were to go to Dover for some shopping, and my daughters were waiting on me.  Suddenly there was a call on my cell phone and it was  — Oldest Son.

“Son!”  I chirped happily.  “How are you? I was just thinking about you, wondering how you were, wondering if I should call–  Are you doing alright?”

“Well, Momma,” he said with a note in his voice that I haven’t heard for a long time, “I got a job!”

“Son, that’s wonderful!!!  What an answer to this Momma’s prayers!  Tell me about it!”

And so, he did.  He told me about interviewing with several companies, and how this job just fell into his lap.  It looks like it will be a really good job.  He will be installing windows for a company and the benefits are really good.  He is so pleased, so relieved, so thankful.  He starts Monday.

What a blessing this news was to this Momma’s heart!  It lifted a burden that had been sitting squarely in the middle of motherly concern for a long time.  The week has been a long week.  Most of the week, I felt like I was battling depression big time.  And I didn’t feel very good, but I kept thinking, “Wow!  Between the girls coming home and the Monday night stretch, a friend’s passing, and all the other things going on, I must just really be ‘crashing’ hard.”  Then yesterday afternoon I realized that I had a rather advanced urinary tract infection, and that explained some of my irritability and some of the physically exhausted business.  So my doctor gave me some medicine and I feel better already.  I’m so grateful for the advances of modern medicine.  When I think about where I was a year ago, hoping so much that my knees would get better with Synvisc shots, hardly being able to enjoy my precious grandbaby because of the pain, and wishing for a quick fix for that brother of mine that had his neck broken in a fall — let’s just say that I am mightily encouraged today, even though I am not entirely well.  Lord willing it won’t be long until I’m all better.

And Oldest Son is no longer unemployed!!!  Now that’s worth getting excited about!!!

You go, Raph!  We are so happy with you and Regina for this answer to prayer.