Learning to love my imperfections through the perfect, Holy One

My oldest child just had a birthday and we're now done with the "little years" and into what the experts call "middle childhood". This got me thinking back to the year I found out I was pregnant with her and the many ways my life has changed since.  Let's take a (slight) step back in time to our former president's first run for President, a (new) economic crisis, and my list. "What List?" I can hear you thinking. (Or if you actually know me, " which list?") The one my newlywed husband and I made on our first married New Year's Day (totally my idea).  This list contained goals: personal, professional, spiritual, family.  I still have it tucked away.  In the category of "family", the "long-range/5yr" plan said: "think about having a baby or adopting". And that was all the thought I gave to a family for about 9 months.  I was finishing grad school.  I had an internship to complete.  All A's to m...

Recently I found myself taking routes home that were "off the beaten path" - err...at least off my beaten path.  You know - the one you can almost drive it in your sleep because you drive it all. the. time. I found myself  driving home from some leisurely Saturday morning errands with the girls so my husband could attend a work webinar at home in peace.  Without warning I came across an intersection that was blocked off by police cars.  I could see what I thought what looked like a utility truck but nothing else.  (I'm that person who tries to see around all the cars but who really can't see anything in my 4-door sedan surrounded by pickup trucks and SUVs.) I was hungry. I was ready to get home.  And if I'm being completely honest I was a little miffed that my Saturday morning task was to occupy the kids so my husband could work - after all he had been at work all week.  Wasn't Saturday my time? But there was no going through this area - emerge...