Day Ten: Rolling Change

The family we have now, is not the family we left Oklahoma with. This is the nature of change. To state the obvious: it changes you.

Bee loves sand and sandals.

Some of the changes are more obvious than others. All four of the kids hit growth spurts, so some of the clothes Littles was wearing when we left are now being worn by Tiny, and the twins have jumped whole sizes.

Putting their creativity to work.

Then there's also the matter of baby milestones. When we left, Bruiser was sporting two teeth. Now the twins are rocking a total of nine. Bee was just starting to sit up. Now they're both champion sitters. Bruiser was rolling everywhere he wanted to go. Now he's army crawling. Formerly immobile Bee has figured out how to scootch herself around on her bum (to each their own). Bee is also talking (ish) now, "Dada" and "yay" and "no" and, it may have been my desperate imagination but I'm pretty sure she said "Mama". Bruiser is thinking hard about saying "Mama". Or "coffee". Or "book". I can tell.

Bruiser likes to sing to the seagulls.

The Little Man's handwriting and coloring is getting better. Tiny is learning how to build with legos.

Trigs is shedding less and obeying more. Oswald…never mind. He's still the same.

Showing off their creation: a mound of sand!

My cop is now a professional student, and he's having to rein in his military-cowboy persona for business casual and three ring binders. (I really wanted to get a first day of school picture for posterity, but he refused to play along.)

And I'm doing what I do with every move: taking the next step to who I want to be in Christ.

That's the great thing about moving. The areas of my life that need a little work? I can start over in them. So I've been thinking a lot lately about the song "Rolling River God" by Nichole Nordeman. Singing it a lot, if we're being honest, until Tiny pipes up with, "Stop singing, Mommy!"

I thought I'd share the words with you, and then go make rolls. Because you've heard enough from me this week and the Man is currently driving my parents to our home from the airport. And that makes me very happy. So…may we allow the changes of life, no matter how difficult, to smooth our rough edges a little bit. And may we remember that no matter how cold life may feel, we are always surrounded by the love of Christ.

Rolling River God, little stones are smooth

Only once the water passes through

So I am a stone, rough and grainy still

Trying to reconcile this river's chill

But when I close my eyes and feel you rushing by

I know that time brings change and change takes time

And when the sunset come, my prayer would be this one

That you might pick me up and notice that I am

Just a little smoother in your hand

Sometimes raging wild, sometimes swollen high

And never have I known this river dry

The deepest part of you is where I want to stay

And feel the sharpest edges wash away

And when I close my eyes and feel you rushing by

I know that time brings change and change takes time

And when the sunset comes, my prayer would be just one

That you might pick me up and notice that I am

Just a little smoother in your hand

Rolling River God, little stones are smooth

Only once the water passes through

-Nichole Nordeman

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