: Rite of Passage :

I talk about the "rite of passage" often.

It comes in different forms at different times in our lives.


Here are some of the ones I've experienced...

I can remember when I was 18 working full time downtown while living in the valley, dating Mr. L, I remember having "NO" time & being "SO" busy and I had "NO" money {HA!} but I didn't really have any expenses either...figure that out! That is a rite of passage - I was a girlfriend.

Mr. L & I got engaged and I thought it was going to be this dreamy lovely delightful time, IT WAS NOT! It was a short amount of time crammed with decisions, expectations and frustrations. At one point during our engagement I even threw my ring at Mr. L in the street...yeah, dreamy hey!?! That is a rite of passage - I was engaged.

We got married and I thought we would have so much time, I would be Mrs. homemaker and I could do things my way -- it was MY house. Um, yeah..not so much. My new husband and I had our first fight over the fact that I was taking control of everything and our home was NOT my bedroom in my parents home. It was OUR home and the way I was running it was not giving him space to enjoy it. OY! That is a rite of passage - I was a wife.

Then we get pregnant with our first bebe and again there are expectations and unexpected changes that nobody tells you about. Yes, it's a joy, yes it's one of the greatest things in life if not the greatest thing. But that greatest thing doesn't come without HUGE sacrifice. That is a rite of passage - I was pregnant.

You raise those kids and send them off to school prepared with what you hope are ground rules for life to find out that your kid {you know one of the greatest gifts, that one} punched another person in school. Nice. That is yet another rite of passage - I was a mom.

Remember those days when you were "SO BUSY & SO TIRED" they don't even compare to the type of exhaustion you feel once your a parent responsible for teaching your kids the right way, teaching them about God and living through Him, feeding them in every way {spiritually, physically, emotionally}, helping them turn tough lessons in life into learning experiences, feeding their bodies not just their tummies...the list goes on forever it seems. I laugh at the time I stayed home all day with my little guys, sure it was hard but the demand of having kids in school is so much more exhausting - it's a constant juggle of time vs. chores...I don't even know how moms that work do all of it! This is all a rite of passage - I am a washed up mother.

I now watch my parents and my in-laws running around trying to assist their kids {us} with taking care of their grandchildren, in between having a life for themselves and dealing with ailing parents..I have yet to experience this rite of passage but I know it's sure to come.

You can't write a book with all the "rites of passage" for life that's why they are "RITES OF PASSAGE" You have to walk through it yourself -- just remember that whatever place in time you are at, someone has come through it and has survived it; you can too!

Of course all of these moments in time and rites of passage obviously had their joys, major joys and most of the time that is what I remember. But life isn't perfect, change hurts and rites of passage are just that, CHANGE!

Try enjoy the moment you're in -- you may be in a time where everything you have known is changing think back to all the other "rites of passage" that you have gone through thus far and just know that it's going to level out and you'll have overcome another rite of passage. After all isn't that what life is all about!?!?

That's all that's on my mind for today Lovelies -- I'm off for coffee with a friend and a day at home, should be a good day!

{XoXo}