Of Babies and Bling

Lori and Eric in Leavenworth, after he popped the question.

Newborn Ezra, doing the "cabbage patch" - he can't help it... he loves to dance.

So lately there have been a lot of events occuring in the lives of my friends. Ezra, above, is one of two babies born in the last 3 weeks to friends of mine - one of 5 born this year, with an additional two to come (at least) next year. And further above you'll see a picture of Lori and Eric, friends who recently were engaged; part of a slew of friends (3 couples in the last 3 months) who are newly planning weddings. This is not to mention the friends who recently have found "the one."

As all this was coming to pass, I was ruminating on the wonder of "seasons" in our lives. I remember going through the wedding/engagement season the first few years after college (in the 8-10yr ago range), and I remember when my friends were having babies. Julie and Ryan started the "wedding train" and it didn't let up for about 3 years. The busiest summer saw me attend 5 weddings (I think I was in maybe 2 of them). Julie and Ryan, Alyssa and Sean, Claire and her husband, Alyssa (formerly "Pinky") and Aaron, Anne and Shawn - just to name a few. After that the train slowed and I attended maybe one or two a year for a while. When people started to get pregnant it was a wondrous time - how could we be old enough to have kids?!?! I wasn't even DATING anyone and my friends were having babies - crazy. I remember the vigils (3 in all) with Alyssa and Sean at the hospital as she kept trying to go further into labor and kept getting sent home (Kayli is truly just like her mom - she is strong-willed and on her own timetable!) - I remember coming home from vigil 3 and finding out that Julie and Ryan had delivered Jeremiah while I was out - and holding him the next day. Wow, how many day old babies have I held at this point? I recall the day I had the courage to ask Karen if she was pregnant because I saw a picture in prayer about it - and she was. And I remember holding baby Jared when he was tiny.... and trying to keep up with him now that he's 3+!

And now I'm in another season like that. And as the situations are similar but the people have changed (somewhat), I am in a similar situation, though changed. I am still single, with no immediate thoughts of a husband nor even a man I like in that direction, really. I live a single person's life - feeling free to drop everything and move to another state, to fly to visit people, to go out every night if I want, or no nights. And yet, I'm changed - my commitment to Jesus, my commitment to women and helping them find their identity in Christ, my attitude and ethics; all changed from those days 10 years ago.

This May will mark the 10-year anniversary of my graduation from College. Wow. One of my student workers (none of them really know how old I am, I guess) asked what my major in college had been. I told him and he replied, "Huh, are you going to do anything with that?" I laughed as I told him that I did in fact do something with that - for 7 years....

So anyway as we end this year (shortly) and head into a new one, I thought you might want to rejoice with me and my friends in celebration of these new stages in their lives, and a new cycle in mine:

Engaged recently (last 3 months): Cindy and Sam, Lori and Eric, Leah and Chris

2005 babies: Jonas Brown, Elijah Walker, Tyson Ackerman, John Heater IV, Ezra Swendson

And for those I haven't mentioned, please know I rejoice with you as well and wish you even greater joy in these new stages.

With love from me, and ALL THINGS from Christ Jesus. Tiff