Such Respect

So, here goes nothing. seriously, nothing. I feel that on a good day, I am an average of 2 hours short of "finishing"all I have to do. But I am pretty consistent in NOT getting around to exercising and writing (to be a song writer you have to in fact WRITE songs.....and it is pretty hard to find time these days; and if so, it is interrupted to get someone a snack, nurse a baby, run an art project to the school...) whatever. my giving in to the the blog pressure in my life is actually ridiculous -seeing that it is adding an elective thing to an already overcrowded to due list, but - life is short, right? so - here goes. So on to the life issues at hand: (that is what this is for, I think...real life: the good, the bad, the funny....) Dawn Evelyn McKenzie Mountain Sapaugh. One of the 2 new additions to our family in 2007 and such a joy and a blessing. Kyle and I honestly can not imagine what our life would look like without her and it has only been 9 months! She was actually out with friends a couple of weeks ago and Kyle and I, along with Tanner & Presley, went to grab a few things at the always awesome SuperTarget, and as we were walking in, I saw a couple with 2 little girls in their cart, and I thought - wow! that would be us, without Dawn. the thought and the mental picture seemed so foreign and weird to me. As soon as we walked in, we saw Glenna and her mom and the first thing Glenna said when she saw us, was "wow! it is so weird to see just the 4 of yall..." Becuase there are 5 of us! not 4! it is official. it is all the time - day and night. it is who is at the dinner table. it is who is in the king size bed on Saturday mornings. it is who is mad, who is happy, who is sad. it is our family....of 5! all that to say: it is HARD! I have such a new respect for my parents, for Kyle's parents - really, for any parents with grown kids....having a teenager is really HARD! I never knew.....it is something I couldn't know from having just Tanner and Presley; it is totally different. Thinking about boyfriends, boy friends (different things, ya know...), friends, grades, cell phone, text messaging, spiritual growth, discouragement, encouragement, attitude, curfew, having to say no, having to explain why you said no.......the list goes on and on and has challenged and grown Kyle and I in ways we never expected right now. It is the best thing ever - but is very, very HARD. So, to all the parents who have been there - I am so happy that you made it out alive. I understand why you seemed so tired and weary, why you "greyed" early, all the over the top rules and consequences - it all makes sense now. What a huge responsibility and burden it is to grow and teach and raise up a Godly person. It is emotional and personal and HARD and I have such respect for you all. that is it.....one post down. we'll see when I make it back again.

jenn