Hens

Well, it has certainly been a long time since I've posted, and alot has happened in the meantime. If you read my blog, you know that my mom passed away on April 13. I miss her tremendously and at sometimes very unusual times. Like yesterday when I was boiling eggs. Whenever I boil eggs, I think of mom. She was very particular about eggs being boiled or poached until the yolks were very hard. That is just something that has stuck with me, so I always think of her when I boil eggs.

I've moved into my own apartment in St. Albert, Alberta, and I am loving it. It is nice and quiet and I have complete roam of my home. I've lived alone most of my adult life, but have lived in a house full of people for the last 3 years. So, it is a relief again to have some space and privacy.

But, it gets lonely, too, and it is at those times that I want to call my mom. She had a natural gift for encouragement, and always mixed it with pragmatism as well. I find that I miss having that connection with someone who understands the past and present of me and so can offer good advice, knowing what I am really all about. I believe that I provided that same thing for mom once in a while, too.

I've been taking the bus from St. Albert to downtown Edmonton, where I work, and have been getting to know some of the ladies on the bus. I always choose to sit in the middle of the double bus, in the raised seats that face the aisle, and it turns out there are a regular group of women who sit in the same place. Today, there were 7 of us in the one spot, and as they were talking and joking with one another, I thought of how easily my mom would have fit into that group of hens. Even though she tended to be a bit on the quieter side, she always got along well in groups and would laugh and joke along with all.

I have a family here in Alberta, though, and a wonderful family they are, too. A couple of days after I moved into this new place, about 18 ladies from my church, North Pointe Community Church, surprised me with a grocery shower. I have never had anything like that and was totally surprised to be the "showeree" now as well! As they came into my apartment, they all sat down on the floor of the living room, and mini conferences started taking place. That is, every three or four people were having a conversation separate from the rest, so there were about 6 conversations going on. Rod, a husband of one of my friends who was there, commented later that it sounded like a bunch of hens. I just stood there for a couple of minutes and marveled at how easily these ladies socialized with one another and I LOVED the sound of their chatter all around.

There is something special that happens when a group of women gets together. Once my mom and sisters visited me in Arlington, Virginia, for a girl's weekend. What a hoot! I'll miss our little hen parties. But, I now have a group of hen friends that I look forward to having a hoot with now!

Thank you, God, for such a great family of hens who have spoiled me rotten with their generosity of spirit and resources as well. Thank you for an awesome church family who have welcomed me with open arms into their church and their community. I pray that I do the same for others moving forward.