sheri carlstrom...slices of an ordinary life

Quarterly Meetings

Friendships and scheduled quarterly meetings do not appear to have a natural connection, but I have discovered that quarterly meetings are a perfect way to keep friendships connected.

Many years ago three other women and I became friends through a common group, but today find ourselves not connecting through daily life. Then a few years ago something happened and one of us needed support. The small band was rallied and we gathered again. Several months after that, one of the others contacted the rest and we met again to check in. That day as we were getting ready to part I suggested we meet quarterly and that we take turns being responsible to make that meeting happen. Our quarterly meetings are now on the calendar and its been so refreshing to see these women more consistently.

There is another small group of friends who met regularly several years ago, we called ourselves "The Coffee Chicks". Though close at one time, we have generally lost track of each other. Pamela, one of the Coffee Chicks, was committed to getting us back together and recently made that happen. It was wonderful to catch up with each other and realize we still have friendship between us. After spending an entire afternoon together there was reluctance to part ways - which was when I suggested the quarterly meeting idea! They loved it and Sharon took the lead to plan our next gathering.

I am writing about this because there are many of us who would appreciate and benefit from connecting with certain friends but don't necessarily know how to reach out again, or with our full schedules are not sure how we could maintain another friendship (outside of being Facebook friends). This is why I love the idea of quarterly meetings. Its an intentional but easy way of keeping connections that are personal and allow for a wider community, which is what I love.

If you have a way you connect with friends, please share your ideas through your comments. I love sharing and if there are enough ideas I will put all of them in a future post for all of us to benefit from!

4 Yesterday I wrote A Real Man, you can read it here.

Taking a Break

Today we were discussing our plans for the upcoming Spring Break. Our plan is to have no plans. We are not going anywhere. We traveled over Thanksgiving, we traveled over Christmas. We have been busy with basketball and wrestling, homework, dinners, schedules and life in general.

We would indeed enjoy going someplace very much, but decided this year what we desire even more is to sleep late and generally be lackadaisical.

I loved what Erin said, "Let's just feel the break". Sometimes we  happily and excitedly use our break to travel or to see friends and family. But this year we will use our break to simply feel the break from routines and requirements. I guess we do have a plan after all.

Love is Patient...

Patience is not my virtue. Fortunately for me, I believe my husband was marinated in it the nine months he grew within his mother. I cannot  figure out how else it comes so naturally to him. Tangled necklace? He gently and tediously untangles it. Not ready on time? He casually comes and hangs out in the bedroom or bathroom counter. Cupboards left open, toothpaste cap left off? He will close and cap without a word. Kids who don't understand math, no problem, he will explain it a different way.

I remember when we were living in our first house, while he was at work one day, I decided I really wanted to paint a boarder around the little bathroom in the basement. I was so excited, I bought the paint (there would be deep red and dark green stripe around the middle of of the room) and wanted it done that day...so I did it myself.

I have seen Kevin paint...he washes walls, primes, tapes and measures if necessary, (painting horizontal stripes should have required measuring and taping) he even puts down drop clothes. I had no time for any of this, I just wanted stripes. So I eyeballed the wall, penciled in some stripes and painted. As I stood back to admire my quick handiwork I couldn't believe how crooked my lines were! (Not sure what is more surprising here, that the lines were crooked, or that this surprised me!)

When Kevin came home I was both excited and nervous to show him the bathroom. I don't remember his words, but I remember feeling like it was OK. He displayed patience in the moment, and patience in the long run as he never repainted the walls.

Several years ago Zach wanted his room painted...all stripes. I watched as he patiently measured, marked, taped and painted these walls. Then last year the girls wanted their room repainted. They share a room and each designed what they wanted on their side. Stripes on one, polka dots on the other. Again he patiently measured, marked, taped and painted these walls. He even created the template for the polka dots. This project took some  t i m e.  This past weekend he did it again, Kyler finally got his room painted...what did he want? Stripes.

 

 

 

 

 

For someone like me to be married to someone like him is one of the great life mysteries. Or it is one of God's greatest blessings....for me.
Love is patient. I am loved.
Thank you Kevin. Thank you God, Amen.

A Winter Wonder

Here is one thing I love about snow storms - they draw simple kindness and humanity out of us.

The snow we received last night was several inches, and it was packed, which made it heavy. This morning several of us were out shoveling (us) and snow blowing (others). One neighbor walked over to chat with Kevin and it was determined they would work together with another neighbor to take care of the driveways of the 80 year old widower across the street as well as the single mom a few doors down.

    Dan, one of the guys said to the others, "When you buy a house, this is part of the responsibility." He was referring to the help we are to provide to each other. I love that. This is a good world view and I'm glad he is one of our neighbors.

As I drove to pick up Zach from a friend's house, a woman drove off the road and into massive amounts of snow right behind me. I was hoping after I picked Zach up he could help her. When we got back to where she was, there were four cars pulled over, and four men with shovels were digging her out. It made me smile. (And it may have relived Zach who was in shorts and tennis shoes!)