"Pubbles"

Last week N.E. Indiana received 3" of rain in a very short period of time causing fields to flood, filling rivers to overflowing, and creating multiple puddles of water everywhere. The day after the big rain I pulled up in front of a house on my a.m. route only to find a huge puddle the entire width of the driveway. As two children - sister (7) and brother (6) - came running down the drive toward the bus, it was quite apparent the little boy had no intention of letting a mere puddle slow him down. His sister yelled at him as she ran around the puddle and into the grass: "Watch out for the water! Go around the puddle! You're going to get wet! Look out!" Needless to say, her brother plowed right through the puddle which quickly engulfed his shoes, socks, and pant legs up to his ankles. The sense of satisfaction on that little boy's face as he climbed up the bus steps was both precious and priceless.

As I thought about how sister and brother each handled that situation in such a different fashion, I began to ponder how differently male and female process problematic situations. The little boy obviously didn't see the puddle as a problem. His sister, however, saw it as a problem and found another way to the bus by going around it. As females is that the way we handle life's troubles by looking for various (and often creative) ways around the problem while our male counterparts trudge right through unscathed . . . neither one really right or wrong -- just different?

I leave you to your own thoughts on this one.

Wow! It's been some time since I last wrote on our blog. It seems unfamiliar territory has actually been just that. Steve and I have spent the past 3 months trying to "navigate" this new stage we're in. Often we find we have run off the road in misunderstanding, but always we come back to what we know best . . . our love for one another. So, a few diversions here and there adds much to reconciliation, and we find ourselves back in the seat and once again ready to navigate semi-retirement.

Exciting news! We saw grass today!! No one but those living in the land of snow and ice could possibly understand being amazed by the sight of grass. N.E. Indiana has been snow/ice covered since the beginning of December 2008 making grass a "sight for sore eyes." AND . . . the asphalt drive has reappeared which makes our daily walk to the mailbox so much safer. Tomorrow early morning I'll approach my school bus in confidence knowing I won't fall on the slick stuff while checking the lights & stop arms.

Finally . . . there is hope of life springing eternal from this frozen land as we move toward spring which arrives in a mere 40 days; but then who's really counting?