Yesterday morning, as I sat at my customary spot at our home computer in the kitchen, sipping my first cup of coffee, I was entertained by 11-year-old John as he pranced around the kitchen, getting ready for school.  He was quoting from the movie, Fargo:

Norm: They announced it.

Marge: They announced it?

Norm: Yeah.

Marge: So?

Norm:Three-cent stamp.

Marge: Your mallard?

Norm: Yeah.

Marge: Why that’s terrific.

Norm:It’s just the three-cent.

Marge: It’s terrific.

Norman: Hautman’s blue-winged teal got the twenty-nine cent. People don’t much use the three-cent.

Marge: Oh, for Pete’s sake, of course they do. Whenever they raise the postage, people need the little stamps.

Norm: Yeah?

Marge: When they’re stuck with a bunch of the old ones.

Norm: Yeah, I guess.

Marge: That’s terrific. I’m so proud of ya, Norm. Heck, Norm, you know we’re doin’ pretty good.

Norm : I love you, Margie.

Marge: I love you, Norm.

Okay, so he didn’t have quite all the words verbatum from the movie’s dialogue, but he had plenty of them right, complete with the Minnesooooota accent he’s been practicing since being here in our fair state since the evening of February 26th.  He has diligently studied the first four chapters of How to Talk Minnesotan  and he’s been receiving personalized tutoring from his Uncle Dale.

I couldn’t help but laugh outloud at this little skit in the kitchen, and I thought of how happy I am, happier than I’ve ever been.  I felt this way on Saturday when Lottie and I were shopping for appropriate job interview clothes for her, and she told me it was my influence that allowed her to go home with some nice things for herself without guilt.  I felt this way on Sunday when all four of us had such a nice family outing to the Minnesota Science Museum and John had his first experience seeing an Imax film in our Omni theater.  I felt the love in my heart sitting in the school guidance office Monday morning with him and his mom, getting him ready to begin his first term as a Minnesota student.  I was thrilled for him when he came home from school that first day, all smiles and excited about how his day had gone.  He loves school again for the first time in a couple of years, and I could see how pleased his mother was. 

For the first time in our married lives, we’ve opened our home to two other people, offering them a chance to live in safety, security, and freedom from fear and overwhelming anxiety while they rebuilt their lives following a sudden job loss.  Both Dale and I have commented over these last weeks before, during and after this move, that this all has a feeling of rightness about it, a feeling of following a good path.

Dale also went on to comment a few weeks ago on how much he has observed the changes in me in recent times, from someone who was fatiqued, stressed, and fearful of giving too much of herself because she may not have enough left over for herself to someone who is now happy, outgoing, reaching out to others, giving freely.  He is very, very pleased for me and knows that this is a sign of my own healing, my own recovery from a demoralizing and draining childhood, a childhood where I often felt like it was me against the world.  It is a sign of a chronic depression under control and of a life reaching a new measure of fulfillment.

Dale and I are giving to my friend and her son, but we’re getting so much more back.  We’re happy to give them the hope of things coming together.  We’re pleased to give them a sanctuary full of warmth and love, lessening that chronic feeling that they’re facing so many obstacles with so little support.  More than anything, I’m pleased that they both feel like they now have family.  A chosen family, yes, rather than a birth family, but do not underestimate how important a chosen family can be!  I’ve come to appreciate that concept more and more over the years!

John said to his mom last week, “I feel like I have a family now.”  Yes, John, yes, you do.  You have an Aunt Bonnie and Uncle Dale.  Your mom has a sister and brother-in-law.  We’ll do everything we can to encourage you to grow into a loving, caring, responsible adult, all the while letting you be a kid while you ARE a kid.

There have been more “I love you’s,” more hugs, more appreciation expressed in our household during these last two weeks than what has ever been there before.   What a blessing!  By giving a bit of ourselves, it seems like the riches are pouring in threefold. 

Life is good.

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