Five Minute Friday: In Between

I have a newly found kindred spirit who I just know would be my friend outside of blog world. She just doesn't know it yet. I find the concept of community and bonding over black and white words on blogs so fascinating. The spirit behind the words bring us together in ways no plane ticket ever could. Lisa-Jo Baker is my new favorite blogger, and I'm slightly obsessed with reading absolutely all of her posts, despite the fact I have a 6-week-old baby, 3-year-old boy, and 31-year-old husband. The only time to devour this deliciousness is late at night between feedings and poop. After little Maddie Grace screamed for 2 hours this evening, thanks to my lovely choice of a protein shake today that causes gas horrendous enough to use in Afghanistan, I decided it was time to take five minutes to indulge in free writing. Lisa-Jo hosts a "Five Minute Friday', whereby you write for ONLY five minutes, purely raw material without any corrections and link to her site. Each Friday has a theme. Sad to say, the last 3 Fridays I have just made a blog title and never finished. Tonight, as gas has been conquered, I feel five minutes of writing is in order. Won't you join me and link up to her blog as well? So nice to be back in the blog world!

In-Between

Four hours from childhood home to college dorm. Hot pavement rolls by as I travel to what feels like the furthest point from safety. I checked the mileage one day, just out of curiousity. 250 miles apart. 250 miles of thinking, singing, praying, crying. How many times did I ride that road, changing from girl to woman and back again over and over?

I met him there. 250 miles from home. Two souls collide with the realization that this is it. This is what it is all about: sacrifice and cherishing and fighting and making up. Wedding and marriage and rained-out honeymoon. 20 lbs up and down and baby boy born in the fall of the year. Hearts ripped and dying love and then new hope. Renewed souls and strength of purpose and baby girl born in the late spring. New house on land, big enough to hear the whispering willows without distractions. Land, precious because they aren't making more of it and it's really ours and we can sweat out our messes on its soft soil. we can plant and uproot and dig for treasures. We can raise sweet babies to live in grace, walk in truth, and shout for joy at the sweetness of life.

Baby girl rests on my chest. I feel the ins and outs of her breath. Filling baby lungs with life-giving air. Filling my heart with joy. 250 miles led me to you. 250 miles and countless trips back and forth, up and down, round and round led me to the hallowed place I am right now. Cracked pavement, blistered feet, aching back, all brought me to the man that I love and the gifts that rest in their crib and big boy bed. 

These are the in-betweens I cherish. I am the only one who can see this invisible bond that quivers between the hearts of me and my family. The journey in between that led me to you, this place, this moment in time, is marked and scarred with rawness and real life. The real life that people don't talk about. But I will talk about it. I will share my failings and victories with you: they were the in-betweens that brought me to you, and for that I am always grateful. 

Grace.

This is my in between. 

WHEW! I did it. Please visit this precious mama's blog.

www.lisajobaker.com