enjoy the first quarter of 2008 by having one new and fulfilling experience in January, February, and March

But you know, that’s ok. This month’s experience was a session with a person who is supposed to help my son and my husband and me. My son is speech delayed and there is some concern (mostly by people who don’t know him well) that there is a problem. At any rate, we had the first session with a woman who will come weekly to work with us to get him “caught up”. This week’s session was wonderful; I found it extremely helpful and it left me with a feeling of hope, rather than depression and guilt. That was really, really fulfilling – and it was definitely a new experience. I look forward to great leaps and bounds with my son.

Well this was very fulfilling…and completely spontaneous. My inlaws dropped by on their way to Pennsylvania to see my husband’s grandmother. Spur of the moment, we decided to pack our two children in the car for a trip to great-grandma’s. It went so well – a great time was had by all. My oldest, our son, got to run around with various people to play with. My youngest got to be held my lots of people and was oohed and ahh-ed over. My husband and I got to visit – and a break from constant children-watching at the same time! It was lovely. We all went to dinner at a small-town family diner; that was a nice change from what is near us in our bigger-city environment. They made a wonderful fried shrimp dinner. We had good food, good conversation, and wonderful family time. What more could you ask?

I had two good interviews this week – the first in a long, long time. This isn’t exactly what I want (going back to work, no longer going to school) but I think it is necessary. I found the interviews rather fulfilling because for the first time ever, I felt calm, in control (mostly), and NO butterflies. This is a first for me. I can’t say that I would do this for fun, but finally I am able to do it without feeling sick. It is a relief to move past the awkwardness and shyness that caused me such pain and torture growing up. (Yes, I’m still shy but it isn’t as painful now and I have to celebrate that!)

I had hoped to go to a Quaker meeting this month; I don’t know if I’m going to make that or not. I had hoped to make it to First Friday Gallery Walk in Leesburg in February; I may not make it to that because my parents-in-law are coming up to visit. I think at least that I’m going to count the no-longer-painful interviews as the fulfilling experience for January. It is a little odd, in that an interview is not normally something I would describe at fulfilling, but hey – sometimes odd is good!

I have been looking for a church (not exactly in a hurried manner) for 10 years now. I’ve tried several here and there at various points, but not really settled into anything. I have had a sudden realization that perhaps I narrowed my search too much. I’ve been looking at churches of the two groups I grew up with: Lutheran and Southern Baptist.

Recently I read a book on Quaker beliefs and I was startled by the strength of my response. It is like a little part of my soul sat up and said, “Yes!” I think that I need to explore this more. There is a Quaker meeting in a nearby area; I think that I want to go to several meetings and get to know some Friends and see where this goes. I’m kind of nervous because it is not what I grew up with. I’ve got to get over the excuses I keep finding for not going to church. I don’t know why I’ve resisted this for so long when I do truly want to find a spiritual community. Anyway, I think this will be the fulling (and certainly new) experience for me.

But I’m still not sure of the form it will take. I am hoping to get friends to go with me to First Night in Leesburg, perhaps in February since we missed January. They have what amounts to a gallery crawl in Leesburg, where you go from art gallery to art gallery (or shop), stop for a glass of wine and/or a treat of another kind, then continue with the galleries. It lasts a couple of hours I think. I think it would really be great to do this with friends, but if they aren’t available, I’m going to do it by myself – that would be a big step for me. I’m really not one for doing things by myself, which means I don’t get to enjoy a lot of nice things because my friends are fairly busy.

And thank you for the invite! This sounds great!