I met a very wise woman while I was working at a less than favorable job in Iowa. Don't get me wrong... The job certainly served its purpose and was a blessing, especially at the time, but I am so happy to be doing a job now that fills my creative passions. I can't imagine going back.
Anyways, the highlight of my week would be seeing the cleaning lady.
We would chat happily as she popped her head in and out of various rooms while I worked on the computer. She toted around garbage bags and cleaning buckets. When I imagine her in my mind it is with one hand on her hip and a cleaning rag in the other. She would be sporting her husband's flannel shirt with her bangs and ponytail slightly askew. She was one of the most beautiful women I have ever met. She was so beautiful, in fact, that she made me want wrinkles when I'd become her age. We would speak over top of the sounds of running water, spray bottles, and the humming of the vacuum. Sometimes, if the conversation got very interesting, I would even follow her into different rooms while she was cleaning. She was a hard worker, so we didn't really make a whole lot of eye contact. Fortunately, she was very expressive with her voice and body language, so even if I was looking at the back of her head and she was looking at the back of a toilet I knew exactly what facial expression she was making.
To this day I won't forget where I was standing as we got into a conversation about how the family you are born into is divinely planned. It was getting really good so we were standing face to face and eye to eye for a moment.
She explained to me her belief that God gives you the family members who you need in order to best refine yourself.
What a drop of wisdom. Think about it.
With all of that talk about family I would like to introduce you to some lovely individuals. These are the beautiful and wildly entertaining people I get to do life with!
Thanks to my good friend Erin Kirchhoff at The Locket for taking family photos for us!
Great group shot.
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