Crashing waves

"Crashing Waves" 8" x 10" © Kristye Addison Dudley

I have been having quite a week. I have felt like I have been riding on waves and being thrown and tossed around. From work, home and family it felt like a roller coaster. This past week my husband traveled to San Antonio for pre-deployment training. Although he goes to work in his Air Force uniform everyday, I still don't like to think about the commitment that he has made. My first cousin was deployed today, bringing the military life back into reality. Our plans for where we are going to live changed in an instant. And it seemed like there were challenges everywhere I looked.

While Mark was gone I found myself appreciating all that he does for us. KJ and I went on with our usual schedule, but each night we Skyped "Da Da". KJ started waving as soon as I brought the computer out. It really made the week go by faster to see his face and hear his voice.

I had been trying for days to get my mother on the phone. She is a bit of a busy body. Between church meetings, church plans and church she is hard to keep up with. I have tried not to worry about her every time I she doesn't pick up the phone, but this was different. She didn't return my calls either. My 3 siblings were going through the same thing. We all live out of state, so we called a neighbor to check on her. She had gotten sick and fallen. She couldn't get to the phone to answer our calls.

Later, when I did get to talk to her, her speech was slurred and incoherent. I remember the way my father sounded after his stroke, and I didn't want to lose my mother too.

She was admitted to the hospital and her glucose was stabilized. Her diabetes is something that she has sort of ignored. Parents are really hard to change aren't they? After a night in the hospital her speech improved, her laughter returned, and I heard my mother tell me she loved me. I said the same.

The sound of her spirited voice was the final wave that crashed into me. For the first time this week I was able to breath and let out the emotions of stress, fear and doubt. I was able to cry tears of joy.

This painting represents the changes we are constantly going through. Even when there is a dark moment, there is light and hope with each passing wave.

Blessings,
Kristye

Kdudley@Kristye.com
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