Saturday Morning

Saturday morning at the Lorenc house is always pretty much the same. Minutes pass slowly as we sit around the kitchen table sipping on coffee and talking about 85 different things at one time. Currently the man of this house is editing a grocery list that his wife made because he is the one shopping and wants to make sure he knows exactly what each item is - how many times over the course of the last 30 years has this exact scenario taken place?
You can always tell when the caffeine has settled in and, having no food or protein to balance it, our hands start shaking and words start flying faster and with more intensity and more and more topics land on the table: Pinterest, recipes, Facebook, insecurity, music, the Rangers, family, traveling, the new baby, plans for the weekend, golf (mostly only one person talks about golf), movies, church, more recipes, work, annoyances, crafts, shopping, friends, family again and of course the new baby.
It is crazy, but I love it. We are a host family so our weekend plans involve people coming in and out and planning meals and snacks for the masses and we love it. As each of us breaks away one at a time to shower or get ready for the next activity, the kitchen becomes quiet again, but only temporarily. Later in the day when voices start filling the house this will all repeat itself - in the afternoon the coffee will turn to soda and at night it will turn to wine. But what stays consistent is a family of talking and laughter and planning. And we love it.

We are who we are.

Over the years, "The Lorenc girls" has sort of become a catch phrase. Growing up we were well known at church, in the youth group, extended family, at school, etc. We were in the 'good girl' category with the grand assumption (and lie) that we had it together and never did anything wrong. Well, contrary to popular belief, we definitely have our issues. We dont always agree, we dont always do the right thing, and we definitely dont always have it together. However, sometimes, when we're all in the same place, something magic happens. Abby Jane recently used the word magic to define my mother. She's right- we definitely get this from Mama. It's not the mystical kind but the real kind, that is only possible by the grace and love of a Father who wants his children to see him. And this weekend it happened. The oldest sister, full of wisdom and confidence and assurance in things hoped for, came into town. It was a last minute choice but one that definitely hit the spot. The next one down, sweeter and gentler than anyone I've ever known, who laughs easily and trusts fully, lives just north of the home we grew up in, with a faithful and loving husband who has been an incredible addition to our unit. And the baby of our sisterhood, created to worship and to direct people back to the one true God (a task she has grown into quite well), is currently in transition, hybernating in the safest place I can imagine, protected by a fiercely loving mother and father who believe fully in her ability and talent. So there we all were. A sweet moment frozen in time - laughter filling the halls of a house that has been full for years, tears streaming over life and love and where we are going from here, and conversations floating in and out of rooms about what we have learned and how we know God more now than we did the last time we were together. This weekend the moment lingered even longer, as we all decided to take a vacation day and reconnect on Monday. I cannot think of a better way to spend a day off than by listening and receiving a refill of hope, faith, trust, love and peace that somehow evades our lives when we forget who we are. That happens to me sometimes. I just forget. It's why I need community in my life to remind me that regardless of what I do, who I am stays consistent - and is much more important. This weekend they reminded me of the hope I have - and assured me that if I dont have it, they will carry it for me. They reminded me that I was created for a purpose and that God has not forgotten me. They reminded me that prayer and communion with the living God is what I'm lacking and what I'm needing. They reminded me that I am not what I do, but I belong to I AM and that's what defines me.

That's what the Lorenc girls are to me. Family - The best kind of family. My life would be less full without them and I know that when I forget who I am, the reminder is just a phone call away. They have shaped me, They know me and love me anyway.

We are not perfect. We can be difficult to be around and we dont always see straight, but when we're together, sometimes it's magic.

Rude Awakening

Well it happened. I should have known it was coming. I dealt with this same situation twice last week, though not to this severity, but still it surprised me. I was driving to work this morning feeling like things were normal. I left late, eyes half open, had my cup of coffee in the car, and got a phone call from one of the sweetest people I know (she calls me every morning like clockwork - oh how I will miss when she no longer goes to work early). Just a normal Wednesday. As we were chatting and I was moving in and out of traffic, I felt it. My eyes began to open a little more than is usual for this time of day as something began creepy crawling up my arm. I panicked, freaked out and shook my arm until whatever-it-was was gone - then proceeded with the conversation. A few minutes later it happened again. This time on my other arm. Whatever-it-was had traveled across the car somehow and was now tip-toeing up my left arm. So naturally, I panicked, freaked out and shook my arm until whatever-it-was was gone - then proceeded with the conversation. Now my eyes were almost all the way open (you have to understand it takes a small army to get me really awake). Then it happened again. But this time whatever-it-was decided to go in for the kill as it snuck DOWN MY FACE. Yes. I said it - Down. My. FACE. This was not a good experience. This time I freaked out, panicked, dropped the phone and shook my head until whatever-it-was was gone - then we proceeded with the conversation. Although now I was completely awake and not a happy camper. I still had not gotten a good look at whatever-it-was so I wasn't even sure how to approach dealing with it. As we continued talking I tried to stay focused but was sure this creature was still in my car somewhere probably about to crawl down my back or across my neck (even now I am shuddering at the thought). Needless to say I am not so sure what the sweetheart on the other end of the line was talking about. In my defense, after three freakouts she knew what was going on and I'm sure would sympathize with my lack of attention to her stories. So I thought up a master plan to search my car when I got to work, find whatever-it-was and destroy it. But then I actually saw it. This time plain and clear. A part white and part transparent creature with eight legs and a small body was spinning a web in and around my steering wheel and now I was mad. At this point the phone call became my last priority. (List goes: 1. Do not get in a car wreck 2. Do not get bit 3. Kill it 4. Phone call) I had to accomplish my master plan earlier than anticipated. Those legs were moving fast and I could tell this spider had one mission - to spin a web all around me until I was wound up tight and carried off to a little spider village. Well, not today little man! I put the phone down, slipped off my shoe, raised it up high and SPLAT! Poor guy didn't even see the red ballet flat coming. I felt a little guilty afterward because I am bigger than it, but it was trying to kill me so I think this falls under the self defense category. I would like to say a sincere apology to little man's family and friends (all of whom probably live in my car and have spent the better part of today scheming their revenge. Oh dear.) And since I was so late for work I didn't even have time to clean off the spider guts that were left behind. Gross. Somehow I am going to have to get all spiders out of my car and make sure they do not come back... That or invest in a fly slapper- now that would've come in handy. So the moral of this story? Next time you see someone driving like a maniac just remember they might be under attack so be patient while they destroy whatever-it-was. They're doing the best they can!