Treasure Life's Unexpected Blessings....An article by Lady (Jonathan's Mom)

*****The following is an article written by Betty Davis, Jonathan's mom, who lives in Abilene.
This is her second article that has appeared in the Sunday Abilene Reporter News. We are so proud of her!*****ENJOY..............

'I never got the things I dreamed of," mused my sister, "but I got things that I never would have dreamed of!"
Life does that sometimes -- gives unexpected blessings.
I dreamed of becoming a movie star -- singing, dancing and being famous. All I needed was my cousin's coat ensemble and a ride to Hollywood.
The coat, hat and hand muffs were discovered while snooping in the bathroom closet at my aunt's house.
Both the nubby coat material and the soft shiny lining were the most beautiful materials I had ever seen or felt. Cousins gave and got hand-me-downs; this was sure to be mine sometime, but when? And why hadn't I seen my cousin wear this?
I couldn't ask my mother. She would know about the snooping and skin me alive!
(These days, when kids get into things that don't belong to them, it's called curiosity. Those days, it was called none of your business. My mother didn't have much tolerance for my "curiosity.")
Sneaking unseen into the bathroom, then into the closet and shutting both doors behind me was no small feat, as the farm house had one bathroom and many visiting relatives at any given time. I would slip my hands into the muff and envision myself in that get-up, tapping my way to Hollywood and into the movies.
I never got the coat, never learned to tap, never made it to Hollywood.
I met my leading man and the dream changed. He had the cutest freckles, sandy blonde hair, a shy grin, and a driver's license. He asked me to be his co-star and I said yes.
In living "happily ever after," we have a lifetime of experiences: laugh-out-loud funny, sob-out-loud sorrow, plenty of busyness with sprinkles of boredom.
Along with a house full of kids, we raised a farm full of animals: cats (lots of cats), dogs, turtles, hamsters, fish, gerbils, rabbits, and one bird. A cat ate it.
We have five kids who turned out pretty good in spite of us. That number has doubled to 10; we can't remember which ones were the Original Five. They have kids of their own, and we enjoy the show. What goes around, comes around.
We are now older -- and wiser -- in their eyes. They don't say it, but we recognize the signs.
They think we need a pet.
They call one another to see how we're doing.
They say, "Thanks, guys, we love you," and, "Come see us."
They ask, "Can I get you something?" or my favorite, "What do you think?"
It's better than any screaming crowd of fans I ever heard.
The empty nest is cozy, and we enjoy peace and quiet until we are blessed by a visit from our kids, with their kids. We love, love, love it when they come, high-five when they go, then snuggle up (in our own chairs) and take a nap while we watch a movie.
If I had the chance to do it again, I wouldn't. Once was enough. But I wouldn't have missed it. The thing is, I like now! Each stage of life has challenges and pleasures: it's best to be in the present, living life one act at a time. If we always look back, we stumble into the future, and miss the sunrise today.
For everything there is a season.
There is much for which to be thankful and we are.
About that coat ensemble. Recently I admitted my covetous nature to my cousin and asked her whatever happened to it.
Did she save it for her own daughter? Her granddaughter? No?
She has no memory of such an outfit.