First Day Of School

Today is our son's first day of high school. I am feeling quite ancient today. I hope that he has a wonderful day and that our daughter has an amazing first day of 3rd grade!

Last night I was reminiscing about my high school days. It really hit me how different things are now! Here are a few of the differences that I was thinking about:

1. The clothes.

Wow, do the high school girls wear their clothes tight these days! To make sure that these ladies wear their clothes as tight as is humanly possible, the clothing industry has come up with "jeggings." Have you heard of these yet? Apparently, they are a combination of jeans and leggings. And they are TIGHT. OK, I admit to wearing incredibly short shorts when I was in high school. I even wore tight jeans. But, at least I wore a baggy shirt most of the time. Today's girls wear tight clothes from top to bottom.

Also, kids "these days" don't roll their jeans anymore, like we used to. Back in the day, everything was rolled. We rolled our jeans so tight that there was no longer circulation in any of our legs. We also rolled the sleeves of our shirts. Why? I have no idea. Someone decided it was cool, so we all followed. You will not catch any high schoolers wearing "Bill Cosby" sweaters anymore, either. My brother and I had a lot of those crazy-patterned sweaters. We were cool like that.

2.The hair.

When I was in high school, there seemed to be a competition going on for which girl had the highest hair. If I would have measured mine, I bet it would have been a good 5 inches off my head. Yep, it was all about the teasing and proper application of Aqua Net hairspray. Our hair was unhealthy as can be, but boy, was it BIG! Today's girls have such nice hair. It is so pretty and shiny, thanks to the flat iron. Now, girls know that aerosol spray is horrible for the environment and use much better products. They also know that there is no reason to tease your hair to make it super-high. What were we thinking?!?

Now, on to the boys' hair. When I was in high school, there were two haircuts for boys. They were: the feathered hair and the spiked hair. Most boys had one or the other. A few of the "wild" boys had long hair. Today's high school boys ALL have long hair. There is a whole lot of hair flippin' going on! It doesn't matter if you are a "nerd," a "jock," or a "rocker;" if you are a boy you have long hair. Period.

3. Technology and lingo.

Almost every teen you see walking around has some sort of cord hanging from him or her. If it's not ear buds for their iPod, then it is the charger for their Nintendo DS. Most teens have cell phones now, too. If we wanted to talk to someone, we had to wait until we got home from school and used the phone with a cord (gasp!) Don't get me wrong, I think the new technology is great, but it is so overwhelming and confusing to me.

Texting is the most popular form of communication among teenagers now. Everywhere you look, you see fingers flying on the little keyboards. What I think is funny (and sometimes annoying) is how teens also talk using "text-speak." It's all about LOLing and ROFLOL. Most of them I won't mention because they are not G-rated. Ugh. Here's the one that I made up: WDWNTSEWS. It is: Why Do We Need To Shorten Everything We Say? Slow down and enjoy the conversation! I remember coming home from school and calling my friends right away. Today's teens don't even have to wait that long because of cell phones. We also had to answer every call, not knowing who was on the other end. Caller ID has eliminated that, too.

I guess I better get used to all the changes. I don't see technology slowing down anytime soon. Someday, I'll be more comfortable with all this. I think.

The Calm After The Storm

As I glance outside my window, I spot some small droplets of rain falling from the sky. A little while ago, there was a heavy rain that poured from the clouds with a vengeance. I always enjoy the end of a rainfall, the moment when you notice how quiet it has become. The air has a crisp, clean smell that overtakes the senses. The grass looks clean and the birds convene and restart their merry melodies. The best part is when you get to see the many beautiful colors of a rainbow. A rainbow reminds me that the storm has passed and life will continue on.

The calm after the storm also reminds me of my journey here on Earth and my relationship with my Heavenly Father. The peace that the end of a storm brings is the same peace the Lord promises after the storms we deal with in life. There will always be those "Aha!" moments when our Father holds us in His arms and we can feel His protection. We might even realize why we had to go through this difficult time. The lessons learned can hit us hard, much like the pelting rain we just got through.

There have been many storms that I have dealt with, both as a child and as an adult. Some of them have been relentless and mighty. Others have been like rain with a gentle breeze. Occasionally, there were slight sprinkles that passed quickly. It doesn't matter what the size has been because the outcome remains the same. God comforts me through His word and by bringing my loved ones around me. He always shows me what I have waiting for me on the other side. The amazing rainbows in my life! He has provided me with a husband who loves me unconditionally. He reminds me that I have two beautiful children who are so very special. I also have a handful of loving family members and an outpouring of friends, both old and new.

The rainbow has been a constant reminder of our son, who was stillborn eleven years ago. I like to imagine him sliding down the rainbow, with a big grin and a hearty wave aimed at me. It helps me remember how loved he is by our Father and how happy he is in heaven.

What are your rainbows, friends? What lessons have you learned after the storms in your life? Sometimes it is good to reflect on those rainbows. For me, it is often what helps me get through a rough day. Remembering how very blessed I am gives me that extra push along the path that I am on. I don't want to stop so long and focus on the storms, like I tend to do. I am ready to focus on the beautiful rainbows, the many colors and textures in my life, and the bounty of family and friends.