It's Snowing!

I'm curled up on the orange couch, watching gentle snowflakes waft down to ensconce our world. Bens is reading stories to Eowyn and Coco by the fire -'Dr Dog'! Bens and I celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary at the downtown apartment of our lovely friend Susan, who stayed at Bag End and cared for our girls. 'Twas fun! The girls went sledding on our hill (as did I! 'Twas fun!) Now, it's REALLY snowing! I'm going to go out in it, in my wellington boots and my great big galoshes. (I don't actually know what galoshes ARE, and whether I have any!!)(I just like the sound of John's great big galoshes in AA Milne's poem). It's amazing to believe that this time in a week, we'll be arriving at Lothlorien, my parents' home, to join in celebrating the marriage of Rachel and Victor! I am very excited about being reunited with my wonderful family, though feel particularly sad that my Bens won't be there, nor Anita, Eddie and Bump. I had an experience of spiritual renewal last night, where ... I kind of had an icecream binge, and on contemplation realised I'd been seeking to fulfill a longing, embalm a pain, console a loneliness. I let God near me as I felt the depths of the pain, the dance with aloneness which is at the heart of being human, however close and wonderful our relationships with others and with God. There was such beauty in feeling the pain, which usually I ignore or anaethetise, with God. God was very gentle and it seemed God's love and comfort and presence with me were tangible.