Jasmine Flowers

 It feels like an ending of a season but also a beginning of a new one. Summer is over and that's when my schedule was more open and available to babysit for my sister with all her many appointments for her pregnancy. It came at a good time for me too because I was able to serve and do something different than what I was doing before. I felt that time slowed down a lot in summer, for good, and a chance to catch my breath, think, process and heal. 

Being with dear Isaac and Santiago brought a source of freshness with their lively energy, childhood innocence and cuteness. It was an internal growing season for me but one that didn't lack fruit.

It all started when I was highly emotional, and just mentally exhausted and discouraged and my sister took me to a local Starbucks, and we sat outside on a sunny Saturday afternoon. I lamented and cried to her, and it was very therapeutic. It was right at the cusp of summer, and I felt like I was walking on rocky ground. Things felt topsy turvy and adjusting to this new season and schedule and figuring things out was really hard. 

I noticed while we were outside, the beautiful plants and vines wrapped around the pillars and the jasmine flowers. Everything was green, and mid-June had a summer feel in the air. I thought of Our Lady and how she said yes to God's plan with trust and joy and those flowers made me enter into hope, trust and joy when it was at times difficult to adopt. It was the start of new growing pains, realizations, and struggles but also learning and discovering. 

I remember that moment, her listening to me, reassuring and comforting me to be so pivotal.  I felt heard, seen, validated but also it was the start of a whole new chapter that felt different than before during the school year and needed to enter more into my faith and look ahead and not so much behind me. 

Monday was the last appointment my sister had before her baby girl is due! These months and weeks have flown by in some ways and regular babysitting and having a lot of quality time with Isaac was so special. His little personality coming through, his likes and dislikes, trying to talk, and his sweet laughter helped with the healing in the early summertime and giving of my time in that way. Now a new little one is soon on her way!