Grown-Up Lights

We have two light settings in our living room. Either the huge ceiling fan that has 5 light bulbs in it, and it feels like the actual sun itself is shining in your face (great for playing with toys on a gloomy day) or we have two small lamps on our coffee tables (great for relaxing once the toys are put away). We call the former "Kid Lights" and the latter "Grown-Up Lights." After Madilyn is in bed, Cameron and I will often sit down together in the living room to chat and watch tv, and I say, "Let's turn on the Grown-Up Lights," so Cameron will reach back and hit the light switch off. Immediate relaxtion. Immediate calming environment. Immediate peace.
Not everything about being a grown-up is so great, however. Being in this season of life, friends are moving in and moving out and it's hard to get connected and make relationships. It's tough realizing the grown-up things...like you can't always buy ice cream. 1. You'll gain weight. 2. You can't always afford it. Paying bills is not that much fun. Your body aging comes with aches and pains. There are more wrinkles popping up on my face and more grey hairs poking through the brown. Grown-up things.
Friends are not always easy to come by. And, true friends are precious gems.
Today, I spent the entire morning on the phone with friends that live across the country. Why? I needed to talk to someone that knows me. I needed friends that I didn't have to explain myself to. Friends that know that I can complain for a minute and still be thankful and know I blessed. Friends that have seen my better days and can direct my heart back to what I know (and they know) is so true in life. That God is faithful. That His mercies are new every morning. That really Cameron and Madilyn are all I need right now.
Being a grown-up is great...but some aspects are better than others. Preaching to the choir right? I know. But, today was a rough day.