The Rose Bush is Gone

On Holy Saturday, April 3, 2010, I saw that the large rose bush in our back yard that had spread to cover most of the side of our garage, had died.

This was the same rose bush that had hundreds of rose blooms every year for the 22 years we had lived in this house.

Was it a coincidence that later that Saturday evening we accepted an offer to finally sell our family home?

I do not believe in coincidences,

This was the same rose bush that had three unusually late blooms this past fall. I had found myself fascinated by these long-lasting blooms, and posted pictures of them to this blog several times in November.

I had grown unusually fond of this rose bush after it bloomed twice in 2003, the year after our son, Aaron, died. Several times each season since then, I had carefully pruned this bush in an attempt to enhance the life and strength of this bush.

Maybe I overdid it!

Sometimes, in spite of our best efforts, death comes regardless.

Sometimes it is time to move on, to leave behind the past and to discover the future.

If the offer on our house meets all of the real estate tests, we will be officially moved out of this house on May 18, the same day we fly to Hawaii and move into our new house.

It has been a momentous year for us.

Karol left her job at the KC Public Library in October, and I will transition from the executive director position at DeLaSalle on June 18, 2010. I will continue to work for DeLaSalle as Director of Sustainability, while I pursue diaconate training for the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph. I will live part-time in Kansas City, and part-time in our new home in Hawaii.

I am very excited about the future, but sad about some of the changes. I will miss this house and the old rose bush. We had some great times in this old house.

I miss Aaron, but now I will be able to spend more time with our other three children who all live in Hawaii.

Sometimes its just time to move on!

Happy Easter!