God's Resilience

Some days, you know as soon as they start that they are going to be a challenge and only God's grace and resilience will be able to get you through. Yesterday was one of those days.  Billy has been in Seattle for a week now and won't be back until late Friday (so basically Saturday).  I went to bed Friday exhausted after a week of work, running the kids, and trying to keep it halfway together. At 3 am, I woke up to the smell of vomit in the middle of my bed and Tripper whining by the door.  I ran downstairs to let him out, stripped the bed and started a load of laundry.  I got back to sleep about an hour later, only to be awoken again a little before 6 when Barrett barged in my room.  "Fletcher threw up all over his bed," he exclaimed. Before launching myself out of bed for the 2nd time in less than 3 hours, I said a quick prayer.  Really quick actually.  It was 3 words.  "Lord help me."

By 11 am, I had done 5 loads of laundry, bathed 2 of my children, made breakfast for the 2 non-vomiting children, got myself ready, prevented the toddler from making messes with subsequent vomiting, got Barrett to his hockey game on time, and loaded the car to head to Greenville.  As we were driving, I said another prayer.  This one was a bit longer, and then I turned up the music and drove.  My eyes were heavy from the lack of sleep, and I was struggling to stay awake. Then I looked back at the kids and noticed all of them were asleep.  I expected Fletcher to fall asleep, but not the older two. And Tripper, the dog that threw up in my bed, was sitting contently staring out the window.  It was peaceful. I was able to clear my mind and just be for the rest of the ride. God was watching over me and knew I needed that quiet time to recharge.

In Greenville, we spent the afternoon with my grandparents helping them with their move into an assisted living apartment. It was emotionally challenging, but the car ride there had given me the rest I needed to power through.  By dinner time, they were settled, my kids were worn out from helping/playing, and we enjoyed a nice meal with my family.  The car ride home, all of the kids and dogs fell asleep.  As I reflected back on the day that had started out so crazily, I realized that it had actually been quite peaceful and enjoyable. So, how could a day that started so poorly end so peacefully?  Because of God's loving grace and caring resilience.

I've posted here about my 2019 goal to living in the How. As we were singing the Fruits of the Spirit with our Sunday school kids this morning, I realized that yesterday I really did live in the How.  I didn't freak out when Tripper threw up on my bed or when Fletcher threw up in his. Instead, I let God help me through it, which allowed me to focus on the how. I didn't go to my default setting and try to control the situation, blame Billy for being gone, or even throw myself a pity party.  I focused on one thing at a time, asked Audrey and Barrett to help where they could, and miraculously, without yelling or swearing, I made it through the morning on schedule with everything done that needed to be done...plus 5 loads of laundry. And, I got to spend some quality time with my grandparents in the afternoon, which I haven't done in a long time.

God is so good. He hears our prayers, even if they are only 3 words and uttered with a sigh. Many times, the way he answers our prayers aren't as direct or clear as what I experienced yesterday. I guess that's part of the reason I wanted to write about it. So the next time he isn't answering my prayer in an obvious and immediate way, I will remember that he is there, he is listening, and he will grant me the peace that surpasses all understanding.

"Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayers and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-7

Celebrating Easter

We couldn't have asked for more beautiful weather on this Easter Sunday.  I guess that is one upside of having Easter later in April. To make it even better, our church had an outdoor service (in a large tent) on the lawn today to accommodate more people, since our sanctuary maxes out most Sundays anyway. It was amazing sitting together with my family worshiping God together!  Days like today make it easier to praise and worship God.  It's just so beautiful; I feel so blessed. 

To make it even better, we got a family photo where everyone is looking at the camera and at least has a pleasant look on their face.  I guess God knew I needed a little pick me up before Billy left for Seattle for 2 weeks (he's actually in there now).  

 

The kids had fun opening their Easter baskets. They get so much candy from other places that I stopped doing candy in their baskets. So, the got mostly art supplies and some clothes they needed (that I probably would've bought them anyway, but don't tell them that). That didn't reduce their excitement at all. 

Fletcher has been begging for sunglasses every time we go outside, so I got him a pair of sunglasses too. He is pretty pumped about them, even if they are a little big.

                       

Our church had their egg hunt last weekend. Barrett missed out because he had hockey, but Audrey and Fletcher brought home enough candy for all of us.  At first, Fletcher was extremely cautious, which I think was primarily due to the large number of kids (and him being one of the younger ones in the group).  After he got the hang of it though, he was on a roll.  And he had no desire to look for eggs.  He just picked up all the candy he could find. 

Audrey was not in a mood to have her picture taken, so the only ones I got were action shots. This one here is my personal favorite because you can tell just how competitive she was getting.

After the church hunt, we went to Greenville to celebrate with my family.  Again, Audrey and Barrett didn't want to cooperate, but I got some adorable pictures of Fletcher and Macie.

Again, I am just so grateful for all of the blessings we have and all of the fun we've had these past couple of weeks celebrating our Savior. 

Hockey Star

Last week, in addition to birthdays, Barrett had the chance to play hockey during intermission at the Blues game. He did this last year too, but this year was extra special.  He scored a goal!  It was the only goal scored during the game too. When he scored, he lifted his stick in celebration (he is #7), and then gave the camera a look that said, "Yes, I am awesome. Now you know just how awesome I am."

Not only did Barrett have fun, but Audrey and Fletcher enjoyed watching and enjoying some refreshments during the game. Fletcher's favorite part was definitely the popcorn. Audrey got a pre-game puck.  She is also starting to enjoy watching the game, which is awesome. She knows way more about hockey than I did at her age!

It was so much fun to get to spend the evening together at the game. Now we have many evenings watching playoff hockey to look forward to over the next (hopefully) couple of months. I guess we really are a hockey family. 

3 Years Old

Fletcher James. Fletchy wetch. Fletchy Fletch. Today marks your third birthday. You've grown so much in those 3 years that at time I forget just how tiny you once were.  Your first 4 months when you were jaundiced and not gaining weight quickly because of it, you were a skinny little guy.  You were tall and skinny, and for some reason, I just figured you'd always be that way.  Three years later, you've found your appetite and have outpaced your siblings by far in terms of physical growth. We go to the doctor in a couple weeks when we'll find out for sure.

You love to talk...constantly. You narrate your own playtime and say some of the most hilarious things in the process.  You always greet me the second I get home with a rundown of what you did that day and what toys you played with. You also ask questions...about everything. And if you don't really have a question, you just point at the first thing you see and say, "What's that." The other day, you pointed at every building on our way to the store and asked "What's that" about each one.

You still have a very healthy appetite, as long as it is something you chose. There are definitely meals where you eat very little, but you always make it for it the next time we have one of your favorite foods like pancakes, waffles, or fish sticks. You also ask for a "TR" after every meal, which is short for treat. You're brother and sister would spell the word instead of saying it to avoid catching your attention, but now I am pretty sure you think TR means treat.

You've reached that age where your personality is emerging more and more every day. One unique trait that I tend to attribute to you being a third child is that you are great at playing by yourself. You don't need to be entertained.  You have a strong imagination that you use all of the time. You often pretend you're an astronaut or a pilot (more specifically a test pilot). You're generally doing things that involve noise you make with your mouth to sound like an engine, that also involved you spitting a ton and slobbering all over your shirt.

You love to play rough with your brother, which is something I was not entirely prepared for.  Star Wars, spies, space exploration, super heroes, and dogs all make frequent appearances in our home, and usually end up in some sort of battle. You also love legos, especially the ones that belong to your dad and your siblings.  Your sister's space shuttle is your current favorite.

You, like your siblings, sleep consistently and well.  I swear that God knows how much I need sleep, so he gave me three kids that all sleep very well.  You still use a binky when you sleep, so we need to start working on getting rid of that. You still look so precious when you sleep though, especially when the binky falls out of your mouth.

I love you more than words can describe. You will always be my baby boy, even though I am pretty sure that you're going to be the tallest of all my children.  I am so grateful that God blessed our family with you three years ago, and I am looking forward to the many more years of blessings you'll bring to our lives.