February 05, 2012

R&R, Day 15

Whew.  I can't believe it's here--day 15!  Yes, time has gone quickly, but I can honestly say that we truly have enjoyed every moment of the past two weeks.  God has been so good to us!  I didn't want us to spend all of Ted's R&R time dreading the day we'd have to say goodbye again, and we really haven't.  I know there will be some tears tomorrow morning when we drop him off at the airport, but I think we all feel stronger and refreshed as a family.  We KNOW we can do this!  We've been through the hardest part (Lord willing)!  There are only 107 days left--this will be a piece of cake!

OK, maybe not.  But I think...I hope...that this will somehow be much easier than it was May 22, 2011, when we said goodbye, knowing that we wouldn't be seeing each other again for over half a year.  I was incredibly hormonal and facing delivering our 6th child without my husband.  Now...we have a happy, healthy, 5-month-old baby boy!

It's been a good last day.  We had a blast serving in Kids' Street Live this morning with the incredible KSL team.  What a blessing to work with such fun and dedicated servants of our Lord!  Then Ted and I attended our Resolve to Read class, which we hadn't been able to attend the past couple of Sundays because of very late Saturdays for us.  (Instead we just attended the service.)

Charis, Tobin, and Arden stayed at church for AWANA Bible quiz practice, and the rest of us came home and had chili for lunch.  After Ted brought the older kids home, I lay down for a really long nap, probably my last good nap for a few months!  I just don't sleep as soundly when I'm the only adult in the house.  Ted played a final game of Settlers of Catan with the older kids while Lucan and Zaden were napping.

I didn't wake until nearly 5:30.  Before we turned on the Super Bowl, Ted gathered the kids around and we had a time of prayer together.  Very bittersweet, since we were praying for God's strength and help for the next few months as well as thanking Him for the blessings of the past couple of weeks and His grace in bringing us this far.

Now Arden and Ted, the diehard football guys, are watching the Super Bowl.  The other kids are in the basement watching Animaniacs.  Ted is preparing apples to make crockpot applesauce to go with pancakes in the morning, and I--finally!--have at least posted the highlights of each day we've had together.  I've hardly been on the computer at all this past week, which is just fine! 

I'm so thankful for these past 15 days.  Many people have been praying for God's blessing on our time together, and I can really tell.  Any number of things could have happened to create dissension and discord among us, but give God glory!  Ted and I have had wonderful conversations; we have reconnected physically, emotionally, and spiritually; and by God's grace, we have not had any "couple drama!"  The children have all responded well to Daddy being home--aside from the first day or two of them always coming to me to ask if Daddy could do something, they have adjusted very well to having him here and responding to his authority.  Ted has stepped back into his husband and dad roles extremely well.  It has been a joy watching him interact with the children and seeing them enjoy his presence.

So if you were one of the dear people who has been praying for us for our time TOGETHER, not just apart, thank you!  And thank you to all the ones who have been praying us through this year, this journey.  The growth we've experienced is something I wouldn't trade for anything.  But I still can't wait for Ted to be home for good!

No comments: