The last few weeks have been awesome and agonizing, inspiring and indifferent, up and down, but one thing has shown clearly in it all: God's hand and his love for me. Who would have thought a year ago that I would ever make it to England for a whole week... kid free! I kept waiting for the rug to get pulled out on my trip and (other than some serious sinus wonkiness on Monday night) I made it though the entire week illness free - even from my food allergies! My friends also said that I had a special gift of finding nice bathrooms and that the weather had been especially good. All this was the cherry on top of my amazing visit. I felt so blessed!
I wouldn't have ever planned to get sick right after getting back, especially with Lou leaving just over 36 hours after my return, but when I did the boys were just incredible and took such good care of me that it was like Lou was still here. Mom even watched the boys extra long so I could catch up on sleep. I was able to be sick and then pamper myself and get better without threatening or bribing anyone including my kids.
Today was another great example. We had made plans to visit The Great Pumpkin Patch in Hayden today, but instead we ended up ordering pizza and letting the kids get to know some new friends while the moms talked for hours. It wasn't my plan, but it was great. Then when we finally headed home we decided to stop for movies at Blockbuster. When we got back to my car 15 minutes later it was dead. No, it was REALLY DEAD. I called my dad and he was across the street at WalMart and would be there in 5 minutes. Saved! As I sat down on the curb to wait, a man in a pick up truck asked if I was having car trouble. "Yes, sir, I am, but my dad is on his way." Well, ma'am, he said, I am a mechanic and I don't mind taking a quick look at it. So five minutes later I had not one, but TWO men with real mechanical skills jumping my car off and telling me my battery was toast. We drove it back to Mom and Dad's house where Mom was just getting home. She offered her car and I jumped in, making it to church in enough time to be on time for Bible study and praise team practice. When I returned to Mom and Dad's, my car had a new battery and I knew I could drive to Huntsville safely in the morning.
Things don't always go in the way I would want or the "perfect" way, but I have learned that my way isn't always the way that leads to the biggest blessings. When things aren't going my way now, I make an effort to pray, "Let me know what you have in store" and then listen. It's not always about me, and my path wanders about, but He has always made the path clear, if not strait. So today I am thankful. Fully deeply blessedly grateful for all the things God has given and taken away.
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