Just a week ago Roger and I were checking into our bed-and-breakfast for our mini getaway! It was a glorious thirty-six hours together, and we soaked it up! I’m thankful for so many friends and my sister for making it possible!
On Wednesday morning, Allison and I finally got away for a walk and some time together. The school year gets so busy that sometimes a month or more has gone by before we’ve actually been able to have a lengthy conversation! We had a great walk, spent some time shopping for bargains, and headed back to school. Originally, my sister, Hannah, had planned to come down on Wednesday afternoon. She would watch the kids, take them to school, and then take Emma with her for the day and overnight on Thursday. However, she sent me a text on Wednesday morning to say that Josh wasn’t feeling well, and she wasn’t sure she would be able to come down on Wednesday afternoon. I immediately went through several scenarios in my mind of other possibilities, but my mind was coming up blank. My biggest concern was Emma on Thursday as she doesn’t have school, and someone needs to watch her all day. Hannah sent me a text a bit later to say that she was planning on coming down anyways, and it would be fine. However, I didn’t want her to feel like she should come down when she was concerned about Josh. So, I made a phone call to Claire, who was going to take the kids after school on Thursday. I explained my dilemma, and she said sure, the boys could stay at her house for two nights. That solved the boys. Hannah said that she could meet me at school and just take Emma with her back to her house. Emma would stay two nights with her. Whew! Problems solved! Roger managed to get away from work a bit earlier than normal, so we checked in about 5:30pm. It’s been over 16 months since we’ve been away with just the two of us! We enjoyed supper together at a quiet local restaurant, took a walk, and enjoyed uninterrupted conversations! It was so nice to be able to have conversations where we did have to talk in “code”. You know when you try to describe something without your kids figuring out what you’re talking about?! We discussed everything under the sun in the course of our mini date, and it was refreshing for both of us. On Thursday, we were up long before it was time for breakfast! Our lives revolve around early mornings, so we were still up before six. We savoured coffee, went for a long walk, and came back and lingered over breakfast. The owners of the bed and breakfast are delightful people. She is the picture of southern hospitality, and her husband is from England. I enjoyed conversing with them, and I would strongly recommend the Blackberrry Inn. Roger had a flight physical scheduled for later that afternoon, so we wandered over to the town it was in. We visited several quaint shops, walked along the water, ate lunch at a cute local spot, and enjoyed time that was not confined to a schedule! Roger had to be at work by 5:30 on Friday morning, so I took him to work. When I got back to the inn, I realized that I wasn’t going to fall back asleep. So instead I went for a run. I can’t remember the last time I was able to go on a morning run, and I was reminded of why I like it so much. The streets are quiet, the birds are singing, it’s the perfect opportunity to visit with my Heavenly Father, and I enjoy exercise! My friend, Claire, joined me for breakfast since Roger was working. She dropped off the boys at school, and then came over for breakfast. She said the boys did very well, and I was glad to hear that they weren’t a problem. My sister, Hannah, dropped off Emma at school, and I picked her up at 11:30. While I did miss our kids, it was so good to get away for a while. Truly, I love our children, but when they move on with their lives it’s going to be important that I have a good relationship with Roger! I came back refreshed and recharged, and I am ready to finish out the school year...I think! I’m so thankful to all that made this getaway possible!
I leaped right back into the craziness of Fridays after school! The two older boys had a birthday party that they had been invited to, so after piano lessons I took them to the party. It was at a mini golf course, and the boys were excited. I also had three younger children that were extremely disappointed that it wasn’t for them. It’s hard to see our children disappointed, but honestly, sometimes life is like that! I don’t want to be the “snowplow” parent that removes as many difficult obstacles as possible from their lives. I truly believe that disappointments, struggles, and challenges are a part of all of our lives, and I can help my children by helping them face those rather than remove them! (I know, it’s a weird concept in today’s society sometimes!) I took the three younger ones out to the airport for a bit, and then we went back to pick up the older boys. The older boys did have a good time, but it was nice to hear them tell their brothers that it would’ve been nice if you could’ve come too. Whew! It’s good to know that they DO care about each other!!
Saturday was a bit of a rainy day in the afternoon, so we worked in the yard in the morning. The boys cut grass, cute down a tree, and played outside. Roger did trash and took Chandler to get his cans/bottles counted. That kid has made $33.00 this summer in collecting cans and bottles! I took him to the bank and then he had to go grocery shopping with me. None of the kids enjoy coming along when it’s time to grocery shop, but they sure do enjoy it when I come home with food!
Last Saturday, Chandler asked Roger to take him to the jewelry store. He had collected some more jewelry through several yard sales. He’s on the hunt for gold, as the price is good right now. Chandler checks the value of gold every couple of days, and he was anxious to see what his stuff was worth. I refuse to go to the jewelry store as that’s not my department! So off Roger went with Chandler and the other boys in tow! They went to the same store they had gone to a while back. Chandler dumped his “treasures” in the counter. The jeweler told him that most of his gold was costume jewelry, but he did have enough to sell. He told Chandler that he would give him $15.00 for his gold. Chandler looked over at Roger, but Roger said it’s not my decision. Chandler thought about it, and then said to the jeweler, “How about twenty dollars?” This kid! The jeweler is a good sport and kind to Chandler. He replied that he had already rounded up to $15.00. Chandler looked like he was going to collect it all up and bring it back in at another time. The jeweler told him, “How about fifteen dollars, but I’ll give you this two dollar bill also?” Chandler thought about that for a minute, and then agreed to the price. So he spent two dollars and aquired seventeen dollars! I love our kids, and I am so thankful that Roger is willing to take him to the jewelry store! The jewelry person gave Chandler some tips on what to look for in good jewelry, and Chandler is excited about the challenge of finding more treasures. I think what touched my heart most of all is when I saw Chandler put that two dollar bill in the offering plate on Sunday. Neither Roger nor I mentioned that he should give some money back to the Lord, but he did it of his own volition. That was special to my heart.
Monday was Memorial Day. Roger was working, so I decided to bring lunch out to him. We packed a picnic lunch for all the pilots that were working, and Roger’s boss also brought some stuff for the picnic. We had a feast of brats, hotdogs, hamburgers, and so much food! It was a bit on the chilly side for weather, but the picnic was nice. It’s always good to interact with the other pilots at Roger’s work, and it was a way for us to see Roger on this holiday. After the picnic, the kids and I headed out to a cabin. Our pastor and his extended family have a cabin on a lake, and they were having a cleanup day. The boys enjoy going down there, and even though it was much too cold for swimming, it was a good time. I spent some time raking and helping to clean up while the boys played with their Airsoft guns with the pastor’s son. It’s a great place for the boys to be boys, and they have a great time using their imaginations! At the end of the afternoon, the boys decided to have kayak races. I knew that someone would end up wet, but it’s life! Sure enough, Travis, Chandler, and Wyatt, all ended up being wet from the waist down! Oh well! They certainly had a good time, and I was glad they had a fun afternoon. We went home to take showers, check for ticks, and get ready for school the next day. The ticks aren’t too bad down by the lake, but they are pretty thick in our neck of the woods. Emma has to be checked over every single night, and most nights we pull two or three ticks off every day! Lyme disease is a huge deal out here, so ticks are soemthing we are cautious and consistent about checking. The boys pull them off too, but they generally just take care of getting the ticks off themselves, and then telling me that they had a tick. For whatever reason, it would appear that the ticks are more attracted to Emma, Garett, and Travis. Chandler and Wyatt seem to rarely get ticks, so it’s an odd phenomenon to me. I recognize that the ticks are bad, and we are cautious about checking for them, but we can’t live in fear either. These kids are already turning brown with the sun on their skin, they practically live outside, and they’d probably never come in the house if I was willing to throw food out on the back porch every once in a while! We are just trusting the Lord to help us spot the ticks, and we will continue to pray for His protection. God is faithful...always!
Hooray! That sums up another week in our lives, and we have thirteen days of school to go! Please be in prayer as we finish up the school year. Also, our Vacation Bible school will take place just a week after school gets out. There is always so much to do, and Roger and I have been working and talking about this for weeks now. Please pray for clarity of thought, wisdom, God’s protection, unity among those working, the children that will be coming, and that God will be glorified! We rejoice in WHO He is, and WHAT He is coming to do.
Colossians 2:6-7 “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.”
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