And it begins...

The busy season is upon us.  We have had some time off since December and tonight it ramps back up.  Our first volleyball game of the season is tonight.  We also have Benji's and Calah's well-child appointments tonight after dinner but before the game.  So, I'll have to rush to Subway to meet them for a quick dinner right after work, then head across the street to the doctor, hoping and praying we can get in and out fast.  Then, I have to bring the kids to my mom's house and then double back to the church for warm-ups and the game.  I am super excited about playing this year as it is the first year that I am not either pregnant or just recently given birth (3 c-sections; not great on the body for playing sports right away) plus I am the lightest weight I've been in over 10 years.  But I do have some other pains and mis-alignments that I never had before, so we'll see how that bodes for volleyball.  Either way, it'll be a fun time with some friends and a great workout.

Tomorrow night, we're having dinner with our Grace Group while our kids are being watched by the amazing babysitter! Wait, a whole dinner without interruptions?? What is that like? We were long overdue until last night when our church hosted a Date Night event as a celebration of Valentine's Day.  They had a very filling, very tasty dinner catered by one of our own restaurant owners, and brought in dance instructors for us to learn a few steps.  They taught us the rhumba.  It was really funny to watch (funny to us AND to other people watching us) how awkward we all moved at first. But after a while, we got the rhythm of it and had fun, sweat and all.  We really should take that couple's class but that would mean another night of being out of the house and away from our kids.  So, for now, we'll just stick to the few steps we learned.

Our ASL (American Sign Language) class has been going fairly well and the boys seem to be absorbing a lot of the signs and have been increasingly paying more attention.  Both weeks, though, we've had very disruptive children (DIFFERENT ONES), so it's been a bit distracting.  I love using my brain and learning new things. As someone that graduated college 10 years- a long time ago, trust me; it's easy to let your brain go to mush after a while especially when your most intelligent conversations are with a toddler.  And yes, I do work outside the home.

I'm just checking in since it had been a while since my last post.  Not much to report but I'm sure as this season gets going, there will be plenty.

Grief yields relief

Relief is so, well, relieving.  In our case, though, it came as a result of a bad situation.  We lost Greg's dad two months and two days ago.  It was a punch in the face because of how sudden it was.  But, we received the biggest blessing out of it.  He named his wife and children as beneficiaries on his life insurance policy through the federal government.  We will be able to keep our house longer, pay off most of our debt, and upgrade one of the cars when the purple van dies.  The burden has been lifted off of my shoulders.  Two years into the valley process, we are starting to see the sun again. God has been with us this whole time and has blessed us with great family and friends and provided jobs when we really, desperately needed them.  Our kids have been able to stay at home with Hubs and are THRIVING! Thank you Lord for keeping our eyes on You through the past two years of frustration and desperation.  You have never wavered; You were never anxious.  You already knew the plans (Jer 29:11) for our family.

I think that it hasn't quite sunk in all the way yet just how big a deal this all is.  I felt like this would never happen for so long.  And yet, I feel a twinge of guilt because we'd much rather have Greg's dad back on this earth if we had to choose. If we could choose.

Thank you Lord for the love that You continue to show us every day.  We love You and serve You, albeit imperfectly. You are our protective Father and Healer.