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Jun. 27, 2008 - Whose flow is this anyway?

!!!HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!! Had to get that in first

There are things we look forward to.  Springtime. A break from routine (and school).  The first peaches of the year.  Hydrangea blooms. 

There are things we expect.  The next day to come.  Kids to interrupt when we get on the phone. Our car to start when we jump in.

What do we do when few things happen that we expect and most things go in a completely unexpected direction?

Back in May I carefully crafted a beautiful calendar for June and July with all of the things that needed to be done fit in nicely.  I felt so assured that all would be done in a timely manner and I would coast into August ready for school before the baby in September.  You're laughing aren't you?  or maybe not.

I'm sure that the folks in Iowa and Missouri did not wake up one morning in June and say " You know , today seems like a great day to have the house flood and lose everything.  I'll put that on my to do list."   My unexpected's are no where near that magnitude, nor the other situations that I've witnessed over the last month.  But they have wreaked there own level of havoc on what I had planned.  God has a "heavenly shredder" - it has been doing overtime in our lives this month.  (I'm following this post with a song we sing out of the Trinity Hymnal)

Brief synopsis:  (I'm not going to apologize anymore for long-posts.  I'm an  ardent blogging basics rule breaker)

Haven't gotten curriculum ordered.  We just had a used currciculum sale within our support league and I sold some and bought some.  Saved $ - that's good  Still have enormous Rainbow order to put in along within a few others and I'm sweating getting everything back in time to get organized enough to start school when I think I need too.  But that is just the thing.  Maybe I don't need to when I think I do?

Had unexpected family visits, not unpleasant :), just not planned.  Then we went and helped them move.  I'm glad we got to see them and the Lord threw in a washer and dryer that we couldn't afford, but someone else could.  We didn't think we needed it yet, even though ours are aging.  But would you believe this Sat. the washer just flat died? (of course, our sheets were in there b/c I wanted to sleep on clean sheets after the hectic Sat. we had!)  After all the other things this month that have broken down, I just looked at my husband and said, well at least the dryer works. And praise the Lord He knew we needed a new washer and dryer before we did.  Now we just need to get a trailer hitch put on the only working car and drive up to AL to get it  :)  which will be Thursday - that's at least 2-3 loads p/day x 4 days, I'm sure we'll out be out of underwear by then but if I catch up on ironing at least we'll have outerwear

The cars - Our ancient but faithful mini-van, which we outgrew 2 years ago, has been in sick bay in the driveway since end of May.  We were deciding whether or not to fix it or get a 'new-to-us' car.  After driving the 12 passenger gas guzzler exclusively this past month - yup, cost us $102 dollars to fill it up yesterday, we have decided to fix old faithful and keep saving for a good second car.  (incidentally, we can be conditioned so easily - my son yells out - look! gas is only $3.91 over there!  That's cheap someone exclaims.  I shook my head as I pulled in and said to dh - do you hear what you're saying?  Have we lost all perspective?  $3.91 is NOT cheap for gas!!!  Amazing)

I came home Fri. evening and we discovered that our 22 month old can, with ease, climb in and out of his crib and that he can now climb up to the top bunk even though we took out the two bottom rungs.  OK, planned on moving him to the toddler bed in August.  Last night we began the time-honored tradtion of training  a child to stay in bed.  Some of our children were a breeze, a few were tough.  This kid - uugghh.  But, bright spot - we have an alarm system built in the room.  4yo brother yells at the top of his lungs everytime little guy climbs out - He's climbing out of his bed!!!!  So after the 10th trip into the room, our youngest got weary of the game and went to sleep.  Oh, we took the ladder totally off the bunk bed and just boost our 8yo son up when it's time for bed.

Lastly, a little word about summer activities.  I do not like them.  I want my children to get bored.  I thought I had scaled back enough, but apparently not b/c I still feel like a crazy person.  I want to be home, planning, organizing, cleaning and then just playing with my kids, reading a little - you know, relaxing?? So after a month I'm ready to nix art classes, which we usually do during the summer, we haven't gone to any park days yet, and no one is allowed to have any more birthday parties or baby showers. except tomorrow is 8yo son's b'day. 

We got one of those big above ground "bag pools" ,I call them, and the kids are enjoying that.  I like it too, but going up the ladder is um, well unflattering at this point.  Yes, I'm large.  I've got 12 weeks 2 days to go and I'm already ready.  Oh yes, we do have a baby coming soon too. Now that I'm planning on, expecting, and looking forward to, but after all the lessons that God has been teaching us about going with His flow, not ours, I'm not going to assume that everything will go as it always has. 

The last day of June - I can hear the shredder revving up for July :)

~CIndy

( I started this post three days ago...)

your two cents

Jul. 1, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by Jen

I get such a blessing from your posts. I never thought this would be how I kept up with you, but such is the stage of life we are in. Full-time missionaries in our own homes, what a priviledge. Your honesty about your daily trials are such an encouragement to me and the way you lay them before the Lord is why you are such a special friend to me. I love you and miss you and I pray that July will not be so challenging. I look forward to reading about it though :)

Jen
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Jul. 4, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by floridasunsets

Oh, I am so glad it's not just me. Thanks for the fun post. It's a great reminder that no matter how much we plan, God's the one really in control. Have a safe holiday!
Betty
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