WAITING...

It seems like "WAITING" has been a theme in my life for quite some time now. If you look back to posts a year ago, we were "waiting" on many things. Even more recently I've written posts about "waiting" to see where this road we are on leads us. I have to admit that lately, I have not been doing that very well. I've been allowing myself to be overcome with details that are beyond my control...will Mike be stuck at this job forever?...Where will we be living after our lease is up in June?...What school will Paige be attending in the fall, and will she know any of her classmates?...the list goes on! Let me clarify. I know there are things I need to be doing. I know I have decisions to make and responsibilities to complete in order to get through this phase. I do not expect things will magically fall into place and be perfect (although wouldn't that be SO nice?). What I've failed to do is realize that sometimes, the "waiting" is part of the lesson. What am I doing while I'm waiting? What is my attitude? What is my approach to the God who loves me and has a plan for me? When is it time to do something, and when is it time to simply "wait?" In a sense, these are questions I've struggled with for over a year now. Until recently, my approach has been different. I'm figuring out more every day what it means for me to "wait in the Lord." It's about "waiting" in the Lord as He breaks, molds and fills me. It's painful...the "waiting." But as I had yet another UGLY CRY during church today while this song was playing (I know...another theme that seems to be creeping in these days), I was overwhelmed with a sense of peace that my God is here with me in the "waiting." That He wants this stage for me. That He is using this "waiting" time to teach me deeper truths and prepare me for His perfect plan.

So, this weekend presented us with some glorious weather to "wait" in!

Saturday morning we were all in need of a distraction, so it was off for a morning at the park...with a few treats for all!

Can I say two things(of course I can, it's my blog, right?)...1-you'll notice that Paige is wearing the same outfit in EVERY picture in this post. It is new and has been washed 3 times in 3 days...SHE LOVES HORSES! 2-my baby, my two year old son looks like a young man to me in this picture. Not sure what it is, but I was shocked when I saw it because to me, he's still a baby!

And after weeks of working 12 hour days during the week and at least 5 hours on Saturdays, this family lives it up once Saturday evening arrives! It has been so hard on the kids as they only see Mike at breakfast every day, but they are troopers. We cram everything we can into the few hours we get together on the weekends! Saturday night we all went out to dinner and just spent time together. Not rushing to the next event, not worried about bedtime or schedules. Today, after a great service, lunch with church friends and an afternoon of outdoor work and a real family meal around our kitchen table, we ended our weekend with the most perfect event possible...And despite the wind and the drama of sand in her eyes...we took in every last minute we could of our family time! Nathan gets excited now when we say the words, "beach" or "ocean." Our love for it is contagious, I guess! And I love how two year olds think...Everything is a project and needs to be analyzed. His little imagination is working so hard to figure it all out and I love to simply watch it happen. I wish I could get my little ears into his head to hear what he is thinking.Hard to believe moments before this picture was taken she was SOBBING that she doesn't like the beach and "just wants to go home!!" Within two minutes, she was back to running and playing with her brother!

This week, I will continue to "wait." The difference, you ask? I am attempting to be bold, confident and hopeful in my "waiting," because I know my God is faithful!