(YAWN)

I haven't slept in awhile.
In spite of all of the tips and tricks and sleeps aids. . .
Big fat historical novels and late night reruns. . .
I've only slept one night in the last 5.

It's not pretty.

My kids could use your prayers, as my tolerance and patience levels are at an all time low.  And the Coach isn't here to run interference.  I'm all they've got.

I'm so glad the Coach and Daughter #2 have this opportunity.  The reports from Honduras are good.  They are building (or have built) a house.  Done VBS with the children.  Practiced English with the adults. Given manicures and pedicures to teens in the girls' home.  Even dipped their feet in the clear, blue water on the white sugar sand.

I think the Coach was at a loss when their flights were all on time and went as scheduled.  Unlike last year's trip to Brazil, it DIDN'T take them 5 days to get there.

He's sent a few text messages.  All in caps.  From some one else's phone.  Each one has assured me that my girl is doing well and I'd be proud.

I knew she would, of course.  And I am, of course.

This morning, bright and early (although not as early as the Honduras crew on Saturday), I said good-bye to Son #1 who is headed to Mexico.  The trips overlap by 5 days.  5 days without the Coach OR my oldest two kids.

There's been a whole lot of letting go around here.

NOT trying to take control of preparations, shopping, packing with my young adult children.  Letting them make decisions and keep track of things.  Realizing they are going to forget something.  They are going to make mistakes.  They are going to struggle and have a bad attitude at some point.  I can't prepare them for everything and I can't do it for them.

Letting go.

But even though I am tired of being a single mom.

Even though I can't sleep.

Even though we haven't really been able to enjoy the first week of Summer, yet, with all that's had to be done.

Even though I've made more trips than I thought possible to Academy and Wal-mart between the three of them.

I wouldn't trade it.

Because these trips (the mission ones, not the Wal-mart ones) are an answer to our prayers.

Our kids (at least the two oldest) have a heart for the gospel.  They are learning that the only things that will last for eternity are God's Word and the souls of men.  They are realizing that the world is bigger than they are - that it's not all about them.  That most people in the world don't live the way we do (even if they are forced to live without cell phones and Facebook - ha!).  That they are blessed.

So I'm done whining for tonight (at least on here).

If sleep doesn't come, once again, I'll be grateful for the time to lift the Coach and my kiddos and their teams up in prayer.  I'll thank the Lord again and again for His blessing in these opportunities.  I'll be grateful that I'm not on my own with 6 babies, but instead, I have an almost 13 year old down to a 4+ year old.  All of which can dress themselves, feed themselves, go to sleep on their own, and be a tremendous help to me.

And I would be so very grateful for your prayers, as well.  For the Coach and the team (including my sweet girl) in Honduras.  For Son #1 and the team on their way to Mexico for 12 days.

And would you ask the Lord to send me some sleep?

My kids would be grateful for a more rested momma.  And I would be grateful to have the "fog" in my brain clear out.  Without the assistance of large quantities of Diet Dr. Pepper and Advil.

Happy Wednesday!

Countdown to Summer

I'm happy to report that things are hopping here at the troops!  In spite of multiple "trials", we are moving along towards the end of the school year.

The Coach and Son #3 made it safely back from their trip NE.  Had a fabulous time!  I'm enjoying the fact that we are all together for a bit before the next adventures begin.  It is NICE to be together.

After the car accident (the Odyssey is now in the shop and we are driving a loaner), we've also dealt with a stolen credit car number, an eye emergency (she's fine!), a dental emergency (taken care of with lots of time at the dentist, yesterday), an 8th grade girls party at our farm over the weekend, countless chiropractor appointments, and lets not forget  - free breakfast at Chick-fil-A all week!  Except we've only made it there, once.  And did I mention that knee pain is keeping me from my daily runs?  Ugh.

One of the kids said, "Mom, what is the DEAL with our family, lately?"

And I know what he means.

That expression, "When it rains, it pours"?

I'm feeling it.

But in spite of it all, God is faithful.  He's provided.  Comforted.  Cared for us.  I've seen character growing by leaps and bounds in my kiddos.  Particularly the ones who have been going through these trials, of course.  And even in the Coach.  Who is already such a strong, Godly, man of character that it amazes me.

No there hasn't been a lot of time for relaxing.  Sitting down, even.  Certainly not for blogging.

But only 7 more days of early mornings. . . packing 8 lunches. . . signing notebooks. . . washing and filling water bottles. . . washing school pants at night. . . listening to reading, math facts, study sheets, verses.  . .

Now that I think about it?  I'm going to miss it.  I can't believe another school year is coming to an end.

I'm going to miss our fabulous, sweet, capable, amazing teachers.  How I love them!  I'm going to miss the content of what my kids are learning every day.  I'm going to miss the "community" of our school and how much I love that my kids are all there, together, with their daddy, uncle, papa, cousins. . .

Well, I guess the cousin part won't change - it will just move to our back yard!

Yay for Summer!

So in the meantime, I'll enjoy the end of the year festivities, assemblies, parties, class events.  I'll take lots of pictures that will never make it off my computer (or camera, honestly), I'll fix hair and help choose clothes and keep packing those lunches and buying those snacks.  I'll help the Coach and Son #1 and Daughter #2 gather the things they need for their mission trips.  I'll keep filling out forms. . . SO many forms!  I'll keep driving back and forth, back and forth (and putting gas in the van!).  I'll keep letting the answering machine take care of the phone calls.  I'll keep piling the mail up on the counter and throwing the clean laundry in the living room chair.

Because Summer is coming!

Happy Wednesday!

Absence makes the heart grow fonder. . .

and tired.

(sigh)

I haven't slept too badly without the Coach home.  Except for that one night when 1/2 of the kids ended up in bed WITH me.  Let me just say. . . we do NOT go for the whole "family bed" thing.  Ugh.  If that works for you, great.  I'm entertained by the stories that Kelle tells about her sweet girls sleeping with them.  It's not for us.  Or me.

But as the nights have passed, I've started having trouble GOING to sleep.  Once I'm asleep, I'm fine.  But getting there hasn't been easy. . . in spite of my experiments with Benadryl, Melatonin, and Unisom.  All of which work beautifully.  Some of the time.

I think I'm just ready for him to be home.

Duh.

Not to be one of those bloggers who gives TMI. . . but the Coach?  He hums in his sleep.  And sings, sometimes.  And puts out his arm to drape over my waist.  Or the general area where I used to have a waist. 

Yes, sometimes he hogs the covers (and then has the audacity to accuse me of being a blanket hog!).  Or takes over my pillow when I go to the bathroom in the middle of the night (a side effect of the 9 pregnancies, I'm afraid).

But it WAY beats sleeping alone.

However, these late nights (trying to get REALLY sleepy before I crawl in bed) have been interesting in their own way.  The Coach is an "early to bed, early to rise" kind of guy.  Actually, that would be an understatement of the worst kind.  The man has been known to go to bed BEFORE 9:00.  Which to a reformed night owl like myself?  Incomprehensible. 

I've learned over the years to get up early, even though I still hate it.  The Coach has learned, over the years, not to TALK to me in the morning.  And it's all worked out wonderfully.

I, however, have NOT learned that trying to talk to the Coach after 9:30 will inevitably end with the sounds of his snoring.  How in the world does someone so thin, I mean FIT and BUFF, snore?  It's a mystery.

But without the early to bed mandates, I've been wasting a LOT of time.  Enjoying the quiet.  Catching up on Frasier episodes that I haven't watched since Little Man was a newborn (remember those 10:00 feedings that keep you up until 12?).  Perusing blogs that I ran out of time to read years ago.  Like Bakerella and a long way from the Theta house.  Reading up about some sweet friends like Blackberry Rambles and Then there were Six.  Making wish lists for online shopping.  This swimsuit (what do you think?) and this running dress.  Did you see that ?  A RUNNING DRESS!  I'm in heaven.  These shoes for all of the time I spend on my feet NOT running - because they are cute.  For running I need a new pair of these. 

As you can see?  I have no trouble wasting late night time.

I even started reading this book.  Again.  First time since high-school, I think.  No one writes like Eugenia.  No one.  Every fiction author I've read since I read everything she wrote, I've compared to her.  The deep South.  The beautifully descriptive way she writes.  Her characters.  LOVE.  Her books transport YOU to St. Simons Island.  Who doesn't want that?

It's not that I haven't accomplished "real" things while the Coach has been gone.  Hmmmm.  Let me think.

Well.

The house is neat and tidy.  Sort of clean.  OH!  I. . . um. . . I've gotten the kids to school on time every morning.  Does that count? 

Good thing he'll be home in a couple of days.  It's about time I get my act together and get something DONE around here.

And I miss his humming.

The God of all Comfort

Today started out well.  Good night's sleep.  Not too sore from yesterday's 1/2 marathon. Kids off to school with few delays.  House in decent order. Time for a shower.  And a visit with a sweet friend and her girls.
I even took a short nap with Little Man.

Then the kids got in the car at school and started bickering.
Little Man demonstrated that his nap was WAY too short.
At home everyone was starving and cranky.
No one liked anyone else.
I wished for the Coach to come home and rescue me.

Trying to make things better, I headed out to pick up pizza for dinner.
Went by for a short visit with my parents.
Pulled out onto the road outside their neighborhood.
Stopped at the red light.

and SMACK.

We were hit from behind.
Hard.
Scaring us to death.
Slamming us into the car in front of us.
Messing up the back of our Odyssey pretty badly.
Destroying the other car completely.

My dad came quickly.
Telling me what to do next when I couldn't think straight.
Calling the police for us.
Reminding me to exchange information with the driver.

We cleared the cars off the road.
Waited for the police.
Who then said they really didn't need to come and we could both go on.

The pizza was purchased.
The dinner eaten in chaos.

And our sweet sitter came to say good-bye before she moves away.

When she left, I thought "I can't do this."

The Coach is gone.
The car is wrecked.
The house is mess.
The kids are up too late.
I'm exhausted.
My BSF lesson isn't done.
And I already miss my "Chelle".

I'm SO DONE with this day, Lord.

But once the children were tucked in safe and sound, I turned to His Word. 

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort."

And then. . .

"We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.  He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us."
(2 Cor. 1:3-7, 8b-10)


So. . .
The house is still a mess.
The dishes are still in the sink.
The laundry isn't folded.
My BSF lesson isn't finished.
I'm still tired.
The Coach is still gone.
The car is still wrecked.
And our sweet babysitter won't be right down the street, anymore.

But if you need some comfort, tonight?  I'm your girl.

He has given me life everlasting. . . and He will give me the strength for this life, as well.

God is the blessed controller of all things.

And I trust Him.

Thankful Thursday

This post is dedicated to the passengers on two "luxury motor coaches" driving somewhere in Virginia, due to arrive in Williamsburg sometime tonight.  Especially Melissa.  (grin)

1.  A absolutely beautiful day!  Makes it hard to believe there has been such severe weather and tragic loss of life in parts of our nation.  Our prayers are with those who are suffering.  Stories like this one will make you cry.  And then hold tightly to your loved ones.

2.  Safety for the Coach and Son #3 on their travels through the severe weather.  Sounds like the trip is going well so far.  And they are almost to Williamsburg - one of my favorite places EVER (and I've been a lot of places in the world).  My mother faithfully instilled in me a love for all things early American.  If you've seen her house, you understand what I mean!  

3.  Healthy kids.  And no encore of Sunday's nasty stomach virus.  Thank you, Lord!

4. The basic comforts of life.  Realizing that some are without these things today makes me more aware of what blessings they are.  Home.  Food.  Soft beds (as Little Man would tell you).  New carpet.  Clean clothes.  Vehicles that are dependable (especially since I've been making the trek to school twice each day).  Hot showers.  Plumbing.  Running water.  The list is endless, really.

5.  That my parents are home from their travels to East TX this week.  (big sigh of relief)  I'm sure the audience was blessed to have them at the homeschool conference.  I know my dad's session was fabulous!  But I will admit the comfort of knowing they are back safe and sound and only 3 miles away!

6.  Sonic Diet D.P.  (don't tell the Coach, Melissa!)  I know it's a luxury.  But some days you just NEED it.

7.  Lunch with sweet friends and their precious little ones and YUMMY grilled cheese sandwiches. . . it was delightful!  Thanks to the amazing Amanda!

8.  A GREAT night's sleep.  What an answer to prayer.  Truly Benadryl is a gift from God.  And the kids?  All slept like teenagers.  HA!  (We've been discussing that the expression "slept like a baby" is not really accurate, but we KNOW how teenagers sleep around here!)

9.  Dinner in the oven and smelling yummy.  It's not HEALTHY, but it's yummy.  And the kids love it and can handle the calories.  (See how they are out jumping on the trampoline while I sit here at the desk?)

10.  1/2 marathon training OVER.  Whew.  Two miles to WALK tomorrow, and then it's downhill to Sunday morning.  I'm excited!  Not about the weather forecast, but about seeing how it goes.  

11.  A friend to run with.  When we found out that the Coach would be out of town. . . and then that my Mom wouldn't be able to run with me. . . I was BUMMED.  Think 13.1 miles of pain - without someone to laugh with.  But God, in His providence (that's for you American Christian History Tour friends), provided.  Yay!

12.  Help from our sweet sitter on Sunday morning getting the kids downtown, finding me, providing my own personal cheering section for the finish.  Can't wait!

And now, sweet people, it's time to be off.  I am so grateful for your prayers for us.  God is so good.  He'd still be good even if things were ROUGH here, but I'm praising Him for the blessings, right now.

Enjoy your Thursday!

Reminding myself. . .

Things are hopping here at the troops.

I know that's nothing new. 

But normally. . . no matter how busy it gets. . . or how many different directions we are going. . .

The Coach and I?

We are a team.

A great team, in my humble opinion.

I'm glad we depend on each other.  I'm glad I need him so desperately to keep me focused and help me take deep breaths when I start to panic.  I'm glad he needs me to find things for him.  Ha!

We balance each other in so many ways.

And without him?  I'm seriously UNbalanced.

Tomorrow, he and Son #3 leave for Washington DC.  Our school's wonderful 6th grade government tour.  The Coach was blessed to be able to go with Son #1, 3 years ago.  I was blessed to be able to go with Daughter #2, two years ago.

And now it's his turn, again.

I know things are different than they were three years ago.  Or even last year when he went to Brazil for a long stretch.  Kids are older.  Schedule is busier.  He's not taking my "oldest" this time.  They will be here to pitch in.

But I'll miss him so much.

God provided for him to go, and I'm so grateful.

It will be wonderful for the two of them to do this together and share these memories.  Wonderful, precious, life-long memories.

And as another bonus, at least the Coach and I have texting on our phones now.  (smile)

The Lord keeps bringing back to mind my favorite verses from our BSF Isaiah study this year:

"Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength."  Is. 40:28,29
I DO faint. I DO grow weary.  Discouraged, disheartened, overwhelmed, frustrated. . .

But the Lord?  His might is endless.  His strength is available to me.  ME!

Yes, I am looking at 9 days without my Coach.
Yes, we have an extremely busy schedule these two weeks.
Yes, Daughter #5 is still recovering from the stomach flu and I realize the whole houseful of troops could get sick.
Yes, I am running a 1/2 marathon on Sunday morning.
Yes, I have trouble sleeping without the Coach.
Yes, I will have to do all of the driving to and from school, practice, doctor's appointments, parties, etc.

I look ahead and see that I do NOT have the strength or ability to handle this on my own.

(although it's great practice for when the Coach and Daughter #2 will be in Honduras and Son #1 will be in Mexico for mission trips in June!)

BUT He gives power to the faint.

HE gives strength those who are weak.

(that's me!)

Thank you, Lord for your provision.
For the blessing of your timing.
For the opportunity of this trip.

And the strength to do what needs to be done these next 9 days.

I am trusting the Lord.  I am depending on HIM to enable me, give me discernment, wisdom, and the physical "might" to get it all done.

If the Lord brings us to mind, would you pray for our family during these next two weeks?  I would be so grateful!

Happy Tuesday!

Well, that explains a lot!

We've been having some discussions here at the troops about some of the differences in the way that men and women think.

It all started when Daughter #2 wanted the Coach to help her figure out her ride to her volleyball tournament last Saturday.  Except the Coach was watching how to videos on texturing walls on the laptop. So I had to explain to her that it wasn't that he didn't care, his mind was focused on something else.  But she couldn't understand why watching a video meant he couldn't ALSO think about her ride predicament.

Since she's a female and all.

Then at lunch yesterday, with my mom, she and I were talking (as we always do), moving from one topic to another with lightening speed.  One of the boys said, "What does THAT have to do with THAT and how did you start talking about THAT when you hadn't even finished saying what you started to say about THAT???"

Now if YOU are a female (I'll assume most of you are, since you are reading my blog, which my brother has informed me is, "Nice, but too girly for me."), you know exactly what we were doing.

But my sons?

It was perplexing to them.

So Grandmother (Who is always teaching the kids something.  Always.  Just ask them.) began to explain that boys brains are like boxes that open and close.  Everything has it's own box.  Only one box is open at a time.  No box touches any other box. And they even have a NOTHING box (I'm so jealous of that.).  They can open and close those boxes at will.  When they are thinking about "work", they aren't thinking about "home".  But they can drive home and close the "work" box and open the "home" box.

Girls, on the other hand, have brains like spaghetti (which my boys found HYSTERICAL) and each thing is like a string that touches every other string.  It's all there.  All the time.  Connected to everything else. The only time something is "out" of our thinking, is when it's solved or finished or taken care of.  Otherwise, it's there.  Always there.

(This may or may not be why I am SO tired all of the time!)

She also told them that when you ask a guy what he's thinking about and he says, "Nothing."  He means it.  I added that when you ask a girl what she's thinking about and she says, "Nothing," she's probably mad at you.

(smile)

My kids found this all very interesting and there was lots of, "That's true!" and "I'm like that." heard around the table.

Then at dinner that night, we started discussing it, again.  Daughter explaining that it all started because she couldn't get dad's attention when he was watching something on the computer.

Son #1 said, "Yeah.  It's true.  Like at lunch, when we were talking about this?  I was thinking, 'Food'.  Then a car would go by, outside, and I'd think, 'Cool car!'.  Then when the car was gone I'd think, 'Food!'"

At this point, I was laughing so hard I thought I'd be sick.
Another good illustration of this difference is using the idea of a computer desktop.  Men open ONE window at a time.  Before they open another window, they close the one on the desktop.  And yes, there is a "nothing" window here, too.

Women, on the other hand have EVERY POP UP BOX open.  All at the same time and all together.  We only close one if it's not longer relevant because we've fixed it, finished it, or delegated it to someone else.  We can't open and close them at will.  They ARE open.

The reason I'm telling you this is because it's important to teach your kids about men and women, relationships, how to understand one another, and how to get along.  I have parents who were fabulous at teaching us as we went through life.  They used the examples around us to teach us about God, marriage, church, family, and relationships.

THIS is how our kids learn.

The laughter is just a bonus.

And don't you think it's amazing that God made us different, unique, and perfectly fit for life as male and female?  If the Coach tried to juggle this household, he'd go nuts.  Too much all at the same time.  However, I don't have the FOCUS that he needs to do his job.  He can zero in and get things done, solve problems, etc.  I just flit from here to there. 

So we ARE different, but instead of being frustrated by those differences?  We see God's purpose in them.

The topic has continued here at the troops.  Last night the Coach was talking to me about a situation, while I was writing and answering e-mails.  No problem, right?  But then he started expecting me to answer his questions, with more than "Yes, uh huh, no, I think so."  Like REAL answers to REAL questions WHILE I was reading and typing and thinking about my email.

Finally, I said, "OK.  Here's the thing.  I can LISTEN to you and think about what you are saying WHILE I'm reading and writing.  But if you want me to enter this discussion with more than just a quick response, you'll have to wait until I finish this!"

We were both laughing by the time I said this because here we had just been talking about how women can think about everything at the same time.  He said, "You mean you CAN'T think about it all at once?"

Being able to laugh at YOURSELF is the best bonus of all.

*Son #4 just came in and said, "Mom?  You know how we were looking at all of the cool cars go by at Chick-fil-A on Wednesday?  I could do that all day long!"

Happy Friday!

(Thanks, Carrie, for sending this - THIS is SO funny!)