Tug o' War

There it is again... that feeling of being pulled into a thousand directions at once.

I often ask myself if all mothers feel caught in this constant battle or if it is limited to working mothers only.

We arrived a few days ago after 5 weeks in Virginia.  The grace of God covered us.  Prayers lifted up on our behalf were answered- I could see the results.  We changed homes 10 times in 5 weeks- sometimes packing up 3 suitcases, crib, stroller, 2 backpacks, diaper bag, carry-on luggage, plus personal items for just one night in a new place.  (yes, I actually had to travel with all of that and more!)

relaxing at the Chesapeake Bay

Still, there were times when the children hadn't let me sleep more than a few hours a night for several nights and I thought I would absolutely collapse with exhaustion- and just then both boys would sleep for 7 to 8 hours and I would at least feel alive again (if not totally energetic).  There were 4 and 5 hour car trips in which both boys miraculously slept most of the way.  There was that week towards the end of our stay when I felt like lifting and lugging all those suitcases to the car ONE MORE TIME was too much of a mountain for me- and my nephews stepped in and did all the heavy work.  There was the bout with Strep throat which left me with a toddler who cried nonstop for 3 days- and somehow God provided the strength I needed to also deal with a preschooler in the midst of all of that.  And thankfully the preschooler never got sick!

before my husband had returned to Guate

And every time I would hear my husband's voice over the phone and long for home I would feel the Lord tug on my heart and whisper His promise to me that I CAN do all things through CHRIST who strengthens me.    And I was strengthened. 

a ride in Papa's dump truck

We saw friends we hadn't seen in years.  We visited churches we hadn't visited in a long, long time.  We were blessed to be able to enjoy activities with friends and family.  It was a successful trip full of glory.

Cohen "singing" at VBS

And now we are home.

And we hit the ground running.  Just in time to meet a mission team.

This team is awesome.  I am so glad I have met these amazing people.  More about them and all they are doing in the next blog.  For now let me just say that Monday was a long work day followed by Tuesday- a day which I began way before dawn.

As I worked with the team yesterday I knew that I couldn't subject my boys to yet another long week of no rest and no routine.  We have just come from 5 weeks of that.  Corban is just now getting back into school after missing several weeks.  They need to rest.  I need to "rest" (as if that really exists in my life right now).  Corban has make-up work, Cohen has a doctor appointment, We have personal and ministerial errands to do... so I made a decision to lay low with this mission team and only join them on occasion.    

I can now see that despite those mixed feelings I always get when I feel as though I need to be all places at once- this was the right decision for now.  Cohen was up for about 4 or 5 hours crying last night and he hasn't stopped crying today.  Makes me wonder if his strep throat isn't trying to make a reappearance. 

I can see how God's hand was in the decision made to let my staff handle this mission team and let me handle my family. 

It is the same old game of tug o' war- this time the family won!

p.s. more about all the awesome things that God is doing through this mission team in the next blog.