3 Pump It Up Parties and a Pumpkin Patch

Being a mom is hard work! I love being a mother. I'd like to think that I am taking a good shot at being super mom, you know full time career, full time college student, doting wife, cookie baking mom, but you want the truth? I may do all that but I am lousy at making it all work seamlessly. That's right I have lots of help. Up until around 5 weeks ago my husband Jon and I shared the responsibilities pretty evenly. If I cooked dinner he cleaned the dishes, if I had to study he played with our son Landon. Jon was great at seeing when I needed help and filling that spot so I could keep up this charade as a so "put together mom". So enter left stage Marine Corp boot camp and here I was left holding the bag quite literally. I now became the beginning, middle and end of the play and I was so not ready! The first weekend after Jon left Landon had a party at Pump It Up for the son of my co-worker. That Saturday I had everything all planned, chores done, homework completed, and Landon dressed and fed. As we were leaving the house I felt like I totally got this under control. Okay, so fast forward to next weekend. The son of one of my good friend had a party at Pump It Up. I was thinking, "I got this under control I so did this last week." The only thing I didn't factor in was the party was earlier so I needed to get a start on the day earlier. Didn't happen, I was lucky to get Landon clothed, fed and one assignment done before we hurried to the party. Two weeks past and yet another Pump It Up party for another of Landon's neighborhood friends. I didn't even try to fake the charade. I fed Landon, dressed and hauled my more than weary self to our 3rd Pump It Up party in 5 weeks time. At least Landon had fun! I was exhausted!

So after that weekend I was looking forward to the week. I know who wants to go to work? Go figure. Then it hit me.... we hadn't gone to the pumpkin patch and time was running out. So on Wednesday before church we hit the pumpkin patch. Landon was so cute that I couldn't help but enjoy myself. It's times like these that I think where has the past 4 years gone? We had a great time picking out a pumpkin for Landon, myself and of course Jon. Even though I was tired how could I resist this face?

And our pumpkin selection actually turned out to be very accurate to the size of everyone, well at least the height!

So with all this out the way I can't wait to look forward to how everything will be changing and evolving. God truly has a plan for our little family and I can't wait to see what it all will entail, but just like Galatians 6:9 says, And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. And there are times that I grow weary, but God is too good for me to let what he has planned for me to do to make me tired. Am I super mom, apparently not, but God is a Super God and with that I can't lose. 

When I feel helpless, God is...

Letters are always awesome to get in the mail. There is just something about receiving something that they held and wrote just days before you get to open it. With my husband at boot camp I have a new found love for the United States Postal Service. Yes, I am having a love affair with the mail. I can't wait for it to arrive to see that little envelope addressed to me from my husband. It's what keeps me informed and close to him when I haven't heard his voice in over a month. So, I got a letter last week and he told me he's feeling really sick. Now my husband is not one to get sick and if he does he doesn't complain or even tell me about it unless he is really sick. I have only had to take care of him once since we have been married and once when we were dating. Needless to say I felt helpless with him so many miles away. Add in the fact that letters are coming way after the date they are written I was really feeling down. As a wife I want to be there for him when he is down and weak. Not knowing how sick he was or what was really going on made me feel as if there was nothing I could do. After about a week of sweating it out I got a letter from him telling me he is feeling a lot better. Only after reading that letter did I hear myself release the breath that I had been holding. Thinking back to the many times I have "held that breath" I searched God's Word and found 2 Corinthians 1:3, Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;. God will always be there to comfort me and any of His children in their time of need. This got me thinking about my own helplessness. Too often it's easy to just focus on what we can do on our own and when we can't do it on our own we feel helpless. It's at these times I think God wants us to depend on Him to fill in the blanks. We will never have all the answers to life's fill in the blank questions. If we rely on what we know then we will fail every time. I have learned through this experience if God can and wants to take my life's test for me why don't I let him? In this situation I thought, When I feel hopeless, God is____________. That was my fill in the blank lesson. This time I had a large selection of answers to pull from. When I am helpless God is my best friend, When I am helpless God is my advocate, When I am helpless God is my everything. You see you can put whatever adjective you need at that moment of need and as His child God will be there to see you through. Now that doesn't mean you won't feel the burden along the way, God takes us through some things to make us stronger, but he can fill that spot so you won't have to go it alone. So what will you fill your blank with? That's for you to decide. Right now, I'm just excited that I can say, When I am helpless, God is.... and boy does that do something for your spirit. 

Going It Alone...

So there I was standing alone about to do this by myself. What may you ask, just take my son in for procedure. As I stood there signing him in I was thinking okay this is just like any other appointment. Then we got taken back to the procedure room I was like this is so not like anything else. It was at that moment I wished my husband was back home. Throughout our relationship of 6 going on 7 years there hasn't been much he wasn't there for, especially when it comes to our son. So as I was waiting for my son to come out of his test I was thinking of how truly different things are going to be from now on. There will be many more of these instances, and as much as I wanted my husband there to hold my hand, our son's hand I knew that I could do this.  Okay, so one procedure isn't much to write home about, but hey you got to start somewhere. As I look back on how many things I have had to learn to do by myself I just smile. You see God never gives you more than you can bear, and on top of that he gives you a way to bear it. Man, I mean isn't He just so good at being God?! As I was leaving the hospital I just kept thinking about that. This time my way to bear it was my amazing Mom. Truly there through anything and of course what Grandma would come running for their one and only grandson. Even so, I thank her for the sweet spirit that she has. So as I look forward to all the things that I might have to do alone, I say bring it on, because that way to bear it God sends could just be a golden blessing in disguise.

One, One, & Three!

So, my husband is gone to start a new journey on his way to becoming a United States Marine. When we first approached the issue I had all the obvious questions, "Are we going to be moving all the time? What happens when you're gone? Can we do this?" Through the entire recruiting process I have learned that God is truly in control of everything. I can't find the answer every question and to be honest I don't need to. (Though I often drive myself crazy trying to.) So on we went through the paperwork and physical and MEPS. The entire thing. Then there was the time to wait. Well the wait was up on September 20th, he left to go Parris Island. Then the waiting started again. You see I was very apprehensive when I hadn't gotten any letters in the first week. No communication but that first phone call in the night, which I still can't get out of my mind. So of course my overly prepared self kicked into high gear. I searched every discussion board high and low to see when I could expect my first letter. Then it came, October 3rd I got my very first letter. It was great to hear how he was adjusting life in recruit training. Then the wait began again for the next one. It came one full week after the third. He seemed to be in high spirits so I was so looking forward to the next ones. The next came in much shorter succession. Only 4 days after and not only did I get another letter I got three! As I saw them on my dresser I couldn't wait to open them. I am so proud of my husband, he is an amazing man and the spirit of him is so encouraging. It's funny how we often picture ourselves in moments we know we will have to face. How many times have we had that "When that happens I will do this....." moment. Let me tell you it's nothing like that. I have learned too many times that situations prepare you for circumstances but they will never dictate your emotions in the moment. I have been on a roller coaster ride for the past four weeks, one I never thought would happen. Would I change it for the world, never. This is an experience that I will never have again no matter how similar the circumstances might present itself. I am now waiting for the next batch. Counting the days and letters...