The past few weeks have been a whirlwind. In mid-July, I took a four day trip to California with a friend and mentor to attend a conference. I was home exactly a week before I packed up Elliott's car and drove by myself with all six kids to visit some friends in Nebraska. We just got back this evening, had dinner and put the kids to bed. Since they went to sleep I have been settling back in...
Thankfully, since we stayed with friends, I was able to keep up with laundry throughout the week and we only came home with clothes dirtied from our driving and sleeping the past two days. Unpacking was easy, and is already done, for I simply dumped all their clean and folded clothes into their baskets to be put away tomorrow. The dirty clothes we wore home are tumbling in the dryer right now and I will fold them in the morning before breakfast.
Elliott was sweet enough to already pull everything out of the car from the trip and I am putting things back where they belong a little here, and a little there. I don't want the "getting back to normal" to drag out too long... we are all in desperate need of getting back on schedule. I am looking forward to cooking! It was a blessing to be treated to little kitchen duty all week, but I miss my kitchen and cooking.
I have never driven as far or as long as we did over the past two weeks. I have much more confidence for future family vacations now, that we would be able to go a little farther than we ever have before. All-in-all, the kids did super in the car, though everyone was a bit worn out and touchy on the way back, we made it home with few potty stops and are all looking forward to sleeping in our own beds.
I missed our normal life. We really enjoyed our trip, the activities and time with friends, we all want a basement now, and the kids didn't miss their chores. But, of everything, I think I became thankful for home more than I have been for a while. Lately, I think I have been struggling with contentment, a low rumbling around of ingratitude in my heart, never really surfacing or bursting forth in some ugly or outrageous way, but laying low affecting my ability to answer with pure and sweet speech, a touch of hurtful sarcasm sneaking in from time to time. Being with my sweet friends and watching them enjoy their family as well as our crew, helped me to see the blessings in my life more clearly.
So, tomorrow we will all wake up and settle into our "normal"... but instead of settling into bad habits, I will be praying to excel still more in being a loving and gentle Mommy, showing kindness and pursuing peace with my many little blessings. Recounting God's faithfulness to us during our many hours of travels and remembering to choose thankfulness as we settle back in.
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