The boys and Kev will be home tonight from their week long
hunting trip.
They were passing through Georgia the last time we spoke.
My dad met up with them this time,
it sounded like they all had a very good trip.
These are the photos they took.
That is a bummer.....I guess there was a "malfunction" with the camera.
Awwwww....I see.
McCauley and I made good use of our girl time.
We used several "Free Kid Meal" coupons I had saved up.
These photos are from Friendly's.
Yum!
We also hit Texas Roadhouse one night.
M always got right to work on her kid assignment or "fun page".
Looks exactly like her school work to me,
I'm happy she likes them so much.
We watched our shows.
We kept the house fairly tidy.
Got tons of books from the library, and read them all.
On Halloween, I took M, Izzy, and Claire to Mimi's,
a little ceramic painting place and they each painted a cat.
I will take after pictures when we get them back, these have not been
baked yet.
Then the girls went trick or treating w/ the Quigley crew.
(M is a Secret Agent, by the way.)
Here are our hot Red Neck photos we took today.
I will not miss driving the truck....
mostly because it is just sooooooo loud.
I always park in one of the farthest stalls so I am not so in peoples faces,
and so it is easier to get out when I want to leave.
If you turn the wheel too far one direction or the other it makes
a horrible grinding sound....
I take measures to avoid doing that.
No drive ups in this big boy.
I was very happy to have wheels for the week though,
so it worked out great.
(besides.....we make pretty hot red necks!)
The week was relaxing, quiet, and easy.....
almost too easy.
You know what I mean?
It gets old after a while.
I went to pick M up last night,
and Vanessa had made a real meal.
A meal she had put effort and care into creating for her family.
She invited us to stay.
I was like no way, we don't want to intrude...
we stayed, who am I kidding?
It was magnificent....mana from heaven.
Home cooked food made with love.
It was delicious.
I am ready to get back to work and get our boys back.
I will also say I was really looking forward to heading
off to church this morning.
Got all fancied up, and was getting ready to take off for an early
meeting w/ M when she told me she had just thrown up in the toilet.
Then a second time a little later...
dang it.
So I turned my sharing time prep over to Tina and we
stayed home.
I did attend my short meeting as M rested on the couch and watched a
few Sunday videos.
She had my phone, and it was A.ok.
The meeting was a spiritual feast.
The adult interaction a delight.
One of the topics discussed was the new curriculum for the
youth of the church.
It was exciting,
and I am happy our youth will be partakers
of this inspired program.
On the way home I got thinking....
I can't remember what got me thinking about our future and
where we would be,
and what it will look like, etc.
As usual my mind landed on our current home,
and wondering how long we will continue to live there,
and so forth....
When for the first time in all my wondering I received a very
direct answer to my query.
My impression was quite clear.
You have not done the missionary work that needs to be done
while you are in that house,
on that street,
at this time.
Period.
You are not done there.
Oh!
OK.
Wow.
It was less than a month ago that I made a comment on
my sister's blog when she mentioned making future goals.
Where do you see yourself in one year,
in five years....etc.
I said, here is my exact quote:
I really like your ideas about clarity. Each time I try and picture our life, my life in 1, 5 or 10 years.....I can't figure it out, certain aspects are solid and in place, but I can never figure out where we will be. It is still foggy.....would love to clear that view.
Maybe I finally understand why we don't leave,
can't leave, wouldn't even know where to go because
of the dumb stuper that exists.
We aren't going anywhere.
We will be right here.
But you know what....we are going to be here with a purpose.
We need to get doing something more than nothing.
Apparently, that is not cutting it.
We will be here until we get the job done.
This I can deal with.
I like it.
I am just happy to know the plan.
I say we have done nothing,
but truth be told over the past twelve years I (we) have,
I hope, laid a foundation on our little street.
I am not prepared to call it a solid one,
definitely not stone, or brick,
but for sure stronger than straw....
I am going with fairly sturdy sticks, and a whole bunch of twigs piled up.
If the time is right.....
and I have a really good feeling that it is.
Especially now that
I know the Lord is backing us up,
and in fact waiting.
I have a bit more confidence in the fragile relationships we have fostered.
Several families faces are in my thoughts and mind.
Two days ago,
before this thought process began.
I drove up and saw one of our neighbors across the street setting a few items
out for a garage sale.
She was hanging around out on the drive way.
I knew this was my chance to go and visit with her.
I was nervous and scared,
their twenty one year old son recently overdosed
on drugs and died.
Their family has had many stuggles,
ups and downs,
but no worse than this.
I do not know her well, and have only had opportunity to express
my condolences to her daughter up to this point.
I ran inside the house and started scrounging around for
something to take with me.
(nothing worse then walking up empty handed)
hmmmmmm.....
all I had that seemed decent was a hot cup of Choffy.
Luckily I had purchased some really nice
disposable cups with lids.
I headed over with my offering.
I stammered around, uh hi, I am so, sorry about Tyler.
(hug)
I um, thought you might like a cup of Choffy,
it's like coffee, but it's not,
there's no coffee in it,
it's brewed chocolate,
but not hot chocolate....
point being I sounded like a complete IDIOT.
ok, thanks.
um, so how are you?
well.....
are you still working at....?
no, I am currently out of work.
Did Brad find a job?
no, just random jobs here and there.
So your daughter moved?
yes, it is just the three of us here now.
Well, so you are alone and in the house a lot.
yes.
Is that what you prefer?
that is the just the way it is.
Well, would you ever want to go on a walk?....
now that the weather is cooling down a little?
sure, if you'd like, I'd go.
ok.
I think I know who could use some blessings.
I have some ideas on where I will start tomorrow.
I love that the Lord lets us in on His plan,
on His time,
when He is ready,
He will let us know.
Not when we want it.
I am grateful for patience....
for waiting and seeing.
Sometimes it feels like we aren't able to receive inspiration
or answers to our questions.
We hear of other peoples answers.
We wish we could be like them and get direction.
We know we could be doing more.
Maybe we don't want it as bad as they did.
Maybe we have lost the touch.
Maybe we aren't spiritual enough.
Or.
maybe it is not the time.
Be patient.
