and other days it's like: well shoot, who cares. that's life and life is a journey.
we decided to forego traditional christmas cards this year. does anyone our age even do christmas cards? i just love the thought of wrapping up a bit of our family to send to friends and loved ones near and far, making our way into their mailboxes, giving them something to open rather than bills and advertisements. i digress...but i still wanted to capture our little family of three in this chapter of our lives: hadley's little pigtails, her itty bitty teeth (by the way, she has all of them now!), my belly housing a teeny sister before it really begins to bulge, david and i learning and growing in what it means to be sacrificial and selfless as parent and spouse.
i am exhausted. this year has been stretching, disheartening but so life-giving. i often think of where we would be--where i would be--had david and i not slipped up that fateful july 2014. well, there wouldn't be the three of us. there might not even be the two of us. and my heart aches to think of it.
the lord has used our little mistake to bless us more than we could ever even imagine. though the road has been a difficult one, it has been paved with laughter and tears and smiles so big my cheeks hurt and more hugs and truly being known by eachother.
this life, these people--my people--have been a very big reason i am able to wake up each morning.
right now, in this season, we are drained. but we are very very happy.
i am exhausted. this year has been stretching, disheartening but so life-giving. i often think of where we would be--where i would be--had david and i not slipped up that fateful july 2014. well, there wouldn't be the three of us. there might not even be the two of us. and my heart aches to think of it.
the lord has used our little mistake to bless us more than we could ever even imagine. though the road has been a difficult one, it has been paved with laughter and tears and smiles so big my cheeks hurt and more hugs and truly being known by eachother.
this life, these people--my people--have been a very big reason i am able to wake up each morning.
right now, in this season, we are drained. but we are very very happy.
*sigh* Where to begin?
ReplyDeleteWell, my fav photo is of parents swinging their daughter between them. I could almost hear Hadley's squeals of laughter. Pure. Simple. Joy.
Sometimes I think those thoughts of "where might I be IF...?" are words of the enemy. Thankfully, you squelch them with your thoughts of just how much the Lord has indeed blessed you.
Be mindful not to go through life allowing those words to sneak in. I say this, because you WILL have times when life doesn't look so wonderful and it isn't going so easily. A bratty child, a husband with concerns on his mind and the enemy of our souls will attempt to translate that into "I'm failing as a mother...my husband isn't IN love with me anymore..." Yes, those times WILL come. And, rather than allow those questioning words of "I wonder where my life would be IF...?" Stomp. On. The. Head. Of. The. SNAKE! Remind the enemy that you ARE content in all things, you are assured that God is working things to good, and that He has a plan and purpose for you!
Know that people are lifting you all in prayer. Approaching the throne or banging on the gates of heaven, people are praying for you ALL.
Enjoy the journey God has set before you. As an empty-nester, at times I sooo long for those moments: swinging Colin in the air as a toddler, cuddling in bed at 5 talking about what we were grateful for THAT day, laughing so hard with him at 10 that water spews through my nose (well, now I just wet my pants...), seeing this compassionate teenager helping and offering to others as we take things to the kids at the orphanage in Mexico. I have truly become my mother when I acknowledge and say, "where did the time go?"
Enjoy this day, my Precious One.
Blessings,
Dyan
Dyan, I just love ya! seriously you always speak such wisdom to me and i could notttt agree with you more. i need to hear all of this. such a good reminder because you are right i have already have moments like that... our past two years have been full of many moments where life has not been easy!! it has been overwhelming and such a struggle at times. i think the past year/especially last few months i have been able to see the beauty in the broken way more. god has most definitely given me fresh eyes this past year and i am so thankful for that. to keep my head above water, to think more clearly and to see magic in the seemingly mundane moments.
Deletewish we talked more!!
xx melissa