Tuckered Out

Wednesday already? Time is flying. We had a great weekend. Our friends visited from Poland and we were able to get away for some adult time on Friday night and then again as a family on Saturday. Sunday after church, Daddy ran his 3rd consecutive 20K in Brussels and I ran my 2nd (and most likely last). Daddy has been better about his training than I have and he improved his time while I got worse. Once again, I won the award for the slowest woman (and actually I was the slowest in the group). Last year the prize was a bottle of Champagne...this year a lantern. There's a recession, ya know. There was some interesting little Belgian story behind the lantern, but I was entirely too tired to learn anything at that point in time.

After the race, it took me almost half an hour to make it to our meeting place and after all of that running and the additional walking, I seriously felt like I was going to die. Somehow I managed to get a shower, get dressed and help (a little) in getting my family ready to go to the company BBQ afterwards. The weather was great. Food was wonderful. The kids were having a great time and still playing in daylight at 10 PM. We rushed the kids through their 10 PM dessert (we were the only ones not having coffee--seriously, I was about to pass out and all I could think about was my bed. Coffee?? No thanks). So for three nights in a row our kids were up way past bed time.

Daddy left for Michigan on Monday morning (sore and losing a toenail). Monday was a holiday here so I took the kids to a park with some other moms and kids whose dads were working for the day. For the record, I was on a heavy dose of ibuprofen and still in some pain and losing two toenails. (Hence, the reasons I'm pretty sure I need to retire from 20Ks).

We've had so much sunshine, I actually considered watering the lawn today. I'm sure it can wait until Daddy returns on Saturday. We have a less busy, but still busy weekend coming up. Daddy will fly in Saturday morning and meet us at the Tee ball tournament. I'm hoping I can figure out how to get all of us there in time. Traffic has been such a nightmare lately. I had forgotten how at this time of year, roads are ripped up and completely closed everywhere. I have had to follow an insane "deviation" while taking Sarah to school for the last few weeks. This week, I came face to face with a large moving truck on a road meant for two way traffic, but there was no way we were both going to fit. He won and I had to back down a curved incline and into some one's curved and inclined driveway. Challenging for me anyway, but even more so, since I was still in so much pain in my lower back that I was having to actually lift my leg onto the clutch with my hands. I've come a long way from stalling in a parking lot two years ago...or at least I'd like to think so.

My heart has been very heavy thinking about a family here who is in shock over a husband and father who will never make it back from a trip to Brazil. The family is relatively new here and I don't know them personally, but have several friends who do know them. It hits very close to home watching a family so far away from home and from the rest of their family figure out a way to go on after such a shock. It has been difficult not to put myself in that wife's shoes, but when I find my imagination getting away from me, I try to focus on prayer for those who are going through the loss and remember part of Beth Moore's Esther study that really hit home with me. I can play the "what if" game all the way through and no matter how many "If...then" statements I fill with my made up tragedies, the final "If...." will end with "Then God!" I just pray that those who are hurting will feel a comfort and peace that only God can provide.

Today was the last day our Bible study group met. We watched a movie about the book of Esther called "One Night With The King". It is very Hollywood and took a lot of liberty with the actual text, but it was really entertaining and a good way to finish up. Esther is an amazing study. I'd love to do it again..."And who knows...but for such a time as this..."

I'm kind of all over the place here. Just thinking out loud. Kids are doing great. Sarah has fallen asleep in the car two afternoons in a row. Today she stayed asleep through a diaper change (no we are not even close to potty training...hopefully that will fit into our summer schedule) after I brought her in. Princess Hannah was giving her a little kiss to see if she could wake her up. Didn't work. Nathan lured her awake with an invitation to play on the trampoline. Naturally she was grumpy after her late and interrupted nap, but nothing a little dinner and a dance party in the living room couldn't cure. They really are playing well together and enjoying each other most days. Makes being their mom (especially on my own) so much easier. I'm so thankful and blessed.

Today another mom with a boy in Nathan's class told me that she was so thankful for him. Apparently there was a moment when Nathan defended her son during a "game" involving a group of boys calling her son names and in which he was pushed down some stairs. Nathan told me that both sides were to blame, but that he thought he should stay out of it and went to the teacher because the one boy was getting hurt. He amazes me. We are so blessed.

I should be getting to bed so that I can get up more than 2 seconds before the kids need to get up. Off to tuck them in again.