HALF WAY!

Yipee...we are officially at the half way mark...and things are looking up. They say the second half goes faster than the first, but considering it is supposed to be a cold winter, who knows. I had my first sort of difficult week last week, nothing really specific, just felt annoyed, tired, a little anxious and down. On Tuesday I had come hoe from work and being at my sister around 7 and noticed the front window was all foggy and had condensation. Then as I came into the house I smelt like a burning motor smell and the dishwasher was still running from the morning, and making some terrible noise. I opened it and all the dishes had some film, so I took them out and began washing them. As I was washing, Jesse came around the corner and wiped out on all the water on the floor from the leaking freezer.....and then wouldn't stop crying, which made Jude start into this major fit. And that was about the height of frustration...kids didn't get down till 8:15 which waaaay to late for them especially the older 2. Then followed the dryer malfunctioning..which is now fixed. By the time Sunday evening came, God had turned my week around and sent all kinds of loved ones my way to bless me. It wasn't  nice feeling a little out of control of my feelings, but it is great to see how God shows me that he is always in control, even when I think I am, and it made me realize how much I need him, depend on him, for my every breathe. I still get that uncomfortable twinge of guilt when people show up with a dinner, gift card, or offer for help. I like to do things all myself and I hate asking for help or being vulnerable. But God doesn't create us to be comfortable, he creates us to worship him, love him, serve him, and serve others.  This is a learning process, an education of sorts, for Darryl and I....I just hope that I take what I have learned it and apply to it in my life, for the rest of my life. It doesn't always work that way thought does it? Every time I think I have mastered a weakness and work on another, it creeps back up and disappoints me. Sometimes I feel like the Israelites walking 40 years through the desert and God saying "really, we are still here?".  Thank God for grace...or I'd convert to the Catholic faith I think, and try work my guilt away. What an awesome God we have.
Yes, i am happy to call myself blessed, by God, by others, I am inspired now to get my hands to work to do more for others. To encourage more, love more, help more and complain less, and I like it.
Darryl is still keeping his head above water for now. Last week 2 cadets in his troop 'quit', they don't really know or say why, but this is when the tough gets going. I asked Darryl if he had thought of quitting ever ad he said "no...you can't think like that, you have to take it one day at a time'. I asked him if he thinks about camping net summer or having time to lay on a beach with nothing to do, and he said no. He said he only thinks about Christmas and getting to that point because that is a realistic goal....true.  He has a great troop and all the men get along well, though they are frustrated with 1 or 2 of the women (surprise surprise).  If one fails a question at 'drill', they all suffer...so you can imagine  how that goes. He has been moved from being in a room with all 30 in his troop, to individual rooms, and at first he didn't like it, but now he does. It's only 5 or 6 weeks till we know where we will be living for the next 3-5 years. Exciting!

The boys got spoiled rotten this weekend, (as did I!)with Harvest Night, then at my brothers place they got all kinds of goodies, watched How to train a dragon and hung out with cousins, then went trick or treating. They were acting pretty spoiled today too, and maybe a little overtired from going here there and everywhere. Cody came home today from school and when he came into the kitchen says.."Mom, when I get off the bus tomorrow after school and come home, I think you should have this mess cleaned up." So I said, I thought it was pretty clean? "No, here look at the pieces of rice on the stove, and the pumpkin on the counter, that needs to be cleaned up better". Starting to sound like his father now, but it gave me a good laugh. Then we went to Otter Coop tonight to get some much needed groceries and he is giving me some attitude so I say "Cody, you wouldn't talk to your teacher like that would you?" "No Mom, she is more umm...serious than you" What do you mean Cody? " Like she gives time out for the tinyist thing I do wrong, but you only give them when I do way badder things, she's more responsible." Oh..okay...note to self....time to get this ship in top shape before the hubby comes home and thinks all you know what has broken loose. From the mouths of babes! Ahh my children, they keep me humble for sure.