Choosing joy amidst the rain

We went to the Dells for a little vacation. Our plan was to camp at Dutch Hollow Lake. Unfortunately, we drove up during a monsoon and decided it would be best to get a hotel room for the night. I have to admit that my initial response to all the rain was to grumble. It did not seem like it was going to be much fun to set up a tent and sleep in puddles of water all night long. I'm so glad I chose joy. It was so much nicer to choose to find a solution rather than just pout. This is not my nature to choose joy but I would certainly like to remember the benefits to embracing the change of plans.



Rather than fight the storms, we chose to spend the money for a hotel room where the kids could enjoy some playtime in the pool. We made the perfect choice for our family! Nothing too fancy but a little more than just a pool. There was a pool about 6" deep with a couple of slides. The girls loved it! Jaycie enjoyed some one-on-one time with her Daddy here.

Ande wanted to go up and down the slides. She's at the stage now where she wants to wander without being limited by holding onto our hands. Unfortunately, we know the potential end results of allowing her to roam free, so it was fairly exhausting to chase her around all weekend. (Thanks to my mom-in-law for all the times she took on the responsibility!) As we would walk up the slide, she would be saying "whee". We would get to the bottom with her only to have her pulling us to go up the slide again (when she wasn't attempting to climb back up the slide).

This was the bottom of the slide. Nikelle is enjoying the pictures where she can pretend she's being eaten! Wonder where the girls get the ideas to pose for pictures? (See picture of Rod above.)

The girls certainly enjoyed their time with Grandma. Although bittersweet being back at the Dells for the first time since Dad Carlson passed away, it was nice to watch Grandma playing with the girls. I even have pictures of her coming down the slide but I didn't think I'd embarrass her with those here on my blog!

Both of us agreed that the money spent at the hotel was well worth all the memories. Our decision was confirmed more when we awoke in the morning to thunder, lightening and down pouring rain!

1 John 2:28 (New Century Version)

"Yes, my dear children, live in him so that when Christ comes back, we can be without fear and not be ashamed in his presence."

Little Prodigy (j/k)

So this is what I found yesterday when Jaycie called me over. I have since moved the table and chairs to the garage. I'm exhausted following this little one around!

To add to her accomplishments, she saw a picture of Rod a couple of days ago and pointed saying "Da Da". Then we pulled up to my sister's house where she heard the dog barking and she laughed and said, "Pup".

Prodigy child, I know! :)

The calling

I can hear my name being called. Funny thing is that the older girls are spending the night at my mom's, Rod is out with some guys from church and last I checked, the baby isn't saying "mama" yet. So, why is it that I hear my name and feel the urge to answer the calling?

There must be some kind of connection between the girls being in bed (naptime or bedtime) and the voices I hear. It never seems to fail and lately I have been running as fast as I can to answer...numerous times. Tonight, I am refusing to listen. I am hoping that if I sit and write for a while, the voices will go away.

So, who is calling my name? I hear it from the pantry, the fridge, the freezer. Good grief, the van is even calling my name to run to the grocery store or drive thru! The zucchini bread, cheese, cereal, Chex Mix, goldfish, sherbert, bread, corn dogs, frozen chocolate bars and anything else that happens to be in my house calls my name over and over again. Most of the time, I am all too willing to run to them. Maybe I'm looking for comfort. Possibly it's just become a habit. Seriously, why is it so difficult to break bad habits? And another thing, why is it that by eating too much food as well as junk food adds 5-10 pounds in no time and yet it takes forever to work it off again?

Have you ever been asked the question, "If there was one thing you could do and know there was no chance of failure, what would it be?" I've always had a difficult time coming up with an answer. I think I know it now. If there was one thing I could do while knowing there was no chance of failure, I would eat whatever I wanted and lose weight at the same time! That's my answer and I'm sticking too it. Too bad I don't truly live in a fantasy world where all my dreams could come true.

Thinking

I thoroughly enjoy eating the sourdough french toast from the Cracker Barrel. As a matter-of-fact, I also am quite fond of their grits with some of that yummy syrup that they serve in their special tiny bottles. The ambiance in the restaurant is fun, too. That reminds me of the old-fashioned candy they sell there and how my brother and I used to pick some out after we ate breakfast on a weekend trip somewhere with our parents.

This is how my thought process operates most days. My girlfriend left on a weekend vacation this morning. She happened to mention that she was meeting her brother at Cracker Barrel before they head off to their destination. My mind naturally went to the food I enjoy there. Quickly, my thoughts became consumed with my dad. Dad was the first person to take us to the Cracker Barrel.

We enjoyed playing the peg game they have sitting on the tables. He liked all the little phrases written on the game which labeled you according to how many pegs you were left with. "Your just plain dumb" is one I remember his contagious laugh hanging on.

Not a day goes by where I don't think about my dad. Life is forever altered in a way I never anticipated. I think about him when I drive to Mokena. When Nikelle chooses to sing "Joy to the World" in the middle of the summer, I think about how Dad wouldn't have allowed that with me. Christmas was sacred (well, maybe that's extreme). Little things like the girls being tickled remind me of "Papa" and how he never knew when enough was enough. Menards. Restaurants. When the house is in need of repairs. A friend talking about their dad. Friends referring to their dads as "Papa".

Life goes on for everyone. Including me. It is an altered life that I am aware of daily. Rod can completely relate to me. It's unfortunate that we both experienced this reality of losing our dads at the same time. And yet, it is comforting. Comforting to know I can talk to Rod about how I am feeling and he understands. I don't always feel that people understand. More and more I realize how there are so many out there who have lost a parent (or worse - spouse, child...). I've simply been oblivious to it all.

I know God has made me a better person through this pain. It doesn't change the fact that I often wish He could have changed me through some other way. One thing I'm learning. Bad things happen. God cares. He understands. I really believe He hurts, too, when we hurt. I also am learning that Romans 8:28 holds very true.

"And we know that in ALL things God works together for the good of those who love Him who are called according to His purpose."