Well, all I can say after this week is phew! What a week it has been! First we said good-bye to Dear Husband who left for 97 days for pre-deployment training, after which he will deploy. We attempted to get back into the school book groove and prepare for Tapestry of Grace Y2 week 18/19 co-op to begin this week. I also had thoughts of picking up Christmas decorations and getting them back into their home in the attic. Ha! Then life kicked in and this week turned into a lesson in having a servant's heart and how to comfort those who are grieving. Dear Church friends had their precious 6 week old taken in an untimely, unexplainable death and this week had to say good-bye to her and the life they had with her here on earth. Then a member of our co-op said good-bye to her sweet Daddy,who had lived in her home with her family, as he passed into the arms of Jesus. Food was needed, loving words and arms of comfort too, the wagons were circled as we say in our family and the AGAPE love flowed from fellow Christians taking care of one another. It is breath taking to watch and to be part of such love. I can only imagine what Heaven will be like when I watch the body of Christ in action. Non-stop, AGAPE love flowing all of the time, how mind blowing! Having been on the receiving end of this stream of love I know what a blessing it is, and I am always honored to be part of taking care of people in times of need. However, the other things that are part of the week take time too, and this week we had our school lessons altered a lot. I know that these life lessons ultimately are more important for the children to learn then anything I can teach them from a book and that is why I will just start again on Monday with the school book groove!
In addition to husband leaving and life happening around us, we also have a new member of our family to introduce. Our family proudly introduces:
Ginger, from Yanceyville, NC. She is our deployment puppy and she is so sweet! She has been a wonderful addition to our family and a great distraction for everyone. Sandy is even starting to get used to her. (Sandy is our 14 year old hound mix) Ginger is a lab and maybe a little of something else too, she is a rescue puppy! We are making great memories with her and the kids love her. These pictures are from when we traveled up to the shelter in Yanceyville to get her.
The kids pull on the mucky boots and play clothes and disappear down through the woods for hours of imagination gone wild at the creek. There are boat races, survival games,camping and cooking and all kinds of adventures down at the creek. We have built wigwams in the woods and played pioneer. The best thing in a mom's eyes is the time spent with siblings not arguing, not in front of an electronic device but out in God's beautiful creation having fun, together! Even if they do not know it now, creek time is a gift because they are making memories they will cherish one day.
