The First Half Way Meeting

This has been a week full of adjustments at our house. I'm learning to not let my emotions guide my actions... because my emotions are unpredictable these days!

Monday morning, Hankie helped me get the kids off to school, then we came home and got him packed and ready for his first week away. He is staying with his sister until we can sell OUR HOUSE and find a new home.

It wasn't so bad this week, since we knew that the kids would be out of school Wednesday for 'vet-trins' day (a Tres-ism). We had prepared them. So we rolled along pretty well and I woke them up as usual on Wednesday morning and we headed over to Anniston to meet him.

We met at Shoney's for their breakfast bar... Hank loves that place. I'm ambivalent. Tres, however, has discovered a love for breakfast buffets... and the independence of selecting his own foods.

When we pulled into the parking lot, the boys were all over me to find Dad's car and park right by it! And they zoomed out of the van when they saw their Daddy! I mean, that hug alone was worth the drive. It was a loud breakfast for us... lots to catch Dad up on. School stuff, friend stuff, wii stuff, pokemon stuff... imporant, life altering stuff... and Hankie gave them his full attention and responded appropriately to every insignificant detail. I chose well... God gave me a wonderful husband. We laughed and the kids hung on to him. Sophie made us all crack up when she announced to the table next to us that she had pooted. She is a nut!
Then we went to a few stores to waste a little time together. Target is always a fav for my family. I enjoy looking at clearance and sale items... and the kids could live in the toy department.


Bryant really wanted his dad to read to him, so they sat their happy little butts right down and did it! This made me tear up. And Bry chose a book about always loving your family... sigh... tears... even now.

Our time was up before we knew it. Hankie had to get back to work. So we took him back to his car, and started our good-byes. This was horrendous for us. Bryant and Soph were okay. But my ultra sensative little man, Tres, was sitting in the back with a heartbroken expression. He climbed out for one last hug from Daddy and broke down.

I tried to make it a quick getaway since I knew it was already killing Hankie... but Tres was really pitiful. He kept saying, "It's not right to leave a family member behind!"

He and I talked about how the Bible teaches us about different seasons in life. Tres sat and thought for a minute, then asked... "What do you mean by seasons, Mom?"

"It's a short time for us to learn and grow. For God to teach us things and for us to learn to trust Him more," I tried to explain... the whole time praying away each day that we would be separated. "You trust Mommy and Daddy to make the best decision for our family, right?"

Tres nodded his head, the movement releasing huge tears that had welled up again.

"And Mommy and Daddy trust God."

I've been replaying that conversation in my head a lot. You can probably tell. I want this to be a time that we teach our kids what it is to fully trust. What it means to be instant... in this season and the next. I want them to see Hankie and I handling this with faith and love and patience.

Lord show us how to do this. This season is here and we need You more than ever.