We've had a busy week since we dropped Alex off at College on Thursday. I was not given much time to "grieve" his departure, since I had scheduled a two day sale at Lulu & Tutz. The weekend came and went without alot of breathing time. And, then, suddenly here it is a new week and there's not alot of down time on the horizon until after the kids head back to school next week. I'll probably look back and realize it was all the best timing...better to keep busy than allow myself too much time to think about Alex moving on.
Yesterday my mom and I spent hours at the shop. Whether we're ready or not, the packing has to be done, as we have to vacate the building by the end of the month. There is SO much in that shop!!! More than you can imagine would be in that one little room...even AFTER the sale! The packing is bittersweet. I have no idea what God's plan is for the shop after this week...I long to have uninterrupted hours to think, plan, and pray for some answers to the quandry. That won't happen this week...but in time. I trust there's a bigger picture I cannot see...the little tiny square of a corner I see makes no sense...but I believe it will one day. Til then...there is SO much to be done.
Boxes...ALOT of boxes..
Who knew so many boxes could fit in a FIT!?!
We took the day off of packing today so we could sneak to PBU for a suprise Birthday lunch with Alex. Unfortunately, his birthday came so soon after moving in...but being only an hour and a half away, we couldn't let the guy celebrate alone! Plus, he forgot his coffeemaker and his printer at home. I got a frantic text this morning about how much he needs coffee in the morning!
He's a lover of cheesesteaks, so we enjoyed this for lunch...
then drove to Walmart to get him parts for his bike that Nick had been working on so that he could have transportation at school! I enjoyed hearing both the boys tell about their classes and teachers. Seems they're trying to figure out the balance of study and fun...ONE of them favors study, the other would rather major in FUN! A little compromise on both ends might make for the best outcome!
Nick's been putting in some time on a little junker-bike Alex wanted to have at school since he was forbidden to take his BABY with him for at least the first few months.
"THE BABY"
It was so cute watching Nick work into the night on it...I think it was his way of working through his brother moving away, too. He couldn't wait to show him he'd been fixing it up for him. I found him thinking about Alex more than I thought he would. They're at that age they still annoy each other...but apparently there's alot of unrevealed affection deep down in there too!
He seems to have found a new person to turn his attention to...
whether she appreciates it or not!
It was a short visit with Alex, but it was intended to be that way...didn't want to break up the rhythm of his independance so soon in the semester! Since I had borrowed my parent's GPS for the trip to school, I thought we'd take a side trip here since it was right off the highway...
We made a few wrong turns finding it, but had a great time looking around when we got there. Nick and Emma probably annoyed a few of the customers, but they were thoroughly entertained by the flat carts inside....and that worked for me- gave me time to look w/out complainers following me around. But on the way home, Ms. GPS went berserk and took us the LONG way home (20 mi out of the way???) through the back roads of King Of Prussia that I never knew existed. Seems it was the only route she knew...no matter how we reset the thing, she kept taking us back to the very same, lame route. But, we made it...and now everyone's in bed but me. I'm not sure if I'm reflecting on the day or not wanting to face what tomorrow holds when I wake up!
I hate packing....but am thankful for friends who have volunteered to make the job a little easier by helping! Strange days around here. It seems there's really very little that is settled and in its' place...literally and figuratively. And yet, I'm not in despair, not depressed, and not overly concerned about what happens next. No way that can be explained away by anything else but God's abundant GRACE! If I look to the circumstances...really gaze upon the heaviness that faces me, I think I'd curl in a ball and never get out of bed. Sometimes life is just like that. And yet, God's plan is to help scrape us out of bed in the morning, dust us off and send us on our way to do the next thing. Our job is to cooperate and do it...with THANKSGIVING.
The next thing ahead of me is a good night's sleep...but my day would not be complete without a list of things I'm thankful for this day...
*Waking up healthy after a good night's sleep
*My children waking up healthy after a good night's sleep
*Food on the table for breakfast
*Gas in the car to visit Alex
*A surprised smile of joy on Alex's face when it sunk in that we were there
*Lunch with Alex and Drew
*A diet Pepsi with lunch
*A healthy, strong son who is in Bible college...following God's plan one year at a time
*Silly children who bicker one minute...then hug each other the next
*Hugs from Alex..even though one was hello, and the other was goodbye
*$5 dinner for 3 at Ikea
*A GPS which eventually got us home
*All four of us having a place to lay our heads tonight
*New mercies every morning to wake up to....and start all over again
No comments:
Post a Comment