Confessions of a cranky pants

I haven't blogged in awhile.  There is a reason, but I wasn't sure I wanted to share it.  But, here it goes...I have been super CRANKY!  Ask anyone who has lived with me for the past couple of weeks, and they will agree, wholeheartedly! After one weekend home from our Washington trip we started school.  The first few days were rough, but we are getting into it now.  On the 2nd night, since we started school, Josiah woke up with that awful croupy cough.  It scares him and he panicked, which does not help the coughing any at all.  Of course, Casey was working this night too, so I was home alone (and with a neighbor) for the worst part of it.  So, that started the cold which Josiah so kindly shared with me and Ethan within the next couple of days.  We made it through the first full week home only to be greeted by a cold the following weekend.

Now, this past weekend we actually had quite a few plans, and we didn't get to do any of them because we were sick!  So frustrating for me.  Well, it turned out that Casey would be taking a week of vacation this week, so he basically worked ALL 20 hours over that last weekend anyway.   So, I'm sick, the boys are sick, and my husband was gone...for days.  Not exactly what I had planned.

So, that's my excuse....  Well, at least part of it.  For some reason I've been really anxious about our finances too lately.  It's all a trust issue of course, but I feel the extra added pressures to fit in and be like everyone else.  I hate to say no to eating out with friends because we really need the fellowship.  However, if we do that than there is the guilt of spending more than we have.  I had a minor (well, Casey might say it was major) melt down last night over spending $60 on groceries.  If I'd had the time, energy, etc. I could have planned better, organized my coupons and not spent so much.  However, the reality of the situation is that it is not so much when I remember that I'm feeding a FAMILY OF FOUR!  (The caps are me yelling at myself.) Anyway, that's me being cranky for the last week.

Note to self:  you can't do everything, stop beating yourself up, people won't understand your circumstances but there's nothing to be done about that, do what you can, remember that God has called you to homeschool, remember that God has called Casey to seminary, God never promised that following Him would be easy, eating junk will not make it better, smile more often, take a deep breath and slowly exhale...ahhh.  That's better.

Home again

It was quite an adventure spending the last 3 weeks on the road with the boys.  They were really great troopers through all of the traveling.  We had lots of early mornings and late nights, but we all survived.  Although it was a great time, we missed Casey very much and were so happy to see him last night when we arrived at the airport.  Hopefully after a few more full nights sleep in their own beds the boys will be well rested and ready to start school!

I wish I'd had the time and energy to blog while we were on the trip, but I didn't.  That and not having my own computer with me.  So, I'll just summarize our three weeks in a condensed version format. :>) 
We spent the first few days with the McCarthy's in Granite Falls (about 1 hour north of Seattle).  We took one day and went down to Mulkiteo to walk along the water and see the ferry boats.  On Friday, we left for Spokane, a 6 hour drive east.  The boys were great little travelers for that too.  In Spokane we stayed with Casey's sister and family and had a great visit with them.  The boys love Aunt Jeanie!  They also love Maverick, cousin Heather's German Short-hair puppy.  I confess, I might have fallen for the sweet guy too!   My brother was married that weekend way up north, out in the country area of Spokane.  It was good to see so many family members and some long time family friends.   On Sunday we stopped by to visit the boy's great grandpa Gene McCarthy and had a nice visit with him.

Tuesday we headed back west to Wenatchee and stayed with some very dear friends for the next three days.  Being in Wenatchee was good, but hard.  So much has changed since we left just over a year ago.  Lots of hurting friends and wounded relationships, but we know that healing is in progress and that was good to see.  There are some people in that town that are the dearest to me in the whole world.  It was good to see them and know that they are okay (with my very own eyes and ears).  I look at Wenatchee and know that spiritual warfare is real and a powerful enemy against the beloved of God.  The enemy may win a few battles, but he will never win the war!  Our enemy is not flesh and blood...ever, even though flesh and blood is often an instrument of our greatest conflicts and hurts.  I left Wenatchee that week weary and ready to leave. 

Friday I headed to Ellensburg, my hometown.  It was good to see my parents and spend some time with my mom.  Saturday was maybe one of the greatest highs of the trip for me.  A bunch of friends from college all came to town for a barbecue and we just got to visit and catch up a bit.  It was such a blessing to see these long-time, faithful friends.  We even got Casey on Skype and passed him around so everyone could say hi.  Sweet.  Sunday was a great day of worship and fellowship at Chestnut Street, my "home" church.  It was fun to be together with the "old gang" on Sunday.  Sunday night was a barbecue with my family and some aunts and uncles came over to visit.  Monday we drove up to my aunt and uncles cabin and spent a few hours there.

Wednesday we went back to Wenatchee for a couple of more days to get in a few last visits with some very special people.  Friday we headed back over the mountains to the McCarthy's home in Granite Falls.  We had some very nice days with them before we headed home on Wednesday.  It was good to spend a few days resting there.  It was good to arrive home refreshed and not exhausted.

All in all it was a wonderful time.  There were a few people we missed along the way, but we did the best we could.