Death by Work Out and God Providing in Crazy Ways

Day 225 (Monday 11-4):

My sister homeschools her kiddos. So my kids got to join in on the fun.

Geordie and Kora. 

Kees working a puzzle.

Bath time!

More puzzles.

Doug went with Jason to go pick up new chairs for their living room. They got to eat at Chili's!  Kristee and I had a lot of fun with the kids, and the guys stayed home with the kids and the evening while we went to a workout class.  I was the youngest person there, and quite possibly weighed the least...but that didn't stop me from nearly dying. Apparently I'm way out of shape and easily winded.  I thought I was gonna pass out. Talk about embarrassing. No one taunted at me or jeered, so that was nice, but I should seriously consider working out, so I'm not quite so pathetic...maybe in the new year...maybe. :)

Day 226 (Tuesday 11-5):

Okay, so we have some stuff in storage at my parent's place, but we ALSO have some stuff in my sister's storage shed.  I got some of the stuff the previous week, and Doug was here this time, so we were able to trash some stuff. It's interesting how things matter less and less the more times you move.  I've come a LONG way, still have a ways to go I'm sure. While we were sorting and trashing, the kids enjoyed playing in the mud, they actually didn't get that dirty...miracle!

Sweeties

Lunch

Sometimes he's silly!

 After lunch, a little more funsies, we headed back to Paden, the road trip is eminent at this point, and I was feeling the pressure, feeling a little behind and overwhelmed, for sure!

She loves her bunny!

Okay, parenting secret, we always plan our trips back and forth for an hour or so after lunch, that way our kids nap. Works like a charm!

Day 227 (Wednesday 11-6):

Last day, before the big trip. So I mostly ran around like a chicken with it's head cut off and for whatever reason I decided not to document that chaos with pictures!

Yogurt face!

 Okay, so I didn't get pictures of myself packing all mine and the kids clothes in to one suitcase, or me making playdough and various other activities for the kids to do in the car. In the meantime, Doug took our van to get checked out before our trip. At one point, it seemed like the mechanic felt like the van was going to fall apart any minute. When Doug went to pick it up, he said he thought it would be fine to drive on this trip, it's just an older vehicle.

During the crazy bit, when we weren't sure if we'd be able to leave because we thought the van might not make it, I had one of my famous, or is it infamous mini melt downs.  Why?  After all this, would we be "grounded" and kept from FINALLY getting on the road.  We'd planned so many speaking engagements and visits and putting those off means putting off our move to Idaho...which I most definitely did NOT want to do.  I've been doing my very best to hold it together, but living out of suitcases and living with your parents or in laws for MONTHS on end is not ideal, especially when you have tiny people.  There are days I feel like every one is judging every parenting decision I make.  There are days I feel like I couldn't be more in the way if I tried. There are days I want to go for a drive (if our van happens to be working *wink* *wink*), park somewhere, and scream and maybe throw some rocks or shoot a gun...not that I own one or know how to shoot one.  But, in the midst of all of this, I know God is using every day, to teach me something. Apparently I'm a slow learner, and this particular day I was not overflowing joy or spouting kindness.  On this day, I lost it, just a little.  I had about ten minutes of saying all the terrible things I was thinking about how this just isn't fair and why isn't God providing for this trip, doesn't he KNOW we need to do this!  I cried, took a few deep breaths, and kept packing. Doug told me to just keep packing and he'd go find out more from the mechanic. While Doug was gone, I got a facebook message from my friend Kari, she asked, "What size shoe does Kora wear?"  I said, "A 5 or 6, why?".  She replied, "Oh, someone gave me some black boots, size 5, I'll set them aside for Kora."  Wow!  The timing was impeccable. The previous week I had been shopping for shoes for Kora, and that's what I was looking for, black boots, size 5.  The store had them a few weeks earlier, but then they were out.  Then, by the time they re-stocked them,  I thought, you know, she doesn't really NEED them, I'll just wait.  It's like God sent me a little reminder, that he cares, about silly things, things that don't matter, and if he can provide for those things, why should I doubt him with the BIG things.  Next message I got was from Doug, "Keep packing, the trip is STILL on!"

How often do we miss God's provision because we try to take it all into our own hands. Sometimes we need to step back and see how God is working in our lives.  Because HE is, whether we notice it or acknowledge it, he's there.  If I were him, I'd be sick of me, but he never is.  Even when I feel like I'm in the way, and I'm feeling down about our circumstances, God is satisfied with me, not because of what I do, but because of who I am, and whose I am!  Thank you Lord, for never giving up on me!

Magnets I made. This cost me a little over a dollar. We already had the foam pieces, they were a dollar, Gramee gave us old magnets and I used a glue gun to add them to the back. You'll see in the next few blogs how we used them in the car.  I LOVE road trips, so I hope y'all are excited to hear all about ours!