When Life Hands You Lemons,….

Life doesn’t always go as expected.  I know that.  You know that.  We all know that.  So, what do you do when life hands you lemons?  You make lemonade, of course.

Case in point, Kinsley has been tracked out for a few weeks now. With year round school, instead of having a summer break, she gets multiple breaks throughout the year where she gets a few weeks out.  Break #1 is happening now.  And can I be honest?  I am not sure how I feel about this year-round, multiple-breaks thing.  She has became used to school – having a rigid, tight routine and being engaged constantly, so switching back to being home was a bit rough and resembled the first week of school all over again.  We also had gotten into a routine of her being at school, the house being quieter through the day, etc. so it has been an adjustment for us too.Add to her track out the fact that Ed and Emerson came down with this L-O-N-G viral infection that made them vomit and poop for days and that it has rained for 6 days in a row, and we are all going a little crazy.

But, the Lord has graciously helped me have a good perspective, enjoy the unexpected extra family time, and try to soak up the moments with Kinsley knowing they are fleeting and she is growing up too fast.  So, we did quite a few fun “just Kinsley and I” things (and mostly because the other half of our house was sick)!

First, we had a fun playdate at Marbles kid’s museum with a few of her new classmates and then enjoyed lunch together afterwards.  It was actually a really fun time, which is not always the norm with new playdates with people you don’t know.

Then, we had to run to the store, so we had an impromptu coffee date.  This girl thinks she is so big when she gets time with just mom drinking hot chocolate out of her very own big girl coffee cup.

Then, I took her with me to the Campbell girl’s Bible study fall party.  She loved decorating cookies, eating other yummy treats, and directing the girls while they were carving pumpkins.  It is so fun to have her growing up and be able to come with us to campus events and interact with college students who love the Lord.

(Speaking of Campbell, can I say that it is a huge praise to the Lord that we have had 12+ girls attending Bible study every week? We had 4 last year!  The women who are leading the study from our church are doing an amazing job and are a huge answer to prayer!)

On top of all these fun things, I have been trying to soak up the moments when the kids are getting along and loving each other rather than fighting.  They have been loving playing in the backyard and then “talking” to Blake through the door.

Will you pray that the Lord will give me patience and perspective and that I will enjoy these last few days of track out with her instead of getting annoyed and irritated?  I am realizing lately how fast the years are flying and I want to treasure each moment, even through the hard days of parenting.

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