Peaceful weekend

The grandmas (and grandpas, too, I guess) gave me a wonderful gift this Memorial Day weekend...they took all three kids home with them! My parents got back into town late Fri night/early Sat morning! Yah-hoo! Jared drove the kids to BG Saturday afternoon and Jack and Maddy stayed with his folks and Noah got his "own" visit with Dani and Poppi. You can read here and here about what was going on in BG while Jared and I had the house to ourselves here. There was much dining out, visiting with friends, and elevating of the extremely swollen feet (that last one was just me). We did purchase some bookshelves for the living room from craigslist, but other than that, we did not do much productive. That's not true: a weekend to actually converse with my husband without interruption from kids was very productive! Our anniversary was yesterday, so we ate out Saturday night for our "anniversary" meal at Rafferty's and I actually ate ribs! Not a meal that can be eaten with kids present, since I make my own big mess...so it was a nice change. We laughed at my general largeness and the fact that waiters and people wherever I go either comment on my poor swollen feet, make some comment alluding to the fact that surely I must be WAY overdue, or sympathetically offer some kind of help or special treatment I would not normally be offered. Jared commented that people were going to think he must be a really great guy to be taking this poor unwed mother to dinner, since I wasn't wearing my wedding ring (thank you, swollen fingers) AND we were talking and laughing and having way too much fun to be the old married couple that we are! We did have an especially good time together.

I know the next few weeks will be very difficult, adjusting to a big change in our life, not sleeping well, etc, but I am so thankful for the husband God has given me. I would not want, nor could I imagine, living this life without him by my side. While putting books on the new-to-us bookshelves, I came across our workbooks from the "Dynamic Marriage" course we took a few years ago. Reading our thoughts back then, I realize how far we've come as a couple and a family. Not that we don't have a LONG way to go, but I am SO GRATEFUL, so humbled, so amazed at how God has brought us so much closer, especially the past year and a half, since Ruby died. In reliving those emotions through other peoples' recent tragedies, I've been so reminded once again of how easy it would have been for Satan to drive a huge wedge between us, and how GRATEFUL I am for a husband who did not busy himself with work, or find excuses to be away from home, or worse, but instead dealt with his grief WITH ME, by my side, loving our kids, talking to them when all I could do was cry and hold them, pouring himself out to God...and doing the same FOR me when I could not even do that for myself. He was my earthly rock, because he was leaning fully on the only true Rock. He bridged the gap for me, when I could not form a coherent sentence or even bear to cry out to God myself, in those early weeks when I was doing well to remember to breathe. I don't know that I will ever be able to fully thank him or express to him how much he means to me. Even saying that sounds so cliché and falls so far short of what I feel.

Well, Maddy is now having a turn at Dani's and Poppi's and I hear she's sewing her first dress. Of course it's a "water fairy" dress (your guess is as good as mine) because she is a water fairy. I'll be sure to post pictures or link to Mom's if she does.

They're also keeping Libby, the Boston Terrier, while David and Maggie are on vacation, so Maddy was excited to share that they have Poppi outnumbered 3 to 1, while I suffer here outnumbered by the boys 3 (almost 4!) to 1.

I guess that's all the random thoughts I have for now. Still no more progress on the baby front, but I appreciate your prayers for baby Luke's quick and safe arrival!