One moment that changes everything - yet again

 Today, as I walked out to the mailbox at 7:30 pm, in the first week of January, quite comfortable in my tanktop and bare feet, I realized that I am going to miss it here. In the middle of the summer, when it is 100 degrees, and so humid you feel like you could literally wring out the very air that surrounds you, it is harder to remember that. Or when the ants find a way in - inexplicably, yet with persistence, over and over again. Or when you find yet another black widow cheerfully taking up residence in space that you would like to consider your own.

 But today, when it was 70 degrees out, and the sun was gloriously shining, and you drive along with the windows down, and the fresh pine breeze blowing, and the bulbs that you planted last year are already poking their adorable little heads out between the cheerful red mulch that you lovingly spread on ground that you own, for the first time, OWN, yourself... Well, today, it was harder to think about saying goodbye. I will miss this little plot of ground. 

 However, I strongly believe in living the verse that says "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thessalonians 5:18

So, I will choose to give thanks. I can't promise that I will always be successful, and I will apologize in advance for my moments of failure. 

It seems that my year, and all the plans I had for it, have changed, repeatedly, in the last week. First there was Tuesday - the delay in the Officer package. On Wednesday I got an E-mail from our contact in Benin saying that another family was interested in Glawdys, and if we could not finish our paperwork soon and move to the next step then she would be placed with them. That was heartbreaking, scary, and very frustrating. At this exact moment, I can't make anything go any faster - holidays just s l o w things down.

Then, on Friday, I got the final straw for my week of ARGGGHHHH! With less then two months notice, Andy found out he is headed for "the desert" for six months. He was a last minute addition to this trip - they had been trying not to send him, since everyone knows he is in school and trying to do his Officer package - but, they are short manned, and duty calls. We don't argue and we try very hard not to complain. We knew what we were doing when we signed up - the first time and again when we chose to stay in.

There is so much to think about. So much to plan, decisions to make, actions to take.

Right this minute though, I just like to sit and stare at him.

It is an unfortunate fact that the weeks before a deployment are insanely full of junk, and they are the moments you most desire to have empty and free. Free to laugh, and play, and kiss and simply stare.

Free to enjoy the little things, to save them up for all those little moments that you won't have later.

Life is full of choices. I choose to make time to be free, right now when it is needed. And more importantly, I choose to give thanks in ALL circumstances.