Hope

Some days are harder then others to be a mommy. 

So far this week, since he helped put them to bed Sunday night, Andy has seen our children for approx. 3 and a half hours. Total. All week. It has just been the way the schedule has worked - they have been in bed before he has gotten home every single night, so he has seen them for a few minutes in the morning, and that is it.  

It is starting to show. 

I suppose I should just say it is good practice for the next six months, since they are going to see him a lot less then that during that time, but to be completely honest, I just want to whine a little bit. 

Whine whine whine. 

I feel better now. Thanks for listening! 

Now for the good news... dum dum dum.... Andy's leave got approved!!! That means he has most of next week off, to spend time with us before he ships out! He has to go in for his weapons certification (required before every deployment - which is hard for me. I certainly don't want him to have to shoot anyone! I guess since he has to carry a gun anyway, he better be accurate in how he uses it. I don't want him to shoot his own foot off, or something lame like that. Not that I think he would... that sounded really bad. Please don't tell him I said that!)

 Anyway... other then that one required course, he has next week off. He has to go to his college classes, and has some homework that needs done, but he will be free to just hang out and play with his sons for several hours a day. 

 Prepare to bring on the wrestling! 

 They need that so very very desperately. 

 I need that so very very desperately. 

On Sunday our pastor talked about hope. One of the points he made that really stood out to me was this; "A person can live weeks without food, days without water, minutes without air, but only seconds without hope." 

 That thought has been running around in my head this week - how very vital hope is, to life itself. I try to be a "glass half full" type of girl, and hope is not something I often run short on. But this time, right now before Andy leaves is hard, even for me. 

 It has gotten me thinking how much harder it must be for people who don't have hope. Yes, I whine some. Yes, I am going to miss him so much that it takes my breath away if I think about it too much. 

 But I have a promise that NO MATTER WHAT, I have something to look forward to. I know he will be following God's will, God's plan, God's leading. I don't have anything to fear.

 Nothing. 

That is a wonderful promise, that hope I have. I am so very thankful that I have been given ears to hear, and a heart to understand. 

 I am so very thankful that I have parents to introduced me to God's word when I was very young, and helped me begin to hide it in my heart - where it lives - rather then just leave it on a shelf. 

 Hope is an amazing thing. We may "die" in seconds without it - but we will live eternally with it. 

Do you have hope? I would be happy to share mine with you! Just ask ~