The Breaks, the Aches, the Promise and the Positive

Yesterday was a day for Pepto. My body could not make up its mind. I had butterflies, acid reflux and my stomach teetered between throwing up and diarrhea. Things that will effect the future, things that shaped my past and some that are just for the day all swirled into one gigantic gastro-intestinal upsetting day.

You want to know why it was not terrible? Want to know why I am not screaming "WHY ME???". God is handling all of it. I am comforted by His promises and plan.

This is a strange attitude for me. I was raised to be a "fixer". There had to be a solution, some thing I could do and someone/thing to blame. Immediate and swift action must be taken to resolve the problem. I think I stopped seeing this as a problem and more as an "event". It is just happening.

My parents house is officially under contract. They remodeled the house that was given to them by a dear neighbor that had past away in November of 1995. This is the house that since late 2002 has served as a haven for grandchildren to run and play. A place for holidays, exactly the way my Mom had envisioned them.
It was the first place Megan celebrated a holiday once she was released from the NICU.
It was the location for Cassie and Natalie's 1st Birthday parties.
Where the kids had Nana and PopPop sleepovers.
Where they pulled the cushions off the couch, the towels off the stove and the magnets off the fridge.
We took McDonald's drive thru orders at the kitchen window for the "hungry" kids on the deck.
The doorbell was rung a billion times. One of those times was because Ginger and I were playing "Pizza Man" with Samuel and we did not notice that he had gone out again and he could not get back in. *Did I mention that it was February and he had no shoes on?*

I don't think we ever realized that we would need to change our position about our memories. Switch the way we feel about those times and that house. It was the house where that all physically took place. But our family was the real heart of it. As much as that house was filled with joy and excitement, it was also full of more.

It was full of body language and stares.
Where we closely controlled volume and subject matter.
Where we whispered when Dad left the room.
It was a place of caution and repression.
The freedom that the children had, was not that at all.
It was the place that Dad disappeared from last Christmas Eve.
It was the place where the Elephant in the room that everyone was ignoring sat right down on the couch and said "HELLO! You have to talk about me now!"

So now, here we are. The elephant is out, everyone knows. We acknowledge that we let the pachyderm push and pull us and the kids were watching. They paid attention. They knew, and we let them sit confused and lost. Now its over - at least in that way.
The focus turns to Mom and Dad and where they will physically go from here. Some where in there we have to concern ourselves with how we will set up this new form of our family. That cannot be done right now - I know I can't figure it out now. This is where the new found patience and peace comes in - I can't plan this.

Whatever it looks like, the family that created the joy and excitement is still there. The physical location does not matter. We can make memories in a Walmart parking lot and that does not make them any less special because they were not in that house.

The promise I have from God is that we are saving the children from the hurt. Saving them from the confusion and doubt. It goes along with what God wants our children to know. They are loved - unconditionally. Whether they are loud, have a temper, a smart mouth, think poop is funny, they can be themselves. This is where they should feel accepted. There are too many people and places in life that are going to tell them they are wrong.

It starts now. Why? Because by the time Cara goes shopping for her wedding dress and chooses off white or something different, we will all be de-programmed and wont even think about if PopPop will approve. That is the positive.

Pictures from Danielle

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Why you should listen to "Saving with Sara" . . .

Today I got two things in the mail because I listened to Sara. If you pay close attention to her you will feel like you win every time you go grocery shopping. I am so glad I met her and found her blog!!!

The first thing I spotted today was a box in front of my garage. It was the Nature Valley Prize Pack that I won by entering a contest on Sara's blog!!!! I have been threatened that I need to share my Nut Clusters with a few people so I will not be opening them right now!

The next thing I got you cna see in the picture also - it is a coupon book for Kashi Cereal. Sara advised her followers to sign up with a cool site, Vocal Point. I signed up because I saw that Sara received a sample cereal and a bunch of coupons. Well todayI got this pack of coupons. It had TWO $3 off coupons for Kashi Cereal! And at least 3 or 4 $1.50 off coupons. I am thinking I am going to try some Kashi Cereal soon!!!! Hahahaha.

Oh and Tomorrow I am going to Target to get some juice. Mott's products are "buy 5 get a $5 gift card" this week. Yeah, I got that from Sara too!