I'm dreaming of a white Christmas...in April?

As I’ve been organizing pictures from the last 6 months, I’ve not only realized how quickly my kids have grown and changed, but also how much I haven’t been able to process or reflect upon LIFE while I’ve been in school. So much time was consumed with keeping up on homework or trying to keep my house from falling into utter chaos that I didn’t stop to remember my struggles and joys or reflect on what God has done. I don’t want those moments in time to slip through my fingers. I want to go back and think about our journey as a family and my own personal growth. It goes AGAINST every fiber in my being to be out of chronological order, but oh well! (I am such a CONCRETE/SEQUENTIAL person that I even drive myself a little crazy!)


Going home to ND always brings with it mixed feelings. I love my parents dearly, but I find myself not really knowing how each visit will go. Sometimes it is sweet fellowship with my parents, and other times our time together can be filled with such dysfunction! (I’m sure other families go through the same thing at holiday gatherings.)


Christmas this past year was pretty crazy. My brother and his wife had to stay at home in Grand Forks and study/work (they are both working and going to school full time), but two of my nieces and nephew came to my parent’s house while we were there. The children outnumbered the adults 5 to 4. It was pretty chaotic at times to say the least.


I love ALL of my nieces and nephew, but because we don’t get to see them very often, they often monopolize our time and don’t give us much of a break. So between five children ages 17 months to 11 years and all the cooking and special activities, it was a pretty exhausting time for me and Brad.


But the kids had SO MUCH FUN together! Brad and I even had a couple really good conversations with my parents, and Mom and Dad watched ALL the kids so Brad and I could have a night out.


No matter what “going home” entails, I am always so glad that I do have a family to go home to. Despite the many ups and downs I have (almost weekly) with my parents, God placed me in their family, and I know that He is good, sovereign, and in control. He knows best, and I’m glad I can trust Him in the good AND in the hard times.