Six things I've learned from our 1st semester of seminary

1. My husband is incredibly hard working.  

I don't know how he did it...16 hours of class, 16 hours of work, 4-5 hours of volunteering (welcome desk, mentoring, etc), 25+ hours of studying...  That's not even including all the many house projects that he worked on in the very, very limited free time he had.  So, did you add that up?  62+ hours in just class, studying, and work. That's crazy.  He's amazes me.

2. My husband does so much more "around the house" than I ever gave him credit for.

When Brad was in full time vocational ministry in Brainerd, I used to complain about how little I felt he did around the house.  I so have had to eat my words...and ask for his forgiveness.  My complaints were not merited.  I have come to realize just how much he did...kids' toys were fixed, garbage was taken out, oil was changed on the vehicles, dishwasher was unloaded...because he is completely unable to do much of it now with his study and work load.  It's just not humanly possible for him or anyone else to study, work, AND help around the house for that matter.  I've come to really be okay with this and fully embrace this "new normal."  

3.  God sustained our physical bodies...even on very little sleep.

I don't know how Brad and I never got seriously sick this past semester.  We had short bouts with a runny nose or a sore throat, but it never turned into a full fledged cold or sickness.  He never missed a day of class or work, and I never had to call friends to help me because I was too sick to take care for our kiddos.  Many nights we wouldn't get to bed until after 1...and between getting up to help Hannah go potty or helping her to find her nuk or going into Caleb's room to rub his legs due to growing pains...we never got more than 4-5 hours of sleep each night.  God truly sustained us.  

4.  God provided all we needed, especially financially.   

I don't know how we're able to pay our bills each month.  I don't know how our savings has not run out.  I don't know how we are able to go to seminary without having to go into debt.  I just don't know.  If you really know Brad and me well, you know that we keep track of everything we spend.  Every. Single. Penny.  I'm not kidding you.  Even though Brad and I both completely know our bills, accounts, etc., I take care of paying all the bills and handle all the finances during this season of our lives.  And I can't explain how we are surviving except by the grace of God.  He has provided for us through human hands as well extra hours at work during his Christmas break.  It truly has humbled us and blown us away by His goodness and provision.  We praise God for His faithfulness!  

5.  Time is much more precious than money.

We learned the very first week or two that we were both going to have to say good-bye to some "time wasters" and "areas of relaxation and escape" because there was just no extra time.  So for the first time (in our marriage and probably his ENTIRE life), Brad gave up watching the Vikings.  This. Is. Huge! He LOVES the Vikings...he loves talking about them with his brothers and he loves listening to Paul Allen on KFAN talk about the Vikings...he is a great fan!  He decided that Sunday had to be a day of rest.  And since he was studying for 5+ hours most Saturdays, Sunday afternoons were precious.  So he filled those afternoons with Lego creating, Wii playing, block building times with the kids, and he never regretted it. And I gave up ALL television.  For the first time in my life, I didn't watch one episode of Survivor or any other TV show.  With all the extra work I had on my plate, it just wasn't possible.  Time became very precious to us, and we didn't have the luxury to waste it.  

6.  While seminary and this season of our life is hard, that doesn't mean it's not good. 

Seminary has been much harder than I ever expected.  I have had to relinquish control and give up comforts and destroy previous held thoughts about how "this" was supposed to be.  It's been hard, really hard at times.  But it has been so very good as well.  I've learned more about savoring my Savior and being fully satisfied in Him than at any other time in my life.  In Him I am able to find fullness of joy and an ability to "bear" all the extra that He has given to me during this time.  We still struggle with finding family and couple time, but we're learning a "new rhythm" with each passing week.