Fun...Frustration...Finished!!

Ever feel like your life road-map leads you over so many twists and turns and bumps and detours that you can't remember if you were coming or going? I do. And I very often, especially lately, forget that I need to stop driving....get in the passenger seat...and let Jesus take over the driving. He knows the way...perfectly...and He knows exactly how to get me through each detour, over every bump and how to avoid those potholes. And I'm not even talking about those "big" moments/milestones/events, well, I am to a certain extent but it's even in the mundane everyday. My flesh says I can do it, but in my humble human frailty, I relinquish control of the wheel and sit back and let my Lord take me on that "wild ride" He has planned. It is certainly not always easy, but I'm learning. 
 Fun and frustration and a steady reminder that "it is Finished"....that pretty much en-capsules it all. Our fun came in the form of a 'sleepover' with cousin Daniel while Mitch and Heather headed to San Fran with PJ. We put the boys to work pulling weeds, made donuts, had homemade caramel popcorn, rode bikes, dug in the dirt, blew bubbles, raced cars...you know, all the stuff that boys love! Down and dirty. ;) 

 

why does every kid have to "taste" the bubbles?!

Taking a watermelon break from working on the sprinklers

Andy pulling the boys at his parent's house

 Another Carson update: we did his post-op appointment yesterday and this is where that word "frustrated" comes into play...only probably in capital letters. Spelled out one letter at a time. Why does it seem that every time we are at the doc. or hospital with Carson due to his "ear issue", it always ensues some type of drama or new unexpected thing we never saw coming?? Ill-prepared I say. That's how I felt anyway. To keep it simple, Carson's ear is pretty "clogged" with drainage and it needed to be cleaned. That was not going to work. (Carson got scared when the chair laid him back flat and he saw the long tube with the pointy needle at the end.... he cried, then basically panicked, doc. didn't want to force the issue, etc etc etc) We were frustrated that Carson wouldn't cooperate, that the doctor seemed rushed and frustrated as well, and that we got no questions answered. We were left with a prescription for ear drops that will hopefully clear up the infection and all the "gunk" and we will see the dr. again in 3 weeks. *sigh* Another trek to Reno. A very (high emphasis on very) short dr. visit and a L-O-N-G drive home was not in my road-map for how the day was going to play out. While driving, my mind and heart began to play that "questioning mom card" nearly the entire 2 1/2 hour drive home--you know the one. What did I do wrong? Why is my child so intolerable to pain? Do I "coddle" my boys too much?  Then I played the "justification card"--he's only 5. I would've cried too if I didn't know I was about to have my ear cleaned with this long tube thing and my mom never told me that was going to happen. The doc. probably had a long morning of some sort so that is why things & words were all-around "short". Frustrated. We made it home and in time for our boys' t-ball game which proved to be a great distraction (but notice I failed to break out the camera...not distraction enough I guess). The tears later fell...prayers prayed...my SIL reminded me that God's still got this...that it is indeed "Finished"....and sleep finally arrived. 
 Today is a new day. And yes, God's got this. He's driving. It is Finished--He paid the price and someday I will get to eternity....but not before doing all this sight-seeing along the way(to which HE gets all the glory). Today we are 'crafting' (with Carson giving the directions to me this time), letting the sunshine kiss our cheeks, singing, and just enjoying the ride. 

a simple yet fun craft ;)

Carson and Jovi--enjoying the beautiful sunshine!