Hamster off her Wheel

Have you ever had your entire week just "thrown off" by one unexpected little twist or turn? That was my week, for sure and certain. I (obviously) did not plan in my September "surgery for Klynt" and even though he is recovering really well and being such a trooper, I have been completely behind ever since Monday. I went to bed exhausted every night, I lost my phone twice in one day, I sent emails without their necessary attachments. I even ended up grocery shopping at 9pm last night (which ended at 11:30 with the last item being put away), because I rearranged my work week to allow for being with my Klynters during his surgery, which meant rearranging all my normal wife and mom jobs too. Whew! I am delighted to be sitting in my jammies at 9:48am with a big ol' day of "whatever I want to do" spread out in front of me!

One benefit to being a little "off kilter" all week is it shakes me up a bit and exposes a few cracks in the surface of my faith. For one thing, I notice I am way more easily agitated when I am out of my normal routine. That comfort of the familiar and regular is taken away and I feel a bit raw. I found myself needing to apologize for a harsh tone with Emma or making an assumption with Kyler. It's humbling to see how easily my "goodness" erodes under a little pressure. I take so much comfort though, in knowing God does not crumble. He remains my one source of constant in an ever-changing life. I think part of my challenge is to learn to find more comfort in Him, and less in routine and schedule.

Another blessing of this week was questioning my norms. There are little ruts I dig that I never even think to alter, until they get altered and I realize it was better! Working out on Wednesdays around 8:30 worked great this week. Not doing laundry Tues-Thurs was not, in fact, a disaster. I'm still basically caught up. It was kind of nice being in my office on Friday and getting to visit with my Branches girls without the busyness of so many clients.

As thankful as I am for today's wonderful laid back pace, I am also choosing to be thankful for a week that felt hectic and weird and uncomfortable. God has been teaching me to choose gratitude over complaint for several years now, and when I pick gratitude it's amazing how much goodness and joy I find in things that used to bring me such angst. 

Oops!

I am swamped. Suddenly without warning, or my intentional permission mind you, my calendar has descended upon me like a boa constrictor. Tightening ever so slowly until I suddenly realized, "it's got me!!!" Sigh....

It all began innocently enough. I had this idea about beginning a "mentoring women group" which I casually shared with one of my pastor's, which then launched me into a coffee meeting, which ended up with me needing to produce an outline. Meanwhile, elsewhere on my calendar was a sneaky little commitment I made months ago to speak at an upcoming Chamber of Commerce panel breakfast representing my beloved Branches. No big deal..... something about the psychology of first impressions..... and besides that was way on the distance. However, I also remembered I had agreed to teach for our school, New Life University but it was two months away. And several months ago, I had this thought that it'd be great to help out our children's minister by coordinating all our kid's birthdays to send them cards and such from their teachers- and just received all the info this week via email to get started. Then Klynt broke his elbow and we had surgery thrust upon our week.

So last night as I was looking ahead at the month of September, which I had mentally rehearsed as an uneventful and restful month, I discovered I was already in the grip of "over committed". The speaking engagement and teaching gig are both on the same week that my husband goes out of town for work, and we have an Intensive at Branches. AND somehow I've got to get this outline completed, as I insinuated I would have turned it in two weeks ago. AND I need to get this children's ministry thing nailed down since I already said I would eons ago. AND my best friend from FL has tried to connect with me several times and I'm too busy to get on the phone with her!

This is the plight of a woman with ideas. Take note and learn from my mania. ALWAYS look at your calendar when making commitments. ALWAYS plan some space for random children interruptions to the schedule. ALWAYS pray before saying yes (which, in my own weak defense I did do regarding at least one of these!). Yes dear friends, I will survive my September and live to tell the tale...."remember that one year, when like a crazy person I committed to do way too many things for one woman but didn't cancel or back out of any of them because I had just enough guilt and people pleasing to keep me going?....." but it is my sincere plan to learn from this minor setback and do a better job balancing my delightful ideas with realistic abilities to accomplish them.

Ever so thankful that the Lord loves me and my sanguine spontaneous self, in spite of the fact that I fell asleep praying for the umpteenth time last night out of sheer exhaustion. So if you don't hear much from Millinery, you'll know I'm wrestling an overgrown boa into October!

Nurses Hat, again!

I have been so blessed as a mom, to rarely deal with illness or injury. My kids have just been easy in terms of health and so it's unusual to have doctors, medicine or surgery for us to deal with. As a result there is a little anxiety for all of us as we approach Klynt's surgery tomorrow. Here was Emma's prayer tonight:

"Dear God, make sure you take care of Klynt tomorrow. There's been a lot of drama for him with his surgery....well, you already know about that. So make sure you give him confidence. Oh and since there is a slight, slight chance- I mean, I don't really think this, but since there is a chance, make sure he doesn't die. And so you know, just take care of him God....." 

Apparently, Klynt's repeated comments about tonight being his "last meal ever" sunk in with her a bit. So after a good meal of Chicken Taco Salad- his very favorite food- and a set of "before" pictures taken by me and prayers by parents and a few texts from friends, my Klynters is as ready as he can be for his elbow repair.

This fractured elbow has been a good teaching experience, and I'm sure the lessons aren't over yet. We've had discussions about why God would allow Klynt to get injured and not prevent it. How God may have prevented something much worse by allowing this injury. How a broken world causes us to get broken too. How God is more concerned with developing our character than our temporary happiness, and on and on.

So tonight, I'm praying for God to be with my son as he sleeps. To give him confidence and peace. And to allow me the opportunity to help him know God more through this experience.