The Days Are Long

When we were in California a couple weeks ago, we were pulling into a driveway, and Jonah suddenly speaks up: "You know Mom? I heard someone say one time 'The days are long, but the years are short'. And you know what? That's how I feel. The days are long ... but the years are short."

Well, thank you, seven year old for that wisdom for the day! I just smiled, and agreed with him that, yes, that is sometimes how things can feel.

And truthfully, that is how I sometimes feel, especially this week. We sent Eli to South Africa on Sunday morning for 11 days. A really exciting trip for him, as we're looking towards some new programs launching at our church sometime in the future, but hey - the reality is I'm a mom with three little boys, five and a half months pregnant, and HECK NO! I don't want him to be gone nearly two weeks! I'm only near the end of the fourth day, and I feel weary. Weary of squabbles, weary of little boys really pushing their limits with me, and weary of not having Eli's strong and capable hands to looks towards each day.

And they miss him. Oh, they do. Even if they don't always voice it, I see it in their faces. Most times we've pulled into the driveway, Matthias chimes up "Daddy here???" And I have to say "No, Daddy is still on his trip." Jonah sits on the couch, "Can you just come snuggle with me, Mom?" And Reuben doesn't want to go to church for any activity whatsoever, "because it makes me sad that Dad isn't there with us".

And I'm so grateful that we're not alone. Still at Opa and Oma's house, who are being extra caring to me and the boys right now. But, I still just miss Eli.

Today, they wore themselves out: the bigger boys got to go to the pool for awhile with my mom, and I kept Matthias happy cooking taco meat for his dinner.

Always happy if Mom will let him cook with her!

That meant by 8pm, they could hardly get themselves into bed. Which means a good night sleep for everyone, hopefully. And I don't want to dread another day! I want to still find joy in the things that fill each day, whether normal activities or something special. So, we prayed tonight together that we would treat each other right, and we would enjoy the day the God gives us tomorrow = ) And I pray that my days don't feel long, but that they would be just right.