Positive Thinking

As I have been going about the last week, husband-less (Missouri has him), I have been trying to be positive. Here are some of the "up-sides" of not having a husband for a month:

-I only do 5/6th of the laundry I normally do (yes, the kids each count for 2 people when it comes to laundry and no it isn't that much of a difference, but when it comes to laundry...i'll take anything).

-I don't have to make "big" dinners. Kids can eat chicken nuggets and I can have a salad (or wheat thins and ice-cream) for dinner if I want without feeling guilty for not making something elaborate.

-I don't have to move dirty boots from the carpet to the "actual place" the dirty boots are supposed to go everyday.

-I can park my car anyway I want to without worrying about Dan's pickup fitting in our driveway.

-My mom feels bad that I am "husband-less" and offers to watch my kids more (thanks mom).

-I tend to get more done when Dan is gone. I have the attitude that "if something is going to get done around here, it has to be me that does it". And I don't get in an argument with anyone for having that attitude.

-I never have to explain that the laundry basket is only 3 steps from where the clothes landed on the floor.

-Dan's "man bathroom" gets cleaned...and stays cleaned.

-I pay closer attention to the small details in my kids lives to make sure Dan hears about or sees pictures (or video) of whats happening.

-I am forced to rely on Christ, because I don't have someone around each evening to talk with, complain to, or hug, whenever I desire.

So, there you have it. Some of the positives that come out of not having a husband for a month at a time.

Pep Talks

Hey blogging world. I know it has been forever since I have posted and quite frankly I don't even know if anyone still reads this (or ever did).

I guess I am writing asking for prayer for strength and wisdom. My hubby is leaving for Missouri tomorrow morning for a job. It is a good thing (I keep telling myself) and will be good for the company (I keep telling myself) and help us out (I keep telling myself) in a hard finacial time. It came about so quickly that I didn't really get much time to process it all (until I started "really" thinking about it today). There is no real time frame on the job, just a "whatever, whenever" (whenever it snows so much they can't drill or until the job is done).

I would drop everything and go with him, but the job came up so fast that I didn't have anytime to figure out the details. I have some random comittments that I just don't feel comfortable backing out of. I also just committed to watching a 2 1/2 year old boy and don't want to let that mother down feeling like she has no childcare. So, I feel like I am somewhat stuck here.

If I am going to be honest...I am having a hard time. I am such a logical thinker that throughout the last week of contemplating this job my attitude was "this is what we have to do". However, when it comes down to Dan leaving in the morning and me being with the kids by myself for the next month...it's rather hard and all logic has gone out the window.

So, I end my day counting the number of "pep-talks" (turned "ok, how is this going to work, talks") I have given myself over and over again. "You can do this, Andrea." "People go through much worse." "It's only a month tops till I see him again." "The kids can see him on Skype." "You CAN do this, Andrea." You get the picture...

So, I leave you begging for some prayer. Strength for me, Dan, and the kids. Wisdom to know what to do, when we should go and when I need to stay. Prayer for Dan's partners family. Prayer for their employee's wives. Peace to get through my nights (that seems to be the worst time). Patience and Love to show to my children. A heart of thankfulness toward the Lord. An open spirit that is willing to growing deeper in love with Christ and learn more than I ever imagined through out the next month or more.

I also leave you with some of my favorite pictures that depict how wonderful of a dad Marissa and Spencer have!!!

Sitting on the dock at the lake, putting their feet in the water.

Just fishing.

At a wedding where Marissa was the flower girl and Dan was the officiant, best man, and reception MC.

Planting seeds.

Wrestling and kisses...two of our favorite things.