I Love Him.

I have recently dealt with some really unpleasant people. People who, when they did not get their way, yelled at me. It's actually happened three times recently. And all three times, the rude people were men. One guy had the nerve to yell at me because I asked him to drive more slowly down our street, where upwards of 30 children were outside playing. Not only did he get upset, but he pulled his car over, got out, and came and got in my face.

Make no mistake. I can handle these people just fine. I actually take some strange sense of pride in remaining unruffled by their childish behavior, and watching them de-escalate based on what I say to them. It's really not much different than behavior management in my elementary school classroom... it's just the boys are pretending to be men. But here's what all this has done for me. It's reinforced for me what a remarkable man I married.

We had a really special time while he was home. Of course we had our initial bumps. It's hard to jump back into family life when your family life has found a new kind of normal. Also, the things you disagreed on 8 months ago, you will probably still disagree on. You're still a Democrat, he's still a Republican. The Lakers and the Celtics are still rivals. You still don't mind 100 kids from the neighborhood in and out of the house, he just might.

But I love this man. I love that everything I have asked him to bend or compromise on, he has tried to. He has strong opinions, as do I. We have a blended family. We're raising teenagers and kids with special needs. We have ex-spouses to deal with. We're in the Army. There is a lot for us to butt heads over. And believe me, we do. But at the end of the day, it's me and him, making it all work. I've said it before- I have an immense respect for the man he has chosen to be. I listen to him pray for our children, give thanks for our marriage, and ask me for my input on so many things, and I know that he is genuinely good. It's an easy contrast to make from a man who yells at you because your child bounces a basketball too loudly near his window. My husband is remarkable, and even though I realize I'm probably being a little extra emotional because I miss him so much, I also don't think my feelings come as a surprise to anyone. I really love him.

A Piece of Eternity

It's been a whirlwind couple of weeks. There is so much I want to write about, I don't even know where to start. I'll just pick what has been, for me, the ultimate highlight.

While Skip was home for his 2 weeks' leave, we had all five of our kids for spring break. We had an opportunity to take our oldest 3 to the temple to do baptisms for the dead. There are so many difficult things to deal with in a divorce situation. Even under ideal circumstances, which we do not have, kids can feel so torn between families. We often worry about how this affects our children, and pray for their well-being as well as the wisdom to teach and guide them.

As we sat with our teenagers together in the temple, I felt peace and reassurance in my heart that God has everything under control. We have our bumps to navigate, and I imagine they will be pretty bumpy from time to time; but there is comfort to be found in knowing that we navigate it all with the direction of a loving Heavenly Father.

We are going to be more than okay.

Also, everyone willingly jumped in for family pictures, and we got some nice ones. This two weeks has flown by, and I get teary every time I even think about heading back to the airport. But having had all our kids' spring breaks line up AND fall in line with Skip's leave was nothing short of a miracle. We are growing together, making our place with one another, and finding what it is for us to be a family. I recognize God's hand along the way, and am grateful.