If the road were easy...

If the road were easy...

you're likely going the wrong way.

I have been through a week of growing again. 

Funny how that happens when we aren't even trying.  :)

Started out getting used to my man being home around the clock.

  Our history was, I hated seeing him

off every Sunday afternoon, and not 

see him again, until early evening Thursday, of that same week.

We have been trying out this arrangement for the past year.

I thought I could handle it...you know just keep
busy, engaged in helping others where it was needed,

working on family projects, reading, going for walks, stacking wood, baking and staying busy in the community.

Because he had traveled a lot with his previous job, I figured

this would be just like that.  A honeymoon everytime 

he returned home. 

And it was, but

dang it all, this guy is my best friend, 

and we are both getting longer in the tooth, and well...

I didn't marry him, to see him, and

be with him, on occasion.  And so I started to dread Saturdays,

because that was the day before he would leave on 

Sunday, after church.

The last few months, I hid it pretty well,

and then everything came to a head, and I told him

that if he was going to keep working out of

state for four days out of every week,

well then we had to move

to where his work was...because being on the road

10 hours every week, was  eventually

going to catch up with him.

It's just the law of averages~

I did not want to get that "knock on the door" like 

we did when we lost our son-in-law

to a head on, a few years back.

***

We would be moving to where our kids and grand

babies are.  Our folks are both getting up

there in age.  It just made sense

to move where

EVERYTHING

is closer.

 

Five days later,

that decision was drastically altered.

His position at his job

was "no longer". 

 

The most beautiful people 

we come to know are those who have

known defeat,
suffering, 

known struggle, know loss

and have found their way out of the depths.

These people have an appreciation 

A sensitivity and an understanding of life

that fills them with compassion, gentleness and 

a deep loving concern.

Beautiful people ...do not just 

happen. 

When we moved to Island Park, over eight years ago,

we felt like we had been led here for a very specific reason.

***

 

We still do.

Even though we were on the verge of 

making a change...life happened.

Bringing that decision to a screeching halt!

We will remain here

in the mountains,

in our 

little cabin,

in the woods...until we can't. 

But I am not going to lie to you.  It has been an adjustment

getting used to having his "stuff" all over the house

again!  :)

It's been the greatest adjustment!

I didn't realize how much I have missed his non-stop

bantering, the surprise kisses on the 

back of my neck, 

his sweet kindnesses, getting my door,

grabbing all the groceries from

the car, before I can

get myself

unloaded.  Praying together, laughing,

sleeping in!  Watching our favorite movies together. 
Sneaking my favorite candy to me,

and setting down together for a light supper...or

no supper, maybe just popcorn!

There has been a couple of instances where

we have circled like querulous

old bears...but that

was just because we are both going deaf

and I got tired of him asking, "Huh?"

And so one time in

exasperation I yelled it out!  

  

So when the world says, 

"Oh just give up!"

Hope whispers..."try one more time."

I just want to assure you, the reader, that life is forever 

changing, throwing challenges in our paths

to see if we have enough grit to 

pick it up, an get 'er done!

Even though our children will be disappointed for 

a while that we are not in the same state.

I hope they will come to accept

the fact, that this little cabin is still a haven of 

peace and love, from the world.

A refuge from what's hurting the heart, or where, they just might need to escape and breathe, to wet a hook, 

to hike the hills, to build campfires, play horse shoes,

harvest wood for the coming winter, where good eats,

a warm fire, laughter and love will always 

be found in abundance...and where they will always, 

always be welcome!