Life Is A Treasure

I just spent a week in Pensacola visiting my daughter and family.It was a long overdue visit (over 4 years) but trips to the other side of the country are not easy to come by. When my daughter and I hatched the idea for me to visit it was back in September and I had no idea how I'd pull it off. But God did. Shortly after I set a visit date of January 2016, I was offered the part time job at Family Christian Store. It was an answer to prayer. Still, it took awhile to save enough funds for the trip, because as soon as I started saving other things came up. Things like a major car repair, an unexpected medical expense, a higher than normal electric bill. In other words, life. Funny how that happens. Still, by Christmas I had the money to buy the airplane ticket.

We had some grand plans at first. A trip to Atlanta Georgia to attend a Women of Faith Conference. A side trip to Alabama to see my son. As the date got closer and reality set in we had to trim things back and then I got an upper respiratory infection that almost made me postpone the trip. It was with a resigned spirit that I boarded the plane last Wednesday. I say resigned because I really was disappointed that the WOF Conf wasn't happening. A visit to my son was probably not possible either and while the Rx was kicking in, I still felt exhausted and wimpy due to all the coughing and sniffling. And did i mention I had laryngitis? But as the plane carried me through the air I thought about how blessed I was to take this trip at all. The whole purpose of the visit was to spend time with my girl. It didn't matter what we did, just that we did it together. As for the laryngitis, didn't God give me the word "listen" for the year? Well, I'm still chuckling over that one because with a raspy voice it was certainly easier for me to let my daughter and grandkids do all the talking while I sat back and just listened!

The week went incredible fast, as vacations are always prone to do. I saw where my daughter works, met some of her co-workers and friends, surprised my granddaughter at school by showing up for lunch, met my oldest grandson's 'friend-girl' (not girlfriend he says) got reacquainted with my step-grands, watched my grandchildren play, took them on a field trip, went to the beach (in spite of very cool temperatures and threatening skies) and went clothes shopping with my girl. In between, we just enjoyed each others company, shared secrets, laughed, cried, and laughed some more.

My grandkids are growing much too fast! The boys are taller than me! Their voices have changed. There's facial hair!! My granddaughter is wearing a bra! In less than 2 years the oldest will be 18 and graduating. For crying out loud! Stop!!

 Life goes on, whether you are watching carefully or not. I've been home for just a couple of days and as always, in retrospect I think of all the things I had wanted to do but didn't. But I look at the pictures of all the things we did do and I recall the conversations that took place and the memories we made. There will be more trips. We'll fly the kids up for visits over the next few summers. We'll skype and text and facebook. It's not the same as having them down the street just 10 minutes away but this is life. It's not perfect but I'll treasure it.

The Summer of '96

in a few short days my husband and I will be gathering in our special place, Tall Timber Ranch, for a reunion of all staff as we honor the retiring camp directors. I worked on summer staff several times and have made life long connections with amazing people-- some of whom I have not seen in about 18 years. Getting ready for the reunion has sparked lots of special memories... this is just one...

A little red compact loaded to the gills, boxes and suitcases precariously stacked, each niche filled with one more thing we could't live without. My almost 15 year old daughter tucked into the front seat beside me, fiddling with the radio, finding only static and finally negotiating a cassette tape from the box at her feet. 

"Not too loud" I made it a suggestion, choosing to ignore the eye roll. We would share a small room for three months and I remember thinking if we didn't establish rules during a 4 hour car ride, the summer was sure to be challenging. I knew it was going to be a challenge regardless. 

For the previous several months she'd been living with her aunt, before that, her dad. My opportunity to work at our church camp for the summer and my invitation for her to join me would provide us a way to try living together again and see if we couldn't make this relationship work. It had been strained since the divorce and that was putting it politely. It was my heart's cry that somehow we forge ahead and build something between us we could honor. 

The job opportunity came on the heels of my recent engagement to the love of my life. We'd been dating for two years and the proposal had happen on a church retreat at the camp. That same weekend I had spied a notice on the camp bulletin board, advertising for summer staff. Working at a church camp, cooking in the vast kitchen appealed to me, so I had taken an application not really sure how that would fit in with any wedding plans I'd be making. With the encouragement of my fiance however, I submitted the application and was delighted when hired. The next step had been to ask my daughter if she would like to come with me for the summer. It was truly an answer to prayer that she'd agreed. 

Tall Timber Ranch is located in the middle of a glacier wilderness area. Bordered by rugged mountain ranges and glacier fed rivers, it had been serving and blessing kids of all ages for several decades. All my previous visits to the camp had been in winter, when snow was often piled to the eaves of the cabins. That year would be both my daughters and mine first visit to it in summertime. We would share a room in one of the lodges, live, work, worship and play in community of other summer staffers, most of whom were college age. 

The first week of orientation and training kept me much too busy to worry about what my girl was up to. Not that there was much cause for worry. Being in the middle of nowhere without any of the worldly distractions, surrounded by some stellar people, it was the perfect place to thrive. 

It wasn't long before she had bonded with several of the college age staff. She helped out in the craft room, volunteered with the primary campers, and celebrated her 15th birthday that summer. She also got to experience being a camper for one week. Some days I barely saw my daughter but I knew she was being loved on, and I breathed thankfulness every day for the quality of people who were impacting her life. She was officially a 'Camp Kid".

The summer flew by, weeks of intense heat, vicious mosquitoes, long days, short nights. Working in the kitchen from early morning till clean up after dinner left me exhausted but grateful for every knot in my aching shoulders. I was part of something bigger than sore muscles or tired feet. Lives were being changed, as some kids met Jesus for the first time, other's experiencing an up close and personal relationship with Him-- something deeper than the flannel-graph Jesus of Sunday School. 

As we approached the end of summer and with a wedding date set for September, I walked with my daughter down to the river. With cool sand beneath us, our toes bracing glacial river flow, I dared to ask what had been surging in my heart for weeks. Did she want to come back home with me? Was she willing to make an effort to be a part of a new family structure? 
Thankful beyond words, I heard her shy answer, "yes." 

The Summer of '96. We met amazing people, people who have stayed in my heart, my memories, and my life forever. Being at Tall Timber with my daughter gave us a place to heal our relationship and grow closer. It was wonderful. Some parents send their kids to summer camp; I took mine with me. 

me with my beautiful girl; she smiles much better now!

 coming next: Summer of '97-- I took my husband to camp!

REWIND??

Back in 1986 I watched a fantasy/comedy movie called "Peggy Sue Got Married"  In the movie, a woman named Peggy Sue attends her 25- year high school reunion. She's recently separated from her (cheating) husband Charlie. She regrets some of the decisions she made in her life-- such as marrying Charlie. When she faints at the reunion and wakes up in 1960-- back in high school, she's suddenly given the chance to live her life again. She sets out to change things... only... some choices are more complicated... her relationship with Charlie being just one of them.

I suppose all of us at one time or another has wondered if we had the chance do our lives over again, if we wouldn't do some things differently. I know I have.  If I woke up to find myself back in high school I want to think I'd make much wiser decisions, knowing then what I know now. However, who I am today is based on the experiences I have had. So, if I had a rewind button on my life, while I might be tempted to push it  I think it would be to revisit the highlights of my life, just for the pleasure of reliving those moments...

family hikes...
camping...
the birth of my children...
the falling in love experience with my sweetie....
vacations that brought much  happiness....
meeting my grandchildren for the first time...

But perhaps the one thing I would truly love to re-experience are the mountain top highs in my relationship with Jesus. 

I've been a Christian since I was 9 years old. I was raised in the faith, having attended church my whole life and except for some teen-age rebellious years, have pretty much tried to walk the talk. It wasn't until I was in my 30's however that I realized that what I'd been calling my "Christian Life" wasn't exactly the full life that God had planned for me. I'd been living life according to Robyn, making decisions based on what I thought was best for me, not on seeking out what was God's best for me. 

The day I came face to face with this truth was the day my relationship with Jesus got real. I realized that a lot of what I had been doing was based on religion: going through the motions of bible reading, attending church, praying and signing up for lots of 'do-good' activities. When I caught a glimpse of just how much Jesus loved me and how much He wanted a real relationship with me, that's when things began to change. For the better.

Since then, it's been a process, a journey, full of ups and downs, twists and turns, but an exciting adventure with laughter, tears, sorrows and joys. And while I wouldn't trade that for anything, there are times I realize I've been coasting, sort of taking my Christian life for granted. I start getting a little lukewarm about things... the passion cools, the mind wanders, and then I find I've drifted into a dry and weary desert... again.

I really don't like when this happens. That's when I wish I  could push a rewind button and go back to the times where I felt the Holy Spirit powerfully at work within me. This last time of desert dryness I finally reached a point of such frustration that I did something either incredible brave or incredible stupid. I asked the Lord to ignite in me a Holy Passion for the things He wants me to go after.

I prayed that prayer and then sat back in fear and trepidation wondering what would happen next. It's been a few weeks since I prayed that prayer-- and I've even repeated it a time or two. It's been a slow, tender unfolding but change is happening. I feel like I am coming out of a long winter's nap and as I stretch and yawn and look around, I feel like a little branch on a tree, it's delicate shoot gently unfurling a little more each day.

God knows me so well and while in someone else's life He might bring change swift and powerfully, He knows me and He knows my circumstances. He knows at what speed I need to travel --when to go fast, when to go slow. But each day I have felt the passion re-igniting. Yes, it's slow but it's enough. And I am aware that the rewind button isn't necessary. It's a brand new movie and while occasionally I might catch a peek of the trailer, it's with my best interest in mind that God reveals things to me in just the right measure, at just the right speed, at just the right time.

Praise  God!

Road Tripping Part Two

 

Piney Bay Campground, Georgetown Lake, MT

Thursday Morning: Departure. 

Destination: Huntley MT/ Dave and Kathleen's place.

Purpose: more family memory building time.

morning on the lake

Thursday morning found us waking to more promising skies. Morning ablutions done, I made coffee and an easy breakfast of instant oatmeal and toast. Amazing how good such simple fixings can taste when camping.

(A word about camping at higher altitudes. I have not had much experience in cooking at high altitudes. Even waiting for water to boil requires extra patience. Then there is the breathing. Every step I took around camp found me being more measured in my pace so as to accommodate my breathing. No power walking during this campout!)

We had plans to break camp no later than 10 but there was time for a quick walk around the campground. The day before we’d spotted a mama deer and her two fawns hiding in the woods and watched in awe as they bounded away. 

We’d also seen the prairie dogs popping up near the water and we’d also seen a large hawk spread his wings and fly over us. 

Eager to perhaps view more creatures, Bruce and I bundled up and set out. Bundled because despite a dryer climate and sunshine persisting in the skies, the air was decidedly nippy.

We lapped the campground and saw a prairie dog race into hiding. 

We stopped in our path when we neared the tree where we’d seen the hawk the day before. We were not disappointed. We saw the hawk swoop down with a vengeance and fly away with something in its talons. Later we saw him perched in his tree and my photos later revealed a sad sight. A prairie dog lost the battle that morning and the hawk flew away with a prize.

Our traverse down the mountain to the town of Anaconda was mixed with sunshine and intermittent clouds of moisture. When we pulled into the Safeway parking lot to buy ice however, we could feel a decidedly warmer climate and before we’d left the city limits I was thinking about trading my jeans for something lighter in weight.

driving around the lake heading east.

Anaconda is another town of historic value. Founded in 1883, its primary resource was copper ore. A legacy of the Anaconda Copper Company is the smelter stack one can see miles away from I-90. Completed in 1919, it is one of the tallest free-standing brick structures in the world! Towering above the town it measures 585 feet in height, with an inside diameter of 75 feet at the base tapering to 60 feet at the top. (The Washington Monument is 555 feet tall).

Our goal as we drove through Anaconda was to see how close we could get to the Stack but we found ourselves on the other side of town with the Stack soon to disappear from view. We pulled over and had a quick conference with Dave and Kathy. They were eager to keep heading for home, while we were more inclined to take our time and see if we couldn’t find a way to get a closer look. We waved Dave and Kathy on ahead and we turned back to Anaconda for an adventure.

Using my mapquest phone app, I directed Bruce back into town and soon we found ourselves entering the Anaconda Smoke Stack State Park. We quickly learned that this was as close a look as we were going to get and resigned ourselves to gazing up the mountain, and gleaning information from the various plaques mounted around the park and viewing area.

Anaconda Smoke Stack State Park

mining displays

replica of the stack gives one an idea just HOW BIG the diameter is at the top. The black stuff you see inside is slag. 

The smoke, or Smelter Stack, dominates the landscape like the company once dominated the area’s economic life. The smelter closed down in 1980 but the stack remains as a symbol of challenges a community faces when finite resources are their mainstay.

panoramic view of the display. even then it was difficult to capture the entire structure.

The rest of our drive was scenic even though at time the long stretch of interstate felt monotonous.

 I think Bruce and I are learning a valuable lesson in that we are not long haul travelers. The road is hypnotic and with Bruce doing the majority (read: ALL) the driving, it’s imperative that he feel rested. When I start to feel the rumble strips more frequently  I look sharply over and suggest a stop for  coffee or a catnap.

me 'n you, and no dogs named boo...

Rain was our companion for the rest of the trip to Huntley. We arrived at Dave and Kathy’s shortly before dinner with time for HOT SHOWERS before our meal. (Dry camping means no electrical hookups and usually also means vault toilets and no showers—something I can do for a night or two but then it’s get me out of here and back to civilization!)

while at camp, Bruce and David using the teamwork approach to getting water.

We’ve been just relaxing and enjoying time with family since then. Running errands, riding shotgun, vintage shopping, (Montana being prime antique shopping opportunities) raucous card games, hot tubbing and informal bible study discussions have been interwoven with heart to heart talks about family, our pasts, our futures and everything in between. Sure, there are things we could venture out to see… Battle of Little Bighorn/Custer’s Last Stand is just an hour’s drive away, for example, and we’ll go if weather permits, but we are also content to just hole up in this warm and welcoming home, building memories with family.

God bless... our past, our present, our future...

Golden times. Yes, Golden times. 

He Said "Yes"

I love it when things come together. When a plan I hatch, crazy as it may seem, doesn't scramble like eggs but rather sets up nicely, like pudding. And I do love to plan things. Much as I am a 'fly by the seat of my pants' girl, I also pay attention to details and plot out the arrangements for weeks in advance. But those impulsive last minute decisions are just plain fun. Dangerous perhaps, but FUN!

I think I've shared a bit about how the Love-Burkes came to be, but you know it's almost spring time when the memories and pictures start making their annual appearance! Our first date was on March 20, 1994-- 20 years ago this year!!- which is also the first day of Spring! I love that our love story coincides with the arrival of a new season... as the buds are busting out on the trees and blooms appear, so it was with the friendship between us that quickly progressed to love.

What you may not know is that I'm the one who asked him out. I'd been so stand-offish in the past several encounters we'd had, kind of leaving him with Freezer Burn, so when I suddenly began to thaw-- even melt, he was, not surprisingly, a wee bit suspicious and perhaps gun shy of thinking we might possible move into a relationship. I dropped some subtle hints that might prod him into asking me out but when that didn't seem to be yielding the results I wanted, I finally had to just get bold and do the asking.

You will laugh at this, but I actually scripted out what I was going to say once I got him on the phone. I wanted the conversation to be causal and non-threatening, just a "hey I was thinking of going to the movies this weekend, you wanna tag along" sort of invite. So, I wrote it out, a couple of different ways, then pacing the hallway of my home, I practiced. When I thought I finally had it down I dialed his number quickly before I lost my nerve. I pitched my invitation in an airy, off handed way... "So... after that discussion we had about the movie Schindler's List, I decided I'm going to go see it on Sunday. I wondered if maybe you'd like to go along?"

April 1994, after we'd been dating for about a month

There was a silence on his end, for probably a second or two, but from my perspective it was a LONG silence. I have since learned so much about my man, that I can now picture exactly the look on his face and hear the wheels turning in his head as he processed this seemingly out of the blue request.

Then, mercifully, he said yes.

And, the rest, as they say,  is history.

Reflections

Meet Bossy, Hossy, Saucy and Flossy. Everyone knows Thumbkin.

Several years ago my sweet niece gifted me with these ADORABLE fun winter gloves. I just love them and must admit to seeing raised eyebrows when people see what my fingers are sporting! But hey, I love to play and I love to have fun--- and I don't mind a strange look or two!

I think that is truly something to celebrate... when we reach that time in our lives when we can laugh at ourselves. Not take ourselves too seriously. Being ME and being comfortable in that. That's a gift!

In high school I watched from the sidelines as the popular girls flirted with the jocks, never dreaming they might have had just as many insecurities as I did. They had the looks, the hair, the wardrobe and the personality. It seemed like they had it all. And what did I have? A flat chest, a sad wardrobe, acne, strict parents, bad hair days every day and no idea how to act if a popular boy was to ever give me the time of day!

mooooving and grooooving.  it was theme day at work...

I think going to my high school class reunion last year (35 years) really helped cement the fact that we are all just people trying to live our lives as best we can. We were all struggling in high school to figure out this thing called life and some of us seemed to have a better handle on it then others. Or maybe just faked it better.

I think the first time I looked in my mirror and liked who I saw was when  I was approaching my mid-30's. I saw a clear smooth complexion, curves in the right place, cute clothes to enhance the curves and a much more flattering hair style. I knew more about how to wear make up and not look made up. I was gaining confidence as woman and that went deeper than what I saw looking back from the mirror at me.

goofing off while on vacation

The first time I let my sweetie see me without make up, sporting a bed-head and desperate for coffee was a major step. But the first time I went on a church retreat and let the people in my small group see me sans make up, sporting a bed-head and desperate  for coffee was the moment I knew I had arrived.

what do you call a lack of coffee? Depresso....

I have trembled slightly when I have written the number "55"... it's kind of a big deal you know? BUT I remember feeling like I was OLD when I turned 25 and my first born started kindergarten and my sister remarked that I was a 1/4 of a century old. (thanks sis!) All the subsequent birthdays have rolled by with ease... at 40 years of age I was happily (re)married, working in a job I took great pride in, growing deeper in my relationship with Jesus and loving my life. I did not flinch over my age but happily agreed with the gal in the mirror that I looked as good as I felt. (lest you think I brag, let me assure you, I looked good BECAUSE I felt good and that inner glow makes all the difference)

well, hello there!

At 50, I took stock in my life, assessed the damage that fifty years of good (and bad) living had done and decided that perhaps the bloom on the rose was starting to -- uh--- droop just a tad. Gravity was having it's way, whether I owned a fitness center or not!! Hot flashes, love handles, and some unsightly gray (can't even call them silver-- they were definitely gray) hairs cropping up, were all just par for the course. Still, in spite of those things I realized there were much more important things to focus on; relationships being #1.

I think my relationship with God really moved into a much deeper priority by then and it saddens me to think that it took that many years to place Him that high up the ladder. Yes, I have been a believer since I was 9 years old but I didn't really think about how He might have plans for my life and I might want to consult Him on those plans from time to time. (I realize Moses was in his 80's before God brought him into the ultimate purpose his life was designed for but I think I caught on earlier than that!!)

A few years ago I asked God to help me see myself as He sees me and while I know I still have a ways to go in this, I realize now, I always will. But the confidence with which I pursue life these days comes not just from the life experiences I  survived, but from understanding and believing that I truly am a Child of God; redeemed, forgiven, washed clean, sanctified, set apart and chosen.

So, here comes 55 and I think I am ready. I recently lost 25 lbs and this is the least I have weighed in about 20 years. I am walking 3-4 miles almost every day and reaping the benefits of  good physical exercise. I got my hair cut and colored today and feel vibrant and sassy.

the price we pay for beauty...

On the outside, the bloom may be coming off the rose, but inside.... inside, I know my purpose in life --as a writer, as a woman, as a wife, and I love each and every aspect of those roles. God still has a plan for my life. And I am determined, by His Grace, to know it and live it.

for I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for good and not for evil, plans to prosper you and give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29.11

December Baby

Sunday. Coffee in front of a crackling fire. Music (not Christmas) playing softly on the iPod. Blanket tucked around my legs, a cat balanced precariously between my lap and the arm of my chair, hoping to overtake the position my laptop occupies. The house is quiet; hubby just left for early church. And I am staying home this morning, hoping to recoup what I lost during the night: a solid nights rest!

Maybe the frigid temps of the past several days have caught up with me. Walking around all tensed up in an effort to keep warm, wreaks havoc on the muscles. Accidently-on-purpose ingesting some foods with suspect gluten in them (darn those tempting holiday treats!)  certainly adds to the problem for it does not take much (gluten) to inflame my body and bring on a dreaded fibro-like attack. So this morning I sit in my chair by the fire and try to just rest and relax. I cannot let these aches get the best of me. For this, this Sunday marks the one week countdown to my birthday and I intend to celebrate ALL WEEK LONG.

I told my friend a few weeks ago as we began planning for my birthday party, that truly I am not 'turning' 55. Rather I celebrate reaching the end of my 55th year. Think about it. When we reach our first birthday, we are celebrating our very first year of living outside of mama's womb. Each year we are living out the birthday number that is to come. So in that aspect, I have been living out my 55th year since my birthday last year! I know, I know, that's just too deep to comprehend this early in the morning. We'll need more coffee.


So, yes, I am beginning the celebrating of my upcoming day, today! Why not? Why not have more than one day to be joyous, to play, to have fun? We do the whole countdown to Christmas and build anticipation with each snip of the construction paper chain, each opening of the Advent Calendar window. Blame it on being a December baby, who sometimes felt cheated out of the focal point of her birthday by a jolly fat man in a red suit, but I really want to have some fun with my birthday this year. Hence, the celebrating beginning today, the birthday party at the end of this week and then, next Sunday, special plans on my special day, with my special man.

I have a date with my sister for this afternoon. She is treating me (and herself, truth be told) to a production of "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" playing at a local theater. We are excited. I have a fond recollection of this play, as eons ago, when I was a youth group leader, I cajoled 20 some teens and pre-teens, along with a handful of adults from our congregation to put on this same play for our church one Christmas. It was a crazy huge undertaking and I shake my head with wonder at the thought. There I was, this 30-something mother, with 20% organizational skills, and 80% spunk, pulling off a most ambitious production! But, pull it off, we did and it will be fun to sit in the audience and watch this play now. I am curious to see just how much of it I will remember!

Other plans for this week include some SELF PAMPERING. A hair appointment, shopping for something to wear to my party, a massage, maybe a mani-pedi, and certainly at least a couple of coffee dates with some sweet friends are all marked on my calendar for this week.

Yep,I will be living it up!

this week

This week I'm a grandma.

Not a blogger.
Not an unemployed woman of leisure.
Not a busy church volunteer.
Not random or worried or frazzled.
Just a grandma.

A grandma who sits and listens.
and listens... because this boy likes to talk!
A grandma who asks questions
and gets all kinds of very interesting answers.
maybe more than I wanted to know, because, this boy really, really likes to talk. (and he knows a lot about a lot of stuff!)
A grandma who gets to see the world through his eyes for a change.

examining a very cool pencil that looks like a tree branch

I'm a grandma who bakes muffins so he can lick the bowl and the beater.
I'm a grandma who snaps pictures while he's eating ice cream.
or napping.
or mowing the lawn.

willingly mowing the lawn. such a hard worker.

A grandma who loves seeing her grandson spending time with his grandpa.

learning about power tools.

This week I'm a grandma on a mission: To build  a ton of memories as we embark on new adventures together.

visiting at a friends house and getting to drive the 4 wheeler.

This week is about reconnecting. Showing him his family roots. Seeing family members who are part of his heritage. Pointing out history (that's the school I went to and so did your mom. there's the house your mom lived in as a child. this is where MY grandma lived!)

there is a picture of my dad standing in front of this tree-- before it was moved to this rest area. I have a picture of me in front of this tree too. 

This week will go much to quickly and it might be a whirlwind. Visiting people. Camping. Going to the Fair.
Those memory building adventures taking precedent over everything else.

Because this week.... I'm a grandma.

happy grandma. blessed grandma.

Our Grandson Is Coming to Visit!

Zaccari, our 14 year old grandson, our first born grandchild, is coming from Florida to visit for a week! He arrives today. We have lots of fun activities planned from camping to going to the fair to just hanging out. Making memories, that's what the next several days are all about!

In Between Posts from Honduras...

there is exciting and fun stuff happening on the home front. YES, sister-time is officially underway!!

It's been just a little over 24 hours since I picked up my sister (older by 5 years) at the airport and started making new memories.

We love to joke, sing, walk, shop, talk and laugh. Sometimes all at the same time and it's one of the few coordinated things we can manage to pull off.

We've gone out for dinner,
 taken a walk,
climbed a mountain,

toured my workplace,
made jam,

gone shopping,
swapped wardrobes,
gone for coffee
and oh, more shopping!

In between our gab sessions I've been getting a few short emails from my hubby and he has gotten pulled under by overexposure to a combination of heat, hard work and different food. He was taking today to recover and hopefully replenish and rehydrate his exhausted system! He was hoping to use today's downtime to write a more lengthy post on what he's been up to and I am eager to hear more. So far our communication has been fraught with technical difficulties and lack of quality time. It has left me feeling frustrated and longing for more.  It's been just one week since he left... and I have plenty to keep me busy and occupied for the week to come, which I am so thankful for! But this being apart just aint easy and there's no denying that. I must remember the verse that the Holy Spirit whispered to me on Easter... "for the joy set before me, I endured the cross..." It gives me strength to face another day. Oh, yes, indeed.