Has it really been 5 weeks?

I don't even know when I would have made an entry, but hey seize the day! Today is the day.

What a summer; having Andy home was amazing. Typically, I regret some of the time we didn't spend doing a, b, and, c, but this summer, it was just right. We actually did some of things we set out to do like get up early, have quiet times, do some family days, go to the beach, build things, relax some, and just enjoy family. I feel refreshed. Andy went back today so 1.5 weeks until Bobby starts kindegarten. Hard to believe.

I went to visit my parents last weekend with just Andrew. It was the highlight of my summer. I love spending time with that kid. He is just the sweetest. It was our first 4day stint alone together. I fell in love with him all over again as if he had just come home from the hospital and I got to enjoy just him. I had 7 hours each way of focused time. I haven't focused my mind like that in years. I thought of so many things; it just felt good. I sang praise songs for hours; Andrew said maybe 5 sentences in 7 hours. He just checks out in the car; we are made for each other in the car because I do too.

The words I thought of the most on this trip are from a favorite song of my by Laura Story...., "Gently break me, lovingly you take me. Mold me as my Maker." I thought about how the last 15 months of my life God has been ever so gently breaking me so many times, yet so lovingly. I can see the faint outline of Him in all my brokenness this year and see how he has molded me more like Him. I can see where you end up more like Him because after the broken parts of you that you are shown, there is no turning back to that. I am so thankful for such a hard year in that I would have never known what I know today.

It was quite a weekend; I found myself when passing someone saying outloud, "Excuse me." That sounds so weird, but when you have four little children, sometimes you don't even make time to speak to people because you are so tired... :)