You just never know

As of late, there has been some sad news around us. This world is a tough place, and so many things happen that we will never understand.

Recently, our financial advisor was diagnosed with brain cancer, and a girl that went to school with Jeff had her husband suddenly pass away of a heart attack at age 29. She is left with 2 daughters, ages 3 and 3 months. Both are heartbreaking situations, and I just don't know how you cope with these things. My only answer is that you need to have faith and hope. Faith in a higher power, and hope that all things will end up okay.

It's situations like this that really make me stop, and think about just how fragile life is. You never know when your last breath will happen, or the last time you will talk to a loved one. I am fortunate to have not experienced this to a great degree in my life yet, but I know there will be a time when it will. It's incredibly difficult to live in every moment, but if we don't, how will we ever appreciate what we have? I also think if you don't have faith in God or whoever it is that you pray to, you will have the hardest of hardest times.

As I heard recently, "Life is just a speck of sand in the desert, compared to what eternity is." Hold your loved ones tight today, and appreciate their lives.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5

>"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows."

Naptime blessings

Caleb has been having a terrible time taking naps this week, and I'm just about at my wits end with him. He screams, cries, yells, and makes a ruckus, which then wakes Luke up. I've tried threats, going in the room multiple times, and telling him he needs to nap RIGHT NOW. This afternoon looked like another one of those days, so I just sat down right next to his bed, and stared at him. I have a pretty good stare, and he would close his eyes, then suddenly open them to see me staring at him. Finally, after about 20 mintues of me saying nothing and just sitting there and staring, he drifted off to sleep. Maybe I've been approaching this whole thing wrong. Maybe he just wants to know I'm there and it's feels comfortable (Or scary...since I'm staring at him!). But, whatever it is, I just sat there. And a million things went through my mind. I found myself praying for him, and thinking about how fast time is going. There's something about a sleeping baby or child that makes me reflect. Maybe it's the peacefulness of the moment. I don't know, but I was suddenly overwhelmed with emotion.

I remember Caleb sleeping just like our little Luke is right now. I don't know where the time has gone, or why it's going so fast. I thanked the good Lord for sending me these boys, for trusting me to take on the role of raising them. I asked for guidance, wisdom, and patience.

My greatest prayer and wish for my boys is that they are happy. And healthy. I want nothing more for them. I want to erase every bad thing that will ever happen to them. I want them to always know they're so special. I want them to be strong, compassionate, and forgiving. And I want them to know I love them more than words will ever express, always and forever.

"There are two lasting bequests we can give our children. One is roots. The other is wings."

First family vacation

We took ourselves to Great Wolf Lodge last week on a quick one-night trip. We wanted to test the waters of traveling semi-far away, and see if lugging two small children and tons of stuff is even worth it. Well, I'm happy to say, it was! It was fun to have a little trip and do something out of the norm as a family.

I have fond memories of traveling with my family when I was younger. Although I'm quite sure we won't be treating our family to the sort of vacations I went on (Thanks Mom and Dad!), I hope we can make it a point to get away SOMEWHERE each year. Camping is fun, but it isn't quite the same as a real, bonified trip. I think vacations and traveling with your kids opens up a lot of doors not only for family bonding, but it's also beneficial for both parents and kids. Parents get to share in the joy and excitement of their children taking in new things, and kids get to take in new things that will build lasting memories, and maybe open their eyes to things they didn't know existed.

Vacations do take money, which is why we probably won't go on very many. Ha! But, even the quick trip to Traverse City or the U.P. is a nice change of scenery.

I think we'll start saving for Disney World...or The Grand Canyon...or Mexico...or Hawaii...Or...ok. I'll stop now.