A while back I wrote about the G family. I’ve learned a great deal the last few months about me and about who I am, what I believe, and what comes next. I’ve learned a lot about sacrifice, letting go, having courage. I hope you enjoy reading my sweet friend’s perspective of this time in our lives. (And I think I’ll have to ask her back, she’s an amazing writer & woman of faith! I love you too!)
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I waited this long to write a ‘guest blog response’ as I thought with a little time I would be a bit less emotional. Well, be it the lack of sleep (my little man is 6 weeks old & a very content & easy baby BUT he still wants to nurse at 1, 2 or 3 am & then at 4, 5 or 6 am!) or the fact that I just received our change of address cards in the mail or that I was trying to finish the thank you cards for my closest friends who had a baby shower for me back in June, but as I re read the blog Krystle posted I cried as much as the first time I read it!
The first time I read it I cried & then laughed at how similar we are or have become! I knew right away I wanted to write a response for Krystle to post but have been delayed by getting settled here. The good thing about the delay is I can say we’ve kept in touch for the last month & sometimes I still feel like we can get in the van & drive to their house. Lil S finally understands that her best buddy is a plane ride away and ‘that’s far away’!
Saying goodbye at the airport was one of the hardest things to do & I cried on & off most of the way to our connection airport but half way through that 4 hour leg of the trip I realized something…I wasn’t afraid. As you & many others who have travelled with me, know I don’t like flying! What most people don’t know is I am terrified of turbulence. I’ve never let it stop me from going on mission trips or vacations but each bump I really feel like the plane is going down. Flying with kids has been better because I get distracted & have to be brave for them but this flight was different. My stomach didn’t flip once, I didn’t grip the arms of the seat once & although the turbulence wasn’t as bad as that Mexico mission trip where even the flight attendants screamed, there was some! But I wasn’t afraid & I looked out the window at the clouds & beautiful landscape below, cried again, and thanked God that He was really giving me peace. Not just peace about flying, which we’ll get to do more to visit everyone, but a peace about moving & having a third child a month after our first turned 3 years old!! I still have to choose to walk in God’s peace each day but He showed me clearly on that flight that He is in control & that His plans are so good! I had decided to trust Him with my life when I was 4 years old but looking out that window I did what I’ve done hundreds of times since I was 4, I made a conscious decision to let go & move forward with the next step He’s given me to take. One part of this ‘step’ is to make sure to keep the relationships growing strong with the friends He has brought into my life. I believe some friendships are for a season but some are to last a lifetime. Since we can’t always see which ones are which ahead of time, I guess we should really make sure to work on all of our relationships, just in case they are strong enough to withstand the test of time & the trials we walk through in life!
I have to end by saying Thank You! Thank you for opening up your home & making us a part of your family for the three months we lived in your house. Thank you for the kind words you shared about me (you know as well as I do that youth leaders & teachers don’t always get the appreciation their time, effort, love & lives deserve!) Thank you for being my window to the outside world by introducing me to Shutterfly, Apple products, online shopping, Pinterest & letting me know what’s happening on Facebook so I don’t have to have an account!! Thank you most of all for being my friend. God really does work in mysterious ways as our friendship is probably the most unlikely to occur (those who know all our history would agree). Thank you for so many more things…
Teaching me how to do my girls hair in different ways
Staying up late to talk or text (so glad we can still text but I really miss the late night pregnancy induced snacking while talking!!)
Accrediting even just a bit of the success of your life to mine
Not letting me drown on the Rocky camping trip
Showing me how to maintain long distance friendships through the ones you’ve kept
Keeping my children warm through all the blankets we have that you’ve made (you know that it’s necessary with the temperature my husband keeps our house)
Trying to teach me to be in style (at least I’ve gotten rid of the clothing I know doesn’t help…still need a shopping trip to fill my closet back up…once the baby weight is gone!)
The preschool lesson blogs…we’re already a bit behind but we are enjoying them!
Showing me how to make a house a home…still a ways to go but that’s why I’m thankful you introduced me to Pinterest…
For being open & honest, two more things that make you a great friend!
As this is already way too long all I should say now is…put your feet up & take an ice cream break as we’ll soon get to read here about what’s its like for you to be a mom of three!
Luv u & miss u!
Jody
Baby Bumps!
