Our three weeks
While I know you all want to hear my complaining about my miserable month, because it has been miserable in a lot of ways, I am going to try and refrain. I think that, if i were to write a long list of complaints, it would cancel out all the good things that have happened this month. So, instead, I hope this post will be more an explanation of the blessings instead of the irritations.
The main wonderful thing I have to write about today is that Mike is coming home tomorrow. He is sleeping right now and then will get on a plane at 1:00 pm his time Sunday afternoon (9:00 pm my time Saturday night) and fly for 22 hours. That alone makes everything else seem like it really wasn't a big deal. We are all very excited.
The first two weeks were filled with catching smart mice and sleepless nights. The first mouse was caught on a Sunday after a week of fruitless attempts to catch the stupid thing. After a few tears to Mike about how I couldn't catch it, I got on the Internet and saw that I should try putting bacon on the trap. Within a few minutes the dumb mouse was caught and amazingly enough, some friends showed up at our house just in time for me to request the husband throw it away for me. The next two mice were caught the next two days. Whew. One thing taken care of.
The next irritant didn't really get solved but I was able to find ways to survive. When Mike left Will decided he was afraid of the dark and wouldn't sleep. So instead of going to sleep at 8:00 he went to sleep at 10:00 and then would wake up three to four times a night. Nothing has really helped in my quest to solve the issue. I have to admit that I'm not exactly patient with irrational children in the middle of the night. I don't think I have really gotten through this particular trial as calmly as I should have.
The main blessing came when my mother-in-law came to visit. She was taken in by his devastating cry and would go into him when I wouldn't anymore. Will really does have a devastating cry. It's like his life is over the minute he starts crying and there is no working up to it, just instant devastation. I think the thing that got her the most was when he called out, "Grannndmaa, I need you! Please stay with me." At one point she was brave enough to bring him into her bed. Such a nice Grandma. He is still sleeping terribly but I am waiting until Mike gets home to help. He is meaner than me in some areas and I guarantee he will not stand for Will waking up at 4:00 am screaming until he gets chapstick.
Finally, as the previous post mentioned, we were without power, heat, and hot water, for four days. I took pictures on my mother-in-law's camera and will post them when I get them but I'm sure most of you have seen pictures in the news. It was true inspiration on my mother-in-law's part to come and visit us. I had all these fun plans in my mind of playing and doing Christmas things. We did have two days to play before the power went out. By the time she flew home we had made arrangements for me and the boys to stay somewhere warm. I was totally depressed and had she not been here to help I would've been a mess.
We also had friends scrape our van so we could drive somewhere to get out of the house. Friends let us shower in their houses, fed us when we needed food, and gave us a place to sleep. It is amazing how much a difference staying in a warm house with lights and food and a warm shower can make in a person's outlook. As much as I hated being at the mercy of other people, I'm glad Mike and his mom convinced me after three days to go somewhere warm.
I was thinking about Christmas coming up and all the Christmas things people do and I realized that we've had the perfect example of the real meaning of Christmas this year. People have so willingly taken care of us and served us the last three weeks that I can't think of a better way to bring the spirit of Christmas into our lives. I am also very grateful that Heavenly Father loves me enough to inspire people to take care of me and my boys. So, all in all, it's been a humbling three weeks and I can't tell you how relieved I am to have Mike home tomorrow! There is a reason we have husbands to take care of us.
The main wonderful thing I have to write about today is that Mike is coming home tomorrow. He is sleeping right now and then will get on a plane at 1:00 pm his time Sunday afternoon (9:00 pm my time Saturday night) and fly for 22 hours. That alone makes everything else seem like it really wasn't a big deal. We are all very excited.
The first two weeks were filled with catching smart mice and sleepless nights. The first mouse was caught on a Sunday after a week of fruitless attempts to catch the stupid thing. After a few tears to Mike about how I couldn't catch it, I got on the Internet and saw that I should try putting bacon on the trap. Within a few minutes the dumb mouse was caught and amazingly enough, some friends showed up at our house just in time for me to request the husband throw it away for me. The next two mice were caught the next two days. Whew. One thing taken care of.
The next irritant didn't really get solved but I was able to find ways to survive. When Mike left Will decided he was afraid of the dark and wouldn't sleep. So instead of going to sleep at 8:00 he went to sleep at 10:00 and then would wake up three to four times a night. Nothing has really helped in my quest to solve the issue. I have to admit that I'm not exactly patient with irrational children in the middle of the night. I don't think I have really gotten through this particular trial as calmly as I should have.
The main blessing came when my mother-in-law came to visit. She was taken in by his devastating cry and would go into him when I wouldn't anymore. Will really does have a devastating cry. It's like his life is over the minute he starts crying and there is no working up to it, just instant devastation. I think the thing that got her the most was when he called out, "Grannndmaa, I need you! Please stay with me." At one point she was brave enough to bring him into her bed. Such a nice Grandma. He is still sleeping terribly but I am waiting until Mike gets home to help. He is meaner than me in some areas and I guarantee he will not stand for Will waking up at 4:00 am screaming until he gets chapstick.
Finally, as the previous post mentioned, we were without power, heat, and hot water, for four days. I took pictures on my mother-in-law's camera and will post them when I get them but I'm sure most of you have seen pictures in the news. It was true inspiration on my mother-in-law's part to come and visit us. I had all these fun plans in my mind of playing and doing Christmas things. We did have two days to play before the power went out. By the time she flew home we had made arrangements for me and the boys to stay somewhere warm. I was totally depressed and had she not been here to help I would've been a mess.
We also had friends scrape our van so we could drive somewhere to get out of the house. Friends let us shower in their houses, fed us when we needed food, and gave us a place to sleep. It is amazing how much a difference staying in a warm house with lights and food and a warm shower can make in a person's outlook. As much as I hated being at the mercy of other people, I'm glad Mike and his mom convinced me after three days to go somewhere warm.
I was thinking about Christmas coming up and all the Christmas things people do and I realized that we've had the perfect example of the real meaning of Christmas this year. People have so willingly taken care of us and served us the last three weeks that I can't think of a better way to bring the spirit of Christmas into our lives. I am also very grateful that Heavenly Father loves me enough to inspire people to take care of me and my boys. So, all in all, it's been a humbling three weeks and I can't tell you how relieved I am to have Mike home tomorrow! There is a reason we have husbands to take care of us.
Comments
I am so glad Mike will be home soon!! Or maybe he is home already by now..!