Me and the tiny humans are spending a week at my parents house to help pass the time while Daddy is in Atlanta for work. I grew up on a farm in small town Oklahoma, and my parents still live there. It’s only about an hour from where we live now but when I’m here feels a million miles away.

There’s something so peaceful about the country.

Everything is slower. There’s no need to rush.

My parents just got some new baby chicks this week and the girls loved them! Zoey was squealing watching them and Jessi had to go see them a million times since we’ve been here. I’m excited to spend a relaxing week and letting my kiddos get a taste of my roots!

We all need a break to the farm sometimes!

My amazing hubby boarded a plane yesterday and is off to Atlanta for the next three weeks for work.

That stinks BIG TIME. 

In our 5 years together we haven’t gone more than two days without seeing each other. TWO DAYS. This is so out of our element. Not having him here to help with the girls is tough enough, but that man is my sanity! He’s my best friend. I get bored without him!

The only plus? I get the whole bed to myself. Well…let’s be honest, I always get MOST of the bed to myself because I’m a bit of a bed hog He loves me anyway.

I really don’t know how military wives do it! Breaks my heart for you guys that have to spend extended periods of time away from your men. This is no fun!!

Saying bye bye to Daddy at the airport

Please say a prayer for us as we manage without daddy. I’m really not sure how I’m going to explain to Jess in a couple days when she starts freaking out because she misses her favorite person so much. She’s not going to be the only one freaking out. He’s my favorite person too.

Jessi cut her top 2 year molars. And it was a nightmare.

Then hubby got the flu.

Then I starting feeling sick.

Can you say pregnancy scare of the century???
(I was puking, exhausted, showing lots of signs. Thankfully it ended up being stress and a stomach bug of some sort. Mama is NOT quite ready for number 3.)

Then Jessi ran a fever for 3 days.

Now Zoey is coughing like crazy.

Sigh.

These last couple of weeks have been some of the hardest in a while. When it rains it pours, eh?

You know those days where you just feel defeated? I’ve felt that way for about two weeks. Completely defeated. The house looks like toys r us exploded and forgot to do the dishes. Zoey isn’t sleeping well, and the sleep deprivation is wearing me thin. I’m impatient and exhausted. My emotions are all over the place.

Yesterday was our anniversary. Our leap day anniversary. We’ve been so excited and looking forward to it! When we got married, we said we would do something BIG every four years to celebrate. We had been thinking we would leave the kids for a few days and go on a cruise or just get out of town. Well, that didn’t happen. We ate lunch at Rib Crib (using a gift card) and went home.

Honestly, it was really hard on me. Since hubby started a new job and we’ve had to make some major cutbacks, that means cutting back on everything. No anniversary cruise, night away or even dinner out. No gifts or fun new gadgets. I made a homemade card and Brook did the same (except he cheated and bought me a bag of much needed chocolate–bonus points for hubs!).

I can’t make it to Blissdom, Blogher or Allume or any of the conferences I would love to attend this year. We are missing one of my childhood best friends wedding. It’s just hard to learn to live on very little. Sacrifices we haven’t have to learn to make until now. Don’t even talk to me about that pretty new camera I’ve had my eye on for a while.

I’m learning to put down the oreos at Target that sound SO yummy. Learning to live on what we NEED and not on what we WANT. But sometimes I just WANT a big sweet tea or a yummy drink from starbucks. Last night in the car on the way to the doctor Jessi said “Mommy, you want get hot tea?”  Yes, honey. Mommy really wants to go get “hot tea” (aka: Chai Tea Latte) from the ‘bucks.

Thanking God today for healthy kids (and that coughs and runny noses are as bad as it’s gotten) an amazing husband, and for having all our needs provided. We are richly blessed, even when I’m incredibly stubborn and selfish.

“Oh, the utter extravagance of His work in those who trust Him – ENDLESS ENERGY AND BOUNDLESS STRENGTH” Eph. 1:19

Have you heard of One Word? A pretty cool concept. You choose a word to focus on for the year. The last few weeks I’ve really been praying through what this year hold for our family and the best way to lead our children. Praying God would give me a verse or two to focus on and some direction.

The word “Stay” kept coming to my mind. But not in the way you usually think of the word stay. I don’t plan to stay the same. I want to grow and learn. But I feel like God is calling me to stay in a different way. To stay the course. To endure. To persevere.

We aren’t in an ideal place right now in our life, but God has called us here and placed us here for a purpose. So I will be still. I will wait. I will endure.

What are you focusing on this year?