Picking Blackberries

One of my favorite activities of the summer.

My dad loved it when he was here and saw them growing everywhere for us to pick!!

I can do hard things

It's well known I'm not one who likes to put herself out of my comfort zone.

Always too afraid to do something different from what I'm used to, even extremely content with things the way they are so I do very little to accomplish more.

I say that, and I realize that it's not as true as an statement coming from someone who left everything to go on a 18 month mission to a foreign country, married someone who barely knew and moved thousands and thousands miles aways from her home, had NO ONE, has three kids under 5, had moved homes 5 times... and many more things that totally contradict myself.

BUT... I guess I should say that ALL those things I've done, I would have never done if I hadn't known God would have me by the hand through it all.

Now, I'll tell you about my new adventure... what has put me in my place, what has humbled me ( yet one more time!).

It is a small thing...

learning to drive a standard car.

So you would think that after the major things I've gone thru this would be a bliss...

well, after the first try I thought I wanted to die before having to drive it again.

It was that bad.

All these horrible thoughts were running thru my mind, I couldn't even fall asleep!!

I later read about some ladies going through much more difficult things that made me repent from feeling sorry for myself...because POOR me had to learn to drive while others had to learn to deal with the death of a baby, to face disabilities, to start a new life after a divorce...etc

There's nothing like that to give you a WAKE UP call.

Needles to say, I've driven the car again... and it was so much better.

I keep repeating to myself:

I can do hard things

I can do hard things

I can so hard things!

It's my lesson.

To never say: been there, done that. The "better than thou" attitude just because you are over your difficulty.

I believe I've mentioned the virtue of EMPATHY before.

But it is my biggie.

I so need it in others, I so want to offer it to others.

I got my baby back

He's home now, and it feels as if he had never left.

Our computer has been funny on us so I haven't had the chance to sit and write, but I love having him home with us.

When we went to pick up the kids after we had some time for ourselves, Isabel saw him and her face broke. She reached out to him, held on tight to his shoulders and didn't move for 5 minutes.

Needles to say , that broke my heart and I wished he would never leave again.

I couldn't believe she had been waiting to see him as bad as I had.

She always wanted to talk to him on the phone forever, and she would fall asleep while holding the phone to her ear as he and I talked on speaker phone.

The doctors even mentioned that it could be the reason why she was so sick.

She loves being with daddy.

We all do.

The kids are always trying to get his attention, showing them all the new things they can do... etc.

And I love waking up and cuddling with my baby.

There is nothing like being held in his arms.

So, if you excuse me now, I will go and enjoy my hubby's company!

He starts classes next week, and I won't see him much then :(

I have to mentioned he did GREAT on his course. He got TOP Candidate, the BEST student there. His report was outstanding. He is getting promoted and that is such good news.

I am so proud of him.

I always knew he would do amazing at anything he did... but this and his grades in school...are surpassing my highest expectations!

I love him!