Learning to rest...

It seems that I struggle in this area of "resting". There's usually a long "to do" list in the back of my mind and no true rest planned until it's completed. The thing is that the to do list is never truly completed when you have children. There's always at least one of them following behind and undoing it all:). So, the Lord comes along and helps me out. Puts me flat on my back would be more like it. No one likes to be sick and I'm no exception. I do realize rather quickly that the Lord has a purpose in all of it and this time I didn't fight the rest so much. I welcomed it and actually got a little too used to it;). I'm now in the transition stage of trying to get motivated again!

Thankfully we have extra time with Scott over the next couple weeks, while work is slow. These are the "lull before the storm". The next busy season of our lives. The last month or so of snow, before things start to thaw out a bit and Spring shows itself once again. Quiet(or not so quiet) days to read the last of the pile of books, do those last craft or renovation projects.

Next month brings a new year for a certain little man of ours. Caleb will be turning 5 and with that brings the closing of another chapter in his life. Four was a very good year for Caleb. There were lots of firsts and victories and we look forward to seeing what the Lord has for him in his 5th year. I have the feeling that everything is going to be full speed ahead once he gets outside. It will be his last full year before we have to register him for 1st grade. An exciting milestone in this house. We'll see if he keeps that excitement once there's no choice about whether he can do schoolwork that day or just run off to play. It's usually really fun for at least the first couple months, but then the workload seems to get to them and the longing to just play comes upon them. Perhaps it has something to do with the teacher too;).

The one thing that we LOVE about starting school earlier than others is the reward of finishing earlier too! We have about a month or so left until we finish up with most subjects. Elyssia took her 3rd English test and only has 2 left. Garrison has less than 30 math lessons left and about the same of this reading workbook. Overall it's been a good year. There are many things that we hope to improve in as the years go by, but we thank the Lord for all the blessings of the first couple years.

There is an absence in the family once again as Preston has made his way back to Madagascar. I know that he doesn't live right here with us and we don't see him every month, but there's something about knowing a person is so far away that you can't just drive those couple hours to visit them, even if you really wanted to. That's how we feel when Preston is gone. He's a great Brother(in-law), Uncle and we're blessed to call him friend. Praying for him as he's away and looking forward to seeing him return to this side of the world after his "time is up:)".

I really should get back in the routine of taking pictures of the kids. They really seem to have grown while we were away. Garrison seems to walk a bit taller with each passing day. I'm amazed by how much his features and figure are changing and he's quickly losing those "little boy" features. Thankfully Caleb, Kiersten and Adelaide have lots of them left to enjoy and there are a multitude of things about Garrison's growing up time that we really enjoy.

Off to enjoy the family devotions before we put the kids to bed!