Emmaus Walks and Life

Greg was gone from Thursday evening through Sunday evening for his Emmaus Walk. I spent the time pushing to work ahead in my class so I could be gone the same days this coming weekend. The juggling of all.the.things made for an interesting week and half. Greg was gone literally just hours when we learned Erin requires another corrective surgery, Kate discovered she could not move without intense hip pain requiring an orthopedic surgeon consult, and Lauren would be losing her sweet dog, Chong to a brain tumor. There is literally no rest for the weary but I realized in the hard, sleepless night that followed, I cannot control what the world throws at our family, just how much emotional energy I can delegate to each situation. I'm still learning. Always learning how to manage the job of mothering with just enough grace to maintain some level of sanity; theirs and mine. 

So I bought flowers for myself at Trader Joe's ($3.99!) and indulged in both simple meals and peanut M&M's while I studied and ran countless errands. It was an odd, unsettling weekend. 

And then I attempted sweet Grandma Miller's Harvest Loaf with a grain free pumpkin bread mix I also located at Trader Joe's and was more than a little annoyed to discover one of my offspring helped himself to the entire package of chocolate chips. Despite the heist, the bread was a delicious breakfast on a very quiet Sunday morning. PS. Trader Joe's any closer to me would be dangerous. Good. But very dangerous.

Greg and I attempted to screw new, not broken lamps into the end tables. Much to our surprise, the wooden lamps had a metal base. So now we have unsecured lamps and holes in a table. I laugh while Greg sighs and we go on somewhat loving this uphill battle we've created ourselves. 

This is stupid.

And this is ridiculous.

Students returned Monday with some sweet hugs and "I missed you!" proclamations. They redeemed the otherwise stressful day. One little guy, after hearing his friends talk about Disney trips explained he can't go to Disney because his mom doesn't think it's real. This mom wins. Well done, mom. Well done. This absolutely tops me convincing my children only cool moms get the secret code to Chuck E. Cheese and I'm sorry they didn't get a cool mom.  My poor kids believe they have been robbed of a childhood. I have no guilt.

Our sweet grandson did not accept his dog's death well. He declared through heartbreaking tears, "heaven is closed." He sleeps with the collar and is trying to teach Remi how to give gentle kisses like Chong because he misses them. Rest easy, Chong. You were definitely one of the best. 

The week was intense with urgent care visits, doctor's appointments, full time jobs, classes and family life squeezed into the only four days Greg and I were both available between Emmaus Walks. I'm honestly looking forward to the phone-free portion of my weekend away. Someone else is on call and it's a welcomed retreat. God likely knew I needed this break in order to fully exhale. 

Someone was up playing just before three o'clock in the morning and was then tired when the rest of us had to go to school. Needless to say the chasing of the tail on my bed in the middle of the night didn't send me into my day feeling well rested while Diesel slept comfortably in his room. He feels no remorse. Ever.