A LONG week

The girls have so much fun playing in their room they haven't been taking naps very consistently. Faith was so tired on Sunday she fell asleep while they were doing art. I came in and found her fast asleep with pink completely covering her head.

My husband is the best- Need I say more? He brought me these flowers to surprise me, not for a special occasion but just because he knows I am struggling. I love him!!
This week was such a blessing because our carpet finally came! Here is a before and after of the girls' playroom. I will probably take more "after" shots once we are moved back in downstairs.

The girls have enjoyed playing downstairs and running around with lots of wide open space.

A lot has happened this week. I am exhausted! Which seems to be the theme of this pregnancy. I am so tired all the time. I fall asleep at 8:30-9 every night and can barely string a conversation together with my husband after we get our kids in bed. It has been a long week for me emotionally. I think the reality of transitioning out of our ministry, getting our house ready to sell, and all the unknowns have really hit me. I'm so thankful I have a great husband to walk this journey with me. God is teaching us so much right now, but its difficult. I wanted to blog today when I am really feeling discouraged so I could look back and see how far God has brought us.

I can totally see how Peter got distracted by the wind and waves, even if it was Jesus helping him to walk on water. While I still have a peace about our decisions it doesn't change my struggle through this transition. I'm just not big on change! (even if it is God ordained) I've also seen how the uncertainty in our home is affecting our kids. And that has been tough as a mom. I'm realizing I can't fix this on my own. Instead I am trying to learn how to navigate all these changes with God's help. I know God can be my constant when everything else is up in the air. But, this week I've longed for more... God, why can't we know where we will move? If we will move? What state our baby will be born in? How will I move our family when I am SO tired and SO pregnant? What is best? What is your plan? How long will we wait? How do I support my husband and kids when I feel so overwhelmed?

God's answer: I'm here I haven't forgotten you. I unexpectedly won something this week. This may sound silly, but it wasn't the prize I was so thankful for. Something about winning that blog giveaway was like God whispering, "I'm here and I haven't forgotten you." I'm thankful I didn't miss that. While the immature part of me longs for a flashing arrow or a glimpse at the future for now I'm trying to grow, even if it is really difficult.

If you can't say something nice...

Well, I haven't written anything for a week now. Basically I can sum this up in the great statement- If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. I am struggling and because I am the wife of a minister that is about all I can say (I don't think its a wise decision to vent on the Internet). But I would appreciate your prayers as Jeremy and I strive to draw close to the heart of God and seek his guidance.

Here are two quotes I've found helpful. I thought I'd share them and maybe they will be helpful to you all as well.

The grass isn't greener on the other side; it is greener where you water and fertilize it.

At any time, there is more going right in the life of a committed Christian than there is going wrong. It's just that the "wrong" makes a lot more noise than the "right."

Both of these quotes came from a book I'm reading called, "The Bathtub is Overflowing but I Feel Drained" It is basically about dealing with mommy stress and really worth reading in my opinion. It is by Lisa TerKerust the president of Probers 31 Ministries. You can check out her blog at http://lysaterkeurst.blogspot.com/ She has an amazing story about adopting her two sons from Africa. Click on the Oprah Show link to see her on Oprah talking about it.

On a side note I am in a book club here that reads books on parenting, marriage, & family so if you are ever looking for a book on a certain subject let me know. It has helped me read tons of awesome books!