On this extremely hot southern Thursday morning, I am thinking about one of the many changes in a family that occurs due to separation and divorce. The summer vacation, or road trip.
Due to our very changing and limited financial circumstances, there is no "big" extravagant vacation this year, but two relatively small but fun road trips (mini vacations) planned for my girls next week. Half of the week will be with their dad on a trip and half with me on a trip.
We never did have alot of money, and so we never were a family that did alot of the "big" vacations. We had some wonderful ones, don't get me wrong. But we never did "big" each year. Sometimes it had to be as simple as a getaway to the grandparents for a few days. That was always fine with our girls...they love being around extended family.
Due to their father being a firefighter/paramedic and having odd shifts, and due to our often tense marriage, I became quite used to the trips back home being on my own..just me and the girls. But I guess just knowing that the 4 of us could take a trip together and often would, made it not seem unusual.
This summer it is different. We are intentionally taking separate vacations and it just seems a little weird...and on one hand, natural at this stage of the relationship. I know, I know...that is conflicting. Welcome to my world. Lots of conflicting emotions.
I find myself being nostalgic over the trips we took together as a family of four, and I hope that in spite of all that has taken place, that those memories will forever remain in the hearts and minds of our girls.
Due to our very changing and limited financial circumstances, there is no "big" extravagant vacation this year, but two relatively small but fun road trips (mini vacations) planned for my girls next week. Half of the week will be with their dad on a trip and half with me on a trip.
We never did have alot of money, and so we never were a family that did alot of the "big" vacations. We had some wonderful ones, don't get me wrong. But we never did "big" each year. Sometimes it had to be as simple as a getaway to the grandparents for a few days. That was always fine with our girls...they love being around extended family.
Due to their father being a firefighter/paramedic and having odd shifts, and due to our often tense marriage, I became quite used to the trips back home being on my own..just me and the girls. But I guess just knowing that the 4 of us could take a trip together and often would, made it not seem unusual.
This summer it is different. We are intentionally taking separate vacations and it just seems a little weird...and on one hand, natural at this stage of the relationship. I know, I know...that is conflicting. Welcome to my world. Lots of conflicting emotions.
I find myself being nostalgic over the trips we took together as a family of four, and I hope that in spite of all that has taken place, that those memories will forever remain in the hearts and minds of our girls.
Like the roadmap picture above, my life right now seems like a new road trip. Where will I go? What kind of journey am I on? What is my destination? How many stops along the way? How many times will I take a wrong turn, get lost or have to back up and retrace? It's all a new adventure.
My prayer for my girls is that they will have wonderful experiences with each of us, and that good memories will be made. There is so much pain tangled up in all of this, and we all need a mini break from it.
Now...to list my blessings this morning:
1. I am blessed by the beauty of flowers around me. I haven't done much in my yard this year, and don't plan on it. But my few pots are thriving and pretty, and I just cut some daylilies from the flower bed outside my office window and brought them into my office to enjoy. Flowers make me happy.
2. I am thankful for cherries. Yep...you heard me. And for the friend who brought me a huge bag of them. I love the fresh cherries in summertime, but they are often very expensive. It's a real treat when I buy them for myself. And I eat them slowly and savor each one. My treasure of a friend, Debbie, brought me a large bag when she came with my nieces to visit this past weekend. In addition to being one of my favorite fruits, the biggest blessing was in the simple fact that Debbie, who lives 11 hours away from me in Austin, remembers the "small things". Like the fact that I love cherries.
3. I am grateful for the encouragers in my life. I have many. Encouragement is really a gift from God. I hope that I use it when I am prompted to lift someone up. Whether my encouragement is in the form of time spent with a friend, a text, an email, a phone call, a card in the mail, or a facebook message...I have so many people out there who are good at that. What a HUGE blessing they are!
My prayer for my girls is that they will have wonderful experiences with each of us, and that good memories will be made. There is so much pain tangled up in all of this, and we all need a mini break from it.
Now...to list my blessings this morning:
1. I am blessed by the beauty of flowers around me. I haven't done much in my yard this year, and don't plan on it. But my few pots are thriving and pretty, and I just cut some daylilies from the flower bed outside my office window and brought them into my office to enjoy. Flowers make me happy.
2. I am thankful for cherries. Yep...you heard me. And for the friend who brought me a huge bag of them. I love the fresh cherries in summertime, but they are often very expensive. It's a real treat when I buy them for myself. And I eat them slowly and savor each one. My treasure of a friend, Debbie, brought me a large bag when she came with my nieces to visit this past weekend. In addition to being one of my favorite fruits, the biggest blessing was in the simple fact that Debbie, who lives 11 hours away from me in Austin, remembers the "small things". Like the fact that I love cherries.
3. I am grateful for the encouragers in my life. I have many. Encouragement is really a gift from God. I hope that I use it when I am prompted to lift someone up. Whether my encouragement is in the form of time spent with a friend, a text, an email, a phone call, a card in the mail, or a facebook message...I have so many people out there who are good at that. What a HUGE blessing they are!
