Friday, June 1, 2012

The 12 Days of...

... work. Definitely not the 12 Days of Christmas!  This 12 day stretch started last Monday and will end today.  We are SO ready!!  Daniel was on call for Memorial Day weekend, and it sure was a doozy!  We have learned the hard way that for the holiday weekends he is on call, the best laid plans generally go awry so it's even better to just not have any plans.

Since the weather was so warm and very humid, I was guessing that he would be very busy so I didn't even get my hopes up that he would be home Saturday, Sunday or Monday.  Saturday morning I didn't consider it a Saturday.  I did the same for Sunday and Monday.  They were just "another day" that Daddy had to go to work.

Monday morning, Memorial Day, before Daniel's pager went off.
(He was out until after midnight on a call, which is why everyone else
was up and dressed and he was sleeping in. :-) ) 

I am thankful that both girls have been very good for this 12 day stretch, which has made it much easier for me to "single parent" so much.  Daniel has been working long days even this week when he's not on call anymore, and sometimes I can start to feel frazzled, but not this time! (Lonely for Daniel, yes, but not "ready-to-sit-down-and-cry" frazzled.)  Maybe I am just getting better at "rolling with it". Probably more like God is just giving me more grace for every moment (2 Cor. 9:8 - my kitchen cupboard verse)!!

Saturday morning before Daniel left, I asked him to get
my little Raggedy Ann stove out of the attic.
Susannah had lots of fun with "'sannah's 'tove!" that day! 

During this time I started letting Susannah play outside by herself some each day.  She puts miles and miles on her little stroller, pushing it around and around and around.  She LOVES being outside and I'm happy to let her have fun, get some good exercise, soak up some natural Vit. D, and burn some energy!

Yesterday evening Daniel was going to be getting home late again, so while we were waiting for him (so we could eat supper together), we went to the garden and she played in the garden for the first time.


Now it is Friday, the last workday of the week for Daniel, and I am kinda-sorta hoping that since some rain is coming through the area, he might get home early.  I hope that is not just wishful thinking.  He has worked late most of the days this week, too (it has been hot = they are busy), so we are really looking forward to having him home tomorrow!!

Something else I've learned over time, about times like this when Daniel is so very, very busy with his work:  Appreciate it and be thankful.  Even though sometimes it feels overwhelming and brain-frying to have him gone so much, there is usually a reason once we are past it and looking back.  It is God's way of providing for us.  For that, I'm grateful for every single hour that Daniel has to work.

This evening I feel guilty not adding this snippet:  Daniel did not get home early.  And in all honesty, by the time he got home I was feeling very frazzled and brain-fried.  I was trying to clean the bathroom sink, Sylvia was waking up and begging for food, Susannah wanted to touch the toothpaste and in trying to reach it knocked all of the sink stuff (that I had piled on the back of the commode) onto the floor with a huge, major crash.  Needless to say, I am glad Daniel is home and I am glad I don't have to plan on the pager going off this weekend. 

Thank you, Lord, for providing for ALL of our needs, including the need for rest.

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