We were so fortunate. We planned and anticipated that the holidays would be difficult and overwhelming. With all those firsts: birthday, Christmas, first x5 weeks home-- it was a lot to take in. But we all did better than survived it, we seemed to thrive!
This week, however, has been much more of a struggle. As the newness of everything wears off and as language is starting to be understood better (
but still is a struggle and nowhere near "fluent"), there have been many misunderstandings. And as everyone is starting to feel safe and secure and comfortable, it is causing conflict. The good news is-- that everyone feels comfortable enough to show their real feelings and frustrations, instead of just shutting down. We are also starting to see some more grief and experiencing moments of outright rejection. We know it comes from a place of deep pain. It's been tough and all of it has hit us at once.
Our 5th and 6th appliance have broken down. Our 5th being our washing machine (
and the part we need to fix it is not able to get here till early next week, at the earliest) and the 6th being our brand new dishwasher. Seriously. It turned out to be an electrical issue that thankfully, Jesse was able to fix.
Thank the Lord for wonderful and faithful friends and family! Once again, our community has stepped in to ease our burdens. Even when we say "I think we can handle all of this," they know exactly what to say, what to do to ease our troubles, and to provide support. In ways that help us tremendously during this cocooning season. Thank you just doesn't seem to cover it. But thank you for the love, light, hope, and encouragement you all shed on our family!
But even in the hard, there have been more beautiful moments than hard ones. And we are continually thanking God. And we try to focus on these moments. These kairos moments:
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| The boys enjoyed silly string. Kameron said, "Look mommy! Toby cake!" |
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| Reading Garfield comics with Daddy. |
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| Noah and Kameron having light saber fights. He is incredibly gentle with the littlest Maddux |
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| The family enjoying BBQ for dinner. Kameron loved the ribs! True Southern boy at heart! |
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| Kameron and Daddy (and Maddy, our dog) playing. As you can see Kameron is a natural Maddux and has a GREAT sense of humor. And, as always, Jesse is a wonderful dad and a good sport1 |
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| Toby got this Lego set for Christmas. Kameron offered to build it for him. Toby was so grateful, he gave him his dragon. Lots of gift giving around here these days. |
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| Toby cheesing it up for the camera. Mr. Casanova. |
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| All of the boys are loving the new trampoline. It is below freezing (and will be here for some time) in Idaho. So it is tough to get exercise and vitamin D in that can help with mood. But this trampoline has been a definite GOOD thing. |
Despite the hard. The tough. The ugly-sides. The rough. The broken. The hurt. The rotten. The ragged parts of us that sometimes just are not easy to love. God is GOOD and faithful. And we will rest in his love, his peace, and his hope.
Loved seeing the boys playing together! I'd love to see a "little" of your snow here!
ReplyDeleteWhat can WE do?
ReplyDeleteIm not sure who is asking. We have had lots in our community offer to help when something goes wrong. Or, the first 2 weeks home, we had many meals brought as we navigated family time and jet lag-- which was a HUGE blessing.
DeleteWith our recent appliance disasters, many friends have helped (without us asking) with laundry while we fix these appliances. That has been a HUGE blessing and help.
And as always, continued prayers and encouragement. They help sustain us when things get REALLY tough.