It is a very different season in my life as of late. I would have to say that I have never felt quite like I feel these days. This is the part of life that I never really gave a lot of thought to because it always seemed to be so far in the futurre. Now that it's here it is very difficult for me to get used to. So much is different and so many things are new. We finally moved into our newly built (but not quite finished ) home and it's nice to have finally made this much anticipated (for a year) move! I am trying to get us all settled in and organized. I know it will take a little bit of time til we get to that point. The kids are loving the house and so are we. Mike tells the kids, "the longer we are here the more and more comfortable we will become here". So true.
So, I am also working fulltime now Monday through Friday. I am grateful that I found something that I really love considering I really didn't know what I was looking for when I was looking for employment. Funny how the Lord just knows us so well huh?
The kids are all doing well and growing so fast. Busy with activities, responsiblities and friends. Michael is going to school, working and dating a really nice girl pretty seriously now. He has been having somewhat of a difficult time getting used to us I think. Mike and I are much more on the same page than we were before he left for his mission. It is interesting to have a young adult in our home. Michael sees so many things differently than we do and it can be very frustrating at times. I am so used to seeing eye to eye with him and now that is not always the case. This has been quite a different thing for me and an adjustment for both of us I think. Mike is so good about being patient, understanding and letting things go and ...Me? I just want to force him to see what we see right now. However, I think I will take Mike's approach on this one and just be patient and calm and just let him learn on his own.
Having a young adult and return missionary in our home is so different from raising teenagers. It's nicer in some ways and scarier in other ways. The control, power and influence you have as a parent of a teenager is so reassuring in so many ways. Where the freedom a young adult has and the loss of responsibility we have as parents to teach them what they need to know right now, is so frustrating for me. However, I am learning and I'm trying to be patient.
I am also learning a little bit more about myself these days. Not always good things either. I've recently learned that I express my stress much more differently than I used to or maybe I just notice it more now. I'm one of those people who looks like I am handling everything fine on the outside but subconsciously I am out of control....stresswise. And it's really not good. I can be somewhat impatient, a little too honest and thoughtless. It's been a hard lesson to learn, but I have to admitt that I am having to learn to forgive myself as much as I am learning to ask for forgiveness.
Such a different season in my life.............
