Endings

We've been dealt some interesting endings in the past few weeks. Read on...

Today is the last day of school!  Hooray!!!
I've never been as excited as this year.
Our oldest daughter has been such a trooper. She's been getting up at 4:40am to get ready for school...well, her alarm goes off then.  She has learned the fine art of napping - which she never before appreciated (except when she was 0-5).  Sleep deprivation at it's finest.
She has gotten herself up (most of the time) so that she could attend Early Morning Seminary which translates as early morning bible study.  Mind you, it wasn't all her choice. There was a pre-existing agreement. Something about a flute, and if she was involved with marching band, then she had to attend seminary.  I know.  Mean mom. But she made it through.  Just 6 more years of early morning seminary for our house!
Really, I was so thrilled to sleep in.  So thrilled in fact that today, on her last day of school, she was so quiet getting ready that I didn't even wake up to help her get out the door with breakfast and lunch.  (She gets really hangry, and I usually get up out of self preservation, knowing that we are all much happier when she eats regular meals). She did say that she will be okay though - she got a lollipop in Spanish class.  The good news is that she will be home by 11:30, and she will make up for her missed breakfast.
Anyways, she made it through the year!! Hallelujah for summertime!

I did in fact get our youngest daughter out the door...this could also be related to the fact that her school doesn't even start until around 9:30 am.
 Here's her first day of school last fall...

 All chipper and excited, not knowing what the future holds.

And here's her last day of school. Wiser, not quite as innocent (middle school teaches all sorts of things...girl drama, things aren't as they seem, and lots of new cuss words (not that she uses them)). 

I'm happy to say that she still lets me play with her hair in the morning...so we did this fancy updo today...er, I did it while she watched Mr. Bean. Her photo speaks volumes...as in come on mom, I've got to go!

Okay.  

Next ending. 

The last time I blogged (two weeks ago), I got everything updated, and then my husband called me and came home. He was laid off from his work.  He was hired for a position that was split in half because the responsibilities were so great. 4 months later, his boss left, and his reports changed from 9 to 19, and from 19 hospitals, to 31.  He is really great at producing stability.  He was in a historically high turn over job for 4 years. During that time, he had 4 different bosses.  His most recent boss came in and decided that he wanted something different, and so he let my husband go.  

It's an interesting place to be.  We weren't expecting it. 

But, we've been praying that my husband would be able to be in a job where he could help many people, and would be well respected.  So...our paradigm has changed. Do we stay here for our kids? They like their schools, although they aren't completely tied to them with the best friends in the world.  They have friends, but I think they'd be okay if we had to move. 

I'd be ungrateful if I didn't state first of all that we've been so blessed.  I decided to start keeping a journal, and recording the blessings that we are seeing in our lives everyday. I know that they come from God.  There's no way I could say that they aren't. 

In the past week, I picked up 3 new music students.  One literally walked in my door.  

I feel peaceful.  

My husband and I have both been on a long hard road.  Of personal healing. Neither is at the end of our road, but we've picked up some skills along the way.  One of which is more reliance on Heavenly Father.  

This keeps reverberating around in my brain: 

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 

We are buckling down and settling in for the ride...and as we do, we see His hand in our lives, every day and feel a Father's love for his child.