Baby Steps {What is NORMAL Anyway?}

Okay, I predicted another post in about three months and, well, it was a good prediction.  I keep thinking life will "get back to normal" or "settle down" and then I'll be able to do all the things I want to do...like write this blog {family journal}, for instance.  This year has taught me MUCH and one of those things is there is NO normal!  

Now that I'm on the other side of my surgery and {mostly} healed, I can define my normal as this: being able to BREATHE DEEPLY and BE CALM,  LOOK TO THE FUTURE, MAKE GOALS and WORK TOWARD THEM, ENJOY THE MOMENT.  So many of my days have been spent just trying to make it through the day, live through the pain or the exhaustion.  Now that I have conquered this beast in my life, I can see that trials will come and life will be hectic and sometimes you just have to "make it through the day".  BUT, now I realize that at the end of a trial I can get back to my normal.  And sometimes, I can still have some "normal" through the trial.  Funny thing about facing affliction, after you've been through a big one the small ones don't seem so bad :)

So, now that I have some energy back, I'm trying to get caught up on all the things I've been letting go for the past months, like cooking dinner :) I made 30 freezer meals and froze some meals that church friends brought over.  I have one left.  BELIEVE me, those freezer meals have been a blessing, so thanks for all of you that brought us food, it was well appreciated.

Also, I want to get back on track with this blog.  It makes me happy to document my family's life.  I realize that HALF of Landon's living - at - home - with - his - parents life is over!  That makes me sad.  I want to remember these years.  I want to try my hardest to arm him with knowledge and strength for the "real world".  This blog (I think of it as our journal) helps me do that.

And speaking of Landon growing up... I was a wreck on the first day of school this year.  He started middle school - in 5th grade!  I feel like I got jipped a year of "kid-hood" with him.  There's something about him being at MIDDLE SCHOOL that just kinda freaks me out.  I want his innocence to stay intact.  I've accepted that it wont, though, and we have talks about "dating" and swearing and being an example.  (And just so you know, Girl that Won't Be Named, Landon is still not allowed to date you! HA!  I'm still reeling over that one...)

This boy is growing up too!  He started a Montessori Preschool and he loves it.  Everyday he tells me he didn't learn how to read yet.  That makes him disappointed.  We have to talk about how things worth doing take hard work, like learning how to read or ride a bike.  He'll get it.  I'm glad he's so excited about learning.

Austin just turned 8; growing up too.  He is such a helpful, cheerful boy!  I tell him I want to shrink him down and keep him in my pocket so I can pull him out when I need to be cheered up.

While the boys are in school I enjoy my mornings with this little gal.  I love when she says, "come with me, Momma-Girl, you're my girl."  She's MY girl, that's for sure!

Well, I wasn't intending to get all teary-eyed about these kids of mine growing up, but I did!  That's life, for ya, always changing, never "normal".  I guess that's what makes us stronger, right?  So, there it is, in print, life is finally starting to get back to NORMAL!

And P.S. Cameron is getting back to normal too - his knee surgery went well.  He was finally able to go back to DENTAL work (he was doing administration work for a month or so) a few weeks ago.  That makes him happy.  He's pretty amazing.  He's made sure to follow every order from the doctor to a T and because of that he may be able to start doing some type of walking/running cardiovascular exercise within the next few months - which is much sooner than the year the doctor originally told him.  That's pretty great news!