Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Far Away

It's cold outside. Really cold, especially for the South. 

Grady Lee thought we had snow the other day when he saw frost on the grass. And, Micah was fascinated when he saw his breath in the air while I was strapping him into his car seat: "Look Mom! I have dragon breath making smoke!"

Poor kids. I gotta get them to the North where they can really see snow and know what cold feels like.
Speaking of snow and cold and the North, I miss my family. A lot. A whole, whole lot. Is there anyone willing to donate $1,100 toward flying us up North to extended family? Nope, didn't think so.

Is there anyone willing to donate their sanity to help make the 14 hour car ride bearable with three kids under the age of five? Nope, didn't think so.

And that's why we're here and not there.
But good grief - can you imagine riding a donkey for endless hours, while great with child, only to discover there was no warm welcome and no place to sleep once you reached your destination? Kind of makes my possible 14 hour car ride seem wimpy.
Being far from family is sometimes tough. But I'm learning that it's, in some ways, a blessing because it's teaching me to simply be thankful for family. Not everyone has family.

And it's teaching me to appreciate the time I do get with my family. I never know when the next visit may be.

And it's teaching me to say thank you to my family. Time and words are the best gifts.
Guess what? Contentment is a choice. And it's sometimes a really hard choice, but it's always a choice. I'm not sure when the next time with family will be, but in the meantime, I have the great task of choosing joy with where I am and what I'm doing.

Sometimes a good cry helps. Other times a long phone conversation helps. But, all the time a deep reliance on God's goodness and grace helps.  

3 comments:

  1. Here's my solution...we take a crazy 14hr trip to Michigan...and everyone will have a great time with your family! THEN we'll take the four day trip to Arizona!!! And by then we'll have killed each other! :-)
    I hear you, sista! Miss my family so very very very much right now!!! Love you!

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  2. Awww Sarah, you make me want to cry!! I too am missing you guys and it is always harder at the holidays. I miss the simple times when everyone was little and they would come to Nanas house and we would have dinner and open gifts. Now all of you are grown and have families of your own and it is me who brings my kids home to Nanas for dinner and gifts. I miss all of you and look forward to the times we will have in the future to just be together and laugh and share stories of our own families. But for now know that you are loved and missed and we will be together soon! Stay focused on your kids, that is what has always gotten me through when I wished I was home with family. My kids bring me such joy and happiness that sometimes it is all I need to get through the tough times. we Love you all and hope you have a very Merry Christmas!

    Dawn

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  3. Lovely, heartfelt post; beautifully written! Choosing joy & contentment is always the BEST choice, but it isn't always the easy one...{{{{HUGS}}}} dear friend!

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