It was “Wellness Wednesday” at school today. So parents were invited to come walk with their kids during PE. Except today was one of the like nine days of the year it rains in the desert. So we did PE in the gym. See also: Dancing. To YouTube/Just Dance videos. I. Looked. A. FOOL. (Charis was near the front of the room, so go big or go home I guess). But it was hilarious. 40 something kindergarteners and a handful of brave parents doing the Gummy Bear dance, the Monkey Dance, and the kid version of “Watch me whip it” and “What does the Fox day?” All of that wasn’t part of my plan when I woke up today, but I know it was the right choice when Charis leaned over and hugged me between every song.
PS: I sweated. (Not to be confused with sweared). And my heart rate was definitely up.
PSS: I managed not to hit/fall on/step on any Tiny Humans.
PSSS: Research indicates that Families that do the stanky leg together, stay together.
PSSSS: Flat Daddy was shamming it today and didn’t come with me. I asked him if he was afraid to dance because he had two left feet and he just glared at me.
We, Malick, Charis, Aunt Denise, Flat Daddy, Autumn (honorary Knobloch) and I want to wish our Beloved Leroy Chuck HAPPY EASTER! You were undoubtedly missed at Paseo Church’s sunrise service in the park.
And of course, Blessed Resurrection Day to all of our friends and family across the miles.
If there is not already a milspouse proverb that says “Friends that get inked together, stay together, even if one friend is moving a thousand miles away,” there should be.
Today, my bestie Megan and I were reminded how much feet tattoos hurt… but we now have matching tattoos! The design turned out wonderfully: it is the actual skyline of the Franklin mountains, complete with the Texas star (because Megan lives below it) and also includes the iconic Mount Cristo Rey. The scripture is Isaiah 52:7, which says “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
There’s a lot of symbolism in our tattoos. Probably more than I can fully explain on FB. Our feet as a pair of milspouses have literally submitted the highest peak in El Paso (I was so surprised I did it!) Our feet are called to proclaim the Good News of the gospel, no matter where we go. (In case you haven’t heard, Jesus loves you SO much that He lay down his life for you… there’s victory and freedom in Him!) And while it is true that sometimes the military spouse life can feel like we are wondering in a desert during challenging seasons (hubs deployment and/or hubs studying for the MCAT), there is such incredible beauty when we open our eyes and truly LOOK. This beauty comes from God in the form of landscape, history and amazing people that change our lives.
Megan and I have known each other less than a year. But goodness, she is a true Jesus soul sister if I ever had one! She’s my person. She’s literally the most compassionate, merciful, unbiased, peace seekingest, kind-hearted person I’ve ever met. When I grow up, I want to be like Megan Clayburn. Lord in heaven, how I shall miss her when we say our see-you-laters in a few weeks!! But after today, we are linked (or should I say inked?) for life!!
I’ve had many proud moments in life. I graduated undergrad with honors. I ran a full marathon and didn’t die. I watched my Beloved Husband rock at his job and be promoted “ahead of peers” in the army. I birthed two beautiful children without painkillers. But TODAY is my greatest* life accomplishment! After EIGHT inspection attempts, driving hub’s truck nearly 1,000 miles after we replaced the battery in an attempt to get the monitors/drive cycle reset (“Just keep driving it,” they said), 4 hours at the dealership and approximately 4,329 prayers, THE TRUCK HAS FINALLY PASSED ITS EMISSIONS TEST. The issue? Dust (seriously, just dust?!?!) in the mass air flow sensor. #GladItDidntCostAMillionDollars#AndAllGodsPeopleSaidAmen
*Only slight exaggeration on the “greatest accomplishment” bit.
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2. Ok, I admit that even at day 12 we were getting close to homecoming everyday. But it’s way different now that we can almost see the light at the end of this very sticky, sandy, milk-spitted tunnel (thanks, son).
3. It’s been an absolute joy, delight and blessing to have Aunt Denise here. Seriously. That woman needs to update her resume to include “professional shoe-putter-onner” and “kid-bed-putter-to-sleeper” and “fight-breaker-upper.” I feel like I’ve been able to breathe!
4. And speaking of breathing– I went on a sabbatical this weekend. As usual, the time away with just me and Jesus was EXACTLY what I needed for my soul. Nothing profound except sleeping through the night, eating slowly with two hands (and not sharing) and going to the bathroom by myself.
5. Now that I think of it, that IS pretty profound.
6. I could write my own post all about my sabbatical in the little casita north of Las Cruces, but here are the highlights: I slept 10.5 hrs, 11 hrs, 11.5 hrs each night (respectively), and “accidentally” took a three hour nap on Saturday. I read three books and started two more. It is officially sun screen season and lizard season, pecan orchards are AWESOME (especially when they are being irrigated!), New Mexico has onion fields (did not know this) and the Rio Grande is pretty grande, it not very rio-ish (almost zero water in it). Oh, and the three horses out in the yard near the casita brought such joy to my soul. My hostess even taught me to “drive” them like for pulling a cart/carriage.
7. My Beloved has been incredibly busy the last month with EIB (Expert Infantryman Badge) train up and certification (He already earned his, thank goodness!) That said, we hadn’t talked on the phone in a MONTH. A month I tell ya! BUT… Last night we were able to connect and chatted for NINETY MINUTES! 90 precious minutes of uninterrupted husband/wife life talk. I thought my heart was going to explode and was all happy-teary eyed when we got done! (Thanks again to Aunt Denise for putting the babes to bed so we could have our time together).
8. Malick and Charis are still a handful of funniness. Malick is saying more and more words everyday and it’s great. He realized how incredible pockets on his pants are today. And Charis is intermittently frustrated at me because I won’t let her change her name to start with a “K” and that her last name DOES start with a “K” but actually sounds like an “N.” I know, honey. Words are hard. (Better than numbers, though!)
9. I am at the HOMESTRETCH of class for this semester. Three assignments away from summer freedom. (One of those is a 20 page research paper. Hooray said me never). I feel like I have senioritis and I’m totally not a senior. Maybe I have adultitis. Or deploymentitis. I should prob get that checked out before a develop a rash or something…
10. Prayer requests: Strength, focus and motivation to finish this class and finish well; safe travels for Denise back to MN tomorrow (sniffle, sniffle, tear, sigh); Positive attitude and sticktoitiveness for the last several weeks of this separated-by-duty situation. WE. CAN. DO. THIS. #Merica
11. Parting thought: “Rejoice always.” ~1 Thessalonians 5:16
