early day

This is Jim, all tucked in for the evening (note the layers of blankets and the big honkin' pillow) and Son #2 (who's 4 at the time) reading him a bedtime story.  What's really funny about this is that Jim had a horrible habit (no, he wasn't perfect, contrary to popular belief!) of falling asleep wherever he ended up for the evening.  And staying there -- all night!  

For for the first several years I did the wifely thing and woke him up, multiple times, to get him to come to bed so that his back didn't hurt in the morning.  This usually involved me, waking up at 2 in the morning, noticing that he hadn't made it back yet and getting out of my warm, cozy bed to go haul him back.  

If I failed in doing my duty some night he complained about his back the next day and said it was my fault for leaving him there.

And then we had children.

Six children, to be exact.

And pretty soon I no longer cared if the man woke up with a backache the next day because I was too tired to crawl out of my bed for what must surely be the THIRD time to wake him up enough  to come to bed!!!  I was NOT, after all, HIS mother!!!

He continued to have that habit until he died.  Only he got WAY over the other habit early on -- blaming me!  Once in a while he might throw in a guilt-trip attempt ("if you really, really loved me you would ...... yada yada yada).  I would just give him "the look" (many of you have seen it) and the conversation would abruptly end.

     Did you notice the earliness of the day?  That's because at 5:38 AM I woke up with a start (sounds so poetic, doesn't it?  "with a "start") and bounded out of bed to inform Son #2 that he had missed the bus and that he'd have to catch a ride with Son #1, who was also still in bed.  Fortunately I paused on the stairs and thought real hard (which is most difficult to do at 5:38 in the morning).  Then I thought, "Wait, doesn't he catch the bus at 6:25?  Wait, no ..., wait, maybe.....no, it's 5:25........WAIT!!!  All of these little voices need to shut up so I can think!  Now, school starts at 7:25 so yes, he catches the bus at 6:25.  Case solved."

And then I was up for the day.  Welcome to my mad little morning.

     In other news, things are not going well in Oklahoma.  Jim's mom wants to die.  She is pleading with everyone to let her go.  Her mind is past the point of being ready, but her body is still hanging in there.  It's only a matter of time.  Hopefully God will be gracious and make it sooner rather than later.  

     And after the rough week I am going to have a fun weekend.  I'm heading to Austin with some friends for the evening.  I'll be back tomorrow.   I need some more mindless fun-time.  I just hope I don't have to face the mind-numbing depression-time when I get back.

This has not been fun. 

Please keep praying for us and for Jim's family.  And pray for the wonderful group of people who are winging their way towards Kenya as I write this.  I'm there in spirit and sometimes I'm sad that I'm not there physically.  I know He will bless them.