Back to School and Other Thoughts

 ...and surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

-Jesus

Matthew 28:20

 Our first morning of back-to-school came in a hurry and without ceremony this year! I am happy that school has started back, because I love to learn with the children, and because it's time for the added structure after such a wild and strange summer. They all really enjoyed their academic experiences last year - another reason it's good to be back.

But oh, my, Baby was just born a month ago. There's so much left to process about that experience and now this - a whole new school year - one in which I have sent my colorful little CA off to kindergarten! Sometimes I wish for more time to feel and think. I have to know that He has His purposes with The Way Things Are. And it always seems that eventually, the Lord graciously provides a chunk of time for my heart and mind to unfold, in His perfect timing.

And you know, because of when Baby H was born, it means we had that whole month to get to know him, to work on the new normal, and to prepare for back to school, instead of my giving birth right around the first day of school (H was due on August 20, a week from today).

As we loaded backpacks last night and threw together lunches this morning, I wasn't really capable of deep thought or feeling, but I couldn't help giving thanks to God for bringing us through such a strange and wonderful season as a family. I mean, there were some very, very hard days included in this summer - days when the children called me at the hospital crying and upset because I was not at home, or times when they had hurts or problems or conflicts and it was just difficult to manage them from far away. Over and over, the girls would ask when I was coming home or when they could come to see me. Those were hard questions and usually I could not give them the answer their hearts wanted.

Many times, BB and I had to say to the girls and to ourselves: This is not fun, this uncertainty, this risk, the separation and disjointedness our family is experiencing. It is hard, and it hurts. And God has ordained this. Let's learn to give thanks to Him and pray He makes us more like Himself. Let's remember this is about keeping Baby H safe, and be willing to give up a bit of our comfort and happiness for his sake. We would remind the children that God wanted to do good things in each of our hearts through the small trial He sent.

For BB and me, there was the daily undercurrent of concern for the baby's well-being and to a lesser degree, my well-being. As I mentioned in a post before Baby came, I struggled pretty intensely at times to trust Jesus with the daily bleeding I experienced.

Anyway, my point is that He brought us through. He never left us. Jesus had gone before us into this summer, having planned it all to Perfection. I see many things He changed and is changing in me. There is a new maturity in some of the girls that wouldn't be there if not for the challenges they faced this summer. BB and I had some sweet times and conversations during the hospital stay. And of course, He gave us our little son in the end!

Our God is faithful and good and so very wise!

Getting back to the back-to-school update, CA reported to us this morning that she wasn't nervous anymore. We are quite entertained by our little extrovert. She was so excited to start school, and it wasn't just because of having older siblings - this kid loves adventure and people and isn't afraid of much.

Her lunch today included sandwich meat and cheese (she's not into bread), grapes, a cookie, and cheese bunny crackers. After school, I learned she'd only eaten the grapes and the cookie. Well. Gotta work on that. She's not known for eating much or for finishing meals.

Our school-crowd is growing! 

 Look - can you see CA's little head there in front of the fireplace? That's the sibling-paparazzi all around her. Cracks me up. I go to take a picture of CA by herself, and all the big girls say, Oh, wait, mom! Can I go get my camera?! And it's lots of cooing and Awwwww, she's soooo cute! from all of them (and they're right of course, and it's sweet and funny that she has this fan club of older siblings).

On a separate note, I took Baby H in for a weight check, per the pediatrician's suggestion. He was 5lbs 9oz two weeks ago.

Today, he weighed in at 6lbs 12oz! I was surprised and glad!