it's the little things.

my honey just got back from the land of intricately blues-y, handcrafted painted pottery.  also known as Poland.  it was a gorgeous green hill country, so i'm told.  he was there to lead worship for a group of missionaries that were on  their annual rest and recovery retreat. 

we missed him to pieces for the nine days he was gone.  by the way, i don't know how military families do it.  nine days was hard.  i can't imagine months upon months.  makes me appreciate the service men and women all the more. i don't know why, but when your other half is half-way across the world, the minutes apart seem slower than ever before.

thankfully, he graced my arms again last night and i breathed a big sigh of relief to have him home safely.

in the midst of the nine days...

i found out my grandfather (the only father figure who's been alive my whole life) was in the hospital with days left to live.  there's nothing that they can do... cancer has overtaken his body.  i know it all too well... my grandmother and father died in the same year of the same disease when i was nine.  it feels like all those emotions are being relived.  i know that everyone must die.  and when you're a believer, like my gramps is, to die is gain!  i know all that.  it's still sad, though.  my mom and sister have been out in California with him for the past month.  the miles seem farther when you want to be there and see him one last time.

to add to my already anxiety,  my step-dad and brother were on a sailing excursion from Charleston to the Abacos Islands to get in some open ocean miles for my brother who is on a sailing team.  mid-way there they lost the engine.  not a major deal because it's sailing, but still, it's always good to have an engine.  they got the engine fixed and then were struck by lightning and lost all mechanical power.  no gps.  no lights.  nada.  they turned back and miraculously made it back to Charleston.  lets just say i'm glad i heard the details after they got home safely.

my nerves were a bit on edge after all those happenings without my hubby here to calm me down.  : )  i'm looking forward to a hopefully low-key week this go around.  my man brought a gift home for me from a missionary.  it said "thank you for being willing to send your husband here to minister to us.  i know it's hard to be the one to stay home, so thank you.  i pray blessings upon your family."

 this was the exquisite gift - a polish pottery cross ~

i teared up a bit... someone half across the world that left the comforts of their home, to minister full time in a foreign land, thought of me - someone in her cushy home with all of her American comforts - why?  this is why:

she wanted to love on me and encourage my heart... because love is of God.  i was encouraged to the moon and back.  it was more than thoughtful... it's the little things that make hard weeks a little better. Pin It