Our Day

Today really did seem as close to ideal as a Saturday could be. The weather outlook called for a bit of Spring type weather, so we anticipated how we would enjoy a day outdoors. Richard and I had plans to wake up and drive to a high school up the street and run some laps around the track. Richard thinks I'm fast (and I'm probably NOT, but I relish him saying so), so anyway, he wanted to introduce me to running sprints and help me with my speed. Why? I don't know ... what else ya gonna do??? I guess it just spices up the ol' running regimen:). So we wake up and open the front door and are a little surprised at how COLD it was!! We were not expecting the 23 degree temperature that greeted us. But we decided we're up, so let's head out. We hopped in the van, turned the seat warmers on high and headed out. Of course at 6 am the high school was locked up tight, so we headed back to our subdivision and decided to just run some hills. Let me just say, I have NEVER been so cold in all my life!!! I felt as if I was suffocating and I was seriously wondering if my fingers were getting frost bite (even in gloves they were so cold it was painful). But we ran and returned home to little ones waiting at the table for their breakfast ... sweet little faces!! We fed the girls and then had our morning coffee by the fire. Richard made french toast, I made bacon ... then he headed off for his first softball game on the church league and I washed hair, cleaned up and had fun with improving the amount of pullups I could do and then I enjoyed the challenge of crunches with an 18 month old laying on top of me giggling:).

After lunch Richard and the girls (and a friend of Parker's) worked on the zip line project Hanson Ellis came up with for the back yard. It took him until dinner to finish (thank goodness for ACE up the street!), but it was a success. SUCH the Little Rascal scene .. our girls, the neighbors and Parker's little friend ... tons of kids ... some in helmets, some not ... giggling, learning, working together ... daring each other to see who would jump from the highest rung:) ... exchanging homemade friendship rings ... just good ol' fashioned fun. It was awesome.

SIGH ... so THIS is what it is like having a husband home. I am thankful for the work God has prepared for Richard. I am thankful for the heart he has for his job. He is just a couple of years from the option of retiring, yet the other night after a trying day he laid in bed and said "Mary Katharine, my heart is in the Army." Yes, my wonderful, I know. I know. The years of him being gone were so difficult, AND STILL ARE (sometimes I think we will forever be dealing with those years ...) but God wasn't absent then and He isn't now. I wish things could have been different. I do. But that wasn't God's plan. I've always known that, but I'm learning it in more in my heart than in my head as the days go by.

I don't know what the future holds. Richard and I have talked and talked and talked about what to do next ... where to go ... where do we want to go ... where do I want to go ... and then what to do after that, etc. ... sometimes I forget people really do live without moving every couple of years:). Of course I have input, none of you would believe me if I said I didn't:), but ultimately I'm just rambling. For the first time I see my life moving by me so super fast and I just want to enjoy the RIGHT NOW. I don't want to miss even just a second. And why should I? These are the seconds God gave me. A dear, sweet, new friend of mine reminded me today of the old saying "the days are long, but the years are short."

To God be the Glory.

Goodnight!