Back To Reality

 

We are back today in Koutiala. No Grandma and Uncle Louis. No McCabes. It’s a bit sad I must say. But I guess you can’t have diversions in life all the time. This was a spur of the moment (as spur as it can be to come to Africa) trip for my mom. A guy in our church, Louis, was coming to do prosthetics and work with the handicapped and wanted someone to come with him so thankfully, my dad was gracious enough to let us have mom for two weeks. My mom and dad had already planned to come in August so this was just an extra for us. And it was wonderful. So needed. I told mom her jobs were to get Silas sleeping through the night, Kenan potty trained, and Dawson wiping his own bottom and dressing himself. Silas started sleeping through the night the week before she came (though he didn’t while they were here, but he was in our room which I think was hard).  It’s just so hot that Dawson rarely wears clothes so that one wasn’t really grasped. But she did wonders for Kenan. He made a lot of headway which is awesome. I personally think she did fantastic on her jobs. She has a way with Dawson to help him become more independent and do things on his own which I don’t have. I often just do it for him because it’s quicker. But she’s really good. So I feel like I have an older boy now who can do more, a more potty trained 2 year old, and a baby well on his way to sleeping through the night again. But more than her jobs, it was just so nice to have people around and to be loved on. To have an extra hand at dinner so I didn’t have to make the meal and try to feed Silas at the same time. I didn’t even eat dinner once in the bathroom- which I often do because by the time I get to my dinner, I need Silas to be taking his bath so then he can go to sleep. We had some peaceful days. We had a great Wednesday dinner one night (usually those are the worst because we are trying to get to prayer meeting by 6:30). It was so nice. The weekend we were here in Koutiala- it was the best weekend we’ve had in town. It was just peaceful. Mom and I got our feet done with henna. It took 6 hrs. 3 hrs was just putting the tape on my feet in the design… I’ll explain that another time. But it was nice. And my mom brought me the best gift I have ever gotten that I didn’t ask for- an espresso machine! It can froth milk. She also got the Starbucks mocha powder so I can have a mocha!! It is AWESOME! It tastes great. It really takes me home for a little bit. We were drinking it all the time. (I’m having to withhold a little now because I think it was too much caffeine for Silas). It is so great!! But more than the gifts, it was just nice to have mom and Louis around. It was a breath of fresh air. Truly a blessing from the Lord. Three kids anywhere is tough, especially when they are so young. But there are really some added difficulties here with life. Nothing is easy. You can’t just pick up a meal when things are crazy. There aren’t the kid friendly foods and snacks. There’s no place to meet up with a girlfriend when the kids are bonkers and you need to get out of the house. Those things just wear on you after time. It was nice to have mom here to just rejuvenate a bit. Brett and I commented how nice it was just to have people in the home, to share life with, to not have to do everything alone. It was nice.

I truly wish we could see my family and friends more often, that it wasn’t a $2,000, 24 + hr trip to Mali. But it is. I wish the McCabes lived closer so they could play. But they don’t. As needed and wonderful as their time here was, I was reminded that I must lean on the Lord and not them. I must seek fulfillment from Him, to rest in Him as my best friend and to find my strength in Him. I also must trust that this is where He has us for now. He knew where he wanted us before time began. He chose the exact times and places that we should live. He knows where I am on this journey in life, my struggles and frustrations. He knows the heart cries as a mother for my kids to have friends to play with. I must trust that he will provide…whether that is through bringing families here with young kids, Malians, or in just their brothers. He will provide in the way that they need, even if that’s not what I think they need. I’ve been reminded lately that we parents (those of us overseas,  but I guess it’s really all parents) want our kids to have certain experiences, whether that is friends around, playing on teams, going to school events, whatever. I start to think in my head that these are necessities. But they aren’t. My kids don’t need tons of friends around to become mature adults who walk with the Lord. They don’t need to play on soccer teams. They need the Lord and they need to be where HE has them for their life. They need to walk with Him and find their contentment in Him. Their childhood doesn’t seem normal to me because it’s not like my childhood, but it’s all they will ever know. Lord willing, they’ll be fine with that, whatever happens with schooling and friends and such. I just need to lay down my wants and dreams for them and let the Lord give them what is best for them. Anyway, didn’t mean to get all serious here…just my thoughts and reflections over the last few weeks.  

So like I said, life is now back to normal. We are SO THANKFUL for the visit from grandma and Louis. It was so much fun to have them here. Can’t wait for August when Grandma AND Grandpa can come!