Disappointment

This post has been waiting in the 'draft' box for over a week. Things have been extremely hectic around here lately and I have not posted as often as I would have liked. We are having issues with our telephones since the move and thus have no Internet at home. I have not had the opportunity to post at work as it has been the usual end of the year frenzy. Thanks to all of you who have sent emails inquiring as to our whereabouts. I hope to do better in the weeks to come.

Thanksgiving week we had high hopes of quiet mornings sitting in the deer blind, extended family gathered around a table filled with food and laughter and evenings around a campfire swapping stories and making memories. Imagine the disappointment of having to make the "grown up" decision to trade all of that to work instead. After all, this is our big 'vacation' every year.

We were scheduled to leave first thing Wednesday morning. On Tuesday evening, as we drove to Brian's basketball game, I was talking to Jim about how excited I was to be going...and yet at the same time how I felt like I needed to be at home moving into the new place. Jim mentioned that we would not be able to leave as early as planned due to the electrician who was scheduled to arrive bright and early Wednesday morning and to figure on leaving around 2 in the afternoon. Meanwhile, we were waiting on word from Meagan as to whether or not they would even be able to go, as Derrick had some issues arise at work. (Kelli and Matt had already let us know that they would not be able to travel this year.) During the first few minutes of the fourth quarter, Meagan called to report that they too would be staying in Texas this year. That was confirmation that our Thanksgiving trip 2007 was not to be.

Years ago, I read a book by Kay Arthur that said that all of life's disappointments can become His appointments. (I believe the name of the book is As Silver Refined.) How true this statement became over the weekend that followed. The lowest point for me came after the game as we were sitting over dinner. As we were waiting for our food, my cell phone rang. It was Daddy. He was calling to see what time we would be leaving the next morning. We had just finished telling the kids of our decision...now I had to tell him. His disappointment was obvious, especially in light of the reason for his call. The kids were disappointed, my family was disappointed...and so was I.

Wednesday, Jim spent the day with the electrician while I took care of laundry and other routine weekend chores around the house. It was a long day filled with thoughts of where we would be along the route home, if we were actually traveling home. Thursday we spent most of the day at the new trailer wiping out cabinets, washing down walls and vacuuming floors. (Carpet again! I had to go to Wal-Mart to buy a new vacuum cleaner!) That evening we were invited to share Thanksgiving dinner with Derrick's family. What an unexpected blessing to have the chance to spend time with all them. We played Password and ate...alot! On Friday I shopped for hours at Ikea picking up new beds for the boys and we spent the evening putting the furniture together. Matt, Kelli and Brooke came out to spend the night with us and to celebrate Kelli's birthday on Saturday. Jim and I moved into the trailer and spent our first night in our new home. We had a wild Spades tournament with all the family gathered (Jim and Derrick won. Meanwhile Meagan swore she would never be my partner again after I set us back in two hands in the final game.) Saturday we had friends join us for Kelli's birthday dinner. We had lots more food, laughs and games: Wits & Wagers, Pictionary and Spades. Everyone left for home around midnight. Sunday was much more sedate. I made Bri a shopping list for Monday and we moved more furniture. .

In His divine plan, God had blessings reserved for us that we could not foresee. There were no quiet mornings in the deer blind...but there was extended family (and friends) gathered around the table on more than one occasion, there were evenings filled with games and laughter and there were memories made. We had a God made appointment to share Thanksgiving with our two new grandchildren and to make Kelli's birthday special. In the end, the sacrifice was worth it...though I still want a weekend in my new deer blind!