MAY 2010 IS NOT THE MAY 2010 WE HAD PLANNED!

May 15, 2010 was supposed to be the day that Rachel and Rebekah began their training as lifeguards. They had already been hired on by Sweetwater Pools as lifeguards under the idea that they were trained and ready for the opening day at the pool to which they were assigned (Fairfield subdivision). The girls had already been to the Introduction to Sweetwater/Training the Saturday prior and were really very excited about what the summer was going to hold for them. Then came May 15, 2010...
The girls took off early that morning to arrive at Eagles Landing Country Club Pool for their first day of training. They had worked the week before at the pool on post with the lifeguard, Daisy, who was helping them prepare for the prerequisites they had to accomplish before even being considered capable of being trained. The girls had to be able to swim 300m and then they had to save a "brick" from the bottom of the pool in 1 min 30 seconds. They trained with Daisy the weeks before the actual test on May 15. I was so nervous for both of them but knew they could do it.

I wasn't there, but Bekah kept me up to date via texting that they had arrived and gotten the testing started. Shortly thereafter, I got a text that both of them had survived the swim and were doing well (although Rachel had a few issues with her swim she passed!) A bit later I get another text that says Rachel failed the "saving of the brick" because she took in too much water as she was trying to swim back to the wall. She apparently got out of the pool, threw the brick down and yelled, "that kid would have died." I felt so bad for her. She takes this stuff so seriously and really gets mad when she doesn't do well, or could have hurt someone. She is so sensitive. Thankfully, they allowed her to do it again once she had herself back together and she passed with flying colors in 1 min 20 seconds! Bekah had already passed and she was just hanging out waiting for everyone else to finish.

Then the training in the pool began and all seemed to be going well. Until they learned to jump off the lifeguard stand. Bekah was the 5th to go and the first 2 apparently jumped straight out and off the stand and once hitting the bottom, popped up and said, "I hit my butt" - meaning on the bottom of the pool. So, the lifeguard trainer told the kids to begin jumping off to the side in "deeper" water (about 4 to 4 1/2 feet). I guess someone else complained that their ankles hurt and then it was time for Bekah to go. She did what she was asked to do, and hit the bottom of the pool. When she popped out of the water, she said, in a seemingly calm voice, "I just broke my leg." They didn't believe her until she said it again. So they all jumped in to save her. Yep. Leg was broken! Funny - the remaining kids were told to continue jumping off the stand, including Rachel, who also stated that her ankles hurt when she jumped off! So why o why did the jumping continue?


Anyway, I was called and thankfully I was only a few miles away. Arriving on the scene, it was quite evident that the leg was either broken or dislocated and so I called for EMS to take her to Henry Medical Center. X-rays confirmed the worst fears that it was broken and the doctor added - you will need surgery for a plate and screws.


So, a week later, Bekah had surgery and is now recovering in a lime green cast. No job of lifeguarding. No job of working Chick Fil A. No fun in this summer that was planned way differently than what we have in front of us.

Thus, I ask the Lord - what is the deal? Why this? Why now? I got nothing. But then some things did hit me. I don't believe the break occurred for this purpose, but I believe the Lord will use this as an opportunity to teach. Bekah is not the most humble person and hates to ever ask anyone to help her. She would rather kill herself trying to do it on her own than humbly admit she can't do something and ask for someone to assist her. This has been her opportunity.

Also, Bekah has her ideas about what she was going to do this summer and when and how. That has all been thwarted by this unforeseen circumstance and she has an opportunity to learn how to handle life when it throws you a major curve ball. You can choose to complain all day and all night (which she did there for a bit) or you can live peacefully with the event/situation and ask what you can learn about yourself through the process. She hasn't quite made it to the latter yet. We are still working on the not complaining part!

God can use interruptions in our lives to teach us many things. But, if we are too stubborn to sit still and wait to hear what He has to say or teach, we miss out on some life lessons that could really help us in the future. If we truly believe that God is in everything, knows everything that happens, and wants what is best for us, then how can we not step back when life throws us a curve and ponder what He has in store for us? I want to be the first to say, "OK God, clearly I wasn't listening before and now you need my attention - Here it is! Tell me!" I am praying that for Bekah!

Rachel has gone on to begin lifeguarding and is doing a fabulous job. She has already in just a few short days, been thrown some curves of her own (people climbing over fences to get in to the pool she was guarding), and she has handled them with grace and dignity. I am proud of what she is becoming!

Sarah and Zach are doing well despite the craziness in the house. The continue working on their school after having said goodbye to dear friends, Shelby and Janlyn. Zach will say goodbye to Ethan and David this summer. This is truly the May 2010 we hadn't planned for!

TO GERMANY AND BACK 2010

Amazing to think that I have been home from Germany for over 2 weeks now. What an experience.

Back in December 2009, with Greg overseas, I thought - wouldn't it be fun to go and visit with Greg in Germany rather than him coming home. I knew that if he came home, he would be immersed in working on chores around the house, going into work to shoot the breeze, and then family trying to get him to come and visit. So, I thought, let's meet in Germany instead. The kids and I would take a hop on a military aircraft and meet him across the pond.

Well, we started to plan in January and had most of the things taken care of by the middle of February. What a blessing to go over there and see Europe with the kids and Greg. Wow!

Friends had taken a military hop before we did and so they gave us some hints. Fearing that we would not get out on the first plane, we decided to start our attempts at travel on Sunday, March 14, with hopes of being there by Friday, March 19. So, we drove Rebekah back to college in Charleston, SC and went right to the Air Force base. Amazingly, the airman asks, "Are you ready to go right now?" Of course I said, "Yes!" and we were booked on the next flight to leave in approximately 45 minutes! Mind you, we have no definite place to stay once we arrive in Germany but I didn't care - just get me there!

We arrived after about 13 hours inside a C17 aircraft filled with material for the war effort. What an experience that was! I walked over to the Ramstein Inn to ask if there was room, and viola, a room for 2 nights was available. Needing 3, I figured we would do whatever necessary to get the 3rd night later - I just wanted to find a bed and melt in it. We then went over to the long term parking lot to find a car that our friends were going to lone us while in Germany - found it. However, the car was as dead as a doornail. Looking helpless and a mess from the 13 hour flight (and no sleep) a nice soldier started to help me jump it. It was very difficult to jump as it had been quite dead for some time...I, believing I would be helping with the effort, decided to get out of the car so as to not leave the door open. You see the door being open was leaving the lights on. Lo and behold, the door closes and guess what? The keys are in the car, along with my purse, and it is now LOCKED! Three to 4 more soldiers now arrive to help the helpless, woman and her 3 kids. Doing everything they can, they work to no avail. Finally, someone calls the German equivalent of AAA. They arrive and save the day! I have no idea who is footing the bill for that one as they kept asking me if I have American Auto Association. I do -so, I showed him the card, and he just graciously nodded. Hopefully my friend won't get too large a bill - they did take her license number.

We proceed to our room and enjoy the beautiful 4 bedroom accommodations. Once we were on normal time, we began to explore the area. However, we soon found out that we were not allowed to drive my friend's car because of a long, long, long story...suffice it to say, it was nightmarish - but I made friends with some of the men in the Custom's office. They knew me by name the next time we came in! :)

We waited out the next few days having survived another day in a different room on the 3rd night. The 4th night we were picked up by a friend who lives in Heidelberg. She brought us over to her house, took us out to dinner, and even lent us her car! Greg arrived the next day from his flight into Frankfurt, Germany. He took the train down the Heidelberg and we enjoyed the reunion. Julie, our Heidelberg friend, graciously took us around and helped us in so many ways. What a blessing she is!

That afternoon we scampered down to Edelweiss Lodge and Resort in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in the Bavarian countryside = WHAT A TREAT! Gorgeous views of the Alps. We truly enjoyed our stay at Edelweiss in both the cabins and the lodge. It was an amazing place to be in a beautiful location.

We toured Switzerland, Austria, and Luxembourg - of course, Germany. Just the best trip ever! Sound of Music tour, Dachau concentration camp, Munich, Neuschwanstein castle, and bobsled run. So many things to remember. A great trip was had by all. I would love to go back and live there!

What did I learn from all of this? God answers prayer. We asked to be waiting in Germany for Greg instead of waiting on this side of the pond - Yes. We asked to have a great trip with little hassle - Yes. We asked to have a holiday together (Easter) - Yes. We asked that we would be able to return without difficulty (first flight out) - Yes. Just so many yeses by our God. He was there through all of it. I am in awe of his mercy and grace to us. We are SO undeserving and I am the most undeserving. He showed Himself and I got to see His Handiwork. Thank you GOD.

"SUCK IT UP, CUPCAKE!"

2010 is here! It seems like only yesterday we were saying good-bye to Greg and now it will be 3 months on Saturday that he has been in country (Kuwait). The thought of all of the milestones Greg is going to miss is looming over my head these past few days. I guess it all came about when we thought we were going to be together at Easter in Germany. Then Greg told me that he is actually leaving from Germany one day before Easter! I would be sitting in Germany on Easter in a hotel room with the kids, and nowhere to go. I got frustrated and angry! I was thinking - why would the only holiday out of the year that Greg would actually be with us, we screwed up the dates and it won't happen!

This got me to go into a pity party over the many other milestones. In about a month, Rebekah, our first born, will be turning 18. Greg will miss this milestone. Not that there is anything special planned for that day (although I did think of a few things)...but Greg wouldn't be here to participate in it. But I decided not to go further. The thought of all the milestones was too hard for me to bear, and I realized that I am whining.

A good friend of mine told me that one time a military spouse was complaining to her husband and he flat out said, "Suck it up, cupcake!" So, I am sucking it up and going to stop my pity party and maybe even eat a cupcake! LOL

As we begin our new study in PWOC called Esther by Beth Moore, I came to realize that even in this - God is there. Although we cannot see him, or even hear his name, He is there in all of this. So, I am grateful for this time in the desert to really see what God would like to do with me - a lowly wretch of a woman with a heart for the Lord.

May the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob be the focus of my 2010. May I see the positive in what the Lord is doing, even when I don't understand. May I rest in Him even when I don't feel His presence! Come on 2010, Bring it on!