Daddy's Home!

...in the middle of the night.
with prepared plan
for sleep recovery
special hellos
party on the morrow

Daddy's Home!
...and Jasmin's awake
a run and jump hug
squeals of "daddy!"
reluctant returns to bed

Daddy's Home!
...but where's Mommy?
Grace distressed
Mommy's not in bed with me
Daddy's home?
Oh, we missed you!

Daddy's Home!
...in the middle of the night.
Morning comes too soon
Later, slower
but off to school we go

Daddy's Home!

...with Christmas in July
Having met with Uncles and Aunts.
Books for schooling in eager hands
Why wait any longer to read and learn?

Daddy's Home!
...surely you've grown?
An inch more of Jasmin,
almost half an inch more of Grace
just in the last month.

So you can see 2 weeks' growth!

Daddy's Home!

...with Christmas in July
Having met with Uncles and Aunts.
Fairy wings and plenty of pink
A wave of a wand and
Daddy's a frog, Mommy a flower

Daddy's Home!

...with Christmas in July
Having met with Uncles and Aunts.
Should I go on?

maple syrup, popcorn, cheerios, iphone....
goodies from Canada.

Daddy's Home!
...in the middle of the night
now we have
a whole day with Daddy
and another and another and another
Daddy's Home!

A few of our most recent creations...

Rose Garden

Church

Flower Picture

We are missing Daddy in Canada, but keeping busily happy. We had a long weekend off school, which we thoroughly enjoyed with lots of time at home together, but we also joined the homeschooling group ice skating and had friends over.

During our Bible time last night, the girls were realizing just how blessed we are here - they have no less than 10 friends! And all of them are girls and coming sister pairs :o) This after nearly 2 months, whereas after 1 year in Manila, they had only 2 good friends. Thank you, God!

Today is a hard day. It is the last day before Daddy leaves for Canada for two weeks. And, Jasmin had a meltdown on the way to school, and it took us some hard intense time to bring it all under control. She didn't fare well, stubbornly making choosing an afternoon in her room instead of playing with Daddy, making it difficult for Mommy and Daddy to switch gears for a morning of learning Thai.
Of course, all was well for her by the time we picked them up from school at lunch time. So it was all the harder to follow through on the morning's decision. Since it is Daddy's last day before a 2 week trip to Canada, Mommy and Daddy came up with a way to fulfill the morning's decisions yet still allow Jasmin to have time with Daddy. Mommy would be the willing substitute and take the afternoon in Jasmin's room and Jasmin could go and play. This offer was presented with care and with the intention of teaching much. Both Grace and Jasmin got it; Grace was in tears at the unfairness of the deal, and Jasmin pulled into herself as she does when she feels strongly. Unfortunately, Jasmin actually refused to go! So Grace and Daddy went reluctantly to play without her, Jasmin cries in her room, and Mommy has to stay home too, listening to Jasmin cry her heart out. So hard! Not exactly how we'd hoped and planned to spend this last day together. But such is life with little ones - training must happen no matter the day or time.

I can identify with Jasmin so much. The sick feeling of disappointment in not getting what I want or hope for. The choking resignation that really I do deserve this consequence to my actions. And when a way out is offered, there is black reluctance to accept because there's no way I deserve to be free of this mess I made for myself. And yet, when left to myself with the consequence, I am drowning in self-pity, anger, pain...

Yet I can also now identify more with the Lord Jesus and God the Father. The Father provided a way out for us from the consequences of our sins. It cost the Father and the Lord Jesus tremendously. How I feel when Jasmin chooses captivity instead of the freedom to go play must be a flicker of what the Lord Jesus feels when we refuse his forgiveness: frustrated, sad, angry, rejected, affronted.

... how often have I rejected the Father's forgiveness, choosing to wallow in sin simply because I didn't feel worthy of the gift? How often have I treated the Lord Jesus' death with contempt in this way?

The truth that has gotten me over the hump from "maybe I'll get used to this new life" daily survival to "I can do this" happy daily rhythm (made pretty by wordle.net). I know it is a God-thing because this week has been even more trying as we've all been out 7:30 - 7 Tuesday-Thursday and I've more than survived it well, whereas the last few weeks that have been tough for me we've only been out 6:45 - 2, and not even every day.