Good grief, this year has just flown by. This Summer was absolutely nuts. We went to the beach twice and the girls went on a cruise with their aunt for a week and we've been to the lake multiple times. Good, right? Not really. I love going to the beach and the lake, but since we haven't been home, I've had to catch up on everything in the house- laundry and cleaning and etc.... Plus, I have to pack myself and the girls and unpack all 4 of us everytime we go anywhere, not to mention packing and unpacking food. I'm not complaining, but I'm glad school has started so we can be back in a routine. Their school is in the town we're hoping to move back to. Yes, I said hoping, our house hasn't sold yet, so I'm driving them 30 minutes each way to take them and pick them up and the traffic is hideous. They like their new school ok. It's tough being the only new kids in each of their grades, but they are slowly making friends. Annelise had a really hard first day of 4th grade. The other girls were so excited to see each other after being apart over the Summer that no-one really paid her any attention. She's always been the one who just naturally reaches out to the new kid or the outcast. She didn't understand why no-one did that for her. I explained to her that this is one of her gifts and that it is not normal for 4th grade girls to notice the new girl and think about reaching out to include her. I told her to give it a week or so and that they would get to know her over time. The next day, she was ready to try again, and she had such a good attitude considering how upset she'd been the day before. I asked her why she seemed so happy and excited after being so sad the day before. She said "Well, I think I know why God let me go through that yesterday." I was intrigued, so I asked why she thought that. She answered. "Because He knows He gave me that gift of reaching out to new people and lonely people, and that if I knew exactly what it felt like to be that person being left out, I'd be able to use my gift even better." She went on to say that she had prayed about it (along with the rest of us) and that since she had realized what God was trying to show her, and had taken it to heart, she would have a much better day. I wasn't so sure. I know how 4th grade girls can be and I thought she may be setting herself up for a major disappointment. I'm usually the one who has the faith in the family. I hardly ever worry about anything. I am always assuring everybody else that God will take care of everything. I hope beyond hope at times. But when it comes to my girls and their hearts being broken the first day at a new school, it hurts me and I lose my focus. In my defense, I also had pneumonia that week and had been sleeping about 2 hours per night because of the coughing. So, I was drained, in every way possible. But I hoped against hope that Annelise was right. I went to pick her up after school that second day, nervous and anxiously waiting for her to get in the car. She got in, with a blank face and I asked her how her day went. She smiled a little and said "It. Was. AWESOME!" I couldn't believe it. I was so happy (and tired) that I cried a few tears of relief. Then I felt so guilty for not trusting God, who had never left me or let me down about anything. I had doubted that He would take care of my child after she had so positively told me He would. Emmaline had a wonderful second day, too. They are liking it more each day, and I am sooo glad. They still miss their old school, but they are adjusting and enjoying their new one. We're still waiting for this house to sell- but I am sure that God will take care of that too, when the time is right.
