Last week we were able to sneak away to the beach! Now, "sneak" really isn't the right word for our family, because it takes a lot to make it possible for us to do something like this. My parents helped tremendously and our nurses served above and beyond, all so we could get away with Henry and Conner.
Every summer we try to take the boys somewhere to make them feel extra special. We don't do anything fancy, but we do try to save and plan so that we can do something out-of-the-ordinary for Henry and Conner. This is something we started about four years ago, when I was pregnant with Lucy. I am incredibly grateful that we've been able to continue this tradition and I'm thankful for all of those who participate, helping us make it happen! God is very good.
This summer, we visited Destin, Florida - my favorite beaches; the place where I was sent by my family not that long ago (I was in need of a break). We stayed with my Aunt and Uncle, Cheryl and Todd Waddle, as well as my cousin, Brian. It was SUCH great fun to spend time with them - meals, board games, walks, adventures - priceless time together! The boys especially loved spending time with their dog, Dakota and feeding the turtles who live in the ponds close to the Waddles' house. We also had a fabulous Fourth, spent with new friends, along with plenty of fireworks!
It was healing watching the boys smile and laugh so much! It warmed my heart to see Mike being able to spend so much quality time with them, throwing them around in the ocean, carrying them in his arms, looking for fish and seashells (much of it was spent in the water). They played baseball on the beach and tackled each and every wave they encountered.
Leaving Lucy behind is really tough - I won't lie. I do find comfort in the fact that Lucy doesn't seem to know a sense of time. She loves her routine, which she was able to keep, so that means she was super happy the entire time we were gone! Really and truly, our nurses kept Lucy happy and busy and were kind enough to send us pictures while we were away. When we came home, I was hoping that Lucy would giggle and squeal, which didn't exactly happen. She was happy, but not overly so. To me it just shows that she didn't realize how long we were gone, which is a good thing, in all reality. I love our Lucy Belle so very much and it was so good to kiss those sweet lips after being away from her for so long!
We are now settling back in, which has been hard on little Henry. Any changes seem to be rough, although he did amazingly well on our trip! We came home to find that our handicap-accessible van is broken. One of THE most important parts isn't working - the ramp! We aren't able to get Lucy in and out the way that we need to, which defeats the purpose. Please pray with us that it is an easy fix. This van is an absolute true gift from the Father, no doubt about it! We've put in so many miles driving to and from the hospital, to and from therapy, etc. It's crazy how many miles we've racked up just by driving around town, to and from appointments, to and from the hospital, etc, etc, etc! We need the van.
God is so good to give us what we need, when we need it. It may not feel like it comes at the right time; in fact, I often feel as though God has His timing a little off. Things don't seem to happen when I want them to or how I want them to. You know what, though? That's the beautiful mystery of our Father. His ways are not our ways. He gives us good gifts. He knows exactly when we need them and exactly when we don't. We can trust Him with every detail. Trust Him to take you to a beautiful place, in His time.
Resting In His Timing and His Goodness,
Ryan
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