30 Days of Thankfulness; Day 27 {Thankful for tender hearts and home}

Today: I am thankful for being semi organized and packed up by a decent hour.

I am thankful for memories made.

I am so glad that my boys are becoming closer and closer to their cousins. This makes it hard to leave for them, but we try to show them the good.

Noe and Jay both had tearful heartaches on the way home.

Crying quiet tears and trying to articulate what was in their hearts.

"Mom, I wasn't ready to come home"

"Mom, I don't understand why we don't live in Iowa"

"Mom I miss Aaron!"

"Mom, why do we live so far away from Grama Pat?"

"Mom, my tummy feels funny and I am so sad".

Ahhh - signs of love in the little ones hearts and opportunity to talk through feelings.

I used to go through this every time the trip was made.

Asking many of the same questions myself....

But then God did an amazing work in my heart.

He helped me to trust him more and more and to see that home was where He placed me.

Home was where I was serving with my whole heart.

Home was where my man was and home was where ever He asked me to go.

But these little ones... they are where I was at a few years ago.

I try to treat each question, each tear, each concern, with grace upon grace.

"Yes, I know. I get it. I understand. Let's talk about it. I'll tell you, and you can tell me, and we can tell Him".

I am thankful for a very safe and experienced driver for a husband. Years of over the road trucking give a certain intuition that is appreciated. The interstate was busy today; very, very busy. We were safe and arrived home in about 9 hours.

And at the end of it all was home. Our home. Waiting for us with that smile of brick and windows.

God has been good to us.