Not that it's been all bad - we did enjoy a nice Christmas with family and friends, and we rang in the New Year with the best of company. I have thoroughly enjoyed the kids being home from school, and I am thankful for being off work the entire week of Christmas!
But I truly needed the fresh air today - physically and spiritually. The last two weeks have also been plagued by vehicle problems, personal struggles for the kids, ministry related issues, and for me the reality that we are entering our third year of barrenness.
I stood at the kitchen sink today for hours - literally hours - washing the counter full of dishes that had accumulated over the last few days. The patio door was open, and Scooby was enjoying spending the day on the deck. It's the best of both worlds for him - the freedom of outside with the safety of inside.
I am thankful for all of the windows in our house - especially the one above the sink. As I washed dishes, I started noticing how many squirrel nests are in our trees. It seems like every tree has one. They are easy to see now that the trees are so naked.
I always love to think about what animal homes are like. I like to think of them as cozy little homes like in the Wind and the Willows.
Levi came home from hunting this weekend and told about seeing the "biggest beaver dam he had ever seen." He said Wade's foot went through it as they were walking across it and so Levi stuck his head in the hole to see what it looked like inside.
As he was telling me this story, I immediately imagined a cozy fire place with a little wood dining room table and chairs. Levi didn't mention a table and chairs, but he did say it was pretty neat inside.
(Brian later educated me that beavers don't live in the dams - they live in lodges that they make in the ponds their dam creates. He didn't, however, burst my bubble and tell me that they don't have fire places or dining room tables and chairs.)
Opening up the house today has been wonderful. I have watched the wind blow dust bunnies from under the couch and the stairs are now swept thanks to the warm breeze. It has also brought a renewal to me - a reminder that seasons change and troubles go sometimes as quickly as they come.
I'm no fool, I know winter will return and the doors and windows will shut again. Scooby will not be able to play on the deck but will rather crawl back under the blankets and refuse to come out. And new troubles will come as well - but then, so will spring.
