Little Bits: The Art of Waiting

We have had a plan in the works to visit our North Carolina family for weeks now, but every time we've faced speed bumps. Irritating reasons to wait, to postpone. We just knew this past week we were outta here, right after ballet class, no looking back. We were so sure, we went ahead and ate up the last of our savored bagels-- a must have anytime we visit Joe's old college town.

I even began to pack early. Just a little. Not enough to tempt fate or anything. You can guess where I'm headed with this?

Fun stickers meant for the road trip? Nah. Busted those out at home after sister spent the day before our estimated departure throwing those sad, little guts up.

I was so grateful that it turned out to be a 24-hour bug, but I needed to make sure this was just the ick that had plagued all but Hope and I the week before. I thought about throwing a temper tantrum myself, but in the end that seemed like it wouldn't do much good. So I thanked God for some sunshine, for a little maturity not to imitate my beloved youngest-- who when she is not saying a precious, "Oh, no!" if frustrated, is really learning to squeeze out those crocodile tears-- and I decided to make the most of our waiting.

Which, for the record, is always the best choice. Not, for the record, like I would know anything about choosing the other way around.

Um, yeah... so onto those little bits. :)

++Vitamin D feels best when you've been waiting to get outside, when your body is simply craving it. Kick it up a notch by letting the middle girl, our aspiring flower gardener, plant some bulbs that we hope to see above ground come Spring.



She enjoyed it all. Even the worms.

++Good thing we stayed home most of this past week, instead of vacationing, because our unit was on leaves.

++How fitting:



++Not to mention we were home to get the coolest package ever for another aspiring girl in our house. This time for the one who dreams about walking on the moon.

(Highly recommend this book that we stumbled upon for a great FEMALE astronaut read)

++Our dreaming astronaut also had some of her waiting pay off. It seems like not too long ago she threw up her hands with a, "When am I EVER going to know what these words say?" As of last week we now watch her shy smile her way through simple texts that will open so many doors. So many doors that are out there... just waiting.

++Our waiting around begged for more getting outside, which meant more time for a morning hike minutes from our house. I love this place. The trees, the water, the crunch of leaves underfoot. There's something about it all that collectively whispers an emphatic, "Breathe... what's your hurry?"



Except for when Alysse kicked her shoe, along with her skipping stone, into the water. There was some hurry then before it got away downstream.

++The loads of apples we picked at the orchard were also begging to be turned into all manner of delicious. So, when I was certain the germs were behind us, we got to work. Ironically, so that later, we won't have to do much waiting when desiring one of fall's finest fruits.



Just some of the orchard aftermath

++More fall craftiness. Just because, wow, this season and this weather are awesome. Especially while we wait for the hunkering down of winter to begin.



Waiting is just one of those things in life. We're already trying to teach the girls that God pretty much answers in one of three ways to our prayers.

Yes. No. Wait.

Doesn't make it any easier, though, when faced with dreams or longings that grip our hearts right down to their very core. But, I'm finding, that learning to wait is not for amateurs. There is an art to it. A faith building art that, on the road to being mastered, brings great freedom and peace.

And that makes it worth striving to perfect, even if it takes a lifetime.
~Katrina