Growing pains...

The last 9 months have been a whirlwind!  Sometimes not the greatest, but we made it. 

Living in a hotel while starting the first day in a new school for my kiddos and me starting a new job on the same day. And then Derek going out of town the following 3 days...rough. And I was scared, but we made it. 

Then moving into an apartment for 5 months while our house was being built. 4 people, a dog, 2 bedrooms... and smoking neighbors...that argued and cursed at each other loudly and slammed lots of doors. Again, not fun...but we made it. 

And even though that was NOT an ideal situation, mostly for my children (the loud cursing), it bonded our little family and God provided for us greatly during that time. 

Somewhere in the middle of there we had an offer on our Borger house that subsequently fell through. Rough. 

Then the time came for us to close on our new house, YAY!!!, and 3 days before closing we find out..."oh yeah, you're approved...as long as you pay off one of your cars...cause we aren't counting Ember's income b/c she hasn't worked in 6 years. See you at closing!"

Rough...scary...ROUGH!

Ultimately, everything worked out...closed and moved into the new house with the car payed off. 

And then 2 weeks ago we finally sold out Borger house. 

Why, might you ask, do I tell you all of this?  First and foremost...NOT to complain!  I mean, would I have chosen, given the option, to have things go easier or more smoothly?  Maybe. But I've learned that it's not a punishment. I've learned that I can't have true growth without pain. 

Growing pains. 

And I've realized over the last few weeks that that is exactly what is going on. I'm being pulled and stretched. Yanked out of my comfort zone. And even though I know the outcome will be so sweet...I'm finding myself fighting it. 

*sigh*

I decided to google growing pains and see what the ole www had to say and a few things stuck out to me...one being that the pain can wake you in the middle of the night...crying out in pain. And that it happens, usually, around the ages where you're going from a toddler, to...well, not a toddler. Or the stage where you're hormones start going crazy and you're about to get out of that awkward tween stage to a full-fledge teenager!  Are you following me?

But the thing that stood out to me the most was this...

      "But those with growing pains respond differently — they feel better when they're held, massaged, and cuddled."

Just what I needed to read.  Fighting these growing pains or isolating myself to deal with them is not the answer. 

Amazing what a few moments alone with my Father can do.