A Weekend at Solitude Pointe

It's been two whole weeks since I blogged...not good! Let me explain....we "lost" internet access for the time being (someone is very slow sometimes in transitioning between one cell phone/internet provider and another....from AT&T to Alltel) and I am having to learn to readjust to life without internet access at home for a few weeks (at least I hope that's all it is). I just means I've had more time to clean the house, read to Emma Grace, read my own books (currently Bringing Up Boys by James Dobson), do the taxes, write letters and cards to others to send through snail mail, and cook some pretty good new recipes! Not bad, eh?!

Jason and I were also able to go to the mountains this past weekend ALL BY OURSELVES. It was not the original plan (the original plan would have been a free place in the mountains or in Charleston), but it was amazing how God worked out all the details of us going to Solitude Pointe near Table Rock and Caesar's Head. Beautiful weather, great food (highly recommend Aunt Sue's!), and such a renewing of our love and our commitment to our marriage. How wonderful and refreshing it was to be together and not jump up every 10 minutes to see what a child needs and to be able to sleep soundly through the night. It was not the best bed in the world (we have high expectations coming from a Sleep Number bed at home), but we managed and really enjoyed the jacuzzi part of the cabin as well!

We met some of the nicest people at Solitude Pointe (http://www.solitudepointe.com/). The owners are Christians and Amy, the mom and former Guidance Counselor (go figure!) homeschools her two 7th grade twins. Every night they had a campfire and we sat around and chatted with Amy and Rodney and their 2 children as well as another couple and their children from Simpsonville (and Adam made Hobo pies!). It was wonderful to be encouraged in the Lord! Just a special time and people we hope we will one day see again and maybe even be able to take a group from our church to visit up there. I know Emma Grace would LOVE it! I wish I had taken pics of the cabins, lodge, hiking trail, etc., but we only took the pics above atop Caesar's Head. Another magnificent reminder of God's awesomeness!!! We highly recommend Solitude Pointe and furthermore just getting away as a couple by any means necessary. :) Thank you, Father, for allowing us to have this time together and also to Mimi for being willing to come care for our children while we were away. Thank you also to Matt for teaching Sunday School in place of Jason and to Katherine and Johnny for trading nursery spaces so we could be away! God can make a way when there seems to be no way...

#3 not on the way

The answer to the burning question is NO...negative!! Praise the Lord! I had been having symptoms of pregnancy in the last couple of weeks even though I am on the low dose of birth control, but now I know the answer is no...I took a test at 5am this morning to be sure. The good Lord knows I couldn't handle a 4 year old, a 17 month old, and a newborn! Last night in the chaos of getting kids to bed at 10:45pm (long story I wish to not relive!), I was still a bit scared of WHAT IF?! I know during intense, stressful times like last night that our family is not meant to expand to 5. Not unless you all want to visit me at the psych ward! And Jason would be the next one on the psych ward b/c he couldn't handle 3 children by himself either. That was evident last night as well. :) Love him to pieces, but men just don't do crying children any time of the day, much less 10:30pm! I was able to record the fiasco on video (part of it anyway) just for my sanity and to remind us all of how stressful having 2 crying/temper tantrum kids can be. Furthermore, I had to find some humor and laughter or I would have headed out the door to take a joyride til morning. Well, it's all over now and we're better for having lived through it. As my mom would say, "This too shall pass!" It did, mom, and I am oh, so THANKFUL that there isn't another one on the way to add to the mix. Lord, teach me, show me today that children truly are blessings from Your hand in some way. I need that reassurance and reminding. :) I know it in my head, but I need to feel it in my heart.

Less than two weeks and counting

I am just so excited to be going away with my husband for an entire weekend in less than two weeks. I mean Friday through Sunday!!! WOO HOO! We're going to spend Valentine's weekend in either the mountains of Table Rock (do have reservations for a cabin, but really hate to put a vacation on credit! and it's only $69/night, but even that I hate to do when we are about out of diapers and wonder where they'll come from) or down in Charleston at a relative's second home (which is the better option since it's free!). We just have to have time away by ourselves, so I had to go and make reservations in case the Charleston house is still under remodeling! Just too important!!

As I stated in a previous post, it's been since July 2007 that we've been away even one night without the kid(s). Is this normal for couples to not have time for each other? It's ridiculous in my opinion. Aren't marriages THAT important? If I remember correctly, it's supposed to be God as first priority, marriage as second priority, and kids as the third priority. So where did most of America fall off the train? More importantly, where did most Christians fall off the train? That's the question...and why aren't churches doing a better job of focusing on marriages and battling against the forces wanting to destroy marriages?! I don't mean just young couples...I mean older ones too.

I thought it was interesting that we watched the movie Fireproof again on Friday (it's out on rental now and I HIGHLY recommend it to all married couples and those who want to one day get married!), and after it was all over we were discussing its relevance to couples and Christian couples more importantly. My father-in-law says, "I think all young couples wanting to get married and the younger married folks should see that movie!" Again, I interjected that I thought the young married AND old married couples alike should see it...the devil isn't just interested in us young folk! He's breaking up well established marriages of 30 years or more!! It was just as much about how the older generation is to pass on their godly wisdom to the younger generation...the Bible clearly tells the older women to advise the younger women in matters. And it was a movie where the older couple was about to break up too, but was saved by the Love Dare (I won't spoil the whole movie for those of you who haven't seen it yet). I've seen it too many times lately where the parents invest all their time on their kids for 18+ years and then when the last one moves out they look at each other and say, "Who is this I married?"

Anyway, that's my soap box today---don't get stale in your marriage...do whatever it takes to keep the committment there, the love there, the devotion. And if you or your spouse doesn't know the love of God, His saving love that loves you even when you did not deserve it, please know that until you surrender to Him, your marriage cannot work. It's hard enough with two sinners saved by grace who submit to His guidance and leadership; I can't even imagine trying to sustain a marriage with two sinners who plod around in selfishness all the while thinking they are the ones who have to hold it all together. You cannot do it. And with that, I will go think about the wonderful weekend ahead and how to rekindle that love with MY man. :) XXX OOO