Faded Bliss

You know when you go on a fabulous vacation with your family and you feel warm and fuzzy with the renewed bonds between loved ones? Despite the laundry and relative stress of re-entry into the real world, you carry a little post-trip bliss for a time, right? That's what I had going from this past weekend at Created for Care.

What a fabulous group of caring, funny, honest and open ladies who share not only a heart for adoption, but also a heart open to the Holy Spirit!

Saying that I brought a lot home with me, is an understatement.
(and I'm not just referring to the tee shirts, awesome jewelry, pamphlets, notes, etc.)

I was blessed to hear about Created for Care through a wonderful adoptive mom that I like to call my friend, even though we've only been each other's presence on two occasions now. She introduced me to the world of blogging, assisted me with fundraising for our adoptions, and really inspired me through her words and character.
Thank you Colleen for your support, honesty, perspective and networking!

I went into this weekend with a heaviness on my heart. We had just buried Sister and left the other sisters grieving in Leavenworth. I was feeling uncertain about our connection with Alby and the possibilities of attaining the mystical paperwork that doesn't seem to exist in Haiti. The stress and worry of it all was weighing me down. We even had tickets to Casting Crowns and Matthew West on Thursday night, but I let them go - I needed to hang out at home with my kids and my man before traveling. But . . . I am soooo glad I went.

My heart and head are full of encouragement, tips for success, resources and new friends from Created for Care. Which is awesome because . . .

You know how you come back from a trip all blissed out and the Enemy starts hacking away at you, trying to steal your spiritual glow and all that warm and fuzzy? Uh huh. I started feeling ill Saturday night at retreat, and after stopping at Sisters of Charity in Leavenworth to bid our dear Haitian friends farewell before they travel home, my fabulous husband and I spent the remainder of our night in the emergency room. We left at 5:45 Friday morning, headed to the airport, and I didn't return home until 12:15 in the wee morning hours of Monday . . . and had to be at work at 6:30. Ugh. Now, although on the mend thanks to antibiotics, I'm tired and irritable at the end of the work day - you know, the part of the day that really matters. When clients and patients and co-workers are gone and it's about the important people that REALLY matter: my husband, my beautiful children and our family.

I may have mentioned one or two times previously that I am not a patient person by nature, and when exhausted, am easily overstimulated. I may have also mentioned that I have a 7 year old son who loves to tease his 4 year old sister, and she dishes it right back at him. Long story made short: it's been a rough start to the week.

Dear Lord, you know my heart and my vulnerability to the Enemy. Please give me strength to fight off the exhaustion and the irritability. Please help me to show those that mean the most to me how much I truly love them and appreciate them, every single day. God, please bless my children - the two in my home and the two in my heart, far from us now. Protect them and provide for them, as You do for all Your children. Thank you for the immense blessings in my life and forgive me when I take those blessings for granted.