A New Room?

   Well, I know it's great that baby is still be in and growing, but since I'm stable and nothing is happening right now, they moved me to the side of the floor with other women who are long-termers or post-partum women.  My room is now about 1/2 the size and my view is that of rocks on a roof and a wall outside...I have never wished I could see traffic until now.  I honestly wish I could just go home and lay in my own bed!
   Yesterday my mom brought just Savannah down and we had lunch (wheelchair ride and went outside!)and time watching Dora!  I am so grateful for my mom and her selflessness right now.  She is doing a great job helping and making sure kids and Cade are staying afloat.  She is trying to bring each of the kids down for individual time with me too.  This is so nice because it's really hard to focus on all of them with they all come in a group...they can only usually last an hour before they get too antsy.  It still makes me so sad when Savannah continues to ask me to come home.  She tells my belly, "Baby come out!"  It's so cute.  She always has a hard time leaving too, but I think yesterday I found a way to have her leave peacefully.  I discovered her love for the "pink and white candies" (AKA Good n' Plenty) so I give her a little handful and walk her to the elevator and she's a happy camper!
   Yesterday afternoon I spent time listening to Aaron's sermon from Sunday.  The last two weeks he has spoken on marriage.   I've talked a lot about the kids in my few posts, but today I want to share about Cade.  After listening the last couple weeks to the sermons, it makes me so thankful for my husband and marriage.  Cade and I don't do everything perfectly, and we have our "discussions" sometimes, but overall, I can rest assured that our marriage is solid and deeply rooted in Christ.  I know some look at Cade and see him as this quiet man, but he brings me so much laughter and is definitely the spiritual leader for our home.  He gives me so much security by his expressions of love and support to me and our kids; he is so diligent with our finanaces and always communicates where and how our money is going; and I love that he loves to just sit and talk about our day...I guess I can say communication is one of our strengths, but then, it's so easy to always be talking with your best friend!
   To be more reflective of some things that stick out to me from Aaron's message, I think about our current situation.  I can't imagine going through the stresses and valleys that these difficult times bring without a solid sense of communication and a marriage founded on Christ.   This is our time to not think of ourselves.  Cade could have easily folded in this last week and said he can't handle this, but he's done quite the opposite.  He has been my rock.  He bears the burdens I'm carrying when I call in tears and frustration on the phone; he is doing dinner, showers, and bedtime routine every night with kids who miss Mommy; and he is communicating and dealing with people watching the kids, and of course, his mother-in-law!! (Just kidding, he really likes and gets along with my mom!)  I am so appreciative of his selflessness and of his constant encouragement.  It makes me sad to think of marriages that fall apart when situations or people aren't "ideal".  Yes, it is times like these where we see the most vulnerable parts of ourselves and our spouse, but when we are equally yoked and can lean into Him, He allows us to sharpen one another.  This is a time to lift one another up...encourage our spouse in his/her weakness; remind him/her of his/her strengths.  This is not a time to dwell on what each person is doing wrong or not doing "as you would do".  This is part of what I feel like God is teaching me in many relationships right now, as I am out of control and relying on so many other people, esp. Cade.  
  In a nutshell, take time today to appreciate your spouse.  Find a way to lift him/her up and know this is the one solid person God has blessed you with to get you through your most difficult and vulnerable moments.  This is the person who loves you without makeup, tolerates your Mommy's-gonna-lose-it moments, and lifts you up when you're feeling discouraged.  I am so in love with Cade, and despite this little valley of a moment we're having, when the situation isn't "ideal", this is when I fall in love with him even more. Have a great day!