When it rains it pours

Last night my husband and I got to go on a glorious date. My brother in law, who is preparing to go to seminary in a year and a half, is single (any of you dear Lutheran friends with single little sisters? ;) and is seriously one of the most selfless guys ever, came over to babysit.

We left and headed to Cheesecake Factory and of course there was a long, though not too long, wait. 45 minutes. It would have been fine but I was feeling claustrophobic and hot and weak. I kept turning and looking at the crowded bar when suddenly two seats opened up side by side. My husband and I made our way over and took the seats. For the next 45 minutes we enjoyed a couple drinks and were able to, finally, really talk. It was amazing. No interruptions, no it being so late we couldn't keep our eyes open...just us and dimmed lights and talking.

Just as we were finishing up our conversation our buzzer went off and we were taken to an 8 person booth all for us!! We had appetizers, amazing meals, and of course, cake. We talked more and when the meal ended headed over to the mall to walk and just enjoy being alone.

I'm so thankful God gave us that night. It ended with devotions in bed and both of us crying, well, me sobbing, but it ended with hope and prayers for mercy.

In the middle of the night I woke up feeling hot and cold all at once. I thought, oh no, is this going to be it? Nope, I have the stomach virus my kids came down with the day after we found out our baby had died.

So later this morning my husband comes in and feels my feverish head and I'm trying not to moan from the body aches and he does this half laugh half cry sound and says, "Oh my word dear, I'm just SO sorry!" I wanted to crack up laughing if it wouldn't have hurt so much...it IS kind of funny how when it rains it pours.

Two weeks after my Dad died in a plane crash my senior year of high school I came home from being out with friends to my mom sobbing. She had been trying to take our Christmas tree down. Yea, our Christmas tree was named Goliath...for a reason. And my mom (stepmom) is less than 5 ft tall! Well, it didn't go so well. It tipped, almost crushing her, seriously what on earth was she thinking?! Some guys from church came to help haul it out but it left a trail of pine needles about two inches thick. It looked like we had pine needle carpet. So I come home to her sobbing and trying to clean it up and sent her to bed and spent two hours cleaning it up. Well, the next day it's dinner time and suddenly there's this deafening crash in the front dining room as a rock comes flying through our front window. I used the Lord's name in vain and I ducked thinking someone was trying to break in and then stood up just in time to see some kids take off running. Well, I'm a fast runner. Or at least was. So I took off after them. I chased them all the way to their houses. They didn't know that I was following. Seconds after they got inside the house I was ringing the doorbell. Their parents answered and I was crying and kind of freaking out as I told them what had happened. Let's just say they took care of it, and those kids. I got home and announced my triumph when my mom screamed. She had walked around the corner to find the garbage can tipped in our kitchen and a garbage trail to the backyard. In came our dogs covered, I MEAN COVERED in green and yellow paint from one of my little siblings school projects. We just laughed until we cried. Then bathed the dogs.

I suppose when there's nothing left to do sometimes laughter is the best option.