Another lesson learned from not getting my way

I obviously need this lesson, as I keep having it over and over again.

God's way is NOT my way and His way is ALWAYS better than my way.

Case in point:  MWC was in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany all week.  He had to go for a training conference.  I REALLY wanted to go with him. It was a favorite place to go when we lived in Germany.  However, our girls do not have the proper passports to travel anywhere besides the US and the UK.  We checked into getting the proper passports but it couldn't be done in the time frame we were looking at.

I confess, I moped and felt sorry for myself.

However, it has actually been a very good week.   It started with an impromptu lunch invitation on Sunday and a very nice afternoon with some new friends.   We also met and spent time with 2 families in our neighborhood, both within walking distance and both with daughters close in age to Sweetness and Sunshine.  I attended a ladies bible study and met many new women and got to know some acquaintances better, and the girls met a whole LOT of children.

In addition to a rich, social life, I was able to prepare for our schooling which begins on Monday and to spend some wonderfully, creative, relaxing time working on my scrapbooks.

So while a week in Garmisch with MWC would have been delightful, reality is it would have perpetuated my isolated world of just MWC and the girls. Instead the Lord, left us behind to venture out and expand our little world here in England, planting roots here and once again begin to confirm:
HOME is where the Air Force Sends You.

Finding Mr. Right

Being the mother of 3 daughters, discussions of marriage and husbands do come up every now and then.

In all probability Swan is closer to the altar than the younger two, so we do discuss it more often and more seriously.  However the dreams of marriage and a future life is also a topic of conversation with the younger girls as well.

Top of Swan's list for a good husband is, he must be a godly man.

Sweetness and Sunshine have other priorities at the moment. (thank goodness we have many more years of training before they walk down the aisle!)

To understand the list though, one must know that the plan is for the girls to have a farm together after they grow up. So having that important piece of information, enjoy the list.

1.  Their husbands must be willing to butcher the pigs.
2.  Their husbands must be willing and able to shoe the horses.
3.  Their husbands must be willing to live in the small part of the house because the girls will be living in the big part.

and finally, always followed by THIS one is a joke...(obviously the others are serious???)

4.  Their husbands must be willing to sleep in a pink room.

Easy Bake Ovens

I remember having one of those as a kid. I think they still make them even.  However, my girls will not be needing them.  Our REAL oven isn't much bigger.  Thankfully I do have 2..one convection and one fan.

I knew they were smaller than US ovens, but it wasn't til I got here and my cookie sheets didn't even fit in them, that I realized how small.

Not wanting to deprive my family (or myself) of cookies, cookie sheets were among my first purchases in our new country. It did take a little longer given only 9 cookies can be baked on a sheet at a time, but they were still delicious.  These are Orange Creamsicle Cookies.

Airman Frog Prince

I now have the distinct honor of having both a husband AND a son who serve in the United States Air Force.

Frog has officially been accepted into the Cadet Wing of the United States Air Force Academy.

An assignment is what you make it

There are two truths I try to live by, "there is no such thing as a bad assignment" and "an assignment is what you make it."  Sometimes that is harder than others.

Moving to England has been such an assignment for me.  I know its crazy, England is an AWESOME assignment. I know it but leaving my 3 adult children in the states has made it a huge challenge for me.

So each little perk of being in England has been an encouragment to me and a great reminder of God's blessings poured upon me amidst the challenges involved in this life as a military wife.  Sailing with a new good friend.  A lovely visit to a tearoom with Swan.  An evening at the theater with friends. Multiple lunch invites by loving people anxious to welcome us to this new place.  These are just a few highlights of the many perks we have already experienced in our short time here.

As if these were not enough, the Lord blessed me with the opportunity to see not one but two Olympic games.   First we went to the USA v. Korea game, and as I blogged about earlier, I missed the one and only goal.  Certainly a disappointment but the truth is, I was still at a USA Olympic game.  Never in a million years, would I think that could happen to me.

Last night's USA semi-final game more than made up for that one missed goal. Being in a roaring crowd cheering for your country in a match that literally goes down to the last 30 seconds of overtime is a definite high.  Even watching the recap in this video on BBC's Olympic site, brings back the adrenaline rush.
USA v. Canada Womens Olympic football recap

So while a winning football game can not fill the space in my heart and home that has been left empty by the absence of all my children being with me, it is a reminder to me of God's abundant mercy in blessing me fantastically with good things in spite of the sinful, thankless attitude that is way too often present in me.

Priorities

This is a tough confession for a perfectionist like myself to make but here it is...

My house is dirty.  Dust covers the furniture.  Laundry needs to be done. Laundry needs to be folded and put away.  Floors need to be cleaned.  Clutter is piling up.  Dishes are in the sink.

However, the dust, the dirt, and the laundry will all be here with me next week.  My lovely Swan will not. So I will ignore the dirt and chaos taking over my home and spend time on the important things.

One second of a once in a lifetime opportunity

That is what Swan keeps saying, "Mom it was only one important second you missed!" out of a 90 minute game its really not that bad....

Really???  So what "one important second" did I miss?  The ONE and ONLY goal of the USA Women's soccer game against DPRKorea!

I had taken one very obedient little girl, who'd been told to "chug water so you're not thirsty during the game, drinks are expensive" out of the stadium to deal with the consequences of her sweet obedience.  Among toilets flushing, I heard the crowd go wild.  I'd told the man next to me they'd score when I left as I climbed over him.  I thought I was only joking!!

Later in the game, when things were getting a little stressful, he asked me if I'd like to step out again.  Uh, NO!!!

So, just how does one get over this disappointment?? One merely goes online and checks into purchasing tickets to another game.  We'll be making a trek back for the semi-finals...and it could be quite the interesting game if the betting odds are correct, it'll be USA vs. UK!!

AND this time, there will be NO water bottles accessible to anyone prior to the game.