Where Have I Been?

It's hard to believe that it's been a month since I've posted anything here.

Life has not changed much except for the fact that my daughter, Cara, has officially entered her third trimester of pregnancy. She is doing well--her asthma and diabetes are still under control--although at her last ultrasound there was a small concern that the baby was slightly larger than anticipated for her due date. Now, the doctors have decided to do ultrasounds every 4 weeks rather than every 6 weeks.

Work is more stressful every day as additional workloads are placed on us as more people are leaving and not being replaced--as well as the extra "things" that we are expected to do. In all of these "things", I'm wondering what happened to the patient care--the most important of everything we are supposed to be doing.

Home is also very stressful. My home is still filled to the brim with all 3 adult children living with me plus Ryan. I'm wondering where I'm going to put a newborn (and all the items they seem to "require" these days) if Ryan and Cara don't have their own place by the time the baby is born. The prospects of them having their own place to live is diminishing rapidly.

Add to this the addition of my youngest--moved from Texas back home to Pennsylvania the beginning of June. She alternates between being miserable with this decision to seeming to have made peace with this--crying one moment and happy the next--but deep inside is unhappy. She is having the tendency to push all of her unhappy feelings unto others instead of looking into herself for the source of her unhappiness.

In my home, there are senseless arguments, unnecessary remarks made to others--all hurtful and almost all of them involving the past which cannot be changed, so why does everyone keep going back there? I know the answer to this, but unfortunately, there are those that are living here that do not.

I truly feel as though I go from a stress-filled work place to a stress-filled home, and today I may just take myself away for the day--a day of solitude, peace and quiet--sounds like the library may be a good choice for today.

I do miss blogging, and I'm going to try (once again) to be here more often--if only to vent my frustrations. You don't mind reading my frustrations, do you? And if you don't read them, at least I have put them down in writing and helped to rid myself of them.

There are happy times--though few and far between. As always, I am going to my Father with all of this--asking Him for guidance and direction, giving Him my worries and anxieties.

Please keep all of us in your prayers. Believe me, we need them.

Beth

What is New in My World Today?

Two sick kids--that's what's new. Both Andrew and Lindsay have fevers, coughs, feeling sluggish and achy. Might it be the flu? Oh, I hope not!! Not only don't I like to see them sick, I have a pregnant Cara to think about here. I wouldn't want her getting sick at this point--one little virus, and her asthma will flare up, which usually ends her up in the hospital.

Please keep my kids in your prayers today for healing and health.

Other than that, I've just been trying to muddle through a day's work--one day at a time. People leaving and not being replaced--people on vacation--all making for a very short staffed office and much work being placed on the shoulders of others--which is causing me great tension and pain in my own shoulders and neck!

So, a few prayers in my direction wouldn't hurt one bit either!

Well, I'm off to get ready for work--the place I really don't want to go to but do anyway. What can I say--it pays the bills. I'm still praying for God to show me the direction I am to head in this job situation--whether I am to stay (is He using me there?) or go elsewhere.

Be sure and stop by The Power of Your Love for this week's memory verse. It's all about peace in our lives--where it is and how to obtain it.

Beth

Independence Day

It's been over a month since I've posted anything here!! Hard to believe!!

I realized this at the end of last week, and since I had a little bit of time yesterday, I decided to update my template.

While searching for a new template, I came across this--entitled Solitude at Simply Fabulous Blogger Templates. Since I like the picture and am longing for some solitude in my life, I decided to use this as my new background for the summer. What do you think?

My life is still stressful and chaotic, but has settled down a little. The house was full with Cara and Ryan, my son, Andrew, and then my youngest daughter decided to move home from Texas. She arrived here the beginning of June.

We're all trying to adapt to one another's schedules and quirks, and so far so good--a little turmoil here and there, but we're working things out.

The biggest news is that my daughter Cara had her 20 week ultrasound on Tuesday. According to the technician and the doctor, everything looks fine, progressing well, and we have a little girl--Lydia Caroline--who will be joining our family in November.

Today, all of the kids have somewhere to go for the 4th of July. I was invited to two picnics, but I think I'm going to stay home and enjoy my solitude. I have some flowers that are longing to be planted. And, of course, I've started (barely) a baby blanket for my first grandchild.

I've prayed and prayed about this situation--all 3 adult children plus one with a new little one on the way. God has shown me that there is a plan and purpose to this, and I just need to hang in there and trust Him. He will use this time for His plans and purposes, not mine--not my agenda--but His.

And how can anything be more praiseworthy than the plans and purposes of our God Almighty?

I'll try to keep everyone a little more updated and not be absent so much.

Have a wonderful 4th of July, and I'll leave you with a picture of my cat, Scout, who loves the deck overlooking the creek. She likes to peer through the fence posts at the world going by and is too big to fit her entire self through!



Beth