Family ties

Isn't this a true statement!  My daughter (15yrs) picked this out for me over the Christmas camping trip we went on to Austin.  It has to have been one of the best family times we have ever had.  We were all together, which being a blended family sometimes doesn't happen.  This in of it self made it special but the fact that we all had such a great time made it the best ever!  Together we have it all!  We aren't perfect, none of us, not me and my amazing hubby as parents, not our teens who have made some poor choices and not our littlest one's who are on the road of trying to find out the boundaries.  Our family has had it's bumps but we have recovered from them and we will continue to have bumps that we will eventually recover from.  But I love when we all come together.  A funny story about this trip, it was the first one our now adult, sorta, child came with us.  Trev hasn't lived with us for two years now and since we got the camper last summer he hadn't gone with us.  We also hadn't gone in the cold yet.  So here we are in a new park, very excited to go explore and we set up camp.  We go to bed, nothing new, didn't pay any attention to how cold it was going to drop during the night and we wake up FREEZING!  We hadn't ever used our heater, never needed to.  So we can SEE our breath inside the camper!!! We're blowing hot air out as if to warm the inside of the camper.  We are all laughing uncontrollably with chattering teeth, not because it's funny at the time but because we can't seem to get the heater on quick enough and then the fire alarms go off due to the heater's fumes.  It had never been used before so it smelled really bad.  As miserable as we all were it was a great moment!  Trev had only two little blankets and he's a 6'4" man.  This wasn't probably what he had expected as his first camping experience with us.  Welcome to our exploring Trev!  Good Times!  We all managed to defrost by a fire they quickly got started and got the heater to run for the rest of our trip.  It never got that cold again but at least we know it works now.

Today was Joe's baseball try outs.  Neither one of his dad's could be there but both his moms were.  We sat together and were excited for him, nervous for him and disappointed for him when he didn't do as well as he would have liked.  It was good.  Our other children ran around the baseball fields like they do every season but this year will be different.  We will have the loudest cheering section for him.  He always does but maybe this year it will be in sync.  It will be harmonious.  I'm excited to watch the boys play but I'm even more excited that the previous tension during baseball will no longer exist!  It will be only about Joe and not about being uncomfortable.  I can't wait to share more about how this goes.

So again FAMILY, we may not have it all together but together we have it all.  I know some might not agree that we are family but we have family ties.  My stepson has brothers at his other home and he has brothers at our home.  They all like each other and get along.  This will tie us together.  It's good for Joe.  I believe its good for all the boys to see the adults get along and that Joe doesn't have to have loyalties that separate his homes.  I hope that he will be able to go easily between the two homes or even enjoy his brothers all together if he chooses.  That way he can have it all together if he wants.  I'm not saying the adults will all get together but when we are together we can all be proud of how our families enjoy each other.  That sounds great to me.

Just my thoughts for today.
Hugs,
Deanna

Unexpected friendship

So I finished out the week with two great classes at the gym along with spending the afternoon with JM(my stepson Joe's mom).  I haven't been to her house in awhile and it was nice just to spend time talking about girl stuff and playing with her baby.  He's one of the cutest baby's ever! And so happy all the time.  Anyway she and I have been trying to encourage each other at the gym.  Since I worked so hard to lose all my weight in the first place I don't want to ever go back.  But this leads me to having to always think about my lifestyle choices.  She on the other hand is very petite and having had a baby a year ago is trying to lose that baby weight.  She's decided to join a competition at the gym and I decided to opt out.  I lost it all on my own and I just can't justify spending a hundred dollars to lose 10lbs. Oh and I am still trying to be frugal.  Hahahaha. But what I will be doing is using all her new knowledge and excitement to help motivate me even more. 

Sometimes spending that much time with her feels odd.  We were enemies just over a year ago.  I put up the white flag last Christmas but she wasn't ready.  I totally understand.  This friendship is odd but is comfortable when I don't worry about who I am or who she is.  Just be me and accept her too.  God is on my side and I know that I have only the best of intentions in seeking a friendship with her.  I like her company.  It's unique.  I feel blessed to have a heart that is willing to be open to trying something considered radical in this drama filled world.  We are both trying and I give her credit as well. 

I hope in sharing my journey I will provoke a feeling of good in you.  I know we all have tough relationships that we can't just disappear from.  Some might be closer to home and others only on a small scale but if they cause emotions to stir in you then they are worth the efforts to find out why.  I pray that you will be open to what God might have for you in some tough relationships.

Hugs,
Deanna