JBU HOMECOMING & A WEDDING: HIGHS & LOWS

This weekend so many things that we knew we would love were happening in NW Arkansas, and we just had to go.  So, despite the fact that things have already been a little nuts, we loaded up and made the three hour trek.  Armed with The Little Mermaid, the trip went quite well both ways.  Here's a high/low rundown.

High:  We stayed at Ellen and Luke's house (they weren't there - that's a low) with Brian and Steph, our friends that we just saw a few weeks ago in San Antonio.  It was so fun to see them again so soon!  Our kiddos picked right back up, and hanging with them after everyone was tucked in was a sweet treat.

Low:  We were pretty tired going in to the weekend, because there has just been a lot going on.  Plus, we have four kids, two of which sleep through the night only sometimes.  It's all pretty tiring.

High:  Seeing our JBU peeps.  On our way home, we marveled at what a wonderful college experience we each had.  We didn't start dating until after I graduated, but because of the size of the school, we know all of each other's friends quite well.  It makes it so fun to go back and see people who knew us back when.  I've hypothesized that many people are the most extreme version of themselves in college, which makes it an interesting time to form friendships.  But - you get to see these people day in and day out.  You get to spend 3-4 years living up close life with people, learning, growing, dating, playing, changing.  That is a bonding experience.  Going back and catching up is a real joy.  I spent so much time talking that I took very few pictures.  That, and I was chasing children a lot.  Because the fact of the matter is that many of us have several kiddos now, which definitely makes it crazier.

Low:  The weather.  Friday night it was in the 80s.  Saturday the temperature took a chilly plunge to the high 40s, and the sky started throwing water at us intermittently.  Just what you want when you are planning to wander around outside all day with all of your children and friends.  We fled indoors when it really starting raining while we were watching the rugby game.  The girls kept telling us they were "Freezing!"



High:  We went to a dear family friend's wedding.  Though it made me feel a bit old to see the wedding of someone I remember best from his middle school days, it was a special time to get to be a part of.  Congratulations, Seth and Stephanie!

High:  Our kiddos all did really well in the wedding, though we did sit in the very back ready to leave at a moment's notice.  You never know what to expect.



Low:  After being with people all the live long day, the girls did start to melt down at the reception.  Which is understandable - we had certainly asked a lot of them that day.  They did enjoy the chocolate cake, and Lily did tell me that before we left, we needed to "get our picture taken with the princess."  Sweet girl.  We didn't get a chance to do that, because of the aforementioned melt downs, but it was great to be able to see more people we love dearly.

High:  We ate a delicious dinner with our wonderful Becci at 28 Springs in Siloam.  I had the roasted beet and goat cheese salad, which was beautiful.



Low:  I discovered that I do not like roasted beets at all.  You live, you learn, you order salads that you pick apart to avoid the beets.

High:  We wrapped up our time with a delicious breakfast at a local place we love - Cathy's Corner.  Lily ate 6 little pancakes and half of my huge one.

Low:  As absolutely much as we loved seeing and catching up with so many wonderful people that we adore, it was tiring.  John and I are both right on the line of introvert/extrovert, and a weekend full of extreme extraversion combined with continued lack of sleep - partially our fault, partially the babies' fault - left us pretty exhausted.  John graciously allowed me to walk straight into our bedroom for a nap when we got home this afternoon while we unpacked the kids and the car - so kind of him.

So, as we look into another full week, we are strategizing ways to prioritize and manage the things that need to happen.  Also, we are praying for wisdom on things we should keep doing and things we should pull back on.  Clearly, we are doing a little more than is healthy right now.  Finding a balance is sure difficult, especially when there are so many good things to do.  But - I know that God has plans for us that do no include utter exhaustion as a key component, so swinging back that direction will be helpful.