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| Moving Braylen into his dorm room |
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| Kaleb, Justin (Braylen's roommate) and Braylen walk to his dorm. |
Lots of things are different now.
Kaleb's become the older brother at home. He puts Aaron in his place like always, but he doesn't have Braylen here to do the same for him. With study groups, marching band, weight lifting, and swim team, Kaleb's gone a lot. Much more than during his sophomore year. About 2 weeks after Derek left for his training, Aaron sat at the kitchen table and said, "I feel like I lost my dad and both of my brothers at the same time." I knew exactly what he meant. I missed the everyday conversations that we all used to share. Aaron and I had plenty of time together, but we missed the rest of us.
On September 20th I found out my job is coming to an end in December. I was crushed to hear that our surgery center will be closing when our doctors join a different medical group. All of that work I went through to return to nursing--now what? I texted Derek and asked him to call me on his lunch break. He was a good listener, realizing I didn't have the answers to our questions. I clung to one truth: God brought me this far. He won't abandon me now.
With all of these changes we've been through this fall, what remains the same?
Braylen likes to remind me that he's away at college--he's not dead! We hear from him every day. He's still "here" in so many ways. Something will happen and we'll say, "Braylen would say (fill in the blank) if he were here right now." Our favorite way to stay connected as a family is through Snapchat. I never could have predicted how much I would LOVE Snapchat, but I do. Our communication is different than when we all lived at home, but the end result is the same. We're still a family. We're different, and we're the same.
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| One of many Snapchats |
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| I visited Braylen during Parents Weekend. |
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| We missed Derek! But I'm thankful I could go. |
We stayed busy on weekends this fall at parades, football games, and marching competitions. Aaron ran cross country for his school. We absolutely loved going to every event our boys were in. Because Derek was away at Command School, the cross country meets became a place to see him during the week. He drove there in his own vehicle, and after the meet he went back to the academy. But we still cheered Aaron on together. It was different, and it was the same.
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| Determination |
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| "A Pirate's Revenge" |
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| 8th Grade Marching Band |
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| Kaleb front row trumpet! |
Now that Derek's training is behind him, he's back on his shift at the PD. He's currently on nights. The Police Chief retired while Derek was away, and the new Chief starts in January. At least one Captain is retiring in January. Things are different for Derek at work, and they're also the same.
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| I'm so proud of him! |
My job is winding down at the surgery center. I've applied and interviewed for a new job, and last week I accepted the offer. I'll be working in the Endoscopy unit at a hospital here in town. Instead of orthopedic procedures, I'll be getting patients ready and recovering them from endoscopic procedures. Also, my coworkers accepted jobs at the same hospital. Three of them will be in the Endoscopy unit with me. It will be different, and it will be the same.
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| I love my coworkers and my job. I'm excited for what's next! |
It's ironic that I don't like change, and yet I've had plenty of it these past few months. If you didn't know me, you'd think my life was a bad country song. My son left home, my husband moved out, and I lost my job. Ha!
Through it all, I have experienced God-sized provision and peace. I can see God preparing me for this fall all along. 20 years of Derek's shift changes, working holidays and weekends, prepared me to be without him for 10 weeks. Braylen's transition to college was natural and right. He was ready for the next step, and we're very blessed with ways to keep in touch. Kaleb's greater independence is necessary, because all too soon it will be his turn to leave home. Like so many things in life, the anticipation and worry of what's to come is worse than walking through it. And since God brought me back to nursing, of course He opened up another door for me to walk through. This new job happens to pay better, so that's definitely a plus!
Thanksgiving is next week, and it's always been my favorite time of year. Now it's even MORE special to me. God has shown me in 2018 that if He brings me to it, He will walk me through it. That's more than enough of a reason to have a thankful heart.
And my boy is coming home!!!!!!!
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