Driving Day

Today began with David picking up our two oldest children at our church sometime after midnight as they returned from a Braves game with the youth group. A few hours later Esther woke sick to her stomach probably from something she ate at the ballpark. Eventually she fell asleep on the couch and I slept in a recliner beside her. We got a few more hours of sleep before it was time to get up and pack for a day of driving. As expected, some of us were a bit cranky. (Yes, I have already apologized to my husband and my eldest who experienced the majority of my grumpiness.) 

As we were preparing to pull out, our good friend prayed for us to remember the joy we have as children of God. Honestly, I had been dreading today a bit. Another long day in the car with kids who want to move and run around. After the initial conflicts, we had several hours of good interactions, some naps, some movies, etc. As we began to near our destination, it all fell apart. Exhausted kids past bedtime, everyone tired of sitting in one place, and ready to be there. Thankfully, everyone could regain composure enough to greet their grandparents who they haven't seen in two years. We are now all snug in comfy beds in a hotel that my kids think is amazing! 

At the end of a challenging day and particularly after ending our drive with several conflicts, I know that it helps me to count my blessings and keep the perspective of the whole day. My children, some of whom began the day with not nearly enough sleep, got along in close quarters for many hours! Praise God! We even had some good conversation and enjoyed riddles and jokes together! (We also had DVD players and naps sprinkled in there.) There is much for which to be thankful, but right now I'm thankful that we all are falling asleep in comfortable beds! Good night!