In The Fast Lane

In my life without Lisa, a few things have not changed. 

When it was time to teach the kids how to drive I assumed the responsibility.  Lisa started out taking charge of it with Abby.  However, it quickly fell back in my lap.  Lisa just didn’t have the patients for it and they both usually wound up at the house in tears.  Of course, I didn’t have a choice when it was Matt’s turn.  When it was time for Matt to start driving I was on my own and I needed to get Matt driving so that we didn’t need to depend on others to transport him.

Thankfully, Matt took to diving a lot faster than Abby did.  I tend to think it’s just a boy thing.  Of course, all the riding he had done on motorcycles and tractors probably gave him a bit of a leg up also.

Since we live in a very small town, our kids tend to learn how to drive in very non- congested areas.  They don’t get much in the way of challenges when they start driving.  For the most part, they drive on roads with a 45 mph speed limit.  The biggest challenge they tend to face is passing a tractor while on the way home from school.  If things are really tuff they might need to negotiate a four-way stop at the same time as another driver.  The only problem with this is when the kids want to hit the interstate and drive down to the beach for the first time or run over to Atlanta on their own.  It tends to freak you out a bit since you know they are not nearly as good a driver as they think they are. 

This weekend I allowed Matt to try driving on the interstate.  He wants to drive to my brother’s place in Jacksonville this summer.  So, I thought it was prudent that I not let him do it on his own until I had supervised his ability myself.  With that in mind, this weekend we went to Jacksonville for a couple days.  Matt drove most of the way and did just fine.  In fact considering my constant nagging and criticism he did pretty a great job.

Another hurdle crosses successfully!

Stuff Happens

What a day, oh what a day.

It’s funny how things work… You get up expecting your day to go a certain way.  You expect to do certain things and get certain things accomplished.  You have a plan and you think it’s a good one.  Then out of the blue, something comes along and totally changes all those plans and objectives.  Yesterday was one of those days.

I of all people should know better by now.  I should know better than to make plans and not keep in mind that there is a higher power at work.  One that has His own plan with objectives that we know nothing about.  A more important plan that revolves around a lot more than us as individuals.  A plan that defines and shapes more that what we can wrap our tiny heads around and understand.

I continue to try to remember this and not let it get to me.  I try not to let changes to my little slice of life upset me.  I’m not very good at it but I try.  I continue to do the only thing I know to do when God’s plan supersedes my plan.  I take deep breathes and tell myself that he’s got control and I’m am, for the most part, just a passenger.  After all, the things that I normally have in mind are really not that important when you think about it.  I mean really, how important is cutting grass, doing laundry, reading a book or changing your oil?  In the scheme of things, not important at all.

So why get worked up?  Well, I suppose it’s just human nature.  Okay, maybe just my nature.  Today the sun is up and He has granted me another day.  I again find myself thankful and in awe. 

Today, I WILL remember... 

Today, I WILL remember that He will not give me more than I can handle.  

Today, I WILL remember what is important and what is not. 

Today, I WILL remember to breathe easy and remain calm.

Today, I WILL remember that there might be a bump in the road but that’s okay.

Yesterday?  Well yesterday Matt came home from camp.  I had not heard a word from him all week.  I have grown to expect that however.  I suppose it’s just a boy thing.  Anyhow, he got home in one piece but not without a broken ankle.  Yes a fractured ankle. 

He was limping pretty badly when he got out of the truck.  I asked him what was wrong.  He said that he had sprained his ankle pretty badly.  One look at it and I knew that it was more than a sprain.  The doctor confirmed my suspicions. He said that it was clearly fractured but should heal just fine as long as Matt takes it easy on the ankle for the next four to six weeks.  The doctor said there was no need to cast it but he does want him to wear one of those big black immobilization boots for the next six weeks or so.  I am thankful it was not worse and Matt does not seem to be in much pain or discomfort.  Hopefully it will heal just fine and there is not a visit to an orthopedic surgeon in our future.

Now, what’s the plan for today?