The Rain Is Gone...

...but I'm still a little afraid to put away my umbrella. It feels like I'm emerging from one of the most difficult seasons in my life. August 14th, Marc left for Ft. Rucker, AL for four months of flight training. Over eight months later, May 2nd, he is back home. At first, it was hard to manage the daily tasks without him here. Though I was used to days at home by myself while he was working, I didn't realize how much help he was at dinner time, bedtime, and weekends. Cooking meals, nursing an infant, giving baths, reading bedtime stories, cleaning up dinner dishes...the end of the day was intense! After a few months, I had conquered the challenge. I had a routine. I adapted. But loneliness set in. A married woman is not meant to be lonely. I stayed busy with as many self-generated social activities as possible. We even made friends at Target and Publix. My friends and church community came and supported me. But with no end in sight, Marc being laid off his civilian job here in Nashville, and financial stress, it seemed more than I could handle. I still don't understand why God heaped so much on our plate at the same time. Maybe I'm still too close to see 20/20. But a few weeks ago, the sky broke open, and the blessings began to pour down. Marc was able to finish training, money started to appear in the bank account, I was able to take a trip to Florida to be with family. The multitude of blessings is humbling. I know I did nothing to deserve them. I doubt God is in heaven having a conversation with Satan about how blameless and upright I am, like the much-afflicted Job. However, I did grow. I may have struggled to find hope and joy in the midst of trials, but I was looking in the right place! Maybe one day, God will be able to say, "Have you considered my servant, Michelle?" I just hope all my cattle don't die. :)