Everything in it's place

Ahhhh May.:)How did we get here so soon?Back to school, back to work…. Seems like only a breath and it was over. But what a breath! :)So back to the routine of school and this week, back to the routine of getting up before dawn to go to work. It was actually nice to get back and find that I had been missed. That must be what's nice about working outside of home…in general I mean…. for everyone. The recognition, the constant pats on the back. Who wouldn't like that?So no, my children do not yet rise up and call me blessed.:)As nice as the pats on the back are, they come with a price. I had forgotten what it was like, and I miss it. It? 'It' is freedom.I am so blessed to have had the chance to have a taste of it for a time. It was sweet. ****************************So, I learnt one major thing during my vacation. I learnt that you can be present in body but absent. When everyone (me included) had more of 'me', we were all so much happier. This is not a new lesson, for sure, but I suppose I was never really confronted with it quite like this.I was at the cottage with the girls for a couple of days. We love it there, and haven't spent any time there over the past couple of years. I sat on the beach and read, and the girls played in the sand, and (eek!) went in the water. Sophia, asked me over and over to 'go in the boat' (kayak). Honestly, I just wanted to soak up the sun- selfish I know… but I am essentially a rather selfish person (yes, I DO know this about myself:) ). However, this was their time, and so I gritted my teeth, absorbed the shock of the cold lake water and took my girlie kayaking.I don't know how long we were out there. But I breathed in her sunned hair, and her 'lakey' skin (you kind of have to have been there to know that smell). We talked a little bit, and were quiet a lot, and fished for golfballs since there didn't seem to be any minnows.Sophia is my most challenging, most demanding child. She pushes me like neither of the older girls did. She goes from 0 to 100 in .3 seconds, says I love you so that your heart soars, and hugs you like a little koala bear that will never let go. She was so serene and content, it was so quiet, and we were so happy to just be there together. And I felt like a heel and a bad mummy, because I must be too busy to see this side of her. She must not get enough of this.Isn't it ironic, that we have had the most and longest time alone, and yet we spent the least quality time together? Busyness will do that.****************************So here is May. The days are warmer, and longer. The activities are all slowly coming to an end as the school year draws to a close. We're loving the feel of it. Something happened yesterday, that gave me my May challenge. I think that most people are happy when they are loved in the way they understand best. A friend gave us God's order a few years ago. I don't think we're unique in that we had it all wrong.1. God2. Spouse3. Children4. Work.Its kind of hard to decide to focus on one, when all need attention. I think there is one 'thing' on that list who has most likely always gotten the short end. I am thrilled at the thought of what can happen if I devote special time to pray for that one thing. I suppose I am about to find out.Grace and peace to you.**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************5/4/12: P.S. I just needed to say that after God tugged at my heart about what to pray/focus on/ delve into this month, I was listening to something this morning. And it was like He whispered "Yes….do that."I love it when that happens. I love that in spite of all that I am, and the times that we live in, God still shows Himself to me, and lets me know that we are not alone. That there are no coincidences with Him. Everything in its place….1,2,3,4. xo*******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************P.P.S.: I for some reason cannot put spaces between paragraphs anymore, even when I do it in my actual posting. Hard on the eye.:( Hence all the little stars.:) I guess there can never be too many stars!