Their on their way home!!

My sweet babies are on their way home today. They have spent 8 days, EIGHT days away from their momma and I can't take another day. My children are blessed with such great grandparents who took them on a vacation of a lifetime! They spent Thanksgiving with Mickey and the gang. Thanks to high-tech blackberries my sister-n-law kept me updated daily with pictures. My husband and I couldn't swing the trip this year but we were so excited that the kids were invited to go with the rest of the family.

Some may think - a whole week without kids - awesome! That's not me. I have enjoyed the time my husband and I have had this past week. We had the opportunity to talk, have real conversation without interruptions and enjoy the quite at home. But late a night things just didn't seem quite right. My babies weren't home to tuck them in bed. Maybe I feel this way because my son's almost 16 and I see the writing on the wall way to soon. He's going to be leaving the nest soon (I know I still have a few years, but these past 15 have flown by and a few years will seem like a blink!). My daughter is growing up so fast - there's more pressure for girls to do that.

While they were gone I guess God was trying to teach me something. I heard a tremendous sermon one day about Hannah. She had prayed for a child and promised to give him back if God would answer her prayer. I only gave my children up for 8 days. She gave her son up at a very young age and it was for his lifetime. She only got to see him once year when she would visit the temple. Could I have done that!? A couple of other days I came across some devotions about ... Hannah. Hannah, Hannah Hannah!!

I'll admit I didn't care about Hannah, I didn't want to put my big girl pants on and "deal with it". I wasn't happy about having to let my kids be away from home, especially on a holiday, but God patiently and tenderly kept after me. He want me to know about Hannah, really understanding her story and the sacrifice she made and I told God - ok I get it. I can't hold on so tight and never allow them to live a life without me. I know that it meant a lot to the grandparents to spend this time with them. They know their getting older and they want to enjoy their grandkids as much as possible. So what did I really give up? A few days - not a lifetime.

Since I had so much time on my hands I spent a good bit of it on the computer. I came across this. It is a wonderful idea and this momma is a blessed woman to have such a thoughtful husband.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!