I've been thinking

Single parenthood is NOT for me! For the last 9 days Chase has been in Pittsburgh for work and I have had a taste of being a single mom, and I don't like it AT ALL, and I still have 2 more days to go! Not that I thought I would, but it has been confirmed for sure! I miss my best friend and partner in crime! The days are not bad. It's knowing that no one will be home at night to help and for me to have adult time! I NEED adult conversations! It probably doesn't help that Gavin has taken it upon himself to make sure I don't get quality sleep. For the last 5 nights he has woken up every 4 hours...not cool! I've tried everything and my patience is GONE!!! At least he's cute! :)

I have been able to break up the time without Chase. After taking him to the airport last Thursday, we went to Birmingham through Sunday. And this evening Katie is coming up for the weekend. While I'm grateful for the help I'm SO ready to have my HUSBAND home! I know I CAN do this alone, I have NO desire to do this alone. I'm better with him then without!

Ok now I have to say something...

After almost 8 years of marriage we still love each other and still want to be together. I heard the other day that 60% of marriages fail. I get it, marriage is hard and requires work but we are in this for the long haul. I'm sure there will be ups and downs, happy times and sad times, but God didn't promise that we would ALWAYS be happy. I saw this quote in the marriage study we are doing in our lifegroup...

"What counts in making a happy marriage is not so much how compatible you are, but how you deal with incompatibility" --George Levinger

We are currently doing a marriage study in our lifegroup called iMarriage by Andy Stanley. We've done this study before but it was almost 5 years ago. The big point he makes is about expectations vs desires. Before we are married we have these desires, big house, steady jobs, lots of money in the bank, nice cars, 2.5 kids, vacations, etc., but when we get married, those desires become expectations. The difference--we become disappointed when our spouse can't meet those expectations. Sometimes they are expectations we don't realize we are placing on them. Is it too much to ask to have them pick up their shoes every once in a while?! :)

We are called to LOVE our spouse. Last night's session was...not hard to handle, but it made me think for sure. Andy said "You have been chosen as God's number one method of expressing His love for your spouse." Wow! Talk about big shoes to fill! Sheesh! If we remove our expectations and put them back in our desires box and LOVE our spouse, think what we could accomplish together! I'm not saying that's easy by any means, however, I want to be loved by Chase like God loves me, so why is he any different? Think how great it would be to have your spouse love you like that and not expect anything from you. God HAS to be the center of your marriage, not you, not your spouse, GOD. It's that simple!

This is one of my new favorite songs. You can listen to it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXHYezPHHwo but here are the lyrics...

"Restore"
by Chris August

Nobody's growing old together, we've made it easy just to quit
Love has become a negative percentage, why do we bother to commit
We've got a long list of excuses, ways we try to justify
Well, I propose to you the truth is, marriage does not have to die

[Chorus:]
I know you're feeling like it’s falling apart and it can't go on anymore
But God is a God who knows how to heal so just give it up to the Lord
And He will restore

He said with this ring I promise, and with I do she said forever
But right now if they're being honest they don't know if they'll stay together
Let's fast forward to the future after struggling on their own
They finally figured out they needed Jesus in the middle
Now I'm watching God rebuild their home

[Chorus]

The enemy tries to come and divide
Trying to get us to give up the fight
But darkness will always lose out to light
'Cause we've got the power of Christ on our side

I see you growing old together
I pray I find a love like yours

So if you're feeling like it’s falling apart and it can't go on anymore
God is a God who knows how to heal so just give it up to the Lord
And He will restore

Like it was before
You may have strayed off course
But He will restore