A time for laughter

I've been thinking a lot lately about how these last couple months have been filled with a lot of restoration for my little family. I think of Ecclesiastes chapter 3 when it talks about how there is a time for everything.... verse 4 especially stood out to me:

¹ There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:

⁴ a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,

We are definitely laughing and dancing, now. Our first year of parenting was not very fun and we both agree that we made it through only b/c of God's grace. While many parents were raving about how fun having a little baby was and how they were savoring that stage.... we were all too excited for it to pass. Different people have different experiences. For some reason, that only God knows, things happened as they happened and even though every trial is supposed to make us joyful, we certainly didn't feel that way. Sleep deprived, energy deprived, family and support deprived, etc. etc. We were drained.
But now we are thankful for this (hopefully longer) season of rest. This is a unique season when Mateo sleeps from 7pm-7am. When we have our evenings together. When I can be home full time taking care of my boys and the house and the errands, etc. When for the first time since I can remember I am not busy busy like a chicken with my head cut off. No more degrees to get. No more homework. Been there, done that! No more sitting behind a desk. No lesson planning, grading, meetings, etc. Granted, I am still working on trying to be a little less busy. I still tend to get myself over committed...but at least this time it's by choice and not b/c of a demanding job at a title 1 school.

For the first time since high school, I did a sewing project. I made curtains for the living room, Mateo's room, the office, and valances for the kitchen. We are finally finishing the unpacking in our house. I'm doing some post-pregnancy and baby-stage nesting if there is such a thing.
I'm able to be involved in ministry for the first time in a while. Teaching the kids at church has been a fun season of time.

I'm also trying to take care of myself. Chronic problems like my back and throat pain are getting addressed. Physical therapy...so nice. Finding out I'm allergic to a lot of things- like milk and sugar cane....not so nice, but still good to know ;)

Now I better not blink b/c this time might be over. But for now, with my wonderfully awesome husband, my (almost) 17 month old son, and our great God teaching us and leading us.... we are going to be thankful and enjoy these days. Life is not easy, but it's been an awesome change.

1 Peter 5:10 (English Standard Version)

¹⁰And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.