A Few Things I've Learned

In the last week, I've learned a few things.

First - parenting is H.A.R.D.!

After all the phases of raising a child(ren), Walter and I have come to the conclusion that the most difficult part is allowing them to be adults. You can tell them, show them, remind them several times of things they need to do, etc., but in the end, it's up to them to actually complete the tasks set before them the correct way. You hope they choose the correct way the first time so they don't have to learn the hard way. Interestingly, though, I believe we learn better and faster from our mistakes (or at least most of us).

Letting go of Lyndsey last week at college was easy (I shock myself when I say that - I didn't think I would be able to). Letting her learn how to be an adult now that she's 'on her own'? INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT!

Lyndsey had a few days last week that turned out completely opposite of what we had expected. In a fitting phrase I will just say that 'life bit her hard.' Add to that far less sleep than she's used to and learning time management without Dad and Mom around to remind her and you wind up with a young lady who's beside herself with stress. However, a little sleep and food did wonders for her!

Walter and I did what we could to assure her that she would make it through and to remind her that she needs to keep her trust in the Lord and Him alone to help her through this. She's only ever watched us deal with problems. She's not really had to deal with anything so stressful on her own before. But God will make a way for her.

Lyndsey made it through those rough days, but she's not 'out of the woods' just yet. I would ask you to keep her in your prayers. Her college years will hold some of her greatest memories, but they will also have some very difficult times, too.

There is a praise to go along here, too. Lyndsey was out soulwinning on Saturday with several girls and she was able to win a couple of young teenage girls to the Lord! So, even though last week was somewhat bumpy for her, the Lord rewarded her for her faithfulness to stick it out!

I do know that eventually we will hear the words, "Gee, Dad and Mom, you really do know some things!"

We love that girl so much and miss her!

The second thing I learned is from today.

Down here in our desert a lot of people take their animals to the hardware stores. I even saw a woman with her cat in a shopping cart at Home Depot once.

So being the animal lover that I am and not wanting to disappoint our very excited, happy-go-lucky little dog, I suggested to my husband that he take said dog to Home Depot with him. I mean, after all she would have a great time, right? And she's not gone anywhere in the car since she went to the groomer back in July! What could go wrong?

Wonderful husband gives in and takes Ruby with him. She is the happiest dog you've ever seen. She got to go bye-bye!

He comes home and unloads the car. A few minutes later he says to me, "It wasn't such a good idea to take Ruby to the hardware store." I asked why. "She was a chick magnet!" Those were his exact words!

Come on, think about it. Who wouldn't want to pet a cute dog? But I hadn't factored in all the women that would use the opportunity to flirt with my husband!

Can anybody ignore such a cute face? She's adorable!

My eyebrows went way up and then I started laughing. I'm still chuckling now typing this! I can envision how the whole thing went and my husband is just rolling his eyes because he wants to 'get in and get out' of the store! That's how he operates. He just doesn't like to shop.

So the moral of the story is, don't send your husband to the hardware store with your animal unless you go with him! He will get attention he didn't ask for!