So Forty!

Like I am so overwhelmingly 40 that someone could write a book about 40 based upon my life.

I bloat—and automatically 3 people ask if I’m pregnant.

I say—“No.  I am not pregnant.  Just 40.”

One kind man looked confused and said, “Thirty?”

And I said, “No, 40…And I am not having any more  (bold and underline this, please) children.”

He went on to tell me I still have time for one more…

I went on to tell him a thing or two…(Okay—nice things 😉 ).

I have two small kids and a 10 year old.  The ten year old is an angel because she can shower and brush her teeth all alone.

The others—it’s like, “What’s that?  You need to go on the toilet AGAIN????  Aren’t you still in diapers??????????”  And then I remember that he is officially 4.  So I follow him into the toilet and wipe his little bum after he goes number 2.

The last is like “NOOOOOOO!!!!!!  I do it!”  And if you enter her presence without her permission, she is like “THIS IS MY ROOM!!!!!!”  And if she was not so RIDICULOUSLY the cutest thing walking this earth, it would just not be so cute (smile smile wink wink)  Okay, okay…It’s pretty typical 2 and cute.

And then there are those that days that my little son brings me cookies and I ask, “Did you eat lunch?” And he’s like “No, my tummy is not hungry for food.”  So I open his cookies and send him on his way just so that I can have a spare moment alone to eat my own cookies.

Friends…I am SOOOOO 40!  Beyond, totally 40.

And while I mostly handle it fine—I realize that the babcia in me is starting to sneak out (grandma for those that don’t know what babcia means)…And then I realize that these are not my grandkids but my kid-kids.  I am suppose to be MONITORING their sugar intake —NOT increasing it 😉

Oh me oh my oh my oh me!!!!!

I am Brooke.  And I.AM.FORTY.

Can I take a nap, please?????

Single Moms, Dads, Military Spouses—How do you do it?!

I have been wanting to write a blog about the people I greatly admire.  Here they are:  Single Moms.  Single Dads.  Military Spouses.

You see.  My husband travels quite a bit with his work.  He is gone between 10-20 weeks a year, many of those being multiple weeks in a row.  This year he has perhaps traveled more.  Last year, while I was pregnant with Maxwell (and when Maxwell nearly passed), he traveled a bit less.

But there is one very important thing I always keep in mind when my husband is away-He will return.

I often tell one of my best girlfriends that she is the strongest woman I know.  She is a single mother of 3 gorgeous, well-behaved, brilliant children.  She works hard.  She raises her children.  She is amazing.

I also have girlfriends whose spouses are military.  They are raising strong and brave and resilient children.  Often their spouses miss monumental moments in their lives—and yet the spouses and children march on.  They persevere.  They are the epitome of endurance and strength.

A couple times when Rich has been away, disaster has struck…One time, our basement flooded.  Another, our coal furnace went out (Do you remember that one?  If not, here it is: http://wp.me/p3Bh9m-b8 ).  Yet another, our cars died during a Siberian Winter Storm.  Have you ever lived through one?  Let me describe it—freezing cold.  Bitter wind.  Eyes hurt.  Don’t want to leave the house.  Cold!

He is also the pastor of a church—and everything seems to happen when he’s gone:  one has a heart attack; another needs to find a place to live-overnight.  Another’s marriage is on the brink.  Difficult situations.  Pastor’s wife in Poland-all alone.

Our foundation seemed in peril a few of the times he was gone.  A couple of the worst were when we were in the process of purchasing our New Life Center.   The people that we were buying it from wanted to finalize the sell but not move out.  Another, the realtor insisted on being paid upfront before the sell.  And lastly, we ran out of money—already investing all we had and then finding out we were short.  The finalization of the sell was in a couple days and according to everyone Polish we were working with, we risked losing it all if we couldn’t fulfill the contract.  I went and took out every penny we had in our bank account and prayed it would finish paying for the home (New Life Center).

And, the most tragic event in our lives, I went to the doctor’s appointment alone and found out our beautiful baby’s heart had stopped beating.  Thankfully Rich was able to make it back within the next couple days from America to Poland for me before we delivered the baby.  (I’ve also written about this loss, in case you would like to read:  http://wp.me/p3Bh9m-6B).

Yes…I have been alone.  Working.  Raising the kids.  And going through difficulties.

But—I always keep in mind, “Tomorrow will come.  Rich will return.  And my partner and helper will be there to rescue me or give me that needed day of rest.”

And during those days that seem the longest, I think of my friends-my single mother friends.  My single father friends.  My military spouse friends.  I think of them with the utmost respect and admiration.  Because not only do they work, take care of the home and kids.  But they get up each and every day and do it again.  And again.  And again.

Yes—some of the people I admire the most raise the strongest children.  And sometimes they do it all alone.