campus life, my life

sometimes i look through a peep hole at others, and wish for a piece of their life. i have been guilty of wanting what is not mine and forgetting to be thankful in all things. it is easy in such days to compare and believe that my adventures and daily vacuuming pales in regards to others extravagant and beautiful life. i forget that everyone has to do the dishes, and laundry, everyone picks up dirty socks, and even wipes away the occasional snot bubble, even if you don't have kids. and yet i can still struggle in what i have been given. i am thankful for the four walls that we live in, and yet sometimes they seem to close in around me, and i feel stuck, heavy shouldered. i am thankful for the little daily adventures our girls and i take as we look at leaves and jump in mud, and yet sometimes i am jealous of what seem to be such grand adventures others take. i am thankful for the provision of the Lord, and yet sometimes i wonder how we will make it in the future. in these times i have learned to step outside. outside where we live includes friendly faces, beauty, safety, the reassurance we are where we need to be. i breath deep. i relax. i stop. i give thanks. and sometimes my heart can still hurt, but i have more confidence and look forward to the dishes and laundry pile, the rain and the puddles that await us tomorrow.

james and sophie riding dragons

matt and penny dragons eating russ and sophie still playing dragons pure excitement...by both of them

these are the struggles i can face.

this is the life i lead, these are the friends we see, this is life on a campus.