News alert!

This morning, Scrubs licked my legs!

Now this may sound gross or incredibly undesirable. But when it comes to adults, Scrubs really isn't a licker. He mainly licks when salt is present (or a child's ear, but that's a whole 'nother story.) And salt is more present when a person sweats. And sweat is more present when a person exercises. This means that today, I actually exercised, thus resulting in aforementioned sweat!

I never thought it would happen again, and six weeks ago when I was lying in that hospital bed for a week, I definitely didn't think it would be happening so soon.

But it's true. Today, I went for a jog!

Okay, so to be honest it wasn't really a jog-jog. (JB says that only women say a word twice in order to emphasize it, but I am not otherwise sure how to emphasize it in this instance, so I'll prove him right and call it a jog-jog.) In truth, my jog was more like a walk-jog. I walked for about a half a mile and then would jog for about a quarter mile. I tried to do it at moments when I thought no one was watching because my pace was so incredibly slow it may have evoked laughter. But I really didn't care. I was jogging. Even better was that I did this with both boys in the double jogger and Scrubs along with me.

And it wasn't just the run that left me feeling good about today.

First of all, JB always tries to sleep as long as possible on the Sunday following nights. This is to help him get his sleep properly flipped around and leave him feeling a little less nocturnal. He often will sleep until 9 or 10 but this morning he slept until 11! (Needless to say, church was halfway done by the time he emerged from his slumber.)

My Mom pulled out around 4am. I only know this because I called her later to ask when she left. We said our good byes the night before.

That left me, the boys, and Scrubby, all on our own this morning. Since I haven't done a morning by myself in over two weeks, I went to bed last night both excited and overwhelmed at the prospect. But it went awesome!

Here's a quick outline:

• 5:00: Elijah wakes to eat
• 5:00-6:00: Feed Elijah
• 6:00-6:30: Change, talk, and play with Elijah; let dog out and feed him
  
• 6:30-7:30: Mommy & Elijah fall asleep together on the couch
• 7:30: Isaac wakes up
• 7:30-8:00: Changed Isaac and give Isaac a bottle
• 8:00-8:30: Feed Elijah; Isaac plays in living room while Scrubs naps in kitchen
• 8:30-9:30: Go for a walk-jog with the entire family (minus JB)
• 9:30-10:00: Feed Isaac breakfast in high chair while Elijah continues napping in his car seat
• 10:00-10:30: Feed Elijah while Isaac plays and Scrubs whines in kitchen
• 10:30-10:45: Put Isaac down for a nap; swaddle and set Eiljah up on couch looking out the window
• 10:45-11:00: Play rings with Scrubs so he can get tired and fall asleep at the same time as both boys
• 11:00: JB emerges from slumber; I take an hour nap

While the morning was obviously busy and well-timed, it really went flawlessly. This was such a blessing. I was very emotional about my Mom leaving. Both my mother-in-law, Joan, and my Mom were integral to me being prepared to tackle both babies on my own. The rest and recuperation I was able to get during the last seven weeks has left me nearly completely recovered (even well enough to jog) and truly ready to face our new life. The antibiotic for the additional infection I incurred has left me feeling great and has shown no ill effects on Elijah.

My plan this week is to hunker-down at home and really get into a schedule and routine. I am going to skip MOPS on Tuesday and host the Wifia-Wednesday at my house in order to stay close to home and really come up with strategies and ideas for the best way to do things without someone else here to help me.

JB is moving to OB days. While much better than nights, he is still facing quite a few weeks in a row of very long days (usually 12-13 hours a day). While it will be an incredible blessing to have him here each evening, it still leaves me running the show from about 6:30am until 6:30pm.

Thank you to those of you who commented on my post entitled "Focus on Today" with encouraging words. It is incredibly comforting to know that I am not the only who who struggles with not looking ahead to the future. As JB and I walked along the boardwalk at Turkey Creek yesterday, he reminded me that we want to enjoy the journey and not be anxious for the destination. While his two weeks of nights is not something he looks forward to, he said he made a point to really enjoy his time there instead of wishing it to be over. I want to strive for the same thing. I want to enjoy each and every day instead of looking ahead to the next milestone that will possibly make things seem less stressful. I want to enjoy every single day with my husband, my boys, and yes, even my Scrubby.

I especially liked these two passages from Joan and Joy. I thought I would share them again in case of any of you did not get to read the comments from the post:

Trust Me and refuse to worry, for I am your Strength and Song. You are feeling wobbly this morning, looking at difficult times looming ahead, measuring them against your own strength. However, they are not today's tasks--or even tomorrow's. So leave them in the future and come home to the present, where you will find Me waiting for you. Since I am your Strength, I can empower you to handle each task as it comes. Because I am your Song, I can give you Joy as you work alongside Me.

***

Many a questioning, many a fear,
Many a doubt, hath its quieting here.
Moment my moment, let down from Heaven,
Time, opportunity, guidance, are given.
Fear not tomorrows, Child of the King,
Trust them with Jesus, ‘DO THE NEXT THING.’
Do it immediately; do it with prayer;
Do it reliantly, casting all care;
Do it with reverence, tracing His Hand
Who placed it before thee with earnest command.
Stayed on Omnipotence, safe ’neath His wing,
Leave all resultings, ‘DO THE NEXT THING.’”
--author unknown