Week 4: Do Not Disturb

When I look outside one bedroom window in my camper the visibility is about 10 feet before all you see is a wall of green. You can make out that the side of the ridge dips and rises but the green foliage is thick and protective.

When I look outside my other bedroom window I see the boys bunk house porch with its handmade bench & rosemary plant. At night I can see the solar lights that point us to their door, otherwise it’s pitch black and I know they are sleeping. Just beyond where they rest and play, is what we now call the playground. With its gentle swing, tiny playhouse, and “pirates ship” deck with slide.

I truly have never seen kids so dirty. Within a few minutes baby girl has smeared dirt on both cheeks and her pants are either wet or brown where they weren’t before. Brother bear just ends up with a dusting from head to toe with tree bark or...well, dirt. I am pretty sure there are mommas out there whose kids never get a speck on them but mine come with a warning label now.

“Caution: complete filth. Be prepared to need a shower yourself if you touch, kiss, hug, or come near.”

I’m not exaggerating.

Monday, James was off so he and Cooper worked on moving brush and more brush and then we headed back to Ringgold for a family reunion. This was a much needed break and we enjoyed spending time with family. The kids were happy for one last swim until next summer.

We came home to a gigantic spider which means most people like be ready to burn the place down. This guy wasn’t afraid of anything. I reminded the boys that their purpose was to capture and eat all the other annoying bugs and as long as this guy stays outside he is safe. One leg in the door and he’s dead!

Above you can see the progress from before we moved the first rock or tree to the end of this weeknight. What you can’t see is, that if you drive past the gravel, the clearing that has been made for the house.

I am pretty excited about this for many reasons, but one in particular! This means temporary power! Temporary power will mean no more generators. It will mean no more noisey nights and mornings. The noise is what is starting to get to me.

You will never find a cute sign in my house that says “we are loud and proud” or that “noise is welcome here”. My brain and thoughts cannot process so much noise. This last week has started to get to me a bit. I have even cut the generators off and sweltered just so I didn’t have to hear them. At night, I wake up every time one starts to sound different.

This is where the “Do not disturb” title is coming into play. After awhile the constant noise gets to you. I started getting paranoid that I wouldn’t hear something regarding my children’s safety. I started to worry that I wouldn’t hear the kids go in and out. I literally lost sleep this week. One night, James went out of the camper and I only heard him coming in and it scared me to death. I couldn’t keep feeling like this.

One morning though, all that worry was put into prayer. I listened to a random testimony online of how our own thoughts can be influenced by the enemy and then it ended with stripping away the power I had given him. The power we believe that the devil has to harm us or put us in danger is an illusion. I just needed reminding that we are in God’s hands always and nothing that touches us didn’t pass through his hands first. Amen.

On a funny note, see that smart looking guy in the middle? He’s one clever kid. This week he helped his big brothers move some brush/sticks to the fire pit. He also tried to play a bit in it before I got onto him. Later, I noticed he had somehow singed his hair lightly in the front. I asked him to show his Papaw and he flipped his hair like old school Justin Beber and said “Now, it’s in the back.” I laughed so hard. Clever! I tell you! Isn’t he a cutie pie though?

Friday we spent the day shopping for blue. We planned on going to the Friday night football game but didn’t have enough blue so we bebopped around Rome, GA looking for more blue and during naptime made baby girl her outfit and brother bear matched perfectly. Y’all. I never do this and I have to say I’m not sure if the challenge of matching kids is worth it. 😂

i think they turned out cute though. It was just a wild night for me in the football stands with these two rascals.

This guy here has been missing his friend. After Wednesday worship for his youth group our sweet Jake said he was sad. I know moving away from friends and family has its ups and downs. This was a down for him so we arranged some FaceTime and an overnight visit. It did his heart good. He’s such a tender guy. I sometimes which I could be more like him, quite and sure. He’s taken this entire move so well and has been the one I can count on to shrug and say “okay, let’s do it” with a hint of enthusiasm no matter what. He’s enjoying school and working hard but he simply loves to come home and go straight to the woods as soon as his homework is finished.

The two things that I have to say about what is happening now is that; one, we are together and two, it’s enough. God has really been pressing the world “enough” on me this week. Even Sunday’s sermon was encapsulated by the word “enough”. We are enough, we have enough, we are provided with enough...

and so, I’ll save the rest of the exciting progress for week 5! See you again soon.