It seems there’s never a dull moment at the Savage house. Just when we get used to a “new normal,” life changes again.
While I was in Texas helping Erica and Kendall adjust to life with a newborn, Kendall got deployment orders…this time to Afghanistan.
Erica decided she didn’t want to be a single mom far from family in Texas. She and 8 week-old Marie are moving in with us this week. Kendall drove them from Texas to Illinois. He’s here this week seeing family and saying his goodbyes before he leaves for 9 months overseas.
So life here at the Savage house is changing. The crib that Austin slept in 16 years ago is now Marie’s crib. There are bottles on our kitchen counter and diapers and wipes in a basket in the family room. Our laundry loads now have tiny pink clothes mixed in with the t-shirts and hoodies. The sound of a cooing baby (and sometimes a crying baby) is added to the rap music coming out of Kolya’s stereo in his bedroom and the piano and guitar music coming from Austin in the living room.
Life is a series of adjustments. Rarely do our best laid plans turn out the way we think they will. If God is really in control of our lives, we have to hold loosely to our “perfect plans” and allow Him to reveal His plan.
Mark and I are doing that now. We’re holding on loosely to what we thought our life would look like this year. We’re teaching our two teenagers the value of that right now as their sister and her baby move in for almost a year. We know that this is a precious opportunity for us to get to know Marie well and to love and bless both Marie and Erica.
How about you? Is life changing at your house? Is there any place that God is leading that you didn’t have in your “perfect plan?”
Oh yes!! Currently our 9 year old daughter (adopted at the age of 2) is living in a residential treatment center, three hours away from our home. We have absolutely no idea when she will be coming home. We are clinging to God and praying that He has an ultimate purpose for this season in our life.
Praying for your family during this deployment season!
Cassandra, what a faith-building season you are in!
Things never seem to stay the same. It’s wonderful when family can step in and help out. 🙂 With my different pregnancies my family came and helped watch the girls when I was put on bedrest for preterm labor. It was such a blessing to have the extra help. If she is looking for a group of moms to talk with, we’d love to see her at MOPS. We meet at E Free from 9-11 on Thursday mornings. I just thought I’d extend an invitation as I know how much MOPS has helped me in my mothering journey to connect with other moms. 🙂
Kristina, Erica just looked up info online this morning on the MOPS at E-Free! You might just see her!
Jill,
Our lives have recently changed so much from what we planned in our lives for this year. My family was in a tragic car accident on July 15th and my husband went home to heaven at the scene. Our boys and I had serious injuries and are healing slowly but surely. I wasn’t able to be at my husband’s funeral, which my in-laws had a week after the accident while our boys and I were still in the hospital because we weren’t sure when we would get out. So over the weekend, this past weekend, we were finally able to have the special Celebration of Life Memorial Service to celebrate my husband’s life and testimony of his passion for his family and spreading the Gospel.
This Fall has been a whirl wind of change. We are a homeschooling family and are trying to find a new sense of normal…a new rhythm of healing, learning, growing, and living without my amazing husband and the boys and my beautiful step-daughter’s wonderful father. We take it one day at a time and lean on the Lord through this painful new journey but are in awe at how the Lord is working through this experience to draw us and others closer to Jesus. For that I am so thankful.
You all are in my prayers too.
Blessings!
Mary Joy
Mary, I am so sorry. I can’t imagine the pain — both physical and emotional– that you and your children have endured. You seem to be handling it with God’s strength and grace. I’m sure He is carrying you. I will be praying for you and your family as God prompts.
Our life is changing in a pretty major way right now too. I am the mom to 3 great kids, our school year began with our oldest son starting high school. He attended a very small, private school and making the adjustment to a very large High School was not easy (actually it was fairly easy for him, harder on mom!!) But our bigger change is happening right now. This past weekend our Furbaby child (our 3 year old mutt) was hit by a truck in front of our house. She survived the impact with a very severely broken leg. Yesterday she had her back leg amputated. She will be coming home today. Although I know that this change will be short term, and (hopefully) the healing process for her will be quick, it is hard to explain to my 3 kids WHY this had to happen to our beloved dog. Life as we knew it a few days ago will be changed for awhile. We are rearranging family schedules so that someone can be here with her 24/7 for a couple of days (possibly weeks). We aren’t sure how she’ll do stairs (we have a 2 story house and stairs leading to the back door for her to go outside as well.) Our life is uncertain. I feel like I have a newborn in the house again. Will I be getting up with her in the middle of the night? Cleaning up after her?
In comparison to what some people are currently dealing with, having a “Tri Pawed ” dog is minimal. And we count our blessings that she is still with us. Our story is just beginning with our sweet dog, I think she will continue to amaze us with HER strength and her courage!!!
Best of luck to you Jill as you open up your home to your daughter & granddaughter. My nephew is serving in Afghanistan as well. He was deployed 10 days after his 2nd child was born (he was serving in Iraq when his 1st child was born and was granted a 2 week leave to be here for her birth.) His wife is also living with family for his 9 month deployment. Prayers for safety for your son-in-law and strength for your daughter while he is gone!
Nicole, pets are an important member of the family! I know God will teach some neat lessons to your family while you are serving your “Furbaby.” 🙂
I am praying for the safety of your son in law … may our troops come home soon.
Thank you, Sharon.
Wow Jill! I was sad about the initial reason you wrote this post (your son-in-love going to Afghanistan), but then I had smile about your daughter being at home. It amazes me that there are families out there that have families like your’s! To be able to move back to your parents’ home for a short period…what a blessing for all! Obviously I know there will be challenges that arise, but what a neat thing Erika has in you and Mark. Keep on being great parents…she’ll be picking up more on that now that she’s a mom and especiall in your home! *And thank your son-in-love for me….for serving in the military. I have a two brothers who are in —Navy (and currently on his way to Afghanistan) and another…a Marine. My dad also served in the Army.
Thank you, Theresa. I hadn’t thought at all about Erica being “mentored” as a mom in this season. So cool!
May God bless you and your family, especially Kendall. Our country is so blessed to have men and women willing to serve. I’m so glad Erica and Marie can be with you while he is gone!
My life is changing too. I thought I was prepared for our daughter to go to college, leaving an empty nest. However I did NOT expect that, due to his actions (and Biblical reasons) I would also be leaving my husband and creating a brand new empty nest.
I do not know what God has planned for me…but I do know that it is His “perfect plan.”
Shelly, I know this isn’t what you thought your life would look like. God is still in control…so glad you’re leaning on him.
Jill, When my husband deployed the first time, my mother and three brothers took me and my 1 yr old & 2 yr old daughters in. It was a hard time for all of us but it was also such a unique opportunity. As the military wife, many of the days were long, however, the 9 months was short. We look back fondly at the memories we were able to share with our family. My husband really enjoyed the scrapbook we made of our adventures while he was gone 🙂
I will certainly pray for all of you, Becky
Bless you Jill and MArk. As I was a mom that moved back in with my parents with my husband and little one. It is difficult, but ti can be a good time too. Enjoy them while they are with you!
How blessed you are to be able to share in this season of your daughter’s life! I know I wouldn’t have survived that first year without my mom.
As for here? My dad had an accident last week- he slipped out of the tree stand he was hunting in, landed on his legs, and shattered his fibula, tibia, and part of his ankle. While it could have been SO much worse (paralyzed, falling on an arrow) we are thanking God it is just a broken leg. My dad is a crop dusting pilot and we are praying for God’s healing as we face this season of the unknown.
Oh my, Julie! I’m so glad it was just a broken leg. Scary stuff!