the big picture...

Sometimes I wonder how I get where I get...

Sometimes I feel like am stuck in the eye of a hurricane and I don't know which path gets me through the storm... Right now the world around me is out of control... so many people around me are worried about the economy... but I just don't have the energy for that... I am glad we are not in such terrible financial straits as some of our friends... because I feel like we have bigger things to worry about.

Sometimes I read some journal entries from a few years ago, and remember when my kids had little kid problems... when hubby was in school and everyone was in grade, middle, or high school. Those problems seemed tough, I remember feeling like I do now... then too... but compared to adult issues those problems now, look so simple... I guess most things do in hindsight.

I often need to regroup and find my center... I need to remember how far we have come... Life's gotten a bit crazy and scary in the face of adult children choices and aging parents, personal health issues... add to that other family concerns that have to be dealt with... sometimes I just need to remember that we have already come through a lot of tough times successfully... and with the Lord's help we will come through these days too.

The next couple of weeks will be a challenge in several ways, but the biggest one is one that we have known would come... we just are sorry the time has actually arrived... Hubby and I need to work out (with his brother and SIL's help) some new living conditions for his parents. It's not going to be easy to get his dad to agree to give up their independence in a city far from all of us... They live in central Texas, hours from any family at all... But somehow we have to manage, because health issues are critical for both my in-laws.

In light of that we will be making a trip in a few days to meet his brother and force this issue. It is something we have all dreaded... but it can be avoided no longer. This morning as I read some emails from BIL and some of the extended living facilities that he contacted I just felt so sad for my FIL. MIL has severe memory issues like my own mother did... (although MIL's are related to damage from years as an alcoholic... while momma's were mostly because of medication induced mini-strokes.) FIL has such severe emphysema that he can no longer stand and get enough air even with his oxygen assistance. We are unsure as to how this will all play out... we have a few ideas and plans that could work... and now we just have to follow through.