Respite

My family was at church for the children's choir Christmas program.  Bruce and I were settling down in the balcony to enjoy the presentation.  We were playing with our new video camera that we are sooooo excited to have now!!  There was commotion below and several friends were waving at us and indicating for us to come downstairs.  My heart sank on the way to the stairwell because I thought something had happened to one of my children...  Dear friends met us in the stairwell and told us they were on the phone with my grandmother who had fallen at our home.  She could not get up and thought she had broken something.  Bruce heads out immediately.  Upon reaching her Bruce realized that it wasn't safe for him to try to get her up and he had to call an ambulance.  Well, Gma did break something.  Her left humorus.  Meanwhile, friends were making sure our children were cared for, videoing our children singing, giving me a ride to get a vehicle so I could take said children home and offering to help in any way.  We are truly blessed by our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Long and absurd story shortened, Gma was released from hospital and then taken by ambulance to the ER a second time, admitted to hospital, and finally to inpatient rehab.

After getting Gma settled into rehab and taking care of necessary things in addition to family Christmas, I realized that I was receiving a time of respite.  Despite Gma's husband, Chuck's trip to the ER on Christmas Eve things were a little quieter at home.  We weren't doing schoolwork.  I had to stay at home so that Chuck wasn't home alone.  With no school and no Gma at my house I was being given the perfect opportunity for projects!  I made a long list of household projects that I had not been able to get to. 

End of year stuff and subsequent computer and Quickbooks backup
Balance 4 checkbooks
Prepare for my new scrapbooking adventure
Find the best place for the big girls' hanging clothes since they don't have a closet
Under the purge and organize category:

• computer desk/bookcase/business filing cabinet
• school room
• coupons
• sunroom (currently big girls' bedroom a.k.a Lego heaven)
• my bedroom
• Madelynn's bedroom
• homeschool association stuff
• shoe closet

(Gma comes home in 4 days and I have about 4 1/2 projects left...)

res·pite

[res-pit] noun, verb, res·pit·ed, res·pit·ing.

noun

1.a delay or cessation for a time, especially of anything distressing or trying; an interval of relief: to toil without respite.

3.to relieve temporarily, especially from anything distressing or trying; give an interval of relief from.

Don't get me wrong, I still had tons of other things to do too, but I had not realized how time consuming it was to have Gma at our house especially during school time.  I felt I could breathe.  I honed in on my projects with the help of my 18 month old, of course.  She's quite helpful!  I also enjoyed catching up on some reading and catching up with friends.  Even though I was beginning to feel slightly bummed about being "stuck" at home, I took advantage of my time.  God was giving me rest.  He was redeeming my time.  Gma was in safe hands.  I was in God's hands, thankful for my respite.