Where the Heart Is

I've spent several years trying to convince Doug that Fergus Falls, Minnesota (my childhood summer vacation) is magical. We're not there yet. But it has been very easy for Doug to convince me to love Island Park, Idaho. His mom owns a cabin there, an hour and a half away. It is so green in Island Park, the water is so gorgeous, everything is so serene, and I feel like I'm coming home every time we go there.

On Friday, Doug and I were still hemming and hawing about whether or not to go up. We decided to do it, and it was heavenly. Brooklyn kept running back and forth between rooms crying out in delight. She had been there 5 days earlier, so she may have just been excited to recognize the place.

But I am so grateful for a place to get away from my cares.

Regarding those cares: I wish money weren't so tight. We have everything we need, and I am grateful. But I'd love it if it didn't feel like a blow when I get paid less this semester as a teaching group leader than I did last semester (BYU-I adjusted their contract pay for TGL's). And I'd love it if I could face the fact that our purple car is dead sometimes without feeling a whole lot of worry. (Doug poured Pepsi on the battery this afternoon, and the car started working again!)

I'd love to have Isaac have more school clothes, and ones that actually fit now, instead of clothes I bought large so he can grow into them.  I'd love to have regular every 6-month dental visits for our whole family, and not worry about various medical costs.

I would have gone to see an allergy specialist in May when my hives started popping up every single day and making me feel itchy all day long, as well as self-conscious.

Our wonderful friend, Mary Gifford, talks about waiting for her "canoe" to come in, and I guess I'm sort of looking down the river, ready for the canoe to come in.

The good news is, I've got an incredible view while I wait.