I had thought I'd head to Costco yesterday morning, but then my sister and her kids stopped by on their way home from Doctor Dan's. Poor baby Levi had to have two shots and was not very happy. Which meant that his Jo Jo needed to hold him a lot.
(My niece and nephew call me Jo Jo. Toben has been Bo Bo ever since Ava learned to talk. Yes, we sound like a clown act at the circus, but we couldn't be happier about it!)
No trip to Costco. (Oh, and Kristen took some pictures of the house--I'll post them when she gets them to me.) But that's okay, because we decided to go after dinner and since we were there and very berry sundaes are so cheap and yummy, we called Mom and Dad and they met us. So we sat in the food court (which was empty--Monday nights are awesome for shopping at Costco without waiting in line!) and talked for a while.
As we drove out of the parking lot and waved goodbye to Mom and Dad when they turned left and we turned right to go home (we live about seven minutes away from each other!), I felt so content and happy. My day didn't go according to the plan I made when the day started. But it was so much better. I love that unexpected time with family happened not once, but twice! Such a gift.
I'm getting family time today too. Kristen has a photo shoot this morning, so Ava, Tyson, and Levi are coming to Jo Jo's to play with their cousins. Toben put up the swings yesterday, so I think we'll be outside a bunch.
It used to be that a deviation from the plan would send me into a bit of a tizzy, but I'm not the same girl I used to be. Slowly, s l o w l y, I am being transformed. Which is another gift and so encouraging to me.
I read this just now during my quiet time and it did something tangible, amazing, comforting to my heart because it was such a direct response to some things I'd just journaled that I'll share more about soon:
I will not leave you until I have done what I promised you. Genesis 28:15
God keeps his promises. Always. And in keeping them, he is near.
Thanks for the reminder and the comfort. I lobs ya!
Posted by: Dedra | July 27, 2010 at 06:27 AM
I love your nephew's name: Levi! It is my first born son's name :+) The Lord has been encouraging me in areas that I have changed in which in turn is giving me hope for the parts that still need changing. And my husband needs a job as well so I can related to yesterday's post about trusting the Lord specifically in relation to that.
Kathleen
Posted by: Kathleen Jaeger | July 27, 2010 at 06:27 AM
Super cute pic. And I'm so proud of you with all the flexibility. And I can't help but smile thinking back to the Zoo Trip not too terribly long ago when you were in AZ and Kristen was in NY. :)
Posted by: Marla Taviano | July 27, 2010 at 06:33 AM
Joanne- I met your sister on Saturday at a wedding shower at my MIL's home! It was pretty funny to have to say, "Hi, I have seen pictures of you on the internet, are you Joanne's sister?!" Creepy! But she was so great and that Levi- I can back you up now- is a CUTIE!
Posted by: Elizabeth Mardesen | July 27, 2010 at 07:05 AM
Joanne, I love this picture, your sister is so talented. I will keep her in mind when I need some kid pix.
You sound so content and I appreciate your blog so much. Welcome back to Denver! I hope you keep trusting God that things will work out. I need to do that too. I will pray for the both of us on that one!
Krista
Posted by: Krista Kliebenstein | July 27, 2010 at 07:14 AM
Bonjour friend! So glad that you had such sweet time with your family! Hoping this is a refreshing summer for you...
Posted by: Holly B. | July 27, 2010 at 08:17 AM
You and Toben are lucky...Jo Jo and Bo Bo. My nieces and nephew call me Doo Doo and now so does their mother and father and often times...my own mother and father, too.
Oy.
Love ya,
Doo, er, Susan
Posted by: Susan | July 27, 2010 at 09:42 AM
Love that picture - and can't wait to see pics of the house!
That sounds so great - impromtu meetings with family.
Joann, what you said about your "plans" remind me of my mother. When she has plans - she is so stressed if they don't go the way she wanted. And as children - if we suggested something that was not in her plans, it was usually a no. It's definitely better to let yourself be transformed! I have to fight a bit of that myself - being my mothers daughter :)
Posted by: Kristy | July 27, 2010 at 03:48 PM
Holy shmoly, I'm going TO Denver for pictures of my kids. That picture is amazing and her kids are beautiful!
Posted by: Leah M | July 27, 2010 at 10:32 PM
Love the picture...It has been awhile since I stopped in...
Enjoying some blog hopping tonight....Hope you will stop by...I have some great giveaways on my holiday blog and a special post on Grammy Girlfriend. http://grammyababychangeseverything.blogspot.com/2010/07/winner-and-another-bunch-of-books.html
Posted by: Teresa | July 27, 2010 at 11:21 PM
Wow, free advertising! Thanks Jo Jo.
I have learned that I can only have 1 thing for sure planned for the day. But a lot of that has to do with the ages of the kids.
Everything else is go-with-the-flow and flexibility. I can't make it through a day otherwise without going crazy. We do a lot of things last minute around here.
I've learned a lot of that from my in-laws over the years.
Posted by: Kristen | July 28, 2010 at 06:51 AM