Welcome to Friday (on Tuesday). Where we write 5 minutes of whatever pops into our fingers about the prompt (no edits. typos allowed!) , link up with all the lovelies at Kate's place, and then leave a little encouragement for your FMF neighbor. Join us?
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I didn't really know what to write about when I saw the prompt in the wee hours of Thursday / Friday. So I decided I would come back later. Later turned into Tuesday - but the words came on Saturday. I went to a birthday party with my girls - for the 6 yo's friend. It was a tea party. The moms were "banished" to elsewhere at the house, which was fine with me. And we got to talking about dealing with crazy things with the kids (like head lice - UGH.) Did you know: head lice is a single mom's worst nightmare>! it is. Because while you can check your kids ... WHO is going to check your hair? A super good friend. That you bribe with pizza or dessert. Or your mom. If you can manage to be in the same place as your mom.
All that to say, one of the moms who was there said ... excuse me, did you say you are a single mom?
I confirmed.
SHe asked how long.
me: 6 years.
her: WOW. That is a long time. I am just now entering the world of single motherhood and it is SO HARD. How do you do it? How is it now? Can I ask these things?
I replied. I had the chance to share my journey. How there are ugly dark terrible days, but there are glorious wonderful days. How there are terrible nights of insomnia. How so many years later, the nighs like that are fewer. How there were days where if I managed to get kids into bed and take a shower the same day, THAT was a win. How excited I was when I didn't go through a hole box of Kleenex in a week once the tears slowed.
How so many years later, the Lord - my faith - carried me through the worst. How y friends nearby supported me, and how my family encouraged from afar. Because no one lived close.
How now there are more good days than bad - that there is life in the new reality. not just surviving but thriving. No longer clinging to just make it through the next minute, but eagerly anticipating the new day.
***My timer stopped here. But I want to add this:
This week, with the prompt of share, I am thankful that I was able to share my story - and that it was able to bring a small smile - a tiny bit of encouragement to this woman who is only beginning the process. I by no means think that my divorce happened just so that I could show someone else it CAN be done, but I am thankful that our paths crossed, and that the dreaded head lice discussion happened, to allow an opportunity to make someone's heart a smidgen lighter in the midst of despair.
JOIN THE LINK UP HERE.
I'm so glad you had this chance. No, God didn't cause your divorce to happen, but He was able to use you - and even better - YOU were willing. You. Are. Amazing.
ReplyDeleteAnd, if the head lice thing ever happens again (Please, Lord, NO) - feel free to call!
Wow, Jen! I had no idea. I can't even imagine how hard it must be. May God continue to sustain you and to be the Father of both you and your children. My girls got lice a few times (I got them a few times, too) when they were little. Not. Fun. At. All. I finally discovered that hair dye worked the best at killing the little buggers and all the nits. Strange, but true. I haven't used hair dye since then (if it kills lice, it CAN'T be that good for me, right?!)
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