Our First Married Experience With Mice

I like mice. At least the cartoon kind. I definitely do NOT like mice who run in my house, look at me and dare me to stop them. Brian was convinced that there was only one mouse, I knew better, but allowed him to hope. So, after seeing a mouse in the house, we set traps. On Saturday night, around midnight, a mouse ran into the living room and looked at us before running into the entry closet. Brian had a plan. I would hold the rug across the end of the entry, thus blocking off the main house, and he would use a broom to sweep it outside.

We assumed our positions. Brian opened the closet door. The mouse streaked out and ran right back in. Brian moved a few things out of the closet and scared the mouse out. Mice are fast! It ran at Brian's leg and Brian started dancing a jig while trying to smack it with the broom. I'm barely holding on to the rug because I'm laughing so hard at Brian. Eventually, Brian got in a good swing and stunned the mouse. He swept it outside and I put the rug back. Soon, he returned with my broom in two pieces, but the mouse was dead.

Well, Brian was convinced that was the only one, but he humored me and left the traps out. Sunday night we left for the city to spend Labor Day with our family. We had a great Labor Day at my parents' house. It was a beautiful day and a fun time. The next day (Tuesday), when we returned home, there was a terrible stench in the air. Two mice had found traps on Sunday night! Hopefully, that's all of them, but I won't feel comfortable for a while.

It's finally over

I've been dreading today because it is the anniversary of Jacob's death. For the last year, I have grieved losing my sweet nephew. Everyday was the first of that date without him. There are no more firsts. We've survived all of the firsts. I have thought of him each of the last 365 days with varying degrees of grief. I have come to the conclusion that I will always miss him and that grief has no rhyme or reason. I wish I was a man sometimes - I wish I had a box I could go to in my mind to escape my thoughts. I have never known a grief like this. It intensified when we moved out of our house in OKC. I am very sentimental and I attach memories to places. Everywhere I looked in that house reminded me of moments with Jacob. It was so hard to leave a place that reminded me of so many sweet memories.

Today has been better than I expected it to be. God gave me two things: 1. He reminded me that while one year ago, we were preparing to celebrate Jacob's "official" entrance to the family, God was celebrating his entrance into heaven; and 2. God has comforted me in the form of a song, "It is Well With My Soul". He keeps reminding me that in all things, because I have God, it is well with my soul and that makes all the difference.

There would have been no way for my family to survive the last year without God's love, mercy and faithfulness. He has comforted each of us in such a variety of ways and through so many people. I am so blessed to be part of a family that has such a strong faith in God.

Goodbyes

Tonight is the last night that I will officially live in Oklahoma City, OK. Tomorrow morning, we will load up our "stuff" and head to Southwest Oklahoma and the town of Mountain View. It is amazing how hard it is to move. We have had to go through and decide what we will take with us and what we will need to sell. That has been tougher than I expected.

We said goodbye for now to our church family at Faith Crossing on Sunday. It was sad and sweet at the same time. We were blessed by the sweetest prayer I have ever heard. I was sad because I had made some good friends in our time there and I will miss them.

I am a very sentimental person and I attach memories and feelings to places. This house is the house that has my memories of Jacob. I hate to leave just for that reason. I see him in so many rooms of this house so it has made me very emotional to think of leaving it. (And yes, I cry over the memories of every house I live in when I say goodbye to the house - don't judge me :)

So tomorrow marks a great change in my life. Thank you friends who have prayed for us during this three year journey. I'll keep you informed of our new life.