some losses and some gains

It seems that this past week has centered around losses and gains. We've all lost some things and some of us have gained things as well. Isaac lost his bid for a seat on the student council. He was devastated!! He really really wanted this and I think he thought he had it in the bag. He was stunned when he did not win the election. We all lost the opportunity to come "home" this past weekend. We lost valuable time to prepare our house to get it on the market. Maia gained a new friend. I'm not sure how we missed her the first 2 months we lived here but there is a little girl that lives directly across the cul-de-sac from us. Her name is Brianna, she is in 2nd grade and she loves Hannah Montana. She also takes piano lessons and loves to ride her bike. She has been over every evening since we discovered her. The girls lock themselves up in Maia's room and pretend to be rock stars. They turn the volume on Maia's cd's up and grab their microphones (bed posts) and rock it out. They chase each other around the back yard and play tag. Then they hop on their bikes ride around the cul de sac. With Maia's gain has come a loss for Isaac. He feels like he has lost his sister. His best friend. Maia is growing and changing and Isaac is afraid she is leaving him behind. Shiloh is losing all her fur. She is biting ALL of it off. I have NEVER seen anything like what she is doing to herself. It's almost like self mutilation. Therefore she has gained herself a visit to the vet. While we are there I will lose lots of money!! I just hope we don't lose her. None of us could handle that loss. Andy has lost all his free time. He comes home from work and promptly locks himself in the basement to do more work. Which makes me feel like I've lost my best friend. I've also lost myself somewhere along the way. I was hoping to make it to the PTO meeting last night. To volunteer and maybe make some new friends as well. To maybe find a part of myself that is missing. That was a lost opportunity as well. My desire to scrapbook is completely lost!! I could care less about creating anything these days. Asher has gained some newfound one on one time with me. He has also gained the opportunity to play with his and his brother's forbidden toys in peace throughout the school day. We have all gained a fantabulous metro parks system with countless things to do on any given day. I have gained an aquaintance. However I think I may be losing my sanity. We're losing money every single day our house sits empty in Dover. I've gained the absolute BEST shopping ever here. Isaac has gained a jazz lovin' teacher. He doesn't really count that as a good gain though. Andy has gained a heavier work load but with that comes a heftier check. Gains and losses. Good and bad. But isn't that what The Bible tells us in Ecclesiastes. That there is a time for everything. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the Heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; A time of war, and a time of peace.

We were planted in Dover and God saw fit to pluck us up and move us. We are all trying to heal from that move. Some of us are breaking down but others of us are being built up. Some of us are laughing while yet others of us are weeping. Some of us are still mourning while others dance around us. We are all getting and we have all lost. Some of us want to be held and some of us just want to be left alone. While 5 minutes later we switch roles altogether. Some of us are painfully silent while others of us are joyously overflowing with words. Some of us are at war with our own selves while the others feel at complete peace. Who's who you may wonder? Well that's part of the beauty of it. We are constantly shifting. Building each other up until the next one falls. That's the uniqueness of the family dynamic. We are constantly changing. When one of us struggles the other's pull together and carry the one who's faltering. Just until they are able to stand on their own 2 feet again. Then we gently put them down and pick up the next person who's heart is full of hurt. And this is the very best part....God is growing ALL of us ALL the time. Whether we are mourning or dancing. Whether we are weeping or laughing. He is growing each of us through our own unique experiences...shaping us to help each other. Such is the journey of life. And I wouldn't want to take the journey with anyone other than these unique individuals that God has blessed me with.