Morning Lord! By rights I should still be asleep at this hour of the morning but since I’ve woken up early I will take advantage of the fact to spend some time with you. What a lot there is to say!
Of course yesterday was dominated with starting the process of moving all the Wests worldly goods out of our very stuffed garage and into the rental property. I took turns with Caroline’s mother to look after all the children and to be honest I’m not sure what was the harder work – lugging and unpacking boxes or staying behind and supervising five children (six if Christian counts as two – he’s easily double the work!). Thankfully the excitement of the move meant the children themselves were excited and rather more inclined to play well together (Christian excepted) than on any other day since the Wests moved in. There’s some sort of irony in that.
Of course the need to really move in – as opposed to moving everything in and spending the next six months (or more) slowly unpacking – meant that not nearly as much progress has been made as we would have hoped. So I’m afraid to say that we will be ditching church today in favour of helping out once again. Not exactly the most restful weekend for any of us – especially Andrew – but I think at this point he’s prepared to do anything that might see him get his garage back.
Anyway, while I will be sorry to skip church, the old adage of every cloud having a silver lining rings true once again. And here we come to the really big news – which of course you know all about – the unexpected arrival last evening of Cameron and Ashley to tell us that they have got engaged!! There we were, all tired and bedraggled from a day of hard labour, but on hearing the news we all leapt out of our seats like the day was just beginning. We are truly delighted for them and I couldn’t help looking at the two of them and feeling amazed at the transformation in them both…and feeling a little bit nostalgic for that intensity of feeling that new love provokes if I’m really honest. Still, fleeting feelings are not reliable in a long-term sense, are they?
Cameron and Ashley only stayed a short while because they felt they should go and tell Ma and Pa Copeland, who, by the volume of voice during the phone call Andrew subsequently received from them, did not take the news well. Hopefully our enthusiasm in some way made up for such parental opposition. Anyway, as I said, our inability to go to church today does at least mean we will not be subjected to another ear bashing about the whole thing – although I thought Andrew handled things pretty well on the phone when he expressed our support of the engagement. Brave man!
Anyway, bless Cameron and Ashley as they commit to one another and start making wedding plans. I pray you would work in the hearts of Claire and William and help them come around where this engagement is concerned. Bless Caroline as she makes her new home and bless our endeavours this day as we try and get everything prepared for their final move. Only one question then remains: will this be the Wests last night with us? Amen, Lord, Amen