Through the Seasons

After Two Years Together

Now we’re apart. 

Two years ago I quit my full-time job to begin training and preparing for the mission field.  Jonathan, of course, was doing the same thing so all this time we’ve been together practically every minute of every day working on the same things at the same time. 

But now he gets up and goes to work every day and I stay home.  Except a few times between jobs I haven’t been totally “at home” since before I was 16.  And I guess that doesn’t count because I was in school. 

It’s strange getting to the end of the day and not already knowing everything that happened to Jonathan.  He’ll come home now and tell me all these stories and I’m thinking, “Wow, I wasn’t there for any of that.”  So then I tell him my stories which I fear are not as exciting as his…  I put Asher down for a nap.  I read to him.  He pooped on me.  He pee’d on me.  He puked on me.  He slept.  He woke up.  But.  That is, in fact, my day and I’m grateful to be able to stay home with him.  I was rocking him to sleep last night and just studying the details of his features and I looked up at Jonathan and said, “I never thought I’d get this chance.”  I’m so, so thankful for him.

But, enough of the mushy stuff.  As much as I miss Jonathan during the day and wish we were still together a lot more, I’m so proud of him and what he’s doing here.  Hopefully he’ll blog soon about his projects and what all is in the works because it’s exciting stuff and the reason we’re here.  Outside of the work itself, we are interacting with more Tanzanians (the workers here and people in town) than we thought we would.  It’s frustrating for me because I still want to get the language perfect before speaking it but I’m risking my neck more and more by speaking more and more.  The only problem I have now is when people think I know the language and start talking really fast.  Oops.  “I’m sorry.  I gave you the wrong impression!”  Then there are other times that I just pretend I understand.  I did that with Mama Imanueli the other day and later realized I let her have two days off.  Hmmm…  Sometimes it pays to clarify what you’re talking about.

And as far as the office goes, they do need accounting help and have made that quite clear.  There is no pressure for me to help but I told the director that I would see what all is involved with month-end and if I think I can handle it I’ll help.  Once I agreed to do that, however, I was told there is a cash box system that has to be run certain hours 3 days a week and if I have time after all that there are other things I can help with.  I haven’t broken the news yet that my involvement will be minimal because Asher does take priority and a baby is quite demanding of your time really.  But I’ll do what I can, nothing more, and not feel guilty about it.  (Yes, folks, that would be a new leaf being turned over.  That is the second time this week I have refused feeling guilty for doing what is best for me and my family.  Go me.)