One of Each

Jeff got off work early today and since we had some extra time this evening (and also because I didn't have any definitive dinner plans...I was in one of those, "hmm, I wonder if some food is going to materialize before my eyes the next time I look in the refrigerator" kind of moods), we went to our neighborhood market to pick up some Mexican food, then headed to the forest in the Jeep. We actually intended to go to a park close to our house--a park which is in the forest and has a river running through it, but which also has picnic tables and fairly smooth roads leading into it. However when we arrived there, there was a gate across the road into the park; for some reason that we couldn't figure out, the park was closed. Jeff wasn't the least bit discouraged though so we kept driving up the main road and looked for paths into the forest. Well, we found them--paths, that is--they weren't smooth, and sometimes they led through huge mud puddles or even small streams--but we kept driving (you can go anywhere in a Jeep!) and eventually found a great place next to the river where we stopped, got out, ate our dinner, threw rocks and sticks into the river, watched Jeff demonstrate skipping rocks, and generally had a wonderful time enjoying God's beautiful creation! (And after we left the forest, we drove into town for some chocolate ice cream from Kline's which we brought home and shared with Grandpa and Grandma!) :)

As we bounced our way into the forest, I couldn't help but notice the glaring differences between Josiah and David. David was calmly and happily looking around at everything, not disturbed in the least by all the ruckus. Josiah, on the other hand, was--shall we say?--expressing his concern about how things were going and, subsequently, trying to tell Jeff what to do, where to go, and how to get there. It probably didn't help his anxiety level that a couple of times the engine died, and it took a few minutes for it to start again. It probably also didn't help that the Jeep had just spent a few weeks at the mechanic's being fixed, and today was the first day to see whether it really was fixed! But for whatever reason, Josiah was a worried little boy for a while.

Based on what we've just read in The Treasure Tree (which I wrote about previously), I encouraged Josiah to practice being an otter or even a lion, quick to see the joy and humor in life and quick to embrace adventure--and he could relate to that because of his familiarity with that book.

As I reflected on all of this later, I realized two things: first, I am so grateful for Jeff bringing out the lion/otter side of me. When I considered marrying him, I knew that life with him would be an adventure; and as I look back, I'm so glad that he has both provided the adventure as well as helping to shape my character to really appreciate the adventure and handle it with "let's just see how this turns out" grace and not "I'm pulling my hair out" stress.

Second, it struck me that as our family of four jolted along in our Jeep, we had one of each "animal" in the vehicle...Jeff is our fearless lion...I tend to be the golden retriever...Josiah was acting out his beaver side to a T...and David was our happy-go-lucky otter. Though I realize that the boys' personalities may change somewhat as they get older (particularly David's since he is so young and it's hard to really accurately assess his personality at this point), it was very interesting to me how God put us together as a unit--and how when we function together using each other's strengths, we can have a wonderfully happy family adventure!