Decision Time

.....well....not quite yet, but inevitable. I'm leaning toward not returning to Honduras next summer. I know, I know....don't cry...it'll be OK. I've been thinking about it for the last 2 years, and as much as serving in Honduras means to me, my family comes first. Both Jaxon and Kaia are in school full time now. My wife just returned to work nearly full time, changing the dynamic that has existed for the last 6 or so years. We're going to need to go on a family vacation together in the summer. For the last 4 or 5 years, she and the kids have traveled to Indiana to visit with family while I went to Honduras. And it worked out well. She wasn’t home alone with the kids for 12 days and was able to do lots of fun things with my babies. But there in lies the problem. I missed out on all those neat trips to the Zoo, and to visit old friends, and hangout with family, etc. Not for MY entertainment, but to share those experiences with my kids. They are growing like weeds, and it’s scary to think about but we’re already 6 ½ years into this chapter of our lives, and we only have 12 years to go. We’re 1/3 the way through parenthood!! That’s unreal!! And the major formidable years are right now!! I’ve got to take advantage of every opportunity possible, before they slip away. This morning, before I left for work, I asked Jaxon to give me a hug so I could go. He climbed up in my lap, wrapped his arms and legs around me and just squeezed….and squeezed. I was touched. It made me think…that now matter how deep our relationship grows as he matures, there won’t be too many more opportunities for that to happen. Before I know it, he’ll be “too big” to be sitting on my lap, or kiss me in front of his friends, or whatever. Same thing for Kaia. She’s already so independent and she’s only 5!! I’m rambling….point is…I want to experience things with my wife and kids, together, as a family, not in a youth group environment, and the best time to take a long trip is in the summer, when work is slow and they are off school. There is an outside chance that I may go for 5 days or so, but that remains to be seen. I’ll still be the recruiter/point man for the area, keep my seat on the TORCH board (until they pry it from my cold, dead hands), and support the ministry in every way. That’s all for now. You can send your tear-soaked tissues to me @ bmcooper21@comcast.net