Have Joy in Building the Tent, Life is Short!

Oh my goodness! It’s been so long since I’ve blogged. I always wonder if there will be this moment I forget how to blog or maybe I’ll have nothing else to say. I’ve been so busy with my house that time, sometimes escapes me, even when I get those free moments. And it’s summer! I love summer❤️. I love every season in Ohio, but the winter we just had was so long. And I’m enjoying my kids so much and our adventures.

I find myself sitting on my patio drinking in the beautiful blue skies and endless fluffy white clouds. And I couldn’t wait to share this adventure with all of you! I snuck away with my kids last week, and away from the house building journey and went camping! Yes! My son has been wanting for me to take him and finally, I thought “yes, I’m going to take him”. And never would I have thought, I’d tackle this adventure by myself as a single mom.

I was so nervous lol! I looked for a month for the perfect tent. ⛺️ I got the car all packed in record time and made it to the campsite. We found this lovely spot by the happy, bubbling creek.

I felt quite brave that I was really doing this camping thing. Benjamin rode off to explore on his bike and lillian was at a 4-H meeting. But the tent box boasted of “easy set up” and I was sure I could do it, even by myself.

I got the tent out of the box and positioned it on the ground, I was ready to tackle this! But then something was wrong, no directions? I frantically searched and could not find them. I had no cell signal so couldn’t even look it up on the website. Then he came, “Defeat”. I knew what it felt like when he smacked me in the face. He wasn’t subtle, he came full force. He never fully left my life. but waited to pounce on any opportunity he could. He bullied “Joy” and dared her to make her appearance. And there I was: me, my disassembled tent, and ugly “Defeat” strangling my joy, and laughing at my failed attempt.

I slowly got up with “Defeat” whispering his lies and tears intermingled with my sweat. This wasn’t just about me being able to set my tent up. This was about me and so many things I wanted to accomplish for my kids and myself. It was about years of being treated like any of my accomplishments were worthless so therefore: I was worthless. “Defeat” took my breath away. I tried one more time and flipped the inner bag over. The directions were under the label in small print! I laughed and “Defeat” quickly maneuvered as to not loose his foothold. But it was too late.

I quickly positioned the tent and started with the poles. At first it was hard by myself but after many attempts I got the poles in and the tent up.

I wanted to shout to anyone looking. Look what I did, I put this tent together, by myself! But no one was there, but it didn’t matter, because “Defeat” had left during my celebration. Oh, I wish I could share this exact moment with you. I know, people put tents up everyday. But this meant so much more to me. I thought after becoming a single mom I couldn’t do these things for my kids. But I was wrong.

The kids and I played in the creek, and had a fire, and of course s’mores. sat at the lake, played putt putt, and made chicken on our grill. And then….that night we had torrential, pouring rain! And we lay in the tent laughing together about how hard it was raining. Long after my kids fell asleep I lay there and listened to the rain. I pondered how “I” this single mom could be so blessed with so much. I had my kids, my parents, a wonderful, kind man in my life, my church, and my friends. I wondered if someday my story about my tent would help someone, because I knew I would blog it someday. My life isn’t perfect, sometimes “Defeat” comes and steals my “Joy” temporarily. But yet, this time I was strong enough. So for me, my lesson? Have Joy! Sometimes, it’s something as simple as putting together a tent to show us: “Hey, we got this!” We can do this thing called life, with joy, despite temporary defeat. Oh, and my tent never did leak that night of the pouring rain.😝Just incase you wondered?