The sun is not my friend

A lot is going on related to some of my previous posts, but at the moment, I don't feel like writing about it. So, soon I'll try to write an update.

For now, I just have to vent that the sun, who has always been a delightful friend, has turned on me. I am suffering from a severe sunburn all over the tops of my legs. Yesterday, Adam and I met a college friend and her children at the YMCA waterpark in Millington. I lathered my fair-skinned boy in 50 block sunscreen. However, I only put sunscreen on my arms and shoulders, thinking I would be in the water most of the time, and my legs wouldn't see the sun much.

Adam really hated the waterpark and clung to me for dear life, so we spent most of our time snuggling on the lawn chair, with my legs completely exposed to the sun. We did spend some time in the indoor pool, where the water was warm, and I assume Adam felt like he was swimming in a wet diaper. He got pretty comfortable in his inflatable seat and nearly dosed off a few times had it not been for some children splashing him.

The good news: I've learned this painful lesson early enough that I will do anything to not repeat it throughout the summer, especially during our vacation in a few weeks.

It's hard out here for a church-planter's wife

I've been a church planter's wife for seven years to the date. One of the hardest things for me has been belonging to a strong community and making deep relationships with other women. Today I realized that the only adult interaction I have during the week since we've lived in Memphis is with my husband and his mother. Occassionally, I interact with my mother or sister via phone calls. Other than that, it's just the mail man, the construction workers across the street, and sometimes a neighbor or two. I am lonely.

Last weekend, I went to St. Louis to visit my best friend from high school. She now lives in Boston with her husband. It was the first time in 5 years that I had seen her. But our friendship picked up right where it left off. I loved spending time with her. We didn't have to try. Even when we became friends in 8th grade, we could just hang out and be with each other. It seems that the older I get, the harder it is to have this type of friendship. There has to be purpose for getting together. But sometimes, I just need a friend to be with.

I love being a church-planter's wife. I love being a church-planter. But sometimes during the transitions (which we have had a lot of in 7 years), it gets lonely. Today, we are going to Adela's birthday party. She turns one tomorrow, a day before Adam turns one. I met her and her parents at Otherlands last week. Maybe they will be new friends. Maybe I will find a new friend at my job that I start tomorrow.