I thought now would be an excellent time to break the 2 1/2 month silence since I just experienced one of the most embarrassing moments of my life. It's a moment that doesn't quite trump the time my dad thought I was my mom and seriously scarred me for life, but it's close. I'll get to that a bit later, though.

For those of you who don't already know, I spent nearly two months back "home" with my family and friends. I guess you could say that Brian and I went through a pretty serious time of uncertainty in our marriage, and I just needed my family there next to me. I spent a few weeks completely confused, a few weeks in "counseling" with the handful of people I am so blessed to call my brothers and sisters in Christ, a few weeks working my tail off with mom's new business (more on that in the coming weeks!), and a few weeks reconciling with Brian. It was by far the best visit home I've ever had, and I appreciate how the people we love absolutely covered us in prayers! I assure you they've been answered.

I hesitated even saying anything here about this "valley" in our marriage, but want to make it clear that I don't keep this site going to inflate my ego. I'm not trying to find my 15 minutes of fame or to add to the plethora of egocentric individuals out there in cyberspace. I want you all to know that we need your prayers every day and that your participation here greatly encourages us. I wish I could describe how it thrills my heart to know that our loved ones enjoy hearing about all the funny and ridiculous things we experience, but I am equally blessed by your encouragement through the hard times.

Brian and I are content to accept both God's blessings AND the hard lessons we must learn - knowing that everything works together for the good of those who love the Lord. That has carried me and Brian through some difficult times these past few years. Knowing that God is glorified through our reconciliation is something I feel is important to share!

Speaking of reconciliation...I've enjoyed the past several days back in Walsham le Willows. Brian is working the night shift this week, so we're keeping a ridiculous schedule here. Going to bed around 6 a.m. Waking up around 2 p.m. It's very confusing, and I'm pretty sure I'm still a bit jet lagged.

Around 1:00 a.m. I was just doing some laundry and picking up all the junk I brought back from the U.S., when I decided to send a text message to my husband. I simply responded to his earlier text and also described in some graphic detail my anticipation about his return home from work. I knew he would be unable to read it for several hours, so I just sent it and returned to my housework. A few hours later, I checked my phone for messages and realized that I hadn't sent that text to Brian at all. Not only did he not receive it, a poor, unsuspecting neighbor of mine received it instead!

Needless to say I couldn't call or text to explain since it is now the middle of the night, so I sent her daughter a Facebook message hoping by some small miracle she could explain before her mother got my text. I know good and well it is not going to work out that way, but I had to do SOMETHING to help my face return to a normal shade. We're gonna need to move.

I also posted a message about my little fiasco on Facebook and had more than a dozen responses within an hour! Unbelievable. Technology is such a wonderfully dangerous thing, isn't it?

This is a lesson my father also learned the hard way several years ago. Mom and I were in the car together, and her cell phone rang. When I noticed it was dad, I told her I would answer it. APPARENTLY, my mother and I sound exactly alike on the phone, because I got the kind of earful no daughter should ever have to hear. I'm pretty sure dad wasn't able to look me in the eye some two or three years after that incident. I now preface every phone conversation with him by saying, "Dad, this is your daughter."

Well, daddy, I guess all those years of making fun of you has finally caught up with me. I suppose I'll have to stick to "Have a nice day" and "TTYL" (talk to you later). Anything else is just too dangerous.

PS - Stay tuned as I update our blog readers on our adventures in America - including working with my mother and the World's Longest Yard Sale!