Life is precious

Today is my hubby's birthday (I started writing this on his birthday, and finished it almost two weeks later, and then accidentally deleted it and am now republishing it). I have long thought about the various factors that had to come together just right so the two of us would meet. However, just recently I was made aware of the fragile circumstances that actually brought him to this world.
Dumb me, I thought I was the only one who could have never been born. I knew my in-laws had issues, and that is why they divorced, but I really never knew that if just one decision would have been different, my husband wouldn't be here.
My father-in-law proposed to his current wife when they were younger, and she accepted. My stepmother-in-law is a military brat, so during one of their moves, she chose to tell my father-in-law he needed to date other people just to make sure he wasn't settling for her. (In the interest of full disclosure, two of my aunts and one cousin married their high-school sweethearts and are still together, many years later, so I have a soft spot for meeting your mate when you are young and sticking it out.) It was only because of that break-up that my in-laws even met and married. (MiMi, my stepmother-in-law, was never able to experience a live birth of a child of her own.)
Just think, if MiMi had never decided my father-in-law needed to date other people, my husband would never have been born.
Many times, when we look at those in our lives, we have no idea the multiple factors that had to fall into place just right to bring them here. Life is so precious, and could be gone in the blink of an eye.
I have experienced several miscarriages, so I know how fragile even pregnancy can be, then to compound that with the fragility of any relationship, and it is incredible to me sometimes to imagine that the world is as populated as it is.
God knew us while we were yet in our mother's womb. God has plans for us. We may fight those plans at times, but He will consistently show us opportunities to fulfill His plan for our life.
I have long believed God planned for my husband and I to be together. He may not have planned the broken road that got us to where we are, but He knew just what it would take to bring us together, and never gave up.
God has plans for everyone around us. Believe me, there are times when someone is frustrating me, I think God really has no clue what He is doing bringing this person into my life, but He does. There is never a time someone is brought into my life as an accident, and just their very existence is no accident either.
When someone is frustrating you, remember, there is a reason, and their life, no matter how frustrating to you at this point, is fragile. Just one change and they may not exist. Just one change and you would not have the chance to learn and grow from this encounter.
Life is precious, and God has a purpose for all of us.

Hard Work Ahead

We have taken a few days off from work (trucking) to enjoy life, and to make plans for the future. We took the truck in to have the turbo looked at, because it is now derating and throwing codes. We took this opportunity to do something we hear so many others do, but have never been able to do ourselves, rent a car and be tourists! What makes this even stranger is the fact we were tourists at locations within 300 miles of our own current home. It was so nice to do things we hadn't done, but always talked about, and make plans for the future.
One of the places we visited was The Lost Sea. My husband has talked about wanting to stop and see it for quite some time. It was incredible. Below is one of the fish in the largest underground lake.

The cave structures were beautiful and the trip was informative.

We had a great time, and would recommend it to anyone, just make sure you have your walking shoes on.

Every time we drive through Chattanooga, I see the signs for Ruby Falls, and comment how I would like to go there some time. My husband had been when he was younger. (Of the two, Lost Sea was more natural, and wanted things to remain untouched, but most of the rocks within arms length at Ruby Falls are smooth from the touch of millions of tourists.)

The Tower At Ruby Falls

Ruby Falls lit up red

The view of Chattanooga from the top of the tower

Again, it was beautiful. The tour was at a faster pace, but not quite the rigorous exercise. Between the two, we walked over two miles, and that was after I thought we had our exercise from the previous two days, during which point, we put earnest money on a piece of land in Parsons Shores, TN (which is where the hard work ahead comes into play).

Looking toward Lake Norris from the road.

Looking toward the lake from up the property a bit.

Looking up the property from up the property. (It goes over 200' up)

The flattest part of the land.

We have long dreamed of having a lake house. This property represents our dream. We realize we will have to work hard to clear it, and then to actually build a home will present an even larger challenge, but we are sure it will be worth it in the end.