30 miles from the nearest stoplight, I breathed a sigh of relief and the scent of fresh manure.

It was Thanksgiving and we were in the country.

No Wi-Fi and spotty cell-service, I celebrated the disconnect.

Forced to focus on the immediate needs of our immediate family, I found myself face-to-face with an uncomfortable reality:

How often am I looking for distraction?

On top of a baby with special needs, our just-turned four-year-old has been increasingly demanding of our attention this past year, pushing us past our breaking point.

And yet every time I look for a solution, I find her need to connect more with us- her parents.

Third-born, she craves it.  Her behavior refuses to be forgotten.

And yet, exhausted, how much more do we have left to give?

The answer?

We have more.

Dig deeper.

Try harder.

Find patience.

Because when everything else fades away, aside from the manure, nothing else matters.