Life With Us...

Well, not every Christmas card, but a lot of them. :) I guess this time of year takes a lot of us down memory lane... And it seems every year as I sign my cards and prepare to send them far and near, to all those we see often and rare :), the words I write remind me of one certain lady. Probably not the best example I had, but she was my friend… she loved me… she had time, or at least allowed me to follow her around, when I needed an escape... One year at Christmas, she was certain she had no time to sign her own Christmas cards, and so I offered to help her out. I was at home still and had no cards of my own to send, I had the time, so... She gave me two phrases to write along with signing her name and her daughter's name. I still use those words, I mean it from the heart when I wish you a "wonderful" or "great" Christmas. Every time I write those words (especially "wonderful"!), I am reminded of my friend. Thankful for her investment in me, yet sor...

Every time I return "home" to YV, I am reminded of God's goodness. He has shown me such grace. He used such ordinary people, doing the most common every day things to achieve the extraordinary in my life. I was reminded tonight in a conversation with "mom" that I learned to do all I know how to do (as a housewife, that is), by simply watching "my ladies" live their lives. I'd go to their homes and visit and watch them iron clothes, do dishes, make beds, fix dinner or other daily chores and that is how I learned to do those things. There is much I would never had known how to do of those ladies (some widows and some not) hadn't opened their lives, their homes and been willing to invest their time. It brought tears to my eyes. What an amazing God I have. He loves me enough to gift me so many dear people to prepare me, to teach me, to guide me to become the person He intended, so I could do the job He has for me. It's overwhelming to s...

I was enduring the "joy" of paying bills (suppose there should be some gratitude for the fact that the money is there for us to be ABLE to pay out bills, but yeah…), and I happened across a letter from a friend written in 2007. There wasn't anything special about the letter. It was just an update on her life at the moment. I could have easily thrown away the letter back then. But yesterday it was a bittersweet treasure. This dear one is still alive and welcomes visits whenever I can get there, but I know I will never get another letter written in that writing. And I know I may not see her again on this side of eternity. Finding the letter brought back pleasant memories of her and her fellow widow ladies. What a sweet group of ladies they were, and she is the last one still here… when she leaves… it will be the end of a special chapter in my life… Oh I am so thankful God gives us good memories to store in our hearts and mind and to remember, even when those memories may m...

She is my best friend. He is the greatest! I am so full of thankfulness and gratitude for their love to me and my family, I don't hardly have the words! We had the greatest time with them. We went to the fair! The kids got to go on some rides and Barbara got to milk a goat... And we were able to share those memories with "Grandma and Grandpa". Then the next day they went to church with us! What fun to share that special time with ones so dear to us! Then the day after that we went to the coast! We got to share a visit to the Redwoods and make some great memories on the beach. We camped (grandma & grandpa roughed it in a hotel. LOL) and visited and played on the beach for two days before they had to head home. Some great memories. And just another reminder how great God is. How amazing. So thankful for such a special couple willing to be used to show His love to us... It overwhelms me every time I think on it. The things we did were not spectacular or overly s...

Wow. What a great time. God is so good! 23 years, at least, and we were able to visit like we had never lost touch! Isn't amazing how God knits the hearts and spirits of His children together?? I haven't made my solo trip to CA in five years, and now I am dragging my "perfect" children with me. They did great eight hours total (6 1/2 driving), and very little whining or bickering. And GOOD attitudes once we arrived at our destination... Even though mom was distracted catching up with friends after 23 years, they still obeyed and did as they knew they were supposed to (can you tell? I am SO proud of them!) Good friends & good fellowship, bringing praise and glory to God! What is better??

Some unwise, false prophet predicted that today the world would begin it's last days… that Christ would come for His Church, today. He claimed to have proof based on scripture… The truth about that event is… that God alone knows the time of His Son's return, and nobody else can know. It angers me to hear such false predictions. It makes Christianity something to laugh at. It allows the world (saved and unsaved alike) to joke about a very real event. It encourages people to make decisions based on fear, then when what they fear doesn't happen, they are (justifiably) angered because of being lied to. It allows people to say the Bible is a book of lies, and thus God is a liar… The rapture will happen. We don't know when, it will come upon us as a thief in the night, a surprise when nobody can plan for it in advance. We need to live like everyday is the last day, because it could be. God cannot lie. He will destroy humanity as He has described it in the book of Revelation...

We've got a superhero in our house these days. Not exactly sure what sparked this imagination trip, but its a fun one! The other day at the park our superhero rescued his damsel in distress many times. It was so cute to watch his friend (visiting from Washington) get her self set and call for help, so Super-Duper Thomas could help her… Then tonight we were getting ready for dinner. And as Barbara started to climb into her chair she exclaimed,"Oh no! There's yogurt in my chair! I don't want to sit in yogurt.". "Super-Duper Thomas to the rescue!! I know just how to fix your problem!" With that he climbed up to the kitchen counter and asked me to hand him a paper towel. After discovering the yogurt had dried some. He stopped and said,"What can we do about this?" (fortunately the kids' chairs are covered in plastic). "I know just what to do!" and he took the paper towel to the bathroom and got it wet. Then he came back and wiped off ...

The weirdest thing happened today during Bible Study. The power went out. A few minutes Pastor came in and told us the power would mostlikely be off until at least noon, and we might want to adjust our schedule accordingly. Not bothered by the idea, the teacher returned her attention to her book, and I said," God can turn the lights back on whenever He wants, Pastor." as soon as I said those words, the lights came back on! More joking than not, I turned to the lady beside me and said," all He had to do was say 'let there be light'!". Then we noticed… the kitchen lights still didn't work… of the (I think) 6 rows of lights in the Fellowship Hall, only the two rows over us came on… the heater was only working on our half of the FH. And the TV and DVD player worked for us. Brad spent the rest of the morning trying to figure out why only some of the lights were working. The TV and DVD player quit (thanks to Brad) just as the DVD segment for today ended. A f...

We took Thomas, yesterday, to see the allergy specialist. We got news that wasn't too surprising: his allergy to milk and soy are gone…. We also got some news a little more surprising: his sensitivity to peanuts has quadrupled! On a scale of 1-???, where 14=a 100% chance of reaction every time exposed to the food, three years ago he "scored" a 15, yesterday we discovered that he is now a 60! Doctor said T is guaranteed to react and pretty significantly every time he encounters peanuts. Considering it's a life threatening allergy, I appreciate the peanut-free policy our church has adopted. I know there are some who assume it's because of our son (the assistant pastor's child), that the policy was adopted… no, it was because of T the importance of protecting the kids who come and we are unaware of their allergies the policy was put in place. Peanut allergy is the most common food allergy, and it is a life-threatening allergy. People say, watch your kid and le...

Oh how I dread grocery shopping. It's always been work. Miserable. A necessary thing because… we have to eat. It's less fun with the kids, we never seem to get to the store before their bedtime, no matter how hard we try… and no matter what it seems we always spend a minimum of 100 dollars (every two weeks). There is lots to be thankful for (and I am): we have the $$ to spend, we have grocery stores to go to, the kids usually have pleasant attitudes even though they are always tired when we go… Last night I had a truly bright moment! One of my favorite things to do is file away in my mind something unique that someone wants or is looking for, then if I happen across it while shopping, buy it!!! And give it to them as a gift… Last night at the grocery store God gave me one of those moments. It was the last one on the shelf (so Brad couldn't talk me into waiting to talk to the person and think about it, etc…), and the first one I have seen anywhere in the 7 or 8 years I have...

It is so fun to help my child learn. To see his perspective of the simplest things. To see him try hard, and glow with pride of a job well done. To help him understand the importance of keeping at it even when it's hard because perseverance and enduring are necessary and the more we practice something, the easier it becomes… Even more amazing is to watch and listen as he puts things together on his own with ideas that have been presented to him… like the order of events or how things should go, or spelling out the letters on a sign and knowing that it reads the name of the place ("because Walmart starts with 'W'.") The most amazing part is how much I am learning that teaching is not just a few minutes (right now) or hours each day a few days a week, but it is all day everyday. Like in Deuteronomy 11:19 "and ye shall teach them your children, speaking if them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when th...

So excited. The bits and pieces seem to be coming together quite nicely for a summer adventure… me & my kids-a road trip in California. :) Summer is a little ways off still, but I can at least dream of the sun when I can't see it :). If I get the answer I am hoping for from one more couple… and call Brad's aunt, we should be able to make the whole trip with no hotel stays, and get to see at least 9 friends… Barbara is making great strides in her potty training. Good times… good friends… good memories… I can hardly wait!!!!!!!

It hits me in sudden waves of realization. He is such a little person! He acts so grown-up. Good manners. Polite. Helpful. Considerate. Thoughtful. Caring. It's amazing… He is definitely not my baby boy anymore… the toddler stage is long past… he is 100% little boy! And sometimes "little" doesn't seem the appropriate description. He makes us laugh with his proclamation of being "a grown-up" and what "grown-ups" do/like and don't do/like… he's not grown-up yet, but he is on his way, and will most likely get there before I am fully ready for it…

Cough, cough, cough… cry… snore, snore, snore… that's what I hear right now. One sweet child is finally fever free after a week. His voice is still raspy, and he still has a cough, but "all better" is just around the corner. His sister, probably has a few more days to go… fortunately she doesn't tend to get as sick as he does, but she is more likely to invade our sleep. Which is only a problem if I need to function the next day. lol Tonight I go to sleep praising the Lord that they are both on the way to well, their sickest moments of this virus seem to be past, and hopefully in a couple days all will be back to normal-whatever that is :)

I can't remember missing the sun so… my favorite season has always been winter. I love the rain and the clouds. The sunshine hurts my eyes and the heat renders me useless. The cold does hurt, but the mellowness of sunlight filtered thru the clouds has always been a wonderful almost cozy-feeling thing to me… until this winter. This year I am tired of being cold… tired of snow (even if it only sticks for a few hours-SO thankful I live where the snow stays on the mountains!)… tired of the wet… maybe I'm just tired. LOL Maybe because it felt like summer never really arrived last year. We had a break in the rain and clouds, but it never really got HOT. I am not looking forward to the allergies of Spring, or the extreme heat of summer, but a break in the clouds will be nice… for a few weeks :)

Not exactly sure how this will go. I got so used to blogging with the other blog, that I miss doing it. lol. I don't really know what I will write about, but maybe just a journal about life… or random thoughts that pass thru my mind… or something or nothing. lol.