Lighting a Fire...

Word of the Year

2012-01-02T20:07:00.000-08:00

So, I have been really leery to have a word of the year this year. Last year I had "intentional joy". It was one of the hardest years of my life. I was scared to pick a new word.

The word "Hope" kept coming back to me. I was afraid of what that could entail. I still didn't want to claim it, but after several confirmations I decided to go for it.

Yesterday, I was drinking tea from my new travel mug I got for Christmas. I had originally bought two mugs for a wedding present for my nephew and his wife, but then decided I should find something else for their wedding. I ended up giving one of the mugs to my dh and the other to me for Christmas. I just wrapped them up and didn't think anything about it.

Fast forward to yesterday, as I was drinking my tea. I looked at the mug more closely. Guess what the mug says? "Hope" "Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. Isa. 40:31"

Sweet unexpected blessing...

2011-11-30T20:10:00.000-08:00

I had something like that happen to me the other day. I was at the Dollar tree looking at Christmas ornaments and this little old man came up and asked if I was Norwegian. I said, yes I am. He then proceeded to sing me a Norwegian song set to the tune of O Christmas tree. It had 5 verses! He sang it loud and clear so everyone could hear! I had a hard time not crying, as my dad was very proud of his Norwegian heritage and would have loved to learn the song and chat with the man. I wish my kids had been with me that day, but it was sweet none-the-less.

Our Christmas Cards this year...

2011-11-08T10:23:00.000-08:00

Stationery card

View the entire collection of cards.

Wanna see something cool?

2011-08-10T20:16:00.000-07:00

We were working with a group for an art project for Seattle Children's hospital. they are going to auction it off. http://youtu.be/1J5Hktupd8Y?hd=1. It was a lot of fun. I thought the video was really cool. You get to see my whole crew too.

What my mother did and does for me that I still do for others...

2011-05-07T17:33:00.000-07:00

My mother is a prayer warrior. No matter where I was as a child, or young adult, I could count on her prayers. I remember being on a youth group trip to the ocean and nearly drowning. After being in the rip tide for 30 minutes I had no strength left. I opened my mouth to take a breath of water and join my beloved Jesus, but God had other plans. God performed a major miracle and transported me 500 yards in an instant to our youth group leader who carried me out of the ocean. It was exactly at that time that my mother knew something was wrong, and was praying for me. When I got home after the weekend she asked me, what happened at 2:43 p.m. on Saturday? God knew I needed my mother's prayers.
When I was at Bible college, I know it was my mother's prayers that helped me get through exams and illness. When I was a missionary in Israel, my mother set a time to pray for me everyday. Even today through my children's illnesses and hospitalizations, I know my mom's prayers are with me. It is a comforting thought to think back over the years and see what God has brought me through.
I am endeavoring to be a prayer warrior like my mom. When people share their troubles with me, I might not have all the answers, but I can pray! I am trying to teach my children to pray for others as well. God wants us to be in daily communication with Him. This is not just for dramatic, life threatening things, but the simple everyday things as well. Finances, Health, Relationships, God is concerned with every aspect of our lives. Prayer really does change things.

Home again....

2011-04-24T18:03:00.000-07:00

We're home again. We got to spend Easter with our church family. It was so good to be back. We were going to spend the day with my parents. However, that is dependent upon the weather. Yesterday it was sunny and 70 degrees. We figured we could be outside at my parents place. Unfortunately, the weather is rainy today, so we're not able to go. We'll have an empty Easter egg hunt here at home. It's different, but good.

Happy Easter!

Battle of the Sweet tooth

2011-04-21T11:08:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'll admit it. I have a terrible sweet tooth. I think I could eat candy or sweets practically at any time of the day. Today, they called over the loud speaker that the coffee cart was available for the next ten minutes. They give free coffee to the parents every so often. Today I went down, and they had two big boxes of fancy donuts, chocolate covered marshmellows, and robin eggs! Oh my. I wanted a little of each! Then, I remembered that back at the room were two kids that have been newly dignosed with diabetes. It would be so mean of me to bring in all the treats. Normally, I would bring a little treat back for the kids to eat too. However, if I do that now, that means they get another poke and shot. Treats just aren't worth extra pokes anymore. So I skipped all the sweets, got a cup of coffee and two hotwheels. I came back to the room with a clear conscience and happy kids. This adjustment is so hard for the kids, and just a little bit hard for me. I wonder how long it takes to get rid of a sweet tooth?

I was looking at a friend's blog post and saw her signature after each post. I thought it looked pretty cool, so I thought I would make one for my blog too. Here it is:

What do you think? :-)

Sunny Outlook...

2011-04-20T16:48:00.001-07:00

We just got a surprise package here at the hospital! A secret somebody got us an adorable little owl. It's solar powered and shakes it's head back and forth. It is a reminder to us that, No, we shouldn't worry about tomorrow, but have a "sunny outlook" (the name of the owl) and let God take care of it all. :-)

Now every time I start to get overwhelmed, I look at the little owl who is constantly telling me "No!". I have to smile and give it back to God.

I don't have a camera here at the hospital, but I'll try to post a picture later.

Intentional Joy

2011-04-20T12:34:00.000-07:00

This year has not proven to be the best year. We started the year in the hospital with Josiah and Christalin's Cystic Fibrosis acting up. While we were in the hospital, I got notice that my dad's cancer was back. In February, our whole family got the flu. We were sick for the whole month. March was a laid back month, as we were still trying to recover. Then in April, we went in for a fasting glucose test. Unfortunately, both Christalin and Josiah tested postive for diabetes. In my eyes, this was one of the worst things that could happen. Both Josiah and Christalin have always had major needle anxiety. They do not deal with them very well. We have had the Child Life Specialists help them through many a blood draw and dressing change. Our hospital room has always been a safe place. Now it is not.

Now they have to get poked on their fingers at least five times a day. They have to get insulin shots at least four times a day. I have to administer them all. The moans from my son, and the fear in my daughter's eyes as I come near them, is enough to break your heart. I don't understand why they had to have diabetes. It seems overwhelming. It turns out that Christalin has Cystic Fibrosis related diabetes, whereas Josiah has Diabetes Type 1. With Josiah having Type 1, it means it is an auto-immune disorder, which can lead to other auto-immune diseases such as thyroid problems and Celiac disease. Fortunately, the thyroid tests have come back negative. Unfortunately, the Celiac tests were not sent to the lab, due to an oversight. They just turned them in yesterday. It will take two weeks for the results to come back. I am still praying that they come back negative. Honestly, Josiah has enough on his plate right now.

Hopefully we will all be able to go home tomorrow. They have approved Christalin, but have not approved Josiah. I told them that they need to go home together, as I don't have anyone at home to take care of Christalin's diabetes management while Mike is at work. We'll see what happens.

My word for the year is "Intentional Joy". I wish I hadn't picked that word. I am having a hard time finding joy in these circumstances. There is never going to be an end of the pokes and shots. This is their life. Both of my children want to be missionaries. This will make it all the more harder for them. I know God is in control, but it is so hard right now.

Help for the Heaviness

2011-03-09T13:12:00.000-08:00

My heart has been so heavy lately The state of our country, physical ailments of love ones and friends broken marriages.... the list goes on and on. How do I lift my head above the torrential heaviness? I drive down the freeway and look at all the lonely people. Every one of them in a hurry to get somewhere, but only a few with a real destination. Most people just look at the here and now and forget about eternity. They seem so blind. I want to shout out, "Wake up!" Instead, I use my frequent trips to Seattle for prayer drives. I pray for all the lonely people looking for something to fill the void. I pray that their eyes would be opened to the only One who will fill the void. My heart is still heavy, but God is still in control. When I lift my eyes to the Lord and lose myself in praise of Him, everything else fades away. Why am I surprised when the heaviness is lifted? Darkness and light cannot be together. Yes, our old world is in mess. However, God is still God. He is in control. I need to rest in that.

A great pizza story!

2011-02-03T21:32:00.000-08:00

Steve Lambert, publisher of the Five in a Row curriculum shared this story on the boards. It blessed me so I really wanted to share it with you all. Enjoy!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A woman got up in church about 30 years ago at a midweek service and wanted to give a testimony. Now this woman was NOT emotionally stable for any variety of reasons and I half cringed when she stood up.

Sure enough, she told how last Friday night she and a girl friend had been so broke. They were just sitting in the parking lot of their apartment complex in her car talking and praying. It was past midnight on a hot summer night. Their windows were rolled down and as they prayed they began to pray for a pizza. They asked God to just send them a pizza; like manna from heaven. They poured out their hearts earnestly and how they had absolutely NO money but really wanted a pizza. Suddenly a large, warm, fresh pepperoni pizza in a box came floating in the driver's side window and slid to a stop on the dash.

Oh groan. Come ON!! Just how GULLIBLE do you think we are? A few people applauded nervously. Most just stared at the floor- me included. SO embarrassing!!

About 2 or 3 years later I was talking with a friend. We were comparing notes about ministry, jobs, tentmaking, etc. He mentioned that he had even worked as a pizza delivery driver for a few months several years earlier.

I commented that it must have been a weird job.

He agreed, saying, "I was robbed, beaten, not tipped, etc. I barely covered the cost of gas on some nights. And we got pranked from time to time too. Like one Friday night about 11:30 a guy called in an order for 12 large pizzas to go. He never showed up even though I had to wait till past closing time for him. The boss gave up and finally let us go about 12:15. He gave each of us several pizzas from the bogus order to take home."

He continued... "It was kind of fun though. Do you remember "so-and-so" (insert the woman's name who had given the 'pizza testimony' several years earlier.) At the time she lived in the same apartment complex as I did. I got home about 12:30 and I saw she and a friend sitting in their car talking with the windows rolled down. I thought it would be fun to prank them- and bless them at the same time, so I crept up between the parked cars and then kind of SAILED a large pepperoni in her window like a Frisbie. It went right under her nose and slid to a stop on her dash! So that was kind of fun!"

I responded, "Um.... did she ever see you or know you were there?"

"Nope. I crept up and she was so excited about the pizza she never even bothered to look around and see where it came from and I got away scott free. It was a hoot!!"

Moral: I REPENT GOD! Forgive my UNBELIEF!! I am a cynic and a doubter. Please, please forgive me!!

I've NEVER forgotten that story. Even the most IMPOSSIBLE testimonies are possible with God!!

Sigh,

Steve __________________
Publisher
Five in a Row

Living in a Fishbowl....

2011-01-20T13:23:00.000-08:00

So, I'm still here at Children's with Josiah. It is day16. Christalin went home a couple of days ago.

I had been trying to call my mom for a couple of weeks and haven't gotten an answer. Well, I finally got a hold of my dad. The news is not good. His cancer is back. They can't operate. They are giving him three months.

How can I deal with this information? I'm trying to be so strong for my kids. Nurses and doctors are coming in all day long, so I can't cry. It is a fishbowl here. I went to the chapel to cry and pray. I was alone and it felt good to have time to pray and cry. All too soon, someone put their hand on my shoulder. They were starting a meeting. I just want to be alone, so I left. I'm feeling like a freak trying not to cry. Where can I be alone? I went up to the 5th floor and down a seldom used hallway. I stood facing the corner and cried. People still came through the hallway so it wasn't private either. My heart hurts. Because of my kids MRSA I wont be able to hug my dad, or even touch him. Now I wont ever be able to again. How sad is that? He is in so much pain. I don't want him to suffer. But I want my daddy. I don't want to say goodbye already.

Well, here comes another therapist. Time to put my happy mask on and choke back the tears. That's what mama's do best right?

Quotes to Ponder...

2011-01-19T10:06:00.000-08:00

I haven't kept up with my quotes to ponder for a while. This post will be a bit different from ones in the past. I'm sitting up at Children's Hospital with a bit of a heavy heart.

I just talked to my dad. He has been having pains in his stomach. The doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong with him. They did test after test and everything came back negative. Until today. The cancer is back. He already started chemotherapy, which means we will not be able to see him or my mom for at least another six months due to my kid's MRSA.

The good news is that Christalin gets to go home from the hospital today. She has been here for two weeks. The bad news is Josiah has to stay. He hasn't responded as quickly to the treatments. I don't know what to do. Please pray for logistics.

I feel like crying, but I'm kind of in a goldfish bowl here, with nurses, and doctors coming and going all the time. Please pray for my heavy heart. Thank you for your prayers!

__________________

I was facebooking and a couple of quotes stood out to me. I hope they help you too.

“If you have one eye on yesterday, and one eye on tomorrow, you're going to be cockeyed today.”

~ Author Unknown ~

WORRYING does not take away tomorrow's TROUBLES; it takes away today's PEACE.

When you go through a trial, the sovereignty of God is the pillow upon which you lay your head.” - Spurgeon

Bucket List update

2011-01-03T17:34:00.000-08:00

A few years ago I found this bucket list. I was looking at it again and realized I could check a few more off the list! Only 38 more to go! A lot of the ones left are traveling ones, so who knows if I'll ever get them done. Remember, this was not a list I made up. I found it on a friend's blog. There are a few I'm not interested in ever doing! (like 11, 26,& 27!)
1. Started your own blog.
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped (No Way!!!!)
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Fall pictures of the kids

2010-11-18T13:22:00.001-08:00

Hard Work and lots of playing!

2010-11-16T17:46:00.000-08:00

Our renter hired Josiah to mow her lawn. However, the lawn is completely hidden under piles and piles of leaves! So, we decided to help him out and the kids and I went over and raked the yard. The pile was about four feet high and three feet across!!! They had a blast jumping in the leaves for a few hours. I love fall!

Acting out...

2010-06-19T19:19:00.000-07:00

This is the devotion I'll be doing for 65 teens at drama camp this week. :-)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We all love to act. We come to drama camp and work hard acting as different characters. It is very rare that you go on stage and just act like yourself. Drama camp is a perfect venue for acting out.

How about real life? Do you ever find yourself acting out? Hiding behind a façade that you deem cool or popular? When was the last time you acted like yourself? Your real self?

Ephesians 6:5&6 says “Slaves be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart as to Christ: not by way of eyeservice as menpleasers, but as slaves of Christ doing the will of God from the heart.”

No, I didn’t pick that verse to say you must fear and tremble before the directors! I know your first reaction is probably, “Hey wait a minute! I am not a slave!” We don’t necessarily want to be a slave. It has a bad connotation. Another word for slave is servant.

I like the way the Message Bible translates this verse: “Servants, respectfully obey your earthly masters but with an eye to obeying the real master, Christ. Don’t just do what you have to do to get by, but work heartily as Christ’s servants doing what God wants you to do. And work with a smile on your face, always keeping in mind that no matter who happens to be giving the orders, you’re really serving God. Good work will get you good pay from the Master, regardless of whether you are slave or free.”

Jesus was a servant. He always did the Father’s will. He is our example. In this verse it talks about being obedient as to Christ. Not by eyeservice – This means we should be ourselves and not worry about what others think. We shouldn’t put on our Christian mask so all can see what good Christians we are. That’s eyeservice. Man looks at the outside, but God looks at the heart. In everything we do; we should do it as unto Christ.

I encourage you to challenge yourself to be a true servant of Christ. Be yourself. Don’t just act like you think you should act to be cool. God only made one of you. He is pleased with you personally. He doesn’t want you to be like everyone else and follow the crowd.

If we are serving God from our hearts and acting in His will; that is what counts. That is the way to be cool. Mathew 5:6 says, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

This way of acting has eternal ramifications. So act out!

IHOP fundraiser for Children's Hospital

2010-03-16T18:44:00.000-07:00

The kids had a great time at the IHOP fundraiser for Children's Hospital. Josiah and Joshua worked as bussers while Christalin and Joseph worked as host/hostess. We stayed there for just over four hours. The kids were tired by the end of their shift! At the end, I'm sure they had a whole new appreciation for those who work in the restaurant industry.

More pictures of Christalin and her friends...

2009-12-29T20:45:00.000-08:00

Christalin's new friends. Well, Christmas has come and gone, and I never did get the new nativity set out into the yard! One day, Christalin was playing Jumping Monkeys with them. Another day, she put together a puzzle, another day she played Uno, just too cute! She was sad when her friends had to go into storage, but I really needed to have my living room back!

New Friends...

2009-12-16T19:26:00.000-08:00

Well, I got a great deal on this Nativity set. Unfortunately, it has been pouring down rain here, so we haven't put them out in the yard yet. Now I'm not sure we'll be able to! Christalin has been having so much fun playing with her new friends. Right now they are playing Jumping Monkeys. Yesterday they were having a tea party. This morning they were playing Uno. How can I take her friends and make them stay in the rain and cold outside?

Christmas tour of our home

2009-12-09T16:05:00.000-08:00

I love Christmas time. Our tradition is to decorate the day after Thanksgiving. We may not get everything done that day, but that's when we start. It is so nice to be home for Christmas this year. We get to enjoy being home and also enjoying all the Christmas parties as well. I wished the kids felt better, but it is good to be home and not in the hospital. I don't know if I have a favorite decoration. The basket of cones and ornaments with the angel is new this year. We bought some of those yummy cinnamon cones. It smells sooo good. We actually have a new tree. This one has the lights already on it. It is taller and skinnier than our old one, but looks more realistic. I like it. I hosted our bunco ladies group at our house last Friday, so I really pushed to get all the decorations up this year. I think it looks beautiful. So from our house to yours, Merry Christmas!

More Christmas tour pictures

2009-12-09T14:27:00.000-08:00

The Christmas basket...

2009-12-09T01:50:00.000-08:00

Can you smell the cinnamon? Yummmm... I love the smell of cinnamon. The cute little rag angel was given to me by my sister a few years back. She makes me smile.

Arrow of Light Ceremony

2009-12-08T17:53:00.000-08:00

I can't believe my last boy has reached the highest honor of Cub Scouts. He has just earned his Arrow of Light. I'm so proud of him. The Cub Scout experience has been overall a good experience. We're running towards the end of this season. Joseph has earned the Arrow of Light, then one more Pine Wood Derby then the Blue and Gold Bridging to Boy Scouts. It has gone so fast. It seems like yesterday that he was just a tag a long with all of his brother's activities. Congratulations Joseph. We're so proud of you!

Happy 11th birthday Joseph!!!

2009-12-07T17:17:00.000-08:00

I can't believe Joseph is 11 already! He is growing in to such a great young man. I'm so proud of the person he has become. We were able to go to the Pacific Science center with our best friends. It was a great day. The coldest picnic I've ever been on! Happy Birthday Joseph! We love you!

I love Christmas!

2009-12-01T11:52:00.001-08:00

Christmas time is officially here. I have the house all decorated. I have the Christmas music playing... AAAhhhhhh....

Happy 52nd Anniversary Mom & Dad!!

2009-11-25T12:27:00.000-08:00

Fifty two years is a long time! I'm so blessed to have such great parents. There have been some tough times over the years, but God has kept them together. It is such a blessing to have my parents living close by and part of our lives. My kids are blessed to know their grandparents. Thank you Lord for a Christian Heritage. It is such an incredible blessing in my life. We love you mom and dad!

Recall Notice

2009-11-18T10:53:00.000-08:00

A friend sent this to me. I'm not sure who wrote it originally.
=========
RECALL NOTICE

The Maker of all human beings (GOD) is recalling all units manufactured,

regardless of make or year, due to a serious defect in the primary and

central component of the heart. This is due to a malfunction of the

original prototype units, code named Adam and

Eve. resulting in the reproduction of the same defect in all subsequent

units. This defect has been technically termed "Sub-sequential Internal

Non-morality", or more commonly known as S.I.N. as it is primarily

expressed.

Some of the symptoms include:

1 Loss of direction

2 Foul vocal emmissions

3 Amnesia of origin

4 Lack of Peace and Joy

5 Selfish or violent behavior

6 Depression or confusion in the mental component.

7 Fearfulness

8 Idolatry

9 Rebellion

The Manufacturer is providing factory authorized repair and service free

of charge to correct this defect. The Repair Technician, JESUS, has

most generously offered to bear the entire burden of the staggering cost

of these repairs. There is no additional fee required.

The number to call for repair in all areas is P-R-A-Y-E-R. Once

connected, please upload your burden of SIN through the REPENTANCE

procedure. Next, download ATONEMENT from the Repair Technician, Jesus,

into the heart component. No matter how big or small the SIN defect

is, Jesus will replace it with:

1 Love 2 Joy 3 Peace 4 Patience 5 Kindness 6 Goodness 7

Faithfulness 8 Gentleness 9 Self Control

Please see the operating manual, the B.I.B.L.E. (Believer's Instructions

Before Leaving Earth) for further details on the use of these fixes.

WARNING: Continuing to operate the human being unit without correction

voids any manufacturer warranties, exposing the unit to dangers and

problems too numerous to list and will result in the human unit being

permanently impounded . For free emergency service, call on Jesus.

DANGER: The human being units not responding to this recall action will

have to be scrapped in the furnace. The SIN defect will not be

permitted to enter Heaven so as to prevent contamination of that

facility. Thank you for your attention!

P.S. Please assist where possible by notifying others of this important

'recall notice'. You may contact the Father any time by "knee mail".

Perfectionism and blogging...

2009-11-16T15:59:00.000-08:00

I think this entire year has passed so fast, I am still spinning. I thought I would blog a little, but it took me 6 times to remember my username and password! I really need to blog more often! I think I got swept up in the easiness of Facebook, a sentence here and there and I'm done. Whenever I blog, I want to have a nice picture and a paragraph or two explaining the picture. Since I haven't had time to do that, my poor blog sits here abandoned. That is really a bad habit of mine. I tend to be such a perfectionist. If I can't make something like the way I see it in my head, I don't really want to start, and then never really get it done. I'm trying to take baby steps and let things happen even if they are not as perfect as I imagine they should be. I see the problem in my blogging, but I also see it in my home. In my minds eye I see my home just so, when it doesn't make the cut, I'm left discouraged. So here is a step in the right direction - a blog entry with no pictures or event to correspond with it. Now will I have the guts to actually post it to my blog? ;-)

Struggle is an opportunity

2009-09-25T09:28:00.000-07:00

A friend posted this on her facebook page. I'm not sure who wrote it originally, but it had a timely message.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The emperor moth is the most majestic species among all the moths. It has wide wings spanning out majestically when it flies. Before it can become a full grown moth, it has to be a pupa in a cocoon. Now, the interesting fact about the moth’s cocoon is that the neck of the cocoon is very narrow.

In order that it become a moth, the pupa of the moth must squeeze its way out of the narrow neck.

One day a man found a cocoon of an emperor moth. He took it home so that he could watch the moth come out of the cocoon. He sat and watched the moth struggling to force the body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no farther. It just seemed to be stuck.

Then the man being kind decided to help the moth. So he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The moth then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. He expected that the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body which would contract in time. Neither happened! In fact, the little moth spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly. A few days later, it died.

What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the moth to get through the tiny opening was the way of forcing fluid from the body of the moth into its wings so that it would be ready for flight. Once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon. Freedom and flight would only come after the struggle. By depriving the moth of a struggle, he deprived the emperor moth of health.

You see, the struggles of life, heartaches and pains are necessary if you want to be great. Instead of cursing them, understand them while you are experiencing them. They are part of the making of a man.

"Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."

Romans 5:3-5

Double Hospital Rooms!

2009-07-22T12:26:00.000-07:00

Children's is such a great place! Even though the boys were in such pain, they had distraction therapy in place. The boys had Rosalie, the Art lady, come in to see them and work them. They were also able to have a gaming system thanks to Starlight foundation. The hours went faster with all the distractions!
Josiah and Joseph had surgery to take out some extra bones. Josiah had three taken out of his shoulder blades, and Joseph had one taken out of each of his legs. We have a bone disease called Multiple Heredity Exostosis. There are extra bone tumors all over, sometimes they are bothersome and have to be taken out. The bone tumors are usually benign, however, my brother's bone tumors just came back cancerous. That kind of ups the stakes as to whether the boy's tumors will be as well. They have been sent to pathology. I have one in my hip that I have been thinking about having removed, as it is very painful, but I don't want to lose the "lift" of my leg. They said they would have to unattach the muscle in order to get to the bone tumor, but they would not be able to reattach it. So I have to decide what would be worse, the pain or no lift to my leg...

Congratulations Kaili~

2009-06-20T12:34:00.000-07:00

She did it! Kaili has graduated! I'm so proud of you, girl! Congratulations and good job!

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-19T10:55:00.000-07:00

The kids decorated this cake for Mike for Father's day. We ended the day by going to the theater to see Star Trek. It was a great movie! Mike really enjoyed his day. Happy Father's day!

A friend sent this link to me. It is pretty funny. We spent waaaay too much time this morning watching the videos! Enjoy!
http://theguysmanual.msn.com

Happy Birthday Grandpa!

2009-06-15T12:20:00.000-07:00

For Dad's birthday this year, we went to their house for a bbq. We are so blessed to have my parents living close by. Happy Birthday dad! We love you!

Happy Birthday Patrick!

2009-06-06T12:16:00.000-07:00

We had a great treat! Patrick came home from Afghanistan for a visit! We were abe to go to the park and have a bbq and play horseshoes and just hang out and enjoy having Patrick home for a bit. We love you Patrick!

Catch up....

2009-04-26T21:23:00.000-07:00

Once again I'm behind in my blogging! I'm trying to get things caught up. So, just because the top post hasn't changed, doesn't mean that there are no new posts. I'm still catching up from February!! ugh. I hate being behind!

Happy Easter!!!

2009-04-12T21:38:00.000-07:00

Happy resurrection Day!! We had a quiet Easter this year. Christalin and I were very busy memorizing lines for the Easter sketch. Christalin and I did a sketch where the little girl finds out that the Easter bunny is not real. It was a good one. It had a lot of lines and Christalin did such a great job. The sketch was kind of serious, but she played the crowd and had them laughing. It was pretty funny. She really loves acting! I enjoyed being able to do it with her. I just wished that I had her knack for memorizing lines! She picked them up so quickly. I had to work like anything to memorize my lines! I hope we can do more plays together. We probably reached about 2,500 people over Easter weekend. It was really neat.

Surprise Picture - Watch it until the end!

2009-03-29T13:17:00.000-07:00

One of the ladies in my FIAR group shared this with me. I was amazed and wanted to share it with all of you!

AMAZING Art!Christ Painting! - video powered by Metacafe

Science Fair

2009-03-23T11:55:00.000-07:00

The kids decided to do animals for the Science fair this year. They did a great job. Christalin did horses, Joseph did frogs, Joshua did tamarins and Josiah did chameleons.

Quote to Ponder...

2009-03-22T20:06:00.001-07:00

Boy! Time is flying and I am getting behind in my blogging! We're working hard on the Science fair for tomorrow, so I don't have time to catch up on my blog, but I will try to in the next couple of weeks. For now, my dear friend sent me a quote that really touched me. So instead of having a whole bunch of quotes, I'm only going to have the one. It is really a good one that I'll be pondering and hoping to live up to! Enjoy!

"Do all the good you can by all the means you can in all the ways you can in all the places you can at all the times you can to all the people you can as long as you ever can."

John Wesley

We finished it!!!

2009-02-19T21:20:00.000-08:00

I am not a puzzle person. I, embarrassing enough, have a hard time doing children's puzzles! While we were up in Canada visiting My mom and dad, we worked on this puzzle together. The kids and I did it all by ourselves! We were so excited! Yay!

Happy Valentines Day!

2009-02-14T14:06:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone is having a great Valentines Day. We're eating waaay too much chocolate, but it has been fun!! I took the kids out to Lowes and had them make their own treasure boxes. We were supposed to meet a friend there, but somehow that didn't work out. It was still great for the kids to make their boxes. It is a great place to put all their Valentine Candy!

The Sacrifice of Nyammah...

2009-02-12T21:05:00.000-08:00

Josiah and Joshua were in the teen's dessert theatre this year. The play was called "The Sacrifice of Nyammah. Here is Josiah's synopsis of the play: It is about this girl who lost her families’ corn doll. The evil druids wanted to kill her for it. N’yahmah and her friends go looking for the corn doll. They find out from an old woman named fawn that the leprechaun had stolen it. They go to Mount Knashega to find it. I play a leprechaun named Lord Seamus. In the end, we give her back the corn doll, the druids turn into bread and we all live happily ever after.

They did a great job and had a lot of fun doing it. The proceeds from the play went to their youth accounts. They earned money for summer camp this summer.

International fair

2009-02-06T20:57:00.000-08:00

The kids did a great job at the International Fair. They did Ancient Egypt. They had fun making mummies, pyramids and hyroglyphics. (how do you spell that word?!) I love having a venue where the kids can display what they have been working on. It is fun for them to tell others, as well as look at the other displays that other home schooled kids have done. Usually there is a taste of each country as well. We had dates with an almond honey paste rolled inside. They were very good!

Denny's Free Grand Slam Breakfast!

2009-02-03T08:34:00.000-08:00

My friend Lori and I went to Denny's for their free Grand Slam Breakfast. We took our kids along. It was a bit crazy! We had to wait in line for two hours!!! The kids did great though. They were troopers. They got to chat with their best friends for the whole time. Then we had a great lunch! We had come for breakfast, but since we had to wait so long, it ended up being lunch! My kids were starving by the time we were served. They ate everything on their plates and helped me with half of my plate too! It was crazy, but it was fun too.

Bunco babes!

2009-01-30T21:29:00.000-08:00

Every first Friday of the month we have Bunco night. We go to a different house each month. The hostess supplies a dinner and sets up three tables for playing. Bunco is a dice game that is pretty mindless. Meaning, we can talk all we want and not have to concentrate very much. Some nights we only get through one round! There are prizes for the most buncos, most wins, 2nd most wins, most losses, bunco babe (whoever has the "babe" at the end of the night), and even steven. Lately, we have been doing theme nights. One night we dressed "to the nines" another night we dressed all in black, as one of us was moving to another state. It's a great girls night out. My boys love it too, because they have a Star Trek movie on my Bunco nights. It's a win-win situation!

Knight Night Fight

2009-01-30T21:16:00.000-08:00

We bought some swords at the dollar store. Tonight we had a tournament. Two opponents; Area rug boundaries; three hits makes the winner. If you get out of bounds, or hit someone in the head you are disqualified. I fought Mike, but I lost 3 to 2. Everyone else ended up winning a tournament and were paid some money. They were then able to buy toys in Christalin's shop. We got P.E. credits and math credits in this fun exercise!! I love homeschooling!

The Weiner Mobile is in town!

2009-01-29T20:30:00.000-08:00

This is a trip down memory lane! Do you remember the Oscar Meyer Hot dog Mobile? I can't remember if I have ever seen it in person or if it was just on a commercial. I was taking my nephew to school the other day and we saw this driving down the road! Pretty crazy! Later on, my sister called me and asked me if I wanted a weiner whistle. But Of Course!

The nice ladies at the weiner mobile let us sing the Oscar Meyer song over the cell phone. She let my sister grab the weiner whistles for us. My kids did not know the weiner song. I had to teach them, but they are quick learners.

Now we're the proud owners of 5 weinie whistles! Just like what that guy wanted on the movie Santa Claus, remember? I did have to have the kids give the whistle chorus a break as four whistles going at once was giving me a headache! I wonder if I could count this as "Music Appreciation" for school?

Pine Wood derby Champ!!

2009-01-16T21:52:00.000-08:00

Joseph had his Cub Scout Pine Wood Derby race. He had a fast little car! He won first place in the Webelo 1 den, and third place overall in the pack. It is fun to see him winning, as his older brothers brought home a few first, second and third place medals in years past. It is almost sad that we will only have one more Pine Wood Derby. Next year will be Joseph's last one. Congratulations Joseph!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T15:44:00.000-08:00

I have a new tradition that I have been trying. I belong to an online forum for my kid's curriculum they use for school. They are a great bunch of ladies. Anyway, last year they had a "Word for the Year", something that we want to work on for our lives. Last year my word was "Anticipation", I wanted to look at each and every thing that came in to my life and anticipate how it could bring glory to God. I wanted to be open to God working through my life and be excited about it, even if it seemed to be a negative aspect.

How is God going to use my family and me to bring glory to Him? That's anticipation!

Did I do well last year? No, I wasn't perfect. But, Yes, I think it did help me to focus on it throughout the year.

So, I'm going to try it again this year. I have been praying about it and I think I have ended up with two words. The first being: "Perseverance." I need to finish what I start. I tend to get great ideas for school, or home, but then I peter out after a couple of weeks. I need to get better at that.

That was going to be the only word for the year for me. However, the Lord placed on my heart another word as well. The word is "Gratitude". Being grateful for everything I have, either negative or positive. I like the quote from Melodie Beattie about Gratitude: "Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity. It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow."

What would your word be?

Finishing Strong

2008-12-31T13:59:00.000-08:00

Quotes to Ponder...

2008-12-30T13:17:00.000-08:00

My friend R.J. put together these great quotes on COURAGE. As we enter a brand new year, I thought it was a great theme for my Quotes to Ponder post!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.
Theodore Roosevelt

Half of the failures in life come from pulling one's horse when he is leaping.
Thomas Hood

Go back a little to leap further.
John Clarke

Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt.
William Shakespeare

Failure is blindness to the strategic element in events; success is readiness for instant action when the opportune moment arrives.
Newell D. Hillis

There is no impossibility to him who stands prepared to conquer every hazard.
The fearful are the failing.
Sarah J. Hale

They fail, and they alone, who have not striven.
Thomas Bailey Aldrich

We learn wisdom from failure much more than success. We often discover what we will do, by finding out what we will not do.
Samuel Smiles

I was never afraid of failure, for I would sooner fail than not be among the best.
John Keats

It is foolish to fear what you cannot avoid.
Stultum est timere quod vitare non potes.
Publius Syrus

He that is down needs fear no fall.
John Bunyan

Never let the fear of striking out get in your way.
George Herman "Babe" Ruth

One who fears failure limits his activities.
Failure is only the opportunity to more
intelligently begin again.
Henry Ford

The greatest mistake you can make in life is to continually be afraid you will make one.
Elbert Hubbard

Little minds are tamed and subdued by misfortunes; but great minds rise above them.
Washington Irving

Our greatest glory consist not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
Oliver Goldsmith

Wherever we look upon this earth, the opportunities take shape within the problems.
Nelson A. Rockefeller

What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?
Vincent van Gogh

Experience teaches slowly, and at the cost of mistakes.
James A. Froude

It is the want of diligence, rather than the want of means, that causes most failures.
Alfred Mercier

A man's life is interesting primarily when he has failed--I well know.
For it's a sign that he tried to surpass himself.
Georges Clemenceau

He who fears being conquered is sure of defeat.
Napoleon Bonaparte

There is no failure except in no longer trying.
Elbert Hubbard

There is no impossibility to him who stands prepared to conquer every hazard.
The fearful are the failing.
Sarah J. Hale

Disappointments are to the soul what thunderstorms are to the air.
Johann C. F. von Schiller

Failure teaches success.
Japanese Saying
__________________

Happy 12th birthday Joshua!

2008-12-25T13:34:00.000-08:00

We had everyone over for Christmas this year. It was great. In the evening we have a birthday celebration for my Christmas "baby", Joshua. He had a great time. We had cake and ice cream for his birthday, but we never did get into the four pies that we made for Christmas dinner. Everyone was too stuffed! Joshua is becoming a very caring, sensitive young man with a huge imagination. He keeps us in stiches a lot of the time. He has a tender heart, and best of all he loves the Lord. Happy Birthday Joshua! We love you!

Christmas Tour...

2008-12-22T14:37:00.000-08:00

I've heard of other bloggers giving a Christmas tour of their homes. Last year we were in the hospital, but since this year we are home, I thought it would be fun to participate! So welcome to our home! As you come in the door, the bells on the door will ring. We love nativity sets, so I have a few around the house. The little grey nativity is made out of Mt. St. Helens ash. Our poor little Joseph got broken over the year in our nativity by the front door. Fortunately, Mike was able to piece him back together. I'll have to keep my eyes out for a replacement. :( Only three more days until Christmas! We're still snowed in. The neighborhood looks beautiful! Thank you for visiting our home this year! Have a very Merry Christmas and the very best of New Years!

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

2008-12-20T12:35:00.000-08:00

I am so enjoying the snow days! All Obligations have been canceled! No parties, no caroling, not even church! We are snowed in. Mike even got a couple of extra days off of work before the holiday break. We are totally forced to slow down and ENJOY the Christmas season. This has been an unusual Christmas season for us any way, as we are not in the hospital. Every Christmas for the past I-don't-know-how-many-years, we have been in the hospital. This year they decided to give the kids one of the "big gun" antibiotics, Zyvox, and keep them home. I'm so glad. We might have to go up in January, but for now, we're playing games, baking cookies, watching movies and just enjoying being together. It looks like we will have snow until the New Year. YAY!

Bucket List... Well, maybe not exactly a bucket list.....

2008-12-13T22:28:00.000-08:00

I found this on a friend's blog. I thought it would be fun to see how many of the 99 things I've accomplished. The yellow ones are the ones I've done. Some of these things aren't exactly what I want to do though. I was thinking about checking this list once a year and seeing what I have accomplished. However, I think if I were to do that, I should probably come up with my own personal "bucket" list. Anyway, I have done 56 of the 99, so that's not too bad! How many have you done?

1. Started your own blog.
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped (No Way!!!!)
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

An interesting story...

2008-12-09T14:27:00.001-08:00

The story is told of an old man who lived on a farm in the mountains
of eastern Kentucky with his young grandson. Each morning, Grandpa was
up early sitting at the kitchen table reading
from his old worn-out Bible. His grandson who wanted to be just like
him tried to imitate him in any way he could.
One day the grandson asked, "Papa, I try to read the Bible just like
you but I don't understand it, and what I do understand I forget as
soon as I close the book. What good does reading the Bible do?" The
Grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and said,
Take this coal basket down to the river and bring back a basket of
water." The boy did as he was told, even though all the water leaked
out before he could get back to the house. The grandfather laughed and
said, "You will have to move a little faster next time," and sent him
back to the river with the basket to try again. This time the boy ran
faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned home. Out of
breath, he told his grandfather that it was "impossible to carry water
in a basket," and he went to get a bucket instead.
The old man said, "I don't want a bucket of water; I want a basket of
water. You can do this. You're just not trying hard enough," and he
went out the door to watch the boy try again. At this point, the boy
knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that
even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he
got far at all. The boy scooped the water and ran hard, but when he
reached his grandfather the basket was again empty. Out of breath, he
said, "See Papa, it's useless!"

"So you think it is useless"? The old man said, "Look at the basket."
The boy looked at the basket and for the first time he realized that
the basket looked different. Instead of a dirty old coal basket, it
was clean.
"Son, that's what happens when you read the Bible. You might not
understand or remember everything, but when you read it, it will
change you from the inside out." That is the work of God in our lives.
To change us from the inside out and to slowly transform us into the
image of His son.
Take time to read a portion of God's word each day, and remind a
friend by sharing this story.
Author Unknown

Kelly's View Chocolates...

2008-12-08T19:40:00.000-08:00

Josiah and Christalin have done many fund raisers for Children's hospital over the years. This current fundraiser is Kelly's View chocolates. They had the kids draw pictures. Josiah's pictures was chosen to be put on the exclusive chocolates. I think there are six different pictures and six flavors. The proceeds from the sale of the chocolates will go to Children's Hospital. They had a revealing party where the kids got to paint with chocolate and make yummy chocolate treats. They had fun.

Happy Birthday Joseph!!

2008-12-07T19:54:00.000-08:00

Double Digits! Yikes! Joseph has arrived in the double digit realm! Ten years old! Joseph is a great young man. He is quick to smile, quick to defend and always helping. He very patiently waited at the church while his brothers went through three hours of auditions for the Valentines Theater. When we finally got home, we had his favorite dinner and cake and icecream. He loved his pile of gifts. We had a quiet party at home and played Monopoly until midnight! As a final birthday present, Joseph won!

O Christmas Tree... O Christmas Tree

2008-12-03T21:07:00.000-08:00

We got our tree up. I think it turned out very nice. This year I let the kids put almost all the ornaments on. They did a nice job I think. I guess you know your kids are getting older when they can do a Christmas tree by themselves and it still looks nice. In years past, we used to have a bunch of ornaments all along the bottom of the tree when I had the kids help. Sigh. They are growing up so fast!

A couple of years ago, my on-line FIAR family lost two mothers, Missy and Lorrie. They didn't know that that would be their last Christmas with their families. However, they made it a point to make the most of their Christmas. Here is a quote from Missy's blog:
"For now, I'm enjoying making memories with my family and letting all the worries and stresses roll right off my back. They'll be there for another day. But for today I'm going to get my Love Bank filled back up with kisses and hugs and quiet conversations (while making those same kinds of deposits into each of my loved one's Love Banks) and regain the strength to face all those worries and stresses that will still be waiting for me come January. I think that by then they won't seem so big anymore anyway."

So my FIAR friend Christy has encouraged us: "In honor and memory of Missey and Lorrie, I hereby declare that in our home the whole month of December will be spent making wonderful, warm memories with my family and taking the time to do what THEY want."

I try to make that my daily motto; to make memories every day. We really don't know how many days we have with our families. I have a dear friend that is having to go through the holidays and the rest of her life without the love of her life. Andy was killed in a horrible car accident a few weeks ago. All she has is her memories. They are ever so sweet for her.

I don't mean this to be a downer message. It's just that the kids grow up so fast! Memories are made every day - what kind of memories are you making? Let's all try to make them the sweetest memories ever. Don't stress about all the little things, but stop and enjoy your families this year.

Merry Christmas!

A great song...

2008-12-01T11:28:00.000-08:00

A lovely poem...

2008-11-26T09:46:00.000-08:00

My nephew who is in the Army in Germany sent this poem to me. It is written by a young cancer patient with six months left to live. As we enter the holiday season, it has a good point to consider. Life does go by so fast.

SLOW DANCE

Have you ever
watched kids

On a merry-go-round?

Or listened to
the rain

Slapping on the ground?

Ever followed a
butterfly's erratic flight?

Or gazed at the sun into the fading
night?

You better slow down.

Don't dance so
fast.

Time is short.

The music won't
last.

Do you run through each day
On the fly?

When you ask How are you?

Do you hear the reply?

When the day is done

Do you lie in your
bed

With the next hundred chores

Running through
your head?

You'd better slow down

Don't dance so
fast.

Time is short.

The music won't
last.

Ever told your child,

We'll do it
tomorrow?

And in your haste,

Not see
his
sorrow?

Ever lost touch,

Let a good
friendship die

Cause you never had time

To call
and say,'Hi'

You'd better slow down.

Don't dance
so fast.

Time is short.

The music won't
last.

When you run so fast to get somewhere

You
miss half the fun of getting there.

When you worry and hurry
through your day,

It is like an unopened
gift....

Thrown away.

Life is not a
race.

Do take it slower

Hear the
music

Before the song is over.

My Little Orphans....

2008-11-25T10:54:00.000-08:00

We got our costumes for the Christmas Madrigal play. The kids are in the orphan choir. They are so cute in their rags!

I'm delighted with my costume. It is so pretty! And it's pink! The costumer said I was supposed to be the "cotton candy" of the play. I am "Cousin" in "The Calling of Everyman." It is a medievel banquet theatre. The basic premises is that your kinsmen and cousins, worldly goods, fellowship or good deeds will not go with you when you're called to your maker. Only wisdom of the salvation of Christ will go with you, everything else will forsake you. It is a good gospel message and should be entertaining as well. It has been a lot of work, but it has been fun!

Abundant Blessings... Abundant Turkeys!

2008-11-24T10:20:00.000-08:00

The Lord has such a sense of humor! I was shopping at our Grocery Outlet on Saturday. I was standing over the turkey case, wondering if my sister or my mom was going to do the turkey, or if it would be me. I had forgotten my cell phone at home, so I wasn't sure what to do. I was talking with the Lord, wondering if I should buy one or not.

The Grocery Outlet was having it's anniversary that day. They were playing a bingo game. Every ten minutes they would call out a number. There were numbers taped on the ground throughout the store. I had three of my kids with me and boy, did they have fun! We walked out of the store with THREE turkeys!! Each of the kids won!!

Then on Sunday, Christalin's sunday school teacher told her she had a surprise for her. After class she gave Christalin a turkey!!!

Here I was asking the Lord if I should buy a turkey or not. I guess that answered my question! FOUR turkeys!!!! It's a good thing we have a freezer! The Lord is so good!

Decorating the church...

2008-11-23T11:08:00.000-08:00

We had a long day on Sunday. After teaching for two services, we had play practice. We got to church at 8:30, and were finally ready to leave at 4:30. However, my daughter must have gotten some of my love for Christmas decoration genes. She saw that they were putting together the Christmas tree. She beelined it over there and invited herself to the decorating party!

She got to go on the lift too. We all got together to fluff branches on the large Christmas tree. I didn't realize how much work went in to putting a tree together! We got a pizza feed for our efforts, and was able to leave at 6:30. We left the real decorating crew there to finish trimming the church. It was a fun night, but a looong day! 10 hours! whew!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

2008-11-21T19:44:00.000-08:00

Well, it's official. Christmas is coming. While the kids have been having Christmas Play Practice every Saturday morning since the end of September, I just haven't had the holiday spirit yet.

On a whim, I signed up for an ornament exchange. We were to make 11 ornaments and send them out, then we would get 11 ornaments back again. It sounded like fun! So the kids and I decided to make some Norwegian Heart ornaments. Then they had the idea of choosing stickers that would correlate with the certain books in the Five in a Row curriculum.

I think they turned out really nice. I think we will try and make more to give out to family for Christmas.

Our first Christmas decoration we put up this year is a wreath we put on the kid's bedroom door. We're hanging all the ornaments we receive on it.

Now it is beginning to look and feel like Christmas.......

Random Acts of Kindness...

2008-11-19T09:54:00.000-08:00

It's amazing what 20 cents can do. We went to a field trip yesterday to the Children's Hands on Museum. My kids are getting a bit old for it, but we talked some dear friends of ours into coming along, so either way, it would be a fun trip.

I don't know about you, but I hardly ever carry cash. I especially don't carry change. Before we left, I knew that the parking was metered by these special meter boxes that only took coins. So, I glanced at my change purse and quickly counted out $1.50.

When we got to our destination I parked and pushed the buttons for the meter. I had asked for parking in the amount of $1.50. Unfortunately, I found I actually only had $1.35. The meter would not give change. It also stated that even if I canceled the transaction, I would lose the $1.35 I already put in. I only had pennies left in my purse, which of course, the machine wouldn't take. I started asking the kids if they had fifteen cents. They of course didn't.

Then, a perfect stranger walking by said, "I do." She then proceeded to dig through her coin purse and give me twenty cents. She saved the day! My kids were able to have their fun afternoon with their friends.

I know that doesn't seem like much, but we really don't get out that much. The kids were so looking forward to this. They got their school work done quickly and efficiently. They hadn't had a "play date" with their close friends FOREVER. This ladies' random act of kindness, while didn't cost her but twenty cents, made our day and made a memory that will last a lifetime.

It makes me want to pass it on! How about you?

Hands on Museum

2008-11-18T19:52:00.000-08:00

I know my kids are getting a bit big for the Children's Hands on Museum... but sometimes it's just fun to act little again! We met our friends, who have boys the same ages as our boys, at the Children's Hands on Museum. I think one of the favorite things was the bead board. I don't think I could have stuck my face in it though. I'd be worrying to much about germs! The kids had a great time though!

Holidays for the troops

2008-11-16T19:47:00.000-08:00

For the boys' Scout service project, they manned a booth at the local Walmart. They were collecting items and money for the troops. Over the two days, the Boyscouts collected over $400. We will use the money to buy hats and gloves and socks to send to the troops. It was a cold night, but they made a difference for a great cause. I'm proud of my boys!

Trick or Suite!

2008-10-31T18:44:00.000-07:00

We had a great time at Starlight Starbright's Trick or Suite! We had never participated before, but this year Erin asked, and I decided to give it a shot. We were able to spend the night in one of the suites too! For our family of six, a getaway to a hotel is a very rare treat! They took an entire floor of the hotel and decorated the front rooms of the suites. Then the kids got to visit each of the rooms and play games and get candy! Oh my did they get candy!!! They had so much candy, their bags broke! They had to get a second bag! They were beyond delighted! Most of the rooms were safe themes. They had an underwater room, Candyland room, Pirate room, Mad scientist Room and a bunch of others. Our room was the luau room. They even left us a couple of boxes of Mauna Loa Macadamia Nuts Covered in Milk Chocolate. Yum!

Our church does a harvest party that is like a big carnvival with lots of games to play for candy. It is great fun, but they are not allowed to dress up. So the Starlight Starbright's event was a real treat! They got to dress up and get lots of candy, and go swimming, and spend the night in a hotel and have a HUGE breakfast! What could be better than that? Thanks Starlight!

Catch up....

2008-10-30T13:46:00.000-07:00

With school started and in full swing, I hadn't had time to blog about some of the things we have been doing over the past couple of months. For my own records, I will pre-date the posts to when they actually happened so in years to come I can look back and they will be in chronological order. Soooo.... if you see the same top post as the last time you visited, it might not necessarily mean I haven't posted anything new!

Roses in my rose garden

2008-10-29T14:02:00.000-07:00

I love roses. I have a few roses in my flower beds. They are beautiful. I'm not sure I care for them properly, but they keep coming back each year and blooming for me. On vacation last summer, we had our lunch in a rose garden. It was so pretty and it smelled so nice. That's where these pictures were taken.

I am so thankful for the flowers in my garden. They might be a bit thorny at times, but they are beautiful and even smell nice!! lol. Ok, well maybe I was taking that analogy a bit far. Not that they smell bad, mind you, but, well... they're mostly guys and smelling like roses doesn't actually fit. ANYWAY...

How to break a child's heart...

2008-10-23T22:19:00.000-07:00

My heart is broken. I know in the grand scheme of things, this really is only a blip, but right now I'm stunned.

We have been dreaming of a "Make a Wish" trip for well over a year. I have posted about it here and you ladies have helped us dream too. Christalin wanted to go to Disney World and be a princess for a week. She had plans of a different princess each day; Ariel, Sleeping Beauty.. you get the idea. She has been telling anyone who would listen about her Make a Wish trip.

I did the referral about a month ago. I just got a call on my answering machine from Make a Wish. They said she is NOT eligible for a wish.

WHAT? She has Cystic Fibrosis! This is a life threatening disease! I called them back and they said I would have to talk to her doctor. Her doctor is out of town until Monday.

When Josiah was 7 (he has Cystic Fibrosis too) he was all set up to do the same trip (minus the princess part of course ) He backed out, because he wanted his little sister to be able to remember the trip.

So why can't she go? And how on earth am I going to tell her?

Quotes to Ponder...

2008-10-19T21:51:00.000-07:00

Blessed is he who speaks a kindness; thrice blessed is he who repeats it.
- Arabian proverb

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
- Mark Twain, American writer

Know the true value of time; snatch, seize and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness...never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.
- Lord Chesterfield

If you chase two rabbits, both will escape.
- Unknown Author

We may not have it all together, but when we're together we have it all.

I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble." --Helen Keller

In order to realize the worth of the Anchor, we need to feel the stress of the storm" ~ Corrie ten Boom

If you think twice before speaking once, you will speak twice the better for it.
- William Penn

It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog.

It is better to deserve honors and not have them than to have them and not to deserve them.
-- Mark Twain

Just because nobody complains doesn't mean all parachutes are perfect.
-- Benny Hill

Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you are a mile away from them and you have their shoes.
-- Jack Handey

If we're not supposed to eat animals, how come they're made out of meat?
-- Tom Snyder

Let no act be done without a purpose, nor otherwise than according to the perfect principles of art.
-- Marcus Aurelius

Cardinal virtues… they are: Prudence, Temperance, Justice, Fortitude.
-- C.S. Lewis, a 20th Century Knight, from Mere Christianity

Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock. – unknown

Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.
-- Will Rogers US humorist & showman (1879 - 1935)

Quitting is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. ~ Unknown

Nothing gives one person so much advantage over another as to remain always cool and unruffled under all circumstances.
-- Thomas Jefferson

Club Manana – “Carpe Diem Tomorrow”
-- T-shirt

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen" (Ephesians 4:29).

Coming together is a beginning.
Keeping together is progress.
Working together is success.
-- Henry Ford--

We found a home for them!

2008-10-15T14:44:00.000-07:00

Last spring, I posted about a huge box that came to our house. They were the deer heads from the hunting trip last December. We had no idea where we would put them! We came up with a place! The top of our stairwell works well! The bigger one is Josiah's and the smaller one is Mike's.

(I still apologize to them every time I go downstairs. - I'm so not a hunter! lol)

To teach or not to teach...

2008-10-15T13:38:00.000-07:00

Ahhh the joys of 3's! My dh and I have been teaching the two's and three's at our church for over ten years. The first years when our children were that age, we bounced from the two year old's to the three year old's and back again. Now that my youngest is older, we've been sticking with the three's. They are a fun bunch of kids. We usually have about ten kids each service. Last week we had 25 kids, but the 4&5 year old teacher wasn't able to make it, so we piled them in with us. It was crazy, but fun.

As our kids are getting older, Mike and I have been wanting to work with the jr. high kids. We were all set to stop teaching the three's and go to the jr. high. However, our four kids have been helpers in the three year old class since they were three years old. They love it! They begged us to not stop teaching the three year olds. How could we say no? So, we are all teaching the three year olds first service, then Mike and I are in with the jr. high second service. We go to church for ourselves on Saturday night. Whew! Pretty busy, but lots of fun!

The pictures of the kids with the fish is of course for "Jonah and the Whale." They were pretending to be swallowed up!

Back to school!

2008-09-23T11:06:00.000-07:00

We officially started back to school on Monday September 8. It has been going well, but I'm not finding as much time to get caught up on my blog! I have several things to get blogged about. Unfortunately, I don't have time just yet. The kids had auditions for the Christmas play last week. Joshua got one of the main parts and Joseph got a speaking part too. Since this is Christalin's first year, she will be in the choir. All four kids are going to be in the adult "Christmas Madrigal" play we're putting on this Christmas. I will be in this one as well. I tried to talk Mike in to being a juggler, but he has so much on his plate right now, he decided not to. It will be fun to have all the kids and I in a play together. I haven't been in a play with the kids since "Cheaper by the Dozen" when Josiah was 8. I'm looking forward to it! It will be a renaissance play with jugglers, singers, kings and queens and a "boars head" dinner to boot! Our extra time has now been gobbled up with play practices! The kids are also in the worship team, of which Mike and I help co-lead. Then of course there is Scouts. We dropped karate right now, since Josiah and Christalin are not feeling that well. They need as much rest as they can get. Hopefully we will re-join karate after the new year. So, life is busy! Enjoy every moment!

I lost my temper in public last night!

2008-09-19T22:34:00.000-07:00

We went to our country fair yesterday. Since the kids have Cystic Fibrosis, they get tired very quickly. A day at the fair is a long twelve hour affair, so we always bring their wheelchairs.

We had stopped in one of the buildings to eat our dinner. I was going around the corner to put something in the trash, and my son was following behind me in the wheelchair. This lady who works at the fair laid into my son telling him he shouldn't be playing on a wheelchair when he didn't need it! I was standing right behind her when she said it and I stepped in front of my son and her and said, "Excuse me, you have no right to tell my son whether he should or should not be in a wheelchair."

She stomped off yelling, "It is my duty by the State of Washington to report incidents like this!" She then went off into the restroom.

I was standing there with my mouth open and my insides starting to boil. I shook my head and was going back to the rest of my family when she comes out of the bathroom and yells at me, "You should be thankful that I am here and I said something!"

Ok, mama bear mode came to the top. I went to her and said, "Excuse me, but it is none of your business whether my son needs a wheelchair or not."

She said, "I work with handicapped children, and he is obviously not handicapped!"

I lost it. I said, "How dare you tell me that my child shouldn't be in a wheelchair. All diseases are not visible to the eye! My children are dying from Cystic Fibrosis. Don't you tell me that just because their limbs are not deformed that they don't need a wheel chair! Who is your supervisor? I would like to speak to them!"

She said, "I don't have a supervisor. I'm out of here."

At this point, I walked away. I was soooo hot! Furious! How dare she? DD had to use the restroom, so she and I took a long walk to another restroom far away.

In the meantime, my dh tracked down the ladies supervisor and had a word with her. The supervisor agreed that it was inappropriate behavior. She would make sure she got "sensitivity" training.

Some people!
Grrrrr.....

A funny thing happened the other day...

2008-09-13T22:30:00.000-07:00

When we rowed (a term from the curriculum we use- Five in a Row. It means we studied this book.) Albert, I had the kids each make an egg out of model magic. They colored it to match the eggs in the nest on the back cover. We had found a real nest and put the four eggs in along with a broken Robin's egg. We set them on the table on the porch with our Nature stuff. (We have a collection of molded deer tracks, feathers, shells, etc. that we display on the porch.)

Anyway, I went out on the porch one morning and I found one of the eggs on the ground. Curious, I went to the nest and only found the real broken Robin's egg left! It took about two weeks to find all four eggs. Each of the eggs had bite marks in them. I found them in various places all over the yard. They were so realistic, the raccoon thought they were real!! The raccoon must have left the eggs when he gave up trying to eat them! Too funny. All the eggs are back in the nest complete with the teeth holes. The raccoon hasn't tried to eat them again!

Happy Birthday Mikee!

2008-09-12T19:34:00.000-07:00

We have a family tradition of going to daddy's work on his birthday and bringing icecream and cake for everyone. It started years ago when he would have to work from 10-7. Then we've just continued the tradition. We usually try and buy a balloon too. It's a fun time for the kids and they get to see where their dad works, and Mike gets to show off his family!

National Invisible Illness Awareness Week....

2008-09-10T09:05:00.000-07:00

One of my FIAR friends told me that this week is National Invisible Illness Awareness Week. So to honor it, I have been asked to talk about my invisible illness. What is an Invisible Illness? Well it is any illness that you cannot detect by just looking at a person. I have four, possibly five invisible illnesses. I have Fibromyalgia, Multiple Heredity Exotosis, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Mushroom Workers Lung and possibly Sleep Apnea. Wow! That's a whole shopping list! Please? May I have some more? - Not!

I deal with pain every day. I take 800 milligrams of ibuprofen throughout the day. That sometimes takes the edge off. Some days are better than others. I haven't really figured out why. Sometimes if I work especially hard, or I am lacking sleep, I'll run into a "crash". Basically I am so tired and sore it is hard to get out of bed. Here is the definition of Fybromyalgia: A common syndrome of chronic widespread soft-tissue pain accompanied by weakness, fatigue, and sleep disturbances; the cause is unknown.

I try to avoid crashes, but getting enough sleep is a problem for me. My dh thinks I have Sleep Apnea. He says I tend to stop breathing all through the night. When I wake up in the morning, I never feel refreshed. I am always exhausted. I have even scheduled a nap time in the afternoon to try and make it through the day. Here is the definition of Sleep Apnea: Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that occurs when a person's breathing is interrupted during sleep. People with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times.

Besides not sleeping well, I will sometimes wake up in the middle of the night with the contents of my stomach coming out my nose! (Sorry, too much information, I know.) That actually happened last night. Not a pleasant thing to wake up to, that's for sure. That is thanks to GERD. I went on WEB.MD and here are the symptoms they list:
* A burning feeling in the chest just behind the breastbone that occurs after eating and lasts a few minutes to several hours.
* Chest pain, especially after bending over, lying down, or eating.
* Burning in the throat -- or hot, sour, acidic, or salty-tasting fluid at the back of the throat.
* Difficulty swallowing.
* Feeling of food "sticking" in the middle of the chest or throat.
I pop Tums all the time.

The Multiple Heredity Exotosis (MHE) is a bone disease. Basically I have extra bones everywhere. They usually don't affect me too bad, unless they get bumped. Then they are excruciating. I do have one in my hip that is giving me troubles. That is part of the reason I pop ibuprofen all day long. The muscle in my left leg at the hip is attached to a bone growth. If I move a certain way the muscle flips over the bone and it is very painful. It hurts to lean down and pick anything off the ground, or do gardening or stuff like that. I did see the doctor regarding this, but they told me that once they take the bone out they will not be able to reattach the muscle, so I would lose the lift of my leg. I'm not quite ready for that.

The Mushroom Worker's Lung treats itself as asthma. It is kind of like coal miners lung. I got this very rare disease when I worked for a mushroom farm as their accountant years ago. Now I'm on medicines for the rest of my life, and I can't go near mushroom farms and I can't be around unwashed mushrooms. If I hadn't been diagnosed twenty years ago when I worked at the farm, I wouldn't be here today. The doctor told me I had to quit my job immediately as the mushroom spores were eating away at my lungs and killing me. So I quit my job, and have been dealing with the lung disease ever since.

So, that is my shopping basket of stuff. I don't usually talk about it. I don't really want to be a whiner. The Lord is gracious and He sustains me no matter what my body is doing!

One last Hurrah...

2008-08-31T13:29:00.000-07:00

We love the Oregon Coast. It is so beautiful there. We were able to take a week off to go camping. We stayed at Pacific City at a Thousand Trails park. We went hiking, mini golfing, swimming, campfire-ing, exploring the beach and just had an all around great time. We visited the Tillamook Cheese factory, and the Pioneer Museum. It was interesting and fun. We loved our time away. It was a perfect ending to a great summer.

The most amazing smores!!

2008-08-30T13:51:00.000-07:00

I love a campfire. I love roasting marshmallows. When we went camping last, I had found the craziest curli-cue marshmallows! They were long and thin. Christalin must have put six on her stick if not more!

I went to the store to get smore supplies. They didn't have what I needed. So I had the idea of using chocolate macaroons for an ultimate smore! Each smore had two macaroons with a roasted marshmallow in between. Boy they were soooo good! They were very very rich, though. Everybody had only one "smore", but it was enough! Yummy!

Praise for protection of my daughter & son!

2008-08-19T22:37:00.000-07:00

We serve an awesome God. Last night I had a scary experience. I had Joshua and Christalin washing pans and big bowls in the sink. (think; water everywhere!) I was making spaghetti. I asked the kids to move aside as I had to dump the boiling water for the pasta into the strainer in the sink. I turned around the corner and suddenly slipped on the water on the ground! All I could see was my precious daughters face right in front of where the boiling water would spill!! I cried out to God, and miraculously, regained my footing without spilling a drop of boiling water on my daughter and son, (who hadn't moved away as far as I had anticipated.) I was in tears of thankfulness that they weren't hurt. I just had to share. Thank you Jesus!

Southern Hospitality in the Pacific Northwest...

2008-08-17T13:36:00.000-07:00

It hardly seems like a year ago that we were the sponsor family of the Children's Hospital Costco Auction. That was a great time. We met the nicest gentlemen from Georgia there. Last December they even paid our way for the whole family to come down hunting on their game farm.

Well, a year has gone by and we got a call from these southern gentlemen asking to take us out to eat in Seattle. We ended up going to Ivars. The food was delicious and it was so good to see these friends again. They had to leave early to go to the auction that night, but they handed me tickets to go on a cruise on the Locks! Again, we had a terrific time. These gentlemen continue to show us true southern hospitality even up here in the Pacific Northwest! May God bless them for their generosity and kindness.

Beach Day!

2008-08-14T13:30:00.000-07:00

A dear friend of mine has a beach house. Once a year we get to go to Mrs. Blanches's house at the beach. We potluck and bbq and have a great time. The kids were making sand castles and moats. Josiah and Joseph stayed in the water a lot of the time. The water is sooo cold! It hurt to get in! A nice hot shower afterwards and a great lunch was the perfect ending to a perfect day.

Beams & Dreams Sailing !

2008-08-09T13:04:00.000-07:00

We have been so blessed to have a group called Starlight Starbright foundation. They schedule fun events for seriously ill kids. It is so great to forget all the medical stuff and just have a fun day out.

They were the ones who referred us to Beams & Dreams. This group does sailing for seriously ill kids. We got to go out on a beautiful sailboat for the afternoon. It was incredible!

As if that weren't enough, BizKids was filming an episode about philanthropy. They had Christalin be the star of the show. They followed her around on the boat and asked her questions. She felt like a movie star! It was fun! They said the show will air sometime in February. The producer is the same producer who started the "Bill Nye The Science Guy" programs. I got to watch BizKids and it was very interesting! It helps kids with finances.

It was another terrific day!

Letterboxing... What a great day!

2008-08-07T20:30:00.000-07:00

I have been wanting to do letterboxing since the kids were little. We finally did our first search yesterday. The site was just a walk away from our house. Unfortunately, the box was long gone. The kids were so disappointed!

So today, my dh had to go pick up his tour bus at the mechanics down in Vancouver. We had to drive him down, so he could drive the bus back up. I got online and looked up some letterbox searches in the area. We found one that was really close to where we had to be any way. It was at a nice little park. We did our stamping thing and had a picnic to top it off. It was a lot of fun!

Now if we have to go out anywhere, I think I will try and look up some letterbox searches before we go. It is a hoot!

To start with, we just used ready made stamps, but I would like to have the kids carve their own someday. We used the site letterboxing.org.

Mike's new job (#3!!)

2008-08-06T11:59:00.000-07:00

Mike has gotten another new job. He is working for a tour bus company. It has been keeping him busy since school has been out. I think he will continue working for the school district, as he loves being a school bus driver. This job will be for all of the holidays that the school system takes and of course, the summers. He is still working for the YMCA as well, but he has cut down the hours. I want him to keep that job so that we can keep our YMCA membership. I have been enjoying working out every morning.

Warren Moon/ Steve Pool golf tournament

2008-08-04T12:13:00.000-07:00

We had an incredible time at the Warren Moon/ Steve Pool golf tournament. It was a fundraiser for Children's Hospital. We were able to spend the night at a hotel (a treat for our family of 6!) after the Auction. Josiah and I got to speak at the auction. It was really incredible to see the generosity of so many people. The next morning we attended the Kid's Putting Tournament. They were each given a hand-crafted, personalized putter from Dave Musty. (www.mustyputters.com) They really are gorgeous! To top it off, Joshua won the tournament!! I was so excited for him!

Ugh!!! Now my son's bike has been stolen!!!

2008-08-03T22:40:00.000-07:00

My bike was stolen a week or two ago. We went outside to go bike riding and my son's bike is gone!! I can't believe it! We have been home all day! The carport is right next to the parlor where we all hang out. I am in shock that someone would do this in broad daylight when we're home!

We called the police on my bike, but there isn't much they can do. I'll have my dh call again on this bike too, but I don't hold much hope of recovery.

My dh has now chained all the bikes together and even set up a trap to catch the thief, but I'm feeling a bit shook up. Our neighborhood has been so safe. I even saw a police officer patrol the streets yesterday! My kids are feeling unsafe, as well. However, I think the sunshine has helped them past their uneasiness. They are outside playing right now.

I'm just so frustrated!

Happy Anniversary to us!

2008-08-03T19:44:00.001-07:00

Seventeen years ago today, my dear husband and I walked down the aisle as husband and wife. It doesn't seem like it could be that long ago! The years have tripped by so quickly! I am very blessed to be the wife of the love of my life. I have now known my dh for half of my lifetime. Wow! It just gets better and better! Through thick and thin, it is wonderful to have him at my side. I love you babe!

31 Ways to pray for our Children...(and loved ones!)

2008-08-01T11:22:00.000-07:00

One of my FIAR Friends, Lisa had this on her blog. I think it is really good and plan to implement it into my prayer time, one virtue a day I hope it ministers to you as well.
=========================

31 Ways to pray for Our Children

By Bob Hostetler

Following is the list I have developed, complete with brief suggestions for prayer from Scripture. Feel free to duplicate it--or improve upon it--to help you pray specifically and purposefully for your children to experience and evidence:

1 salvation "Lord, let salvation spring up within my children, that they may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory" (Isaiah 45:8, 2 Timothy 2:10).

2 growth in grace "I pray that they may 'grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ'" (2 Peter 3:18).

3 love "Grant, Lord, that my children may learn to 'live a life of love,' through the Spirit who dwells in them" (Ephesians 5:2, Galatians 5:22).

4 honesty and integrity " May integrity and honesty be their virtue and their protection" (Psalm 25:21, NLT).

5 self-control " Father, help my children not to be like many others around them, but let them be 'alert and self-controlled' in all they do" (1 Thessalonians 5:6)

6 a love for God's Word " May my children grow to find your Word 'more precious than gold, than much pure gold; [and] sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb'" (Psalm 19:10).

7 justice " God, help my children to love justice as you do and to 'act justly' in all they do" (Psalm 11:7, Micah 6:8).

8 mercy " May my children always 'be merciful, as [their] Father is merciful'" (Luke 6:36).

9 respect (for self, others, authority) " Father, grant that my children may 'show proper respect to everyone,' as your Word commands" (1 Peter 2:17a).

10 strong, Biblical self-esteem " Help my children develop a strong self-esteem that is rooted in the realization that they are 'God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus'" (Ephesians 2:10).

11 faithfulness "' Let love and faithfulness never leave [my children],' but bind these twin virtues around their necks and write them on the tablet of their hearts" (Proverbs 3:3).

12 courage "May my children always 'Be strong and courageous' in their character and in their actions" (Deuteronomy 31:6).

13 purity "'Create in [them] a pure heart, O God,' and let their purity of heart be shown in their actions" (Psalm 51:10).

14 kindness "Lord, may my children 'always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else'" (1 Thessalonians 5:15).

15 generosity "Grant that my children may 'be generous and willing to share [and so] lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age'" (1 Timothy 6:18-19).

16 peace, peaceability "Father, let my children 'make every effort to do what leads to peace'" (Romans 14:19).

17 joy " May my children be filled 'with the joy given by the Holy Spirit'" (1 Thessalonians 1:6).

18 perseverance " Lord, teach my children perseverance in all they do, and help them especially to 'run with perseverance the race marked out for [them]'" (Hebrews 12:1).

19 humility " God, please cultivate in my children the ability to 'show true humility toward all'" (Titus 3:2).

20 compassion " Lord, please clothe my children with the virtue of compassion" (Colossians 3:12).

21 responsibility " Grant that my children may learn responsibility, 'for each one should carry his own load'" (Galatians 6:5).

22 contentment " Father, teach my children 'the secret of being content in any and every situation. . . . through him who gives [them] strength'" (Philippians 4:12-13).

23 faith " I pray that faith will find root and grow in my children's hearts, that by faith they may gain what has been promised to them" (Luke 17:5-6, Hebrews 11:1-40).

24 a servant heart " God, please help my children develop servant hearts, that they may serve wholeheartedly, 'as to the Lord, and not to men'" (Ephesians 6:7, KJV).

25 hope " May the God of hope grant that my children may overflow with hope and hopefulness by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13).

26 the willingness and ability to work hard " Teach my children, Lord, to value work and to work hard at everything they do, 'as working for the Lord, not for men'" (Colossians 3:23).

27 a passion for God " Lord, please instill in my children a soul that "followeth hard after thee," a heart that clings passionately to you (Psalm 63:8, KJV).

28 self-discipline " Father, I pray that my children may develop self-discipline, that they may acquire 'a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair'" (Proverbs 1:3).

29 prayerfulness " Grant, Lord, that my children's lives may be marked by prayerfulness, that they may learn to 'pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests" (Ephesians 6:18).

30 gratitude " Help my children to live lives that are always 'overflowing with thankfulness,' 'always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ'" (Colossians 2:7, Ephesians 5:20).

31 a heart for missions " Lord, please help my children to develop a heart for missions, a desire to see your glory declared among the nations, your marvelous deeds among all peoples" (Psalm 96:3).

After several weeks of praying through the above list for my children, I discovered an additional benefit to my prayer program; as I prayed with my children each night, the Lord brought to mind the subject I'd prayed for that morning, and I would repeat my request in Aubrey and Aaron's hearing. Before long, they began to echo my praying, and pour out their own hearts in prayer for the very virtues and qualities I desired to see in them. Thus, my simple prayer program not only changed how I prayed, but also how my children pray. . . and, by God's grace, how they live as well.

Out of My Comfort Zone

2008-07-26T12:46:00.000-07:00

After 17 years of marriage, I have finally relented to let my dh buy a motorcycle. I have been against motorcycles for years. In the neighborhood I grew up in, everyone has either been crippled or died from motorcycle accidents. (Over half a dozen people! )

Now with the gas prices at $4.32 a gallon, my dh has brought up the motorcycle option. He is so sweet! He used to have a motorcycle before we were married, but sold it at my wish. He has blessed me by playing along with my wishes for these many years.

Now I need to grow up and trust God to take care of my dh. As he has told me, "If it is my time to go, it won't matter what I'm driving." I know it is true. I need to put aside my fear. I just don't want to lose him kwim?

Someone stole my bike!!

2008-07-25T22:41:00.000-07:00

I'm so frustrated! We got home from family camp last Friday, and my husband took all six of our bikes out of the back of his truck and put them in the open carport. We have never had any trouble with anything getting stolen in our neighborhood. I just went outside to ride my bike and it's gone! All the rest of the bikes are there, but mine.

I'm sad because I've had that bike for nearly 17 years. Dh and I took some money my boss gave me and bought matching bikes for our wedding present. It was sentimental among other things. It was in practically new condition, as I hadn't been riding it extensively since I was either pregnant or had little ones!

I'm just now getting to a point in my life that I can ride my bike, and now it's gone. I'm sad. We don't have the funds to buy a new one.

Sometimes I get so tired of this old world...

I believe I can fly!!!

2008-07-19T11:41:00.000-07:00

There is this great company called Challenge Air. We heard about them through the Starlight Starbright Foundation. They have a program where seriously ill kids can take a day and go flying! We all got to go up in the planes as a family, since we have two kids that are seriously ill. Each kid can have two guests. Josiah went up with Mike and Joseph and Christalin went up with Joshua and I. The kids had such a great time! I had never been up in a little airplane before. We were able to fly over Everett for half an hour. The pilot let Christalin and Josiah fly the plane too! It was a real rollercoaster ride for us until Christalin got the hang of it!! It was so incredible! Unfortunately, the batteries died on my camera, so I only got pictures of Josiah's crew on the plane. I was bummed. It was an incredible day. I can't wait until next year! Thank you Challenge Air!

Captain Critter & Sergeant Slime

2008-07-15T12:10:00.000-07:00

At camp this year, Josiah was asked to be Sergeant Slime. Captain Critter is a Marine biologist and Assistant Scoutmaster who loves to teach kids about nature. This year they went on a hike and explored some of God's creation. The talk came about survival, and Captain Critter had a surprise for us the next day! He brought crickets and wax worms for our tasting pleasure! It was a hoot! The poor worms slithered around on the grill, while the crickets tried to hop away. We all had to taste them. Once you got past the thought of cricket heads and guts oozing between your teeth, they weren't half bad! The crickets tasted like sunflower seeds and the worms tasted, ummm, I'm not sure. Some of the kids thought they tasted like french fries!

Family Camp!

2008-07-14T11:44:00.000-07:00

One of my kid's very favorite things to do is Family Camp. No matter what we do in the summer, it wouldn't be summer unless we go to Family camp. The older boys have Boyscout camp that has always ended up on the same week. However, given the choice, they slways choose family camp. What do we do at family Camp? Well, there's archery (taught by dh), swimming, canoeing, paddle boating, skits, tree climbing, excavator running, slip n slide, games, Country store, hiking, crafts, biking, teaching, yummy food three times a day that I didn't have to cook, friends, and freedom. Since the camp is just our church on a private campground on a private lake, I feel comfortable letting the kids explore. This is a growing thing for me, but it probably is one of the most favorite things for the kids. It is a relaxing week for all of us. We even brought my hammock and I was able to take a nap in the shade with no worries. Aaaahhh... can't wait until next year!

Drama camp!

2008-07-07T09:39:00.000-07:00

For the past two weeks, Josiah, Joshua and I have been in a drama camp at church. I was listed as one of the instructors, but I learned a lot right along with the kids! The days were long 8:30-3:00, but filled with fun games and challenging parts. The kids had their performance of Aladdin last Thursday night. They really did an amazing job! I can't believe they were able to get all their lines, songs and dance steps down in such a short time! Josiah played the part of Iago. Joshua played a guard. They are pretty tired now, but they had such fun. They definitely want to go to camp next year as well.

What I wish I knew when I was 18...

2008-06-30T08:02:00.000-07:00

My husband wrote this for a friends son who just turned 18. I thought it was beautiful.

I wish that when I was 18 , I would have had people in my life that would have made such a big deal about such an important time in my life. Truly you are at a time that will influence a lot of what happens during the rest of your time on earth. That may sound kind of overwhelming, but it's not as bad as it sounds. I'm just glad that it was only a couple of years before that ,that I had made Jesus my Savior, and was trying daily to make Him my Lord as well.
I just wish now,( and here it comes) that I had known then, how important it is to realize that:
" God has a purpose for my life"
As simple as that may seem, quite often we allow our plans or the expectations of others to influence us rather than being open to what our Maker has designed us for. Richard Warren in his book "Purpose Driven Life" says that "being successful and fulfilling your life's purpose are not at all the same issue! You could reach all your personal goals, becoming a raving success by the world's standard, and still miss the purposes for which God created you."

Remember that you are significant, you are unique, that you are the only you, and only you can fulfill the purpose of God that He has for you. I have heard many adult say they have spent their whole life climbing the ladder of success, only to find they had their ladder against the wrong wall! When all is said and done, only the words of our Lord and Master commenting on how we ran our race in this life, as He welcomes us into the next, will matter.

My prayer for you, is that you would have the wisdom to put your ladder against the right wall"