"Somewhere Over the Ocean"

This is post if for all those wives and moms who have stayed beind to hold down the fort so to speak, while dad or hubby is away. Sammy returns today from a 10 day mission trip, fingers crossed on time, and we are elated! As the weeks drew closer my feeling of excitement for him was paralleled by this strange feeling of what will we do???? We pulled away, after dropping him at the terminal gate, and after a few tears we immediately began "the schedule". It occurred to me I had planned almost every second of every day he was gone. This is actually funny if you know me because I am not the planner- that hat is worn by Sammy at all times. We felt so blessed and loved on. We had more people want to see us and entertain us than we had days to fill. It did trouble me somewhat that life with Sammy here just happened and life with him away felt like someone elses very fun distraction. So since I had time, between refreshing the "flight status" page over and over again, I began to ponder why this past 10 days had felt different. First, we are a family that does everything together like even the stressful stuff like grocery shopping or long car rides. We are used to dad walking in the door M-F at 5:15 and we just are together. It feels natural and safe. Second, we can call dad whenever we want during the day, and we may do that too much :) sometimes! Who knew the wifi access in Africa is spotty at best? Even when we did talk it felt awkward and impersonal though we were glad to see him. Then, lastly, night time ughh the dreaded night. The kids got sad because they slowed long enough to think about it and I didn't sleep longer than two hours at a time.....maybe because Ethan's toes were in my nose but all the same-NO SLEEP! There are two positive sides to this....the first and most obvious is that my husband got to go half way around the world and shine the light of Christ (well worth any small sacrifice we made), and two we reconnected with friends and family. The daily phone calls, emails, visits, dinner invitations, etc were just heartwarming and comforting. Our heater even broke while Sammy was away and one of my best friend's husbands took care of fixing it. So while Sammy is off loving others he doesn't know-AMAZING- some people here are taking up the slack and loving us! So Biblical and its humbling to me! So while these past ten days have been tough I wouldn't change them for those reasons....I am glad I was here and he was there......even if a part of my heart is still somewhere over the ocean- scheduled to land in Atlanta only 25 min. late :) Hey....I said I wouldn't change it not that I wasn't ready like ummmmmm yesterday for him to come home :) baby steps!

All grown up with somewhere to go....

Well tomorrow we will be the proud parents of a six year old. Its hard to believe really! I still remember that day like it just happened. Hannah was our very own Thanksgiving turkey born early, 5:44 a.m. to be exact, and she was perfect! I still remember thinking she was soooooo tiny as I held her against my chest, and now when she slows down long enough to hold its hard to tell who is holding who. I am so proud of who she had become....this loving, sweet, genuine, girl who loves Jesus! Along with that has come all the growing up too.....like the picking out her own clothes, wanting to brush her own hair, and tonite a first- A SLEEPOVER somewhere other than home or her cousins house! A real dream for a little girl and a reason for me to check my cell phone every 30 min- in secret hopes she will miss me and call :)! She grabbed her new boots, touched up her play make-up, and grabbed her purse stuffed with randomness and out the door she went.....All grown up with somewhere to go! And no call as of yet! Happy Birthday Hannah!

Sour Cream and Banannas

We have been working as a family with the Shawnee Rescue Mission for a while now, and since the day we first volunteered my little boy has been praying daily (and I do mean daily) for the homeless people we have served there. Ethan really has been the only one of the five of us to pray daily. In fact, my husband and I have shared many times how humbled we are by his diligence and faith in his praying for these people. It has really reminded me of the power of faithful prayer. So during these prayers he always prays they receive a home, which over the summer God did provide funding for a shelter-YAY, and then he prays that they could have bananas and sour cream. These are his two favorite foods so that's why the odd combo! Over the summer we had the amazing privilege of telling our two oldest about the shelter, and explaining how God answered this amazing prayer. They were both excited and not at all as surprised as we were, which again challenged my faith. Us big people need to quit acting surprised when God actually answers prayer- Hello He is faithful lol! Well, this morning we went down to our home church and picked up some donations (as we often do) for SRM. Then we headed downtown to drop them off. I got out to meet my helper in unloading and we traded some kind words and caught up a bit and I rattled off what was all in the sacks without much thought and got back in the car. As we are driving away Ethan says "Mom God likes sour cream too". I said, "what buddy"? "Mom, God gave our church a big bowl of sour cream and they gave it to Shawnee Rescue Mission". He had the biggest smile on his face and now I did too! I honestly didn't even think about it until he had said something. I really thought well this is random a whole bunch of sour cream, but it wasn't random at all! It was our amazing Father answering the prayer of His beloved three year old child! I not a betting woman but if I was...I would say bananas are next!

Hot Date

Tonite I have a date with my husband. Oh how I love date nights. In the hustle and bustle of this thing called life its nice just to slow down and take some time. We never do anything "extravagant" and that is fine by me. I really just love to sit next to him in the booth, take longer than 10 minutes to eat, to have conversation without stopping to take someone to the potty, and him seeing me in something other than sweatpants and a t-shirt stained with cheeots. You see before there was this family of five....there was just two people. These two people who kinda fell hard and quick for each other. One quiet and one not so quiet, one practical one impulsive, one disciplined and one free spirit....basically two people created to balance each other out. And when the balance doesn't work we still do cause underneath it all we just like each other. Too easy to forget where things began, but its that place that makes all the other stops on the journey possible. So today, 10 years later, I will wonder what to wear, pray for a good hair day, not feed the kids cheetos ;), and get a little giddy when he puts his hand on my leg. Thanks Sammy for still dating me after all these years! Loving You always!

Nap is a Must

This is so not serious! Sorry for those wanting something more theological or thought provoking, but today right now in this moment it is ever clear to me why I shouldn't let me 3 year old skip nap. We have had an injured toe, he says "my ears going to fall off" after I changed his shirt, then he cried when I asked him if he needs to go to the bathroom. I knew better and still I said yes.....moral to this story weakness breads weakness :)! Just kidding! Moral is go with your gut even when big brown eyes look into your soul and plead "no mama I will be super good". My punishment for this momentary lack of mommy judgement is a cranky boy on an afternoon when leaving this house is a must. We must go to dance, we must run by the store, and we must have a nap next time! Oh well still nice to know he is big and grown in so many ways, and yet little and needy in others. Makes my heart smile a bit.

A 3rd Arm

This morning my kids were making wishes.....you know the usual I wish I could fly, I wish I had a bathtub full of ice cream, and of course I wish I had all the candy in the world waaaahhhhaaaahaaaaaa (scary laugh). Then my kiddos asked me mommy what do you wish for hmmmmm. The thought of world peace, an end to hunger, everyone coming to Christ, while all great things to wish for- didn't instantly pop in my mind. Instead amidst throwing away a poopy diaper with a fussy baby tugging at my leg, then pouring Ethan's second cup of milk, while washing Hannah's strawberries, all while running to grab the phone before I miss a call and have to answer a voicemail.....I blurt our a third arm that is what I want! I of course missed the phone call and turned to see them looking at me like I was crazy.....and Ethan says mom that's just weird! A woman can dream :)!

The role of child, wife, and mom!

Sometimes I am crazy....well a lot of times I am crazy....I have these crazy moments where I tend to lose focus on what and who really matters. These moments always have one common denominator....lack of intimacy with God. Sometimes I can mean so well and yet fail so badly with my quiet time, my Bible study, my time with my husband and my kids. The origin of this last moment began oddly enough with me thinking I wasn't "enough" I was just a wife and a mom. I don't serve enough, I don't work outside the home, I don't have enough stuff, I don't do enough "big" stuff. You know what I mean....as if being a wife and a mom aren't enough. The good news in this is I have a gracious heavenly Father and a gracious earthly husband. They love me and bear with me through the craziness. God reminds me I am fearfully and wonderfully made and as the workmanship of His hands I have been designed for good works already decided upon by Him.....for instance as Sammy's wife and my kiddos momma! I am a child of God, a help-mate for my hubby, a home-schooling momma, and on top of this He blesses me with moments in the middle to love people for His glory. All and all not a bad role to play! Thanks Lord for my small spot in this larger thing that is and should be all about YOU!