moving day

Two weeks ago today we flew away from very deep roots and our home state. Here is segment one in our journey to the Evergreen State.

Moving Day(s)

The day before our truck came, my brother, sister-in-law, 3 nephews and one niece from Ohio and my sister-in-law and niece from Belding came over to help pack. I seriously would still be packing my kitchen if it wasn't for them.









These are my two 16 year old nieces who when together are inseparable.











That night, friends brought over dinner and we enjoyed hanging out and laughing. A lot. It was a very sweet night.











Friday the truck came at 7:30 a.m. Friends came to help load and brought lunch. My brother and sister-in-law from Tennessee came along with my uncle, cousins and 2nd cousins from Northern Ireland to help us out. Our entire house fit on the front half of the 53 foot semi. Dennis and Karen (the couple who drove the truck) were absolutely amazing. They have been doing this together for 37 years. 37 YEARS!



The van was put on the back of half of the semi via a flat bed tow truck.














There was a lot of laughter during the course of the day. And at the end, a lot of tears. It sure hasn't been easy and I miss my friends so very much.

Today I realized that I am more than likely going to be grocery shopping for 3 kids (no...I'm not pregnant). There were 8 of us at the dinner table tonight. Three parents, us 4 and the little neighbor girl. I think she's going to be over a lot (she's been over a lot so far). I think she's going to be one that we are going to fall in love with. She's going to be going through a lot as her mom starts radiation for breast cancer in a week. I have no clue what her home life is like, but I do know it's different than ours. She still looks at us strange when we pray before a meal. I hope she feels comfortable in our house and enjoys hanging out there. I hope I can let my bubble pop and be stretched outside of my comfort zone. I prayed to live exactly where God wanted us to be. I think there is going to be a lot of growing in this house for all four of us. There already has been.

randomness

this is a quick post as the library closes in an hour and 10 minutes (one more week with no internet....it's hard!)

We are slowly getting settled into the house. It took Ed and I (plus our amazing semi driver) 4 1/2 hours to unload the truck. The next morning I woke up to my entire body unhappy at me. But we did it. The piano was last and is all snug in the living room now.

We visited a new church this morning. Electric drum kit. That's all I'm going to say on that one.

I'm still looking for a job. It's a bit difficult with no internet at the house and it's hard to look sitting in the kids section on a little stool with one or both kids asking, "do you have a job yet?"

People here are so friendly. Neighbors came over on the first day to introduce themselves (and pretty much shared their life stories in a matter of 2 minutes). The little 4 year old girl next door (who Alina has now made friends with and brought home the 1st day we were there) informed us yesterday, "I'm going to be gone for awhile as I have to go with my dad to pick up a friend who's getting out of jail." Boy...did we live in a bubble before.

The parents come tomorrow. We found a CHEAP couch/hidabed on Craigslist (LOVE CRAIGSLIST!) that Ed and I will be snoozing on for the next two weeks.

I know how to get to the store, bank, library (which are all within a block of each other) and the airport. The map has become a very good friend.

I have exactly one hour to scour for a job.

Pictures soon. Seriously.

we're here

It's hard to believe we had family and friends over a week ago today to help pack our house. It seems forever ago, but a lot has happened in the past week! Here's a quick update.

1. We loaded a massive semi (we couldn't have done it in 4 1/2 hours without our amazing friends and family...even from N. Ireland!) on Friday with our entire house. Our driver Dennis, is amazing at packing our entire house into 24 feet. We literally had 1 foot to spare.

2. We said many tearful goodbye's on Friday. I'll be honest and say it sucked saying goodbye. Though it wasn't a goodbye forever. They (and we) know we'll be back really soon.

3. We sent the kids back to Lansing. One with Grandma, one with Uncle John and Aunt Crystal, so Ed and I could walk through the house one more time.

4. We left our house of 4 1/2 years. Locked up nice and snug, ready for the next family who is going to own it.

5. We were back 1/2 an hour later as our realtor stopped by and he couldn't get in as the door knob was acting up. So with the help of our neighbors, we were able to break into our house (all the keys were on the counter) and fix the door knob (thank heavens for that roll of packing tape in the car).

6. We made our way to Lansing, spent the night, visited my dad in the hospital and took off to the airport on Saturday.

7. Flights went smooth, were all on time and all our luggage made it. We finally made it to a hotel that had vacancy after 20 hours of being up/traveling.

8. Our friends we met back in November (who moved here 2 months ago) have graciously given up their bedroom for us so we can have a place to stay until we found a house.

9. We found a house. It's further than where we have been looking, but realized quickly the houses in our price range in the city were in that price range for a reason. Ed will have a short commute, but will be in class only 3 days a week. Sam's school is 15 minutes away in which we will be driving him there.

10. We've spent time downtown, time getting lost (a lot of time...Ed bought a car compass), time at Sam's school, time looking at what felt like a bazillion houses and time at our new place.

11. I'm amazed: that there are Thai restaurants every few blocks, that there is a 2 story Target (that starts on the 3rd floor with an escalator for the grocery carts), that cars actually make it up the hills here without tipping over, how many pine trees there are, how beautiful the city is, that people will carry on a conversation with you even when they don't speak English and don't care that you don't speak their language, that there are palm trees here, that Starbucks charges $10 to use their internet access (even when you buy a drink), and how many organic stores and fresh farm markets there are.

12. Our parents fly in Monday. My dad was released from the hospital this past Tuesday after being in a week and a half and got the O.K. from the doctor to come here next week.

13. We "move" into our house today. More like move into the garage as the carpets are being cleaned tomorrow, so we have to wait until Saturday to move all our furniture in.

14. Pictures will be coming.

reliving the past

In junior high, the one thing that I always wanted (and never did get) was a skate board. Yes, I was a tomboy. Didn't like wearing dresses, loved being outside exploring and riding my bike (complete with a banana seat) over all the jumps that were made on an empty lot, cared very little about style and was a far cry from popular in school.

So when Sam saw a skate board today at a garage sale, we went halfsies. He paid 50 cents, I paid 50 cents. He carried it around to all the other neighborhood sales and even locked his door (when all the other ones were unlocked) so no one would take it. The minute I turned off the car in the driveway, he was running to the garage to don his helmet and biking gloves and started riding. It was hard driving away all the motherly worries of "he's going to fall and break his arm like his friend did. He's going to break wrists. His nose. His knees. He's going to break everything." and just let him be a boy. All I need to do is remember to breath, swallow my heart that jumps to my throat, smile and clap while encouraging. He absolutely loves it.

Who knows, maybe I'll take it for a spin after he goes to bed tonight.

pre-move

Ed gives great background information here about how we came to the decision of moving.

back to packing...

biker boy!

This past Saturday a little town next to us had a road bike race around a 3/4 mile loop. Men and women would ride for 40 minutes plus 5 laps (the same loop over and over and over again). There were wipe outs a plenty and standing right on a corner having 30 men whip by you at a high rate of speed tends to make you want to step back. I realized it was something that I would not enjoy doing as racers are mere inches from each other at all times. No thank you.

During the middle of the race there was the Tour de Kids. 4 races were held. The first was for 4 and under and on training wheels. They rode 200 feet of the course. 2nd heat was 4 and 5 year olds. 3rd was 5-7 year old and 4th was 7-9 year olds. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th groups rode one lap of the course.






Sam rode in the 3rd heat of 5-7 year olds. There were about 30 kids racing in this heat. Sam started at the front, but slipped off the pedals at the start and ended up in the back half of the group. We went down to wait before the finish and saw three little guys round the last corner for the last stretch and Sam was one of them. The three finished side by side and he was considered in 2nd place.


He also rode with the 7-9 year olds and finished 10th, but riders 1-9 had bigger wheels on their bikes compared to Sam who had to ride twice as hard to keep up with them.


He was exhausted, but he absolutely loved it! Each kid received a blue ribbon and a free t-shirt. I think we've created a monster and I'm sure there will be more races ahead.

new slant on an old love

I've had a long history of loving popcorn. I think now, more than ever, it has become one of my favorite foods.

One Christmas Ed bought me a huge jug full of kernels for my hand-turned style popcorn maker. I then went over to the microwave popcorn side. For years I was so-so in love with the 3 minute, fast made popcorn in a bag.

About a month ago, I was craving popcorn. Really craving it. To the point that I was ready to go out to the store just to buy some. I knew the handy bags were gone, so I started searching for some loose kernels. I knew I had some around somewhere. Alas, I found the jar with some kernels in it, but then went to look for my hand-turned style popper and then sadly remembered I sent it to Goodwill as it was no longer functional to my taste.

Think, think, think. Then! Then I thought I'd try it in a pan on the stove. Have never done this before, but I was really wanting that popcorn. For those that know me, you would be proud that I didn't even search the internet for a recipe on how much oil to use vs. kernels. I poured in oil, poured in kernels, lidded it, and started shaking over the hot flame.

After that first bowl, I was hooked. I don't believe I can go back to the 3 minute bag option. All kernels pop, which leaves less to throw away, I only put a bit of butter and salt on and off I go. And for $2 a bag, it can't be beat.

Ahhhh popcorn. I think I'll make some tonight.

day 3

This morning I get back in the saddle again to bike to VBS down the road. 4 trips total. It is only 1.4 miles there and going takes only 6 minutes. Coming home takes much longer as it is all up hill. And pulling 50 pounds up hill is not the most fun thing to do. Day one I had to walk part way up. Day two I barely (and I mean barely) made it up. I couldn't shift down any more gears. But I somehow did it without stopping until we got home. In the middle of this hill, while Sam is doing circles around me, this tiny voice comes from the back.

"Mommy? Why are we going so slow? I want to go faster please!"

At least she used her manners.

from here

today was the day of no turning back.
the point of no return.

today we sealed our decision with 4 one-way tickets to Seattle.

no, the house hasn't sold.
no, we don't know where we're going to live or work.
we don't know a lot.

but one thing we do know. after more prayer than we even thought possible, seeking His word, and more prayer, we're taking a risk God has planted in our hearts to do and we're doing it. we can't disobey. this is truly a step of faith.

a step that's happening in 3 1/2 weeks. August 16th, we're getting on a plane at 3:00 pm to fly to the other side of the country without a return flight planned.

until christmas.

Two things I think are great surprises for myself.

1. Forgetting that I folded all laundry from the dryer, go to do laundry, open the dryer and find there are no clothes to fold. Score!

2. Forgetting I cleaned out the dishwasher, go to get ready to do the daily, unexciting task of cleaning out the dishwasher just so it can be loaded again, open the dishwasher to find it only 1/4 of the way full of dirty dishes! Ahhhhh bliss.

Either I'm becoming forgetful or I'm in such a sad state that an empty dryer and barely full dishwasher become such exciting things that help make my day.

Probably a bit of both.

a few nature pictures for you

I've been meaning to show some pictures of our beautiful wildlife here at our home and finally got around to downloading the photos off the camera from weeks ago.

Our first stop is a lovely oblong specimen. Anyone ever read this book? We actually have it and it didn't CLICK (ha ha ohhh ha...ehem) until after I let this beastly looking (of a fine specimen) go that it was one in the same. It scared the living daylights out of me when it did click that soon after I let it go back to its habitat. If I was thinking straight, I would have put it on its back to see if it really did click over to escape. But no....its image was starting to fuse into my brain and I knew I needed to let it go before it seeped into my subconscious and I started having dreams of big black looking eyes clicking every time they closed, chasing me down a dark tunnel with no light at the end...






So, onto our next fine specimens. Now these lovely, cute, cuddly little beasts are all but that. Oh...they may look cute and cuddly and I would've totally gotten closer, but my insides SCREAMED at me to stay away. Far, far away. These lovely little stripped fur balls live under our back deck (as far as we know). I thought there were only four, but alas! There are six! Though I did hear a skirmish the other night between something large and something small, and I think there may be less than six. And I do need to thank our dog sized groundhog, as I believe he/she is keeping them away as we haven't seem these fine looking pieces of black and white fir for over 2 days. Sure beats the weird looks I got from the store clerk while I put up 6 1/2 gallons of ammonia to pour around the deck (which didn't faze these cute pups one bit and it rained that night, so I'm not doing it again). So Mr./Mrs. Groundhog, thank you!




Now...I know these are not living creatures, but they were thriving and growing. Until we picked them. Still looking at this picture, my mouth waters and I have to keep typing so I won't go diving into the freezer to eat these succulent morsels! This was our first time strawberry picking. (I must say that Sam is the strawberry picking king!) 11 pounds of strawberries made us nine 1/2 pints of strawberry jam and 4 quarts of whole strawberries left over. We have yet to indulge in these juicy bites of yumminess.


So now I must say cheerio as the children are screaming outside and I need to make sure both come in unscathed.

here an ear, there an ear, everywhere an ear, ear.

This event took place last night. Ed and I were sitting outside chatting while the kids were "supposed" to be in bed and Sam came to the sliding door.

Sam: Dad? I need to tell you something.

Dad: What is it?

Sam: I did something.

Dad: And what would that be?

Sam: I put a piece of paper in my ear and I can't get it out.

Dad: Why did you do that?

Sam: So I could show my friends that I can pull a piece of paper out of my ear. Like a magic trick.

Dad: Come here please.

After much looking we couldn't see evidence of a piece of paper. Sam informed us that it was a tiny ball and he pushed it way in there. We tried ear wax removal with a warm water bath, flashlight, tweezers (not too deep in there...no worries), but to no avail, that piece of paper would not come out. I informed Sam that we were going to have to go to the doctor the next day as it could not stay in there. He was in tears, scared and really sorry. We then headed him to bed and told him to lay on the side he put the paper in to see if it would come out during the night.

In his room:

Mom: Where's the piece of paper you used?

Sam: Right there. My math flash card.

I lift up the card and see a tiny piece torn off the edge.
He goes to lay down and I move his blanket to cover him up.

Mom: Is this the piece?

Sam: IT IS!!!! (relief and a huge smile on his face) I was praying about it too!

Dad: What did you pray?

Sam: "God please take it out. God please take it out."

Mom: That's pretty awesome that God answered your prayer isn't it? He was protecting you and keeping you safe.

Sam: It sure is! (awe all over his face) I'm glad he answered my prayer.

Mom and Dad each: Me too!

Sam was so awed and amazed that God would answer his prayer and I think it had a huge impact on his faith and trust in God. It was a pretty cool experience to witness. Seeing your child in awe of God and being so thankful to Him.

This morning it was the 1st thing he told his sister about. "God took a piece of paper out of my ear!"

waiting

It has been a bit discouraging seeing and hearing people moving ahead with plans that have to do with their future, and sitting here not moving. People that I have been in contact with in WA are now packing and moving away now that their spouses are done with school. People that we have met are packing up and moving to WA to start school. We are neither packing nor moving. We're waiting. In limbo.

At times I feel like this verse:

"I am exhausted from crying for help;
my throat is parched.
My eyes are swollen with weeping,
waiting for my God to help me." Ps. 69:3

When I see my husband leave every day to a job that sucks life out of him ounce by ounce, tears me up.
Cleaning the entire house for someone to come through and 6 minutes later leave and not like it.
Pinching pennies until they start to cry.

It's easy to slide down the despair slope, it goes fast and there is no end in sight.

During these times, I have to literally stick my feet out on each side of the slide to stop my emotions and thoughts from careening and pray. A thought provoking, detailed prayer comes out: "HELP!"

These are the verses my Rescuer gives to me.

"Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing."

So I turn around and start climbing back up the slide. Not an easy task. There is a lot of slipping, bruised and cut knees from falling. Growing takes a lot of effort, sweat and hurt.

Our house isn't sold, but we believe we are obeying and have learned SO much more than we ever thought.
My husband's lifeless job is still there day after day, but I see where God has used him and continues to use him in others' lives.
The pennies are still crying, but we have not gone hungry and have seen God's hand provide for us through others in so many ways.

The last 3 months have been very long, but we will not give up. It's tempting to sit down and let the slide carry me. There is no answer yet, we are still in limbo and who knows what is going to happen. But I am thankful for this testing period. Joy in trials. What an oxymoron. What an awesome God.

pictures

Here are the pictures I've been meaning to post. We lost our power again on Sunday and it came back on today (Tuesday). It was quite the adventure the past few days with no electricity, water or being able to flush the toilets! ;)

This was right after the huge wind came through.




















This pine tree snapped right off (we're still not sure why no other pine trees in the same row were blown down). This is also the same pine tree that I hit with the tractor...

















This was our neighbors driveway. One of our trees took out two of their trees, one of which landed in their garage.



















This is the other tree that came down. If the wind came from the other direction, the entire top would have been in our bedrooms. This tree used to tower high over the house. The wind took the whole top off.






















This is from the street looking down the valley.



















Saturday friends came over to help clean up (as we had an open house on Sunday).

































Looking down our street after the storm. No one could get through as there were trees and power lines down, covering the street.





















Lastly, what was left of our for sale sign. It was found plastered to the road by the neighbors.

craziness

Not sure what went through yesterday, but it was scary enough for me to scream at the kids to get in the basement as I thought the house was going to blow away.

1st was hail.
Then the power went out.
Then this horrendous wind blew.
It was white outside and I couldn't see the tree that is two feet away from the window.
Instinct kicked in and we ran to the basement.

30 seconds and it was over.

I assessed the damage.

It was the most bizarre thing I had seen. In the back, one plastic chair blew off the deck. Sam's soccer nets were still standing. Nothing damaged at all.

In the side yard, two huge silver maples were down. The back half of one and the entire top of the other. If the wind came from the other way, our house would've been crushed.

Our power came on 24 hours after it went out. I'm dirty and sweaty from lugging tree branches to the back yard. Friends came brandishing chain saws to cut up the trees.

Our for sale sign is gone.

Pictures to come.

the grass could be greener on the other side

I found out yesterday that:

1. Trees do not move.
2. Grass is very slippery when wet.
3. Metal is very hard.
4. Plastic cracks.
5. Wood comes apart easily.
6. I'm thankful I can still walk.

Today I'm finding that:

1. My body feels like it went through the wringer, dryer, washer, stretcher and any other torture device you can think of.

What did I do?
I mowed the lawn.
In the rain.
5th gear the entire time.
Ran into a tree (and am pretty sure I dented the trunk of it).
Cracked the entire front and top of the tractor cover.
Waited for it to blow up.
Ran over a stump (with the blades going).
Almost went over the top of the tractor (due to said stump stopping it).
Knees hitting metal were the only thing that kept me from flying off.
Waited for it to blow up again.
Peeled a board half way off the shed while putting the tractor away.
Saw the entire front of the shed bow in along with the peeling board.
Finally got the tractor in with the shed still standing.
Turned off the tractor before it blew up.


I was going to take a picture of the tractor, but Ed hasn't seen it yet and I want him to live another day.

One important note...my gracious husband was not the least bit frustrated, but smiled when I told him these sad turn of events. That spoke volumes to my heart.

13 amazing years

May 20, 1995 I said "I do" to the man of my dreams. I was but a child (at age 20), but the one thing I knew was that my Savior placed this man in my life so I could experience an adventure like never before.

What an adventure it has been.

I still had 4 years of school to complete (it was the 6 year plan) and you sacrificed so much for me to be able to finish my degree.

We somehow made it through the first couple years of you being to work at 6 a.m. and me being in school full time and coming home from work at 11:30 p.m. every night.

You introduced me to backpacking (amidst mosquito's and hyperventilating) and I thank you for not listening to my pleading of leaving me at the camp site and making a boat come and get me.

From finishing school, to job changes, to moves, to babies, to life choices for our future, you have always been by my side. Never wavering in your love for me.

We have had several rough patches, but have come out stronger. We have learned about ourselves through each other. Our marriage has been stretched so tightly and yet we have not broken. Our Lord has carried us many a time and we have used His example to carry each other many a time.

I will not ever forget this past weekend of celebrating our marriage. From wanting to impress you on the hardest mountain biking trail I have ever done, to climbing the ski hill to the tippy top and celebrating communion together. From reading scripture to sitting humbly with the wind whipping around us, having my feet washed in a gesture that moved me profoundly. From kneeling before you, weeping with thankfulness for your friendship, sacrifice and example while washing your feet, to praying together.

Thank you for living this adventure with me, for loving me when I'm grumpy, crying and have no idea how to express myself. Thank you for your patience. For being you.

I look forward to the next weeks, months and years of where God will take us, use us and grow us.

I love you.

Today was an amazing day. Ed went for his morning ride to the ski hill while the kids and I "slept in" (until 7:15 today!!). Ed and Sam had talked about going mountain biking later in the day and Ed has wanted me to come along for the longest time. So I called my brother and sister-in-law of whom were going to be home and would love to play with the smallest one of our family. Bikes were loaded, GU was distributed in the bladder packs and off we went.

I was actually pretty nervous about riding. Last time I was out there (2 years ago? 3 years ago? I can't quite remember) I clipped some trees with my handle bars and went off. Sam has been out there more times than I have. Also, I have heard many stories of guys throwing up, others who have broken bones, concussions, and have seen many pictures of gashes and flowing blood. So, yeah, I was scared. This was also the first time I've ridden off road with clip shoes. THAT was my biggest fear. I think I pictured myself every way possible of what would happen if I wasn't able to unclip my shoes from the pedals. Falling down a hill. Falling into the stream. Running over Sam. Going head first into a tree (that had happened this morning to one of the guys Ed rode with), breaking bones, flipping over the handle bars, scraping flesh off exposed body parts (it's only a flesh wound!). So yes, I had worked myself into a fine mess.

We dropped off the Little Miss, drove a bit to the bike parking lot and started on our way.

Sam lead, Ed was the middle and I brought up the rear. 30 seconds into the woods I hear this screaming. I thought it was Sam saying "HEEEEYYYYYYY!!!!" and both Ed and I said, "What Sam?". The 2nd time we heard it, we thought it was a bird. The 3rd time, both Ed and I stopped as we heard it loud and clear coming from a spot we just passed. it was a continuous scream. We hopped off our bikes, told Sam to stop and started heading towards the noise.

This is what we found.

















We're pretty sure it was born that morning as it was still wobbly on it's legs. Isn't this the CUTEST little thing EVER? It's bleating cries tore at my heart. I wanted to scoop it up and take it home. It came out of the woods and walked right up to Ed and looked at him with those big brown eyes and kept on bleating. I have never seen wildlife this close. You could see its fur crusted where it was once wet from being born. All the intricate white dots on its back. The spider webs stuck to its eyelashes from the bush it emerged from. It was breath taking and absolutely amazing. What an amazing experience that will probably never happen again.

We didn't touch it (though we wanted to SO bad) and it finally went up the hill, all the while bleating for its momma, and we had to continue on.

So I didn't throw up (though every time we stopped during the 1st two sections, I had to talk myself out of it), I came home with no broken bones, I only have one small gash on the back of my calf, I made it through this crazy stream crossing, and one of the things I absolutely loved watching was Ed. Seeing him in his element, seeing him come to life, seeing him wield his strength on the hills and with his bike.

The other thing I loved was seeing Sam in a different venue. He didn't complain once. He encouraged other riders going by. He encouraged me so many times. He was so proud of himself for making it up huge hills. He wiped out, got back on his bike and kept going. He was a huge example to me in the area of attitude.

Yes, I was outnumbered in gender and ability, but it will be one experience I will cherish deep down for a very long time.

Today our daughter went under the knife. Trigger finger on her right thumb. If she didn't have the surgery, she would eventually never be able to bend her thumb, so surgery it was. It was outpatient, but she 1. still had to be put under and 2. had to be cut open. That was enough to make me nervous and toss and turn in bed throughout all of last night.

5:30 Ed and I were up to get ready. 6:10 we left. 6:40 got to the medical building. 7:30 had to write her initials on the thumb she was having surgery on (only to check it so many times I lost count afraid I initialed the wrong one and mess everything up). 7:50 she was put under. 8:10 the doctor was done. snip, snap, sew and that was it. We blew that popsicle stand by 9:40 and headed out to get a pancake for the princess who looked ready to jump in the boxing ring complete with bandaged right hand and a left hand taped to hold on that Barbie band aid which was holding on more gauze (to stop the bleeding from the IV entrance).

She's doing amazing and has bounced back full force. We were given a prescription for tylenol with codeine, but waited to fill it. So far, she has been going on two regular strength chewable tylenol tablets.



We had to take some fun pictures to remember this day by (hence the jumpsuits and hats over faces to make her laugh). Her only tears have been when she tries to use her right hand and isn't able to.














She's a huge trooper. I'd be milking it for all its worth, but not her. So many times I've gone to help her and she looks at me and says, "Stop please. I can do it myself." Addah girl.

splintered

Have you ever felt like you've been hit with a 2x4 right between the eyes? I don't mean literally. More specifically, spiritually. This has happened more than once this past week and let me tell you...it leads to one hurting head and eyes that see oh so much clearer.

The 1st 2x4 was more like a wake up call. To pray.

The other 2x4's were at church last night. I asked to have a Sunday off of helping lead music (thank you Anne!!) to sit through a service with my husband. We decided to attend Saturday night and sure enough..I end up in tears by the end of the sermon. Our pastor taught from the book of James and how having joy through all sorts of trials is a choice.

Some trials given where joy can be chosen:
Loosing a job: ding! yes to that one.
Cracks and rocks in the marriage: ding! yes to that one.
Financial stress: ding! yes to that one.
Waiting for a house to sell: ding! yes to that one.

Choosing joy: loud annoying buzz: haven't chosen that one.

Being refined and coming out on the other side looking like a nice shiny, beautiful gravy boat (it does make sense if you heard the sermon) is so much more worth it than being filled with envy and frittering my life away. Being broken so something else can be built up and come out stronger. Choosing joy is not easy, but so worth it on the flip side.

I still haven't sorted out everything that is going on inside.
I'm still messed up from all the 2x4's last night.
And it's a great thing.

tiny tidbits

All 2T and 3T pants that are high waters (but fit in the waste) for Alina make amazing capri's when rolled up. No need to buy capri's for the summer! Sweet!!

Recipe for trimmed off pieces of a homemade pie crust. Roll out, brush with butter, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, cut up and bake. Tasty little treats! Would be fantastic drizzled with chocolate sauce on top of ice cream...

Free entertainment and exercise at the airport viewing area. Lots of room to run and picnic tables to eat at while watching airplanes take off and land. We did that between the downpours today.

$1 off coupon for grocery store brand ice cream that is already on sale. End up paying $1.50 for a 1/2 gallon. Can't beat that!!

Pureed spinach mixed in spaghetti sauce for that extra veggie.

I had bread dough left over for the calzones (that were filled with spaghetti/spinach mixture), so I cut the leftover in half and gave one chunk to each kid. Instant playdough they could roll, cut up, and even eat if they wanted to (rolling pin, cookie cutters, bread cutter and pizza cutter). Quick clean up with no crumbs and into a baggie for each they went, to be pulled out the next day. They literally begged the next morning after breakfast to play with it.

knocking itself senseless

How many times will a Robin fly into the window before it tires out? Too many to count.

Yesterday a Robin decided that our sliding door needed to be flown into. Repeatedly. Smudging and pooping all over the squeaky clean door. It was starting to become annoying. Sam found his sword and went outside yelling, "GET AWAY ROBIN!!!!" chasing it around the yard with sword held high. That worked for about 20 minutes. Then it started back at the door. I finally closed the blinds and that seemed to work.

But said Robin was not done ramming itself senseless into clear glass. Sure enough, that same Robin had come to the front of the house and started on the living room windows. It would sit on edge and stare in the house to catch its breath before starting again. It was very nerve wracking having a bird looking in at you. At one point it turned around and mooned me. Lifted it's tail and squished it up against the window. Now seriously bird, did you really have to do that?

So I closed all the blinds to the front windows. I refused to turn on the lights as it was now dark in here. It finally went away.

Until 7:00 this morning.

I thought one of the kids was up making racket in the kitchen. I flew out of bed ready to scold him or her as Ed was downstairs meeting with a friend. By the time I got to the hallway, I heard their snores and knew right away what it was. Robin. I refuse to sit inside with the blinds closed all day long. Anyone have any ideas how to get rid of this bird?

pajama time!

Tonight is what we call pajama movie night. We've started a new family tradition on Friday nights of getting our jammies on, taking dinner downstairs (on top of lots of blankets so the new carpet is spared), and watching a movie together. I missed the 1st jammie-movie night of which the 1st part of Gone With The Wind was viewed. The 2nd jammie-movie night was the 2nd part of Gone With The Wind (we're still perplexed as to why the kids wanted to see it and why 1 out of 2 of them stayed awake through the entire movie). Tonight is the 3rd edition of jammie-movie night. Homemade pizza is on the menu (bbq chicken for 2 adults, chicken and pineapple for 2 kids). I think the movie choice is going to be The Wild. I'm looking forward to it already. The kids ask for it every week and I hope it continues as a tradition they carry on with their families some day.

The search has begun. I updated my resume (more like wrote an entirely new one) yesterday. By days end, my head hurt and my body felt like it had been squeezed one too many times through a pasta maker. Before last week I didn't have to think about what I would be qualified to do. I had spent the last 8 years with the same company, the past 7 years doing the exact same job, thinking it was the job I would have until I was ready to move on. When that security rug is yanked unexpectedly from under you, it's one hard fall.

Last night looking at my completed resume (thanks to my amazing husband), the thought crossed my mind, "This is what I have done the past 10+ years. All my work has been reduced to one piece of paper." Am I really qualified to enter the work force?

I sent out my first resume last night and was pretty nervous about what would happen if I got this job. I could totally do it and actually have the experience for the qualifications. It's all the unknown questions that come with working outside the home. I then told myself to take it one step at a time.

This weekend will consist of purchasing a Sunday paper to scour for more jobs. This is a whole new realm that I did not think I would have to do until after our move. I should know better than to think I have everything worked out.

So the trusting continues. I cling to God's promise that He will not let us go without what we need. Seeing His faithfulness the past week and a half has been humbling and eye opening. Experiencing encouragement from others has calmed my heart from worry and humbled my soul knowing that I and our family are loved. We have not gone without and it has been a hard, but good, stretching experience that I am learning from daily.

so on and so forth

With it being almost an entire week without a job, I've found myself sitting, staring at my computer not knowing what to do. I'm not used to not working. For the past seven years I've had the same job, being able to work at home and be here when Sam comes home from school, to make dinner every night, to be here when Ed gets home from work, to watch both of our babies grow.

So I am now starting to fill the days with having the house spic and span, just in case the realtor calls for a last minute appointment. And play with Alina. Polly's, Color Wonder finger paint, markers, crayons, more Polly's and so on and so forth.

Also I've found myself looking every 2 minutes at my blog roll. At the news. The weather. Even the grocery ads. Chatting with anyone that's available. Looking at the blog roll again. The news. The weather. I know very soon that this is not going to be a luxury. With losing a job, other things must go away too. One being internet. So if by chance you e-mail me and I don't respond for days, I'm really not ignoring you. I promise. I'm realizing that I may actually HAVE to TALK to people on the phone! How crazy is that!?!

This morning I read the following verse:

Phil 4:6-7
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

I asked Jesus to show me His peace today and that I would be mature enough to see it (something that stuck from the women's retreat this past weekend).

In part of my brain I took this as "pray that everything will work out in how I see is best and it will". Yes...well, we all know that's not how things work.

At around 10:30 this morning the phone rang, I saw that it was Ed's work number (thought it was Ed), but it was my boss (we work for the same company). I thought there was some work for me to do and he was calling to see if I could hop on and do it. Then I hear, "I have some difficult news to share with you" and continued on explaining that with another loss of a customer for the company, there was a meeting with the board this morning, of which was discussed how they were going to stay afloat. One way was me being let go.

gulp.

don't cry. don't cry. don't cry.

I somehow managed to make it through the phone call and after he said sorry so many times and how this couldn't have come at a more difficult time for us, I finally said that it's not his fault the way the economy is and that I understand. I hung up and immediately called Ed (he sits right outside our boss' office so I'm guessing the door was closed), he answered and all he heard was me sobbing.

I've had to explain to our 6 year old why mommy doesn't have a job after he asked why I can't work any more. I somehow managed to explain in kid terms what happened and stressed that we don't need to worry. That God will take care of us. Verses popped into my head of:

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin."

I wasn't expecting my morning prayer to be answered like it was. He was right there, patiently waiting for me, offering His peace. And I have to say that without it, things would not be pretty.

Today I watched a man dig a hole in the yard,
stick a piece of wood in it,
hang a piece of plastic from it,
and I cried.

and so it begins

the papers have been autographed.
the sign goes up Monday.
i even dreamt about signing papers all night.
no wonder i'm so tired this morning.

and so begins the daily upkeep of house.
keeping on kids to clean up after themselves.
teaching a new routine to a 4 and 6 year old.
keeping on myself to clean up after me.
especially the kitchen.
keeping up on laundry!
ugh.
being ready for the call that someone is coming in 5 minutes to look at the house.
i've never been in this type of position before.
i didn't realize all the pressure that comes with it.

i'm not the most tidy person, so this is going to be quite the challenge.

This is Ed after getting up at 3:30 a.m. Saturday morning, painting the entire day until 11:45 at night, getting up at 6 a.m. Sunday morning and painted until 5:30 a.m. Monday morning and slept until 6:45 to get up and move furniture for the carpet guys. (and was up at 4:30 a.m. this morning to finish painting).











This is me after staying up until 11:30 Saturday night (after cooking and painting all day), getting up Sunday to go have a blast and exude a ton of energy leading 1-4th graders, running around after church for dinner and free drinks and staying up until 1 a.m. painting. (i was pretty much useless Monday).





My husband is amazing. I love working with him and I think we make a great team. :)

pop goes the weasel

I remember getting my mom a plaque for her 50th birthday that said:


Middle age is when you hear Snap, Crackle, Pop
and you're not eating cereal.


I've been snapping and crackling for the past few years, but today was the pop. Last week I celebrated the 33rd anniversary of my birth and today I am feeling every one of those 33 years. I had hurt my back last week bending backwards while painting the ceiling. It took awhile to heal and the pain was almost gone. Until today. While taking the garbage out with my hair icing up and my nose hairs freezing and dropping off like icicles, I slipped and righted myself only to hear the infamous pop. I managed to get the garbage out, came in, popped some red pills and turned on the heating pad.

If you can avoid it, don't get old. It's not fun and roses.

happy heart day

There are many things that make my heart happy. 3 in particular are:

1. My amazing husband whom I have loved, and has loved me, through many mountains and valleys, for the past 16 years.
2. My always thinking son who has now figured out how to unlock the bathroom door (from the outside) with a quarter.
3. My adorable daughter who loves others, pink, and dancing.

Happy heart day everyone!

monkey business

I've been wanting to use this piece of dishware ever since it was purchased at the amazing paper sale I and some friends went to before Christmas. This platter called to me. I heard it the moment I stepped in the door. It looked all lonely and forlorn sitting there, so I just HAD to buy it. Today I broke it in.

This fine specimen of a platter is holding today's first attempt at monkey bread. My eyes were weary looking for a recipe that used homemade dough instead of pop-the-can biscuits. Finally after searching high and low (more like up and down arrows) I found one that used home made dough AND used the bread maker. Double score!!

It is still sitting on the platter. Ooey and gooey. Alina's licking her chops and I'm typing as fast as I can so I can scramble over and pull that first warm, yummy morsel off the side. Gut feeling is it will be gone tomorrow.

yummy (healthy) treats

Now that the bread is gone, I needed something to snack on today. And I knew it should be healthy. Alina was asking for some crackers today, which of course we don't have any. I remembered seeing a homemade cracker recipe on 101 cookbooks. So I scooted over there and started perusing. In her post she said these tasty crackers would go well with midnight hummus. Hmmm...that sounded interesting. So I clicked on the hummus link and I actually had everything to make it.

So today I tried two new recipes. For the midnight hummus, I used black beans instead of the beluga lentils and only put in a 1/2 teaspoon of cumin instead of the 2 teaspoons it called for. I didn't have the semolina flour for the crackers so I used regular white four. They took longer than I thought to roll out, but it made SO many (at least 150+ crackers total) it was well worth it. I was wishing I had some parmesan cheese to sprinkle on them too, but alas, I used it all for the alfredo sauce I made the other day. Herbs I used were dill weed and oregano and spices were a turkey rub and paprika. Alina was eating them as fast as I was taking them out of the oven. Super easy! Yummy and I'm thinking better than store bought crackers.

Here are the recipes if you're interested.

Olive Oil Crackers
Midnight Hummus

yummy treats

Some new things that have been made over the past few months. And no, none are REALLY good for you, but that's why they're treats!!

Yummy gummy gum drops! Super easy and tasty to boot!










Teapot cake for Anne's baby shower













Cinnamon Swirl Bread (from Taste of Home's Contest Winner cookbook). I made this this morning and it filled the house with an amazing aroma.





No time for commentaries. Another piece of bread is calling!

brain is toast. i think it's all the paint fumes that have been inhaled over the course of the weekend. And I should be worried when Ed sprayed the crack sealant (it's like spray paint but for wall/ceiling cracks) my words were, "I really like the smell of that".

Non flowing conversation.

Sam: Mom, bad news. I broke my backpack zipper.
Me: Huh. We'll just look downstairs for another one.
Sam: Mom, guess what. I'm lucky. I only have 2 homework papers.
Me: Great! You'll fly right through them.
Sam: Mom, guess what!?! (this one was said with a brilliant smile). I just counted to 210 while going to bathroom. By 5's!
Me: Wow! Great job!
Sam: Mom? Can I have a W.H.O.L.E. cupcake for dessert tonight?
Me: sure.
Sam: For snack can I have peanut butter on strawberry frosted mini wheats?
Me: Ummm....if you want to?
Sam: Will I die? If I mix them, will they make poison?
Me: No.
Sam: Do you want some? Have you ever tried it?
Me: Uhh...no thanks.

1 pair of white socks.
1 pair of wool socks.
1 pair of slippers.
1 pair of long johns.
1 pair of sweat pants.
1 long john top.
1 thick sweat shirt.
1 button up heavy shirt.
1 fleece blanket.
1 rocking chair by
1 lit fireplace.
1 broken furnace.
1 adventerous night!

test 3

Last night I made this. Warm snow pea and chicken salad. It could've used a bit less of the sauce (tahini, light soy, rice vingar, and sesame oil (but i used olive oil as I had no sesame oil)). It took forever to slice the snow peas into thin pieces, but Alina helped in putting them in the bowl (and eating the peas out of them). It was three out of four thumbs up. Sam didn't care for it. He said he liked broccoli better than this dish. I told him that was good to know as I'd make something with broccoli in it for the next dinner. His words, "I like this! Never mind!" I explained to him that it will give him lots of energy in gym.

Today he came home and said, "Mom, I'm glad I ate that last night! It gave me lots of energy in gym today. I ran one lap and ran out of gas, but I rested and filled right up again and I kept running and running!"

Can't beat that.. :)

Test one. test two.

A few weeks ago, I said that some new recipes were going to be whipped up in my kitchen. Two have taken place.

The first was taco's. I used this recipe for taco meat and this recipe for shells.

The seasoning for the meat was cumin, oregano and chili powder. Beats all the salt in a packet of seasoning (and was less expensive)! It was SO very yummy and so very good for you. I used ground chicken instead of ground beef. Threw in a can of diced tomatoes with chili's and that was it. Three out of four thumbs up (it was a bit too spicy for the princess).

The taco shells were corn tortilla's, with some olive oil sprayed on them, sprinkled with chili powder and laid over two grates on the oven rack and baked. Again, very yummy.

Second was Cucumber and Black-eyed Pea Salad. I was a bit skeptical about this one, but there was barely any left after the four of us were done with it. Cucumbers, black-eyed peas, red pepper, onions, black olives, feta cheese and an olive oil/lemon juice/oregano/ground pepper dressing. Four out of four thumbs up. I will definitely be making this again. Maybe throw in some cut up chicken breasts for some extra protein.

Tonight is either going to be Warm Snow Pea and Chicken Salad or Pasta with Creamy Mushroom Pea Sauce. Will give results after consumption.

memorieeeees....all alone in the moonliiiiight

This weekend we cleaned out our storage room. 1st off, how we've accumulated SO much since living here is beyond me. We've bought next to nothing, but yet still have so much STUFF! Ed's car is packed full and ready for a trip to Goodwill today. One of the many things I had to go through was a large bag of stuffed animals. Some I kept, some I packed in the car, some I gave to Alina. The hardest thing to get rid of was this:


I won this stuffed six foot neon pink flamingo at Cedar Point back in high school during the yearly youth group trip. I carried it on my shoulders around the park until we left. I've not been able to part with it. But now with having to think about packing our entire house and moving 2000 miles, I knew it was time to let it go. If you by chance want a six foot neon pink stuffed flamingo, let me know. Ed won't be going to Goodwill until this afternoon. Sigh....



I did, though, keep the baby neon stuffed pink flamingo and gave it to Alina.

A rare find!

I found a true treasure digging through an old box of stuff.
Circa 7th grade.

Jean's autograph book: Signed by other kids (a bunch of notebook paper stapled together to form a book)

Jean,
Good luck in the future and the guys! Don't wait for them go get'em! Make 'heart' not war! Nicki

Jean,
Hi. I hope you have a great summer. Maybe I will see you this summer. Well good luck with that boy of yours. bff. Karisa

Have a fun summer, good luck with the guys. Eric

Jean,
Have a great summer. I will never forget you and I will miss you. Call me every other weekend. Not on week days because I will be gone.

Jean,
Hi and bye! the year went so fast! Remember me when you're eating a banana! See ya in Big Bad 8th! Surfers smile sexy so smile surfers style. Roketa "Chaquita"

Jean,
B.Y.O.G. Bring your own gum. Chris

Hey Babe! Miss me! Love, Steve

Jean,
Have a great year in "88" and may the guys be with you! It's been fun this year being a friend of yours and have fun with Eric B! Call me if you want. Ryan

And I didn't include the "explicit" ones as who knows what kind of people I'd get reading this!

So there you have it. I must've been guy crazy in 7th grade and I must have had a GREAT summer with all those well wishes.

changed my mind

Today I went to work on my list of to-do's. One was to scratch the tape off the handrail and sand it a bit so it can be painted. It's full of black marks, paint, indentations, scratches, gouges and you name it. A thought flashed through my brain. "I wonder if I could sand all this stuff out?" So I got the tape off and started sanding. And kept sanding. And more sanding. Oh....the beautiful wood underneath the who knows how many years of use. Luckily I stopped and told Ed over IM and his sensible brain suggested I stop and finish painting the last coat on that wall so no paint drips on the newly sanded part.

I know it's just a handrail, but with not having really re-done any woodwork before, this is very exciting for me. I started having flashes of scouring estates sales and finding gems to refinish. This is very, very scary mind you. A new hobby is a dangerous thing...

Now I need to go blow my nose to get all the sand-dust out.

New recipes

This week I'm going to be trying some new recipes that I found in the Eating Well magazine I was receiving.

Cucumber and black eye pea salad.
Home made taco's with baked corn tortilla's and meat with spices out of the cupboard instead of out of a packet.
Thai pizza.
Warm snow pea and chicken salad.

We'll see how each turns out. I'm excited as all contain lots of veggies and good-for-you ingredients. We'll see how the judges (aka husband, son and daughter) vote.

Tonight was a fast and super duper yummy meatless stewish type dish. Black beans (which the kids love), corn and diced tomatoes. I threw in some oregano, chili powder and cumin. Stirred it up and viola. Dinner.

what a 3 year old can teach you

So last night on the way to church, Alina was singing a make up song and Sam was talking to his Leapster in the backseat. I wasn't really paying any attention to what they were saying until I honed in to what Alina was actually singing. "I love being meeee!!!" over and over again. Then she said, "Mom! Say 'I love being me!!'". I aquiessed and then asked her if she loved being her. "Yes! Do you love being you Mom?" Ahhh....what a great question. I know the 'right' answer. But really, deep down? Do I love being me? How many times do I want to be like someone else? So many I've lost count. Why can't I be joyful for the way my Creator has made me? I'm not like any one else in the entire world. And yet I become dissatisfied with how He made me. Discontent that so and so is better at such and such a thing. How many times I say, "I'm not good enough." or "I wish I was...." In a way it's telling God that He didn't do a good enough job.

And an off shoot of that is what kind of example am I setting for her? If I'm not satisfied with who I am, will she be satisfied with who she growing up in the world we live in? More than likely no.

So thank you my sweet princess for the 2x4 in the head to knock some sense into me that I need to LOVE BEING ME!

Yesterday I ventured out to do some last minute christmas buying (though, I hadn't even been shopping yet, and technically, it wasn't "last" minute) and some much needed grocery shopping (a family can only take so much pasta and spaghetti sauce in a week). The kids and I hopped in the minivan (courtesy of my brother who went to FL for Christmas) and off we went. Kohl's wasn't bad at all. Nor was the 2nd place we stopped (can't quite say as I know Ed will read this before Christmas. Hi my sweet!) We made a quick trip home to drop Sam off and Alina and I cruised the back roads to Meijer. I should've known it was going to be crazy when I had to go down three rows of parking spaces before finding an open one. My 2nd clue as to the craziness was when we walked into the store and you couldn't see down the aisle that had all the checkout lanes. The lines were backed up into the clothes department. But we continued on. We needed the essentials (milk, fruit, veggies, ice cream) to get through another week or so (especially now with Sam home...he's a non-stop eating machine. I tell him no so many times in the day that he can't have a snack as he just ate an hour ago. Boys).

We got all the shopping done and of course, stopped at all the free sample places so Alina could get nourished. One of the samples, I thought, was cheese. Like the kind you squirt out of the can. When I went up, the nice lady said, "would you like to try a pancake?" Turned out to be pre-made pancake mix that you squirt out of a bottle (like ready whip) onto your skillet. And viola! Pancakes! and the kicker was that it was organic. Interesting.

So onto the checkout lane we went. I have never. Ever. Seen such craziness. You couldn't walk down the checkout aisle to find the shortest line. I had to weave through the jewelry, clothes, and lingerie before finding the "shortest" line. I called Ed and said, "I'm at Meijer and there's, oh, 10 people in front of me". His response, "see you in an hour". He was pretty darn close. 40 minutes later I paid. We talked to the people in front of us. The lady in line next to us was a mom of one of Sam's classmates from Kindergarten last year (and who lives two streets away). Alina was a HUGE trooper. And it was interesting watching people. No one was stressed out, going crazy or getting upset because everyone had to stand in line forever. And ever.

The next time I think I'll be standing in line for 40 minutes, I won't buy ice cream. And will I stock up on perishables if I somehow know that we'll lose power in a wind storm for half the night (with it being in the 50's) and half of the next day? No. probably not (but the upside to that is, the temperature plummeted down to 1 degree with the wind chill in a matter of hours, so it stayed chilly enough in here to keep the food from going bad!).

Nothing good can come of eating only 2 cookies the entire day.
And that being at 5:45 tonight.
Oh! And some sweettarts.
yeah..real good.
no lectures needed. I know. i know.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree!

Sunday our tree finally went up. Had to finish painting the living room before the tree could go up. One more project completed.


Our mirrored wall around the fireplace was nice until it was covered with fingerprints (which took about 2 seconds after we moved in). I hardly wash the windows, so the mirrors never got cleaned. So what do you do with something so breakable? Why break it of course!





After the first break, we found this absolutely adorable shade of brown paneling underneath.








Now, no memories of mirrors or fingerprints.









So with that done (and the green wall you can see the reflection of in the 1st picture now matches the rest of the room), the tree could finally go up!

Sunday the four of us fluffed branches and got them all in place. I put the lights up. And that's how the tree sat until last night. Ed works late on Wednesday's, so I gave the option to the kids of either decorating cookies or the christmas tree. Christmas tree was the unanimous vote (cookies are tonight's project).

This year I took a different approach to decorating the tree. I sat on the floor and was in charge of all the hooks. I let the two of them put the ornaments up with no help from me. So the top 1/4 of the tree was bare. :) They did a fantastic job and I had to let go of my left-braininess and not make everything look symmetrical. I kept telling myself (amidst breathing exercises) that it was OK to have three pink balls all in a row or a large section of bare branches. It was difficult, but I survived. After they went to bed, the few ornaments that fell off, I put up top.

This morning I put the tree back in place and added the final touch: Henreitta (she's our angel). I think this is the longest we'll have had our tree up since we've lived in this house.

JOY!

Last night when the decorations were being brought out, Alina found the box that houses our stocking holders. Since the stocking holders are porcelain, we've stuffed shredded paper around them to keep them from injury. I pulled the stocking holdings out and Alina started throwing the shredded paper in the air.

"I'm spreading JOY!" she said. I gave her a few throws and then asked her to put clean it up and put it away.

Today a package came in the mail and sure enough, crinkle paper was in the box. She asked if she could play with the joy. How can one say no to that?
So out came all the blue crinkle paper. She danced through the house singing, "JOY! JOY! I'm spreading JOY!" while throwing bunches of paper into the air.


She's not liking that she has to clean her joy up, now that it's all out of the box.

jobs

The other evening, while sitting outside chatting with a fellow stay at home mom, the conversation of jobs came up. What kind of jobs would we enjoy having? What kind would we be qualified for with not being out in the work place for several years?

When I crawled into bed that night I came up with a list of job titles that she and I would qualify for.

Negotiator
Baker
Chef
Counselor
Maid
Window washer
Seamstress
Vacuuming service
Laundry mat supervisor
Dish washer
Bus boy
Chauffeur
Librarian
Nurse
Garbage woman (has anyone actually seen a garbage women?)
24/7 on call person
Professional "why" answerer
Fashion designer
Dancer
Musician
Answering service
Customer service representative


I'm sure there are a ton I'm forgetting but my answering service needs to kick in as my "mom. mom. mom? mom! MOOOOMMMM!!!!" phone is ringing.

Answer

The answer to the below post is....

Here

oooooo the anticipation!

It's here! Burning a hole in the counter. The answer. In an hour and a half Ed will be home to tear it open.

Waiting....waiting....

double take

Today I (along with the rest of the company) received an e-mail from the president (of the company that is...not the United States). Thankfully it was a good news e-mail. This year there was going to be no Christmas bonus due to where the company was financially, but after speaking with the Board of Directors (one of which started the company) they agreed to give all full time employees a Christmas bonus this year. I was filled with gratitude b/c one of those full time employees is Ed. What a huge, huge blessing this is.

Ed kept IM'ing me asking if I had read the e-mail and when I was finally able to he said, "He (the president) came up to my desk and handed me a piece of paper saying that 'this one got stuck'". It was a 2nd check bonus check. In my name. For half the amount of the full time employees bonus'. When Ed told me that, I stood here dumbfounded in unbelief and my eyes filled up with tears. One check was a surprise, but two was a shock. How grateful and humbling this is, at this time in our lives. And how so very thankful we are. Beyond words thankful.

bone chilling

This morning the kids were up at 6:15. "It SNOWED outside! MOM! MOM!" From my cozy, toasty bed, I groggly said, "please go back to bed!". They were not to happy with me.

I like snow. I like looking at it from a sitting position. Inside the heated house. With a steamy cup of rich hot chocolate topped with bobbing marshmallows.

I'm becoming less and less a fan of the cold weather. It hurts my bones. Especially those days where it's SO cold out, when you breathe, it instantly freezes your nose hairs.

The kids on the other hand don't care how cold it is. And they don't care that I don't like it. So I suck it up and go outside. Of which I need to do right now. Alina is walking around with the bag of carrots (for the snowman's nose) saying, "come ON mom! Let's go get my snowsuit! MOOOOOOOOOOM!"

So off I go to the frozen outside. The driveway is calling to be shoveled and we'll see if we can make a snow man with the little snow there is.