Taking a break!

We are "out", enjoying our summer, so I'm not taking much time to post on the blog right now. But, if you are interested in finding out what might be happening with this or this, feel free to click the links and browse away!

Now, if we could just get a little rain....

Summertime Fun!

As a few of you know, Alex, still my baby boy, left for his first "summer camp" experience on Sunday morning - the buses pulled out bright & early at 6:20AM! Two buses loaded with 60 kiddos left for Dry Gulch USA, a Christian camp based in Oklahoma, and run by Willie George Ministries. This is the 6th year our church has attended this camp, but the first time for about 2/3 of the group that left on Sunday. Today is Tuesday and I miss my little man so very much, but know he is probably having the time of his life :) Anyway, the children's pastors are keeping a blog of their daily goings-on, and are posting a few pictures to appease the parents. Tonight I found my son's picture on there...he's flying!!! OH.MY.GOSH!!!!

Another Zoo Post

This one doesn't come with any funny stories, just some cute pictures!

Yes, it was hot, but the kids aren't that sweaty! (gag)
We had just left the spray-ground area where they ran around getting wet :)

Getting ready for our train ride!

The toothless wonder ;)

Ian was very excited about riding the train!

Just happy to be out of the house!

Sweet brothers!

Mommy & her girl!

Boredom is the Mother of Invention!

This is my formal living room, without the furniture (that I sold at my garage sale 2 weekends ago!).

This would be the occupants of the tent that was constructed over the course of the day! A little light reading before bed, then off to the Land of Knod - hopefully!

*Update 9:35PM - an hour & a half later, they are finally asleep. Only had to threaten total destruction of the tent and sending them to their own beds one time to get silence - which is an improvement on our usual attempts at "sleep overs" :)

We have a foundation!

This is the driveway/garage side...no driveway yet, but the lip is there!

The front porch side entering into the front door; study to the right

Moving right along...

These plans were just laying on the ground in front of the house, so I snapped a picture so that you all could see what the front of the house will look like. Our home will be reversed with the garage on the left side.

These were taken on Sunday afternoon. They poured the foundation this morning, so I'm heading out there shortly to snap a few more pictures!!

First Pictures

No words are necessary....

Everything is still in God's hands...and Father, we trust you to work everything out to our benefit, according to your promises to us!!!

Ever feel like people just don't get it?

The House

Found out a few hours ago that construction (on the new house) has started...ahead of schedule! Pictures are coming since we'll be going out to see the progress tomorrow :)

So stinking excited!!!!

Just Another Day at the Zoo

So, on Sunday, we opted to skip church in favor of a last-minute family trip to the zoo. We have a membership so we figure we need to make the most of it. And, since the sky outside was gloomy, I was hopeful that maybe it would be less-crowded than usual.

Each kiddo has their favorite animal to see, and on this particular day, Ian was very adamant about seeing the lions & tigers (and bears, oh my!). So after spending about an hour in the children's zoo, we decided to grant his wish. Let me interject here that Alex & Morgann really weren't interested in going to see the "cats", but like I said before, we try to allow each kiddo the opportunity to dictate where we will visit next. So anyway, back to my story...usually, when we go see the lions (or really any of the cats or bears), they are laying around, not doing anything due to the heat, but we were hopeful that maybe the cool day would lure them into a playful mood and maybe, just maybe, they would be on their feet. Unfortunately for us, they were in their usual spots - laying in the shade not paying any attention to the throngs of zoo-goers that were staring at them, waiting for something to happen.

And then it did...

The male lion made the first move. Yawning & stretching he casually glanced in the direction of the female holding court right next to him. She just looked at him, then turned her back - still laying down, but doing what we women tend to do when "not in the mood" - she was ignoring him in hopes he would go away. But, he didn't! He decided to...um...well...assume a position that I wasn't even slightly prepared for...with 6 little eyeballs watching, mouths wide open. I stood there a minute, wondering what he might be doing, but then quickly realized that this was a biology lesson I was not ready to give yet! (yeah, I'm fast like that folks!!!) It took me a second, but with a quick glace in Michael's direction, horror all over my face, I quickly snapped into "protection" mode and whipped Alex around, pushing him toward the exit ramp. I then scooped up Ian (who wasn't ready to leave the lion's den just yet) while Michael grabbed Morgann and we marched (or maybe trotted) toward the exit, Michael & I alternately laughing hysterically and freaking out, just a little bit.

But we're grown-ups and had to keep some form of decorum, so I quickly announced that we should go see what the grizzlies were up to. And yes, in hopes of avoiding a discussion of what had just transpired, and being of the mind-set that if you ignore it, maybe it will go away, I marched the troops toward the bear display around the corner. Oh to have been so lucky... About 2 minutes later, Alex sidled up next to me and asked, "why did the boy lion do that to the girl lion, mom?"

My response was direct and to the point, "Go ask your daddy, sweetie".

His rebutle? "I already did and he said he didn't know."

Baseball & God

I find it very interesting that when we are completely open to just about any option, and are asking God to guide our every step and decision, He sometimes throws us a curve ball.

Just when I thought I knew what my plans would be for the next school year, God threw me a curve ball yesterday, and now has me wondering if maybe I was too hasty in my planning process?

Hmmmm...... More on that when I figure out what it is that He wants from me....

New Beginnings

Well, for anyone that reads my blog and isn't on Facebook - what's wrong with you?!? Everyone of my friend on FB is probably sick of hearing about my latest "news", but I am sorry, my life is focused on this one thing, so that's about all I can talk about lately.

And for those of you that aren't in-the-know, I should say that the latest news coming from our house is that we are building a new one. Or actually, we have a contract in place to begin building one very soon! We are so very excited and have seen God's hand move on our behalf already. But its still very far off and there are still allot of things that God will have to orchestrate to make it all come together. But, that's what faith is all about, right?

Anyway, I don't have any pictures to take since they haven't even marked the boundaries of our property, much less broken ground, but I figured I would take the small baby-step of posting a floor plan of our future home. We all feel so very blessed and are trusting this whole situation to God. He has a plan for us...and we think this is it :)

I think that if you click on the floor plan, it will open a different window and be easier to see - unless you use your super-bionic-mommy vision!

I have nothing funny to post, nothing to ask for prayer & advice for, and nothing inspiring to say tonight. I just wanted to take a second to say:

Happy
Mother's
Day!!!

That's all :)

Ok, I'm listening...really I am!

I think that God is trying to tell me something...

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns -- May 7, 2009:

Many of you are just trying to get through this time of transition as quickly as you can. You are like a race horse out of the gate and down the track as fast as you can go. Then, when something comes to impede your progress, you think it is a work of the enemy to hinder you. But, the things that you are encountering that slow you down are not necessarily the work of the enemy, but the work of My Spirit to keep you in the flow of My purposes and timing. Now is the time to rein in your flesh and let me direct your every step, says the Lord. Trust Me to get you through this time of change with a sense of dignity and purpose.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.

Seriously????

Ok, I'm a planner...well, maybe that isn't exactly true. Most of the time, we fly by the seat of our pants in this house. Everything is done at the last minute, very rarely scheduled, and when it is scheduled, is very rarely done on time!

Ok, now that that is off my chest....I am a planner! When something carries great importance or value to me or my family, it is planned. I am the one that plans the holiday get-togethers, 3 months before (Thanksgiving is planned and settled in September, at the latest!), I get the family together for special events that I know are coming down the road, I plan the parties and organize them, and I am the one that picks up the slack when someone close to me needs help and has way too much to handle and is out of their element. I AM A PLANNER!

So, this faith thing is really getting to me. I feel like Peter, out in the middle of the water, yelling for Jesus to save me. Seriously. That is me, right now! Nothing is coming together and deadlines are approaching. Everything that I keep setting my mind & heart on are colapsing right in front of my eyes. I am literally sick right now because my nerves cannot take anymore - literally sick people!!!

And yet I can do nothing else but trust all of my plans to the Lord. He says to be anxious about nothing (easier said than done God!!!) and I know He is talking to me. He is sitting back on his thrown, one leg crossed over the other, arms folded, and shaking his head...I know He is! He is wondering when I will let go. But I can't - its not that easy! I need to know that its all going to work out, that we haven't made a horrid mistake, that everything is going to work out at the right time, and that I am not a complete idiot.

So I will try, yet again, to trust Him. But seriously, a little bit of good news would be nice...

Its been waaaaaaay too long...

...since I have posted anything to my blog! I am so sorry that I have been MIA, but life has been handing me one ball after another for a very long time. I currently have so many balls in the air, I am just waiting to see which one I will drop first!

The good news is that Michael & I have been praying (for a while) about buying a house, and finally found THE ONE! I don't want to go into too many details right now, since things are still very sketchy and uncertain, but we feel like God is telling us to walk forward, trusting Him each step of the way, so we are doing just that. We are in total "faith" mode right now. Its been very stressful, and will probably continue to be for quite a while, since we are actually building. BUT, if God lays things out and gives this to us, we are going to be very happy indeed! A special friend told me the other day, "the joy is in the journey." I am truly believing that even with the stress, we will find joy following our gut instincts and trusting the Lord to lead us through this process. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense when you look at the facts & figures, but with God, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.

Our hearts desire is to finally have a "home" to live in, permanently. We want our kiddos to be settled, to grow up in the same house, move away, then have a home to come back to whenever they want. We want them to have stability. We want to own our home, to do whatever we want to do in our home, without worrying about deposits and landlords. We want to get to know our neighbors, to put down deep roots in our subdivision, and to be established and settled. Not to mention...WE ARE SO TIRED OF MOVING!!!!! So, we have taken the first step and signed a preliminary contract to begin construction in early June. September/October will be here before we know it!

God has to move BIG on our behalf - and I know He will!

More to come...

He Loves Us!!!

So Grown Up!

*sniff*

And then there weren't 3!

Yes, another one bites the dust in Morgann's mouth...this one came out at the hand of a dental hygienist this morning :)

I was actually a little upset at her because the dentist and the other hygienist promised Morgann that they wouldn't pull it out, then this other lady decides it needs to come out and does it while she screams and yells for me! Nice, huh? It didn't hurt, she's just a major drama queen, but I'm wondering what this will do to her psyche the next time we have a dental appointment and she has a loose tooth! But, notice the purple tiara and treasure box...these were given to her after the mean lady left and the other nurses were feeling very bad for my little girl!

And, can you believe her last remaining front tooth on the top is loose now?!?

Losing Them All!

Morgann lost her very first tooth last week, while sick with a weird virus!

Now you see it!

Now you don't!
(and I promise it's just a bad picture; I didn't drug her before pulling it out!)

But then....

She lost another one last night!

And, there is more to come...she has a 3rd tooth getting ready to fall out at any moment!! Poor kid isn't going to be able to bite into an apple for months!!!

Even though...

...I haven't posted on my blog in quite a while, I am still reading yours! Maybe this coming weekend away with the hubby, without the kids, will give me some new insight, and I will return with a funny tale or interesting tidbit to share.

Guess we'll find out!

P.S. Don't forget to spring forward on Saturday night/Sunday morning!!!

Being Thankful

This post is to simply say how thankful I am for guardian angels that watch over my family, even when we don't ask for it; for the blessings of tax refunds that help to cover deductibles; for insurance companies that are quick to respond when we are panicked and lost; for friends at collisions shops that can baby-step us through stressful situations, offering advice and much-needed assistance; for the blessing of family & friends that will step-in to take children when mommy falls apart after getting off the phone with their daddy who calls to say "I was just in a car accident, a bad car accident, and I think the car may be totaled."

For all of these things, and for the things that don't come to my exhausted mind right now, I am so very thankful!

Four New Babies

'nuff said!

Creativity

This is what happens when a 4 year old is left to his own devices while I am upstairs homeshooling his older brother.

His creative little mind could definitely have done worse!!!

A Decision

Meant to post yesterday, but the day got away from me, so you're getting 2 posts today!!! Aren't you excited?!?! Actually, its a follow-up post to my home school dilemma.

After allot of praying and thinking and talking, Michael & I have decided to allow Morgann to finish out the year in her current Kindergarten class. I think we will probably begin home schooling her next Fall. She isn't happy with our decision, but is content knowing that she will be home next year with Alex & I.

It took some time, but I finally came to the conclusion that I have way too much on my plate right now, and with the impending changes that will be taking place in our household very soon, I need to spend more time preparing to have all 3 kids at home for most of the week...beginning next year! Granted, Ian will more than likely be enrolled for at least 3 days a week for PreK, but having Morgann at home will be a big adjustment for Alex and I both. Its not something that I can jump into lightly, as I would probably fall flat on my face. And, the last thing I think I need is more pressure...my life is a little too hectic already.

So for now, things are going to remain as they are, and I am very happy with my decision. Thank you all for your prayers and advice...sometimes my emotions get the best of me and I need some outside influence from friends/family. Although now I need to start studying up on my phonics.....

Breakfast Anyone?

Betty Crocker & Martha Stewart I am not. But, apparently I can make a mean waffle!

A few nights ago, while rummaging around the kitchen trying to figure out dinner, I found an un-opened box of Bisquick. So, I decided on waffles. And, as a bonus, I let the kids help mix the batter and make their own waffle (by pouring the batter onto the waffle maker). They had a blast and it made dinner very fun for everyone.

The next morning, I was bombarded with requests for more waffles. Although I had the excess batter wrapped up in the fridge, we didn't have the time to pull out the waffle iron. But I made a special point of allowing a few extra minutes yesterday to fulfill their request, and earned scores of brownie points in the process. And, I discovered that it doesn't take any more time to make a waffle with pre-made batter, than it does to pop a toaster waffle into the toaster. So, guess what my kids are asking for each morning now....and honestly, I'm having fun with it :)

A New Direction

Well, I think it is safe to say that I am officially off my rocker!!! Brace yourselves ladies & gentlemen (if there are any out there reading my blog!). Michael & I are talking about withdrawing Morgann, before the end of the school year, and beginning to home school her. I cannot, for the life of me, figure out why we are suddenly discussing this new path, but its on my heart and I cannot shake the feeling that some of the problems we are starting to have with her are somehow related to needing more time with me. Although, more time with me means…more time with me….and I don’t know if I can handle that yet! Right now, having the 2 boys home all day, every day, is really tough on my nerves – especially since starting these hormone injections! – so adding my whiney daughter to the mix is down-right scary! What am I thinking???? I keep hoping that maybe I am being overly-hormonal and that Michael will talk some sense into me, and put his foot down by insisting that she finish out these last 4 months with her Kindergarten class & teacher (whom we absolutely love, by the way!), but he’s not helping. He’s actually considering it! And we're discussing taking the next step ~ why????

And so, here we sit, wondering what is the matter with us, then pondering the “how’s” and “when’s” of this new journey!

Someone grab the Tylenol...

No Creative Title Here!

So yes, I've been neglecting my blog. My life is full of allot right now and I just haven't had the where-with-all to compose much as of late. Not because we've suddenly become boring and less chaotic, but simply because the happenings either aren't blog-worthy, or aren't memorable enough to stick with me to the end of the night when I would have the time to mention them. So, I'm hoping that Murphy will be on my side and that I will have something to share very soon. Until then, you can read about my "other life" and recent developments here.