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...