A Good Day

Nothing special, but it feels like a good day.

The windows are open, and I am enjoying the slight breeze while I fold the mountain of laundry that has accumulated in our bedroom. A Celtic CD is playing, and the combination of a cool, sunny day and beautiful music just lifts my spirits.

As I sort, I am compiling a stack of hand me downs to go to Haitians who lost everything in the recent storms, and it fills me with gratitude for the life we lead. Though I am not a fan of doing laundry, as I fold the girls seemingly endless baskets of clothes, I realize how blessed we are, to have this abundance of clothing and a safe place to live. It is hard to grumble about this task when there is so much to be thankful for around me.

So as I fold I am thanking God for this family and the gift of being able to take care of them. For laundry to fold and put away, for beds to be made, and meals to be prepared. This day is filled with household chores and errands to be run, in addition to my "job". My to do list is never completely crossed off, and exhaustion is my best friend. Keeping a household running is not always respected in society, and the tasks are never ending. The job is...

Tedious. Often.

Under appreciated. Occasionally.

A gift from God. Always.

Thank You God, for giving me a life filled to the rim with more than I could have dared hope for.

Another Book Recommendation

Just finished this fun little book and had to share... I do love to share, don't I?

A friend and I were talking about how we love the nip of fall in the air~ this was before our temps soared to 101 again~ and how it makes us want to curl up with a good book for the weekend. I told her I was looking for a good series to carry me through the fall, and she suggested I try Big Stone Gap, the first in a series about a small town here in Virginia.

I am all about stories from charming little towns, and she, an English major, told me it was more "character than plot driven". Well, I love quirky little characters, and I guessed that was what she meant, so I happily borrowed her copy and dove right in. Oh, I am so glad I did, because I am hooked, and headed to the library to see if I can find the next in the series.

If you are a fan of Fannie Flagg, and I am, then you will be sure to enjoy this book. It is one of those stories that I was sad to see end, as I had grown attached to the characters, and feel a little lost now without knowing what they are up to.

What are you reading?

Developing a Parenting Plan

Do you ever stop and suddenly look at your children through new eyes? Personally, I find that I spend so much time with my girls encouraging, disciplining, and guiding, that I sometimes forget to step back and evaluate them objectively.

It seems that I tend to view them one of two ways: through adoring, rose-colored lenses, or through overly critical, tired eyes, that are intolerant of anything less than perfection. I have to remind myself to fairly assess who they are becoming, and compare that with where we want them to be. So when I saw the book, "Raising Unselfish Children in a Self-Absorbed World" last week at Lifeway, I couldn't pass it up, but snatched it up before the girls saw the title and began questioning me.

When I saw the endorsement of John Rosemond, I felt confident I would like it, and after opening it up and highlighting one or thirty passages, I knew this was a resource I would definitely be sharing with friends. I am barely into chapter 3, and just had to stop and process what I have read. The author points out that we need to know where we want our children to be headed, and then to have a long term plan for getting there. If we don't , she points out, we are like Alice in "Alice in Wonderland":

In a conversation with the Cheshire Cat, Alice asked, "Would you tell me please, which way I ought to go from here?"

"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the cat.

"I don't much care where," said Alice.

"Then it doesn't matter which way you go," said the cat.

So over the next few days, I'm going to really think about what it is that I want my girls to take with them into their tween years, and what traits we may need to nip in the bud. I want this journey of parenting to be well mapped out, not a random exploration of the wilderness.

Why Can't Every Weekend Be a Holiday?

Since my brain is still sluggish form the weekend of leisure, I think bullet points are the perfect way to express myself today, as I mull over the fun 3 days we enjoyed...

Friday:

• UGH! Cailin woke up with a fever of 102, so she stayed home, and her sleepover with her best friend was cancelled. The doctor wanted to rule out strep, so we spent some quality time together doodling on the exam table paper covering, and waiting for the "good" news that we only suffered with a virus, and were strep free. Woohoo! After a stop at walmart for Popsicles, tissues, motrin, soup and movies, we were able to snuggle the day away.
• No riding, so Cassidy came home and got ready for a fun night at the Chris Sligh concert that her school hosted (He was an American Idol contestant and now a Christian artist- I didn't know that... but I also live under a rock). Her friend Kait was sleeping over, and I made sure to give her Mom the lowdown on the germ situation in our house. I am germophobic and always feel I need to give others the option to steer clear whenever we are sick. Her Mom is a nurse and much more even keeled than I, and said no problem, thankfully! We had a great time at the concert, and I was so blessed to see the gymnasium filled with kids and teenagers worshiping and praising God together. Truly awesome!

Saturday:

• Nothing. That's right, I said it. Blessedly nothing.

Sunday:

• Church and then a crab feast / cookout with our dear friends Troy and Erika. They are the kind of friends you can always relax and just be yourself with, and your kids can do the same. They have several acres of land, and it is so peaceful, that at the end of the day we drove around their neighborhood looking at houses for sale. They have dirt bikes for their 3 boys, and after riding with daddy, Cailin decided to try it herself on one of the smaller bikes. Oh mercy. I think my sweet little girl has a wild side.

Monday:

• Our hero, Daddy, spent the day with all of his girls at the outlet mall. What a guy. He even volunteered to take the girls to Claire's, when he heard me tell them I just could.not.do.it this time. Just one more example of why I love him so. I could have spent the entire time at Books-a-million. Oh my. Have you been? It is wonderful. Lots of books, cheap. Need I say more?
• Home to grill salmon and corn on the cob with Nana and Papa. Have I mentioned how much we all love having my parents stay with us while Dad recuperates? In case I haven't, let me state for the record, we LOVE having them here. It will be a sad day around here when they go to their own home. They have been here 4 weeks today, and we have been so blessed to be together and see Dad grow stronger every day. The girls pop downstairs first thing every morning before school, and first thing when they get home. Such a precious time together.

So that was our holiday weekend. Simple, relaxing, and just what we all needed to recover from the first week of school.

It Is Well With My Soul... finally

The rain is steadily coming down outside my window, my fall pumpkin candles are burning, and Pachelbel's "Canon in D" is softly playing.

After a month of stress and turmoil, my heart is resting in the peace and calm of this moment. Thank You God for restoring my soul.

Exceedingly, Abundantly Above What We Could Ask

My Dad is fine.

He is better than fine, really, he is amazing. That is the word all the doctors and nurses use when describing him, and we love hearing it!

His surgery was Saturday morning, and they were able to do the triple bypass and correct all the problems, so his heart is as good as new. He was awake and off the ventilator within an hour and a half of the surgery, and by mid afternoon was feeding himself ice chips and talking to us.

He came home yesterday morning (yes- less than 72 hours after open heart surgery!), praise God, and is going to recuperate at our home for a week or so.

I have so much more to say, but life has to get back to some kind of normal and so I am off to work today.

God is SO good and worked so many things for good in this situation, we cannot praise Him enough!

Still Waiting

Well, after being awakened at 6:30 a.m. and told to be ready for pre-op at 9:00, my Dad spent the day in anticipation of the surgery that was ultimately not to happen today.

Unfortunately, the first surgery of the day, which began at 7:00, lasted until 6:30 p.m., and the surgeon was in no shape to begin another surgery. So Dad was returned to his room, and re-scheduled for Saturday.

We know that God's timing is perfect and Saturday will be great, it is just hard to be patient.

We are praising God and are so grateful for all the prayers in our behalf.

My Daddy

This has been a rough week.

Friday night when we arrived to pick up Cassidoodle form camp, we were delighted (but NOT surprised) to find that my parents had not been able to resist, and had driven down to be with us when we picked Cassidy up from camp. Forget that it was a nearly 2 hour drive, each way, or that they would see her only for a 15 minute camp show and then make the return drive. They had to be there to see their girl.

My parents are like that. And I'm glad.

We took pictures, kissed our girl a lot, laughed, and then headed home.

Sunday my Mom called to tell me Dad was in the hospital, it looked like maybe he had a heart attack. My perfectly healthy, strong, invincible Dad could not have had a heart attack. It was inconceivable. Unfortunately, he had, and he now has to have a triple bypass tomorrow. I don't have the heart or time to go into detail. The short story is that he is blessed, he is in great health, he has an excellent surgeon, and I know God will bring him through this stronger than ever.

We will all change our habits and go on, in better health than ever. But the fact is that I am a Daddy's girl, and this hurts. Worse than anything else in my life. So, if anyone reads this, I just ask that you pray for my Dad on Thursday at 2:00. Please.

Summer Fun

For some reason I have been neglecting to take pictures of all the fun we are having this summer. That is so unlike me, because one of my favorite pastimes is to look at old pictures, still on my computer, and get all sentimental about life with my girls.

I don't know why I haven't taken pictures...we have done plenty that is memorable. I don't want to forget the precious times we have spent together, so instead of pictures, here is a list to be my visual reminder when I feel like getting sentimental about the summer of 2008. Oh, and I intend to get that camera out right now and start snapping away!

• Vacation Bible School with our friends at the church we recently began attending. Both girls enjoyed it- yay, a hit!
• Lunch out with new friends, and the fun of discovering we live in the same neighborhood.
• Trip to the doctor for Cailin's middle school shots and camp physicals. Maybe not fun, but definitely memorable.
• Visiting Daddy's school for the year's last staff meeting and luncheon so he could show off his girls.
• A visit from our precious "chosen family", the Brammers.
• A trip to the Spy Museum in DC... very cool!
• Movies on the deck with popcorn and home made ice cream.
• Swimming at the lake with Nana and Papa, and lounging on "Palm Island" for hours.
• Swimming with the ducks.
• Sleepovers and chocolate chip pancakes in the morning.
• A week at camp for both girls- such a treat!
• Dinner on the deck when there is a breeze.
• Mornings at the barn cleaning tack and riding ponies.
• Playing webkinz on the computer.
• Seeing the new American Girl movie, Kit Kittredge, the week it came out in the theaters.
• Watching fireworks over the lake at Nana and Papa's, and the added bonus of running into friends to enjoy them with.
• Afternoons at the pool, that turn into dinner at the pool and late bedtimes.
• Mommy and Daddy date nights while the girls enjoy overnights at Nana and Papas.
• The anticipation of vacation to Myrtle Beach coming up! Surely I can manage pictures of that?!

Return To "Camp Granada"

Well, I can't believe it, but I actually let Cassidy go off to camp, even though I barely survived the week her older sister was gone.

After hearing Cailin's tales of camp fun Cassidy was more excited than ever to go, but her Daddy and I were prepared to forfeit the entire camp fee if she would stay home with us. A week spent in the hot garage preparing for a yard sale was no match for the zip line, blob, and archery camp offered, however, so off Little Bit went, for her first time away at camp.

I am actually so proud of her for going, and praying she is having a ball! I can't wait to hear all about it Friday when we pick her up, and am counting the minutes until I can kiss that sweet little nose. Here are some pics of my little one as we dropped her off and settled her in.

Cassidy ready to register and check out her cabin. I love this sign post telling the kids where to go for all their fun activities.

Ever faithful friend Piggy, keeping Cassidoodle from missing home too much, I hope. Both girls used my old sheets from college... yes, they have cows on them, and no I have no idea why I was so fascinated with cow memorabilia as a freshman design major. I promise that phase passed quickly, but years later all those accessories are wildly popular with my girls. Of course we had to have a shot of the sisters... I tried to duplicate all the shots we took when we dropped Cailin off at this same camp two weeks ago.

Can't wait to see that girl!

She's Back!

I didn't get to go with our family, the Schmaltz's (anyone familiar with Father of the Bride... it is us- we are schmaltzy and sentimental), to pick up Cailin Anne from camp. I was attending the Women of Faith conference in Washington D.C., and missed out on the 2 hour trek to be reunited with my sweet pea.

Yes, I felt terribly guilty. Yes, I tried to give my ticket away when I realized I needed to be in two places at once. No, it didn't work out for me to change my plans, so Daddy took lots of pictures to ease my guilt and suffering.

Here is Cailin with her younger, although not littler, sister Cassidy. When Rusty showed up to pick up Cailin's things, they asked him if he was there to pick up "Cay". Apparently there was a bit of a name change last week. Hm.

The biggest draw for camp besides the zip line. This is "The Blob", where counselors bounce and catapault young campers into the air before plunging into the lake. When we saw this beautiful lake we decided the whole family wanted to go to camp!
The moment Cassidy waited the entire week for. I am tearing up again just seeing the love these two share. I think being separated for this week was one of the best things ever for their tender relationship, as they realized just how blessed they are to have one another. I know that since Cailin has been home we have all treasured our time together as a family, even more than usual.
Name tag on her bed, and proof of her week long "identity crisis". Too fun!

Welcome home, sweet girl.

Now I need to get ready to let her little sis head back to the same camp next week. Somehow I don't think it will be any easier the second time.

What Was I Thinking?

It's going to be a little quieter around here this week.

We just returned from dropping Cailin off at camp. For the first time. For a week.

My stomach hurts.

That's all I have to say about that.

Yummy!

Just had to post this delicious summer salad we enjoyed for several meals this weekend. I think it will definitely join the short list of favorites around here, since everyone who tried it seemed to enjoy it.

Rusty originally had it at a cookout last week, and requested that I pick some up at Costco before our company arrived Thursday. I gladly complied, but it was so good we ate it all up before they had even pulled in the driveway! So then I had to figure out how to make more for our Friday night cookout. Easy enough!

Easy Greek Pasta Salad

(I didn't measure anything, just kept adding until it looked good to me.)
Penne pasta, cooked and chilled
Crumbled feta cheese ( Mine was seasoned with garlic and herbs)
Diced red onion
Halved cherry tomatoes, or diced Roma tomatoes
Marinated artichoke hearts, quartered
Pitted whole kalamata olives
Kraft Greek Vinaigrette

Combine pasta with vegetables and cheese, and then toss gently to coat with vinaigrette. I also served some on the table for those who wanted additional dressing.

This was delicious as a side salad, but we added rotisserie chicken and rolls for a fast and light lunch, too.

Easy Summer Cooking

I love the relaxed schedule of summer, and time spent hanging out at the pool or on the cul de sac chatting with neighbors in the evenings. It's a standard joke that as Rusty pulls onto our street, I sprint for the kitchen and scramble to get dinner on the table. As a result, meals that I can prep ahead of time, and that cook quickly, are a favorite around here. If I can grill instead of heating up the kitchen, better yet.

Since Big Mama seems to face the same dinner issue, she asked for easy summer time recipes, and I immediately thought of my favorite standby. Originally made as kabobs, and great for a summer dinner party on the deck, I simplified it for family nights by simply skewering the peppers and mushrooms and putting everything else directly on the grill in whole pieces. Simple, fast, and delicious!

I 'm also not much for preparing desserts, and in fact only have one real dessert recipe to claim. It seems to be a hit with everyone, however, and has totally redeemed my reputation as a terrible baker. (Of course you don't bake this, but still, after eating this pie people tend to be forgiving of a lot of my faults.) Heath bar pie is my one-hit-wonder dessert.

Tropical Chicken (I just made that up- we actually call it "the chicken I make on kabobs" or something equally unique)

4-6 chicken breasts (I use individually frozen pieces and let them marinade as they thaw)
1 bottle of your favorite zesty Italian dressing
1-2 bermuda onions, in thick slices
1 fresh pineapple, cored and sliced
red and yellow peppers, in large cubes
fresh button mushrooms
skewers soaked in water

Marinate chicken breasts in Italian dressing. In a separate container marinate the onion, pineapple, mushrooms, and peppers in Italian dressing. I usually do this in the morning, and when it is time for dinner I skewer the mushrooms and peppers while the grill heats up.

Grill and serve with rice and a tossed salad or broccoli. So easy but truly delicious.

Heath Bar Pie

1 large graham cracker pie crust
1 gallon Breyers Heath ice cream, softened
Magic shell ice cream topping
Heath bar pieces (available in the baking aisle pre-crushed, or buy several heath toffee bars and crush into chunks)

Pour a thick layer of magic shell in the bottom of the pie crust and place in freezer until hardened, 5-10 minutes. While this is hardening, in a large mixing bowl mix the softened heath ice cream with more pieces of the heath bar, as much or as little as you like. I like to add a lot. When the magic shell is hardened, pour the ice cream into the pie crust, and drizzle more magic shell on top of the pie. Sprinkle on the rest of the crushed heath pieces and put in freezer to set. This part can be a little messy, so you need to work fast and may not be able to use all the ice cream, depending on the depth of your crust.

When frozen solid, slice and enjoy. Happy summer evenings!

Company's Coming

• Launder guest room linens and re-make the bed
• Clean guest bath and put out fresh towels
• Make menu for weekend and grocery shop
• Prepare treat baskets for the boys beds, to greet them at bedtime
• Borrow ice cream maker for homemade ice cream Friday night
• Purchase white t-shirts and tie-dye kit to make matching tie dye shirts for the kids Saturday
• Go to costco for snacks in bulk sizes and to pick up paper plates so noone is spending time cleaning when there is fun going on outside
• Relax and enjoy the anticipation of fun times withour very dearest friends
  

8:42

This is how far into Monday we made it before my 11 year old came crying into my office. I can't say I am surprised, I heard the siren of her wails from the basement where the girls had been peacefully playing the Wii, so I knew she was on the way. I also correctly predicted that she would be upset at some injustice done to her by her 9 year old sister, and that said sister would be hot on her trail, professing her innocence.

Have mercy, can we not even make it to lunch without bickering? Oh well, looks like I just earned some free child labor, which is my new consequence for sisters who aren't exhibiting loving attitudes towards one another. I'll let you know how the afternoon turns out after they make some beds and fold some laundry.

Now We're Cooking

Cailin has been asking to cook dinner one night a week for a few months, and I promised her in the summer I would gladly let her. I assumed by the time school was out she would have forgotten, but picked up a Family Fun cookbook at the library just in case. Sure enough, she was eager to get started in the kitchen, and chose stir fried steak and veggies with brownies for dessert. Wednesday we went to the grocery store, recipe in hand, and selected red pepper, fresh ginger, snow peas, flank steak, and even oyster sauce (not a staple in my pantry!). As soon as we got home, she proudly started cooking... and cutting. Trust me, I prayed a lot while she was in the kitchen! Please ignore the counter tops; I pretend they are granite and my husband doesn't want anyone to burst my imaginary bubble, lest he have to actually replace them.

Voila! Here she is with the delicious fruit of her labor. Daddy is thrilled to have dinner at home instead of a restaurant, and I was thrilled that the girls both devoured the meal- oyster sauce and all. Maybe there is hope that we will expand our horizons beyond chicken nuggets for every meal!
A close up - she was so proud I truly thought she was going to dance to the table. Yes, she has streaks of color in her hair, and no, I don't typically allow the girls to dye their hair. However, they have several packets of washable hair color from Justice and I figure summer is the perfect time to use it up. Can you tell I am feeling defensive? The children's pastor at church greeted me today by saying, "Does your daughter have blue and pink streaks in her hair? I knew you were her mother!" To which I wanted to reply, "How? Do the blonde streaks in mine give me away?" He is actually a sweet gentleman and was only trying to make a connection, so I just laughed and listened as he repeated a story she had shared at VBS. I love that girl and her independent style... she is my world changer! Never to be outdone, little sister Cassidy decided she wanted to make dinner on Thursday nights. Daddy embraced the idea of two home cooked meals in one week, so once again, off we went to pick up the ingredients needed. Cassidy spent the morning prior looking through several of my cookbooks and insisted on making something we hadn't made before. Mexican lasagna was the winner, followed with funfetti cupcakes for dessert. I am loving her tie dye shirt from VBS... we are just a colorful family, aren't we? Here is her yummy creation, which will be a tough act to follow. I'm hoping this new passion sticks around until next week so we can get a few more hot meals at home!
Now, if I could only get them this excited about doing the dishes, too.

Dreaming....

I love my home, I really do. I am so amazed at how God provided this house (not the picture- that's my dream) for us, and what a blessing it is. We fully intend to raise our daughters here, and send them off from this nest into the next phase of their lives. Still, though, I dream of a home surrounded by trees and empty spaces of grass, instead of other houses and neighbors.

I grew up outside of town on 2 acres, with a garden in the summer, and sledding down the hill in the winter. My parents were organic before organic was cool, and we had a huge compost pile and a tiller to prove it. They made me eat whole wheat bread when it wasn't available in the grocery store, but could only be found in the health food store. Needing a loaf of bread required a special trip to the shop frequented more often by crunchy, vegetarian patrons than by my meat loving, school teaching, Christian parents. I could not believe the "misfortune" that I had been born to a family that preferred fresh vegetables and foods like pita bread (another rarity from the health food store in the 70's), to Doritos and candy. I thought of instant mac 'n cheese as an exotic delicacy similar to white bread in its allure.

Summer months were spent helping weed the garden and harvesting fresh, red tomatoes and corn, which had a 1 minute shelf life before being placed, still warm from the sun, on our dinner table. Vacations were planned around the garden, and when it would be time to can the green beans; it would never do to be out of town when the green beans were ready for harvest. They had to be picked, canned, and neatly loaded on the shelves in the basement for our winter pantry. Alongside them would go the corn, and beside that were row after row of whole tomatoes to be used for spaghetti sauces and soups until next summer. Many chilly fall afternoons found me in the basement, collecting the vegetables Mom needed for dinner.

I didn't realize then what a treasure my life was. I had a childhood filled with innocence, and was so blessed to have parents who weren't afraid to do things differently than "everyone else". I can assure you that their friends and family were more apt to subscribe to Better Homes and Gardens or Southern Living than Organic Gardening. Yet my parents quietly did their own thing, teaching me by example that living life in the way God guides you is your gift and responsibility as Christians. They gave me a solid foundation on which Rusty and I have built our own family, and are so grateful for. A foundation which apparently also carries with it a great desire to have acreage and grow fresh veggies. So these days I am dreaming of a home with land to grow a garden and where the girls can chase fireflies and gaze at an expanse of darkness, wishing on stars as I did so many summer nights. I am dreaming of a childhood of innocence for them, just like mine.

Summer Garden Tour

Welcome to my home and garden! I am so glad Lisa at The Preacher's Wife decided to host this little garden party! I don't have much of a green thumb, but I do enjoy digging in the dirt and attempting to make things pretty. Thankfully my husband is game to go along with my ideas, since he typically winds up doing the hard labor portion of any project... like moving all the slate from an existing, boring edging and creating the fun border gardens for our front yard.

I fill these urns (they're plastic- from K-Mart- can you believe it? I know!) with bright blooms to make me happy when I come through the front door. Not doing so well this year, but pretend with me, okay? I'll go get new flowers at the nursery tomorrow.) My favorite spot of our home- the front porch where I do my Bible study every morning and sip my sweet tea and watch the girls in the evening.

These are more shots of the gardens we put in the front of the house last year, I am clearly going to be transplanting some of these perennials.

Happy petunias to greet me as I arrive in the garage repeatedly though the day.

One of two pergolas Rusty built for me last summer. I do love that guy! The first one was for the larger part of the deck, hoping to add some shade, but he didn't want anything growing on it. With very little begging on my part, he agreed to build this smaller one that leads down to the hot tub, giving me free reign to cover it in wisteria.

See the big bucket o'stain in the background? That has been his constant companion for the past three weekends. As soon as he is finished, I get to fill in those planters with wisteria... I can't wait. I'm sure the neighbors can't either~ notice the red bouncy ball loitering in the large empty planter? It is soon to be replaced with hosta to mirror the other side of the deck.

You can't see them, but there are tons (OK 5-7) of giant bumblebees hovering over this plant at all times. Any ideas on how to get rid of them?

Ferns waiting patiently to be hung on the back deck as soon as somebody wraps up the staining project of 2008.
A tomato plant to save us from the salmonella scare. We also grow peppers and zucchini and squash. It is so much fun for the girls to go out and pick the very foods they are eating for dinner. Love it. Wish we had 10 acres in the country.
A hydrangea bloom from the plant Rusty bought me our first summer in this house. He knew I always dreamed of hydrangea plants surrounding my home and wanted to start me on the path to making that a reality. I have since planted two more, but they are still little babies and haven't bloomed yet.
And last but not least, my newest addition and second favorite place to hang out. I found this antique glider and coordinating bolsters while yard saling two weeks ago. Woohoo! There is something so peaceful about gently rocking as the sun sets, that just blesses me all over. I think I have many happy moments to be spent here.

Thanks for stopping by! I'm off to tour some gardens and be inspired....

The Great Commission

I'm thinking about what the Great Commission looks like in my life, as I sit on my front porch in solitude, soaking up a few moments of peace as the day winds down.

I came outside, thinking I would enjoy the silence that descends on the neighborhood as twilight draws near, and yet instead I found discord. The new neighbors on the corner were playing in the driveway with their young daughters, or so it appeared. The Rockwell image was distorted when I heard the mama say to the child that it was time to go, and to say good bye to daddy and the older sister. As the two year old ran down the street, crying as she prolonged the inevitable departure, my heart hurt. How it must wound each member of that family to go to sleep under two roofs, knowing they will be forever involved, and yet not attached.

Then I watched as the neighbor across the street pulled up to drop off his teenage son, "Bye Dad. Love you! See you Friday, maybe I can practice driving in the neighborhood." Minutes after the father pulled away, his wife's new boyfriend drove back into the driveway, occupying the parking spot filled only a few short months ago by the husband of the house. As I watched him close the garage and go through the doors of the home built by another man, my heart hurt.

Two families, different in every way except for one, both needing encouragement to get through the bumps in the road. As I watched their lives unfold before me, it occurred to me that maybe one way I can fulfill God's call to share His gospel with the world is by starting on my own street in the midst of middle class suburbia. Maybe instead of resenting my neighbor's boyfriend, and blaming him for the break up of what appeared to be the all American family, I can pray for him. Maybe when the toddler down the street tries to make a break for it and runs through the yards I can help her mama corral her, and offer her some words of encouragement.

Maybe if I am faithful in doing the little things, God will present me with bigger opportunities to be His light in the darkness. Maybe the Great Commission starts with baby steps.

Energy Source

Whew! We managed to survive an 11th birthday, a surprise 40th birthday party, two end of year picnics, two end of year chapels, a recital, and are now in the final preparations for this weekend's 6 performances of "Snow White". Throw in work, all those last minute teacher gifts to buy, a deck needing 30 gallons of stain, and two a.c. units that decided to go out on the hottest (105 degrees) weekend yet this spring, and you have a reason why I have been too drained to write anything here.

I have lots to say, as always, but no energy to say it. However, I awoke early this morning, (obviously God had something to say to me) and as I searched His Word for some wisdom on how I can be a more patient parent, a better friend, and a more loving wife, I read through John 6. As Jesus was directing the disciples to stop wasting time on the foolish things, and instead to be about Him I found my strength...

When the disciples asked Him how they could work the works of God and carry out what He requires, this was His answer, "... that you believe in the One Whom He has sent. (that you cleave to, trust, rely on, and have faith in His messenger.)

So simple, and yet I try my best to complicate it, to make it something I can do in my own power, instead of just believing, in His. So today, despite feeling slightly overwhelmed at the tasks before me, I am going to strive to believe in the One He has sent for me, and to trust that His strength will carry me through when my own energy seems depleted.

Sowing

Ohmyword, I'm really looking forward to this weekend, and the chance to get caught up on some household projects. It has been such a busy week, and I am relishing the thought of doing some spring cleaning, and sneaking in some front porch sitting and sweet tea sipping, too!

Rusty is going to tackle the monstrous task of staining the decks, so soon I'll be ready to plant the wisteria over the harbor and the veggies in the deck planters. Rusty insists I wait until after he stains, something about those toxins on our otherwise pure fruits and vegetables. I have been chomping at the bit to dig into the dirt , so it looks like I can at least head to the nursery and start selecting the plants. There is something so affirming about gardening; small seeds or starter plants, with little more than water and sunlight, break forth in towering vines laden with tomatos and peppers, ripe for the picking. When the perennials bloom for the first time each spring it is like a little miracle before my eyes, I really am surprised that it "works", time and time again.

I have been feeling very burdened and overwhelmed, and needing some encouragement. Today, finally, the sun is shining and the birds are singing... giving me hope that spring might finally be here. Just as the earth is shining forth in renewal, my spirit, too, can sense a glimmer of growth and hope.

Just a thought...

Why is it that the quote to have the carpet cleaned was $130.00 on Friday, but today, when another team came, it was $500.00? And why did I feel apologetic when I tried to insist that they honor their original quote? I mean, it wasn't like it was my fault, right? I was especially perturbed when todays guy was talking to the main office and explaining that it was a space about 10' x 20', they couldn't do the whole room because of all the furniture... giving the impression that I was unwilling to move the furniture. Hello! It was only the middle of the room because that was the only area I wanted cleaned. Grrr! I just had the feeling I was being taken advantage of, and I don't like that feeling.
OK, sorry to vent, but I do feel better now. Sort of.

Yikes!

Things occupying my every waking (and some sleeping!) thought...

• Rusty's 40th birthday is this weekend.
• The fact that I only decided this morning to have a surprise party for him- this weekend. Yikes!
• Teacher Appreciation Week this week
• The fact that I am a room mom for both daughter's classes, and for the first time ever, I don't really have a plan beyond today. Yikes!
• Summer Camp sign ups are due
• The fact that I don't know who is going to which camp or when. I also have no idea if we can afford all they want to do. Yikes!
• The last day of school is June 5th
• The fact that I need to plan an end of year party and have given it zero thought, and I only have 4 weeks. Yikes!
• I have lots of work that needs to be processed this week.
• The fact that my brain seems to be dwelling on school and family. Yikes!

I guess I better quit blogging and start planning.

Yikes!

Sunshine, Here We Come!

I still have to give the dog a bath, fold 3 loads of laundry, change the linens on our bed, put dinner in the crockpot, compose a list of who has to be where and when for Nana, shower, pack, and try to sneak in a pedicure. But as soon as that is done, I am headed for a room with this view. With my husband. And noone else.

I can't wait.

Flying memories

Even though it has been several weeks since our trip, I just have to post these ... since my laptop has been on and off again since our return, I have only been able to open up my pictures occasionally. I love this photo NOT because it is flattering of me, but because it was the last leg of our journey home, and it was such a treat to be sitting with both my girls as we landed back in DC in the middle of the night. This was the final flight of my maiden flying journey and the relief at surviving it all was huge!

I love the fact that Rusty knows me so well, and knows exactly how to give me the dreams of my heart, while also helping me face fears and conquer them. Even though I had a lifelong paralyzing fear of flying, he helped me overcome it by facing it, and as a result I feel SUCH freedom. Most people can't understand, but one of my dear friends has the same fear, and I couldn't wait to call her and let her know I did it (and without meds- woohoo!).

OK, so Cassidy's eyes are closed... this is still one of my favorite shots. We were so proud of the girls carting their own little bags through the airport, and decided this is the perfect age to travel. They are old enough to be low maintenance (no diaper bags, carseats, juice boxes etc...), and yet young enough that they still genuinely enjoy being with us and are enthusiastic about everything we do. They adapted very quickly to air travel, and in fact managed the 4 hour flight to San Antonio sitting several rows up from me, on their own. Mid-flight, after the drinks and pretzels had been distributed, I heard the familiar 'ding" to summon a flight attendant, and glanced up to see the light above the girls illuminated. The flight attendant had been SO sweet to us (she was familiar with us since we were the lucky ones whose seats had been overbooked and she had scrambled to get us situated... knowing this was the girls first flight, as well as mine, she had been just precious in making us feel welcome and cared for.) As she responded to the girls, and I sat helplessly worrying about what in the world had prompted them to push a button asking for help, for pete's sake (!!), I saw her smiling politely and then she came to laughingly fill me in. Apparently Cassidy wanted a drink, and took it upon herself to make it happen. She politely asked for an apple juice for her and a sprite for her sister. Oh my. It was precious because this is the same shy bear who rarely will even order for herself in a restaurant. You can't go to Texas and not come home with a cowgirl hat, right?

Mom's inalienable rights!

We seem to be "blessed" with an overabundance of stuff around here. I am constantly purging and trying to sort, but we have the strangest phenomenon going on. The two little munchkins who live here seem to bring twice their body weight in junk home with them every time they leave the house. Whether it is paperwork and projects from school (not even counting the backpacks and shoes), or riding gear, field hockey gear, theater "gear", or treasures from Nana and Papa's house, it is entirely too much for me to manage. Add in the goody bags from parties, the endless tubes of lip gloss and ponytail holders, and the miscellaneous art supplies and you have a mommy ready for the loony bin! (Don't even get me started about the wa*mart bags filled with candy from the Easter egg hunts!)

I seem to be missing the gene that helps you declutter and stay that way, so I manage to get everything in its place, and then find that in a few days it is all back again. I also am apparently not the best mother in the disciplining- your- kids- to- clean- up- after- themselves, so whenever I try to get them involved there is much yelling and gnashing of teeth (mine, not the girls!). Compounding the problem is the fact that I really, really, really, like things to be neat and orderly and tend to get snappy when things aren't that way.


I guess what I am saying is that we need a change around here. If I blog about it, I will be accountable, right? So, I vow that from this day forward I will not clean up for my girls. I will insist that they take their own things in from the car and put them away. I will not pick up damp towels from the floor, and I will not put away the toothpaste for them. They will have to empty their own lunch boxes and fill their own water bottles. In fact, I think I need to come up with a whole new set of rules for this bunch, and post them somewhere. Hm, wonder how this is going to go over with the 10 and under set?

Jesus Loves Me

Tonight at dinner we were talking about the Rapture, and the conversation turned to what it would be like for those unfortunate souls left behind. Cassidy said she would be sad to be flying up to meet Jesus, and seeing all those people left behind on the ground. Her daddy reassured her that she would be so consumed with God's glory that she wouldn't be aware of anything else, and we went on to discuss that we don't know the time Jesus will return, and that it could be any second.

Wow, her eyes were huge! So we explained that those left behind could still turn to Jesus, but it would be a miserable time to live, and there would be lots of suffering for those who had delayed in that decision. When she went up to get ready for bed, she said, "Mommy, when you tuck me in, I want to pray that prayer". Now, we know she loves Jesus, and is a very faith filled little girl. She even asked Jesus into her heart at the innocent age of 4 (under the piano bench with her big sister) and I believe was sincere. However, if there is any doubt that Jesus is welcome in her beautiful heart I am all for inviting Him in again!

So after our bedtime prayers, she prayed with me while her Daddy and big sister looked on, and made sure Jesus knows He is welcome in her heart forever and ever. I have the most precious image in my mind's eye , of Jesus smiling with delight at Cassidy's innocent desire to be absolutely certain that He knows she loves Him, and wants Him to lead her every step of her way. I'm so thankful that He is happy to oblige her.

Monday Morning Blessings

• The warmth of a cozy fire on a drizzly, cool April morning.
• The scent of lavender from my newest melt meandering through the air of my home.
• The beautiful harmonies of "Calling Levi" playing, and encouraging me to stop and lift my hands in praise to my gracious heavenly Father, in the midst of laundry and tidying the kitchen.
• Time with the Lord as I devoted a full hour to Bible study and reading "The Mission of Motherhood". I feel ready to face the day now!
• The ice cold can of diet coke my husband left for me in the fridge this morning.
• The sheer blessing of knowing I live a life full of God's goodness, and that no matter what the day brings, I won't face it alone.

Book review

Do you ever read a book that just changes your heart from the very first passage? The Mission of Motherhood, by Sally Clarkson, has done that for me. I have slowly been reading it since Christmas, and savoring the richness of her words. I pick it up every few days, and allow myself to read short bits before putting it down and pondering what I have read. Typically I skim through books, finishing them in a matter of days, and moving on to the next.

This one, however, has such a powerful message for me that I want to prolong reading, and let it soak into my soul where I won't quickly forget it. She writes so eloquently about the value of mothering, and of God's perspective on this most important position. She offers encouragement and suggestions, tempered gently with examples form her own experiences in this role. As I read, I am encouraged and excited that I have been blessed with this chance to raise two little girls to be women of God.

This book has encouraged me in so many ways, and inspired me to be true to what I am and what I feel God has called me to be. I recommend it to every mother I know; I feel like I have this treasure that they all must need as well. I don't know that it would speak to everyone the way it has spoken to me, but I think it offers something for every woman who is curious about the impact she has on her children, and help her consider that role, if nothing else. So I am curious, has anyone else read Sally Clarkson's writing, and did it change your perception of mothering?

God Bless Texas!

A picture of the girls and I, ready to see the San Antonio River Walk for the first time. We were so excited to be there, and I was still on cloud nine after braving my first flight ever. (It's a good thing we let the girls wear their Easter dresses to dinner, seeing how we missed Easter services by getting lost and spending 90 minutes looking for the wrong church- ugh!) A view of the River Walk through the trees. I loved the Texas flag hanging everywhere... we played a car game with the girls to see who counted the most TX flags and stars. We started by offering them a quarter a star, as a way to earn vacation money, until we realized Texas is extremely proud of the lone star, and we would quickly go broke!

We spent our fist day of vacation settling into our hotel, taking a swim at the indoor pool, and then heading downtown to the riverwalk. We had 8:30 reservations at Boudros, and were blessed to be seated at water's edge for a wonderful beginning to a fantastic week. The girls were such troopers- especially considering dinner was at 9:00 (which was 10:00 to us) and they had been up since 4:00 a.m. We filled our days with so much fun, though, that late dinners became the norm, as did carrying the girls into the hotel asleep each night, before collapsing ourselves!

Am I?

Sweet little cheeks with hair tossed back over the pillowcase, their gentle profiles in sleep draw me in. I kiss their cheeks, their foreheads, and smooth their silky hair. They slumber on, peacefully unaware of my presence, as my heart stretches, and then cracks at the realization that they are indeed growing up too quickly for this mama.

I have loved them desperately since the moment I knew of their very existence, with a fierce and protective passion. As newborns they enchanted me, toddlers they delighted me, preschoolers they challenged me, and as we are firmly entrenched in the school age years, they captivate me with their independence, tempered with need. Seeing them grow into the people God wants them to be is exciting while it is also somewhat terrifying. Am I equipped to lead them in the paths of righteousness? Am I really prepared to train them up in the way that they should go, so that when they are old they will not depart from it? Am I speaking God's Word as we come in and as we go out?

These are my goals, as I look down on their precious sleeping faces, to guide them in the ways of the Lord and be the mother God designed me to be. These are the guiding forces that shape my days and thoughts. Sometimes, I confess, I let worry about my inadequacies plague me, and I doubt my ability to do this job well. Yet when I am still and listening, I hear God saying to me, "I AM. So you don't have to be. I AM sufficient. You don't have to be. Trust and rely on me, and lean not on your own understanding."

Thank You God, that You have my little family firmly under control ~ as long as I relinquish that control to You and allow Your wonderful ways to be done!

Saturday Night Live

I love my life.

It's a Saturday night, and so far I have dusted and reorganized my cluttered office, folded and put away laundry, and sorted through the tubs of spring clothes creating piles to go to goodwill, friends, or the dumpster. Downstairs the girls and a friend, here for a sleepover, are squealing and laughing as they watch the Nickeoldeon Kid's Choice awards, and overdosing on popcorn and fudgesicles. Their conversation fascinates me as they worry about whether or not their favorite pop singer may be "going goth", and sympathize that she must not have had enough time to warm up, because "she isn't singing very well tonight"!

During commmercials I hear them playing games of chicken (what in the world that is, I don't know, but it sure is noisy!) and popping more popcorn. I can tell when they are announcing the finalists, because there is silence for a brief moment, and then sudden chatter again as they each shout out their favorite. As the winners are announced it is hilarious to listen to one sing along with the theme song, another critique the wardrobe choices, and another cheer if their choice won.

I never dreamed, back before I was a Mommy, that it would be so fun to stay home cleaning and enjoy the fun times of my girls on a Saturday night. Sweet times...

Oh, my, I have to join them- I hear Alvin And The Chipmunks!

Faith Allows No Room For Fear

Wow! What an exciting few days we have spent so far on our spring break vacation! This may or may not be interesting to anyone else, but I need a record of this trip, and since I haven't scrapbooked since the the girls were 1 and 2 years old, this is going to be my scrapbook until I get some time to sit down with paper and die cuts. (Do they even still use die cuts?)

Our trip began with me facing my lifelong terror of flying, and praising God as the plane took flight, and managed to remain airborn from Virginia to Texas. God bless the dear woman who chatted with me as we descended and landed. Had she not kept my mind off the bumping and banking, I may have allowed my nerves to flare up again. It was miracle enough that we were on the plane, as United oversold the flight and we boarded to a plane with only 3 seats vacant- as a family of 4! They worked it out, the girls sat together, and Rusty was within arm's reach of me- convenient when it occurred to me that we were " airborn, ohmyword I am in the air, what am I doing in the air!?" After a while I settled down and actually enjoyed the trip, truly praising God and rejoicing in the victory He had given me in an area of my life long controlled by fear. God is SO good, and faithful always. I truly love Him so much!

How like God to even bless me with a Beth Moore study where she is talking about flying in the homework, and the scriptures referenced were those about travel and God's protection of the Jews. I love the way He wants to take care of me in the smallest of details. To say that he delights me isn't even the tip of the iceberg!

(The picture above is of Cailin and I on the shuttle to board the plane. Only God's grace allowed me to appear so calm, and mean it. I have so much more to say, and so many fun pictures to post, but that will have to wait until my laptop is returned to me by the geek squad. It is holding my pictures hostage, and I am praying for a miraculous healing immediately.)

Happies despite the germs.

I am deciding to count my blessings instead of whining about my week. In an effort to do this, I am going to list some Happies from today:

• All bad germs have almost left the premises, after 6 consecutive days of high fevers and general yuckiness.
• Today was the last day of school for 10 days- woohoo!
• Nana and Papa are coming to watch the girls so I can do some last minute shopping.
• Nana will help me get the house in order, and will help out tomorrow, too, if I still haven't found shoes for Easter.
• Tomorrow I get a mani-pedi (so do the girls) and a spray tan. I may not have lost 30 pounds but a tan will take off at least 10, right?
• Dinner is simmering in the crockpot.
• In less than 48 hours we leave for 5 days of family fun time in San Antonio. Sea World- here we come!
• Despite sickness, dwindling bank accounts, and falling behind in my work, I am incredibly blessed and know it! I am blessed with the knowledge that tomorrow marks the day my Savior died for me, and it makes everything else seem trivial in comparison. When I stop to think about all that tomorrow celebrates I want to just dance, and weep, because it is too good a gift to believe.

Catching Up

I'm not sure why, but I have felt extremely laid back about household chores recently. Typically my weekends are a revolving door of home improvement projects and organizing; nesting seems to be what energizes and restores me. Maybe it was the bout with the flu that slowed our household down, but recuperation has not returned my energy for putting the house back together after rearranging and painting two rooms.
Cassidy's old room, now the girls playroom, mocks me every time I pass by. Toys strewn everywhere, bags of clothes to sort through, cd's haphazardly boxed and spilling onto the shelves. Yuck! Since I can, I have been closing the door and pretending it is a closet... no messes here, everything in order folks. Ha! Finally I am admitting the truth- I have a "junk room". Something must be done.
So I am tackling it now, with the intention of at least putting things where they belong. I may still have to purge and paint some bookshelves another day, but for today my goal is to be able to walk into the room without fear of stepping on a plastic horse or barbie.
Wish me luck... I'm going in!

A Great Place to Live

Today, as we were driving through beautiful hillsides, dotted with horse farms and miles of white fencing, Cailin and I were musing about our dream locations to live. She summed it up perfectly I think.

"Mommy, I want to live in a small, little town where nothing happens. And when something does happen, it's a big deal!".

Me, too!

The End...

We arrived at the hospital, where a team of specialists from the vascular department (I am extremely medically challenged so my terminology may not always be right!) waited to examine her. We quickly realized that when the doctors arrive in groups of 4-plus at a time, they are taking this seriously! They evaluated her, with the same concern that there was a clot, and were extremely concerned as to why this would develop in an otherwise perfectly healthy 10 year old girl. We were given the first of many, "this just doesn't happen" explanations of the weekend. After telling our story repeatedly, and being examined over and over (we seriously lost track at 13 doctors), they were ready to do the ct scan and locate the clots. First, though, they had to insert the IV which terrifies Cailin.

I finally was feeling like this was bigger than I was prepared for, as I started to grasp the potential consequences of breaking up a clot, and what it might do to her body. I had been prepared to face whatever battle came, and I trusted that she would be ok, but now I just didn't even want the fight. So I climbed up on the gurney with her, and wrapped my arms around her. I kissed her head until she started to fall asleep, and then I prayed.

We had been praising God all along, we had been claiming victory, and giving Him glory for what we knew He would do. But now I prayed and asked Him to just take this from her. I cried out to Him that I didn't want to do this, I wanted Him to just take it from us. As I said these words, I recalled Jesus begging God the same thing... if it was His Father's will, to take this cup from Him. I paused then, asking if this was what He expected of me? To accept this cup? Then clearly I felt the knowledge that He assured me, "No, Jesus accepted that task so you don't have to. He shed His blood to spare Cailins. She is fine."

As the nurse came in to administer the iv we tried to awaken Cailin, but she was out cold. This was the only sleep she would have until 3:00 when we were admitted to our patient room. When she finally awakened, after 10 minutes of rest, she wiggled her fingers and said, "Mommy, my hand doesn't hurt." She slowly made a fist, which she had not been able to do because of the swelling and pain, since Tuesday. She just kept slowly moving it and staring at it, amazed that she was able, and that the pain was gone. I felt her hand and it was warming up- the color was returning.

They gave her the iv, and then sent her for the CT. They found nothing. We watched as her hand continued to return to its normal color and size, and as she used it freely, pain free. The doctors were astonished. They could not explain it, but they did their best. They drew vial after vial of blood for testing, and the team studying her case included pediatric cardiologists, rheumatologists, neurologists, radiologist, hematologists, oncologists, vascular specialists, and all were baffled. They contacted colleagues around the country to see if anyone had experienced this phenomenon anywhere else. Nothing.

We explained to every person who entered her room that we believed God healed her, and while they couldn't agree that it was a miracle (except one doctor who I believe was a Christian), they also wouldn't say it wasn't. They admitted it shouldn't have happened, they had no idea how to explain it, and sometimes things are just unexplainable. They finally conceded they had done nothing and could do no more- she was well, and she could go home.

We were sent there to be admitted into the pediatric ICU for 24-48 hours (before we would even know if she was out of the woods). Instead we were admitted into the general peds unit, after she was well, for observation, and home in less than 24 hours. Sunday morning she awakened restored and refreshed, and went to church to praise God. Today she is back at school.

God is good. God is big. He is in the miracle business, and He is bigger and stronger than the one who seeks to devour and destroy.

Thank You Jesus. Thank You.

Long, but I have to share this.

Tuesday when Cailin came home from school she said her hand hurt and she couldn't use it even to write. Beginning mid-afternoon while in school, she described having shock pains shooting through her hand to her fingertips, and severe pain. From that point on, she held her hand in one position, whether sleeping or awake, and couldn't tolerate even the slightest brush of fingertips to the skin.

I assumed it was just something minor, but sent her to the school nurse just in case, Wednesday morning. She thought maybe a pinched nerve, suggested we see the Dr. if it still hurt Thursday. Now this is all going on while Rusty is out of town, so I am wondering if she is more sensitive since daddy is gone, and this is how it is manifesting itself. However, by Wednesday evening when she came home her hand was swollen and ice cold. There was no doubt something was wrong, but I was baffled as to what it could be. She hadn't injured it in anyway- it made no sense!

Thursday I took her to urgent care, where they x-rayed her and said basically there was nothing they could see wrong; just see if it got better over the weekend. By now I was really getting concerned, and so Friday morning we saw the pediatrician, who was immediately alarmed and began calling neurologists and vascular surgeons to see if anyone could see her Friday afternoon- HA! She referred us to see a pediatric specialist anyway, which would mean traveling to another hospital, and seemed as though would be the next week before arrangements could be made. She sent us to the ER so we could go ahead and start having some preliminary tests done, and so off we went.

After arriving there at noon, and learning that it would be sometime that evening before we were seen, I was really starting to feel overwhelmed, partly because I am so germophobic and ER waiting areas really freak me out, and partly because I was supposed to pick up Cailin's friend after riding for a sleepover while her mommy went to a charity function. How irrelevant those concerns would become....

As we sat there, a friend text messaged me, which is the first miracle, because I don't text message! I replied that we were in the ER and I would call her later. This friend was the first step in God's amazing plan, as she obeyed His prompting and came to be with us and see if we needed lunch. As we sat there, she scrolled through the list of doctors on her blackberry, saw the name of a surgeon she knew from church, and called his office. She described Cailin's symptoms to his nurse, who said she would have him call us with a suggestion on whom to see. He called back, said bring her to me immediately, and off we went- hallelujah!

He looked at her hand, and then listened to her pulse in her wrist on his doppler. Finding a pulse only on one side, I assumed his Doppler was broken, which is why he took us to a vascular surgeon to use his Doppler. Wrong! The Doppler was fine, her pulse was not to be found on the ulnar side, she had a blockage (meaning a clot somewhere) and we needed to find out where. As the two surgeons are conferring over my head, I began to see the seriousness in their expressions, and wondered out loud if we had time for my husband to arrive from work before we did the test. They explained, ever so gently, as we rushed back to the first office, that we would be transported to a medical center two hours away, because Cailin would need to be admitted to a pediatric unit while they administered "TPA's"- drugs given heart attack and stroke patients with such dangerous side effects they must be give in ICU. At this point I started to grasp the severity of the problem, and it is only through God's grace that I managed to remain semi calm while we waited for Rusty to arrive.

The surgeon prayed with us, and I sensed God's presence, and knew He was in control- I just wanted resolution, and fast! We were told it would be 24-48 hours in the PICU before we would know any outcome, and rushed to pack before heading to Charlottesville for the weekend. Again, God provided as Cassidy was staying with a friend and wouldn't need to know or worry about her sister; we saw a friend in the neighborhood who pulled over and prayed for Cailin on the spot; and as word spread, calls started pouring in of people praying for us. The doctor we were headed to see was previously the chief of the vascular dept. at the Mayo Clinic, one of the best in the country- we were going to be in the best of hands. God was overwhelming us with His provision of everything.

We enjoyed the drive, laughing and praising God, (Cailin still doesn't know how serious her situation was) and preparing for battle. satan was attacking and we were not giving in- as I told Rusty, "It's on!".

Wow!

Right after I hit "post" on Friday morning, I rushed out the door to watch Cassidy's class sing at chapel. Part of my angst that morning had been due to Cailin suffering with a sore hand since Tuesday, and her inability to even write, because of the pain. I had been frustrated that she wouldn't be able to do her schoolwork and I didn't want her to fall behind at school, but I really wasn't sure what to do.

We already had x-rays taken at Prime Care, where they told me to watch her over the weekend, and if it still hurt on Monday to then call her pediatrician. I had a nagging sense that this wasn't right, and I felt such a burden about things that I called our doctor and scheduled an appointment for Friday at 10:45. As soon as I picked her up I felt such a sense of relief that I was doing the right thing for her. I had no idea at the time just how important it was that we see the doctor sooner, rather than later, but by the time school let out I would have the answer to her weeklong suffering.

I have so much to write, and the most amazing testimony to God's goodness and power in our lives, but I will have to do that in the morning. It is such a long story it will take some time to tell, but it most be told. It is a story that changed our lives, and hopefully created a ripple effect that will continue to influence lives around us eternally.

God is SO good.

I'm glad it is only every 4 years!

Ugh! My morning has not gone well, and my attitude has not been what it should be. I let sleep deprivation, pms, and frustration over typical childish behaviors push me into a tailspin of temper tantrum.

I am remorseful for my behavior... slamming a closet door, tossing a cup in the sink (with more force than necessary), and berating the girls instead of teaching them. I am also irritated with things that don't even have anything to do with them, and so that adds fuel to the fire that is my self righteous hissy fit. I am ashamed, and yet I chose to continue snapping at them. I was justified in my disappointment, but what am I teaching them, if when frustrated I behave like they do? I need to be better... it is my job, the job that matters most to me- training them up in the way they should go, not the way the world (and sometimes Mommy!) goes.

I am going to pray and repent, and ask God to please let me do better the rest of they day. I was so excited that today was leap year, and wanted to mark the occassion. Now I'm just glad I won't have to relive this date for another 4 years.

Maybe by then I will have matured.

Like Little Kittens - edited

The girls have been sharing a room for 3 weeks, now, and despite Rusty's concerns about bickering, it has been the greatest thing we have done for our family. (Just like I told him it would be!).

This evening when we went in for tuck ins, the two of them were sitting side by side on their cozy love seat, listening to an Adventure In Odyssey c.d., and playing their Nintendo DS games. Each was doing her own thing, but they were together.

Earlier today, when they were supposed to be folding their laundry, I found them nestled under the down comforter as Cailin read Cassidy a story.

Finally, just now, as we checked on our sleeping girls before we turned in for the night, we found the two of them (and the dog!) asleep in Cassidy's bed, snuggled together like two little kittens.

What a gift we have given them in each other. Thank You God for those precious little lives.
EDITED: I had to laugh when I was awakened to Cassidy wailing, "Mooom! Cailin is being mean and took my covers and won't let me get back to sleep!". Still sweet... but normal sisters!

Happy Valentine's day!

I don't like chocolate, I love flowers but would prefer a fresh hydrangea bush to a dozen roses, and eating out is a staple of our on the go life, not necessarily a treat. So what is a guy to do for Valentine's Day?

Sweet tea waiting for me on my nightstand every morning would be nice...

Oh, and a wake up call from my big guy, while he's at the gym, so I don't have to wake up to an alarm clock's annoying buzz. (I may ask for a snooze or two, requiring return phone calls.)...

Heated towels when I finish my shower would work for me...

I really don't like making big breakfasts, so having those on the weekends would be great...

A foot massage with peppermint lotion after a long day at work would be a wonderful gift...

I frequently decide to paint (or re-paint) but I'm just not crazy about paint fumes, and all that reaching... a cheerful painter would be SUPER....

A husband who adores his family, and puts us before anything else in his life would be something every woman would love to have...

Hmmm, since Rusty gives me all this and more, I think all I want for Valentine's Day is to see my sweet husband and tell him how thankful I am that he is mine.

It's the Simple Things

Things that are making me happy tonight...

• Freshly laundered sheets and my down comforter turned down invitingly.
• The giggles of sisters chasing each other through the house. The silence of a house full of sickness was deafening.
• Knowing that tomorrow we all go back to our normal schedules.
• The warmth of a fireplace on a cold and icy night.
• Being able to actually find things in my recently straightened pantry, and not having canned goods fall on me when I open the door.
• The sweet scent of my girls' hair after a restorative, hot soak in the bubbles.
• Tussin with codeine cough syrup guaranteeing me a sound night's sleep.
• Stink Doggy- Dog has an appointment with the groomer tomorrow.
• A good book on my nightstand with only a few chapters left to enjoy. (Debbie Macomber's "Back on Blossom Street")

After having our routine and household turned upside down by sickness, I am truly thanking God for the blessing of a life full of normalcy.

Life is good.

I'm Baa-ck... Sorta

I have been on a break. Not planned. Just the result of life happening.


Loads of work stress. The kind that made me seriously consider quitting, despite the fact that it would mean giving up luxuries like food and electricity. Stress that consumed me night and day. The lack of sleep led to sickness. After one whole week of coughing and sleepless nights I devoted two hours to urgent care, where I was given the blessed Z-pack of antibiotics.


On Thursday Cassidy came home from school feeling rough, and by bedtime had a fever. The next day her fever was 103.5 and she tested positive for the flu- woohoo! Tamiflu for her, and lysoling of every surface.


Cailin has vacillated between feeling fine, playing outside with her friends, and feeling awful, hanging out with mommy on the sofa. Today she received her own prescrition of tamiflu, and will be spending another day home from school with Mommy.

Rusty even agreed to a visit to urgent care, and admits he's glad I insisted he go! Considering how horrendous he felt with the precious tamiflu (yes, that is 3 prescriptions in one weekend for the mighty flu fighting medicine), he can't even imagine how much worse without.

I finally conceded defeat and spent all of Sunday catching up with my new best friends, Jon and Kate Plus 8. I have wanted to see that show for awhile, and yesterdays marathon provided the perfect entertainment for me from 2-8. Pathetic, hm? I rarely give in to sickness, but this time I have embraced it and allowed myself to wallow in sleep and reality t.v. Boredom is getting the best of me, and if I don't get back on track I will get behind in my work again, and start the vicious cylce all over- ugh!

So tomorrow, while Cailin rests in her room, I will be back to work, and when I am caught up, back to blogging.

I can't wait!