Thursday –
Jamin woke up feeling sick today. I called House of Faith to let them know he wouldn’t be participating with his club today.
Debbie H came by and we went to lunch. At all but one assignment we’ve been told that “Olive Garden is coming”. We’ve yet to see an Olive Garden. LOL You can imagine that we were skeptical our first week here when someone said, “Olive Garden” is going to build here”. BUT they did. Debbie and I were there 15 minutes before opening today. Yumm. I couldn’t help but remember the last time I was at an Olive Garden with Darshia, Carleen and Nichole in Ashville, NC. Memories (hear the music).
I came home with enough time to make sure all children were properly clothed and headed out to House of Faith with the younger ones and Jared. We dropped Jared off. We ran to Mike’s office to pick up some Bible Study books he wanted me to mail to him. We were going to go run some errands….but I ended up calling Adrienne and going over there instead. Tricia did the same thing and we had a nice visit. Adrienne’s mom is down from Eagle River – ah I miss Alaska….and I miss that season of our family life.
This evening Arielle, Nolan, Zander and I went for a long walk. We fed the deer. There are some new babies. I thought that happened in the spring but there are a LOT of new babies. They are actually more fearless than the adults. There were two guy deer{s?} with new sets of antlers duking it out.
We solved the mystery of where the Narnia book went. It’s in Kuwait with Mike. :::snort::: We have switched to that other literary classic “Hank the Cow Dog”. I read 3 chapters tonight.
Bre called. They went to Witte’s End today. They say we HAVE to plan another trip to the Springs and take the little ones. I think we will….any reason to travel is fine with me….particularly in August…who wouldn’t want to leave a walk-in oven for the Rockies? LOL
I’ve been able to talk to my family today and am praying especially hard for them. It’s times like today that I despise being so far away. With Mike overseas I simply can’t fly to WA….but I’m trusting God’s timing in my sweet Aunt’s homegoing…and praying for Dad and my cousins…..
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Wednesday – THE day…
Having a child leave home who is READY to leave home, who is following hard after God, who passionately loves God with all their heart…has to define the term bittersweet!
Today is a bittersweet day for our family. The girls are so ready to begin 2nd year at Master’s Commission. We want them to stay home…but really we don’t. We simply wish that the stage of life when all the little chicks were at home in the nest had lasted a bit longer. It all went so fast…beware…this is coming from a woman who will have children in her home for at least 40 years…the years go quickly. Roll your eyes now. But someday…you will know what I know. I’d give just about anything to have some of the seasons in life back. No, we don’t have major regrets…it’s only that I could have been more loving, I could have embraced being a mother much earlier…I mean really EMBRACED it instead of waiting for them to grow up so that I could “get on with life”. Ah well….as it is…I love the Lord wholeheartedly and my two babies do as well. Life is good. Life is painful but Life is good. :::sigh:::
I have found myself having internal conversations like this today “I just want my babies home”….”no, I really don’t want them home…it’s time for them to leave home”….”choose joy”….”I don’t like this one bit”….”choose joy”….”this is just not fair” (not sure WHAT that means!!! LOL)….”choose joy”….and life moves on.
Zander refused to get out of bed to say goodbye. He tends to get angry at those who leave. I was encouraged that he is talking to Mike on the phone. Yesterday (and I apologize to all from the Pacific NW for what I’m about to say)…..when I told Zander the girls would be leaving today to go back to WA he informed us that “WA is stupid, everyone who lives out there is idiots”. I asked him if those unkind words had left a bad taste in his mouth and he emphatically told me “no”. At least THIS time he appears to be mad at the state of WA and not at the girls themselves.
As we prayed this a.m. before the girls left…Nolan lost his tooth. That was exciting.
The appliance repairman came today. It turns out that I have a WARRANTY! I called yesterday to schedule them to come. I said, “I only bought this a year ago – but it’s broken down. I need to get someone over here”. I had no clue I had purchased the warranty – its Mike’s policy that we don’t purchase warranties. It did work out well this time. I don’t have to worry about trying to fix it or pay to fix it while he is gone. I’m still tracking down someone to fix the tub.
Josiah had the day off today. We decided to go geocaching. He found six of them that he wanted to try and we FOUND THEM ALL! We had a huge sense of accomplishment. Josiah showed Jamin and Jared how to enter way points and they navigated to a couple of the caches. This is good. We’ll be able to do more of this even when Mike and Cy aren’t with us. All of us were stumped with trying to figure out Mike’s GPS but it seems that Jared knows how to use it….we’re in business. We certainly did NOT find the direct routes but we found 3 caches out by the lake…..then we ran home to pick up the CAMERA, water and use the toilet (Arielle and I are not au naturale). We headed out and found another cache in a park. The kids had a great time playing for a bit. We ate the rest of the cookies that BreAnne and the little ones had made yesterday. Our last cache was cool. It was a spot that used to be a training ground for pilots here at our base. At some point the AF gave the land to the city and they made a raceway out of it. It turns out that the cars now go faster at the track than the airplanes did. We enjoyed the drive (it was in a small town about 10 miles from ours) and the history.
We decided to eat out tonight – no one had thought to prepare for dinner before we left. AT 6:40 we pulled into Burger King. I had a hard moment when I realized that a month ago we needed *FOUR* tables and tonight we only needed *three* :::::gulp:::.
Back at home, Arielle, Nolan, Stacia, Jamin and I went to feed the deer. I read a chapter out of Hank the Cow dog to Arielle and Nolan. We can’t find our current Narnia book. We tracked down the girls…evidently they left a message on our machine but it wasn’t ON our machine. I was getting worried. They DID get to talk to Mike at 4 this a.m.
Having a child leave home who is READY to leave home, who is following hard after God, who passionately loves God with all their heart…has to define the term bittersweet!
Today is a bittersweet day for our family. The girls are so ready to begin 2nd year at Master’s Commission. We want them to stay home…but really we don’t. We simply wish that the stage of life when all the little chicks were at home in the nest had lasted a bit longer. It all went so fast…beware…this is coming from a woman who will have children in her home for at least 40 years…the years go quickly. Roll your eyes now. But someday…you will know what I know. I’d give just about anything to have some of the seasons in life back. No, we don’t have major regrets…it’s only that I could have been more loving, I could have embraced being a mother much earlier…I mean really EMBRACED it instead of waiting for them to grow up so that I could “get on with life”. Ah well….as it is…I love the Lord wholeheartedly and my two babies do as well. Life is good. Life is painful but Life is good. :::sigh:::
I have found myself having internal conversations like this today “I just want my babies home”….”no, I really don’t want them home…it’s time for them to leave home”….”choose joy”….”I don’t like this one bit”….”choose joy”….”this is just not fair” (not sure WHAT that means!!! LOL)….”choose joy”….and life moves on.
Zander refused to get out of bed to say goodbye. He tends to get angry at those who leave. I was encouraged that he is talking to Mike on the phone. Yesterday (and I apologize to all from the Pacific NW for what I’m about to say)…..when I told Zander the girls would be leaving today to go back to WA he informed us that “WA is stupid, everyone who lives out there is idiots”. I asked him if those unkind words had left a bad taste in his mouth and he emphatically told me “no”. At least THIS time he appears to be mad at the state of WA and not at the girls themselves.
As we prayed this a.m. before the girls left…Nolan lost his tooth. That was exciting.
The appliance repairman came today. It turns out that I have a WARRANTY! I called yesterday to schedule them to come. I said, “I only bought this a year ago – but it’s broken down. I need to get someone over here”. I had no clue I had purchased the warranty – its Mike’s policy that we don’t purchase warranties. It did work out well this time. I don’t have to worry about trying to fix it or pay to fix it while he is gone. I’m still tracking down someone to fix the tub.
Josiah had the day off today. We decided to go geocaching. He found six of them that he wanted to try and we FOUND THEM ALL! We had a huge sense of accomplishment. Josiah showed Jamin and Jared how to enter way points and they navigated to a couple of the caches. This is good. We’ll be able to do more of this even when Mike and Cy aren’t with us. All of us were stumped with trying to figure out Mike’s GPS but it seems that Jared knows how to use it….we’re in business. We certainly did NOT find the direct routes but we found 3 caches out by the lake…..then we ran home to pick up the CAMERA, water and use the toilet (Arielle and I are not au naturale). We headed out and found another cache in a park. The kids had a great time playing for a bit. We ate the rest of the cookies that BreAnne and the little ones had made yesterday. Our last cache was cool. It was a spot that used to be a training ground for pilots here at our base. At some point the AF gave the land to the city and they made a raceway out of it. It turns out that the cars now go faster at the track than the airplanes did. We enjoyed the drive (it was in a small town about 10 miles from ours) and the history.
We decided to eat out tonight – no one had thought to prepare for dinner before we left. AT 6:40 we pulled into Burger King. I had a hard moment when I realized that a month ago we needed *FOUR* tables and tonight we only needed *three* :::::gulp:::.
Back at home, Arielle, Nolan, Stacia, Jamin and I went to feed the deer. I read a chapter out of Hank the Cow dog to Arielle and Nolan. We can’t find our current Narnia book. We tracked down the girls…evidently they left a message on our machine but it wasn’t ON our machine. I was getting worried. They DID get to talk to Mike at 4 this a.m.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
TEST - trying to use Fire Fox to upload our family photo but nothing will work.....
OH - here Stacia attempts to walk at the park IN SHOES for the first time...These are aobut an inch to long to fit her fat foot....I'm going to go find those Robeze shoes this week.
OH - here Stacia attempts to walk at the park IN SHOES for the first time...These are aobut an inch to long to fit her fat foot....I'm going to go find those Robeze shoes this week.
"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him....." James 1:2 -
Consider - a conscious choice of my will, deliberate decision to count
All - every bit of life
Joy - not happy; but a deep trust and satsifaction in Jesus, in where He leads and in what He provides
my Brethren - Christians aren't exempt
when - not if you encounter trials - you WILL encounter them and you don't have to search for them
various - varigated - multi-colored a RAINBOW - a Rainbow of trials
trials - tests....
endurance - ability to stand up under pressure
Let endurance work - and I will be made perfect (mature) and complete.....
And when I need wisdom while walking through a trial - He's there, I need only ask in faith. He doesn't consider my frailty with reproach!
Two weeks ago my very best friend in the world, my sweetheart and lover left. Tomorrow two daughters of my very heart will leave. And...yes....life is good. They are all following the heart of Jesus. They are all walking in the path He set them upon.
And me? I'm making a conscious CHOICE...to be content with where Jesus has led...to leap into His arms and draw strength and I can feel endurance growing.....and I'm praying for wisdom as I walk through these goodbyes because they are very hard on the little ones.
I have to run and teach. I'd appreciate prayers for tonight and tomorrow. For safe travel for the girls. They'll be traveling until Sunday. That they'll be able to talk to Mike before they leave....and for His sweet peace and comfort to flood our home....
Thanks ya'all.
Choosing Joy - in this season of rainbows! {g}
Consider - a conscious choice of my will, deliberate decision to count
All - every bit of life
Joy - not happy; but a deep trust and satsifaction in Jesus, in where He leads and in what He provides
my Brethren - Christians aren't exempt
when - not if you encounter trials - you WILL encounter them and you don't have to search for them
various - varigated - multi-colored a RAINBOW - a Rainbow of trials
trials - tests....
endurance - ability to stand up under pressure
Let endurance work - and I will be made perfect (mature) and complete.....
And when I need wisdom while walking through a trial - He's there, I need only ask in faith. He doesn't consider my frailty with reproach!
Two weeks ago my very best friend in the world, my sweetheart and lover left. Tomorrow two daughters of my very heart will leave. And...yes....life is good. They are all following the heart of Jesus. They are all walking in the path He set them upon.
And me? I'm making a conscious CHOICE...to be content with where Jesus has led...to leap into His arms and draw strength and I can feel endurance growing.....and I'm praying for wisdom as I walk through these goodbyes because they are very hard on the little ones.
I have to run and teach. I'd appreciate prayers for tonight and tomorrow. For safe travel for the girls. They'll be traveling until Sunday. That they'll be able to talk to Mike before they leave....and for His sweet peace and comfort to flood our home....
Thanks ya'all.
Choosing Joy - in this season of rainbows! {g}
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