Taking the Plunge

Mary, a fellow MOPS mentor mom, did a superb job at MOPS last week.  This year's MOPS International theme is, "Plunge: Love as if your life depended on it."  Theme verses are I Peter 4:8-11. 

She spoke on taking the plunge into motherhood.  Plunges can be refreshing or overwhelming as in drowning.  She shared a story from her daughter's "first swim". At our table a couple of us really weren't in the "pre-school SOS" mode and found this applied to us more in other areas. Great thoughts and I don't want to lose them. The take aways were: 

1. Don't compare yourself to others
2. You don't need to go it all alone
3. Jump in - don't stay on the sidelines
4. Keep paddling
5. Don't take your eyes off your Father

During table time I shared how closely these lessons  mirrored  Stacia's near drowning experience. I added my memory of Michael doing all he could to swim across the pool and reach her, yelling, "Get the Baby!" each time he took a breath. We added a sixth point:

 

    6.  Don't forget your Father is doing all he can to get to you and certainly has His eye on you! 

These were just so good I wanted to capture them. 

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

My Boys

What a fun way to begin the week. Check out these photos Josiah took of the "bros" shopping. It's a wonder they weren't thrown out of Costco.  I give all my friends permission to  give them the mama look if you run into them while out grocery shopping. LOL

Not sure WHY Jamin has developed high blood pressure

Note WHERE Jared is in this photo! Josiah wrote, "I tell you leave Jared alone for two seconds....... When asked,he said, "I always wanted to do that but mom wouldn't let me." lol

You bet your BIPPY Mom wouldn't allow it. ::snort::  Close scrutiny of the contents of their cart tells me they have reached an eclectic lifestyle of eating...oats and pineapple YES....We'll allow some bachelor food since all are working and in college/ grad school.

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Adult Gherkin Update

Woot! Fantastic Skype with  Krista this a.m. It seems an appropriate time for an "adult Gherkin" update. 

I can't tell it as well Krista - but - she's been hired at the local school district....she starts Monday - makes $2+ more an hour, more hours AND full benefits.  She'll be a one on one aide for an elementary school student. She is very excited. We are too. 

She had interviewed previously with the school district. Several with teaching degrees applied. The head of the district's special ed called her Friday a.m. while she was subbing at another school. He told her he'd just listed another position and asked if she was interested and if she could at least work for two weeks as a sub. while they interviewed for the position. She agreed....but told him the hours she works at the college library.  She got another call asking her to go get a pre-employment drug test. She thought that a bit odd to substitute. She's been subbing for a year and not been asked for a drug test. When she was there they told her she needed a physical too. Hmmm..... curious-er and curious-er.

Then she was sent to HR and given paperwork and a badge. She asked if the badge was for subbing. They said she could use it for anything...but then they kept handing her more paperwork. She finally asked, "Have I been hired?"  

"Oh, did we forget to tell you?"  ::snort:: They decided since she'd interviewed before, they need someone NOW for this transfer student and she was a good fit. 

God has graciously taught Krista to be content and happy where He placed her...but now he's moved her on......She will work for the school district and continue to be the Children's Pastor at Lively Stone Fellowship. Here she is in VBS garb  - authentic from Afghanistan. 

BREANNE has been able to quit her job at Taco Bell  this month and go full time as the Children's Pastor at Calvary Open Bible. I know it was hard for the girls to continue in "burger flippin" jobs after college...but God has used that time for His kingdom, they went through college debt free,  are moving on.  

Bre loves her job as a children's pastor, where she gets to rope her grandparents into joining the fun...

And transform sanctuary's in OR to Babylonian Gardens

Josiah was invited back to work at Chick Fil A - better hours, more pay....he'd worked at the bank a bit over 6 months. He realized he really doesn't LIKE an admin job and it would bore him to death. He's back at Chick Fil A - the plan is for him to pursue owning in a few years...he's happy, making more money, enjoys the challenge of people a bit more than bank ledgers....Josiah has begun his MBA. 

Shelby continues her studies at ASU.  She has won a National Video contest and  is currently storming the East Coast for the awards ceremony. 

Astute readers should be wondering when we added a Shelby to our line up. ::wink:: I am authorized to share  Josiah and Shelby are dating. She's a doll and we enjoyed meeting her at his graduation from ASU last December.  

Jamin has started his Junior/Senior year. This is a frightening photo of Jared's first day of college....

Jamin had the best team time at the first race of the year.  I  wish the college would figure out how to give a walk on athlete financial aid. He may have to cut back on running as he has to WORK to pay for college. LOL  He's still enjoying Olive Garden.

Jared has begun his Freshman year. He's bought a car, received his household goods and is settling into life. He has been selected to serve on the student Senate at ASU and is working at Olive Garden. 

*Note Jared insists the movers UNMADE his bed when they  delivered his household goods.  *I've* never seen this in all our military moves... ::snort:: 

Random photos I snatched from Facebook and want on the blog so they get printed. LOL 

Brother Nate and family visited the boys in TX  this summer

Sisters....Sisters...Lord Help the Mister....

Jamin and Cody - Josiah's Dog

Jamin never DID learn to walk - has been running since before he was 1

Stinkin Cute! 

Krista's been working out and impresses us with her strength

Krista (middle) with friends on the OR Coast

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Fun Meeting

I (Michael) had a unique experience a couple of days ago. I was welcoming a new group of airmen to the base when in the course of the conversations, one said he was from my home town. I asked some more questions. Turns out he went to the very same elementary school that I went to - from 1965-1971. The school only had around 350 students. It is a small world. I asked if Mrs. Finnessey was still teaching first grade. We had some theories about her...

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Slice of Life

Not sure this was such a good day to decide to "show a slice of life!" 

05:00 - 06:30 - time in the Word, prayer, worship

06:30 - 07:00 - time with Zander

07:00 - 08:00 - Posted Region's TnT, checked in with my PWOC gals around the region via facebook, answered regional email, prepared for tomorrow's 07:00 Skype with region's presidents

08:00 - 08:15 - Began Almond Milk yogurt, started dough for sourdough pizza tonight souring/rising, fed starter, took frozen pizza sauce out to thaw, cleaned kids' breakfast mess, started a load of laundry

08:15-08:30 - personal email

08:30 - 09:00 - referee younger two while trying to get on the elliptical

09:00 - 10:20 - work out/shower/my breakfast....kids begin table school... after this I'm usually done with my shower/mourning routine and we do couch school.

10:30 - 1:20 - Errand for Michael

1:30 - 1:45 - ACK missed the time for yogurt while I was out running errand, sinus' head ache killing me; Arielle reads Science and Japanese with younger two so I can grab lunch.

So thankful for Arielle and Nolan's help today. They made a stressful day "workable."  Here she reads a Japanese folktale where a BADGER kills Obasan (Grandmother), cooks her up and puts her in soup. Ojisan (Grandpa) was very sad.  These aren't like Aesop's fables. We aren't finding easy take aways....

1:45 - 2:00 - Family Regrouping

2:00 -   3:30 - Couch school with younger two, older ones had free time

3:30 -   5:00 - Family @ Swan Park - not what we'd planned - but it worked with THIS day. This was a GREAT call. We began talking about the kids wanting to go camping - something we've not found time to do since we've been here.  I agreed to take them camping alone. We can do this. We'll make some plans.

5:00 - 7:00- Add starter to yogurt (will it even work now that timing is off?); make 2 pizzas for the kids (1/2 cheese/1/2 stuff crust turkey pepperoni and 1 turkey pepperoni) and a small veggie for me/ no cheese for me.  Kids set up the tent in the backyard - first step to making a Mom and Kids camping trip work. We have dinner.

 Michael bought this tent and brought it home as a second bag on one of his trips. We've not found time to put it to use - yet.

7:30 - 9:00 - Play games in the tent with kids, watch stars, visit.

Stacia thinks she's NEVER been camping as she's "only been in the trailer."

Michael got home around 8:00 p.m. and had to search for us....fun times....Kids sleep in tent - not us. LOL 

10:00 - um....this is NOT yogurt! YUCK!

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Choosing Joy? Yeah.

This has been a hard day. I slept in (I am ALWAYS up be 4:30 - 5:00).  

Via Google Images

I had to do a fasting lab today - and then when I finally MADE it to base (long story) the lab tech told me I'd been fasting too long...she told me to come back anyway. There was a young tech trying to draw from a gentlemen - unsuccessfully. The lady with me said, "Here, you draw her and I'll take him." UM - WHY DON'T I HAVE A SAY IN THIS????? More blood drawn from the same vein they blew out two days ago....She asked if it hurt. I told her yes. She used it anyway. At least THIS time there was not blood running down my arm. Today they made it TIGHT and FIRM...no extra bleeding.  (I'll spare you the photo. ::snort::)

Stacia, Zander and I went to the library and checked out books from All Through the Ages to use in our study of Japan. I had written the company, told them I had the 2nd edition and was wondering how much had been changed in the 3rd edition. I explained I lived in Japan and was trying to decide if there were enough changes to the Japan offerings to warrant reordering the book and waiting through the APO shipping.   I NEVER expected the author to email me. She thanked me for being a military spouse and sent me a PDF file of the updated pages on books about Japan.  She said I had enough stress in my life that I didn't need to reorder a book for 4 pages. Turns out she was prophetic.

Via Google Images

School with the younger two wasn't great. To be truthful one tried to deceive me by randomly circling answers, one tried, "I'm so cute you can't possibly want me to REMEMBER that sound," and I lost it with them.   I was immediately convicted. As I tried to talk around the lump in my throat Zander looked at me with tears and wailing and said, "You should not be so mean to Stacia. The Bible says to treat others the way you want them to treat you."  {In my defense I was NOT screaming etc. I simply used my firm voice.  They cracked me up as they'd been fighting all morning....}  Ugh. I picked myself off the floor, and talked to them about sin, confession, repentance, forgiveness - you know the GOSPEL. We prayed. We forgave. 

 I'm re-calibrating. The stress was MY doing....I failed to plan to miss a whole day of school yesterday, I woke up late today and we didn't get a good start on school due to the trip to the lab, I realized we have MOPS tomorrow (only once a month) but it will not be a good school day again... I don't regret going to the beach instead of doing school yesterday....but I am going to have to plan ahead better for these out of the ordinary days.  Zander really struggles with grace....and I believe working through all of our failures transparently may have helped him grasp the idea. 

Via Worship Images

The kids are outside enjoying some time with friends. I'm going to go make muffins for MOPS and then figure something out for dinner. I'm going to bed at a decent time tonight...even if Michael is working late...and I'm going to wake up in a much better frame of mind tomorrow.

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Stacia Writes Two More Letters

Stacia has finished her letters to all her siblings....and Daddy.  She wrote to Nolan yesterday.  

Hi Nolan , 

I love you. You just are so fun with me. You play with me every single day. I like to play candyland the best. 

Love Stacia

She and I had an interesting talk about WHY she said he NEVER played with her in the first letter. Lots of learning coming from this handwriting assignment...and she's learned she LIKES to write letters. 

Today she wrote a letter for Michael....and she's already dictated a letter to copy for one of her friends tomorrow. 

Hey Daddy, 

I love you so much. You are a great father to me. I like to roller blade with you. 

Love Stacia

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...