Travels...and changes....

When we were in Colorado for my brother's wedding, my uncle graciously invited us to come back for a week so my husband could do some repairs in/on their home. We thought about the near-100 degree temperatures here in Oklahoma, and then about the cool mountain air...and couldn't resist the offer. Not to mention, it was a "working vacation" and a chance to spend time with my aunt & uncle. Our air-conditioner broke down the night before we left. I was very glad to leave home. The kids loved hanging out on the deck & we got to roast s'mores a few nights. It seemed a little strange to be building a fire & curling up with a blanket in the middle of summer, but I didn't complain...

On Saturday, we took the kids to the zoo. The highlight was being there to see them feed the mountain lions. Afterwards, we headed over to the kids area, where my boys got in touch with their "inner" lions & had fun roaring & growling the rest of the day.

I love how quickly children build friendships. We met another family from my aunt's church @ the park & my kids had fun playing with her kids. By Sunday, they were looking forward to seeing their friends again, and Daniel confided in me, "Maximus is going to be my next cousin!" Apparently that's a step up from "friend".

This week it has been about getting "back into the groove" and catching up. I'm not sure how well I'm doing at either one, but I'm working on it. I think I finally finished unpacking from our trip. Just in time for laundry day! We're looking at some big changes for next year as I accepted a position to teach Kindergarten for 3 months (I'm sort of "filling in", while the teacher they've hired finishes her student teaching.) But I'm excited about the challenge & am also glad it is just for 3 months. I have pursued avenues to complete my teaching degree & kept running into what seemed like dead ends. But I have finally found a place that will accept most of my college credits & I can take online courses! So that is a huge answer to prayer. My goal is to finish my degree, get ACSI certification, and go on to get my state license. After 4 babies, I'm fairly convinced my brain has shrunk, so we'll see if I'm smart enough to do it! :) But I'm gonna try...

What I've inherited

I love to drive my Mom crazy & blame her for all the things that are physically wrong with me - headaches, achy shoulders, the fact that I have a hard time finishing a...what was I talking about? I can attribute my bad knees and over-active, grease producing hair follicles to my Dad. :) But lately, I'm starting to think that I can also blame him for the fact that I am getting more emotional with each passing year.

You already know that I turn into a blubbering fool when it comes to weddings, but last night at the VBS program, I lost it as I listened to the kids sing, "Yeah, the word of the Lord is true, we can trust Him, we can trust Him..." I tried to hold them back, but they were there, and they were real...real tears, people. We bought the CD & were listening to it in the kitchen tonight while I was making supper. The kids were singing their hearts out & I thought, "Oh boy, here we go again..." I'm pretty sure it's because I was cutting onions. Yep. That's the reason.

When I was in high school, I remember watching a Hallmark movie with my Dad. Those movies can be gut wrenching, but he was just fine, until the commercial came on. You know the one? Where the kid is reading a card from his big brother, telling how he's sorry he can't be home, and then suddenly he walks in the door and surprises everyone for Christmas? That's all it took. Just a 90 second commerical to break the dam & release the water works.

These days Dad gets teared up when he listens to a song or hears someone speak or sees his children and grandchilren growing in Christ and carrying on a legacy. It's something I love about him. He's not afraid to be emotional or sensitive...or even cry. As his daughter, I'm required to harass him for crying over commercials. :) But as much as I fight it, it's something I'm proud to have inherited from my Dad.

Shoe's on the other foot...and I'm not likin' it

My baby is going to camp tomorrow. I'm pretty sure I'm not ready. And she's really too young to be going off all by herself, don't you think? The other 3 are going to Grandma's today, which means we have 24 hours with our eldest. It hasn't been this way for 8 years. Yesterday she looked at me with a sparkle in her eye & asked what kind of things we would be doing once "the other kids" were gone. I told her we were going to clean the whole house from top to bottom. I got an eye-roll for that. As we count down the days until camp, she gets increasingly chatty. I finally asked her if she was nervous. "Kind o'...and kind o' excited too."

I remember that feeling. Only I was the one looking forward to seeing friends & swimming every day & the excitement of school & being on my own. I never was on this side of the fence - worrying about if she'll be safe, how it will go, if she gets homesick, if someone makes fun of her for leaving her zipper down (she does that a lot), if she forgets to brush her teeth, or if she has too much fun & never wants to come back home again. I don't like being on this side of life! I feel compelled to say to my Mom, "I'm sorry I ever left & put you through this!" But at the same time, I know that this is a part of life, a part of growing up, a part of letting go.

There is one thing that gives me comfort & security: The God of the Universe loves & cares for this little girl more than I can comprehend & He is there with her when I am not. So I will trust His daughter to Him, and then I'll pry my fingers off & kiss her goodbye...

Rediscovered

A couple of days ago, my boys were bored - which really means they were fighting & irritating each other, which means they were getting my last nerve & my patience was wearing thin. As their punishment, I sent them to retrieve the forgotten box of Legos out from under their bed & told them to "play nice, or else"! The "or else" is usually something miserable - like chores, or weeding. We received these Legos as a Christmas gift over 4 years ago & though they have been played with here & there, the kids never showed a lot of interest in them. Until now. I remember my younger brother spending countless hours with his Legos, building race cars, and boats, and airplanes, and anything else that entered his imagination. Now as I sit & watch Noah, I smile to see the same quiet boy, the wheels turning, and his creativity growing. As for the fighting, it still continues. Now it's just over stolen pieces and destroyed products.

Something new

This afternoon I tried out a new recipe & was pleasantly surprised at how yummy these cookies were. My friend informed me that "healthy" should never mix with "yummy". She tells me, "Don't be puttin' no fruit in that jello. It'll ruin it." That's oklahoman, in case you were wonderin'. :) These cookies have plenty of "healthy" mixed in, but it doesn't ruin the taste.

Also, I love to keep cookies in the freezer. It became a habit about 10 years ago. I'll admit, I am a little anal about it. My cookies go directly from baking sheet to freezer. This deters me from snacking on them, and I can't stand crumbly, stale cookies. Our good friend, Greg, loves to tease me about my "fresh baked" cookies. I offered him some "home made" cookies one afternoon. They were frozen solid & he carried on, saying he could have broke a tooth! He still hasn't let me hear the end of it.

So, for those of you out there who don't mind mixing healthy & yummy, this recipe's for you:

Chocolate Chip Whole Wheat Oatmeal Cookies
1 c. butter, softened
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
3 c. regular oats
2 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix butter, sugars, eggs & vanilla. Add dry ingredients & mix well. Add chocolate chips. Spoon onto a cookie sheet & bake for 10 minutes. Take out of the oven before they look "done" & let them sit for another 2 min. before removing from baking sheet. Makes about 4 doz. medium cookies. (I think I'm going to try substituting 1/2 c. applesauce for 1/2 c. of the butter & see how they turn out. I'll let you know how it goes...)

Put on my travelin' shoes...

We're back home again after a whirlwind trip this weekend. Phil's cousin got married in Kearney, NE on Saturday. We loaded the car on Friday night & left home by 4:30 the next morning so we could "make it to the church on time". The wedding was beautiful, and you know me & weddings...more boo-hooing. By 6pm, we were headed to Uncle David's pig farm to be with family where I could do what I love...laughing. :) We weren't there five minutes when Daniel came running back from the pig pens to inform Noah, "I can't even tell you what that pig was doing!" We were a little curious, what with several prize winning studs in the pens, so we asked, "What did you see?" "That pig just went to the bathroom right there!" This is our third trip to the farm & when we were there in the Fall of '06, we couldn't get Daniel off this toy tractor. This time he got to ride with Uncle David to feed the pigs. He was in hog heaven! Pun intended. :) He talked Uncle David's ear off, and later informed him "I want to feed the pigs with you everyday."

Grace was shy at first around Megan. After the wedding, she whispered, "I'll see you back at the farm." They became fast friends and were inseparable. We left the farm Sunday morning, and I soon noticed that Grace had gotten really quiet. I looked back to find her crying. When I hugged her close, she confessed, "I didn't want to leave Megan."

We arrived in Omaha on Sunday afternoon & got to spend time with my cousin & her family. I was able to go to the hospital & meet Judah. I have to admit, it's hard to find the words. There is so much I could say, but sometimes words are not adequate to describe emotions. Sometimes it's enough to just feel & not explain. He is a beautiful baby...a baby God is holding in the palm of his hand...a baby that in his short life, has touched the hearts of many people. He has brought the family of God together. People that don't know this family personally are praying for this precious boy. It's a beautiful thing to see.

We left Omaha last night & got home in the middle of the night. Yes, it was a whirlwind trip, but it was worth it. It makes me look forward to heaven. Not only will I get to spend eternity with Christ, but I'll get to fellowship with family...God's family. And I can't think of something I want more than that.

Please Pray

Judah Matthew was born yesterday afternoon & there have been various complications. Please pray for Judah, for Beth & Jared, for the grandparents, and for the kids (siblings) - Eli, Ezra, & Lydia during this time.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7