Sunday

This day started on a sad note. Hubby got on a plane and left :( He is in New Orleans for the week. I told him... sorry, no fresh fish for you! :( I don't like it when he is gone!!  But, the rest of the day was pretty decent! I got to help with a friends baby shower. She is going to have her baby on Wed. That makes me excited! :D  I went to the store to get the stuff for the shower (cake... gifts....) While I was checking out, the lady asked if I was having a party.. I said ya a baby shower!! He will be born on Wed... she proceeded to ask me if it was my first!!????? So... Not that I didn't know already... but, I decided I NEED to loose weight. So, I have set myself a goal. 20 pounds by Aug. 6. That is 2 months. I am praying that God will decide that it is something that he can bless me with. I need to loose 100 but 20 is a good start!!!  Anyway, here we go!
Thank you God for this Sunday. Thank you for friends to spend an afternoon with. Thank you for my boys, that I can trust home alone. Thank you for the blessing of food. Thank you for your faithfulness to help us in our ongoing striving to not sin. Thank you for even caring about my desire to not be gluttonous any more!

A week in review

So, this has been a pretty good week! All in all that is. Had lots of family here last weekend for Erin's wedding!! That was fabulous!!! I LOVED having my sisters and brothers here!!!!  Made me so happy! It was also very nice to have my hubby home for 4 days. The family all went home on Monday. That was a nice restful day. I didn't want the family to go home.. but it was a nice day. The rest of the week has been pretty normal. Ethan started his college classes. That was fun. He is really enjoying it. Especially his drama class. He said it is like grown ups playing and it is what they are supposed to do! hehe He is really enjoying logic so far too. He says both the teachers are nice and he has enjoyed being around other people.
Now I just have to get our school ordered for our new school year. I don't like to take too long off. I have never done a 3 month summer break. I am not planning on starting now! :D  If I take too long of a break, I have a hard time getting back into it. I like being able to take weeks off here and there and not have to worry about it. Plus, I want to get used to the new "normal" of school.. our regular work along with Ethan's extra classes.
Hubby leaves town tomorrow for a week. I am going to make the kids help me with some big stuff while he is gone. I am hoping to get some painting done.. before the end of June I want to have the downstiars painted and the carpets cleaned. HA! dream on! hehe So, there is the update! Goodnight!!!

practicing what I preach

In trying to get my house ready for company, one of the things that I have MOST dreaded, is cleaning.... Ez and Ashers rooms *duh duh duuunnnnnn* I don't know why, but for some reason my 2 youngest boys don't understand "clean". They see it in every other room in the house. They have to clean their rooms and their bathrooms every day. They have to vacuum and mop every day. But for some reason, it never really gets fully DONE. It will finally get to where I finally say "good enough" but it is never DONE. One of the things that I have told other moms for a LONG time is that kids will do what is expected of them. No more, no less. As much as I say, "they can't do that yet" or... "they aren't old enough yet" or.. "they aren't ready" They will happily sit aside and not do those things. I mean hey... more play time right?  But if you say, this is how you do it, this is what I expect, and this is the consequence if you don't, they will do it! I have found myself guilty of doing to Ezekiel something that I always HATED when my parents did. I had my Ezekiel standard, and my every one else standard. I decided tonight, that enough is enough. I told the boys that I want their room spotless. I mean, under the bed, in the closet, I want it vacuumed even in the corners. Trash taken out, laundry taken down to be washed tomorrow, Like totally and completely CLEAN. I then sent Asher to start and told Ezekiel, you are the older brother. It is up to you to make sure it gets done. If it doesn't, you are the one that will be punished. You are almost 12 years old, you should be able to get a room clean like I expect it to be. Well guess what?? It was DONE totally and completely clean!!! I could see carpet! Even under the bed and in the closet!!! Just proves once more, you expect it... and they will do it!!  YAY for one less thing on my list tomorrow!!!!

Date night

I got a date night last night with my "little" boys. Saturday night is my date night with hubby, but he was busy last night so the boys and I went!

I mean really, can you think of any better or more handsome dates????  We went to Olive Garden which is a favorite of all of us. I think we spent the same amount we would have for hubby and I too, because he and I like to have a drink and usually go to a more pricey place! :D

My goofballs. I just love these kids!! I truly believe that date night is NECESSARY!! Especially between mom and dad. It is SO IMPORTANT to have that one night a week put aside for just time for just you! If money is an issue, you can go to chili's and get chips and queso and a soda for less that 20$. Or, you can go to the park and just take a picnic basket. You can even have "date night" in your own home. Make sure the kids are in their beds at  a reasonable time and make a special din din just for you and daddy and be just married people again like you were before the little goofballs came along!!!
I also think it is important to "date" your kids! They all need to feel important and loved and have one on one time with mom/dad. I mean not just take them to mc donalds where you are going to meet friends and they are going to be running around playing. I mean, take them somewhere that doesn't have a play place and just sit and talk to them!!  Maybe both of you order off the childrens menu or let the kid order off the adult so he/she feels on the same level as mom/dad. Go someplace fun and talk to them and let them know that you love them!!  Not just ya mom loves me she tells me and she takes care of me.. but my mom LOVES me! She takes me out and we have special dinner together and I can talk to her without my siblings talking over me or taking her attention away!!  Super important and fun time!!!
Ok, stepping off my soap box now. I am going to post a couple more pics of "date nights" with my guys!

college kid

Well, this is all about Ethan. He is my oldest baby. He is 14 and 1/2 and is finishing his Sophomore year of high school. Which makes him able to do the early college start at ACC. He can take 2 classes a semester for free. Thats right.. FOR FREE!!! He did really well on most of his entrance test. He didn't do as well in the math section as he could have, but he can retake that. All that means, is he won't take any math based classes this summer. But that is ok because I want him to take fun classes to start with so he can get used to being in a classroom situation for the first time in his life. And get used to being taught. So, he is taking an acting class and logic. Anyone who has heard my hubby's favorite joke will understand that decision. He is happy and excited, and we are too! I am excited that he is growing up and moving on to the next stage of life. I am happy that he has been able to get through the things he needed to and do well enough to be able to be starting college classes right now. Lord willing, I would love to have him as close to done with a degree as possible by the time he is 18 so he can just get on with his life and get a job and just be done with school. God is so good!! Keep praying for us!

Mothers day

Yesterday, was mothers day. I had such a GREAT DAY!!!  My boys spoiled me rotten! It started on Saturday. They left me here to relax while they went shopping. They were gone for a few hours. I started to think they were lost!! I texted Ethan and told him to make sure they got me something good! He said they would get me bubble gum if I was good. :D After a while I decided to go lay down in bed and rest until they got home. When they got home, Ez and Ash came upstairs to "keep me company" while hubby and Ethan brought my present up to me. A few minutes later, they came up the stairs struggling under the heavy load of a big box. They were grunting and sweating. They were talking to each other about the best way to get this big box around the corner at the top of the stairs. They stopped outside my bedroom and said that I needed to come out to see it cause they couldn't carry it anymore. I went into the hall and took the tape off the top of the box... with complete excitement I opened this box that was so big, I could have fit comfortably in it sitting up! And there, wrapped carefully in plastic wrap, was my roll of bubble tape! HAHAHAHA I was sooo happy!!!  Just what I wanted!!!! Then they suggested that I come downstairs with them to enjoy my gum. I came down the stairs and looked in the living room and there was  A NEW CHAIR!!! They got me an extra wide rocker/recliner chair!!!!! I LOVE IT!!! I can rock.. I can put my feet up. I can lay ALL THE WAY DOWN!!! flat!!!!!! It is amazing!!!  Then, hubby took me out to dinner for a date at what has become my favorite restaurant here in Austin. Then yesterday, we went to church. Then I got to rest in my new comfy chair all afternoon. Then my boys took me to dinner at IHop!! yayayay!!! That was my mothers day. I hope every one else had a great one!!

New house arrangement

I am excited to report, we have a new home for our playroom!!! Up until now it has been downstairs in what should be our formal living room. For those that know us, we are NOT formal people.. so it isn't about having a formal living room. I just need to have my house to where I don't feel like I am living in a messy hole all the time. :D  With all the kids toys and stuff upstairs, I have my whole downstairs to be "grown up space".  I feel like my house is more of a grown up house now! :) We are going to put a TV in the office with the computers so that the video games and all that can be upstairs too. And they can watch their shows up there. They are excited. I need to take a picture of the "bed room" now cause there are 2 double size beds in there.. and then Gavin's little bed. lots of bed... NO floor space. hahahaha Gavin is THRILLED to be included in the bed room. Fun fun! And... ITS FRIDAY! I get my honey for 2 days now! :D  yay!  Happy mothers day weeked!

Baby Asher turns 10!!!!!

So, it has been 10 years since I had my last little baby boy. I can't believe that I am finally to the point that I have no little ones any more. No one in the single digits!! Big steps!!  I am so happy to be here!!
Asher is so smart, so happy, caring, giving, precious. Of course he has his... ahem... moments... but so do I!! :D  I love my sweet baby boy!!  I tried to put up lots of pics.. and it didn't work. So, for now.. just this one recent one *although he has gotten a hair cut now* hehe
I love you my sweet baby boy!

Here it is

Can you believe it? I did it already!!!  Here is my new blog!!!

http://wordsofthankfulness.blogspot.com/

Please "follow" me.. read it.. help me!!  I will continue to use this one for updates/pics/ and posts about the family and our daily lives so don't erase this one!!!  thanks friends!

Changing things up.

I am deciding to change things up a bit here on my blog. I have been trying to blog about life... but my life just isn't that interesting.. hehehe so... I am going to change things up a little and play and try to get a new look and a new site and everything... Instead of trying to have it just about family life, I am going to make it a little more personal. Talk about my personal life journey that God has me on. I am not leaving blog spot.. I will just have a new title and I will let everyone know. I will still use this one too for updates on the kids. Like Asher's birthday on Tuesday :)! If anyone can suggest things I can do and ways to personalize it better.... that would be great!

New day

Well, after a long talk the other day with Ez, he finally (not really repentantly....) but FINALLY admitted to the cheating... I was talking to him about how when he is lying about something and insists on staying in that lie.. he is a liar.. and I can't believe anything he says. So, he tells me he did something, I have to check. If he says he didn't do something, I can't believe him. That really bothered him because he was trying to convince me that he hadn't done something else that i was accusing him of. So, he had to tell the truth about the cheating to try to get me to believe the other. I still don't believe that he wasn't lying about the other, but it is a step in the right direction.. And I think he understands the problem and how and why it needs to stop. We also had a long talk about responsibility and disciplining yourself. He has been better about chores the last 2 days too after that. I don't hold my breath that this will keep up, but it is a step in the right direction at least! Thanks for all the help!!

Weather and what-not

Well, today is quite a day here in Round Rock!! It is SNOWING!! And the snow is STICKING!!! Both nearly unheard of occurrences here. There are HUGE flakes falling right now. I am NOT totally thrilled. My kids are happy.. and of course, that makes me happy... but weather effects me physically. here is the thing... Cold makes me hurt.. but if I am inside where it is warm, I am not too bad.. but the CHANGE of weather is what kills me... and here, it can't get much worse!!! On Sunday it was 75 degrees and now, it is snowing and 34 degrees. There was a 30 degree drop between sunday and yesterday. That is what kills me! So, I guess if I lived somewhere that it was snowing or rainy alot... and I could be inside most of the time.. that would be ok. I just need to not have these big flip flops!!!

On to the "what not" part of the post. I am trying to figure out the best way to deal with something in my home and I would LOVE all the advice I can get. My son, has been doing A LOT of lying. And I mean.. when he knows he is caught.. he stays insisting on his lie. I have punished.. I have talked to him about what God thinks of lying... Last night he finally confessed *in a very quick not really repentant way* to his lie, when I told him that by staying in his lie.. he has become a liar.. so I can't believe anything he says. I don't know how to make him see that this can't go on and that he has to be honest... I have been getting so frustrated recently with my younger boys. I feel like a failure of a mom most of the time.. and they are REALLY GOOD BOYS. There are just some things.. and some times.. that I can't get them to decide to do the right thing. I pray for them.. and I talk to them... they all claim to be living for God so I try to talk to them from a Biblical standpoint, but I don't know if they don't get it.. or don't care, or just aren't wired to understand yet. I am open to any and all suggestions on how to deal that I haven't done. I also worry that I am expecting my kids to be PERFECT, which I know they can't be...
That is the update from here! I hope all is well for all my friends out there!!!

new years eve pictures

What a week!

Ok.. so it has been more than a week.. and I promised New years Eve pics that I haven't posted.. I think what I am going to do, is start doing a post with words.. and then do another post with pictures... I just get too frustrated with trying to put the pictures where I want them to be!! :) yes, I am too easily frustrated! hahahaah In my mind.. if you put a picture up after you write words, that is where the picture should go.. NOT all the way at the top to where you have to drag it all around to put it where you think it should have gone automatically in the first place!!
Anyway, so far 2010 has not been a whole lot different than 2009.. :) My 2 little boys have been in alot of trouble.. I am trying to figure out how to make them aware of their heart choices. Not let them get away with "I didn't think about it" or "I forgot" or... anything like that but to realize everything they do (or don't do) is a choice.. and that choices come from the condition of our hearts alot of the time. Or, maybe all the time. But that if they can't make a right choice to not do what they know they shouldn't or to remember to do what they know they should when they are here.. and safe and cared for.. they aren't going to make those right choices when they are out in the world and have none of the same Godly conditions.
I don't know really how to do this.. so I grounded them to their rooms. They have to keep their space clean without having to be reminded to clean it and to get their school work done without having to be told that it is school time. I figure if they are in their rooms, every time they think about wanting to not be.. they will think about why they are and maybe some changes will start to be made. That is my hope anyway. This parenting thing is SO HARD. I mean I never thought it was easy.. but I guess there are days that I realize that I thought that it would be a little more easy now than it is.. I mean, it is easier than it was when they were little. But I just want it to be EASY. I know I am fooling myself right. Ethan really is in the "easy" category most of the time. I hope the younger boys will get there too! Maybe this will be a kick in the right direction!! Or, it will be more than 3 weeks of their wasted time and some peace and quiet for me. .hahaha
Hubby is getting ready to leave town for a week. I HATE when he has to be gone. But at least this time, there is something exciting to look forward to at the end! *besides him coming back which I always look forward to* I have a friend coming to see me!!! YAY! And this is a friend that I haven't seen since we were in 2nd grade!!! For anyone that isn't fabulous at math.. it has been about 25 years since we have seen each other!! It is amazing to both of us that God implanted us so deeply in each others hearts that even after all this time we have both thought often of each other and wanted to be back in contact. We both know that lots of time has past, although it feels like we have never been apart. That is how easy our friendship is. I am enjoying getting to know her as an adult, and I can't wait to show her pics of all my life experiences that she wasn't able to be there for, and I can't wait to share some with her!!! Anyway, that is our life in a "nutshell" I will post some pics now! Which of course, will be what you see FIRST.. but ah well, I will get this figured out sooner or later!!

update

Ok, so here is the scoop for the last Wed. of the year! First of all, we LOVE New Years Eve!! That is one of our fave days of the whole year! We spend the evening with junk food, movies, games, and all over family fun!! This year we have invited 3 families from our church to join us. I think that will make it even more fun!!! if they all come, there will be a total of.. 11 kids and 8 adults! :D plus, one baby in the belly, but I don't think that peanut counts yet.. :D I will take and post LOTS of pics! :) The other decission that has been made, is after 15 days of trying this diet and vitamin thing... hubby and I decided to stick with the vitamins, but not be so strict on the diet. It was just too hard for me, and I haven't noticed ANY good from it at all... I am in MORE pain and feeling more and more sick every day. I can't function that way. I have 5 kids to take care of every day.. I have to be able to do it in a good attitude and with less pain.. I am still doing the vitamins and will still do very little sugar... but for now the dairy and bread and all is back. I will slowly cut those back out as time goes on and see if things improve.. just take it a little more slowly. We are in prayer that this week or next we will get an answer on hubby's promotion. We would LOVE for him to get the job because it puts him in a better place to get the job he ACTUALLY wants. hahaha It will be hard to get used to the new schedule though. Anyway, I guess that is it for today. I will post more on Friday when we have a new year and new pictures! :)

Big day out

Due to my health... A big day out for us.. is going to the mall for a little while. :S my poor kids.. but they did get new hats, that made them happy! :) and we got our annual Hickory Farms.. so we are pleased!! Just wish I could eat them!!! Now I am feeling a little over done.. but the kids had a fun day so, that is what matters!!! Enjoy the pictures!!!

better

See... told you I would be better 2 times in one week can you believe it?!?! I guess I just think my life is boring right now.. hahhaha Well, we have all been sick.. blah... I think my program is going well. I have stuck to it.. I am pretty proud of myself. Not that I have WANTED to stick with it all the time.. but I have. Still don't know about hubbies promotion.. hope he gets it.. sorta. :) Well I promised you pictures... to be honest.. they will be first.. before the words.. cause I can't figure out how to get them to go anywhere else without me moving them.. so by the time you read this, you will have seen them!! :) more later.

My once a month post...

I don't know how this has turned into something I don't do very often... I love connecting on here!! I am really going to try to do better!!! to start, I am going to do a GOOD post!! Pics and everything!!! I don't have a recent pic of me up.. cause I don't like pics of me.. so.. here is one. :)

Lets see... guess I put the pic of me up first.. so I will start talking about me.
I just started a new umm... program... to try to help my fibro.. it consists of LOTS of vitamins.. some hormones.. and a *gulp* diet... I think I can handle the 34+ pills every day. But MAN is it HARD to give up the foods that you love. I know it is good for me.. and if it helps, I will be THRILLED. And hey, worst case, maybe I will loose some weight!! *please Lord* So, I have done this for 5 days now. My desire for sweets and bread and milk and cheese are maybe a little less... maybe not. I don't know if my attitude is making it worse, or.. ya.. prolly.
The other new thing with me, is I have started babysitting a new little boy. He is 7 weeks old.. and he is a doll!! We are really enjoying having a bitty one around again.. especially since he goes home at night and I get to sleep all night.. (sorry Sarah... *wink*) So that is me.

Ethan... My biggest "baby" We found out while in Abq that he is about 5' 9-10" ish.. and *thanks to the shiping scale at DCI* know that he is 175 pounds. I look at this handsome, sweet, helpful, great kid.. and I go.. you are 14????????? My first thought is ALREADY??? Quickly followed by... ONLY?????? He acts sooo old but is so young still. He will start driving next year. Yes, I said DRIVING wow. This is wierd. He is doing really well in 10th grade. He is enjoying his one day school that he goes to for math and guitar. I don't know if he likes it for the learning as much as he does for the social time. He is getting really good at the guitar. Jeremy taught him the basics.. he has worked on that on his own since we got here and taught himself some. I am really glad to be able to have him back in lessons so that he can really grow and learn and enjoy his music... and getting a little bit more timing training won't hurt.. :)
We have also had our first experiance with a "special girl" this year. She is a doll. She and Ethan are good friends. I know there has been a disagreement between them that has lowered her... "special" status.. *we don't do the boyfriend girlfriend thing.. but if we did, you could say they broke up.. :)* It is strange to be in this place.. because A. we didn't think it would be coming so soon.. and B. it is a deffinately learn as you go thing... I don't ever want him to think that we don't value his feelings as a person. Make him think that he couldn't have "real" feelings for a person. BUT we are working hard at training him on GUARD YOUR HEART!!! God has a special girl just for you and you want to be able to give her all of you.. and what you give to other girls too soon, can't go to her!! On the positive side.. they are so young.. there was no, hand holding.. or anything else.. so, innocent as it can be but still a milestone.

Ezekiel. He has always been the "special" one. He has the sweetest spirit of any kid I think I know. I don't know how many times in his 11 *yes 11* years I have heard " I like all your boys, but there is something special about MY Ezekiel" He has belonged to everyone that has ever known him!! This child for the first time this last year has learned about people that don't just love him. It is completely heart breaking to think about but he has been picked on quite abit this last year. Most of it comes from a couple girls. If I was like my mom, I would tell him "they think you are cute" or.. "they like you and just don't know what to say" but I don't want my son to think that people need to treat him bad to show him that they care about him. So I tell him, you can ask them to stop and if they don't, you can leave the situation and come be with me. I have talked to the mothers *as it is at our church fellowship which is VERY small* and they have worked on dealing with the issue on their end, which is good.. but MAN is it hard to not just yell at these kids and say don't you know that you TREASURE a great person like this, not PICK on him?!?! I mean really, if your chips are down, Ez is the one you want on your side. He will cry with you, cuddle with you, laugh with you, whatever you need!!
On the positive side, this has been a HUGE growth year for him!! He will complain that as far as PHYSICAL growth.. that is going slowly.. but man.. School this year has been as easy with him as it always has been with the other 2. He has actually gotten 100% on a language test!! That is almost UNHEARD of with him. He has a hard time with learning *like his mom* and to see him growing like this is amazing!!! God is so good!!! He still doesn't ENJOY school, but it also doesn't take all day and he is getting things more right, less wrong. He is also my little chef! He LOVES to cook! I realized one day that he is 11.. I need to let him in the kitchen if he wants to go there, so.. I have been and man has it paid off! I have had some great meals cause of that!! :) He still says he wants to go into the military when he turns 18. I support him in that.. and pray for him in that!!




Asher. What to say about Asher. He is the one of any of them that I think we pray for and worry about more than the others. He is the only one of our 3 that has not made a personal confession of Christ. Which on the one hand is good. I don't want him saying what he thinks we want to hear but he doesn't believe. His faith has to be a true, lasting faith given by Christ alone and I don't want him saying that is there if it isn't. On the other hand, a mothers heart yearns to know her child will live in eternity with her.. and more importantly, with her God!! But, he is only 9. I don't know that I need to worry TOO much yet. This little one, has always been our hand full. He is a perfectionist TO THE EXTREME! Now I don't mean that he always has a clean room, or that he doesn't make mistakes. But if you tell him to get his room clean. It will be CLEAN. If he is supposed to get school done, it is done and it is done well. Ask Miss Joyce.. since he was a little bitty guy, he has HATED anything imperfect. Down to scribbling when coloring as a 2-3 year old... He still has a bit of a problem with anger that we are dealing with but not as often as it was. I pray that it continues to get better, but I have my concerns that with him getting closer to puberty, and without God to help.. we may be in for a bumpy ride in the next few years.
Asher will drop anything to do anything for you. Although he won't just notice it needs done.. :) He will literally give you the coat off his back if that will help you. But in a lot of ways, he is the baby.. the youngest.. man, he can act spoiled sometimes.. *my fault, I know* I try hard to make him be as responsible as we expected of his brothers at his age.. which is hard when they had different expectations at that age than each other too.. *did that make sense???* well, anyway..
I am loving the ages all my kids are at!! We are having a GREAT time! We have such a blessed life. I love the stages my kids are in. So fun!

Hubby. Sorry the pic isn't great... it is just the most recent I have of him. Guess I need to take some better ones.. :) I am married to the BEST man God ever created. He is patient when I am not... He is caring and loving when I need it. He is strong and hard when I need it.. *although that can be no fun for both of us* He is a superb provider, a wonderful partner and a perfect friend.
He had an interview at work the other day for a promotion. We should find out end of Dec. to beg. of Jan if he got it. This could be a good/bad thing. Good.. obvious reasons.. promotion... that means higher place.. higher pay *in theory* and different position so learning more things... all good.. BUT they will prolly change his hours... well, not prolly, for sure. He will have to go to mon-fri. instead of having 4 work days a week. We aren't sure about the actual hours yet.. not too worried about it till we know if he got the job. But we like where his hours are at now.. so... anyway. We are praying for our will's to be in line with God's will so whatever he has determined will happen, will be easy for us to take! :)

Ok I am done for now... sorry when I don't write in so long... I have alot to say!! Next post *hopefully soon* I will post lots o pics... PROMISE!!

Amazing things

Well, here we are again at one of my *probably now infamous* all nighters. Again God decided that last night, for me, was not going to be a night of peaceful sleep. At this point I am really hoping for a GREAT nap... because we are supposed to drive all night tonight.. *now that it is 5:30 Wed. morning* to drive to Alb. We are so excited to be coming for the wedding of my sweet dear sister *who I have to share with my hubby.. GRIN* to Sam, who has been my brother in my heart for years. We are so amazed at Gods sovereignty and timing in all things. I knew YEARS ago that this day would be here. We just had to wait on God... *and that stubborn Sam....* hahahaha I can't believe that our sweet little Eden is getting married. It blows my mind. She is now our sweet just a bit bigger Eden of course.. but the fact that she is a woman and going to be a wife is just beyond my imaginings this early in the morning. I am so proud to call her my sister and I am equally proud to be able to call Sam *Fred* my brother.
The other thing that God has decided to do recently, is bless us with a minivan. We have some amazing friends here in RR, that go to our church, that like to camp.. as the story goes. So, they bought a pop up trailer. Well, they soon came to realize that all the added weight wasn't good on their van. Instead of giving up their beloved camping, they bought a suburban.
That was in like... oh... July or August I guess... maybe even June.... hmmmmm anyway, I BEGGED God and my husband for this van. It is a 2000 Toyota. I know 10 years old isn't a new vehicle by any means, but they are very good stewards of what God gives them.. so this van is in AMAZING shape for its age. Well, my husband had decided that at this time in our lives, we couldn't add another bill, so no... we couldn't buy their van. I prayed and breathed.. and submited. Then, the van was still there.... and still there.... and every once in a while, I would hit my hubby up with a "what if" ... you know.. "what if" I were able to make some money and pay a monthly bill for it.... "what if" you pay off this bill, then we have "extra" money right? well, of course, every suggestion was met by a no... and every time I saw this van that I love so much, I had to pray... and breathe... and quietly submit.
I haven't been going to church that much recently as my health has gone down hill quite a bit.. and sitting through a church service that sometimes can go as long as 2-2 1/2 hours... I just don'tgo.. cause I can't sit through that long. Well, I guess on one such Sunday several weeks ago, our friends told my husband that they wanted to GIFT us with this van. This van that I have loved and in my heart called my own and prayed to God that if it was meant for us, it wouldn't sell before we had the means to buy it!! My husband tried to argue, because it is such a tremendous gift *Toyota's don't loose value as fast as other cars* But our friend very quickly pulled the "God has told us this is what we are supposed to do" card.. and hubby couldn't argue with that.
Well, somewhere along the way it was decided that I wasn't going to be told. It was going to be a surprise for me. So very innocently, Kathy asked me a couple weeks ago, if we could get together for dinner before we left for Abq on this trip. I thought through all we had going on and said.. ya Tuesday we could come over. She said that would be great! Then, hubby got Wed. off and I threw out there.. hey, now we could go to Abq sooner, because you don't have to work!! And he said, no.. we made a commitment for dinner with our friends, and we aren't going to break that commitment. So, I said, ok. I can't wait to fellowship with this wonderful family anyway!!
So, we are sitting around talking and visiting *not realizing how late it was getting...* and Steve gets up and offers us more tea.. or water... and while he is innocently standing at the counter he says.. hey Tania, are these your keys on the counter over here? I said.. no I left my purse at home.. I don't have any keys here. I looked at my husband and said.. are they yours? He said no.. and Steve says.. no, I really think they are yours. I turned and looked and it was the key to their van. I was speachless. ok... sorry.. I should have made sure you were sitting.. I know.. ME ... SPEACHLESS!! that doesn't even happen on paper does it!! But really, at first it was... no... they are kidding.. then it was.. did hubby buy it and not tell me..??? and then it was... WHAT?! and then I was just shaking for the next like... 30 minutes.. and then.. I got in the van.. in the DRIVERS SEAT! and I couldn't stop bouncing around like a puppy looking at the back door!!!
WHAT A BLESSING!!! So, turns out.. we couldn't skip dinner and come to the Q earlier becuase, we were going to have a nice comfy VAN to drive instead of our cramped, uncomfortable truck!!! See... told ya!! Amazing things!!!! Isn't God great!?!?! Like there was a doubt... Then, he decides, that I am going to be up all night... well, as long as there is a nap in my not to distant future, I guess, I can cope!!! Ok.. that is my update!! Loves and hugs!!

Why...

Ok.. here is my gripe of the day.. Why is it that bone in chicken is so STINKING hard for me to get right?!!?!? I mean.. I can work miracles with boneless meat!! But put a chicken leg in front of me and lunch is going to take FOREVER! I have had chicken in the oven now for.... 2 hours.. and it is still bleeding... now is it just me or does that seem a little LONG to anyone else!?!??! Yes, the oven is ON... it is on at the temp that the recipe called for! I just don't understand. If it was boneless peices, it would be finished by now and we would have happily full tummies... instead of smelling the deliciousness that we can't taste yet for fear of illness and or death!!! :S Ok... I feel better now.. thank you for letting me get that off my chest! :)