Well, four of the five kiddos started school last week. So hard to believe....Grace is in 3rd, Elizabeth in 2nd, Seraphina started 1st and sweet little Jonah ventured into Pre-K for 3 mornings a week.
I always have high hopes of being fully prepared for school in plenty of time. This includes having the children's bodies acclimated to getting up early. Well, this pregnancy has all but kicked my butt this first trimester so my best laid plans.....yes, foiled again! It was a rough week last week. Everyone got up fine, even made it out the door early. But by the time they came home, we were all serious grumps. I couldn't get dinner on the table. Brian got called home early a couple days to a war zone. And the house, well, at least it's been sanitary....mostly. That's about it. I like to say, we crash landed into this school year.
So here we are in the middle of a long holiday weekend! Yay! A much needed opportunity to catch our breath and hope for a better week. I just got up from a nap. After I woke up I just laid there thinking about the half dozen blog posts I've written in my head over the past weeks. It's frustrating when you feel like you can't take time for the things that matter. For me, logging my thoughts really matters. It's a way of taking care of myself even if no one else ever reads them.
It seems like lately I'm always abandoning my amazing husband to either take a nap, lay on the couch 'cause I'm too sick for anything else, get something to eat, or use the bathroom facilities for one thing or another. Even now, I humbly requested that I retreat to the basement (where our computer resides) to get some thoughts out of my cluttered brain. He's cooking dinner (apple oatmeal).
Speaking of apples, this morning we made time to take an annual trip to Paulus Orchard for some apples. Last year we canned 80 quarts of mostly applesauce and some apple butter. It makes me chuckle to think about the ways I've morphed into a central PA girl. Born and raised in the D.C. area, I was clueless what my college roommate was lining her shelves with our freshman year. Turns out it was pickled veggies, applesauce, peaches and pears among other things. So why do they call it 'canning' when it's really jars that display the final product? Whatever. All I know is that our applesauce give Motts a run for it's money!!!
This year's trip to the orchard was highlighted with the treat of an apple cider donut, freshly made this morning! Yummers! What a gorgeous day to spend some family time gathering apples and munching on goodies! These are the days when it is easier to say "Yeah. I'm a pretty good mom, taking time to build memories with my beautiful children." Most days, I wonder if I will even remember these "happy blur of survival" days...sigh...So glad Jesus sees things differently and doesn't judge us based on our trips to the orchard or the library for that matter (it took me about 5 years to even have the courage - or energy - to step foot into a library with my kids).
Well, 12 weeks prego tomorrow. I Look like I'm about 20 weeks. But why do I care? Probably because I feel chronically tired and hormonal and I'm actually ready to look cute prego and not chubby. Oh, yeah, muffin tops are beautiful. Who said that anyway?
I must admit, I am VERY thankful to Jesus that I have felt well enough to be able to resume running 3 times a week. I have a rare opportunity 3 days a week to bond with my almost 3-year-old, Timothy. As the other four walk out the back door for school, he says "wait, wait! I go gool too!" So, instead, we load up the jogging stroller that was given to me and go for a run. Well, truth be told, I've only run with it twice because the alignment is so bad, my shoulder and arms were hurting just from trying to keep it going straight. So we will walk for now until I can get my super mechanical father-in-law to take a look at the stroller. At least I can still get out, and with only one kiddo! He is so fun, but truly isn't sure what to do without his partner in crime, Jonah, around to keep him busy.
Wow. I'm feeling a bit lighter now. At least in the head. So much to be thankful for. So much humanity to negotiate. So grateful for Grace and unconditional Love!
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Sunday, August 15, 2010
MOPS
Last weekend I had an opportunity to help a dear friend serve as an exhibitor at the national MOPS convention. I was pretty nervous about the trip since this pregnancy has been harder so far than any of the others. Sickness and exhaustion have kept me on the couch more than not the past several weeks. The Lord was faithful to hear the prayers of those interceding for me and I held up remarkably well!
You see, my friend LT, owns this amazing company called Union 28 . She designs and sells apparel promoting a healthy, positive image of marriage to the world. Wow. The anointing on this company and this woman is truly something worth noting. LT warned me that we would be swamped with women the whole convention. Boy was she right. Other vendors would come over just to see why so many ladies were constantly crowded around our table! I, gratefully, got to sit and run the credit card machine most of the time. It gave me a great perspective to just watch and learn a few things:
1. There are women, lots of them, in the world who are proud of their husbands and proud to be married! In our society where marriage in constantly degraded and covenants are easily broken, it was so refreshing to see hundreds and hundreds of women excited about this opportunity to honor their husbands!
2. There are VERY few women out there (meaning, of the 2200 that I was able to observe at the convention), who do not bear the signs of having birthed children. Everyone longs to be beautiful, whether they admit it or not. God put the longing in each of us. This weekend, I got a new perspective of just how beautiful muffin tops can be! It is the sign of life being born. It is the mark of sacrifice. So what if I have a road map on my belly, a saggy belly button, and a tummy that droops like the jowls of a hound dog among other baby "tatoos". I have 5 absolutely amazing eternal beings that are going to rock this world for Jesus! Muffin top.....I have the rest of my life to burn that off.
3. It pays, literally, to be debt free. LT shared with me that one of the reasons, she believes, her company has done so well is because she has never been in debt with it. She has only ever grown the business with the money that she had. This has freed her up to generously give and bless others with her products. And, of course, we know that one cannot give with a pure heart without reaping a harvest!
So, here's to marriage, baby remnants, and living debt free! Thanks, LT, for the opportunity to serve you and get my head out of the kiddie sand to see the "world" from a different perspective!
You see, my friend LT, owns this amazing company called Union 28 . She designs and sells apparel promoting a healthy, positive image of marriage to the world. Wow. The anointing on this company and this woman is truly something worth noting. LT warned me that we would be swamped with women the whole convention. Boy was she right. Other vendors would come over just to see why so many ladies were constantly crowded around our table! I, gratefully, got to sit and run the credit card machine most of the time. It gave me a great perspective to just watch and learn a few things:
1. There are women, lots of them, in the world who are proud of their husbands and proud to be married! In our society where marriage in constantly degraded and covenants are easily broken, it was so refreshing to see hundreds and hundreds of women excited about this opportunity to honor their husbands!
2. There are VERY few women out there (meaning, of the 2200 that I was able to observe at the convention), who do not bear the signs of having birthed children. Everyone longs to be beautiful, whether they admit it or not. God put the longing in each of us. This weekend, I got a new perspective of just how beautiful muffin tops can be! It is the sign of life being born. It is the mark of sacrifice. So what if I have a road map on my belly, a saggy belly button, and a tummy that droops like the jowls of a hound dog among other baby "tatoos". I have 5 absolutely amazing eternal beings that are going to rock this world for Jesus! Muffin top.....I have the rest of my life to burn that off.
3. It pays, literally, to be debt free. LT shared with me that one of the reasons, she believes, her company has done so well is because she has never been in debt with it. She has only ever grown the business with the money that she had. This has freed her up to generously give and bless others with her products. And, of course, we know that one cannot give with a pure heart without reaping a harvest!
So, here's to marriage, baby remnants, and living debt free! Thanks, LT, for the opportunity to serve you and get my head out of the kiddie sand to see the "world" from a different perspective!
Thursday, August 5, 2010
My Hero
One of the definitions of "hero" is: an object of extreme admiration and devotion. Hmm. Yep. Sounds like my baby, my honey, my best friend....my hero, Brian. Today is his birthday and boy am I sure glad he was born 35 years ago!!
Truly, I never imagined I could be blessed so with a man like him. Sure, I hoped and prayed for the man of my dreams. But, truth be told, I wondered if he was really "out there". And if he was, how would he find me?
After meeting Brian, over 11 years ago, the more words that came out of his mouth, the more impressed I became with him, with his heart. Brian is the type of man who is often mistaken because of his quiet ways. His occasional blunt statements are sometimes seen as opinionated and unloving. Those who know him best, know that this is far from the truth. He just happens to be real. Ha! Go figure! As one friend fondly describes Brian: "still waters run deep". How true this is! He is very thoughtful, prayerful, wise and committed. He is a man full of integrity, loyalty and passion for the Lord and for the things that He has planted in Brian's heart. He can be brought to tears at the sight of people receiving love from the Father. Then you just might find him splitting the sides of those around him with his antics.
My life is so much richer, lighter, joyful and satisfying with Brian as my partner. So today, I celebrate, Brian, my hero and pray that the windows of heaven be opened up to him in this next year of life. And that the blessings of the Lord would be poured out in such intense measure, he cannot contain it! I love you Bri!
Truly, I never imagined I could be blessed so with a man like him. Sure, I hoped and prayed for the man of my dreams. But, truth be told, I wondered if he was really "out there". And if he was, how would he find me?
After meeting Brian, over 11 years ago, the more words that came out of his mouth, the more impressed I became with him, with his heart. Brian is the type of man who is often mistaken because of his quiet ways. His occasional blunt statements are sometimes seen as opinionated and unloving. Those who know him best, know that this is far from the truth. He just happens to be real. Ha! Go figure! As one friend fondly describes Brian: "still waters run deep". How true this is! He is very thoughtful, prayerful, wise and committed. He is a man full of integrity, loyalty and passion for the Lord and for the things that He has planted in Brian's heart. He can be brought to tears at the sight of people receiving love from the Father. Then you just might find him splitting the sides of those around him with his antics.
My life is so much richer, lighter, joyful and satisfying with Brian as my partner. So today, I celebrate, Brian, my hero and pray that the windows of heaven be opened up to him in this next year of life. And that the blessings of the Lord would be poured out in such intense measure, he cannot contain it! I love you Bri!
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