stubborn or just frugal?

I refuse to turn my heat on! My nose is red, but I will not turn my heat on. My toes could crack off at any given moment, but the heat will not go on. My fingers can barely move on the keyboard, but the heat will not be moved by me! I can almost see my breath inside, but the thermostat will stay where it is.


I think I'll go out in the sun to warm up some.

Choosing between the two

Most decision are made with little to no thought. I will push snooze just one more time. I'm having eggs for breakfast. I'll have tea this morning instead of coffee. I think I'll take a bath not a shower. I'll change the living room around (again). Walk or ride? cake or ice cream? jeans or shorts? All decisions with very little thought behind them. But what happens when it comes to the bigger issues? When there are two ways to go and neither of them wrong or sinful? Which path do we trod? Both have their advantages as well as disadvantages. Both have bumps along the way and ruts to avoid. Both offer some sort of comfort as well as discomfort. There will be tears shed regardless of the choice. And there is always the unknown just around the bend which you can't see until you're on the path. Which way do we go when God would be honored in either? How is the final decision decided? When there's no going back can we be certain? A true test of faith is always in a decision.

Embrace tattle telling

Names are made up to protect the innocent (or in this case the guilty!)
Today I am thanking God for Tattletales! My whole life I have spent with the awful acknowledgement that I was a tattletale! Knowing I was the cause of so much torture for my siblings has often brought feelings of regret or sorrow. I spied on my sister kissing her boyfriends in the yard,so I HAD to tell. I found contraband in their secret places and was quick to the whistle, I was guilt-ridden for seeing a movie and couldn't wait to free myself by telling mom and dad that "they" forced me to go. I snuck somewhere I wasn't suppose to be and couldn't last a night before confessing. I was always quick to tell, even on myself. It struck me today that as a mom, I long for a tattletale! We recently had and incident with one of our daughters that I wish we had found out about sooner. If only we had a tattletale like me! All these years of guilt and anguish only to realize Tattle telling is GREAT! And down deep my siblings are thanking me for it! RIGHT?!?!?!?!?

life on the road

Well I didn't get my thirteen days in a row with Jack, but I did get to take a road trip to Kansas City with my dear friend. Jenn is moving to Kansas City to begin her new life, new job, new friends, and so much more with her soon to be new husband. This road trip however did not prove to be as adventurous as others. You see Jenn has driven more than once in a uhaul with our family and there always seems to be something that goes....well, lets just say not as planned. My trip with Jenn had no live animals, no tire blow outs, no waiting for hours and hours for help to arrive, no cramping into hotel rooms where the only good place to sleep was the bathtub, no non-stop crying that only began when we stopped to rest, no 100 plus degree weather without air condition, no diapers to change or stops that we had to remind someone repeatedly not to touch anything in the bathroom. We did not stop at a subway (didn't dare) and we made it there in record time! This trip however did leave me with memories I will not soon forget. I always love my time with Aunt Jenny and I will miss her dearly. I certainly look forward to our next road trip together.

Well life has been a whirlwind the last month or so, and I am ready for my sweet hunk to return to me! I must say though this past week has been one of me laying in the pool and playing with the kids. And while that's all good and fine, it just doesn't feel the same when my best friend is in another country. We just celebrated 13 years together and I cannot wait for the next 13! (right now however I would be happy with 13 days in a row with him) He comes home sometime tomorrow and I am waiting! I would not have pictured my life like this 13 years ago, New Jersey, three kids, a pastors wife. And yet there is no way I would ever change the people I am spending it with! The times we must be apart are only bearable because of the amazing times we share when we are together.

gearing up for summer

Looks as though another busy summer is soon approaching. I love the summertime. I love working outside in the gardens, watching things grow. (okay, so more watching and less weeding would be great! Kinda like the pool, I want more swimming, scratch that, FLOATING and less vacuuming.)

The older I get the more I find that life is work! A bike ride to get ice cream used to be fun, now it's harder to get there and I have to exercise more just to get the ice cream off the hips! Making mud pies and cabbage rolls of mud and leaves used to be awesome! Now, there's the laundry and the floors to mop when the mud pies are done. Although it may be more work for me now, I wouldn't trade a bike ride and a pie fight with my family for anything!!

More injuries to come

So my little brother is getting married! I am so excited for him. Whitney doesn't know me and I am looking forward to getting to meet her for the first time. I thought this would be a good time to share some of my Kabe moments with you. My first memories of Kaleb was in the pool. I would set him up on the side and He world jump in to me. I will never forget when he slipped off backwards and split his cheek open. Blood running everywhere, me scared half to death. Do you swim anymore kabe? Then there was the time he sanded off his fingers at school in wood shop class. That was fun. I get a call from Kristi saying "kaleb cut off his fingers and they wont let him go home." (Kaleb still has all ten working fingers, last I knew at least) Or how about the time he decided to knee it down the concrete hill- Do you still have rocks in your knees kabe? Kaleb was always cool headed about all of it. While blood splurts out everywhere, fingers flying, sisters freaking out, Kabe is smooth as a river rock. So whitney, the kid is prone to injuries, but dont worry, he will keep his head about him! Love you kabe!

child like faith

Okay, so we had another “only with Jamin” moment. The other day while doing homework with the kids at the table, Jack noticed something black behind Jamin’s new front tooth. (He lost his two front teeth and they are just starting to grow back.) I looked and after a moment of nausea, I could look no longer. We asked Jamin what it was and he didn’t know. I thought for sure he was going to lose his permanent tooth. It was awful. I was on my way out the door (the fresh air being necessary at the time.) When I arrived back home I was greeted with the news that Jamin had remembered what was in his tooth, at school (two weeks ago) he was working with the plastic confetti (you know the silver circles and pink hearts) making me a Christmas tree. He must have got bored, again, and proceeded to see how many pieces he could shove between his tooth and gums. I got the tweezers and proceeded to pull out four- they just kept coming! There were still more that I could see but could not retrieve. As I put Jamin to bed that night I was explaining that the dentist may have to cut his gums open to get them out, his response was “it’s okay mom, I prayed that it wouldn’t hurt.” And he slept better than I did!We were praying maybe in the morning they would work themselves out more and I could remove them. That however did not happen. I could actually see less of them. The next morning I made an appointment with the dentist. He was able to retrieve the two remaining circle and heart without cutting. He said, while laughing, he had to take a picture because this was so unusual.

What a reminder Jamins response was to me of simple child like faith. I wish I were more like my 7 year old son.