Sarah Short and Gaudy

I've Been Thinking

2011-07-01T14:07:00.003-05:00

I know, it's dangerous, but I've been thinking A LOT about parents, kids and their relationships here lately.

The feelings evoked from these trains of thought are varied, you know, to go with my multiple personalities :)

humor ~ Kids really are a hoot, and so much of it closely mirrors their parents
fear ~ when I see how selfish we can be as parents
honor ~ I see more clearly now what it takes to parent, you pretty much lay down your life
frustration ~ why do people act like their kids can/ should raise themselves
appreciation ~ for our many blessings, but also for all our parents have, and continue to, invest in our lives

I LOVE my kids! Just typing it brings tears to my eyes. Those 5 little, no I guess not little, miniature people God entrusted to us.

Right now they are learning cooperation as they (5) play the Wii (4 controllers). It is GOOD to have them home! I miss them when they are gone! There has been a lot of redirection here lately.

Learning not to interrupt.
Learning to co operate and get chores done so we can play.
Learning to mow
and do dishes... by hand
to pitch in on a church demolition project
to tend babies
to cook
and that a whole bottle of peppermint flavor is NOT a good addition to a batch of pancakes. 1 tsp. maybe, but not the whole bottle
to decorate cakes

.... to decorate cakes... that one is the cause for most of my pondering today.

Today, Jon turns 10! When asked what he wanted for his birthday dessert, his first response was "mud dessert". Cool, easy! On second hand he wanted a tractor cake. Okay..... Call the library, yes they do have a tractor pan. Bust a move to pick it up before close. Take 4 kids shopping for a long list of groceries and cake supplies. AND today, on the hottest day in history, bake a cake.

I have to tell you, I learned to decorate cakes before I had a license. It was fun back then. The opportunity for creativity was limitless and the compliments stroked my need for affirmation.

These days I feel most creative when I figure out how to accomplish all my day demands. And those demands are many. From 5:30 AM until 10pm I am constantly aware of 100 things needing to be done. Yes, I am quite adept at ignoring these things, but it is usually due to a more pressing need, sometimes sleep or a break, presenting it self.

I am constantly doing, but I am learning, doing, is how I communicate my love to those around me.

Today brought that sharply into focus for me:

digging out the cake decorating supplies... "I love you Jon"
overseeing his cake making process W/O taking over "I love you Jon"
baking a swirl cake (read: 2x the mess) " I love you Jon"
not throwing the cake/ cake pan out the window when it is stuck in the pan and coming out in chunks
letting him make the frosting
using decorator bags, tips, and what not

"I love you!"

And I wonder, will he ever know how much I love him? I know most often I am not speaking his love language. But this time of my heart telling my mind, "It will be cleaned later, let him create. It's not just about getting a tractor cake made, it's about the process." is me trying to say "I love you" in a different way, his way.

I am thankful for summer! So often the school year flies by with these dear ones swirling around me. There is so much to be done! But now there is time to process. Now we get to cover in love and bear each other's burdens.

I am quite sure even summer is not long enough to mine the treasures wrapped up in each of my children, but I pray one day, possibly 20 years from now, they look back and realize.... she was saying "I love you". Because today as I thought about my own mother I realized, there were far more "I love you"s spoken than the ones that crossed her lips.

Here We Go Again

2010-08-17T10:31:00.004-05:00

5 back packs
10 pair of shoes
5 boxes of Kleenex
3 large 2 small bottles of hand sanitizer
8 containers of Lysol wipes (because some were supposed to bring large containers, but the normal size was cheaper per wipe, so we just doubled up for some classes)
106 Crayons
30 markers
24 Colored pencils
50-60 pencils
40 pencil top erasers
4 large erasers
5 pencil boxes
1 pencil bag
1 3 ring binder
28 folders, some needing to be specific colors, which seems to be the norm at most schools because they were VERY hard to find!
3 bottles of Elmer's school glue
4 glue sticks (the large ones that equal 4 small glue sticks
10 red pens
4 other pens
4 highlighters
4 dry erase markers
3 rulers
8 rolls of scotch tape
5 packs of wide lined loose leaf paper
14 wide lined note books (again, specific colors 4 some)
2 nutritious snacks
5 pair Fiskars scissors
1 ream copy paper
1 water bottle
5 lunch bags
5 insulated drink containers, because I FINALLY broke down and bought them knowing I will quickly save $ not buying juice boxes.
32 pair of socks, all looking VERY different in hopes of making mating socks less of a chore!

All supplies labeled with children's names

I should have taken a picture of all the supplies piled up all over the living room floor but the backpacks were packed and in the 'burb, so you'll have to settle for this:

We are ready for school to start tomorrow.... Kinda.

Have You Ever...

2010-07-28T09:19:00.006-05:00

been SO excited about something it makes you feel like you are going to explode?

been glad your hubby is your bestest friend EVER, and that he's not prone to talk much, because you can tell him any and everything and have NO worries he will "blab" it to someone?

been frustrated with the same hubby/ bestest friend ever because part of the reason he never blabs stuff is because he often forgets.

found yourself becoming your mother and been very thankful?

had a full week to celebrate your birthday?

fell in love with a white board?

made a chore chart, menu, and shopping list only to discover you had NO money to shop with?

by passed purchasing much needed skin and hair care products with your birthday money to purchase the pair of running/ walking shoes your feet need?
(these shoes better clear up my skin and give me rockin hair!!!!)

had a man so supportive he lets you spend HIS birthday $ on said shoes?

logged 25 miles a week and discovered there is a sort of "relationship" built with shoes that join you all those miles?

been so very thankful for friends who will join you traversing these miles because after all, misery loves company!

found you have MUCH more energy and stamina when completely miffed with hubby/ BFF, but somehow burning off said energy makes the problem seem much less of an issue

had to chuckle at the old guy who stops you and tells you not to work so hard or "your husband won't have anything to hold on to", which makes you laugh because you...

logged between 10-25 miles for 6 weeks and the scale is parked in the same 2# range it was before you started?

been so interested in helping everyone else you completely ignore your own projects and then they just drag out FOREVER?!!

followed God one direction, then another and known both were God's will and plan no matter how different they may seem?

started doing devos on the computer because it took you 4 years to get over feeling like you HAD to HOLD the Bible for it to be official?

found you really enjoy using the computer because as soon as you place the courser over a word the definition from Strong's concordance pops up, and there really are very different meanings to words we just assume mean what first pops into our heads.

wanted to scratch someones eyes out because they make statements about EVERYTHING, even when they know NOTHING about it!

had God drop Colossians 3:12-16 on you as you cry out to Him to change your heart because you are so tied in knots because people like the one above and others you feel you just can't make happy no matter how hard you try?

12Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. 13Put up with one another and forgive each other if anyone has a complaint against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, you also should forgive., 14Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which ties everything together in unity. 15Let the peace of Christ also rule in your hearts, to which you were called in one body, and be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you with all richness and wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, and singing to God with thankfulness in your hearts. 17And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
International standard version New Testament

felt invisible?

felt unloved?

had to get a new drivers license photo with an ugly zit... on your second chin?

lost touch with "virtual friends" because "friends (and family) with skin" needed you more?

been frustrated to realize how few people call just to chat?

lost a friend because of a boy, but later "found" the friend, and because you are both SO much more mature, (ha ha ha) find a much sweeter friendship?

not blogged for months due to being overly swamped with life and inhibited by the fact you can't really say anything about your life because you are fostering a child who has become your life, and you can't mention anything about him online?

had the freedom to blog, but not the "unt to"?

sped into town for a date with your man because you are late... due to blogging?

Have you ever? No, me neither....

April 15th

2010-04-15T10:59:00.003-05:00

The Tax Poem

Tax his land, tax his wage,
Tax his bed in which he lays.
Tax his tractor, tax his mule,
Teach him taxes is the rule.

Tax his cow, tax his goat,
Tax his pants, tax his coat.
Tax his ties, tax his shirts,
Tax his work, tax his dirt.

Tax his chew, tax his smoke,
Teach him taxes are no joke.
Tax his car, tax his grass,
Tax the roads he must pass.

Tax his food, tax his drink,
Tax him if he tries to think.
Tax his sodas, tax his beers,
If he cries, tax his tears.

Tax his bills, tax his gas,
Tax his notes, tax his cash.
Tax him good and let him know
That after taxes, he has no dough.

If he hollers, tax him more,
Tax him until he's good and sore.
Tax his coffin, tax his grave,
Tax the sod in which he lays.

Put these words upon his tomb,
"Taxes drove me to my doom!"
And when he's gone, we won't relax,
We'll still be after the inheritance tax.

Frankly I am not thrilled with either political party right now, and I try to refrain from across the board generalizations, but this quote caught my eye today and I had to chuckle.

"Republicans believe every day is the Fourth of July, but the Democrats believe every day is April 15." President Ronald Reagan

I'm BAAACK!

2010-04-09T08:52:00.003-05:00

Hello All!

No excuses or catch up at this time.

Just what God has been doing in my heart the last week (s).

Grace....

Isaiah 58

6. Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

9. Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;

The Holy Bible : King James Version. 1995 (electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version.) (Is 58:9-10). Bellingham WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

⁶ “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:

to loose the chains of injustice

and untie the cords of the yoke,

to set the oppressed free

and break every yoke?

⁷ Is it not to share your food with the hungry

and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—

when you see the naked, to clothe him,

and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

⁸ Then your light will break forth like the dawn,

and your healing will quickly appear;

then your righteousness will go before you,

and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.

⁹ Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;

you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

“If you do away with the yoke of oppression,

with the pointing finger and malicious talk,

¹⁰ and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry

and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,

then your light will rise in the darkness,

and your night will become like the noonday.

¹¹ The Lord will guide you always;

he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land

and will strengthen your frame.

You will be like a well-watered garden,

like a spring whose waters never fail.

¹² Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins

and will raise up the age-old foundations;

you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,

Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Is 58:6-12). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

⁹ “If you get rid of unfair practices,

quit blaming victims,

quit gossiping about other people’s sins,

Peterson, E. H. (2002). The Message : The Bible in contemporary language (Is 58:9). Colorado Springs, Colo.: NavPress.

....let's all receive it and pass it along!

Merry McCallum Christmas!

2009-12-25T21:41:00.001-06:00

(Please excuse the red eye)

Mexican Fiesta!

2009-10-27T08:34:00.005-05:00

Salsa Rice bake

1# hamburger browned
1 cup salsa
1 package taco seasoning
2 cups cooked rice
1 can chili beans

Combine and simmer. Top with grated cheddar cheese. Serve with salsa and sour cream. ( this recipe works GREAT in the crock pot!) I double the recipe.

Chicken tacos
(this is how much I make for us +2)

2 full (4 individual) boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 package taco seasoning
1 green pepper
1 onion
8 oz cheddar cheese

Cook whole breasts alone until they are done enough to shred, or chop. (the Pampered Chef meat chopper works great for this)
Add chopped onions and pepper. Cook to desired tenderness
Drain liquid and add 1 cup water
Add taco seasoning. (Our gang doesn't like stuff very spicy, so I only use one package, you may desire 2 packages of seasoning)
Simmer
Add cheese

Serve with black beans, tortillas, sour cream, salsa, tomatoes and lettuce.

Corn Cake

Blend:

1 stick softened butter
1/3 cup masa (corn flour)
1/4 cup water

Add:

1 1/2 cup chopped frozen corn

Add

1/4 cup corn meal

In separate bowl combine:

1/3 cup sugar
2T heavy cream (or milk)
1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. baking powder

Bake in a 8"x8" pan @ 375 for 50-60 minutes
(technically you are supposed to set the smaller pan inside a 9x13 pan with water in it, but I just use my stone, or a glass pan and it turns out well) I double or triple this recipe

Picture Catch Up

2009-10-02T09:33:00.005-05:00

Above: my bed at ladies retreat. It was a great time! VERY challenging messages on conflict resolution.
Below: LouAnn officially lives here in Iowa. There were quite a few items she donated to help our around here, and we are very grateful!

Setting up the dining room table

J is one of the kiddos I have on school days. He is a cutie! Here he is sporting his "dog collar" for 80s day homecoming week.

C, J's brother, wasn't thrilled to be here the first couple of weeks, and he let me know it, but he has since settled into a nice routine. I found out he LOVES pasta!

Delphia FINALLY lost a tooth!

Jon's new glasses. He looks SO much like the grandpa he almost shared a name with. He missed his birthday by 17 minutes!

Don has been trimming and burning a lot of the scrubby lower limbs off our trees. LouAnn has been working VERY hard at dragging them to the burn pile.

A 1 month old and a 1 year old.... Deja Vu!!

Our room... primed.

Don had the primer tinted per the suggestion of one of our drywallers. It was a brilliant idea! You can see where you've been and missed both with the paint and the primer. I just told him to pick a lighter color next time. This was a little scary!

We did end up going with the gray paint. We both REALLY like it!

The orange and aqua bedding won out.

Today, Delphia's 7th birthday!

The traditional birthday donut.

Fruit pizza treats for her class

Don and I on our 11th anniversary!

I wore my paint pants for a week solid. I have a few more days to be wearing them. I end up washing them at night, because they start to take on a life of their own! I love having somewhere to wipe my hands, and I have also found that painting with out flooring is DA BOMB!! You don't have to worry about dripping!!

What if...

2009-10-01T11:04:00.002-05:00

This song has been such a challenge/ inspiration to me over the past month.

As I watched the various videos to accompany it on YouTube this one won out. Yes, it is intense, but I represents exactly the war I we are in. All it's ugliness, and seemingly superior strength. BUT the end, the victory is the cry of my heart. I know God can do it! Will I fight? Will you?

Introducing "Baby Gray"

2009-09-22T09:17:00.003-05:00

Dear Blogger family and family in general,
I hope one day to get back to the "11 years ago" theme. I have loads of bullet points I would like to share, BUT....
In a nut shell:
This past spring we were made aware of a child who needed a home. Since that time we have been working with DHS and waiting on the Lord to see if this is a need we can provide for. This particular child is out of state and thus the "hoops" to jump thru are extensive.
This week we will have a "relative home study". The social worker will be talking with us and touring our home, then reporting back to DHS in the state "Baby Gray" is from. We are working like crazy to get things done here on the main floor of our home. I have to wash my painting clothes at night b/c I am in them all day long.
Thankfully things are going very well. Don stayed home yesterday and was able to get all the outlets and switches wired up here, as well as hang the hardware in my closet, and finish installing our lights and smoke alarms. For the first time in our married life (11 years) we have an organizable closet!!! (notice I did not say organized)(yes, I cried)
Anywho, I had a picture to post, but wasn't sure if that is okay or not, since he isn't officially in our home yet.
So, now you know where I've been and what I've been up too. All this in addition to our 5 and all the meals, laundry, lost shoes, homework, etc....
The kids are VERY excited to have a baby around again, he's 10 months old.
P.S. Our anniversary weekend was WONDERFUL!!

11 Years

2009-09-17T12:07:00.003-05:00

11 Years Ago Today:

after traveling together in Life Action Ministries for 9 months and spending practically all day every day together, Don and I had not seen each other for 60 days!
Don who is NOT a morning person woke up at 5 or so to get on the road from MI to IA, and thus arrived blissfully earlier than I expected.
I was so keyed up to see Don again and be held by him, that rather than run out to the car to greet him, I ran to the basement to be alone after instructing my mom to send him my way once he got inside. Weird to some, but that moment was so precious to me, I was in no mood for an audience.
Many family members were traveling
We loaded all my belongings into a trailer hauled out by Don's sister and her husband. I was so sure I needed the big trailer they brought out, but in truth I could have fit all my stuff in the smaller trailer they were thinking of bringing in the first place.
Our nephew Tyler made the now historic quote, "I don't want to see any more silos!!!" (the first million had been exciting and helped pass the long trip. After that they lost their charm)
Don's grandmas were still alive
All my siblings were much younger, as were Don's nephews.
Life was a lot simpler, and less complicated
We were so sure it couldn't get any better, but in all reality the beauty we beheld then was just the "earth bound caterpillar"

The Sneaky Holiday

2009-09-13T15:07:00.002-05:00

EVERY YEAR!!! It always sneaks up on me!

HAPPY GRANDPARENTS DAY to my grandparents, and my children's grandparents. You are dearly loved and appreciated!!

Decisions, Decisions....

2009-09-03T18:10:00.003-05:00

Okay, time for a glimpse into how obsessive I can be.

I picked out our bedroom paint color last winter. (very dark blue) I went online and found these cute Euro shams to coordinate and plan on finding a solid color quilt to go with them. I am pretty sure I can find some neat pillows to complete "the look".

Tick, tock, tick tock....

Flash forward to this month. Our bedroom will be ready for paint Saturday. Sudden panic! I am not really sold on "the look" any longer.

Hours spent online looking at bedding. Find some that I am SURE is perfect. It gets delivered. I put it on the bed for display. Hmmmm, I do kinda like the first look. I really like the new look, actually I REALLY like both looks.

NOW WHAT??!!!

Look #1

Pros.

I have the paint. (I could use it in the boys rooms, so it wouldn't be waisted)
Don helped pick the paint color, and he really likes the color
The sham goes very well with my multi colored Fiesta ware as well as the red office and green laundry room. (all of which you CAN NOT see from our room
It coordinates well with our white cotton 1000 thread count sheets (just a note, be prepared to become addicted if you ever up the thread count of your sheets.)

Cons.

I don't know what color to paint the bathroom
I have yet to find the PERFECT comforter and shams to go with it
I am panicking about the dark blue. Everyone already says, "wow, you really like dark colors don't you?"
It lacks "dimension"
It will be hard to get another color of paint to cover the dark blue when I change things up in say 5 years.

Look #2

Pros.

I am (currently) really geeked about the color combo
Excited about the (possibly) gray walls. (sophisticated with a POP!)
I already have the orange paint for the bathroom from my obsessing over the kitchen color
Very dimensional
With this color combo I could pull in our current comforter cover if I needed a change.
Sale! Free shipping!!
The gray would be easily covered over, or coordinated with should I change the whole "look".

Cons

Don hates the color combo (but said it really doesn't matter to him)
Not really sure what color to paint the walls. Orange seems to be overwhelming. I am not finding a suitable shade of light orange. I HATE peach. I have settled on a light gray for our room, and orange for the bathroom.
Going to need to order another Euro sham for the back layer of pillows.
Then there is the fact that I had to purchase this stuff, but I am going to have to find a quilt for the other anyway.

P.S. I do want feedback on this issue, however, please do not be put out if my final choice, should I be able to make one, isn't your favorite. Trust me, my other self will be grieving right alone with you!

Lazy Eye

2009-09-02T16:37:00.003-05:00

Last week during our routine eye exams, Jesse's first, I was informed that Jesse has a lazy eye. This news was new, but not really shocking. I had noticed something unusual about his eyes from time to time, but never had/ took the time to figure out what it was.

These are Jesse's new glasses. He is THRILLED, for real. He'd been asking all summer, "When am I going to get glasses." I told him we were only getting our eyes checked and most likely he would not get glasses. (All the kids, except Delphia, have had an identical astigmatism at first checks, but haven't needed glasses until 1st grade)

So any way, Jesse got his wish! In theory the corrective lenses should strengthen the weaker eye. He will get them checked again in 6 months to see how things are progressing.

So now these glasses are added to the cowboy boots on the list of things "distinctly Jesse".

The really funny part was that when we were trying on frames these were the first he tried on. As he checked himself out in the mirror he said," PERFECT!!" From that point on each frame was either PERFECT!!! or NOT PERFECT!!!

Crucified

2009-08-26T10:32:00.004-05:00

Ten Characteristics of the Crucified Life

1. Few will understand.
2. You must abandon your own will and your own agenda.
3. Your intimate spiritual companions will be few.
4. Intense times of aloneness with God are required.
5. You will be constantly on the witness stand.
6. You must go “outside the camp” (a.k.a. comfort zone)
7. There will be times when your dignity is forfeited.
8. You must forego your rights.
9. You must accept that death is painful.
10.Because he was forsaken, you never will be.

So much struggle, so much pain. Some of it of human origin, some of it the struggle of growth, some of it divine appointment.

So many needy people. So much collateral damage from selfish choices. So many moments I feel there is just nothing I can do, as Satan gloats.

Moment by moment dependence on strength from above, so many things crowding in, and being allowed in, during my time with HIM. So many gentle reminders He is never too busy, never turns His back, or drops my burden.

Continued renewal thru His word, reinforced by reminders such as the outline above and this song

Back to School

2009-08-20T09:15:00.007-05:00

August 20th, 2009

8 AM

Alex 4th Grade

Marlene 4th Grade

Jon 3rd Grade

Delphia 1st Grade

Jesse Kindergarten
(FINALLY!!! He's only been waiting since this time last year!!)

Mrs. D

Mrs. W

Mrs. G
(we missed her last year. We didn't have any 1st graders)

No Mrs. A this year... so sad. She is an excellent teacher! (2nd grade)

Mrs. B

Homer, 5th grade, and Mrs. Momma

Homer is busy doing "Home Ec". He is chomping at the bit to open the box of his school books that arrived yesterday.

James and Charlie, the boys 4 and almost 1 I will be watching, will be here soon.

This my friends is our new normal, for now....

My Life, Working Backward Over The Past 2 Weeks

2009-08-06T16:14:00.007-05:00

A Delicious "baby fix " today!

(Baby Lucas)

Are my baby's legs really this long?!!

Family Reunion
The generations blend nicely!

It was a bit cold and windy!

Games!
(clothes pin in the milk bottle)

Food

Lake Michigan

I really wanted to walk down to the lake, but I didn't bother getting the kids swim suits on... guess I should have. They ended up swimming in their clothes.

Egg toss

Fajitas AND cheese fries at Chili's

compliments Aunt Lois

Bridal shower

Chilln' at a cousin's pool

Our kids and our former neighbor, Logan

(parks are a great place to meet up with kids!)

My dear Brenda friend

(they bought our house too)

My birthday flowers

This recap doesn't even include the ham dinner with family in MI. The park, the Cascades, the flat tire, the blueberry picking, long walk, surprising a cousin by coming a week earlier than she was expecting us..... I just didn't haul out the camera during all that.

A smaller camera was the only thing on my prayer list for my birthday that I didn't get, but that's whole nother post I have yet to write.

The drywall is is painfully close to being done on the main floor! You're looking at 80% of what is left. Yeah!!!

Update

2009-07-27T10:07:00.004-05:00

It's been 10 days since I've blogged
I am 500 miles from home
We will cover probably another 1000 miles before we arrive home late Sunday night
We now travel to MI for the family reunion during the summer rather than braving the roads and leaving our wood heated house in December.
I was able to go to the Cascades with Don, his mom and the kids last night. I have been wanting to do this for about 8 years. The cascades is a a series of waterfalls with various colored lights that change, and music.
I had the bestest birthday EVER this past week. It covered 3 days and involved no kids, time alone with Don, lunch with a friend I rarely get to catch up with, and a sweet dinner provided by my dear grandmother, at my mom's house, (mom also made my favorite, ice cream cake) with the majority of my family. It was soooo nice!
Don spoke at our church last Sunday. He brought the message he did before about caring for the orphans and widows. That message is one that is being fleshed out in our lives currently.
Facing the daunting task of possibly caring for a special needs child. Not sure if it will be for a time or forever.
Headed into a week of lots of people to see, so little time to do it!
Heard a train last night and it made both Don and I homesick. Missing our bed!!! and the trains we hear each evening
Our last of our main floor drywall should be hung and mudded/ sanded by the time we get home!!!! Yeah!!! Flooring is next!!!
Hopefully the road construction will be done too!!
God keeps dropping obvious reminders of the fruit of the spirit and my need to depend on His spirit

Take A Deep Breath....

2009-07-17T10:00:00.004-05:00

VBS all week. 80 minutes of signing every night for me. ( 4 age groups, 20 minutes each) I don't have a strong voice to begin with and it is wearing out quickly. Thankfully tonight we only have 10 minutes of signing to do for the program.
Don's party went well. Over 100 people there. I'll post pictures in 20 years when I get a break!
Today is the last day of 3 extra boys. Tuesday, my birthday, would have been my last day, but a friend volunteered to watch them because in her words,"You shouldn't have to baby sit on your birthday." I hope everyone has such a rockn' friend!!!
Swimming lessons are DONE!!! I did like the format of not having all the classes at one time as far as the instruction the kids got went, BUT as far as driving back and forth and being at the pool 3 hours a day...... that STUNK!!
God leading in a situation I am helping with. I can't expound now, but it takes LOADS of time, energy and emotion.
To top it all off there seems to be a wave of attack spiritually, emotionally and mentally. Praise the LORD for godly counsel thru His word and His people. Below you will find some of the said encouragement.

2 Corninthians 4

1-2 Since God has so generously let us in on what he is doing,

we’re not about to throw up our hands and walk off the job just because we run into occasional hard times.

We refuse to wear masks and play games. We don’t maneuver and manipulate behind the scenes. And we don’t twist God’s Word to suit ourselves. Rather, we keep everything we do and say out in the open, the whole truth on display, so that those who want to can see and judge for themselves in the presence of God.
3–4 If our Message is obscure to anyone, it’s not because we’re holding back in any way. No, it’s because these other people are looking or going the wrong way and refuse to give it serious attention. All they have eyes for is the fashionable god of darkness. They think he can give them what they want, and that they won’t have to bother believing a Truth they can’t see. They’re stone-blind to the dayspring brightness of the Message that shines with Christ, who gives us the best picture of God we’ll ever get.
5–6 Remember, our Message is not about ourselves; we’re proclaiming Jesus Christ, the Master. All we are is messengers, errand runners from Jesus for you. It started when God said, “Light up the darkness!” and our lives filled up with light as we saw and understood God in the face of Christ, all bright and beautiful.
7–12 If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That’s to prevent anyone from confusing God’s incomparable power with us. As it is, there’s not much chance of that. You know for yourselves that we’re not much to look at. We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken. What they did to Jesus, they do to us—trial and torture, mockery and murder; what Jesus did among them, he does in us—he lives! Our lives are at constant risk for Jesus’ sake, which makes Jesus’ life all the more evident in us. While we’re going through the worst, you’re getting in on the best!
13–15 We’re not keeping this quiet, not on your life. Just like the psalmist who wrote, “I believed it, so I said it,” we say what we believe. And what we believe is that the One who raised up the Master Jesus will just as certainly raise us up with you, alive. Every detail works to your advantage and to God’s glory: more and more grace, more and more people, more and more praise!
16–18 So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.
]Peterson, E. H. (2002). The Message : The Bible in contemporary language (2 Co 4:1-18). Colorado Springs, Colo.: NavPress.

PSALM 27

A Psalm of David.
1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.

3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. 5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.
7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.

8 When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.

9 Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.

10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.

11 Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.

12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.

13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

Okay, so Jimmy Eat World isn't exactly what you would normally label as God's comfort, the basic premise of "the fear of man" was went deep with me.

The Middle

By Jimmy Eat World

Hey, don't write yourself off yet

It's only in your head you feel left out or looked down on.

Just try your best,

try everything you can.

And don't you worry what

they tell themselves when you're away.

It just takes some time, little girl

you're in the middle of the ride.

Everything (everything) will be just fine,

everything (everything) will be alright (alright).

Hey, you know they're all the same.

You know you're doing better on your own,

so don't buy in.

Live right now.

Yeah, just be yourself.

It doesn't matter if it's good enough for someone else.

It just takes some time, little girl

you're in the middle of the ride.

Everything (everything) will be just fine,

everything (everything) will be alright (alright).

Hey, don't write yourself off yet.

It's only in your head you feel left out or looked down on.

Just do your best,

do everything you can.

And don't you worry what the bitter hearts are gonna say.

This Crazy Life In Living Color (I like color)

2009-07-09T07:19:00.004-05:00

I have needed a clock for the dining room/ kitchen, but I had yet to find the PERFECT clock to compliment my Fiesta ware. I present, the PERFECT clock I stumbled upon quite by accident.

I am not sure if I mentioned I lost my glasses, but after I bought my black pair I said my next pair would be red. TA DA!! I love them!!
Happy 40th birthday to my Sunshine!

The fire extinguisher was HIS doing, not mine. I am really celebrating his 40th birthday, but I am not putting emphasis on the whole "over the hill" thing. There are plenty others to do that for me, right Sarah? :-)

It needs another coat to even out the color, but I LOVE my red office. One more color choice I don't have to get panicky over. I am now losing sleep over the dark blue I picked for our room.

This room became our guest suit. We got it wrapped up enough for Don's folks to use while they are here.

Don and I slept in it Monday night. It is the first time since we moved in that I have slept in a real room, with a door! (at least in our house)

Added bonus: the fan was super easy to put up. Yeah for not making hubby grouchy! Go Hunter brand fans!!

Our "chocolate" bathroom all gussied up

That's all folks!

I have to get ready for 50-200 people for Don's party tomorrow.

I'm loven' it!

My Friends, It's Bullet Points Or Nothing

2009-07-01T14:52:00.004-05:00

Happy Birthday to You!!

(Jon 8 years old today)

Happy Belated Birthday to You!!

(right: Marlene 9 years old last Tuesday)

And A Happy Birthday to You!!

(left: Alex 9 today)

First Ever Baptism at our Church

Delphia was one of the 6 kiddos to be baptized.

We are so thankful for Pastor Ben and his prayers of dedication for each child.

In other news:

The cleaning fairy DOES exist!!! Her name is LouAnn. All my dishes get miraculously done, as well as the laundry. She also does runs to drop kids at ball games!! She also watches the kids so I can resurface on blogger.
Speaking of ball.... Homer's team came in 3rd in tournaments. (this means they are done!!)
Jon, Delphia and Jesse finished up their soft toss and tee ball as of last Monday. (also a big yeah!!!)
Marlene has game 2 of the championship tonight. If we win we will have more games, if we lose......(am I horrible for wanting to just be done with ball?)
I have been busy paining our upstairs bathroom. It is a wonderful shade of brown that looks like melted chocolate chips. I am going to have to stay out of there! It makes me hungry. One more paint decision stressed over and now I know I like it! It could have so easily been a bit off and looked like poop! So not the look I was going for!!
CRAZY SLAMMED BUSY WEEK!!!
Gearing up for promoting the Weekend to Remember
Office/ guest bedroom wasn't ready for LouAnn, but should be ready for Don's folks next week.
There is a pinata ready for the kids to beat on and I am the only thing holding up the party, so I am going to scoot!
Oh, The cleaning fairy also visits with you while you paint, shops with you, buys you treats, plays games with your kids so they will not have to watch a movie to keep from choking each other, AND kicks you out of the house for a date with your hubby!!! Sigh......I'm trying to figure out how to trap her in a bottle!
YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW!!! ~that is for Rebecca
And then I found 20 bucks!!! ~that's for Kaya
I miss you both TONS!!!
Also of note: My parents stopped in Monday and covered the last practice for Jon, Delphia and Jesse. Before they left my mom "kidnappped" my overflowing sock basket and returned it to me last night with all the socks mated. If I've died and gone to heaven, please don't bring me back!!

2009-06-23T08:29:00.003-05:00

I. R. B.C.

Not much of a view of the lake, but I was having a hard time getting my camera out of the bag and I forgot to take a pic before we left.

The girls of Barn 18

(inside)

(Out side)

(Marlene, Brina, Alex)

Marlene and Alex, bunk mates

Happy birthday Marlene!!!

She is her momma's girl! Not even a flinch at being away from home for a week, let alone her birthday.

My Aunt Lisa and I took the girls to camp yesterday. We had a hard time getting them to stand still long enough to tell us goodbye!

I am sure they will have a splendid time and need to nap all day when they return!

2009-06-16T09:51:00.003-05:00

The kids swam in the rain for 15" yesterday, then the pool closed.
Thought the weather would be terrible for T ball (like it was on Friday) but it turned out to be a beautiful evening
Homer is off to Jr. Boys camp til Saturday
Searched in vain for a Chili's or Outback on my trip to Peru, IL coming up Saturday, but it seems Wendy's, Mc Donalds, Taco (smell) Bell, and Arby's are my choices
Have you ever noticed how there is a distinct french fry fart smell to a car after a day long trip.... Hate that!
Gonna be in the kitchen all day
Hard to cook with out counter tops!
Finally settled on stainless steal counter tops
Garbage disposal comes today
Lost my glasses last week. I think they fell out of the car ( I should have put them in their case... I KNOW!!)
Using whole wheat flour
Having a hard time telling when the biscuits or cookies are done. They are already brown!
Really hard time telling when the base for my gravy is browned...
Sausage gravy and biscuits for "breakfast"
It will be 11AM before we eat
Caused a stir on Facebook
Still can't figure out if the biscuits are done.....
Can't live with out the hand blender my Aunt (pronounced AHnt) Kendra gave me for my wedding shower. I'm a minimalist when it comes to kitchen tools. Don, not so much... the hand blender works PERFECTLY for beating the eggs for scrambled eggs, all 18 of them.
Pampered Chef party to attend Thursday
Food looks kindy yucky when it's made with brown flour
Told Don about his "surprise" party on July 10th
He was glad to know
Had to find a new venue, our park will be under construction
About had a panic attack trying to decide on a sink.... under mount, top mount stainless steel, stone, fiber glass, cast iron, white, black, 8" deep, 9" deep, wider on one side, shallow on one side.... Don finally stepped in with his opinion when I was sure I didn't have one.
Went to see Night at the Museum 2 on Friday after the ball games in the rain. They were sold out at the $1 theatre. Go figure! They haven't had a kids movie for 2 months or more!
Having my washing machine right next to the dryer is MUCH easier than having them on different levels!
I still can't keep up with laundry
Making supper for a family with a new baby
Craving iced tea

Miraculous Monday (either SUPER late or SUPER early)

2009-06-11T10:15:00.002-05:00

I know I sound like a broken record, but...
Loads going on, no time...

Pastor spoke Sunday on miracles and how we still have them, but we may need to look for the less obvious demonstrations of God's power and provision.

Our pastor and his family are one way we see God at work every day. Pastor holds down a full time job and a full time ministry. Both he has been called to. Both are where God has him and needs him. Both keep him hopping and have the potential to exhaust him and his precious family. BUT as he, his wife, kids and our congregation uphold Pastor before the Lord thru prayer, and as pastor says yes to God's plans, God's Spirit pours out exactly the provision needed for the church, his "other" job, his family, and our church.

Our church family is a miracle. So many people, so many personalities, such desire to see God work at various levels in various area. Each person "fitly joined" to supply what is needed in our local body and to further the Message to the many our lives contact with.

And it was not so long ago, they wrestled with the decision of whether to close the doors or keep on keeping on and seek a new pastor. I'm so glad they kept at it!!!

Miracles was actually my plan for my next post, before the message Sunday.

God has been showing Don and I lately the miraculous ways He can and will provide if we wait and Him and let Him.

I have in my mind a list of four things I would really like for my birthday. I really saw no way to end up with more than one of them. God in His love and power has already provided 2 of the things on my list!!! And I have 5 weeks left until my birthday!

God has also blessed us by financially providing to help with the costs of opening our home to those He leads us to minister to.

It was awesome and humbling when we were given a gift card for the exact amount I had just spent restocking our kitchen. Really made me wish I'd have waited on God and not set off on my own armed with Discover card!

So, thank you LORD for all you are teaching us about waiting and watching for your leading and provision. Thank you to all who listened to His voice and have been messengers from Him to us.

And God PLEASE provide quickly for me as I deal with a crying toddler and (p)m.s.!

Summer!!!!

2009-06-05T20:19:00.004-05:00

Sleeping in
Grocery shopping with 5-7 kids (pretty much makes me certifiably crazy!)
Working outdoors
Indoors looks like "ground zero"
Bike trail
Parks
Sleepovers
Ball games
CRAZY schedule
The smell of sweat and sunscreen, strangely enjoyable
Funky sunburn strips on my shoulders where the kids and I didn't quite get the sunscreen
POOL!!!!

Kaylee (my one and only niece)

Jesse

Delphia

Jon

Marlene

Simon (nephew)

Homer

This One Is For LouAnn

2009-05-29T14:07:00.002-05:00

She never slows down

She doesn’t know why but she knows that

When she’s all alone it feels like its all coming down

She won’t turn around

The shadows grow long and she fears

If she cries that first tear, the tears will not stop raining down

So stand in the rain

Stand your ground

Stand up when it’s all crashing down

You stand through the pain

You won’t drown

And one day what’s lost can be found

You stand in the rain

She won’t make a sound

Alone in this fight with herself

And the fears whispering if she stands she’ll fall down

She wants to be found

The only way out is through everything

She’s running from, wants to give up and lie down

So stand in the rain

Stand your ground

Stand up when it’s all crashing down

You stand through the pain

You won’t drown

And one day what’s lost can be found

You stand in the rain

My Fiestaware Has a Home!!!

2009-05-26T14:58:00.002-05:00

The East wall of our kitchen

The South wall of the kitchen

My spice cupboard!!

The man who held me while I cried, and cried, and cried some more... Honestly! I am happy to see progress in my kitchen!!!

The Cuties

2009-05-23T13:19:00.003-05:00

CUTIE #1

CUTIE #2

CUTIE #3
(she didn't like the sun in her face, and I didn't want a picture of the top of her head)

Carter's Jammies!
One of the best parts of having little ones!!

"Big Brother" had a collision with his older brother and his bike..

He looks much better now!

Many thanks to Sarah for saving the day with Popsicles!!!

Broken and Spilled Out

2009-05-21T11:20:00.004-05:00

One day a plain village woman

Driven by love for her Lord

Recklessly poured out a valuable essence

Disregarding the scorn

And once it was broken and spilled out

A fragrance filled all the room

Like a prisoner released from his shackles

Like a spirit set free from the tomb

Broken and spilled out

Just for love of you, Jesus

My most precious treasure

Lavished on thee

Broken and spilled out

And poured at your feet

In sweet abandon

Let me be spilled out

And used up for Thee

Lord you were God's precious treasure

His loved and his own perfect Son

Sent here to show me the love of the Father

Just for love it was done

And though you were perfect and holy

You gave up yourself willingly

You spared no expense for my pardon

You were used up and wasted for me

Broken and spilled out

Just for love of me Jesus

God's most precious treasure

Lavished on me

Broken and spilled out

And poured at my feet

In sweet abandon

Lord you were spilled out

And used up for me

In sweet abandon let me be spilled out and used up for thee!

This song has been one I've sung for years. My mom had it in a book and I have sung it various times for special music. I hadn't really thought much about this song over the past few years. Steve Green doesn't end up much on the radio, and quite frankly, he NEVER ends up on my playlist.

To make a long story bearable, at a recent family gathering my mom pulled said book out and I sang this song again. I was quite surprised by the emotions that overwhelmed me. Honestly, this is my life. I ache with the desire to be spilled out as a sacrifice. I just have a difficulty at times ensuring I am sacrificing myself for Him not for myself.

I don't care how old it gets to hear about our Bible study in EVERY post I do. It's that great! I actually bought the messages on DVD and plan to go over them again, and again, and again....

Anyway, this Bible study I have noticed I am hungering and aching to spend time with God alone. Something in my mom life I haven't always made time , nor sought time for.

I have noticed Don also gaining very specific guidance thru the word also. It is AMAZING the thinks God chooses to do in and thru us when we take the time to be led!

A specific leading here lately was taking on the care of 3 girls under 3 for a few days. Their momma is 35 weeks along with sister #5. (no I didn't just miscount. Sister #1 stayed home with Mom.) Momma was having preterm labor and also SUPER backed up on laundry, to the tune of 30 plus loads, so some of us are helping there too.

This is a family God has led to our church. There have been and I am sure will continue to be many needs represented by this family.

Part of God blessing and guiding is that the girls who usually scream when taken to Sunday School, haven't cried a lick in the 4 days we've had them except when in trouble or mad at someone.

Jesse has done very well adjusting from baby to "big brother". He has dubbed the girls "the little cuties". "Mom, do the little cuties need their cups?" "Mom, the little cutie hit the other little cutie."

I have done 3 in diapers before. Thankfully I remember how constant it was, but I forgot the exact details. Details like never getting anything done b/c I am CONSTANTLY changing diapers. Quite often poopy ones, and my hands stink ALL THE TIME!!! Even as I type this Cutie #3 sits at my feet filling her pants..... Ew gross!!! She stinks!!!

(diaper break)

I'd like to introduce these precious little ones, but sadly blogger won't let me find the pictures from my computer... Not sure what is up with that, but hey, I'll have post fodder for tomorrow!

I Have To Leave My House To Get Blogging Time

2009-05-15T17:18:00.003-05:00

It's true, there are just too many things undone and people who need me at home to actually relax and put 2 sentences together.

Tonight I am chilling with my sister in law and good buddy Jessica. I have Marlene, Jon, Delphia and Jesse with me. Don and Homer are on a Father/ Son retreat. I am so excited for them!! Don took today off and Homer had 1/2 day of school. They will be home sometime tomorrow evening.

At the Mother Daughter banquet here in Dysart, one of Jessica's friends was wanting help styling her 6 year old daughters SUPER curly hair, so we made a date for tonight for me to share my years of experience. (that and the my extensive supply of hair products)

I am sure there is so much more to say. I have lists of blogs I would like to write, but never have.....

Oh, and God is doing a number on me and my mouth. It's all good! Or for my best anyway.

For Now

2009-05-09T23:07:00.002-05:00

I have been lodging, in my mind, various happenings over the past few days in hopes of getting a few moments to fire off a bullet point update on things. There is a lot going on, and honestly it is the only way to string it all together with any readability.

Obviously it's not happened. So I am settling on catching up for today. (usually the things I want to write about on any given day change by the next day or so, or are crowded out by new things and thoughts)

Today was GLORIOUS, and not at all what we had planned.

sleeping in
not fixing breakfast because there were leftover burritos and the kids would rather eat cereal anyway
fixing 40 ham balls for Mother's day dinner with my mom and siblings
practice for special music, coaxing a friend to sing with us
quick trip to buy more ham, drop of the baked ham balls, and speeding to a graduation open house
getting to see our former church family. 50% good 50% not so great.
struggling with how poorly we represent Christ
walk around GC lake
hubby spent all day setting up new sound equipment at church
we all went to the park
we all came home and cleaned a portion of the yard in hopes of actually having a patch of grass for the kids to play on
our plan was to plant all the flowers and seeds Don bought me for Mother's day. Didn't happen, too dark.
hot dog supper on the front porch
planning "meeting" with Don while the kids took their showers
20 more ham balls to make
Don mixed the Cheesy potatoes for me
ham balls just finished cooking. I am off to bed. Rhubarb pie to get around in the AM.

As I mentioned, the day really was nothing like we'd planned. We had plans to work on placing our kitchen cupboards, staining some doors, and getting all the baking done, but it was perfect. There was no rush and it was perfect contentment just working all together.

Is He Sick Or Not?!!

2009-05-05T14:14:00.004-05:00

This morning Jesse woke up crying and was in a very pitiful mood. I wasn't real concerned. He tends to whine, or out right, cry about any and everything that doesn't go his way. I just figured getting up and around to take the kids to school fell into the category of things he'd do differently if allowed.

(Don had a discussion with him about crying "Wolf" recently. This weekend he fell into one of our egress window wells and was screaming his head off, but it was the same mad cry as when a sibling looks at him cross eyed, so needless to say no body was rushing to investigate.)

He sat on my lap for the majority of our "getting things around for school" time, and shortly after devos had a drink of water, which he promptly brought back up.

Okay, we took the kids to school and upon arriving home he wanted another drink. I complied, with bowl in hand. Yep, it came right back out.

So, he sat on the couch and took a trip to Narnia. That trip seemed to cure him! He is now running around like this

eating everything in sight, including licking the spatula from the chocolate for the peanut butter bars I made. (aren't you jealous Sarah?)

P.S.

Does anyone else have a 5 year old still wearing 24M shorts? I don't have a clue how we got such a scrawny kid!

Rocking Out

2009-05-05T13:49:00.002-05:00

Kinda a follow up to my previous post about my girls.

I am a big fan of Super Chic. Good get up and go music, something I need to do right now...

Their "Bowling Ball" song pretty much won me over.

I just got their latest CD "Rock What You Got". Here lately the girls and I have been doing a lot of car time together, and these are our tunes. I am glad for something peppy that encourages them to buck all the social pressures.

So here's a bunch of songs to listen to in all your spare time. (Mom you won't like them)

New Favorite Song

Sunshine(s)

2009-05-04T11:29:00.004-05:00

Mother & Daughter Banquet (in Dysart)

I was praying for sunshine last week. Guess which side of

the bed I sleep on!

8 Things

2009-05-01T11:36:00.003-05:00

I am sure I am not doing this quite right, but this is all I have time for:

8 Things I Am Looking Forward To:

A bedroom with a door
Not living in a basement
Spending time with my sis in law and 2 sisters tonight
Having everyone home for the weekend!!
Deserae and Michael's baby
A clothes dryer
No more mud
Kisses

8 Things I Did Yesterday

Laundry
Paint
Cook
Dishes
Shower
Mario Kart with Jesse
Yoga
Signed my kids life away on a rather ambiguous Farm Safety Day release form

8 Things I Wish I Could Do

Walk the bike trail in Dike every day
Keep my mouth shut
Finish Don's pole barn
Finish our house
Take a sunny vacation with Don
Take a vacation as a family
Not double spend (sometimes triple)
Let people know how much they mean to me in THEIR love language

8 Shows I "Watch on TV"

24
The Office
The Biggest Loser
30 Rock
Alf
?????
?????
?????

Painting!!

2009-04-24T19:45:00.002-05:00

Dad Mc's handy dandy airless paint (primer) sprayer

Obviously I was not the one doing the direct application of the primer. I just followed with a roller. My hair was pretty white on top, but you can't really see it.

The primed dining room/ kitchen. I guess I haven't taken a picture of it painted yet...

The East (back) of the house

The South side of the house, there will be a garage/ breezeway there eventually...

Our front porch with pansies, my favorite!!!

FINALLY SOME COLOR!!

I have dreamed of a grass green laundry room for over a year now, and here it is!!!

I always thought red was a hard color because there were so many different hues.

I am finding that applies to pretty much any color. Thankfully I have a good buddy in the area to help me hash thru all the pros and cons and realities of paint samples (i.e. the dark color I think I love will most likely be way too dark when applied to a whole room) I think that a color obsession should be listed as a requirement for all pastor's wives :-)

Overload

2009-04-23T10:50:00.003-05:00

I woke up this morning feeling tired. Physically, mentally and emotionally. Not sure why.

I painted the dining room/ kitchen yesterday!! I am so excited that my kitchen is just around the corner. I can't wait for a kitchen sink!!

I am usually pretty clueless as to what is happening in the news, but due to catching bits and pieces of talk radio, Internet news, and conversations, I have been quite concerned lately with the tenor of our nation.

Don't get me wrong, I have been concerned and praying for quite some time, it's just that some things lately have been SCARY!!!

The obvious media distortion surrounding the TEA parties, the action to rescind the "Conscience Clause", over the counter Plan B for girls under 18, trying to make the HPV shot mandatory for 8 year old girls, homosexual "marriage" okayed here in Iowa, and hate crimes legislation are just the tip of the iceberg.

I struggle with balancing when to act and when to "Just Pray". All the guilt and fear about political issues combined with my less than perky disposition had me feeling very overloaded.

Most times when I feel like this I simply hide in a book or a movie to cease all thought. Add to the mix emotional eating and you have a very unhealthy response.

I really wanted to hide this morning just to escape feeling the way I did, BUT I took it to the cross. I knew I needed the encouragement of God's word to stay my heart. At first I planned to just tune into our radio to hear the messages presented there. There are just times I need the truth presented.

Instead God laid on my heart to jump back into my Bible study material. A study on Faithfulness, His faithfulness and my response to it.

God was so lavish, and met exactly the need I had, funny how that works! I don't know why I even think He could do anything less.

Our study on Faithfulness took us to Hebrews 11, go figure. I had not read far when the name Noah popped out to me. Noah lived in such a sinful time he and his family were the only ones willing to follow God's way.

It has been worse before. There is no new thing under the sun. God was at work during that sordid time.

Next up came Enoch. Quite simply, he pleased God. God made each of us for His pleasure, I am to please Him.

Two things I needed to hear:

God will call me when He has a course of action He wants me to take politically or otherwise. Guilt and fear are not His tactics.
EACH thing I do I need to do to please Him

I know it may not be profoundly deep to anyone else, but it was for me and it was exactly what I needed. That and the 1/2 hour nap afterward.

I am off to vacuum up the layer of drywall dust upstairs and to paint my laundry room!! (Green)

Pictures will be forthcoming. They just happen to be one of the many things I am behind on. Posting them, catching up on a week of blogs, (all 9 I like to keep track of) Facebook, laundry...

P.S.
The wind keeps making one of our vent flaps make noise and it's driving me CRAZY!!!!

3 Boys 1 Piano

2009-04-16T11:13:00.003-05:00

James, Jake, & Jesse

Seeing Red

2009-04-15T14:12:00.003-05:00

If you didn't already know, my FAVORITE color is Red.

Red was also the favorite of my Granny. (my dad's mom, Delphia) I wasn't a big fan, of red, while she was alive, but I have found increasingly over the years I am drawn to all things red. (except Hellboy)

I don't really think it has anything to do with her particular tastes, but it is a nice connection!

Have you ever noticed how things you grew up around become your own favorites?

My grandparents are big coffee drinkers and while I was away from home in Life Action I began enjoying it simply because the smell comforted me. Some would say I didn't really enjoy the coffee due to the fact 1/2 my cup was fulled with flavored creamer.

My mom's favorites are M&Ms and Kit Kats. Guess who else enjoys them?! Daddy likes Coke and Peppermint Nougats. Again, they are favorites of mine!

Back to red: When we first started planning a house my instant choice for exterior color was.... RED! Don was very unsure, but by the time came up with another color I thought would work better, he had decided red was the way to go and wasn't swayed by any other colors.

I literally spent a year noting red houses and buildings to see how they looked in all 4 seasons. Red is a touchy color and it is very easy to get it wrong.

I finally decided I wanted the color of the little school house in Cedar Falls. I acquired paint samples and took them to the school to try to match the color. Paint was bought, tinted later, and I was giddy to paint me some siding to see how it looked. I was kinda concerned by the color visible thru the bubble on the top of the can. It looked a little mauve. Scary!!! I got the first coat on.... it looked REALLY mauve, at least when wet. I was freaking out!!!!

As it dried it got darker and I liked the color, but I was still unsure how it would look actually up on the house. I found out today and I LIKE it!!!

Here's to 2 years of stressing over a paint color!

I guess you can't really see it, but I still like it!

South end of the house

Part of the West side

Dear Coffee Pot

2009-04-15T14:01:00.002-05:00

Dear Coffee Pot,
I know you know how much Don hates you, but honestly, he did not mean to drop a hammer on your carafe Saturday. Trust me, the only thing worse to him than having a coffee pot, would be having to buy one!
I am just relieved it wasn't me! I think I have at least 3 carafe hits under my belt.
You see you and your dear carafe were given to me for this very reason.
I will be seeking a new carafe at Goodwill soon. I have plans to invite my dear caffeinated friend over soon, and you will need to be up and running. (caffeinated coffee would probably help too)
Please forgive Don. That was quite a crash!!! Here's hoping we found all the little pieces of glass!

Happy Birthday Bubs!!

2009-04-14T16:23:00.003-05:00

Happy 29th Marc!

Go Cubs!!!

Before and After

2009-04-13T18:53:00.003-05:00

Before 17"

After 32"

God provides so many things!

Just yesterday my brother mentioned how funny it was to see our miniature (17") monitor set up with our DVD/ VCR/ Wii. Granted it was a small screen and it was interesting to try to play any 2 player games on it, BUT it was ours it worked and though we would like something larger, we were content.

Also yesterday, the same brother mentioned that my grandpa had a couple of TVs he was getting rid of. My grandpa "moves" a lot of stuff. He has many friends and he is very helpful about finding homes of the unwanted items of others. We have a beautiful and helpful set of encyclopedias thanks to his connections too!

Anyway, this AM I had coffee with my grandma and when grandpa came in I ask about the TVs he was getting rid of. He had one, 24" or so, but it was as deep as it was wide, and we don't really have room for that. He mentioned he had a flat screen out in the garage, but that it didn't work. He said we could have it if Don wanted to check it out.

Knowing electrons fear my husband, I brought it home.

Long story short, this TV has a "power lock" feature. Don simply downloaded the owners manual, read some pertinent info and TADA!!! it works!!!

God also provided a bunch of fuel for our wood stove last Monday. I noticed a tree being cut down in town about 10 days ago. Last Monday as I was taking the kids to school I noticed all the wood from said tree lying in the yard. I stopped, knocked on the door, and ask if the wood was spoken for. The man of the house said we could have it!

Don and a couple of my brothers pick it up, and Don also went back this weekend to rake up the brush and repair a couple of ruts he had left in the yard.

The owner went from:

"You can have that lumber."

"I have 2 more trees I am going to be cutting down and you can have those also."

"I will tell all my friends about you and let you know if anyone else is cutting down trees."

Praise the LORD!!!

I think I need to start doing a Magnificent Mondays post. You know, let people join in and share things God is doing that only He can work out! (Anybody know how to make a button?)

God has been doing so much in my heart thru His word and especially thru our study on the fruit of the Spirit. I am incredibly thankful for His work and the peace of being in His will and seeing Him at work on a spiritual level. His working in the non-essential areas is just another layer of comfort. It's feels so safe to know He knows our hearts and desires and can provide in such amazing ways!

Easter 2009

2009-04-13T13:42:00.005-05:00

Easter Egg Hunt (compliments Grandma Mc)

Candy!!

Prayer Before Breakfast

Breakfast at Church

Uncle Mike's Pancake Factory

A few pictures of our kids in thier duds.
(They kept them clean all morning. Note the blue teeth and lips... Some KIND soul decided to hand out ring pops after church)

He is Risen!!! He is risen indeed!!

All this followed by dinner at my folks. Have I mentioned how much we love having them in the new house. It is so nice to all get together!!

I'm SO Excited!!

2009-04-07T19:20:00.004-05:00

Tyvek commercial no more!!

P.S. My kitchen will be ready to paint after Saturday, or early next week!!

Pandora's Box

2009-04-06T10:20:00.003-05:00

It seems since the less than mild weather last spring all new houses are coming equipped with a storm cellar.

Ours was in the plans way before the tornadoes and subsequent warnings last year. It's primary purpose is to be a cold cellar where we can store canned goods and such.

For now it is literally filled to the brim with various things we need stored.... including our spring clothes.

So, since we cannot afford to buy all new wardrobes, I needed to unload that monster. (oh, and there has already been one small tornado in Iowa, so Don mentioned the fact that it would be handy to actually fit us all in there in the event of extreme weather... that's a thought)

Anyway, all the excuses I had for putting of this chore had run out yesterday afternoon. I had to crowd the dining room table into the living room so I could use the "dining room" for a staging area.

It's a mess! We seriously had 2 single box springs and 3 mattresses, plus 3 single bed frames in there!!! McCallum Mattress Factory... can I help you!

Of course the kids were intrigued with all the "treasures" unearthed in the process. I am still needing to sort thru the clothes, but at least the job is started. We got snow yesterday so the spring clothes can wait a bit.

My kids had a really hard time suiting back up in snow gear this AM. I had a hard time finding snow gear!!

The Body

2009-04-05T19:57:00.003-05:00

Ephesians 4:15 &16

(The Message)

He handed out gifts above and below, filled heaven with his gifts, filled earth with his gifts. He handed out gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher to train Christ’s followers in skilled servant work, working within Christ’s body, the church, until we’re all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God’s Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ.

(KJV)

But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

These verses were fresh in my mind on the way home from church this morning, not because I heard them while I was there, but because I SAW these verses at work.

Firstly, I have the wonderful privilege of being the minister of cards and flowers at our church. I love this job! It is very much a part of who God made me to acknowledge the joys and pains of others. We have had a load of surgeries in our church this month and I was checking with the powers that be to make sure I didn't overdo it. Their response: You are free to do what ever God prompts you to!

Also a large part of who I am is a love of color and thus paint. Seeing we aren't to the painting stage here at our house I undertook our church nursery. It was needing an update and again, I was given the freedom to serve with my gift in this area.

Don was quite sick this morning and thus I was at church on my own with 4 of our 5 kids.

Much as we had hoped it would pass us by, we did indeed get a load of blowing snow this morning. The vehicles in the parking lot were covered with at least 3" of snow. As I headed out with my gang I was blessed to find our pastor and deacons out "serving" by clearing a path to each car and also clearing the snow off all the vehicles.

It may not seem to some like that big of a deal, but it was the perfect example of a body working together to meet the needs of all. I was very blessed by the action, and heartened by the knowledge that our body was working together.

To top it all off tonight we heard from a fellow parishioner tonight in our evening service. (another example of the body working together) He challenged us with the understanding that we are ALL ministers. Guess what passage came up in his message?

Again I was very blessed as this man opened his heart to share what God had been teaching him. It was so right on!

Thank you Father for the way you bring people together and the provision you make for unity and burden bearing in the church body. Thank you for our pastor and his consistent example of servant leadership reflecting Christ thru his life. Thank you for our men and their faithfulness to step up and lead in the church and in our homes. Thank you for my fellow sisters in Christ and their willingness to embrace all you have for them. Thank you for the multitude of children you have blessed us with. Thank you for the things they are learning. We pray they all come to know you personally and they thrive and grow for You.

Thank you for Jesus and His sacrifice to make this all possible.

All Glory to God!

2009-04-03T22:51:00.002-05:00

Great grandparents
Grandparents
Cousins (from 2 generations)
All my sibs
Aunts & Uncles
Birthdays
Cake
Supper
Bikes, Balls, Running, Cars and other toys
Coke and juice boxes
Singing
Piano "recital"
Friends "like family"
Kisses
Hugs
BABIES!!
Smiles
Games
Cell phone ring tones
Latest workouts
Total chaos

It is good to have my family close!

So Right On!

2009-04-02T12:46:00.004-05:00

I found this clip over at Vicki's blog. It SO perfectly describes how I feel. God is doing TONS in my heart and life, but not just mine but also many around me. I am very grateful for all He is changing in me and in the others on this journey!

Click here. I am having trouble loading the video.

I Don't Get It!l

2009-03-31T14:28:00.003-05:00

.... the Miller minivan that is.

I have seen them before but never really noticed. Beer companies with their logo splayed across the sides, front, and/ or hood of a mini van.

Honesty! Other than rubbing alcohol, alcohol has no place in our lives, but it seems to me one would drink to FORGET they drive a mini van, not see one with a booze logo and think, "Cool van! I want to drink their beer!!"

They Amaze Me!

2009-03-30T19:49:00.003-05:00

There have been quite a few times over the past couple of weeks I've had to just sit back and watch my kids.

To some extent it's kinda sad how quickly they grow up, but on the other hand, How amazing God's design!!

And to think He planned them for us! Miniature us'. They reflect so many "inherited" characteristics.... Good and bad.

There really isn't a baby left in the bunch, but there is still so much nurturing to do. So many unknown and sometimes scary changes they are going thru.

Thank you Father for these blessings!

15 Hours Full Tilt

2009-03-27T12:43:00.002-05:00

....that is what it takes to keep things done around here.

That was my day yesterday. It was exhilarating to actually FEEL like getting things done, and also to see things done.

But seriously, 15 hours to do it all. Walk, Devos, meals, laundry, cleaning, picking up, reading to the kids, blogging (and even then I didn't get caught up on everyone), pay bills, locate paperwork, make needed calls, and help Don.

I have learned a few things about myself in the process. I am motivated by people coming over. (I really don't care to flaunt what a slob I can be) Also, I am much more inspired when things are busy. I watched a couple of extra kids yesterday and having the house humming all day kept me sharp and on my toes.

We Get That A Lot

2009-03-26T18:39:00.002-05:00

We have a problem. More aptly, our neighbors have a problem, and we are it!

Here in the past couple of weeks I have needed to order a few things and have them shipped to our house.

Problem #1:

We share a driveway. There are 2 houses on our "lane".

Problem #2:

For some odd reason our address sign, placed by the police department, sits to the east of our neighbors, but our house is West of them.

Problem #3:

Our place looks very much "under construction".

So, when an unsuspecting father comes to pick up his kiddo, to who's house does he go? Not ours, our neighbor's. When UPS and FedEx have a package to deliver they don't even stop to consider the house with the scaffolding set up for installing soffit, they keep on trucking up to our neighbors. Can't they see my cute rug on the porch?!!!! It doesn't help that I usually don't hear if anyone is knocking on the front door.

Even the delivery guys for our new bed called to see if I was home.....from up at our neighbors.

Thankfully, by the end of next week our house will look much more like a home from the outside. I can't wait!!

In relation to the lost dad, my neighbor said tonight, "He said it didn't look like anyone lived there. We get that a lot."

P.S. Thankfully our neighbors are super. I can't wait until we aren't constanly working on our place and can hang out with them!>

My Touchy Nose...and Skin

2009-03-25T15:05:00.003-05:00

My facial skin has been a MESS for the past 5 years. Granted things have been rather stressful/ unsettled most of that time as well, but that is really no comfort.

I used to sell MK. I liked it until tax time, too much paperwork. And I discontinued using it after they reformulated the Timewise. It didn't seem to do well with my face.

Since that time I've tried 2 different strains of Arbonne, (I am not entirely sure I spelt that correctly) Clinique, and now the new cure all... Proactive.

I've heard good things about Proactive from various friends, and of course the adds and fliers are everywhere. So far so good, BUT.... that stuff stinks!!!!!!! I am hyper sensitive to smells, thanks Dad. I used to be able to tell what store an item was purchased from just by sniffing it. My friends thought that was highly amusing.

I am still sensitive to smells. Any lingering smoke smell gives me a headache, pronto. I love candles, but they too can turn against me.

The funny thing is, I REALLY like the smell of men's cologne, who cares about the headache! Sadly my hubs is with me on the sensitive nose thing, and pretty much just smells like Dial. Oh, well, my boys like to "stink it up" with the cologne.

This face wash better work wonders though or it's gone!!!! I use it 2x a day and all three steps smell like some ages old, fermented Avon perfume you'd find in an estate sale. I think the stinky part is what makes it work, but seriously I may rather just pay out the nose (no pun intended, but I did catch it) for something that doesn't work, but smells nice.

Comfort Sounds

2009-03-23T10:41:00.003-05:00

I used to be a big fan of the sound of rain. It soothed me and brought thoughts of a cozy day curled up with a book or movie.

Since our building project began, the sound of rain is more of a stress than a comfort. Now I associate it with mud, mud and more mud, not getting things done and leaking where we don't want water. It was really hard last summer with all the storms. We lived 8 miles from our building site and we would lay in bed listening to the rain and wind and just wonder what kind of mess awaited us, knowing there was really nothing we could do.

Don and I now have a new comfort sound.... trains. There are tracks a little over a mile from our house. Far enough away to make them more of a background noise. Most nights we hear them as we are settling in for bed. Last night at church, 3 blocks from the tracks, we heard them. The sound made we just want to curl up into Don and fall asleep. It was soothing but we were both enjoying a delicious meal from God's word, so napping had to wait.

Is it weird to think of church as delicious? I do....

And our new pleasure in the sound of trains lies in stark contrast to another night spent 100 ft from tracks.

We spent the night with family, a few years back, who seriously live almost on top of train tracks. They also have a stop right out side their house, in town, so not only do the trains have to blast their whistles in advance, on the way thru , and well past the house, but they also sometimes stop and that is a ruckus in itself.

Add together 3 toddlers, 4+ trains per hour until at least 2AM, and a 9 month pregnant momma..... not a great combo. I was dragging at the zoo the next day. Did I mention the kids SCREAMED at the first rumbling of the trains miles away and continued screaming/ crying until the last rumble giving them just enough time to settle down and start falling asleep, but not quite, before the next train.

I know our extended family is used to the noise and they don't hear the trains any more, but I am sure they heard the kids:-)

Praise the LORD it was nice last week during spring break!!

Morning Mercies

2009-03-21T08:27:00.003-05:00

Great is Your faithfulness!

Lunch at a friends house. Kids played, I was weepy, but she was okay with that.
I didn't have to cook or clean up, Yea!!
Watermelon
Muck outside drying up.
Swimming with the kids. ( a form of exercise I rarely get, and my body is reminding me of that fact!)
Riding right next to Don in his pickup.
Cruising at 45mph because we are both so tired/ relaxed.
Pancake supper at my parents.
Uninterrupted conversations and sleep with my best friend, Don.
Peace that is not dependent on my circumstances
Kids who finally mellow out and aren't constantly bickering.
Notes of encouragement.
Quiet

Under The Piles... Again

2009-03-20T11:08:00.002-05:00

I really hate Murphy's law!!!! Things have been so chaotic and constant here for the past, oh year and a half. We get to where we can (kinda) keep up, and then another thing gets added.

Like say our former landlord calls and we have until next weekend to move our stuff in storage out of his 2 buildings. (We were supposed to have until this fall)

And say it's too muddy here to really haul anything back to the pole barn. Not that the pole barn really has any space in it right now because we tore down a deck to use the lumber on our deck, but it's not on yet.

And say your kids are gone for the weekend, thanks to grandma, and you had REALLY high hopes of getting the soffit and facia finished and starting on the siding... on the house.

But now we will be working on the pole barn, and storage stuff for a week, and the odds and ends Don needs to square away before the drywallers can finish upstairs will not get done.

Moving upstairs is so close I can taste it, and I'm working on picking out paint. The delay is hard to swallow.

I'm sad, really sad.

Heavy Stuff

2009-03-18T10:26:00.003-05:00

What an understatement! The "Living Beyond Yourself" study with DVD messages from God via Beth Moore has been a blessing/ challenge. Also an understatement.

God's timing is so preciously tailored for each of us. Parts of me wish I'd been deep into this study MONTHS ago, yet I realize, I may not have "gotten it" back then.

Now, it blesses, encourages, grips, chastens, comforts, disturbs me EVERY TIME! It's a great thing! Really!!! It just has me so raw emotionally.

I'd love to recap each week so far and the priceless treasures God has opened to me so far, but for now I'll have to stick to last night: Peace

We went first to Isaiah 9:6-7 Which demonstrated that "The increase of peace accompanies the increase of Christ's government.

Also noted: Colossians 3:15:
"Let the peace of Christ RULE in your hearts."

The point? Peace is not about peaceful circumstances. Peace IS about the applied authority of Jesus Christ

Wow!! Bear with me as I type out the chicken scratching that FILLED my workbook page.

If I am going to have peace I must bow my knee to the personal rule of Christ
"The government shall be upon His shoulders" (plural) He doesn't come to take sides, He comes to TAKE OVER!
Peace is always associated with authority
I am not at peace in areas I am not under authority
The sinful nature resists peace. (Galatians 5:19-22) No peace, poorly handled conflict, discord, we are explosive when we are full of ourselves
Peace makers (to make, do, complete or continued action)and Peace keepers (attempt to keep peace at all costs. False peace) are not the same... at all (Matthew 5:9)
Shalom means HEALTH
Unhealthy peace keeping is an oxymoron
Lover of Contention, opposite peacemaker
BOTH peacekeeping and contention making are opponents of peacemaking.
One motivated by fear and distrust. The other by misery, desire for power, and lack of discipline (Hebrews 12:11 "No discipline seems pleasant, but painful. Afterward it yields a harvest of peace for those who are exercised by it.
The drive we have to effect our environment is of God, but when I am filled with myself I am causing harm. When I am filled with the Spirit I am helping.
Discord is the seed of Satan for full blown dissention in order to "fell the house"
I must bow low in submission in order to allow peace full course in my life

I have been encouraged lately to realize many yearnings and desires I have are of God. So often we equate desire with sin and discontent. These same desires, of God, can easily become sinful when I am not submitted to the authority of His Spirit.

It is also so powerful when God uses "real time" situations to drive home the message personally. (sorry a little latent 24 there)

We are currently in the midst of some less than peaceful circumstances, but I have been amazed at how much peace in the midst of the turmoil I have been blessed with. I now know the key to be the fact that I made it a point to submit to Don's leadership in said circumstance, no matter how entirely opposite it may be from my own inclinations.

Also, an area I lack peace in I now realize is due to the fact that I am not submitted to Don...

HMMMMMMM.

Authority has always been an issue for me... I hear my parent's AMEN from 2o miles away :-)

I find it particularly hard to submit when I get hung up on the "short comings" of any authority.

I've been prompted by this idea before, again last night, and now I share it with you to "put it in your pipe and smoke" for awhile:

I may not trust the person, but I CAN trust God!

I seriously wish I had the $ to purchase the DVD set of messages that go with this study! But I will submit and not buy them :-) I am praying I can get the messages on CD for a decent price. My perspective needs adjusting CONSTANTLY!

I highly recommend getting into this study, with the accompanying messages, in a group!!

Thank you dear Father for you gentle pruning.

Note To Self

2009-03-14T17:32:00.002-05:00

Um, shopping on Saturday, REALLY!!!! Don't ever do it!!! It entails overflowing stores, multiple "helpers" along b/c they don't have school, and also being separated from hubby on his day off!

P.S. $1.oo kites seem like such a deal, but may be more trouble than they are worth.

It's All About Product

2009-03-12T11:29:00.003-05:00

I have learned that the key to many things in life, especially on the cosmetic front, is PRODUCT. I used to hate my curls and thick hair!!! I couldn't do a thing with it!!!

But, all that changed when I was introduced to a stylist who knew hair.

I am always 50% excited and 50% terrified when my stylist uses a new product on me. (something most stylist try to do every time they see you!)

50% excited because I may learn a new thing I can do with my hair.

50% terrified, or maybe just nervous, because I might like it, and thus would desire to buy it to add to my collection.

Here lately I have been doing quite well at using up product I have thus resulting in my current conundrum ..... I am needing to restock on pretty much all my facial and hair products.....

Cha ching$$$$ Cha ching$$$$ Cha ching$$$$$

Because They Were Bored

2009-03-11T13:20:00.002-05:00

One day in heaven God noticed some rather restless looking guarding angels. Upon further investigation He learned they were bored and needed a challenge.

In order to keep them sharp and ready, God chose to bless the McCallum family with a new little boy who was named Jesse.

And since that time God has not never again encountered a bored angel in Heaven.

Okay, I know my theology is WAY skewed!!

But, consider this, yesterday when I went to get said child's shower started I found him with my hair dryer, dripping wet, PLUGGED IN!!!

Praise the LORD the dryer and the child are okay!

Full Weekend

2009-03-09T20:19:00.002-05:00

Yesterday we spent almost 6 hours at the church where my dad is now pastor. They had an installation service after the morning service and carry in dinner.

It was a super nice time! One of my cousins, whom I have not seen for 4 years, drove out with a friend. I hate not having every one close by!

Saturday was my sister Bethany's birthday. We celebrated with a special lunch at Red Lobster today. It was fun to gather with my mom, grandma, 2 sisters, 2 sisters in law, 1 niece, 1 nephew, and Bethany's best friend!

Have I mentioned how much I LOVE having everyone with in a 45 mile radius?!!!!

As we lay in bed last night Don and I both noted how thankful we are to be able to visit so regularly with my siblings and their families.

Jesse and I had brunch with Stephen, Ellen, Samuel and Benjamin last Thursday. This was followed by a trip to WalMart for the 3 boys and me while Stephen and Ellen got their work out in at a nearby gym.

Samuel used to be quite tentative around us, but now he knows who we are and lights up and names everyone. Benjamin is so cute I can forgive him for dashing my hopes of another niece :-)
Kaylee sat by me today at lunch. She is quite the talker and dancer! So precious!!

Warm fuzzies for sure!!!

What ARE These?!!!

2009-03-04T16:52:00.003-06:00

This glorious sight greeted me upon my arrival home from Bible study last night! I has already made navigating around here much easier! Don did an awesome job getting them all cut and installed evenly!

Officially NOT COOL!!

2009-03-02T12:06:00.002-06:00

My oldest is officially to old for PDA. You should have seen his face and evasive maneuvers when I went to kiss him after dropping him off at school!!! One of his friends was coming down the sidewalk toward us on his bike.

Kinda sad, Kinda funny!

A Dishwasher Of My Own!!!

2009-02-28T21:13:00.004-06:00

(Alternately titled: My husband, my hero!)

Yes, boys and girls, I Sarah McCallum just loaded a dishwasher installed here in MY house!!! I cried, I literally cried. I cannot explain the tremendous relief to have this machine at work for me! It is currently set up here in the basement, but it can be moved to the kitchen when it gets done.

Many things were accomplished here today, which makes for an exhilarating day! Our drywall help was here for 6 hours. I was gone for 3 hours of that time, on a supply run. I was delighted to find many walls well underway upon my return.

Don has been super busy here all week, but he's pretty much been working non stop for the past 12 hours today. We both woke up at 6:30 this morning. That is a big gripe of mine. Saturday is the ONLY day we get to sleep in, and if it isn't us waking up and not able to get back to sleep, it's the kids awake and making noise at 7. (we have to wake them up by 8 on Sunday)

So, Don has: run a couple of phone lines, ran a couple of thermostat wires, direct wired my dishwasher, plumbed the dishwasher, kept track of 4 kids for 3 hours and all 5 for 2, helped the drywall guy, got our printer up and running, ran electricity to our water heater, (it used to be heated only by the wood stove, but when the stove cooled down too much, no hot water. Not cool!! Yes all my McCallum readers, I know the water actually was cool.) He is currently setting up our whole house vac, and finishing up the 220 wiring for our stove.

We will both be ready to fall into our wonderful new bed and pillows. I am so glad we ordered it! Don says the only downside is that we didn't buy it 2 years ago. It has helped his back A LOT! But that's a whole other post.

The first load being washed!

Friends With Appliances

2009-02-27T09:12:00.004-06:00

It has not been a week since I posted!!!! I can't believe it's been that long, but yes, we've been busy. I do have a list of things to blog about in the back of my Bible Study book. That tends to be the time I get ideas, so I just write them down so they don't distract me any further.

Anyway, one HUGE thing on my mind here of late it all the things this "adventure" of living in the basement is teaching me to be thankful for. Things like:

Flooring
Walls
Stairs
Cupboards
Storage space
Countertop
Dishwasher
Garbage disposal
Clothes Dryer
Kitchen sink

All the above are things I do not have and REALLY miss. If it's any indication, I almost got weepy when I was washing a friends dishes, a couple of weeks ago, in a SINK!!!!

This week I got the privilege of baby sitting for a friend 2 mornings. Not only did I get to interact with a petite little 2 year old girl, but also Jesse had a buddy to keep him busy, said friend lit up my days with cheery flowers, I didn't have my own "To Do" piles screaming at me, AND I had a dishwasher, clothes dryer and a kitchen sink at my disposal!!!!!! It was heaven! And worth the multiple trips to the car to lug in tubs and baskets of dishes and wet clothes.

Sometimes

2009-02-20T20:26:00.002-06:00

Sometimes, sometimes

I’m justRunnin’ so fast that I can’t touch the ground

I’m spinning faster than a merry go round

I find myself in the lost and found

And

sometimes, sometimes I’m justCallin’ your name and I don’t know why

Holdin’ my head cryin’ “my oh my”

Up and down like the tide

But you’re the Same yesterday,

and tomorrowwon’t change all your excellent ways

Same yesterday, and tomorrowwon’t change all your excellent ways

Sometimes, sometimes I’m justBeing so good I can hardly stand it,

Everything goes like I planned it

Hold that thought while I get candid

Sometimes, sometimes I jumpOutta the pan, into the fire

Get my foot stuck in the mire

Lord you must get tired but you’re the…

Same yesterday, and tomorrowwon’t change all your excellent ways

You’re the alpha,The omega,The beginning,And the end,

You’re my Father,You’re my BrotherYou’re like no otherMy best friend

Same yesterday, and tomorrowwon’t change all your excellent ways

Sung by Nicole C. Mullen

I can't seem to rustle up a video of this, and it's really hard to get the song with out the music, but this song has been a lifeline for me the past couple of weeks.

Today, it proved true again....Great thing; my mom kept the kids overnight and Don and I had lunch out together!

Not so great thing; we were run into in a parking lot, while stopped and Don was laying on the horn. The guy told his insurance agent it wasn't his fault........

I am so glad God is constant!

Because We're Spoiled Like That

2009-02-19T14:36:00.003-06:00

Yesterday, I was playing my daily round of Mario Kart with Jesse. I happened to have some Whoppers, the candy, left over from Bible Study the night before. Between races I grabbed a few and popped some in my mouth, and some in Jesse's.

So there sat Jesse on our comfy couch, mom by his side playing his game of choice, being fed candy every time he open his mouth. "Man!" I thought, "is this kid spoiled or what?!!!"

Shortly thereafter, my mother called and offered to keep ALL the kids from Friday at noon until Saturday afternoon.

Who's spoiled now?!!!

I Am Invincible!!!!.... Or Not

2009-02-18T14:39:00.002-06:00

So, I waited too long and had to cram for Bible study yesterday morning, but it really turned out well. We were working on Love, as in the fruit of the Spirit, and there were so many rich blessings! I enjoyed not having to move on to reality so quickly. It was a blessed time!

With that done, around lunch time, I headed to town to do a couple of errands I missed doing on Monday b/c of the flu.

I was feeling fine, liked my clothes, hair and makeup done, the sun was shining and I was out to conquer the world! All that after a stop at Subway. Once back on the road I reached for my drink and the cup folded and FILLED my lap with cherry Coke.......

So much for that bubble!!! Thankfully, it dried for the most part before I had to get out of the car, the seat was leather so it didn't absorb and keep soaking my butt, and my jeans were dark.

I didn't care much for the sugar coated inseams, but all in all, I guess it wasn't so bad...

Can life ever change on a dime!!!

Because We Share Like That

2009-02-17T09:24:00.003-06:00

Remember the flu Don had Saturday???? Well, thankfully he was up and going Sunday so we were all able to go to church together.

Monday morning ..... not so much... I ached all over when the alarm sounded at 5:30. I was still able to function and get Don out the door, but by 8 when I took the kids to school, I was miserable.

Thankfully, my mom lives much closer now and I was able to call and have her bring over some Sprite, and take Jesse home for the day.

My biggest complaint of the day was that the sun was too bright. Light and noise were overwhelming. I don't know how Don handled being sick on Saturday with all the banging from drywallers and building a wall inside, plus 5 kids!!

I am happy to report I feel mostly better today. Still kinda achy.

I need to catch up on my Bible Study. Reading was the LAST thing I wanted to do yesterday!

Oh, and a guy from our church dropped by last night to help Don. They cut back the trusses so the stairs would fit. This was a job Don was apprehensive about doing, and I think it really helped him to have someone else there for feedback.

Happy Valentines Day!

2009-02-14T21:30:00.002-06:00

It is the end of another day that "I saw going differently in my head".

Nothing disastrous mind you, but I find here as of late I hold SO loosely to my own expectations that sometimes I don't care enough. Kinda a coping mechanism in a life that is rather "fluid" to say the least.

Thankfully we had set aside last night as our cozy family time. Don worked overtime this week, to help settle some of the overwhelming load he is dealing with at work. We all CRASHED big time last night. It was so nice to relax and be together!

Today, we had planned to get 2 walls build down here and install the stairs. Also, we called our "by the hour" drywaller, and set up for him and his helper (wife) to get started in our laundry room.

Well, plan one, didn't go down as we thought. Don woke up with the flu, and had me call my brothers, Micah and Aaron, (who were going to help) and let them know he would not be "bossing" them today.

Our drywalling duo did show up before 1oAM and in four hours they had the laundry room drywall hung, as well as half the dining room!!!!! Yea!!!!! I am sooooooo excited to see some progress!

It was recently noted, I had not written about the house for quite some time..... pretty much nothing had changed until today. We did get our cupboards ordered and picked up.... they are still in boxes in the office. I did brave out and open on last weekend. (I was scared after all that time and $ I wouldn't like them) I am happy to report they are lovely!

Don's workload since the new year has been quite heavy. We knew even during Christmas break this would be the case. He put in 8 extra hours 2 weeks in January, and then this week.

He did get some pocket door frames hung, and is working on figuring out our A/C duct work and also a central vac!

Back to today. I was rather derailed when I realized the wall/stairs thing wasn't going to happen, but Don was noticeably miserable so my pity party was short lived.

After lunch Don said he did have some things for the boys to work on, so they were called and came over. Once they finished the odd jobs Don had for them they even tackled the original job "the wall".

I am pleased to announce they did get one section all done!

So, here I sit with more drywall done than I had guessed, a wall, tulips, ice cream cake, a mellow hubby, and kids buzzed on obscene amounts of candy from their "friendship parties" at school.....does no one just give a card anymore?!!!! They were eating candy all day.... and it's still not done!!!

I wonder how many days of Don staying in bed we can afford!

Oh, we did have another guy come in and he is bidding our siding and drywall. I am praying, praying, praying he will be affordable! It would smooth out so many wrinkles in our life right now!

PIFG Winners

2009-02-10T10:30:00.005-06:00

At approximately 10:20 AM CST Jesse chose the winners of my giveaway.

All (5) names were written on strips of paper, tossed like a salad in a pink John Deere cap, and then I had Jesse chose 2. The 3 names left in the hat were the winners! (it may not be scientific, and it may be a tad backward, but we were going for fun and unusual)

Congratulations to :

Rachel at Unexpected Blessings

Peggy at Sharing Life With Peggy

Valerie at As Our Time Gose By

I am now off to the library to deliver Valerie's CD!

Lurkers Come Forth

2009-02-07T13:08:00.004-06:00

Pay It Forward Giveaway

About oh, 2 months ago I was the lucky winner of a Starbucks gift card in a PIFG hosted by Lois Lane II. Thanks to my winnings I was able to enjoy a decadent "White Chocolate Peppermint Mocha"!

As implied by the name of the drawing I am responsible to "pay forward" this opportunity, so I am hosting my first giveaway!

Rules below:

1. Leave a comment to get entered into the contest. I will draw three people who will win the prize. I will e-mail you that you won and mail you the prize.

2. The three people who win will host their own PIFG and do the same. Now, naturally, this prize needs not to be extravagant, just a simple treat in the mail. You choose the prize you want to give.

I have chosen to give CDs. I have one Steven Curtis Chapman "all about love" here and ready to go. I thought it appropriate for the upcoming Valentines Day holiday. I need to get out and pick up two more.

I will leave this open until Tuesday AM (2/10). I hope to get them out that day if I have addresses, and you may even be able to enjoy them for your own Valentines weekend!

Please Pray

2009-02-07T09:28:00.002-06:00

I am requesting prayer today for a friend whose husband has died. Please also be praying for the daughter who is a friend of Marlene's. They were born 8 days apart. My heart aches for their loss.

50% Gross, 50% Funny

2009-02-05T13:06:00.003-06:00

Don's "Humor"

2009-01-31T20:45:00.006-06:00

Winter In Iowa

2009-01-29T14:05:00.002-06:00

It's winter in Iowa

And the gentle breezes blow,

70 miles per hour at 52 below!

Oh, how I love Iowa

When the snow's up to your butt;

You take a breath of winter air

And your nose is frozen shut.

Yes, the weather here is wonderful,

I guess I'll hang around.

I could never leave Iowa

'Cause I'm frozen to the ground.

Author Unknown at this time.... could pretty much be anybody in this state!

...Where Is The Woman I Married?!!!!

2009-01-25T16:23:00.003-06:00

"Who are you and WHERE is the woman I married?" This pretty much sums up the look Don gave me last night when I chose pert near the least expensive kitchen sink in Menards.

Yeah!!! My kitchen cupboards are here!!!!

We are REALLY going to have to step up the hunt for a drywaller!

Hmmm....maybe I could find somebody and hold them at gun point and demand they drywall my house as a matter of national security....

Oh, so sorry! I forget I am not Jack Bauer!

Can you guess what I've been watching?

There are a couple of trains of thought on watching 24. One is that after one episode you are so on edge you need to take a break for a day, or a week.

Then there are those who get hooked and believe you have to watch the whole season in a 24 hour period in order to get the full effect.....can you believe there are crazy people out there like that?!!!! It honestly doesn't take as long if you watch it in double time on your laptop. The subtitles help. You can read what they are saying. But again, who could process all that action in 1/2 the time!!!!

Patience

2009-01-23T09:26:00.004-06:00

In the spirit of our current ladies Bible study on the fruit of the Spirit, I give you Patience.

You know the ability to be settled even when you find out that your trusses are too long and the stairs (which took hours to place when drawing up the house) have no place to go, so you have to get the trusses re engineered, and thus adding to the work load on my dear hubs.

Or when it takes 3 men 2 hours to put up one piece of drywall....

Thankfully, God doesn't just want to change my life, but He is here to change TODAY!

We're Loosing Our Baby

2009-01-14T19:57:00.003-06:00

It's official...I no longer have a baby.

This fact has been quite obvious lately, Jesse's height alone reinforces that fact. Don and I have both been floored just watching Jesse pass by us.

There are other things too, independence in meeting daily needs such as getting dressed, brushing his teeth, doing dishes, raiding the fridge for a bologna ONLY sandwich. (just 3 slices of bologna folded like a tortilla.

But, if there was any doubt in my mind, tonight blew it all out of the water.

Jesse: "Bye Mom."

Me: "Where are you going?"

"To college."

"College?"

"Yes, far, far away."

"Mom, where is college?'

"If you don't know, I don't think you are ready for college."

"Yes I am. I am going to college far far away. Maybe, in Africa. I am going to college in Africa. Africa is a college."

"Africa is a continent.... I still don't think your ready to go..."

I've Got Sunshine...

2009-01-09T20:52:00.003-06:00

...on an icy day!

(I haven't the first clue where to even begin looking for a vase!)

Joy

2009-01-07T16:57:00.002-06:00

I am SOOOO geeked!

We started our new Bible study last night. We have begun, "Living Beyond Yourself" authored by Beth Moore.

This is a DVD study. We watched the first "instalment" last night, and it is so RIGHT ON!

Due to various pressures, needs and frustrations I have been taking a close look at the places my energies are spent, mainly people, and was starting to par back on how much I was "investing" myself.

Honestly, if felt very unnatural, but within the parameters of my selfish human mindset, it was needed.

I have been rather "let down" lately, feeling like a dumping station, a place people come to get rid of crap, but don't really care to linger .....

Anyway, it's complicated. My lack of neediness is often interpreted as a lack of need, but if someone really SAW me they would know that... right?!!!

But! It's not about ME!!! What a relief. God's plans for me ARE beyond me by design! I'M not supposed to do it! HE IS!!!!

Thru His Spirit I can

Do things I couldn't
Feel things I didn't
Know things I wouldn't

The filling of the Spirit doesn't just change my life, it changes TODAY! I don't have to wait for it! It's available now! I just have to "come out of myself".

Cool beans!!! No striving. No manipulating.

I am so excited! I was giddy with gratitude last night as I crashed with my dear hubby! Just the knowing....I am exactly where I am supposed to be, with Don, in our house, in N.H., in our church, with our kids, in our families... It's FANTASTIC!

Did I mention our study is on the fruit of the Spirit....

Peace

2009-01-02T11:07:00.005-06:00

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

That pretty much sums the past couple of weeks for our family.

So many precious memories and growth, yet so much turmoil and tension.

So many paths to growth being pursued, so many barricades we must lay at the feet of Christ.

So much to say, so much to ponder.

I can say we are so very blessed! We had a perfect New Years! Our church went a head and help prayer meeting on Wednesday night. I would have totally understood if they had cancelled, I probably would have supported the idea, but it turned out to be just what we needed.

God is so good like that! He keeps showing me how perfect things can be if I wait on Him and cease from striving. I am learning to seek His leading to help me discern between my zeal and Git R' Done "tendencies" and when He has a Plan Of Action for me. Also a constant balancing act is weighing whether keeping silent is apathy or wisdom.

So, back to our New Years.... usually Wednesday nights are a time of service to a bunch a kids from our community, but this past Wednesday we were all able to sit down together and it was such a cozy time.

I love that our church has such a united heart for ministry to each other and to all God sends our way! It is such a blessing to know those I invite will be safe and welcomed by all.

I digress, again, Pastor shared his observations of growth in the past year and his vision for 2009. He also opened things up for everyone else to do the same. There really has been a lot going on with our church body. Tornadoes, floods, moving, building, rebuilding..... It is so important to look back. God's faithfulness can be so quickly eclipsed, at least for me, by mounting troubles. Just that morning God had brought me to Hebrews 3:12-16 (The Message)

So watch your step, friends. Make sure there’s no evil unbelief lying around that will trip you up and throw you off course, diverting you from the living God. For as long as it’s still God’s Today, keep each other on your toes so sin doesn’t slow down your reflexes. If we can only keep our grip on the sure thing we started out with, we’re in this with Christ for the long haul.

So that was my lesson from 08/ challenge for 09. Even the kid, who out numbered the adults, got involved. They shared things they were thankful for, prayed and got to sing their favorite song 2X!!! I think "Bold As A Lion, Brave As A Bear" is the song Pastor has adopted for our theme song for 2009. The kids are thrilled.

After church we went, for the first time, to our friends new house. We brought our Wii, Christmas gift from the Mc's) and hooked it up to their Living Room TV. Their Wii was hooked up to the 10 foot screen in their home theater. The kids had a blast bowling, and watching "Cars" on that monster!

We took turns upstairs facing off in tennis and boxing. It was fun! We stayed until midnight and prayed in the new year. It was precious!

It is WONDERFUL being home together as a family. Don has recently seen clearly God's path for our family and is doing a fabulous job of communicating and leading us.

There is more to say, but there is a lot to do.

A special shout out to my nephew Caleb on this his 6th birthday!

Update

2008-12-27T12:15:00.002-06:00

Finally left Tuesday night around 7:45pm. Stove was fixed. Had to stop on our way out to buy a cord for the DVD player... A must on long trips!!!
Arrived at 5:30 AM CST. 24 hours and 10 minutes since I climbed out of bed. VERY short cat nap on the way. Drove half of the trip. Rain the whole way.
Mother in law spoiled and pampered the weariness out of us.
Lots of holiday traditions.
Friends, new and old, caught up with.
Ham, roast, fudge, cookies, pizza, peanut butter and Jelly, salad, lasagna...
Spoiled again by Aunt Lois who knows I LOVE Chilis!
Round 2 of gingerbread decorating. So glad for family willing to undertake such an ordeal with our 5!
Headed home today. Need to crash!!!
Pictures to come!

Hodg Podg

2008-12-23T15:39:00.005-06:00

Phew! Finally! I have a moment to set down! I think I'll post about Jesse's birthday. Let me find my Camera....... Oh, yeah, it's in the Suburban.

Hey! I LOVE that car! I need to post a picture of it...Oh, yeah...

Maybe I'll check my e mail. Opps, the laptop is in the Burb too....

Come to think of it, I'm supposed to be in the Suburban right now, headed out of state toward the in-laws.....

It has been a day! Each workday AM starts at 5:20 for us. Don has the stove to tend and his commute is a bit longer. I was working on his breakfast when I discovered the water was not working, frozen at the pump in the pole barn. The pipes thawed around 10:30 eating up time I had planned to be packing. Yeah God! Now I can do the dishes so they aren't waiting for me when we get home.

Things went pretty smoothly from there. The kids got out of school early, but I still had some loading to do.

Last thing on the list, check the wood stove. Long story short. It blew a fuse, and another, so Don is headed home to get it working before we head out. By the by, he doesn't have a vehicle at work. Thankfully my grandpa was in town and is picking him up. Again Praise the LORD!

Who knows when we will be leaving... or get there.

Oh, and the best part about my new vehicle is, drum roll please, REMOTE STARTER!!! It's the BOMB!! I can even be in the middle of a store, or church, or at the school and push the button, and TA DA! it's warming up when I get to it!!

About "Home Church"; when Jon heard Saturday night that we would most likely not be having church Sunday (due to all the drifted snow, and below freezing temps)he requested to be the "Pastor" for Home Church. As soon as he woke up Sunday AM he was busy fashioning a podium out of my step stool and a quilt rack.

After breakfast we all gathered in our living room area. Don to the "pastor's" left and Jesse on his right. The rest of the "congregation" was assembled on a couch.

Jon opened in prayer then helped Jesse read a verse, followed by his "sermon" on the death of Christ. Homer quoted John 3:16, and then Jesse asked to do his own "sermon". It was based on 1096 (the page #) and had something to do with pirates and God and a big fish. Don stepped in to check and see if he was talking about Jonah, Jesse replied, "No". Don thanked Jesse for his willingness to preach, and encouraged him to stick to preaching ONLY what is found in the Scriptures.... Too funny! Jesse was cool about it, and we said it would be easier when he could read.

After all the preaching and Don sharing why the story of the cross is important at Christmastime, we got to sing!! Everyone picked out a song and Jesse took the stage and was the song leader. He did a great job of starting on pitch! I was surprised "Bold As A Lion" wasn't requested, so I picked that for my song. (in case you don't go to our church, the adults are almost out numbered by kids, and on Sunday nights when we get to pick songs, there are usually multiple kids requesting that song. I think they like it b/c they get to shout in church!)

Jesse got to have the kids home for his birthday due to another snow day. He received Prince Caspian (the movie) from Mcs and bought a Playmobile pirate ship with his birthday $. He also received a football and a set of "armour" at my family Christmas. So, now he is strutting around in his armour and pretending to be Prince Caspian. He isn't allowed to throw the football in the house. I am sure the "Fantasy Football" games will be back with vengeance, now that he has a foot ball, once it gets nice enough to play outside.

I have some cute pictures to share...later. I'm very tired, and I think I'll try to get the kids fed so we don't have to make a stop and eat in the car.
I am very excited about our trip and all the people we will get to see! I am especially excited to get to meet this wonder mom for the first time!!

(I finally got my nails painted during this down time!)

Pause

2008-12-22T11:59:00.002-06:00

I have much to write about "Home Church", snow days, and Jesse's birthday, but this video on a friend's blog stopped me in my tracks and brought me to tears. THIS is what it's all about!

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Post #100

2008-12-20T18:22:00.013-06:00

I had plans of doing some sort of 100 bullet points for my 1ooth post, but I want to share our day QUICKLY, so my 1ooth post post will have to wait

Yesterday was the Christmas for my side of the family. It was a GREAT time together. Sadly we had to cut it short due to inclement weather. Thankfully the kids have bunches of new things to keep them occupied while we are snowed in!

With all 22 of us in one room there were a lot of these shots...

Also a lot of candid, and posed family pictures. Too precious!

Santa Baby

Jessica and B (both newly out of braces)

Stephen and Ellen

B and Me

Don and Princess 1

Silly Sisters

Dad, Mom and all 8 sibs

If I had waited 24 hours I'd have had a picture of the whole family for Christmas...Oh well!

Us

Kaylee's first gift was clothes... She was NOT happy!

Don got a sweater and carried on the "clothes for Christmas pout"

Jessica DID like the sweater she received

Soup lunch. Yum!! Samuel hamming it up. That is a smile.... REALLY!

Don and Princess 2 (with her princess blanket)

Presents!!!

Kaylee and Samuel trying out the sled Aaron made

Samuel FINALLY warmed up to Don. He almost fell asleep during the devotional, led by the baby of the family, Daniel. Samuel even initiated a hug AND kiss for Don when Don was leaving!

Photo Catch Up

2008-12-19T17:33:00.006-06:00

Our first night in the basement

Benjamin David Moore

12-18-08

Paige Thanksgiving 2008
(all present and accounted for)

More Benjamin...
Thanksgiving night head wound..
Bruised nose 3 days later

First Christmas tree set up in our house

(Ceramic trees are a tradition on my side. Thanks mom for getting me one! Now to find the red bells for out side)

Finally! A real tree on December 11th! The smallest I've ever had, and also the most expensive. Menards only had 4 trees left, and they were scrubby. I found one at a nursery. It's from Wisconsin. I miss cutting one down, any size, for $10 in Michigan! Decorating

It is VERY hard to get good pictures of Marlene. Once the camera comes out she gets "funny".

I actually got a bunch of nice pictures of her in the last 24 hours. This one

had help from daddy trying to get a "tickle smile" out of her.

Our Christmas card picture FINALLY taken today.

I didn't think I was going to get them done, but we had a snow day today,

so I got time to organize it.

I was hoping to take a family picture outside the house after siding for our Christmas card...

maybe next year.

We got BUNCHES of snow last night! It is beautiful!

I am very thankful for 4 wheel drive!!

I Will NEVER...

2008-12-19T16:49:00.006-06:00

......wear leggings! No matter how in style they are! My great grandmother may have said, "I'd rather be dead than out of style!" But I'd rather be dead than wear leggings!!!

And, I would definitely NEVER put them on my poor girls!!! (Unless of course they come in handy at school for under skirts, or I completely cave and loose all sound reasoning and decide they may actually be cute, for now)

P.S. they are super comfy....

TGFF 2nd Edition

2008-12-13T22:31:00.004-06:00

Thank God For Friends

(especially the ones who are technically "Equestrian Podiatrists", but also moonlight as plumbers)

Yeah!!! We have a shower!!!

Many thanks to our friends Pete and April Mc Cloud for spending the afternoon/evening with us hooking up our shower. Pete also took the initiative of getting our 2nd toilet set up and running! That's another BIG yeah!! Our mornings should go MUCH smoother now!!

I tried to get a picture of Pete hard at work, but I think his exact words to me were, "Sarah Dagum McCallum!!!! Put that camera away RIGHT NOW or I will undo everything I just spent the last 4 hours installing!!!" No picture was worth that!!!

April on the other hand, though not thrilled about being photographed, is gorgeous and a much better picture to post anyway!

I tried with the camera again while Don and Pete were hanging my OH SO CUTE shower curtain, but had to settle for this shot of Don "breaking in the bathroom". He was pretending, I promise!!!

Too Funny!

2008-12-12T17:50:00.001-06:00

I was just updating my profile photo and after I saved the changes blogger said, "Fetching profile picture." Thank you very much! I'll take all the compliments I can get!

TGFF

2008-12-12T11:21:00.006-06:00

Thank God For Friends!!

(especially friends with showers!)

Okay, I know that sounds SUPER strange, but you gotta understand, showers are one of my all time favorite things, and we are currently limited to sponge bathes and washing our hair in the sink.

I meant to post this yesterday, but the day pretty much spiraled out of control and blogging wasn't on the MUST DO list.

Thursday morning was particularly trying and Sarah's willingness to share her "water closet" with me was the lifeline I needed.

Getting our tub set and plumbed has now become priority #1. That and drywall are on Don's list for the weekend. All the boys need hair cuts and I will not be doing it until I know I can get us all showered afterward. Those cut hairs are itchy for them and me....

We also now have our Christmas tree up and decorated!! The tree makes this place look more homey than ever before! Again, I'll post pictures...later.

Speaking of pictures, you have to check out Sarah's blog. Her Jake and Jesse are fast becoming double trouble. Jesse has spent most of the week with a pair of plaid boxers over the long pants/ long johns I insist he wear. They may be starting a trend...

I WILL NOT be doing shorts over my pants. (of course I said I wouldn't be wearing leggings either... I tried them on yesterday...)

This Could Take Awhile!

2008-12-08T09:50:00.003-06:00

Hey all! I am still here. I am just CONSTANTLY busy!!! I keep wanting to find my camera and USB cord and post some pictures, but..... I barely have time to sit here and type, I'll have to postpone the pictures.

Jesse is healing nicely. Two days after stitches he ended up falling outside and smacked the front of his face. He came up the sidewalk crying, once again with a bloodied face. His stitches were bleeding again, his nose was bleeding, and he had bit his lip, so it was bleeding too. We were both crying!

His nose swelled up as wide as his nostrils. It isn't broken, but try doing errands with a kids whose nose is swollen and black and blue..... It honestly looked like I had punched him!

The McCallum rescue squad rolled into town Tuesday night. Don's mom and dad are here for a week. It has helped soooo much! As I mentioned, there has been too much going on, and when you add to it the fact that every "normal mom job" (dishes, laundry, meals) currently take about 5 more steps, I was swamped!!

Dad has been busy with Don until all hours of the late night/ early morning, and mom has been buffering things around here. She has once again undertaken the dishes, which involves using a dishpan filled with water from the bathroom sink and setting up on the dining room table. She has also been a huge help just being here with the kids when I have to be gone. Menards and grocery runs and buying a vehicle go much faster and are less stressful when I am not responsible for 1-5 kiddos.

Oh, and I've had my first Christmas miracle for this Christmas. Don sold 3 vehicles on Saturday!!!! If you don't know Don well, here's a glimpse: It is SUPER hard for Don to sell anything that may/ may not be useful later and especially a vehicle if he knows he could get more $ for it if he fixed it up a bit.

We were needing to find a vehicle that didn't need work, and had 4 wheel drive before Christmas. We already owned 5 vehicles, each needing some TLC. Long story short, we traded in our

"Old Friend" (the 96 Suburban which has been the best vehicle Don has ever had, it just also does not have 4 wheel drive, it does have over 270,000 miles on it, and it is showing signs of age like things just quit working)
"The Demon" ( the 98 minivan we bought to get us through all the commuting this fall. We thought of selling it to family who needed a vehicle, but I swear the thing is possessed. It keeps having new issues, and we decided it would be better not to sell it to anyone we plan to have an ongoing relationship with.

In exchange the dealership gave us a credit toward our 02' Suburban. It is nice. Rides well, has 4 wheel drive and a remote starter!!!!!

The same day, Saturday, a guy from work made an offer on the 97' Suburban that needs a new engine, AND another guy stopped by and was interested in Don's old pickup that is parked here at the property! We may be a 2 car family soon! I love it!!!

The best part for me is that the vehicles are no longer sitting around as reminders of 1, or 5, more things demanding Don's time and our $. There is already more to do than Don has time for, and I'd dream of the Don can settle in, free from the demands of inanimate objects.

As far as the house goes, last Sunday, the day Jesse smacked his face, we had over 6 tons of drywall to get off a trailer and get it inside. Don and I started on the first pile, and pastor came to help part way thru. (Thanks!!!!) I made a 911 call for help to my brothers Marc, Micah and Aaron. They were on their way when Don discovered the drywall was the wrong size and would have to go back to the lumber yard. It was a relief to not have to "move that mountain", but I felt REALLY badly because I had woke Marc up from his 3-4 hours of sleep and he was most of the way here already. Sorry bubbs!!

Thankfully some friends allowed us to pull the trailer into their machine shed, unloaded it with their skid loader and let the lumber co. leave the other load there.

We have been trying to get the upstairs and 1/2 the basement cleaned out because they insulation is getting blown in today. They are currently working on the upstairs.

One of Don and his dad's first orders of business was to get the fuel burner up and running on the wood stove. (it is duel fuel) With no insulation Don was constantly fueling the fire and we don't have a good wood supply built up yet. We also needed to have it hooked up so we can leave it when we go to Michigan for Christmas.

I think we have sorted thru most of the stuff moved in down here. It's all really piled up right now due to leaving room for the insulation guys.

3 big deals:

I have a stove/oven hooked up. (you can only do so much in the microwave)
I have a washing machine hooked up HERE!!!
The water line to the refrigerator is hooked up, thus I am enjoying ice water again!

Once the insulation is in place we can get our drywaller rolling upstairs!!! Hopefully he will be much quieter! I pretty much have a constant headache due to all the noise upstairs. It can get really noisy down here!!

Us

2008-11-28T14:52:00.003-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

(a little late)

Wow! What a day! After a crash and burn morning, I got to the church at 11 to decorate for our family Thanksgiving.

My grandma and I "hosted" the entire family on my mom's side. It was so nice to see ALL the cousins there at one time. You know, the older everyone gets, the less likely it becomes that you will get everyone in one place.

There 37 of us total. Grandma cooked all the turkey, stuffing and potatoes and gravy. Each family was assigned a dish, or food group, to bring for everyone. I think it worked out well.

There was plenty to eat, and everyone enjoyed themselves.

Grandma brought games, we sang a couple of songs, and my brother Stephen gave a short devotional on "In everything give thanks".

Fast forward to about 6pm: We had just landed at home when Jesse's screams pierced thru our basement dwelling. We didn't jump up right away, because each of our kids tend to be over dramatic, but Homer's, "Come quick! There's blood all over!" got us hopping.

Long story short, Jesse's forehead connected with a dresser corner, and as with any head wound it looked like he was an actor in a horror flick. He literally had blood covering most of his face and dripping off his chin.

We got him to a sink, found the wound, and decided stitches were needed. I thought I could go it alone, so I took off with Jesse, now settled, with a wet towel and ice pack on his head. (Marlene was already cleaning the trail he'd left on the floor. Bless her heart!)

I did say this was the short version didn't I?!! Well, urgent care wasn't open, I missed the hospital exit, and ER was terribly slow. I have had times I've taken a kid in with a head wound but it had healed too much already and they just sent us home. I REALLY didn't want that to happen after I had driven all that way.

By the by, Jesse was totally calm and chatting the whole time. The bleeding had pretty much stopped. He started to get quiet when the nurse came in with a big blanket to "ca coon" him, and he outright refused to answer if it was numb or not after them began.

It took 3 of us to hold him still, he's the wormiest of my 5, and they poked him 8 times to anaesthetise the area. This started the bleeding again BIG time, and he still only tolerated one of the two stitches they gave him. He screamed and fought the whole way thru the second stitch. ( note to self, Don HAS to deal with Jesse and stitches. I was almost ready to bawl myself.)

He glared at the lot of us after it was all done, and wouldn't even pick out what color band aid he wanted. He did shake his head when I picked orange. So he ended up with yellow.

Jesse was promised ice cream when it was all done. Of course everyone is closed for Thanksgiving, but we did find a gas station and bought some ice cream bars for all. Jesse has been doing great ever since.

Oh! And I found the Mint M&Ms at the gas station. All's well that ends well!

P.S.

I have a bunch of pictures I want to post, but the camera's battery is dead, and like pretty much everything else around here, I can't find it!

2008-11-25T21:24:00.002-06:00

We are back online!!!! So, I am now re-connected with the WWW, and my local phone #. I will however be gone all day tomorrow with the kids to Pizza Hut and on a much needed shopping trip. So you will still have to call my cell phone!

2008-11-21T10:07:00.002-06:00

We Are....

still packing

loving our new nephew

thankful for all the help with kids, food, packing

visiting the chiropractor frequently

taking meds for shoulder problems

completely overwhelmed

carried by God and the prayers of friends and family

We Are Not...

Quite moved in yet

pain free

(I) able to lift boxes, or anything for that matter

hooked up with a phone or Internet inside the house

getting things done at OUR house

Too Much...

2008-11-18T09:30:00.002-06:00

Too much to do. Too much to post. Too much to comprehend. So little time!

My most recent chance at a niece up and decided to grow "external plumbing". I can't wait to meet Benjamin David!
Today is the 18th anniversary of my Granny's death.
Last night was our first in our house.
So much clutter left to pack and clean here at the rental.
Phone will switch locations, same #, but the phone line wont be run in the house until tonight at the earliest.
The FLT Weekend to Remember was great! So many prayers answered. So much spiritual attack. So many marriages strengthened. So many realities to head back into at each home. Another in our area this coming weekend.
Nerve getting rubbed on in my neck

Is It Murphy, or Is It God?

2008-11-12T11:28:00.001-06:00

I need to pack for our move.
I need to pack for our Weekend to Remember
One sister in law has a birthday tomorrow
The other is fully pregant and has a baby wanting a birthday ASAP.
I am falling prey to a sinus infection and can't even get up to heat my own rice pack....

Contained

2008-11-10T22:04:00.002-06:00

Those who know me best, know well that my house is never exactly "clean". At most, after hours of sorting, cleaning, and picking up, my house is contained.

This is the case today and I am glad. We haven't even been able to boast containment for quite some time. Even better is the fact that I can say BOTH houses are "contained".

I have a new friend who has NO junk drawers in her house. "Sigh" It must be nice! EVERY drawer in my house is a junk drawer!

Don't get me wrong, I do try to keep up with the germ removal type cleaning. I'm just not one to make a place for everything. Well... I may be that person, I'm just NOT the person to actually GET it to it's place.

After literally weeks of sorting and packing most of the house is ready for our move, and I am actually able to see floors, tables, counter tops and the like.

The small "island" in our kitchen/dining room is another story all together. I HATE PAPER!!! This his where every thing lands: keys, school papers, receipts, bills, Kleenex, articles I am sure I will have time to read later.

I think I am going to need another day of cleaning just for filing papers!

There is the basement to pack and clean too.... I shudder at the thought.....Pray for the rapture!

Today I...

2008-11-08T22:37:00.004-06:00

spent the day with my family at OUR house
cooked a meal at OUR house (Chicken noodle soup and grilled cheese)
took a nap in my chair at OUR house
watched a movie, read a book, and played games with the kids at OUR house
learned to solder copper pipes
soldered pipes needed to hook up the water inside OUR house
wished I had brought a tee shirt because it was so warm inside OUR house
Praise God He is beside me no matter where I am

There is still an overwhelming list of things needing to be accomplished. I can't wait to see the pole barn finished and trim and siding on the house! It could be a way off yet. I'm struggling with that. There are just so many other things needing to come first.

Two of my brothers blessed us by helping Friday night and Saturday. Don's boss continues to plug away at the electrical.

I found the boot tub, but so had the mice. They used it for a home for quite some time. I am not sure how to ( or if I have the stomach to) clean them up, they smell REALLY bad!

Who Ordered The Snow?!!!

2008-11-07T08:39:00.003-06:00

Unlike others, I am not thrilled. Don got in after 1AM, so we didn't get up until the kid's alarm clocks sounded. My first clue it had snowed was Jon's sharp intake of breath, and exclaiming, "Cool!" as I heard him pass the hall window.

My to do list is now set for me.

Go to property
Dig into the farthest corner of the small storage room
Find boots tub
Find hats and gloves tub
Find snow pants tub
Take them to school

I do actually enjoy the ambiance of snow. I was just really praying for another mid 60s for the next 8 days.

Don did get the heat going last night! I won't be freezing while I search!

Between cutting lumber (smells like cutting down a Christmas tree) Starting the wood stove (smells cozy) and the snow, I'm having a hard time keeping in the Grinch spirit!

Bring on the peppermint coffee!!