Getting ready for Christmas

Where does the time go? I can't believe today is November 29th! It seems like yesterday was Halloween. I have not been making very good use of my time lately. I have been reading "Don't make me count to three" by Ginger Plowman in the little free time I have. That book is AMAZING! I 'm sure everyone reading this already has it, but if you don't, I encourage you to get it. When I read it before I didn't really study it like I am now and let me tell you that bringing yourself to truth and your child really works! Just seeing my own sin in wanting Blase to behave a certain is eye opening. I think I finally get what is means to get to the heart of your child. Although I still have plenty of moments, I am trying to train him and myself in righteousness.

I started decorating for Christmas and I had to blog about my dollar store finds. I bought the balls and ribbon at the dollar store and I just thought they were adorable! My mom came over and helped me turn my pine garlane into Martha Stewart garland. My tree is full of ornaments from Doug's mom. They were on his trees growing up. I always think they look so pretty. I am trying to get my Christmas cards done and I am very excited about them. I just wish my eyes would stay open past 8:00! I am going to blog later with some new pictures of the boys and Blase wants to blog about his Christmas tree. Love to you all, and are a couple of my favorite people coming to Michigan, or is that just a rumor? You know who you are....CALL ME!

Developing a sound mind.

I can't believe how long it has been since I last blogged. I want to do it a little more,maybe as Harrison gets bigger. Blase has been sick for about 8 days. He has allergies and a sinus infection. He ran a fever last Sunday and has been sick ever since. He got an antibiotic on Friday, developed another fever Saturday and ran one all Sunday! Needless to say I have been doing lots and lots of laundry...you know boys, can' t find a tissue use you shirt, blanket your baby brother's sleeve. Plus on Saturday Harrison started getting yeast in the cracks of his legs and up his belly. He gets it in his leg cracks because it is always moist in there and it just spread up his belly. It looks better today. I have only been to the doctor, pharmacy and grocery store in 8 says I am ready to get out of the house. This weekend I have once again started studying my overcoming fear. worry and anxiety book by Elyse Fitzpatrick. Every time I read this book I do the questions at the end of each chapter in my journal. I am always grateful for how this book points me to truth. This time when I was reading, something I had not paid much attention to before really got to me.
Elyse was telling about a blip from the book the hiding place when a baby had died and Corrie was realizing it was possible for anyone to die, even her own beloved father."you can't die!You can't" she sobbed. This is how she described her father's response to her fear: Father sat down on the edge of the narrow bed. "Corrie," he began gently,
"when you and I go to Amsterdam-when do I give you your ticket?"
I sniffed a few times, considering this. "Why, just before we get on the train."
"Exactly. And our wise Father in heaven knows when we're going to need things too. Don't run ahead of Him, Corrie. When the time comes that some of us will have to die, you will look into your heart and find the strength you need- just in time."
Elyse goes on to say that Corrie's father was teaching her whatever difficulty comes your way then and only then will you have the strength to live through it. She also says over the years she has had to remind herself she doesn't need the"ticket"of God's strength and grace for a train that hasn't or may never arrive. The only ticket she needs is for the train she is to board right now and God has promised to provide that ticket for me when she needs it. "I will never leave you nor forsake you," He has said to us(Hebrew 13:5nkjv). That means that He'll be there , holding our hand, no matter what train he has called into the station. She writes that fear that exists in our imagination is a formidable foe. But it can be put to death by the Spirit and faith. This book also includes this portion from Charles Spurgeon's sermon on needless fears and this is what it says:
...........many of God's people are constantly under apprehensions of calamities which will never occur to them, and they suffer far more in merely dreading them than they would have to endure if they actually came upon them. In their imaginations, there are rivers in their way, and they are anxious to know how they shall wade through them, or swim across them. There are no such rivers in existence, but they are agitated and distressed about them....these timid people are continually crossing bridges that only exist in their...fancies. They stab themselves with daggers, they starve themselves in imaginary famines, and even bury themselves in imaginary graves......
She then writes about how we need to discipline our thoughts and we need to begin to see how sinful imagination feed our fears.
All that middle stuff was taken directly from the book. Which is awesome a must read!
I think many of us can relate to this in some way.Having a sound mind and thought life is hard. I spend so much time thinking of what might happen I forget to enjoy what is happening now. In realizing how selfish I am, my prayer is to trust God with everything, my husband's life. my boys life, and my own. Why do I feel I can only trust him with certain things? God is getting to something much deeper in me and I know this. I just feel so encouraged to have the simple truth that my life is in God's hands, not my own like I tend to think. The hairs on my head are numbered and I am fearfully and wonderfully made! Psalm 139:17-18. How precious to me are you thoughts , O God!How vast is the sum of them?Were I to count them they would outnumber the grains of sand. This is amazing and awesome truth! So today in my desire to develop a sound mind and discipline my thoughts, I have decided to enjoy this one life, my family,church, books etc....as I prepare for my heavenly home. I am so thankful to be a wife and mother and I am so thankful to share what is going on in my life with all of you!

Halloween Walk 2007

Today was the annual Halloween walk. We took the boys Blase's dear friend Aiden. My Dad met us and walked us. It was so much fun because we don't get to see my Dad that often, and now that he is moving in a few short months, we are taking every opportunity to spend time with him. He is such a wonderful Dad and so much fun to be with. I am so thankful to be his daughter and friend.

Well, Blase was a bumblebee and Harrison was a duck. Aiden was the black spider man. Our costumes were 18.00 and were very warm. Blase will trick or treat as an Army guy for Halloween....I hope. I guess I don't really care what he is. I ran into a friend from high school that I had not seen in 11 years! She lives here in we are going to get together. Blase was bored 1o minutes into the trick or treating and sat down in the middle of the sidewalk with his bag of candy! He is so funny and I see myself in him so much that it is scary. He would rather eat the 7 pieces of candy he has instead of waking around and getting more. When we were done Dad left, we had pizza and Blase and Aiden colored for probably an hour and a half. When Michelle picked him up we were sad to see him go. God has blessed us with them for friends. Love to you all and have a great weekend!

Family Fun!

Finally a nice enough day to get outside! There won't be many more of these. Today was a beautiful day so we went for a nature walk and snapped some family photos. Our first one with the four of us. I hope they aren't too blurry! We have been inside a lot this week due to rain and I have been fighting sinus stuff. Today I actually don't have a sore throat for the first time in a week. We had so much fun on this outing. There are so many pretty spots here. This place is like 3 miles from our house, there are rapids and tons of trails. My friend Michelle and her kids went with us. The boys took their shirts off at the end because it was like 75 degrees. Yesterday was sweetest day and at 8:30 last night Doug gave me a Ipod Nano or is it a Nano Ipod? Either way I was very surprised! I think I cried for twenty minutes. With it he bought me a nike running chip that goes in my shoe and part of it goes in the ipod. It is a program for walking and running. I have been really trying to shed the baby weight and it is so hard, but now I can run listening to music, sermons etc... I think. I still have to open it and find out what it does exactly. See in the morning, we said happy sweetest day to one another and no gifts were exchanged. He called me about ten minutes after he left for work and said,"I love you so much ...Happy sweetest day!" I thought that was the greatest thing in the world because no matter how many times we hear I love you, a gesture so small is very special. I adore Doug and everyday I am provoked by his willingness to always serve me, even when he might not want to. He is my number one. It was a great end to a busy week. Tomorrow Harrison is five months old, where does the time go? Blase is loving school and got his first progress report. He is doing very well for being the youngest in the class. I am so thankful God provided a way for us to send him to school. He is going to the pumpkin patch on Thursday and is very excited about it. Hope everyone had a good weeekend! Love you all.

Kim's having a baby

I have no pictures this morning, only words of encouragement to my best friend Kimberly Kay. Today Kim is being induced to have her first baby....a Girl! I remember the excitement and nervousness I had when I went to the hospital to be induced with Blase. Kim, this has been a season of many ups and downs, but I have seen God hold you in his arms. Marriage in December, the loss of your dear brother Ryan in May, and now your first baby! Without hope in God, I don't think a family could make it through. The only answer to all of this is trusting in God's sovereignty. We have to trust in that. Well, today I am not only praying for a speedy delivery,but some much needed peace! One time my sister Erica shared this verse with me and I still repeat it... four years later! Psalm56:3-4When I am afraid I will trust in you. In God whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. Today Kim begins a new season...the season of motherhood. In a short time you and Chris will experience loving a sweet little face, more than anything in the world! There is nothing like what you will feel. There is no words to describe being a parent. I love you dear Kim and we are all praying for you and baby girl Hasty!

Hair do

Just happened to see this girl in a mag and I wasnt her hair! She is on tv so I got in luck and took a picture of it. Doug likes me better in layers. Does anyone think this is cute? I need a new do like I need a hole in the head! Well I think I am going to do it next. Who watches tv for a hair do? Who takes pictures of a tv screen? If you don't got good hair ya ain't got nuttin!HAHAHAHA

Our week

What a week! Doug and I had our first dinner ALONE since August 2006! A date night which should be done at least once a week, we never do! Well that is all going to change because we had way too much fun. Doug being the gem he is always tries to get me to go out, but for whatever reason we just don't. We went to a little Italian place down the road...food was gross company was great! So not only was it a fantastic time, but it revived me! I guess I just got lost along the way and started putting the kids first. I am sure this happens to everybody,you get in a rut new baby same old same old and I'm sure that is a lot of cause for divorce. Well I will try to not let that happen again. I love him so much and am so thankful for him. He is just a blessing everyday. I am so thankful God blessed me with him. He is always there to encourage, and not only be my husband but my friend. Thank you Lord truly for Doug. He is wrapping up his 8th golf season and was very busy this week. When is he not busy? God blessed me with a husband who is a faithful, diligent worker. I have been at home with the kids and really lonely. I could never do this job on my own. I take for granted how great it is to see his green truck pull in at 3:30 and Blase running out to greet him. He will scoop him up and I am usually done for the day! There is nothing better than to look out the window and see Doug playing in the sandbox with Blase. Holding Harrison while watering my flowers,and watching Blase ride his bike make my heart melt. I am so thankful for our special time together and Doug I know I don't say it enough, but I love you and am so encouraged everyday by you. You are amazing and I can't wait for our next date night..which will not be in another 12 months! I was thinking Monday. So with all of our alone time this week Base and I decided to make a spider cake. We have a Better Homes and Gardens Halloween book and I let Blase choose the cake. It was really a fun thing for us to do. Now the cake did not turn out to be like the magazine...I never said I was like Billie Stewart(the other Martha, or perhaps better than.) It was special to do something alone with Blase. He is going to choose another project today. We also decorated our yard which was fun. I like the more Harvesty decorations, but I do put up some other things. I found the scarecrow bows at Meijer and I put them on all my lights out front. We are only missing hay bales, pumpkins, and corn which we will get this weekend. We are supposed to go to Amon orchards. The Lord is so faithful to me because I am struggling this week with not being by family and just with mundane everyday life. I know not being able to be close to family is not everything, but to me it is. God has been showing me that he is near and that although this is a tough season he is my refuge and with me every step of the way. In the midst of constant correction, anger ,bitterness, sorrow joy love and laughter, he has always been faithful. I love all of you so much and hope you have a great weekend! If there are any spelling errors sorry. I am holding Harrison hunting and pecking and just being thankful for EVERDAY LIFE! I forgot to tell the strry of Blase and Harrison laughing. I was preparing dinner and I hear Blase laughing and Harrison squeling in delight. I look over and ask'"What is so Funny?" Blase says," Harrison is biting me momma and I like it!" "Let me see," and I am so glad he did! They were having a grand ol' time with Harrison sucking Blase's nose! IT was digustingly funny and I laughed so hard.