LIFE KEEPS MOVING ALONG...

Cannot imagine it is almost Thanksgiving!! I have found some peace in knowing the holiday is pretty much all about giving thanks and eating!!! So, we can share our heart of thanks without much preparation and food is always about! I need to gear up for Black Friday shopping...not sure I want to head out but always get inspired when the day finally rolls around. In less than two weeks our Christmas tree will be up and the joys of celebrating Jesus' birth with literally be all around me in my home. Kevin has begun hanging Christmas lights as of yesterday and his schedule is filling up fast. I love that Christmas ends the year -- I suppose it has always distracted my mind from the fact that yet another year has passed me by. Don't get me wrong, I look forward to heaven with much anticipation for many reasons but the Lord has blessed my life in such incredible ways. I am reminded that each day is a gift...an INCREDIBLE gift! This is just one thing that I am thankful for!!

What are you thankful for?!

Memorial Day Weekend

We had a blast Memorial Day weekend! Friday night had friends over and stayed up entirely too late!! You'd think we would pay attention to time with 8 children between the two families!! Saturday afternoon we met some friends at their land and got to ride horses, go for hay ride, shoot guns, fish, pick wild blackberries, roast marshmallows and make s'mores!! Way too much fun for me!! Huge Blessing!! The kids were wiped out!

Sunday was church and all three children went home with Gammie and Papa...wow! Kevin and I made a day of work out rather than follow the command to rest and finished the day eating chips with homemade salsa and watching the finale of Lost.

Finally, Monday we had GG, Gammie and Papa over for bbq and they returned the children! After they went home, the kids headed back outside for more fun on the slip 'n slide. Not sure how the video clip got turned sideways, but it was worth another watch to me!! We need weekends like this more often!

Happy 6th Birthday Preston!!

Wow!! How does life carry me along so swiftly! How do I allow such "major" milestones to come and go like another something to check off? My son Preston turned 6 years old...when did he get to be six years old?? I feel like I have missed about five years of his life and they are completely over!! Must review pictures...must enjoy him being a little boy and still wanting "Mama" when life hurts. Oh dear...

His 6th birthday was celebrated first with cousins from Minnesota and his Aunt Theresa (my sister) and Uncle Malcolm and soon to follow with several emails/phonecalls. What a joy and blessing! Thank You, Lord! I am hoping the sweetness of that day just might get the Oatmans to think of moving closer to us!! Warroad, Minnesota (Canadian boarder) just doesn't have much to offer but boy o' boy we would love to be closer to all of them!!

We then had more celebration with a few friends over to decorate cupcakes (yes, Susan, my floors have yet to be cleaned!!) and enjoy the afternoon playing Wii -- Batman and Star Wars . I'm not so sure anything else would have been as much fun. I know Preston felt super special and that is all that needed to happen on this particular day. Big thanks to Blake, Sarah, Mary Beth, Sydney and Mrs. Susan!! Biggest thanks to Jesus!!

So...he turned six and a few days later lost his first tooth. We had quite a week! And to top it all off the tooth fairy was running late...how does a parent sooth a six year old that just lost his first tooth that the tooth fairy just must be running late? Acckkk!!! He handled it like a champ!!

Plan "B"

Kids really are hysterical!! Like today, Brooke comes to me shaking her head with a comb stuck at the roots of the top of her head. She said she was trying to curl her hair...oh dear! Daddy to the rescue...should have gotten a picture! Thankfully, we saved most of the hair but the comb was destroyed in the process of removing it from the glitches of her roots!! :)

Anyway, it really is funny after the fact...my point...we had some friends over last week that played outdoors for a good part of the day and really wanted to run through the sprinkler but I was unconvinced it was really warm enough for that. After a few moments of silence, they returned with "Plan B"! Since they were not able to play in the sprinklers, could we "use the bath tub as a pool and play with swimsuits on?"!! It really seemed harmless and actually a push on me to get my bathroom floors cleaned -- fully aware that much water would be left on the floor. They were tickled when the answer was positive. Cracks me up!! As an adult person, how much fun is THAT?? Girls went first. Then the boys...good plan since the boys definately left a bigger puddle than the girls. THANK YOU, GIRLS!! :)

This Rollercoaster LIfe

Wow! Such an amazing past week or so. Rollercoaster-like. Friends hurting from miscarriages, children having surgeries, friends/family preparing for marriage, family pets dying, babies being born, simple heart hurts from missing mom/dad. Financially pulling resources together to move forward with missions planning. Then the even simpler events that bring such joy and sadness, i.e., going to the zoo, playing at the park, pictures in Texas blue bonnets, playing Wii with a good friend, falling on a bike and scraping knees or just simply being so tired you fall over and knock your head on the corner of a chair. Seriously, how does one move forward without knowing God is in control? ...giving God the glory and praise for new life? We must trust Him with our most precious pieces of life!! I have witnessed amazing strength and bravery. Thank you, Jesus, that You are who you are and give me strength during the rollercoaster days of life and joy in the morning to sing praises for the bountiful blessing!