Abundant Answers

Since we moved here, I have been praying that God would send me some godly girlfriends (since I had to leave all of mine at home). I prayed this daily expecting His answer to come just ANYTIME now. There were people I met that I knew would be "surface" friends. People that you enjoy talking to, but knowing it won't ever go deeper than chit-chat. I was asking Him for a forever friend. Someone that will pray with me, rejoice with me, cry with me, and I with her. Someone that will forever be etched in my heart so that even though miles may separate us, we will still be the best of friends. Well, He delivered. Let me tell you about my new friend. And the circumstances surrounding it all.

Class let out an hour early to my utter amazement, so I was skipping along (most literally) to pick up the girlies from childcare. I got the littles and was headed to the gym for Gracie. I got lost (typical I know ugh!!), and somehow ended up at the door with another woman who was picking up her children. I had noticed this lady in class that night. She was a beautiful woman. I recall seeing her, thinking that, and thinking that she had the most interested peaceful look about her. It was like there was a spotlight on her and my eyes kept being drawn to her. Well, anyway, we ran into one another and started talking (you know how I like to talk). It turns out that she homeschools too. And she has 4 kiddos the same ages as mine. She described my conversation with Cameron the night before about being lonely and never seeing the husband because of work and studying. I couldn't believe she had said the words, the same words, that I had uttered in frustration just the night before! We exchanged numbers after visiting for an HOUR outside while our kids played tag. Or rather dragged each other through the grass. But whatever. They were playing and giggling. She called me the next day. To ask a question, to talk. To just be friendly. And she told me this... (I am paraphrasing, but you'll get the point)

"I was telling my Mama (she is a southern gal) that I wanted a friend. A forever friend. They keep tellin' us that we will make friends here that will last our lifetime, but I just haven't found that! So My Mama told me she would pray, and Tuesday mornin, she called me and told me it was in the works. That God was goin to send me that friend. Then I met you Tuesday night. My Mama is gonna get a kick out of this!" ( You MUST read all of that with a southern accent and say no g's. She has the most darling accent...)

THEN, on Friday, I met with some homeschool Moms. We had a great time visiting, and I met them (kind of) at a Pioneer Day Saturday. More friends.

THEN, on Sunday, when I dropped the girls in their classes, the lady who checked them in looked familiar. Turns out she went to ASU in San Angelo and was good friends with one of my friends. I have been on her blog and she mine. Small world. And another friend.

So, this week, to battle the lonliness that I am sure God is sick of hearing about, I have PLANS!! Today I walked with my friend Emily. I adore her. She is too too sweet. Tuesday, lunch with Chasity (my southern friend). Wednesday (my Birthday!!) the Pumpkin Patch with Chasity. Thursday, Homeschool Day at the Zoo with, you guessed it, Chasity. Friday, another walk with Emily. And I think that is all. But that is a lot!! I am excited and a smidge overwhelmed! God is just so happy I feel to give me the desires of my heart. And I LOVE recognizing His answers. All too often I forget to look around and truly recognize...

uh-oh

Gracie is writing in her journal, and she just asked me how to spell "thu...like "thu cupcake is yummy"...I just looked at her with a stupid expression on my face and said "the?" And her reply, "no. thU." Oh dear.

hmmm

There is NOTHING, and I repeat, nothing going on around here. I just wanted to let you all know that I am still here. Still alive. :)

Missionaries. To China.

I have been holding out. Sitting on a great big vat of information. Trying to digest it. Trying to embrace it. Trying to stop crying about it. Darn it! Speaking of crying. Let me go off on a little rabbit chase. Do y'all cry? I mean, daily? okay. More than once a day? Because I am like a leaky faucet. I CANNOT stop crying. I cry at commercials. I cry when Gracie draws a picture and writes a sentence to go with it. There is no possible way for me to sit through church without doing it. In fact, I seriously must think about an unrelated subject during worship because the flow of tears wants to come so heavily. And dropping my kids off to nursery. Umm...yeah. They bawl, and that makes it harder, but even Gracie. Who walks in happily. It makes me cry. I just can't stop the tears! Is it normal? Or is it like that woman who farts all alone? Or whatever that story is...

Okay. Back to the topic at hand. My withholding of vital earth shaking information. I will just come out and say it. Well, in a minute, but seriously. You can read the title and figure it out. I have to say that our news has NOT been met with belief or really much support. We have been told that it is just emotional. That it will go away. That this is his first semester. Now, don't think I haven't thought these things. Because I have. But what I need right now is comfort. I need people to pray with me, to cry with me. To believe in us. Because, frankly, the very last thing I want to do is live in another country. This decision...oh. hehehe. I didn't tell you. Cameron surrendered into missions. And he specifically feels led towards China. There. That is the news. And this decision hasn't come lightly or easily. In fact, the very first time I told Jesus that I would not be a missionary was when I was 10. When I felt this fear that He would ask me to go and tell people. And I didn't want to! I don't wanna leave my family. I told Him I would do anything else. But not that. Well. harumph! Looks like I felt that fear and should have listened to it, prayed about it, and accepted it. Funny I remember telling Him that. When will I learn to stop "telling" Him things! Geez...

Anywho. That is the news. We will stay here and finish school, pray about it for the next 3 years (try to make it go away lol), then follow wherever He leads. In the meantime, I am running. I mean literally running. About a mile a day (I will DIE if I go further than that). I use that time to pray. To talk to Him. Not that I don't do that all day. But there is something about running a race with myself while asking Him to help me run the race He has set before me. Some...connection. And I feel good when I get done. I feel great actually! Because, if I am honest and truthful with you, I will have to admit that this move is getting me. That COULD be the reason for the tears. This is hard. A lot more difficult than I ever imagined it being. I am lonely, terrified, and fighting a spiritual battle that is more fierce than anything I have ever faced. I feel Satan trying to rip my marriage to shreds. He tries to come inside in the weak spots and make those bigger. So, we have to keep the weak spots strong (see? he doesn't even realize he is pointing out those weak spots to me). I feel him causing doubts and fears. I feel him telling me lies. It is fierce people. Fierce! But you know what that tells me? It tells me that we are where we are supposed to be. It tells me that we have a great work ahead of us, or he wouldn't care a lick about us. So yeah. There you go. I am going to be a missionary. eek!!

Beauty...in a muffin

Cinnamon, nutmeg, pecans, crumb topping, toasted marshmallows...and sweet potatoes. They are good I tell you. Moist, kind of dense (but not too much so), and deliciously fall smelling. My dear husband and all the children wouldn't touch them. I have NO idea why. Perhaps the image of my peeling and slicing a sweet potato early this morning turned them off of a sweet new experience...

Ahem...yes. you see it correctly

While I was slaving over homemade bread for dinner, Gracie was out teaching herself how to ride sans trainers. I couldn't believe it!! The little smarty "borrowed" a neighbor boy's bike (he is THREE Mama and he can ride with no training wheels!), and she rode it! With no help at all! So, Cam came home and took the training wheels off of Faith's bike for Gracie to ride. She hasn't fallen yet! Yippee!

Dinner

I am going to add the little sidebar thing with our menu on it. I really hope you follow my lead, because I need ideas!! I feel like we eat the same things with a slight variation. So, here it is. Maybe I will be more disciplined to make my menu if I know there are people watching it. lol

Pillow Case Dresses

I really just want you to look at the look of ornery on Ellie's face...


Mush (my Grandma in love) made the girls the most darling dresses! We received them yesterday, which is always a treat!, and the girlies promptly fell in love with them. Here are some sweet pictures of them...

Mrs. Suzy Curtain Maker

in the kitchen
above the washer and dryer
more context...excuse the clutter

I made curtains! For the first time ever in my life! A sweet friend gave me some vintage tablecloths, and I cut them, patched them together, hemmed, ironed, and hung. It was NOT easy. It took me forever if I am honest. Some of the fabric was then and stretchy (like gauze) and ummm....yeah. That wasn't fun. But I love how they turned out! They are sunny, happy, and match my Fiestaware just beautifully!

That Day

Two blogger buddies have asked what we were doing that day, and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to read about them, so I thought I would share...



That day, seven years ago, was the last time my parents saw my daughter. We were loading up my car to head back to Fort Worth where we lived. It was just me and Chloe. My mom called to us from the living room that the twin towers had just been struck by an airplane. I thought, surely not, she must have heard that wrong! So I slowly walked in there, thinking not a big deal, and looked over just as the second plane hit. It was horrific. My husband called and said they had been locked in their buildings on high alert (he worked very close to DFW airport). I was frantic to get home to him! My Dad tried to talk me out of it, saying that it was too dangerous to be there. But I didn't listen. I went. So I was driving home--Chloe in the front seat (unthinkable I know!!) because I wanted to see her precious face. Because she was with me while all those people were under buildings. We were safe. We were together. Little did I know, this was the start of the most awful week in my life...

Faith's Fun with Scissors

Check out the baby blues and freckles!
Look behind the ear. And all the hair that looks like bangs? yep. not bangs

Last week Faith got hold of the scissors. She didn't do MAJOR damage and where she did cut her hair, it falls nicely behind her ears. Thank goodness! So, Gracie had her super cute Webkins pencil bag (Thanks Auntie Shawna) on the table while she was writing in her journal when Faith decided to get her scissors. She began cutting her hair, and Gracie "told her not to" but watched her do the damage. I was upstairs. This was recounted to me by the sweet big Sister who would NEVER ever do this to herself. But I'm sure she got a big kick out of watching Faith do it, just thinking about how much trouble she would be in (can't you see the sisterly gleam in the eye?)and how Gracie will appear to be the perfect child afterwards. Anyway, Mama and Daddy, here are the pictures. They aren't great, and you can't see the place where she actually cut to the scalp...hehehe...but we will when it starts to grow!!

Ta-Da!

Update

Well, I did my presentation last night...it went well. I have seriously never been that nervous in my entire life!! I went first. There were 8 of us. Let's just say I am glad I went first! Anyway, it is done. over. never to be repeated.

My neighbor's sister is having a baby this morning. She was induced early early today. The baby fever is hitting me, people!! This is pretty much the first time I have had a toddler and not had another one on the way. It is such a new feeling! hehehe So, the new Daddy promised to bring that little girl over here as soon as they leave the hospital to come pick up their other daughter (who is staying with my neighbor). I cannot wait!!

Class last night was such a blessing. I am learning things I never knew about being a woman. About God's divine design for us. It is edifying (for I am doing some things right!) and also challenging. We are in a season of life that is hard to explain, but it is much much harder than I ever expected it to be. We are in Gods will, and I find great comfort in that, but because of what we are working towards, I can feel Satan trying to tear us apart. Trying to put doubts in our minds. Trying to give us roadblocks too big to cross. We have to be on our toes, spiritually solid, and prayed up. Tears are commonplace around here. I think my quota of tears around here is 4 times daily. I excell. I blow that quota out of the water! :) But seriously, your prayers are coveted. We need you all to lift us up to the throne room every single time we cross your hearts!!

I love you guys!

Roasted Chicken and an ID

I successfully cooked a whole chicken today. For the first time. I roasted it in my oven with beer and limes. It was delicious!! I was told by Ms. Picky that it was the best chicken EVER and could we have it every day please?! Surprise Surprise. However, my beautiful chicken did not come without pains. I bought and paid for my chicken and the beer (Because I have never purchased alcohol before, I was carded for the first time in my 27 years. I was so surprised that I said something to the cashier to which she was shocked and said she didn't see that everyday!) Anyway, I got home and went to put the chicken in warm water to thaw when the dumb thing went missing! It was on my receipt, but not in my home or my car. Guess where it was. On that dumb little turny thing at the grocery store. I had to go BACK to the devil store to get my stupid chicken. UGH UGH UGH But isn't she pretty?? And by the way, it was disgusting to touch and to turn and to peel off the bone and to get the leftovers. That is just nasty. It should be a man's job. gross.

This evening I decided to make some fun little barrettes for the girlies with their names on them. I saw them online when I was trying to replace Faith's personalized barrette that she said she left in the library. She didn't. I found it AFTER I bought the stuff to make these. But they turned ou really cute, and the girls love them! So yay for crafty me!! :) I also sewed some curtains. I will post a picture after I hem, iron, and hang them. Tomorrow maybe...

Fun Fun Fun

Bryan and Shanna and their kiddos came for the weekend, and it was such a sweet sweet welcome to have family in our home! We had a fun time of fellowship and celebration (it was Bryan's birthday). The guys got some new cool tattoos to mark Bryan turning 30, and Shanna got her nose pierced! People are going to think we corrupted them or something! lol

Cambry is here for the week, and the girls are having a blast! They had their first life lesson in gossip today. A little girl around here was being not so nice yesterday (typical girly stuff), and Gracie and Cambry told another little girl all about it. That little girl then ran straight to the girl they were talking about and told her that they hated her (such strong words for little people!). So, Gracie and Cambry were not feeling so great. You know the feeling. The one that tells you you have been baaaaaad and are about to be caught...They came to me crying, and I, being the mean Mama I am, made them go right back outside and apologize. They had to admit they were wrong and apologize to the little girl they were gossiping about. She was very forgiving, and it all ended with a sweet hug and smiles and giggles and everything was happy. But my littles still learned that oh so important message about gossiping. Hopefully the embarassment, hurt, and feeling of dread will stop them next time. I should have washed their mouths out with soap!! hehehe Next time I will do that. :)

We had school this morning (yes I KNOW it is a holiday, but we take the whole month of December off, so we don't skip for other holidays...we did learn about Labor Day and do a project though), and I am love love loving this curriculum. Some things aren't challenging enough, and I tweak them a bit, but overall, it is a LOT of fun. Cambry joined in and she even had a fun time with it. Then, get ready for it. We went and flew kites!! It has been a long time since I did that, and I must say, those little dollar kites are pieces of c-r-a-p. Two of the three ended up broken, but the wind was perfect and the girls had a blast with it anyway!

And to top off the drama of the afternoon, Gracie and Cambry were on a mission to stop the boys next door from doing harm to the poor squirrels. So they stood watch over the squirrel tree and griped at the boys long enough that they finally gave up. Poor guys. they never stood a chance!