A Heavenly Discussion

As we were driving to work today, Evan spoke up and said, "Mommy? When I die I want to be buried with my legos. They are my favorite toy!

Emily then said, "Mommy? ... When I die, I want to be buried with my LEGS so that I can walk on the streets of gold in heaven... Okay? You have to make sure. Because it's so hard to walk with broken legs.

Ironical

I'm in Hawaii. And, yes, for those of you who care, I'm having a great time! Hawaii is pretty much our second home. We come here to get away from the every day business that we live in. And, yes, we love the every day part... it's just nice to get away at times -- as YOU do as well, I'm sure. But the last thing anyone really wants to hear about is someone elses amazing vacation sitting on the beach sipping on pina coladas, having every meal at a 5 star restaurant, never making your bed, driving around in your dream car, and living it up, while you are stuck surrounded by laundry and screaming children -- or the every day mundane process we all endure...work.
Therefore, I will once again write about what I found funny -- or IRONICAL...
Before we left I was really rather calm. I had everything organized -- toilets cleaned, laundry folded and put away, the fish and dog delivered to the "animal sitter," arrangements and things in order for the house sitter, etc. All was well!
...Until my pinky toe stumbled over my suitcase that was sitting in the middle of the floor waiting for the trip. It hurt. I won't lie, but I had to move on. I continued at lightning speed. Getting every little item we would need. As I was making one final sweep past my luggage, my pinky toe yet again met the wheel. I screamed and hit the floor. Let me tell you the "Hallelujah Chorus" was NOT coming out of my mouth. I'm sure I said a few words that I consider to be "unmentionables" and I do apologize. But, indeed, it looked and felt as though my toe was broken. But one must move on when there's a plane to catch!
I continued throwning in the last minute items into the bag. (After taking the same trip so many times, it's extrmemly easy to pack -- take the clothes and pick everything else up at Walmart once you get there!! Right?!)
So, that's what I did. And for those of you who are curious... I've learned the "hard way" what can happen to people who pack shampoo, conditioner, lotion, your 6 step anti-aging facial kit, bubble bath, lavender scented bath salts, candles. lighters. rubbing alcohol, nail polish remover, pink nail polish, and cotton balls...OH! And a brand new bottle of Dior foundation that cost $45...
BELIEVE ME!! It makes a very yucky mess in your luggage and makes you have to pay extra for a super heavy bag. NOT TO MENTION.... you will have to purchase ALL of that yet again when you get there-- along with an enitrely new wardrobe... Unless, you don't mind walking around looking like you fell into a PINK nail salon and they painted pretty much everything on you other than your nails...
In an effort to NOT have that same freakishly horrific episode occur once more, I chose to FLEE from all "liquid" temptation and RUN to Walmart for all my liquid-beautification needs.
Here is where I find it IRONIC... We got off the plane in Hawaii. Walked over to the baggage claim, and as the luggage was flipping and flopping onto the belt I saw my beautiful red bag make it's grand entrance into Hawaii. The bag thankfully smelled quite good -- raspberry I think. However, it was covered in someone elses shampoo...
You can imagine my excitement to discover that out of all the people for that to happen to, it happened to the "smart one." The one who "thought through" what can happen when one packs raspberry shampoo in their suitcase... And to top it off... in an effort to make the world a "cleaner" place and more "green" or "eco-firendly," Hawaii does not offer napkins or paper towels at the airport baggage area.
Hmmmmm.
Great.
So there I was with my sweet amazing family in Hawaii, dragging my rapberry flavored luggage and walking like Egore from "Young Frankenstein."

A few days later, Eric, Emily, and I decided to drive up to Waimea to see some of our favorite spots in the mountains. We discovered a new pizza place we really like in Honoka'a and also tried some yummy donuty type things that have been seen on food network.
While we were driving through the mountains it started to rain a bit. Rain is great, but not preferred when the top is off on the Jeep. We pulled over and Eric stepped out of the car to put the t-tops on the Jeep. Just as he popped out of the car, a bright green lizard popped right on my shoulder! I screamed and flew clear from the drivers seat to the passengers seat. Thankfully we were stopped when the lizard decided to pop in for a visit...
Eric named the lizard Herbie or Herbert... He filmed it and posted it on facebook I think, so ask him if you want to see it...
There are a few other stories and I may post them later, but I'm tired now.

The Phone Call

This is actually an entry from earlier this summer... I posted it because I know more information now.
---------
My day started just like any normal summer day. I woke up and got the kids breakfast and then crawled back into bed. I was laying there watching "Meet Me in St. Louis" when my obgyn called me on my cell. She started out by saying that she has some news and didn't want me to worry... Not always a great thing to hear right off the bat. By the end of the conversation I was in shock at what she told me. I hung up the phone and tried to wrap my mind around what she said. It appears that I have cervical cancer. I am in the very early stages so there is no need to panic, but when one hears the words c-a-n-c-e-r you tend to dive into drama diva mode. I called Eric and he came home immediately from work. We talked and prayed and he wanted to take the day off, but I needed to keep going with my busy schedule just so that I could escape my thoughts.

I told the fam and everyone pretty much said, "You're fine! No worries." (My family deals with this kind of stuff all the time... cervical cancer is totally treatable).

Many of you don't know that I have been having alot of pain, issues, etc. over the past many months, but test after test after test has come back negative until February when I was also fighting off pnemonia I started showing signs that there was more wrong than I wanted to admit. The difficult part is that they can only do tests every 6 weeks, so there has been alot of waiting. My doctor told me that I will be going in to get a biopsy when I get back in town on June 23rd. I am praying that everything will be fine, and I can go about my life without much fuss, but we will see. I am completely confident that I have nothing to worry about. My body is, and always will be God's. I have absolutely nothing to fear. I love knowing that this is yet another chance for God to bring glory to himself alone.
-----------
Since that entry, I went through alot of testing and they finally came to the conclusion that I did have some irregular cells. They did a cervical scrape (which is very painful) and when they did the biopsy, they found nothing. No cancer, no irregular cells, nothing.
I was so thankful. I still have to go in for more testing and the doctors still have alot of questions about my health, but I am so thankful that the Lord allowed me to be okay.

GOD Rejoices in YOU!

I was reading cards at Hobby Lobby and came across one that said the following:

"God Wants you to remember... I am for you. I love you. I believe in you. I will not fail you. I will be with you. I will provide for you. I will bless you. I will give you rest. I will strengthen you." One of my favorite verses from the Bible is Zephaniah 3:17. It says, "The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over You with singing." Don't forget you are loved, saved, forgiven, healed, held, and cherished by God. If you have time read Colossians 1:15-23 in the Bible.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMILY!!

Today is my precious daughter's 5th birthday!
We had a swimming party/ drown fest on Saturday. It was crazy... but fun!
I am so blessed to have such wonderful children! They are a joy and delight to me and I praise God for them!

Decision

You may or may not know...
I've made an unofficial decision! (Such an oxymoran!)
I will take the position at Grace once I receive the contract! I've been in meetings the past few weeks dicussing the "in's and out's" of what needs to be done to go forward with my new title of Social Media Marketer/Director. We still have many more meetings to go, BUT it's nice to have a sense of completion -- at least in the area of taking the job or not.
I'm looking forward to my new adventures yet again!

Everyone keeps asking me, "Are you okay?" ... I always answer, "Yes, I'm fine!" But, I guess here's a bit of what's going on in my life right now....
As many of you know, we had the priveledge of having Maw Maw, Eric's grandmother who is 93 years old, live with us for 7 months this past year. (I have a LONG post about that history, but it's still a work in progress, so I'll post it later...) Due to many circumstances, she is now living in a nursing home in Kerrville, TX. She has dementia. We call her and talk to her on the phone, but a gut-wrenching guilt comes over me every time we call her. You see, she became a huge part of my life -- I couldn't help but worry about her constantly-- and in many ways I felt as though she was one of my kids. I know that sounds strange, but she needed me just as my kids do. And in many ways I needed her as well. Every time we call she says she's lonely. After a while her dementia kicks in again and she forgets who she is talking to. She is so good at pretending she knows who she is talking to, but after spending so much time with her I can tell when she is "on" and when she is not. I can't help but wish that I could've done more for her. I wish in so many ways that I could've juggled working 2 jobs, family, kids, her, and her nurse, Sonia, who helped me with her. The ultimate breaking point for me was when my own grandfather died suddenly. Part of me died and I couldn't help but think of all the time I missed with him, and all the time I don't want to miss with my own grandmother who was left behind.
Life really hasn't been the same since. Tiny little things, that would normally be of no circumstance, have piled into big things. I now carry a burden that I know is not mine to bear, but the guilt of wanting to be everything to everyone, and the truth in knowing that I am not everyone's savior is rather hard to own up to. I am Christ's servant. I am HIS. I can only do the tasks that the Lord has for me, and I will do them to the best of my ability. The only problem is, how do you let go and move on when that time comes? Losing someone is hard. Letting go of the "what if's" and "I should have's" that haunt you and seep into your very being is sometimes harder. Life is too short to live in regret. But how do you balance life when you see so much need? I am not one that likes passing by need and not doing something about it. I also know that I can't give of myself if I am not getting fed -- spiritually, emotionally, and physically. At this time I am on "empty" in all counts. Drained to the point of quitting. I guess that's why I'm writing this. It's somewhat thereputic.
I've been the PTF President the past year, Maw Maw's care taker, my kids mommy, Eric's wife, weekend wedding planner, a crappy friend on all levels, we moved (which that in itself is stressful), I was the event planner and Development Assistant at Grace, substitute teacher, and also been applying to get my kids transferred to Merriman Park Elem., starting to get involved with that PTA group, tour schools to see where the best place for the kids would be, and who knows what else... I've lost track. I'm now at a crossroads. I was planning on quitting my job at Grace and just being mommy. The main reason for that being that I don't make much money. Someone working part-time at Gap brings home more bacon than I do. I have worked at Grace because I LOVE the people, families, environment, kids, and so much more. It's never been about the money. It's always been about the ministry. Now financially things have changed for us. Paying $22,000 in tuition is a bit of a stretch. I asked my boss at one point for some sort of discount since I've worked there since 2001, and was rejected. I felt that was God saying it's time to move on and write that book I've been working on for years, but never take time to finish.
I was completely okay with that. My boss would continue to offer me positions in an efort to keep me, but the offers were all very easy to say no to... Until he made a certain offer that is pretty much a "no brainer..."
He has UNofficially asked me to be the Social Media Marketer for Grace Academy. He still wants me to add my "flare" to the events and help him in the office, but my main goal and job would be to rework the schools web page and make it more friendly to my generation... In that, there would also be a blog where I would write about the everyday lives of our students, get our school on facebook, twitter, etc. That part was what grabbed me, and he knew it would. He knows that I was planning on writing a book (though I believe he thought it to be silly). He also knows that the word "no" is not in my vocabulary very often. (As previously stated, I am a "sucker"). He also threw in all the bells and whistles -- making it very hard to say no...
It's the end of the year. Everyone is burned out and ready to be DONE. I honestly have no desire to start something NEW again at Grace. (This will be the 3rd position I have created while being here). I'm ready for some quiet and peace. But those of you who know me, know that as soon as I find quiet and peace I relpace it with something else. (UGH! Stinkin' idiot never learns!) So, the crossroad is, do I quit and make things a bit harder on Eric financially, put the kids in public school, and pursue my dream, or do I take the job that will train me and help me with my book (in some regards) and allow the kids to stay in private school a bit longer?
I've been praying about his for weeks --To the point that I'm honestly sick about it. I so long to have time alone and write and just be an involved parent --to be in the house for a portion of the day ALONE. ...But, will I really? That is a need and desire currently, but once that need and desire is sufficed, will I still want that, or will I wish that I had taken the job at Grace?
Is this the next step God has for me, or is it a test to see which direction my life will go from here? My book is a dream, and I will write it before I die. My kids are my passion. I want to be with them every moment, but I let my busy life fog the path of my passion at times. They are here for but a moment, and then they are grown up and making decisions for themselves. I want to be with them as long as I possibly can.
I need rest, peace, clarity, decisiveness, widon, discerment, and joy.
Lord Jesus, please guide me in your will. Protect me from my own selfish desires. Make me ready to be the godly wife and mother you have made me to be. Let the empty lies that so easliy mislead me and drag me down not effect me. Build up your mighty wall of protection that nothing will destroy the trust, hope, and joy that I have in you. Make me ready to do your will daily. Fullfil me and sustain me when I feel that I can't take another step, for you alone are carrying me to your feet. I need you, Precious Saviour. I can't do ANYTHING without YOU in it.
Thank you for your unfailing love, comfort, protection, and strength. I love you!

It's May...who knew.

I used to be able to handle life as it came at me, but lately I want to go into hiding... Overwhelmed? Over-doing it? ... or is it just pure exhaustion. The past year has been one of the hardest I can remember.
My life is very fast. So fast that I can hardly keep up with it lately. The stinky part is that I am a "pleaser." I am now discovering that "pleaser" should be translated into "sucker." Someone recently asked me what I do at my job. I didn't even know how to put into words every thing I do. I am also a mommy and a wife to the most AMAZING, precious family on the face of the planet, but they get to see and feel the brunt of my stress. (Why do we take out our emotions on the innocent ones we love so much??) I want to be there for my kids every waking moment, but lately even Eric has said that I am not mentally home when I am home. My mind is always focused on every little detail I need to complete. On the flip side, I LOVE spending time with people. -- Not in groups, but one on one. I cherish time alone with friends. But lately I don't even get to spend quality time with myself -- let alone anyone else. I feel selfish even saying that I need "me" time, but it's true. I am at to the point of throwing on the breaks to life and watching everything collapse in front of me. I always say that you need to stop and listen to the music... that still small voice of TRUTH (Christ), and read his word. Why is it that when I am sinking into the same pit I so often fall into that HE is the last place I go for help?
I keep hoping that when summer hits that I can go into my cacoon and disappear, but that would be selfish. I need to take the kids to see family, go on summer vacation, do summer training classes, take the kids to swimming lessons, get the house cleaned up and organized, etc. I know I am totally complaining, so I will stop. Life is only as hard as you allow it to be, and I guess I am letting it beat me down.
I have a sign in my kitchen that is so relevant, "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain." I need you, Lord Jesus, to renew that everlasting JOY in my heart, and allow me to persevere through the yucky stress of life, pursue you will every fiber of my being, for YOU alone make my paths straight.

So, I guess I need to update my blog, huh?

I had several unpublished entries that I went ahead and posted below... They are ALL OLD, but there ya go!
P.S. - I have no idea who all these Chinese people are that read my blog...

Do you ever feel like you live your life going, going, going? It's an eternal cyclone of events, people, You have to do that deep, never-ending pit of laundry, make meals, get people where they need to be at the right time, finish that deadline for work, deal with an insaciousably difficult boss, try not to take the phone call personally where they chewed your head off over something relating to work, remember to pick the kids up from school on time, take them to their sports practice or dance practice, go to church, volunteer in several activities at church, chat with friends, feel guilty that you can't do everything like those other people can, spend time with your husband or significant other, play with your kids and help them with their homework, go to the gym, go grocery shopping, face the pressure of what other people are expecting you to do, feed the dog that never stops barking, pick up this, wash that, visit this person, solve that person's problem of the day, put out MORE fires that have blown up at work while you were trying to take care of the other stuff you were dealing with, be happy, look pleasant, and still spend that time in the Word, listening to what God says HE wants you to do as well.
This may sound like you. Maybe not the same in every instance, but you can relate. If not, then, wow! I wish some of you would rub off on me!!
I live my life on the go. For those of you who understnad perosnalities, I am considered a sanguine -- very outgoing, at times crazy, love people, never afraid to chat with a complete stranger. That said, many people, of all personalities and walks of life struggle with the "busy, every day life."

Sonia

I've been praying for someone who can come and help me with the house, bathing maw maw, cleaning up after her, and doing all the extra things that caring for an elder include. Well, after mentioning it on facebook, a friend of mine that I grew up with called and told me about a precious lady who helped her grandparents in their final days. I called her up, set up an interview with her, and hired her on the spot. She is such a tremendous blessing! I now have help monitoring Maw Maw! I don't have to constantly worry about what Maw Maw is doing! So many times I find her trying to leave or moving furniture for no reason (which is dangerous because she falls alot), and so many other things I have to worry about with her. My biggest fear is her getting hurt. Now I have extra eyes watching her, and extra hands that allow me to get things done!

Holy Roly Poly!

My daughter has an obsession with roly pollies. She LOVES them!
Every time she goes outside, everyone has to search for her dear little friends under rocks.
Well, on this particular day, I was getting ready to go out for a special dinner with Eric, and as I was reaching into my earring box I was suprised to notice movement! My box was full of tiny roly polies of all sizes -- ctawling all over MY earings...
Knowing who the guilty culpret was, I called Emily in from the other room and asked her WHY there were roly polies in my jewlry box, and she replied, "They needed a pretty home!"

(The Roly Poly Palace has since closed down for REMODELING! But, the roly polies are very happy OUTSIDE!)

The Teeth

Why must Sunday mornings always be the time when STUFF happens?!
Well, on this particular Sunday, we were actually somewhat on time!
I did Maw Maw's hair, Emily's hair, my hair, had everyone dressed, breakfast made, coffee made, dishes cleaned up, and we were ready to run out the door!
Suddenly, I went into Maw Maw's room to hurry her along a bit so that we could go, and she looked at me very frustrated and feathered, and said, "I CAN'T go to church!" And, I interrupted like I do every week, "Yes you can! The hardest part is getting out the door!" Then she threw herself on her bed and slumped over and said again, "No! I can't go to church!" then she looked up at me, opened her mouth with her index finger, and very gummily said, "I WOST MY TEEPH! I CAN'T GO TO SHURSH!" (translated - "I lost my teeth I can't go tot church")
Shocked, I immediately went to the bathroom where she always keeps them, and then I started looking in the drawers, in the toilet, in her purse... Eric joined in on the search all over the house tryin got find where she had placed them, and then Eric accidentally found them... in his coffee...

(That'll teach him to take a coffee break while in the middle of a major search!)

Please don't ask how her teeth got there. We have NO IDEA! All we do know is that we were LATE AGAIN to church...

The Shower

Well, I have been too busy to really write anything, and I miss it!
This summer Eric's 93 year old grandmother moved in with us! It has been a great adventure to say the least. It's not always easy, but I know it's the right thing for now. She has demintia, and being 93, not much works that great to begin with.

The first awkward experience occured within a few hours of her arriving. (I very quickly learned that I NEEDED to get the locks fixed on the doors). I was taking a shower at midnight, because that's the only time I could find a little break. As I was showering I heard Maw Maw scutter in and make her way toward the toilet. Knowing that SHE didn't know I was in the shower I decided to play the quiet game and hope that she didn't hear the water running. Well, she did, and then she got curious, and opened the curtain on me! I was mortified, but then quickly comforted in realizing that no sooner had she opened the curtain and then turned away, she forgot. Then she decided to go to the bathroom. I, again, decided to play the quiet game, and just wait... 10 minutes later... she flushed...
Now, I don't know what the water in YOUR house does, but in ours, if you flush, then ALLLL the cold water leaves the shower, making it nothing short of BOILING!
So there I was... stuck... I couldn't jump out of the shower because that would cause her a terrible fright and I didn't want her to die of a heart attack from me leaping and screaming out of the shower in an unsightly state. So I took it.
I stood as close to the wall as I could, but I must tell you that the shower head is VERY good at covering the ENTIRE SHOWER thourougly... I never knew it took SO LONG for that toilet to STOP filling!! Then to top it off, Maw Maw turned off the light, leaving it darker than pitch.
I started yelling in a whisper -- do you know how to do that? I am VERY GOOD at it aparently! Eric came to the rescue, and couldn't keep a smirk off his face.
Then we decided that the next day we would FIX the doorknob, so that it would LOCK!!

THE NEXT DAY...

Emily closed the bathroom door and locked it leaving no one inside to open it.

Maw Maw locked HERSELF in the bathroom.

After spending 20 minutes on trying to open the FIRST locked door fro Emily, and dreading the thought of doing it again, I decided that it may be best to break every single lock in the house and just forget privacy all together.

Adventures with Maw Maw vol. 1

My husband's grandmother, "Maw Maw", as she is known, is staying with us for a period of time. She is 93. She is a very upbeat 93 year old however, and when she knows what card game she's playin', there's no one that can beat her. But, being 93 also means that you don't remember everything so well. She knows that she forgets, but to her that's just part of the adventure. If she forgets something we told her, and then remind her that we already said it, then she just laughs it off, and says that we should be greatful that she can hear it for the first time -- the second time too! So, I guess that's where our little "adventure" as she would call it, begins.

Day 1
Well, my day began at 4:13 this morning when the hall light abruptly flipped on. I looked over to see that Eric was still sound asleep, so I needed to go and see who was up turning on the lights. I walked into the hallway to find Maw Maw looking around her room. (We converted my daughter Emily's room into her room, and now my son, Evan, and Emily are sharing a bedroom). She looked a little confused, but then I began to wonder, "what if she's sleep walking... maybe I shouldn't say anything." So, I hid around the corner where she couldn't see me, and listened to figure out what she was doing. Finally, once I decided that she was NOT sleep walking, i decided to ask her if everything was okay, and she looked at me with her precious little face, and gave me the biggest toothless grin you have ever seen. She said she was fine, but had no idea where she was. I told her who I was and wehre she was and told her to go back to bed. She crawled back into bed and stayed there for about 20 minutes... then she forgot where she was again, got up and turned on all the lights, and I went back and reminded her who I was and where she was... this went on once more and then I decided I was awake for the day.