I really did have a new post to share, honest I did! I had it all worked out in my mind, while I was catching a few rays yesterday, but today. . . . .for the life of me I can't remember! Between reading two books, helping kids with homework, doing my own, my brain is on overload. Maybe today, when I'm catching more rays, I will remember! You know when you forget what you went into the other room for, you retrace your steps and remember? (oh and P-L-E-A-S-E no comments about getting OLD either!!!!)

3 men and a little lady. . . .

It "was" a sunny but cool day here today, as you can see by the picture its gray/gloomy, typical Michigan sky, but that didn't keep my family from their daily constitutional!

a Tori-ism....

Earlier today, Jacqueline and Colson were outside jumping on the trampoline, of course whenever they go out Tori wants too as well. So I sent her out to jump with the kids. Minutes later they all three come running in and Colson says, "Mom, Victoria just mooned the old ladies across the street." (Oh great now we have a little exhibitionist on our hands) Den told her why she was not allowed to do that and took care of the matter. Well tonight as we were sitting at the dinner table she looks over at me and says, "Mommy I won't stick my booty out neva, eva, eva again when I go outside!" This girl just kills me with her comments! I'm pretty sure she won't too because she wasn't happy after her daddy got done dealing with her today!

( Hey Aunt Hilda. . . . remember a time, in Vail, at a grocery store??? gotta love it when the past comes back to haunt you!)

tis the season. . . .

My boys love building a bonfire, they take after their dad that way, he loves to play with fire too! Tonight was a perfect night for one! Brennan and Colson are thoroughly enjoying themselves, and Victoria won't stop asking to join them. She is our little "tomboy" but tonight she's watching from the window and none too happy about it either! Sometimes the guys need time with the guys and tonight's one of those times!

some serious savings. . .

Late this morning Brennan, Jacqueline, Colson and I went to the Salvation Army. Colson was in need of some pants and shorts (I'm trying to be frugal with the $$ my husband makes) so I thought we should make a pitstop there just to see if we could find some things. Boy did we ever! I found 6 pairs of shorts, a sweatshirt, a dress shirt and a hoodie for Colson; shorts and two pair of pajama pants for Jacqueline; dress pants and shirt for Brennan and a brand new SIGG water bottle for Tori (I know that was an extra but it was something she has wanted) all for $33! I was so excited to make wise use of our money and we all had such fun scrounging around in the SA! Maybe tomorrow we will hit a few of the Goodwill Stores too.

. . swamped. .

that's exactly what I'm feeling these days! I'm in the home stretch with classes and it seems that each prof is making sure we accomplish a lot of education, thus giving us massive amounts of projects and papers. I stayed home from church tonight so I could have a quiet house for 1.5 hours and get a chunk of work accomplished, especially since the kids have a half day tomorrow and no school Friday. I love having them home but it sure puts a crimp into a quite house to study! oh well I know I will get it done I'll just have to be creative with my time! Den is off lifting weights at the YMCA with Blake and Branden and I'm off to tuck my sweet ones into bed! We still haven't mastered Victoria sleeping in her own bed, and am wondering if it will occur pre-K or post-K! I long for a night of snuggling with my husband and sometimes I wish I had kept track of how many nights out of 31+ years we've actually had our bed to ourselves! then again maybe I don't really want to know!

perspective!

My kids and I just got home from our, once-a-month, Sunday service at an inner-city school (Den wasn't able to go with us as he took Brett back to SAU). I am so thankful that I chose to go; you know how you can justify why it would be better to stay home as there's always a 100 things that need to be accomplished before Monday morning, yet I felt that God wanted us to go, stepping away from the "stuff" here. The younger kids were tired and a bit restless yet they sat and were fairly quiet, playing peek-a-boo with a little guy from the neighborhood. At the close of the service our pastor tapped me on the shoulder and asked me if I'd be willing to pray with a lady, sharing with me a snippet of her story. We stepped aside, she hugged me, leaned into me, we grabbed hands and prayed. When I said, "amen", she hugged me again and said, "I don't know what I'd do if your church didn't come here once a month." In that short, maybe 5 minutes, time with her I was hit with how often we take for granted our worship time, the opportunity to sing and fellowship with friends and family and hear truth spoken from God's word. I can't even begin to imagine what it would be like if I wasn't able to attend church regularly; no ability to drive myself, no churches in my area, no one who even really cares about the area or the need. I got a good does of perspective tonight, one that won't be forgotten all too quickly and made a new friend, Mavis, that God placed directly in my path. I've been praying, too, that God would give me opportunities to share Him. Tonight was a golden one!

amazing. . . . .

My uncles funeral was extraordinary, a beautiful celebration of his life, a wonderful tribute to a man who had a deep walk with God. I am so blessed to have had this man in my life. I gained so much from the words that were spoken and felt my heart almost imploding, at times, over all that God was using to move me off of comfortable. But for today I'm serving Him with a deeper desire and trusting that as I walk through each day I can continue to implement all I've gleaned from that wonderful tribute.

a fitting tribute

Late Saturday afternoon my Aunt Enid called and told me my Uncle Bud had passed away. I knew it was inevitable, he'd been hanging on by sheer resolve for the past few weeks and finally Saturday, God said, come home! Its still hard for me to comprehend him being gone. I'm sure you can look back over your own life and find that "one" person who was your spiritual leader; he was mine.

I was asked by Melissa, his granddaughter, if I would like to share a tribute of his life. I was honored by her request but as I sat down, I was at a loss for words. After several attempts to share my heart I finally gave up and sent the below message to Melissa:

"I've written several paragraphs only to delete them, struggling to find the right words to share about this amazing man. I would love nothing more than to pen a great tribute, yet I can only say that deep within my soul I had always wished he was my dad! I have never met a more kinder gentler man than he, nor have I met anyone who has walked a steady path with God, like him, either. What an amazing legacy he has left, an unbelievable heritage and I hope that as a wife and mom I can continue to be the example to my family that he was to his. I'm honored you asked yet feel totally inadequate to share the depth of love and joy he has brought to my life. "

Tomorrow we will be heading to Indiana for my uncles funeral. I am anxious to see and hug my aunt as well as my cousins. Though we haven't been close, logistically, we have a deep connection through Christ and its through Him that we can rejoice, with tears, that one day we will all embrace Uncle Amos once again.

ahh. . . . .spa day

God has indeed blessed me with a precious friend, one that laughs with you, cries with you and loves you "no matter what". I've known her for 12 years yet never really knew her until the past two years and what a gift she is to me. Today my friend treated me to a "spa day". Though it wasn't the ritzy kind of spa day a person would spend hundreds of dollars on, it was "glorious"; 6 blissful hours of pampering; soothing foot bath, parafin wax on my hands, massage, manicure, breakfast and lunch, coffee coffee and more coffee and hours of wonderful fellowship with my friend as well as many other women. It was heavenly! yet I did miss my family and from time to time I checked my cell to see if I had any texts (you know "just in case"). The message that grabbed my heart was this one from Den, "Tori just got up from her nap, she says when is mommy coming home shes been gone for like FOREVER!" then I listen to my messages and Tori says, "come home momma". I guess my girl missed me! I rarely spend a day away from her and in all of her 3 years have only spent one night away, which can be a good thing or a bad thing; yet I know that in a few short years she will be off on her own adventures, so for now I'm loving it and am enjoying all her hugs and snuggles! and oh I can't forget to praise my sweet husband for holding down the fort, keeping things rolling and fixing dinner! What a man, I'm so blessed!!!!

oh yuck. . . . .

I went into the kitchen to unload the dishwasher, I pulled out the silverware basket from the door and noticed milk dripping off of it and thought to myself, "what in the world, is this thing not washing again," then I pulled out the top basket and found a bowl of frosted mini-wheats turned upside down. My sweet little 3 year old wanted to help her momma out by loading her own cereal bowl this morning. What a mess and I'm learning that its really nothing to "get mad" over she wasn't being naughty just trying to help as she sees her older siblings do, and anyways, we can run the dishwasher AGAIN!

It was an absolutely gorgeous day here in mid-Michigan! windows were open, the sun was shining brightly, the birds were even chirping and the snow is 95% G-O-N-E! As soon as the kids got home from school we went for a walk on the river trail. We had such fun, the kids were like chatter-boxes! on our way home we stopped and got the kids slurpies, their favorite treat after a long walk!.

I did something I try not to do this time of year; and that is put all our winter gear away! I know, I know we live in the north and we will, more than likely, have another blast of winter, but the past 10 days have been "out of this world" awesome for us Michiganders that I just couldn't help myself. Everything is washed and put in their perspective bins! and the spring fleeces are hung on their perspective hooks! even though we are still knee-deep in mud we are loving this weather!

Isn't it just so cool how God prepares us for the change of seasons? how excited we get as each one approaches? Isn't He just awesome like that?

it was only a matter of time. . . .

We've reached a milestone in our lives. I knew it would come but just wasn't sure when it would happen! Who knew it would sneak up on me and surprise me? Its been a month and my precious little girl hasn't cried once when I've left her in her church classes, Bible Study classes or at the Childrens Corner at the Y! It's been amazing and astounding, and yes even a bit sad. Its such a relief being able to leave her without any tears, happy and ready to learn and play. I tried, on occasion, to leave her for Children's Church, but she would only stay if I stayed. I knew she would step out of this phase, so I never pushed it, always just keeping her with me. Its such a blessing to be able to go places; and not have her be like "glad wrap" to my leg, or begging me, "please don't leave me in here mommy" with tears coming from those big blue eyes! (of course I wouldn't, I couldn't, I didn't). So now, we are going to be making a regular appearance at the Y! She LOVES playing with all the different toys as well as the kids, but I do think that Bible Study time is her favorite; just a few children and two grandmas and they play right along with the kids! So. . . . .my baby is growing up, just like she's supposed too, but man. . . . .it sure does hurt this mommies heart once in a while!