Birthday Lunch

Not knowing that my friend Jen was plotting a surprise birthday party for me, I planned my own birthday lunch at The Cheesecake Factory!  Ha!  Well, you can never have too much cheesecake, right?!  Funny that Jen made me a chocolate cheesecake for the birthday dinner she made for us!  Rhonda and I ordered the pumpkin pecan and pineapple upside-down cheesecakes and split them.  They were both heavenly!  So was the complimentary coffee!  But even better was sharing time with Mom, Stefanie, Chris, and Eilene.  Below are a few pictures Chris took; to see more, you can view her Facebook album here.

Living a Life of True Peace and Joy

[Note: This is a processing post, meaning I am taking time to process some things God has taught me over the past couple of days...please feel free to read, enjoy, be encouraged/challenged by, and if you do, I'd love for you to leave me a comment.  But this is your warning: Lengthy rambling may occur!  I won't be offended if no one has the time to read through my musings!]

I'm home from church this morning (by myself! Not with a sick kid!) nursing a cold, and while I feel yucky, I am thankful for some time that I can reflect on what I learned at the ladies' retreat at our church this weekend.  I didn't sign up until Monday, being unsure whether I really wanted to give up my only "free" weekend in November, but I felt that I really didn't have a good reason NOT to go--so I signed up.  Yes, I know, it was quite the spiritual decision, LOL. 

Seriously, though, I did pray that God would make me teachable, because honestly, I wasn't overly excited about listening to a psychologist speaker, even though her bio did make her sound like an interesting person.  Still, I felt the need to connect on a deeper level with some women from church as well as meet some I didn't know.  Stepping out of one's comfort zone is never easy, but I realized it was time for a little challenge.

Isn't it amazing how, even though we're [insert number here] years old, we still feel like insecure tweens in unfamiliar situations?!  Wondering if someone will come sit by us when we're in a room full of acquaintances rather than with a group of close friends...wondering what people think of what we say, how we dress, what we do, what we believe...never stopping for a moment to think that the person across the table from us is probably battling the exact same insecurities as we are.  I know a lot of people at church--at least, I recognize names and faces, since we spent 3 years here on a previous assignment.  And a lot of people know who I am from seeing me on stage playing piano or acting in Kids' Street Live, or reading my emails as Kitchen Kindness coordinator.  But I realized, as I was on the brink of a decision regarding whether or not to attend the retreat at all, that I haven't had the opportunity to sit down with too many women from church and share my heart or learn more about them.  I have a circle of mom friends from our family community (I got to sit with one of them during our sessions), but I didn't feel as if I really knew many of my sisters in Christ from Faircreek.  I began realizing that I'm closer to my Christian neighbors than to many of the people I pass by or sit near at church!

So, all that to say, I decided to go.  And I'm glad I did.  I met some new ladies and enjoyed conversations over several meals, and I enjoyed talking with people I know but haven't had the opportunity to visit without interruptions.  I have new recipes for African Peanut Butter Chicken soup and homemade granola, plus tips on making your own deodorant.  I learned the fastest way to get a hula hoop through a chain of five women holding hands, as well as how to cross a "river" on "stones" that will float away if not touched.  I learned a new stamping technique and won two prizes.

Most importantly, I have more women praying for my family as we face a huge unknown about our future.  I sat under godly, biblical teaching and learned how to identify lies from the enemy and combat them with truth.  I was guided to Bible verses--both familiar and not so familiar--that will encourage and strengthen me as I walk the road God has for me.  And I have some specific "tools" for living the life God wants His children to live--a life filled with true peace and joy.

So let's get down to some specifics.  Tammy, our speaker, gave us a thick purple handout with maybe a dozen sheets of paper, and I scribbled lots of notes down!  I won't reproduce the whole handout here, but I wanted to think through some of the things that stood out to me personally.  There was a lot of material here, and I know God used it to speak individually to each woman there.

The first big thing is really all about the basics, truths that I've known all my life.  But if I don't CONSTANTLY think about them, I am susceptible to Satan's lies.  Our knowledge of God is generally TOO SMALL!  We must believe God is who He says He is.  Four truths that we must keep before us daily:

1. God is unconditionally loving.
2. God is continually faithful.
3. God is full of grace and mercy.
4. God gives complete forgiveness.

My action step after attending this retreat:  Keep these 4 simple, basic, important truths before me so I read them every day and keep my mind awash in God's truths rather than Satan's lies.  God has given me everything I need for life and godliness!

**We cannot do life by our feelings!!!  (Can I get an "amen" from the sisters, LOL!)

I also liked the concept that God gives us DAILY bread, not TOMORROW bread!  He gives us just what we need for each day.  I especially needed this, because if I concentrate too much on the unknown future, I will work myself into a load of anxiety, fear, and frustration.  When tomorrow comes, I will have what I need for that day, because God is continually faithful, and He is my continual supply.

We typically think of "fruit" as being good; for example, the fruit of the Spirit or the fruit of righteousness.  But there is always some kind of fruit.  Fruits show our roots.  When we find our identity in Christ, we will enjoy the fruit of peace, joy, etc.  But if we are instead looking to other "gods," there will be fruits that result from this, such as:

• compulsive behaviors
• obsessive thoughts
• anxiety
• shame
• overeating
• substance abuse
• overspending
• depression
• guilt

Note that women are particularly susceptible to discontentment.  Augustine said, "Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee."  Oh, Lord, may it be true of my heart that I rest in Thee alone!

Next we turned our attention to understanding that we are at war, and it is a spiritual battle.  As we know from Ephesians 6, we are not struggling against flesh and blood (which includes ourselves!) but against evil powers.  Don't fight the wrong battle!!!

Evil HATES God's glory.  When you are giving God glory, evil will work hard to divide and conquer.  Struggles WILL come when we are tired, weak, and vulnerable.  The battleground is in our MINDS.  We are constantly being lied to about God, ourselves, and others.  Tammy included a huge list of common lies--I'll just list a few that might sound familiar to others including myself:

• I'm fat/unattractive/not smart.
• I'm not good enough.
• God can't use me.
• My efforts won't do any good.
• I'm a failure.
• There's no use trying.
• People can't be trusted.
• God is not fair.
• It's not worth it.
• It's too late.
• My life is not making a difference.
• God doesn't make sense.

And on and on and on.  But we have to remember that Satan is a DEFEATED foe!  To win the battles against him, we must first recognize the lies.  We have to realize we are having a TRUTH encounter, not a POWER encounter.  Tammy gave us the picture of dashboard lights that serve as warnings.  Feelings of hopelessness, powerlessness, insecurity, condemnation, fear, and confusion are warnings for us to let us know that we are being lied to.  The only power evil has over us is what we give to it by refusing to stand in the truth.

Once we recognize the lies, we must reject them and replace them with truth.  We must:

• Command our wills/souls to stay in the truth.
• Saturate our days in prayer.
• Steep ourselves in the Word--read daily, memorize, meditate, and do so purposefully.
• Cultivate a discipline of thankfulness instead of discontentment.  (Choose to focus on what IS, not what is NOT.)
• Be on a constant "God hunt," fixing our eyes on the eternal.

(There were other things on this list...but these stood out to me.)

I'm sure I'll be mulling some of these over for awhile.  Getting this typed out has definitely helped me remember specific things I believe God wants me to meditate on now and in the coming days.  If it has been a help and a blessing to you as well, then glory to God!

Constant Contact, Part 2

(If you haven't read part 1, I encourage you to scroll down and read that first. :-)

So here I am again at the computer. But today I sit down and type not because I'm desperate for an escape (although I confess that does happen frequently around here). In fact, I have had an unusually blessed day. We began our homeschool routine again after what seemed like an eons-long break, and though I re-entered the scheduled arena with some trepidation (how much attitude and bickering will I face today?!), I report with great joy that today has been an AMAZING day with my kids. I'll write more later about the little ways we're trying to improve daily life around here, but I note all this at the beginning of this particular post because I want to validate (for myself at least) my "screen time," as we call it around here.

Constant Contact is a part of our culture, whether we like it or not. It's not only Facebook, though that aspect was the one that got the most attention in my first post. The newspaper can even be a source of Constant Contact for me--last year I became nearly obsessed with the political scene and spent way too much time pouring over the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Blogs also captivate me. I enjoy keeping our family blog up-to-date since far too much happens for my to physically scrapbook it all. And I enjoy reading friends' blogs and humorous or inspirational blogs as well. When I visit a friend's blog, I try to leave a comment, just a little something to let her know I'm reading her posts. I know I enjoy reading people's comments, and it makes me feel my efforts benefit others as well as myself. But...back to that prideful spirit! As someone noted in one of her comments on that post, that, too, can put a blight on an otherwise uplifting activity as we seek validation from human sources. Darn this selfish flesh!

Sometimes I long for the simpler days of history, before technology so completely pervaded people's lives. I wonder, if I lived a couple of centuries ago, would I have taken more hours in my day to appreciate what was around me? Would I still have a to-do list miles long? Would I still long to escape my responsibilities for a day or two now and then, or would I be more content? A drawback of Constant Contact is realizing there is so much out there--to do, to read, to watch--and developing an insatiable desire to be a part of it. My own "addiction" is, according to the strictest definition of the term, probably better described as a distraction for me; a dangerous one, to be sure--I'm raising soldiers in Christ's army, a task that demands my full attention! I've seen folks who post status updates literally several times an hour and comment on everyone else's updates obsessively. (How DO those people deal with all the notifications?!) While I'm considerably far from that level of "addiction," the burden on my heart is very real to be a good steward of ALL of my time.

So I ponder this idea of Constant Contact, and I realize that there are actually two forms of Constant Contact that I want to make sure I DO incorporate into my life.

First and foremost, I want to be in Constant Contact with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. "Pray continually" and "draw near to God" are commands I need to take to heart in 2010. I love the story of Mary and Martha, the sisters who both loved Christ but showed their love so differently. I think Martha's to-do list was probably a lot like my own.

* Plan the menu
* Prepare the food
* Cook the meal
* Clean the house

But right now, it's Mary's to-do list that interests me. Mary was definitely an NLM (non-list maker), in my opinion. But humor me for a moment. If she DID write a list down, it would be pretty simple.

* Find Jesus.
* Sit and listen to Him.

Sounds good to me! So why can't I slow down and do that?! Probably because I'm too busy squeezing in some Constant Contact with things that don't really matter during my already-full days.

That brings me to my second desire for Constant Contact, and that is with my family. My instinctive reaction to the sentence I just wrote is to laugh out loud long and hard, having just spent a few weeks holed up in the house during very cold weather with very active children who had, apparently, very little to do other than drive each other and their parents crazy. But hear me out for a moment...or rather, listen as God Himself speaks through Deuteronomy 6:4-9:

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

This passage has long been our family's call to homeschool the children God gives us. Talk about Constant Contact! How else can we teach our kids to know and love God? Every part of our day is to be infused with informal lessons about God, from the time we wake to the time we go to bed. If I'm not in Constant Contact with my children, I simply cannot obey these commands to the fullest, and I miss out on some of the greatest blessings God has for me. So while Constant Contact with 5 kids 9 years old and under from a human perspective sounds like a prescription for disaster, it is in fact a necessary part of training the next generation in righteousness.

I'll repeat what I wrote in part 1: I am writing DESCRIPTIVELY here, not necessarily PRESCRIPTIVELY. Doubtless there are godly Christian parents who are not homeschoolers who are nevertheless doing a fine job of training their children in godly ways. They use their time with their children wisely and follow Deuteronomy 6's instructions to speak of God and His precepts and character as often as possible. I'm not here to tell anyone what they should or shouldn't do regarding their family situation, just as I didn't intend to declare Facebook evil. :-) I'm simply sharing what God has laid on my heart. I hope it's beneficial for someone else.

May you be in Constant Contact this year with the One who loves you most!

Constant Contact

I receive emails from a few sources (businesses, charities) that make use of a service named Constant Contact. Though I haven't tried it for my own home business, I know enough about it to understand that its goal is to help clients quickly and easily keep in touch with their growing lists of people interested in their products or services.

Over the past week, I've been thinking about this phrase..."Constant Contact." And, being in the middle of a 10-day "fast" of sorts from a popular online social network, I began thinking about "constant contact" as it relates to our current culture.

You see, I have a love-hate relationship with Facebook. I got involved with it just about a year ago, fascinated by how quickly my "friends list" began growing. I was writing on virtual walls and receiving messages from people I haven't seen in years, even decades. (Doesn't that make me sound old and wise?!) It was amazing, really, to quickly catch up on people's lives, learn about their spouses, kids, jobs, ministries, and passions. I could find reason for inspiration, encouragement, wisdom, and laughter while reading status updates. I found myself praying for people in other states as they posted details about sicknesses, pregnancies, job losses, and so on. Each day I wanted to "tune in" and read the rest of their stories.

More than that, I wanted to share my own stories. Like making 3 trips to the hospital before finally being admitted for real labor with Lucan, or waiting for orders for our next assignment, or finding Kenna sitting in a mop bucket spreading bubbles on her head. It was fun to read people's comments about my updates and to know other people were interested in my mundane, daily life.

Soon I began thinking of life in status updates, wondering how best to phrase my witty observations about our activities. I updated my status several times a day and followed everyone else's status as well. I also wanted to view videos and photo albums, and of course I had to add my two cents' worth to everything that caught my attention and made me laugh...or think.

The positive aspects of being a Facebook junkie include quickly and easily sharing photos, videos, and updates with family and friends. As a military family, we live far away from many of our loved ones, and digital pictures and videos help us reach across the miles and keep them involved in our lives.

But there's definitely a downside to all of this Constant Contact...how quickly it can turn into an obsession, an addiction, a distraction. I began realizing that if I didn't log into Facebook at least 2-3 times a day, there were going to be more status updates, photos, and videos than I could possibly keep up with (gasp!). And somehow I felt obligated to read what everyone else was posting. I'd even follow links to articles or blog entries posted by friends whose opinions I valued. And slowly I began to realize that while I was keeping "in contact" with people in other states, my contact with my own family was not all it should be.

Let's face it. Keeping up with 300+ people is a daunting task. (Keeping up with my own family of 7 is a daunting enough task!) And really, do I need to know what everyone on my Facebook list is doing every minute of the day?

Constant contact. It's too much. Too much time and (often) too much information. Why should anyone outside my immediate family need to know what I'm doing at any given moment?

The fact is, we're living in a Constant Contact culture. I never saw a single episode of Jon & Kate Plus Eight, yet I somehow know more about the sordid details of their lives than I ever wanted to know thanks to society's obsession with their family. I don't follow golf, either, but...you guessed it...Constant Contact through a variety of media outlets is responsible for ensuring We the People can form strong opinions about the actions of Tiger Woods. I haven't jumped on the Twitter bandwagon, and I don't plan to--frankly, I'm getting sick of all this Constant Contact.

In taking some time away from Facebook, I've asked myself some hard questions, and I have to confess I don't really like the answers. One thing I wondered was, why on earth do I feel so compelled by this Constant Contact? And really, is it so wrong to want to keep up with old and new friends? What about family?

I prayed about it, but not as much as I should have, because I could sense where God was leading me with this. The answer nagged at my heart and soul, and I didn't like it. No one likes to see him or herself unfavorably, but the light of God's truth shines so brilliantly we can't help but see what needs to be changed when we hold the mirror of His Word up to our souls.

The ugly truth is, I wasn't obsessed with Facebook simply because I wanted to keep up with family and friends. I was also obsessed with Facebook because...well...I was obsessed with ME. This came out in a variety of ways, such as wanting to see how many people commented on one of my status updates, or how people liked the video I posted or the pictures I uploaded. If someone posted something interesting, I felt they should know what I was thinking about it, too. And so on.

Furthermore, I felt I had a right to enjoy some down time (I am, after all, the mother of 5 children who are with me 24/7), which basically boiled down to spending more time keeping in Constant Contact with people I don't live with than I did in connecting with and training my children in righteousness. I used Facebook as a quick escape from Mom-duty...only all too often it became a long escape as I hopped from page to page, doing my own thing and ignoring what was going on all around me.

This article really convicted me. I just read it yesterday, and it was a God-ordained culmination of all the thoughts God has led me through over the past week or so. Oh, Lord Jesus, this Disease of Self running through my veins has got to go!

So what is the answer? I can't speak for anyone else, and I'm certainly not declaring Facebook or any other social sites evil by any means. My purpose in posting my thoughts on this topic is not prescriptive, but descriptive of what my experience has been and where I think God wants me personally to go. Certainly I could go to the extreme of saying I will delete my Facebook account and never log on again, but I don't think that's the answer.

In 1 Corinthians 6:12, Paul wrote, quoting a popular saying from the time, "'Everything is permissible for me' --but not everything is beneficial. 'Everything is permissible for me'--but I will not be mastered by anything."

Applying this to my situation, I realize that Facebook is permissible--but not necessarily beneficial. In fact, as I've already learned, it's something that I can easily allow to master me. If I can be a Facebook user without being mastered by it (obsessed by it, addicted to it, distracted by it), then Facebook is permissible for me. Otherwise, it becomes an idol in my life and must be torn down so I can put my focus back where it belongs.

More on this later...

The Back Story

So I've had problems off and on with my back over the years, nothing huge, just seemingly normal stuff--pinched nerve, sore shoulders, etc. As a mother of 5, I kind of figure it goes with the territory. But it seems that the last few months it's been really bad; about every other week I've dealt with pain severe enough to take over my life for a few days at a time. The locations are the same: right shoulder blade, with nerve pain that reaches up to my neck and head, and across my lower back.

The Saturday before Thanksgiving I did a vendor event. I had pretty much no success with reaching new contacts for my Stampin' Up! business, but on the plus side, I met a chiropractor and his assistant/office manager. A brief evaluation showed that my shoulders and hips are not aligned. Since he was offering a special on initial exams and x-rays (normally $170, free with a $20 donation for a needy family at Christmastime), I went ahead and signed up for the evaluation. I went in the Monday after Thanksgiving; Ted got off work early to come home so I could be kid-free.

This past Wednesday I went back to go over the results with the doctor. Unsurprisingly, I have problems, LOL! Everything is out of alignment. I really appreciate the approach Dr. P has; he truly wants to help people function at their best level, and he is very understanding of the limitations of schedule and income. (Tri-Care does not cover chiropractic care, unfortunately.) I got my first adjustment then and there, which was good, because I felt some lower back pain coming on as well as the now-familiar tightening of the muscles between my shoulder blades.

The next day I was in extreme pain--and I mean PAIN! Dr. P said that people have different reactions to treatments; some feel just the same, some feel worse, some feel better. I'm not entirely sure that the adjustment is responsible for all the pain, since I was feeling it "coming on" the day before. I have a feeling I would have been in pain regardless. But yesterday was a very difficult day, and I confess I was in tears a lot because I hurt so badly. It didn't help that Tobin had awakened us at 2 a.m. after having a nightmare, and I hurt so badly that I wasn't able to get back to sleep after that.

Today the pain is somewhat lessened, but I'm sure it will be at least a few days before I can move without being conscious of every nerve in my lower back and legs. In the meantime, Ted and I are trying to decide our best course of action--we know that chiropractic care is worth it for overall health, but we also want to be good stewards of our time and money. The office is a half-hour drive away from our house. (Leave it to me to find a doctor on the other side of town!!) And each treatment is $40, with a slight discount for coming in monthly. The recommended plan of course would have me coming in very frequently, but we just can't justify that expense right now.

At the same time, something must change, because I simply can't live like this anymore! I hope to get back to "normal" soon and begin exercising regularly again. I noticed a correlation between not exercising and having frequent pain, and I know I need to get back into my strength training and stretching.

It's the Little Things

As a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom, I have decided I need to celebrate little accomplishments and bits of unexpected joy rather than focusing on whether or not I cross off all the items on my to-do list each day. One thing I've realized about myself (brought into sharp focus during the holiday season as I read Secrets of the Vine by Bruce Wilkinson and The Shack by William Young) is that I think of myself as a "human doing" more than a "human being." I tend to feel the need to justify my "worth" by ticking off all the things that "got done" during any given day. I'm not sure why...my husband certainly would be the first to understand if he comes home to a house that looks like a tornado hit it. (He's spent enough time alone with the kids to know how difficult it can be just to get a meal ready!) And my parents undoubtedly gave me unconditional love and approval that didn't hinge on my accomplishments.

But there it is. And I'm glad I've recognized that trait in myself and put words to it so that I can turn it over to God. I want to let Him work on me so I can truly ABIDE in Him rather than working for His approval, which is basically what I do when I focus on DOING things for Him rather than BEING His child.

So. I've decided (resolved, if you will, since I haven't made any New Year's Resolutions to speak of) to take time to chronicle a different sort of accomplishment throughout the year--that of enjoying life and reveling in the intangible achievements, milestones, and steps I and my family take in our journey toward eternity.

Today, I joyfully praise the Lord:

* For the opportunity to hear my girls shrieking and giggling together as they played and read on the stairs. They are developing a special bond--no surprise, since Charis prayed 2 years for a baby sister!

* That my stairs got vacuumed. Even better, my 8-year-old did it!

* For a loving church family and the privilege of serving a meal to a family of fellow believers.

* For the words from my OB doctor today: "Wow, you're teeny-tiny!" That felt good after seeing how much weight I've gained so far (21 pounds)!

* For allowing Kenna to actually nap long enough for me to do Sonlight reading with the older 3 kids without interruption. Never mind that I didn't get to any of my business tasks today--we did school!! Piled on the couch, looking at wonderful books like The Greek News, The Year of Miss Agnes, Leading Little Ones to God, and First Guide to the Universe!

I hope to post more about the "little things" throughout the year. Heaven forbid that I neglect to enjoy the life God has given me in favor of "accomplishing" things.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Saturday was my 34th birthday. There's nothing I really "need," and since Ted and I had attended a show in October, I decided that what I really wanted to do for my birthday was stay home and have time to work on craft projects! So I invited some friends over, set up a table, and got ready to catch up on some things I've been wanting to do but never make time to do. Unfortunately, my scrapbook items never came out...but I did make 9 Thanksgiving cards for my room leaders and teachers at church, 6 Christmas cards to have ready for family gifts, and a few items I intend to give as Christmas presents. I also organized my recipe file and began decorating containers that we plan to use for "neighbor gifts," or, the "food gifts." :-) Tins are so expensive, so I'm recycling perfectly good containers and turning them into adorable works of art! (The Shaklee protein powder cans are going to be PERFECT for cookies!!)

Ted came home from work Friday night with a beautiful bouquet of flowers, featuring sunflowers, one of my favorites. He also found a book I've been told is very good, The Shack, and I'm looking forward to reading it--probably on/during our trip to Colorado. Charis made me a fancy "B" necklace--if you look closely in the picture, you can probably see it. She also made a card that everyone signed, and I was especially impressed that Arden wrote "Happy Birthday" along with his name!

All in all, 3 other ladies made it over during the day at some point to be crafty with me, and we enjoyed a yummy lunch and dessert with hot tea. I got some really cute stamped cards, and lots o' Facebook messages. I feel very loved. :-)

Don't Know If I Can FACE This...

It all started last fall. I received a mysterious email that stated, "Jen T___ added you as a friend on Facebook. We need to confirm that you know Jennifer in order for you to be friends on Facebook. To confirm this friend request, follow the link below."

"Wow!" I thought. I AM friends with Jen! I felt excited. I'm a friend!! But why did I have to click on a link in order to tell her I'm friends with her?! There wasn't any other option, other than, I guess, to ignore the email and the link altogether. I wished it were more black and white, like those notes you get in elementary school from the weird boy who sits in the back of the third row.

I like you. Do you like me? Check
___ YES
or
___ NO.

Facebook, apparently, doesn't do things that simply. I didn't want to hurt Jen's feelings, so of course I clicked on the link and "confirmed the friend request." I puttered around a couple of minutes, not sure what I was looking at, and went on my merry way.

Then in January it happened again. Another friend, another request, another dilemma. Why shouldn't I be e-friends with someone I know in real life also? It seemed simple enough. I confirmed the request again.

Two months later, a couple more friend requests. Lately, multiple friend requests, and now I'm overwhelmed! What is this world, this Facebook?! I can barely keep up with my blog, and keeping my email in-box to fewer than 100 messages that need filed or responded to is like treading water in the ocean during a hurricane. Why should I be spending ANY more time on the computer?! I don't even have time to browse the Sonlight forums, for crying out loud!! And that's my "job," as a homeschool mother!! (OK, not really, but it's probably more valuable than updating my status on Facebook.)

So I finally actually created a Facebook profile. Put a family picture in. Wrote a little about my activities and interests. Typed in my graduating years. When I finished--BAM, there it was! A list of people I might want to be "Friends" with! How did Facebook know that I knew that person? Or him? Or her! I haven't seen her in years!!! Oh, my goodness!

And then I realized what was happening. I was getting SUCKED INTO FACEBOOK!!! If I didn't watch it, soon I was going to be the freak that was asking innocent people to confirm that they are friends with me! But what if they don't want to be my friend anymore?! I don't know if I can handle this kind of rejection!

And so I remain on the fringe of this Facebook fad, dabbling a little here and there, curiously wondering what my friends are doing at this VERY SECOND (are they STILL sleeping, for crying out loud?! That was Wednesday, Jen!!), and trying to decide if I should devote computer time to Facebook or updating our family blog.

Decisions, decisions.

What We're Up To...

SCHOOL
We finished Sonlight Core C last week--yippee! I admit we didn't do EVERY single science experiment, nor did I make Charis and Tobin do EVERY single writing assignment. But we DID read EVERYTHING!! And we loved it all! The kids are already asking when we'll get to do Sonlight reading again. Tobin in particular is eager to get his new Explode the Code books, and he's excited that he gets to do Wordly Wise A, the vocab book Charis did last year. I suspect he's just going to plow through it and have it finished in a week or two. I'm not sure how I'll make it last the whole year!! I guess if he finishes early it doesn't really matter in the big scheme of things, right?! I'd rather have an eager student than a reluctant one, so I'll try to keep fanning those flames instead of dousing them with a negative answer just because we're not "there" in the schedule yet!

So, in light of our hard work over the past year, not to mention the fact that Mom was getting major spring/summer fever (it usually feels like summer around here at this point), we are taking at least 2-3 weeks off school. My big goals are to clean and organize the house and spend one-on-one time with the kids doing fun stuff. So far this week I've played Yahtzee, Chinese checkers, checkers, Battleship, and Rat-a-Tat-Cat, and I've bounced on the trampoline and snuggled on the couch to read stories. If I get ambitious, we may go back and do some of those experiments we missed--the kids really did love the science stuff, and though we watched Justin on the DVD do all the experiments, it really is fun to do it ourselves.

HOUSE
I've also cleaned and organized the two bookshelves in the school room to make room for more books! I took all of Charis and Tobin's collections off the shelves (things like the Bobbsey twin series, Little House series, Chronicles of Narnia, Tobin's Star Wars books, etc.) and put them on a little shelf upstairs that I found at a garage sale for $7. That freed up a lot of space. Today I finished going through all the books, and I came up with 4 sacks full of stuff to sell or give away!

One of my goals for the bookshelves was to have a place out of Kenna's reach where I could store "table time" activities. I like to have the kids doing quiet activities at times--sometimes during our school schedule, and other times when I'm on the phone or trying to spend some one-on-one time with another kid. So we have things like our Mighty Mind set, Magna-stix, Pattern Blocks, Leap Pads, and so on on that shelf. Things that are great toys but aren't allowed in the kids' rooms or on a lower shelf for people to play with willy-nilly.

I have the Table Time activities shelves complete, as well as my "teacher" shelf with various resources for me. Now I'm debating about whether I'll put out the next year's worth of Sonlight books on a shelf or keep them hidden in my closet until it's time to be reading them! Really, Sonlight is so great that my kids would take all the books and read them on their own if I would let them, and I was hard pressed to keep the read-alouds OUT of their hands until the scheduled time. It's much more fun to go through those together as a family when we're all enjoying it for the first time.

Today I also did some random things, like finally putting some nails in the kids' rooms to put up their little footprint pictures, clearing off the boys' dresser tops, and tacking a navy blue flannel sheet over Kenna's window to make her room dark enough for sleeping (we are not a Pottery Barn kind of family when it comes to room decor, LOL).

Also on my house to-do list: Help Charis find her craft desk under the heap in the corner of my stamp room; help Charis organize the craft desk so she can actually use the crafting items I've given her and find what she needs; clear out the stamp room closet, which is full of boxes that really just need to be stored, not accessed; re-evaluate my toy rotation system and sort/organize toys accordingly. Those are just a few things. :-)

BUSINESS
I've had one workshop so far this month, with the next few events being bunched up in a row. There's one hostess who may flake out on me, but if she doesn't, I have 4 events in 8 days, which is not typical for me. Daytime stamp club Friday the 16th; home workshop Monday the 19th; Tuesday morning hands-on class for my deaf friends downtown; and Friday evening the 23rd another home workshop. The week after that should be a scrap club meeting, though we're working on nailing down a date for that, since it will be the first meeting for this group.

I'm thrilled and thankful for these opportunities. I'm working hard to earn a trip to Hawaii and am actually pretty close to making it! I didn't earn the Bermuda cruise for the past Stampin' Up! year, and though I did earn a cruise to the Panama Canal the year before, I couldn't go on it because it happened when Ted was deployed and Kenna was a newborn. We talked about maybe taking the kids with us if I do earn the Hawaii trip, so now Charis is praying. And those of you who know Charis, you know that means I have a pretty good chance of earning this trip!! It helps that last month and this month the company is giving double incentive trip points for each dollar we submit in sales. If it weren't for that, I probably would not even be thinking about going for it.

But we're starting to dream a little! The trip would begin on Ted's birthday next year...what a great birthday present, eh?! My good friend Debi may possibly keep Kenna for us if we do get to go and decide to take the older 3. I wouldn't really want to pay for Kenna to go, as she would just be over 2 years old at that point and wouldn't remember anything, not to mention a likely nightmare of a trip TO Hawaii and probably the next few days trying to recover from that!

Anyway, we'll see what happens. In the meantime, I'm thrilled to be able to keep sharing these fun and special times with my friends and customers. Now, if I can just get motivated to keep working on my own personal scrapbooks. :-)

Happy Belated Mother's Day!

So I'm a bit late! I was thinking of my many friends and loved ones who are moms on Sunday. Even those who aren't biological mothers, I still say "Happy Mother's Day," because if you're a woman, you're mothering someone somehow!

After a yummy pancake breakfast at our house, we headed for the early service at church. Kenna had been waking with crusty eyes and a runny nose for a couple of days, but I hated the thought of missing church on Mother's Day. So I checked Tobin and Charis into their classes and took Arden (who wanted to stay with me) and Kenna to the new Family Room. Wow, it's nice! Cushy chairs with leg rests, a table with coloring sheets and crayons for the kids, a book shelf and some boxes of toys...plus two big screens so you can see what's going on in "big church." Kenna was happy to toddle around and see everything, but she started to get fussy toward the end. We left after communion and were able to get out of the parking lot before the rush. It was kind of weird to be home by 10:30 a.m., since I normally work the 9:00 service and we all attend the 11:00 together, but I figured I deserved a break!

Once we were home, I was ushered out to the backyard for a "show." The show began with Tobin and Arden swordfighting. Arden lost and huffed off in a pout. (I don't think that part was in the script.) So the next part of the show was done sans Arden--it was a "musical" piece by the "band," which consisted of Tobin banging the metal bars on the swingset with his sword and Charis beating the drum (which was actually the kids' play toolbox). By the time the band had finished, Charis, who was the emcee, announced there would be another swordfight. I think she was trying to give Arden a chance to win and be happy. Arden scooted inside to get his knight costume on, which resulted in Tobin complaining that it wasn't fair that Arden had a shield and he didn't. Regardless, they began fighting, and this time Tobin was beaten--or maybe I should say Tobin's lip was beaten. He ran inside crying when Arden's sword whacked his face (I can't say I blame him) and refused to come out to finish the show. So the next part was sans Tobin and consisted of Arden and Charis singing a Mother's Day song to me, and then Charis presented me with a number of handmade gifts. She was a busy girl last week!! I received beaded necklaces which were too small and beaded bracelets which were too big, but of course I exclaimed over them anyway. I also got a nice picture window box (a cereal box with a picture of a window and an outdoors scene on it) and a rather large Mother's Day card with a bird on it. The bird is made of feathers, a cotton ball, and construction paper.

Meanwhile, Kenna toddled around carrying her baby doll and ignoring the commotion that was the "show."

We then had a yummy lunch that consisted of Trader Joe's amazing Mandarin Orange Chicken, rice, and vanilla yogurt with blueberries. Kenna went down for a much-needed nap, the older kids chose to watch the first Narnia DVD, and I lay down for what I hoped would be a 2-hour nap. Thirty minutes later a soft knock at the door alerted me that I was needed on Mother's Day, and I opened the door to find Arden whimpering that his bottom hurt. Poor guy. He has rear issues now and then when he doesn't quite get everything off...so anyway, I took care of that and tried lying back down to no avail. I gave up and later called my mom and enjoyed watching the kids play in the backyard with the neighbor kids.

Tobin conked out on the couch and had a much better and longer nap than I did, but seeing as how he woke with a fever and has had a stuffy nose and headache the last couple of days, I harbor no resentment over the fact that he got a Mother's Day nap and I didn't. :-)

Oh yes, and my gift this year was a Samsung "thing" (I don't know what to call it--it's not an iPod but similar) so I can have music when I go running. YAY!! I can't wait for Ted to help me put some playlists together and try it out!

Ladies Retreat

On March 7, I rode with some friends to Springdale, Utah, to the Majestic View Lodge for our church's ladies' retreat. Ted was able to get off work, so we left in the morning and stopped in St. George, UT, for lunch at the Cracker Barrel (yummy!) and some shopping. I'm not a big shopper, but it was kind of fun to putter around in various stores. It was interesting to look in the scrapping stores, though I never buy any supplies other than what I can get through Stampin' Up! (Partly for convenience' sake, partly because of my discount, and partly because yes, I'm a Stampin' Up! snob!)

After checking into our room, we had our first session that evening. The speaker was good and lots of fun. We didn't stay up too late that night...I roomed with my friend Debi and two older ladies, and I was more than happy to go to bed early. It was actually a rough night (I roomed with some gifted snorers), but I woke early and took a walk after my shower. If I had brought running pants, I would have gone for a run, but it was pretty COLD outside, so I walked briskly in my jeans and sweatshirt. I probably walked about 2 miles and was more than ready for breakfast when I got back.

The lodge had a beautiful view of the mountains--Zion National Park is a short drive away, and the scenery is definitely majestic. After our morning session, four of us grabbed our box lunches and headed for the park. We ate lunch, and then Heather, Michelle, and I went hiking while Debi read and napped in the car. It was gorgeous! The hike alone was worth the trip up there! Michelle and Heather gave me a hard time about the "strenuous" exercise we were getting, but we all had fun giggling and guffawing our way down the trail.

We made it to the Lower Pool, where little waterfalls were trickling over the rocks, and thought we were halfway through the hike. The sign seemed to indicate that the trail would loop back to where we started. Ha! Another half hour later we realized the trail was actually leading us much farther away from our starting point. When we heard thunder, we briefly considered hitchhiking our way to the picnic area, since we were now by the park lodge. But we didn't--don't worry, Mom. :-) We walked along the river and made it back. The journey was approximately an hour long. We drove around the park some more and headed back to the hotel, where I crashed for awhile before dinner.

We had another session that evening and one the next morning, and then it was time to go. I drove Heather's vehicle home to give her a break, and we made it back early enough in the afternoon that I was able to enjoy time with my family (though I probably should have taken a nap!).

The sessions were good, but I must admit I was a bit disappointed that the spiritual content wasn't deeper. I suspect the whole event was designed to be more of an outreach and a way to connect women together. However, having experienced three amazing ladies' retreats in Idaho, I really missed the small group discussion time and chance to get to know other ladies more intimately as well as dig deeper into God's Word.

Still, I can't complain. It was a nice little getaway. You can see pictures--mostly scenery--by going to this link. You may want to click on "Slide Show" and enjoy them more fully.

Minor Irritations

I could list all four of my children here, but that wasn't really the point of this post's title! I've had the blahs all week, been frustrated and discouraged, and just have generally felt cranky, irritable, and, well, like a failure when it comes to doing what I'm supposed to.

Sometimes I feel as if I'm fairly "good" at weathering life's major storms. Owner of our house foreclosed upon and we have to move? OK, no problem. (The first time, that is...) Sick child needs to go to ER? All right, let's go. Eight weeks into a pregnancy and my baby is gone? Difficult, but the nearness of God and the overwhelming sense of His love and majesty brought me through in a way I never would have imagined.

So why, then, do I have such a terrible time with daily irritations?? Why can't I accept life's minor problems and frustrations with humor and grace as a regular response instead of an exceptional one?

Here is a smattering of life's minor irritations that have come my way this last week:

* My keys--gone. I am highly suspicious that a short person made off with them, but there's no proof yet. They've been MIA since after the Valentine's Day party last week. If anyone has any ideas where I should look, please let me know, because I think I've checked just about every possible location.

* The IRS informed us that we made a mistake on last year's return, and we had to pay $211. Sigh. At least it's not $2,000.

* Arden dumped a full glass of milk on his way to the table yesterday. Not only did it spill in the immediate vicinity (table, chairs, wall), but it also BOUNCED (I've never seen milk bounce before, but trust me, that's the best word here) up onto the dividing wall, onto the Sonlight instructor's guide that was on top of the wall, OVER the wall (it's fairly short), and onto the floor in the family room.

* Kenna managed to drop a container of grape tomatoes onto the floor at the commissary yesterday. The kids helped me chase them all down, and since it was my fault that the package was within the reach of Miss Inquisitive, I felt obligated to buy it anyway. I will scrub the tomatoes and we will enjoy them. Or else!!

* The drain clogged up yesterday, causing some alarm that there was a problem with the garbage disposal. The gross stinky water sat in there all day. Thankfully, My Hero came home from work last night and figured out that it was simply blocked in the U-bend. He sacrificed wearing his favorite pair of flannel pants for the evening after getting them yucky while making repairs. Thank God for my husband!!!

* Kenna has decided that afternoon naps are optional. A nearly one-year-old who keeps herself awake for 6-8 hours at a stretch is NOT a happy baby, no matter what people may tell you.

* Taking 4 children to the eye doctor at 4:30 p.m. on a day when Kenna's total nappage equalled 2 hours was probably closer to a Major Irritation rather than a minor one, but I'll stop here.

You get the idea. Nothing earth-shattering, nothing traumatic, nothing that makes me want to bury my head and weep for days. But frustrating and difficult when it seems one irritation comes on top of another.

I'm in the throes of trying to get started writing the Bible study for Commission, and I'm sure a big part of my discouragement is the spiritual warfare that we always seem to encounter this time of year. In fact, Ted was quicker to point it out this year, as we have definitely noticed a trend of an alarming number of Minor Irritations that hit us at once when I "officially" begin working on the Bible study!

Please keep me in your prayers if you think of it. The youth camp in Idaho is a significant ministry for our family and our dear friends that we meet each year. God always does great things in spite of ourselves, and I can't wait to see how He will help me overcome these small obstacles for His greater glory.

I'm Back!

I left town for Stampin' Up!'s Leadership Training conference on January 9. It was in Palm Springs, CA, an absolutely beautiful location. I so enjoyed being able to visit with old friends and getting a boost mentally and came home ready to "work" my business again. I had been feeling pretty burned out by life in general, namely our 4th move in three years and keeping up with Kenna. Major kudos to Ted, who took off work so that I could go. (I had to miss last year's Leadership because he was deployed and I was great with child!) The kids had a great time here at home with Daddy, and he even crossed off most of the homeschool tasks on the list I had left him!! PLUS I came home to a fabulously CLEAN house, to include Charis's room, which is normally a pit of despair...I walk in and despair of ever seeing the floor!

Though I returned home last Sunday (the 13th), this week has been filled up with catching up on emails, phone calls, regular mail, homeschooling, and yes, even working on my business. I had a workshop for my deaf friends Tuesday morning and a stamp club that meets once a month yesterday afternoon. I've also booked a couple of parties for March and a long-distance "Party in a Box" event for a friend in Ohio. (If anyone else is interested in hosting a "Party in a Box," leave a comment or email me so I can give you more information!) Then last night a friend came over for dinner and an evening of scrapping. It didn't feel like it, but it was 11:30 p.m. when we wrapped things up! I'll be updating my scrapping blog later today after I take pictures of the 7 pages I completed.

So, it's been a busy but balanced week--and that means I have not blogged or read my friends' blogs at all! I have a lot of catching up to do in that respect! But I'm thankful to get back into a routine. Of course, the routine sometimes seems to change daily, especially with an 11-month old!

So, an update on Kenna, since Megan asked. :-) It's taking 4 chairs these days to pen her in the family room. She's worked up to an average of 45 minutes of contented playpen time, so I am able to count on that as time when I can get other things done. It hasn't worked quite as well as I would like to do our Sonlight reading in the family room while she roams...she seems to not like Sonlight! We get a few pages read at an extremely high decibel level as we compete with her shrieks, and then I give up and dismiss the kids until later when Kenna is napping.

She is becoming more proficient on the stairs, but I am not even close to feeling comfortable leaving her on her own for that activity. Still, she loves crawling up them and always does so with a big grin on her face as if to say, "Aren't I a big girl now?!"

An update on the nursing issue...I did pump while I was gone, and amazingly she hasn't completely rejected me upon my return. However, as we were having to supplement more and more even before I left, it's definitely dwindling. I can count on her to nurse well when she isn't completely awake, so late at night, first thing in the morning (sometimes), or (rarely) in the middle of the night. We're at an average of about one nursing period per day, whereas before my trip it was usually two. So I guess the trip did have a noticeable effect. But you know what? I'm OK with it! She's a beautiful, healthy girl, and we have made it quite a long time considering all the issues we've had over her short life.

So there you have it! An update from me! It's now breakfast time...TTFN!

Happy Birthday to Me

This year my birthday happened to be on Thanksgiving Day. I turned 33, in case you're wondering! It's always fun to have both special days coincide. I just finished writing about our holiday, so I'll quickly mention here the sweet things my family did to make me feel special.

Wednesday evening Ted, Rhonda, and the kids came home with a beautiful flower bouquet that included sunflowers, my favorite! Thursday morning at breakfast I got to open cards and presents. The kids got me a new tea kettle, which I had been wanting because our old one was looking so junky. Seeing as how Ted and I drink hot tea every morning, it was definitely a practical selection--and I am all for practical! Joel and Sarah sent me the first season of the Little House on the Prairie series on DVD, which was a fabulous surprise. Ted must have told them that we had talked about getting that for Charis for her birthday but were unable to find Season 1. Those books and shows were some of my absolute favorites growing up, so I look forward to sharing them with our children as well.

Rhonda and Ted's gift for me was actually at my request, tickets to see Lance Burton's show tonight! When Ted and I moved to Las Vegas, we decided that birthday and anniversary gifts should be experiences rather than things. (That's actually not a bad idea no matter where we live!) We've seen the Excalibur dinner show (kind of a Medieval Knights thing), watched the Blue Man group, and eaten dinner at the Melting Pot and the Stratosphere restaurant. Now we can add a magic show to the list!

Edited to add: The show was quite good, though from our balcony seats there were a couple of tricks that we couldn't actually see. Bummer. But it was spectacular overall, and we enjoyed Coldstone ice cream and browsing through Borders afterward. All in all, a memorable evening!

Mommy Learns a Lesson

Yesterday evening before dinner I asked Charis to set the table--she's our dinner helper this week. She immediately got a frumpy look on her face, and I assumed it was because she didn't want to do her work. She had been resistant the evening before as well, which is quite unusual for her (unless it comes to cleaning her room--THAT chore is rarely met with joyful obedience!). She had just said goodbye to her friend Addie who is coming over on Tuesday afternoons while her mom helps lead a financial class at church, so I wasn't sure why she was so upset...it's not as if she were in the middle of playing anything.

Thankfully, instead of lecturing her about having a good attitude, I sat on the floor with her and asked her what she was feeling. She started crying for a bit, and I could tell she was trying to formulate her feelings into words. This is a fairly recently developed skill, and it is wonderful to be able to talk on a deeper level with her. It was worth the time to be patient and listen to her. When she was ready to talk, this is what she said:

"Every day is the same. We wake up, we do school, we do our chores. We don't do anything exciting anymore. Ever since the Brownies left [our good friends who moved a few months ago] we just do the same thing every day."

I thought for a minute. Obviously, it's not entirely true--in the time our friends have been gone, we have had a fun trip to Idaho, a trip to Colorado, and a variety of other "exciting" things happening. However, I have to admit Charis was right in that I have not gone out of my way to put much variety in our days. When Sarah was still in Las Vegas, it was common for one of us to call the other and say, "Hey, we need to get out of the house! Want to meet us at the park?" or some other such suggestion. I've been so focused on getting us on track with a school and chore schedule that I have not made fun a priority--except on the weekends when Daddy is home from work with us.

Charis and I also talked about the fact that she's just plain missing her friends Hannah, Mackenzie, and TJ. She has friends, but as far as another family that has children the same age for us to get together with, we haven't really "replaced" the B family. (We could never truly replace them, you know!!)

I told Charis she was absolutely right: We HAVE been doing similar things every day. I'm thankful that she still seems to enjoy school--at least she wasn't telling me every day was completely boring! With Kenna in the picture, too, I've been even less inclined to leave the house spontaneously. But I can definitely see Charis's point, and I probably would be feeling the same way if I were in her shoes.

So, we are officially taking a break the rest of the week. We've been doing great with school, and since our only official breaks were times we have been out of town (not entirely a BREAK, if you know what I mean with the stress of travel and then catching up upon returning home), we can really use some good old-fashioned down time. I'm taking the kids to the home school co-op's Park Day tomorrow, and then we'll be at our fall kick-off picnic Friday evening (also the home school co-op). Hopefully these two events will help Charis and the boys to find some other kids they can connect with as well as serve the purpose of incorporating more fun into our day.

In the future, I plan to add some sparkle to our days--I'm getting some great suggestions on the Sonlight forums, and I hope to add some fun activities that won't even take away from our schedule! ;-)

My Belated Mother's Day

Last Saturday I got to celebrate Mother's Day! Since Ted was still in Florida in May, he told me my gift would happen after his return. He conspired with Debi's husband to send us both to a day spa!

I began the day bright and early by meeting Sarah for a 5-mile run at a park I hadn't been to before. There's a great trail there, and as we were finishing, we met some people from our church who are part of a group called the Ridge Runners. Since Sarah will be moving to Texas in just a few weeks, it was a blessing to meet up with some other runners. They meet every Saturday to run together. That may help motivate me quite a bit! I'm going to miss my running partner and our conversations, not to mention the accountability we give each other! We do plan to run a half marathon this year...the one in her area is a week after the one in Las Vegas. Hopefully we can stay committed to training and keep each other accountable from a distance!

After a great run, we went to Starbucks for a Frappachino (or however you spell it). It felt so good to run again! Five miles goes quickly when you're with a friend! Knowing that a year ago I ran my farthest distance ever (8 miles), it makes it a bit easier to get back into the swing of things with running. Now I can tell myself that I've done it before, so I can surely do it again! I look forward to pushing past my previous record as I work my way toward the 1/2 marathon distance of 13.1 miles.

After cleaning up, I met Debi for a nice lunch before we headed to the spa. We first got manicures and pedicures, a complete luxury for me! Many ladies I know get them frequently, and trust me, here in the desert it is definitely a temptation to get maintenance work done on one's feet often. But I just haven't been able to justify it in the budget! After that I got a facial--again, a total luxury. If I were to pick, this would be the one service I could live without. I'd rather have another massage!! I did finish the day with an hour-long massage. Aaaahhh!!! I felt like a puddle when I walked out of there!

I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful hubby. It was a sweet and thoughtful idea for him to set up this treat for me. Ted has made it clear how much he admires and values the work I did here at home with the children in his absence. Of course, knowing he loves and supports me certainly helped me through the trying times! Ultimately, though, we give honor and glory to the Lord for bringing us through some very difficult months. If it weren't for HIM, I never would have made it!

All About Me

I've been writing a lot about the kids, so I figure it's OK to take a few moments and give an update on me, especially since Mother's Day was Sunday! So, here are some random thoughts...

SLEEP
I got more sleep last night than I have since getting pregnant! Kenna nursed at 9:15 p.m. and did not wake up until 4:45 a.m. As I was in bed by 10:00, that meant that I got nearly 7 straight hours of sleep! Woohoo! The night before I nursed Kenna at 10:15 p.m., gave her a pacifier at 4 a.m. when she began fussing, and then nursed her at 6 a.m. when she woke again. So, we are definitely on track for good nighttime sleep habits. Thank the LORD!!

EXERCISE
I'm trying to work my way back to a good routine that includes exercising 4-5 times per week. I haven't managed anything more than an evening stroll and the I'm-going-to-get-you-game this week, but the couple of weeks before that I actually did get on the treadmill and worked my way back up to 2 miles of running. I'm looking forward to getting outside and running again, but with unpredictable nights, I'm not always very perky in the mornings! The kids have enjoyed going for walks in the evenings, and it's fun to put Kenna in the stroller and go out together. So, that has to count for something!

BIBLE STUDY
Our ladies' group is doing a wonderful study by Martha Lawley called Attending the Bride of Christ. We're learning so much about Jewish wedding/betrothal customs, and it's amazing how much the symbolism is helping me gain a bigger, brighter picture of what our relationship is supposed to be with Christ and His Church. I highly recommend the study! I will miss our weekly meetings when we end this session for the summer break, but it will be good to have a full home school week for consistency's sake.

COMMISSION
It looks like Ted has been given the go-ahead for our trip to Idaho this summer, so we're looking forward to once again being involved in Commission. I finished writing the study about a month ago, and Ted is nearly finished with the graphics. I need to finalize the staffers' guide and write some questions for the counselors to use if they want, but other than that, we're in great shape. The kids are getting excited to go back--they remember Back Yard Bible Club from last year and getting to hang out with Daddy and the "big kids" that were in his group. I'm looking forward to fellowshipping with dear friends again and watching God work throughout the week.

STAMPING BUSINESS
I'm still plugging away, though I haven't been able to pursue much new business. The Bermuda cruise is somewhat in sight, but it would definitely take another small miracle to get me there. I would LOVE to earn it, as the incentive trip for the following year is a land-based trip to Hawaii instead of a cruise. Plus, after a stressful year, I would just love for Ted and me to get some alone time! BUT...I don't know if that's in God's plan! (If anyone out there would like to help me out, email me and let me know! I have until June 30!) I've enjoyed getting to know the ladies in my stamp and scrap clubs tremendously and have made some very good friends through it.

THAT'S ALL FOR NOW, FOLKS!
Kenna is beginning to fuss, and I'm ready to give her the last feeding of the day. Hopefully she'll sleep through tonight, too!

Baby Shower

March 10 was my baby shower. It was tons of fun, though I was a bit stressed out just before it began because Kenna needed to eat and was still having her nursing issues. However, she did manage to consume enough milk to fall asleep and stay asleep during the whole event, so she got passed around to everyone and of course was the star of the show. We had wondered whether March 10 was a reasonable date for the shower in the first place, as it was just 2 days before my due date. However, since my mom came into town on March 6, I thought it would be nice for her to be able to attend. She hasn't ever been at any of my baby showers before, so March 10 it was. We figured we could reschedule if worst came to worst! As it turned out, it was the perfect date since little Kenna was a week and a half old by then!


My friends Debi and Sarah coordinated the shower. Debi is the event planner extraordinaire. If you ever need a party planned, this is the woman to contact! (This picture of her and Kenna is just too precious!) Debi hosted a birthday party for me in November that was so beautiful and fun, and the shower was the same. She chose pink and brown for our colors and made the most adorable invitations. She found the cutest decorations, cups, plates, etc, and the cake was beautiful. She thought it would be fun to do a brunch, which was a perfect idea, I thought. We enjoyed breakfast casseroles, fruit, and banana bread and chatted for awhile at the beginning. I think around 16 ladies came. Charis was also present...at least for part of the shower. She was bored by the grown-up talk and ended up reading in the family room until it was time to eat or open gifts!


Sarah was in charge of the games. There was an interesting trivia quiz, during which we were all shocked to learn that the mother on record as having given birth to the most children had...drum roll, please...SIXTY-NINE babies! Apparently it was a Russian woman who had many sets of twins, several sets of triplets, and quads as well, just for good measure. I'd have to check with Sarah for the details, but that just makes me tired thinking of it! We also played Family Feud with various baby questions for the "survey says." It was fun doing something besides the typical games played at showers. Then we cut into this scrumptious cake that you can see in the picture with Sarah, Charis, and me. Yum!

And of course we opened presents. Mostly we got tons of adorable baby outfits, which is wonderful, because we had given away just about all the girl clothes in newborn through size 2T. Plus, Charis was born in the fall and spent winter in Idaho, so I don't know that many of her first-year clothes would have been appropriate for Kenna, anyway. We did get a few packs of diapers, always welcome, and other fun things...baby towels and washclothes, wrist rattles, bath toys, bibs, a pink, girly Boppy cover, etc. Sarah and her family ordered a beautiful personalized quilt with Kenna's name and birthdate on it. It comes in a matching bag. Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture on my camera of the blanket, so you'll just have to take my word for it that it's terribly cute and of course very special.