Happy 7th Birthday

Wednesday we celebrated Brother's 7th Birthday. What a joy this little boy is to me. He is a sweet, funny and loving boy. He is also, rambunctious and well.....just all boy. :)

What a shaky start he had to life. He was born with severe respiratory failure. And was in the hospital for a little under a month. Right after birth, I was able to hold him and love him. The nurse noticed something....I don't quite know what and told me she was going to take him to the nursery for observation.

He was there all night. They didn't really tell me anything. The nicu doctor came in and told me that he was having trouble breathing.

In no way was I prepared for what I saw the next morning. I don't even know what I expected to see, but it wasn't a baby with wires and tubes attached to every part of his body. That's for sure.

I thought he was just being watched b/c he couldn't breath, not that he was on life support. What a shock.

But God saw fit to spare is life, and I am so grateful for it. I can NOT imagine what our life would be without him in it.

What a happy day it was when we brought him home. Finally my family was together.

7 yrs later, and this boy is the world to me. He struggled and fought for life and now loves just living. He is a happy kid, and I hope that he is always so joyful.

My prayer for him is that he always loves God and puts him 1st in his life. I pray that he is kind and compassionate to others. He is a leader, and I pray that he leads those who follow him down the right path.

I also pray that Brother and Dada stay close as they grow up. I hope that they watch out for each other.

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Last night we had a slumber party for Brother's birthday. He was able to choose 4 boys to spend the night with him.


(Austin is not pictured here b/c he wasn't there yet.)


When they saw the cake, their eyes got as big as saucers!!

This morning we walked down to the donut shop. When I told the boys where we were going, they all screamed and jumped up and down.


Tonight is Brother's family party. He has been looking forward to it all week.

Oh wo is me

Luke 22:41-44 ~ And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

While I was reading my Bible yesterday these verses hit me like a ton of bricks.

I wasn't going to write about this. But when I read these verses it made me realize what a baby I was. This past weekend, I think I had myself a real pity party. I was emotionally a wreck.

If you know me, you know that is out of character for me. I think that I am usually in control of my emotions.

But not this past weekend. I feel like I have for the most part handled the trials that we are going through pretty well. I have held my head high and just dealt with what has been thrown at us. I have had complete trust in my God.

Except this weekend, my faith started to waver. I started looking at our circumstances. I looked at the NEVERENDING trials, and not at my God who can part the seas, or send manna from heaven and can make man walk on water.

I didn't realize how bad it was until I called my friend who I haven't talked to in a while just to chat and check up with her. She asked me how I was, and I just let loose. I literally broke down in tears to her. And she cried with me.

Then yesterday, I read these verses and thought about what Jesus was facing. Jesus was facing torture, persecution and death. He knew what was going to happen to him and he still did it. He did that for me. For my sins.


And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

This verse hit me the most. As "agonized" as I was, not once did I pray so earnestly that I had sweat drops falling to the ground. In fact, I didn't even brake a sweat. In fact, I didn't even pray....thy will be done. I wanted this trial to come to an end, and I wanted it finished right then and there.

How completely idiotic of me. I feel like a fool. This trial is nothing. I mean it is, but in the grand scheme of life, this is just a chapter in our life, that God WILL bring us through. Yes, we feel a little burned and bruised right now. Yes, we have had some discouraging days...... when the truck breaks down AGAIN. But we also have seen God working.....like when we found that yes, his unemployment IS going to be extended. PTL!!!!

God is here, carrying us through to the other side of this trial. Of this I am certain.

Lessons from the kitchen

A couple more lessons from the kitchen......

Lesson #10 ~ Always let the butcher slice your meat. It will save you ALOT of time and frustration. It will also keep your hands from getting gross!!!!

Lesson #11 ~ Keep a fresh pot of coffee constantly. It makes the teachers happy. Also, if you have the ingredients on hand......they also like chocolate chip cookies.

Lesson #12 ~ Bribe the janitor with food. I did, and he is more then happy to help me with dirty jobs. :)

Lesson #13 ~ Make sure you and the food service guy are COMPLETELY clear on the quantity of food that you are ordering. Otherwise, you might order 2 CASES of green beans, corn AND peas and not 2 cans.

Lesson #14 ~ Always.....and I mean ALWAYS make sure that your oven racks are secure in the oven. Otherwise, well.....otherwise, a pan of au gratin potatoes just MIGHT slide right OFF the rack and onto the floor, while you are pulling the rack of a 450 degree oven, It also just might spill half the pan on the floor just as the elementary classes are lining up for lunch. I'm just sayin.



Lesson #15 ~ Bribe a senior to sweep the cafeteria floor during their study hall. They will do anything for a candy bar!! Thanks Dave!!

Lesson #16 ~ Remember to thank your husband for running to the store when you think you will run out of something.

Lesson #17 ~ When using roaster pans to cook ham, make sure that you have a rack on the bottom so the meat won't burn.
My favorite quote of the week is from the high school girls while they were getting their salad from the salad bar.

"look.....the lettuce is GREEN, not white."

FaMilY

Lately I have been thinking about Hunny's family. I have known them for 13 years now.

We used to get together ALL the time. Every holiday there would be a family picnic. You just knew that's what you were doing on that holiday.

How I would look forward to going.


You see, when I was growing up, I lived a long way from any extended family. I would only get to see 2 of my cousins at Thanksgiving. So I knew of them, but I didn't really KNOW them. I have a couple other cousins, but I have only met them MAYBE twice.

I also have no cousins my age. So when I did get to see my cousins, they wanted to hang out with my sisters who were their age.

In fact, I knew of 1 of my cousins and saw him on facebook and he didn't even know who I was. I had to explain to him how I was related to him.

That really makes me sad. I have this family that I have no idea who they are or HOW they are. I would love to spend time with them, you know, just hang out.

But since my family isn't like that, I think that God blessed me with Hunny's family. Who has more cousins then anyone can really count. Their ages range from almost 40 to 8. So you know you always have someone to talk to!! :)

So needless to say, I was so excited with all the family gatherings and closeness of Hunny's family.

It seems in the past recent years, that there hasn't been as many gatherings. And it honestly makes me sad. The 4th of July, and Labor Day, came and went with no picnic. We spent the days at home.

As you probably have figured out, I am an avid picture taker. :) I was looking through my photo albums thinking back to those picnics. What fun times we had. Board games, walks, bike rides, bonfires, trips to the creek.....and the food. Oh the food at our gatherings. I think some of the best cooks are in this family!!!




I want my kids to grow up with these same great memories that I have had these past years.







I look up to Hunny's Aunts and Uncles. They aren't just Hunny's family. They are MY family. MY aunts and uncles.



I can't tell you how many things I have learned.....sitting around a living room, or in a circle of lawn chairs at the farm. They have all influenced me in some way. And I am so grateful to know each and everyone of them.



I say all this just to say that I miss those family gatherings and am counting down the days till the next one.


~~~~~ Edit ~~~~~~

In reading over this, I just wanted to add that I have 1 cousin who I do talk to occasionally and an aunt who I love very much. Whenever she is in town, I look forward to seeing her and spending some time with her. :)

Lessons from the kitchen.....

So this week I have learned some lessons while working in the kitchen. I thought I would share some.

Lesson #1 Watch the clock. Tuesday, I was so busy making sure everything was going well, that I walked out of the back room and into the kitchen and saw the elementary kids walking by. I hadn't put their pizza in the oven yet. :( I was so upset!!!! So lesson learned.....watch the clock.

Lesson #2 A stockpot of water takes a LONG time to boil. Since I was late with lunch on Tuesday, I wanted to make sure that I gave myself plenty of time....(especially since I was applying what I learned on Tuesday by watching my clock) so I put my water for the noodles on at 10. A whole hour EARLIER then when lunch started.

Well did you know it takes 1 hour for a large pot of water to boil?? Well, it does. At 11,( when elementary lunch starts) when the water was ALMOST boiling I threw the noodles in the pot. 8 min later, they were done.

Lunch was late again.

Lesson #3 Spaghetti sauce will stain your shirt. I ruined a shirt yesterday.

Lesson #4 Bleach will bleed through your apron. I ruined a shirt today.



Lesson #5 Canned chocolate pudding is disgusting. Take the time to make your pudding. It's worth it.

Lesson #6 Wear good shoes.

Lesson #7 Your face will break out!!!!

Lesson #8 Invest in a big heavy duty can opener. Its way to awkward to open huge cans with a little 1!!!

And finally......
Lesson #9 Funny hats always look better in pairs. :) I am so thankful for Allissa. She has been such a huge help to me. She has a good spirit and we can make our work fun.

The desires of your heart

When I was in 7Th grade, I took a test. I know what a shock....a test in 7Th grade. But it was some kind of placement/aptitude test. Something that put you in a profession that your profile fit.

The 1st place it put me was the food industry.

And the 2ND was on the radio.

After the test was taken, we got to actually go and visit the different industries that the test said we would do well in.

I remember standing in this huge industrial kitchen thinking.....holy cow, this is pretty cool.

But then I went to the radio station.....a country radio station( can you believe it?) and I thought that was so AWESOME. (not the music, but just being at a radio station) I even was able to read the news on air. I even had some people at our church tell me that they heard me on the radio........WHAT?!?!?! YOU MEAN THAT CHRISTIAN PEOPLE LISTEN TO COUNTRY??( oh, wait....that is another post)

I can only imagine what it sounded like to have a 6th grader read the news on the air.

Anyway.

Fast forward to the present time.

As you know, about 2 weeks ago, God literally threw the opportunity to work in the kitchen in my lap.

Now, if anyone really knows me, they know that I DON'T like to be in charge. I like it when you tell me to do something, and then I can gladly do it.

But I knew that I would be in CHARGE of the kitchen. Me in CHARGE. That scared me to death. Success or fail, it was on me.

But surprisingly, I wasn't afraid.

I was excited.

And quite honestly, after a week, I still am excited.

My work load has at least tripled. And the money.....well never mind, let's not talk about the money.

But I have(....in a job), NEVER BEEN SO HAPPY.

I LOVE MY JOB!!!!

I know, I know......you glass 1/2 empty people......you think.....geesh, it's only been a week. Give her a month, and she will cross over to the other side.

I have put more hours and effort and time into this kitchen (just ask my hubby!!!) then ANY other job in my life. It's my kitchen. I love to see it sparkle and shine when I walk out of it at the end of the day.

At the end of the day, I am exhausted. I come home and wonder if I can do it again tomorrow. But tomorrow comes, and after a good night sleep and a gallon of coffee, I can't wait to get started again. And I know this may shock some. But I am actually on TIME!!!!

I heard tell, that Beth Moore once described the desires of your heart as something that doesn't change with time or emotions.

I wish I could tell you how many times that I would be making something.....cookies, bread, pizza, roast, the list could go on. That I have thought how much fun it would be to have a little restaurant someplace. It would always just be a passing thought. Something I never thought would ever come to fruition. But it has been a thought for as long as I could remember.

So I would consider that a desire of my heart. It didn't change with time or emotion. But God gave it to me. And since he put this opportunity in my lap, I want to do all to his honor and glory. Not in my name, but in his. He has seriously given me remarkable strength these past 2 weeks.

Psalm 37 :4 ~ Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Not only do I get to have fun at work, do something I love, but I can be with my kids while doing it. The desires of my heart.

Beth stopped in the kitchen today to say hi while dropping off her kids, and she looked at me, and she said......you really do like this don't you? You really are excited. I honestly am.

He is my strong tower

Love this verse......

Proverbs 18:10~ The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.

The name of the Lord is MY strong tower. I can run to it and AM safe.

When is the last time you ran to Christ with open, outstretched hands.......and felt safe? He is waiting.......... for you.