Things have been looking up

We moved....

HD's company moved us to a neighboring state. I really hated it at first, to be honest I felt like God was just not listening to me anymore, after two years of begging, pleading and crying for a baby still God was saying wait or maybe NO and I was not hearing very clearly. Then we were moved away from our comfort zone. From all of our friends, from our beautiful home.

Have you ever felt like GOD where are you? Boy I have felt like that more in the last few months of my life than any other time. Yet he is right here. He never pulls away, we do, He never leaves when we don't do what He want's us to, Yet when He doesn't do what we want we pull away, He never stops loving us.

I have started to make some friends here and it is not the worst place in the world to live, it is colder which if you have ever read this blog you know there are two things I hate more than anything else, Rain and snow... But even with that I am adjusting

We are renting a small house in the city, talk about big change from a 12 acre mini farm with our own chickens to the city with a bus stop right in front of our house! CRAZY! The kids like it, it only takes 5 minutes to get anywhere. There are great restaurants on every corner, that is nice too!

We have a basement to play in, a walk up attic to hide in, and they have made the best of it. HD and I have really relied on each other for friendship which I had never realized had shifted, we had so many friends back in our old town that we didn't need to talk as much. Here we only have each other, it has been nice to get back to ourselves and the relationship we value so much.

This area is not a churched community, that is a big difference from our old city which had one of the biggest Christian Colleges in the country. I know God wants us here, I know our story will help more people here, I know I don't always get what I want.... I also know God loves me even when He tells me no....

It' been a long two weeks!

We have had so much going on the last few weeks.  We are still very uncertain about HD's job, the good news is with so many people loosing their jobs, we might have to move but he will have his job.  I don't really like the choices they are giving us but we will see.  This Thursday the official offer will be given and we have a week to respond.  We will take the offer and we plan to move.  I really hate this for our kids we have such a great church family and they love it here.

I have been praying nonstop about what God wants us to do and I feel like no matter where we live he will use us and we will be blessed!  He tells us in his word Go and spread the Gospel, so we will go and He will guide us.

We had 14 inches of snow which totally wiped our community out of power, we were with out power and with a well that also means with out running water for 2 days some people were with out power for over a week.  We ate hot dogs in our fireplace for 2 days, oh and sweet  potatoes roasted in the fire.  On the up side we had a great time playing in the snow and eating snow cream.

I will post some snow pictures later today.  I am off to teach some math!  Happy Tuesday!

Employment woes

Back in late October we had a scare with my husbands company you can read about it here, basically they told us we had to move, then a few weeks later they told us we didn't have to move.  For the last month or so every time we get together with Bible Study groups or Church friends, HD is always praying for our economy.  He is a really good citizen but there is much more to it!  With the economy in such trouble that places HD's job in jeopardy.

Yesterday the company HD works for filed an article 35 which means they are offering 70 people an early retirement buyout.  And if they do not receive the amount of buyout notices they want they are making a forced adjustment which is a nice way to say alot of people are about to lose their jobs.

I will be the first one to tell you that God gave HD this job in the first place, and that I believe he can protect it!  I also will tell you that being a Christian does not always mean you are comfortable, and we have always had a very comfortable income.  I am praying that we can stay right where we are!  I am praying that they drop the whole article 35 I am praying we don't suffer lose of money.

HD is worried which worries me!  He never worries, never!  We spent a good part of the evening last night searching jobs all over the country and we will move as long as we can be together.  HD traveled for 11 years, that is not an option for our family to be without him, I love our church, our friends or community but being away from each other is not going to happen!

Pray for  us we want clarity and certainty in this time of such confusion.  Pray for Gods will and for confidence.  Thank you!

We are leaving this evening to go and visit Twice Blessed Mommy it is the twins birthday!  Two years!  I will post some pictures later.

I'm alive!

Blog friends I really do miss you all, are you all there anymore or have you left my lack of blogging all together?  I have found times in the last year where I never had trouble blogging I had endless ideas and other times where you all were my dearest friends.  I have to tell you that lately I can't come up with one thing to write about.  Not at all because I'm not busy but because I am so busy.  More than anything I am so fulfilled in our new church, I knew back in November that something was missing a void of sorts.  Now I realize I was very lonely, I longed for more friendships with women in our church and this blog filled that void, but lets face it most of you don't even know my real name.  I was so lonely.

This last 2 months have been the best months I have had in years.  My children are making friends and can't wait until we go to church and my husband is making friendships and going to men's bible study and he is also so happy.

I do feel bad for the lack of blogging because you all have encouraged me in bad times and laughed with me during happy times, you all have been a source of comfort when I didn't even know why I was so sad.  Thank you.  Although I can't promise to blog daily I am sure I don't want this part of my life to end.  I have found in the last year that I love writing, I love reading your blogs.

So let me tell you some exciting things going on in our life.  We are having a Chili cook off and pie bake off contest this Saturday at our church, we are also having a snow day, our church has rented a snow making machine and we are going to have a snow day.  I am entering 2 pies into the contest, I will post the recipe this week and HD is making his famous Texas chili.  My mom is going to enter a white chicken chili also.

We are still not pregnant and sadly it has been a year since HD had a vasectomy reversal, I will say I am becoming less hopeful as time passes.  I also find that I have more peace as time passes also, see I know God wants me to be a mother again and I feel like God is leading my heart into different directions, I keep feeling like maybe we are to adopt maybe a 2 year old girl.  I can't believe I am sharing this with you all but I really need your prayers for so long I have wanted to be pregnant and to nurse a baby and hold my own child but when it all comes down to it, none of that really matters I feel like if I can't have one maybe someone already has, and God wants us to open our hearts and home to a child that really needs us.  Please pray for HD and I as we pray about this journey and ask God to lead us completely into his will for  our family.

I hope you all have a great Tuesday!   We are having freezing rain today so hopefully we don't lose our power!

Small things can mean so much

Last night HD went to Walmart with me....  Let me tell you it really meant the world to me!  I love grocery shopping, I really do.  Nothing brings much more satisfaction than to fill our cabinets and fridge with healthy food and make nutritious meals for our family.  The problem, shopping for two weeks at a time with 3 small children it toe.

So, last night HD went to the store with us, he got a cart for Daisy to ride in the front and Bo to sit on the coats in the back.  He took the kids and would go fetch an item or two meet back up with me and I would send him on the next hunt.  He really enjoyed the time with the kids and I was able to get our shopping done in less than 2 hours, and we made it to Sams Club too.

This is such a wonderfully kind thing because HD does not like shopping, he actually hates shopping unless it's at a sporting goods store.  

On Wednesday HD took a vacation day to stay home and spend the day with us.  I decided he should see what our school day looks like, he really doesn't get a chance to watch the kids do school so he really has no idea what a whole homeschooling day looks like.  He was surprised, I guess he thought it went faster or maybe that it was  easier...  I guess he was unaware of how many times a day the kids interrupt me or that they have so many different needs or how different each one of their schooling is, from second grade to Kindergarten and even pre K with Daisy.  He was full of compliments at the end of our day, from "it is really a hard  job, you do" to "boy our kids are smart"!  It was really good for him and in turn he realized my days are hard and last night he made my job as a ~stay home wife, mother, home school teacher, nurse, cook, and  maid  much easier!

Tonight we are going on a much needed date!  My mom is  keeping the kids over night she is even coming to pick them up to give me more time to get ready.  We are going to Panara Bread for dinner.  I have never been there before so I look forward to trying something new.  We are also going to go to a movie, and maybe even to Starbucks for coffee.  We have no curfew, no kids, I am really excited!  I even scheduled a couples massage for us in the morning before we have to go pick up the kids.  As much as I am in love with my husband and as attracted to him as I am and always have been, his sweet gesture last night has made me even more excited to be alone with him, and spend time with just us!  

I hope your Friday night is great I know mine will be!

Happy New Year 2009!

I really can't believe a whole year has past so quickly!  I find that these days I am so busy I don't even find time to blog or read blogs.  That's because we got so many fun games for Christmas we have been playing non stop for two weeks now.  So I won't apologize for my blog absence because I have really been having a great time with my kids!

We have been doing the new Wii fit, playing shut the box and blokus, domino's, uno and many many other games all the while dressing and undressing Daisy's bitty baby twins.

Are you enjoying the kids during their school breaks?  I wish it could last even longer but Monday morning I will be doing school again.

Do you have any New Years Resolutions?

Last year I had so many, this year seems so different, I had no idea last year we were going to have a vasectomy reversal and remain baby less, I really believed I would have four children by now....  I had no idea that I would lose my Grandpa with lung and liver cancer.  Life just seems shorter to me I guess.

I do want to remain positive this year!  I want to remain hopeful and thankful this year.

Happy New Years, I hope you day has been wonderful!

The Upcoming Week

I will be taking a week off of this blog of mine, not that I haven't taken off a lot lately, I sure have.  Sorry.  We are going to Ohio tomorrow for Thanksgiving.  We will be staying with my brother and sister in law and their family.  We are going to my Aunt Brenda's house on Thanksgiving day where I will be spending Thanksgiving with some other bloggers you may know, Twice Blessed Mommy who is my Aunt and my best friend and my cousin in law Little Toes and Cheerios.  We will be eating and having lots of fun for the next few days.  

Yesterday at church we heard a sermon on Thanksgiving, we learned that so often we are thankful for the things we have forgetting that it is all about what God has given us and our thanks should really be directed at what he has done for us.

As hard as the holidays are going to be for me this year, I am thankful!  I am Thankful for all the years I had my Grandpa, I am even Thankful that God took him home in his time without pain and suffering.  I am Thankful for my wonderful husband, that I don't just have a spouse but a best friend.  I am Thankful for my three healthy children, each one a blessing!  I am Thankful that God knows whats best for me and even though I am saddened monthly by my lack of pregnancy He knows when and if he will bless us again, and his plan is greater than I could ever imagine.  I am Thankful for Tate and Reese, they are a miracle, many families have lost a their child born way to early (25 weeks) and we have not one healthy baby but two.  I am Thankful for my salvation, I will never deserve it, but Jesus came for everyone one in the world.  I am Thankful for the daily encouragement and friendships from this blog.  Happy Thanksgiving!

I will be posting some of my favorite post while I am away so you will be reading reruns...  Enjoy!

New church and a questioner

I have been in such a funk lately.  I have had trouble thinking of what to blog about, and it's not just blogging that's suffered it's everything.  I have just been so sad.  I don't want to feel this way, really I don't and today was good.  I was able to get a lot of school done with the boys, Daisy had ballet and I even got dinner on the table on time.

Have I mentioned that during all the stuff lately we realized we were not in the right church for our family?  I have really been struggling with this more than anything, going through a death without a church family is really hard.  For me being connected at church is so important, I need people.  We have lived about 35 minutes from our church for the last 3 years and I have tried really hard to make it work, but it's not.  After my grandpa died I realized I only have one friend at church, and when I asked my kids to tell me a friend from church they couldn't, they don't have any....

We were going to an amazing church with great music and fun activities but for a homeschooling family we need people and we live to far to be involved like some of the other families so as hard as it is we are moving on.

We have been church looking and that's really hard to.  Please pray for us.  I feel strongly that we need to go to church in the community were we live and so we are looking at churches in the next town over, the town were we have land and are going to build our house.  The church we went to yesterday was really nice and the kids had a great time.  The  boys knew 3 other boys and had a great time.  Daisy knew 3 little girls who are in her ballet class and 2 little boys, she loved it!

I would love to have some fresh blog material but lately I think I have been very boring so thank you for hanging in  here with me!  

Now I want to open the comments to any questions you have for me.  Ask away and I will spend the next few days answering, come on give me your best shot...  Ask me anything.  This might be really fun.  

Happy Monday Night!

Can you hear the jingle bells

I have been listening to Christmas music all day!  I am finally in the holiday mood and need to put up the tree!  I finished all my kids shopping today!  I think the only thing I have left is to buy things for the stockings!

I did most of my shopping online, I really believe I saved time and money this way!  I am looking forward to the boxes rolling in so I can start wrapping!

I am having a small dinner party this evening so I must run.  I am making calzones.  So so easy I will post the recipe tomorrow!

Happy Friday!

Almost a good time...

One of my favorite people in the world my friend "S" came with her 3 children yesterday.  "S" lives over 3 hours away, we don't get together as much as we would like.  We plan and plan and the day comes and usually one of her 3 children or one of my 3 children become sick and we have to cancel.  Yesterday we were in the clear, not one of the six combined children had any type of illness not even a runny nose.

"S" arrived about 2 yesterday afternoon, we talked for 3 hours strait, which is simply wonderful.  Face to face talk is so valuable when most of our talk is over the phone.  Let me add now that we hugged no less than 10 times!  HD came home at 5 and by 6 we were all ready to go out to dinner.  At dinner "S" mentioned how cold it was, funny thing it wasn't cold....

She was very sick all night, I won't give you details you get the picture.  We had plans to make soup and pie today, let the kids play and visit all day.  She left at 11 only after she finally stopped getting sick long enough to leave.

We almost had a great time.  I am pretty sure a few of my kids drank after a few of her kids so you all know what that means.  

Now we wait!

Hope you all are having a great weekend.  I think when HD comes home we are going to go to the toy store and write down everything the kids want.  And then  the shopping can begin!

All I can say is~

Hold your head up!  Wednesday night Bo hurt his foot on our trampoline, yes that making us not only part of THAT family but a national statistic!  We went to the urgent care clinic for xrays yesterday morning, it showed no broken bones but an injury to the growth plate?  I had no idea a kid could injury his growth plate.  But guess what you can, and from what the doctor said it would be better to be broken.

We are living in 5 minutes to see an orthopedic surgeon we will see what they recommend, rest, ace bandage, cast....  We will see.

But I am holding my head up, God will protect my son.  All this transfer stuff will go as God plans, and I will Survive.  (I just broke out in song there can you hear it, I will survive I will survive)

Hope your day is great!

Life has become very complicated!

Just when you think things are settling down...

HD's company tells us on Friday, that they are handing out termination letters, but being that he is in the union and works for a major phone company you know the one that says "can you hear me now" they have to first offer us a lateral move.  The move is in a neighboring state but is still hours from where we live.  Hours from where we just buried my Grandpa.  Hours from our friends our church our lives...

So being that HD makes very good money we have to go.  We have always been blessed beyond measure with his jobs and our health care.  We wish we had more time or more of a choice but we have to go.  They are giving us the offer on Nov. 3 and we have 1 week to answer.  From that point I don't know when we will have to report to our new spot.  We had a realtor come this morning to advise us what we need to do to sell quick. 

As much of a shock as this is I am at peace.  God has different plans for us than I knew about.  Pray for us as we are going to be super busy!  We have to paint and trim and we are having new Kitchen floors and counters put in. 

So what I mentioned about moving was only a rumor in the company which came to pass this weekend.  I will keep you all posted!

Daisy did What!

This week has been a whirl wind!  I had the perfect picture all ready for yesterdays fro me to you and I didn't even have 5 minutes to sit down and do it!

We have had colds sweep across the house of Happy again!  I totally emphasize the word AGAIN!  i am so sick of being sick!

I am doped up on cold medicine right now trying to convince myself I am well I am well!  All the while the smell of Vick's on my chest is not the perfume I think HD would prefer for our weekend away!

So guess what my sweet little girl did?  She cut her hair!  Yes she did, no I am not kidding she cut her hair!  I flipped out!  I yelled and ranted and raved and I believe there were tears hers and mine!  I called Ruby Wife who thankfully swept in to save the day!  She said come right over!

We did and my girl has a new do....

She is absolutely beautiful!  I love her hair cut, I don't want to make  a big deal about how beautiful it is or she won't realize just how bad this could have been, but on the other had she is so lovely and it is so stylish I can't stop telling her either.

So drum roll please.....

Here she is, beautiful right!  Have a wonderful Friday and I will be having a great weekend!

Wildlife abounds

Here in the house of Happy we have had a few adventures as of late....  The skunk from almost 2 weeks ago has still been smelling up my house.  We have only gotten 2 eggs a day since the horrible bear attack on Sunday, and I really think the chickens are still freaked out.  

We haven't had any signs of the bear for the last few days and the wildlife biologist has not returned my call either, which really ticks me off!

Today while I was strolling through Walmart trying to skim over all the new stuff the phone rings, its HD who says where are you?  Walmart.  Good buy some formula.  What for.  A baby.  A baby what!  A baby flying squirrel.

Apparently HD forgot that we have a squirrel dog trained to kill squirrels, hello!  He was working on a phone line some 30 feet up in the air and in the transformer box a mother flying squirrel had made a home for herself and her babies.  HD is bringing them home for me to bottle feed until they are big enough to be let go.  Isn't that a welcomed thought your husband working on a phone line 30 feet up and then carrying little squirrels down the ladder, not so much!

I guess it will be a good home school experience for the kids.  Here is a picture of a flying squirrel if you haven't ever seen any before, they are also called sugar gliders in the pet stores.

The are cute, cuter than a bear and much nicer smelling than a skunk!

Happy Mommy's Slap Yo Mama Chicken Wing Dip

Chicken Wing Dip

4 lg cans of white chicken meat

1 bottle of Texas Pete Chicken Wing Sauce

2 8oz containers of cream cheese

1 bottle of Blue Cheese dressing (the chunkier the better)

8 cubs of shredded cheddar cheese

Place all ingredients in the slow cooker and simmer until melted and bubbly and serve with corn chips!

* I sometimes add extra cheese and blue cheese as well as extra wing sauce from time to time.

Hurry run to the store, you must have this very comfort comforting dip!

We are off to a football game Bo plays at 11 and Luke at 12, I am making snack bags and icing up some Gatorade, I''m team mom. And all the while baking my mom a birthday cake we are having a birthday party for her this evening. I am super busy today!

Happy Saturday!

How was your weekend

I have been on a bloggy break not due to a fun vacation or a getaway but rather the fact that we took my mom to have her cataract surgery, while we were there Daisy had a major allergic reaction to the antibiotic the Doctor put her on because of her massive tonsillitis and ear infecting.  We had to give her a large dose of benadryl and she is still 3 days later fighting a horrible rash, she itches all over.

We did make it to the boys game yesterday while Daisy was doped up on benadryl.  Luke's team won 4 out of 5 of the scrimmages they played and Bo's team won one lost one and tied one.  

Yesterday was filled with itching and video games, the boys played video games all day while HD and I spent the next EIGHT yes 8 hours clean our children's playroom.  I could not start school with the playroom in mass chaos!  I need order for our school day to run smoothly.

I have neglected the playroom all summer and let the kids have a free for all.  Now in less than 2 weeks we will start our school, Luke in the second grade and Bo will start Kindergarten.

I know some of you home school and have shared with me the curriculum you will be using and I keep forgetting to share ours.

We are using Saxon Phonics for both boys, Saxon Math and manipulative's for both boys, Luke will be doing Bible and Social Studies by Alpha and Omega publications and I will do a Creationist Science curriculum by Apologia for both boys.

I am thinking about doing a Geography curriculum by Kreative Simplicity.  While we do school Daisy will be doing learning games.  I have found the most wonderful puzzles by Melissa and David that she loves as well as some wonderful games with pattern blocks for her and for Bo.

So that's what our school curriculum looks like this year.  And we will be joining a home school group that meets on Wednesday's.

Oh and as we woke up this morning Bo called to us crying, he said his throat hurt...  He has a 101.7 degree fever.  His tonsils are huge!  His head hurts. Are you all aware that it's only August, I can't believe this is happening already!

So today we lay around drinking orange juice and watching movies, while Daisy is itching and Bo is burning up.  I hope I really do that you all are having a better weekend than us!

Tomorrows another day!

Nursery Rhymes the Lake and an ear infection The End...

I love a little song like Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, that's lovely or maybe even Row Row Row your boat.  But I have a really big problem with Rock A Bye Baby I mean really who sings a song telling their child the tree will break and your gonna fall?  I did a little research on the song Ring around The Rosy and sure enough it is morbid!  And then we have Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater, and Jack and Jill.  Now I know every single word to each of these nursery rhymes but I don't like them they are weird!

I was just thinking of these rhymes today for some reason and I wanted to share, my thoughts.

We went to the lake yesterday it was very fun!  That is until Daisy fell asleep in the car and woke up crying, as soon as I unbuckled her seat belt I realized she was burning up, she had a fever of 101.7.  She said her ear hurts.  Daisy had her first ear infection at 5 weeks old, she had her first set of tubes at 7 months old and then a little over a year ago she had her second set of tubes and her adenoids removed.  Until yesterday she has been doing great, I take that back she did have one ear infection last year.  Well the Doctor at the urgent care even let me look at her ear the tube was out and just laying inside her ear ready to fall out and sure enough she has a major ear infection and she also has tonsillitis, again!

She has really suffered with her tonsils and her ears, and I don't know how she will get better until they remove them!  The ENT wants her to weigh at least 35 pounds and she finally weighs 36 so maybe just maybe we are getting some where.  Luke hasn't had one ear infections since his tonsils were removed.

So today we are laying around, I am holding my baby girl while she is still spiking a fever and trying to make her feel better.

Freedom

Yesterday we ended a 7 week study on Galatians at church.  I tell you the way that our pastors broke down this book of the bible was dynamic!  See Galatians emphasises that our Relationship with Jesus is not about Rules but Relationship not about Laws but Grace not about what I Can Do but what Christ has Done.

It can become really hard to stay under the Grace and freedom that Christ has given us by shedding his blood on the cross for us, because we want to act religious, I find myself saying things sometimes like I feel disconnected I need to read my bible more then I will feel closer to God or I need to pray more...  Have you ever said that?

Funny thing is those things are very important things to do and do help you learn and hear from God, but that's not what you must Do.  If you have asked Jesus into your heart you are his child, so that means you will want to do those things.

Our pastor asked the question a few weeks ago do you see the fruit of the Spirit in your life now that you have a relationship with Jesus?  Peace, kindness, love, joy, patience, goodness faithfulness, gentleness and self control, he encouraged us to ask someone one who we could really trust to help us examine our life and see the work God has done in us.

He went on to give an example of how he is totally out of control in the car he hates waiting and before he became a Christian it was like he was a -9 and now he is only a -7 with his fits of anger, so that's FRUIT!  

HD and I have very much enjoyed this series!  I don't ever want to fall into the Rules system!  I woke up this morning and the first thing I thought of was I want to go read my bible, not I need to but I really wanted to.  I have times in my life were reading my bible is harder than house work, and it rarely gets done leaving me feeling guilt, I know that God has something important to tell me and I am ready to listen.

Over the last few months I am sure I have been a -5 in the patience category, I really want this whole baby thing to go my way...  I want it in my time!  I know I have missed out on some opportunity for God to work in my zest to GET pregnant.  I have prayed about giving God control, he really is much better with it than I am!  I feel at peace, I really do.  

I really encourage you to read Galatians its only 6 chapters.  It has got me thinking clearly again.

Have a wonderful Monday!

Galatians 5:1 So Christ has really set us free.  Now make sure that you stay free and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law.

All is well

We left at 5:30 this morning to take my grandpa to the hospital for his surgical procedure to remove the skin cancer from his finger and from behind his ear.  The surgery went very well and we are back home already.  My grandparents will be spending the night with us tonight and we will take them home tomorrow.

We have a bible study tonight with Ruby wife and family.  I need to hurry and finish my study for the class tonight, we are are reading the Five Love Languages.  

Tonight is a night off from football!  WHOOHOO!  I am just a tiny bit excited to be staying home! I will post some kind of recipe tomorrow.

Hamburger and French Fries

Today I had to take my Mom to the Eye Doctor, she has been having really blurry vision and we have recently found out she has cataracts and need surgery.  So we had to go to a large town about an hour and a half away.  We decided to eat lunch on the way and make a day of it.  The kids wanted McDonalds (Kung Fu Panda Toys) my Mother and I have been really serious about counting our points with WW so we even planed before we went that we would have salad.  After we ordered (I had the Asian Grilled Chicken with low fat Sesame Ginger dressing) I found a nutritional guide and get this I could have had a hamburger and small fry for the same points?!?!

I was astounded!  I love salty greasy fries.  But no I ate like a rabbit today and still had no points left for dessert.

My mom will be having surgery in July on her left eye and again in August on the right eye, my mom is only 51 and we were really shocked that she even had cataracts, it seem that the cause is using her inhaler for asthma, it causes cataracts, who knew?  

I will post some yummy recipe tomorrow.  Have a good night!