New Life

This last weekend JP, Julie, and JoAnne stayed with us.  They came for Charlie’s (Julie’s brother) memorial service.  The occasion was sad.  However, because he turned to King Jesus at the end of his life we could rejoice and pray that God could use this for His glory.  In all of it, babies are such a blessing.  We have a few babies in the house every now and then.  But to have a baby in the house for a whole weekend is a treat for everyone!  I have loved seeing how tender all of my kids are with a baby.  They just love, love, and love some more.  They will do anything to make her smile.  They will perform or make any face possible to make her laugh.  They hide and pop out from behind their hands to make her laugh.  It makes my heart so happy to see them loving on someone so little.  They helped me to see the simple joy of new life.

JP was always right there with them, enjoying his sweet daughter too.

The joy of new life. It is so precious.  Over the past few weeks I had been preparing to teach a lesson at youth group from a section in Romans 8.  I didn’t know at the time, but it tied in so well to what was happening around me.  I was so blessed by thinking about so many of the things Paul mentions in 8:18-30.  The main part being that we can endure hard things in this life because they are nothing compared to the glory that will come.  We can endure because of the new life ahead of us.  It talks about creation groaning in birth pangs, waiting expectantly for the children of God to be revealed in glory.  All the pain we experience in life are like birth pangs for those who love and follow Jesus.  Each day is one day closer to our new life with Him.  As I reflected on watching Charlie slip from this life to the next I could rest in the fact that he was not experiencing death pangs, rather birth pangs into his new life.  I wish I had been able to tell that to our sweet Amy a few years ago when she was in such great pain.  Knowing and remembering the life to come can help us through the pain, just like in childbirth.  The excitement of new life.  I see it fresh in the eyes of my kids as they play with and enjoy this sweet baby.  I can’t imagine the welcome we will receive when we get to be with Jesus.  I feel like I’m rambling.  It has been a few years, four to be exact, since I have written on the blog.  I have just had a desire to write a little the past few days.  God is working in my heart and giving me such a joy and excitement for what He is doing all around me I need to get it out!  I want to remember it.  I don’t want to waste anything.  I want my kids to be able to see the ways they encouraged me and grew my faith.  Even in the hard, they cause me to rely on Him even more.  I know I can do nothing on my own, and only by His grace can I serve and follow Him.  I can’t wait for the new life ahead, but I don't want to waste the moments to grow now.  The goal: to know Christ and make Him known, and help others to do the same….

Celebrating 15 years of marriage...almost!

A week with my husband and good friends was all I had hoped it would be!  We had so much fun relaxing, eating, playing cards, seeing a little bit of four countries we had never been to before, and eating some more.  This was our second cruise; the last was to celebrate our 10th anniversary.  This will be 15...I can't believe we are that old!  We went a little early because our good friends Brandon and Stacy agreed to go with us to celebrate their anniversary too.  It was so much fun!  The first day at sea we laid out on the windy deck and ate too many ice cream cones.  It was formal night, so we got to get all dressed up to go to dinner.  Our waiters were a little quiet the first few nights, but then they warmed up to us.  Eddy, Welly, and Hari, All from different countries around the world.  It was fun to have the same people serving us all week and getting to know them a little bit.  All the staff on the boat work so hard.  They are on contract for 6 to 9 months at a time.  Some have families at home and only get to see them for 3 months out of the entire year.  And they say it is a privilege to be working on the ship.  Here we are at the first formal night!

Oh, I forgot.  When we first got on the ship we were exploring all the decks.  We passed by the spa and were asked to do a tour; they try to sell you on everything.  While we were standing there waiting, one of the ladies got really close to Kurt's face and asked him if he shaved today, examining closely.  She insisted that he get a shave.  He couldn't say no, literally, he tried.  Apparently they needed a volunteer to demonstrate the services they offer.  So he sat in the chair and a girl from South Africa began to tell us what she would do to him.  We thought he would just be there for our group...oh were we wrong.  Before she even started shaving him our group moved on to see the next service.  He had to sit there and be shaved...and get a facial....for all the other groups passing by!!!  When we were done with the tour about 45 minutes later he was still in the chair.  Poor guy, he was so embarrassed!  But his face was soft and his skin nicely hydrated!

The first port we went to was the Dominican Republic.  Cruise ships just started coming there in October of 2015.  We took a bus ride for about 45 minutes, through a few little towns that looked very much like places in Nigeria or other third world countries we've visited.  The woman giving the tour told us that the country is very hopeful because the cruise ships coming in will provide many jobs.  Hopefully this will be true and benefit their economy.  We heard a lot of other interesting information on the way as well, but we never know how much is actually true or just what they think we want to hear.  We finally arrived at a beach and boarded a little boat that took us to a big katamaran. There were probably about 50 people on board, a bus full.  We went to two different snorkeling locations and then they served us a wonderful lunch.  Snorkeling was okay, we saw some pretty fish.  I fed some, and would not recommend it!  The little fish are cute and fun, but then a big fish came along and bit me and actually broke the skin...only me.  After lunch they put up the huge sails and sailed us for about 2 hours back to our ship.  It was amazing!

The second port was St. Thomas.  We took a ferry over to St. John (a smaller island with less than 5,000 people living there) and snorkeled and relaxed at Trunk Bay, one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.  The snorkeling wasn't much to speak of, but the beach  was absolutely amazing.  We could have spent more time there!  This was the view from up above.  Yes, we were there right on that sand!!!

Third was San Juan, Puerto Rico.  We didn't plan a shore excursion with the ship this day.  So we got off the ship and got sucked into a tour for much cheaper with a local company.  It was actually really good.  The driver was great and gave us a lot of information.  We saw a lot of historical sites and two different forts.  They were pretty amazing to see.  Then we walked around the old city with cobblestone streets.  We ate at a local restaurant and ate mufungo, a national dish made from smashed plaintain filled with meat and lots of sauce.  It was very, very good.  This picture is a watchtower in one of the walls of the fort.

The fourth stop was probably our favorite.  Grand Turk.  We just walked off the ship onto a beautiful beach.  There were a lot of chairs and people right by the ship so we walked to the opposite end of the beach.  We got a few chairs and an umbrella from a place called Jack's Shack and enjoyed the whole afternoon.  It was pretty warm and the water was perfect and refreshing.  There was a dog that belonged to the owners that ran and played in the water in front of us all day.  I think you can see him in the picture.  It was just a great relaxing, beautiful day seeing God's creation.  At the end of the day a huge sting ray swam right by the shore!

It was such an amazing trip.  We meet so many interesting people on and off the ship.  People love to share their stories and talk.  I love hearing how stories from all over the world.  I love being on the ship and looking out and seeing the ocean on all sides.  It is huge and I am so small.   Even the gianormous cruise ship is tiny compared to the expanse of the ocean below and the stars above.  As I think about God's love being so deep and wide, I see it so clearly looking around me and breathing in the ocean air.  God is so much bigger and greater and more powerful than I can even begin to imagine.  I can feel bad spending so much money on a vacation when it can go other places.  But I'm reminded that we need to invest in and celebrate our marriage as well.  We need to enjoy time together and just being.  It was so refreshing.  I write this from our hotel room where we are staying one more night before we fly out in the morning.  I wanted to write all we did so I wouldn't forget after the whirlwind of getting home and having tons to do.  I'm so thankful for our parents who watched the kids for us!  I'm not ready to come home.  We both miss the kids a ton, but it was such a good trip....it will be hard to go back to reality!

How Much They Have Grown...

I just can't believe that was five and a half years ago!  It seems like yesterday, and an eternity ago.  I can't remember even how crazy life was (still is, just different, bigger, and louder).  They are so precious.  I want to treasure every moment with them.  

I was sitting by a woman on a plane today who had been married for 57 years, and widowed now for three.  She was reminding me to treasure all the ages and stages.  She beamed when she talked about her grandchildren and the things they did.  She said it's hard to enjoy all the little things they do when we are with them all the time.  But when she only sees them every so often she sees the sweetness and the hillarity of all they do.  So true.  Some days I will laugh at the things they do.  Other days I just want to cry because I feel like such a failure.  It is impossible to raise responsible, healthy, God-fearing children.  I feel like I'm ruining them for life!  I'm overwhelmed by the daily task.  However, God has put me just where I am with all these crazy people!  It is impossible, but we serve a God who does the impossible.  So somehow, through the crazy, HE will shape these sweet children into the men and woman that He has made them to be.  I'd like to just step out of the way and watch....but He has me right in the mix because He is still working on me and will be until the day I die. (speaking of...love the Toby Mac song, Til the day I die)

So they will keep growing and I will keep looking back at old pictures wondering where the time has gone.  I trust I will see growth, not just in their little bodies, but in their character as well.  I will.  But to think of their ages five years from now...oh boy!  16, 15, 13, and 11...how will we do it???  I will trust Him for today!

The Fastpass

The day after we got home from Disneyland mom and I went to Sisters for a celebration of life service. I left Kurt with the kids at home.  It is never easy to celebrate the life of ones who leave far too soon.  But somehow these little beautiful lives were celebrated.  One of my cousins lost two beautiful little girls, identical twins, at 34 weeks.  No sense can ever be made from situations like these.  I have completely stopped trying.  I do still know that my God is good, my God is kind, and my God loves others more than I can ever imagine.

At the service I was amazed.  Their daddy is a pastor, and he actually spoke.  He did the whole thing.  I don't know how, only by the power of God.  He wanted to share what God had been teaching him through all of this.  I don't know if there was a dry eye there, but he made it through and he did an amazing job.  One thing he said was that these precious little girls took a short cut to heaven.  Even though we feel short-changed, they are where they have always belonged.  As soon as he said this I began to think of the fast pass.  In Disneyland, where I had spent the last five days, we liked those fast passes. It was great to get to bypass most of the line to get on the ride in less than 10 minutes.  Seeing the envy of those watching you walk right by, standing in line with loud, impatient, overtired and overstimulated children.  Other times we did not like the fast pass…those times when we did not have one and we were the ones waiting in the line.  We weren't really happy for those who had them, we easily forget that it does take some forethought and sometimes even a line to get one.  Rather than being happy for those who have one we become jealous or bitter because we have to wait.  It's not fun to wait.

I know this analogy between the two isn't perfect.  But it made sense to me.  These precious little girls got a fast pass into heaven.  How can I be upset about that?  They are enjoying life to the full.  Happy in Jesus' arms.  I don't like to wait.  Would I really want them to skip the fast pass and wait in line with the rest of us?  For selfish reasons yes, I would.  It doesn't seem fair to their parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and everyone who cares that they now have to live life in line without these precious girls.  But God gave them a fast pass…so I should not question His choice, but choose instead to somehow rejoice.  So much easier said than done.  Sooner than later though, this sweet little family will be reunited… and this life will seem like an eternity past.

School instruments

I should start this by saying I love music.  I love the idea of kids learning music, practicing music, and understanding music.  Cade and Ella take piano lessons.  It can be loud, but a good loud.  They know how not to bang on the piano (I can't say the same for the other two yet…) and they can make some beautiful music.  Now…when they come home with recorders I want to run far away!  No matter how good you are, I don't think anyone can make a recorder sound good.  I'm so sorry kids, when you read this some day.  I love the fact that they will practice until they get the song right.  But even then I dread the random squeal that can come at any point in time from that piece of plastic!  The first day they played everywhere; the car, the kitchen, the bathroom, outside, garage, pretty much anywhere there was an audience to listen to them.  I was woken up at 6:00 am the next morning because that was apparently a very important time to practice.  Once they thought they would be funny and wake me up with it in MY bedroom!  They quickly learned that would not end well for them if it ever happened again.  

So when Cade brought this thing home ( I can't remember what it was called already, maybe the auto harp?), I was a little nervous to start with.  He only could borrow it for two days though, so I knew I could handle it.  I did not know that I would be serenaded everywhere.  Unlike the recorder, it was always in tune and did not squeal if touched wrong.  I thought he would stay in one place to practice because it was pretty big and a little awkward to carry, but I was wrong.  I was planting my petunias outside so first he opened the window so I could listen.  But that was not good enough so he joined me outside.  I was really looking forward to the quiet and the songs of the birds…I got Edelweiss instead.  He is a marvelous singer, so it was pretty sweet.  Even with the pauses to change chords.  I love this boy and his enjoyment of learning.  His growing brain is amazing and I will cherish all the serenading he decides to do…even if it is with a recorder!  I'm just praying one will learn the cello.

Burn piles....to love or fear?

The burn pile begins….

We all made it safely to the other side…it's a bit warmer over here!

We came back the next night to roast marshmallows!

Ella likes to burn hers.

We finally got around to burning all the branches that were left from clearing a few trees we feared may fall on our house.  I did not know how entertaining this would be.  Kurt started burning it on a Saturday morning.  It is now Thursday evening and is still going!  All day Saturday the kids were out watching and throwing more sticks on it.  Sunday after church, they went right back to it.  We had a birthday party for Ella Sunday night, it was so hard to pull them away from their new toy.  Yes, I'm a horrible mom and let them "play" with the fire.  We did go over all sorts of fire safety….they were "working"!  I was still so nervous, I don't know how many times I said things like, "Do not walk around with that torch!" Or, "Stop!  You are going to burn someone's hair!"  We made it through.  No burns, no trips to the ER.  I do had to add that they were never left unattended with the fire.  I think my husband enjoyed playing with it almost as much as the kids.  I think that Papa liked it maybe too much too…he was driving the tractor grabbing more and more things to put on it!  We all reeked of smoke for days, with baths and showers nonstop!  So many memories were made and so much time spent as a family.  I guess I may have lost a few years from the stress…but it was worth it!

So now we have more work, a shed will hopefully be going in it's place.  Maybe I will finally be able to get some chickens…and goats if I can dream of no poison oak around here!  I'm sure we will really have some good stories then!  

Easter memories

The best picture is always the silliest one.

Easter began really early this year.  Kurt and I got up early to run.  I can't wait until one of us doesn't need to stay close to the house and we can actually run together.  Even though I really dislike waking up early, I love the peacefulness of the morning.  The smells of fresh, crisp air.  The random coyote.  The moon setting as the sun rises.  Just as our glorious Savior rose!  

This year we went to service early, at 8:00am.  Yes a.m.!  It was wonderful though.  We were able to come home and get back into our pjs and hunt our resurrection eggs and make our rolls and just enjoy each other.   It was so great.  We need to remember this every year!