Life as I know it

True Story: Last night Ivan and I went to bed. Which means Ivan lays down in bed and I go brush my teeth, go to the bathroom, wash my face, etc. So I come out of the bathroom and say "You better not be asleep already" Because he falls asleep at the drop of a hat and its just irritating ;-) He says "Nope not yet" So we start talking about Hadley and how she is so funny and I can't even remember what else. Next thing you know Ivan says " Fine I will get your clothes so you will quit crying" (kind of sarcastically) I of course say as I'm laughing " What are you talking about weirdo I have my p.j's on, I don't need clothes" He them says "Oh sorry I must have dozed off, and I guess was dreaming you were in the shower and needed me to grab your clothes". Well that's nice honey that you dream about me I guess but REALLY right in the middle of a conversation you can fall asleep and start dreaming and talk in your sleep... LOL I know that was T.M.I but it was SO funny I just had to share (and he will really appreciate it... bahaha)

This morning I went back to bed after getting the kids off to school and Hadley was in our bed sleeping (of course). My alarm goes off at 8:50 so I hit snooze. Two seconds later I get a kidney shot with one of Hadley's feet and before I can recover I get a full blown kick to my full bladder. Needless to say we were both awake then... Me from being in pain and really having to pee and her from me yelling out in pain.... She instantly woke up saying " sorry mom, sorry, really sorry mommy" Yes I think she knows when I yell in pain it's from her! lol

After we get up Hadley wants to get dressed and she boldly states " I can do by myself mom" Ok Hadley you get right on that... so she gets dressed and I say "Now come here so I can button your buttons" "No mom I can do it" "Alright" I said "go ahead and try it" after trying for quite sometime she finally gave in and let me do the button but as soon as I was done, she hanked her coat out of my hand and said " Now I CAN do this myself".... well la di da ... Guess she told me!!

One of the cats runs in my room this morning and I told it to get out. Hadley said "Why is the cat in you room?" I said "I don't know Hadley, did you ask her?" She said "yes I did" " well what did she say?" Hadley: "She said she wanted a drink"... (The cats come in our room to get a drink from sink or bathtub) Oh well good Hadley I'm glad you can communicate with the cats, will you tell them not to meow so much!!

I got a phone call from Cheyenne's teacher today while I was at work. She asked me if I could bring in a pumpkin for Friday's project. Then she followed with "While I have you on the phone I just have to say we love Cheyenne so much, she is such a joy to have in class, she is so intelligent, she gets everything right, and she is so funny she keeps us cutting up all day... We are just so blessed to have her this year. I hadn't had a chance to tell you that yet so I wanted you to know."

Wow I was one proud momma, and my heart just melted... This makes every year that I have heard this from her teachers! (NOW why can't she be that way at home?) ;-)

Well to end our night we went to Life Group which we absolutely love because we get to get together with some great friends and share life, pray for each other, and talk about God's word.

Unfortunately tonight we got called to come pick up Hadley who wasn't feeling well. She seems to be doing better now that she is home and laying down. I read her a Dora book and as I was counting she said "Great Job counting mom"... Ah thanks Hadley... its really good that her mom can count to 8!! lol (Considering she is 3 and has been able to count to at least 30 for quite some time now)

Hadley talk

Today has been a good day! I worked from 8-2 and then went to pick up Hadley from daycare. There is nothing better than walking in and her face lighting up and saying "yay my mommy is here" and running to give me the biggest hug ever! I just love her more than words can say! She is such a ray of light!

So her and I ran to KARM and she got a few new books, then to Kroger.. I am parking the car and I say "Hadley I really have to pee", "I'm about to pee my pants"... She says "Mommy that really wouldn't be good".... No Hadley I guess it wouldn't!

Alex wasn't being nice to her when we got home. Tormenting her with a toy or something... and I said "Is Alex not being nice Haddie" She goes "No hims being willy wude!! (really rude)

I can't even recall right now all the hilarious things she says in one day but she keeps me laughing and happy all day long!

My day ended with an Esther meeting and it was very powerful, overwhelming, and relaxing all at the same time. I am just so excited to see what God's plan is for next weekend!

Oh Monday!

First of all the other day I was saying "I really wish I could tape my life everyday so I could go back and watch the reruns", so I decided I would just try to blog everyday about either my day, or what funny things my kids or husband say, or God stories... Whatever the day brings I guess.

So yesterday was just "One of those days"... you know the ones you just want to crawl back in bed and forget ever happened??!!

I woke up, drug myself out of bed and all the while I was telling myself "yep its Monday, BLAH". So as I am driving with Hadley to Cheyenne's school to drop something off. I am sitting at a red light and I start saying to myself "90% attitude, 10% effort", " Today is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it"... I think I said this in my head at least 3 times.... 30 seconds later I rear-ended another car... Not exactly what I was expecting as I was trying to change my perspective on the day. Needless to say I knew being on time to work was then out of the question. So I just relaxed, gave the officer my info, got back in my car, dropped the form off at Cedar Bluff Elementary, and ran Hadley to daycare....

When I went into Kindercare I read the sign saying "will be closed Oct. 10th" to find out that is a Monday I have to work so I was irritated.

Got to work 30 minutes late, to hear my client and his wife upset because he was having a health issue. So right away I was on the phone to my Case Manager, Dr's offices, and his daughter (that took about 1 1/2 hrs.) About noon I decided I needed to chart and eat something... and by then the health issue was resolved and ALL was Good in the World again....

Left work, picked Hadley and Ivan up, and went to vacuum our car out. We got all the trash out and took everything we had out of the car, just in time for it to start POURING down rain! Needless to say the car DID NOT get vacuumed....

I came home and went to my BED! But while I was there my mom called me and we just talked for awhile, had some supper, and then talked to my mother-in-law on the phone for a while. It was just relaxing!

Oh and then I almost fell down the stairs but caught myself with both hands... hurt my knee and shoulder in process. ( I blame my mother-in-law for this because she told me after my day to be careful going up and down the stair... j/k I don't blame her but it was pretty ironic)

BUT even in all those situations I sat back and said... It could be worse... Someone could have been hurt in the accident, my car could have been totaled, I could NOT have a job, I could be saying Good-bye to my client instead of making phone calls, I could have managed to break something falling down the stairs... and most of all I could not have my mom, mother-in-law, husband or kids to talk to and make me laugh.... I am just SO blessed that even when I think about just "How bad that day was" It really isn't that bad after all!!!

Oh and come to find out that Monday that the daycare is closed, is the Monday after The Esther Experience and I will be out of town for about 4 days, so I will beable to spend time with my baby girl, unpack, do laundry, clean, etc... so it was exactly what God's Plan was for me! (Why do I always question that?)

John 14:27

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

I take this verse with me where ever I go anymore. It took me a long time to fully understand this and to just trust in the Lord.

I use to be very controlling, not towards others but just in general. My house had to be totally intact, clean, sanitized, my children were on a tight schedule, everything had its place, etc. Now I am still a little OCD don't get me wrong but I am learning to let go. Those things are NOT important and you know, no matter how hard you try, you will NEVER be in control. God is in control. I love the saying " you plan and God laughs" isn't it the truth though? How many times have you tried to plan something down to the T but something goes wrong.... weather doesn't cooperate or you forget something important... It happens to us all!

ANXIETY: How many of us have had that or still do? That use to be my middle name... Anxiety attacks like crazy... I would get SO upset over everything.. what people said to me, how someone treated me, whether I upset someone else, the unknown about the future, money, how I was going to pay my bills, school, my kids, my husband and what he was doing or not doing... Lets just say that is very unhealthy!! It took moving 700 miles away from my family and friends with absolutely nothing to realize, God will provide No Matter what! It was a total Trust thing, we prayed for 2 years and knew this was where He wanted us to be! He may not provide WHAT you want but He will provide what you need, and usually it's way more than what we NEED! Anyone who lives in the United States pretty much has more than they need...

1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (Can't be stated any simpler than that, now can it?)

I know most of us struggle with money... not having enough of it, how we should spend it, and so on. I know this is one of my many struggles. Not because I WANT more or think or believe what I have isn't enough but its hard when you have been living a certain way and with so many THINGs such as cars, internet, cable, etc that giving those things up is hard, and in America, transportation to and from jobs, schools, stores is pretty necessary... having the internet and tv is the main way to stay connected to the rest of the world esp when you have so many family and friends miles away. But the plain and simple truth is this: Ezekiel 7:19 They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will be an unclean thing. Their silver and gold will not be able to save them in the day of the Lord's wrath. They will not satisfy their hunger or fill their stomachs with it, for it has made them stumble into sin.

Are you one of those people who is always saying or asking "WHAT IF?" We all have in the past I'm sure: whether it's what if I lose my job? what if I can't be good enough? what if it just doesn't work out? What if my husband leaves me? What if someone I love dies or gets sick?

Well I can say I have learned to never say What if? It is all up to God and there is nothing I can do about it, only He can predict the future and knows the path He wants for me... Sure it isn't always easy not knowing, or being patient to hear His word or seeing that open door but its His plan. Isaiah 26:3-4 You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal.

If my life (decisions or choices I make) don't make sense to you, its because all of my decisions are based on the word of God, what He wants for me, what He has told me... It doesn't have to make sense to anyone else but me. As long as I am doing His work and taking the path lead by Him that is all that is important. I have put All my faith in Him and He has not let me down... The second I made God, my center of my marriage and life, it got a lot easy because "If God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31

I AM Wealthy!

After going to Esther back in March God gave me the realization that I AM Wealthy. It is something that obviously I never seen. I thought some months I can't pay my bills, we live pay check to check, we don't have nice cars, we rent our house, and dwelt on all those negative things. I mean don't get me wrong I never thought Oh if I had all those things I could be happier, because I couldn't be any happier, I have God, a wonderful husband, and 3 gorgeous children, I knew I was BLESSED but never would have called myself wealthy.

It took hearing some very scary statistics and honestly they make me ill! There are 2.2 billion children in this world and 1 billion of them live in poverty, 925 million of them go hungry, 640 million of them don't have adequate shelter, 400 million of them have no access to safe water, 270 million of them have no access to health services, 15 million of them are orphaned due to HIV/AIDS, and 22,000 of them will die EACH DAY due to poverty! None of these kids asked for this, they didn't have a choice! This makes my heart hurt... My children have a roof over their head, their own rooms even, they have 4 bathrooms and a kitchen where they can get running water that is safe to drink and shower, they health insurance, they get more than enough to eat and often get a choice of what they want, they have more toys than they know what to do with and more clothes than their closet can fit, and shoes that match every outfit... My kids are WEALTHY....

America is the wealthiest country. 80 % of the world lives in poverty. America only makes up 5% of the population... 531 million people own vehicles in the world and America makes up 25% of that.... WE ARE WEALTHY! Truth is we have WAY more than we need.

It makes me sad when I read things about how we shouldn't mission to other countries or raise money to help other countries because we have so many people in America who are homeless. What makes them more important than those of other countries? God loves them all the same, he doesn't care about race, gender, or anything else! There are not enough jobs in other countries for them to work to raise money for their families... Yes I believe we should help those that are homeless in America but no more than any other country...

This weighs so heavy on my heart... I have 3 children and I can't bare to think for one minute that one of them were so hungry they were crying, or hurt or sick and there was NOTHING I could do for them...

I started couponing and becoming more frugal some months ago to help save money and to be able to give more to those in need and also to do a small part in making the world a better place by recycling. (All tips I learned from a my good friend, Melissa Cox) Today I called and got our cable/net bill lowered about $65.00. Its not much in comparison but its a small step! This weekend I am going through my entire home and getting rid of EVERYTHING we don't need or use because we have MORE than enough, and I want my children to know that, to not be greedy or ungrateful for what they have, and to want to give to children in need and also to raise money to donate.

I hope this helps others realize just how wealthy we are, and how we have chose to live this way. We don't NEED any of it, yet we feel we do, and when we don't have it we think we are poor. We take it all for granted. It is all worldly things that just keep us distant from whats really important in life. And we can't take ANY of it with us.

Ivan and I are praying about other things we can do to make a difference and God has placed on my heart something else to do so there may be some changes in our near future, for the better of course... Its all in HIS time!

Just a few verses:

DT 15:4-6 However, there should be no poor among you, for in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, if only you fully obey the LORD your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today. For the LORD your God will bless you as he has promised, and you will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. You will rule over many nations but none will rule over you.

PS 112:1-3 Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands. His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in his house…

Oh how He always provides!

I thought I would share just another way God has once again provided for us, as He has SO many times since coming to Christ almost 5 years ago now.

I was balancing my check book this morning at work, like I do about every other day... but today everything had cleared the bank and I was a little less than $200 difference than the bank online. So I went back a couple weeks and sure enough I made a huge subtraction error (which NEVER happens to me) I am rarely ever off in my check book and the error was just weird to say the least. I spotted it right away which tells me I think i would have when I made it but besides the point... We have more money than we thought and it couldn't have came at a better time since we have Alex's party this weekend, our Vow Renewal next weekend, and a few days later heading to Iowa to visit family and friends. We are also down to one vehicle and have been trying to get a 2nd one.

The craziest part is I was checking into renting a vehicle and the checking acct error is almost to a T the same amount as it would take for me to rent one! Coincidence I think NOT! Oh how He always comes through for US... why do we ever doubt HIM?!

Answered Prayers

Since Ivan quit his job in Sept to stay at home, we have been praying (along with many others) that God would give him a job that he would enjoy, make good money at, and mostly would be a career that he could advance in and want to stay at.

In the past few months Ivan has been preparing to put his application in at the Pipefitter Union for an apprenticeship. He had to take a test which he passed with a Silver (one pt from a gold). So proud of him!! God put a few people in his path that would give him a good reference, even one who has been in the Union for 60 yrs. He has an interview for this position on July 8th. (apprenticeship to start in Sept).... so in the meantime....

On Tuesday (May 31st) I was prayer walking at Church and while a friend was praying for Ivan and I about job situations God spoke to me. I didn't know what it meant at the time but I would soon enough.

After I got home Ivan left to make a trip to the dump and on the way back the van's transmission went completely out. He got the van home thanks to a friend. But while we were a little down and not sure what to do about only having one vehicle, God showed up in a big way.

Ivan received a phone call from Sign Co, a company he had kept in touch with since we moved here 2 yrs ago. They offered him a job, working 4 10 hr days and making decent money.

God has provided us with 2 great opportunities for him and in time we will know which one will be the long term. He has let everything fall into place and answered our prayers.... Still praying for another vehicle but we will make due as long as we have to, for everything is in HIS time!