Just wanting everyone to know that we wish you a wonderful Christmas time with family and friends and a Happy New Year. This will be Troll and the kids' first Christmas without family and my first one since I was a kid so it will be a bit of adjusting. Plus the fact that its like 80 degrees!! LOL!!!
Anyway, warm, warm wishes from all of us!! We love you all and trust that this year is full of love and hapiness for all of you!!
Merry Christmas!
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Content
Its a chilly eve in the South and I'm sitting here at the computer just thinking back over the past almost 2 months since our move and ALL that has transpired, the work that has been done and the laughs we've had. The kids are in bed, Troll is still at work and I'm pondering :)
What am I pondering? Duno really if there is any one certain thing that is making me smile softly like I am right now other than knowing I'm at peace. Happy. Thankful. Blessed. I guess to wrap it all up simply...I'm content! Part of what makes me that way is knowing that right now I'm in the center of God's will and to be there can assure nothing BUT peace. The other part that makes me smile softly is that I have some wonderful kids. I have two specific instances that I want to share to just give you an idea of why I'm saying how wonderful they are. They are not instances that make me want to shout out how proud I am of them or to gloat with that "bumper sticker type mentality"....these are just instances that have made me smile softly, whisper in my heart a thank-you to God for how He's helped me raise them, and yes, to follow the soft smile....a tear or so :)
First instance happened the night before my parents were going home after being here remodeling. I will not mention this child's name or say he/she so as not to cause embarrassment but it was one of my older kids. Dad had been here at the house late; Mom and my lil sis had gone to their apt. to start packing up for their trip North. He was cleaning up all his tools, packing the back of the van with them and making sure all was to his liking. I was in the kitchen putting away some dishes...the kids were all bedded down on the living room floor and couches. Dad opened the door into the kitchen and said, "I found this in my nail pouch!" and he handed me $2.00. I said, Oh! And then, after thinking for a moment said, I believe that is ____'s money...it must have fallen in there. So I turned and asked that kid if it were in fact theirs. That kid looked at me kinda awkwardly and affirmed that it was theirs. I laid it on the piano, said goodnite to my dad and that was that.
As I was going back into the kitchen a thought dawned on me. I paused a moment and then turned to that kid and said, ________ did you put that money in Gramps' nail pouch on purpose? The kid said that they had. (All the while looking disappointed/disturbed) I said, O...do you want me to run it out to Gramps? They said, sure! So I picked up the money and walked out the front door but Dad had already started the drive back to their apt. So I walked back in the house and laid it on the piano again and told that kid, I will give it to him in the a.m. They nodded their head and shut their eyes - I walked back into the kitchen. I had only been in there a few minutes when once again the disappointed look of that kid went thru my mind. And that's when it hit me! I put down my dish rag and walked over to them where they were bedded down for the night and said, Did you put that money in Gramps' nail pouch for all the work he did this past week to make you kids bedrooms? The kid looked at me with seeming gratitude for finally getting it (smile) and said, Yea I guess kinda yea. I hugged them, told them I was so proud of them for wanting to give Gramps something for all the work he had done and that I loved them SO very much. As I stood back up and walked back into the kitchen I didn't know whether to laugh, cry or both. I do know that I felt such an overwhelming joy in my heart at the tenderness in the heart of that kid and how willing they were to give. See....all that kid had was $2.00 to their name and to know that they wanted to give it to someone to let them know all the work they had done had not gone unnoticed...THAT was priceless to me.
Needless to say, I shot a text to my mom immediately to let my dad know exactly what had transpired and how that grandkid had really appreciated what Gramps had done to make their room special. Of course all the other ones were appreciative as well but this one ~ made me smile softly.
The next instance just happened tonight. As I eluded to earlier in this post...the kids have been sleeping on the living room floor. My parents had come down before Thanksgiving to turn a garage into 2 "brand new" bedrooms. Dad, with the help of Troll on occasion and our neighbor, did a great job of doing exactly that. However, they had to go back North on Black Friday and so I offered to put the texture on the ceilings and walls, fill in cracks with caulking and do the painting. I'm not a professional by ANY means but I do love to do that kind of thing. So with me doing that, juggling house work, school, and all that stuff...it took me longer than I'd hoped. Through this whole time the kids never once complained about having to all be in the living room on the floor and couches. They never complained about all the extra housework they had to do and Jet even did laundry pretty much every other day all by herself. Well yesterday I finally finished with all I had to do in those bedrooms. Sure they don't look super but I was happy. The carpet guys came today and a very happy family gazed on the two new rooms with big ol' smiles after lunch!
Troll and I set up the bunkbeds and other bed for the boys and got them all made up. Then Troll had to go to work. I had the two older kids go get the boy's toy chest out of storage and carry it over. When things had all settled down E and B realized that one of the toy boxes were in the room and were overjoyed to finally see the toys they hadn't seen since we moved in August! Let me tell ya...I'm thinking that we won't need Christmas cause they are so thankful to finally have their stuff back.
Ok, so on to the instance. The three boys walked into their room tonight after brushing their teeth and as they climbed into their beds they sighed great big sighs, smiled real big and said, Aw...its good to be in bed...great job, Mom. Now maybe to you it doesn't mean much...or maybe doesn't even rate as an instance. But to me it does! They don't have pictures on their walls, their dressers are still in other buildings, they don't have all their little treasures cause they are still in boxes and have been since August....all they have is their beds and a toy box......but that was enough :) So yes, it rates as an instance for me. Because I'm thankful they didn't walk in and say, Where are our clothes? or Where is the rest of our stuff? No, they were thankful to just be off the floor and in a bedroom. And that to me warranted a soft smile.
I am content. :) *Sigh*
What am I pondering? Duno really if there is any one certain thing that is making me smile softly like I am right now other than knowing I'm at peace. Happy. Thankful. Blessed. I guess to wrap it all up simply...I'm content! Part of what makes me that way is knowing that right now I'm in the center of God's will and to be there can assure nothing BUT peace. The other part that makes me smile softly is that I have some wonderful kids. I have two specific instances that I want to share to just give you an idea of why I'm saying how wonderful they are. They are not instances that make me want to shout out how proud I am of them or to gloat with that "bumper sticker type mentality"....these are just instances that have made me smile softly, whisper in my heart a thank-you to God for how He's helped me raise them, and yes, to follow the soft smile....a tear or so :)
First instance happened the night before my parents were going home after being here remodeling. I will not mention this child's name or say he/she so as not to cause embarrassment but it was one of my older kids. Dad had been here at the house late; Mom and my lil sis had gone to their apt. to start packing up for their trip North. He was cleaning up all his tools, packing the back of the van with them and making sure all was to his liking. I was in the kitchen putting away some dishes...the kids were all bedded down on the living room floor and couches. Dad opened the door into the kitchen and said, "I found this in my nail pouch!" and he handed me $2.00. I said, Oh! And then, after thinking for a moment said, I believe that is ____'s money...it must have fallen in there. So I turned and asked that kid if it were in fact theirs. That kid looked at me kinda awkwardly and affirmed that it was theirs. I laid it on the piano, said goodnite to my dad and that was that.
As I was going back into the kitchen a thought dawned on me. I paused a moment and then turned to that kid and said, ________ did you put that money in Gramps' nail pouch on purpose? The kid said that they had. (All the while looking disappointed/disturbed) I said, O...do you want me to run it out to Gramps? They said, sure! So I picked up the money and walked out the front door but Dad had already started the drive back to their apt. So I walked back in the house and laid it on the piano again and told that kid, I will give it to him in the a.m. They nodded their head and shut their eyes - I walked back into the kitchen. I had only been in there a few minutes when once again the disappointed look of that kid went thru my mind. And that's when it hit me! I put down my dish rag and walked over to them where they were bedded down for the night and said, Did you put that money in Gramps' nail pouch for all the work he did this past week to make you kids bedrooms? The kid looked at me with seeming gratitude for finally getting it (smile) and said, Yea I guess kinda yea. I hugged them, told them I was so proud of them for wanting to give Gramps something for all the work he had done and that I loved them SO very much. As I stood back up and walked back into the kitchen I didn't know whether to laugh, cry or both. I do know that I felt such an overwhelming joy in my heart at the tenderness in the heart of that kid and how willing they were to give. See....all that kid had was $2.00 to their name and to know that they wanted to give it to someone to let them know all the work they had done had not gone unnoticed...THAT was priceless to me.
Needless to say, I shot a text to my mom immediately to let my dad know exactly what had transpired and how that grandkid had really appreciated what Gramps had done to make their room special. Of course all the other ones were appreciative as well but this one ~ made me smile softly.
The next instance just happened tonight. As I eluded to earlier in this post...the kids have been sleeping on the living room floor. My parents had come down before Thanksgiving to turn a garage into 2 "brand new" bedrooms. Dad, with the help of Troll on occasion and our neighbor, did a great job of doing exactly that. However, they had to go back North on Black Friday and so I offered to put the texture on the ceilings and walls, fill in cracks with caulking and do the painting. I'm not a professional by ANY means but I do love to do that kind of thing. So with me doing that, juggling house work, school, and all that stuff...it took me longer than I'd hoped. Through this whole time the kids never once complained about having to all be in the living room on the floor and couches. They never complained about all the extra housework they had to do and Jet even did laundry pretty much every other day all by herself. Well yesterday I finally finished with all I had to do in those bedrooms. Sure they don't look super but I was happy. The carpet guys came today and a very happy family gazed on the two new rooms with big ol' smiles after lunch!
Troll and I set up the bunkbeds and other bed for the boys and got them all made up. Then Troll had to go to work. I had the two older kids go get the boy's toy chest out of storage and carry it over. When things had all settled down E and B realized that one of the toy boxes were in the room and were overjoyed to finally see the toys they hadn't seen since we moved in August! Let me tell ya...I'm thinking that we won't need Christmas cause they are so thankful to finally have their stuff back.
Ok, so on to the instance. The three boys walked into their room tonight after brushing their teeth and as they climbed into their beds they sighed great big sighs, smiled real big and said, Aw...its good to be in bed...great job, Mom. Now maybe to you it doesn't mean much...or maybe doesn't even rate as an instance. But to me it does! They don't have pictures on their walls, their dressers are still in other buildings, they don't have all their little treasures cause they are still in boxes and have been since August....all they have is their beds and a toy box......but that was enough :) So yes, it rates as an instance for me. Because I'm thankful they didn't walk in and say, Where are our clothes? or Where is the rest of our stuff? No, they were thankful to just be off the floor and in a bedroom. And that to me warranted a soft smile.
I am content. :) *Sigh*
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Another smile :)
So which one of ya need just one more smile for the day? :) Comin right up!!
The other day, after going thru yet MORE boxes, Troll decided to go thru his books and get rid of doubles, ones he never used and etc. He'd fill a banana box and take it out to the truck and sit it behind it to be loaded and hauled to the thrift store.
I'm not really sure how many boxes he ended up with but it came to a point in the evening where I realized I needed cheese for spaghetti pie and asked if he'd go to the store....and there sat those boxes. Jet had decided to go with him and so out they quietly trooped so that the other kids didn't realize they were leaving (cause that's what you have to do in our house or you get this mass exodus thingy going on that you don't really want!). They get out there only to realize that all those boxes of books were still sitting behind the truck. So Troll, being that "let's get'er done all at once" kinda guy, goes for a stack of boxes and picks them up....
..........(as Jet recounts later) "I hear dad say, 'Oh, NO!'...so I look down and there his pants were...on the way to the ground in quick fashion. So I quick grab for them. As I'm in the process of pulling them up (ya kno...cause he still had boxes of books in his arms) my hand touched his leg and I thought his boxers had fallen, too, so I let go of his pants while squealing and covering my eyes! ......
LOLOL!!! Now you just have to understand the type of person Jet is and how much she loves to have fun and be sarcastic and is kinda like her mom in that she laughs at things at the drop of the hat cause everything is so funny! To hear her tell this story was priceless cause she did her signature move of throwing her hand to cover her eyes and forehead as she laughed so hard she was crying :) I'm sure I didn't say all that she said and possibly mixed up a comment here and there....but you get the pic! Troll's pants were hitting the ground and she wanted to save him :)
So there ya have it....the other smile you needed to finish your day! :) On a side note....why are there NEVER video cameras around when ya need 'em?!!
The other day, after going thru yet MORE boxes, Troll decided to go thru his books and get rid of doubles, ones he never used and etc. He'd fill a banana box and take it out to the truck and sit it behind it to be loaded and hauled to the thrift store.
I'm not really sure how many boxes he ended up with but it came to a point in the evening where I realized I needed cheese for spaghetti pie and asked if he'd go to the store....and there sat those boxes. Jet had decided to go with him and so out they quietly trooped so that the other kids didn't realize they were leaving (cause that's what you have to do in our house or you get this mass exodus thingy going on that you don't really want!). They get out there only to realize that all those boxes of books were still sitting behind the truck. So Troll, being that "let's get'er done all at once" kinda guy, goes for a stack of boxes and picks them up....
..........(as Jet recounts later) "I hear dad say, 'Oh, NO!'...so I look down and there his pants were...on the way to the ground in quick fashion. So I quick grab for them. As I'm in the process of pulling them up (ya kno...cause he still had boxes of books in his arms) my hand touched his leg and I thought his boxers had fallen, too, so I let go of his pants while squealing and covering my eyes! ......
LOLOL!!! Now you just have to understand the type of person Jet is and how much she loves to have fun and be sarcastic and is kinda like her mom in that she laughs at things at the drop of the hat cause everything is so funny! To hear her tell this story was priceless cause she did her signature move of throwing her hand to cover her eyes and forehead as she laughed so hard she was crying :) I'm sure I didn't say all that she said and possibly mixed up a comment here and there....but you get the pic! Troll's pants were hitting the ground and she wanted to save him :)
So there ya have it....the other smile you needed to finish your day! :) On a side note....why are there NEVER video cameras around when ya need 'em?!!
Monday, October 17, 2011
Today!
Well it's today :) That day we have looked forward to, dreaded, been excited about, been nervous about.....and thought would never come!! In a few hours my parents will be here and we'll load up our moving truck with the rest of our things and then go to their house to pick up the trailer and spend the night. Tues we'll be hitting the road.....Troll in the truck/trailer...me in the Burby. O, yea......and the kids tied down on top with the dogs mounted on the hood! LOL!!! We hope/plan to arrive to our final destination on Wednesday sometime early evening. We are excited about this new venture and praying God uses us to bless ppl and bring more into HIS kingdom.
So that's today. Now yesterday.... that was a doozy. Sigh. So many mixed emotions. Leaving a tremendous church family that picked us up and carried us thru some time of healing, loved us without needing explanations and accepted us for who we are as a family. Allot of tears shed...even from the kids. We will always hold Richfield congregation close to our hearts and pray that God blesses them for being such a blessing to us. Thank-you to a wonderful congregation and a terrific pastoral family in the McCarty's and their assistants, the Lenharts. Our kids talked for quite awhile when we left church on how much the loved Mr. Lenhart's teaching and how easy he made it for young ppl to understand Biblical things and how much they'd miss their close friends the McCarty's. We will always love all of them. God has truly blessed Richfield with a remarkable team of pastoral families.
We got to spend some time with family for lunch and then lots of visiting, funny stories from the past and reminding my one uncle how I thought he'd worn his slippers to church when I was a little girl! :) We also got to see my Gram for a little while and that was truly a blessing. Even tho she isn't up to par physically and of sound mind at times.... she's still my Gram and I love her dearly. Of course my Aunt Lyd regaled me with wonderful tales of all that she'd been up to of late... like fixing the neighbor's dentures, painting the dilapidated ol' farm truck and ordering 50 books for an amish neighbor off amazon! LOL! Gotta love the valley :) There were others of my family I woulda loved to have seen but time just wouldn't allow. :( I'm going to miss the birth of quite a few babies as well and that is hard to handle....me being the baby lover that I am. But I'm just imploring of those mama's....PLEASE TAKE PICS....LOTS N LOTS OF THEM!!!!!
So now I'm sitting here, wishing I hadn't packed the coffee pot up last night, thinking of all we need to accomplish today in loading and knowing that with God's help we will go far :) Literally!!! For those of you that have been on pins and needles wondering where we are going..... wonder no longer. Was it a secret? Nah! I just like making ppl wonder :) So for future reference...if you need our new address...just send me a message on facebook or I'll email it to ya. I really don't want to put it on here. :) I also wana say a BIG thank you to our friend that moved out of his apt. so we'd have a place to live these past two months. He's been a gr8 friend in so many ways and we are forever gr8ful.
Oh!!! I almost forgot to say where we were moving......
So that's today. Now yesterday.... that was a doozy. Sigh. So many mixed emotions. Leaving a tremendous church family that picked us up and carried us thru some time of healing, loved us without needing explanations and accepted us for who we are as a family. Allot of tears shed...even from the kids. We will always hold Richfield congregation close to our hearts and pray that God blesses them for being such a blessing to us. Thank-you to a wonderful congregation and a terrific pastoral family in the McCarty's and their assistants, the Lenharts. Our kids talked for quite awhile when we left church on how much the loved Mr. Lenhart's teaching and how easy he made it for young ppl to understand Biblical things and how much they'd miss their close friends the McCarty's. We will always love all of them. God has truly blessed Richfield with a remarkable team of pastoral families.
We got to spend some time with family for lunch and then lots of visiting, funny stories from the past and reminding my one uncle how I thought he'd worn his slippers to church when I was a little girl! :) We also got to see my Gram for a little while and that was truly a blessing. Even tho she isn't up to par physically and of sound mind at times.... she's still my Gram and I love her dearly. Of course my Aunt Lyd regaled me with wonderful tales of all that she'd been up to of late... like fixing the neighbor's dentures, painting the dilapidated ol' farm truck and ordering 50 books for an amish neighbor off amazon! LOL! Gotta love the valley :) There were others of my family I woulda loved to have seen but time just wouldn't allow. :( I'm going to miss the birth of quite a few babies as well and that is hard to handle....me being the baby lover that I am. But I'm just imploring of those mama's....PLEASE TAKE PICS....LOTS N LOTS OF THEM!!!!!
So now I'm sitting here, wishing I hadn't packed the coffee pot up last night, thinking of all we need to accomplish today in loading and knowing that with God's help we will go far :) Literally!!! For those of you that have been on pins and needles wondering where we are going..... wonder no longer. Was it a secret? Nah! I just like making ppl wonder :) So for future reference...if you need our new address...just send me a message on facebook or I'll email it to ya. I really don't want to put it on here. :) I also wana say a BIG thank you to our friend that moved out of his apt. so we'd have a place to live these past two months. He's been a gr8 friend in so many ways and we are forever gr8ful.
Oh!!! I almost forgot to say where we were moving......
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Whew!!
Things are coming together and the house is pretty much packed!! The oldest two kids were gone for a few days getting in last minute visits with friends/family....Beeg to school with former classmates and Mavis to her cousins house an hour away. Doody was a HUGE help to me and we got things done really quickly. In fact...so quickly that I ended up sitting all eve bored to death! lol!
So from BOB...ttyl!!!
My parents are loading up all our stuff at their place (where it was stored) today with the help of some church ppl and then they will come up tomorrow nite, spend the nite and load the stuff here Monday a.m. Soon as we are loaded we'll go back to their place and pick up the trailer with lawn mower, etc, spend the nite and leave about 5 Tues a.m.!! Troll will be driving the moving truck/trailer and I'll be driving the Burby! So keep us in your prayers!!! Especially pray that I don't get any migraines while traveling or we'll be in trouble. Thank the Lord I've not had one in almost a week and that has been a HUGE blessing. Hopefully I continue to be free of them...at least until we get to our "new" home :)
Probably won't be posting now for awhile. But just because of that....doesn't mean I'm to be forgotten! LOLOLOL!!!
So from BOB...ttyl!!!Sunday, October 9, 2011
Stepping!
Steps. Sometimes slow. Sometimes in the dark. Sometimes full of purpose and drive. Sometimes faltering and unsure. Sometimes NOW! :)
We are stepping! Are you in shock? Lol!! In a way I think we are. But only in a way. Things have happened BANG BANG BANG and I now get the chance to let you (our friends) know what this step is.
Wait for it...................
We are moving! Again? Yup!! You'd think we enjoyed it or something. Actually (don't tell Troll) I don't mind moving. We did it so much when I was growing up that its kinda just "the thing to do". Lol!! Kinda like rearranging the living room furniture... its gotta happen every few months! :)
Ok...so enough about furniture and on to the move. We are moving! *giggle* Where? Well I'm kinda enjoying this suspense thing so I duno if I wana tell ya! :) We did just find out at 10 p.m. last night so don't go getting upset that we've been harboring this little secret and weren't telling you. And honestly....everything happened so quickly that it is just registering with us as well.
So...the move. It is clearly evident that God is asking us to go to the sunny south :) So after talking and praying on the legistical stuff (cause if God CALLS there is no need to mull over it) we have answered with a big "YES" and we will be moving within the next week or two! So we are asking an interest in your prayers as we pack up and travel quite a distance away from family and friends to minister to and become a part of another group of people's lives. :) We are all excited (except for missing out on the white stuff that falls from the sky in the North) and can't wait for this chapter in our lives to begin.
Thank you to those that have carried us, day after day, to the Throne of Grace...asking for God's will and purpose for our lives to become evident. Were it not for your prayers....these past few months would have been very trying and tiring. Believe me when I say (and speak for all of us) that we could feel those prayers. And will always be grateful. :)
Now wish me luck as I (once again) pack us up and prepare Troll for another move! LOL!!! :)
We are stepping! Are you in shock? Lol!! In a way I think we are. But only in a way. Things have happened BANG BANG BANG and I now get the chance to let you (our friends) know what this step is.
Wait for it...................
We are moving! Again? Yup!! You'd think we enjoyed it or something. Actually (don't tell Troll) I don't mind moving. We did it so much when I was growing up that its kinda just "the thing to do". Lol!! Kinda like rearranging the living room furniture... its gotta happen every few months! :)
Ok...so enough about furniture and on to the move. We are moving! *giggle* Where? Well I'm kinda enjoying this suspense thing so I duno if I wana tell ya! :) We did just find out at 10 p.m. last night so don't go getting upset that we've been harboring this little secret and weren't telling you. And honestly....everything happened so quickly that it is just registering with us as well.
So...the move. It is clearly evident that God is asking us to go to the sunny south :) So after talking and praying on the legistical stuff (cause if God CALLS there is no need to mull over it) we have answered with a big "YES" and we will be moving within the next week or two! So we are asking an interest in your prayers as we pack up and travel quite a distance away from family and friends to minister to and become a part of another group of people's lives. :) We are all excited (except for missing out on the white stuff that falls from the sky in the North) and can't wait for this chapter in our lives to begin.
Thank you to those that have carried us, day after day, to the Throne of Grace...asking for God's will and purpose for our lives to become evident. Were it not for your prayers....these past few months would have been very trying and tiring. Believe me when I say (and speak for all of us) that we could feel those prayers. And will always be grateful. :)
Now wish me luck as I (once again) pack us up and prepare Troll for another move! LOL!!! :)
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Oh my!
Wow...I've severely neglected this blog! That is terrible :) And yet...I've been busy and doing just the humdrum typical of a stay at home mom who homeschools 5 kids! Nothing exciting to say! lol!! But I promise...I will do my best to put an exciting post here.
As soon as something exciting happens! Lol!!!
As soon as something exciting happens! Lol!!!
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