Contagious Joy

2012-01-09T11:20:00.000-08:00

Each time I sit down to write a post, I seem to find myself stuck. And each time I remember that my readers are not interested in the fluff, you're not looking for an elaborate introduction to my post, you just like "the meat and potatoes", I get it. So with no further ado...

Was able to attend the HCRC GOP Primary Gala.
Not only did I earn a free ticket to the event by volunteering to help with registration, I was upgraded to a ticket to the dinner that followed.
My task at the event was to set the tables with centerpieces and information, I love the glamorous jobs!
We went to dinner at friends house, it was so great to see the awesome new home they purchased!
We had 2 date nights!
I got out of the house 3 nights in a row.
My AWESOME babysitter who was home from college refused to let us pay her, and my kids had a wonderful time with her.
I attended 3 political events this week.
We went to a going away party for some friends.
We had a Yankee swap with some really good laughs!
Our Sunday School Class was able to give genorously to the family of honor!
I sold a highchair skirt, so we were able to contribute to the gift! (I love how God fills needs, not just for us, but THROUGH us for others!)
The high chair cover was my favorite one yet!
I have a couple of orders to fill!
Mikayla cleaned her room....perfectly!
Katelyn and Corryn have a fish that gets lots of hugs and has been named Steve.
The job Scott was working for the last 7 weeks, has finally approved the invoices to be paid. (REALLY hoping the checks show up soon!)
Our family has not gone without.
We have had a relatively warm winter.
I have officially become a master fire starter, and professional wood stove operator!
Friends of ours who have been looking for a house have officially purchased a home!
BABIES! BABIES! BABIES!
A customer gave me a gift card to Starbucks with her payment!
A got to visit with one of my favorite people and she brought over a big box of diapers and a monetary gift for our family.
I spent $115.00 dollars this week and saved 129.45!!!
I was able to purchase groceries and some essential items that will last for 2 weeks with my coupons!
I made a coupon binder and watch web sites frequently that keep me informed of HOT deals and freebies!
I voted, and my vote counts!
I held my tongue and kept it classy when attacked by some opposing candidates supporters.
Corryn might finally be getting the concept of "no screaming".
Mikayla had a gift card, and she wanted a DS game. We were surprised to find out at the register that is was on sale, and she saved $10!
I am able to work a few nights a week for my father in law.
My fears about not having what we need have been calmed by simply reminding myself that God is in control. Although I need to say several times over somedays.
We got a touch of snow that made things pretty for a few hours!
I was able to reduce our household bills by $40. Hoping to do better with that.
Mikayla is a fan of shutting lights off!
I have felt so loved by friends and family that have promised to be a support system to us even if we have to move if Scott gets re-enlisted.
I have wonderful people in my life who understand the ups and downs of trying to live and remain stable on either no or limited income.
I was offered a great offer about starting a Melaleuca business. I was so relieved that when I turned it down, my friend understood and was so good about it. If you need any Melaleuce supplies, I can hook you up to a great vendor. They ar egreat products, but I don;t have the necessary time to try to make it successful.
Three Little Ldaies seems to be taking off!
I am working on a Valentines Day line as wew speak...or type.

I am working on something I have been convicted about. I haven;t been getting "dressed" or doing my hair or makeup for a while now...unless I go out. I found myself thinking about how awful that must be for Scott. After working a job that he really is overqualified for coming home to cranky kids and wife who is sporting the just rolled out of bed look each day. Not cool. I was given some make up for Christmas, (I cut that expense out as I felt it was a luxury item) and I make it a point to get myself put together each day...or at least I TRY to! :) Hope that it helps his moral to come home each day and find me dressed and ready to take on the world! I am thankful for that conviction!

Ok...transparency, I promised that, right?

I haven;t posted in a couple of weeks, and I started this post last week, and just finished it now.

I'm not one for making excuses, but truth be told, I am just down. Like seriously...down. in. the. dumps..

I do trust God, and I know this is all part of His plan, and I rest in that. However, it just seems like most conversations I have revolve around SCott not having a permanent job. I know it is because people care, and are concerned, but it is just a constant reminder, and sometimes, it just stinks. I really didn;t realise just how much that was affecting me until I found myself avoiding phone calls. I also found myself feeling so revived and alive after attending an event where most of the people didn;t knkow me or our current situation and I was able to talks about life, just ordinary life. It was wonderful.

I tried to switch my perspective from "stinkin' thinkin'" and look at and be thankful for all of the people that care, and that helps. I am so thankful for the concern we have been shown, and the help. I truly am, I hope this doesn;t make me sound ungateful. I want to share the blessings though. I want to talk about COrryn lrearning new words, I want to talk about Katelyn mispronouncing words that cause laughs, or how Mikayla is doing great at basketball. I want to end each conversation on a positivce note! (I think I just set a new goal for myself!)

With all that being said, if you are someone who is concerned about us and wants to know about our situation, and if Scott is going to re-enlist, if we will have to sell our house, or if we will have to move, please don;t feel like we can;t talk about it, but how about throwing some curve balls in there that allow us to talk about some of the blessings as well?!?!?!

I hope your days are filled with blessings!!!!!!

Perspective...

2011-12-31T10:19:00.000-08:00

Today is the very last day of 2011.

Probably a good day for a blog post! I have been trying to work on one for a little while now, and each time I sit down, I can not seem to gether the words or even a list to do so.

I would sit in front of my computer, start to type, and stop. I never got further than a one line introduction. I just could nopt get further than the word perspective.

Over the last couple of weeks my family has experienced a lot of slap you in the face, take your breath away, tears in your eyes type of blessings. I am so thankful to God for his provision and faithfulness to our family. I am also so thankful for the people that have allowed themselves to be used by God to bless our family.

Our girls experienced a truly wonderful Christmas!
They had hearts of gratitude with each gift they were given.
We were able to purchase oil for our home.
I have complete peace about Scott meeting with an Air Force recruiter.
I was able to enjoy a nice dinner with a friend before Christmas.
I was also able to enjoy a coffee and time of catching up with a friend after Christmas!
I was asked to take pictures for a couple of friends.
Katelyn Joy always tells us she loves us and seems to always give me the sweetest hug just when I need it most.
We saw some snow on Christmas morning! Just enough to create a lot of excitement.
Mikayla was asked to sit with her friend during one of her chemo treatments, which she happily did.
Mikayla is a wonderful friend to have.
My girls enjoy being little girls.
I received a book that I am really enjoying, Loving The Little Years, Motherhood in The Trenches". I highly recommend it.
Our MADE WITH LOVE Christmas was a huge success!
Our Christmasa Eve open house was a hit! The crowd grows bigger each year!
I enjoyed talking with Mikayla about how her perspective of Christmas was changing.
Christmas night we sang Happy Birthday to Jesus follwed by Jesus loves me. It was so sweet.
Friends and family and anonymous people gifted our family with financial gifts that could not have come at a better time.
We had a couple of photo shoots with friends that resulted in some cute and funny pictures!
I was given a gift that I didn't even know I wanted!
The girls recieved not only things that they wanted but also things they needed!
Mikayla has drawn some really pretty pictures!
BABIES!!!!!!!
I am thankful for friends that share with me. I feel so much closer to God when I can thank Him for blessings and ask Him for miracles on behalf of myself as well as others.
I am thankful for the times when things can not seem to get any worse, because it makes me even more thankful for the little things, and forces me to look at things from a different perspecitve.
Scott heard back from the job we were REALLY hoping he would get. They went with someone else, but we are so thankful that we are no longer waiting for an answer.
Scott has started the application process to re-enlist in the Air Force. This is something he has been wanting to do. He has always regretted leaving the Air Force.
I as able to talk to someone I am close to about something that had upset me, and felt much better after the conversation.
We saved a bunch of money by not having power for an entire day,
I was able to make all of the food for Christmas Eve using ingrdients we had in the house, and then was able to feed the family all week using the leftovers!
We purchased our Christmas dinner spiral ham for only $8, using coupons and sales!
We hosted a play date!
The girls and I enjoy doing Zumba for our Wii together!

Something I feel badly about but was extremely blessed by:
Mikayla didn't even tell us about a Secret Santa type of party at school. She told me after the fact that she received a bracelet and had MADE her person a necklace. She said that her friend adored the necklace and was happy to receive it.

Today is the last day of 2011. Each year I choose a word to study and focus my attention on. For the last few years my word has been "content". I learned a lot about the word and how not content I had been. As I was thinking and praying about which word I would use as my focus for 2012, the only word that seems to stick out to me has been "perspective".

Somet things to please pray for in 2012,
Scott would find a job that would supply for our family's needs.
That he is paid for the last 6 weeks of work he has performed.
That we continue to find peace as we live out God's plan for our lives.
That our family experiences good health.
That I will continute to strive to live my life as an example of God's kindness and love.

2011-12-23T13:02:00.000-08:00

I am in tears, big, wet, warm, thankful tears.

I am overwhelemed with thankfulness right now. I have a bigger blog post in the works, but I just HAD to share this blessing with you all.

We realized earlier this week that we are just about to run out of oil for the house. We knew it was getting low, but decided we would hold off on the purchase, and rely on the woodstove more for our heating needs. The woodstove works wonderfully for heating our home. We turned the thermostat way down, and on a couple of occasions woke up to our house being at the set temperature and the heat kicking on anyways. For the last few nights I have been staying up later than I normally do so I can stoke the wood stove in hopes of keeping the house warmer thru the night. (I like to call myself pioneer woman when I achieve that goal!)

Earlier this morning, Scott had called and placed an order for the oil, and they said they would be out on Monday. My mind instantly started to race. There has been a problem with receiving payment from the side work Scott has been doing, and he hasn't been paid in a month, so our bank account is definately getting low. I had decided that I would go thru the gifts we purchased for the girls, and I was going to return some things. It certainly wouldn't cover the cost of the oil, but it would help.

This afternoon, when the mailman drove away, I went to the mailbox as I normally do to get the mail. I took out the items he dropped in our box, and saw a hand written card under the pile. It wasn't postmarked or addressed, it just said to the McCobb Family. Inside this envelope was a card with a cashiers check in almost the EXACT amount of money we need to pay for the oil!

Thank you whoever you are! Thank you for your gift. Thank you for allowing God to use you to bless our family! This truly is a Christmas that I will never forget.

What A Weekend!!!

2011-12-18T19:37:00.000-08:00

This weekend has been so full of blessings! Blessing of all shapes and sizes!

I should start by saying I was very discouraged this week. I had realised that the place Scott has been doing side work is behind on 3 invoices. I realised it as I was paying our bills and noticed that all of our accounts were decreasing much more than I had expected. I knew they would go down a LITTLE bit due to Christmas, but I had budgeted for that and prepared for it. However, this was different, and very alarming. I looked thru the files and noticed he hadn;t been paid in almost a month. Not good. I was pretty upset. Then it dawned on me. I had just paid our mortgage, and on time. The money WILL come in, and when it does, it will seem like a HUGE increase. It really is all about perspective.

I had sent out some custom order tu-tu sets, and was hoping that the people I sent them to would accept them as gifts. However, one of the recipients decided that she would not only pay me for the items, but genorously pay me a lot more. It could not have come at a better time. That morning I was preparing a list of the items I would need to purchase at the grocery store to celebrate the upcoming holidays. I was also a little worried that I would be stetching things a little too thin if those checks from Scotts job didn't come in. That gift would cover it!

Later that day as I went to get Mikayla from school I decided to leave a little early. I went to Sears Essentials where I had discovered a great sale. They are doing away with their toy department, so all of the toys were 30% off on top of buy one, get one FREE! I had been there the day before to get a couple little things for a campaign a friend was running to help out a sick shild during Christmas. That is where KAtelyn saw Belle! Not just any Belle, but Barbie Belle with her pink sparkly horse. You see, I have this "policy" with the little ladies, when we shop, I allow them to hold onto a toy if they stay in the cart, or they may get out of the cart and simply look but not touch the toys. They know that we have to put the toy back where we got it when we are done shopping, and usually do it without a fuss. That day was no different. Katelyn held onto Belle, and when we were leaving I asked her to put it back. She was reluctant, and said oooooo-kaaaayyyyy. Then she followed that up with, I bet Santa will bring it. I have been a a good girl. (We do not encourage or discourage Santa...we kinda go with the flow. The kids know about Jesus and that the celebration of his birth is the REAL and TRUE meaning of Christmas first and foremost.) So I knew what had to be done, I took the Belle and shoved it under their seats in the stroller...I chose another toy at the same price to get as my free item as well.

We got to the register and I handed the cashier Belle and her horse. I asked him to put it back for us as I dramatically winked my eye...he didn't get it. I nudged KAtelyn a little bit further from me, and angled the stroller so she couldn;t see me. As I explained my plan to the cashier, I discovered I had left my wallet at home. GREAT. I apologized for the onconvenience, and I left the store.

I called Scott and I was pretty sad. He said he would meet me in the parking lot after I picked Mikayla up, and that I could back in and buy the items. I agreed and was sure they would be gone. It was the last one. the very last one.

When Scott met us in the parking lot, Mikayla and I jumped out and ran into the store looking up and down each aisle. Then, there were my items....just thrown on a shelf, out of place. Thank you Lord!!! I was able to purchase, all 4 princesses and Belle's pink sparkly horse as well as some Matchbox cars for my nephew for $17.00!!!!! I know presents are not really important, but this gift will truly make Christmas so special for her. She has mentioned to us several times that we had to put Belle back...and that she really wants a pink sparkly horse!!! I will post a picture of her face upon opening this gift and share it soon after Christmas! On top of that, we ran into my sister at the check out and we were able to wish her a happy birthday and sneak in a kiss from my niece!

Later that night, was Mikayla's school Christmas play. I had invited some family to come, and a bunch showed up!!! We took up over an entire row!!!! I really enjoyed sitting next to my nephew, and hearing him get so excited about the songs, and seeing Mikayla perform! The best part, is he told me he loved me like a million times! Those little guys warm my heart. My cousin is such a wonderful mother, and her husband is the perfect match for her. The way they love those kids, and love my kids is nothing short of amazing.

After the play, some of the family came back to the house for some dessert. I gave the boys their Christmas gifts, and Ayden spotted his birthday gift as well. So, I figured...why not? I gave it to him. They were so greatful for the small items I was able to get them, and that made me so happy! The biggest blessing....I am so glad I gave him his birthdya gift! I had misunderstood the time of his birthday party, so we ended up having to miss it! So happy he spyed that birthday package!!!

Saturday afternoon as I was sitting in traffic trying to get to the grocery store, I received a phone call from an uncle. He asked if I would be home, and said he wanted to stop by. I was beyond excited to visit with him! I also happily turned around and ventured to a wholesale store to get a few items instead of trying to get down the DW Highway!

As I walked into BJ's I glanced over the coupons! YAY! There was a coupon for $10 off of a spiral ham and a free big bag of rolls if I purchased 4 of the items listed on the page. I had coupons for 2 of the tiems listed, and needed 4 of them, so I took advantage of this deal. I walked out of there with a 10 lb. Smithfield spiral ham for $8.03, and a free bag of rolls. Not to mention the other items I needed and saved money on with coupons! Getting stuck in traffic turned out to be a blessing!

Not long after I returned home from BJ's, my aunt and uncle had stopped by. I TRULY enjoy visit from family...a BUNCH! We welcomed them in and started talking. I learned so much about my aunt in just a short amount of time. I learned of her genuine love for animals, her practical gift giving, and her persuit of finding good deals! They weren;t staying long, so as they were getting ready to leave, they handed us alittle box, inside was a Visa gift card. I felt tears welling up, but I knew it would confuse the little if they saw me crying so I thanked them and held my tears back. God is so good.

That afternoon we had also gone to Scott's cousins open house, she is starting up her own Mary-Kay business! (If you need product, I can refer you to someone great!) I took the older 2 with me and I was hopign to find alittle something for my mother in law. Low and behold, I found the PERFECT little gift set that was put together! On top of a finding the perfect gift, I was told that I would be receiving a family discount! This made the item fit perfectly into my budget!

We got home form the open house, and got a phone call from another one of SCotts cousins saying that she would be in the area to go to the open house as well! My girls love her, and we hadn't seen her for a while. We love getting visits!!!
It was perfect timing as Katelyn had been asking about her a few times thoughout the week!

After our visit, Mikayla got ready for her annual Nanny/Mikayla Christmas present date. For 3 years now Scotts mom has gifted Mikayla with tickets to a play. This year they were going to see a local production of "A Christmas Carole". Mikayla was dressed to the nines! She is so pretty, when she gets really dressed up, it is almost scary! WE wished them well as they headed off! Minutes later I got aphone call, Mikayla hadn;t packed things to stay over night. So, I packewd her bag, and asked SCott if he would take it over to his parents house. It worked out great! Scott was able to take the things to his parents house and spend some quality time with his father. They enoy each others company so much! I love their realtionship!

Shortly after Scott left, the little went COO-COO!!!! I mean full on over tired, out of thier minds crazy!!! They couldn't stay in bed for the life of them. After TRYING to get them to settle down, I gave up. I was exhausted. I asked them to come out to the living room, I gathered their blankets and pillows and set them up on the couch and turned on a Christmas program. It turned into the sweetest night we have had in a long time. They laid, perfectly still, and enjoyd the shows. They didn't fuss one bit. I sat between them and snaggled them and simply enjoyed this special quiet time. I prayed right then and there and thanked God for all 3 of our little ladies. I am so thankful he let me be thier mom. Not long after they had settled down, Corryn asked to go to bed. She fell right to sleep. Not long after that, Katelyn asked to go to bed and she fell right to sleep as well.

Sunday morning while we were at church, I was so excited thinking about another group of people who would experiencing big blessings! One of my cousins had a friend who would not be having Christmas for her children due to finances. My cousins simply put out a request for a remote control that went to a toy she was planning on givng her friend to use a gift for her son. Before I knew it, her Facebook status was FULL of people offering gifts and money to help this family! My cousin organized a Christmas for this family! Thru the help of friends and family, she brought over a truck full of presents and a Christmas dinner! It is so wonderful to see other people do kind things for people...especially when they aren't expecting it! My cousins excitement and greatfulness was contagious!

That afternoon, we were able to have lunch with some friends! Scott was able to play video games with some MALES, the little girls played together wonderfully, and the tweens enjoyed each other as well. I was also able to confide in a friend and do alot of catching up! God has given the greatest friends.

The evening was finished with the Christmas Jubilee at church. It is my favorite service. Several famile and small groups perform different acts. Mostly songs and musical pieces and it si always a huge blessing to me! I expecially love to see the little ones sing with their familes, and sing off key, or picj their nose or something! ADORABLE!!!!!

See what I mean about a blessed weekend? I mean that isn;t even all of it! But,I am tired, and I have a tax class tomorrow, so I need to go to bed!

I am so thankful for ALL of the people that allow God to use them as a blessing to us. I can only hope that I am sensitive enough to His calling to be a blessing to others.

2011-12-12T12:54:00.000-08:00

As christmas approaches and Scott remians unemployed,I can not help but think of the ways we have gone way overboard in the past. And at the same time, I can not help but think about all of the cut backs that need to take place this year. Maybe that is part of God's plan for this. Maybe we needed to see just how over indulgent we have been. I can tell you I am pretty embarassed when I think about all of the money we "wasted" on things.

I used to buy things or use money as my primary way of supporting people going thru tough times. I am so thankful that I have learned other ways of offering support. Sometimes, just a note or a text to let the person know I am thinking of them and praying for them has been more than sufficient. Babysitting has been a huge way I have been able to help people around me, and at the same time, it kinda helps me to have a friend for my children. I have still been able to give gifts in certain cases, but they are not as elaborate as they used to be, however, each time I gift something it is received with thankfulness.

I found the PERFECT Christmas gift for Katelyn secondhand for a fraction of the cost!
I hosted a craft fair in my home this weekend, and I consider the event a success!
At least 2/3 of my inventory has been sold!
Mikayla was able to attend the Jimmy Fund Christmas party with her best friend who is battling Leukemia. Thankfully Mikayla took things at her friends pace and they had a wonderful time.
I am so thankful for organizations like the Jimmy Fund!
Katelyn walks arounds singing Bible songs.
I made a bunch of Christmas present this year, and I am excited give them out!
Mikayla has her part in the play memorized!
My friends husband got a job that we had been praying about!
BABIES! BABIES! BABIES!
I earned enough money selling my items at the craft fair that I can finish my Christmas shopping!
Scott got really into hosting a craft fair here and he wants to do it again next year!
I finally narrowed down my choice for the Republican presidential primary.
Another little girl who was struggling with cancer is now healed dancing with Jesus and probably playing with her frined!
I received a Starbucks gift card!
I took the little girls out to IHOP for pancakes after a long morning of errands, and they were very well bahaved and Katelyn was wishing everyone a loud MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Katelyn had a sleepover with her best friend, and enjoyed herself tons!
We have only used 1/8 tamk of heating oil.
My cousin and his girlfriend came over for dinner, I got my hair done and Katelyn got a trim!
The little girls helped their grandparents decorate their Christmas tree!
I was invited to attend a family friendly political event! Hoping to spark something in my little ladies! hehehe
Scott has not run out of sidework.
With the exception of colds, we have been relatively healthy!
I was given a new to me trendy jacket!
I was also gifted with a jar of fruit spread I was hoping to purchase but couldn't when the opportunity presented itself.
Katelyn and Corryn dropped somet little gifts off at a Toys for Tots location...Katelyn cried because she thought the kids we were gifting would be there to play with.
Corryn had a WONDERFUL day today!
I have been blessed by witnessing the way people in my life have been helping others. I like to think of them as "Secret Santa's".
I shipped an order to someone who severely overpaid me for her items.
Spent a ton nof time with family this week.
Scott and I have been able to spend lots of qulaity time together this week.
We have secured a highly recommended babysitter for a full day with our girls, while we attend tax school.
I spent some time out with a friend.
More to come soon!!! God has been SOOO good!

2011-12-05T20:34:00.001-08:00

This is the week that the people Scott interviewed with told him he would hear something about a position. It seems so odd to me that I am not freaking out more. It is definately on my mind, but I am totally not freaking out nor am I an emotional mess over it. It seems strange, in fact I have wondered if I should be freaking out! I talked to a friend about it and was reassured that God's grace is such a wonderful thing to experience.

On the days leading to Scott's interview I found myself on my face praying. Something I had never done before. I pray....often, but I have never been brought to my knees, on my face before God, pleading for his grace and provision. As I finished submitting my requests to God and thanking Him for His wonderful mercies shown to myself and my family I was in tears, but I have never felt more peace.

I don't know why, but that experience was so humbling, and it toally restored my faith once again, that God is in control of our life, and that thru this trial we have grown. We are being refined, and I am thankful.

It is so easy to be thankful for all of the great things God has done in our lives, but it is something else to realize just how thankful I am for the trials. As we have gone thru this trial I am trying to be aware of the way God has grown us.

My in-laws retrned safely from their trip to Paraguay.
We had an inpromtu visit with an Aunt and Uncle.
We spent somet time with cousins!
We have had many laughs this week!
I found Scott's tickle spot!!!
ALOT of tickle fights took place in our house this week!
Corryn gives THE BEST hugs...seriously.
I hosted a book event at a pre-school....the little faces made me smile!
Our home is decorated for Christmas!
We had a relaxing dinner at a friends house.
Scott and Mikayla put some Christmas lights outside to surprise the little girls.
Watching Scott and Mikayla work together, and listening to them talk about stringing the lights was awesome!
The girls love to play with the Little People nativity set that we placed under our tree.
Scott reveived payment on an overdue invoice that we had forgotten about.
Katelyn got to go on a playdate while Mikayla was at school.
Corryn and I had somet ime to spend together one on one, she is so sweet!
Scott enjoyed playing video games with a friend!
We saw some friends at church that we have been praying we would see there!
The weather has been so wonderful!!!!
Katelyn is soooooooooooo into Christmas this year!
We were all healthy for an entire week!
Mikayla sang in church Sunday night with her class, and our church live streams services so I didn't miss it entirely.
The price of gas is coming down!
I found a Chai mix that friends have been telling me about! For the same price of 1 iced chai at Panera, I can make 8 of them!!!!
I will be hosting a small craft fait at my home this wekeend, and have asked that vendors donate an item to be donated to a local charity..they all happily obliged!
I was able to babysit one of KAtelyn;s little friends and thye had a wonderful time playing!
Corryn fell in her bedroom and came centimeters away from splitting her head open on the corner of Katelyns bed.
Mikayla is excited to sing a solo part in her school play next week!
Katelyn was so impressed with Mikayla singing in church, she is super proud of her big sister!
Scott has had continued side work, that should carry us for a while longer.
We have not gone without anything we NEED, we have even been able to enjoy a FEW extras!
Being able to enjoy a few extras has made the blow of eliminating all luxury items not seem so harsh.
I have been focusing my primary attention on my family. I am blessed by each member of my family several times each day! Sometimes, it is a smile, sometimes it is a BRIEF temper tantrum....either way, I am choosing to focus on the people I love, and to choose JOY when doing so!

2011-11-28T19:11:00.000-08:00

One of the blessings we experienced was receiving a gift card from a family member, I think I mentioned it in my last post. As I have been reflecting back on the belssings we have received, this proved to be something that impacted me. Not because of the gift card or the note that came with it. But, becuase of the conversation I had with the person who gave it to us. He said that
"as long as they had food, we would also".

Not many people know this about me, but one of my biggest fears has always been running out of food. Anyone that knows me, knows that my cabinets have always been stock piled with food. And, I usually have a surplus in the basement. Although we still have food in the cabinets, and have some supplies in the basement from buying in bulk, I do not have a HUGE ABUNDANCE of these items. Needless to say I am ok with that. That simple statement was such a weight lifted off of my shoulders. It is exactly what I needed to hear at just the right time, and I didn't even know it until the conversation ended.

This time in our life could prove to be a very challenging one, and don;t get me wrong it certainly has had it's ups and downs. But it seems that each time we have experienced a down time, it has been followed by an up! Sometimes it is all about perspective, and other times we are smacked in the face with a blessing!

I was able to spend some quality one on one time with my cousin...a.k.a. My BFF!
We set a budget for Christmas shopping for the girls, and thanks to Three Little Ladies and Black Friday sales, we stayed within budget and got them a few things they wanted!
We were able to spend a wonderful Thanksgiving with family.
Babies! Babies! Babies! (not me)
Scott had an interview with a company he is REALLY hoping to work for, and he said it went well!
I am not good at asking for help, but I did, and the response was overwhelming.
We have figured out the answer to Corryn's tummy troubles.
I was able to sneak away for coffee with a friend.
A couple of friends have purchased homes for their familes, and the excitement they share is contagious!
Katelyn tells me she loves me for no reason randomly all day, every day!
Mikayla got a 90% on a spelling test!
A cord of wood was delivered to our home as a gift of thanks!
A friend has brought over loads of wood to burn next year from tree limbs that had fallen from the October snow storm!
The little gifts I sent to Paraguay were received with joy!
Corryn sleeps in a "big girl bed".
Katelyn stays dry throughout the night!
Scott took Mikayla on a Daddy Daughter date!
I have been able to put in some hours at the office.
Our Christmas tree is up, and each time we light it, it seems magical to the little ladies!
I have learned and put into practice admitting when my plate is full.
The skyline was a beautiful shade of pink tonight.
I have realised that Mikayla's love language is the gift of time.
Scott and I have been making time to spend together after the kids go to bed.
After posting on Facebook, asking for prayers about Scott;s interview, we were given some advice. It made me realize that neither one of has much job hunting experience.
Thru the success of my little side endeavor, Three Little Ladies, I have been able to not only supply gifts to my girls, but also give little gifts to others as well!
Discovered Pinterest!
Witnessed my little girls playing with uncles the way I remember playing with them when I was little.
Knowing that my in-lwas are REALXED and enjoying their time with family.
Received texts, calls and messages asking for prayer. It is great knowing people count on you to pray.
I was able to confirm that I can accept people for the way they are and still love them although I may not understand the way they are.
I bought 24 cupcakes for $1.99 just because they were decorated for Thanksgiving, on the day after Thanksgiving!
I have 2 events to sell Three Little Ladies items this weekend.
I will be hositng a week+ long event selling Usborne Books!
Scott has been helping out a ton with household chores!
We went to the Holiday Stroll and had a blast!
The girls met Santa and they were so cute with him..Corryn didn't even cry and Katelyn asked for a dolly!
Although we aren't putting out Christmas lights this year, Katelyn is amazed and we all enjoy the ones that have been put out by others!

I hope you all have a week full of blessings!!! Remember, sometimes it is all about perspective.

2011-11-16T16:08:00.000-08:00

Today was a tough day. Actually, it has been kind of a tough week. Time to count my blessings!!!

Someone left an envelope of "FREE COUPONS" in my local grocery store, I gladly scooped them up ad plan to put them to good use.
I have coupons to drop off at the Rescue Mission.
My In-laws are full of excitement about their pending trip to Paraguay, and it is contagious!
We were gifted with a gift card for groceries and a kind note offering support.
My cousin got married!
My cousin celebrated a 2 year anniversary dating a very sweet girl.
My niece turned one, and looked super adorable in her tu-tu!
I shared a booth at a craft fair with a friend. We did pretty well. The smiles from the people and the compliments about my work make it all worth it!
I was offered a wonderful opportunity to sell Usborne books, where lots of people will benefit.
Got LOADS of cuddles.
Scott has been offered a phone interview for next Tuesday with a company he REALLY wants to work for.
There were several answers to prayers, not just for my family, but for friends as well!
Corryn now recognizes me as Momma and not Daddy.
Accepted an offfer to spend Thanksgiving with My aunt and uncle.
I had 3 nights of AWESOME sleep!
I have been being held accountable to eating 3 meals a day, which I am being better about doing.
Katelyn uses the word scrumptious to describe treats!
We visited with my aunt and uncle.
The girls play hide and seek...alot!
Mikayla is really excited about her part in the play.
I witnessed several small acts of kindness.
Scott and I celebrated 4 years of marriage.
We went to a harvest party at our old curch. It is so nice to see familiar faces.
Scott's side work has continued.
A friend had given me a bag of items for the girls, which are going to make great Santa gifts!
I have found lots of great things to give the grils for Christmas at AMAZING prices. (Like $3 shirts!!!)
We have been handed down a lot of clothes for the girls for when they get a bit bigger.
Each one of my girls has an EXTREMELY different personality.
Corryn has been doing very well sleeping in her "bed".
Corryn can often be found in Katelyn's bed before the sun comes up trying to wake her up...it is hysterical beyond words.
Scott and I have been making time to "just sit". It is nice to spend time, even if we are exhausted and glued to the television.
A friend shared a late night blessing with me!
She also shared a bible verse which came at the perfec time.
Mikayla has been very obedient and goes out of her way to be helpful lately.
Scott and Mikayla worked together on her erupting volcano project without any help from Mom!
We have been up, ready, and at school with plenty of time to spare.
My father in law asked me to work in the office over the next couple of weeks.
All of our bills are being paid on time.
The girls sing ther version of Hakuna Matata all day! It's so silly!
I appreciate the relationshps I have with my cousins more and more each day.
I have a wonderful friend who is a constant blessing to me and a great example of a Godly wife.
I have wonderful friends that are each different and unique and teach me differnt things about life.
I got to have a chat with a friend over a white choclate peppermint mocha!
Mikayla got to spend the day with her best friend, although not under the best circumstances, everything worked out in the end.
I was able to have a heart to heart with a "sister" from out of state.
Katelyn Joy is so appreciative and excited about the littlest things. you should have seen the smile when I came home with a .99 box of donuts and a box of hot chocolate!!!!

After a tough day, I am glad I took the time to count my blessings!

How Are You?

2011-11-07T10:16:00.000-08:00

How are you?

That simple little question carries so much weight.

It has always bothered me when people use "How Are You?" as a greeting. I feel that if you are going to pose that question to someone, you should also make sure you have the time to listen to the response. Not just the polite response of, "I'm fine thank you...and you?", but the geniune answer.

It seems to me that there is always someone, somewhere along your travels that really wants to tell someone how they are doing.

I remember quite a few years ago now, I was dealing with a major life trial. It would break me each time someone would ask me how I was with no intention of lestening to the response. Passing people in the halls, and hearing, "Hi MJ! How are you?", as they continued walking. I really wanted to tell someone how I was doing, I wanted to tell someone that my heart was heavy, and that I really could use some prayers. Instead, it got to a point, where I didn;t even mutter, the polite response of, "Fine, thank you", I just said "Hi", and continued walking.

I was reminded of this over the weekend. I went to the drug store to purchase some cough syrup for my sick family, and there was an 86 year old man sitting there filling out paperwork for the flu shot. He was trying to strike up a conversation with me about the red color of my hair. I felt myself brushing him off with simple polite reactions and answers. He stopped me, and asked me why I couldn't communicate with him. WOW!!! What a slap upside the head. I was instantly reminded of all the times I felt ignored with the whole "How Are You?" greeting.

I looked at the man, and began to listen to what he was saying. He told me about his mother, and his step father who lived to be 101 years and 4 months old. I learned he was there for his flu shot. I learned that he volunteered to assist the elderly in his housing complex get their flu shots. He was afraid there wouldn't be any vaccines left for him, that is why he was receiving his at the drug store, although I believe he was put there by God to remind me to slow down and take time to listen to people.

Everyone has a story. There is no harm in simply saying "Hello" when you pass someone you know. My challenge to you is this, only ask someone how they are doing if you plan to take the time to listen.

I am so thankful for that reminder.

Blessings....

2011-11-02T06:26:00.001-07:00

Considering I now have 3 sick Little Ladies, I don't have a bunch of time to dedicate to writing a post.

I thought I left my coupons at the store. Scott called and said he found them!
I purchased a GIANT package of boneless, skinless, chicken breast for $1.29 a pound.
Katelyn had a friend over for a playdate, and it was the sweetest!
I was able to help 2 friends by babysitting this week!
I was able to make a pre-teen happy, by making her a tu-tu foir her Halloween costume!
Mikayla got the part she had tried out for in the school play.
My Aunt came over with mums and a gift card to a grocery store that she always finds good deals at!
My Aunt also left me with one of the kindest things anyone has ever said to me, and I know she meant it.
Scott received 2 positive e-mails about possible jobs.
Scott also received a phone call from a friend that he wasn't expecting, it made his day!
My mother in law offered to watch the girls so we can go out for our Anniversary.
I spent some time with a friend, and was able to show her some bow making skills.
My cousin told her son I was so happy he had a good day at school and his excitement and laughter was more than enough to make my day!
Mikayla told me about her secret plans to give Katelyn her American Girl Bitty Baby for Christmas.
Mikayla has been teaching herself to sew by hand.
Corryn learned to say the word YES.
Mikayla skyped with her aunt and Uncle form Paraguay to get some helkp with her spanish homework.
Although Scott is still unemployed, his spirits are still high.
His side job has not run out of work yet.
I have an opportunity to sell Three Little Ladies items every weekend with the exception of Thanksgiving weekend.
I am learning to like my face without make-up. (It looks "weird" now when I apply it)
We were only without power for 14 hours.
We were able to share our power with a friend and her kiddos for a day.
My cousin made a beautiful PINK HOPE themed pumpkin for a special family.
Corryn keeps me on my toes and leaves no time for "stinkin" thinkin".
Katelyn is a WHIZ at the Memory game. SERIOUSLY...IT IS REMARKABLE.
A friend brought over a coffee for me and some donuts for the girls!
We had some friend over for dinner.
Scott is encouraged about a possible business venture.
A friend asked Scott for help at his house and paid him.
Scott moved his car right before a bunch of branches fell right where it was parked.
Scott was able to use his chainsaw to help neighbors.
He was also able to use the snowblower to help our neighbors.
Scott was given some extra sidework to do with his cousin.

Ok, Corryn went down for a nap now, and the older 2 Little Ladies are restin gon the couch. That means I can go on for a minute about a HUGE blessing my family received this week.

Monday, out of nowhere, Katelyn Joy spiked a 102 fever and began wheezing. We put her to bed as normal, and at around 11:00 she was whining and wheezing really bad. Scott and I rushed upstairs and she could inhale but was having EXTREME diffulty exhaling. She looked so scared, which is what scared me the most. Scott also became panicked and told me to get her to the hospital. Scott was so smart to bring her out to the car right away as I dressed, the cold air helped her to breathe a bit easier.

When we got to the ER the woman who checked us in called for a nurse right away, Katelytn still sounded horrible. We were able to get into a room right away and they began giving her breathing tratments. After receiving 3 breathing treatments, and an oral steroid, having x-rays done and blood drawn, we were sent home at around 6:30 a.m.. They said he oxygen levels had come up and we were sent on our way.

When we got home she was still wheezing, but not struggling to breathe. I tucked her into bed right next to me, and we took a nap. I am so thankful Scott was able to stay home and care fo the older 2. When we woke up I called and made an appointment with our pediatrician. He got us in right away. When we got there, he was surprised she still soudned so bad considering all of the treatments that had been performed that night. He gave her a dose of an oral steroid right then and there, and wrote he wrote us a prescription for one to give her at home. I told him the ER doctor gave us a prescription for a strong antibiotic, but I wasn;t sure why. I explained that Ididn;t fill it because I wasn;t given a reason why whe needed it. He said that was a wise thing, because she didn't need it. I am so thankful for that wisdom.

Katelyn is still recovering. Please keep her in your prayers, Corryn has had a pretty nasty cold and has decided to share it with her sisters. I am afraid this is going to trigger her breathing issues again. We were told if she has an episode again to get her right to the hospital or call 911. Without having a job or medical benefits at this time, we will do whatever we have to ensure our daughters are healthy and cared for, but it would be an expense that we can't afford right now.

I am so thankful for our family. I am so thankful that God allows me to continue to see the blessing in the storm. God is good!!!

Too Blessed To Be Stressed

2011-10-23T18:24:00.000-07:00

Blessings come in lots of shapes and sizes. One of the most interesting ways I have learned to discover blessings is thru discouragement.

I PURPOSE each time I am starting to think negatively or find myself throwing a pity a party, to find something positive to focus on. For example, earlier this week I was feeling so bummed out that I didn't and won't have Mums on the front steps this fall. I know it is petty but it really bummed me out, I love Fall and I love having mums on the front steps. I noticed myself feeling sorry for myself because mums were a luxury, and we have cut all luxury items from our budget. Instead of going on about it, I looked beyond our front step and noticed the woman across the street had some on her porch! They look so pretty, and I am so thankful that we get to enjoy them! So, although we can't have mums this year, alot of our neighbors have them, and we are enjoying them all the same!

If I hadn't experienced the discouragement of not having the flowers, I wouldn't have looked for the blessing. See how that works?

My week had started with Mikayla staying home from school because she was "sick". She looked horrible and complained of tummy troubles. Come to find out she was just really over tired from staying up WAY too late Saturday during a sleepover with her friend. I consider this a blessing for a couple of reasons. One, because she really wasn't ill, and Two, becuase that sleepover involved her best friend, who is battling Leukemia right now. They had stayed up really late reading books with flashlights! Mikayla loves her friend dearly and I am so glad they were able to enjoy that time and create wonderful memories together!

Was able to get out for a couple of hours with a girlfriend.
Threw a pizza party...actually mother in law treated us to pizza, and we hung streamers!
I was able to work a couple of days in the office.
The girls behaved wonderfully at the office and I got all of my work done.
Scott had an encouraging meeting with a mentor.
We were able to visit with Scott's grandmother twice during the week!
Scott's cousin and her boyfriend came over for a nice visit!
I received an e-mail with an offer to display and sell tu-tu's after a sold out performance of the Nutcracker.
More and more little ladies can be seen wearing "Three Little Ladies" accessories!!!
I had several encouraging and uplifting conversations.
My friend and her 4 little children were unharmed during a bad car accident.
I have enough inventory for Three Little Ladies that I do not need to bust my butt too much to prepare for my next show.
Katelyn got her Cubbies vest and was soooooooooo excited!
Corryn now says please and thank you without prompting!
Mikayla tried out for the school play!
The little girls played well together and could often be found cuddling or hugging each other at random times throughout the entire week.
A friend dropped of a HUGE stack of coupons for us to use.
One of my Aunts unexpectedly covered the cost of my booth at the last event I did.
I felt horrible one day, and was completely fine the next!
The blood clot that was found in my daughters friends heart had miraculously disappeared!
Mikayla was able to get some much needed homework help from her Aunt and Uncle in Paraguay via skype!
A couple of custom orders for tu-tu's were placed.
New babies were born!!!!!
I got to hold and smell a brand new baby!
We have only used the heat once.
I can totally see God;s grace thru Mikayla. She hasn;t asked for things, or complained about not having things....at all.
My husband is willing to do whatever it takes to support our family.
I had 2 AWESOME nights of sleep.
My in-laws celebrated their wedding anniversary with us.
Scott built me an AWESOME display for craft fairs.
Each morning that we drop Mikayla off at school Katelyn can be heard calling out, "Have a good Day Sissy! I LUB you!" And as soon as we pick her up, Katelyn is the first one to ask Mikayla how her day was.

I know there were alot more blessings from the week, I just wish I could post them all.

God is good!!

I am going to start keeping a daily blessings book, so I can post more!!!

Trading Places...

2011-10-19T11:41:00.000-07:00

My emotions have always sort of resembled a spin art picture. I tend to be colorful and all over the place, creating quite the picture as I spin out of control. Scott on the other hand has always been pretty monotone and sunny. He's kind of like the cool breeze on a hot day. When you feel like you are melting, he kind of sweeps by and offers you some refreshment.

Lately, it seems that things are changing.

I have realized just how much a man can identify himself by his job. Scott loved what he did. It wasn't just a job for him. He was doing something that mattered to him. Although I can not tell you exactly what he did, I often heard him say, he was doing it all for the war fighters, the guys in the field. That the men engaging in war were his priority. Scott served in the Air Force, he went to Iraq twice,and engaged in combat. I can only imagine how proud he must have been to know he was helping some of his friends, and men in the same position he once found himself in.

I can only imagine how frustrating it is for him to not only be unemployed right now, but to know he isn't doing what he can to help the "guys in the field".

I know it is taking a toll on him. He spends hours each day at the computer filling out applications, submitting his resume', and researching jobs. The only response he has gotten is a single rejection letter. I am surprised by the lack of response, good, bad, or indifferent.

I know God has the perfect job waiting for him. He is just waiting for the right moment to present it.

Until that moment comes, I only hope I can be that "cool breeze" that offers him some relief.

Simplifying...

2011-10-16T14:51:00.000-07:00

You would think that by now I wouldn't be so surprised by the blessings that occur in our life. However, I continue to be amazed by the way God works. I hope I never get to a place where blessings don't surprise me anymore.

I always find myself humbled by the kind things people do.

This week alone:
someone had a vinyl banner made with the name of my tu-tu business on it
my aunt invited to me to dinner to enjoy some of my favorite spaghetti sauce
someone sent me to links of tons of ideas that will guide me in making our "Made With Love" Christmas a reality
A bunch of friends called me and offered words of encouragement several times thoughout the week
My cousins girlfriend took a bunch of business cards to display in the salon she works in
My father in law asked me to work in the office for a few hours
My mother in law lent me her cricket machine
I was given some lessons in photography
Someone gave me some craft supplies
My husband let me sleep in two days in a row
My husband came home early to care for the girls on a day when I was too sick to even get out of bed
Someone took the time to send me a pretty thank you note
I witnessed many people some together and pool their resources to help a family meet a fundraising goal.
A friend posted a link that allowed me to purchase $100 in gift certificates to my favorite restaurant for $8.
People pray for my family constantly.
My neigbor offered us her coupons from the Sunday paper
Several people shared recipes with me for chicken on the bone, and I actually enjoyed it, as did the rest of my family.

I also find myself in awe at the way God works not just thru others;

I was able to purchase all of the craft supplies I needed for 50% off.
The sun came out at the perfect time
The sun has been heating our house wonderfully, meaning we haven't used the heat or the wood stove yet.
My cousin put her trust in Jesus.
My girls always seem to sing Jesus Loves Me at the right time
Encouraging Bible verses seem to "pop up" when I need them most
I learned something new from sharing something wrong
The foliage is amazingly beautiful

Scott still doesn't have a job, please pray that one comes soon. I know the prefect job at the perfect time is waiting for us. Maybe instead of asking you to pray for a job, I should be asking you to pray for us to rely on God;s provision and faithfulness during the waiting period.

Scott has been working a side job still which allows us money to pay all of our bills, keep the household running, and put money aside to use when the side work runs out. I am thankful that we are able to prepare for that time, if it comes.

This has been very difficult for us, growing pains are usually painful. We have cut out every extra item we can think of. We question every expense we incur, which is not something we typically have done. If there was an expense, we paid for it. I am thankful that we now stop and think about wether or not it is necessary before we purchase it. I mean, I aways looked for the best deals and used coupons, but I never cut things out completely the way I am now. No more out to dinner, no more take out Fridays, No more having people over for dinner a few times a week, no more just for fun shopping trips, no more "special snacks", pretty much no more extra anything.

I am so thankful that thru this we have learned to simplify, learned new ways to enjoy our friends and family, learned new ways to enjoy and experience things we already own, and have also learned what is most important. I am so thankful that God has allowed me to learn such a BIG lesson thru this storm. I am also so thankful that God has allowed this time of simplifying to occur during the peak foliage season! Experiencing the beauty around us and using God;s masterpiece as a backdrop for photos has been so awesome!!!!!!!

When there are no words...

2011-10-11T09:28:00.000-07:00

Each time I sit down to write a post about the blessings and sweet provision that has been provided to my family I hit a wall. I have so much to tell about them amazing way God has used others and His word to encourage me and to bless my family, that words just don't seem adequate.

I want to describe the way His provision has made me feel secure, I want to describe the way each blessing has brought me peace, but I hit a wall. I have thoughts running around, and nothing comes out. Weird, right?

So, I guess I will just have to make a list.

Mikayla started school as SMCA in the 6th grade.
Katelyn developed an imaginary bird, named Katelyn.
A friend handed down uniforms for Mikayla and an entire fall/winter wardrobe for the littles.
I was able to hand down some uniforms to someone who could use them.
My tu-tu's will be on display in a consigment shop soon.
We reveived a gift card to the grocery store.
We received shoes and school supplies for Mikayla to get thru the year.
We received a bag of toiletry items!
The cost of Katelyn's Cubbies vest and book had been "taken care of".
We received a zuchini bread and a plate of pumpkin snickerdoodles.
I took the kids apple picking with a friend.
Scott has had side work, and will continue to for some time.
I found a snow suit and a winter jacket for Katelyn in the childrens clothing closet at church.
I babysat for some friends.
I was able to host a play group in our house.
I did my first craft fair of the season, with many more to follow.
I have learned to trust friends.
I got to spend some time with family.
I have developed more meaningful relationships with my cousins.
I have continued to be a prayer warrior for many.
We were given a new crib for Corryn to replace the broken one she currently uses.
A friend wrote me a note card that meant so much to me.
Our dog has found a good new home.
We ran into a sweet friend on a walk the other night.
A sweet friend purchased my coffee.
I had canceled an order for headbands when Scott lost his job but my friend gave them to me anyways.
I was gifted with camera equipment and editing software.
I have had several conversations where Scott being out of work hasn't even come up.
I feel closer to God most days.
I am learning to forgive myself if things aren't perfect.
We have enjoyed a meal each week with my in-laws.
I have saved some money using coupons.
I got some free gas when the attendant failed to stop the pump.
Mikayla LOVES school.
Katelyn and Corryn play together, and hug each other often.
Katelyn prays over lunch because she is the oldest.
Scott has some good job leads.
We attended 2 birthday parties.
I overpayed our car loan last month.
Corryn had a perfect 18 month check up appointment.
A couple friends donated money to a cause thru a "fundraiser" I held.
The weather has been GORGEOUS.
I feel loved.

One of the coolest things I have been blessed with is being allowed to be used as a blessing with the things I already have. I have always loved to contribute to things my friends have taken part in. I love giving gifts. However, cutting back on things has meant that I am not able to give the same way. I think it so awesome how God has provided needs that I can fill with things I already own or have.

After receiving a couple of note cards from a dear friend, I discovered that maybe my word is going to be the biggest gift of all. I never considered how knowing I encouraged someone through a difficult time in their life meant so much. Neither did I consider that knowing people were praying for our family would bring me such comfort.

I know....lists are boring, but when you can't seem to find the right words, and you want to get things out, they are helpful!

I am hoping that I will be able to take things a day at a time and blog a little better now!

No Rainbows and Sunshine Here.

2011-10-03T18:13:00.000-07:00

I promised to be transparent when I started this blog.

Today is not an awesome day. Yes, we are blessed beyond measure, and God continues to provide for my family, and I am amazed. However, today I feel defeated. Today my heart breaks. I am exhausted.

It hurts me to notice my husband feeling defeated as well. He still doesn’t have a job. He sits at the computer each night and applies for jobs and sends out e-mails with his resume’. It is not that he gets rejection letters, as he has only received one. However, that one rejection letter is the only response he has gotten. I try so hard to hold my frustration in, I don’t want to add to the burden that I know he carries. I want to be his rock. One thing is for certain I have certainly learned to pray for my husband more.

I want to call the company he worked for and blame them for this situation, but I can’t. I know good will come from this. God has promised that. It is just hard to see sometimes. I know better things are in store for my family. We have grown so much already.

I didn’t sleep well last night. Maybe 2 hours. I was up all night worrying about our dog, Cooper. He went to a new home today.

I am not a dog person, I never pretended to be, but I TRIED to be….for my girls. The stress alone he brought to the daily life was doing me in. I was trying to ignore the chewed up toys, eaten pacifiers, ruined objects everywhere, the accidents in the house right after he had been taken out, it was all taking its toll on me. Well, last night when he nipped at Corryn and took a cookie from her aggressively, that was it.

We had been toying with the idea of looking for a new home for him for a little while, and if we didn’t have a steady stream of income soon, we would HAVE to find him a new home. So last night when he nipped at the baby, we contacted someone who was interested in taking him.

I am pretty sure if we didn’t have the whole financial aspect of paying for him over our heads, we would have tried harder to make it work.

I was in tears as his new family pulled up to the house to take him home. I was trying to teach the new owners about his favorite things but couldn’t seem to get the words out. It wasn’t that I was attached to the dog, he drove me nuts, It was the hurt I knew my girls were going to experience. I was heartbroken for them.

Mikayla knew what was going on, and she was being so calm about everything. She was filling in all the words for me. Katelyn was in the kitchen not knowing what was going on. I was trying to keep it that way. However, it was only a matter of time, when they placed the leash on Cooper that Katelyn knew he was leaving. She cried, and begged for him to come home. I brought her into the other room, and I heard the man tell Scott that everything would get better. I promised the girls that we would not get another pet, ever again. Until they were as old as I am.

I wish this bitterness that I feel right now would just go away. Right now. I know a good night of sleep and prayer will allow me to wake up and embrace a brand new beginning!

I will definitely post the entry I have been working on displaying all of the ways God has blessed us and provided for us this past week, but tonight, I really had to get this off my chest.

Abundant Blessings

2011-09-25T21:49:00.000-07:00

This week started out with Scott and I realizing, Sunday night, that his final paycheck would not be compensation for a full 2 weeks of work as we had thought, but it would be pay for 6 days. We were counting on an entire pay period to cover our household bills for the month. We quickly realized that wasn’t going to happen. We talked about closing out a small 401K that Scott had, and decided that was what we were going to do. We weren’t thrilled about closing that account, but we were thankful that the money was there. We had been tempted on a few occasions to close that account and take our family on vacation, but always decided not to, and thought it was best left there in case of an “emergency”. I am so thankful for that wisdom.

After all of the appropriate steps had been taken to close the account, we both breathed a deep breath of relief. We knew as long as we were careful, we could make that money last until the end of October.

Later that same day, I asked Scott to take a short break from submitting resumes and filling out applications to sit and talk. As we were talking the phone rang. It was someone calling to ask Scott if he would work as a sub-contractor for a little while. He agreed to doing the work, and was told he needed to start at 8. This time the sigh of relief was even deeper. It wasn’t a job, it doesn’t offer benefits, and it is short term, but it is income!!! We immediately thanked God for providing the opportunity.

Tuesday morning Scott was off to work. The girls woke up and the older 2 were both complaining of tummy aches. I instantly became nervous, I prayed right away that if they were sick it would be quick, and that it would be viral. The day Scott was laid off, he was informed that our health insurance was immediately terminated as well. I knew if it was viral, there was nothing a doctor could do anyhow. I told the girls to stay in their jammies and sent them both back to bed with books to read.

It had been so chilly that I decided to go to the basement and get the warmer clothes out for the little girls. I discovered a tote of clothes that I had forgotten all about. I brought it up to the living room and emptied the contents on the couch and let Corryn play in the empty bin. As I sorted thru the clothes I was so thankful to discover that it was full of clothes that both of the girls could wear. Although there is 17 months between them, they can both wear the same size clothing! I put the clothes that they could wear during the cooler months in pile and discovered a lot of the clothes in the bin were meant for the summer. We would make do, I could always go to the consignment store and get some more items. There were only 4 pairs of pants, but hey…we had FOUR PAIRS OF PANTS THEY COULD WEAR! I was excited!

The next morning, the girls woke up and Mikayla complained of a tummy ache again, and Katelyn looked a little tired. I asked them to jump into my bed, and I put a movie on for them. Corryn slept in that morning, so it made it easy to relax. When Corryn woke up we made our way upstairs for breakfast. I noticed Katelyn’s energy was back and her color looked a lot better. I asked Mikayla how she was feeling, and she groaned. Her color was good, she ate a good breakfast, I think the 11 year-old-itus was at work. I asked her to get dressed and to meet me in the school room. The nice thing about homeschooling is when delays or hiccups happen, you can adjust your schedule accordingly. I am not sure Mikayla finds this feature quite as wonderful as I do!

Corryn cried ALL DAY. I believe she may have been experiencing the stomach bug. I can tell you something about being a homeschooling mother with little ones, it isn’t easy. I found it easy that day to throw myself a pitty party. I worried about everything, every negative thought that could pass thru my mind, did. I assigned Mikayla a lot of self lead work, and did whatever I could to keep Corryn from crying.

Nap time came, and Corryn napped for 3.5 hours! I used this time to look at Craigs list and just have some quiet time. As I looked thru I came across a swing set. It was a simple set, a couple of swings and a slide. I quickly called the phone number attached to the post and the man said it was still available and that I was welcome to it! We had been looking all summer for a swing set for the girls, and we had discussed waiting until the end of summer when we thought the sets may go on sale. Well, clearly we were in no position to purchase one now. I couldn’t wait for Scott to get home so I could tell him about it! What a blessing!!! I also couldn’t wait for Scott to get home to give me some relief, this was a tough day. Later in the week we went to pick up the swing set with help from my uncle. I am so blessed with wonderful people in my life that will drop everything and help us with things like that. Scott set up the set while the girls napped, and Katelyn was so surprised, she said she couldn’t believe it!!!

Thursday morning a friend had come by to sit with the girls for a bit so I could go to a meeting. I am so thankful for such wonderful friends. I apologized to my friend for leaving dishes in the sink, I normally do all the cleaning at night when the girls go the bed. However, this week I have been falling to sleep not long after they do! The fact that I could sleep was such a blessing!

I came home from the meeting and my friend was smiling and telling me how good my girls were! I was so proud of them for being so good! Not only had my friend cared for my children, but she and Mikayla had emptied and refilled the dishwasher! This caused me to be embarrassed but extremely thankful at the same time. After my friend went on her way I also discovered that she had cleaned the crockpot, this brought me to tears.

I think it was the weather that day that caused all of our moods to be off. Mikayla dragged her feet with school, Katelyn was whiney and needy and when Corryn wasn’t using her sister as chew toy, she was crying…all day….AGAIN.

I stopped Mikayla from doing her school work and asked her to get shoes on. I wasn’t sure what we going to do, but we certainly were not going to be trapped in the house crying all day. The girls got shoes on and we packed into the car. I put a movie on, and started to drive. I had a couple of checks from a book show earlier in the week, so I decided we’d go to the bank and deposit them. I drove to the bank that was further away with a drive thru teller, on our way back home I decided to stop at Dunkin’ Donuts for a “treat”. I ordered a small pumpkin coffe, and got the girls each a treat. The smiles were from ear to ear. I felt guilty for spending the $3.17 on something that we didn’t NEED. However, seeing those smiles made me realize I had nothing to feel guilty about. We needed this. I thanked God for allowing my children to be so happy with such simple little things.

Just as we finished school on Friday and I laid the little girls down for naps, the phone rang. It was Scott. He said he was in a ceiling but he needed to tell me something. He said the principal from the private school we had sent Mikayla to had called and asked him what he was supposed to do with this large check for Mikayla. He said someone had paid for Mikayla to go back to school this year! I was in shock. Complete shock. He asked me to call the school and handle it as he was in ceiling after all.

I went to Mikayla and asked her if she wanted to go back to school. She had a look on her face like she wasn’t sure what to say, I am sure she knew we couldn’t afford it. I explained that God had provided the money for her to go back to school, but I committed to homeschooling her this year, and if she wanted to, we would continue. She got all teary eyed and the biggest smile came across her face, she definitely wanted to go back to school! I explained to her how thankful we needed to be to God, and that we needed to pray that God would bless the person who contributed this money.

I called and spoke to the principal myself and arranged for Mikayla to go to school Monday for placement testing and start school on Tuesday! I am so glad I saved her uniforms and that I had ordered a few things a size bigger! We have a few things she can wear this year, but will need a few more things to get her by. I went to the mailbox to get the mail, and there was a card containing a check from my step mother. She always sends some money for back to school clothes for the grandkids. This could not have come at a better time! I was in tears, big alligator tears.

I was completely overwhelmed. God is so good!

Saturday morning Scott got up with the girls and made them pancakes! He does that most Saturday mornings, and the girls LOVE it! He was soon off to help a friend with a big project he was working on. The girls and I decided to have a lazy day. We stayed in our jammies and lounged. The girls watched Tangled and I watched them. I thought about how blessed I am with such wonderful little ladies. I thought about how blessed I am with such a wonderful husband, wonderful friends and wonderful family.

Later that night, we were on our way home from having dinner at a dear friends house and I decided to log into Facebook. A friend of mine had posted about getting rid of clothes, and asked if anyone wanted them! I asked her about things in a size 2T. She said she had winter items in that size! Praise God! I am pretty sure we will not have to get thru the cooler months with 4 pairs of pants between 2 little girls!

There are many other examples of God’s goodness I could share from this week, many other ways He has provided for our family, however this is getting really long, and I will be surprised if I still have your attention!

I have never been in a position where we HAD to rely on Gods faithfulness before. I can tell you that my faith has grown by leaps and bounds over the past couple of weeks. I feel ashamed for ever doubting God. I only hope that my faithfulness to God will never waiver, that thru the storms, and thru the sunshine, I will give HIM the glory. I am so glad to serve such an AWESOME god!

Blessings: by Laura Story

2011-09-25T20:47:00.000-07:00

We pray for blessings.
We pray for peace,
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep.
We pray for healing, for prosperity.
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering.
All the while, You hear each spoken need,
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things.

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise.

We pray for wisdom,
Your voice to hear,
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near.
We doubt Your goodness, We doubt Your love,
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough.
All the while, You hear each desperate plea,
And long that we'd have faith to believe.

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?
And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise.

When friends betray us,
When darkness seems to win,
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not – this is not – our home.
It's not our home!

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears?
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the achings of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy?
And what if trials of this life –

The rain, the storms, the hardest nights –
Are Your mercies in disguise.

.

Purpose.

2011-09-24T21:33:00.001-07:00

Ephesians 4:29

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

I hope that the readers of my blog will find Joy in experiencing the ups and downs of this thing called life with me.

I can not promise:

- Rainbows and Sunshine in each post.
- Daily posting.
- Amazing photos.
- Perfect spelling and grammar.

I can promise:

- Transparency.
- Humility.
- Honesty.
- Frequesnt posting.

The first entry I posted to this blog was a copy of a note that I had posted to Facebook. After I wrote that post I couldn't get it off my mind. The way writing that note allowed me to free the thoughts that were swirling in my mind was amazing. I knew I needed to write more. I knew I needed to start a blog.

Thru The Storm

2011-09-24T21:28:00.000-07:00

September 19, 2011
Yesterday I had not only the privilege, but the honor, to walk the Jimmy Fund Boston Marathon walk. I was on a team that collectively raised $22,555.00!!! I was walking on the team "Cruzin' for Rylie Hope", in memory of Rylie Hope. Karen Cruz, Rylie's mom, was our team leader, and she did a FANTASTIC job.

My desire in this post is to show each person who reads it God's faithfulness.

Each individual who commits to walking in the Jimmy Fund walk is required to raise a minimum of $250.00. If this amount isn’t raised thru fundraising by November 1st, the money will be collected from the walker. On the day I registered I was fine with that, figuring if I could not raise or work to earn the required funding amount, contributing the $250.00 from our personal funds would be something we were ok with. Well, that was the case until September 12th, the day my husband came home, a complete mess, to tell me he had been laid off.

Shortly after I committed to doing the walk, I decided that I wasn't going to rely solely on the generosity of others to raise funds for the walk, I was going to work for it. I considered a few options for raising money for the walk, and then the idea of becoming an Usborne book consultant was proposed to me. I loved the idea, and decided that is what I would do. So I signed on and decided from that moment on, I would split my commission 50/50 with the Jimmy Fund. I was able to book a few shows, and had put aside half of any money I earned to contribute to the walk. Still, this left me a little short in reaching my goal.

The instant my husband came home and told me he had been laid off, all of our bills flooded my mind! The mortgage, the car, household bills, groceries.....THE JIMMY FUND WALK!!!!!! Suddenly, I felt the weight of the world on my shoulders. I knew we would do what had to be done to pay our bills and feed our children, but how could I possibly remind my husband that I still had money to earn, even just a small amount, for something "extra".....

I had raised a few contributions from posting the link to my personal fundraising page on facebook, and also a family member contributed after sending out an e-mail to family. I was not persistent in posting on Facebook, as I felt I had worn out that resource with all of the other fundraising I had done in the past. However, I decided I would post once a day with the link to my fundraising page until the day of the walk.

I watched the donations come in!!!!! One after another, after another!!! Each time someone contributed I was brought to tears. Before I knew it, my fundraising requirement had not only been met, but exceeded!

The entire week leading up to the walk, I doubted myself...could I really do this? After all, I spent the entire week moping around feeling like the world was going to end now that my husbands job, our sole source of income had been taken away. I really should have been training. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. Pathetic. Who am I to be having a pitty party for myself anyways?!?!?! Each day I thought of reasons why I would have to register as a virtual walker, or reduce the distance I would walk. I prayed and asked God to help me find the strength. Each time I started to have these self doubting thoughts, I was reminded of the parents that sit by their sick children, and the people fighting cancer. Where did their strength come from? They have no choice but to face the difficulties each day. Well....that meant neither did I.

The day before the race, Scott and I discussed that I would need to wake up at 315 a.m. to be ready to leave my house at 4:00 a.m.. Almost every night this week I have seen 3:15 a.m. on the clock before I have fallen to sleep. I had mentioned how nice it would be to stay in a hotel closer to the walk, allowing for extra sleep time. Before I knew it, Scott had checked his points balance with Hilton Honors, and he was checking in with a hotel about 15 minutes from Hopkinton. He not only accumulated enough points for a nights stay in Natick free of charge, but we would have enough left over for a weekend away sometime!

I called the person I had arranged to car pool with to ask her if she wanted to stay in the hotel, within hours we were on our way!!! We checked in to the hotel, and went right to our room. We chatted and caught up, as I have known Tarnya since 8th grade. We went down to the lobby to get a cup of tea and came back to our room. We got ready for bed, and I decided before I went to sleep I would check my e-mail one last time before hitting the hay.

I had several new e-mails, most of them junk. Two that stood out to me were from Care Pages. Two of the little girls I follow thru carepages had updates. One from Charlotte Kelly and the other from Lexi Kittle. I have never met Charlotte but learned of her thru Karen Cruz. Lexi is a little girl that went to our church. I have been praying for both of those little girls and their families from the moment I learned about their illness.

Chalotte's update was about a prayer group that was forming to pray on her behalf. I prayed for her right then and there. The other was an update from Lexi's family, they posted that sweet Lexi had lost her battle with cancer and was now home with the Lord. I cried. I just knew, Wednesday night that when Pastor Larry had asked for prayer for them, saying that Lexi's time on earth did not appear to be long that this walk was going to mean even more to me.

I laid in bed tossing and turning, praying and crying. I was glad that Lexi was now cancer free, and thought of all the other people rejoicing in Heaven cancer free as well. I thought of Rylie, and the many, many others that had lost their life to cancer. I like to picture people entering Heaven cancer free dancing in the streets of gold with Jesus. It always makes me smile a little to think of it that way. Before I knew it, the clock was reading 1:19 a.m., I had to wake up at 4:30. I prayed myself to sleep a short time after that. I asked God for grace for all of the families whose lives have been affected by cancer, I asked God to show each person walking tomorrow a sign from their loved one, I asked God for a job for my husband, I asked God for sleep and peace, I also asked God for the strength to get through the 26.2 mile walk ahead of me. I thanked God for allowing me to take part in this walk, I thanked God for the blessings that I am sure would come from Scott being out of work, I thanked God for the generosity of people that had already helped our family, I thanked God for my salvation. I thanked God for lots of things, and prayed for lots of things, I just can't think of them all right now.

I woke up to the sounds of, "This is your wake up call" from a sun-shiny recorded voice. REALLY?!?! A chipper voice at 4:00 a.m.?!?! ick. I got dressed and drank my vitamin C shot, and off we went.

When I walked into the gymnasium to see all of the walkers gathering together and registering for the walk I was instantly overwhelmed! I heard someone call my name, it was Karen! She pointed us in the direction of people from our team. It was a great feeling to start the walk as a team. We walked a while as a team, and before I knew it we had separated from the group.

I had posted a few times asking for names of people who others would like me to pray for as I walked. I had each of those names written down on a piece of paper tucked into my little satchel. As we passed each mile marker, I prayed to myself. Sometimes I prayed for individuals, sometimes, I prayed for families, I prayed for doctors, I prayed for researchers, I prayed for a cure, I prayed my heart out after each mile marker we walked past.

We stopped at the halfway re-fueling station. They were serving lunch at this one, neither Tarnya or myself wanted to eat lunch. The snacks and water/gatorade at each stop was working out well for us. We ran into RJ and Greg, RJ said we were the front runners for our team so far. That didn't last long though, RJ and Greg passed us not long after that! (Way to go guys!) Not that this was a race on a competition by any means.

After the half way mark, my hips were letting me know they were not pleased with me. We pressed on, stopping a little more frequently to stretch our leg muscles. Each mile marker we passed had the face of a child wearing a smile. I prayed for each of them and their loved ones as well. Tarnya and I weren’t really conversating much anymore, I think we were both focused on crossing the finish line and trying to not think about the pain. Around the 20 mile mark, my right foot became full of pain. By 22nd mile, I wasn't sure I was going to finish. I just prayed and prayed, seriously I think I prayed more during this walk than I ever have!

When we reached the 25th mile marker, we sat for a bit. I wasn't sure if our bodies would let us finish, but my heart was determined. We walked on to the 26th mile marker....the .2 miles were killer!!!! Walking thru the sea of people in the city was tough, weaving and bobbing waiting for crosswalks to clear, and I kept thinking we should see the finish line by now, and FINALLY there it was!!!! We walked thru the finish line, and I spotted Makayla and Haillee, Rylie's sisters, the tears welled up in my eyes.

I congratulated Tarnya, and took off my shoes and socks! I was sure I was going to see at least one blister! NOTHING!!! Thank you whoever it was that recommended the Vaseline on my feet, it worked!!! :)

I now sit here at home thinking of God's faithfulness. He provided the funds, the hotel at no cost, and the energy to complete the walk. I did it on 3 hours of sleep, the fact that I finished is certainly an example of God's faithfulness.

Not to mention all of the other blessings to our family that week. We were provided with a gift card, money for groceries, friends and an outpouring of support for my husband as well as myself. We were treated to a fun "night off" with pizza and ice cream with family. God has been so faithful to our family, reminding us that we are not alone, and that he will provide for our family, even thru the storm.
I wish I could say that there was a cure for cancer, and that my husband has a job now, and that we were all going to live happily ever after. That isn't the case. But I can tell you that my faith has grown over the last week, and that I will continue to pray for each name on my list, and each person who's going through a storm right now. God will see you thru.