Troop Petrie

His first hour at home

2012-02-01T08:31:00.002-05:00

My hero is home, my hero is home! I thought he was going to be home late last night but he got home in the afternoon. We came home last night and 5 children met him at the door and within seconds it was crazy. They brought in the puppy and then the cat. The cat and dog together always makes things wild.
In the hour he was home before bedtime he tried to fix the new $50 heater the girls poured wax in. Then he fixed the remote control and started to fix a broken laptop before I stopped him.
I did not think we would ever get the kids to bed. Coming home must be hard and over whelming for our soldiers. He had 8 little people climbing on him and wanting attention. While they are climbing on him his wife is looking at him begging for attention and all he wants is a hot shower and a moment without a million people around him.
He did warn the kids that if just one child came to his bed last night he would “stick his boot where the son did not shine”. This is really comical to me to me. So while last night no one came to our bed and I got amazing nights sleep and slept until 7am. Within minutes of waking up this is what our bed looked like:

It is going to be a great day!
Pamela

Our dryer broke

2012-01-31T07:44:00.002-05:00

UGGG, did I tell you my hero is coming home today? Have I told you he is only home a couple weeks (more or less)? Did I tell you that yesterday morning my dryer stopped working?
So I called a repairman. He came yesterday afternoon. He pushed the start button and guess what? It worked as if nothing was wrong. So he left. I had my daughter load the dryer and turn it on. As soon as it came on I heard that squeal. It had been squealing for some time. So the man came back. This time it did not start. After taking it apart we found out it needs three parts. One is a pretty big one.
So I guess in the shorter time period he is home we will be dryer shopping. The repairman is going to call me today with the cost of the parts.
What bugs me is that this dryer is only about 5 years old. I know we are out of warranty. UGG! This is crazy.
Let me just say my hero is going to be thrilled to come home and replace the dryer. Oh did I tell you the glass fell out of our entertainment stand. So he can fix that too.
I am just curious does everything fall apart right before your hero comes home or visitors arrive?
Pamela

Pray For me Monday

2012-01-30T07:19:00.001-05:00

JAMES 5:16
"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so
that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and
effective." (NIV)

PSALMS 116:2
"Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live" (NKJV)

Welcome to this weeks Pray For Me Mondays with Home Grown Families and Pamela from Troop Petrie. We are so excited to be working together on this journey!

Basically, PFMM will work like this:

Pamela and I will write posts on relevant topics and post

You can link up your own post, comment or e-mail us your prayer requests

We'll pray for you and hopefully others will, too

Pamela {the married one} says:

Matthew 11:28
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you
rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and
humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Rest. Do you want rest? Do you miss feeling rested? Do you wonder if you
will ever feel rested? Let me be honest and say I have been tired for a
very long time. I try to deny it but reality is it is getting worse.

I
do not just mean I am tired and need a nap. There are days that by mid
day my eyes burn from exhaustion. I now yawn all the time. My mother
thinks she bores me when we are talking because I constantly am yawning.

I have not admitted how tired I am because I thought it had something to
do with having children and extra weight. I did not want to admit that I
was tired or struggling because it made me feel like a failure.

Well my daughter called me on the carpet (where did I learn that phrase?)
this week. I took her in for a physical and at one point I got my words
jumbled. Something that has happened a lot recently. Hope looked at
the doctor and said “my mom does not even know our names anymore and
well she is tired all the time”. I guess I have not been hiding it from
my kids as well as I thought.

Needless to say that although we went in
for Hope we left with 2 new appointments for me.
I need to be honest and say I do believe part of my problem is I have
forgotten where my refuge is. I have been quick to turn to others and
have stopped doing my morning devotions. I guess forgotten is the wrong
word, I have not forgotten but I have not been good at turning to Him.

This week my prayer is that we will all take the time we need to find
refuge in the word, to not forget to pray for our needs. Even if we do
not think we are worthy of them. For me I often do not ask to feel
rested because I feel like it is my fault I feel tired. I pray that you
(and I) will find the time to rest. Rather it is to read a book, write
in a journal or have the thought to pray. Sometimes I feel like when I
am praying I get so distracted. This week I am determined to pray, to
really pray and if my brain will not let me pray then I will write my
prayer.

Exodus 33:14
“My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

How to get away with your spouse

2012-01-28T06:32:00.000-05:00

How to plan a night away with your hero.
1. Write on your blog you would like a night away.
2. Friend one says reads it and says you plan the hotel and she will keep the kids.
3. You think oh, this could work and get excited.
4. Call friend 2 to ask if she would help and keep the kids Friday afternoon and evening so friend 2 will only have to sleep over
5. Have that arranged, call friend 3 to ask if she could keep on Saturday. She says she is not available, so back to square one. Although friend 1 said she would do it the whole time you do not have the guts to let her.
6. Friend 4 puts on facebook: she is looking for a part time job, so you facebook her instantly and asks if she would be interested.
7. Friend 4 says it sounds great and you get excited.
8. Now you think to e-mail your husband who is away and ask if he would be interested, probably should have done that first.
9. Husband says yes but does not know if he can get time off work. You think hmmmmmm, if he cannot go maybe you will just go alone
10. You almost cry thinking maybe it will not work out.
11. Then you look on line for hours for the perfect hotel room in case you get to go.
12. Find hotel, reserve hotel.
13. Start making list for sitter. Wonder what you can do to make the weekend easier for the sitter.
14. And finally you think daily about it and count the days until it can happen.

Doesn’t that sound rather dramatic? So excited at the thought of having a night away with my hero. So grateful for friends who are willing to help out to make it possible.
I will update you on what happens next soon.
Pamela

Give me your best shot

2012-01-27T07:51:00.003-05:00

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

This is my story. Boy meets girl, girl falls head over heels in love and boy marries girl and then they are allowed to do smooch and when girl is distracted man wrestles girl to the ground and smooches her.
Pamela

Homeschool mother's Journal

2012-01-27T07:35:00.001-05:00

In my life this week…I planned a weekend get away for my soldier and myself.
In our homeschool this week…we put a egg in vinegar to watch the shell disappear.
Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…do not be afraid to ask for help. Do not be afraid to admit when your child is struggling because you never know when someone else may have just what you need to help.
I am inspired by…my hero who has spent this week in training as he prepares for deployment, being cold and wet most of the time.
Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…to myrtle beach with my hero so we can talk about what we want for our children over the next year so we can bond as a couple.
My favorite thing this week was…hearing this baby boy scream GO, every new word brings excitement to me.
What’s working/not working for us…having my daughter read to me after everyone else is asleep because it makes her feel special and gives me time alone with her.
Questions/thoughts I have…do you have a late reader, do you know why? How did you not get discouraged by it.
Things I’m working on…I have two fleece blankets I am ready to make and have not had time to make.
I’m reading…nothing right now. Every time I set down to read I get distracted and read the same page over and over.
I’m cooking…fried cookie dough, basicly wrap cookie dough in egg roll shells and fry
I’m grateful for…my children, they are a gift I will never take for granted.
I’m praying for…my friend, she has seizures and her family has the stomach bug including her. This means she is not able to keep meds down.
A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

Pamela

Fill in the blank Friday

2012-01-27T06:49:00.003-05:00

This week’s statements:
1. Nothing is better than._a freezing can of mountain dew on a hot dog or early in the morning.___
2. I _always leave laundry in __my _chair__ in _the livingroom__but never __love the way it looks_._
3. Those _dog____ that are always __in there yard with a invisible fence___ make me want to ___scream and run in fear.________
4. My favorite __time of day_______________ is when ___i have a child snuggled in my arms or when they are all eating lunch and giggling about something_______________________.
Pamela

5 Question Friday

2012-01-27T06:16:00.000-05:00

1. Do you swim in the winter? If we had a good indoor pool I would. I think the kids would love it. Actually next month my husband and I are going away and I cannot wait to swim. I guess swim is not the word for what I do. I cannot wait to float in the pool

2. Do you love or hate winter? If I do not have to leave my house then I love ten feet of snow (not that I have ever seen that). But I dislike when it is cold for no reason. Right now it is 65 degrees in January. I cannot believe it.

3. Do you put makeup/actual clothes on when you know you're going to be home all day with just family? I do put on clothes but not leaving the house clothes. If I did not babysit you would probably never see me out of my pajamas.

4. How old were you when you had your first alcoholic beverage? Umm, had a sip (or less) in high school and have never had any since. Oh wait, I had a drink about 14 years ago.

5. How many ill calls in a 12 month period do you think are acceptable? As in prank calls, ZERO. As in calling in sick, I guess that it depends upon how many sick days you have. I know I am messing up this question.

Pamela

Letter to my Hero

2012-01-23T14:54:00.000-05:00

Dear Hero,
It has been a couple of crazy, busy crazy days. There are days I wish we had a video crew following us because we could surely make money.
Friday night I watched Courageous with the kids. I said no electronics while we watched it. Grace cried through the whole movie. I love her heart. I cried through a lot of it even though I had seen it. I cannot wait for you to see it. I am really wishing we had someone we could leave the kids with over night or someone to stay at the house while we went away for the night. Can you imagine a night in a hotel, ordering room service and watching a movie and then sleeping in. oh that sounds amazing.
Saturday we stayed home and did not do a lot. Well that is not totally true. By 9am we had the whole house straightened up and I made eggs, sausage and biscuits. I tried to make gravy but it did not turn out. I did make Hope a skirt. Which was not fun; since I have no ironing board but that is a story for another day?

Sunday was a day to remember. First I realized I forgot the babies’ cup so we stopped at Wal-mart to pick up one. I also picked up Vitamin water because it was by the register. Did I tell you I have completely moved him to straw cups and that I no longer give him one at nap or bedtime. It is amazing how few diapers I change now.
So we get to church and within a 15 minutes Michael came in and said that the battery in the van had died. Cody charged it after church. This was a awesome reminder that when someone says they will help while your soldier is gone that they will.
During the service (right as everyone was shaking hands and walks into the foyer) the nursery workers came to get me. I wish I would have taken a picture of this. They literally put James in a Rubbermaid container and two workers carried it into the bathroom. They had one hand on him and one hand on the bucket. He was standing up and had bowel all the way up his back. Of course it felt like half the church saw him. I do not know if it was the vitamin water or just something that happened. He has not had any problems since.
After church we went back to wal-mart and bought Hope a pair of tennis shoes. I know this does not sound like me but I almost did not buy them because they looked very generic to me and I did not like them. I know that sounds weird coming from me.
I stopped by auto zone and they said the battery is fine. They did suggest we go ahead and have a second one installed.
We came home and went to bed. Everyone laid down or was at least quiet.
Last night we went to AWANA. The kids had fun. Hope has to have the best teacher in the entire world. He has been so patient with her. We only have two more financial classes left. I forgot to tell you I went on Dave Ramsey’s site and ordered us a new wallet book. I have really torn this one up. The one I ordered has plastic pages so I am hoping they do not tear as easily. When I picked up James they had all the toddlers lined up on the wall and the teacher would say 1, 2, 3 and James would scream GO and take off running. I was so excited. I had not heard him say go before.
We came home and went straight to bed, everyone was ready for bed.
I have so much more to tell you but I will wait. I do not want to over whelm you.
Love,
Pamela

OJ Facial

2012-01-22T21:02:00.002-05:00

Mama M
was talking about doing a orange juice and baking soda facial. I thought it sounded fun so I ran out and bought OJ and then the kids drank it. So I bought another thing of OJ and they almost drank it all before I caught them. So I poured about 3 tablespoons in a bowl and then poured in enough baking soda until it made a paste. I put it on and let it set while putting it on the girls. Then wiped it off. I have to say this morning my face actually felt softer. I will definitely be doing this again.
Pamela

Pray For me Monday

2012-01-22T20:16:00.001-05:00

JAMES 5:16
"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so
that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and
effective." (NIV)

PSALMS 116:2
"Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live" (NKJV)

Welcome to this weeks Pray For Me Mondays with Home Grown Families and Pamela from Troop Petrie. We are so excited to be working together on this journey!

Basically, PFMM will work like this:

Pamela and I will write posts on relevant topics and post

You can link up your own post, comment or e-mail us your prayer requests

We'll pray for you and hopefully others will, too

Tiffany {the single one} says:

I am so glad that Pamela write about encouragement this week. {I usually let Pam decide what we talk about and just follow her lead.}

Encouragement is something with which I struggle. In this valley of my life, I could really use it. From women that really mean it.

I always wished I was someone that had that group of gf's that really stick with you. The ones that go out to dinner periodically and are there for each other. The one's that hug you when you're down and catch you when you're falling.

However, at this point in my life, my kids consume me. I've said before that I don't go anywhere or do anything~ and it's true.

I do have gf's though, that are there for me; I don't want to discount them. It's just that we're all so bust struggling with our own lives. We have small kids, husbands that are transferred, live states apart, etc.

Just remember to encourage each other as much as you can. You never know who really needs to hear it.

Make a goal to reach out to one person this week. Really reach out~ go out of your way to encourage someone else.

Let me know how it goes.

Pamela {the married one} says:

This morning our chaplain spoke on encouraging one another. It touched me. I have to admit that I sometimes forget to encourage others. I make comments without thinking about it. But I am not intentional about lifting up and encouraging those I know need it.

As I type this I can think of someone who I know could use encouragement and yet every time I see her I do not give it.

In the NIV of the Bible it says
Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.

This week I want to encourage you, encourage you to not give up. Even when you are tired, even when you feel alone, even when your marriage is struggling or your children are struggling. I want to remind you that we serve a strong God who knows what is going on even when you think no one knows.

I want to encourage you to keep showing your children God’s word. When you think you can do no more, then take it to God and ask him to show you how to do more.

I would love to hear how you found time to encourage someone this week. Maybe we can hold each other accountable.

This week I have a prayer request that I do not know how to explain. On 10-31-11 our dog of 10 years passed away suddenly. Just 2 days later my hero brought home a 5 week old puppy. I asked him not to get a puppy but he thought it was for the best. Over the last 2.5 months I have dealt with her biting on everything and tearing things up, I have been the one to potty train. Those first few nights when I was so angry she was around she decided that she would only sleep if she was in my hair. Honestly, I have grown to love her.

Over the last few days she has nipped 2 of my children. I cannot decide what this means. Is she just being a puppy or is this signs of aggression? I do not know how to handle this. I am calling the Vet first thing in the morning to ask for help. She has not been old enough for puppy training classes.

Please pray that we will know what to do and how to do it. She weighed 3.4 pounds when we got her and she now weighs 22 pounds. She is a Deutsch Sheppard and we are told she will be about 60-70 pounds. My hero is away at training right now so communication is almost non-existent. She plays constantly with my kids and normally the baby can steal her food right out of her bowl. She is very smart and has learned to lay and sit and stay.

Thank you for your prayers.

Fill in the blank Friday

2012-01-19T21:14:00.000-05:00

1. I used to enjoy _waking up early and having quiet time____ but now I don’t really anymore except for when I_have actually been able to sleep through the night and feel rested. ___
2. My first job was _babysitting and then I worked in a drug store. _____
3. I am a bit obsessed with _my children and making them feel loved and safe____ at the moment
4. If I don’t have my __fan blowing on me___ at night, I don’t sleep well
Pamela

5 Question Friday

2012-01-19T20:51:00.001-05:00

1. Where do you hide the reeeally good snacks? I grew up babysitting for a couple that had a mini fridge in there room. I thought that was crazy, now we debate getting one all the time. I keep them in my spice cabinet hidden behind the packages or in a cookie jar on top of my fridge or I make it look like the package has not been opened and leave them in the cabinet.

2.Do u keep your vehicle clean or am I the only one who has things falling out of their van? This was my question and let me tell you I have the dirtiest vehicle you can imagine. It is embarrassing how dirty it is and it seems like we are constantly cleaning it out.

3. Have you ever been to Vegas? No, but I would not mind going, not for the gambling but for the shows. I would love to go with my hero.

4. Warm room light blankets or cold room warm snuggly blanket? Cold freezing room with a ton of warm quilts on top of me.

5. What is the worst airplane/flying experience you've ever had? Maybe flying back to Germany after my brother passed away knowing I would not see my family for a couple of years with a newly crawling baby. Seemed to last forever.
Pamela

Make a joyful noise

2012-01-19T20:27:00.000-05:00

Psalms 100
1 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.2Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.3Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.4Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

Do you ever long for a talent you do not have? I have always wanted to be able to sing. I love to sing. I sing all the time. Except when other people are around. I have this memory of my dear friend asking me not to stand next to her in choir as a child because my singing was so bad.
I have heard myself sing and let me tell you it is not a pretty noise. I complain that I cannot sing and do not understand why I cannot sing. Not only can I not sing but I cannot remember the words to any song. So I often sing like this: twinkle twinkle, little star lalalalalalala. Because, I cannot remember the words. Drives my hero batty.
I think about my inability to sing all the time. I worry when I am at church that I am annoying people because I know I not only cannot sing but I also mess up the words.
Tonight the reality hit me. I may not be able to sing in a voice that you enjoy hearing but I have six precious blessings who do not mind. Today a precious child fell and bonked his head. As I rocked him and sang to him I watched him relax and when I stopped singing he looked at me in a way I knew meant he wanted me to continue singing. So from now on I will stop complaining about my horrible voice and be grateful that God gave me a voice just for me. A voice that brings comfort to my children. A voice my hero longs to hear when he is not home. Sometimes we are given the gifts we do not want and just do not realize it.
As for me, right now I hear a tiny voice screaming from the back room. It is screaming “mommy” because he needs a hug and kiss before he can sleep. Now that is a voice I love hearing.
Pamela

Peppermint crafts

2012-01-18T17:41:00.001-05:00

Have you heard of Pinterest? Of course you have, I was the last one to get on that wagon. I found these on there and just had to try them. My amazing hero thought it was a fun idea until I told him I was going to use them and he could not eat them.

Step 1: unwrap a ton of peppermints, you could even use the green ones.
Step 2: line a baking sheet with parchment paper
Step 3: put the peppermints on the baking sheet in the design you want
Step 4: make sure the peppermints are touching one another so when they melt they stick together.
Step 5:bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes

Making Crayons

2012-01-16T17:27:00.000-05:00

I have seen this done a million times. One day my hero even bought home one of the toy machines that melt crayons and while it worked it did not make fun shapes. So I decided to make our own. I cannot wait to make them for every holiday now. They were so much fun.
I guess I should tell you that I dislike broken crayons so it works well for me because I can use up all the broken crayons. I do know to fill the mold more to make the crayons thicker.
Pamela

Pray For me Monday

2012-01-15T20:28:00.000-05:00

body

JAMES 5:16
"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so
that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and
effective." (NIV)

PSALMS 116:2
"Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live" (NKJV)

Welcome to this weeks Pray For Me Mondays with Home Grown Families and Pamela from Troop Petrie. We are so excited to be working together on this journey!

Basically, PFMM will work like this:

Pamela and I will write posts on relevant topics and post

You can link up your own post, comment or e-mail us your prayer requests

We'll pray for you and hopefully others will, too

Tiffany {the single one} says:

I have to say that I don't live in fear. I have no fear to speak of~ unless it comes to my kids. I fear that I am not giving the the proper education, I don't have them in the right therapies/with the right therapists, I haven't scheduled this appt or that evaluation...

Then I think about the future. Are they going to be able to live alone? Will they ever 'get it' enough to not be taken advantage of? Will they be able to live alone? Raise a family? Will Knuckles ever learn how to read?

I can go on and on.

One thing that keeps me sane is that I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that God has plans for my girls. He has watched over them and put them in the best possible place for them right now. This knowledge allows me to just keep on. Sometimes we're not going in an upward line but I'm content with our straight shot. The ups will come later. I can wait.

Please pray for my girls and wisdom for me to handle them. It's good right now but we can go downhill very quickly!

Pamela {the married one} says:

Do you live in fear? Are you consumed with anxiety? Do you worry about
what will happen next? Does it seem like the lions are just outside your
door waiting to come in and you cannot get the door to lock?

Have you
heard the story of Daniel?

This week we stayed home from church because the baby and I have a
cough. A cough we had a month ago and has now came back. Anyways, I
turned on the TV this morning and heard part of Joel Osteen and part of a
sermon a women was teaching but I did not catch her name. Both spoke
about this briefly.

I would like to tell you that I put my faith in God and do not have
fear but that is not truth. I constantly fear what people will think
about how I raise my children.

I have a great ability that allows me to
ignore the fact that my husband is deploying again. To live in the
moment and forget what is really going on. But then there are moments
when I read about a high school friend who was injured in Afghanistan or
when I read a blog about a soldier who lost his life to PTSD. That is
when I let my fear rise up.

But for today and for as many days as I can I am determined to get on my
knees more and ask for help. Instead of turning to friends and food,
this has become my normal. Nothing is wrong with turning to friends.
But I know I need to turn to God more.

Psalm 91:1

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”

3 Surely he will save you
from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

5 You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,

6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.

8 You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.

9 If you say, “The LORD is my refuge,”
and you make the Most High your dwelling,

10 no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.

11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;

12 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

14 “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.

16 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”

This week, my prayer is that we do not live by fear or anxiety but rest
in his arms knowing that he will care take care of us.

Military Monday

2012-01-15T19:36:00.001-05:00

I am so excited to get back into Military Monday. I am excited to get back to meeting new spouses. I thought I would take a moment and re introduce myself in case we have not met and tell you a little about our military life.
My hero has been in a total of 19 years, 16 active and 3 reserve. I can hardly believe it has been that long. We are often asked how much longer we will stay in. My response is it all depends upon how fast he can get his degree and what the economy is like. The real is answer has less to do with jobs and more to do with how many more deployments we can handle.
We have been stationed at Fort Campbell, Germany, Fort Campbell, Redstone Arsenal and are currently at Fort Bragg. My hero is deploying soon for his eighth deployment. He has been to Albania, Kosovo, Bosnia, Iraq three times, Afghanistan and is heading back to Afghanistan soon.
Pamela

Miscellany Monday

2012-01-15T18:48:00.003-05:00

It has been a while since I did Miscellany Monday and honestly I have missed it. I just could not seem to get into the blogging mode.
It might have something to do with the new puppy who keeps me on my toes. You know the puppy that broke my scentsy burner. I glued it together again. Then a couple of days later I was rubbing on the puppy and I noticed she had something in her fur. Can you guess what it was? Look closely at this picture and tell me what you do not see.

This week I have had a cold or allergies or something going on. It has made me extremely tired. This means we have had a lot more days where we just laid under blankets and relaxed.

Right before Christmas, my hero bought us tablets. It came with a very thin case and I could not wait to make a nicer one. So today I made one using quilting material. I still need to put a button on them. I wish I knew how to make them reversible so that I did not need to make two.
I did make Faith a skirt this week. I am going to try to take a better picture later. I just put a elastic top in it. I love this material. I used the 40% off coupon from hobby lobby on it. I took the scrap and let her use it as a scarf. I am definitely going back to buy more of this material.
Pamela

5 Question Friday

2012-01-13T08:01:00.001-05:00

1. What's the last thing you bought for yourself? Oh wow, I can answer this question. Normally I would say a toothbrush or something stupid. On Tuesday I went to hobby lobby and bought a wire stand I have wanted for several months. It was $160 when I first saw it and thought no way and then it was marked down to $80 and I had $75 in gift cards so I snagged it and only slightly felt bad. My amazing husband was actually annoyed I spent my Christmas gift cards on it. Because in his eyes he thinks I should have used cash and bought something for me. The stand is for the kitchen.
2. What is your favorite meal on a cold winter day? My favorite meal always is fried chicken from KFC and mash potatoes and gravy with green beans.
3. Have you started looking at swimsuits for this year, and do you buy a new one every year? This was my question. I have not bought a new one. I will probably not buy a new one. I found one a couple of years ago and love it.
4. If you could be any candy what would you be and why? It is a candy I cannot buy anymore. It is a whistle lollipop. Because you could blow on me and suck on me and then put me in the fridge and save me until you are ready for me again. Yep, that is me multi tasking and available for many needs.
5. What are you most passionate about? Caring for children and loving them and making sure they are loved and cared for properly and with love. It breaks my heart to see a child not being cared for the way God intended. Now this does not mean I am perfect at it because I am not but daily my goal is to be better than the day before.
Oh and my pinterest answer is? I do not know, I need to take more time. I would say right now it is recipes.

Pamela

Letters to my hero

2012-01-12T20:57:00.000-05:00

Man oh man, right now I have setting on my desktop a “Letter to my hero” that I started three days ago. I just cannot seem to get it pulled together. I really want to start writing “letters to my hero” again.
So how do I get back to it? Hmm, that is my question. I guess it will happen when I stop fighting the dog for my shoes and when the police are not knocking on the door because our alarm system went off.
So in case you are reading…
Dear hero,
I love you and miss you extremely tonight. Today was a great day. I made dental appointments for the 5 older kids, eye appointments for all 6 kids and myself and doctors appointments for 5 kids. I may get us caught up soon.
I wish you were here right now because the puppy is making a ruckus upstairs and I hear lots of squealing and not a lot of sleeping. She has been doing really well. She did scratch Kerri yesterday. Michael asked if we could have her de clawed. I cannot wait for you to see her, she is jumping on the furniture now.
Jason’s birthday was a huge success. Several times today he has told me he had a great birthday or the best birthday. I do not know where he comes up with these things but I love it.
Michael has a busy weekend of boyscout events. I have a busy weekend of relaxing and maybe getting some sewing done.
I love you baby and hope you get to call soon.
Pamela

Pray For me Monday

2012-01-09T06:42:00.000-05:00

JAMES 5:16
"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so
that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and
effective." (NIV)

PSALMS 116:2
"Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live" (NKJV)

Welcome to this weeks Pray For Me Mondays with Home Grown Families and Pamela from Troop Petrie. We are so excited to be working together on this journey!

Basically, PFMM will work like this:

Pamela and I will write posts on relevant topics and post

You can link up your own post, comment or e-mail us your prayer requests

We'll pray for you and hopefully others will, too

Tiffany {the single one} says:

Wow! It's 2012. This is the first Pray For Me Monday that I have done this year. I want to thank Pamela for holding down the fort while I was on vacation~ and then the mini crisis that followed.

I can't seem to get myself out of this funk. I feel so useless. I am just able to deal with daily functions and nothing else. I just can't seem to get myself out of it!

On the upside, I am still forcing myself to move on. I am still working on the Couch to 5K~ I'm in my 2nd week. Today's run came with shin splint so it ended about 1/2 way through. It's OK. I'll pick it back up on Tuesday.

Continue to pray for me as I struggle through these personal issues.

Pamela {the married one} says:

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Phillipians 3:13,14

It is a new year, can you believe it? It seems like the last year has blown by. We have lived in North Carolina for almost 2 years.

This is going to be another year of changes. My hero will be deployed for part of it. My son will turn 16, as in close my eyes and he will be driving. My baby girl will surely lose her first tooth. My hero will come home from his deployment and we will re adjust.

This year I vow to not make resolutions that I will not keep but instead just live every day. To find ways to be a better mother and wife to my husband. This year I vow to not live in the past and focus on my past failures as a wife and mother. This year I am going to focus on improving what I dislike about myself.

This week I ask you to pray for our family. Our time with my hero is getting shorter and shorter. I know it sounds silly but one of our guinea pigs died today and it is hard on our 9 year old.

To my hero

2012-01-08T21:22:00.002-05:00

Dear hero,
I miss you, I am lonely and I miss you. The kids are in bed and I just spent time working with the puppy. She is getting so big, she sets and now lays really well. I think the next thing we will work on is stay.
The kids are doing well. Michael just all of the sudden has stepped up. He is constantly thinking of how he can help and is being less bossy. This morning he took the little kids to the van while I cleaned up at church and did not complain. Grace is in a stage, she is very clingy and shy and you know what I am kind of enjoying it. When I picked her up after Awana tonight she was setting up against the wall. She does not like the game time.
Financial peace went well tonight. He even talked about the TSP. I will send you the notes I took because it was neat that he took the time to think about the military. I think we only have a few more weeks.
I love you and hope you have gotten rest this week. I cannot wait to see you soon. I think this training is probably good for our children. A reminder that you leave but then you come home.
Oh yeah, we found Michael’s scout book today while looking for Faith’s Awana book.
I love you baby ,
Pamela

Admit when your wrong

2012-01-06T18:48:00.001-05:00

I am wrong and I am not afraid to admit it. I am sure I have shared that my hero got a puppy when I begged him not to. Well that puppy has really grown on me and is honestly my puppy.
So how am I wrong? Well today we opened our front door and this precious thing walked in. Of course I snapped a picture. And then sent the picture to my hero. He texted me and this is how it went.

Hero: she cannot have it
Me: I already told her she can have it
Hero: no, no, no, no
Me: I already took her to the vet and they said she is 5 months old.
I know it is wrong especially since I left the poor dog on my porch when we went out in hopes that it would find itself back to its home. It was not here when we got home so I assume it went home.
Maybe next week I will tell him the truth. How long do you think I should wait to tell him that I lied?
Pamela

5 Question Friday

2012-01-06T07:25:00.001-05:00

1. What is the weather like where you are and do you like it? This morning when I looked it said 32 but going to be in the 60’s. This is the weather I like, snuggle under blankets at night but the kids can play outside during the day.

2. When you're sick what do you seek comfort from? My bed or at least that is my dream. It seems like if I am sick my husband is deployed and my kids have ten appointments. So really no time to be sick. My dream is to be cuddled up under blankets in my bed with a good book.

3. What do you need to do before the end of the month? Several doctor appointments for checkups, organize our coats. We have triple the amount of coats we need and it is wrong that I have not gone through them and given away what we do not need. My excuse is they are in the unheated garage and well I am being lazy. Boy, did I sidetrack.

4. Have you ever served on a jury? No, sadly. I always wanted to be called up for jury duty. I have only been called once and I went 2 days and the rest they did not even want me to come in. Then when I did get called in they did not need me. I did get to set in on a custody case for about 20 minutes. I would LOVE to have jury duty.

5. If you could be any animal, what would you be and why? A big dog, big enough no one would mess with me but a dog because they sleep so much and have constant food and water. Especially our puppy, everyone wants to rub her and love on her and she can go to her room (kennel) whenever she wants and be left alone to sleep and there is a constant supply of snacks. Okay, now I am totally jealous of our puppy now. Please feel sorry for me. Honestly, I would love to be a fly and be able to fly to Afghanistan when my husband deploys, you know a fly on the wall and see what he is doing and how he is doing.

Pamela

Good-bye Bugsy

2012-01-04T13:15:00.002-05:00

Last week we went home for a couple of days and left the guinea pigs at home alone. They had plenty of water and food. When we returned Hope ran upstairs to check on them.Pee's alot (yes that is his name) was fine but Bugsy was not acting right and had his head laying side ways. We had noticed he was getting thinner for months but was still eating well and we assumed that the other guinea pig was just eating too much. Rob fed Bugsy pedialyte every 20 minutes for a couple of hours and he started to perk up. We were beginning to think maybe he just got cold or something. But a hour later he passed away. I was really surprised with how well the kids took it. Maybe it is because they have another guinea pig. Later that night Hope broke down and realized she really did miss him. The next morning she buried Bugsy in the back yard next to our cat and dog and gerbil.
I know I am not suppose to laugh but the fact that we have lived here less than 2 years and have 4 dead animals in our back yard is scary. It would not be so bad if we owned the house but we lease it. Hopefully they never dig up that part of the yard.
Pamela

Change is coming

2012-01-04T12:37:00.000-05:00

Poor lonely blog, poor sad blog readers who probably do not even come back. Poor post that were half written last year that accidently got posted while I was out of town. Poor pitiful me.
Okay sucking it up and moving on. The last few weeks have been crazy. My MIL came in for Thanksgiving and that was wonderful and then it seems like things did not stop. My hero was gone for training for a week in December and then worked a lot of long days before taking 2 weeks off at Christmas. Two wonderful weeks full of cleaning out the garage and getting vehicles ready for deployment. The second week we went to visit family. It is amazing how long it takes to organize a trip even if it is only for a couple of days.
Right now my hero is back in Louisiana for training. I actually had to drop him off at 3am one morning. Let me tell you I do not care how early you go to bed 3am is too early for me. It was not just dropping him off it was staying with him until 6am.
I say all this to tell you that life has been crazy but I have a million and one things I want to write about. I am determined to start really writing.
My hero is deploying soon and I will have quiet evenings to write.
I do want to mention something. If I wrote today about my husband leaving today please know that I have changed the days and he could have been gone a day or a week. I will NEVER give out specific times he left. I will tell you he is leaving and he will be home in the fall some time. I will also say he is going to Afghanistan. If you would like to send him a note of encouragement you can leave it in the comment section or e-mail me and I will send you his address when I get it. I will continue to practice OPSEC to the best of my ability and hope you understand and do not see me changing dates as being untruthful.
Pamela

Christmas pictures

2011-12-26T12:25:00.001-05:00

I left the pictures up to my husband this year. I am trying to learn to just take a step back. I am just excited he was able to get them all looking at the camera this year.

Christmas Tree snacks

2011-12-26T11:28:00.001-05:00

This was written last year. Tonight I was about to schedule a post and noticed this one setting there. So weird to see how much my children have grown up.

I love doing things with my babies but I often forgot to include them. I had promised them we would make these the next time it is my turn to cook for church. Once a month I cook for 70 on Sunday morning. The problem is I did not realize that the ice cream cones would cost 20 cents a piece. I could not break my word so we bought one box and decorated them when friends were over. Can you tell who enjoyed there’s the most? The kids were disappointed I did not let our friend’s baby have green icing. I think her parents were probably pretty happy I did not.

12 Pearls of Christmas

2011-12-24T23:34:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!

Merry Christmas from all of us at Pearl Girls™! We hope you enjoyed these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom" from the authors who were so kind to donate their time and talents! If you missed a few posts, I hope you'll be able go back through and read them on this blog over the next few days. If you'd like to keep up with Pearl Girls and our new book project, Mother of Pearl, coming this spring, just click this link and sign up for our newsletter (lower left sidebar).

Also, just a reminder that today is the last day for the pearl necklace and earrings giveaway! Enter now by filling out this {form}. The winner will on 1/1 at the Pearl Girls blog.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

***

Jesus -- The Reason For the Season

By: Rachel Hauck

Through the narrow scope of 2000 years, Mary, the mother of Jesus, appears to be one lucky woman. Chosen by God to give birth to His son, the Savior of the world? All right, Mary, way to go.

“Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you,” Gabriel said.

How many of us would like a declaration like that? Highly favored. The Lord is with you. But Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.

The angel told her, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Mary’s seems confident and resolved when she responds, “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.”

She’d just been told the Holy Spirit will come upon her, that God’s power will overshadow her, that she’d become with child even though she wasn’t married, and she said, “I’m the Lord’s servant. Let your words be true.”

I find this amazing! A young woman. Ancient Bethlehem. Unwed mother. They stoned women for such things in her day. But Mary believed in God. And submitted to His will. He gave her the Holy Spirit – the same Holy Spirit given to us. If He gave her confidence, He will give us confidence. Even though, like Mary, our situation seems impossible.

Listen to Mary’s song later on in the first chapter of Luke.

“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me Holy is his name…”

Conceiving a child out of wedlock, by Divine intervention. Not a girl’s every day existence. Yet she had a Yes in her heart to God. She rejoiced. She boldly said, “Generations will remember me!”

How we struggle to trust God with our children. Our finances. Our emotional well-being. We worry. We fret. And wonder why we have no peace.

Christmas is the season where words like joy, peace and love are bantered around like Christmas candy. Let’s not take them as just words, but as truth. Let’s be like Mary and embrace God’s favor on our lives. Boldly declare "He’s done great things for me!”

Out of the grit of our own souls, we can reach His heart, and feel Him reaching for ours. No matter the pain of our past, present or future, God is there for us. He is able. Best of all, He is willing. “My soul glorifies the Lord this Christmas!”

***

Rachel Hauck is an award winning, best selling author who believes God has done great things for her. She lives in Central Florida with her husband and ornery pets. Her next release is Love Lifted Me with multi-platinum country artist Sara Evans, January 2012. Then in April, look for The Wedding Dress. www.rachelhauck.com.

12 Pearls of Christmas

2011-12-23T23:32:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!

Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom" from some of today's most beloved writer's (Tricia Goyer, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Sibella Giorello and more)! Please follow the series through Christmas day as each contributor shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND just for fun ... there's also a giveaway! Fill out this simple {form} and enter for a chance to win a beautiful pearl necklace and earring set ($450 value). Contest runs 12/14 - 12/25 and the winner will on 1/1. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents. You may enter once per day.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

***

The Panhandler's Breath

By Robin Dance

He slipped in sideways between the closing elevator doors, as if he were late to a meeting; he pressed the "5" without looking. Instead of suit and tie, though, baggy pants and faded navy hung on his tall, slim frame...and his stealth entry stiffened the hairs on the back of my neck.

I had noticed him a few seconds earlier, just after we had parted a sea of clamorous teens. He was smiling, grandfatherly, standing maybe 30 feet away where the electric shuttle picks up.

I had no idea he had been watching us, studying us, predator patiently awaiting his next prey.

The four of us were sealed in a four- by six-foot metal tomb. Tomb--that thought really scampered across my mind. I wondered if he had a knife in his pocket. I wanted to protect my son. Fight or flight pumped adrenaline but there was no where to run.

Extreme and ridiculous, these thoughts - and more - flashed through my mind. The Stranger began speaking.

"Yessir, I see you're a family man with your wife and your son here..." and he nodded in my and my son’s direction.

"...you see I'm homeless and all I've got..." and on queue, he reached into his left pocket and pulled out two old pennies blackened with age. Two cents to his name?! It was all too contrived, too practiced, and I didn't believe a word he was saying.

It was then I smelled it ~ the small space lent itself to that ~ and I doubted my doubt.

His breath.

It wasn't the scent of alcohol. His eyes weren't red, his voice didn't waver; his wizened face matched his graying hair.

His breath was morning's, zoo breath, the pet name I'd given to the scent inhaled when kissing my children awake when they were little.

He needed to brush his teeth. I wondered how long it had been since he brushed his teeth.

The elevator door opened and I handed him my leftover pizza as my son and I brushed past him. My husband handed him a bill and the Stranger thanked and God blessed him.

The elevator door closed behind us. Conflicted, I was relieved.

We got in the car and blurted first reaction--

"I didn't believe a word he said."

"That made me nervous."

"I wonder if he'll really eat the pizza."

In the quiet, we were left to our own thoughts, contemplating the right thing to do. At the end of the day, this is what I decided: It doesn't matter whether or not his story is true; for an old man to resort to begging, he has to be desperate. The money my husband gave him will never be missed. It was a reminder we've been entrusted with much and given much. Materially, yes, but more so spiritually. Loved, chosen, forgiven, redeemed, graced, lavished--every spiritual blessing. E v e r y.

There's a part of me that wishes I would have been brave enough to ask the man his story, made sure he knew he was loved...and bought him a tooth brush.

Later, it occurred to me he could have been an angel. Doesn’t that mean generosity, kindness and hospitality is always the right response? Then it's not about you or the stranger or the circumstance, it's about a simple, God-glorifying response.

Had we entertained an angel unaware? We'll never know.

But it wouldn't be the first time the Breath of Heaven smelled like a zoo.

***

In a decades-old, scandalous affair with her husband, Robin also confesses mad crushes on her three teens. As Southern as sugar-shocked tea, she’s a recovering people pleaser who advocates talking to strangers. A memoirist, Compassion International Blogger, and Maker-upper of words, Robin writes for her own site, PENSIEVE, and also for (in)courage by DaySpring (a subsidiary of Hallmark) and Simple Mom. She loves to get to know readers through their blog comments and on Twitter and Pinterest. www.pensieve.me

12 Pearls of Christmas

2011-12-22T23:30:00.000-05:00

***

Inside Out Christmas

by Debora M. Coty

My veterinarian friend, Dr. Katie, tells the story about the December when a woman brought a very sick black lab into her clinic. The dog was only ten months old, so she was really just a big puppy, but she’d been vomiting incessantly and her worried owner didn’t know what was wrong.

“Why don’t you go on home?” Dr. Katie told the owner. “I’ll need to run tests for about four hours. We’ll give you a call when we’re finished.”

Dr. Katie’s assistant took x-rays and hung them on the light panel for Dr. Katie to examine. Hmm. Something looked a little peculiar. Dr. Katie called her assistant over.

“Is it just me, or does that look like a … a camel to you?” she asked incredulously.

“Matter of fact, it does,” replied the astute assistant. “And look, there’s an angel here, a shepherd there, and down there in the colon, it’s Baby Jesus!”

At that moment the phone rang. It was the dog’s distraught owner. “I can’t believe this! I just got home and glanced at the coffee table where I put my manger scene yesterday. There’s nothing there but an empty stable!”

As I thought about this quite literal technique for internalizing the true meaning of Christmas, it occurred to me that sometimes I have the opposite problem. With all the bustling busyness, my inner joy in celebration of my savior’s birth never really makes it to the outside.

Oh, I have plenty of glittery, festive evidences of the holiday in decorations, baking galore, and gifts under my tree. But those things are for show. They’re merely the pretty wrappings, not the gift itself.

Can people really see the core-deep joy that radiates within me when I think of the true gift that Papa God sent the world in his son, Jesus? Is my immeasurable gratitude for eternal life evident as I dash through this hectic season?

I’m afraid all too often, the answer is no.

I’m just too preoccupied to allow my outside to reflect my inside so that nonbelievers recognize that I rejoice because of the hope that is within me. My joy is obscured by the mounds of clutter. Gratefulness is sucked out of my soul by the vacuum called urgency.

“But let the godly rejoice. Let them be glad in God’s presence. Let them be filled with joy” (Psalm 68:3, NLT).

This verse has become my prayer this Christmas season – that I would make the time to give priority to rejoicing, being glad in God’s presence, and letting my inner joy show for those who may be silently desperate to know the giver of true joy.

Yep, there’s a better way to internalize the gift of Christmas than the black lab technique. We can lodge the Little Lord Jesus in our hearts rather than our colons.

***

Debora M. Coty is a humorist, inspirational speaker, and award-winning author of twelve books, including Too Blessed to be Stressed, and coming in March, More Beauty, Less Beast: Transforming Your Inner Ogre. Debora would love to swap Christmas hugs with you at www.DeboraCoty.com.

12 Pearls of Christmas

2011-12-21T23:29:00.000-05:00

***

Simple or Sparkle?

by Tracey Eyster

It’s a simple ornament made of thin cheap metal and it looks quite out of place on our CHRISTmas tree. But each year I lovingly and safely nestle it amongst its expensive and sparkly peers, without a care as to how unglamorous it appears.

Many of our CHRISTmas ornaments have a story and an uncanny way of welling up emotion in me, but this certain one causes an intense stir.

You see the ornament is engraved with the name of my grandmother, Sara, and was given to me by my mother, who ordered it from Hospice, after Grandmama’s death. Yes, the months leading up to her death carry memories of a frail and failing grandmama, but that ornament carries my thoughts to sweet CHRISTmas memories of the past.

CHRISTmas Eve dinners in her home, laughing, singing, gathering and celebrating a year filled with blessings as we remembered the birth of our Savior. CHRISTmas mornings, she was always there participating with glee, in our raucous CHRISTmas happiness. Her gifts were always bank envelopes gently tucked into the pine needles of our CHRISTmas tree, fresh cut from the property she grew up on.

All memories of my Grandmama make my heart swell. You see she was my Jesus with skin on. She lived her life full of joy, serving others and approached life selflessly with an attitude of, “What can I do for you?”

Just months before she left us, even as the Alzheimer’s was robbing her mind she shared her love of Jesus with a sweet little old lady friend, who came to know the Lord – a divine appointment. The very next day that little old lady silently slipped away to meet in person the One Sara introduced her to just the day before.

At the time I wept, realizing that regardless of our own frailties and failings, God can still use those of us who are willing to do His work and are well practiced at hearing His voice...no matter our lack of sparkle in comparison to others.

A simple life lived for Him, a simple ornament in memory of Sara...a simple truth for you to ponder.

***

Tracey Eyster wife, mom, relationship gatherer and Creator/Editor of FamilyLife’s MomLife Today is a media savvy mom making a difference where moms are, on-line. Through speaking, writing and video interviews Tracey is passionate about encouraging, equipping and advising moms on every facet of momlife. Her first book, Be The Mom will be released August 2012. You can connect with Tracey at www.momlifetoday.com, her personal site www.traceyster.com or www.twitter/momblog.com.

12 Pearls of Christmas

2011-12-20T23:28:00.000-05:00

***

Enjoy the Ride!

Susan May Warren

We sit poised on the top of a cliff, a near drop off before us, that falls to a rushing river. In the middle, a bridge of snow and ice hints at our destination. My husband guns the snowmobile engine. “Ready?”

Ready? For a face plant into a tree, maybe reconstructive surgery? To feel my stomach ripped from my body as we plummet down the mountain? Let’s do it!

We live on five acres of woods in northern Minnesota that butts up to a national forest. Hence, our backyard is about a hundred thousand acres. Aside from harboring deer, lynx, fox, cougar and bear, it also makes excellent snowmobile terrain. And not long ago, Mrs. Claus gave her Santa a snowmobile for two.

I love snowmobiling. Flying over the snow, catching air over drifts. I love to drive, to be at the helm of the beast as I weave around trees and over hill and dale, my husband sitting behind me. I also love riding behind my husband as he drives, feeling those powerful arms as he’s muscling the snowmobile into the wilds. We follow unknown trails, driven by a Magellan spirit, hoping that we have enough gas to get us back to civilization. I love hanging on, simply trusting him, knowing that wherever he’s taking me, he’s going first.

But there are times, when I see where he’s taking me, and I just have to bury my head in his back. Like straight down a cliff.

However, my heart cheers, despite the terror as we gun it down the hill, over the river, up the opposite side. And, if we hadn’t let ourselves go, we would have never discovered the beauty of a winter river, a hidden jewel buried deep in the forest. Nor the exhilaration of facing the challenge together.

Further on, we find an enchanted forest of towering white pine. Catch a view of Lake Superior, discover an old cabin in the woods.

It occurs to me that snowmobiling is much like my spiritual life. Occasionally, I drive, and it’s me setting our course, weaving through the trees, getting us hopelessly lost. But when God takes the “wheel” and I hang on, trusting Him for the speed and destination, I see the scenery. I trust him to keep me safe. I trust him to bring me home, where there is an eternal supply of hot chocolate.

As Christmas season becomes more hectic, what if I let God drive? Maybe everything doesn’t have to be perfect, and maybe I don’t have to control every tradition, every holiday nuance. What if I just held on for the ride?

I’ll bet I’ll still get there, and I might even enjoy the scenery along the way.

How have you let go, and “enjoyed” the scenery of this hectic, exhilarating Christmas season?

Merry Christmas!

***

Susan May Warren is the RITA award-winning author of thirty novels with Tyndale, Barbour, Steeple Hill and Summerside Press. A four-time Christy award finalist, a two-time RITA Finalist, she’s also a multi-winner of the Inspirational Readers Choice award, and the ACFW Carol Award. A seasoned women’s events speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!. She is also the founder of www.MyBookTherapy.com, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice.

12 Pearls of Christmas

2011-12-19T23:27:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!

Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom" from some of today's most beloved writer's (Tricia Goyer, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Sibella Giorello and more)! Please follow the series through Christmas day as each contributor shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND just for fun ... there's also a giveaway! Fill out this simple {form} and enter for a chance to win a beautiful pearl necklace and earring set ($450 value). Contest runs 12/14 - 12/25 and the winner will on 1/1. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents. You may enter once per day.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

***

Family Traditions: A Glimpse into Christmas Future

by Tricia Goyer

Have you ever thought about family traditions? As I helped my 1-year-old place ornaments on the Christmas tree this year I imagined her doing the same thing with her children—and maybe even grandchildren—one day. Traditions are beliefs and customs handed down through generations. By sharing meaningful moments with your kids you're sending yourself into the future. How amazing is that?

Sharing family traditions cause us to slow down from the busy, adult world for a while. We ignore the laundry to set out the nativity set with our kids. We set aside time in our schedules to drive around and look at Christmas lights.

Holiday traditions aren't only fun, they also help strength family bonds. Through traditions kids trust in the security of family unit. They think, “This is our family and this is what I do.” Of course, the most important thing to share isn't just what we do ... but why. Why do we put out a nativity? To remind us the real meaning of the season—Jesus coming to earth. What do the Christmas lights represent displayed on homes and on trees? They represent the Light of the World, Jesus.

Using traditions to bond our families and share our faith isn't new. I love these two Scriptures that talk about that very thing.

Exodus 12:25 says, “When you enter the land that the LORD will give you as he promised, observe this ceremony.”

Psalm 78:4 says, “We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done.”

What are you're traditions? Here are a few of ours:

Baking a Birthday cake for Jesus

Buying a new ornament every year for each child

Acting out the Christmas story (with props!)

Praying together before opening presents

What are your traditions? Write a list and appreciate them in a new way this year. Then ask, “If I could add one new tradition this holiday season, what would it be?” I'd love to hear what you choose! It also makes me smile to think of your children's grandchildren doing the same.

***

Tricia Goyer is a CBA best-selling author and the winner of two American Christian Fiction Writers’ Book of the Year Awards (Night Song and Dawn of a Thousand Nights). She co-wrote 3:16 Teen Edition with Max Lucado and contributed to the Women of Faith Study Bible. Also a noted marriage and parenting writer, she lives with her husband and children in Arkansas. www.triciagoyer.com

Pray For me Monday

2011-12-19T08:07:00.002-05:00

Please join Home Grown Families and I for another week of Pray for me Monday.

Deuteronomy 16:17
Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you.
For some reason it seems like it has been a long time since I thought about pray for me Monday. But it has only been a week.
This week I want to talk about something close to my heart. I want to talk about giving. It is the time of year where we all have a list a mile long of things we would love to see under the Christmas tree. For me it is things that I cannot have like a whole day in front of the sewing machine and a wheat grinder.

Giving comes naturally to me. I would love to be able to do nothing but shop and give it to others all day every day.
This year I want to focus on not just the giving of things but truelly giving. I want to give you my time in prayer. I want to give of my time to have friends over more often. I want to focus more on who is coming over instead of is the floors being mopped.
My prayer for this week is that we take time to enjoy this Christmas season and find a way to give of ourselves. To remember those around us who sometimes get forgotten. The mail lady, the lady at the local dollar general who rarely smiles. That single mom in church who you know is struggling with how to raise her children alone. That you give time for that spouse whose husband is deployed.
Proverbs 3:27
Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.
Pamela

12 Pearls of Christmas

2011-12-18T23:26:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!

Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom" from some of today's most beloved writer's (Tricia Goyer, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Sibella Giorello and more)! Please follow the series through Christmas day as each contributor shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND just for fun ... there's also a giveaway! Fill out this simple {form} and enter for a chance to win a beautiful pearl necklace and earring set ($450 value). Contest runs 12/14 - 12/25 and the winner will on 1/1. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents. You may enter once per day.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

***

Let The Baby Grow Up This Christmas

By Shellie Tomlinson

When I was a little girl, Christmas seemed to take forever to make its way back to our little house on the end of a dirt road called Bull Run in northeast Louisiana. We kids started counting down the days before the leaves ever began turning. Sure, the adults said it came once a year but I wasn't so sure. Once Santa Claus left our humble abode it seemed like light years before he found his way back to the Delta.

That was a child's perspective. I imagine it hasn't changed all that much for today's kids. On the other hand, I'm operating under a completely different time frame these days. It seems like it was just yesterday when I pulled the boxes down from the attic and began pulling out the nativity scene, the miniature lights, and the keepsake ornaments. And now, just that fast-- Christmas Day is right around the corner. Soon the tree will be striped naked and the piled up presents will all be distributed. After a few more day it'll be hard to remember who got what from whom, and once again, I'll start packing all the decorations away for another year.

I was thinking about how bare and cold the house always looks after the holidays when I realized that, sadly, this scene would play itself out in many hearts as well. A lot of people will have had expectations that weren't filled and many of those same souls will be left with hurts that don't seem to heal. Unless this year is remarkably different from past seasons, my bet is, the New Year will bring magazines full of articles on combating depression and the talk shows will have experts on offering ways to fill the long days ahead and cure the winter blues.

I'm no expert, dear readers, but I'd like to offer you a suggestion that will go far beyond the creature comforts of a nice warm bath or a delicious bowl of hot soup. Your heart doesn't have to be bare and naked after the holidays. Do you want to know the real secret? It's simple, really. Don't pack up Christ with Christmas! As beautiful and special as the Christmas story is, it's only a part of heaven's miracle. The Christ child grew into a man and the man became a Savior.

This year, may we be determined to let the babe from Bethlehem live on in our hearts. If we'll allow Him to become the Messiah He was born to be, the joy of Christmas can be ours all year long.

***

Shellie Rushing Tomlinson is an author, speaker, and radio host from Louisiana. Her latest release Sue Ellen's Girl Ain't Fat, She Just Weighs Heavy was endorsed by Jeff Foxworthy as "laugh out loud funny!" You can find Shellie's weekly southern features, podcasts, video chats and more at http://www.allthingssouthern.com/ Make sure to get by the blog and read about the Super Christmas Giveaway Shellie is hosting for her readers and secure your chance to win a Mort Kunstler print valued between $700 and $1400. www.allthingssouthern.com

12 Pearls of Christmas

2011-12-17T23:25:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!

Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom" from some of today's most beloved writer's (Tricia Goyer, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Sibella Giorello and more)! Please follow the series through Christmas day as each contributor shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND just for fun ... there's also a giveaway! Fill out this simple {form} and enter for a chance to win a beautiful pearl necklace and earring set ($450 value). Contest runs 12/14 - 12/25 and the winner will on 1/1. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents. You may enter once per day.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

***

The Snowflake Party

By Deborah Raney

The first snow of winter hasn’t fallen yet, but in our kitchen tonight we’re doing a pretty good imitation. The whole family is circled around the huge old oak table. The snip, snip, snip of scissors is background music as tiny scraps of white paper float down, making our floor look like a giant brownie sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Tonight has turned out to be the night for our annual Snowflake Party, a tradition that began when our children were toddlers. There has never been a date blocked out in red on our calendar, but one day we wake up and the brisk autumn air has turned bitter cold. Naked tree branches trace their stark calligraphy on a dull grey sky and we need a taste of the joyful promises of Christmas and snow. It’s the perfect time for a party.

On such a day, one of the kids will fly in the back door, fresh home from school, and declare “Hey, Mom! Tonight would be a good night for the Snowflake Party!” First we round up every pair of scissors in the house. This is one time when sharing is not a virtue. While the kids search for scissors, I cut white paper into squares and fold them caddy-corner multiple times. The resulting triangles are artfully arranged in a basket, awaiting the beginning of the party.

Later, while the supper dishes dry on the counter, I recruit a volunteer to help me stir up a big pot of hot cocoa. For the next hour it will warm on the back burner, tantalizing us with its aroma.

Now the fun begins with careful cutting and snipping, shaping plain white paper into intricate works of art. Each snowflake we create seems as unique and spectacular as the genuine variety created by God himself. As each masterpiece is unfolded, collective oohs and aahs go up.

When the last dregs of our creative juices are drained, Dad oversees the vacuum patrol while I pour cocoa into generous mugs. We spread our handiwork on the floor around us and sit, quietly admiring our work while we dunk marshmallows and sip rich chocolate.

With empty mugs piled up in the sink, it’s time for the judging to begin. There will be awards for ‘prettiest’, ‘most unusual’, and as many other categories as we need for everyone to be a winner. Dad is the judge because he studied art in college. He also usually wins one of the top prizes––because he studied art in college.

Snowflakes deemed runners-up might be pasted in scrapbooks or hung on the refrigerator. A few even “melt” into the trash that very night. But the winners are taped proudly to the picture windows in the living room for passersby to enjoy while they long for the day when genuine snowflakes will color the world clean and white.

Our oldest daughter went away to college last September. She called just after Thanksgiving to tell me that her dorm window was covered with snowflakes. No, not the real thing, but the ones she remembers from her childhood––paper ones that she spent an entire evening cutting and snipping while sipping hot cocoa.

That’s the neat thing about traditions: They go with us no matter how far from home we travel.

***

DEBORAH RANEY's first novel, A Vow to Cherish, inspired the World Wide Pictures film of the same title. Her books have since won the RITA Award, ACFW Carol Award, HOLT Medallion, National Readers' Choice Award, Silver Angel, and have twice been Christy Award finalists. After All, third in her Hanover Falls Novels series will release next spring from Howard/Simon & Schuster. Deb and her husband, Ken Raney, enjoy small-town life in Kansas. Their four children are grown now and having snowflake parties with their own children––and they all live much too far away. Visit Deb on the web at www.deborahraney.com.

12 Pearls of Christmas

2011-12-16T23:24:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas

Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom" from some of today's most beloved writer's (Tricia Goyer, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Sibella Giorello and more)! Please follow the series through Christmas day as each contributor shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND just for fun ... there's also a giveaway! Fill out this simple {form} and enter for a chance to win a beautiful pearl necklace and earring set ($450 value). Contest runs 12/14 - 12/25 and the winner will on 1/1. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents. You may enter once per day.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

***

Why I Decorate for Christmas

By Elizabeth Goldsmith Musser

An old cassette tape of Christmas carols—received in a package twenty years ago when we had first arrived in France as missionaries—fills our den with delightful piano music as I place one more ornament on the already over-laden Christmas tree. This one is a little white wooden rabbit with pink ears that move back and forth. It actually doesn’t look much like a Christmas ornament, but I bought it for our baby Andrew when my husband Paul was in seminary, and I was working for less than minimum wage in the library. This ornament was literally all I could afford.

As I hang it on the tree today, I get goose bumps and then a rush of warmth. And that’s why I decorate for Christmas. Not to impress but to remember. I remember those lean, lean years, and God’s faithful provision for us.

There are the cross-stitched ornaments I made our first year in Montpellier—for the boys (for by now we had two sons) and Paul and me. How I ever had time to do that, I don’t know. I remember our puny little tree—the kind they sold in France back then—in a pot so that it could be replanted later. We perched that tiny tree on a small table out of baby Christopher’s reach. I guess I watered it too much, because about halfway through December, it started smelling and then stinking, and it rotted there on Christmas Day!

I smile with these memories.

I look at the other ornaments on the tree. Many were purchased—one for each boy—when we attended conferences around Europe, and that makes me smile too. Getting to travel on a missionary’s budget to exotic places! There are the waxed red bear and red baby carriage from Wales, the brightly painted clay sun and moon from Portugal, the blue and white porcelain windmill and wooden shoes from Holland, the hand-blown glass Snoopys sitting on gondolas from Venice, and the delicately decorated eggs from Prague.

Other ornaments include the little pinkish shiny ball ornament with Paul’s name written in glitter—I think he made it when he was about six , and the little red velvet bows, bought at Michael’s after Christmas one year for a dollar. They bring a unifying theme to the tree. I say this, smiling, because our tree is, and has always been throughout the years, a hodge-podge of our life. And I like it that way. I don’t think I could ever have a ‘theme’ tree. Mine is a ‘memory’ tree.

The music plays softly in the background and I smile through tears, remembering God’s incredible faithfulness to call and keep us here in France for so many years. Heart-breakingly hard years, overwhelmingly joyful years—the same years, the same amazing God, our keeper.

Before we left for the mission field, I memorized Psalm 121 in English and in French, and over the years I have held on tight to those last beautiful words of the psalm: The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever. (NASB)

Of course He will. He is God with us.

We decorate to remember Christmases past, our lives, our legacy, and mostly, for those of us who have embraced Christ, we decorate to honor and praise Him for coming to us—Emmanuel! We make our homes ready to receive the Christ Child, with soft music and candles burning and the sweet flickering of angel wings on an over-laden evergreen.

***

ELIZABETH GOLDSMITH MUSSER, an Atlanta native and the bestselling author of The Swan House, is a novelist who writes what she calls ‘entertainment with a soul.’ For over twenty years, Elizabeth and her husband, Paul, have been involved in missions work with International Teams. They presently live near Lyon, France. The Mussers have two sons and a daughter-in-law. The Sweetest Thing (Bethany House, 2011) is Elizabeth’s eighth novel. To learn more about Elizabeth and her books, and to find discussion questions as well as photos of sites mentioned in the stories, please visit www.elizabethmusser.com and her Facebook Fan Page. www.elizabethmusser.com

12 Pearls of Christmas

2011-12-15T23:23:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!

Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom" from some of today's most beloved writer's (Tricia Goyer, Babbie Suzanne Woods Fisher, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Sibella Giorello and more)! Please follow the series through Christmas day as each contributor shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND just for fun ... there's also a giveaway! Fill out this simple {form} and enter for a chance to win a beautiful pearl necklace and earring set ($450 value). Contest runs 12/14 - 12/25 and the winner will on 1/1. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents. You may enter once per day.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

***

Where is Comfort and Joy Found?

By Sandy Ralya

The year 2006 ushered unwelcome emotions into my life. My husband was unhappy in his job, two of my grown children were making poor choices, my mother-in-law was showing signs of Alzheimer’s, extended-family issues were surfacing, and I was writing a book. Things only got worse. Much worse.

Early in 2007, I was asked to represent the mentoring ministry for wives I founded, Beautiful Womanhood, and lead a women’s conference in Uganda, Africa. My husband wasn’t sure if traveling to Africa was a good idea, so we committed it to prayer. While we were listening for an answer, I sensed God asking me to fast from spending, except for groceries, for thirty days. Sometimes you know that you’ve heard God’s voice because you’d never have come up with those words on your own. This was one of those times. I’d never heard of a fast from spending. Tom needed no convincing that a fast from spending came directly from the mouth of God. He still gets excited just thinking about it!

During the fast, it became clear I had used spending as a way to gain a comfort fix. When I was spending money, I felt carefree and lighthearted. Instead of dwelling on the unpleasantness in my life, I was thinking of my purchases and how they would bring me pleasure. Not until I stopped spending did I realize how short-lived the fix really was. During the fast, when I felt the urge to spend—to anesthetize my pain—I pictured myself running into the arms of Jesus, the Great Comforter. Oh, what comfort I received!

One night, I told good friends my experience of gaining comfort through the power of the Holy Spirit rather than money. I exclaimed that I had never felt so comforted. One friend then told us about a dream he’d had shortly after hearing about the invitation from Uganda. After the dream, he had awoken and recorded the following thoughts:

“. . . this is for Sandy. Christ’s redemption of women is beautiful. Beautiful Womanhood is a result of redemptive wholeness. The visuals the ministry uses on the books, etc., are like a piece of beautifully veneered furniture. There is something going on with the ministry to the brokenness of abused women. In Uganda, there are hurting, abused women, and something is connecting their need and Beautiful Womanhood. Though there is nothing wrong with veneer, it is only the topping—the covering, and without good structure it is shallow and will not hold up. It is time to add a new depth to the ministry.”

Then these verses came to my friend’s mind:

All praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the source of every mercy and the God who comforts us. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. You can be sure that the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 NL

When my friend was finished sharing, everyone in the room broke down in tears, praising God for His work in my life. I’d learned to listen and God had spoken. I’d obeyed, and He’d acted. When He acted, I was changed.

Needless to say, I packed my bags and experienced some of the best days of my life in Uganda—offering God’s comfort to His troubled women.

***

Sandy and her husband Tom have been married since 1980 and live near Grand Rapids, Michigan. They have three adult children and a growing number of grandchildren. When not writing and speaking, Sandy enjoys shopping at yard sales for vintage clothing, cooking, travelling, and drinking really good coffee (black is best) with her husband. For more information, contact Sandy at sandy@beautifulwomanhood.com. Subscribe to Sandy’s blog at www.beautifulwomanhood.com/blog. Find Sandy on Facebook at Beautiful Womanhood. Follow Sandy on Twitter @MentoringWives.

12 Pearls of Christmas

2011-12-14T23:22:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!

Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom" from some of today's most beloved writer's (Tricia Goyer, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Sibella Giorello and more)! Please follow the series through Christmas day as each contributor shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND just for fun ... there's also a giveaway! Fill out this simple {form} and enter for a chance to win a beautiful pearl necklace and earring set ($450 value). Contest runs 12/14 - 12/25 and the winner will on 1/1. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents. You may enter once per day.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

***

Advent
By Sibella Giorello

Consider the bride's walk down the aisle. We all know where that woman in the white is going but somehow waiting for her to arrive at the altar is an essential part of the ceremony. In fact, the waiting is so essential that even cheapskate Vegas chapels include wedding marches.

Why?

Because the wait adds meaning to the moment.

At Christmas time, we tend to forget this essential truth about anticipation. We're lost to shopping malls and checklists, rushing toward December 25th so quickly that we forget the quiet joy of the month's other 24 days -- and then we wonder why we feel so empty on the 26th, amid ribbons and wrapping paper and our best intentions.

Because the wait adds meaning to the moment.

And that is why Advent is so important to Christmas.

I'm as guilty as the next harried person. This Advent was particularly tricky because just six hours before it started, I was still trying to finish a 110,000-word novel that was written over the course of the year -- written while homeschooling my kids, keeping my hubby happy, and generally making sure the house didn't fall down around us.

It's an understatement to say my free time is limited. But waiting adds meaning, and Advent is crucial to Christmas, so I've devised several Advent traditions that are simple, powerful and easy to keep even amid the seasonal rush.

When my kids outgrew the simple Advent calendars around age 7, I stole an idea from my writer friend Shelly Ngo (as T.S. Eliot said, "Mediocre writers borrow. Great writers steal." Indulge me.)

Here's how it goes: Find 24 great Christmas books, wrap them individually and place then under the tree. On the first day of Advent, take turns picking which book to open. When we did this, we would cuddle under a blanket and read aloud -- oh, the wonder, the magic! We savored "The Polar Express," howled with "How Murray Saved Christmas," and fell silent at the end of "The Tale of The Three Trees" (note: some of the picture books I chose were not explicitly about Christmas but they always echoed the message that Jesus came to earth to save us from ourselves and to love us beyond our wildest imagination. In that category, Angela Hunt's retelling of The Three Trees definitely hits the Yuletide bull's eye).

This Advent tradition lasted for about five years. It gave us rich daily discussions about the season's real meaning, without being religious or legalistic, and it increased family couch time. But like the lift-the-flap calendars, my kids outgrew the picture books.

Because the wait adds meaning, and Advent is crucial, I prayed for another way to celebrate anticipation of Christmas. By the grace of God, last year I found an enormous Advent calendar on clearance at Pottery Barn. Made of burlap, it has large pockets big enough to hold some serious bounty.

But my husband and I didn't want the kids focusing only on the materialist stuff for Advent -- we already fight that on Christmas day. We decided to fill the daily pockets with simple necessities and small gift cards. We also printed out the nativity story from Luke 2:1-21 in a large-sized font and cut each verse out. From Day 1 to Day 21, there is one verse to read aloud. The kids memorize it, then get to open their present (again, on alternating days for each person). Then we tape the verse to the wall in order. By Day 22, all the verses are on the wall, in order, and the kids now try to recite the entire nativity story from memory. That's not as difficult as it sounds because they've been memorizing one verse each day. Still, the entire recitation -- verbatim -- usually requires Day 23 and Day 24. Whoever does memorize the entire thing -- without mistakes -- earns a bonus gift of $25.

Does that sounds extravagant?

It is.

Because we want our kids to understand that God came down and humbled himself and taught us about love right before He suffered and died on behalf of the undeserving -- which is every one of us.

"That's" extravagant.

And in the waiting, we find even more meaning.

***

Sibella Giorello writes the Raleigh Harmon mystery series which won the Christy Award with its first book "The Stones Cry Out." She lives in Washington state with her husband and children, and often wishes there were 36 hours in a day.

12 Pearls of Christmas

2011-12-13T23:46:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!

Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom" from some of today's most beloved writer's (Tricia Goyer, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Sibella Giorello and more)! Please follow the series through Christmas day as each contributor shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND just for fun ... there's also a giveaway! Fill out this simple {form} and enter for a chance to win a beautiful pearl necklace and earring set ($450 value). Contest runs 12/14 - 12/25 and the winner will on 1/1. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents. You may enter once per day.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

***

A Christmas of Kindness

By Suzanne Woods Fisher

"You can give without loving, but you can¹t love without giving." Amish proverb

I do it every year.

I plan for a simpler, less stressful Christmas season and, every year, by Christmas Eve I'm exhausted! After our delicious and very-time-consuming-to-make traditional Swedish meal to honor my husband¹s relatives (think: Vikings), it's time to head to church. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but the last few Christmas Eve's, I have sent my husband and kids head off without me. The pull to spend an hour of quiet in the house feels as strong as a magnet.

It's odd. My children are young adults now. Wouldn't you think that Christmas would be simpler? Instead, it's just the opposite. Jugging schedules to share the grandbaby with the in-laws, trying to include our elderly parents at the best time of day for them, dancing carefully around recently divorced family members whose children are impacted by the shards of broken relationships.

The thing is: you can simplify your to-do list, but you can't really simplify people. We are just a complicated bunch.

Here's where I borrow a lesson about simplicity from the Amish. It's easy to get distracted with the buggies and the bonnets and the beards, but there's so much more to learn from these gentle people if you're willing to look a little deeper.

Yes, they live with less "stuff" and that does make for a simpler, less cluttered life. But it's the reason behind it that is so compelling to me: they seek to create margin in their life. Not just empty spacebut space that is available to nourish family, community, and faith. Their Christmas is far less elaborate than yours or mine, but what they do fill it with is oh so right.

Christmas comes quietly on an Amish farmhouse. There is no outward sign of the holiday as we know it: no bright decorations, no big tree in the living room corner. A few modest gifts are waiting for children at their breakfast place settings, covered by a dishtowel. Waiting first for Dad to read the story of Christ's birth from the book of Luke. Waiting until after a special breakfast has been enjoyed. Waiting until Mom and Dad give the signal that the time has come for gifts.

Later, if Christmas doesn't fall on a Sunday, extended family and friends will gather for another big meal. If time and weather permits, the late afternoon will be filled with ice skating or sledding. And more food! Always, always an abundance of good food. Faith, family, and community. That is the focus of an Amish Christmas.

And it's also how the story begins for A Lancaster County Christmas, as a young family prepares for Christmas. A winter storm blows a non-Amish couple, Jaime and C.J. Fitzpatrick, off-course and into the Riehl farmhouse. An unlikely and tentative friendship develops, until the one thing Mattie and Sol hold most dear disappears and then. Ah, but you¹ll just have to read the story to find out what happens next. Without giving anything away, I will say that I want to create a Mattie-inspired margin this Christmas season. Mattie knew inconveniences and interruptions that come in the form of people (big ones and little ones!) are ordained by God. And blessed by God.

Creating margin probably means that I won't get Christmas cards out until the end of January, and my house won't be uber-decorated. After all, something has to give. But it will mean I make time for a leisurely visit with my dad at his Alzheimer's facility. And time to volunteer in the church nursery for a holiday-crowded event. And time to invite a new neighbor over for coffee. Hopefully, it will mean that my energy won't get diverted by a frantic, self-imposed agenda. Only by God's agendathe essence of true simplicity.

And that includes taking time to worship Christ's coming at the Christmas Eve service. You can hold me accountable! This year, I will be there.

***

Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling author of The Choice, The Waiting, The Search, and The Keeper, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace. Her interest in the Anabaptist cultures can be directly traced to her grandfather, W. D. Benedict, who was raised in the Old Order German Baptist Brethren Church in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Suzanne is a Christy Award nominee and is the host of an internet radio show called Amish Wisdom and her work has appeared in many magazines. She lives in California. www.suzannewoodsfisher.com.

12 Pearls of Christmas

2011-12-12T23:43:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the 3rd Annual Pearl Girls™ 12 Pearls of Christmas blogging series!

We've gathered several of today's most beloved authors to share their Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom"! Please follow along beginning tomorrow (Wednesday the 14th) through Christmas day as Tricia Goyer, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Rachel Hauck, Sandy Ralya, Sibella Giorello, Susan May Warren and more, share their heartfelt stories of how God has touched their life during this most wonderful time of the year.

If you'd like to share the 12 Pearls of Christmas with your blog readers too, just email Christen and she'll send you the series.

AND of course there is a giveaway! Beginning tomorrow you and all your friends can enter to win a PEARL NECKLACE and EARRINGS valued at $450! The winner will be announced on New Year's Day! Pearls - a tangible reminder of God's grace to us all.

***

Just a quick note before the series begins on the 14th ...

As I write this, I imagine that we are sitting at my kitchen table and chatting over a cup of coffee while familiar Christmas carols celebrate the Season. My twelve year old Chihuahua, Pongo, barks for a pinch of pound cake while my Shih Tzu, Lilly, patiently sits by the chair and waits for a crumb to fall.

My name is not Martha Stewart, and I will never receive a neighborhood beautification award. Just look at my front stoop. Yes, my never-had-time-to-carve-the-pumpkin-that-now-suffers-from-frostbite slouches next to the front door which is decorated with a Christmas wreath. I plan to roll this large orange ornament to the garbage pile tomorrow. For now, however, I will pretend that my front stoop is a contemplative modern art exhibit capturing the essence of contrast.

Actually, I love the concept of juxtaposition – placing things together that don’t seem to belong together, yet somehow ultimately make sense being paired. A personal example for me this season is the phrase: “comfort and joy.” Having just completed my manuscript for New Hope Publishers about the aftermath of grief, I fully understand the contrast of those two words. How can comfort bring joy? How can one find joy in loss?

Perhaps, dear reader, you have experienced loss this year – loss of a loved one, loss of friendship, loss of health, loss of financial security, loss of trust, loss of love, or loss of direction. Even with the best intent, words of encouragement shared by others can somehow seem insufficient to address an inconsolable loss. A spoken word cannot fully restore joy to a broken heart; however the Word can. And that’s the bottom line message of Christmas! God gave us the most amazing gift: His Son - the Word of God, the Holy Comforter.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but shall have everlasting life.” (John 3:16).

You are not alone this Christmas, dear friend. Juxtaposed to the unexpected grit in life is the gift of God’s grace wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. This year I purposely placed a pearl in the Nativity scene as a metaphoric reminder. When we place our grit into the hands of the Lord, His grace transforms our pain into a pearl.

“Joy to the world!”

Thank you so very much for sharing the JOY of the Season with us this year.

God Bless,

Margaret

@mcsweeny

***

Margaret McSweeney lives with her husband, David and two teenage daughters in the Chicago suburbs. She is the founder and director of Pearl Girls. For more information please visit www.pearlgirls.info. Margaret is fast at work on several fiction manuscripts. Her book Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace was written to help fund the Pearl Girl Charities. She is also the host of weekly radio show, Kitchen Chat. Connect with Margaret on Facebook or Twitter.

Not me Monday

2011-12-12T12:33:00.001-05:00

I did not look forward to my husband going away for the week because it meant I got the bed to myself, a soldiers wife enjoys every night she gets with said soldier.
I am not making a mega long list of things for my soldier to do in case he gets time off before he deploys. I would never do this because I know we should spend our time doing things like playing games and enjoying ourselves.
I am not setting here writing this during the time I am suppose to be reading with my daughter. Not me because I am a awesome homeschool mom.
I did not fuss at my daughter for wearing her sisters under garments for several days. Each day she would cry and tell me it was size 6, before realizing that my youngest and oldest both wear size 6. Not me, I would realize they have size 6 children and size 6 adult under garments.
I did not have a royal pity party with myself on my birthday because my hero is a crappy giver. I would never do this because really it is a birthday not the end of the world and I have known for 16 years that he is a poor giver.
Pamela

Worry

2011-12-11T21:35:00.004-05:00

JAMES 5:16
"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so
that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and
effective." (NIV)

PSALMS 116:2
"Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live" (NKJV)

Welcome to this weeks Pray For Me Mondays with Home Grown Families and Pamela from Troop Petrie. We are so excited to be working together on this journey!

Basically, PFMM will work like this:

Pamela and I will write posts on relevant topics and post

You can link up your own post, comment or e-mail us your prayer requests

We'll pray for you and hopefully others will, too

Pam {the married one} says:

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Proverbs 12:25 25 An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.
Worry:
I think I could talk on worry for pages and pages. I am really good at giving advice about how to avoid worrying. I am not so good at following that same advice.
I think what I have realized is I can prepare for what needs done or what is going to happen. But I still need to pray about it and hand it over. He knows what is going to happen and why. I am trying hard to do a couple of things. First, express why I am worrying to my spouse or a close friend. Keeping it bottled up does not help. Second, I try to get to the root of what I am worrying about. Am I worried about going on a field trip with 6 kids because it will be a lot of work or am I really worried because I feel like other people will be watching?
Am I worried about our finances and having a financial emergency or am I worried because I do not want someone to think we do not have our finances under control?
Am I worried about my children becoming sick or am I worried that I will not have the faith I need to sustain me?
Matthew 6:27-29 27 You cannot add any time to your life by worrying about it. 28 "And why do you worry about clothes? Look at how the lilies in the field grow. They don't work or make clothes for themselves. 29 But I tell you that even Solomon with his riches was not dressed as beautifully as one of these flowers.

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It's me or the Dog!

2011-12-09T20:06:00.002-05:00

Between the baby and puppy I do not think the tree is going to last until Christmas. They are driving me crazy, I find ornaments all over the house. And the funny thing is we have not put half the ornaments on the tree yet.

5 Question Friday

2011-12-09T07:38:00.001-05:00

1. What is your favorite Christmas cookie? This is hard, probably peanut butter with a Hershey kiss on top.

2. What's your favorite holiday movie & why? The Grinch is what my husband said I should say because I am a Grinch. But really it is shows like the Christmas Shoe.

3. Is there a gift that you bought for your kids that you wish you hadn’t after they opened it? Anything with noise or a million pieces. Oh wait NAIL POLISH, why did I ever think that would be a good idea.

4. What is the messiest room in your house right at this moment? Hmm about even but I would say dinning room because last night we celebrated my birthday (or not really) and just left it on the table.

5. What is the furthest you have driven for the holidays? 9 hours to visit family. Not very far. I cannot stand to drive, really do not like driving, really would fly to the next town if I could.

Pamela

Nestle Crunch bar

2011-12-07T16:16:00.004-05:00

I saw this recipe on Lynn's Kitchen. I am not for sure if I followed this recipe exactly. I can say it was the easiest recipe I have made in a long time.
Melt 2 bags (24oz) bag of chocolate. I used semi sweet.
As soon as it is melted pour in 1.5 cups of rice crispy. I thought for sure this was not enough but it was.
Spread into a 9*13 pan. honestly next time I will spread it thinner into a bar pan.
Put in freezer to harden.
Cut and serve.
Pamela

Not me Monday

2011-12-05T12:46:00.000-05:00

Not me, it is not me, it is never me, I am perfect in every way and always tell everyone who will listen.
It is not me who is 2 months past time getting her teeth cleaned.
It is not me who is one step away from becoming a respite care provider and just keep dragging my feet.
It is not me who is eating chips with melted cheese on it because I am too lazy to think of something healthy.
It is not my husband who picked up “deployment uniforms” today.
It is not me who enjoys having company because it forces me to straighten up.
It is not me who made coal this morning and plans on putting it in a bowl and leaving it on the counter until Christmas.
It is not me who is really tired and wants to skip school so I can take a nap today.

Pamela

Pray for Me Monday

2011-12-04T21:34:00.001-05:00

JAMES 5:16
"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so
that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and
effective." (NIV)

PSALMS 116:2
"Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live" (NKJV)

Welcome to this weeks Pray For Me Mondays with Home Grown Families and Pamela from Troop Petrie. We are so excited to be working together on this journey!

Basically, PFMM will work like this:

Pamela and I will write posts on relevant topics and post

You can link up your own post, comment or e-mail us your prayer requests

We'll pray for you and hopefully others will, too

Tiffany {the single one} says:

So, it seems that both Pam and I are struggling. I am in the pit of all my regular insecurities~ I must like it here. I am here a lot.

Continue to pray for me. Pam and I both need it this week!

Pam {the married one} says:

1Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

I have to be
honest and tell you that I am struggling right now. Not with depression, or
maybe it is. But struggling; with my husband working until 11pm, struggling
with him not getting block leave or Christmas leave. Struggling with this
deployment. It is not the fear of him not being here to help. I can do that,
have done that. It is what it does to the kids. It breaks my heart that he will
miss another one of Faith’s birthdays, she will turn 12 and he will not be
here. He has missed at least half of them.

I am
struggling with struggling with things that have been said to me recently.
Struggling with not keeping up with things like I normally do.

I am really
struggling with turning it over to God. I have no problem crying out for
others. I would gladly be on my knees for your marriage or your struggles but
for some reason when it comes to me I cannot help myself.

So today I
ask you to pray for us. Pray for us as we try to get everything done before
this deployment. Pray that we will not pull away from one another. It is so
much easier to let him leave if I am angry at him. Pray that I will remember
where my strength comes from.

Psalms 55:22
Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will
never let the righteous fall.

5 Question Friday

2011-12-02T08:41:00.001-05:00

1. What is your favorite Christmas decoration in your house? I just bought a new willow tree nativity set and am so excited. My birthday is next week and I am dying to open it up before then.

2. Do you finish your Christmas shopping early or are you a last minute type? Done, Done and double done. So excited to say I am done this year. I try to get done early so I do not over spend and am not over stressed about it.

3. When do you turn on your heat? As late as I can, I have had it on a couple of days this year. I enjoy the house colder and I am cheap. I love to layer under blankets.

4. Do you ever wish your blog was private? Yes every day. I actually have a private blog. I have so much I would love to talk about but fear family would not understand. I would love to write about PTSD and not worry about it anyone in the Army getting back.

5. Do you put your deodorant on before or after you put on your shirt? If I shower right after I shower. Most of the time I forget and have to go back after I get my shirt on.

Pamela

Mil Spouse Fill in the blank

2011-12-01T20:58:00.000-05:00

1. If I could be on any reality TV show, I’d want to be on __Super Nanny, I am sure she could teach me some things. _______ .
2. This past Thanksgiving was _crazy, 5 extra people, one trip to the ER, 32 pound turkey, lots of laughing and smiling__.
3. I’m looking forward to December because _I am done Christmas shopping and I ca just enjoy the month.__.
4. One thing I’d like to accomplish this month is _a nap, a lot of napping and a scrapbook for a friend__.
5. To me, winter is __fireplace and baking and snuggling with books, it is also ice and scary roads.__.
Head over to Wife of a Sailor to join other Military Spouses and link up.

Mil-Spouse Round Up

2011-12-01T20:34:00.002-05:00

Welcome to Mil-Spouse weekly Roundup. I have wonderful and sad news. The wonderful news is that I love this Round Up and have met amazing spouses through it. I have sad news. This is the last one. It makes me very sad because even when I did not participate I still lurked around on other blogs. Please head over to Riding the Rollercoaster and say hi and tell her WE NEED OUR WEEKLY ROUND UP. I know, I know I was screaming. So let’s go out with a bang and everyone link up and maybe it will convince her to continue. Okay back to the regular scheduled program.
Good wonderful morning to y’all. Okay really I do not say y’all but I do say enough southern things that my friend says I sound like Paula Dean. I did actually have a friend say her kid was not allowed around us because they picked up my accent. I on the other hand do not believe I have an accent. By the way my N button is not working right and this is driving me batty.
Now to tell you a little about myself: I am…………..thinking…………… thinking some more. Oh, I know first and most importantly I have a new puppy. Can we say harder to care for than a new born? H-E-L-P. I asked friends on facebook to describe my family so I could have some ideas of what to write. But they said too many nice things. Let’s see my husband and I are both from a state that has a lot of coal and beautiful mountains and is a place that most people make fun of. Any ideas? It has two initials.
I married my high school sweetheart. Long story but basically we dated in high school broke up and I moved 9 hours from home and 2 years later he followed me. When we married he was in the reserves. I had a decent job, he had a decent job but neither of us had benefits. And I wanted babies, I have always wanted babies, I still want babies. So shortly after we got married we decided he would go active. I found out during the move that we were pregnant with our first son. I will never forget those first few months. We lived in a 4 room shack as we called it and the army messed up our pay. For a month we literally ate PB &J that we bought from the PX with our star card. Hard to believe that was almost 17 years ago. Note to new spouses, burn the star card. We literally paid that stinken thing off last month.
In the last 17 years we have moved from Fort Campbell to Germany to Fort Campbell to Redstone Arsenal to Fort Bragg. We have had three more children. I have no clue where we will go next. I would love to go back over seas or even Hawaii. But can you imagine being our sponsor and being told a family with 6 kids, a dog, a cat, 16 suitcases, 8 cary-ons and a double stroller need transportation and housing. They would run for the hills.
My husband is currently a W2 in the Army. He has been in a total of 19 years. We have not decided when we will get out. I always tell everyone that it depends upon how fast he can finish his degree and how many more deployments I can handle. Rob has been to Bosnia, Kosovo, Albania, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iraq and is leaving shortly to go back to Afghanistan.
So now about me. Hi! I am Pam and sometimes I feel like I live on a roller coaster (wish I would have come up with that name for a blog, GENUIS). I am blessed to have 6 blessings in my home and love it. I write about my blessings, about homeschooling, baking and sewing and struggle. I have written about how hard military life can be and how amazing military life can be. I have also written about pregnancy loss and premature birth. Someday I want to write more about PTSD. I want to be real honest and help other spouses who have been through it. I am a social person. I love to have people over and love to talk on the phone. Oh man if my house needs clean I pick up my phone and find someone to talk to while I clean. I love to organize and straighten (although most of the time you would not know that) but I cannot stand to deep clean. I rarely mop floors or clean bathrooms. As a matter of fact during one deployment I paid someone to come in and dust and mop twice a month. It made a huge difference in my attitude. I never call my kids by their correct names. I often forget and leave food on the counter and feel guilt about being wasteful. I am very self conscious and you will catch me constantly explaining myself. Although I am getting better.
I love the military for a million and one reasons. I love that when we had a premature baby I did not have to worry about medical bills or when she needed specialist that they would be available. I love that we move. Seriously I love unpacking and organizing a house. I love that we meet new people. I dislike the hurry and wait part of it. He is leaving today, no in a month no yesterday and then not at all. Just this month we have been told block leave is cancelled and now NO Christmas holiday.
What else would you like to know about me? I am a pretty open book.
Pam

Puppy Love

2011-11-29T06:18:00.000-05:00

When we lost our dog last month my husband thought it was wise to go out 36 hours later and get a 5 week old puppy. I begged him not to. He thought the kids needed it.
The funny thing is that she thought she was my dog. After leaving his mom way too early she became attached to me. She thought she needed to sleep in my hair so she could wake me at 3am with sharp little nibbles. At first it was cute. But after weeks of a puppy crying in the night to be let out, after weeks of finding messes on my floor and on my bed I am over the puppy I did not want. I know I am being harsh. I know I am not this honest on my blog often but I am suffering. Maybe it is that I did not get a chance, maybe it is that I know my hero is leaving soon and it will be my responsibility. Maybe it is because she got sick after we got her she got really sick which required around the clock meds and pedialyte.
Let me be honest and say she is cute as can be and I do like her I am just a little over whelmed. So yesterday we had a few free hours. I decided I was going to tackle my sewing pile. I had several dresses I wanted to turn into skirts. I have not sewn in probably 6 months and I was allowing myself the time to do it. Then I walked into my room and saw the dog had left us a gift. She will literally go on the floor right after coming inside.
So I called all the children together with my hero and told them I am D-O-N-E, I am done reminding them to take her out, to pick up things so she will not chew on it, done watching my hero clean up the messes. Done reminding them to clean out the gerbil cage, guinea pig cage, cat litter and to feed all the animals. That if this dog has more accidents I am going to going to get rid of all the pets in my house.
A few minutes later I found Hope outside with the puppy. She was at her teacher’s desk and the dog was in his student desk. She was reminding her of how we act in our house and that she loves her but she needs to remember the house rules. She said she would give her dog treats if she did not potty in the house.
Pamela

Mondays

2011-11-28T07:58:00.001-05:00

What a amazing week. First I spent the week straightening closets and making sure our house was ready for guest. Then I noticed that there were cobwebs on the kitchen ceiling.
The other night my husband told me all the children were in bed asleep. A couple of hours later I decided to go to bed. Walking down the hallway I heard water splashing. Hope was still in the bathroom. She is known for taking 3 hour baths. She never heard dad say it was bedtime.
This week I was very proud of myself for getting our yearly newsletter done. I was not very proud of myself when I realized I walked away from my laptop without saving it.
Last week I may or may not have caught my son eating cereal out of a HUGE plastic cup because there was no clean bowls. I know this would not happen after catching him eating with a measuring spoon last month.
This week my husband had another stress test for his lungs. I may or may not have giggled when he told me the machine was broke and he had to go back that afternoon to take the test. You see my hero is a total caffeine addict so him going half the day without caffeine is almost comical. I am just glad I did not have to work with him.
I am just curious about something, do you ever write a nasty statement on facebook and then smarten up and delete it before hitting send.
What crazy things have you done or not done this week? Are you willing to admit it and laugh about it? I would love to hear it?
Pamela

Please join me at Miscellany Monday too.

Pray for Me Monday

2011-11-28T05:42:00.000-05:00

body

JAMES 5:16
"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so
that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and
effective." (NIV)

PSALMS 116:2
"Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live" (NKJV)

Welcome to this weeks Pray For Me Mondays with Home Grown Families and Pamela from Troop Petrie. We are so excited to be working together on this journey!

Basically, PFMM will work like this:

Pamela and I will write posts on relevant topics and post

You can link up your own post, comment or e-mail us your prayer requests

We'll pray for you and hopefully others will, too

Tiffany {the single one} says:

Proverbs 22:6

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Children, of course we love them~ we just don't always like them, at least for the moment.

As I write this, I am arguing with my 2 year old to go back to bed. She's tired and a bear and, honestly, I don't want to deal with it anymore.

While I know what is wrong with her, the reasons the other 2 {they just turned 8!} do things aren't so clear.

What is the Autism? What is from their extreme immaturity? What is from their social problems?

And, it's not only their actions. I have a hard time deciding what I'm doing when we're working on school work. What is from one of their LD's and what is lazy? How hard should I push? What are they really capable of?

Push too hard and it will turn them off of learning. If I don't push hard enough, they will never live up to their potential...

Keep us in your prayers as we struggle along in our everyday life. It will get better, I know, but just keep praying for us in the meantime.

Pam {the married one} says:

Psalm 86:11

Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.

Do you ever think that your spouse or children should change? What they are doing is wrong. How they respond is wrong. You know it is wrong; you live with them, right?

Have you ever taken a step back and thought why do they do it that way, why do I think what they are doing as harmful to me.

For a year I saw my son pull back from the world more and more. I could not understand it. He would complain about not having friends but yet never wanted to get out and make friends. One day his counselor explained it.

He wants friends but the problem is wanting them does not mean he is willing to do the work. In Michael’s eyes, if he got involved with others they could reject him, they could dislike him. It was easier to step back and not have friends.

It broke my heart when it was explained that way to me.

This week my prayer is that I will have my eyes open to what is going on before I pass judgment on what I think my spouse and children are thinking. That instead of assuming my husband is ignoring me I will ask him what is on his mind. It may be that he just needs a minute to relax before I start asking questions.

Piper Reed give away

2011-11-27T20:13:00.001-05:00

The winners of the Piper Reed book is Kristy and Erin Thank you ladies for entering, please send me your address so I can get them sent to you.
Pamela

Are you prepared?

2011-11-27T14:26:00.005-05:00

I wish I was better about using coupons.Please share your secrets with me. I love to stock pile. I stock pile when I find things on sale. Things like cereal for $1 a box. My children love apple juice but it is pricey. So when I found it at Dollar Tree I bought every bottle they had on the shelf. I will buy several turkeys and hams during the holidays when they are on sale. I love to cook a turkey in June.
Share your secrets with me. How do you save money. I have done some basic things like switched to cloth napkins and making homemade laundry soap, dishwasher soap, fabric softner and baby wipes. I would love to hear your ideas.

5 Question Friday

2011-11-25T07:16:00.001-05:00

1. Is there a special dish you prepare that you are famous for?
No, not really. It use to be cinnamon rolls but I do not even do that much now.
2. Are you (did you) go Black Friday shopping? I use to be but maybe I am getting too old. This year we are done shopping, as in D-O-N-E. Done and now can relax! My mom is one of those people who had to be at work at 6pm and work until 6am this morning. She was guarding something in a store until midnight. I hope everyone was nice to her.

3. What are your strangest holiday traditions? This is something we are working on, we do not have traditions and that kind of makes me sad.

4. Pecan or pumpkin pie? (She actually asked "Apple or pumpkin?" I just T-giving'ed it!) Pumpkin or peanut butter is my favorite. Would you believe I did NOT have pumpkin pie yesterday? I will correct that today.

5. When will you put up your Christmas tree? Probably Sunday, I know it is killing my husband to not have it up now. But with a new baby in the house and a new puppy, I think we should wait until 11:50 on Christmas Eve and take it down at 12:01 am on Christmas day. I am such a scrooge. Feel very bad for my children, very bad.
Ladies and gentlemen (are there any gentlemen), thank you so much for sticking with my little old blog all year. You comments make me smile and encourage me.
Oh and Mama M, what would I do without my 5 Question Friday, please oh please never let it stop.
Pamela

Thankful

2011-11-24T06:44:00.000-05:00

I am so thankful, I often take time to stop and remind myself what I have to be thankful for when I am having a hard day.
This year I have a husband home with me. I understand what a blessing that is. I have had many holidays without my soldier.
I am thankful for my children. I thank God that he has blessed me with so many blessings even when the laundry is taller than me and the dishes go unwashed.
This year I am thankful for the new blessings that joined our family. I am thankful that they were allowed to stay with us.
I will never for one minute take for granted the time we have with each other.
This Thanksgiving is so different. Not just because my hero is home or because we have more blessings at our home but because there will be an empty seat at the table. It was painfully obvious when my mother in law pulled in the drive way and the kids screamed for mommal and not poppal. I want him back just for the day. I do not like the sadness; I do not like explaining to my children over and over that he will not be here. Although as much as I miss him today I am grateful that today he is eating what he likes and as much as he likes without fear of his sugar levels. So today I will be there for his wife and for my husband and remind them of the positives that he brought to our lives.
Today I am thankful for my friends who have rallied around me over the last year who and encouraged me when I thought I could not handle any more. Who stood up and made sure we had everything we needed and even what we wanted for the boys when they joined our family.
I am thankful for a mother. A mother who was a single mom raising 2 children with little help from her family. She woke each morning when I knew she tired and wore down. She allowed me to spread my wings and move out when I was ready to.
If I was honest I would tell you that I am a little thankful for this puppy who is laying on me right now. This puppy I said no to, this puppy that wakes me nightly to go out and has accidents in my house. She is worth it in the end but please do not tell anyone I said that.
What are you thankful for this year? Have you taken time to make a list of what you are thankful for?
Pamela

The Muppets

2011-11-22T06:39:00.001-05:00

Have you heard? The Muppets are back! Last Saturday morning my family had the honor of seeing a sneak peak. They loved it. They felt special.
Okay, I do not want to give away too many details but it will be hard. First, Mrs. Piggy is amazing and her hair is amazing. I love Mrs. Piggy because I grew up being called Mrs. Piggy.
This movie was great for our family. It really had a great story line that encouraged love for siblings and also how to work together.
I knew going into this movie that there was no worries about what my children would be seen. I so hope this bring back the Muppets.
Pamela

Not me Monday

2011-11-21T07:49:00.004-05:00

Not me Monday
It is not me who is not going to beg you, bribe you and harass you to enter my give away right here. I am not desperate to get lots of entries just to make myself feel good.
It is not me who combines Not me Monday with Miscellany Monday. Surely I am able to come up with two blog post on a Monday morning.
First, let me tell you if I posted some of the things I have not done I would be arrested. It has been a crazy week.
I want to know how people get angry and smack their children because last week I smacked a child on the bottom and I was not even mad and this is what happened. I promise this picture does not show how bad it really was. Even the side of my hand bruised. The child on the other hand had no idea why I was putting ice on my hand.
It was not us, meaning my husband and I. who went grocery shopping and ended up leaving a child strapped in a cart alone in an aisle because of lack of communication.
It was not my son who came to me on Tuesday afternoon and thought his sister should stop school to wash his shirt for that evening. It is her month to do laundry. He could not grasp the concept that he had to do his own laundry since he did not get it in the dirty laundry on time.
It was not me who changed a baby on a sidewalk a few weeks ago. We were at a public park having a ceremony and I could not walk away. So I turned away from the crowd and let the diapers fly.
When my daughter realized her sister’s shoes were too big she most certainly did not zip tie them to her feet?
Pamela

Pray for Me Monday

2011-11-20T20:24:00.005-05:00

JAMES 5:16
"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so
that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and
effective." (NIV)

PSALMS 116:2
"Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live" (NKJV)

Welcome to this weeks Pray For Me Mondays with Home Grown Families and Pamela from Troop Petrie. We are so excited to be working together on this journey!

Basically, PFMM will work like this:

Pamela and I will write posts on relevant topics and post

You can link up your own post, comment or e-mail us your prayer requests

We'll pray for you and hopefully others will, too

Sorry we missed last week~ it's just one of those things. This is what Pam wrote for last week, so the material is a little dated.

Tiffany {the single one} says:

These last few weeks have been particularly difficult for us. We have been dealing with sickness, ER visits, sleepless nights and one moody Mama. Please continue praying for me~ my sanity mostly.

Pam {the married one} says:

And when Esau lifted up his eyes and saw the women and children, he said, “Who are these with you?” Jacob said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.”
(Genesis 33:5 ESV)

This was a special and wonderful week. My husband only worked three days. So we had a lot of family time. Or should I say a lot of puppy training time.

This week my baby boy turned 15. FIFTEEN, where has the time gone? I remember the night he was born and how sick he was. I remember them struggling to get him to breath. I remember my friend Debbie praying over the situation. I remember him being in the NICU and taking a parenting class with other parents. They were holding their babies and mine was behind us in the NICU.

I remember when he was 2 and not talking. I remember the day the daycare provider finally told me something was not right with him. As in, he was developmentally delayed.
I remember feeling like a failure as a mom. I remember wondering what I did wrong.

It took a lot for me to not feel guilt because he was not reading as early as others. It took a lot for me to see him struggle to make friends for many years. It was hard for me the first time I heard the aspergers name mentioned.

And then I had a friend who told me that he is mine only for a short time.

I think sometimes in the business of parenting we forget that our blessings are only with us for a short time.
Do you take time to enjoy your children?

Today my son and I went to the movies. He made a comment twice that really hurt my feelings (smacked me in the face). He said that it was nice to hear me laugh. It hit me hard that he does not see me laugh as much as he use to. I do not want my children to grow up and take life so seriously. I want them to know that life is good and that you can enjoy it.

This week I pray that you are taking time to enjoy your blessings. Be grateful for the time they wake up in the night because that is one on one time.

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
(Matthew 18:10 ESV)

Take time to realize that they will not always be in your home and encourage them to hide the word in their heart so when they are not with you they still know where to go for help.

Please do not forget about this really fun giveaway I am doing right now.

2011-11-20T20:24:00.001-05:00

Make your own scrapbook

Feeling Beachie

2011-11-18T07:43:00.001-05:00

This week’s statements:
1. I love the smell of _the fabric softener coming from the dryer vent when it come blows through my kitchen window, mountain dew and sometimes I love the smell of gas. I love the smell of fresh baked bread in my house. ___
2. When I fly, I _I am almost sad because I know I am leaving someone to go somewhere. ___
3. I don’t like how over whelmed I allow myself to get_ but I _continue to do things to get myself overwhelmed__.
4. My favorite _relaxation moment__ is _walking into a clean livingroom and kitchen early in the morning_.
Pamela

5 Question Friday

2011-11-18T07:35:00.002-05:00

Firsts a reminder of this cool give away I am doing. I am so excited to offer this book.

1. Do you have a go to song that always puts you in a good mood? Lord I lift your name on high, any praise music. Right now it is ABC’s and twinkle because there is a special 18 month old who sings along with me. Every day he adds more and more to his song.

2. Are you a real Christmas tree kinda person or do you go with a real fake one? Every now and then I think a real one is pretty but would never want the work so I always go back to our faithful fake one.

3. What are you thankful for? The list could go on for pages:
1. for my God who gave me life and eternity
2. for my family who puts up with me no matter what
3. for my children who make me smile and laugh and cry every day
4. for my husband who is the love of my life.

4. Which fashion fad from the past do you wish you could wear today? Banana clips, I saw someone wearing one the other day and thought oh PLEASE come back, you know because I love how it pulls all your hair out and how lazier I become about doing my hair.

5. Do you wait until the "low fuel" light comes on before you fill up the gas tank? I have run out of gas before. I accidently wait until the light comes on lots of time. But now that we pay for EVERYTHING with cash I get gas more often because I take advantage of having my teenager or husband with me. I love that we are only using cash but I really do not want to lug 5 little kids into the store to pay for gas.
Pamela

Piper Reed give away

2011-11-17T13:12:00.000-05:00

I was recently asked if I would do a book review for a book about a little girl whose father was in the Navy. The book is called Piper Reed Navy Brat. Instantly was in love. Navy Brat made me giggle because I have lots of little Army brats running around my house.
I was so excited when the book came in. I had decided that it would be a book for my eleven year old to read. The first night I put 5 kids in bed and Faith and I snuggled up on the couch and read the first 10 pages. I pushed her off to bed and set and continued to read.
This is an amazing book. Amazing because Piper Reed one reminds me of my own girls, and two because in the book the family finds out that they are moving. They talk about visiting family during the move and how awkward some things are when visiting people you do not see often.
Oh how I want to set and tell you every detail of the book. I want to tell you what does with each child before he deploys and how he runs his house. But if I did tell you the whole story you would not be interested in the giveaway I am about to offer.
That is right I have been given not ONE but TWO books to give away. So from today until Tuesday November 22 you can enter to win a signed copy of this book. Even I did not get a signed copy. I think this book is a must for all of our military children. I cannot wait to get the rest of the serious.
The rules:
1. Tell me one thing that is hard about having a military child or 2 about moving with a child.
2. Follow me on facebook
3. Follow me on twitter
4. Leave any comment, one a day until Tuesday.

I am so excited for you because this truly I is a fun book. It is open to anyone not just military because it is a fun book to read.
Pamela

Seriously

2011-11-17T08:28:00.001-05:00

Seriously, my son is 15, when did that happened and where was I.
Seriously, why do I avoid wiping the walls down in my house even though I know every day I look at them I am disgusted.
Seriously, why does this puppy have to love me so much when she knows I did not want her?
Seriously, how much more are we going to spend at the vet in one month?
Seriously, I am done with my Christmas shopping and I could not be more excited. Now it is time to enjoy the holiday.
Seriously my mother in law is coming down next week and I cannot wait. I love how we set around and talk.
Seriously, I want to teach a class to young married women about how to love your mother in law. I wish I loved and understood her early in our marriage the way I do now.
Seriously, why did it take three attempts at opening a new savings account, DON’T YOU WANT OUR MONEY!
Seriously, we owe nothing on credit cards, this is not a brag this is a amazing statement that I need to remind myself of daily when we are in “want” of something.
Seriously, want to work on getting our other debt taken care of so we can scream “DEBT FREE”.
Seriously, I have had an upset stomach for 2.5 weeks, how is that possible and why. We thought it was stress but the stress is gone and it I am still not feeling well.
Seriously, I ordered my Christmas cards and cannot wait to get them mailed out before December first.
Pamela

What makes you sad

2011-11-17T06:24:00.000-05:00

What makes you sad? I am on facebook several times a day. I comment, I stalk, and I can admit it. Rarely do I ever copy something. I do not remember posting my bra color (should go make sure). I just do not do it because nothing really appeals to me. I do not think anything is wrong with it just nothing has spoken to me.
Well yesterday a friend posted this: WE'RE EXPECTING!! A little over 6 weeks already! MY WORD!!! I know it's crazy!!! I wasn't gonna say anything on here but I wanted my family to know the situation!!! I mean freaking 6 weeks... It's official!!! We're expecting Christmas just over six weeks!!!
I honestly thought it was cute. If you know me you know I have gone to great lengths to convince my mother that I am pregnant. I thinking having blessings is a wonderful thing and if I ever was to become pregnant again then I would shout it out from the roof tops. I would be thrilled beyond thrilled.
I was saddened when I woke up this morning by several e-mails from friends saying: I am so sorry, I have already started praying for this, Oh man, and I was worried. Most of the people on my facebook account know me well enough to know it was a joke. It is the private messages that got me.
So in case you ever wondered. I will be screaming and shouting and only have happy thoughts if I ever show up pregnant. Would it be hard right now Y-E-S. Would I be scared after our last pregnancy Y-E-S.? Would I maybe even worry I could not handle it y-e-s. But in the end children are blessings and not something I take lightly. I have too many friends who cannot have children for various reasons and I would never want to offend them.
Pamela-mom to many blessings

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-16T08:46:00.003-05:00

I have not blogged much recently. Life has been crazy. 16 days ago our dog of 8 years passed away and just 36 hours later my hero brought home this.

The morning after we got her she weighed 3.4 and the Vet said she was healthy. 3 days later she began going to the bathroom all over my house constantly. I took her back to the Vet and they said she weighed 2.4 pounds. It was because of a change of food. They gave her meds and told us to give her pedialyte every couple of hours around the clock. I am happy to announce she now weighs 4.4 pounds.

Seriously in the last 14 days I have had One, count them ONE, night of sleep. She wakes up nightly to go potty and then is a excited baby. The first week she slept inside my hair and snuggled on my neck. She is definitely a snuggler. Which is great at four pounds but do not know how that will work in a few months.

By the way, we named her Abby. Abby because the vet said is two syllables and has a E sound at the end.

2011-11-11T07:47:00.001-05:00

This is a amazing gift. That little blonde at about 1.48 is mine.

Mil Spouse Fill in the blank

2011-11-11T07:12:00.000-05:00

Today is Veterans Day. What are you doing on Veterans Day? As a military spouse do you see this as a day to relax because your spouse is off or do you take a couple of minutes and talk to your children about what this day means. What there father is doing and why we should respect him and others like him. Do we take the time to stop and say hello to that elderly veteran walking through the commissary. The one that most have forgotten about.
1. Freedom is taken for granted. Is homeschooling my children? Is singing my praise music, is serving the Lord because I want to not because I am expected to.
2. Veterans are often not thought about, cursed and looked down upon instead of honored and understood. Forgotten, by the medical field once they are no longer serving.
3. This country is one that I will never leave permanently. This country was started with the love of God and sadly is moving farther and farther away from it.
4. Veteran’s Day means a time for others to take half a second and remember our men and women who give to them daily past and present. To think about where we have come from and how many liberties we have because of them.
5. A hero is someon8e who thinks of others first even when they know it is not good for them.
Pamela

5 Question Friday

2011-11-11T06:58:00.000-05:00

1. What's the last thing you spent too much money on? Hmm, I am not a spender. I know what I did not spend enough money on. Last week I went to hobby lobby and they had all there metal stuff on sale. So I bought about 10 things for the girl’s room. I am wishing I would have bought more. It is a big room and it needs some color.

2. What celeb chef would you want to make you dinner? Paula dean in a minute, can you say fried chicken. Now if I was visiting one it would be Pioneer Women. Oh the cinnamon rolls and letting my daughter ride a horse and the beautiful views and I cannot image the laughs we would have.

3. Where do you hide things when visitors pop over or do you let them see the real deal? It use to be in my coat closet right as you walk in but now that we turned that into a Childs closet it does not work. I am known for throwing laundry back into the dryer and on a rare horrible time I will throw dirty laundry into the shower. Rarely do people see the real me because we live so far out. Well, we straighten a hundred times a day so that is decent if you give me a 20 minute warning. But more than likely you are always going to notice I rarely mop floors or dust.

4. Who is your oldest living family member? This is so sad but I do not know. If my mom is 56 and I know she has a couple of older siblings then maybe 63. I pray my children grow up and love one another and have 100 children and live close to one another so there kids can have cousins and uncles and aunts to play with. I love the Army but this is a hard lonely life sometimes.

5. What is your favorite DQ treat and/or Sonic drink combo (ie: cherry vanilla dr. pepper)? No thought about it, go to sonic and give me a reece cup blast in a minute, visit me at my house and bring me a bag of sonic ice. Oh man, I love it. Now if I am going to DQ I want an oreo blizzard and some chicken tenders.
Pamela

Pray for Me Monday

2011-11-07T06:01:00.001-05:00

JAMES 5:16
"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so
that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and
effective." (NIV)

PSALMS 116:2
"Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live" (NKJV)

Welcome to this weeks Pray For Me Mondays with Home Grown Families and Pamela from Troop Petrie. We are so excited to be working together on this journey!

Basically, PFMM will work like this:

Pamela and I will write posts on relevant topics and post

You can link up your own post, comment or e-mail us your prayer requests

We'll pray for you and hopefully others will, too

This week, we are still talking about husbands!!

Tiffany {the single one} says:

So, I thought last week was the only week we were going to talk about husbands, but...

Melissa and I have been talking about me dating. I have not dated in about 3 years~ since I got pregnant with Mugsy and her dad left. Melissa thinks it's time I get out there.

I am not so sure.

It's not that I don't want to date or marry, it's more that I just want to wake up married. I don't have the energy to go through the process. And I don't know that I am emotionally strong enough to deal with the inevitable rejection.

I have, however, felt God preparing me for a change over the last year. I have faith that He will not make me do this on my own forever~ it's too hard for one person.

After two tear filled conversations with two different friends last night {after I wrote everything above this sentence} I have decided to be open to the possibility of maybe thinking that it might be time to start getting ready to think that maybe, in the future, I might date. :) That's a big step.

I have decided to start small. I need to write a post about this because it is too much to explain here, but "Tiffany" has been lost. I don't know how someone can loose herself when she is always with herself but I have managed to do it. I am "the twins Mom," "the one with the Autistic twins," "that crazy lady" and "the baby's Mom"~ but never Tiffany.

I have made a "date" with a friend to go out for dinner. A platonic friend from high school that I haven't been able to sit down and talk to for 15 years. Just to get me out of the house and conversing with another adult. It has been SO long. Too long.

So, please keep me in your prayers as my new journey begins. Please pray that I stick to my guns about what I am looking for in a guy. Pray that my girls can deal with me leaving the house for an hour or two occasionally {because now they can not.} Pray that I don't get led into temptation. And, please pray that God has mercy on the poor frazzled single mom and makes it a short and painless journey.

Pam can't be a part of the conversation this week but she wants you to know she is praying for you!

We received some private prayer requests. There is a special needs girl, S, that is having a hard time adjusting to her daddy's deployment. And, L, has chronic pain and is having an extra hard time right now.

You can contact us with your prayer request privately at PrayForMeMondays {at} yahoo {dot} com.

pumpkin bread

2011-11-06T11:20:00.000-05:00

Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
3 cups white sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 7x3 inch loaf pans.
2.In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans.
3.Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
I got this recipe off of all recipes It says Laurie Bennett gave the recipe.

Remembering

2011-11-05T11:02:00.000-04:00

When we lost our baby on November 5, 1998, a dear friend gave
me a card with this poem and it has meant more to me that anything. so i
thought I would share it. The scripture on the front is Job 1:21 and inside
it says:
“I was thinking about what's ahead for the baby. Can you imagine-it will be
taking its first steps on the streets of Heaven! Hannah was a mother who
certainly knows how special a little baby is. Perhaps she'll be the one who
will let it hold her finger as it takes those first staggering steps; and
maybe she will be the one to coax it into taking it first steps alone!
Perhaps Dorcas will see to it that its hems get let out, and that the
buttons are sewn on that growing child. And Joshua! Just think what it would
be like for a child to climb into his lap and hear-first hand- about the
battle of Jericho!..
Maybe Peter will take it fishing someday! It will never fall out of tree or
breaks it's leg, for there is no pain or tears there! It won’t be afraid of
the dark for there is no darkness there. The King of Kings, the Lord of
Lords, he is the very one who said, "let the little children come to me." I
expect there will be many a time when he himself will take that baby in his
lap and let it know a love that makes all other loves seem puny by contrast.
I wouldn't be surprised if the Heavenly Father keeps a few lollipops handy
For just such occasions....
And one day, you will be greeted with a “Hi Dad and Mom! I've got some of
the neatest things to show you; and some really fantastic people I can't
Wait for you to meet.

I will never forget the day we found out we lost our baby boy. We were walking into the hospital with hopes of finding out rather we were having a boy or a girl. Our friend was walking out of the hospital carrying her precious newborn. When we found out Jeremiah was gone I did not believe it. I immediately went running to my American doctor (we were stationed in Germany and chose to use a German hospital). He assured me that mistakes were made at 6 weeks but not made at 24 weeks. So I instantly went to my friend’s house that had just gotten home from having her baby and asked her to pick up Michael from daycare. What a wonderful friend to do that. Then we packed a bag and headed back to the hospital. Yes you are allowed to laugh at part of this story. We were checked into the mother baby unit and there was one other lady in my room. a older drunk lady. Who kept telling the nurses i was not eating the whole time. Did you know in German hospitals they have vending machines with beer just like they do with mountain dew? I could hear babies crying all night. The next morning they begun induction after assuring me that if I delivered naturally that I would not need a D &C. they also said if he looked okay I would be able to hold him. So I stayed in that room with the drunk and begun labor. Later that morning I told them it was time and they disagreed. I almost delivered in the hallway. I will never forget as I pushed him out there was a knock on the door and without thinking rob answered it. This is what we heard from the liaison from the American doctors. CONGRADULATIONS ON YOUR NEW BABY! And with that he was hear and they rushed me down to do a D&C. When i woke up I found out that our chaplain had came for a visit and that he and Rob were able to see and touch our baby. I was never allowed to see him or touch him. After another night in the room with the drunken lady listening to giggles and babies crying I checked myself out of the hospital against doctor’s orders. In Germany you can stay for several days. Had I not been put to sleep the day before I may have checked myself out earlier? We went to pick up Michael and went home. Two weeks later I was called by the same patient liaison to get my autopsy results. I had no idea they would do one, no idea that I could have buried my baby. So I went for the results and quickly realized they did not make sense. She was reading me someone else's results.
What we later found out was that the cells in my placenta died (which makes no sense to my American DR here) and that my water had broke probably 2 weeks before then. They said he had been dead for about 2 weeks. I normally do not feel my babies move until around 25 weeks. I also never notice anything to make me think my water was broke.
So today I look at my pictures in private because not everyone would enjoy them (remember he had been gone for 2 weeks). I see tiny fingers and toes and shoulders and knees. Please do me a favor when a friend looses a baby mark the date down, send her a card the next year, or even 11 years down the road so she knows that her baby was real and loved.
I am at peace with the loss of our son but it took many years to get that peace and understand it. That does not mean I am happy with not having him here but I understand better. And every year I watch my friends little girl grow up (by the way we named him Jeremiah after her husband and Jason after my brother).
Pamela

Feeling Beachie

2011-11-04T04:25:00.000-04:00

This week’s statements:
1. I have never been to _the Melting Pot and would love to go. Although I am a picky eater so I may not love it as much as I think.__
2. I hate to admit it, but sometimes I tend to be _over sensitive and worry too much about what people say. ___
3. If I didn’t have__My God________I’d be completely lost
4. _A completed school day and a clean house_____is always the best feeling at the end of the day
Okay, I need another number four.
4. Still having energy to walk to bed is the best feeling at the end of the day.
Pamela

5 Question Friday

2011-11-04T04:21:00.001-04:00

1. What movie do you love to quote? It I 4am and my brain cannot think of a thing. HMM.

2. Have you ever ridden a motorcycle? Not as a adult although I remember as a small child riding on my mom’s friends motorcycle. A fun (did I say fun, I meant scary) fact you do not know about me is I had many of the biker group The Avengers (see documentary on discovery) when I was young.

3. What's your favorite thing to do on a rainy day? Set on my front porch with a yummy hot chocolate and a blanket and read a book. Maybe on a porch swing. Then come in the house and take a long nap with the windows open under a pile of blankets.

4. Do you prefer a bunch of small gifts, or one really big, (expensive) gift? It depends upon what I want. For many years my husband would take the kids to dollar tree and let them pick me out something. Which means I have TEN sets of razor blades. After the tenth set they no longer were cute and fun.

5. Do you ever lose track of days and show up somewhere wrong? Oh my word what is today? It must be Saturday because my husband is off but wait he is going to be camping on Saturday. So wait what day of the week is it. Because I never set in a empty parking lot for 20 minutes wondering why no one else is there. I also did not miss or arrive a day early for appointments a kazillion times (okay maybe a few) the weeks after receiving the boys.
Pamela

2011-11-02T02:34:00.001-04:00

Good bye Curly

2011-10-31T21:04:00.002-04:00

Let’s be real! The kids are in bed, door shut, lights out. Now it is my time. My time to relax. My time to get ready to bed. My time to snuggle with my husband. Time to climb in bed and laugh because my dog is going to get on my husbands pillow and look at him with his sad puppy eyes. Every night this is what happens. He lies on my husband’s pillow and teases him. Then my husband comes to bed and we all giggle because the dog is on his pillow AGAIN.
Only tonight something is missing. Something small and white and cuddly. Something my daughter lives for. My dog is no longer here. Last night was my last night snuggling with my dog. I knew he was not acting right. His breathing was weird, he would not lay down and sleep and he kept coming to my face. He rarely gets in my face. I knew he was not feeling well. I never dreamed he was so sick.
This morning I took him to the vet as soon as the doors opened. The vet said he was very anemic and gave me a plan. He said the plan was to give him a blood transfusion and IV meds and he thought that would help. He said I could take him home in the next couple of days with meds to continue for the next 6-8 weeks. I paid my $555 and said good bye to my sick puppy. I called back a couple of hours later and they said he was holding his own. I assumed that things would go according to plans. He had not been sick long, he is only ten years old and I am not ready to tell my kids he is not coming home. A couple of hours later the Vet called and said he needed oxygen at $45 a hour. I agreed because how do you say no. How do you tell your kids you did not do everything you could? Then I called my hero and said it was time to have the talk. You know where you decide how much you are willing to spend, how much you are willing to do for this dog. He called the Vet to get a better idea of what was going on. She was honest and said he was not doing well and she could not guarantee he would get better at this point and if he did it would not be the same happy go lucky dog. He then called me and we made the decision we were not ready to make. He instantly called the Vet back to tell her we would not be doing much more. As he was talking to her Curly passed away. Okay, that was easier, we did not have to make the decision it was made for us. He was at peace.
End of story, right? No, I called back to make final plans and she said Curly was alive, yes you read that right, he was alive. She said when she hung up with my husband he started moving again. She said please understand his oxygen is really low and I do not think anything has changed. I told her we were done, that it is not fair to him. She told me we had made the right decision and she would put him to sleep.
My hero came home early and we told the kids. Then I took Hope to pick him up. Curly was her dog. She dresses him almost daily and plays with him. We brought him home and buried him in the back yard.
Today was a hard day for our family and honestly I hate it. So now I am avoiding going to bed because I know there will not be something there to keep my feet warm or to get between my husband and I.
My husband and kids have been on line looking at dogs all night. I am not ready for another dog. I do not think they realize how much work they are. If you have a child friendly dog I would love to hear about them. What kind, what breed, what do you love and not like?

Pamela

Pray for Me Monday

2011-10-30T21:59:00.001-04:00

JAMES 5:16
"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so
that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and
effective." (NIV)

PSALMS 116:2
"Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live" (NKJV)

Welcome to this weeks Pray For Me Mondays with Home Grown Families and Pamela from Troop Petrie. We are so excited to be working together on this journey!

Basically, PFMM will work like this:

Pamela and I will write posts on relevant topics and post

You can link up your own post, comment or e-mail us your prayer requests

We'll pray for you and hopefully others will, too

This week, we are talking about husbands!!

Tiffany {the single one} says:

The subject of husbands has been weighing on me for weeks. Not having a husband, I am curious as to why this is! :)

I never expected to be a single Mom. It honestly wasn't in my "5 year plan." But, life has a way of taking over and spinning out of control. FAST!

Seriously. I was 16 one day and a single Mom the next.

I would be lying if I said that I don't sometimes want a husband. Well, if sometimes is 99% of the time...

Then, I see what my girlfriends go through. I have a friend whos husband is addicted to pain killers. Another friend is battling a porn addiction with her husband. Yet another friend has a husband who refuses to get a job~ and then complains that there isn't enough money for the bills.

I don't want any of that!! I couldn't even begin to deal with that with everything else that is going on! When I see this, I think 'You can keep it! I don't want a husband!'

I have so much more to say on the subject but we are going to have to save it for another week!

Pam {the married one} says:

Marriage is: rewarding, challenging, security, scary, forever, ending, comforting, uncomfortable. Marriage is not what I thought it would be.

You see, when I got married I was living on my own. I was independent and secure and did not need a man. I went as far as refusing to allow our minister to put in the sentence "to love and obey." Heck no! This is something I have since regretted. Something I long to repeat and change.

I did not understand the importance of praying for my spouse. He is strong and can handle things on his own. He does not need me.

I was so wrong.

When I am on my knees for my husband, it humbles me. It draws me close to noy only my husband, but to the Lord, too.

So, how do you pray for your spouse? What do you pray for? First, I would say to ask your husband "How can I pray for you?" That gives us something to talk about, it lets me know his hopes and dreams and fears.

Colossians 3:18-21

Wives you must submit to your husbands, as is fitting for those who belong to the Lord. And you husbands must love your wives and never treat them harshly. You children must always obey your parents for this is what pleases the Lord. Fathers, don't aggravate your children. If you do, they will become discouraged and quit trying.

Ladies, I encourage you to take time to pray for your marriage. Ask God specifically how you can encourage and help your husband. Along those same lines, I encourage you to ask your husband to pray for you. I think our men need to know they are needed.

Do you have a specific request this week? Please know that I pray for all of my blog readers. The ones who comment and the ones who just visit.

Request~ Please pray for both of us~ Pam as the wife to a loving and faithful man and Tif as the husbandless Mom. Please pray for all of those with husbands battling a problem and for all of us who don't have them.

Praise~ A Blogger linked commented that she needed prayer for her sick daughter and we are happy to report that her baby is home and on the mend!

You can contact us with your prayer request privately at PrayForMeMondays {at} yahoo {dot} com.

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Fill in the blank Friday

2011-10-28T06:44:00.000-04:00

1. The best part of October was turning off the AC and not turning on the heat. Opening windows and airing out this smelly house. Woo hoo! I love hearing the birds, I love feeling the breeze.
2. The worst part of October was my hero being gone for two weeks. Which meant he missed Hope’s 9th birthday and his 40th birthday. That is so not fair!
3. For Halloween, I’ll be hiding out in my life. Wishing the holiday did not exist. Wishing that people would not make it so scary.
4. I hope that in November bring really cold weather because I am not ready for it. I do not want to turn on the heat and bundle the kids up to play outside!
I love fill in the blank Friday and meeting other military wives. If you would like to join us head over to Wife of a Sailor.
Pamela

Feeling Beachie

2011-10-28T06:37:00.001-04:00

This week’s statements:
1. I have a _better attitude with my children___ at ___any place that is public and I do not like that side of myself._
2. I always buy _diet pepsi__ that_way my husband is happy because__ If__he goes without he is a scary person to be around._
3. I spend way too much time ___worry about what other people think about my house and how my blessings dress. ___
4. I hope that when people meet me and think about me they __realize I am fun to be around and that I have a heart for the Lord!___________
Pamela

Five question Friday

2011-10-28T06:10:00.000-04:00

1. Do you prefer cotton, silk, or flannel sheets? Flannel sheets for the winter and during the summer I like these sheets that are almost silk, smooth and cold but I do not slide off of them.

2. What time zone are you in? Eastern and I do not like it. I love to go to bed early but I find myself staying up late to watch T.V. shows. Dang, that eastern time zone!

3. What is your favorite part of the holiday season? The time before Thanksgiving and Christmas is my favorite time. All the get togethers, all the extra time my husband gets off. Shopping for others if I am not done. Baking and baking and baking.

4. What is your favorite "wintry" drink? (It doesn't have to be an "alcoholic" drink!) Hot chocolate, homemade hot chocolate. I love thick yummy hot chocolate curled up in front of a fire under a blanket.

5. In your opinion, what is the worst job in the world? I cannot think of one. I am thinking teachers get the least amount of credit. Parents constantly complaining about something. I think being a soldier is one of the hardest, leaving your family telling your children good bye. Then the whole time you are deployed you see people complain about you and protest against you.
Pamela

2011-10-27T07:29:00.003-04:00

The old School house is giving a wonderful gift to military. Please watch this video
By the way the little blond about 1.38 is my baby girl. Thank you switched on school house for the wonderful gift.
Pamela

I survived...

2011-10-25T21:41:00.001-04:00

I survived my first outing with six children. I mean I have been to the store a hundred times and to the park and even to a friend’s house but never to a official event. So this is how the evening went. Please feel free to laugh at me. My husband is in the field so he was not available to help.
I left way to early like usual. I arrived at the church for boy scouts. Not just any Boy scouts but a court of honor. A court of honor where my son had a speaking part, a speaking part he was very nervous about. We set in the parked car for 20 minutes because as usual we are way too early. Finally Michael went in and a few minutes later he came back and said no one was there. So we went ahead and got everyone loaded into the van. Please understand this is 6 children (okay 5 children and a teen) and we parked on the street. I get everything together and realize I FORGOT THE DIAPER BAG. So I search the van and find a diaper (that is his size). Walk everyone in and the only casualty was one skinned knee. Which by the way I just remembered I never gave a band aid or cleaned it?
We walked in and the place was a ZOO, they were taking registration for all kinds of sports. I saw no one I knew so we called and asked if we should be in another part of the church. That is when it happened. THEY WERE NOT MEETING AT THE NORMAL LOCATION! My first thought was I am going to kill my son and husband for not being prepared. So we go back to the van and load everyone and head to the new place. This would not be an issue for someone who is from here but giving me directions is like talking to a brick wall. I found it and luckily they were close.
We arrived and guess what? THEY WERE MEETING OUTSIDE AND ONLY ABOUT 20 FEET FROM A PLAYGROUND! What? I do not have jackets and how can I expect them to get them to set quietly when they can hear other kids on the swing?
We unloaded the van; did I tell you we were bringing a box of popcorn? Got everyone to the picnic area. We honestly made it through the ceremony with little issues. Jerry got bored rather quickly but a boyscout came to the rescue and played with him. Towards the end another mom got him out of the stroller and played with him. Then I held him for about 20 minutes. I loved it, he babbled and talked. I keep saying I know he is 17 months old but I want to be close to him. He loves to be held and he comes out of his shell and babbles more. I think in some ways it would be therapeutic for him. Okay, back to the tonight.
What I learned tonight: don’t forget the diaper bag, did you hear do not forget the diaper bag, lollipops only keep children quiet for a couple of minutes (a couple of short minutes and then they are a sticky mess), pack jackets even when you do not think you need them? Do not promise your children ice cream because you do not know how cold it will be when you are done; make sure you know where your meeting is at. And finally go with the flow, be patient and most importantly smile and know that the babies you are worried about making noise will be grown before you know it. I have got to stop worrying about rather other people are looking at my blessings or worrying rather they are bothering other people.
So tell me how do you handle having your blessings in public? What do you expect of them? I have not had anyone complain about our children and actually hear lots of compliments but I always worry. It drives my husband batty.
Pamela

It is Monday

2011-10-24T08:03:00.002-04:00

What a week, what a wonderful week. I think I have pulled myself from the darkness. I did not like being in that place. I know why I was there and have to work on it.
I have been on my game this week. I have so been on my game that I had to:
Return a water bottle to the pet store because it was leaking. Not a big deal right. It is not unless the sales clerk told you that you were not feeling the water bottle up (I will say it took him twice to figure it out). I will not say that it took three water bottles to figure out that we were doing it wrong.
This week we started our envelope system for Dave Ramsey and I was determined to stick to it. That was until I went through the DEBIT/CREDIT line only at Sam’s and then refused to go in and pay cash at the gas station with 6 kids.
I am so on my game that when cleaning up my livingroom this morning I found a baby spoon from a friend that was at my house last week.
I am so together that this week I finally took my on line training for doing respite care. I just knew I would flunk and look like a fool. But guess what I made a 100%.
I am so on my game that one day last week I caught my teenager eating with a measuring spoon instead of a regular spoon because the dishwasher was not ran the night before.
I am curious are you on your game this week. Maybe more caffeine or sleep will help.
Pamela

">Miscellany Monday is a wonderful way to talk about your week.

Pray for Me Monday

2011-10-23T22:00:00.002-04:00

JAMES 5:16
"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so
that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and
effective." (NIV)

PSALMS 116:2
"Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live" (NKJV)

Welcome back to Pray For Me Mondays with Home Grown Families and Pamela from Troop Petrie. We are so excited to start this journey together!

Basically, PFMM will work like this:

Pamela and I will write a post about relevant topics

we'll post it on our blogs

we'll pray for you and, hopefully, others will too

Tiffany Says:

This week has definitely been better than last week for us! I have gotten a few answers I have been waiting for and things seem a bit calmer~ for the moment at least!

Emotionally, I am a mess! (See yesterdays post Things a Christian should never say) Things are so hard for me to deal with emotionally right now! I feel like that is where most of my problems stem from recently~ my inability to regulate my feelings. Being a single mom, and always alone, is a dark place to be sometimes. It is very easy to let your thoughts run away with themselves and then end up a crying mess over something that isn't even the reality of a situation.

Please pray for me and all single Mothers this week.
Please pray for Pam~ her husband is going to be gone all week. Pray that he is safe in the field and that training goes well. Please pray for the children as their father will be gone.

Last week, Pam and I asked for people interested in guest blogging for Pray For Me Mondays to contact us at PrayForMeMondays {at} yahoo. We would love to have posts about anything related to praying! Praying for friends, family, ex's, children, churches, etc. How you pray, your prayer system, your prayer outlines, etc. Really. Anything prayer related!

If you have a private prayer request please feel free to send it to PrayForMeMondays {at} yahoo {dot} com.

{We will not share your prayer request with anyone. We will not mention you by name. We will not reveal specific details. We may mention your issue like "pray for a husband to be saved~ request via e-mail" unless otherwise requested.}

Love

2011-10-22T20:20:00.002-04:00

Love in our house is spelled W-R-E-S-T-L-E, these two crack me up. They would wrestle all day every day if I let them. So I choose when it is raining or yucky outside so they can get some energy burned off. I cannot tell you how close these too are.

Pamela

Fill in the blank Friday

2011-10-20T21:25:00.000-04:00

1. I want __to be a better wife, I struggle daily and my hero deserves so much more than I give him_______________ .
2. I have _a amazing husband who loves me even when I do not know how to love myself. ________________ .
3. I wish _my friends who have not accepted Christ would know how much better there life would be if they knew Christ. ________________ .
4. I hope _my hero comes home for the weekend. I have missed him and need a hug________________ .
5. I wonder _if they will ever come up with a fix for my eye issue so I will be able to see properly.________________ .

This was a fun link up, if you would like to join in head over to wife of a sailor.
Pamela

Feeling Beachie

2011-10-20T21:17:00.001-04:00

This week’s statements:
1. I am afraid of__driving in snow or ice. I am honestly afraid to drive in any weather. __
2. My _livingroom__ is my favorite room of my house; it is the only room that has any real decorations. And honestly it does not have a lot of decorating.
3. The last time I _rode a zip line____ I couldn’t _hold my own body weight and landed on my bottom with little rocks all over my knees and arms_____.
4. I got my first __house on my own___ when I was _18 years old__

Pamela

5 Question Friday

2011-10-20T21:09:00.000-04:00

1. Where do you escape to when you've had enough? On my front porch. I have a rocking chair and lots of trees in the front yard. I can hear the birds and watch the squirrels play. I love to set out there, especially if it is raining.

2. What shows are you watching this fall? Nothing, it seems weird but really nothing. Oh wait, that is a lie. I am watching sister wives and 19 kids and counting.

3. What was the longest road trip you've ever taken and where did you go? From WV to MD, it was the first time I move out from my mother’s home. It was about 12 hours from home. So not terrible.

4. Do you plan on taking your kids to Disney World? Nope, we did it a few years ago and it was fun but it would be years before I would spend that kind of money again. Worth it when we went but too much money right now for something half the kids will not remember.

5. What is something people would surprised to know about you? That is high school I was anorexic and weighed less than half of what I weigh right now.
Pamela

Caramel Apple Cake

2011-10-19T21:41:00.005-04:00

I am so excited for this weeks challenge. We were told to use apples and caramel. A couple of days later I saw a recipe for Caramel Apple Cupcakes. I am so excited to show you this recipe. I am not so excited to tell you that my husband was not home and I had to peel the apples myself. I am so spoiled. The reason I need him is because I always do something silly like spray the apple juice in my eye.
Ingredients:

• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 3 medium apples ( granny smith) peeled & shredded
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 11 ounce bag of caramel bits
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix cake mix according to directions on box. Then add the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Bake according to box. I did realize this needed about 10 minutes longer to cook than the box said. Check it to see how your oven cooks it. Pull out of oven and let stand.
Pour the caramel bits and heavy cream and vanilla in a saucepan over low heat and melt together. Make sure you are constantly stirring. As soon as it is melted together pour over cake. Let stand about ten minutes before serving.
This is not my recipe. I found it on Mrs. Happy Homemaker. She made it into cupcakes. Please stop by and tell her I sent you. Her pictures look amazing and I am hoping to make them into cupcakes soon.
Pamela

A smack in the face

2011-10-18T20:29:00.002-04:00

Have you ever been smacked in the face? This morning during my quiet time I was reading about pride and over and over I felt like I was being smacked in the face and being told to wake up.
I have an amazing son. A son I enjoy being around and guess what he is a teenager. If there was one character about him I would change it would be that he very often talks negatively. You may not even notice it if you were around him but it seems like it is constantly in my face. Constantly reminding someone of their faults or how they could do better. Or if a sister would say I want to be a singer when I grow up he reminds them of how many singers turn out worldly or how her voice is not good enough. He has also started back talking. I know that part of it is just being his age and feeling like he wants to be more involved and so I do try to take into account. Michael loves to watch super nanny, he has for many years. The other night he went to bed and it was left on in the living room. So my hero and I stayed up watching it for 2 more hours. The show we watched gave us a great idea. This family set a chart up and said they would give each child a certain amount of money weekly if they did not curse. So our thought was we would do the same. Michael does not curse. But every time he back talked or said something negative then he would mark off a quarter. Since we do not pay our children for daily chores this would be a great way to help him earn money. It is really about re training him to think before he speaks.
So back to this morning. I was having my quiet time, reading about pride and humbling ourselves. My first smack was, I need to not only encourage him to re train his brain but that every time he marks off a quarter to take a moment and pray for help to stop before speaking and to think about how his words are affecting others.
Today I read about humbling yourself and asking for help and repenting of the things you are struggling with day after day. It made me think about how I will ask for help with one situation and receive it and then I get prideful about handling it on my own. So I forget to ask for help.
Then the big smack happened. I was so caught up in having my eyes opened about my son that I was not listening. I realized that this morning’s quiet time was not about my son. It was about me and how I speak to everyone. Am I looking for the good in every situation? Am I encouraging my children when they tell me about their goals and dreams? Am I speaking with a sweet spirit? Or am I harsh and to the point? Am I in too big of a hurry to hear what they need to talk about or what they want to talk about?
Father, today I ask you to tap me on the shoulder and point out how I am not being humble when it comes to my thoughts. Thank you so much for opening my eyes. Thank you for being there for me and giving me your word to teach me and encourage me.
Pamela

Happy Birthday Grace

2011-10-12T21:29:00.000-04:00

Have you ever wanted something more than tell people. I have. I use to joke that I wanted a long visit to a hospital. You know someone to deliver food to your bedside. Time to read a book, watch all the latest movies. Yeah, guess what that is not what a hospital stay is really like. After the first week of laying flat on your back you have no brain. You do not even remember to write down who visited.
Six years, five weeks ago I was lying in bed trying to take a nap when my water broke. I instantly went to the hospital. They then told me my water had not broken but that I was urinating on myself. My response was ARE YOU KIDDING ME? A couple of hours later I was sent home and told to use depends and if it last more than a few days the doctor could put me on medicine. So I went home and sat on my couch with my legs crossed tightly because every time I moved I leaked fluid.

On Monday I went to the doctor. The doctor who got a phone call on Saturday night about me. He was told my tests were negative and I was okay. He took one look at me and said yes your water broke. I was admitted that night. I had no clue what I was in for. I was 26 weeks pregnant with three other kids at home.
Day after day I laid in that bed. I did not read books, I did not scrapbook. I just laid in bed. My brain was in a fog. That is what happens when you do nothing but lay around. My doctor came every day to check on me. He was amazing. He would tell me to continue to pray.
At 31 weeks there was no turning back and my precious baby girl entered the world. I did not hear a cry or even see her before they rushed her to the NICU. Later that afternoon my hero wheeled me down to see her. It seemed so weird that I was able to stand up for more than a few seconds.
I remember the first time I saw her. She was so tiny. They had put a little bow in her hair. Did you know K Y jelly dries hard like glue and is perfect for getting little hair bows to stick to a bald head? She was breathing on her own and doing well. She weighed 2 pounds 12 ounces. It was hard to not hold her or touch her.
That was one of the best days of my life. My precious baby girl Grace was born. She honestly is just as special to me today. Today she is a fun loving little girl. She loves to snuggle. She loves to play outside.
Today I say happy Birthday to my baby girl!
Pamela

Homemade Baby Wipes

2011-10-11T20:14:00.003-04:00

I have seen this on many blogs and thought there was NO way it could be that easy. My husband enjoyed this one because he pulled out the electric knife to cut the paper towels in half.

1. Buy good bounty towels, have someone cut them in half.
2. heat 2.5 cups water, not boiling just hot
3. add 2 Tablespoons baby shampoo to water
4. Add 2 Tablespoons baby oil to water
5. Add a couple of drops of tea tree oil if you are worried about mildew.
6. Pour water mixture over paper towels and turn paper towels upside down (obviously in a air tight container)
7. Pull the inner cardboard tube out.
8. Use baby wipes by pulling from the inside first.
I did read that you should not expose to heat or sunlight. That you should keep it in a air tight container. I am so excited to try these out. They feel amazing and smell wonderful. Not that I want to change a dirty diaper but I am anxious to try them out.
If you enjoy this recipe you may enjoy my homemade laundry soap recipe or my dishwasher soap recipe.
Pamela