"quiet streams of refreshing grace . . ."

I was looking today for interesting gifts to use as Thank You's when Babe comes home. I want to thank the people that have helped and been such a blessing to us. I found a card with the following quote:

"God has a place of rest for us, even in the midst of our busy and challenging days. It isn't an escape from the stress-it's an oasis of calm despite the demands. His very presence is our ultimate peace. He brings quiet streams of refreshing grace to restore us in our times of need."

Those "quiet streams of refreshing grace to restore us in our times of need" where sometimes sisters in Christ (especially my Mom) praying and helping me whether by cooking meals, taking the kids to or from school, etc. I also like how it says that the stress' don't go away but the presence of Christ and that He is in control brings "ultimate peace."

Women's Lib, who wants that?!!

Tonight as we were leaving the bowling ally Annalina said "I would not like it without you Mommy" and I said "I wouldn't like it at all without you" and she said "That is why you don't have a job like Daddy's". WOW, she's exactly right!!!! Women's Lib can stick their heads in the toilet! I can't imagine not counting the raising of a child as "fulfillment"!! That is all I need. She has commented to me on previous occasions that I miss them [the kids] when their gone and she is exactly right. I love these kids immensely.

On the way into the grocery store today there were colorful pieces of paper plastered all over the front doors and Gabriel asked me what they were for and I said they were advertisements telling what was on sale. He said I know what is on sale in my brain for you! I asked what that was and he said "Love".  How can you not love being a Mommy!

On a different note:

Last night Ross came and sat next to me and got a sad look on his face and said "Is Daddy on the airplane? I just want to see him a little bit. I miss him." He wants his Daddy so bad.

 A few days ago Ross said "I don't want to miss him", "I miss him alot". Another words I don't want to feel the pain of missing him anymore! 

Last Sunday afternoon I just started feeling lonely for Babe and missed him and had that homesick feeling. I was walking down the hallway and Gabriel called to me and I went and he kept pausing and finially said "I love you, I miss Daddy." I said "I love you guys too, Gabriel I was just thinking the same thing [about missing "Daddy"] . He thought that was neat. Then I said "It makes my heart hurt." Gabriel started moving around and putting his head down some (like he was fighting against emotion) and said "It does me too."

Somebody told me that young kids are resilient when it comes to one parent being gone. I guess my kids missed that memo!!

Songs I remembered . . .

I was singing to Ross tonight and song came to my mind I hadn't thought of in a long time and I really like it.

"Sometimes when life seems gentle and blessing flood my way I turn my gaze away from you and soon forget to pray but when the sky grows darker and blessings turn to fear I turn my gaze away from you and soon forget to pray. Lord, I need you when the sea of life grows cold Oh Lord, I need you when the wind is blowing strong whether trials come of cease keep me always on my knees Lord I need you, Lord I need you."

And when I was singing to Gabriel I remembered the hymn "How Great Thou Art". That starts "Oh Lord my God when I in awesome wonder consider all the worlds thy hands have made I see the stars I hear the roaling thunder thy power throughout thy universe display then sings my soul my Savious God to thee how great thou art how great thou art. Then sings my soul my Saviour God to thee how great though are how great thou art."

A Sweet Goodnight

Last night when I was putting the kids in bed Gabriel said "It wouldn't be home without you Mommy." I really appreciated that.

I Emailed this picture out for a Happy Valentine's to Family and Friends!

Annalina's Invention Convention at School

Every year the Kindergarteners study inventors and inventions and then one day they bring home the Invention Convention Suitcase and they can use only what is in the suitcase to make something. She and I worked on this. We used a door hinge and cut out hands and Annalina called it the "Hand Holder". It will hold things if a fan is on or the wind is blowing!

Night, Night, Sleep Tight . . .

Ross has had problems at night and so I have been letting he Gabriel sleep in the guest rooms queen sized bed at night. I took this picture last night. Ahh, brotherly love. So Sweet!

Our weekend Away

To help us in our countdown to Daddy coming home on the week that we tore off the 10th heart (counting down to 1) we went for the weekend up to Reno to stay at the Nugget. Annalina told me today which is the Wednesday after that she wishes we could live at the hotel!! We had fun.

Excerpt from an email: We had a good time. We went to the arcade/game room yesterday and the kids loved that [that was actually their favorite thing]. Then went and took it easy in the room for a few hours and I took a nap. In the afternoon we went back to the pool [had been there the night before] and had a great time [played crab war squeezing a squishy water toy on each others heads and throwing it at each other]. Ross said something about Daddy helpin him in the water and I said Daddy would help him again when he came home. He was VERY disappointed you weren't coming to help him now and you could read it all over his face and he said "ohh". When we got back in the room and PJ's on it was snowing heavily with huge flakes and the kids loved that [especially on the 24th floor] . . . . . . The kids and I watched 2 shows last night before bed and we had a fun time watching then with the lights off. One was Dirty Jobs which Gabriel noticed one job wasn't really dirty jut dangerous the other was Man vrs. Wild which was probably the biggest hit we watched him eat a scorpion, camel spider, and lizard the kids were so grossed out even Ross was really into it. As we were trying to go to sleep Ross kept saying we need to tell DAddy something about scorpions. He seemed to be concerned. I did order room service once. I tried taking the kids down the night before and it was VERY hard with Ross and I just put them in PJ's when we got back to the room after swimming instead of dressing them  going to pick up the food coming up and having them change again.

Another partial excerpt from an email written on Monday February 16th. We went up to the hotel on Saturday the 14th:

We will be headed back soon and we've had a great time. The kids have just been playing in the wardrobe pretending it is an elevator. Annalina told us yesterday her "ears pucker" in elevators!! [we were on the 24th floor]. We've had a GREAT time at the pool and yesterday we went to the arcade/game room which is apart from the casino and is meant for kids. After we came back from the pool yesterday and got PJ's on it started to really snow with big fluffy flakes and it was fun to watch. The really enjoyed that. I enjoyed the room service that brought the food with just a phone call!! Ross had a really rough time the first night when it came time for bed he said he "didn't want to live here " he did much better last night. We turned the lights off and watched Bear Grills eat a scorpion, lizard, and Camel Spider which was great TV watching for everyone. And watched Mike Rowe do more dangerous than dirty job as Gabriel pointed out but again we ALL loved it. The kids had a lot of fun but they didn't forget their daddy. We're all ready for him! Well, now the wardrobe has turned into an RV! About 2 weeks ago we had dinner with Kristin and we were at Burger King there was a guy chasing a little girl and she was laughing. Gabriel and Annalina sat watching intently with smiles saying it reminded them of their daddy.

Things to to remember

Gabriel was talking about how Daddy had taught he how to play his war computer game and said "Daddy taught me how to be a Warrior". 

I was getting dinner ready and some of what was left over after dishing up the plates was still in a container covered. Gabriel asked me what was in there and I said left over food. He said "In case we need a reload." I thought that was pretty funny! He must be a military kid!

Annalina prayed tonight and thanked God for having "the best Mama and Daddy". She had told me earlier I was the best Mama in the whole world. As she was cleaning up toys tonight she was singing songs she had made up about having a happy heart. Also, we talked about Daddy coming home and she said that would "make my heart happy."

Ross helped sing hymns tonight. He knew "At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light . . ." pretty well. I was surprised! He liked the part "and now I am HAPPY all the day."

Gabriel said he wasn't feeling well tonight because he had been bad. We talked about he had asked forgiveness from God and me and he turned his spirit around.

Stories, stories, and more stories this week!

Last night I was singing hymns to Ross again and it was the song that says "He our Saviour still our REFUGE though wilt find a solace there" and it says refuge a few times throughout the song. Ross kept interupting me saying "What's refuge?" I said wait till I'm done. Finially, I finished and said refuge is "a safe place" and "Jesus is our safe place". He seemed to like comforting fact which is awesome!! He really listens to hymns.

Today he was fussing for me to pick him up which has become more frequent that he wants me to pick him up and hold him/carry him. Anyway, I started to pretend to cry and cry kind of making fun of his fussiness and when I picked him up he said "YOU DON'T CRY, I CRY!" I thought this was pretty hilarious. Basically, you suck it up and take care of me I get to do the crying here!! He's a sweety though, he tells me all the time "I love you Mommy" or "I like you" and gives me hugs.

When I picked the kids up from school they had all the treats and cards, etc. from their Valentine's Day part at school. I asked if I could have a piece of candy since my Valentine wasn't here and they were both sweet and shared with me. Gabriel told me later "You are my Valentine because I love you VERY much". I thought that was sweet.

This morning at Breakfast Gabriel started telling me about watching the Tabernacle video at school and how his "heart started beating so hard". That is just great.

The kids are excited about their weekend away to Reno tomorrow when we will stay in a hotel and swim, play in the arcade/game room, watch movies, and they can bounce from bed to bed in the room!

Sin, a Miracle, Marriage, and Purple Eye Lashes

GABRIEL STORIES:  

1) I went to pick the kids up from school today and Gabriel's teacher wanted to talk to me. She said that they had been studying the tabernacle in school and had watched a video about the tabernacle. She said Gabriel was really taken by it and told her "I am so excited my stomach is jumping up and down". His teacher also said that they had showed the Ark of the Covenant and the contents and talked about how Aaron's rod had budded, etc. she said on the way out to recess Gabriel said "God doesn't make trees do that it was a miracle" [I think his thought process was God doesn't just do that it is a miracle]. He was so awed and excited over all of it. The teacher seemed touched by his sensativity to the Bible and wanted to let me know about it too which I VERY MUCH appreciate.  

2) This morning our neighbor came to the door with her daughter that is in Gabriel's class and asked if we could take her to school her van engine wouldn't start. Of course, that was no problem. Well, whenever this little girl is around Gabriel gets exceedingly goofy and silly she was laughing and laughing on the way to school. I honestly was beginning to wonder if she was just putting it on but she wasn't. I called her mom later to ask if she wanted me to pick her up from school and she said I didn't and told me a few days ago her daughter said she was going to marry Gabriel and she asked her daughter why she would marry him "because he is funny {I think she said that he makes me laugh} and he is nice". Her dad is a Captain in the Navy and they will move this summer for him to be the Commander over a whole Navy base in another state. They are incredibly kind people and have been a blessing to us while Brian has been gone.

ROSS STORY: 

Preface to the story . . . I have been having a lot of discipline problems with Ross and it had gotten discouraging . . . was I not doing enough, etc. I told him it was time for nap time and he started giving me a hard time which for a nap was abnormal he usually goes down for naps well it's night time he struggles with. Anyway, I said how about if I sing to you. We used to sing "Jesus songs" all the time before night night. Needless to say life can be caotic now and we only do that sometimes now. He has heard some of these hymns MANY times. He sat next to me in the rocking chair with a blanket and we rocked and I sang. Finially, it was decided we were on our last song and Ross and I agreed to "What a Friend". He has to "approve" the song first. I sang "What a friend we have in Jesus all our sin and grief to bear" I got no further than that and he interrupted with "We don't like sin", I agreed, he said "I am bad to Mommy". He told me this at least 2 times. I talked with him that Mommy sins and makes God sad too sometimes. How interesting that he is so intuned and is thinking about the hymns and applying!!! Wow, that is a comfort to know. We all make mistakes and sin but it is important to recognize our faults and sin so we can deal with them. May this pattern of sensitivity continue in him.

ANNALINA STORY: We were about to leave school and Annalina saw 2 of her teachers daughters sitting on the sidewalk step. I know she knows the one if not both and the one is a high school graduate. She walked over to them leans in toward their faces and examines. I knew something was coming I just didn't know what! The girl was wearing makeup in an obvious way and Annalina said "How did you get your eyelashes purple?!" The 2 girls got a big kick out of that!

I may not have laid back kids that make life "easy breezy lemon squeazy" (as the kids would say). They may not be quiet at all the right times, they may jump around like monkeys, but I wouldn't have it any other way as long as I see that they take The Lord God seriously and are sensitive to His words. My prayer is that they will grow up to Love the Lord with all their heart, soul, and mind.  In fact, I prefer they are outgoing, inquisitive, and SPEAK instead of just soaking everything in without thinking about what they are hearing. May they grow up to be passionate Christians and not luke warm. This mother would be thrilled to see that. Hard to imagine God using a broken vessel like me to help mold them. It's sobering.

Intuitive 2 Year Old

About 3 days ago I was having a rough day and allowing it to get to my emotions. I decided to sit on the couch and look at a newspaper and chill. I was not crying or even had tears in my eyes but I was definitely feeling overwhelmed. I sat and started looking at the newspaper and Ross came and sat right next to me. After he had sat there awhile eating a snack he said "How are you doing?" I thought this kid is something else but I also thought I don't want to tell my 2 year old that I am having a rough day and that 2 year olds are easily distracted so I asked him "How are you doing?" and he replied "How are you doing?" He wouldn't let me pull that one he did that over and over. That night he hugged my arm and said "I love you SOO much". 

Self Confidence, Thankfulness???? I don't know but it's Hilarious and it's Annalina!

We were sitting at dinner tonight eating and out of the blue Annalina says to me . . . 

"Wouldn't it be great to be me? Then you'd have a great life. What would you do if you were me?"

I answered that I would probably dress up and play with my brothers because that is what I did when I was little. 

I must say I thought this hilarious!!! What an outlook on ones life!! It is sooo Annalina. What makes this statement even more interesting is all that has happened to her this week . . . She was publically humiliated by having to get up at school as the teacher says "make a public apology for bearing false witness" and she was so emotional that from what I was told she could hardly get it out. The reason she was so upset is because not everything was known by the teacher and Annalina counted her loses and decided it was better to stand up and make the apology than risk the teacher not believing her and get her boot moved for lying flat out [form of punishment in the classroom] and one Annalina does not like. Then the next day I get a call from school that her cheek bone caught a football and it left a good mark. Shortly, after that painful injury she had to give her presentation of her "invention" to the class. The next day she ran face first into her brother and got another mark above her eye for awhile. On top of this school is a struggle with her grades but she doesn't complain even though she is doing first grade curriculum and was not really old enough to start kindergarten and her grades show it. Her dad whom she loves DEARLY is deployed and her mom is pregnant and at times has been very sick. BUT she is loved, cared for, and knows that God is with her every step of the way. She heard Ross say he was scared because of the dark and she said "you don't need to be scared God is with you".  Her prayers are no frill and to the point. She is a unique kid, I keep saying that but it is so true. They are all unique.

But never mind all the drama of life she says "Wouldn't it be great to be me?"

Post should be slotted January 29th

A post that should be slotted as January 29th:

Things went really well getting Gabriel's stitches out well at least the kids all behaved really well and I said I would tell Daddy. Gabriel was courageous and cooperative and didn't complain. Annalina was very well mannered and sweet and Ross just sat on my lap quiet and still!!!! Wow!! What good kids! The nurses enjoyed them. Poor Gabriel, the doctor looked at it and said "Uh, this healed faster than I thought" which was bod and he said "I'll let the nurse take care of this" and the nurse said "Yah, he gets them while they are sleeping". Anyway, he is a nice doctor and they both worked on him. The problem was he had healed so much that is makes it harder to get them out. GAbriel was quiet and did not make noises or be uncooperative when Gabriel sat up he had tears in his eyes and was about ready to cry. He was a trooper and I praised him for having courage and doing the right thing. As we were walking out Ross said "my ear doesn't hurt" another words don't mess with my ear!!!! The doctor said this type of cyst never turns into cancer but that they can grow back and he said sometimes when they have tentacles they think they got it and didn't. He wants to see Gabriel in 4 months to check him again. After the appt. I said next time the doctor would just look at it and that daddy would be back by then and he was excited that daddy could go with him then he said "I want Daddy and Mommy  to come. You are good company" [speaking of both mommy and daddy]. That is music to a parents ears that you are "good company".

Psalm 115:3 A verse from Sunday School this past Sunday

Psalm 115:3 "But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased."

*husband being gone while . . .

I have EXTREME sickness at the beginning of pregnancy to the point of hardly and sometimes not being able to function, bleed profusely during my pregnancy 2 times, van breaks down repeatedly, having a puppy that is over a hundred pounds and not as trained as would be helpful, lose wallet, watch a daughter try to keep up with 1st grade work while being to young to start a grade, watch kids that miss their daddy a lot, my son go through the fear of a lump and having it removed, waiting for him to wake up after surgery, waiting for the results come back from that lump, toilets that don't work right with one shooting up like a geyser, vacuum breaking while kids continue to put food messes on the floor, problems with landlords, the pressure of raising 3 children to know and love Christ while I'm tired and at the beginning sick with another child on the way, dealing with CRAZY people some vile and some that are simply not "lovers of the truth", having a 2 year old that is NOT typical [ask anyone that knows him], figuring out doctor's visits in a distant city while needing to care for children. Those are a few of the things that have happened in the last months and people ask how I do it and it is a simple answer . . . "God's grace" He has done "whatsoever he is pleased" and he has done it for a loving purpose and my growth. 

The Power of Infuence from Siblings . . .

Two Sundays ago Gabriel was reading his Bible on the way to church and asking me questions . . . actually, he does that from time to time just reading different passages that he opens up to. This past Sunday on the way to church Ross had his little New Testament and said to me as I was driving to church "What's God's name so I can read [then he either said His Word or the Bible]." What a statement for a little guy. I want to foster that interest in God's Word.

That same morning at breakfast he said to me "I'm Happy. I love you."