Today is Monday....Some Lessons Are Hard

So today I am sitting at the kitchen table posting on my blog while enjoying a venti peppermint mocha and banana chocolate chip coffee cake. I have one very stuffy nose and sore throat and seem to be starting on the upside of this, I am sure cold. The rain is falling and the dogs are settled in on the sofas. I have a job interview today at 10:00 a.m. I also am expecting the pest control man to come by any time now for the 8:00 a.m. appointment. I have also had very little sleep overnight due to my very stuffy nose. I'll spare the details. My son has also endured a sleepless night. His complaints are of a stomach ache and not being able to sleep. He and I watched the news and cartoons from about 2:30 a.m. on. He finally dozed off about 6:00 a.m. Sadly it was short loved because he had to go to school. I would love to let him stay home and rest his weary eyes but alas that is not how the world goes and better he learn now than to grow up an irresponsible adult. There is mild suspicion that he may have encountered a Monster energy drink yesterday. I do not know this as fact. He grumbled and generally let me know being at home on this rainy day would be best. I agreed and told him I understood. I have my own responsibilities today- including 3 appointments -that must be met today. And oh how I would rather just curl up and rest today..... Welome to Life My Precious Son.

Pumpkins and Clean Hearts!

It's pumpkin time again! The kids still love carving pumpkins and so they did last weekend. They drew their designs on paper and then I wielded the knife to carve. Ethan wanted a "Jason" pumpkin bc he is into all the gory stuff boys like. Emily wanted a classic pumpkin face like they made last year in her Kinder class. She's a classic kind of a gal. All that pumpkin carving brought to mind the book I have for preschoolers: "The Pumpkin Gospel". Step by step it demonstrates how, like a pumpkin, God removes the sin (yucky insides) and makes us clean and able to shine a light for others to see. How thankful I am for a God can clean us up and make us shiny. I didn't read the book at the time we were doing our pumpkin thing but had read it to Emily a week or more before. So when Emily finished with her pumpkin and started to clean it off I thought there was a bit of symbolism in that. Happy October!

Emily's birthday is technically in October. However, this child has been requesting a pool party in the summer months for as long as either her daddy or I can remember. She specifically wanted it at the Rock 'N River. If nothing else Emily knows what she wants. Emily is her own person right down to her wolf cake and hand delivered invites (I would have gone the way of Evite myself). I love that about her. I finally found a copyright free photo and HEB did their thing. Emily had a great time. The weather was just right. Labor Day weekend was a true celebration for us. Happy 7th Birthday Emily!

After Party Snack -Yummy!

Emily and Rachel




The Gang is ALL here - where's Emily!
She and Rachel were waiting to tube on the lazy river.

PRESENTS! Friends are the best presents :)

Jacob, Emily and Rachel

Can you see them in about five years - TROUBLE!

Jake and Cake ;0)

Making a wish!

Emily and her wolf cake

At HEB picking up her cake.

Spa Treatment & Dinner Combo

So this picture just cracks me up. Ethan and two of his buddies wer eating dinner with us after we attended an amatuer hockey game. Salad and spaghetti was on the menu. One of Ethan's friends picks up two cucumber slices from his plate and asks if this what people use at spas. I confirmed that it was. They proceeded to place the cucumbers on their eyes. I wasn't quick enough to get their pics but managed to snap one of Emily...silly kids. :)

RAIN!

Texas has endured a 2 year drought and this past summer was one day short of a tie to be the hottest on record. 67 days of 100+ degree weather will eventually make you crazier than a June Bug. The lakes are low as low and we are on phase 2 and 4 water restrictions - some counties worse than others. Trees dying in Zilker and elsewhere. Overall just harsh. All summer rain has passed over our area as if we had a shield over us! It was maddening and got to be a running joke about the dome overhead. Well, September rolls around and we are one day away from matching the all time hottest record (1927) since record keeping began. So, we get RAIN. It fell for days straight! It was the good soaking kind and brought problems of its own with flash flooding. Regardless, we all relished the wet weather and cooler temps that have managed to stay. When its the low 90's and you think that's a cold snap you know its been a hot summer.

Funny to watch Buddy. He was born in February and hasn't experienced much rain.

September

It comes around every year. I should know by now I can't avoid it. It gets a little less painful each year as God brings in more pleasant associations with the month. For awhile there I thought there I was sure God was going to allow September to be the dumped on month. Ironically my birthday falls in this month and for a while a negative memory shrouded the joy one should have in celebrating their life. However, I am so grateful for his mercy on me. There are many dates in September that have negative associations but one in particular has a deep wound associated with it. September 9th has been burned into my memories in the negative column. I was still a bit raw about this date when two years later, in 2007, it became the first official service date for the church plant we had joined. At first I thought God's was allowing this was a cruel joke. Of course, I know it is not, but at the time I was not very pleased. God used that date that was associated with something so heartwrenchingly negative to be replaced with something so heartlifting and beautiful. God's people worshipping Him and reaching out to a community that needs to hear about His story of love and forgiveness and new life. That's what He allowed on September 9th, His love to heal, His example of forgiveness and the beginning of a new life. It became a new chapter in my life. God is so good all the time and so now is September.

First Day of School 2009

Wow! It's finally here. The kids were so excited to get back to their school and friends. We attended Back To School night last Friday and that lit the fire. Ethan is thrilled with his teacher. He technically has three but he was really hoping for Mrs. Sweet to be his homeroom teacher. He is also in class with his best friend. What a great start to the school year. This year for him will be about focusing in the "here and now"/ living in the moment. In Fifth Grade they rotate between three teachers for different subject in preparation for middle school. Emily really likes her teacher! The only negative for her is not being in the same class as her best friend, or as she says "My BFF". Thankfully their classrooms are right next to each other. We walked to school with some dear friends and that made for a great start to the day. I knew it would be quiet so I made sure to not be at the house too much. I scheduled a fun day for me:haircut, lunch at my favorite sandwich shop with a good book and errands. Today, it is quiet....I'm going to sew at my sister's house- I don't know how.... :)

Ethan the 5th grader and Emily the 1st grader.

Ethan has ridden his bike to school since Kinder (I shadowed him).

This year he rides with his best buddy. They are loving it!

Emily-sleepy head!

First call to "Wake Up!" I was met with this. Ethan buried his head under his blanket and Emily barely budged. Of the two, she is NOT the morning person. This will quickly change I am sure.

Ethan and Emily

Just a random sibling moment -

Emily and Ethan wrestling before we head out to Emily's gymnastics class.

Zephaniah 3:17

So the past two years (plus some) have been similar in some ways to hell on earth for me. In all of it God has never left my side. Some days I feel there has been too much to handle and I've nearly choked on it all. Then this past week brought about some quiet subtle discoveries.
I am able to feel the sun on my face; feel it's warmth without fear of being burned. I feel the breeze and and finally know it isn't a hurricane wind. I can inhale life giving fresh air and not have to justify it. It is as if I've been in a cave of rubble or in a musty attic. Sometimes while you are there you find treasure and rejoice. Sometimes you come face to face with old and very painful memories of past events some reconciled and some still needing closure. This week I've felt the sparks of inspiration in the musty attic. It still doesn't flow like it has in recent years past, but it's still there. It is God breathed and inspired and this I know deeply and without doubt. I've heard a new phrase from a dear friend describing how I have been "kingdom true" in the midst of some very grim life altering circumstances. I know what that means and I will embrace it. I was also renewed in the knowledge that I am rejoiced over by God. That was a pleasantly sobering and delightful thought. He made ME for His enjoyment. I was not an accident. I was made on purpose with certain inate abilities He knew I would need in the course of my life. He meant them on purpose. I should not be ashamed when I have strength in dire situations; when hope is not even found. I should take ownership of my accomplishments and not apologise for them. I have been strong. I have fought hard. He has put me through one heck of a boot camp, placed me on the front line and allowed me to take some serious hits with all the hurting. And I have grown all because my God rejoices over me with a plan and a purpose. I won't apologise or not take credit for that. This is not arrogance. It is confidence in myself and being comfortable with who I am by God's hand. I feel God moving me in yet another direction. He has brought some very key verses that have been definitions of my life at different times of growth. This season is Zephaniah 3:17 "The Lord your God is with you...He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." Wow! God sing over me?! Yes, He does! I will learn this season how to accept that and regain confidence and enjoy the restored years the locust have eaten. Thank you, Father God!

Emily

My sister took these shots of Emily in March 2008.

They were taken while Emily was playing with her dog, Mona Lisa.

Emily and Lisa have a special bond.

This is one of my favorite series of photos of Emily.

Such precious spirit is housed in this little girl.

More Friends and Celebrations

We went out to Thrall,Tx. to celebrate Larah 5th birthday and her older sister Katie's 11th birthday. Emily very much enjoyed seeing Larah. We hadn't seen them in too long and they had just recently moved to Thrall to a small farm. Emily loved the barn kittens and chickens. She was so excited when we arrived she accidently called them pickens! We all enjoyed that one. :)

Emily with one of the kittens. I think this one was named Ariel.

Hula Hoop contest.

Ethan won the 10 and under category.

We had no idea he had such moves.

Limbo!

Ethan was game while Emily was all focused on the kittens.