The Life

Today I am blogging to you from my sisters new house!! She has just made some Jiffy pop popcorn on the stove and we are sitting with our kids watching Conner's new favorite movie Casper. The original with Devon Sawa and Christina Ricci in it :) What a nice way to spend the evening after a long day at work. Another resident has passed and it seems like the days at work are blurring together.

I am not sure what the sweet Lord is cooking up for my family and I, but I (hesitantly) await whats in store. At the employee entrance to my work, right before you enter into the Nursing department, there is a sign that says, "If you ask God for guidance, be ready to move your feet." I ready and waiting to move my feet Lord! My family and I have entered into what seems like a blue season filled with unexpected twists and turns; My kids and I have begun to cling to the promise that God's love endures through the ages. It has been with us through thick and thin and will continue to prove faithful until the end. Sometimes it just gets to the point when you want to ask, "how long will You allow this rechid world to go on before you come down and set the record right?" I have faith in His timing, I just wish it was now.

In happier news, I am sure all of you Northwesterners have noticed the beautiful fall weather we have been having!! The kids and I were able to spend some time outside before family dinner yesterday and I took some of the cutest pictures of the kids!! Please don't misunderstand me when I write about being blue and then become joyful when talking about my kids. I acknowledge that everything must be put into perspective and that most of my daily trials are simply trivial. Next week they might be something else. My kids are precious gifts from the God of my heart and here are some of the pics!! Oh, and a picture of my new hair!!

I love... the thrift store!

Isabel and I had some time yesterday before heading over to Sophie's house, to stop by the thrift store for a little looksey. Lucky us, we found this lovely adult baby doll houndstooth womens jacket and some great winter shoes for Toddie... all under 9 dollars!! The shoes were $3.99 and the jacket was 50% off $5.99!! I want to go back and look for more treasures, but with both kids in toe that can get very tricky. Plus, they just want me to stay in the toy section....

I was also up late last night coloring my hair after everyone went to sleep. Its now jet black and I have bangs! Once I take a decent photo I will post it to show you. Sometimes you just need a change!

The kids are doing wonderful! Isabel has been having issues getting up and dressed in the mornings lately, but we get through it. Todd is speaking up a storm and loves to make animal noises. All the time. We had planned on going to the pumpkin patch this weekend with my sisters and all the kids, but the weather sucks and Sophie can't go. We are probably going to reschedule for next weekend and hopefully the weather is better! We had also planned on taking family photos this weekend, but we will be rescheduling that as well :)

It's been one of those days

Its been one of those days when I just want to come home and sleep; Its been one of those days when I want to curl up in bed and watch season 6 of Lost, or maybe True Blood season 2; Its been one of those days when I am spiritually fatigued.

Webster's dictionary defines fatigued as, "Temporary loss of strength and energy resulting from hard physical or mental work." The thing I like about this definition is that it begins with the word temporary. It means there is hope. Hope for what, I am not sure yet but its there. After my last blog entry, I thought the worst battle for my sister was over and that she would be back to her normal self in record time. How wrong some people can be.

After the original announcement that they had indeed lost their unborn child, then my sister was admitted to the hospital where she underwent a procedure to remove the child from her body. Originally there wasn't a real rush to get her in for the procedure, but when she spiked a fever in hardly any time at all the doctors went right in. Its moments like this that really bring out how quickly a family can join together and get things done. Their son Conner was picked up by his other grandma and my mom went to the hospital late last night and into this early morning to be with Sophie. I am happy to announce that Sophie has been released from the hospital and is on the mend.... physically. I haven't had a real opportunity to visit with her yet, so I am anxious to hear how my brave sister is doing.

This makes my last statement about my personal spiritual fatigue seem selfish, I know this. But like I said, moments like this can test a families ability to join together and get things done. Just the thought of a loved one in trouble can be very tiring. I don't know how many times in the last 3 days I have called her just to tell her that I love her. I am not quite sure what I would do without her! I had to remind myself that she wasn't in mortal danger and that with time, she would indeed be back to normal.

One thing I am still confident of, is that we as a family serve a God of unceasing restoration and love. Thank you to everyone that has been praying for my sister and her family!

Post again tomorrow, right now I have got to make dinner. :)

Yahweh :)

Like the Light From the Sun

Psalm 103:5-11

"Each day that we live, He provides for our needs and gives us strength of the young eagle. For all who are mistreated, the Lord brings justice. He taught His law to Moses and showed the Israelites what He could do. The Lord is merciful! He is kind and patient, His love NEVER fails. The Lord won't always be angry and point out our sins; He doesn't punish us as our sins deserve. How great is God's love for those who worship Him? Greater than the distance between heaven and earth!"

I can't put into words the feeling of salvation. Its kind of like the wind; You can't see it, but you can feel it.

For the past 23 years I have had the privilege of knowing a wonderful woman named Sophie (previously Rhoadarmer) Haines. She is my oldest sister and is without competition the most patient person I know. In the last 3 years I have watched her grow in her salvation and bask in the Lord's delightful love. Sophie has had many obstacles to overcome and very surely has done it by and through the love of Jesus Christ. Through both of my pregnancies and failed relationships, my sister Sophie has been there encouraging me to seek God in all that I am and all that I do.

It is with a very sad heart that I say that things for this wonderful woman have hit a massive bump in the road. Sophie, Grant and Conner just this last weekend moved into their new home just two blocks from us, Grant got a raise at work and Sophie was beginning to have thoughts of one day being a stay at home mom. God began blessing them in their obedience to follow His will and His word. With this new news, I have complete faith that she will continue to seek God's love and also to remember God's kindness. Days like today make me SLOW down and remember that it is NOT my will, but God's will for my life.

Just like Psalm 103 says, "The Lord is merciful! He is kind and patient and His love never fails." Please pray with me for my sister Sophie and her family; May the love that can only come from God, be lavished on them! God is faithful, He has proved this time and time again.

I LOVE PIXIWOO :))

Walk Ins, Raptures and Memories

Psalm 103:1-4 (Contemporary English Version)

"With all my heart I praise the Lord, and with all that I am I praise His Holy name. With all my heart I will praise the Lord! I will never forget how kind He has been. The Lord forgives us our sins and heals us when we are sick, and protects us from death. His Kindness and love are a crown on our heads."

After taking Isabel to the Everett Walk In Clinic this morning, I decided to come home and clean. Everything with her is on the mend; she has been diagnosed with a really bad sinus cold and prescribed antibiotics for 10 days. She is such a champ! After having a horrid night filled with coughing and a fever, she is now resting and eating Jello. Please be praying that she is able to feel less pain in her head and that she remembers how much her Heavenly Father loves her.

Once home and showered, she convinced me to take her to the park for a while before the afternoon nap. So, we loaded up and ff we went to Jennings Park (don't worry, I didn't take my purse)! We were there for a long while and were able to spend time with someone that we hadn't seen in a while. The weather was warm, Isabel was feeling alright and I remembered that I had one of my favorite books in my purse to read during moments like this. Its called, The Rapture of Canaan by Sheri Reynolds. Its a story told through the eyes of teenage girl who lives in a VERY religious community called The Church of Fire and Brimstone and God's Almighty Baptizing Wind, which is led by her grandfather. Anywho, while this community waits for the rapture and diligently do what they believe to be God's work, the narrator (Ninah) falls for a young boy named James. In her own mind, she battle sinful thoughts and even goes as far as putting pecan shells in her shoes to remind herself of Jesus' suffering on the cross. In the end, something happens between her and James... Yes, its what you're thinking. But thats not the end! I won't say what happens, but I hope you will read it. This book is very well written and each character, in their own way, fights the battle between what they know to be right... and what they want.

So I was able to read some of the book while Isabel played on the playground. Sitting there and watching her play made me think about what I have been through with her for the past 4 years. With her birthday approaching, I have become somewhat of a sappy mommy. I thought about the day I told her dad we were pregnant and how he cried when she was born. Or how the night she was born, I walked the labor unit of the hospital with her until she stopped crying while her dad slept in the hospital bed :) Or how we had a half birthday for her in June of 2007 so she could experience an actual pool party! Then there is her first day at ballet, her first bee sting, the countless hours Kiel and I have spent with her in the emergency room for all kinds of things; Her first dance recital, the first night I had her AND Toddie at home by myself.... The list goes on and on, but I will always be thankful for all these moments with her. She was almost named Ellie, but when she came out I just knew her name was Isabel. She is pure joy in my world! As she grows up and develops more of a personality, I fall more and MORE in love with her!