03/28/09

Here are some of the pictures I snapped on our moving day last Saturday, March 28th (Racine, MN). This day is one of the 'Great's' thus far! It was very much a homecoming!

We are SO glad to be back!

If I may be totally candid here, I will say that our time in Rochester was not all a 'bed of roses'. I will go a bit further in my 'garden' analogy. It was almost two years John and I spent in Racine. While much good came from lessons learned and wonderful new friends made. It was a lot of 'scattered seed's'... I often felt like I was simply observing. I never felt grounded... with family and close friends just two hours away, we were constantly pulled back to the cities (in a good way).

But, in this uncertainty, I found out who I was.

It was a non-eventful, repetitive and boring time for me. Looking back I see how God was working in my heart, 'digging' up deeply rooted 'weed's'... Last summer, I often took walks on the trails that ran along the side of the corn fields. I would find it interesting that the farmers working hard to prepare, plant, cultivate and then harvest their fields, very much paralleled what God was doing in my life.

I told a friend on the phone the other day, that: "I felt like I had come back from a long missions trip [sort of]".

This past Monday, I drove back to clean up the "white house" (as Sadie calls our Racine house). When I was done and had loaded the last box of stuff, I paused in the kitchen. I was overwhelmed with emotion as a flood of memories poured through my head [Sadie's birthday's, milestones, and Lauren's birth...].

Then, at the threshold of the back door, I envisioned myself standing on a springboard, knees bent, ready to jump! Jump into what? I'm not sure. But God knows...!

My prayer for you: That you may embrace each season in your life. The depth's and the height's. Learn and give, and grow and go on in God to the best of your ability!

Spring Fun

Today was so beautiful outside! Lauren surprised us and took a loooonnngg morning nap! So, Sadie and I grabbed the sidewalk chalk and snuck outside (I went bare foot)!! While outside, we 'sidewalk chalked', found ladybugs, made "bird homes" and played 'tickle tag'!!

The sidewalk chalk was a big hit! Sadie drew family members to go with her "corn cob baby"... (she has a corn cob toy that has become 'her baby') she decided that we needed to draw a house and family members for her... Haha!! I remember doing this same type of thing when I was little :) Sadie has got quite the imagination and, so, I Of Course act like her random stories, ideas and names are brilliant! :)

I'm a proud Mom.

That's why I blog these everyday happenings... ;)

The other day she informed me that her favorite horse is named "Sunblock". Also, she once had a "pet pumpkin" named "Dozer". LOL. Her latest indoor activity is tucking away stuffed animals and dolls in the cupboards amongst the canned goods and boxed foods! Apparently they need homes. I wonder if we have a future social worker or adoption agent here? ;)

I hope you're enjoying the 'newness' that Spring brings!

Speaking of... just 10 days until we move on back to Fridley!

Loreny Mouse

Lauren is now 7 months old! And I am loving how much she and her sister are having fun together! :) Sadie loves to read books to her "baby Sisser" and Lauren loves to grab the pages... Sadie is also really good at getting her "baby Loreny" to belly laugh!! Lauren's newest tricks are rolling across the living room, holding and banging toys, pulling hair and waving when someone says 'Hi' to her!

twenty seven

(pictured: a close up of the "cherry" on top of my ice-cream cone cake.)

Today I turned 27. It was a great day. I got to have lunch at home with my Mom, the girls and friends. John took me out for dinner at Famous Dave's and then surprised me with a massage at Massage Envy!

I thought it would be fun to do a list of twenty seven things. Twenty seven... "Twenty seven thoughts I had today". no. "Twenty seven things I know, now that I am twenty seven." lol, no. hmm...

Twenty seven is a great age. Closer to thirty than twenty. It says, "I have so much more to do, but I have some experience under my belt."

So.

It hit me, "Twenty seven things I'd like to do within the next twenty seven years!"

In the next 27 years I hope to...

1. declutter. for good.

2. wash my face before bed. every night.

3. apply night cream. every night.

4. run/jog multiple miles.

5. take each of my girls to Africa on a missions trip when they are teens.

6. go on a family missions trip.

7. visit Tuscany, Italy with John. just John.

8. write a book about John and I's two Miscarriages. and somehow get the book distributed in clinics//that they would be given to Mothers who deal with a miscarriage. and that in that vulnerable moment they would find the true hope we have in God.

9. eat less sugar.

10. make my husband's lunch every night. have it bagged and sitting in the fridge.

11. learn to cook more versatile.

12. adopt siblings from foster care.

13. teach my daughters the beauty and worth found in minimal makeup and modest clothing. inner beauty.

14. teach my children to pray for those who hurt them.

15. teach my children to believe the best.

16. teach my children to lay up treasures in heaven.

17. teach my children to laugh often and not take themselves too seriously.

18. be there for my friends.

19. teach my children to be a friend.

20. show my children what trusting God looks like.

21. show my children what contentment looks like.

22. follow a strict budget.

23. buy only what is on my list at the grocery store.

24. teach my children to rejoice in others blessings.

25. teach my children to be grateful.

26. focus at least half of my thoughts on "whatsoever is lovely, whatsoever is true, whatsoever is just..."

27. remember the fact that God's not finished with me yet.

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday, is not entirely wordless for me, today. Because, I would like to further explain this new game! Wordless Wednesday is an idea I copied from another blogger mom who I found through a friend. The idea is to simply post a picture that is so intriguing that words are not necessary to explain it. So, from now on if I post on a Wednesday, I must only post a very interesting picture! :) Oh, and also, you get to pick the captions. If you want to... :)

Enjoy!

"Mommy, may I have apple juice?"

When I look at these pictures, I can almost understand the saying, "You're gonna miss this."






I've been reflective today. And thankful. Thankful for my husband, my kids, my family, my friends... my life. I started the day reading Relevant magazine. I read two articles; one on the topic of Aides orphans in Africa (there is believed to be around 14 million orphaned by aides) and the other article was on the topic of abandoned children in Bolivia (it's estimated that around 72,000 kids live on the streets)... I was in a funk afterwards thinking I'm just a stay-at-home mom. what can I do to really make a difference?

Well, I quickly realized that I can't actually go out on the mission field, right now. But, I can pray for those who are out there. And I can donate money to those people/organizations and pray for them some more. If you're curious like me, here are the links to a few ministry's that help administer relief to these poverty stricken children: www.actionintl.org, www.compassion.com, www.unicef.org.

So, I cannot be in the Mission field. But. My home is in fact my mission field. God's still small voice reminded me of that truth this morning. I am smack-dab in the middle of a very important Mission field. My job is ranked very high in God's eye's! My daughters are my God-given responsibility to shape and train up in the ways that are right. Wow. Creating in them a hunger for God, His Word, an unshakeable confidence in who they are in Christ and a passion to be creative and at times daring... this is my mission. I thank God that His plan for my life is not small or insignificant (as the devil would have me belief), but it's an adventure, it's fun, challenging, humbling, and at times, it's down-right scary. But, as every adventure is; it's a treasure that's all my own! Thank you God, for blessing me and my family in all things richly, so that we can bless others! Amen!

So.

The next time I peel my baby's clothes off after she experiences a bodily fluid eruption, or I fill my 3-year-old's "kiddy cup" for the 23rd time that day. I will try hard to remember that I am storing up eternal treasures in heaven and laying the brick's for a foundation in my kids, who I pray will ultimately follow God's plan for their life.