Life on pause...and thoughts

Life is on pause. I am sick, actually yucky enough to make me lay down for an hour or so, wow! Gracie, Micah and Emma are, too. I had *one of those nights* the other night. I had not slept more than a couple hours Tues and Wed night and was running on fumes during the days. Knowing our Big Trip was Friday, of course, Thursday night was rotten sleep too. We shopped aaall day Friday and just had a WONderful time. By the end of the evening my legs were well medicated and everything in me just wanted my bed! I arrived home at 11pm Friday night, took Sudafed, half a sleeping pill, and crawled in my nice warm bed. Aaaahh. No sooner had my head hit the pillow and Gracie was crying. She had come down with a cold, too, poor thing! Long story short, I got up and down with her until 4am which was hard working against that sleeping pill and all that self-pity. I went through Saturday in a haze. It was my daughters 12th birthday, I managed to get her birthday dinner done and that was about it. Her custom dinner was Stromboli, uncut green beans, fruit salad and garlic roasted shrimp. I bought an omelet maker at Second Chance for the children and Jess found out she could cook individual birthday cakes in it. So every one had a personal birthday cake!

I can not believe I have a twelve year old daughter! She is SUCH a blessing to us and the people around her. You know those older women who threaten you with "it only gets worse" then go on to discourage you with talks of rebellious teens? Well, I am not going to listen to them. I am standing on the edge looking over the cliff. Thanks be to God, he has shown me this is not the way He intended it to be. It is not normal and after coming to SBCC we've witnessed this odd phenomena. Teenage daughters leaning against their mothers shoulders during church, they hold hands or look into their mothers eyes for counsel and with that same sense of adoration you see from a 5 year old. Rebellion should be the exception, not the rule. I pray for this in my daughter and I want her heart like nothing else. She knows it. She appreciates it. I hope to be a woman who can stand in 10 years and encourage others to have godly teenagers like many I have gleaned from already. The Lord is our wisdom, strength and stronghold through these years I will joyfully take them head on with His leading.

Happy birthday Jessica!

P.s. My camera is better than yours. Brat.

Again the dog gone thing would not load properly.

Here is our 2008 family ornament, isn't it cute?!

Stats for the day..

1. My sister and I go on our annual bussed shopping trip with Sunrise Church tomorrow aaaaaaaall day in Seattle. I am giddy.

2. Emma and I are sick with our first head cold of the season. What great health we have had this year! The children are babying me with tea and hugs and kisses, but I am going to spend a couple hours on the couch.

3. I am finding nothing fits and have put up the white flag. I am officially wearing maternity clothes now. I waited as long as I could. Ugh.

4. Daddy will be staying home tomorrow with 6 children eagerly awaiting a day with him AND doing a half day of school! I tried to con him into a whole day, but he wasn't convince, can't blame him. I love coming home after our yearly shopping day, because I get smothered with kisses and flattery for the next week...from my husband.

5. Have a great weekend!

I had to chuckle. I was correcting the children's schoolwork for the week when I found this English lesson done with such enthusiasm! This is my Daniel. I do not have to check his work until the end of the week, he takes his assignments and everyone is completed. He is a perfectionist. Rarely is there a mistake and it is head down diligence with him. Can I order them all this way?! Just look at those happy answers! Every one has an exclamation mark!

Murphy's Law and mountains to die on

So, I had to run the children to piano lessons this afternoon. I threw my hair in a bun clip, no make-up & old jumper and out the door I went...so housewife, not thinking I'd leave my truck. But I passed by this quaint antique store in downtown Lynden and it called my name. Maybe this time it would have that wall oil lamp I have been watching for? I ran in and had a look-see...no lamp. Happily, I did not see anyone I knew...this is Lynden after all...remember the joke? I am related to most of them and unfortunately that is true...I am. I was walking the sidewalk back to my truck when two young men approached, and I immediately recognized one as Caleb Breakey from church...a writer for the Lynden Tribune. Oh NO. The young man approaches and I find myself being interviewed for their *talk on the street* type of article for the newspaper. Crud. And Caleb took pictures of me with a bun. A BUN, and my bad side at that. Not that I am vain...hmmm...o.k., maybe a little but I am dreading that paper. Maybe they will find my statement boring and not post the pic? Tomorrow will tell.

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Gracie, 15 months, is giving us glimpses of her sinful little heart. Unfortunately we knew she was born with this defect and there is nothing we can do to cure it. But we can work with it. She has been refusing to eat certain foods at the dinner table, then begging crackers after dinner. I have allowed(therefore trained) her to do this by GIVING her crackers after dinner. Well, tonight Daddy saw through it and put his foot down... thank you Daddy, I can be a weak one sometimes!





I offered Gracie banana, she ate it. Brussles sprouts, she ate them. Offered bites of my stew and she refused to touch the stuff...no matter what lay in the spoon. I told her in my sweetest mommy voice that she needs to eat her carrot(that is what my spoon pulled out of the stew) Gracie said/yelled "No! No!" Yes, like most children born with this birth defect, this is one of their first three words. I cut the little round carrot slice in three little triangles and lay it on her tray and told her if she wants her brownie for dessert, she must eat the carrot. She understood and reached for the brownie...I put the carrot up to her mouth and she pushed it away and said/yelled No! No! No! No!". Daddy said "This is a mountain worth dying on" & I grabbed my camera!! I have done this with five children before and when Daddy says he ain't giving in, he means it.

One stubborn ticked off little 15 month old. She was being doted on by me who hates to see her so upset, but then again she only yelled when you mentioned the word "carrot". She cried and cried and cried.

Do I need to explain what is being said and what she is doing with her hand? I think not.

Many minutes went by, like 20, and suddenly the lightbuld went on, she realized she was stuck in that chair until she ate her carrot and she picked one up and put it in her mouth with NO persuasion! I don't think we have had that happen that easily before.

But then again, we haven't had this large of a crowd of onlookers before either! We all clapped and with that she threw the other two pieces of carrot in her

mouth and ate'em up!

The room erupted in cheering and she was very proud...as was her Daddy.

MMMMmmmmm. And that brownie was worth it all........

And this is how you train your children not to be picky eaters.

Monday. Already living up to its bad name. ..

So I wasn't going to post for a couple days, but I thought this worthy.

I got up and really needed coffee. The children quietly do their morning bible reading right away. It is a very peaceful house for 15min and I seized this moment today to make coffee and snarf down my toast(I did my reading earlier!)

Pot #1. I added my four cups of water from our water pitcher, my two tablespoons of coffee grounds and hit Start. 4 minutes later I had a pot of coffee and grounds...shoot, the filter had caved in.

Pot #2 I empty the pot, wash the basket and fill the maker with the same coffee from the pot to re filter the grounds and recycle the coffee. Don't say ewe. I tap my fingers impatiently waiting. Finally, I pour my nice cup of coffee, grab my toast and head up the staircase. I plop in my chair take a bite of toast and a swig of coffee. YUCK!! It is nasty! I remember that I had put lemonade in our usual *water* pitcher for our Koinonia last night. Lemonade coffee. I am NOT calling Starbucks on this new discovery. Back down the staircase.

Pot #3. Fresh water, everything washed, fresh grounds(3rd batch) and as the children are all starting their morning bouncing off the walls, I quickly snarf down my cold toast and wonderful cup-o-coffee at the puter.

Gotta go direct energy.

Cuddles...

Gracie and *baby Jesus* cuddling this morning while the children put on their own play version of the Birth of Jesus.



I normally do not take pics of my kennels, but I found this adorable today. I have two litters totaling 9 puppies in one kennel. I had just added another bed as I found two pups sleeping on the newspaper. Instead of dividing up and sleeping in the two beds, they all piled on each other again in one bed. 9 puppies with Moose on top.

The Fate of Cuddles

Our family is known as being resourceful with our animals. If an animal can not be useful, it

A. Does not join our family

B. It gets eaten.

Some nice friends at church acquired a rabbit, Cuddles. Cuddles was a beautiful rabbit that grew to be quite large and never well...cuddled. This family tried and tried to tame Cuddles, but Cuddles just gave red swollen scratches. Over dinner one night Cuddles was jokingly offered to us. Paul made it clear we would love to have the rabbit, but only for one reason, and they knew that well. The family looked at their scratched up daughters and agreed our home would be wonderful! We have had Cuddles for a good six weeks and he/she has grown quite nicely. Here is a picture of Cuddles this afternoon...what do you think?

Can you say Shake n Bake?

Goooo'in to the chapel and I'm gonna get married...

I made an 11 year olds day today. She has wanted to do this for months after she found the hiding place of an oddly large box. She peeped in and something wonderful, satiny and familiar was in there. It was better than Beauty's dress, more exhilarating than Cinderellas ball gown, it was Mommy's REAL true wedding dress, the one she has only seen in pictures. And she got to touch it tonight. not ONLY touch it but put it on and learn what a pain it is to get in and out. I found I kept my hoopskirt(we didn't' attempt putting that on) which thrilled me, I thought I had rented it, not purchased! The train was all buttoned up and the girls' eyes sparkled as the beadwork dazzled in the bedroom light. Then, I let down the buttons. The train swept across our living room floor and seemed to go on forever. Oh the joy!

Lots of wrinkles, but pretty none-the-less.

Jacob encouraged me to try it on, I had to remind him brides don't have baby bellys, lol. I wish I would have tried it on before I become pregnant...just...to...see.....hmmmm.

Jacob demonstrating how to lift the veil after the minister pronounces you man and wife...

Then the first kiss...ewe, not by my brother!

She was so somber and trying not to step on the dress so

I told her to loosen up and get jiggy with it. She gave me this pose. I told her she needs to look cute as I will put these in an album at her real wedding.

Don't worry sweetheart, you have many, many years to be at home yet... ;)

"When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, But when a wicked man rules, people groan." Prob 29:2

One last political post, for now...



Barack is on the throne. Remember, this is no surprise to the Lord, he caused it to happen for His purposes. Though it bothers us to see a man like him soon to take control of our country, we must be in subjection to him, pray for him, honor and not curse him. Does God have limited control? Is He disappointed? Should we be worried and upset? I am hearing so much groaning from those around me and rightfully so! Last night I found a few scriptures for thought for those who are struggling with the outcome. Please email me with others you have found, I am making a compilation.


Jer 17:-9 "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD And whose trust is the LORD. For he will be like a tree planted by the water, That extends its roots by a stream And will not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, And it will not be anxious in a year of drought Nor cease to yield fruit.
"The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?



Dan 2:37 "You, O king, are the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength and the glory;, and wherever the sons of men dwell, {or} the beasts of the field, or the birds of the sky, He has given {them} into your hand and has caused you to rule over them all.”




Dan 21:1 "It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding. It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, And the light dwells with Him.”


Prov 21:1 “The king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever He wishes.”


Jer 27:6 God calls the king “His servant”.


Acts 17:26 ” and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;”


Ps 155:3 “But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.”


Amo 4:13 “For behold, He who forms mountains and creates the wind And declares to man what are His thoughts, He who makes dawn into darkness And treads on the high places of the earth, The LORD God of hosts is His name.”




Ex 22:28 "You shall not curse God, nor curse a ruler of your people.”


1 Tim 2:1 “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority,”

Rom 13:1 “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.”


Rom 8:28 “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”


And lastly my favorite…

Psalm 146 “Praise the LORD!

Praise the LORD, O my soul!

I will praise the LORD while I live;

I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

Do not trust in princes,

In mortal man, in whom there is no salvation.

His spirit departs, he returns to the earth;

In that very day his thoughts perish.

How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,

Whose hope is in the LORD his God,

Who made heaven and earth, The sea and all that is in them;

Who keeps faith forever; Who executes justice for the oppressed;

Who gives food to the hungry.

The LORD sets the prisoners free.

The LORD opens {the eyes of} the blind;

The LORD raises up those who are bowed down;

The LORD loves the righteous;

The LORD protects the strangers;

He supports the fatherless and the widow,

But He thwarts the way of the wicked.

The LORD will reign forever,

Your God, O Zion, to all generations.

Praise the LORD!

Feel free to email me.

I know, I know...

I am not posting. We are having a fun filled week getting more school added to our school, does that makes sense? The children always get their bookwork done, it is the multi-grade family stuff(Story of the World, Biology(Apologia elementary series), Cantoring the Country) that I have not been as faithful in. Well this was the week to get back on the horse and on the horse we are.

I have a midwife appointment in an hour and a half to listen in on the little one and see how he's doing in there. I know he is fine because he doesn't stop kicking for much time at all! He may only be one pound, but he is all elephant.

Lunch to make and children to dress....