Prepared for Tomorrow

Here I am starting over, again, in a new place. I've been here for 2 months now and I keep finding myself looking back over the past 10 years at how the Lord has brought Ryan and me along this journey so far. It amazes me to see how the Lord has prepared us for each new step before it actually occured. And it is astonishing to see how it all flows so perfectly together, the past and future.

My first move began when I married Ryan. I was ready to be with Ryan wherever he was, being in love prepared me to move to the ends of the earth, but it only took me to San Jose. We were there for three years as Ryan finished college. And I endured our tiny "compartment" because that is what the Lord chose to provide for us. That is where I also learned my first lesson in contentment.

By the time Ryan graduated we were ready for the next step, ready to move and start something new. Even before we visited the Northwest for possible jobs, we thought that would be a great place to live. Turns out that Portland was the next stop for us as the Lord provided Ryan with his first job out of college. We loved Portland! Portland was where we bought our first house, and after "the compartment", I was so grateful for our little two bedroom one bath house!

The next time we moved took me longer to get ready for. I really liked Portland and had no desire to leave. However, Ryan's job was becoming unstable and less desirable, so he was ready to venture out before I was. Ryan came home one day from work and told me about a possible job with Whirlpool. I thought that was great, but first asked him where it was. He told me it was in Michigan. Well, Michigan wasn't so great to me. I had no desire to move there, it was too far away from extended family. Well, the Lord had a wonderful way to prepare me for what He had planned. Turns out that 9 months of Ryan being unemployed prepared me to move just about anywhere. Yep, shortly after Ryan telling me about a possible job in Michigan, he was laid off. Ryan diligently searched for a job everyday for 9 months. We had hoped to be able to stay in the area but nothing was available. Soon, it no longer mattered where we lived, if it provided for our family then that would be perfect.

Ryan did get a job with Whirlpool, so off to Michigan we went. It did not take me long to love Michigan. I think the church we found was the reason. The people at The Chapel were beyond belief! They were so open with thier lives, so genuine in their love. To this day I am overwhelmed with Christ's love that is displayed in the lives of the people in The Chapel.

We were in Michigan for about three and a half years. But about a year ago I began to feel what I now see as the Lord preparing me to move yet again. It became hard for me to be content with where we were. Holidays and family birthdays would depress me. My heart began to long to be closer to our families. At the same time Ryan's job was becomming increasingly difficult for him to manage. Because of Ryan's growing unease with his job, he began to casually look for another. Late one night Ryan got a call about a job that ended up being perfectly suited for him. How does that happen? Ryan's current job had caused him to grow in his field in such a way as to make him the perfect match for what this new place was looking for. Only God can do that! And only God could have placed this job closer to our families.

Now I am here, in our new place, and as I am missing friends and not comfortable with making new ones, I know I can trust Him again. Right now I am still learning where things are and I long for a church to call home and at least one good friend to talk with. However, it is interesting to evaluate myself during this time. I am oddly at peace in this new place. I know that it will be difficult to open myself up to new people and make friends, it has never been something that has come easily for me. But when I pray about it, I begin to not feel so self-centered and scared. I shouldn't be so surprised, should I? But I am. The Lord has provided all that I've needed. I can trust Him to bring new friends into my life, when it is time. I can trust Him in all things.

I've had to learn to be content with wherever the Lord has placed me. Whether it be in a tiny "compartment" in San Jose, or near bankruptcy in Portland, or far away in Michigan, I've had to trust the Lord's plan for me and my family. It's been difficult to be in a crummy apartment on the sad side of town, and it's been hard living one day at a time hoping that the next would reveal a job and provision, and it's been trying on my heart to be far away from our families while living in the land of snow and thunderstorms. But in each place the Lord has been there with me, never deserting, ever comforting, always preparing me for the next step.

I think it is so awesome how the Lord has prepared in advance each time. He didn't have to do that, but he did. Why? I didn't have to be ready to move, but the Lord chose to ready me. Looking back I see how each step flowed to the next. It's amazing to think about really. Ryan's education prepared him for his work and made the way for his first job after graduating. His first job prepared him for the next one. Then the second job prepped him for his current job. Each step was dependant on the previous! All perfectly orchestrated by The Master! Amazing! No one could plan this out and make it happen. No one! Still, I wonder why the Lord choses to reveal what he does. But maybe I shouldn't be so surprised at the revelation, for it prepares me for what is ahead. If I can trust him because of what he has done in the past, then I can trust him today as well as trusting him with what he has planned for my future. Amazing! Simply amazing!

I am only left to wonder at how today is preparing for all the tomorrows ahead! It is exciting, this dependency and relationship with Christ! I just love Him!

What to do?

Mae has recently lost her first two teeth. It was an exciting new thing in our house! I even wrote two fun little poems for Mae and left them under her pillow along with her surprise. But now I am left with two little teeth! What do I do with them? My mom saved mine and brothers' teeth, and I think she still has them. As far as I know they are still in a little box in her dresser. But why??! There are two little teeth just sitting in my jewlry box on my dresser.......why? I have no idea what to do with them but at the same time I'm not sure I want to throw them away. I am not a scrapbooker (as mentioned in one of my previous posts), so I won't be adding them to an album. Can I make them into a neclace once she is finished loosing teeth? Ewe! Why would I do that?! But having them sit in a box on my dresser doesn't make any sense either. Ah, what to do, what to do? Any suggestions???

Pot or Not?

Mae is learning about Johnny Appleseed in school. I had forgotten about Mr. Appleseed!!! I remember learning about him too when I was in school. He was a young man who traveled around America planting apple trees in the late 1700's early 1800's. I remember pictures of him, cartoons really, and he wore a pot on his head! Did he really wear a pot on his head or is it something that grew with the ledgendary tale? Hmmm, I think I'll ask Mae since she is becoming an "Appleseed" expert.

Me: "Did Johnny Appleseed wear a pot on his head?"
Mae: "Yes!"
Me: "Are you sure? Is that true?"
Mae: "Yes, that's how the story goes."
Me: "Why would he wear a pot on his head?"
Mae: "So he won't have to carry it! He might want to cook some meat."

Hmm. Well, there we have it! Must be true!

8 weeks and 4 days

I have now been in our new place for 8 weeks and 4 days. In some ways it feels much longer, but then I also feel like I am still out of place. Many things have been accomplished since moving and many more things still need to be done.

Things I have accomplished since moving:

• found and got myself to the library (already paid my first late fee!)
  
• found a preschool for Caleb
• found 2 grocery stores
• found a cool park for the kids
• unpacked 98% of the moving boxes (actually I can not take the credit for this, my fabulous parents did a HUGE portion too! couldn't have done it with out them....they are the best!)
  
• organized just about everything that has been unpacked so far! (thanks again to Mom & Dad!)
  
• found Mae's school and got her registered in time to start the school year
  
• found a peditrician for the kids (Caleb and Isabel have already had appointments!)
• Set up a doctors appointment for myself
• had the kids medical records transfered to new the doctor
  
• got my eyes checked (new glasses coming soon!!)
• got the oil changed on the truck
  
• found a place to get my hair cut (won't be going back, so this should go back on the "need to do" list...darn it!!)
  

Things I still need to do:

• call garbage company and ask why they won't take the unfolded boxes we have left out at the curb during garbage/recycling day
• finish going through the boxes with miscelaneous crap, whoops I mean stuff.
• sell old tv cabinet
• sell old computer desk
• contact landlord and fill out rental application (but really, if the landlord hasn't contacted me already then he obviously isn't concerned, maybe I'll just wait for him!)
  
• get and install cabinet locks on all Isabel-accessible drawers and cabinets (she's a busy one that girl! arghh!)
• ask Ryan to get wireless "stuff" needed so we can move the computer desk to where I want it to go
  
• call church about Tuesday night bible study
• find a babysitter!!!
• call possible home groups for info about joining
• join a home group
  

There it is, my accomplishments and goals! Whew! I'm sure there is more that I can do but I'm tired of adding to the "need to" list. I do not need to discourage myself with a list that is impossibly long! Altogether it's not a bad list of things done and "need to". Now we just have to settle in a church and make some friends. Then we will be home.

A Sunday Outing

We went to the zoo today. It was a nice day to venture out for a little while, not too hot. We had visited the park on Labor Day but the heat zapped us (the adults) of our energy so we did not stay long. This time it was warm but a nice breeze kept us refreshed (that and the water misters....love those things!). We saw a bald eagle, some condors, a tiger, mountain goats, giraffs, and a lion and his family. The kids enjoyed it, but I think the part they liked the most was a little play area that had three small statues that were really water fountains. Why didn't we just go directly there and spend our time? Did we really pay for a memership so our kids could play in the fountains? No, we didn't. But the kids did enjoy looking at the animals. I guess it is kind of like giving them a new toy, as they do like the toy, they inevitably play with the box.

Cute sayings and words

My kids have said the cutest things since they started talking. Ryan and I have enjoied remembering them as well as making some of them a part of our own vocabulary. Here is a list of super cute words or phrases Mae and Caleb have said (or are still saying!).

Mae:

• likes chup-chup on her hot dog.
• wants dam-daids on her boo-boos.
• Grandma Scurries has a dog named Swinkers (Snickers)
• likes to eat wallermellon
• tried to say psycho-ramma but came out psycho-mamma (great. thanks.)
• likes to go to the Daddy Gate (aka: a Daddy date--the first one was to a Dairy Queen)
• likes to listen to Daddy's Pork-a-guese music while in the car.
• for lunch she likes to eat a fee-funch (peanutbutter and Jelly sandwhich)
• if not a fee-funch, then a tuna-funch will do.
• gicky! (icky)
• likes to have a hopcicle when it's a hot day
• loves her granma and 'nuher granma
• was at the store with Daddy and one of the items on the list was for a memeber of the family (who shall remain nameless) that had a, let's say, bowel issue.....and Mae did not want her daddy to forget the item so she said very loudly "don't forget the poo-poo medicine!!!" (I'm sooo glad I was not there, I would have died right there!).
• likes to point out a bonedozer to her brother when passing by one.
• Mommy went to the hostibal when she had Isabel.
  

Caleb:

• When Isabel was in infant he said "Iddabow wooka my winnow!" (translation: Isabel's looking out my window)
• first word was guck (truck.....boys, go figure)
• puts hut-my-ohs (marshmellows) in his hot chocwhat
• likes to eat woe-gurt
• goppi (thank you)
  
• goppi to wonk (thank you for the milk)
• liked to visit his friend Ethan, he would say "I go to Woody house" (I have NO idea how he got "Woody" out of Ethan's name!)
• likes fighter fighters (firemen....fire fighters)
• was excited about his new brown shoes and would sing in the trcuk "I like my choc-choc shoes they fit!" (choc-choc = chocolate)
• passes a vineyard and starts singing "grapes grow on farms!"
• When talking about needing a Daddy gate here in our new place he said "we can get one, but we can't carry it, but an elephant can!"
• loves to watch header-hockters in the sky (helicopter)
• I wuv you too much!
• got a new Sponge-Bob tooth brush at the store, the cashier let him carry the bag....."I got my own bag, t-bob!" (I think he said it all the way home!).
• loves bull-bozers
  

I'm sure I am not remembering all the super cute things they have said, but this is a good representation! (anyone want to add to my list?....did I forget anything? ) I can hardly wait to hear what fun and silly things that Isabel has to say!

Buy me!

House for sale!
I am a lonely Midwest house for sale!

My owners have left me.
Abandoned me for the west coast.
To the sunny west coast they left me.
Left me to sit in emptiness.
Empty, lonely, waiting for someone new.
Someone new to claim me.
Claim me from this empty state of being.

I'm in great shape,
just look at my bathroom!
I had a little accident,
got a little wet,
but now I'm all new!

There is one little thing that you can do.
You can buy me!
Buy me, won't you?

Broken Promise

I did something this week that I vowed I would never do. Because of my promise, I am a little ashamed to admit to what it is that I did, but I really should begin the healing process........here it goes......I scrapbooked. Yes, I did a little scrapbook. Mae's teacher had sent home a packet of empty pages that we were to fill with pictures of Mae that marked the growth and developement in her life. And being the crafty person that I am I could not just slap on some pictures and call it good. No, I had to do it right, I had to make it look great. When the teacher is done with the pages she will then have it bound and made into a book, so this is something that Mae will have forever. Because of this, I felt compelled to make the pages into something that she could enjoy and look back on later in life. And it did turn out rather nice. I am not surprised, it's just that I never wanted to get into scrapbooking because I don't need another thing in my life to make me feel guilty for not getting to it or working on it. I do not need to behind in another project! I wonder if I will have to make one for Caleb and Isabel later, when they are in kindergarten? I will wait and see for I am not about to embark on another scrapbook!

Losing my baby

It's true, I'm losing my last baby! Isabel is walking, and as it is exciting to see her take steps it is also sad at the same time. Just a couple weeks ago she was only standing on her own and doing a cute little booty-in-the-air crawl and now she's walking! She is just another couple weeks away from running! Yikes! This is my last baby and she's walking, this is another step toward toddlerhood and one step farther away from the sweet little baby I had just a few short months ago. Why did I encourage her to walk? Why didn't I push her down when she started to stand and move around the coffee table? Why is it that at every stage I think "this is the best, I wish she would stay right here forever", but then I cringe at the thought of her changing? sigh I suppose I just need to resign myself to the fact that she is my last baby and just cherish and store up these things in my heart to ponder when I am older.....but first I'm going to sulk and have a pity party, then I'll smile and laugh at the cute little unsteady steps she is taking. Ah, my last baby.

Weekend News Report

We got home late last night, well ok it was officially this morning but I never consider it "the next day" until I have gone to bed. So, we get home shortly before 1 am and we are all tired from the trip but a great time was had by all! Whew, driving to and from Modesto and Southern California in three days is hard man! But time alone with my husband makes it totally worth it! I'd so do it again!

Ryan and I went to his cousins wedding in Seattle and my parents were kind enough to watch the kids. We had a great time! We enjoied uninterrupted conversations with each other, quiet in the car, no whining or fussing as we waited in airport lines, only one small bag to check in, no strollers, a hotel room with an occupancy of 2, an awesome dinner where the only food we had to cut was our own, oh and waking up to silence! We had fun recalling these things in the car as we enjoied the peace that our vehicles used to possess. Don't get me wrong, we love our kids! We also talked about the cute, silly and adorable things that they do. But I can't say enough how great it was to just get away for even just one night. But maybe we really should have stayed away longer, the kids didn't seem to miss us. No one ran to the door when we walked in (except maybe my parents....."we're so glad your back!")

On a side note, I loved the wedding favor! It was a cd that the couple made from various artists. They named the cd "Sticky Gooey Love Songs". We listend to it yesterday on the way back to my parents house, on the drive home, and I now have it in the cd player in the kitchen. I can rock out to the sticky gooey love songs as I cook dinner. I just can't say enough about the sticky gooey love songs. Maybe it's the title? I think it's a clever name. Sticky gooey, sticky gooey, sticky gooey! Isn't that fun?!

It's Monday now, back to real life. Back to vehicles filled with endless questions, cutting other peoples food, strollers and a home with an occupancy of 5. It's great to be back home!

How cool is this?

I have been inspired by a new/old friend. Up until a week ago I had thought that a blog was something that teenagers were into, guess I was wrong (and glad to be so). After reading my friends blog I became intrigued with the concept. I began thinking how cool it was to be able to express everyday life and thoughts through this medium. Of course I also began to desire one of my own. So here I am, writing my very first blog entry. How cool is this? Answer: very!