This and That

Jackson officially turned 3 today. He already had his birthday party last weekend, but Cara and Samantha both wanted to make him a cake. So they both did. Counting the 2 cakes from last weekend (we made 2 cause there was alot of people at my parents' house), he had 4 cakes for his 3rd birthday. He's hardly spoiled at all. :-)

In other news, Jackson is completely and totally potty trained, even at night. Took less than a week. Yea!!

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Danny started school last Monday and so far that is going good.

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Ralph had his sleep test last week and they told him he does have sleep apnea. So we are waiting for the doctor to call and tell us how to get a machine to help him rest better at night. The nurse said sometimes he went over 2 minutes without taking a breath. This makes him really tired all the time (well, that and the fact that he never gets enough sleep). So the blessing is that now he knows and can get help for it. God is so in control, because if Ralph had not had his vertigo and had to get a release, he wouldn't have gone to the doctor at all because he never does, and so the whole subject of his tiredness and snoring wouldn't have come up, and he wouldn't have gotten the sleep test. God knew it would take Ralph HAVING to go to the doctor, to get him there. Sooooooo, see, God does know what he is doing.

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And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

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Oh, another praise is that I was scheduled for jury duty this coming Wednesday, and I checked on-line earlier today and found out I don't have to go. YEA!!

I think that's about it for now. Gotta go get some kiddos into bed.

Good News for Families?

McCain has picked his running mate. So far, I have already received 2 political emails telling me how happy I should be. That this is good news for the Pro-Family Movement. I don't really know anything about Sarah Palin and I don't have anything against her, actually I agree with her on the few things I have heard, but I can't help thinking that if she is so pro-family, then shouldn't she be at home taking care of her own family? She has 5 children, one of whom was only born last April. Don't these children need their mother? I know, not a popular way of looking at it, but I just can't see how a woman can help run the country (a pretty demanding job, don't you think?), and also be there enough for her kids.

I'll shut up now.

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“That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, [To be] discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed”

(Titus 2:4-5).”

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**I've added a link to a blog that says what I feel so much better than I can say it.**

http://www.visionforum.com/hottopics/blogs/dwp/2008/08/4273.aspx

Entertainer of the Year! (or what we consider entertaiment around here) :-)

We're a Team!

My daughter and I wrote a song together. Cool, huh? I used to write songs. Well, I still do but most of them have no lyrics because although I think I'm pretty decent at writing the melody, I really stink at the lyrics. Problem solved. I just had to wait for Cara to grow up and develop an amazing talent for poetry. So last night after church, I took one of her poems, put it to music, and together we added a chorus. We have been singing it together today. I just think it's cool that we could write a song together, that's all. :-)

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Thank You Lord

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Oh, Lord, You've done so much for me.

You died to set me free.

And when You hung upon that tree,

You became heaven's key.

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Chorus:

Thank you, Lord

Thank you, Lord

You bled and died to rescue me,

Opened my eyes so I could see.

Thank You, Lord for saving me.

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I've sinned against you o're and o'er

but You just love me more.

Lord, You have made my heart to soar.

Tis You whom I'll adore.

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Chorus

Thank You, Lord

Thank You, Lord

You bled and died to rescue me,

Opened my eyes so I could see

Thank you, Lord for saving me

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Lord, Your love is amazing

Your truth is unchanging.

Your mercy is unfailing,

and You are so worth praising.

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Chorus

Thank You, Lord

Thank You, Lord

You bled and died to rescue me,

Opened my eyes so I could see.

Thank You, Lord, for saving me.

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Thanks for what you've done for me,

for setting my soul free.

Thank you, Lord, for ransoming me,

and helping me to see.

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Chorus

Thank You, Lord

Thank You, Lord.

You bled and died to rescue me,

Opened my eyes so I could see.

Thank You, Lord for saving me.

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Thank You, Lord, for loving me.

3 Years Old!!!

Yesterday we went to my parents' house to celebrate the August birthdays, particularly a certain little 3 year old. It's a little early, he isn't actually 3 til the 31st, but this is when it worked out for us all to get together. My parents, Ralph's mom, Scott and Lynn, and my other brother John were there. It was a very nice day. Jackson's eyes are shut or his tongue is out in almost every picture, but I will post a few anyway. I just love time to get together with family and thank God for giving me such a good family! Jackson was thoroughly spoiled by all. Here is Jackson with his new "guitar". It's really a child's ukelele, but don't tell him that. To him it's a precious guitar. Now he can finally stop "playing" the fireplace broom. :-)

He also gots lots of cars, trucks, and tractors, all of which he also loves.

Reflections

Yesterday (I can say yesterday because it's now 1:45 am and I can't SLEEP) was a big day for a little birthday boy. And I do want to blog about that, but not right now. I have something else on my mind right now.

As I was laying in bed, NOT sleeping, it hit me that these are most likely the "last days". Meaning, I truly believe Jesus will come soon for his church. And if I believe that, then what should my priorities be? Should it be more important to me for Jackson to potty train quickly, or for him to see a loving mommy who loves him no matter what? And should it be more important for him to finally learn to stay in his bed ALL night, or for him to know that I am here for him always, so he can eventually understand that there is a loving Jesus who is also here for him always, so much more than Mommy could ever be? I don't know why he has been so needy at night. It is the way he came out, from Day One. But he is. He is getting so much better, but still he needs to know that I am there sometimes.

And what about my slower reader? Should it be more important for her to learn to read fluently as soon as possible, or for her to have a patient mommy who loves her unconditionally and encourages her to keep trying?

And my sensitive daydreamer? What are his needs? To have me demanding he get back to work with yet another sigh, or for me to lovingly guide him back to his Math?

And what about academics in general? What is my goal? Is it more important to me to have "smart" kids, or kids who love the Lord with all their hearts and are ready for whatever this world may bring? Kids who will grow into adults who will say "Yes, Lord." to whatever he asks of them?

If I know the answers to these questions, and I do, then what should my focus be? Jesus didn't say to stop living our everyday lives, but he did say to be ready and watchful. Am I ready? Is my family ready? Am I doing everything in my power to help my family be ready? If we have memories in heaven, what will my family's memories be like? Will they remember a loving mother/wife? Oh, please, God.

What about the lost souls I come into contact with in my daily life? If Jesus is coming back soon, then they need to know, don't they? Yes, they need to hear that, even if they don't want to.

These are just some things I had on my mind.

First Day of School

Today was our first official day "Back to School". I believe we are always learning something, whether we are "doing school" or not, but this was the first day back to the books. I will not bore anyone who happens to read this with the whole rundown of the day, but I will just note that the highlights of the day for the kids were the homemade pizza for lunch and the trip to the pool after lunch for PE. The hard part of the day was dragging them out of bed at 6:30 am. Harder still was dragging myself out of bed at 5:30 am.

Here they are:

Last Wednesday, as the rest of us were all packing and loading the trailer and madly getting ready to go on a camping trip, Jackson was busy doing this with Cara's lipstick: But finally, after an extra bath for Jack, we got out of here and went up to Donner Lake Memorial State Park. It's a really nice place.

We went to the museum.

We got to play in the lake.

And we got to celebrate Danny's 19th birthday. I can hardly believe he is nineteen; that means Ralph and I are getting OLD. :-)

In this last picture, Joey has been frantically trying to rush Danny through his presents the whole time so we can get to the cake. Finally I have given Danny his cake and have informed Joey he is last because he was so impatient. I just love the look on Joey's face as Danny takes his first bite.

Monday is back to school for us, and then the next Monday is back to school for Danny. Summer went by soooooo fast. But we are hoping for a trip to the ocean in late September or early October, so we have something to look forward to. (Except for poor Danny, who will be slaving away on things like Biology and Advanced Composition, and things like that, AND working at the hardware store, where he was just promoted to Warehouse Manager.

We will miss him.........but not enough to stay home).

Today is church and so I better get going and get us ready.

A Proud Mama

Sunday morning we sang Cara's song again in church. Just before we sang the song, our beloved music director, Walt, called Cara to him and announced that he had sent her song to the man who is I think like a music director over all our churches in the state or something like that; I'm sorry I don't really know his title, but anyway he liked the song and wanted Cara's permission to sing it in churches all over the state! (Of course Cara gave her permission). Then it was time to sing the song and naturally I was all emotional and teary eyed and could hardly sing.

Then, Sunday evening we were treated to a beautiful rendition of Canon in D with Cara at the piano, Danny at keyboard, Nathaniel on guitar, and Colette on violin. I really wanted to post the video but it is 119 MG and I can only post up to 100 MG here, soooooo I can't put up the video. The kids dedicated it to our sweet, sweet brother in the Lord, Al Hendricks, who is going to be with his Savior soon. He was unable to be there, so the kids went to his house last Friday and gave him a private concert. I will have to settle for posting a picture of the kids:

I'm very proud. That is all. :-)

Murder Mystery Party and other stuff

Tonight Danny, Cara, and Nick went to a murder mystery party with their 3 best buddies from church. Danny was the tall, dark and handsome journalist, Cara was an actress, and Nick was a little Frenchman. They are still there so I don't know yet how it went, but I bet they had alot of fun. They had premade scripts and one of them will end up the murderer and I guess the rest have to figure out who it is. See pictures below. (In the first picture Nick is scowling on purpose because he figures that is what Frenchmen do. :-)
In other news, Ralph had to take a driving test today at the DMV. (Because of the vertigo he had a while ago, they made him retest, even though the doctor already filled out pages of release for him). Anyway, he said he was so nervous, even though he knows he knows how to drive. I guess the fear of losing his license was a pretty powerful thing. But he passed, as I knew he would, and the lady said this should finally be the end of it. I hope so!

I also found out that my dear brother started a new job today, so I'm praising the Lord for that. I hope it went well for him. In case you read this, we love you, Scott!!! Jackson has been praying so hard for Uncle Scott to get a job, that it will now be hard to get him to stop. In fact, tonight, he not only prayed for Uncle Scott to get a job, but also for Aunt Lynn, Grandma, Grandpa, and I don't know who all else to also get jobs.
And they didn't even know they wanted jobs......... :-)

That's enough ramblin' for now.