The Kids Are Home!

Hannah and Kent arrived Wednesday night from Wyoming!  They got here about 9:30.  Kent brought his huskie, Sierra, so we let the dogs hang out and get used to each other while we chatted.  

Scott and I worked Thursday so sometime after we got home, Kent and Hannah and I went to the gym for spin class.  There weren't enough bikes and I had to sit in the instructor chair!  It was embarrassing but I survived.  When we got home, I made Khmer fried rice. We played games and laughed and laughed.

Friday we ran some errands, got Hannah some running shoes, I booked my trip to Mexico over Spring Break (with my Mama!).  When Scott got home, we took the dogs for a hike on a trail I hadn't been on at the Top of The World.  It was awesome!  The weather was amazing!

Leah and David then arrived!  All three of my kids!  Five!  We ate at Chipotle, of course.  Loved it!

When we came home, we played a new game that Leah and Joel made for us for Christmas!  It is called Chalkaholic and involves everyone drawing random things based on categories at the same time on a chalkboard.  It was a bunch of fun.  Lots of laughter.

Today the girls and I went shopping at the mall.  We then went to Rock Star and Rogers and I found a jacket and some boots that I've been wanting for a fraction of the cost.  And cheap sunglasses for my trip!  Hannah and Kent went to the kstate basketball game and Leah and David, Joel and I ate Jimmie Johns and watched the game at home.  

Tonight we have Josh Burmeister over and we played some fun games he brought and made pizzas and ate.  The kids have now dragged Rock Band out of the attic and are playing it!

I love having my kids home!  David and Kent join right in the laughter and fun and ridiculousness that is us.  We are waiting for Scott to get home from his soccer tournament.

And yesterday, Scott was offered and accepted the position as Director of Emergency Management for Geary County School district!  A perfect job for him!  He is so qualified for it and will enjoy the challenge!  I'm so happy for him!

God is so good!  

Doing The Christian Thing

I admit, I have trouble doing the Christian thing.  Sometimes when going through the motions at church or listening to klove,  I have doubts.  What if this is all something we've made up?  

But then every day when I spend time with God, He becomes very real to me.  He reminds me of all the things He's done for me and ways He's answered my prayers that can't be explained any other way.  I know deep inside myself that He's real.  

I have a hard time exploding this to others.  I have a hard time just telling others about why they should accept Him and it sounds so trite.  He means so much to me in such a personal way that I can't really put into words for others.  So I just pray for people who don't know Him like I do.  I pray that He shows Himself to them like He has to me.  His promises are real.  

My verse today is Exodus 19:4 You yourselves have seen what I did in Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles wings and brought you to myself. 

 He has carried me so many times.  He brought me to Himself.  He works in me and through me every day.  He works miracles in my life and in the lives of others around me.  He accepts me and loves me even though He knows things about me that no one else knows.  He keeps His promises, promises to give me strength and hope and courage and joy.  

It isn't anything to do with going through the Christian things like going to church or listening to Christian music.  It's a personal relationship with a very real God.  

Christmas 2014

Christmas Eve day, yesterday, we drove to Topeka to pick up Julie, then on to Aberdeen to visit Dad.  We had brunch in the dining room then geek a nap and watched Family Feud with Dad then drove home.  Leah and David arrived shortly after.  We ate pizza and cheesecake and played Pandemic.

This morning unlike many Christmas mornings, we took our time getting up and around.  Leah and Julie and I had coffee and orange Danish, a family tradition and took our showers.  We got the boys up and opened presents, practical gifts this year.  Leah and David got a crock pot and socks.  Joel got a watch, a tile to help him find his wallet, copies of his car keys and a magnetic box for his keys.  Scott got an electric toothbrush.  The dogs got new collars.

The rest of the day was spent playing games, resting, preparing a feast, and relaxing, oh, and eating, a Christmas must.  

I made some new recipes for Christmas dinner and they turned out ok.  Smoked brisket, twice baked mashed potatoes, spinach, apple and cranberry salad with creamy poppyseed dressing, crescent rolls, and cherry crunch dessert.  

Christmas This Year

Our Bible study group is studying counter cultural Christmas, in other words, the true meaning of Christmas.   Then we've had sermons about it. And I even got an email with this picture which I posted on Facebook.

 Our culture has made Christmas about hurrying to buy a bunch of presents and decorate and wrap gifts and bake and eat and stress out.  I used to do it all.  I've always felt something was missing.  

When you look back over the special Christmasses you've had, it really isn't about any of those things.  For me, it's been about worship.  And fun, relaxing times with the family.  

So this year, I'm trying to do only those things I feel led to do.  I want to let people know how special they are to me.  I want to slow down and see what God wants me to see.  I want to spend time with people.  I want to spend time thinking about Christmas, the birth of our savior.  God came here to be with us, to let us know we are special and that He loves us so much.  He came to make a way for us to be with Him forever.  I want to rediscover the true meaning of Christmas.

I Love Saturdays

Saturdays are so great!  I get extra sleep, quality and quantity coffee time with God, then I make my to do list and grocery lists.   By Saturday night the fridge and cupboards are full, the house is clean, laundry is done, I've had a nap, time with Adelle, reading time, and then I get to crawl into clean sheets ready for church tomorrow!  

Sorry It's Been So Long!

Whew!  Been awhile since I wrote!  Catching you up:

Thanksgiving was at our house and it was a lovely and relaxing time.  I kept the dinner simple on purpose just to keep the stress low.  Mom and Dave came the night before as did Leah and David!  On Thanksgiving we were joined by Alexis, Jeff and Jake, and Jon and his friend.  We feasted and played games, of course.  

Joel has come home for awhile to recoup til he gets a job in his field or money starts coming in from games.  He drove straight through to get home and it was awesome to be awakened at 6am on a Sunday morning with a tap then a hug.  

Work is good. Crazy stuff happens on a regular basis.  I like having Scott there so we can support one another.  He doesn't love his job but knows he's doing good here and there where he can.  

TRU is going well.  New families and good attendance on a regular basis.  

Some good news and sad news with Homestead.  A few weeks ago, we received word that one of our previous gals died of a heroin overdose.  Her name was Shannon.  She loved Jesus but just couldn't break out of the prostitution and drug addiction.  I loved her.  I had kept up with her on Facebook.  She had recently been reaching out, wanting  to come back to Homestead.  There aren't a lot of options out there for these gals.  There needs to be more Christian drug treatment centers and rescue facilities.  Even then the statistics aren't good. Similar to domestic violence as best we can tell.  Ours is the next step, transition into society.  

But the good news for Homestead is that we have two more graduates!  One of the gals from Detroit who had been working the streets, addicted to drugs, was rescued by an FBI agent and sent to us.  She loves Jesus with all her heart and He has healed her.  She is moving back home and gets her precious children back.  The other gal is a young gal who was pretty much taken hostage by a much older man in Kansas City and was addicted to meth and being groomed for trafficking.  A friend recognized the danger and sent her to us.  She, too, has been healed by Christ.  Both these girls completed apprenticeships and are ready to be out on their own.  Both are such precious people and I feel honored to have gotten to know them and walk alongside them on their journeys.

Adelle turned 19 last weekend.  We had a little birthday lunch for her at Pizza Hut.  She now has a case manager at Big Lakes.  Not sure what that means exactly other than we now have additional help in getting Adelle ready to move out of her parents home and either pursue an education or work.  She is still at high school and through school, she sacks groceries in a grocery store in town.  It's been a big adjustment for her but she doing ok.  

Adelle also likes going with us to TRU.  Here she is getting her worship on:

Diego is holding at 35 pounds.  He is calming down and responding to training so the craziness has lessened.  I still have hope he can be a therapy dog at out school but he has some quirks that are going to have to go away.  He doesn't like detain sounds and when he encounters them, he goes berserk!  

I'm still working out at the gym about 4 nights per week.  I put on a couple pounds over Thanksgiving that I can knock off.  Oh well.

That's pretty much it!  

Out Of The Ordinary

What have I done lately that was out of the ordinary day to day things I do?

Couple of weeks ago, we had a ministry fair at church.  I'm on the Welcome Committee.  Well, as of last Sunday, I'm in charge of the welcome committee.

Scott and I went to a k-State football game.

We got Diego neutered.  It was supposed to calm him down.  Didn't.

This week we are having Angela Dicostanza and her friend Rhoda stay here.  I enjoyed the weekend with just the girls very much.  We've been to Chipoltle, a walk, the movie, and played dominoes.

We went to a family get together at Ronnie's last weekend and saw the fam.  Did t take pics, sorry.

A few weeks ago I took Diego over to Alexis' for a play date.

The weekend before that I went to the Wstmoreland jail to visit our friend, Bryce.  Didn't take pictures of that, either.  

Other than that, life at Eisenhower middle school and the Clark abode goes on as usual.  

What's new with you?