Update

Well, Dave is headed to IHC today. Ashley is on an airplane as I type this to fly to Dayton. Carrie is still on choir tour and will be arriving in Dayton on Wednesday! I am at home waiting. On what? That would be the military to decide which day they will be flying home a certain young man!!! Yes - as is the usual case - the plans have changed so this family is taking flexibility to an all new level! I can't seem to think of a single one of us (Christa and Josh included) who are thrilled beyond words but since we are not the "head honchos", I don't think it matters a whole lot what we think!! Anyway, just a quick update and if the members of this family come to your mind, please pray for an extra large dose of grace and sanity. For reasons that should be obvious, we are all running a little short in those two areas! Ok - that was speaking for everyone which is probably not a good idea! I just thought that if I included all of us, the one who is really stressed (me!) wouldn't feel so guilty!!

News of Ashley

This is Ashley's school picture for this year which I am sure she will not be too happy about when she sees I did this!! BUT - anyway, what good is a Mom if you can't frustrate your kids, right??
As the baby of the family, Ashley has struggled somewhat finding something that she does that the other two haven't. I know - sounds weird but you probably understand what I mean. Anyway, a favorite thing that Ashley does is choir - this girl loves to sing!! Several weeks ago, the high school choir competed in Jacksonville for the state competition and won so they were able to go to the National competition that is held at Bob Jones University. They left bright and early Tuesday morning and headed off to compete. They sang on Wednesday and had to wait until the awards ceremony last night at 7 before they knew the results. Our choir placed FIRST at Nationals and let me tell you, we had some very happy kids last night! I thought my eardrum would burst when I answered my cell phone! They were all sooooooo excited about winning!
I don't know if it has really hit Ashley yet or not, but she finally has done something that the other two haven't and that is win with the choir at Nationals. David and Carrie both sang in High School choir all 4 years and never went to Nationals. I was really happy for her! They are on their way home as I am typing this and I wonder how long it will take me to settle that girl down this evening so I can go to sleep?!?!?!?!

Music

If you have ever had to suffer through the few times I had to play the piano in SS here in Hobe Sound OR actually listen to me play in church "up north somewheres", then you know that playing the piano is NOT one of my God-given talents! BUT - playing the piano is a HUGE stress reliever for me and not one I have been taking advantage of recently as I am sure my neighbors have been thanking God for!! However, a short 1 minute blurb is what I want to tell you about.

With very little detail, I will tell you that things have been a little "quiet" in my life on the spiritual side for quite some time. There has been many, many instances of emotional turmoil over recent months and I often wondered what the end result would be and if it would ever end. Last night, during a brief period of time when no one was home but me, I walked by the piano, paused and flipped open the chorus book that was left there by an unmentioned child. Here is where I stopped, here is where I pulled out the bench and played what was there. Here is where God spoke ever so gently to me! Here is what I played!

Be still and know that I am God!
Be still and know that I am God!
Be still and know that I am God!

I am the Lord that healeth thee!
I am the Lord that healeth thee!
I am the Lord that healeth thee!

In Thee O Lord I put my trust!
In Thee O Lord I put my trust!
In Thee O Lord I put my trust!

I know - quite simple actually! BUT - in HIS own way, God used this to speak to me and show me that once again, HE can ALWAYS be trusted! Then this morning, it became even more apparent that God was using it to speak VOLUMES to me - by the way, have you ever tried bending over to dry your hair, start crying bucket-loads and keep the snot out of your hair? It actually is very hard!
The bottom line is that I am blessed for God has chosen to speak to me and that makes ALL the difference!!!

An update and a break

Not much to say - no time to say it anyway! We are all getting ready to go all different directions until we meet up for homecoming in a couple of weeks. The next few weeks should be very interesting at the "funny farm". Dave will be off for revival and IHC, Ashley is headed to BJU for competition and then IHC, Carrie is headed off on choir tour and then we will all meet up for the BIG DAY!! I will be getting some alone time and I think that is a VERY good thing!
I think I am going to take a break from blogging. There is too much going on in my life right now and the tendency for it to seep into my blog is NOT a good idea. I often blog about struggles and frustrations and hurts and trials and for now, there are just too many and I am afraid to say them "out loud" so to speak. I do know that there is always something to learn and that God uses all kinds of things to teach lessons - these are just too painful to deal with in the "public eye".
I may update my "daily blurb" from time to time but I will have to see what time will allow. Check back for the next time I blog - excitement will have chased away the blues!!

A "Tradition" of Sorts

This blog will make no sense at all unless I give you some background so here goes. After you read this then the pictures will make sense!
My husband had a small cancerous tumor removed from the back of his throat almost 7 years ago this next month. (I may tell the whole story later but for now, this is the gist of it.) With that came the news that he would not be able to preach for quite awhile. Dave does not feel comfortable preaching with a beard so when he found out that he wouldn't be preaching for awhile, he decided to grow a beard. This is not a huge task for him as he can usually grow one in about a week. Well, he shaved it off in stages and Ashley was so excited about it so we took pictures. Well, when Dave had surgery a week and a half ago, he had already quit shaving due to the fact that he had gotten sick the few days leading up to surgery. Since he hadn't been up and about he just didn't worry about shaving - until last night. Ashley was so excited about getting to take these "special" pictures again. It was quite the hoot! I must admit to not necessarily liking this "tradition" these two have and hopefully it won't be repeated too often. Not because I don't like the beard but because both times this has happened, it has been because of Dave having surgery!!
So - this first picture is with the full beard, hat and sunglasses!

Then Ashley had to add her sunglasses!

Then we shaved off half of it!

He looks soooo mean doesn't he?!?! This is the scary look for his children!!

Aren't they just the coolest?!?!

By the time we were finished, Dave was completely wiped out and settled in his chair so I didn't bother with any "after" pictures. This is such a huge deal to my youngest daughter so I am sure she will be thrilled to see that I blogged about it. Of course she had better be happy with me since I did NOT post the one of her sticking her tongue out at me!!

Easter Pictures

This won't be a very long blog - just going to post some pictures from the weekend. It was a good weekend in some ways and a little difficult in others. No details coming just an interesting weekend. I may blog again later but for now - some pictures!
This is me and my girls all ready for church! This is all you get of the family since Dave was not going to church.

My two beautiful girls! I think even on their bad days I will just keep them!!

Carrie and Josh all dressed up for Easter!

See? She has already learned how to get his attention! "Look me in the eyes!!"

This is Carrie's "other" family! This is Josh and his family. Carrie, then Josh, then his Dad, Doug, his Mom, Crystal, Rebecca, Anna and then in front are Esther and Timothy! A great family!!

My Thank You's

These are not necessarily in any order but as I usually do - I will save the best for towards the last!
Thank you Tracy for the "antibacterial" soap. I am sorry - there is simply no explanation here!! Just thanks for being a great back-door neighbor!
Thank you Mom and Sandy for checking in all day Monday!
Thank you Elena and Wendy for the flowers and the card! That made Dave's day!!
Thank you Tara for checking in on me and keeping tabs on me!! You are the best!!
Thank you Christa for texting me and checking in with me all day!! You are the sweetest daughter-in-law-to-be!!
Josh - what can I say?? You are a life-saver in more than one way! Thanks for bringing the girls to the hospital! Thanks for taking Carrie to work and picking her up although I know that was NOT a chore for you!! Thank you for helping us in all the ways you did and still do!! I am pretty sure you are permanently stuck with this family!!! You are the BEST guy in the world for Carrie!!!!!!!!!!!
Ashley - thanks for going WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY out of your comfort zone and coming to see Daddy!! That meant a lot to him and to me!!! You are the best youngest daughter in the world!! I am so very proud of you!! I am also VERY proud of the way you are handling a certain situation and think you are the BEST!!!
Thank you Carrie for not wanting to be in class so you could be with me but going to class anyway because it was best for you!! You are the best oldest daughter in the world! I am so very proud of you and the way you are handling everything in your life! It is wonderful to see you sooooooo happy!!!
David - thank you for calling us at the hospital to check in on Dad! You made his day! Thank you for your promises of prayer! THAT was a great thing to hear! We love you and are very proud of you!!!
That's it! I think I am done and it's a good thing - it is LUNCHTIME!!!!