Confession

I began a new "life" this past week! I started back to college. Such a hard thing to believe but I did! I cannot believe it but I did. I am taking a Math class for what I call "dummy adults" two online classes.
So - my life is in desperate need of some restructuring. One of the things that will probably take a backseat will be this blog. I kinda hate it actually. I really enjoy my blog and I enjoy writing here but I am not sure how often I will be able to do this! One of the classes I am taking is an English class where I will be doing some writing and maybe it will happen here some but for now, I am not sure I will be updating my blog very often.
The family is all doing well and they are being so wonderfully supportive of me while I go through this new phase of my life. Probably the next time you hear from me will be when I get to tell you my first granddaughter has arrived!!!
Cheerio all!

Praying with Vision

I started a blog about Christmas complete with pictures and all but it just isn't "working" for me right now! So I am changing plans! And - since it is my blog, I can do that! :))

The other day I was listening to Moody radio and Dennis and Barbara Rainey were talking about praying for our children. I really enjoyed the program but one thing really spoke to me and that was one of their guests saying that when they prayed for their children, they prayed with vision. I have been thinking about this all week. Here is what I think about that - when I think about praying for my kids with vision, the danger is I feel like I am praying for them to "turn out" the way I want them to. Does that make sense? We are all normal when we have ideas as to how we think our kids should live their lives. But I am of the opinion that this needs to go MUCH deeper than that! Its easy for us to say that we want our kids to be "all they can be for God" but is that just an easy way to pray? Maybe I am just making things more difficult than what they really are but I have definitely made some changes in the way I pray for my kids. There are so many things out there that are vying for the attention of our young families. The devil would like nothing more than to have them get their eyes off of serving God completely and living true holy lives. But - is that my vision of a true holy life or is that God's version of a true holy life? Trust me, if I did not believe in the way I live my life, I wouldn't live it this way! What is the point of doing something if you don't believe it with your whole life?? And no, I don't think that my kids have to live just like me in order to be "right". When I take a good look at what is going on in the world around me, I know that the only tool I have is prayer and I had better be putting it to good use!

So - I have been trying to pray for my kids with vision but praying it in alignment with God's vision that I see in His Word! I don't think I can go wrong there! One thing along this line of thought that also really helps me is knowing that Jesus takes the stuttering and messed up prayers I try to pray for my kids and polishes them alllllll up and then tells my Heavenly Father what I really meant to say. That gives me all the hope in the world!

If you care to, tell me how you pray for your kids! And remember, while anyone can respond, I am at the stage in my life where I have two kids that are gone from home and the last one with one foot out the door! So, praying for wisdom in potty training is a little late for me!! :)) Seriously though, I am very interested in what you have to say so feel free to comment!

Recent "Stuff"

I thought I would shock everyone (all 2 of you) that reads my blog and post some actual pictures from recent events in my life. And so now that you have picked yourselves back up off the floor, here we go!

I was "privileged" to take a road trip to Missouri for a surprise 50th birthday party for my sister-in-law Diane! Now picture this - my brother Jim driving and his faithful navigator, my brother-in-law Paul beside him. The next row we find our mother and my sister Sandy. Then in the back you see - me! The baby of the family! You will have to know that the last time I can remember a road trip of any kind with more than one of my siblings, I was probably a very young child which meant that I was sitting on the lap of one of my brothers. Not real comfortable but back then our road trips lasted at the most for an hour! This one was about 5 to 6 hours. And in case you are wondering - everyone came back in one piece! We had tons of fun and enjoyed Missouri and the beautiful weather and getting to be with Greg and his family!! So without further ado, may I introduce my brother and his wife Diane!

Thanks to a great boss who offered to trade my Saturday to work, I was able to go with Ashley to a volleyball tournament in Bird Lake, Michigan! We all had a blast and were so very proud of our girls for finishing 2nd! Ashley got a trophy for the most valuable player on her team! I was very proud of her! She kinda messed up both ankles and had some swelling and soreness for a couple of days but she survived!! She definitely plays volleyball all out and her brother would like me to insert his "your welcome" here for he thinks that all the praise should go to him!! :)

This past weekend we put up the tree and got all the Christmas decorating done! Thanks to Dave and Ashley it got finished! I was sick and felt like doing nothing! We usually have to move furniture in order to put up the tree and I am not talking about just scooting something over! I am talking about moving something OUT of the living room completely! But we survived and thanks to them, here is the finished product!

My village is something that I love and due to some other stuff I wanted out, it ended up on the floor next to the tree this year. Not sure it is my favorite place for it but it is kinda growing on me!

Christmas will be somewhat different this year. Due to a schedule change with David and his employer - the Marine Corp - they are coming for Christmas early! I am working on the not complaining quite loudly part! :) Anyway, they will be here Saturday for about a week and we are all very excited! Josh and Carrie aren't able to come until the 28th so our family Christmas will be quite spread out!
BUT - at least we can see them all, all are healthy and God has blessed us all beyond measure!

Things I am Thankful For

1) God's grace - where would we be without it??
2) Diet Mt Dew - where would I be without it sometimes?!
3) My husband - he is just simply the BEST!!
4) Stove Top Stuffing - just positively delicious!
5) David - my FAVORITE Marine and best number 1 son!!
6) Cell phones - mine never leaves my side!
7) Christa - best daughter-in-law and mommy-to-be ever!!
8) Football - just makes me smile!
9) Carrie - my favorite oldest daughter whose giggle makes me crack up!!
10) Black house slippers - nothing more comfortable!
11) Josh - my favorite number 2 son who never fails to make me smile!!
12) Have I mentioned Diet Mt Dew yet?!?!
13) Ashley - my favorite youngest daughter who keeps things VERY interesting!!
14) Teddy bears - have you seen my house lately?!?!
15) Andrew - my favorite number 3 son "one-of-these-days" who is nuts about Ashley!!
16) Chocolate - a necessary evil in my book!!
17) Friends - too many to name but I will anyway at the risk of leaving someone out - Tara (my bestest Florida friend), Donna (my old work buddy I miss lots), Jackie (my full-of-life Florida friend), Angie (my Frankfort cookie buddy), Beth and Kim (my "what do we do with adult children buddies) and many more I am sure I do not have enough room to mention!
18) And of course - Diet Mt Dew. Not sure I have said that yet!!
19) My church - so glad I am attending where I am!!
20) And last - I am just thankful in general that God has blessed me way more than I deserve and I want to learn to do a better job of expressing my thanks to HIM!!

Today - Veterans Day

The following will be quite transparent so read on with carefulness.

Today is Veterans Day and for some reason, the tears are barely kept away. The bank is closed today and therefore I am at home. I really should be cleaning up my house since I have some company coming for lunch but this is a little more important at the moment!

How did he go from this -


to this??


Here is a part of the story from my point of view and since this is my blog - I can do that!! :))

David has always been a fighter - he kinda started out that way being born 3 1/2 weeks early and barely over 5 pounds! But trust me, he quickly made his presence felt and known in this world! He hasn't stopped if you want the truth! :))

We went on a trip just after his graduation from high school and we knew the thoughts that were going on his head about his future. We were in a church service over the 4th of July and we stood while the National Anthem was played and I looked up at this young man beside me who was fighting tears and I knew. Looking back, I can say - I knew. But that knowledge brought a battle along with it. I was not in agreement with what he wanted to do. My son had to stay around home and marry someone and work in the church and do exactly what I thought he should! I know - not too smart of me huh? We continued on with our trip that summer and the whole time, the battle raged. Not just with me though - the battle going on with David was evident. We came home and he struggled. Finally, he went for his physical for his decision had been made - a pilot he wanted to be for the Marine Corp. I prayed. Not in the right way of course. I mean, I was his mother and I knew best. He came home and laid down on the floor in the living room and was an unhappy boy. He couldn't be a pilot since he was color blind. And so, the battle continued on and was getting worse. One evening, I was already in bed for the night, my husband came into our room and said these words that forever changed our lives as we would know them. "Leah, I am going into David's room and I am telling him that he has our permission and full support to join the Marines". My response?? "No he doesn't". The battle took a different course for a few minutes while I argued my point! But in the end, that is exactly what he did. For David, the inward battle was probably ending but for me, the all-knowing Mom, it was only beginning and getting worse with each second. The dreaded day arrived and we drove him to Ft Pierce and said our goodbyes and my heart was ripped out of my chest. How could this be happening? This was all so wrong. For the next 3 months our communication was through letters about once a week. He was surviving and I lived for those letters. Graduation day was an unbelievable memory! Proud of him???? Oh you had better believe it! But guess what? The battle was still on! We kept on with living - something new now because we had a Marine. Life just kept going and we along with it. Then, it was the "D" word. Deployment. There is absolutely no way in the world I can tell you what that 7 months was like and you simply cannot understand it unless you have lived through it. I remember the comparisons people made between their child going off to college and mine going off to war! Yea right - two things that are exactly alike! NOT!!! Not even close. I lived for the weird phone number on the caller id and no matter where I was - that was a phone call I took! Yes - even in the middle of church!! But - for me, the battle was still on! Then, homecoming day finally arrived and nothing prepared me for the emotions of that day! Wow - I actually felt like I could breathe for the first time in 7 months.

Today - my pudgy little baby is a full grown adult in his last months in the Marine Corp. He is married to the best girl parents could ask for and his baby girl is set to make her appearance in March. Wow - what a man! I am so proud of him!

As for the battle?? Guess what?? It is still ongoing. Want to know why? BECAUSE I AM HIS MOM!!!!!!! God has used some circumstances recently to remind me that I battle because I care and because I am normal! But you want to know what I am really learning?!?! God is faithful - especially when I battle in the place of prayer! The devil is working overtime to destroy my children. I wonder why he has not figured out that God and a Mom make an awesome team!

So - David - I am so incredibly proud of you and thank God every day that you are who you are! YOU are such a hero to me - just below your dad if you want the truth! I love you!

Announcement

I shall take a couple of minutes on this small thing called a lunch break to give you the latest news! Unless of course you have already heard it which would make it not news at all! Oh well - I am the owner of the blog and will tell it anyway!!! :)

In March we will be the proud grandparents of a baby girl!! Now - how awesome is that?!?! I am super excited as are all the females in our family! Oh and the males are excited also which means we are all pretty much thrilled with the news!!!

Its weird to say that I am going to be a grandparent but its true! So the big question now is........(drum roll please).........what are we going to be called?!?! Grandma and Grandpa? Nana and Papa? Old woman and old man?!?! I mean really!!! The possibilities are endless!! Suggestions from the blog world?!?!

We are thrilled for David and Christa and can't wait to meet the newest member of our family!!!

A Dilemma

So here is the dilemma that I have had in the back of my mind for quite some time. I am not a writer like some others I know. I have read some blogs where the writer sounds like he/she comes right from a devotional book. I have read some others that absolutely had me in stitches the entire time I was reading it. I have read some where I have to admit that I just "sped read" my way through and went on my way. I have even read some that I kinda felt bad because the writer was bashing their significant other like there was no tomorrow.

One of the reasons that I started a blog in the beginning was because I felt like I needed a way to express myself in my own unique way. Another reason was so that I could just post some pictures and events and happenings in my family for far away family members. But - since my big move a little over a year ago, I have kinda lost my way when it comes to posting pictures of things going on. I really don't like to take pictures that much anyway and so I put myself on a guilt-trip for doing a blog without pictures.

So - the dilemma?? Do I just keep blogging whenever I have the time and if I have pictures I post them and if not, too bad for the readers? Do I blog what I really think about some things or do I just keep my mouth shut (which is pretty hard for me)?? Do I keep this blog going and then start one that is private and just post my "horrible" thoughts there? If I don't have time for this one, how can I do another one? And another thing, I have to be careful what I blog about so as to not be offensive to people. I really have no desire to blog about things that will cause my husband grief since he runs into people all the time while he is out traveling that tell him they read my blog! What to do? Oh what to do??

That is my big dilemma where this blog is concerned. If I really have that many readers out there, maybe you could post your comment and let me know what you think. Which brings me to my request - if you are a private lurker, would you be so kind as to send me an email and tell me who you are? Its just the curious part of me! I look forward to reading your responses!