So Long Ordinary

This song has been playing in my head over and over since we sang it in church on Sunday. It's my theme song for this season of life. Whatever God is doing in my heart and whatever ugliness I have to face within myself, I know I will be victorious. In fact, through Christ, I already am.

I've been in a weird place lately. It bothers me and I don't like to share about it much. But here's the truth - God is dealing with me in areas that until now I have kept firmly walled in and out of reach. Funny thing. Nothing is out of reach for God. Read Psalm 139. While this is a very personal journey and not something I'm ready to share the details about, I will say that I believe God has a purpose in all He is doing in me right now. I'll confess that I don't much like where I'm at at the moment. It's ugly. Unpleasant. Humbling. But one thing God keeps telling me over and over again through others and His Word is that He loves me . He loves me! I tell you what, that simple Truth is probably the hardest one for me to grasp. Be honest with yourself, do you really grasp it? As I face giants and ugliness I'd rather have kept buried these days, there is another thing God keeps reminding me. I am an Overcomer. It's already been beat. Eve...

Big Sis and Baby Sis. Brooklyn adores Paige. My three Beauties. Gosh, I love them! Paige's Sunday Picture. March 22, 2009 Brooklyn and her new cat. He totally freaked out right after I took this. Oops, shouldn't have used the flash! But Brooklyn can handle him! Maddie the Mischevious

Yet another week has sped on by. I can't believe we're nearing the end of March. This has been a good week. Here's a little update: My sister and nieces were down for Spring Break. We had an awesome time. We had great adventures getting pedicures (that's a whole other story), going swimming, and just hanging out. I love that we get to see each other more than once a year now! Sometimes more than once a month! I'm trying to figure out how on earth I'll ever complete all my schoolwork. I know it will happen somehow (it always does). I'm not exactly behind yet...but if I continue at my current rate I will be! I had hopes that I would be able to do some work after the big girls go to bed but that is Paige's most "needy" time. By the time I get Paige down for the night at around 11:30 pm, I'm too exhausted to even think about doing homework. Thank goodness this is my last semester. We got a cat last weekend. We've seen lots of mice outs...

First of all, thank you all for the comments. I love them! Madison appears to be a little sick again. Last night she had a fever of 102. I gave her Tylenol before bed and she seemed fine. This morning her temperature is around 100. She's got a yucky-sounding cough and those glassy eyes that are a telltale sign that things aren't right. What is the deal?! As far as I know, we haven't even been around anybody sick in a few weeks. (i.e. we weren't around my sister's family...just kidding!) How did she get this? We've been more sick here more often than we ever were overseas. We tested fate everyday by eating in roadside open-air restaurants where stray dogs and chickens hang around for scraps. My kids popped filthy strawberries in their mouths at the market. We rode on public buses jam-packed with all sorts of germ-y people. But our immunities were not prepared for every cold, flu, and stomach bug that populates the United States of America. It's bee...

Yeah, I've struggled with the concept of blogging lately. Mostly, because I feel like anything I have to say here could be said in person to the people who read this blog now! However, the general consensus appears to be that you don't care if you've already heard it "from the horse's mouth," you want to read it too. I have to say I don't get that. You people are weird. But I have heard from plenty of you who say I'd better keep blogging. I hear ya. Over the past few days as I've blogged a little more often, the strangest thing has happened. I've realized anew all of God's blessings. I'm excited about my life and I'm even anxious to share it with you again. Many of you are right, our life is a little different now but still just as valuable and exciting. I like that you can keep in touch with me through this blog (even if you never comment and I don't get to hear from you... hint hint) but what I re ally like is that this is ...

How do you like that dramatic title? Well, I can't help it. I am sad and brokenhearted. Sure, I know it's really nothing to cry over, but.... Okay, so here's the deal. Paige spent last night in her own room for the first time. Oh, it hurts to even type that. I've been struggling with the idea of relegating Paige to her own room for a few weeks now. She's been ready. She sleeps through the night just fine. Our room is crowded enough as it is without the crib in there too. And, I guess it was just time. I've never been this emotional when the time came to put my baby into her own room. With the other two I was excited to have my room back. Good grief, her room isn't that far away anyway! But it breaks my heart nonetheless. And I know why. We're about 99% sure we're done having babies. Our home feels FULL, and for the first time I can honestly say that I really don't feel capable of adding one more child to this mix. We don't feel the need...

The weather has been just beautiful lately. Sean and I (okay, mostly Sean) have been working outside, making preparations for our big planting plans. We'll have a greenhouse, a large garden, and plenty of wildflower patches, we're also going to put down some sod in our backyard. It's hard to imagine that it isn't really time to put some seeds in the ground. Not here anyway. It has been known to freeze even in June...so we must wait. But it's hard... I love that I can send the girls outside to play now. And when we have a yard it will be even better! Why nobody has bothered to plant some grass in the backyard of this house in the past 30 years is beyond me. Guess they preferred mowing down weeds. I can't wait to have some grass out back for the girls to roll around in. That is something we missed when we were missionaries - there was never any grass you could just sit in or take a nap on - it either didn't exist or it was so full of creatures that you did...

Don't fall out of your chair. Three posts in one day?! You may be wondering what's up. I don't know. Maybe I just feel the need to communicate with somebody since I haven't left the house in three days and have been spending my time with tired, sick kiddos...who, indecently are feeling much better! I cannot believe that Paige will be three months old tomorrow! Wow, what a fast few months. Paige is my little angel-baby. Seriously, there never was a more easygoing baby. She's just pure sweetness through and through. Paige is my smiley-est baby and she's already cooing and trying to laugh. She sleeps through the night (my other two never did until they were a year old) and I didn't even try to get her sleeping through the night! The only real issue we have is recurring eye infections - I think due to plugged tear ducts, so we're working on that. Poor thing has icky eyes most mornings. But she's still just as content as can be. She's chubby and ...

Thanks for your prayers for the situation with MAF in Ecuador. There was a big meeting yesterday morning between our MAF friends and several Ecuadorian "big-wigs." Apparently, because of a lot of change in Ecuadorian leadership, there was some confusion over what MAF was doing exactly in Ecuador. The meeting did go well and our MAF guys were able to explain both the purpose of MAF in Ecuador and their desire for a little more time to raise up qualified Ecuadorian pilots to take over the program. As it stands now, MAF is being asked to come up with a detailed transition plan to submit to the DAC (Ecuadorian equivelent to FAA). The Director will then decide if they can make an exception for the US guys to continue flying for a few more years while new Ecuadorian pilots are found and trained. This has been a constant struggle since we joined the team in Ecuador in 2006. Having been there, we know how these missionaries must feel with the constant upheaval. It's hard to li...

Okay, I'm just checking in to say I've dealt with more bodily fluids in the past 24 hours than any mother should ever have to deal with. If I've grossed you out I don't care. You really have no idea. (Unless, of course, you are a mother) I'm holding so many disgusting details back...mostly because I've already blocked out the memory of them. All I'm saying is, laundry has become overwhelming...on so many different levels. ICK. However, I think we're on the mend. Brooklyn seems much better right now. She had a few pieces of cinnamon toast and is acting pretty normal! Madison is still acting very lethargic - she's asleep right now on the couch - but she did eat a little bit of toast too. More than anything, I think she's just all out of energy and maybe even a little dehydrated. Her fever is gone and she hasn't been throwing up for a long time. Pray for her. If she doesn't start drinking or eating more, we may have to take her in to the ...

Lately, I've really been evaluating whether I want to keep this blog up or not. When I'm this busy, it's hard to find the time...and, well, my life just isn't all that exciting any more. I'm not decided yet how things are going to go. Part of me is done blogging but the other part of me is not able to give it up. I'm just not sure what I should do. I'm blogging tonight to give a quick update while I wait for the pizza to finish cooking. I love homemade pizza. I borrowed my Mom's bread machine and it whips up a good dough in no time flat. I HATE kneading dough. Anyway, I haven't made this in a while since I sold my other bread maker in one of our moves (I don't remember which one). It electrocuted anybody who tried to sneak a peak anyway. And if you touched the dough while it was plugged in? FOGETTABOUTIT. It was very...shocking. I know. Ha. Ha. Okay, I'm way off-subject! Here's a quick update: I feel very grown up. I am now off...