Is it Monday Yet?

It has been an eventful few days for us. So much so, that I don't know how to post about it...except for a bullet point list, with pictures, of course.

• It has been raining A LOT. We are all tired of it...but can't seem to stop talking about it.
• Saturday at 4:30 AM we awoke to the sounds of sirens. They were meant to notify our tiny town that it was filling with water. As I peered out the front windows of our home, in the dark, all I could see was water. Not touching us...but surrounding our neighbors homes just one block south of us. I, of course, did the most helpful thing....I cried. Like a baby. For them...and the mess...and the feeling of helplessness. So helpful. After a cup of coffee I was finally able to pull myself together enough to pray (while crying.)
• The sun is shining today...and the water is receding, and the amazing people of my tiny town will clean up, and go about life as usual. I have much to learn from them.
• We helped my parents move to a new home this weekend. It was a long, tiring day, but lots of fun too...all hanging out together. There was lots of laughter...especially when my sister told me that she heard from mom that I signed up for a marathon. WHAT?!? My mom had read on my blog about the race, I signed up for....she apparently missed the FOUR mile part of the race :) HA! She now has to go back to work and tell everyone that her daughter is NOT running a 26.2 mile race...but a FOUR mile race! It's OK, it's happened to her before. Once, when my teenage brother bought one of those little Fiaro cars...she told the ladies at work he bought a "Ferrari." Once she realized her blunder, she understood why they had all looked at her so strangely :) What teenager buys a Ferrari?!? Cracks me up...love you mom :)

More proof that boxes are better than toys.

This is my sweet little niece, Maddy...just had to throw in the pic so you can all see how cute she is.

That's our weekend in a nutshell. Now...I seriously need a nap.

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I Can Take A Hint...

I love checking email in the morning. For some reason, logging on and seeing all those messages is pure joy...it is also how I know I am a big dork. This morning I found this message, on Facebook, from one of my bestest friends and sis-in-law...

"O.K. I am at work and just checked out your blog for the first time. I am not on the clock by the way!! Why in the world haven't you mentioned me, the all important sister in law that set you up with Ben and sacrificed my relationship with you for several pitiful years to make you two happy. I expect to see a blog about me soon. Your readers deserve to know how important I am to you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!ha ha love reba"

Ummm...notice that she said she just checked it out for the FIRST time. I'll let it slide...this time :) She is right though...she deserves a post!

Here is us at Easter. I have a photo album filled with pictures of us, since the age of 15, in this exact same pose.

We met in Junior High, which is when our two towns join up for school. She was from the tinier town, which makes the adjustment for those kids a little harder. Girls like me did not help. I think I have blocked-out most of the events, but Rebecca remembers them all :) I was mean. She wanted to be in our "group" and I didn't want her to be. I made sure she was aware of this fact. In my defense, I had not yet met Jesus in a personal way...so I acted like a heathen :) Still to this day, I am apologizing for being so mean.

Then, in 9th grade, we sat by each other in Chorus. Why I went out for chorus, I will never know. I can't carry a tune to save my life...I have no idea what I was thinking. It was also the around the same time that I had met Jesus in a new way...a life changing way. I still had lot's of questions about the Bible, and Rebecca had grown up in a gospel-preaching church. She had answers for me...and this time, the friendship worked.

It also happened, that a few months into our new friendship, her older brother happened to catch my eye. (Read here for further details.) I was horrified to find out that Rebecca had actually told him that I thought he had a cute rear-end...but without her, I highly doubt we would have ever dated! I owe her. Dating your friend's brother is a tad difficult on a friendship. It was pretty rocky for a few years. But we survived, and for many, MANY years now, our friendship just keeps getting better and better! To know her, is to love her! She is hysterical. She continually makes me laugh...the kind of laugh that makes your stomach hurt.

I love looking back and seeing God's hand in it. There's no doubt in my mind that He was/is the one orchestrating all the details. He knew what the future held...He knew we would need each other. Rebecca, thank you for your friendship, it is priceless to me! And again...so sorry about Junior High...did I mention I didn't know Jesus then?!? :)

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Adjustable

I need to be upfront with ya'll today. I have tried and tried to come up with something other than what I am going to blog about today. But I can't get it out of my head. So, I figure, if I just post about it, maybe it will leave. Maybe.

What could be so important and fascinating that I just can't stop thinking about it?
Adjustable Waist Jeans.

Yep...you read it right. As I got my two year old dressed today...I did the same thing I do every day...I lifted praise to God for adjustable waist jeans. It's true...I happen to think they're genius.

Today though...it went further. I thought to myself, why just the kids jeans?!? I know they have them in khakis for men...but why not my favorite jeans from Express?!?! On those days, when I'm feeling a little extra bloated *ahem* I could just loosen that little elastic band with the button and no one would even know!!!

It would totally obliviate the need for my fat jeans. You know the ones. They're the nice old jeans, a size (or 2) bigger than the regular ones, saved especially for those days. I think I'm on to something...if anyone knows a designer at Express...please fill them in :) I'm just sayin'...

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Sign Me Up

Oh bloggy friends...I have just officially signed up for my first race on May 10th. Now, before you get too excited, I should tell you that it is only a 4 mile race :) For the under-achiever living in me....that is perfection! There is also coffee and bagels at the end...yeah...like I said, perfection. It's Heth's fault, really. She made it sound so fun that I couldn't resist. She also mentioned the coffee...a lot.

I have talked my other friend, Jenni, into running with me (at a slacker pace, of course) I have set my goals low, so that I may achieve them! Run without dying...that's my goal. I think that's a good first race goal. Heth will probably have enjoyed a pot of coffee and 2 bagels and be back home before I cross the finish line...she's a speedy little thing. Can I officially call myself a "racer" cause seriously...that's just funny.

I started running a year ago in January. I happened to be eating (at McDonalds) with a new friend and she mentioned she ran. For some strange reason, I did something totally out of character and blurted out that we should run together! I left McDonald's that day and headed out and bought new running shoes. So unlike me. I say it's out of character because I seriously do not enjoy running...never have. I ran cross country and track my freshman and sophomore years in high school (for social reasons) and despised the running the whole time.

Now, we run together 3 mornings a week at 6 AM. Every time the alarm goes off, I think to myself..."you are crazy." Every. Single. Time. But knowing that she is going to be waiting outside, gets me out of my nice warm bed. Afterwards...I'm always glad I did it. But getting out of bed, never gets easier. Never.

I still do not enjoy running. *Smiles* People say you get "bit" by it...but I haven't :) I love chatting with my friend while I run...and it really is a good stress reliever, but the actual running...I am not in love with. But, like it or not...I need it. My clothing tells me I need it...because when I stop running...somehow the dryer shrinks all my clothes! That's my theory.

What does training look like for a slacker runner, you ask!?! It means I have to actually be putting in 4 miles at a time :) That's pretty much it. Oh, and it also involves one of these cute little numbers...

A running skirt! This isn't actually a picture of me in mine..it's from google images:) Mine is just plain gray...and I haven't had a chance to wear it yet...but I'm sure it will help me run faster and longer on race day...I'm sure of it.

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Don't Go Breakin My Heart

This kid is breaking my heart. Ripping it out of my chest. Sigh.

Eli, the past few weeks, has decided that he does not want to go to preschool. The closer we get to the school, he starts to say, "I don't feel so good" and tears well up in his big eyes. The first day he did this, I thought maybe he really was sick, so I took him home and made him rest. But...it has continued. I have asked him a million questions trying to get to the bottom of it. Nothing definite. His teacher says he's fine after a little while...after I'm gone of course. It's just weird that it's starting now...towards the end of the year. And it's really just "not like him." He's usually mellow and easy going about school! It has made me ponder homeschooling for the rest of the year. I KNOW! ME!?!? *laughing hysterically* I would be doing it for all the wrong reasons. This is something we have to work through together...it's part of life.

Eli, you're killing me here...help me figure this out little man.

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The Process

If you stop by my house today, you will find me upstairs, buried in clothes. Yesterday I started, what I like to call, "The Process." It's the bi-annual shifting of the clothes. This time it's from cold weather to warm.

It is a monumental task...involving many, MANY piles. It is also a 2-day minimum project. Yesterday I got Noah & Eli's closet (somewhat)weeded out, but I ran out of time to dig in the attic to find the containers of warm weather clothing and complete the switcheroo, so the piles that were left from yesterday have now been rummaged through. I should know better.

I am drowning in boys clothes. As many of you know, when you have 3 kids of the same sex, hand-me-downs are FANTASTIC! But...storing them, and sorting them...big job. Here's where the piles come in...

Piles: Jake too small, Eli too small but still too big for Jake, Eli grow into, Noah too small but too big for Eli, Noah grow into, will fit Jake, will fit Eli, will fit Noah, stuff I never want to see again, stuff in bad condition, stuff in good condition...and on and on and on.

The other problem I'm running into is....my attic (where I store everything) is a DISASTER (thanks to me)! I can barely get in there to get the containers in and out...really, someone should do something about that! :) Oh yeah...I guess that would be me.

Today, the to-do list is Jake's closet and mine and Ben's....it's lofty, I know. We have too much stuff (me especially.) Have you ever wanted to just get rid of everything except 5 shirts, pants, undies, etc?!? I know that there are people who do it...and I admire that. I think it would save on laundry...and this whole "process" would be MUCH easier. I'm not that brave yet. Maybe by the end of the day, I will be!

PS - blogger hates me today. It will not keep my paragraphs seperated, no matter how many times I change it. I give up.

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No Turning Back

In the process of revival, this is where I started. At the bottom of a gigantic mountain. I knew it would be tough, but my optimism was high.

This is where I find myself now...

Part way up the mountain and finding the climb tiring and seemingly impossible. The point in the hike when you look up and see the huge rocks yet to climb...and then look down so see how far you've climbed. And it's decision time. Keep going, though it seems impossible, or turn around, slide back down and wonder what might have been. I won't lie...the urge to slide back down and go about life is extremely tempting.

The mountain seems impossible. Feels impossible. I am not kidding when I say it will take a miracle to move some of the mountains. A big miracle.

I find myself running back to God's word...for (constant) re-assurement that the miracles I need are really possible. You know what I find? They are. My God is a big God...bigger than any of these mountains. I just need to believe it and carry on with what He has called me to. It's not about how I feel...or how things seem to be. No more turning around and running back down the mountain. It's all the way this time.

Have any mountains this Monday?

*images from www.googleimages.com *

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