Spring Show

Last night was the kids' Spring Show and they ROCKED! Really, all the kids did awesome, but mine did the BEST! Heh-heh. Do you think I'm biased? Nooooo. Not me.

The Twins performed 3 songs. This one was So Long Farewell.

Sam performed I Can See Clearly Now.

Ess's was a disco dance and HILARIOUS!

Great job Guys!

30 things

1. Have you ever been searched by the cops? Nope. TTL (Thank The Lord)

2. Do you close your eyes on roller coasters? Only at the start. When...it's...click-click-clicking...to...the...top!

3. When's the last time you've been sledding? This past winter in our yard.

4. Would you rather sleep with someone else, or alone? I LOVE sleeping next to Ben.

5. Do you believe in ghosts? Not ghosts but angels and demons.

6. Do you consider yourself creative? Creatively organized, yes. Crafty, no.

7. Do you think O.J. killed his wife? Who in America thinks he's innocent?

8. Jennifer Aniston or Angelina Jolie? Aniston

9. Can you honestly say you know ANYTHING about politics? Enough to know that most politicians lie and are shady. I HATE politics. It's almost entirely about money. Grrrrr.

10. Do you know how to play poker? Yes, not very good though.

11.Ever been awake for 48 hours straight? No, TTL!

12. What's your favorite commercial? I like the Sonic ones. I've spent time on youtube watching them....SO fun!

13. Who was your first love? Ben. *collective...ahhhhhh....awwwww*

14. If you're driving in the middle of the night, and no one is around you, do you run a red light? Only in a REAL emergency...like a loved one on the way to the ER.

15. Do you have a secret that no one knows but you? I honestly don't think I do. How sad is that?!?

16. Boston Red Sox or New York Yankees? Sorry Sox.....Yankees.

17. Have you ever been ice skating? Yes.

18. How often do you remember your dreams? Any time I dream I remember.

19. What's the one thing on your mind? Happy the kids are all done with homework!

20. Do you always wear your seat belt? Yes.

21. What talent do you wish you had? Horticulture

22. Do you like sushi? Not love, but I will consume it if all the Others want to go.

23. What do you wear to bed? Night clothes =D

24. Do you truly hate anyone? No, I don't hate people. I do, on occasion, hate peoples choices though. There is a difference.

25. If you could sleep with one famous person, who would it be? Ben. That'd be when he makes it golfing *grin*

26. Do you know anyone in jail? Not currently.

27. What food do you find disgusting? McDonald's

28. Have you ever made fun of your friends behind their back? Yup.

29. Have you ever been punched in the face? No, but one of my kids was ticked enough at me once I though they were gonna punch me. I would've have a very hard time restraining myself if they wud'da.

30. Do you believe in angels and demons? Yes, as previously stated in question 5.

Let's count to 11

Ben and I will be married eleven years tomorrow. We've spent LOTS of elevens. Elven: Christmas, New Years, birthdays and valentines. To toast myself (along with my mojito ;) I'll share some progressive photos with you.

THE day 1998. I was 19, Ben 23.

1 yr. 1999 (preg with Es). We went to the beach.

2nd Ann. (2000) We went to Skamania in March 'cause

of Essy first b-day and Sam's due date.

3rd Ann. ('01)I was preg. with the Twins. Ben got his tatt.

at the beach.

4th Ann. ('02) We went some where....but can't remember!

Ben with Joey.

5th Ann. ('03) This was taken Mother's day. I think we

took a week-end away at The Resort at the Mountain.

6th Ann. ('04). We bought a house instead of a get away.

7th Ann. ('05) This was taken July 4th. For our Ann. we

took a road trip to Washington.

8 yr. ('06)In storage!

9 yr ('07) We went to Bend for our trip (no photo's).

These were taken July.

10 yr. ('08) Caught in the snow in MAY on our way to

Bend, Or. Crazy.

11 yr. TBA =D

Ben. You are THE man. I know of no other man, who, with grace; 1.taught me to be the real me. 2. accepted our unplanned pregnancy just 4 months after marriage. 3. accepted another unplanned baby 3 months after the first one =D 4. told me we'd be o.k. when we found out we were having twins when out older two were still in diapers. 5. is the BEST husband EVER! 6. is the BEST Dad ever....and 7. my best friend.

This marriage is great because of you, Babe. I.Love.You.And.Will.FOREVER. Thanks for the first 11....looking forward to many more in the future!

This year I'm 30 and Ben 34. I am so thankful. Thank you God for these years, this family, this purpose.

Motivation

I was gonna title this post "A Year Ago" but as I read what I was going to write about it motivated me.
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Journal entry from 5-6-08


Mom'll be 60 tomorrow. We'll see her today. I get to have a facial w/ my friend Jamie. Stop.Pray.Listen.
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So why, you may be thinking, did that motivate? Hum, 'casue it's so simple! I just try and complicate things! But if I stop, pray and listen for God's direction.....all is well. Have I done that as much as I should've within this year? Nope. MOTIVATION people!



With this year ago journal entry.....a year ago photo. One
of the Twins gave that ring to me at church. Then I wore
it the rest of the day. Talk about bling!

worth a thousand words

Dinner Wednesday night. He ate it all too and then moved on to sherbet!

Could you have guessed a boy last sat in this chair?

Those are 2 spiders and a rat.

Eating lunch on one of our cold yet sunny afternoons.

I couldn't separate these last two! The kids' starts.

Zachy told me this morning as we were changing the sheets on his bed "Mom, you have a lot of minions to help you!" ;-]

Sacrifice

About a week ago Zachy woke (1.30am) up with a night terror. Yes, you read right. Terror. This was way beyond a nightmare. There really is no preparation for a parent being woken up by their child's screams. He was yelling and crying. Poor Baby. The saddest part, though, was when he was sitting (still sobbing) between Ben and I in our bed and said "I just *gulp* don't get it *sniff-sniff*." "What don't you get?" we ask, trying to wipe the very present sleep from our eyes. "I don't *sigh* get why I *gulp* had a bad dream. *sob* I slept with my Bible." Ooooh. How to conquer that one? He was hurting. He was scared. He felt abandoned by the most Powerful Person past, present or future. Not easy to explain that away.

I prayed. and. waited. For an answer, that is (while still trying to wake up). "Buddy. The Bible is God's words and His words are powerful but the Bible isn't magic. Bad things still happen. It's not fair but it's true. God loves you and doesn't want you to be afraid or hurting."

We prayed together and he stayed, between Ben and I, I'll add. I'll also add here that we've never let or had the kids sleep with us in our bed. NEVER. I always felt that it was our bed and it'd stay that way! Back to the story.....I was just thinking that I was going to finally get to sleep when I realized there was NO WAY I really could. I then told Zach I'd carry him to his bed and sleep with him there. By 2.45, I left his room quietly and went back to my bed. My nights sleep wasn't so successful. It was toast. I kept thinking I heard him asking for us or crying. Oh well.....as my Uncle says "I'll have plenty of time to sleep in heaven."

As a result of his dream he now wants, even, requires that I sit at the entrance to his room and wait until he's asleep. So, for the past two weeks I've been doing just that. They go to bed. I sit and read. They sleep. I LEAP! Kids rock but I value my time at night when they're in bed. I'm hoping this time goes quickly and yet.....treasuring his need of me. I'm sure that when he's 16 he won't require or even ask I wait and sit by his door until he's asleep. So, for now, I'll treasure and sacrifice the 'me' time for this 'need' time will pass.

I must leave you with this quote from Sis. All the kids were completing their week-end homework and Sis comes to me. Looking like a deflated balloon she asked "Did God put me on this earth to just do homework?" Heh-heh! Soooo dramatic! But I also heard her pain. After encouraging her I said "Yeah. For right now it is!" I will not soon forget that one. =D

Hmmmm

I've been fighting a nasty head cold. Grrrr. I feel o.k. in the a.m. but quickly fade about an hour after I wake up. Headache, queasy, cough, sniffles and chilled. I've been doing lots of.....NOTHIN'. I'm trying to remember the last time I had a cold and can't. Glad I'm healthy most often!

With all this time resting I've been thinking and pondering alot (stop screaming =D it won't be that bad!).
*There is absolutely no way to make everyone happy. My job is to do my best and be obedient to God. How ever that looks.....then.....that's how it looks! No apologies.
*People are strange. Myself INcluded.
*I hate unfairness. I truly don't expect things to go my way all the time, or really most of the time, but the hope is always there that things will be fair (nice rhyming, heh?) It seems that fairness doesn't happen often. So sucky. Glad to know our God is Just even when the world isn't.
*I miss my far away family. Parents and Sis down south and Brother, Sister, Nieces and Nephew further west and cousins spread all over the U.S......I need a family reunion! Good thing we've got some weddings comin'. Anyone want to come over for dinner (yeah, yeah....once we're all better of course)?
*I wish I was perfect. Hummm. I guess since that's IMPOSSIBLE......unless you factor heaven. But in order to be there.....I couldn't be here. Drat. Back to square one.
*Summer is almost HERE! Yippee! I cannot wait until the kids are out! OMW. I'm so excited! Until I think of the fall. Then I get sad to see them go again. Serious.

Well. That's it. Hope you enjoyed the ride. All done now. Sleep is calling. Nap.here.I.come. Maybe when I awake the ache will be gone. =o, A girl can hope.

Have I mentioned...

that I love pink? Probably my favorite color. And the reason for the change on my blog! Everything changes.....why not this too? I think it's nice. Ben thinks it's nice (although after further prodding he could've cared less! =D Love you Man!). And to further the quirkiness of me....I labeled this post as 'crafty'. How lame is that?!? Very I'm afraid.

My journal entry from 7/18/08

I got this idea to post random, unabridged journal entries. Here is the first. I write in my journal when I have devotions so I'll often enter a Bible verse that struck me.
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7/18/08

It's a cool morning. Ben and I have been clashing about the temperature of the house. I don't mind 87 degrees, he likes 72! It's hard because my argument is "I'm here more than he is it should be my call. But then I think "He works hard, and often in hot, sweaty shops and want to relax when he gets home." We've got to come up with a compromise.


2 Chronicles 21:20 "He passed away, to no ones regret...." How sad. May this not be true of me. It got me thinking of what I want my head stone to read. "Here lies the body of the mother of Esther, Samuel, Zachariah and Josiah. Wife of Ben. A princess who didn't wait for death to live."
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I've searched my photo records and found one around the time of this entry.

Buried

Ahhhhh! Buried and loving it! Just part of our new back yard!