Brave....

One word I would have to use to describe my girls during this move is:

Brave

They have never once complained about leaving their home, their church, their family, their school, and their friends.

They have not whined that they miss waking up in their rooms, or knowing where their toys and books were.

They have reached out and tried to make new friends at church, at camp, and even went to a birthday party.

Sometimes seeing them reach out to others in such bravery takes my breath away. It takes me back to the year I was in the 5th grade and had a horrible move. I went from living in St. Croix to Cochrane, WI. I remember being so lonely that I would go to the library instead of eat lunch- because I had no one to sit with. I remember the dreadful day when I was "caught" in the library by Stevie Evans. I was reading Judy Blume's book Blubber. He starting laughing at me and told the whole class that Blubber was in the library reading "Blubber." I can still hear their laughs.

I eventually had a great year and made friends it was a process- and not a quick solution.


Last night before bed- I prayed as I try to do nightly. But I really and truly prayed for my girls. That God would bless their bravery, continue to give them smiles, and give them good friends.

Last week when coming home from camp nightly I would pray over them as well. I prayed that God would surround them with good friends, Godly influences, and use their lives for him. Everyone at church has been so warm and welcoming them. It was a great time for them to come because they went right to camp, and got to meet a lot of their peers at the same time.


I can see that look on their face- you know that familiar look that you and I have had before. The one that you know that they really ARE brave- because they are doing it scared.

I am proud of you girls! You are both amazing!

Funny Signs that you might be a tad bit tired.... Or Dragging....

So today- I realized after hitting the snooze button litterally 8 times- that is for 42 minutes- I started thinking- Hmmmmmm- I might be tired. I don't think my body wants to get up at 6:00 Am today.

Here are some things I caught myself doing yesterday and today that tells me that I need more sleep.

1. When leaving the house I tried to close the garage door by pressing my blackberry. I was getting more and more frustrated- finally realizing- Wowzer it is my blackberry and not the garage door opener.

2. I spent an hour and 1/2 talking to Suddenlink support (that is our internet provider) but be fully agrivated by the "help desk lady" who I am going to name Zifalina (because I dislike her so much). I was having problems with my new laptop sending and receiving emails. She told me that I had to set up Suddenlink as the main email provider on outlook. I am not a member of the Geek Squad but I know that what she was telling me was not true. I finally said. Okay- I am hanging up now. I have spent an hour and 1/2 on the phone with you and have not learned a thing. What part of "Support Desk" do you not get? I then hung up. I immediatly felt God frowning at me. I looked up and was like- look God even you get frustrated. I think he was okay with it.

3. I went to pick up my diet coke to drink it and grabbed the gorilla glue. I immediatly put the glue away - so that I would not ingest it- in my current state of mind.

4. I tried to hang up one shelf three times tonight. I now have four - yes count them four holes in my wall and no shelf hanging up. I left the supplies for my cute husband to get to tomorrow. I am not the handy woman that I previously fantisized I was. I am still intrigued by power tools.

5. We got steak and hamdburgers to grill at my parents house last night. I like steak- but only if it's grilled. John does not like steak (really -go figure) and we rarely eat it- as we don't have a grill. I went to Walmart to get the Steak and supplies last night- and could not find the steak rub. I asked the Walmart worker- Do you know where I can rub my steak? Yep- Not kidding.

6. I can't type or spell 1, 2, or 3 letter words.

7. Emma has a huge elephant in her bed ( a stuffed one) that she got from Mom and Dad's house on Saturday. Sunday Am I walked by her room I started freaking- wondering who was laying in her bed. I started panicking to the point of running to get John until the saw the grey fluffy ears hanging out of the sheets. It was just the Elephant- wrapped up in the sheet and laying on the pillow.

8. Last night John filled up my tank of gas. I later panicked thinking how are we going to get home from Mayflower (30 minutes away) without gas- forgetting that we had already filled the car up with gas.

9. I still can't find Emma's bedding or Seanna's curtains- or Emma's Curtains. I am thinking about putting foil on the windows- I saw a house like that this past week. Maybe it is the in vogue thing here.

10. I pulled out of the neighborhood tonight (because I was going to get hyrdogen peroxide for Seanna's ears.) When I left the neigborhood- I saw the police following me out. He lives in the neighborhood. I drove about five miles and looked back panicking thinking- why is that police following me. Forgetting he is from the neighborhood. :) Short Memory issues!

Okay I am stopping at the number 10- It's an even number. I like it. And ten feet also equals a story. This has been no story- but it is my life story over the past two days.

Love you bloggy buddies!

Cmn

Stop Micro- Managing!

Today at lunch I ran into "town" to get a gift for a friend. I went into this little shop that has great stuff- just poorly displayed. I found a gift and took it to the counter.

For the sake of this blog I am going to give the workers names so you can follow along. Behind the counter helping me was Rita. Rita is in her mid- 30s and really sweet. She looks intimidated by everyone.

Sitting to the left of the counter at a little table by the free fudge is Helga. Helga is about 65- has on a fully matching outfit from toenails up. She was glammed out. I could tell she either A- Worked there or B- Owned the place.

So on to the gift wrapping. The Rita asked if I would like my item gift wrapped. I said yes.

She moved over to another area to find a box that it would fit into.



Helga- Do you know how to look for a box?

Rita- Yes I think I do.

Helga- But do you know how to measure it?

Rita- I will just eyeball it to see if it fits.

Helga- A great way to see if it fits is measure the gift and then measure the box.

Rita- I think I've got it.

Helga- Before you put that gift in the box let me see if I THINK IT WILL FIT. Yep I think it will fit.

Rita- Thank you.

Helga- Has anyone shown you how to measure out the paper for the gift wrap?

Rita- No.

Helga- Well I will have to show you. Now take your box- line it up to the paper and double it around the box like so. Can you do that? Wait I will do it first and then you can do it after me.

Cylinda- Shocked and really getting impatient at this point.

Rita- I think I can do it.

Helga- Well I don't want you to waste paper and have to come back for more.

Rita- Okay go ahead and do it.

Helga- Now I have measured it - I am going to put a mark where I think you should cut it and you see if you get the same mark.

Rita- Looks over at Cylinda horrified.

Cylinda- Smiles reassuringly at Rita.

Helga- Okay go ahead.

Rita- Marks where she thinks the paper should be cut.

Helga- That is close enough- go ahead and cut it.

Rita- Okay

Helga- Now when it comes to wrapping has anyone shown you how to do that?

Rita- I have wrapped gifts at home.

Helga- We do it a special way.

Cylinda- About to just leave without the gift.

Helga- We like to make triangles on the ends like so.

Rita- Thanks

Helga- You are not making those triangles the way I like them.

Rita- Sorry.

Helga- Now has anyone shown you how to make the bows here? We put stickers on them.

Rita- Yes it is just a ribbon with a sticker.

Helga- I will watch you this first time to make sure you are cutting the ends of the ribbon with a slant.

Rita- Cuts the ribbon.

Helga- Great - but I would make it more angled.

Rita- Applies the ribbon and sticker and walks over to me.

Helga- (I KID YOU NOT) sits down drinks her soda and says -this work is exhausting around here. I need to take a break.

Rita- Thanks for your patience

Cylinda- No thank you for your patience. Have a great day.

Rita looks at Cylinda dumbfounded.

I WILL NEVER GIFT WRAP AT THIS STORE AGAIN!!

Thanks for letting me vent! Happy Thursday!

Quick update

Hi Bloggy Buddies-

I have been missing you- I have been checking email etc with my phone but we just got internet yesterday afternoon. I am beyond excited! Thank you all for your prayers for our safety on the road. The Lord was good to us. We all arrived here in one piece!

I have a LOT of stories to share with you- but will stop to do it tonight. I just stopped to check email, send out Birthday notes, and a quick note to you and I am back to work.

Here are things I need to remind myself to tell you about our new Arkansas Adventures:

1. The missing Red Suitcase

2. The water leak

3. Falling Asleep

4. Oh where is the Key (sing in key of C)

5. The fridge that would not budge

6. Emma-isms

7. Papa Seans Cafe


Love you all- Huge hugs~

CMN

He's an on time God- Yes he is.... (Please read in the key of F)

So as many of you know we have had the house on the market to rent/sell forever-

We had to let the landlord know by Wednesday if we were taking the house in AR as he was going out of town. We got a renter on Wednesday and called him in the nick of time for the new house in Cabot. God amazes me. At times I get frustrated thinking of the 400 hours of cleanup I did for showings that did not matter- but oh well.

What do you have in your life that God needs to show up and help you with? There is nothing too hard for God.

Did you know that Abraham needed God to show up? He promised it- and he did just that- show up. Abraham and Sarah had a child after the God of suddenly stepped in and changed their life! He does all things perfectly!

Genesis 18:14

Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

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The bottom line is this- in all of our situations there is a time appointed by the Lord for it to happen. We just have to step into that appointed time and the doors will fly open.

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Thank you to my friends that were praying with us for all of this. It has been a learning process. I am sad to leave my friends, but excited to see what great adventures await us in Arkansas. Maybe that will be the new name for my blog-

Adventures in Arkansas.

Right now I need to get back to the Adventures in packing or I won't be making it for the truck deadline! :) Give yourselves a hug for me.

PS If Seanna and Emma don't relax I just might put them in the back of the SUV in boxes (kidding- kind of )

CMN

Birthdays, Scooter Girl, and Goodbyes

Birthdays-

So I am officially 41 now. I know crazy isn't it? I had a great birthday. Notes from friends near and far, gifts, edible arrangements and more. I am blessed to have all of you in my life. 41 is the perfect number for me right now.

I did go to the DR and have my first physical in my life. I was crazy scared- and not wanting to go- but knew I should. I got a shot- yeah, blood work- yahoo, and then called back to say I had an infection- more gladness (Not).

I had to speak at the ladies meeting that night and got ready for that. God filled two with the Holy Ghost during the ladies meeting so that was my Birthday Gift from God- seeing two babies come to HIM!!

The ladies at ALC are so sweet to me- they had a little surprise party and I got gifts galore, and cake too. What more can a 41 year old want?

Scooter Girl-

Emma is crazy about her scooter- I think I have told you about this already. I daily sing a song to her called- "Scooter Girl". It is basically da na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na Scooter Girl- sang to the tune of the original "Bat Man" melody. Then she ends it out with saying "Girl". I then proclaim loudly-

Warrior of the woodland- struggling against extreme odds, battling mountain lions, rattle snakes, all of this for the satisfaction of a job well done- its "Scooter Girl". She loves it.

I then sing the same tune to Seanna and call her Computer Girl- but she does not love it as much. Oh well.

So on Thursday- I was on a very serious phone call to an MK on my front porch. When I have calls that need to remain confidential, or are serious I sit on my white rocker out front. Emma burst out the door in her high heel sandals, a white spaghetti strap sun dress and has taken her top pony tail holder out. She has timed the arrival of the high school bus perfectly. As the neighbor girls pour out (two of them did her hair while I was in the Dominican Republic). She stands close enough to the bus to be seen, raises her hands in the air, and sways back and forth. I am not sure if she was praying, singing or what. I know that she DID want them to comment on how cute she looked- and they did not. She then opened up the garage door, and got out her scooter- determined to do a drive by just to make sure they saw her. I then have to ask the person on the phone to excuse me while I talk to my daughter. I quietly YELL at her that she can not ride her scooter down there in high heels. She was quite shocked, embarrassed, and freaking out that I was there. She had no clue I was on the front porch the whole time. So if you have any emergencies. Please call....I will send Scooter Girl to your rescue!

Goodbyes-

I was talking to my brother on the phone today and I told him that I am suffering from "Move-heimers" this is alzheimers based on moving. You might have this is all of your conversations involve tape, boxes, or bubble wrap. If you tell someone something and then ask them what you just said. These are all signs. I currently am being treated for this condition.

Last night I actually got all of my pictures from downstairs wrapped in bubble wrap- yeah!! I only stopped twice to pop bubble wrap. I had to stop myself noting that I was causing myself money the more I popped them!

We pack the truck on Sunday and will either depart late Sunday- if we are brave- or early on Monday- if we are little chickens- which I think we are. I am the cute kind of chicken though- sometimes called a chick. :)

Yesterday was Teacher Appreciation Sunday and Promotion Sunday at church. I was so happy and yet so sad all in one service. Happy that God has done so much in this church- so sad to say goodbye to my little Sunday School buddies, and all of my friends. We had an awesome service yesterday and two were filled with the Holy Ghost. Last night was a graduation party. Wednesday night will be our last service here. Not to be corny or anything (who am I kidding pass the salt and the butter please) but I am so thankful that Matthews has been added as a chapter in my life. I have learned so much here, and gleaned lifetime friends. I can't wait to see what he has in store for us in the future. Yet- My heart breaks to say goodbye. I am not going to think about it until I drive out. I had a mild panic attack last night (really - a real one) as I left the church. I had to call a minister in VA to pray with me on the phone. I hate goodbyes- I am an MK - what do you expect.

This week-

Today I have worked- yeah- I actually have a working computer- and then ran to get more boxes- I know shocker- see how stimulating this blog is- how many times can I type boxes in one blog?

Boxes

B
O
X
E
S

B O X E S

Okay I will stop being annoying.

Address:

I still don't have an address because we are not sure where we are going. If our house does not rent before we leave- we will be going to my Mom and Dad's house in Mayflower. If the house does rent- we will be moving into a house in Cabot. I will keep you all posted.

Okay- I am off to pack more- BTW Blood work came back- and everything is normal. The only thing they could not find was my brain :)