It Has Finally Arrived!

I bought this book last night and I read 3/4 of it this morning. For those of you who don't know, this is a book written by our Senior Pastor, Dave Hess and describes his ordeal and major victory over cancer that we all (as a congregation) walked through with him and his precious family 11 years ago this November. I'll never forget how this affected me on a personal level....it was during that time I learned about spiritual warfare and tenacity in prayer.

I thank God for our pastor! His story is remarkable, yet he is a very humble man. I highly recommend reading this, especially if you are facing circumstances to which there seems no way out. The book can be purchased at CCC or if you are interested and are from out-of-town, it is available at several online book distributors, including Amazon.com.

Giving Him the Glory!

I received a contingent job offer yesterday and I accepted. It is only contingent because my references must be checked, and they will be running criminal records and a drug test. I am very happy....last month I had been going back and forth, back and forth about working part-time or full time. I just didn't think I could get a part-time job that paid a good hourly wage and we have some bills to catch up on (and, a pool!).

I'm really excited because I am only working 20 hours a week and I should be home by the time the bus pulls up (except on Wednesday when The Husband will be off work to get them). This was so important to me....I was really struggling with the money vs. being home with the kids in the afternoon. I realized that over the last 12 years we have set a standard to which our children have become accustomed to having me around much of the time. The decisions were never made over the money....we were following the Will of our Father (which by the way, is different for every family, there is no condemnation here if you don't work at all or if you work full time). And, I had always worked part-time so that I could be home to take care of them and the other aspects of my life, like PTO and church activities. I just wasn't willing to give that up for the money. And, there was a peace in that. Sure, I'd love to wipe our credit card slate clean, but this job will actually help us make ends meet on a month to month basis and I'm sure at some point we'll get those other bills (and pool) paid off. I'm asking God and believing He'll answer.

In the meantime, I am looking forward to starting on September 9th. It is for a non-profit, social services agency. I will be the administrative support for the Communications and Compliance/Legal departments. Both of the people I will be working for directly seem very nice and eager to have me come on board. They said they see me "growing this position", so therefore, they are paying more then what the job was posted for to meet my asking price. How cool is that? Thank you, Jesus and thanks to all of you who were praying for me!

A little side note is that this agency also does adoption placement and foster care....hmmmmm.....will the adoption bug bite us, too?? I can't say we haven't discussed it over the last 2 years!

I Think Someone Out There Needs to Hear This

This was part of my time spent with the Lord this morning. Soak it in....He loves us even when we feel unloved or unlovable. It is worth the 8 minutes and 52 seconds. Just relax and give yourself the gift of taking it all in....

First Day of School Pictures

Check out more Wordless Wednesdays over at 5 Minutes for Mom.

The First Day of School Highlight Reel

* A pool in your backyard is a great thing to come home to after a long day at school.

* My house was so quiet I could hear myself paint my toenails.

* I didn't cry for the first time in 8 years dropping anyone off at school. But, I did have a lump in my throat.

* I can't figure out how to load pictures from our new camera onto my computer without The Husband here.

*Seventh grade is extremely boring and #1 came home with a thick packet of math homework. Welcome to advanced classes, #1! You'll thank me one day when you get your full ride at Messiah.

*#2 had a boy call the house for her last night. He had a crush on her last year and passed her notes. Apparently, third grade progresses on to phone calls. She's not interested (thank you, Jesus), but doesn't want to hurt his feelings. She made a little small talk and then said she had to go eat dinner (we actually were eating dinner). It was cute, yet strangely disturbing. Papa Bear didn't like it one bit.

*I had an interview for a job that I think I would like for a Lutheran social services organization. Great hours, decent pay. I'm pretty sure I'll get an official offer by Friday. I would be home everyday when the kids get off the bus except Wednesday, which is The Husband's day off.

How did everyone else fair on their first days?

Our New Pool!!!!

It Was the Best of Times, but It Wasn't the Worst of Times

I didn't think I could possibly write another post about it being the end of summer (blah, blah, blah) and I'm sad the kids are going back to school (blah, blah, blah) and I'm concerned that #3 is sitting with a moody "popular" girl at her desk cluster (blah, blah, blah) and #1 has advance math this year, along with peer pressure out the wazoo to be someone she was not created to be (blah, blah, blah).....and #2, well, she's actually the one with friends in her class and a teacher that seems great, so I can't really "blah, blah, blah" much there.

Our summer is like a movie passing before my eyes. The good, the boring, and the ugly. I will admit we faced our challenges this summer. Growing pains. All of us. And, I could spend the first week of school feeling guilty for all the times I yelled at the girls or missed opportunities because I just wasn't in the mood to play "princess". There was a lot of arguing and hurt feelings around here, which seemed to be a common theme in a lot of other families I know. Sometimes I miss the days when they rolled around on the floor wrestling over a toy. The words they say now and lack of consideration for one another are much more painful then slugging it out and being done with it. And, I can get in there and do some verbal damage, myself.

But, good things have happened, too. We have had some fun times, some times growing in the Lord, and even as recently as last night, a breakthrough with #1 and #2 communicating what they need from each other to be loved better. There has been an increase of self control and obedience in our home. Now, we are working on adding the word "cheerful" to that! And, we have bonded. A bond that cannot be severed. Going to the gym and pool together. Playing cards together. Quiet talks. Snuggles in the morning when we don't have to jump out of bed to rush off somewhere. Praying together. Worshiping together. Making ice cream sundaes for dessert. Just smiling and tickling and hugging all over each other.

Those are the memories I plan to dwell on when they are at school!

I Didn't Get a Job, But I Got a Pool!

Yes, it's true.

Excavation begins today.

I'd take pictures, but I still don't have a camera from the unfortunate camp accident. I will be purchasing a camera today because part of this great, amazing deal we got was an above ground pool AT COST and FREE installation. The only catch is that we must take 24 installation pictures and 24 "Family Fun" pictures and write a letter for the sales reps to use at their presentations. And, we have a year to pay for it! And, they gave us a free vacuum and chemical kit. And, they threw in a set of Ginsu knives. Just kidding! About the knives. Not kidding about the pool. Okay...show of hands out there....how many of you have the hair on the back of your neck standing up at the mere silliness of me complaining of our troubled finances/needing a job and then buying a pool?? It's okay. I was like that, too, for about five minutes.

Now, I have joined the ranks of those who open up their wallets and dump all their money (credit cards) into a giant container of water in the back yard. If I could figure out how to combine hydrogen and oxygen to create the 13,000 gallons of water we need to fill it I would be thrilled. Unfortunately, since I don't want to do anything that could result in say....blowing up the planet.....I'll just pay the ridiculous amount of money it costs to get two tankers of water delivered ($165 / trip). And, then I'm going to pray for a few hot, sticky scorcher days since the cost to hook up the propane heater with actual propane gas is $699.00 (that's with The Husband running the lines himself). Yes. I'm talking American currency. Not pesos. We'll be waiting to hook up that puppy until April. About the same time the tax return comes rolling in. See...and you thought I didn't think this through and have a plan! Ha!

I'm either completely out of mind or I have the faith to move mountains (maybe a mixture of both??). Or perhaps, the faith to move 48 inches of soil on my hill to accomodate my new 24 foot pool and deck.