Literally a Stinky Day

I tried to link this up last night -but my Internet was messed up or something was going wrong.

Monday Madness applies to my day yesterday!!

I've heard it said that sometimes ministry is messy ... and at our little Christian school yesterday it was! I felt more like a nurse than a school secretary! And if you know me, I am NOT nurse material (I have major emetophobia - google that).

We had a 6th grader throw up in the foyer - thankfully our janitor was close by & helped clean that up. I was later sent a kindergartner who had "had an accident" ... thinking she'd wet herself, I took her to her classroom from the playground to get dry clothes, but alas, I found out she had diarrhea! I don't know the term for the fear of diarrhea - but I think I have that too. Somehow, I managed to help her clean up & re-dress her - probably by thinking of "what if this was my daughter?" and remembering that my own daughter had been sick at summer camp in July & another lady helped her. It's kind of that "pay it forward" concept. You do what you gotta do.

In any case, by the time I got home, I needed a shower because I felt like I smelled like a medical clinic - even though I had my husband sniff me, & he said I didn't! ha!

To top off my day, I turned on my garbage disposal and heard a THUD followed by the sound of rushing water. NOT GOOD. Our disposal - original to our 21 year old house - had corroded clear through at the fitting underneath the sink. We knew when we moved in that the disposal was already puttied once to the sink connection - so this was inevitable. This is no longer something a little plumber's putty can help. We need a NEW disposal. So, I've spent my morning googling "how to replace a garbage disposal".

I don't know what you call the "fear of garbage disposal waste" - but I've added that to my list of phobias! Do you know what might be lurking in the pipe that connects from the sink to the pipes that drain?? Just let me say, it is gunky, gross, black, slimy, stinky, and generally disgusting.

This is NOT what Monday Madness (over at Mama Bzz) is supposed to be about ... but it seemed fitting. Here are the questions that ARE on Monday Madness:

The highlight of my weekend was: having my entire family at home with me!! For once, my husband was at home & not doing something church or school related on a Saturday.

The goals for the week are: work on my Medical Transcription course. I'm almost done - but I still have a lot of typing tests to do before I can get certified & begin working - God willing - from home.

My marriage goal for the week is: the same as my goal has been for about a year or more now - to appreciate my husband & respect him. He is such a good guy - and I've spent too many years taking him for granted.

A parenting goal for the week is: to stay calm in every situation.

A personal goal I hope to achieve this week is: to continue organizing my home to get ready for a new baby!!

The thing I'm most looking forward to this week is: Friday evening. Finishing week 26 of my pregnancy & entering the THIRD TRIMESTER next week.

Expecting, A Book Review

A while back, I was supposed to review the above book EXPECTING by Marla Taviano. I never did receive my copy to review although I was contacted by the author twice (probably not her fault, probably more of a fluke on behalf of the publisher getting copies of books out). Because I really, really wanted to read the book, I went ahead & bought it for myself since I'm now entering my 26th week of pregnancy.

I got the book last week and tried to get caught up on the reading and filling in the weekly essay/devotional journal page. And I love it - I wish I had the book from the beginning of my pregnancy. If I ever do get my copy of the book in the mail from the publisher, I am going to pass it on to my next friend who gets pregnant!

Since this is my 3rd baby, I am not really following all the "What to Expect" books like I did with my first two pregnancies. I do keep my own personal journal and follow a few websites that send me weekly emails explaining my baby's development at the time.

EXPECTING is a nice because it gives you a just a brief description of what is going on with mom, then what is happening with baby - and a prayer that pertains to that particular area of development. For example, this week (26), the baby's face should already look like what it will at birth! The devotional thought/prayer is to consider that the baby is made in the image of God!! What an awesome thought that God - in creation - said, "Let us make man in our image, our likeness." It provokes you to think about what exactly that means, and you are supposed to write a little about your thoughts on that idea.

For me, being made in God's image means that God made us to be like Him (however, in an imperfect form) with emotions, thought processes, the ability to know and be known, and to live for eternity. After we become a Christian, we are to strive to conform more & more to His image as we get to know God and His character better through His Word and prayer.

On the same note, our pastor mentioned in his morning sermon how we are to never look down on or disregard ANY PERSON - poor, outcast, sinful - because everyone is made in God's image & is someone for whom Christ died. God loves each person individually; what a blessing if we are aware of and accept His love - and love Him in return.

Girls - Yuck!

I just caught up with an old friend on facebook recently (she's not OLD - I just knew her a long time ago). She and I attended church together in Germany in 1997 and '98, and she had a baby girl a few weeks after I had Andrew - first babies for both of us. Her baby had THE MOST hair I've ever seen on a baby! She was also a big girl from what I remember - like 8 or 9 lbs. In any case, my friend posted the above picture on facebook for me of our babies (I actually have the same picture somewhere!). It's hard to see - but Andrew has a look of absolute horror or disgust on his face - to be set down beside A GIRL! Ha!! He's even kind of grabbing her dress and pushing her over.

Fast forward to today. Andrew still isn't big on GIRLS. He often complains to me about the girls in his class driving him CrAzY! I know one day it will be QUITE different, but until then, I'm thrilled he doesn't want much to do with them right now!

In fact, today we were watching Brady Bunch re-runs on TV LAND ... and the episode was the one where Greg Brady wanted his own room because he wasn't a "kid" any more. So he gets to use his Dad's den as his room - and he turns it all "groovy". The dad, Mr. Brady, makes some statement to his wife about Greg soon wanting something "warm and curvy" next. Andrew looked a little confused at that inuendo ... and says, "If I were Greg, I'd want a CAR."

What My Daughter Owes Me...

Subtitle: How to Make Money When You Are Not Yet 9 Years Old

My daughter was very concerned a few days ago because she had no money to buy her brother a birthday present. Normally, my kids get each other a gift for birthdays and Christmas, if just something little from the Dollar Tree.

Anna came to me, wiggling her remaining baby teeth, stating she wished one of her teeth were loose so she could at least get $1 from the "Tooth Fairy". She had just a few days prior to that spent her last $7 on a wire brush for her American Girl doll's hair, which of course was an absolute necessity since Samantha's hair was looking worse for wear - and only the original AG wire hairbrush for $7 plus shipping (which I generously donated) would do!

Sometimes we give our kids an allowance - but for the most part, their "allowance" is to be able to live in our house, eat our food, and enjoy the conveniences of free transportation! We also buy them all the clothes & shoes & essentials they need. Allowances at our house are for extra jobs - and frankly, I sometimes just forget about it, or I just don't even have extra money to give out to the kids.

So, before bed that night, Anna told me she'd been thinking ... and could she get an advance on any future allowances from me so she could get Andrew a gift. Considering what she wanted to do, I obliged her and gave her $5. She wrote a list of chores she could help me do to repay me.

We went to Walmart the next day - and she picked out a hilarious hoops & yoyo birthday card with sound. At least I think hoops and yoyo are hilarious; some may think they are somewhat annoying - which is why it was the perfect card for an 11 year old boy. She also had enough to get Andrew a 3 Muskateers candy bar. I refrained myself from saying too much about her choices - but she did ok. At the register, I realized the card had cost $4.40 and the candy bar was $0.60! I still had to shell out for the tax ... but it was worth it! Andrew liked his gifts from his sister.

Tonight Anna came out of the bathroom and told me that the toilet paper was out. I figured she was going to ask me to replace it, but instead she told me that SHE had found a new roll and exchanged it for the used up one! Then she asked me if that counted towards repaying me the $5 she owed ... and after years of feeling like I was the ONLY ONE who ever put on a new roll of toilet paper, I said, "ABSOLUTELY!".

Belly Pictures

19 weeks - 21 weeks - 25 weeks

The Name Game

I had a doctor appointment today - and am thankful to report that at 25+ weeks pregnant, everything is going wonderfully! My doctor actually sat down and talked to me a little bit more than at my last visit - and I'm a little more comfortable with having him as the doctor who will deliver this baby.

We discussed my hope to have a VBAC delivery, and he is very supportive of it. He thinks I am a prime candidate, which makes me very happy! He said he can't induce labor if I want to do this - but that has never been something I've ever considered since I've always gone into labor on my own in the past. I know God will allow this baby to come at just the perfect time, and so I leave that in His capable Hands.

Now that we're pretty sure that we are having a GIRL, we are contemplating names - actually we have been for a while - and have pretty much settled on one! Dan was supposed to name this baby - and we already know that we will use the name Inez for a middle name or potentially Joy-Inez.

Our favorite girl name since 2002 has been Rebekah. Our children all have Bible names - and Rebekah (not Rebecca) is the Bible spelling of this name. HOWEVER, now we've seriously re-considered Rebekah, and we've found some names we might like better!

Part of naming a child for us is considering the meaning of the name and going through all the case scenarios of how the name fits or if there are any negative implications of the name.

The following are our 3 top choices of names for our baby girl:

1) Rebekah, which means "beautiful" as well as "to bind" in Hebrew. In the Bible, Rebekah was the wife of Isaac and apparently had a very happy marriage with him; a marriage totally arranged by God Himself through Abraham's servant's obedience and faith. She was also the mother of twins, Jacob and Esau - and here her flaws come out! She favored Jacob and helped him deceive Isaac to get him the family blessing he did not deserve. However, God used even this "sin" for His glory and His plan later.

2) Naomi, which means "pleasant, agreeable, and sweet". She was the mother-in-law of Ruth who became the great-grandmother of King David in the Old Testament. Naomi had her share of sadness - she lost her husband and only 2 sons; she was so sad that she asked her name to be changed to Mara, which means "bitter". However, Naomi's joy came through her devoted, non-Jewish daughter-in-law Ruth who stayed with her faithfully and accepted her God - and later blessed her with a grandson whom Naomi helped to rear.

3) Miriam, a name that has many meanings, depending on which origin of the name you look at - I prefer the original, Egyptian source meaning "beloved". Miriam is also the equivalent of the Hebrew name Mary (another name we love). Miriam in the Bible was probably an obedient child - she is the one followed her brother Moses' basket down the Nile River and helped her mother become his nurse in Pharoah's palace! She later was a leader among the women of Israel as they wondered in the wilderness and was also considered a prophetess. She did have one downfall mentioned in the Bible - and that was siding with her weaker brother Aaron against Moses when the people of Israel were complaining at one point. God struck her with leprosy (which I find interesting since Aaron avoided the leprosy punishment/lesson!!? Does this mean she was the stronger leader in the situation and responsible for it?). In any case, she did the right thing - and repented and God restored her.

We have pretty much chosen our favorite name and are trying it out as we talk about the baby. Which name is YOUR favorite??

What a Difference 11 Years Makes!

My baby boy is now 11 years old. This is somewhat of a transition stage, I am seeing. He no longer plays with simple toys like matchbox cars and action figures- although he still likes Lego's and Army men. He reads non-fiction history books a lot, which is why my husband got him his very own hard-back set of WW2 books about tanks, aircraft, battles, etc. for this birthday. And he also wants expensive things like video games, which we prefer to have him save money for and buy himself.

That is probably why MONEY is his preferred birthday gift! After 2 years of trying to save for a Wii, he gave up on that & decided to get a smaller gaming system (Nintendo DS), which he finally got enough money to buy used this week! He even got a few games with the deal. We have our own rules for video games, especially since once upon a time, I was convinced my kids would NEVER have video games!! It is amazing how many times I have eaten my words as a parent. In this case, since it wasn't a matter of morals, but instead, a matter of my preference, I gave in. With the rules in place, the video games don't control Andrew, and he appreciates the time he is allowed to play. I'm only saying that because it happens to be what works for our family; I know different families have varied opinions about video games.

That said, I still prefer that my son NOT have his nose buried in a video game - but I love when he has things to build or when he plays outside. My parents gave Andrew a really nice K-nex build-a-roller-coaster set this year. Andrew enjoys reading & following directions to make something, so this was right up his alley!

I'll be anxious to see the whole thing up & running!

It truly is amazing how fast time goes. I still remember the 2 1/2 years before we had Andrew, wondering if we'd ever be able to have a child - and then the whole experience of my first pregnancy, which was thankfully very healthy and enjoyable. Those early days of having a newborn and watching him transition from an infant and into a toddler were absolutely incredible! We have now dealt with starting school - and Andrew will be in JUNIOR HIGH next school year!! There are more exciting days ahead - though these are more daunting to me than the first steps and first day in kindergarten. The upcoming days will eventually be life-changing: driving, going to college, choosing someone to marry, finding an occupation, starting his own family. I can't even begin to fathom what it will all be like, I can only pray that in an another 11 years, Andrew will have continued to grow in the nurture of the Lord and will continue to seek His will - and all the rest will fall into place as He guides.

"Tanks" for the Memories

Tomorrow is my firstborn's 11th birthday. I got the whole "double digit" age thing out of my system last year - though the thought of people now calling my son a "pre-teen" still makes me a little weepy ... perhaps not even for his sake but for MINE!! ;)

Andrew had a military themed birthday party last year, and he told me that he liked it so much that he wanted to do it again. This year though, I decided to get a little more creative with the cake and started looking on-line. I found a tank cake that was actually pretty easy to make and since I had the day off today, I made it ahead:

I'm obviously NOT a professional cake maker, but my son was totally impressed when he saw it! That's what matters most. I love that my kids have no clue what a real, fondant-covered, perfect cake looks like. Homemade still works best for us!

Grandma's Banana Bread

My Tennessee Grandma was a pretty basic, country cook. My memories of her are many - and most involve food - such as that she "put up" vegetables (ie canned them) and had fresh green beans in winter, always cooked in a pressure cooker - adding in a few potatoes, that I was always hopeful to get in my portion of beans!! She made THE BEST biscuits-from-scratch that my mom & I were never able to replicate - somehow our touch was too heavy at the kneading process - and Grandma didn't actually have a recipe as she just eyeballed her ingredients. Some of my favorites that she made were fruit cobblers, "slaw", deviled eggs, and fried apples (I now only get them at Cracker Barrel!).

In any case, I have a few of her recipes that she actually had measurements to help me know exactly how to replicate her cooking. I am actually her step-granddaughter, so there was zero hope I'd inherit any cooking genes or talent directly from her! (My Oma - my biological grandmother - was also a great cook, so perhaps there is no such thing as a cooking gene.)

Whenever we have bananas start to go bad/brown, I always make Grandma's Banana Bread. It's probably a really basic recipe that EVERYONE who knows how to cook/bake knows, but I still get compliments on it whenever I share the bread at work or church. I once only had 2 bananas instead of 3 - and I substituted a cup of applesauce for a banana - and the bread was even better, even more moist!! Here, however, is the original recipe:

1/2 cup shortening (I use real-deal butter; my grandma might have used Crisco)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp soda
3 mashed bananas

Cream together shortening and sugar and eggs; sift flour, and soda and add to creamed mixture; then add the bananas (which I mash with a potato masher). Put in a loaf-size baking pan.

Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Check for doneness with a toothpick (that should come out clean, if done)- sometimes my bread takes up to an hour to get done.

How 9/11 Touched Us

Yesterday was the 8 year anniversary of the events that happened on 9/11/2001. Everyone who experienced that day probably remembers vividly where they were when they heard the news ... and then the emotions and the national unity that followed.



I was staying with my parents in Tennessee at the time - Andrew was almost 3 years old (his birthday is 9/18), and Anna was about 9 months old. Dan was at a 6 week Army school in Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. Once he completed the course, we were to move to Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri. Dan was to graduate his course and finish up in a few days ... however, on 9/12, they told all the students in the class that they might be delayed as we all waited to see what was going to happen after the terrorist attacks. Everyone in the military was probably on "alert" in some way or other.



Dan was allowed to graduate and move on at that time ... but the "War on Terror" would affect our family less than 2 years later. After our 10 year anniversary in December 2002, Dan was told he'd been called up to serve with a Combat Support Hospital (C*S*H) out of Ft. Hood, Texas - and in February of 2003, he left us to train for war. Our story isn't unique - the war had been pending for months and special forces were already scoping out the situation in Iraq and other countries and gathering intelligence on the leaders of the terror cells - probably thousands and thousands of military families were holding their collective breath as they prepared to send their soldier overseas too.



Dan landed in Kuwait on March 17, 2003, on a chartered airplane where the crew and soldiers were all in full MOPP gear, ready to land in and enter a war zone. It is hard to imagine what it was like ... and thankfully for my family, my husband journaled his entire year long deployment so I can share some of the emotion he felt. This was the day that the US forces had invaded Iraq.



In the months to come, Dan's unit set up a tented combat hospital both in Balad, an abandoned Iraqi air base 60 miles north of Baghdad, and in Mosul, in Northern Iraq. Although Dan had started out his Army career attached to an Infantry unit, he was a Medical Service officer and had worked in fixed facility hospitals for several years. When I got the picture below of him carrying an M-16, it was a little uncanny ... I hadn't seen him with a weapon in a long time! In his war, however, everyone - doctors, nurses, chaplains, and clerks - ALL had to be ready for a roadside attack while they convoyed through the streets of Iraq. Dan was more of an observer to the war ... although they all often worked long days at the hospital and were always "on call" and endured mortar attacks on the base and lived in the most primitive of conditions, as Dan did his job - tracking the wounded, coordinating patient movement, getting vital information, recording the casualties - he was able to talk to the men and women who were doing the actual fighting, who were sustaining the battle wounds, and respectfully caring for the bodies of those who gave all. He journaled the stories of the individuals he met -the 19 year old soldier from Iowa who shared a birthday with him, the family pictures in the wallet of the 25 year old soldier who died in battle, the survivors of the attack on the US Embassy, the insurgents whom the hospital was obligated to care for as well ... he helped where he could with the patients, but it was the doctors who were the miracle workers, as such. NOVA (the tv people) came in and did a documentary on the C*S*H called LIFE AND DEATH IN THE WAR ZONE which featured those men & women - many of whom Dan knew and worked with personally. But Dan - kind of like Radar O'Reilly on the show M*A*S*H - wasn't a main character; he was an observer and recorder of all the real heroes.

So many did so much more than we did - sacrificed so much more - gave so much more ... but I think 9/11 affected everyone in some way. We feel safer in America again these days ... but so much of that is due to our military and those who still "fight the war on terror" - some have been deployed 2, 3, 4 times by now! I am thankful we had a small part - a year seemed like an eternity at the time; but now that Dan has been home for over 5 years and left his Army carer behind, I don't want to forget why he went. I don't want to forget how we all felt on 9/11/01 when America was attacked.

I still live in a military community where so many of my friends and aquaintances now await their loved one's return from deployments ... and I will continue to pray for them, for America, for our President. May a terrorist attack never happen to America again - but if it does, may God help us again!

You can read inspiring 9/11 thoughts and stories at incourage.

Here's Your Sign

I don't know why it came to my mind, but back a few years ago, a comedian (Bill Engvall?) had a routine where he talked about stating the OBVIOUS by telling someone, "Here's your sign"... I like signs and right now they are trendy. In the decorating magazines & home stores, you find all the "Always Kiss Me Goodnight" and "Because Two People Fell In Love..." signs for your home. I think they are nice. I have a sign in our bedroom that I got my husband on his 40th birthday, "Grow Old With Me ... The Best is Yet to Be".

Before that, I'd gotten a pillow that said, "Always, Forever, and No Matter What." Unfortunately, my husband didn't get that one - and when he saw it, he said, "Oh, so it's come to that?" ... as if it didn't matter what we did, we'd just stick it out. Ha! That's NOT the idea, I'm sure!

Last weekend I saw a sign on a church billboard that has stuck with me ever since, especially after the day I had yesterday. The sign said, "Be a Fountain, Not a Drain". I've noticed that some people are just a drain; they are "takers" and rarely "givers" - they suck everything out of you and leave you pretty much empty.

I don't want to be a drain - I want to be a fountain, someone who invests in others and in ministry. There are many people who I know who feel the same way. I admire them; I am thankful for them. I appreciate that they pour some of themselves into me too as they encourage me.

But how to deal with the "drains"? I will be honest that there is a person or two, who when I see them, I almost want to find a quick place to HIDE! And yet, does God place these people in our path because He wants us to minister to them? Wasn't Jesus a friend of a friendless; didn't He pour out His very life for the unlovely (which includes all of us, as sinners)? I'm still seeking the balance - because I think about how Jesus didn't take any flack from those who were trying trip him up, the lawyers and their two-faced questions, the pharisees and their condemnation. He dealt with them in his all-perfect wisdom; sadly, I'm not all-wise! It would be easier if I were.

In conclusion, I have thought about all the Bible verses that deal with fountains - of life, of living water ... so when the drains drain you, you can find the refilling of God's strength through His love and His Word. Kind of like the old hymn says, "Drinking at the springs of living water ... happy now am I! My soul they satisfy." I often stop at the drained stage after a long day of work or dealing with people; however, I am thankful for the quiet days like today that are re-freshing. It's a sign of God's goodness to me.

Slow Cooking Thursday

We had this last Saturday ... the reviews were mixed. Honestly, I was expecting a more "steak" taste, but it had more of a "roast" taste. My kids & husband loved it - and I found it mediocre. My family (except me) likes gravy so it was nice to have extra for the potatoes.

SUCCULENT STEAK (I would actually say "steak"):

1 1/2 lbs round steak
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
2 onions, sliced
4 oz can sliced mushrooms, drained
1/2 cup beef broth
2 tsp Worchestershire sauce
2 Tbsp flour
3 Tbsp water

Mix together 1/4 cup flour, salt, pepper, and paprika.
Cut steak into pieces (portion size or slices, whatever you like)
Dredge meat in flour mixture.
Layer half of onions, half of steak, and half of mushrooms into slow cooker. Repeat.
Combine broth and Worchestershire. Pour over mixture in slow cooker.
Cover. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.
Remove steak to serving platter; keep warm. Mix together 2 Tbsp four & water. Stir into juices in cooker and cook on high until thickened, about 10 minutes. Pour over steak & serve.

The Buzzzzz!

I have been accepted to occasionally write book & product reviews for Mama Bzz - and just wanted to warn you all! :) I am excited about this opportunity - not only to receive FREE books and products to try out & then write about (and to keep!) - but to have a tiny part in a writing venture! The 2 ladies who are the Mamas of Mama Bzz are both interested in writing and are more than just "wanna-bee's" (ha- made my own pun!) as they both are actively pursuing books, articles, etc. They are also Christian moms, which makes it even better!

Mama Bzz is looking for 99 new reviewers. Not sure how many slots are already filled - but if you're interested, check them out! It might be fun. The first product review sounds like it will launch around October 1st ... and although not every book or product that comes out will be for my children's age group, I look forward to getting started some time very soon.

Testing ... Testing

Anna has been dying to see how the new-to-us pack-and-play looks when it is all unfolded, and so today, I set it up for her. The cats immediately took it for a test drive - and decided the changing pad portion was their favorite place ... Anna covered them with a receiving blanket to make it extra comfy. Before you start thinking too much about all that pet dander and fur, please know I do plan to wash & sanitize everything again before the baby comes. ;)

I didn't think about our cats' reaction to the baby until just now - and there are some scary old wives' tales about cats taking the breath from a baby; however, they seem to be just that - old wives' tales. We had cats when Andrew as born - the one ignored him completely, but then again, she ignored everyone ... and the other cat, our only-ever boy cat, got jealous and sprayed under the changing table a time or two. Otherwise, he left the baby alone too.

As for our weekend, we were in Branson with Dan's parents from Friday to Saturday. We spent Saturday at Silver Dollar City - and enjoyed their "Southern Gospel Sunday Picnic" event. We heard several gospel groups and quartets sing and had some pork tenderloin sandwiches. I wanted funnel cake - but after paying absolutely outrageous prices for the sandwiches, I was afraid to ask!! It was a nice day anyway, and the rain held off until we were already on our way home.

Tomorrow is Labor Day - and though I think my husband is going to do some work at church/school anyway, I plan to spend most of the day at home, laboring on my housework!! It has been sorely neglected lately -and I actually look forward to doing some cleaning. Happy Labor Day Holiday to all who stop by to visit my blog!

The Final Verdict!

I was further blessed today by being offered a free ultrasound by a parent of one of our Christian school children, who does sonography for a living at a nearby hospital. And so we set an appointment for 2:30 p.m.

This lady truly enjoys her job - and you can can tell she just delights in showing moms (and dads) their babies! She took her time and showed me all the parts of the baby and finally she too was satisfied that IT IS A GIRL. It's fascinating to watch the screen and see the tiny baby moving around, kicking, and rolling all over. (and I suppose my doctor's track record of "always being right" still stands ... for now)

After the ultrasound, I went to a nearby florist to get 2 PINK balloons to give my children when I told them FOR SURE that they are getting a baby sister. When I told the saleslady my plan, she gave me the balloons for free! Has it been my day or what??! I guess that makes up for 364 days a year when it is NOT all about me!! ha!

In the midst of the mundane, daily tasks of life-as-usual, I often forget to look for the blessings. It seems like more things don't go my way than go my way ... or things are harder than I want them to be many times. Today reminded me that God delights in blessing us - He probably just can't do it in such big ways too often or else we might get spoiled! I don't want to take any of His blessings for granted - whether it is a big day like today was for me OR whether it is a normal work day. His blessings are still all around us: life, creation, the very air we breathe. His daily gifts (big and small) are something I don't want to take for granted.

What You Get for $50:

At a consignment sale that is nicely organized and very efficiently run, you get quite a bit! Nice, clean, gently-used baby clothes. Sleepers and onesies - in a few "neutral" greens and yellows too just in case ...

And who could resist these pretty dresses & dressier outfits! I still can't quite imagine that my very own baby will be wearing these things - but Lord willing, SHE will... I also found a pair of shoes for my son - though I am afraid they are almost too small for him :( When did he get SO BIG!!??

My main focus for going to this sale (it was in a city 80 miles away) was to find a pack-and-play with a bassinet AND a stroller/car seat combo --- and I prayed that I'd find each piece for $25 or less. As I entered the complex where the sale was held, there were many, many pack-and-plays (p-n-p), strollers, car seats, and other accessories lined up. I searched the row of p-and-p's, and they were selling for $40, $50, even $70 ... but at the end of the line was one for $15??!! I looked it over - it was clean, it was not broken as far as I could tell --- but only $15??? So, I went to look at clothes, all the while kind of talking to the Lord about this pack-and-play...

I went back to look it over again - neutral-ish colors (blue, mauve, beige plaid), a bassinet and changing pad insert part, storage area, all pads/mattresses in tact and clean .... I re-checked the price - $15. I looked at the other p-n-p's .... they weren't all even near as nice.

I went back to shopping with the 100s of other women (and a few men) at the sale - still half-praying... Should I - shouldn't I? Would God have this one p-n-p be for ME?? After 20 minutes, I said if it was still there, I would put my little "SOLD" sticker on it that would mean the p-n-p was mine when I checked out. I re-checked the parts, they were in working order - the wheels worked - and I re-checked the price tag. I looked around at the other people looking at p-n-p's - why weren't they interested??! And then - taking it as my personal gift from the Lord -I put my claim sticker on it.

For now, the cat has put her claim on it - perhaps the family who sold it had also had a cat??!

"Expecting" Good Things!

Just stopping by my blog to say that TOMORROW (Thursday), I may have some GOOD NEWS to share!! You all know that I personally am not quite 100% convinced that my doctor is "always right" about his gender predictions ... and I just wanted a little confirmation.

Well, I may just get it IF the timing is right!! A parent of one one of our school children is an ultrasound technician right here in this area, and she said if she had no patients tomorrow afternoon, she'd have me come in so she could do some "training" on me!! I would be SO thankful to get a little peek of this little one, who is finally getting a little more active.

Unfortunately, the u/s will be AFTER I go to a HUGE consignment sale with tons of baby clothes & accessories up for sale; however, I still plan to look for some bargains & try to stick to neutral colors for now - although those PINK outfits sure are hard to resist. I'm praying for a stroller/car seat combo and a pack-n-play at a certain price range, so I will be anxious to see if God provides those now --- or later.

Contemplating Joy

7 years ago, when we were expecting our 3rd child, we considered "Joy" as a middle name if we had a girl. September always marks the month that I start to think about the child we never brought home. I got pregnant in September 2002 although I had no idea, just thought I had a touch of the flu- but I finally found out I was 8 weeks pregnant on October 14 and then miscarried on October 17. And though I will never forget those days and weeks, I am thankful the sorrow has now been replaced by joy.

Now that I am yet again blessed to be pregnant - 22 weeks!! - I still love the thought of a baby girl with the middle name Joy. It goes with the many names we are thinking of for our little girl - Rebekah, Naomi, Miriam ... but more deeply, it describes the feeling I have when I consider what God has done for me, for us. (PS someone asked when my actual due date is - and it is somewhere between January 2-4, depending on what you go by). I just have to convince my husband to give this baby a double middle name since he promised his grandma that he'd use her name if we had a girl ...

Even before I ever thought I'd have another child, I realized at the beginning of last school year that I needed to find the JOY again - the joy of my Christian life. There is a long story behind the reasons I had become complacent and worn out and joyless during that time, but with help from my husband and a decision to change the way I thought about God and my life, I went on a quest to regain joy. I started by looking up every reference to the actual word JOY in the Bible and wrote the verses in my own Bible.

As a Christian, there is still JOY, even in tears and mourning. So, even during the darker years I experienced when nothing seemed to be going my way (only because I wasn't choosing to accept God's way), the joy of my salvation was still there; I had just buried it and wasn't relying on it. (Ezra 3:12-13 - joy mingles with tears and mourning). I also read in Job 20:5 that the hypocrite's joy does not last (very convicting!). Psalm 51 is all about the restoration of the joy of salvation after sin is forgiven!

There is joy in God's Word (Jer. 15:16), and one of my favorite verses says there is JOY and pleasure in God's presence and in His path (Ps. 16:11). Ecc. 9:7-9 says there is joy in marriage and in life and in working diligently - to me that means, joy in just daily life and tasks.

Joy can remain according to John 15:11 if we keep God's commands and realize God truly LOVES us. Paul's goal in Acts 20:24 was to finish his course with joy; it was what motivated him. Jesus even considered the cross as "joy" (Heb 12:2).

I Peter chapter 1 tells us that the trials we face will make us feel more praise and honor and glory when we finally see Jesus - whom we love even now before we have seen Him - and we continue to believe in Him which should cause us to "rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." (vs. 7-8)