I saw this on Pinterest
So we set out to make one of our own
Last day of co op = Pizza Hut
Daddy had the day off, so we celebrated the last day of co op with a trip to Pizza Hut for lunch. Katriel seemed like such a big girl (she IS almost five) as she joined Nan to pick out some of her own food.
It seems like just yesterday that we were praying she would not be born prematurely. And look at this jewel now!
Crazy hat day at CBS
Last month there was “Wear Your Pajamas to CBS” day. But Mom didn’t realize Johanna’s group was participating in that. So she didn’t wear pajamas to CBS. Mama felt so sad for her that she ran to Wal•Mart and bought her some penguin PJs. Today we didn’t miss the chance for Hanny to participate. And her crazy hat was precious.
I love it when a plan comes together
especially when God is in charge.
Let’s dial this day back to a day in mid-September.
I overheard the secretary of our Scarlet Knights soccer club, Aly, say they didn’t have a church venue set for the annual banquet. The church we normally use had experienced some changes and had some date conflicts.
I felt the Holy Spirit nudge me – “Suggest your church.”
I pushed back. “Aly is exceedingly capable. She has everything under control. She does NOT need suggestions from a peon like me.”
Again, “Suggest your church.”
Me, “Our church isn’t big enough.”
The push was palpable, my voice was small, “Excuse me, Aly? My church isn’t too far from here, and we have done some dinner programs in the past. Would you like me to see if it is available?”
She asked a few questions and I sent an email to the church from the field. Kim, the church secretary, got back to me in minutes.
And so it began.
Early on I got NO response from anyone from church on A/V support. This was going to be a key component. My nature is to WORRY and want every thing set. But I did not have a moment to work on it because Friends…. October was BUSY. So exceptionally busy. I had a heavy work schedule. Marie’s soccer team played all over the county. And there were the normal speech, Spanish, piano, guitar, orthodontist, co op, etc., etc., etc. I think I literally threw my hands in the air and said to God, “LORD, you need to take care of this for me. I just can’t.”
I squeezed in an appointment to meet with Kim, who was a real hero. When I was a little stressed out early on she was SO encouraging. When I shared with her that I was too busy to think straight, she reminded me it would work out.
A week before the banquet I had zero commitment from our church family. The back up plan was for a dad in the SK group to lug in all his sound equipment and another dad to bring in his projection stuff.
Then my friend Steve approached me. While he normally does video recording he was willing to do the mic piece for us. There – standing before me – grace. An answer to prayer. And even better, someone stepping out of his zone with a heart that wanted to help. That was more of a blessing than the audio!!! He even emailed me the following day saying he’d looked into some of the projection pieces, too.
But then things started unfolding, not BECAUSE of me, but WITHOUT ME. We had a ton of appointments this week and my brain was really thinking more about my family and uncle, and I just really couldn’t do ANYTHING unless it was send an email from some parking lot via my phone.
And – EVERYTHING fell into place. AND IT WAS SO AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So many lovely ladies… but even more so – THOSE SMILES!
I mostly played barista in the kitchen. (I’m not complaining! I’m not much of a sitter, anyway. I love to burn off my nervous energy by working.) But I snuck away for a few pictures and to watch the video for the modified team (amazing!).
I heard so many cool comments.
People sincerely appreciated the location being so much closer, and loved the lay-out; but even more than that:
“My older girls did Pioneer Girls here when they were little.”
”I haven’t been in this kitchen in YEARS,” from a former MOPS mom.
And my favorite, “I was married in this church in 1994.”
I love our homeschool community.
I love my church home.
I love that they could morph for a night.
So many connections. People who know people who know people. Worlds colliding. THIS is what heaven is going to look like.
And I having a front row seat to what God can do with our obedience.
It all started with a nudge, and I ended up blessed beyond measure.
Luke 18:27
But he said, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”
Uncle Mickey
From the time I saw my uncle Saturday evening to Monday afternoon his condition changed for the worse. He was moved Saturday night to a unit with more capabilities, which was actually closer to my unit. While I had anticipated visiting anyway, I hurried to get to work earlier on Monday when my aunt texted how much worse he was doing. I visited until my shift started; we heard he would be moving to a private.
At my dinner break I was able to visit in his newer room, and was able to scoot back over again around 9:50 P.M. At that later visit he was actually the closest I’d seen him to sleeping in over a week so I didn’t startle him. I just held his hand and prayer over him.
I wrapped up my shift a little early and headed back to his room to find it starkly empty. “They just took him to ICU,” a nurse explained.
My cousins and aunt were already in the waiting area. The resident was updating them. I used my badge to head in before the family and get a heads-up on what the delay was. They were starting a new IV. Shortly after we saw him.
He stayed there from Monday late until Thursday, when treatment was withdrawn and he passed into the arms of Jesus. November 2nd.
Interestingly, November 2nd was my mom and dad’s wedding anniversary. Here is my dad farthest on the right. On the left of him is my Uncle Mickey. The man looking down is my Uncle Ray, and the man furthest to the left is my Uncle Dinny (Charles).
All of the men in tuxes have passed away now.
I’m so sad.
Just so ridiculously sad.
God is good, all the time.
2 Cor 5:1 – For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
The struggle is real –
When worlds collide
I took this photo on my unit in the hospital. Though I spend oodles of time on 5200, and I talk about my family a TON while I am there, they very rarely visit my unit. We were in the hospital to visit my uncle, and I had the kids scoot over to meet a few co-workers. It’s so crazy to me to see my people at work.
What is not crazy to me is how good God is.
We’ve been reading in Exodus for Community Bible Study this year. God tells His children more than once TO REMEMBER. He tells them to remember when the Angel of Death passed-over their homes. He tells them to remember when He parted the Red Sea. He tells Moses to WRITE DOWN for Joshua about how he led the Israelites in war against the Amalekites. He says to remember His provision, because it can sustain us in future hard times.
I want to remember how God carried us through October.
I’ve worked a ton this month. As the year started to wind down John noted he still had 9 vacation days he had to use up, or lose, by the end of the year. While we certainly did not have the means to actually use his vacation days for vacation, we also know from the past that when he and I are home together, house projects ($$$) usually get started. SO – we opted to have him take vacation days while I worked, thereby actually getting AHEAD financially. What is more, I worked many evenings on days he did NOT have the day off. My unit is short staffed and, as I said, we could use the money to get caught up.
Now – I gotta admit. I was not in love with the idea of working so much – or why I really needed to. I mean, come on… it’s called WORK for a reason. And for every hour a mom is not at home, a mom is NOT at home! It’s not like mom just slips off and things go on as they would if she were home. It requires a lot of planning and prepping.
But I saw fruit that I would not have seen otherwise, and I am focusing on that and want to remember that.
•We got to see the kids pony up and really pitch in in the mornings. Mornings after I worked I would sleep in until 7 A.M. and they would run morning as usual and I would join them already in progress just in time for devotion.
•They also managed many, many, many dinners without me. Nigel and Marie took the lead there.
•I got to brush up on a LOT of skills. I saw my boss more, as well as other folks from ancillary departments. I got to refresh and learn a lot anew. And I did enjoy getting to know a lot of the newer staff better. I even did chest compressions during a code; something I hadn’t done since I was pregnant with Tabitha. ‘
•But most of all – my working overlapped my Uncle Mickey’s hospitalization perfectly. I got to see him, as well as my Aunt Kathy, and cousins Michael and Andy a great deal. It was bittersweet. At first we were sure it was a little set back, but as days and weeks wore on we were all stunned at how rapidly he began to deteriorating before our eyes. So today, after church, we unanimously agreed we’d head up to RGH to say hello. We have been praying steadfastly for him, and are not ashamed to say we are praying for a miracle.
I am not glad we had such a hard summer. I’m not glad to spend that kind of time away from my family. But I am choosing to reflect on how God allowed it to line up in ways that allowed me to see my extended family, and how I could see my nuclear family work together.
Luke 18:1 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.
Co op cuties.
I’m going to be honest: I don’t love co op. Nope. But I do it sometimes because it can be a blessing for my family.
These two cuties have been having a blast. Katriel enjoys her ABC class with Mrs. Damdar. Each week is a letter theme. Here she is wearing a hat on H week.
Johanna is taking three classes. This is from her Draw! Write! Now! class. I am an adult helper in that class.
Matthew 18:10 – See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
Dayspring Disciples 