Monday, March 31, 2008

Restoration

Praise God, the Boster mama and daddy are on their way home with the newest additions of the Boster Clan. I am praying for their restful night. I am praying for rest for Diezel and Daizey and their companion. I am praying for the diarrhea to stop and for their little bodies to absorb all of the nutrients possible in the next few hours. I am praying that they are able to take care of them at home instead of having to admit them to the hospital. Hallelujah that they are on their way home. God is going to take it all the way! I am so excited to be able to see this unfold. It has been fascinating seeing all of the lives that have been touched by this experience. Thank you Lord!

My sister is feeling better and is, hopefully, on the road to a healthy pregnancy. She found out she was expecting two weeks ago and thought she was having a miscarriage. She found out Friday that she was pregnant with twins and she was losing one of them. Of all things...I was shocked and, unfortunately, did not process the information quickly. I am so disappointed in my responses sometimes. Anyway, she is feeling better. She is on bed rest for the rest of the week. Hopefully she will be cleared on Thursday. Her name is Sara and I am sure that she would appreciate your prayers.

Nothing else new to report this week. It is only Monday. Alexandra is having Texas Day this week. She has a report due on Wednesday and we are going to a friends ranch to pretend to be Texas settlers on Friday. I have the gardening station. I love these events that they have to try to bring history alive. Speaking of History, I have been reading "One Nation Under God," by Toby Mac. Excellent book! One of the 40 books I want to read this year. I am still stuck on Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover. I am doing better but have not been able to pin point a budget yet.

David is reading over my shoulder and picking out words he recognizes. He is also picking out phonograms that he sees. I am amazed how many words he is picking out. He wants to know if he is famous because his name is on the screen. What do you think?

Have a blessed evening!

Friday, March 28, 2008

Blessed is He...

Sitting here with my Ipod on, jamming to Praise and Worship music. Shaking inside for the remarkable work of the One in the last few days. Wanting to sing at the top of my lungs, to shout to the Lord, to sing my praises to our King. I just cannot get over what has happened and what continues to happen in my life...not really my life but, in the lives of those I hold dear to my heart.

Steff and Adam, Daizey and Diezel are on their way home Sunday. Can I hear a WOO-HOO! I mean, a LOUD one! Praise God. I have seen so many of the Boster's dreams come true through their faithfulness and obedience. Dreams to serve and love and minister. That is what dreams are made of. We get so caught up in dreams that are sinister...first word that popped to mind. I mean, we get wrapped up in the material dreams of this world. How big of a house will I build? Can I have sophistication with that? I cannot do this or that...I am above that! YUCK! What kind of car can I afford? Not, what kind of car do I NEED to get me from here to there. UG!

I am overwhelmed with emotion. You know the kind that makes your head want to explode because you are in between crying and laughing, in between sobs and shouts for joy! I am so humbled. I can understand why Jesus calls us to sell everything and give it away to the poor more so today than I ever have. It is just stuff. I sometimes feel more shame for the way I live now than when I was trying to impress, when I was covering up for my "lack of" things. You know living on credit, the new outfits, shoes, cars, while I could not afford it. Now, we can afford it and I want to get rid of it. Rambling???

Just knowing what Steff and Adam have had to go through to give to two children, half a world away. What their children at home have had to give. AND, I truly have absolutely NO clue what it has really cost. The lack of sleep, the headaches, the different time, the different food, the whole experience is an absolute mystery. I have not gotten to talk with her on the phone to hear the exhaustion. I have not had to suffer with her through the headaches, lack of sleep. I have not had to send my wife off without me. I have not had to be away from my kids for months, then fly across the world to only be away from them that much longer. Yet, honestly, we are the ones who have been enriched. Adam and Steff have been blessed and will continue to be blessed by this remarkable journey. I know that Daizey and Diezel have given and they will continue to give to them. I know that they believe that...I do too. Children do that.

I see different perspectives forming in my mind. I don't know that I need to become MORE self loathing, I am already pretty good at that. I can, however, see where America is indulgent. Case in point, we ran clean water through our septic system today for a long time...I am embarrassed to tell you how long. Clean water, not gray water, clean water. Praise God for clean water. Something I take for granted daily. (We had to have the septic pumped out today...gross, I know...)There it is again. We have a septic system. Took that for granted too. We have indoor plumbing. We are so, I don't even have the right word.

I can only shake my head at this point. I don't know what else to say. I am thankful that I have the Boster Family in my life. I am so joyful that they are blessed with the opportunity to love and cherish Daizey and Diezel. I am thankful for all of Steff's blogging buddies! They are inspirational and I love reading about their lives. Thanks Steff and Adam for sharing your journey with us. Thanks for allowing us to view this part of your life and for allowing us to intercede on your behalf. And, thank you Lord, Jesus, for Adam and Steff, Daizey and Diezel, for running water, for septic systems, for the opportunity to live in the USA and for the life lessons you have presented this week. May I learn to seek You in everything.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Ladie's Night

I am so encouraged! For the first time in nine years, I went out with some girlfriends for dinner without husband and without children. What makes this particularly special is that my husband is at work and I had to hire a sitter. A sitter??? I have only done that 3-4 times since my children were born. I have had so much trouble leaving my kids alone with someone else. I am so thankful I did tonight. I met and visited with my neighbors. I have not done that since moving in 2 1/2 years ago. I learned so much tonight. I learned that I have a neighbor that writes books. She is an amazing Christian woman, a mother of four and she writes books. How cool is that? I also learned that we all have these hang ups about being around people that we don't know and that we all need to learn to let it go. We are all so much alike. Anyway, I am happy I went for it. Hired a sitter. Had a great dinner with some dinner drinks. And, we are going to do it again! Yeah!

On another note, if you have not checked in with Steff and Adam, please do. They are hoping to come home on Friday with the twins. Please keep them in your prayers. They can be found at toliveloveandlaugh.blogspot.com. I don't know how to make that a link...you can access it to the right side of this post. Anyway, they are exhausted and struggling to help these babies to get well. They need our prayers.

Friday, March 21, 2008

Do Carpenter's wear hats?

Today I donned the carpenter hat! I am so pleased with myself...I know that is gloating and all the other things we tell our children not to do. However, today I hung one curtain rod and two bullentin boards/magnetic boards! I picked out the curtain rods and all the hardware before hanging, used a hammer and a drill, screwdriver (s), measuring tape and a wall leveler/laser. Now, if I can keep my husband from inspecting too terribly close, we'll be in business. If I can hem the bottom of the curtains in the next week, it will be (pause) fantastic. Cannot decide if I should have said miracle because that is what it will truly be. I feel like that is somehow wrong because God performs miracles...hmmm. God does perform little miracles every day. So, I say it will be a miracle!

We are going to go to Austin tomorrow and see a Passion Play for Easter. Has anyone ever seen one? (This would be directed at all of the 4 people who read this... : )) Thank You, Heavenly Father, for Your perfect plan and for Your Perfect Son, Jesus.

I was able to go on a field trip with David's kindergarten class yesterday. We did the stations of the Cross. I am so thankful for the opportunity to send my kids to a Christian school! It was great!! David then came home and drew a picture of the stations. His dad and I could not believe how much he remembered and how he depicted it on paper. Hope you all have a blessed Easter day. Hugs!

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

The Sun poked through...


We had the weirdest weather yesterday. It would storm and then the sun would poke through, then it would storm again. The temperature changed and by early evening, the clouds were beginning to dissipate and the sun poked through just before setting. Thought I'd share the picture I took off the back porch. God is so creative. Look at the colors He shares with us everyday. Man, what beauty!

How many hats do you wear?

--Carrots from our garden...
Busy does not begin to describe my life since last posting. It sounds so general and non-specific. I was reminded the other day about a comment my then 17 year old said to me..."What do you do all day?" Ha!

Let's see...since the last post I have helped raise funds for my children's school (Auction Chair), I had a birthday, we have closed on some property, I have learned a new phase of property management, we have made some new investments, I have hosted a family get together, I have created and sent out invoices, I have opened two new bank accounts and closed two old ones, my husband and I have taken the kids to Enchanted Rock in Fredricksburg, Texas and have gone out on a boat for the first time together in Marble Falls, Texas. All that before, during and after being a wife and mother.

Life gets so chaotic at times. I have also marveled at how God has been working behind the scenes of so many. My cousins are leaving for Ethiopia to welcome two new babies into their home--how wonderfully marvelous! To be able to see how far the Boster Clan has come since losing precious Marion and Emmanuel last summer. God is so good and His plan is so wonderful. There is new life on the way, in more ways than one.

How many hats do you wear? Which do you enjoy most? I want to put on the gardening hat today. Instead I am going to wear the Easter Bunny hat and create some memories for my children to unfold on Sunday. I did wear a chef's hat last night and made some Cedar Plank Tilapia (McCormick season packet marinade, grilled on planks of Cedar from Pampered Chef, super easy!), veggies and rice...all eaten by my finicky eater, by the way. He did not admit to liking ANYTHING but the rest of the family went back for more. I also made some wonderful cookies for dessert! YUMMY!!! ( Call Candace for the recipe : ) ) For dinner tonight, I may don the tourist hat and have my honey take us out...many smiles and nudges for whatever hat you place on top of your head today. May God bless you in all of your endeavors!