Pain with a Purpose ... can you say OUCH!!?

There are big changes coming to our house. The biggest of which is Marcus changing jobs from East Hill Foursquare to Abundant Life (Sandy Campus). He has accepted the position as the new worship pastor. I am excited for the part of his calling to be called to the forefront! His gifting is remarkable and I would even say the way this process worked out his job was divinely timed for a fall transition. 

With this change comes a domino effect like no other. East Hill Church has been our home since we were dating (12 years ago). Our involvement has steadily grown to the point were driving to church 5 times a week was not even a chore but a given. Marcus will be stepping out of Men's Breakfast which has taken a remarkable 180 in the last 7 months, worship for Classic Service once a month and Life Group on Thursday night. I am no longer able to lead MOPS, a group I have attended for 5 years and led 3. Frankly, I feel like doors are slamming in our face. It is so hard to take relationship out of being told no, it is hard to feel like things will be different with your best friends and it is so painful to think God could be orchestrating something better on the other side when it hurts this bad. 

A wonderful gal Heather explained it is similar to transition in childbirth. Boy do I agree since all mine were all natural! This is beyond pain I could explain and yet I know in the back of my head it is for a purpose.

Lord please deliver me. Please, take these baby steps as I bawl as a way of seeing I am trying to trust You. Please, allow me to still be used, make a difference for you, stay united as a team with my husband and selfishly may I keep my best friends and make new friends at ALC. May I shed the last year that has been so difficult in leadership and know it was preparation for your plan. Also, please heal wounds that I have created, others have created and please allow there to be a forgiveness I desire so see. You Lord are the giver and the taker. May I be obedient to the taking so the giving is that much sweeter. AMEN!

You can hear and still be DEAF

So, I am writing to tell you about two things that have touched me recently. One a documentary on Cochlear implants and two families in a battle over what was best for their child... to have the surgery or not. And second when trying to Google the families on the film, I found Jessica. A young lady who is fighting for her life with such passion it leaves me speechless.

Sounds of Fury is the name of the movie. I just found they have a follow up to the families six years later. This I have to see. In different ways I can have compassion for both sides of the debate BUT as a mother I will and will continue to choose what is BEST for my children at all cost. One family has the "we want our children to be just like us" and NOT BETTER??? What is this? Who doesn't raise their child to be better than they were? Should we not strive to have them learn from our mistakes and head wisdom that was not taught to us? Along the same lines we try to provide our children with all the tools they need to become a adult that can make it in this bizarre world. Contribute something. Make a difference. I would take a loan out if it was not something I could provide that was 100% going to benefit and enrich this process. I am not talking about a car or the latest designer jeans I am talking about HEARING. Something we all take for granted and depended on.

Second, I don't know much about Jessica. She may never read this or know I am alive, but I know she does. The little I have read and watched are beyond inspiring. They touch your heart because she has JOY. A joy we sometimes lack from day to day. Please spend a moment and look at her website. www.lifeinspiresme.com

**The film is on instant watch on NETFLIX. Watch it tell me what you think.

~My JOY today - taking the kids out in the new trailer/stroller. London and Liberty enjoyed it... MAMA did too!

"Take Care"

Funny how people say "Take Care" and I think moms see to it that everyone else is taken care of but themselves. We neglect our needs of personal time, our appearance, diet, exercise and need for other mom contact. Why is it SOOOO HARD?! There isn't enough time, most of the time m$ney is involved, we try to be super mom .... yes yes the list goes on. Some things almost don't come to our minds anymore... kids are fed, front room is tidy for daddy to walk in (OOPS you forgot you makeup and a nice coat of OPI) don't know the last time I even thought about it. Unless you count the drive to church were I am driving and using the eye lash curler. DANGEROUS.

I recently made a hair appointment with a gal from

church and can not wait to chop the hair. Tandem nursing doesn't give you a lot of growth vitamins for your hair so it has been 10 months since I had a cut.

Normally my hair grows pretty fast and cute cuts need trimming quick. This will be refreshing to a tired mama who hopes it will turn out like the Toni and Guy haircut I had. *see the pic =)

Concluding this entry is my hopes for 2010. So raise a cold cup of coffee moms (we all wish it was a tall glass filled with bubbly), or a sippy cup anything close ... TO 2010 MAY WE THINK OF OURSELVES AS MANY TIMES AS WE CHANGE DIAPERS...

CHEERS!!!!!!!!!

I hope to:

*paint my nails once a month

*make another hair appt. in 3 months

*grab make up bag out of car and put in our bath - use good 3 times a week

*use new exercise equipment 2 times a week

*make dental appt. (oh GAG)

*start a book that doesn't have to do with Dr Sears

and lastly.... and most important *begin to journal a wee lil bit after reading Bible! AMEN

“Painting is just another way of keeping a diary.”

Due to the decision to breastfeed both children, I am not able to leave for huge amounts of time. You may wonder why I don't pump, because I am still nursing BOTH babies. Supply and demand are the same amount. Tandem nursing is great and difficult, rewarding and frustrating all in the same day. Liberty has only been left a handful of times and we did the same with London till he was about a year. So after I texted Marcus for some alone time he followed through with 6 hrs of freedom!!!

I went to Ceramic Cafe in Clackamas. Prior to babies, it was one of my favorite places to chill and create. When I arrived today the lady saw I brought a piece and asked "oh, are you going to finish that?" I giggled and said "I hope, I started it 2 yrs ago". She looked shocked and then I explained that I have 2 babies now and neither had enjoyed a meal on this baby plate I had started when London was in the womb. And to top the cake I have 2 gift certificates from 2 Christmases. She said she was glad I was getting time away and have fun.Finishing the plate was emotional. I wrote on the back and almost teared up.

After I handed over my art to be glazed, I thought I would start another project. Eyeing up all the blank pieces makes it almost impossible to choose. Finally I went with a bowl that I could use for a fruit salad or rolls you name it. Thanks to Marcus and his generous time allowance I was able to start and FINISH. Something never done by me (not even a cup has taken less than 2 trips). *I will post the Glazed projects Sunday* I am so excited to see how they turn out. Ceramics are not a science, you have to be okay with them turning out differnt than you plan on. Kinda like LIFE!

Bottom line is I need to spend the rest of my gift money and I think more mommy time is in order!

Caramel Therapy

So, 22 years ago, I was at a huge family reunion, had caramel corn and proceeded to miss the rest of that day and well the rest of the reunion due to being sick very sick. So since then I have HATED the smell of this tasty treat. I have been offered it and turned it down more than I have fingers. So, about two years ago I walked past a sweet shop that also had warm corn. I decided to try it because it actually smelled good. It was okay and I didn't eat as much as I thought I might.

Well then today Alexis sounded the alarm and put up the delicious dare. Make Caramel Corn and blog about it. So here is my take on it. It was cheap to buy the items, unlike you all, I had to buy 3 things at the store. I followed the recipe to a T. I did use the air popper to make the popcorn so that it would be big full kernals perfect to be caramelized.



The mixing process was very easy. It made more than I thought but I had enough corn in the wing to not waste any part. Every time I went to stir (every 15 minutes, for an hour) I thought it would start hardening. It didn't, so I talked with my neighbor and she explained it will once it cools. To make it and eat it fresh, is probably the best way to go, nothing like eating it slightly warm. I transferred it into a metal roasting pan to cool ( I think it rapidly cooled this way)



And out of a little work and little money, came the most DIVINE caramel corn I have ever tasted. Our neighbors came over for game night and it was a hit! There is not much left, lol. That is always a great sign. Thanks Alexis for the therapy session.

What to do about the FLU?!

So, this is my first blog. I will rant, rejoice, SOS, and many other things here. I will try to inform my followers of what is going on with my life.

So as the pic states I am looking into the H1N1 vaccine. We went to London's 2 yr. check up and basically had it put to us like, it is your choice, vaccinate or die. We have delayed London's shots other than 2 for many reason and the doctor has never put it to us like this. So is it a big deal?

A wonderful gal I am getting to know through MOPS has it and so does her lil pea. They have suffered through this nasty flu and are getting better. She explained it is a super flu to most and doesn't cause all the horrible things you hear on the 5 o'clock news. So that leads me to believe that till I know more, I may just limit the kids to only a few weekly outings, give them lots of Vitamin D (this is suppose to help you not get it) and pray that they are covered in protection from the Lord.

Further my thoughts lead me to...WHY oh WHY do we play into the media. They are all about playing up the death toll so they don't have to go to the filler stories like "Lucky the Pit bull jumped the fence in SE Portland and is eating your cats. At eleven we will show you how you can protect yourself from stray dogs blaH BLAH...". Really we stay up to get filled in on issues that don't matter to 89% of people. So they go off on what matters to 100% and play it over and over and over.

My prayer is that everyone choose wisely. Look into how much your kids are out and about. Are they in school? Do you have a little one at home? Do any of your kids have a low immune system? BUT also look at that we could suffer through a bad flu week with our kids and find out next year they are changing the vaccine due to this and that causing this or that side effects. I love my children and don't follow the pack when it comes to their well being. I error on the side of caution and I don't believe thus far that has bitten me in the bottom. Feel free to give your decision and why. There are many positions and I'd love to hear yours.