When you pray for rain, be prepared to deal with some mud!

...and the rain came! This is as the storm was approaching. I stood on the back steps and invited and welcomed it as it made its way across the valley. (If you look at the very bottom of the picture, you'll see a tiny pine tree. Jess brought that home almost four years ago, from school. It was only a spindley branch with roots! It will soon be at home in the front yard.)


A wonderful rain!
....and the mud...that will probably be gone by tomorrow noon because this corner of earth is so thirsty!

Because I shouldn't be on the computer at all! I have work to do!

My ponderings today:

1. Today will never ever happen again.

2. I can never have to many scented candles!

3. If wood floors visibly need to be cleaned every two days....what in the world does carpet contain? Yikes!!! I've lived in filth all of my life.

4. Why is other people's junk so cool and mine is junk? I love garage sales and glad other people have this same disease.

5. Where does Cody get it? I mean, seriously. His love for spreading the gospel is amazing.

6. I want the metabolism of a hummingbird AND their sugary diet.

7.How in all the world can Heinz 57 sauce be $6.99 a bottle????? Did I miss the news flash that they are putting gold in those bottles?

8. Matthew is on my mind so strongly lately. I hope he's okay. Love hurts. It IS worth that risk though. Please pray for him.

9. My family prefers store bought lettuce to home grown. How sad. I thought they were country bumpkins!

10. Why does Jess care about the color of carpet in her new room? She seems to prefer clothing covered flooring....(I was just like this, but I was so much more tolerant of myself..)

11. Why am I blogging right now? I've got things to do!

Multitude Monday---1000 Gifts

I decided to join the Gratitude Community. All that means is that every Monday, I will intentionally count my blessings and blog them here. I have enjoyed reading the 1000 gifts on "The Holy Experience" blog---a stranger who really inspires and encourages me.

Randomly, as I feel them today....

1--my family's closeness; our sharing and growing together; our love of God.

2--the rain that is finally here on our dry, dry piece of earth.

3--a hard working husband. His work ethic is amazing.

4--generosity. Without it, life would be different.

5--health, as I remember my friend Todd who is fighting liver cancer.

6--Matthew. What a big impact this boy has made on my life. I miss him, I love him, but most of all I pray for him and his Granny. Even the broken heart times, I'm thankful for him.

7--country roads for walking

8--neighbors who wave and share a sense of belonging

9--parents who love unconditionally. MY parents..the ones who have always believed in me.

10--my children's phone call to tell me something small..because those are the big things.

Control freak!

I heard a story, in a Love and Logic seminar that went like this...a boy grew up and married a woman who hen pecked him to death. She told him what to do, she controlled every aspect of him and he was miserable. So was his mother!! She hated how her son was treated. Someone pointed out to her that she had raised her son to be dependent on HER for every decision, never relying on his own judgement and never having to suffer the consequences/rewards of his own decisions. Then, he grew up and married a new "mother" who would continue him in his miserable cycle. Ouch.

I love Love and Logic and no, they don't pay me to blog about them! I'm really working on giving my kids autonamy. It is a process and against my nature, sometimes, but I do love it. I've seen how controlling moms can ruin their children's lives from lack of confidence to make decisions, total lack of confidence in themselves, and even broken marriages because a mom couldn't stop meddling. I don't want my kids to live their lives to make ME happy but rather to live for God and fulfill His plan for them. (When it comes down the road to marriage, I want to support them. Marriage is a challenge and is difficult, even though wonderful too. Every marriage has struggles and I want them to be able to handle those gracefully, in God's way, even when it means I have to see them hurt, which WILL kill me! )

I like James 1. In one verse, it says to be slow to speak but quick to listen. In another, it says if a person doesn't bridle their tongue, his religion(faith) is worthless. There are more verses about keeping quiet, all over the Bible. I continue to learn from these verses. As my kids get older, I hope I can keep my opinions to myself more often and enourage them to make wise decisions. I want them to be able to live without being dependent on ME but rather to be dependent on God. It is an ongoing lesson for me...prayers appreciated! Motherhood DID come with a book of instructions, I just need to read them and seek out my tutoring from God!

Our projects continue

Taking boards up to the second level of our house. Romo showed up to help, as you can see. Glad he broke up with Jessica and was freed up for this event. :) Actually, I liked the Jessica/Tony combination, but that is WAY off subject, isn't it? Child labor laws? Nah...they don't apply, sorry.


Old traditions die hard. We've done hand prints in wet concrete in every place we've lived. The kids wanted to do it again, so here they are!

The Shaffer Hotel

I finally downloaded more pictures! The kids and I traveled, a couple of weeks ago, and stayed in a tiny town, in a 'haunted' hotel. Here are a few photos of our adventure....

The bathroom floor. The kids loved this little "ghost"
The "ghost" who haunted my sleep in the bed we shared!

The bathroom was huge! As big as the bedroom. Here is part of it. If I were a ghost, I'd live in the tub.

The living room "ghost" all comfy on his bed.

We get so used to modern hotels with their conveniences and comfort. It was a fun adventure to stay at a 1800s hotel, even though it is very updated from then! Many of the rooms in this hotel have to use a community bathroom. That was a bit to much of an adventure for us, though!

I wonder what I'll do?

I've had those days when I thought...if only I had a day alone at home..oh the things I would do! I've daydreamed about those days..mostly while I'm at work.

Today I'm home alone for a few hours. I don't like it. It is quiet and boring. Oh no, there is plenty to do but while I'm doing it..it is quiet and boring. I miss my family.

What in all the world will I do when my kids go to college? YIKES!! I have a high school and a mid schooler..it is coming way to quickly. I'm not thinking of it anymore. BLOCK.block. block.those thoughts.

I'm thankful for every day, every moment with my kids. They are each more precious than anything else.