Thanks for Godly friends...

I was just sitting here reading through everyone's blogs and realizing what Godly people I know. Its great to see how everyone is able to praise Him not only in His blessings but even among their trials and struggles. It's an inspiration to know that I have the privelage of surrounding myself with people who love the Lord no matter what. Who know and trust Him in all things.

In our transitions to parents, a new church, and the inability to fully serve (which we miss) it's been hard to see the Lord sometimes. I guess I feel a bit lost, out of place. To go from serving almost full bore to basically nothing is a hard place to be. I long for the days where we were serving, but know that my children are my first ministry. I keep telling myself once Katie is fully weened, I will be more free to do something, anything. Maybe not like before, but I know I am still able to do something. I love the church we're at now - planning to become members - and know it takes time to get plugged in, but I still long for that joy in serving my Heavenly Father and His bride.

But thanks to each of you for being such Godly men and women. For loving the Lord and sharing that love and insight with me and each other. I will continue to pray that His blessings will fill your hearts and souls and that you will continue to share it in your messages.

YouTube Test

I want to see if I can figure this out.


I did it. We've got two other videos on youtube. Check 'em out if you want...

Geeky & Weird

Well, in two days (Sept. 1st) it will be 17 years Kevin and I have been together. I've been with Kevin almost half my life (we started dating when I was 19, he was 24). Wow, so long ago, 19 years old seems so long ago. So what has it been like being with the same person for so long. GREAT! He's my best friend, confidant, sounding board, the world's best dad and husband. Sure we've had our down and outs, but what relationship hasn't? But I keep saying, after 17 years I still like him a whole lot. There's a line from a song from the Fiddler on the Roof - "Swiftly fly the years, one season following another laden with happiness and tears" (Sunrise, Sunset). It's been 17 years of more happiness than tears, unless you count tears from laughing so hard you can barely breath.

That was one of the first things that attracted me to the love of my life. I know now that when he's nervous, he gets funny. Well he must have been nervous the first time we met face to face cause he had me laughing the whole time. Speaking of the first time we met, that's sort of where the title for this blog comes in. Kevin and I spent our first "meeting" over the telephone. We had a mutual friend and I don't really remember how or why, but we started talking on the phone. For almost two weeks that was the extent of our relationship. He was stationed at Homestead Air Force Base (no longer if full service since Hur. Andrew), so growing up just a few blocks from the base I had a prejudice about the looks of an air force man. Plus, Kevin has a really, I mean really, nice voice. So you get an image in your mind of what a person looks like. Well, let's just say he didn't look anything like I thought he would. He was very tall, very thin - geeky looking. But now, of course, I think he's gorgeous.

So where does the weird come into play? Well, I haven't asked him directly, but I'm sure he had an image in his head of what I would look like. Now I had just finished my first year of art school and well, I dressed a bit "weird". I still remember what I wore since he can - jean shorts that were cut from jeans that were like 4 sizes too big for me (back then I was nice and skinny - size 4 - maybe too skinny, anyway...), a thick black belt that kept them up, black loafers, no socks (you will rarely find Kevin without socks on - pool, shower, that's about it). I think I was just wearing a white t-shirt, he said I was pretty, but dressed weird.

So we often joke about how I thought he was geeky looking and how he thought I was dressed weird. Yet the geek and the weirdo fell in love, got married, traveled, had kids, and like each other very much after 17 years.

Picture of us just a year after we started dating. I was visiting his family for the first time.

She Stepped In It

Okay, now that things have settled and the kids are playing I can relax and relay my story.

You see one-year-olds have the ability to remove their diapers. (Do you know where this is going??) I mean, its only velcro so what's so difficult right? Well Katie's in the habit of removing her diaper quite frequently and most times I just let her be. They came into the world naked, and they have no shame still, so why not let her enjoy the freedom while its cute to see a little tush running around the house.

Any way, she removed her diaper. What I didn't realize is she pooped. Not only did she poop, she stepped in it! Only thing is I didn't know this until she came prancing into the living room with her foot covered in poop! Now you think I would be grossed out or whatever, but after 3 years of changing poo-poo diapers it was the least of my concerns. I was most freaked out about poop being all over the floor from the kitchen to the living room. Not that it's a great distance, but still... So first of course I cleaned up the kid, that was the easy part.

What really struck me is how stumped I was on how to clean the floor. Do I get on my hands and knees with a towel and bleach? No that's too close to inhaling fumes and the girls are here. Do I mop? Then I have to worry about keeping them off the floor, cause it gets really, super slippery when the tile is wet. It took me like 5 minutes to think of how to proceed. I was dumbfounded on how to do this. Weird. Well I mopped. I blocked of the area with chairs to keep Katie off the wet floor and every thing is fine now.

What a morning!!!

I've heard that stepping in dog doo is good luck. Any luck for stepping in your own??!!! LOL

Little Girl Turns 3

Well it's official, my Emily turned 3 today! It made me cry to remember that only 3 years ago I gave birth to this little girl, my first born. This little, delicate being who made me a mommy. The reason we are now a family.

You want the baby back - and yet you're excited to see the person they will become. So you spend a lot of time praying that God will give you the wisdom you need to lead them the way they should go. Boy, being a parent is hard. You have to discipline when all you want is to spoil them. You want to hold them forever, but your ultimate goal is to teach them to do for themselves so they can go into the world. You pray that you do it right. The hard part is you have to wait years before you know if you did it right! Aaagh!!!

I realized today that all the times my parents said no, there WAS a good reason for it. Oh no, I'm a parent!!! Hope my parents don't read this!!!

Daddy's Girls

Here's daddy with his girls - minus the main girl (me)!

Greatness

I'm sitting here watching Sesame Street with the girls. Well Katie has fallen asleep. But Ernie is imagining himself being a knight and sailor. It made me think (yes SS can be thought provoking!) Notice how we always daydream about greatness. I mean when we have little fantasies, we always have greatness - great dancer, world known singer, millionaire, skateboarder extraordinaire, etc. Great at whatever is our passion, or secret passion. And though these thoughts of greatness may have a sense of nobility behind them (like using your millions to help the unfortunate, etc) we never daydream about being less.

This led to the thought that I will never be great. I mean in the scheme of things I am unknown to the world. You will never see my life's story on the Biography channel, or a mention of me in history books. I won't even make "Where are they now?" For those I've known in the past, I'm a face in the crowd. We may remember faces, but honestly how many names do we really remember? Maybe only those who were dear to us at a specific time in our lives. And even some of those names elude me more often than not. Don't worry this isn't as depressing as it sounds. While I may remain anonymous to the world, Someone knows how many hairs are on my head.

Its funny to think that God created me, knew of me before the beginning of the world! He fashioned me, weaved my DNA together to make me who I am. I totally believe that my past experiences (which God controls), good and bad, have shaped me into the person I am today. Someone who can be used by Him.

Well I've been asked to help build a sandcastle by Emily made out of the bed sheets. Hope it's not too sandy! :)

Remeber, you are KNOWN, LOVED, & GREAT in the eyes (and heart) of the King of Kings!!!



Psalm 139:13-16
Jeremiah. 1:5

First timer!

My very first blog. I don't even read blogs but Jescel's helping me. I'm not sure what to do with this, but I guess I'd better get up to speed huh! I'm the mommy of two girls, Emily 3 and Katie 1. Wife to hubby #1, the perfect, most handsome, great dresser, make you laugh so hard you cry Kevin. Once upon a time I was a graphic designer working with a design firm, working on large catalogs, brochures, even a few websites. Now just a full time mom. Hardest job yet!

I do miss working sometimes, but love being home with the girls. My Emily is just turning 3 and I'm still trying to get use to the fact that we have children period. We never planned on having kids, but left room for the Lord to work. After 10 years of marriage (just celebreated year 14, wow!) we found out we were having a baby. Actually thought I had the flu. Christmas eve I found out "no, your pregnant!" So Merry Christmas. Ms. Katie (now just a year old) was another blessed surprise. Since I knew what being pregnant felt like (nausea, extreme tiredness) I told Kevin. He thought I was being neurotic. (Am a bit of a hypochrondriac). Took a pregnancy test, yep pregnant. So the sweet couples life turned into mommy-daddy life two times over in less than two years. The only regret I have is I wish I had them sooner. I decided in middle school that I didn't want children. I like kids, believed in the miracle of having children- just didn't desire them for myself. Now that I have two wonderful little girls I wish I had them younger.

But glad we had the time to do things, like hike in Colorado, two mission trips to Cape Town South Africa and just do couple things like movies at midnight, sitting at the bookstore drinking tea and looking at books for free. But all in all, kids are great. I had a friend say that she loves each of her children (she's got 4) at the age they are now. I understand. The baby is walking better and better and so cute, but Emily says the funniest things and you have to laugh, even when you're trying to discipline!

Well, don't want to wear your eyes out on my first ever blog so I look forward to this new experience, maybe a new outlet for some of my thoughts and frustrations and whatevers.