Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas! For years we have enjoyed writing an annual newsletter, selecting the "Christmas card photo" and recently added the tradition of the annual video. This year was no exception - but, we have had to switch to an on-line format instead of an actual printed card, letter and the mini dvd. So, above is the family photo. Here are the links to the video (on youtube) and the newsletter (as a pdf file).

Musni Newsletter 2008
Musni Video 2008


Most of our regular columns are back - Josh and Annie's updates on themselves and their little brothers, my month by month year in review, and Craig's (infamous) Top Ten list. The only one missing was the "Was it a rumor?" column from 2006 and 2007. Hopefully we've dispelled all myths about moving to Boise by now...

We truly are enjoying the printed cards we are receiving in the mail as well as all the e-mails and facebook messages. We love hearing from you (so please post any comments!) and wish you all a wonderful Christ-filled Christmas.

God bless,
Vickie

Simple CHRISTMAS Tips

C-hrist should be the center of Christmas
H-help others however you can this season
R-emember to say thank you
I-nitiate conversations with others about the true meaning of Christmas
S-hop carefully - debt is not good!
T-raditions are important, but it is okay if you don't do every one every year
M-ake or bake gifts for people
A-lways choose "people" over "things"
S-avor the moments!

Thanksgiving Blessings

What is Thanksgiving all about? I've heard lots of lessons about Pilgrims and Indians over the years but as a mother of preschoolers, that isn't necessarily where I want to put the emphasis when teaching my little ones about Thanksgiving. Say it with me, Thanks-giving. It's about thanks and giving. It's about counting our blessings AND being a blessing. This is something that with some focused effort on our parts, even our toddlers can begin to understand.

How can we teach our kids to say thanks? With really young ones, simply have them repeat kind words of thanks every time an opportunity arises. As their vocabulary grows and kids can create their own sentences, encourage your little ones to come up with their own expressions of thanks. Whether we are leaving Sunday School, a friend's house, or the childcare center at the gym, I nudge my 3 year old toward the teacher or friend and ask him to say something kind before we leave. I don't care if he says "thanks for playing with me" or "thanks for the snack." I just love hearing him express thanks in his own words. Count blessings with your kids. Write them down in a journal, make a blessing scrapbook, or simply thank God for something or someone together each day.

What about the giving part? This is a great time of year to have kids make cards or pictures for special people in their lives as token of their thanks. Brighten the day of your child's teacher or babysitter, grandparent or your neighborhood mailman with a beautiful piece of art! For older preschoolers, you may want to type a thanksgiving message using a "bubble" font and let them color in each letter. Look for opportunities to model generosity. In our household the buzz word is "share" at this age. Whether we are packing a shoe box full of goodies to share with another child, baking cookies to share with a neighbor, or sorting clothes and toys for our "share" pile, young children can be a part of meaningful giving.

This Thanksgiving, I encourage you to help your children to give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18) and teach them by your example that God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 1:9). Count your blessings together and be a blessing to others!

Just Imagine...

One of my favorite descriptions of God is found in Ephesians 3:20. The apostle Paul describes God as one "who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine." I don't know about you, but I have a pretty good imagination. I can imagine all kinds of nice things. And I've been known to ask for stuff too. I often ponder this verse as I wonder what God has in store for our family next. What is he going to do that I haven't even imagined yet?

I know his plans are good. They are plans for us to prosper, not plans that will harm us (Jeremiah 29:11). So, since I know that, it can be exciting to see what God will do to provide. What job opportunities will he bring? Just how does he plan to pay the mortgage next month?!?

This week I've been thinking about this work a lot. I started a new job on Monday - I am the new office coordinator for Multnomah University's Reno/Tahoe campus, and I LOVE it! I love the job, the people I work with, the school, the students and faculty that I have met so far. I love it. The hours are good and there is enough flexibility that I am not neglecting my family or our business. The pay is decent and I am eligible for half-price tuition!

To full appreciate this story, I should tell you that about 10 years ago I started thinking that I should go back to school some time and get a Masters degree. About 8 years ago I was doing some research and started learning about some of the programs that Multnomah offers. In fact, three years ago, when our family was trying to move out of Reno, I looked at Portland (home to Multnomah's main campus) to see if that was a viable option for our family. None of those doors opened and even after 2 years of trying to move to Idaho, we ended up staying in Reno.

In July, the small Bible college in Reno officially became a satellite campus of Multnomah and in August I saw the president at a church function (our pastor teaches there). On a whim, I sent him my resume and now I am on staff there! I never imagined that Multnomah would come to me the way that it did.

How about you? What do you imagine? What has God done for you that has been immeasurably more than you have asked or imagined?

Stained Glass Windows

Our church has three beautiful stained glass windows on one wall of the sanctuary. They are square and have an artistic depiction of a rainbow and each also contains a symbol. The one on the left has the Alpha sign and the one on the right the Omega, and the middle one a cross. I've always thought they were pretty, but honestly never paid very much attention until last week.

Last Sunday was Max's first Sunday join us in church for worship before heading to Children's Church with the "big kids." During one of the songs he pointed to a chair near us and said, "Why does that chair have all those colors?" I looked up and saw the light reflecting on the chairs and pointed to the window so he could see the light. As I looked at the light pouring through that stained glass rainbow with the cross I could feel God smiling at us. I just had this sense of how we bless him when we gather together to praise him and learn from his word.

Then my mind flashed back to one night last spring when I drove by the church at night. Usually when we are at church for something in the evening we get there before dark. But one night I drove by when it was already dark outside and all the lights in the sanctuary were on. Those stained glass windows looked so beautiful!

These windows now remind me that on Sunday mornings we gather together and experience God's presence in corporate worship. The light is coming into the church as we are touched by his presence and filled by his spirit. But, the rest of the week we are to reflect his light in a dark world.

Musni Family "Ketchup"

Much has been happening in the life of our family in recent months so I thought I would post a "ketchup" blog for those who want to catch up with work and life. Here are the summary points:

• Since Craig was laid off in February we have both knocked on many doors. He has done a lot of contract work, spent a few months at a couple different companies, and interviewed at others. None of those doors seem to be opening for full-time employment, and for that we are truly thankful.
• Our business, Ever After Creations, is picking up and we are branching out and now have EAC Video & Design. We have made a lot of great business contacts, and were recently asked to join the board of Weddings of the West, an association of professionals that we have been a part of for the last few years.
  
• I have been enjoying substitute teaching and volunteering at Josh and Annie's school and will be starting another part-time job tomorrow. Multnomah University has a satellite campus in Reno and I will be working a few nights a week doing office & receptionist duties while evening classes are in session. I am continuing with my current job for the county's Children's Mental Health Consortium since that is only about 15 hours a month.
  
• Last Wednesday was also the first night of our church's new MOPS group. I had so much fun and consider it such a privilege to be a part of such a wonderful organization.
  
• Meanwhile, Josh and Annie are enjoying school (3rd & 2nd grades). They are both in the kids choir at church and Annie is also involved in Girl Scouts, but their favorite things to do are jump on the trampoline and play Wii. Max and Noah just started a music class for preschoolers & toddlers and have a great time learning about sound and rhythm through songs and instruments. They also have fun going to the gym with me or Craig, and Max loves his preschool Sunday School classes.

Please keep in touch and keep us updated on you and yours as well!

10 Things I Love About My Gym

This isn't really a Top 10 list, just a list of 10 things I love about my gym. They aren't "ranked" in order, merely listed in a logical sequence.

The Arrival:
1. The Parking Garage - Prior to joining St. Mary's Center for Health and Fitness I don't think I had a true appreciation for parking garages. I now love them, or at least this one. There was one week last May when I realized just how much I appreciated the parking garage. In one week we had rain, snow and 90+ temps. It is nice to be shielded from the elements. Besides that, my kids have lots of fun games that they have made up in the parking garage. In addition to counting "buggies" (see earlier post entitled "Counting Buggies") they play the color game (naming the color of each car as we walk by) and I Spy. They also take turns pushing the buttons for the elevator and other such entertaining activities.

2. The Entry Way - I love the fresh flowers in the enter way. Every day we look at them and talk about what color flowers there are this week. And we often stop and smell them because, well, it is important to stop and smell the roses.

3. The Front Desk - The staff is awesome. A typical greeting when we arrive usually goes something like this: "Hi Max! Hi Noah! How are you? It's nice to see you today, Vickie." I'm not kidding. And these are not even the same people that work regularly in the childcare!

Childcare:

4. I love that they have childcare. Think about, where else can you take your children for what works out to about 50 cents an hour per kid? You can't usually entertain them for that, let alone have people take care of them for that! This is way cheaper than preschool...

5. The Staff - The people who care for kids at the gym actually like my kids. They know them. They smile at them. They play with them. They take Max to the potty and give him a sticker after he goes. They notice if we aren't there. My kids like it there.

6. When things don't go so well (this has only happened once) they do have systems in place. I learned what a "Code Alpha" meant, in the middle of a water aerobics class. ("Non-life threatening injury" if you were wondering.) They took care of Max, came and found me (and the mother of the child who bit him) and continued to talk with me about the incident until the situation was resolved. I appreciate that.

The Locker Room:

7. The lockers - I love the little combination locks so I don't have to bring a lock with me. That makes things so easy. I like that they have hooks and shelves and that they are big enough that I can have a separate "spot" for everything like my watch, my keys, my shoes, my water bottle, etc.

8. Clean Towels - I love having stacks of clean towels - often still warm - available. And I love that someone else washes them and folds them.

9. All the "Stuff" - It is actually easier for me to shower at the gym than at home. Yes, this is partly because of the aforementioned childcare, but it is also because just about everything I need is there. In the shower - shampoo, conditioner, body wash. On the counters - hair spray, deodorant (okay, I do bring my own but if ever I didn't have it for some reason it's nice to know there is spray deodorant there if I need it), cotton balls, q-tips, lotion, hair gel and even mouthwash and these cute little cups. Oh, and of course lighted mirrors and plenty of hair dryers (that actually work better than mine at home).

Working Out

10. I bet you were wondering if I ever worked out! I could do a whole separate list about the classes I take, the staff who has helped me, the equipment I like - like the treadmills & bikes with the individual tv screens - or the pools. (Gee, I just realized that I didn't even mention the whirl pool or that saunas when I was talking about the locker room.) But, I was trying to keep it to 10.

Let me know if you want to go to the gym with me some day. Maybe we could even work out while we're there!

Top 10 Things I'm Thankful for this Summer

10. A great new tutoring client - I started in June working with a very sweet Jr. Higher whose goal is to become fluent in Spanish. I enjoy our time together and am glad she wants to keep working together during the school year.

9. Being involved more at Josh and Annie's school - Yes, it may seem odd that school is on the summer list but we attend a year round school that started July 21. Since Craig has been doing contract work and our business he has been working at home the past couple months. I am really enjoying volunteering in Josh's class on Mondays and Annie's class on Wednesdays. I also got my sub license. Orientation at the district office was this morning and I start subbing tomorrow!

8. Celebrating 12 years of marriage! I thank God every day for giving me such an amazing husband. Not only do we love being married and raising our family together, we like working together! Our summer "date nights" often involve us working weddings together. This summer we have really enjoyed some really beautiful weddings at Lake Tahoe.

7. Good road trips and fun times with family - we have made a couple trips to the Bay Area and to Sacramento this summer and enjoyed the time spent on the road and during our visits. A highlight is our annual get-together and Scott & Debbie's house where just the 19 of us hang out.

6. A visit from Uncle Kevin - My brother Kevin (www.iseenthat.blogspot.com) finished a two-year program for his teaching credential in May and was finally able to come up for a long weekend. We ALL love hanging out with Uncle Kevin...movie in the park, Sparks Marina and our new favorite activity: drinks on the trampoline.

5. The trampoline - some friends gave us a huge trampoline this summer and we all love it. Josh and Annie bounce when they need a break from homework. Craig and I take the little boys out to jump almost every day between lunch and naps. And, thanks to Kevin's inspiration, we've even invited friends over for margaritas on the trampoline.

4. Cancer Relay for Life - I have a whole separate post and a slide show on this but it needed to be on the list. We walked in honor of my grandma (turning 93 in 2 weeks) and Craig's cousin who both went through chemo/radiation within the last year and are now doing well. Praise God! We were thankful the opportunity to be a part of something meaningful and important.

3. CLASS - I spent 3 wonderful and challenging days attending the Christian Leaders Authors and Speaker Services seminar in Livermore. I feel excited, equipped and energized about taking my speaking ministry to the next step.

2. Max is potty-trained! Yes, only one more left in diapers. What a milestone! He turned 3 on August 4 and we gave him his present first thing in the morning - a new potty seat that plays music after each success! He loves his Thomas the Train underwear and carries a fold-up Sesame Street potty seat in a little backpack every time we go somewhere.

1. Watching God provide for us - The past 6 months have been quite a roller coaster for us but we have truly experienced peace amidst the challenges. When we approach a sudden turn, our response is more of a "Oh, I wonder what God is going to do now to take of this!" than a "Oh no, what are we going to do?" And that feels like a good place to be.

Counting "Buggies"

My older kids recently watched a Herbie movie and have now taken up an activity that my brothers and I practiced in our younger days - counting "buggies" more commonly known as Volkswagon Beetles. It is fun to see how excited they get when they spot one, and I love watching the younger kids copy the older ones and shout "Buggy!" from their car seat or stroller.

This week I realized something interesting. In spite of the fact that I haven't consciously counted Volkswagons in at least 20 years, suddenly I am noticing them again. Twice this week I while I was out without Josh and Annie I counted them and reported the total number and various colors to the children when I returned home. Today I saw 6 just on the way home from the gym. I had never noticed how many there were.

It was then that I began to wonder about how many other things I don't notice. Am I missing important things that I should be noticing? Do I notice when someone is lonely or sad or worried? Do I notice if a neighbor needs something? Do I notice when a friend hasn't been at church lately? Do I notice when my kids need a little extra time or attention from me? Do I notice when someone does something nice for me? Do I notice how God provides for my needs and supplies me with so many "wants" to boot? And, more importantly, what do I do when I notice?

I don't want to get so caught up in the "stuff" of mothering that I don't spend enough time just loving on my kids. I don't want to be too busy to help or too tired to say "Thank you." Maybe we need to look around at the people around us more carefully than the cars on the road. Maybe next time we're out counting buggies we'll start counting blessings.

Relay for Life - American Cancer Society

This past weekend Craig, Josh, Annie and I walked with my mom in the ACS Relay for Life in Almaden Valley. We walked as a part of a team from South Hills, the church where I was raised. This was such a neat experience for all of us. It felt so good to do something tangible - everyone has been touched by cancer in some way and this gave us a chance to help make a difference.

This spring my 92 year old grandma - Antoinette Petrov - went through 5 weeks of chemo and radiation treatments. Just tonight we learned the good news - they got it all! Craig's cousin Marina also recently went through chemo. We had the opportunity to purchase luminarias in their honor.

Relay is a 24 hour event but we weren't there the whole time (hence the name). We were there for the opening ceremonies and watched the "survivor lap" (survivor shirts are purple, supporters wore white, if you are looking at the pictures in the slideshow to the left) before walking our one hour shift. We returned at night for the luminaria ceremony - complete with a guest speaker and some bag pipe players who did a beautiful rendition of Amazing Grace, and many other great songs - before walking some more. What a beautiful visual - a 1/4 mile track lined with luminarias - each representing someone's mother, father, sister, brother, grandma, grandpa or son or daughter. And then in the bleachers - more, spelling out the word "hope".

Together we can make a difference.

Things I'm Thankful for This Weekend

1. Antibiotics. I had a terrible case of strep throat...all 6 of us are on antibiotics. I feel so much better than I did a few days ago. I'm also particularly thankful for fruity flavored liquid antibiotics. Getting the kids to take medicine has never been so easy. (As long as I remember to consult the spreadsheet and get the right kid the right dosage at the right time.)

2. Waking up at 8am. This is nothing short of a miracle with 4 kids. Waking up at 8am on Saturday was definitely a highlight of the weekend.

3. Saturday breakfast. I love this tradition that Craig has of making fantastic breakfasts on the weekends. I love that Max calls Dutch pancakes "Pancake Muffin Mans" and that he calls raspberries "tiny grapes" as he picks them out of the fruit sauce.

4. Giggles. So many times this weekend I caught myself just smiling as I watched my kids play together and giggle about all sorts of goofy things. I also found myself trying to stifle my own giggles now and then, like when Max got out of bed and hid in the closet. He had only promised not to climb into bed with Josh or Annie anymore...I hadn't specifically said anything about not going in the closet.

5. Weddings. Even though I didn't go to the shoot this weekend, I'm thankful for the way God provides for us through our business. I thank God for my husband and his love of wedding videography, and the fun we have when we do work together.

6. Macaroni & Cheese. I don't actually like Kraft mac'n'cheese but it's a crowd pleaser and it works for dinner when Craig is gone.

7. Our yard. Our kids had so much fun playing outside this weekend. They made up obstacle courses and pulled each other in the wagon around the front yard. They played in their cardboard box playhouse on the back deck and spent hours in an inflatable pool that they bought themselves at Wal-Mart.

8. My kids. I love watching them play together. Even though there are many tough times, I can see the joy of the "buddy system" every day.

9. Brave friends, peach ice cream & traveling pants. I'm thankful that Sarah and Anna came over Saturday night to watch the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants with me, in spite of the fact that we are all technically getting over strep. And I'm really thankful for Anna's homemade peach ice cream made with fresh-from-the-farmers-market-today peaches.

10. Craig. He's an amazing husband and a fantastic father. Even though we didn't have huge plans, I enjoyed spending Father's Day with him.

A Day in My Life...

7:20 - drag myself out of bed since 3 kids are already downstairs with Craig; get dressed in workout clothes and pack bag for the gym

8:20 - make sure that Josh and Annie have had breakfast, brushed their teeth, packed their lunches and have their homework in their backpacks and are out the door in time to catch the school bus

play with Max and Noah and feed them breakfast

9:05 - leave for the gym

9:06 - call Craig to ask a quick question and find out the Josh and Annie's school is in lockdown because of a report of a student carrying a gun

9:07 - drive by the school to ease any fears that my imagination has been conjuring up; see that everything looks normal and head to the gym

9:40 - check kids into childcare and head upstairs to ride a bike; poop out after 5 miles, so some abs, and go take a shower.

11:30 - meet a Mary Kay consultant in the Kohl's parking lot to barter some products (found her on craigslist); leave with a couple lipsticks, a cleansing bar and my moisturizer that I traded for products that cost me nothing!

11:40 - head to Wal-Mart; decide against using the backpack/cart routine and put the boys in the double stroller and carry a hand cart; can't find the snacks I wanted for today's meeting...choose something else and get the rest of the items on the list, which now fill my entire hand cart and the whole bottom compartment of the stroller.

12:30 - get home, unload groceries, chat with neighbor who is gardening, feed kids and eat some leftover pizza

1:00 - put Noah down, play with Max on the computer

1:15 - put Max down, start preparing for this afternoon's meeting

1:40 - realize how tired I am and decide to take a short nap before the sitter comes

1:42 - get call from boss with more things to prep for today's meeting

1:43 - call sitter (good friend) and ask her to please get me a Dr Pepper on her way

2:20 - scramble to get out the door on time with everything I need, wave to neighbor who is still gardening

2:45 - arrive at meeting site to set up and realize I'm missing the papers my boss I asked me to bring

2:52 - locate someone in the building kind enough to receive a fax and call sitter

3:00 - 5:15 - long meeting...

5:15 - 5:30 - finish paperwork so I can finally get paid, head home, chat with neighbor who let Annie help her in her gardening

5:45 - greet kids, chat with sitter, try on shoes she brought me, start dinner; realize that dinner won't be done before Annie needs to leave for Girl Scouts so I make her a turkey sandwich

6:05 - Craig comes home - earlier than expected!

6:25 - take Annie to Girl Scouts (wave to neighbor with the beautiful garden)

6:35 - eat dinner with the boys

6:55 - leave for the park (as previously promised, before I knew Craig would be home early)

7:25 - leave the park to get Annie from Girl Scouts (leave Craig and Josh there because they had wandered off looking for frogs and lost track of time), go back to look for Craig and Josh

7:40 - return to house; get in Craig's car and leave for tutoring job

8:00 - 9:30 - work on a translation assignment for a Spanish 8 student

9:37 - pop into the "other" Wal-Mart to look for a particular article of clothing (mission unsuccessful)

10:01 - arrive home; check e-mail, MOPS website, craigslist job postings and Facebook updates; write this blog

10:45 - heading to bed

(Can't wait for tomorrow - minimum day for Josh and Annie, packing for the weekend, driving to San Jose...)

Copy Cats

I love watching my children play together. It is interesting to see what they do and say and how they interact with each other. I am fascinated as I see my younger kids learning from their older siblings and following their example. Most of them time this is a good thing! It is also eye opening to see my children exhibit traits of mine.

I remember one day when Annie was not even three...She had a purse on her shoulder and a toy phone tucked between her ear and her shoulder. "Bye! I'm going to MOPS!" she called as she marched down the hallway.

Just today I watched as Max (turning 3 in August) climbed up the ladder on the swing set and perched himself proudly at the top of the slide. "Yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, yeah, yeah!" he sang out as he swayed back and forth before sliding down. I didn't have to wonder where he learned that (Josh - age 8). Later, I picked Noah up (18 months) and put him on the platform at the top of the slide. As I reached for his hand so I could help him slide down he said "Oh yeah!" and grinned proudly.

There are other times when I don't laugh at my little copy cats. Sometimes I see selfishness or rudeness or impatience in my children and I cringe knowing that I don't always model characteristics worthy of being imitated. I am reminded of the quote that says that we are ALL examples; some good examples and some bad examples. As I ponder what characteristics I want to pass on to my children I am reminded of Ephesians 5:1, Be imitators of God.

Yes, of course. All I have to do is copy God so my kids can copy me and then copy each other. Copy God? Where do I even try to start? I guess I can start with reading his word. So, for today, I'll start by looking at Ephesians 5:1 and the verses that come before and after it.

Ephesians 4:29 - 5:4

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.

Lord, please help me each day to choose to copy you in these areas.

Shaken, Not Stirred

On February 29 I received a phone call about 9:30am. It was Craig telling me that he was on his way home from work - with all of his "stuff" and his final pay check. The news of the layoff was a shock and that morning we felt like our world had turned upside down. As the day went on and we prayed, processed and came up with a game plan, we reminded each other than nothing major in the universe had shifted. And if we felt "upside down" after this news, well, amen and thanks for the wake-up call because we weren't right side up anyway.

I said to the LORD, "You are my Lord;
apart from you I have no good thing."
I have set the LORD always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
Psalm 16:2,8

Interestingly enough, that very same day a series of earthquakes began in our area. The epicenter is about 6 miles from our home. While they were mostly small quakes, I estimate that we were noticing 2-4 a week for the first several weeks of the dozens that were being recorded each day.

Thursday afternoon, just minutes after my kids got home from school, we had two pretty big ones close together, along with a few decent aftershocks. Friday afternoon, another big one hit while Annie and I were sitting in our home office, each in front of our computer. But Friday night, we experienced the biggest quake (so far) in recorded Nevada history - a 5.0. I remember the Loma Prieta quake vividly and even though this one was quite the 6.9 from '89 I think this one felt stronger to me because we were so much closer.

Though the mountains be shaken
and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
nor my covenant of peace be removed,"
says the LORD, who has compassion on you.
Isaiah 54:10

A couple hours after the kids were comforted and back asleep, Craig and I finally were able to fall asleep again. When morning came it was time to survey the damage. A quick glance around our bedroom revealed several things that had fallen off a shelf but only one broken figurine, a picture frame that had fallen and landed on my jewelry armoire but had not shattered, and a dresser with every drawer open but that had not fallen over.

Heading downstairs I surveyed my cookie jar collection. Tigger had bounced off the top shelf of a three-tiered display and landed on several others. A decorative plate in the kitchen lost. A bathroom sink-full of the entire contents of medicine cabinet. Not too bad - no major losses or damage. I opened the office door and looked inside. A few things had fallen off my bookshelf and landed on my desktop or the floor but then I looked over at the kids computer area. One of the shelves from above their desk had landed in the very chair where Annie had been sitting the previous afternoon. Sure, I'm sorry about the figurine from our wedding cake top and my Tigger cookie jar but NONE of my most precious treasures had been harmed.

My soul finds rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. (emphasis mine)
Psalm 62:1-2

Peace in the Night

Noah, our youngest, isn't really much of a cuddler. Most of the time he's really busy. Don't get me wrong - he doesn't just play independently for hours so I can get lots done. He wants me close by at all times, but not so close that I get in his way when he wants to knock over the kitchen garbage can or sneak in the bathroom and unroll all the toilet paper. Once in a while he will sit in my lap so we can read books together but most times he just wants a quick hug and he's off again.

The other night he woke up during the night and was crying really hard. The cries turned to screams and I went in to his room to check on him. I arrived just in time to see him throw himself down on the bed with a violent shake, just missing the side of the crib. I scooped him up in my arms and whispered in his ear, "I love you." Instantly he was still. He stopped crying and shaking and stared into my eyes. In the near darkness of his room we held each other tightly. Slowly he moved his hand and stroked the sleeve of my pajamas. I leaned over and kissed him gently on the forehead. It was a while until I could put him back in his crib; I didn't want this special moment to end. I stood their holding this precious child, silently thanking God for the privilege of being his mother, until at last he was sound asleep in my arms.

When I finally returned to my bed I stayed awake a while longer, pondering the mysterious power of parental love. My presence, a whispered "I love you" in the night brought peace and comfort to a child who just a moment earlier was screaming and flailing in the dark. How often do I do that with God, I wondered. Do I cry and flail and feel out of control simply because I don't stop and and sit in his arms? Do I rob myself of his peace because with all the noise around me I don't hear his whispered "I love you" in the night?

I may not be tempted to unroll the toilet paper, but I sure am good at messing up relationships. When I allow my busyness to take over, my stress level grows with the chaos around me, and I am quick to lash out at the ones I love. These messes are much harder to clean up than a spilled garbage can. Oh Lord, help me to be still and feel your love. Help me hear your voice in the dark and experience your peace in the night so I can reflect your love to those around me.

Math Games

When I was a kid I didn't particularly enjoy math but finally in high school something "clicked" in my freshman algebra class. It still isn't my favorite subject but often I am intrigued by numbers and sometimes I find myself playing "math games". Here's my latest...

According to my calculations, I have spent the equivalent of approximately 114 months with a child in diapers. (And I estimate another 12-18 months to go!) This translates to approximately 17, 385 diapers (a rather conservative estimate!) with at least another 1,830 to go. The saddest part - this translates to roughly $3.5K so far!

I'm going to go look for my prize box and potty seat. I've got some boys to train!

Off to CLASS I go!

No, I'm not going back to school in the traditional sense, but the Lord has laid it on my heart to attend CLASSeminar this August. This is a 3 day conference being held in Livermore, CA that is put on by CLASServices (Christian Leaders Authors and Speaker Services). I am so excited to have the opportunity to take classes, participate in small groups, learn from great speakers and give short talks and be critiqued by professional speakers and other conference attendees. I believe that God has given me a gift in this area and I am anxious to develop it.

Sharing God’s truth with love is not only a holy calling but also a remarkable responsibility. I trust He will provide a way financially for me to go, and I would like to invite you to be a part of this life-changing conference! Will you prayfully consider partnering with me through a financial contribution towards a scholarship that will allow me to attend?

Thankfully, this event is being offered within driving distance and in an area where I know people so I will not have to pay for a hotel. As you feel led to join me in this exciting call, there are two primary ways you can participate in helping me fund the $450 for the conference registration.

If you would like to just make a straight "donation" in ANY amount, your gift would be welcome and appreciated. The reason I used quotation marks is that your gift is not tax-deductible as our family does not officially count as a non-profit! (Smile with me...) I am also working hard selling things on craigslist to earn money to cover the cost so if you have any items you would like to "donate" I will sell them and put the money in my CLASS fund. Please e-mail me for more details or with any questions.

I would really appreciate your prayers as I prepare to attend over the next several months. Pray not just for the finances to come together but that God would begin now preparing my heart, my mind, and my family for this event. Pray that I would grow in knowledge and skill and that more speaking ministry opportunities would come.

The Lord bless you as you pray and give towards equipping the saints for the Kingdom of God! I appreciate your thoughtfulness so much and could not do this without you being a very important part.

Blessings!

Perspective...

Sometimes (okay, often...) I get embarrassed because my kitchen floor is dirty.
But I was really proud of my kids when they went to church with my mom and politely introduced themselves and shook hands with the pastor.

Sometimes I get frustrated because my laundry is never done and I tend to have piles and baskets that need to be put away.
But my two year old can sing two verses to Jesus loves me.

Sometimes I look at my sink of dirty dishes and I get very overwhelmed.
But then I watch how gentle my seven year-old daughter is with our one year-old and I smile as she teaches him "baby school" lessons.

Sometimes I wonder how the garbage cans and diaper champs always seem to be full even when I think I just emptied them. I feel like my world is so full of dirt and grime.
But then I hear that my eight year old son went - unprompted! - and said thank you to his Sunday School teacher for some candy she brought our family two days earlier.

Sometimes I feel like I never accomplish anything.
But then I look at my family and recognize that I am doing alright with what really matters.

Thank you, Jesus, for giving me some perspective in this season of my life.

The "Key" to Life

This past summer I took my kids to go spend a week with my grandparents. They still live in the same house they bought when my mom was a baby. I love that house and I love watching my kids play there and making memories of their own. One thing that fascinated my older kids was the keyhole in the door between the kitchen and the family room. They would stand in the kitchen and peer into the family room through the key hole. Once there eyes focused, do you know what they would see? Another door, leading to the back yard.

We were there in July and that month was a month of huge transition for us. Our house had been on the market for almost a year and a half. We thought God was leading us to Boise. He had provided us with a great job opportunity, a house on which we had placed an offer, a church community full of long-time friends, a great school for our children and an OBGYN who I adored and wanted to perform my fourth and final c-section. In spite of all those things, God hadn't brought us the one thing we had been waiting for - a buyer for our house. In May a friend of mine posed this question to me when I mentioned waiting for our miracle offer...Have you ever wondered if it is a miracle that your house hasn't sold yet?

Actually, that thought hadn't occurred to us. But, from then on we started looking at our situation differently. You might say the view of the situation before us was slowing coming in to focus. In June I learned of a job opening at our church that would last 3-6 months and I found a job posting on-line that appeared to suit Craig perfectly. Long story short, we both applied in June, interviewed in July and began our new jobs in August. We also took our house off the market in July - before either one of us had official offers. We "just knew" that things were working out how they were supposed to, albeit differently than what we had expected.

All of a sudden, the room was in focus and we were right where we belonged. We could see the closed door behind us that led to Boise but also we able to recognize many blessings that were a result of going through that process - a reconnection with friends and the emotional preparation we needed for a church change here in Reno, to name a few.

Sixth months later, I find myself peering through another key hole. What is in store for me next now that my job is ending? I'm not really sure, but thankfully God does. I just have to keep looking through it until a door opens and I find myself someplace else. At least this time I can recognize the "key" to life - there is always another door, just remember who holds the key!

A Dream Come True!

Like many other girls I used to dream about being Cinderella. Little did I know that my dream would come true! Yes, this winter Craig installed a wood stove insert to our fireplace. So now in addition to the dishes, laundry, cleaning and other household chores I also empty the ashes out of the stove, sweep the hearth and start the fire in the morning (and help keep it going for the next 10-16 hours...). Just call me Mommerella or Cindermommy. Ahhhh, a dream come true....

Some Days...

Some Days…

Some days I miss
sleeping through the night.
Some days I miss
being spontaneous.
Some days I miss
sitting down to a quiet dinner and eating hot food.
Some days I miss
the way it felt to know that the laundry was “done” for a couple of weeks.
Some days I miss
going to the grocery store alone.

Some day I’m sure I’ll miss
cuddling my baby in the wee hours of the morning.
Some day I’m sure I’ll miss
having so many kids activities on the calendar.
Some day I’m sure I’ll miss
the giggles of four little kids around our crowded dinner table along with all the “Can I have more milk?” and “I dropped my napkin again.”
Some day I’m sure I’ll miss
little tiny socks that never seem to have a pair.
Some day I’m sure I’ll miss
having a good excuse to buy Pop-Tarts.