I'm gonna miss...

You're reading a new blog post. Crazy, I know.

No, it won't be covering the past 4 months of our lives that I haven't blogged about yet.

It will be covering some feelings I've had over the past few weeks that reached a monumental peak last night as our family sat down and watched old home movies together. Might I suggest that if you're trying to be okay with the fact that your kids are getting bigger and growing up faster than a speeding bullet this is NOT the thing to do. If you don't want to get weepy, have your ovaries hurt, and beg your husband to reverse a certain procedure, again, this is NOT the thing to do.

However, if you do want to be reminded that this time with your children (disrespectful, stinky attitudes and all) is fleeting, a blip, and that you need to slow down and enjoy this time with them, than by all means pull out the old movies. Just like I did when once again I was reminded that someday...

I'm gonna miss...


...hopping around on one foot because the other was destroyed by tiny play things (notice the crumbs too).

...pen scribbles on the walls.

...piles upon piles of folded (but mostly unfolded) laundry.


...shoes, shoes everywhere.

...potty training, potty dribbles, potty puddles, potty step-stools.
...works of art.

...pretties, purses, play clothes.

...sleeping babes.
...tape.

...the view.
...what's left from trying to fill the hollow legs of my children.

...Star Wars.

...the homework, no! But the boy((s) and girl) behind the homework...a heart aching yes.

So if you see me a little less around these parts (but hopefully more often than every 4 months) it's only because I'm off enjoying those things little people that are pulling at my heart strings and at my hands to come play...

Absent Bloggers Anonymous

Hi.

My name is Cathy.

I'm the author of this little blog.

Not that you would know it based on the one, maybe two, times a month I make it over to this cyber page.

They say the first step is admission. So I'll admit that I've been just a tad too busy running around like a chicken with my head cut off living and enjoying life. And I'll admit that when I do sit down, hands positioned ready to attack the keyboard, a big idea of...nothingness comes to me and since it disturbs my husband when he finds me frozen in position, eyes glazed over looking at a blank page, I choose instead to walk away and find something more productive to do like learn my latest dance moves from SYTYCD (So You Think You Can Dance for those who are deprived.) fold that eleventy seventy thousandth load of laundry.

I'll try to get caught up soon on the happenings around these parts, because let's face it, it will just get harder the longer I wait...and I wouldn't want all my fans friends to lose heart and mourn the loss of Dancing in the Rain....

Ahem.

Oh.my.word.

...except that I have none.

Just LOTS of laughter...and maybe a little pee in my pants. TMI?

A (mostly) Wordless Wednesday - Mother's Edition

My Mother's Day loot:

Here's what that masterpiece in the middle says:

And because sometimes as a mom you lay aside your pride (of how you look) to capture a moment in time that is priceless and that you never want to forget...

Best.gifts.ever.

Mission ImPossible

Several months ago we were approached about the opportunity to go on a family summer missions trip with others from our church.

I spent a bit of time mulling over why this wasn't the "best time for us" to go.

There were the selfish reasons: The cost, the money we'll need to raise, the vacation time the hubby will need to take, and the fact that this mission trip WILL be our vacation for the summer.

There were other reasons: Lincoln is still so young. What use will I be if I'm just looking after him the whole time? Will our children behave?

But really, these were silly selfish reasons too.

And I'm tired of being selfish. We spend our days looking out for numero uno most of the time. My husband goes to his job to support our needs. I spend my days trying to stay sane raise up my children and nurture them. I keep our house. Sometimes not very well. We have our kids involved in Kid's Club at church. There's Children's church, baseball, swim lessons, football, basketball, Men's and Women's Bible studies, weekend getaways, trips to the beach, working in our yard, keeping up with our shows, etc etc etc. None of which are bad, but when I look at our lives I realize how self-centered we live. Oh sure. We give and serve at our church, pray for others, try to practice hospitality, but what are we doing to reach the LOST?? Are we concerned for other's salvation like we should be? Do we willingly and freely give of our time and resources? Do we reach out to our neighbors? Do we live out our joy so those around us can see it? What more would God have us do?

We're still learning to listen to Him on that one. We're praying for soft hearts, eyes that really see, and ears that truly hear the "world" He has placed us in.

But for now, we took our fingers out of our ears and stopped "na-na-naing" know that God wants us to pack up our family and go, trusting Him to supply what we need. We know He will!!

In a couple of months we're gonna head out into the backwoods of Oregon where all manner of creepy crawly things reside. Where instead of towns running into towns, itty bitty towns run into nothingness which than leads to another itty bitty town. Where the kiddos don't have the same opportunities as bigger city kiddos have. Where we can serve as a family and try to be Jesus in the skin to those He will put in our paths.

We're not going far...physically. But I sure hope God takes me (us) far...spiritually. I want (us) to be stretched. I want (us) to be His hands and feet. And I know He can do that right here in The Oregon Mission Field, just as much as He could do that if we went to Mexico or Africa or Papua New Guinea.

I'm excited! We're excited...to see what God will do in our lives and in the lives of others.

So here we are, Lord. Use us. Change us.

And my dear bloggy friends, will you pray for us?!

Thursday's True Confessions

I've spent way too much time on Twitter today.

I've also wasted much more time than I usually do on Facebook.

I fed my (still recovering from colds) children tortillas spread with Nutella for lunch because I let us run out of bread and I couldn't make their usual lunch of PB&J. (Wow. 3 confessions for the price of 1 in that sentence alone.)

I've dumped my "To Do" list for the day. No dusting, baking, cleaning, or exercising were done here. Neither was the "shower".

I'm still in my pajamas. As are 2 out of my 3 chillins. And I just might go get dogfood, diapers, and drive through the bank like this. They may ask me not to come back. Ever.

I'm in a sour mood. Even after reminding myself of Philippians 2:14 ("Do everything without complaining or arguing.") at the beginning of my day. Need to work on that "lead by example" thing.

I spoke harshly to the ones I love most. Oh, let's just call it what it really was. I yelled.

I picked a few pimples that left lovely red marks on my face. Am I in Jr High again?!

I sat down with my kids to cuddle and read a chapter from Mrs. Piggle Wiggle and instead ended up getting irritated with them for being kids and sent them to bed. (That was last night.)

Oh. I've also worried about some things.

And I'm not blaming any of this on the Cabin Fever and Multiple Sick Kids Syndrome that is ravaging me, mind, body, and soul....but mostly, mind.

Wait. Yes I am.

Or I was anyway.

So, I'm off to make some confessions to the True One who already took care of it on the cross but can also help me get through it in the here and now....

And there will also be some hugging of the offended and some apologies made...

And maybe a shower...

Wordless I-Don't-Have-Time-For-Words Wednesday

We had EVERYTHING this Easter.

There were no Easter bunnies.

No Easter baskets.

If you are looking for pictures of our perfectly coiffed family dressed in their Easter best, you won't find it here.

There were no new Easter outfits bought this year. But we were clothed in clean, good clothes.

The table was not decked with ham, rolls, and the like. But we didn't go hungry.

It was not a relaxing, quiet week spent at home. But I wouldn't have spent it any other way. It was worth it. HE was worth it.

I don't have pictures and narratives of ways we spent our time this Easter weekend.

But I DO have something of THE HIGHEST importance to tell you....


We all sin.

And the penalty for that sin is death. But there is One who died, once, for all.

My Jesus was nailed to the cross. He had the power to free Himself at any time. But He didn't. His unfailing, unending love for YOU, for ME, held Him there. It cost Him everything to set us free. And He gave it willingly.

He died.

He was buried.

But 3 days later...

HE ROSE AGAIN!

I serve a risen Savior! And one day He WILL return and take me, and anyone who would believe and trust in Him as their Redeemer, their Savior, their Lord, home with Him for eternity!

If you have never made that decision to follow after Jesus Christ, don't delay!! *Run to the cross! Run to the Savior! Mercy is there, arms open wide. Fall on His grace. All is forgiven. Hide in the hope of Love crucified. RUN TO THE CROSS!!* And the best part? You don't need to do anything before you run there...He will take you just.as.you.are.


Romans 3:23
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

Romans 6:23
"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 5:8
"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

Isaiah 53:5
"But He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging we are healed.

Romans 10:13
"WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED."

Romans 10:9-10
"That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;

Romans 8:38-39
"For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."


He is EVERYTHING you need.





*Words from our church's Easter presentation that we were blessed to be a part of this past week and weekend.

Oh...

...the places you'll go...

...the words you'll read...

The following story was written in the car, as a text message (10 to be exact), and saved as a draft. I'm a dedicated blogger...ahem.

While on our travels down to Cali we were in desperate need of a restroom so we stopped at the next Rest Area. We walked into what can only be referred to as anything other than a bathroom. Unbeknownst to me there was a naughty word of the female dog persuasion written across the restroom ghetto alley wall.

We'll use the word "twitch" in place of it for the rest of this story since that is what I did (along with simultaneously laughing and screaming inside my head).

My daughter, who was alternately gagging and "eww"ing over the deplorable conditions while I was trying NOT to gag as I "prepped" the area (wiped pee off the seat being careful to keep a thick layer of tissue between my hands and the damp and then lay a thick layer on the seat for her to sit on...oh the benefits to being a boy and having the world as your urinal. And yes, I'm OCD. And yes, this is a really loooong sentence.), discovered that while the world is a little boys urinals, a public restroom is a little girl's urban dictionary. Apparently. So, I'm "prepping" when I hear my darling daughter's little voice say "TWITCH!", enunciating e.a.c.h.l.e.t.t.e.r. like any good kindergartner who has just discovered the joy of reading will do. "I'm sorry? What?!", I say, obviously not using the shiniest marble in my noggin, since she then, of course, repeated it..."TWITCH! It says "twitch" right there on the wall!".

Good job reading, honey, but there are some words that should not be read out loud (or written on public walls...but that's someone else's parental speech to give.)

UGH! Why does their sweet innocence have to be spoiled so early?!

...the people...

...and things...

...and wild turkeys??...

...you'll see...

...when it's Spring Break...

...and it's blog fodder you seek.