The Closing...

The Closing, Part 1
So today is the day, I can't believe it is actually here, finally, finally, finally!  I am so excited I feel like I am standing on a porch, I have rang the doorbell and can hear someone on the other side about to open the door.  Up until today, I have been ringing the door bell and ringing the door bell and no one has been home or maybe they have been in the bathroom "attending to their business" or laughing at me while hiding in a closet...whatever the case maybe, they have not been approaching the door to answer it.  But today I can hear someone on the other side.  I can hear the footsteps that are about to usher in a new season.  I am on the verge of spring after a very long winter, very very long winter.  The wait is over...we are closing on the house today...at NOON.  Thank you Jesus!  I just want to shout thanks and praise to the Lord...

I will bless the Lord at all times;his praise shall continually be in my mouth.My soul makes its boast in the Lord;let the humble hear and be glad.Oh, magnify the Lord with me,and let us exalt his name together! (Psalms 34:1-3)

We have lots of work to do...just changes and updates we want to make.  I am ready to get started.    


The Closing, Part II
Yesterday, I went to the funeral of a friend.  It was the most amazing celebration of life I think I have ever been witness to.  Although I have known her most of my life, I have really gotten to know her over the past 4 years because she was one of my scrapbook ladies and have grown to love and appreciate her greatly.  And while in this week of her passing, I have been rejoicing that she is no longer in pain or suffering with illness, I have been sad.  Sad for her family, knowing that she will be missed by them greatly and selfishly sad too because I am going to miss her.  I will miss seeing her at her spot when we scrap and being updated on her family.  I will miss hearing her say, "I am still gathering".  Which we have laughed about so many times because she has been "gathering" tools and materials to scrapbook with now for four years, I am pretty sure she had acquired enough stuff to get started, LOL.  But anyways, back to the funeral...her four girls did the service.  They sang and they spoke...they shared their hearts about their mom.  They made us laugh (a lot) and they made us cry (it was a 5 Kleenex day), but most of all they inspired me with their words of praise for their mother...I got to witness Proverbs 31:28 in action:  

Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:  (Proverbs 31:28)

It inspired me to be a better wife and mother, to examine the legacy that I am leaving my children, to serve others and to love Christ more so that ultimately the mark I leave on them is Christ himself.  While there is not one of us that is perfect, there is much to be said for a life well lived...well lived for the Kingdom.

Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.Give her of the fruit of her hands,and let her works praise her in the gates.  (Proverbs 31:30-31)

Teresa, you will be missed.

Packing...

Not because we have a place to go, but because we will eventually be moving...I have started to pack.  We still only "mostly have" a house.  This whole process has been a little frustrating, just because it has been so lengthy, but it's good at the same time.  Because of the delays, we have been able to save more $$ for the work that we want done and it has given me an opportunity to "get my Monica on".

On occasion my loving and o-so-funny brother has referred to me as Monica, the obsessive character from the TV show Friends; and because everyone thinks they are a comedian, it has stuck.  But my Monica has been missing since the birth of Benjamin, our 4th wild child, so like any good OCD, perfectionist type I have been in "just ignore it mode".  If it can't be perfect, don't do it and/or ignore it or ...you will be swan diving off the roof.  If you are the perfectionist type you know exactly what I mean, if you are not... well, just never mind.

Anyways, Monica is back, and I am beginning to feel the peace of having our home in a much more clean and organized state.  And it has been so fun to clean and go through things, purging and organizing and then packing them for the inevitable move.  Fun planning what I will put here and there and carefully labeling every box with its contents and which room it will go to.  Well...fun as long as Benjamin is not trying to bite me on my bottom.  Twice...twice yesterday, that head strong turkey tried to bite me on the butt.  I tell him no, he throws a fit, I walk away and he chases after me trying to bite me.  Really?   Ugh!!!   Back to my peace...So we are holding out hope that maybe we will close on this house in early May and can move by the end of May.  We will see how this plays out, but however and whenever it finally works out, Monica is going to be SO prepared and organized.  I am so excited!

I think we have a house...

House hunting has been a quite an experience.  Our small little town doesn't have a lot of homes for sale so options are quite limited.  Then add in a complete career change (which looks really good to the lenders, not!) and hourly wages in which only 40 hours/week can be considered for your mortgage and your options limit even further.  But in what appears to be God's timing, a house came back on the market a few weeks ago, in our exact price range and that meets our space needs for our family of 6, in a great location, in a great neighborhood.  So last week we made an offer and we found out yesterday that the seller has agreed.  Yay!!  So I think you can say we "mostly have a house".  Now I know there is a big difference in mostly having a house and all the way having a house.  Mostly having a house is slightly not having a house.  Just like "mostly dead"..."Mostly dead is slightly alive."  As long as we only mostly have a house the deal could fall through.  So of course our hope is that this house is the "one" and things will move along and finalize.

There are some things we would like to do to the house before moving in...and...(angelic ah, ah, ah) I have discovered the world of Pinterest.  It is so funny, I was introduced to Pinterest a few months ago, but I just didn't get it.  I was like...you do what?  And why would I do that?  And then my sister-in-law Jennifer (my brother's wife) (I must clarify because one of Darren's brothers has a Jennifer too), showed me a pin of a picture that popped up when she logged on of the naked family laying on top of each other...which was incredibly disturbing to us all...and again, I am all like...And why do I want to do this?  And does this always come with naked people?  I don't get it!  But now I do.  It is a perfect help with planning the remodel on the house that we mostly have.

Some really great things are happening with Darren's job and we are excited about all of that.  And someday soon I will share about all of that as soon as I can understand it.  I can only really understand enough to know that it is good.  But...I need everyone to pray for Darren on Tuesday, January 24th.  He is taking his CDL driving test at 8am.  If you would pray during that 8 o'clock hour that would be great.  If you are not usually awake then...Set your alarm, get up! and pray!! (Please?) and then you can go back to sleep.  That day just happens to be his birthday too, so I plead for your prayers for him on that day.

Also I am going to be teaching a women's bible study at church and I am getting really excited about that.  Maybe I have graduated, lol!  Not sure how that is going to go as I am use to teenage girls, but I am hopeful that maybe I won't have to ask them to not lay on the floor or to not interrupt the teaching time asking to color.  We will see.

I really need to go back to bed.  Maybe I can sleep now that I have all of this off my brain!

Beginning to adjust

I really can't believe it is 2012.  It seems so futuristic, but I am excited about it...to see what the Lord has for us and what in the world he is up to...what a journey.  I am beginning to adjust to all of our changes.  (Keyword being "beginning to", guess that is two words.)  My hubby is working a lot and so adjusting to just me and the four kids has been the main challenge.  Sometimes I feel like it is me versus the four kids, but I have to say it is going much better than I imagined.  Darren is an amazing husband and he did a lot to help out with bathing the boys and cooking and would help out with cleaning/laundry if I got behind and perhaps what I am missing the most is that he had been in the habit of making us amazing popcorn almost every night.  So not having him right there in the action with me (and not having the popcorn) has had me a bit concerned about whether or not I could handle this.  Now of course some moments are better than others but as a whole we are falling into a routine that is not as difficult as I was fearing.  But most of that is due to the fact that my responsibilities have changed too.  While on staff at the church Darren worked and was "on call" all the time too, but the difference being he was able to do most of the after hours work from home, whether it was studying, planning, preparing for or hosting an event, and I was working along side him most of the time.  So my outside the home responsibilities have been drastically reduced and I have been able to concentrate on just being a wife and a mom.  I am adjusting.

Another major adjustment has been Darren's laundry.  Can I just say, "ehew"!  Mud all over everything and all the time.  I am trying to get him enough work clothes so that I only have to deal with that grossness once a week.  It takes 3 cycles on each load.  First I do a soak cycle, then a rinse and drain cycle and then a normal wash cycle.  Then after all the loads I have to do one more cycle to clean the machine. It is crazy.  But, I am adjusting.

God has really been working on my heart through this whole let's just say "ordeal", but especially these last 3 weeks.  He has been hammering me in the area of humility.  My dear friend Kindra gave me a book, a character study by Elizabeth George entitled Mary, Nurturing a Heart of Humility.  She used it as a source as she was teaching on Mary with our youth girls.  Going through that book and her bible study has been just what I needed.  Isn't it funny how God gives us just what we need.  Hmm, go figure.  Anyways it has been very encouraging to me and very challenging to me as it has exposed a less than humble heart.  I pray that God will continue adjusting.  

Ready for the New Year!

Dear 2011,


As I look back over our time together you have brought moments of great joy, fun and laughter, some interesting experiences to say the least, but were mostly marked by many, many, many, many, many, many...trials.  I have to say that I am not sad to see you go.  I hope that does not hurt too much, but I mean come on...you have been rather difficult.  Although you will always be remembered and forever marked as a giant milestone in the life of our family, I definitely need a break from you, a permanent break...it is officially over between us.  


Now, I do want you to know that I appreciate all that I have learned during our time together.  The lessons learned will not be in vain as I do not wish to learn them again.  The experiences and circumstances that Darren & I have endured this year have grown us in a lot different of ways.  Please do not think that I am not bitter, I am not at all.  I am just truly glad and relieved our time together is officially over.  But I would like to say, "Thank you."  And in the words of David Spade & Helen Hunt..."Buh-Bye!"  

Well...it is official

With the encouragement of my "mini-me", I blog again...

I can't even begin to explain the insanity of the past few weeks, but a couple of family high points include trick or treating with the kiddos, taking Rian to her first OU game and the girls have started basketball.  I feel like I am leaving the boys out, but right now all they seem to do is poop!  Seriously, I am getting sick of their crap!

We had a great time with Spiderman, Elizabeth Swann, Ryan Tannehill, Monster Baby and the two Kitty Cats that joined us.  This year we decided to walk, which was THE best idea ever!  Getting in and out of the vehicle over and over is just no fun at all.  So that simple change made a world of difference.

Taking Rian to the OU/A&M game was just wonderful.  She was so excited to see her cousin, Ryan Tannehill play, she cheered for A&M the whole game and watched every play.  She wore the Tannehill jersey I made her for her Halloween costume and wore it with pride.  It was great to spend the day doing that with her and watching her just enjoy things so much.  I was really glad she got to see the A&M band too.  They are so impressive!

Back in my first post I mentioned roller coasters, well...we are on a new one.  It is called the roller coaster of change...change has been racing through our home the past 7 days.  Darren found a job and so it is official...his last Sunday is next Sunday, November 20.  While I am so thankful for the job he has found, this has been a very hard and emotional week.  I have been sad that it is over, that he will no longer be the youth pastor.  I have been mad and down right angry at God, that it has to be this way.  I hurt.  I feel like I have lost my place.  I have felt lonely, even though Darren & I are walking through this together and I am surround by friends I have still felt lonely and ignored.  I have felt joy.  I have felt in awe of how God orchestrates things, His providence, His sovereignty.  I have felt relief from the pressures of ministry.  I have felt love for those who have covered us in prayer.  I have felt loved by a God who is proving himself faithful.  I have felt hurt by those who love us.  I feel overwhelmed.  I have been humbled.  I have felt excited.  I have felt peace.  I feel love for my Savior, Jesus.  

Now, don't ask me where Darren works, cause we don't know.  (LOL! We know who he works for, just not what the name of the actual company is.  It is a new venture for McIntosh Livestock but it is so much more fun to say we don't know at all.)  And don't ask me what Darren does, it has something to do with oil rigs and mud, I am clueless.  This has all happened so fast our heads are spinning.  (Maybe that is why I have neck issues???)   I am so glad that it is happening fast though.  We have been in such a "holding pattern" for so long that I am sure happy for things to be moving along, whether I like it or not.

A Bulging Disk and Award Winning Pumpkin

This has been quite a week.  I have had a lot on my plate...coupon class to teach, scrapbooking class to teach, soccer game and practice and an all night unit meeting with my CTMH buddies plus of course my normal weekly commitments.  A week way too full!!

I guess the Lord just knows when you need a break.  The first thing to go was my favorite, our unit meeting at Yulonda's.  I was so sad that had to be rescheduled.  But oh well, I said, that is one less thing to do this week.

After soccer practice, on Tuesday evening the girls made their pumpkins for the school pumpkin contest.  That was so fun, we have never done that before and really enjoyed it.  They turned out good too!  I was very proud of their work.  And yes, it was their work.  I tried to help, they just wouldn't let me.  LOL.  We stayed up way to late though.  Here were the results of their efforts...

This one was Rian's.  A Minion from the movie Despicable Me.

This is Abbee's masterpiece.  She loves reading Junie B. Jones books and this is her Junie B. Jones pumpkin.

Wednesday morning when I woke up, I couldn't move without severe pain.  My upper back and neck seized up, not as bad as on previous occasions but still extremely painful.  Needless to say I was shut down and spent the day with ice packs and heat, then ice packs and heat, over and over...the good news is that since all I could do is sit I was able to start my blog.

Anyways today has been much the same, but I was able to get some meds and see the Dr.  So things are beginning to get better.  I had to cancel both classes I was set to teach and Abbee's soccer game was a forfeit.  So my schedule was made clear for me.  Hind sight, I sure am glad my unit meeting is getting rescheduled.  I would have been really sad to miss it completely.

It is funny how we get so wrapped up in our activities that we cannot even hold our heads up above the water.  A schedule like that plus the the stress I have been under is not a recipe for healthy living or for spiritual health, and until you are forced to slow down you don't even know it.  I can always sense the chaos and things spiraling out of control, but instead stopping I just try to manage it.  So I am thankful for this bulging disk.  I am thankful that the pain is subsiding some.  I am thankful for moments to just sit an reflect.  I am thankful for time to sit and watch the kids.  I am thankful for having to stop.  I am thankful for time to make pumpkins with the girls.  I am thankful to be able to clear my head and just listen to the Lord.

BTW...Rian won second with her Minion pumpkin.  Way to go sis!!