Phase Two of the Craziness

We have now entered phase two of the craziness. Before I talk about the craziness that is to come, I'd like to tell you about the end of phase one of the craziness. On Tuesday November 17th Josh flew from Atlanta to Philly and then drove up to Albany for his Nanas viewing and service. He then drove back down to Philly Wednesday afternoon and flew back down to Atlanta that night. I, along with a few of my friends, left super early Thursday morning and drove down to Atlanta so we could attend Josh's graduation on Friday morning. It was so amazing being at the home office for Josh's graduation. We got to take a tour of the home office and hear great stories of the beginning of Chick-fil-A. It made me even more grateful to be a part of such an amazing company. Then came graduation time. It was more like a party than a graduation. There was no sad sounding entrance song. Instead, it sounded like each Operator was being announced at a major league baseball game. It was so great and I was fighting back tears the entire time.

Josh was chosen by his peers to be the graduation speaker. I have no doubt that all those men have great stories, but I never tire of listening to his story. He did a great job sharing all that the Lord has done in his life over the years and what the Lord is doing now. He embarrassed me greatly with a little shout out to me, but I knew I was going to cry no matter what and so I let the tears flow. As great as it was hearing him speak, it was just as great sitting in a row with 4 people how have all played an active roll in his growing with CFA. Friday was also heard because my mom was having open heart surgery. She had to have a triple bypass and it was really hard to be away. But she reassured me that I was suppose to be in Atlanta and God gave me a great peace about her surgery. After shedding a few tears after I got off the phone with her, I felt God tell me "It's OK. I got this." and I was able to relax.... sort of. Josh spent a few days in Florida for Operator coach week, came home for thanksgiving, and then flew out early Monday morning. And so begins "Phase two of the craziness". Josh has officially started in his store in Jackson and has been spending the past few days getting into the swing of things. I am now trying to get back in the routine or kids, work, and packing. One great communal living perk is that I have been able to pack 90% of my kitchen stuff because Jess can just unpack hers stuff so we aren't missing anything. I still have a lot of packing to do, but I know it will all get done... eventually. Prayer: For a house. There are a few places we have been in contact with so now it's just making sure josh has time to look at them all and choose the right one for us. God has called us to Jackson so I know that he already has a place lined up for us so I have stopped worrying about it. Good time management. There are nights when I have no desire to do anything let alone pack. Please pray that I make good choices and have to energy to get everything done. Peace as we say goodbye to all our friends and family. This time of the year is busy for everyone and add moving across the country to that and it makes it a bit much to bear. Needs: Washer dryer. Most of the places have a W/D hook up just not the appliance themselves. So if you know someone who is selling a set for a good price, please let us know. Loading day help. The plan is to get the moving truck packed on Sunday the 27th. We'll need help packing the truck as well as taking apart all the beds. Moving help: We also need a few people to come with us to help us on the trip. We need at least one person so we can pick up josh's car when we get to Nashville. And it would be great to have someone in my car to help with the kids. ideas/supplies for car ride: I had stared a list of things that I will be needing for the car ride to make the trip for the kids fun. If you have any great ideas, please share or if you have some old clip boards or Magna Doodles you are no longer using please pass them my way. Thanks all for now. Thank you so much for spending the time to read about our lives. We know that everything is in Gods hands and my prayer is that no matter what, He will be glorified.

Our journey so far

I have decided to dust off my old blog in order to document this journey our family is on. Most of you know by now that my wonderful husband has been selected as the owner and operator of the Old Hickory Mall Chick-fil-A in Jackson Tennessee. This has been a crazy ride so far and it's only going to get crazier. As of right now Josh is down in Atlanta for his training. He has been there since mid October. He will be graduating from that class on November 20th which I get to attend with a few of my chick fil a friends. From there, he will drive to Jackson and conduct his interviews that weekend. Because he is the new operator he gets to choose who stays and who goes. Starting on that Monday he will be in Florida for his coaching week. He will come home for Thanksgiving (hooray), spend a few days with the family, but then he is back to Jackson to start in his store December 1st. He will fly back for Christmas and then we will all make the move to Jackson a few days after Christmas. Did you catch all that? Me neither. But so far everything has been working out. He has a great group of guys with him in his class, and I am holding down the fort with lots and lots of help. For me, I am working full time to help support our family. While Josh becoming and operator is what we have been working for, these weeks of him in training is unpaid. I have been blessed to be able to work at the Delran Chick fil A with a great staff who has been helping me in learning the business but also have been great friends while I am missing my best friend. I am going to miss them greatly. I also have some amazing women in my life who have sacrificed their own time (and sanity) to watch my kids so I can work. To work full time and then have to pay for sitting would be counter productive so these people are blessing my family more than they can imagine! For now, that is what sums up what has been going on with us. Some people have asked how they can be praying or if there was anything that we needed. I want to keep people posted on everything that's going on but don't want to shout it out over social media so this is where I am going to post prayer requests and needs. Here are some prayer request: For josh: He will be traveling a lot over these next two months. Pray for safety and that his car can make the trip. Also on Wednesday night josh's Nana passed away. He will be flying up for the viewing on Tuesday, staying for the service on Wednesday and then flying back down so he can graduate. Please pray for all his travels and for the time with his family. For me: That I keep my priorities God, Family, then everything else. I am struggling balancing it all and I'm getting my focus out of wack For the kids: With me working most days and having a different person watching them, they lack structure and consistency and it has taken a toll on them. Please pray they stay resilient and forgiving of my absents. Pray we find a house. We have put in an application for a house that, in our eyes, would be perfect for us. But it is in the Lords hands. We are getting down to a time crunch and it would be great if I could cross that off of my "to do" list. Need other than prayer: Packing stuff (boxes, papers, tape, motivation, etc) I will do my best to pick this stuff up or you can drop it at my place any time. Child care help: Like I said before I have a few great ladies who watch my kids but there are times when I need someone to help fill the gaps. It's hard for me to ask for help, but I know that I need to so if you are willing to help me when I am in a sticky situation please let me know. That's all for now. Thank you in advanced for all your prayers and help. Christmas will be here before we know it.... and then we will be gone. I am not ready.

Sick Season Helpful Hints

OH Fall. What a beautiful season. The leaves change, the air smell good, and the sicknesses comes and invade our homes. Oh wait, that last ones not so great. But odds are if you have kids you will be dealing with vomit. Some are lucky and have the "One and Done". Others have the "I'm going to vomit all through the night". And others have the "You have plans but I'm going to vomit on you". Needless to say there is no good time for vomit. I think anytime we get in the car or go to the store and do not have a vomit incident we should count our blessings. As a mother of 5 I have dealt with my fair share of vomit and I would like to pass my wisdom onto you. Some of these things you may already know but hopefully I can suggest one thing that will make your vomit days a little easier. Pre vomit prep work Now is the time to get ready for the vomit season. First things first. Waterproof Mattress Protectors: Mattress protectors are great but having a waterproof one is even better. Yes they can be expensive but they are well worth the investment. The protector goes with the next step. Mattress protectors are also great to put on the couch where your sick kid will be camped out for the next few days. Bedding Sandwich: When your little one vomits you will have to change the bedding and having the bedding sandwich will help with the middle of the night bed change. Start with a protector over the mattress then a fitted sheet. Then put another protector and then another sheet. If you don't want to invest in that many protectors (because you have 5 kids like I do) then you could use pee pads or towels in the sandwich. Remember to do this BEFORE there are any signs on the vomit. Once the sickness has started then feel free to add more layers. Same can be said for the pillows. Layer with towels and protectors. Emergency Detergent: Worst case scenario you have a sick kid, go to the washer to start the load of vomit filled sheets and you are almost out of detergent. This is no good because you know you are going to have to do more and how are you going to get to the store with a sick kid? So do yourself a favor and the next time you are at the store pick up a bottle of detergent and stash it in your closet. Puke buckets: How many of us have caught vomit in our hands or used their blanket as a vomit catching device? Having strategically placed buckets will help with this. Put one under each of your kids beds. I tell my kids that they are there not because I think they are going to grab it when they get sick but because I don't want them to find them and think it's a fun toy, play with it and then it's not around when I need it. I also want the kids to understand that these are germ bowls that they are not to touch so they don't get sick. It is also important to have one of these in your car. Maybe one day I'll share the story of how I caught vomit in the car. The dollar store has great big plastic bowls that work great to catch vomit so stock up. Towels: Stash some towels under the bed with the bowl. Open windows: With the temperatures dropping the windows are being shut and the heat is being kicked on. That 70 something degree room is the perfect place for all those germs to thrive. So once a week open up those windows for about 15 minutes and air it out. Good things to have on hand: Disinfectant spray and wipes, an extra comfort item, crackers, Pedialyte, carpet cleaner (because sometimes it doesn't make it into the bowl, hand sanitizer (for those emergencies when another kids touches a sick kids puke bowl or sippy cup) Dress you and the kids appropriately: Ones kids are sick try to put clothes that are easy to get on and off and if possible don't need to go over their heads (or can slip off easily like older siblings t-shirt) Keep this in mind when you are getting dressed. Ask for help: We have all been there and things can get a little overwhelming. It doesn't matter if you have one sick kids or 5 there are some things you will need help with so be humble and ask for it. Tell your husband what you need from him. He can't read your mind and you may look like you have it all together so he may need a little guidance in the helping out department. Or you can let your friends know whats going on maybe someone could drop off a meal or run to the store so get some ginger ale or food for the B.R.A.T diet once you kids want to start eating again. As a mom we are constantly giving 100% of ourselves and when we have sick kids it jumps to 200%. If there is something someone else can do to help elevate the stress please ask for it. As of now that is all I can think of. I'm sure you all can think of something that you do that helps you get through this sick time so please share what has worked for you. Praying all of your families stay healthy and puke free this winter season.

NOT mom enough

While going through my news feeds on facebook I came across this blog http://www.desiringgod.org/ and the topic was about being "mom enough". There isn't a day goes by that I don't feel like I am "enough" and that was before I had 4 kids. I am a sinful human and everyday, there are moments when I try to be enough. After reading this blog, I took a look around and I thank the Lord that I am no enough and that HE is because I am a big fat fail right now. Because I have two sleeping babies in the house unattended....

Laundry that is clean and folded and yet will sit on the landing for a few more days.

Dinner dishes still on the table (notice my nutritious dinner of a bowl of cereal and a glass of pepsi)

Finn playing outside with a dirty face and wearing a wet and dirty hat to complete is mismatched clothes because he already got his first pair of pants sopping wet.

Joshua with dinner still on his face

and shoes on the wrong feet. I look at all that, and all I can say is that I am thankful that my kids have more then me. They have a Savior who loves them and I can only hope and pray that they will one day choose to live their lives for Him. I know that I am not mom enough but I am thankful that I have a God who is enough and who gives more that enough.

30 weeks and counting

I have no idea where the time has gone. One day I am reading a positive pregnancy test, the next I am taking the elevator instead of the steps at work. What is going on?
Today we had our 30 week check up but we are trying out a new OB. After our last visit with the PA OB I felt very defeated and like they were not even willing to talk about options. Today's visit was with Cherry Hill OB and let me tell you.... it was a great experience. I have not been so happy with an OB practice since I lived in Nevada. The doctor we talked to today was so nice and very informative. When I told her that both babies she said "Well you're 30 weeks so you still have lots of time for the babies to turn." That is the first time a doctor has said anything like that to me! She said that she understands why I would want to do a vaginal birth and that the recovery would be better especially with 2 little ones at home. I have another appointment with them next week and I am going to talk to them about any methods they recommend or have seen work for spinning breech babies. So now, instead of delivering in PA I will be delivering Virtua in Voorhees. Is there a chance I am going to have to have a c-section... yes but do I have a hope that if these babies turn they will encourage a vaginal delivery... yes. Ultimately I want whatever is best for these babies. I want them to come out safe and healthy!
Please continue to pray for the babies and for me as I grow bigger and slower every day. The boys don't really understand what is about to happen, but Joshua is super cute cause he always wants to kiss my belly or talk to the babies. He is already a big help with throwing away Finns diapers of finding a cup, so I think he is going to like helping me with two little ones.
On another positive note, Joshua is doing a great job in the potty training department. He is even waking up from nap with a semi dry pull up. Instead of having 4 kids in diapers, I will only have 3! That's exciting!

Kidney News

Today we had yet another ultra sound. Waiting for this scan has been the hardest so far. I trust that the Lord is knitting my little babies together and I know He has a plan for their lives, I just have a hard time being in the dark when it comes to their health. It really is amazing how much I love these two little ones and I have never even met them.
Today we were very blessed to have a very nice ultrasound tech (we haven't really had a bad one yet). This time we knew that we were looking for the cysts on the right kidney so as soon as we got there she was very good about answering our questions.
This is his left kidney. It looks good and free of cysts.

This is his right kidney. All the black circles are the cysts that are taking over his kidneys.

Bad news is he has what is known as a multi-cystic kidney. This means the kidney is unable to function like it should.
The good news is his left kidney has NO cysts which means it is functioning just fine and it working doubly as hard to make sure he has fluid. And his fluid is measuring great as well as his weight. He is 2lb 9oz.
So whats the plan?? We are now going to meet with a pediatric urologist to see what steps will need to be taken once he is born. According to what we have been reading he could have it surgically removed, or we can have it monitored it with ultra sounds to see if it shrinks away into nothingness (since it doesn't function) and to make sure that it doesn't develop tumors. My plan is to make some calls tomorrow to see how we will be seeing.
Some other high points- The are both in the 45% in terms of weight. I love that they are growing well but it makes me more uncomfortable. 4 weeks ago I was measuring 27 and this time I am measuring 32 so needless to say I HAVE POPPED! I just posted some belly pictures so I will spare you of having to look at more. But I do have some pictures of the kids.
Baby Boy face

Baby boy profile (he has his arm up over his head)

Baby girl face

Baby girl profile (she also has her arm over her head)

After the high risk we drove over to our regular OB. After waiting an hour, we had 5 minutes to talk to the doctor. Because both babies are still breech he made it very clear that it is going to be a c-section. I have slowly been coming to that realization but to hear him say it made it all very real. It honestly scares me. I have never had a c-section, neither of my sisters have had one, and I don't know very many women who have had a c-section. Since it seems to be inevitable that I am going to have to have a c-section, I might as well deliver closer to home then driving to no mans land PA. More doctors, more waiting, more ultrasounds.... Such is life being pregnant with twins.

tracking the twins thus far

Seeing that I am now 28 weeks, I should probably fill you all in on what has happen so far.
August- One day I fell asleep at 6pm so I thought to be safe I should take a pregnancy test. SURPRISE!!! I'm pregnant.

September- Go to the shore with my family and tell them by making shirts with a 1 for joshua, a 2 for Finn, and a 3 for me.
September 21st- We have our ultra sound and....Surprise it's twins.

October- another ultra sound. Both babies look good and have strong heart beats.

Me at 14 weeks

November- We switch to a new OB practice in Montgomery county PA. It's a little bit of a drive but they have two doctors who are trained to deliver breech and two untrained... so we have a 50/50 chance at being able to deliver naturally like we want.
Me at 20 weeks

December we find out "it's a boy and it's a girl"!!!!! For the first time I was right. I had been thinking it was one of each. It's nice to think about having a little girl who will (hopefully) be loved and protected by her three brothers. After letting the good news sink in, the high risk doctor comes in and tells us that the little boy has a two-vessel cord. What that means is that he is not getting as much blood flow as the little girl which can result in slower growth of organs (heart, lungs, kidney's) which can cause low birth weight or other medical complications. So they sent us to CHOP to have a fetal echo cardiogram just to get everything checked out. That experience is a different story for another day, but we did find out that everything looks good. His organs are growing fine and they didn't see any issues with the heart. They will double check his heart when he is born but other then that there is no other follow up needed. PTL!
The end of December- We go back to the high risk (because of having twins I get ultra sounds every four weeks) get to hear the good news again that the two- vessel cord has not effected him. Now comes something else. When they were looking at his Right Kidney they saw that he had developed some cysts which could mean- absolutely nothing because they will go away or on the flip side it could effect the function of his kidney and we would have to see a pediatric urologist to see what steps need to be taken when he is born. At this point there is nothing I can do but wait and see. We have another ultra sound on Thursday and we will get to see if they have gone away or gotten bigger. Since getting this news, I have had to come to a lot of hard realizations. I have been so overcome by the thought of having two little ones in my home, I never really focused on what could really happen. Will they both be ok? Will I come home with one, two, any babies or will they have to be in a NICU? What kind of special medical attention are they going to need after they are born? ect. I am sad to say that my worries have gotten the best of me. I find myself becoming over whelmed with the "what if's" of it all.
January- me at 25 weeks

And now on Thursday we go back to the high risk to find out about how his kidney is doing. I am thankful that we have an early appointment and we get the results right then and there. We might have to wait in the room for an hour for the doctor (again another story for a different day) but at least we (should) have some answers.
Now that you are all caught up, I will hopefully be able to post updates more often so you all can see my humongous belly. I also want to check with Josh and make sure it's cool if we tell everyone the names.

Wishing...

So this morning at 5:30 am I am getting ready to get into the shower when I looked into my bedroom and I saw the clothes sitting in front of my closet waiting to be hung, and the basket of towels waiting to be put away, and the pile of closed that have collected in front of the laundry basket. Being annoyed at myself for letting it get that far I found myself wishing there was a laundry fairy. That got me thinking... "what are other things I wish for?" There have been countless times when I have said "I wish..." Some being more realistic then others. I wish I had better hair; I wish I could lose weight faster; I wish I could go away for the weekend; I wish I could tell that person what I really thought; I wish Joshua would cut that tooth already; I wish my husband... I wish I had a house; I wish I had a million dollars. You get the picture. I think this is all something we are guilty of. But let me ask you one thing... What is the good in wishing? What good comes from it? What frustrations come from it? So as I was standing in my nice hot shower I decided that I was never going to wish ever again. And here is why. I have decided that everything that I would WISH for is something I can PRAY for. Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
It would be nice if there was a laundry fairy but instead I can be thankful that I have clothes and pray that I have then energy and diligence to get it done. I could wish that I had a million dollars, but instead I can be thankful that I have a job and be a good steward of the money. I wish my husband... instead I can be thankful that I have a loving a loyal husband and pray about whatever issue is there.
So here is my challenge for you... when you feel yourself wishing for something first find find something to be thankful for and then pray about whatever it is you are wishing for. Desire the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Whats been going on in Zambia

The team has been doing amazing things. I almost feel bad writing about it because I know I will be unable to really put into words how amazing it has been for them. I get goose bumps just thinking about the lives that they get to touch and the fact that their lives will never be the same. So far they have visited an orphanage where they were able to do evangelism through songs, evangacubes, and balloons. The kids loved having them there and were so grateful for what the team was doing. They also got to have a full day of ministry in Makanda.. This was a rural area, with thatched roof cottages, no running water or electricity, and all the people make their own living by growing bannas, and selling them on the main road, not too far from their villages.they said it was definite culture shock. Josh preached on 1 John 1.. it was difficult with a translator, but he believe it was effective.
They have also been able to have some down time and sight seeing. Josh posted a hilarious video of the killing a spider. If you are friends with Josh you can see it on his facebook page. They also had the chance to go to a market place where (in josh's words) were able to get souvenirs at a good price.
This week they are heading to Victoria falls. I know I can't wait to see pictures of God's beautiful creation.
If you are praying for the team, please keep in mind that they are hitting the half way point. They have all been together for a while in tight quarters and personalities can start to clash and nerves can get stretched thin. Please pray that they can keep the lines of communication open and that they can remember why they are there.
Thanks for checking in.

A Face with the name

Brad, Madison, Arline, Josh, Fridah (front in the red shirt) Tyler, Brady, and Tim.

Sunday July 18th and following

In the words of Kip from "Napoleon Dynamite"--"Yes I love technology not as much as you you see. Yes I love technology. Always and forever." Why do I share this with you? Because this morning while I was getting ready for church, I received a Skype call from Josh. There is an internet cafe where they will be able to access their group e-mail (wcfzambiateam@gmail.com), hope on facebook, and skype with their families. Lord willing, next Sunday they will be able to Skype us while we are in the church service.
One thing the students did in preparation for this was back yard bible clubs. They did three different weeks at three different location. They taught the kids songs, games, and lots of verses. They were able to share the gospel by using evengacubes, making the colored bracelets, and doing face painting. These skills are going to be put to good use as they will be going to Vine Orphanage for Children Evangelism on the 20th, on the 21st meet with the orphans of the church on the 21st, and then on the 22nd they will be going to Chismo Drop off Center where they will get to do more evangelism.
Please pray for the team as this is going to be a huge culture shock for them. These students might think that they know a lot about the world but they are about to be in for a rude awakening. This will be big for Josh and Arline as well. This is not something they would ever see here in Winnemucca. Tim and Fridah are from there so they might be a little more "use to it" but it still can be hard to see. Please pray that the gospel is preached boldly and clearly. Also please pray that the hearts of the team will be open to the blessings that this community can give to them.

July 16th. Departure day

A lot of you already know that Josh has been planning a trip to Zambia for a little less than a year. Some of you may have even got support letters asking for your prayers. God has been good and answered those prayers. Originally I was planning on going on the trip but then we found out in March that we would be expecting our second child in November and my doctor did not think it would not be a good idea if I went. This was very bitter sweet. I loved going to Africa when I was in high school and have had the desire to return one day. But at the same time I LOVE being a mom and don't know if I could leave Joshua behind for such a long period of time and I did not want to but baby #2 in danger.
Now, the time as come. After many hours of service, several Sunday meetings, hundreds of prayers, and thousands of dollars, they are ready to go. This morning the team and some of the family member met at church to get all the paper work in order, get the bags weighted and to load the bus. Once everything was checked and rechecked it was time to pray and say goodbye. This was very hard for me. I am not used to being the one who is left behind. I have always been Josh's right hand man when it comes to trips. I help control the crowed, try and think ahead to help alleviate stress, and try to encourage him when things don't go as they are suppose to. When I knew I wasn't going crazy. But like I said before I know that it is best for me to stay behind and be one of the prayer warriors for the team.
I ask that you join me in this and pray for them. Here is the list of the people who are going on the trip.
Josh Maxwell
The Adults:
Tim Banda
Fridah Banda
Arline Gomz
The Youth:
Brad Pearce
Tyler Duran
Brady Riley
Madison Waldie
I will be posting a blog every few days so you all can be updated on what they are doing and how you can continually pray for them. (If you read this off facebook it may be a few days behind. For a more accurate timeline go to my blog page to check for updates)
Today they made the very long drive to San Francisco and their flight will be departing at 10:24 PM (west coast time). They will be landing in New York (JFK) at 7 am east coast time on July 17th. From JFK they will depart at 11:15 and fly to Johannesburg, South Africa and arrive at 8:40 am on July the 18th. (This will flight will take 15 1/2 hours in the air) Then at 10:50 am the team will depart and plan to arrive at Lusaka, Zambia at 12:30 pm (3:30 Winnemucca time) Once they get in they will get settled in the house where they are staying and then off to a welcome service.
For now please pray for safety and sanity (haha). This group is going to be stuck in Airports and planes for many days. Pray that they are kept safe and that they can use this time to bond and relax. Also pray that their bodies will adjust well to the time change. Please also be praying for the family's that have been left behind. This is the longest amount of time that Josh and I will be apart and I am already feeling lonely knowing that I will not be able to talk to him everyday.
If you would like to contact the team you may do so by writing them an e-mail. It is an address the entire group can access. wcfzambiateam@gmail.com
I will do my best to let you all know what they will be up to while they are there. Thank you in advance for all your prayer and support.

My last blog was on May 4th and it was all about feeling humbled. As most of you know so much has happened since then and it's been amazing. Don't get me wrong, I am still feeling humbled but I am also feeling grateful, encouraged, blessed, but at the same time nervous and guilty. Let me explain. Right before we left for vacation at the end of May I had two interviews. One at a veterinarian hospital (which I knew I was totally under qualified for) and one at a furniture store (sales is all I have ever done). The day before we leave I get a call from the vet hospital offering me a job!!! I was so excited I had to use all my will power not to scream with excitement. As soon as the vacation was over :o( I started this new job. I can't remember the last time I was that nervous. It's been a few weeks now and I seemed to have settled in nicely. To be honest I was really surprised I never got a call from the furniture store. I have always thought that I (please don't think I am conceded)rock at sales. But hey... what to I know. Yes it took a long time for me to find a job and yes this means that I would not be home with Joshua but God has been so good to us. Since it is the summer we have been blessed to have girls from our youth group come over and watch him. They love him and I like the fact that I can come home for my lunch and spend time with him in my own house. Also Josh has been spending a lot more time with him and I have seen their relationship grow and am overflowing with joy. Yes there are times when I really miss being home, but I know that if I can work hard now it will be better for our family in the long run.
One thing I really prayed hard about was when the right job did come along I wasn't just counting down the days when I would be done. "one down 481 days to go" or whatever it's going to be. I knew that if it was like that then it would feel like it was taking forever to be done. At this point, it's not like that at this job. I really like it and I feel like I am catching on very quickly. It's so busy and there is always something to do, I don't have time to sit around and be sad I am not home. God knew exactly what I needed and even though it took longer then what I (as a selfish human) would have wanted, everything is working out great.
God is so good!! I really can't say that enough! He really is! He is true to His word when He says that He is and will always be faithful If you have found yourself in a tough place, just know that the Lord has not forgotten you. He is there and He cares. As humans we do foolish things but he forgives and He is faithful.
1 Corinthians 1:4-9 I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched in every way—in all your speaking and in all your knowledge— because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you. Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful

Feeling Humbled

For quite some time I have felt very humbled. I think it's one of the main lessons God is trying to teach me since moving out here. Being humbled is NOT easy. There seems to be a once a month occurrence.
I have been very blessed to have a family that I can babysit from my home. This gives me to opportunity to stay at home with Joshua and stay very involved with Church. On the con side, I don't always have the kids when I am scheduled which cuts into our income which is never good. I just found out a few weeks ago that the mom has a new work schedule and I will no longer be watching them. FREAK OUT! So now it's back to looking for a job. I had already gone through this a few times. The first time I didn't really look because I didn't want to be away from Joshua so I didn't put out any effort. The next time I looked for a job it looked like I had a good chance working for Verizon. I had a little phone interview but I told them I would have to clear it with my husband about being away for 5 weeks for training in California and then having to work most Sundays. I never got a call back. As much as I knew I would be great at that job, God did not see it fit for me working there. He really knew what he was doing because just this month that Verizon store closed. Then I also had an interview with a law office. I was so excited and I thought it went very well. Again no call back. This has been very hard for me. When I was in NJ I worked really hard a lot of hours to get into a good management position. I worked to gain the respect of the people I trained and those who trained me. Now, after all that time and hard work I can't find a job. For a while I felt very embarrassed because I couldn't get a job. How hard could it be right? So now I am on attempt number 100 (is what it feels like) for finding a job.
I know that the Lord will provide and sometimes his answer isn't "yes" or "no", its "not right now." from a human perspective this is hard to swallow. We like to know what's going and and what is going to happen. Right now I know what's going on but I have no idea what is going to happen. Like I said I am feeling humbled. Having to walk into place after place asking if they are hiring, driving around town dropping off my resume to places that has nothing to do with sales which is all that is on my resume.

You know you're a mom when.....

Over the year I have seen some e-mail circulating with titles like "you know you grew up in the early 90's when..." or "you know you live in NJ when...". So I have decided to write about "you know your a mom when...". Now compared to some of you I have not been a mom for very long so my list might not be as long as yours but in these short 10 months I have really felt like a mom. Some things you roll your eyes at, some you can't help but laugh, and some.... well only being a mom you can understand. So here are some of my mom moments. Please feel free to share some of yours.
You know you're a mom when you find baby food in your hair and your not surprised.
You know you're a mom when you haven't had an adult conversation on over 12 hours.
You know you're a mom when you are walking out the door to go somewhere, look down and see food all over your shoulder and leave the house anyway.
You know you're a mom when you plan your Sunday outfit depending on if you have to nurse while at church.
You know you're a mom when you put the kids to bed and then run to walmart because you have ZERO diapers
You know you're a mom when you know the theme songs to 4 or more nick jr cartoons
You know you're a mom when you taking a morning shower doesn't always happen
You know you're a mom when you no longer sleep through the night
You know you're a mom when you forget your wallet at home... in the shopping cart after loading the groceries into the car... don't know because the kids were playing with it last.
You know you're a mom when you replace your purse with a diaper bag
You know you're a mom when you have pictures of you with the binky in your mouth
You know you're a mom when panic washes over you because it's a little to quite in the other room
You know you're a mom when you haven't eaten a warm dinner in a week or so
You know you're a mom when your heart hold more love for your children then you ever thought possible.
I love being a mom and wouldn't trade it for the world.

our first 5K

A lot of people have been asking me how the 5k went, so I thought I would share with you all by writing a blog. Josh and I ran our first 5K on Saturday March 27th in Sparks. When Josh decided he wanted to start loosing weight he started the Couch to 5k running program. It's a 9 week schedule that starts you out by doing running and walking intervals. It's great for people who are not runners and can stick with the program. He did really well with it was and was able to graduate in the 9 weeks. I started the program (for the second time) a little later. When I ran my first 5k without the jogger stroller I finished it in 40:45. I was excited that my time only got better from there. The more you run the more chances there are for injuries that will cause some set backs. Josh and I were very fortunate and didn't suffer anything to big. He had some muscle problems and I had some bloody ankles. But we kept going. It was great to do this together because it made us actually go out and run. We (not always nicely) pushed each other to go for a run even if we didn't feel like it.
So after weeks of training it was time for the race. We went down the night before and registered. We got a bag with our numbers, a t-shirt and some coupons.
The next morning was race day. I got up around 6:30 because we wanted to leave our room by 7. Thankfully Joshua slept great that night so he was pleasant in the morning. I was a little nervous about the race, but the nerves didn't really set in till I saw how many people were actually there to race.
We it got closer to race time we unpacked the stroller and walked up to where everyone was gathering. One of my big fears was that I was going to finish last but once I got there I actually wanted to stay toward the back. Josh started a little further up then I did. We had already decided not to run the race together. He is much faster then me and I didn't want to slow him down. It was a little crowded at the very beginning not only from all the people in the race but just other people taking there morning run/walk/ bike ride. There was this one couple that was walking right in the middle of the path and the absolute worst part. To make it a full 5k we had to run to cone and then turn around, and then do a full lap around the marina. Well people had gotten to the cone and were on there way back when some of us had not yet gotten there so both sides of the path had people on it and this couple was walking right in the middle. So I yelled "stroller" because they were going to move or going to get run over. I didn't care. I was in a race and that means I have right of way. I don't know if thats "running etiquette" but I didn't care.
Like I said Josh was further ahead then me so you will have to ask him to share his take on the race. It was nice because I would pass some people and some people would pass me. There was this one lady who would sprint for a little and then walk. This was fine until I caught up with her and I would pass her walking and then she would sprint and cut me off. It was like this for the tail end of mile 2. I finally had enough and I knew I was getting close to the end so I kicked it into high gear and got as far away form that lady as I could. Right before I hit mile three I saw josh. He had finished the race at 32 minutes and come back to finish it with me. I really like this. We had come to far together that it was nice to finish the race side by side. Once I saw where I needed to finished I sprinted as fast as I could. The faster I go the sooner I could be done!!! 37:35. To some this might be a really slow time, but to me it's just right. I wasn't fighting the wind like normally do when I run at home, but there were a lot more hills then I was used to which made running while pushing the stroller difficult. But I did it. I ran and entire 5k race with my son and without stopping. As I pasted one woman she told me she thought I was amazing running while pushing a stroller. That made me feel nice. Would I have gotten a better time if I didn't have to push... yes but I like it when I am running and I look down at Joshua and he has a huge smile on his face. It makes it worth it.

Josh is now getting ready to run a 10K at the end of June. His end goal is the run a full marathon. I would be training with him, but the doctor says I need to stick with the three miles while I am pregnant. I want to run for as long as I can and then walk once running is not an option. I still wouldn't say that I have a love for running but I definitely have a want to love running.
For those of you who want to lose weight or who would like to start running I highly recommend Couch to 5k. http://www.coolrunning.com/index.shtml Even if you think you can't run you can!!!! Sometimes I felt like my run was more like a glorified walk. So what... just get out there and do something. There is always a reason to do it.

Barbwire

Some nights, if I can time it just right, Joshua and I will go on little adventures. I load him up in the car and grab my camera and we’ll chase the sunset. There are the most breath taking sunsets out here. The other night we went on a little adventure and we took a new road. Well, not so much a road but a dirt path. Once the path ended I got out and started taking more pictures of the sunset. It was so amazing and I was basking in that awe of God’s beautiful creation. It was like it was just us. There was no noise. No cars, no plains, nothing; just me and God. It’s hard for me to understand how people can see something like that and still think that there is no God.
As I was standing there I noticed what was in front of me; barbwire. This is something I look at everyday because it’s the “fence” that surrounds my house. But as I looked closer I was intrigued by its design.
Its long strips of metal intertwined with one another and every foot or so there are knots that have spikes on the end of them. This is not something that people would consider as beautiful and I didn’t either until I saw God in the metal. I started thinking about how our lives are like barbwire. Our paths twist and turn and sometimes bad things happen and we get caught up in a spike or we get all tangled. But in the midst of these times we have to remember that we always have the cross.
This has become a little bit more real to me in the past few days. When things happen like losing a loved one, finding cancer, losing a job sometimes we can’t see any further then our nose. But we have to. We have to remember that no matter how tangled we get, no matter how hurt we are, there is always the cross. Take comfort in that.

Moses and Me

Today I felt a little bit like Moses. Not the parting the sea Moses or the spending time with God on a mountain. No, today I was the cowarding Moses trying to convince God He had the wrong person. In Exodus 3 and 4 Moses give reasons why he thinks he is the wrong one. 11 But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" "What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, 'The LORD did not appear to you'?" "O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." "O Lord, please send someone else to do it." That was me today. “Not me God, I have never done anything with women’s ministries. I’m the youngest one in the group. Why would anyone listen to me?” “God, I know our church needs help with Sunday school for kids and adults, but can I commit to the time? Do I even know enough about you to teach others?” “God what if I plan something and no one shows up? What if people don’t like my ideas?”
For a while now I have felt God leading me in a new direction when it comes to ministry. Don’t get me wrong, I love Jr. and Sr. high. Girl’s bible study is amazing and I am super excited about our monthly N.B.A’s but I know I can’t be a part of this forever. Having kids makes it a little difficult. Sure when they are first born they just sleep on you and you can sit through a lesson without being a distraction. But now Joshua is at an age where he just wants to move around and be noisy. Unfortunately there is not always someone around to take him so I can participate. Sometimes I feel like I am only there in body but not in mind because I am so distracted. This had been hard for me to accept because I love working with the youth and I have felt lead to minister to them. But like I said I have been feeling like God is leading me in a new direction and I have been trying to tell God that he has chosen then wrong person. Then I read my sisters blog (http://ncypjoshisconfused.blogspot.com/) and it hit me right between the eyes. Am I afraid to do these ministries because I fear how I will do or how others will view me? Yes I was scared of that. But now I am reminded it’s not about me and it’s never been about me. God has given us gifts to better serve HIM. He desires us to join together to glorify HIM. How could be so selfish and self-centered? How could I turn serving God into a self-righteous act. Yes there will be nay sayers, there will be people who don’t like the ideas or how the activity is being executed. NEW FLASH it’s not about that. All I need to concern myself with is making sure that whatever is being done is being done to glorify God. The ministries will be used to further the kingdom and not for self assurance reasons. This may seem like a very “duh” blog but it’s something I need to focus on. I don’t think that time before have been for selfish reasons but I think this is the first time I will be doing something away from Josh’s main ministry. I am very excited to see how God uses me and the women in our church. I just need to make sure when I feel like the nay sayers and getting to loud that I remember to listen to my heavenly Father instead because in the end He is the only one that matters.

What a difference a year makes.

On March 7th 2009, my family and two of our youth group kids help pack up all of mine and Josh's belongings and packed them into a rented truck. I have become no stranger to moving. I moved from my parents house into mine and Josh's first apartment when we first got married. One year later we moved to another apartment (so we could have a washer and drying). One year after that we moved in with our parents because we knew that God was leading us somewhere, we just didn't know where yet and we didn't want to do another year lease. The nice thing about those moving situations was if you forgot something then you could just drive back and pick it up. And I had packed everything so by the time we got to our new place I still had a photographic memory about what was in each box which made unpacking easy.
Not this time. I had packed up our apartment in November and only unloaded our bed and some clothes at my parents house. So these boxes with our belonging became a stranger to me. When we had to pack up the truck I was amazed at how much we had accumulated over the past two years. Thank the Lord everything fit. Looking back I wish I had remembered to grab my wedding dress and my doll house. I'll get them one of these times.
The night of March 7th was a bitter sweet night. I had so many people I loved all together. I few more of our youth came down so say goodbye and all of my brothers, sisters, in-laws, nieces and nephews were all cramped under one roof eating the most yummy Pizza ever. After a long day of packing, we said our goodbyes to my family and prepared ourselves to wake up way to early so we could get a jump start on the day.
Around 4 AM we hugged my parents goodbye and set off on a brand new journey. I cried because I was sad that I was not going to be around my family anymore but I knew that God was in control and this is what God wanted for us so I was OK with leaving. With Josh driving, Hugo sleeping on the floor between the two seats and me, 6 months pregnant trying to keep him awake. God was good to us and we made is all the way across the country with only two mishaps.

Since we arrived here I have never had a moment of doubt or regret. God provided us a family to live with for the first few weeks we were in Winnemucca (thank you Granath family). Then we were able to movie into our house with only a few pieces of broken Pyrex. And the blessing have not stopped.
Yes, there are have been times when I have missed my family so much that it hurt to breathe, and there are things about living in the west that I am still getting used to but this is our home now. God has provided me with one amazing friend out here that I can tell anything and I know she will understand because she has up and moved away from her family. I am so thankful for my friends back east who, despite the distance, are still great friends who care about whats going on in my life.
In terms of our family, I have never been happier. I love Josh more and more everyday. He is my best friend and the strong pillar in this family. Joshua is almost 9 months old. He talks all day long and is getting really good at walking around the coffee table. He is such a joy to have and I can't imagine my life without him. Hugo is Hugo. He still sleep on the couch for the large portion of the day. He has started to enjoy going on three mile walks with Josh.
I look forward to seeing what God has in store for us this next year. Although there is a lot of unknown right now, I trust that the Lord will provide for our needs and guide us in HIS WILL!!!

A Taste of Heaven

Do you know what heaven tastes like? I do!

I wish I could take credit for this piece of heaven but it was a gift given to me by my very talented mother-in-law. When Josh and I first got married he would always talk about how much he loved his mom’s spaghetti and meatballs. He would tell me that when he was a kid he could remember his mom coming home during the day to stir the sauce and to add a few spices here and there. I never felt the need to make the meatballs because 1. I can’t cook and 2. There is no way I could live up to his mom’s so why try. Finally after a year of marriage, I called my mother-in-law and got the recipe. One of the more difficult things about this sauce and meatballs is that you don’t add a teaspoon of this and a tablespoon of that. She would make it by how it looked and what it tasted like. NOT A GOOD THING FOR ME!
Now, two years later, and a million attempts I’ve done it. I have been able to make a little piece of heaven.
One of the best things about this food is that it is always shared with friends. I don’t think I have even made this for just me and Josh. We have made it for my entire family, for a meal while down the shore, and for friends. Our friends back in NJ, Jeff and Kelly must have eaten this meal a few dozen times. It’s an amazing feeling having friends get together over a great meal and have a great time. Now we get to share this meal with our NV friends Andy and Kendra.

There have been times when I have not eaten anything all day in preparation for this meal. When the table is set with sauce, pasta, and texas toast you are ready. Ready to taste something beautiful. I truly believe that this sauce has some kid of super powers because there is no way that my human hands can make something this good. I take no credit for this yumminess (not a word but I don't care).
But eventually all good things must come to an end. After eating way to much there is nothing more to do then moan and lay on the couch.
I hope that all of you have something in your life that tastes this good.