MY NEW 'DO

Today Shelby and I got new haircuts. While that doesn't really sound like big news, the hair stylist asked me when my last cut was and I could not remember.

In my defense I have been rather busy. What with moving a state and a half away, raising kids, being a wife, and life, in general.

Tuesday is the big day for us. We start school. I am ready. I think. Well, I have all our curriculum and I am getting ready to write down the plans for the 1st month of school.

We ate a picnic lunch at a new park today and we loved it. There is a creek running right through it and it's so lovely. I have a feeling we are going to be packing up school books and spending lots of school days on the banks of that creek.

Ok, now that I have made everyone so bored they're ready for bed, all that's left to say is "Goodnight, Moon"

MY DAUGHTERS PRAYER

*The font has gone all wonky on me. Sorry about that:)
Ok...I need a shower. I have 500 projects I need to finish or start on but I need to get this story blogged because I want to always remember it.

Last Wednesday, my Daddy had to go into the hospital for a heart procedure. My brother had picked me up the night before and drove the rest of the way in to my parents house. It was late when we got there and even later when we finally got to sleep. We also had to get up early so what I am trying to get at is~We didn't sleep much the night before.

Well, let's back up to Monday when we experienced a 5.8 earthquake here in the DC area. Freaaaakkkkyyyy!!

Anyway, I was fine Monday about the earthquake. Honestly, we were driving back from IKEA and didn't even feel it. We heard it on the radio but people were standing all over the place as we were driving through town and when we got home there were pictures knocked over and the cabinets were open in the kitchen.

That's the back story. Let's move forward.

My Daddy had to have tests before his surgery so we were there pretty much all day long. My brother & I went down to grab a bite to eat for breakfast while waiting. That's when it all started.

You see we were having some great discussions as we usually do and all of a sudden I thought to myself, "What if we had another earthquake?" I could feel myself getting tense as we sat there talking. Then my brother casually, out of the blue, says, "Do you feel that? I feel a tremor or something." Y'all~~y'all. Oh, y'all, I almost wet my pants.

My brother didn't say anything about it but I probably went as white as a sheet and I jumped up and grabbed my purse. I don't know where I thought I was going but I was going to be ready.

We walked around for a minute and then we headed back up to the Cardiac waiting room. I could feel myself getting more panicky by the second and I knew if I didn't calm down it might get a wee bit ugly. So I did what I always do when I need some help I started praying. (by this time my brother had my ipod on and was oblivious to the hot mess that was sitting beside him:)

Anyway, after a few very, long minutes, I knew I was going to need some help. I got on my phone and started texting Mike.

This is what I sent and the response:

Me: Pray for me I feel a panic attack coming on. Seriously

Michael: Your going to be o.k.

Me: I really feel like I am going to have one. I'm all hot & I feel sick.

Michael: It's going to be alright.

Me: I'm really freaking here.Please pray.

Michael: O.k.

After that text exchange I started feeling better. I was able to feel myself relaxing and able to be calm.

Imagine my surprise when I got a text from Mike later saying that he had been outside for the last couple of hours. I questioned him about the texts and he said they weren't from him. They were from Shelby. I cried. Because those texts from my daughter was exactly what I needed to hear. When I looked back on them I realized they weren't Mike's style of text but I didn't pick up on it at the time. I just knew someone was praying for me.

The next day, when I got home, I asked the girls about the texts and they said they stopped what they were doing and prayed for me. I don't know about you but I am crying just
thinking about it.

I love them so much and I'm so glad that they saw that prayer was important right then. Jesus heard their prayers and answered them. I made sure they knew what He did because of their prayers.

Lord, may my girls always see the importance of prayer in their lives and how much of an impact it has on people around them. Allow them to stand in the gap for others and become fervent prayer warriors. Amen

THE WEEKEND

Friday we headed south to visit with family and pick up the girls.

We are recovering today from a busy couple of days but it was a nice trip.

I am sure that these next two weeks before we start school will go fast but I am determined to squeeze all the life out of the last of our summer. We have a few things left on our summer list and we are going to get them done plus a couple of other things.

We had some visitors at church today and it was so uplifting.

My Daddy is having surgery on Wednesday and we are praying that this takes care of his heart problem. If you think about it, will you pray with us?

OUR ANNIVERSARY

On August 3, 2011, Mike and I celebrated our 20th anniversary.

Wow. I really can't believe it sometimes.

I've been thinking over the last few weeks about why we have made it this far. Let's be honest. When 2 18 yr olds with a baby get married, our first reaction is, "Uhh, yeah, that's probably not going to work."

We had quite a few people tell us that. Some were nice about it, some weren't.

So, why? Why have we been able to keep it going all these years?

First and foremost, God's mercy. Look, being married is wonderful when we are at our best. Horrible, when we are at our worst. I've not been the easiest person to live with. When there are insecurities, which I have had, there are rough patches.

When we first got married, I wanted to please everyone. My parents, his parents, sisters, brothers, cousins, uncles, the man walking down the street, the person behind me at the check out counter. I felt that if I just did whatever was expected of me they would be happy. Everyone would be happy. Everyone but me.

So I tried. I really did. I could write story after story about how I tried. But, at the end of the day, I was MISERABLE. And I made my husband miserable in the process. It took me years to realize I was killing myself. Slowly. Painfully.

I only had myself to blame. I had all these expectations on myself that I thought Mike wanted out of me. He didn't. He has made it clear through out our whole married life that all he cares about is me. Not what I can or can't do for him. Not what I look like. Not what I dress like. Not anything outwardly.

He loves me because I am me.

He models to me daily Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it.

We haven't had a perfect marriage. There's no such thing. We know that the odds & statistics were stacked against us. Thank God He doesn't go by odds & statistics.

We do have a marriage steeped in love, honesty, forgiveness, & commitment. Sure, we wear battle scars but anything worth having is worth fighting for.

There are times when those old insecurities creep in and the doubts start to take over. Moving to a new place will do that to you. The One who made me and knows every single, ugly thing about me, loves me.

I want to honor God and my husband every day. Sometimes I get it right. Sometimes I fail. At the end of the day I know I am loved and that is really all that matters.

Happy Anniversary, again, my love. You are truly the one I love the most.

THE SUMMER IS COMING TO A CLOSE

Yesterday I ordered curriculum. It was very painless because I have been scoping out what we will use this school year since last school year.

Recording it for my records:
Shelby~ MATH U SEE
Growing with Grammar Level 5
Soaring with Spelling Level 6
All American History
Exploring the History of Medicine
Answers for Kids by Answers in Genesis
Piano

Abby~ MATH U SEE
Growing with Grammar Level 3
Soaring with Spelling Level 3
All American History
Exploring the History of Medicine
Answers for Kids by Answers in Genesis
Music Theory

We may add some stuff to our list but for starters this is what we are tackling.

We will start after Labor Day just like the school system here and we will probably continue Field Trip Fridays because they are so fun. There are so many places for us to go here and some places we have to go more than once to see everything.

Tomorrow our Field Trip Friday will be a blast. It is a big surprise and the girls have no clue. Gotta get off here and get us all ready to head out early in the morning. And by early I mean 8:30. That's early for us:)

IN WHICH I TALK ABOUT ALL THE POSTS I SHOULD HAVE WRITTEN

There is a good reason for all this silence here on the blog. I've been busy...and lazy. I would say equal parts of both mixed in with a little melancholy.

Anyway, I have neglected this blog long enough and so I am back. For how long? Not sure. Just enjoy it while it lasts.

We have had a pretty busy summer with people visiting. Which I love, by the way. Celebrating. Which, again, I love. Working. That I don't love but it's necessary.

We went on a weekend trip to surprise my Daddy for his 60th birthday on May 30th. We had a real blast. It was so much fun that we came away vowing to do it again soon. It was just....great. Mike was unable to go with us but he will go the next time I'm sure.

We had our nieces & nephews come and stay with us for a few days(see picture up top:) and WOW that was very fun. We ate watermelon, visited the White House, rode the Metro, played in the water, watched movies, laughed, ate popcorn, walked to get ice cream, made pizza, and lots more.

Trevor and Jessie came for their vacation and we had a blast. Did lots and lots of stuff. I'll write about it later.

The girls went to camp for a week and Mike & I had a week to ourselves. Some of that I can't write about.

More to come I promise. Stick with me here. Oh, and btw, the post before this one that never showed up. My phone wouldn't let me finish it then I forgot about what I had dreamed. So pathetic:)