Party All Weekend

I remember as a kid "camping out" in the basement, sleeping in the boxes that the ceiling tiles came in. I think that is what my own kids are after. They made "beds" for themselves in the loft, and since it IS a "party weekend", I figured what the heck? I just hope they sleep and are not crabby in the morning for church. You know how the devil likes to attack on Sunday mornings, right? So here are some pictures of their "beds":

Still working on the "building" phase

Snuggled in

Grace

Jadyn

And You Know Who with ALL the Pillows


Last night I decided we would have a movie night. What I didn't plan on was 8 kids instead of just 4. But with a quick trip to Target, we were in business. We rented the movie Madagascar 2 and if you have seen it you know the song "Move It" is in it. Well, ALL these kids love that song and as soon as it came on, a dance party ensued. It was SO much fun to watch them all get down. I wish I had pictures to post but I was too busy video taping it to take any real pictures. They were certainly a bit crazy but I'm sure that had nothing to do with our menu. We had:

Brownies
M&Ms
Gummi Bears
Chex Mix
Goldfish (Extreme Pizza flavored)
Root Beer

No sugar at all. They were all so good and crazy and it was a total blast! In fact, Jacob even said to me this morning...."Mom, I had SO MUCH FUN last night!" His emphasis, not mine. I was so glad to hear that. I guess that sometimes it is a good thing to just break down and party like a first grader!

The Sewing Diva I Am

The "cases" for the floor pillows Krystel gave me. I think I did pretty good, if I do say so myself. I mean for an amateur. Dress yesterday, pillows today....tomorrow??? Sell my house!

The Dress and the Dash

Tonight I made a dress. Yes - you heard me right - a dress! And...one that Grace will actually wear (and like - she told me herself). I found the material at Walmart and thought I could do that. So I bought it and really made a dress. See for yourself. It is black with white polka dots and ladybugs on it (that is what those red things are - it's sort of hard to see in the pic).

The Front View

The Back View

A Close Up


There was an ice cream social after school today. At 3PM I remembered that I forgot to tell my kids NOT to ride the bus home, but that I would pick them up for the social. So I called the school and asked them to inform my kiddos. At about 3:40PM I was standing in the parking lot of the school, stroller out with Grant in it, getting ready to get Jadyn out, in the pouring rain (and it was very humid - hence the rain), when I heard over the school's loud speaker "Jacob Pawlak, please come to the office. Jacob Pawlak, please come to the office". I started to think "what the heck?" So I called the school (from the parking lot) and asked if Jacob had made it ON the bus. They informed me that, sadly, yes, he had gotten on the bus. So here I am. Standing in the pouring rain, one kid in the stroller, one kid strapped in the car, one kid in the school office (where she is supposed to be) and one kid on the bus (where he is NOT supposed to be). What am I to do? Here's what I did - I ran! As fast as I could pushing the stroller. I saw the buses pulling out of the parking lot and thought I could flag Jacob's bus down. I was frantically looking for bus 45 while crazily running towards the moving buses, all while using the stroller with my almost one year old in it as leverage. I finally saw bus 45 and started waving my hands like a madwoman. I was sure that at this time my poor son was totally mortified because I knew I would be if my mom did something like that. But what were my choices? Let him go home alone? No way. Leave my other kids at the school while I raced home? Heck no. Needless to say - the bus driver saw me and stopped (miracle of all miracles - maybe she really recognized me from EVERY day at the bus stop). She would not open the door until she got permission from someone (who? I don't know) and then she finally let my child off the bus. So into the school we marched. Jacob really oblivious and me....soaking wet, not only with rain, but sweat from my stroller race in the parking lot. Exactly how I wanted to look to sit with all the other parents in the cafeteria of the school. I guess I was due....I golfed this morning and then went out to lunch, so I needed a real "MOM" moment.

Some New Pics

My Little BABIES

Squeaky clean

All Ready To Go

Peek-a-Boo

Don'tcha Just Love Me?

Some Updates

What can I say about Jadyn? Yesterday, while trying to "catch" a snake in the frog pond, she fell in. She tried to swim out - didn't work. She tried to stand up - she slipped on the slime on the bottom. Grandma finally pulled her out and she was covered with "guk". Grandma took her in, showered her and brought her home - wearing Grace's hoodie and Jacob's old baseball pants. She had no underwear on, so everytime she walked, she mooned everyone! Oh, the girl!! Then today at dinner....I mean, who could spill a whole glass of lemonade (OK a lot of kids) but then manage to fall, face-first, off her chair and into the puddle?? And then just lie in it??? Aaagghhhh.

Still praying for God's direction in our lives. Currently, really praying for the "long fuse" I prayed for at the beginning of all this. I have noticed during the last few days, that I have become less tolerant and more easily angered or irritated. So, if you get a chance...lift me up, could you please? I don't want to be like that. I want to be kind and compassionate and patient.

I was encouraged by a good friend to keep Jacob and Grace up 20 minutes past bedtime in order to spend more time with them. They take turns - and we try to do it a couple of times each week. They seem to like doing it - they look forward to it. And so do I! I love to have uninterrupted time alone with them.

Grant has "pulled" himself twice now.....each time for a donut hole (Thanks Gramps!) He has army-crawled and only on the wood floor, but he is getting there. And he is very sassy - very much a "baby". We'll have to nip that in the bud quickly :) But he is so sweet, it is hard not to give in. I think I am becoming a "softy". Oh no.

Greg is getting frustrated with his drive. Who could blame him though? This past weekend, he tried a new way back and instead of taking 5 hours, 20 minutes, it ended up taking just over 7 hours!! Yikes! Not a way he is going to use again, especially since he had to pay $5.65 in tolls instead of the regular $0.60. So, if you think of him too, please pray for him!

That's it for now!

Still Can't Be Silent

I was just getting ready to wrap a gift for my niece's first communion. I got her a Bible and I wanted to write something nice on the inside cover. So I was thinking and then I prayed for the Lord to give me a verse (yes, to write on the inside cover of ALL the verses!) and I said I would just stop wrapping until He gave it to me. So I continued praying for Amanda's belief in Jesus and her salvation when the words from John 14:6 came out of my mouth. Man - how God works!!!!! Isn't He amazing???

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6

How totally appropriate on the eve of the next step in this child's spiritual life. God is so very good!! Praise His mighty name!!!

Bambi Doowie

Last night I went to a murder mystery with my mom and Krystel. I was "Bambi Doowie", the money-hungry, trophy wife of the very old, very decrepid "The Great Scott Doowie", magician extraordinaire. Unfortunately, my "husband" was the murderee. So as he was "dying" I had to really play the part. Well, apparently, I did - I won the prize for "Best Actor" for the night!!! It was funny! I sort of hated it though...at first I was really into it, but when you had to really mingle and try to find out who the killer was...I got less into it and just wanted my "part" to be over. Krystel won the prize for actually solving the murder. I never even came close....but had a TON of fun though!

Check Out My Blooms!!!

So...I am officially another year older. But man what I am learning! God is REALLY working in my life, re-shaping me and TOTALLY SPEAKING TO ME THROUGH HIS WORD!! This is the MOST exciting thing EVER! This is what I mean....

1. I was talking to a friend commisserating about our husbands working away from home during the week and we were saying that we just wish God would say OUT LOUD - "you are going the wrong way - turn this way". Then I was reminded of a verse from Isaiah that a different friend had just given me that morning.

Isaiah 30:21 "Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'This is the way; walk in it.'"

2. I sat down to read my Bible. I am reading a chronological Bible, so there are certains things for me to read each day. Then as a result of a video this friend sent me and a sermon on CD I listened to from another friend (aren't friends just GREAT blessings from the Lord?) - I had to stop mid-Psalm and reflect on God's absolute greatness and the fact that I was reading for "distance, not depth". I talked to God like He was right there with me, which, of course, He was! When the cup of my life was knocked around, I wanted to make sure what spilled out was Christ and not my "stuff". I want to be so full of Christ! So after our talk, I picked my Bible back up and started exactly where I left off.

Psalm 66: 16-20 "Come and listen, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me. I cried out to him with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!"

3. Then came today...when I purposely used an elderly lady at the bread store. I told her I would buy her bread (secretly hoping that I would get the "senior" rate - because she was "with" me). She ended up being the sweetest lady and we had a nice conversation about church, family, etc. I even suggested that she go to Ireland with her grandson. As soon as I left the store, I was so laden with guilt - it was terrible. So as I was again reading my chronological Bible for today, I read this:

Psalm 32:1-4a "Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. Day and night.."

"in whose spirit is no deceit"? Are you kidding me? My spirit was FULL of deceit. "groaning all day long"? Oh yeah, I was. So I prayed, begging God for forgiveness and asking Him not to allow that sweet lady to know that a fool like me used her. Then I read on...

Psalm 32:4b-5 "your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord' - and you forgave the guilt of my sin."

Oh, how great is MY God, the Creator of the universe! What an absolute answer to my prayer for forgiveness. Can you see how I have no other choice but to grow in God? Oh how I love this season in my life!!!