Covered

This afternoon is Corey's appointment with the pediatric surgeon for the lump on his collar bone.   

I'm a little bit nervous.....ok...A Lot nervous...

This morning when Jim and I had our quiet time, he flipped the Bible open to Acts 2:25...later, I needed a bit more comfort so I grabbed the Bible..and yep, Acts 2:25.   Figuring that there was a reason we kept landing on that page, I dug a little deeper.  

 Peter is quoting Psalm 16, so I turned there...

Psalm 16 is called a miktam of David.  My study guide says that it means to cover, either like a prayer said in silence or a prayer to be covered with protection...I'm standing on the last definition ;)

Psalm 16

Keep me safe, O God, 

for in you I take refuge.

I said to the Lord, "You are my Lord;

apart from you I have no good thing."

As for the saints who are in the land,

they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight.

The sorrows of those will increase

who run after other gods.

I will not pour out their libations of blood 

or take up their names on my lips.

Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup;

you have made my lot secure.

The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;

surely I have a delightful inheritance.

I will praise the Lord, who counsels me;

even at night my heart instructs me.

I have set the Lord always before me.

Because he is at my right hand, 

I will not be shaken.

Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;

my body also will rest secure,

because you will not abandon me to the grave, 

nor will you let your Holy One see decay.

You have made known to me the path of life;

you will fill me with joy in your presence,

with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

My strength comes from the Lord--apart from Him I have no good thing--the Lord is always before me, I will not be shaken--my heart is glad, my tongue rejoices, and my body rests secure!

I'll post later what we find out at the doctor..I'm claiming good things....good things...


****Well, we just got back from the pediatric surgeon.  Corey will be having surgery next week to remove whatever this thing on his neck is..dr didn't think it was lymph, but also thought it was best to remove it and find out what it is!


I'm struggling with mixed emotions.  Yes, grand scheme of things all of this is so very small and the way it all has fallen together is nothing short of God's timing (to be able to be seen by a specialist in less than a week and then fit in for surgery  a week from that, uh hello!)  Things could be so much worse and for so very many mamas out there it is....my heart aches for them right now.   And maybe that's the whole point of this...just another experience to grow us, mold us into whatever it is that we need to be for the future....


Staying positive, giving it to God, and trying to breath!

Now the Gloves Are Off

 

By now, you all know my munchkins.....the only other people on this planet (other than Jim) who can make me soooo insane, yet so totally in love with them!


Life in this house lately has been less than stellar, we've been going through some major adult junk....yet through it all, we've prayed and trusted God for the answers...and when the ones we thought we wanted didn't come, we just kept our eyes focused on Him and kept right on walking until we got to the next step.   It's really been freeing, not trying to figure everything out..not worrying (well, ok..trying not to worry).  God's got this all under control and we are good with that.


So for the most part, these issues have been Jim and I's battles.....but now we've seemed to have passed our tests and now the focus is on our kids.   


The day before we were leaving for Alabama, Riley came down with a cough that worsened through out the day....like majorly worse...a quick trip to the doctor told us that my baby had pneumonia!  (seriously, runny nose in the morning then pneumonia in the evening!!!!)  Thankfully, a zpack, some steroids, and an inhaler cured him up in a couple of days.  Check..hurdle passed...


Then Tuesday, Corey started complaining about his neck hurting.  After poopooing him all day, I finally looked at what was hurting him....a lump the size of a pea on his collar bone.  Ehhh, probably a lymph node, but I wasn't too worried...probably just him coming down with something (and the fact that the kid is skin and bones doesn't help with padding bumps and vessels).  Fast forward to Wednesday morning...neck still hurts, Jim takes a look when he gets off shift to find the bump was now the size of the tip of his thumb...  Another doctor call.  Lump is definitely lymph, definitely concerning because of it's odd location.   Lots of blood work done (thank you Jesus that labs came back normal...I don't think I breathed or my heart beat for the 4 hrs it took to get the results!!!!!).  We still have a surgical consult next Tuesday because of it still being abnormal.   Praying, stressing, breathing, and trusting in the fact that God is in control....   Check..still trusting, halfway through this hurdle...


Today I was bound and determined to get a workout in...it'd been a week..and every day that I've tried, something has happened!   Started corralling the kids to the truck this afternoon.  Jamie mentioned in the garage that his eye hurt.   Because today was crazy windy, I just figured that he got some dust in it while playing outside after lunch.  Nope.   Pink Eye.  Like, the worst case I have ever seen!!!  His poor little eyes are almost completely swollen shut..he's miserable!  Thankfully, I only had to call the doc to get a script for him.  Check..stumbling, but not going to break..gonna clear this hurdle too.


Here's where I get mad...the gloves come off and this mama bear starts coming out ready to rumble!   (not to get to crazy religious on y'all, but there is a battle that wages around us and man are we feeling it!)   I totally understand Jim and I getting smacked around....we've got some major things coming up...major, trust in God and take the leap into an extraordinary life.   But the boys, they have nothing to do with these decisions....they're just collateral damage, or hostages to divert our eyes from the prize.


So, enough's enough.  I'm breaking out some major warrior prayers...instead of getting knocked down, I'm digging in my heals and relying on God's strength to get us through.   


God is Good no matter what we go through...and that will never change!


And..the devil is just a punk (and That will never change!)  


My focus is on the positives of this all....through every hurdle our faith gets strengthened and we can more clearly see His hand protecting, providing, and guiding.  


Makes me think of that old song...I get knocked down, but I get up again..you're never gonna keep me down...   

Blue-ooo--oooo Angels

While in Alabama, we decided to make our way down the state to visit Jim's cousin near Mobile....and since we'd already driven that far, we figured we might as well take a short trip over to Pensacola.


Why Pensacola you might ask?   Well....we have 3 boys who love the Navy...1 is borderline obsessive ;)  There just so happens to be an NAS (Naval Air Station) located in this wonderful beach town...and the cherry on top is that the Blue Angels are stationed there and hold public practices on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings!   There is also a fantastic Naval Aviation Museum...and everything is Free (well, except for IMAX and crazy simulator games..but there is more than enough to keep you occupied for free).


The kids knew that we were going to the coast, but they were totally clueless up until we stopped at the security check point to get on the base.

By this point, son #1 is about 1 second from going into full blown geek out mode...it's juuuuuuust under the surface ;)  He did good, didn't jump up and down like a 12 yr old girl at a Beiber concert..just kept it cool as a cucumber!

The practice starts at 8:30 am and there are bleachers right on the runway.   Each section gets their own guide who gives you inside info on the planes and the stunts.   As they drove down the tarmac, we were told to wave and they'd wave back...but I guess I missed his wave, lol.

Honestly, I was not overly excited about this leg of our trip (I was very thankful for my lovely friend Kathy who stocked us up with their favorite brews on our way through St. Louis).   This stuff really isn't my thing...but...WOW!  These planes fly over 600 mph and 18 inches apart!  18 Inches!!!

These guys came flying in on their side facing each other and then broke off to do something else crazy.   It was a cloudy day so there weren't any big loops and such, but it was still Very impressive!

Can I say it again...18 Inches!!!!!

#3 for the day was a 2nd #2...but really they were flying by so fast that who knew!

At one point, one of the solo planes flew up over a hill behind the bleachers at like 500 ft..the guide called it a sneaky pass (but I thought he called it the Stinky pass...because it scared the poo out of me when it came roaring by!) 

There were so many more shots...basically I just had the camera on rapid shot and kept clicking pictures.   

Our guide told us that the planes line up with the Boss (the lead pilot) by aligning their wings with the hornet  painted above the wing.  It's maybe the size of a hot dog bun..maybe....   I get nervous when Jim drives too close to the car in front of us on the highway doing 70 mph.....I couldn't imagine flying 600 mph, 18 inches apart and then lining up with something that's around 6 inches!!!!  The precision and skill that these pilots show is amazing!


So, if you're ever in the area...this was a must...but the show was only the beginning!  There was still the entire aviation museum!!!   

12...How Did This Happen?!?

Somehow in the midst of all this chaos that surrounds us, We had a Birthday this weekend...12....yes....1..2...12!


It seems like yesterday when we were so very young ourselves, bringing home this tiny peanut of a baby.    


I woke up Sunday morning to the realization that we'll still be experiencing plenty of firsts in this journey, but now we're seeing more lasts.   This year Jamie didn't want a "kid" cake.   Instead, he was very specific that he wanted an adult cake...well, as adult as a 6 layer s'more cake can get ;)   Hugs from mom, well...they're sooooo out.  Not gonna do it!  His birthday want list changed this year too.  Gone were the toys and legos....nike shorts, swiss army knife, and going to see the Avengers were the bomb (but, the brothers got him a pretty sweet rc 4 wheeler that has been getting a Ton of his time today).


I'm excited to see what this year will bring.   Even with us as parents, he still manages to be a pretty great kid!   I need to remember to soak in these moments because the time is only going to slip away faster the older they get!!!!   Gone are the days of snuggling babies, here to stay are deep talks and developing thoughts of his own...molding into the man he will become.   


Anyway, enough mama rambling, I could go on all night!


Happiest of Birthdays Jamie....enjoy this last year before the teens....stride forward, but remember to not wish away your youth (have fun!  don't worry about life's problems!  smile!!!!  laugh!  be a goofball every once in awhile!)

Hello Friend!

How have y'all been?

It feels like forever..again...since I've dropped by here!   But we have a good excuse..we've been Busy..and Traveling..and Laundry Mountains that touch the sky....

Last Friday, we got back from a whirl wind, break neck pace tour of Alabama.

As most of you know, Jim has been down to Hackleburg Al twice now to help with their rebuilding after a tornado ravaged their little town.   During this last trip in Feb, it was mentioned that they were having a dedication of the church building in May...we wouldn't have missed it for the world!

This is just a glimpse of what the church looked like last May when the team drove down to help with demo.

...And this is the Hackleburg Community Church almost a year later!   The service was amazing, the people relying on God have shown such strength through this all, and God is so very good to restore what was only a pile a of rubble into a beautiful church (both building and people wise!).

Below is a photo of Pastor Clint (with the microphone), his wife, and Dan who headed up the teams going to help from our church.

This photo was a gift that Dan brought down....it's a picture of a mud streaked chair that had washed into the image of a tree and roots...

My very talented friend Lori, created the image from the chair seat below.....she added a verse:  At least there is hope for a tree.  If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its roots will not fail.  Job 14:7     

I can't even begin to put into words the emotions behind all of these pictures!  Redemption, God restoring and carrying this town, the hope and strength....I can't even begin to try to feel what these people went through, losing their homes, their belongings, and their loved ones in one quick swoop.  


Here's our team who were able to make the trip down for the dedication...quite a group considering it's a 12hr drive!

Jim's cabinets....he worked all week at repairing these and their beautiful!

Jeremy, Linda and their kids have been in our prayers from the very start....some photos of their little ones made the devastation hit home with the boys (there were kids in this tornado?!?).  It was so nice to meet them in person....especially because we got to eat some of Jeremy's FANTASTIC chicken!!!!!  Seriously, this chicken will be served in heaven lol!   Their kindness and hospitality.....well, it just brings tears to my eyes!

This is a shot of some woods that I snapped while driving out of town...those trees were just like broken toothpicks!  

We all met up later at a local Mexican place....which was sooooo good!   (I could never live down there....I'd obviously do nothing but eat and drink sweet tea!)


The boys wanted their picture taken next to this horse in the restaurant....Riley came down with pneumonia the day before we left....which is a whole 'nother story, but explains his pale face and sunken eyes!

On our way inside, Dan said that they just painted this picture after the waitress was told her section was getting a party of 30!  ;)

And here we all are!  

Such an amazing couple of days.....Hackleburg feels like family, they will forever be entwined into our hearts, and I see many more trips down to help!   No matter how much the teams were able to help the town with rebuilding, they have made the most change in our own hearts!  


Forever ruined for the ordinary!


But..the adventure didn't stop here...many more things to show you!