Thankful Thursday

I don't have much to say this week. But, I am so full of thankfulness. Go to this previous post. It sums up all that I am thankful for this week.

What I've Been Reading This Week

Study: Cloth Diapers Just As Bad--Now I don't feel so bad about all those disposables. Yes!

It Gets Easier by Rocks in My Dryer--This is an old post from over there but I keep going back as a reminder.

Fun Family Activity: Making Peanut Butter--YUM!! What can I say? I will definitely be doing this soon.

Living Through Live Earth--A little off-color at times but quite funny.

Get The Government Out of Sex Ed--Amen! I want the government out of a lot of things but this one is near the top of my list.

Quick and Easy Banana Bread--I found this recipe at Biblical Womanhood. I made it with some extra ripe bananas my Dad brought over this weekend and it was SO GOOD!! Try it out!

Have We Lost The Gospel?--Way too many churches are soft on presenting the Gospel from the pulpit and elsewhere. Preach it, Brother!

I Know I Could Use This...

I was over at 5 Minutes for Mom and I saw that they are having a really neat contest for a really neat contraption. Do you feel overwhelmed with paper clutter? Are your file boxes/cabinets overflowing and yet you still have more to put away? Do you have way too many keepsakes but you can't even fathom throwing away that adorable painting or homemade Mother's Day Card?

Well, it looks like us pack rats have an answer to our problems. The NeatReceipts Scanalizer!! Y'all this thing is so cool!! The original purpose of the Scanalizer was to store receipts and other important documents on your computer. That way business owners wouldn't have to hang on to all their receipts till Kingdom Come and sink their office and/or house into the ground. Love It!

But, there is so much you can do with it. The possibilities are limitless. I'm already having visions of scanning all those sweet drawings Caleb does in the church nursery and his A+ school papers (Proud Mommy!). Once all those papers are scanned I could then email them to ALL my family and friends because I just KNOW they would want to see them. ;-) I also know that my computer geek, minimalist hubby would appreciate not having anymore paper clutter in our house.

Go on over to 5 Minutes For Mom and put your name in the hat and perhaps you too could experience the joy that is The NeatReceipts Scanalizer. Ten people are going to win! Go!

A Birthday to Remember

This past weekend in many ways is a blur and yet the memories are still vivid in my brain. Friday started out quite normal. My plan was to use the entire day to prepare for our guests coming in that day and Saturday. I did just that for a good bit of the day. But, the thing overshadowing the joy was how Caleb woke up feeling hot and he was tugging his left ear a lot. Around 11:30 am I took his temperature and registered at 101.9. I quickly remembered his doctor saying, "if Caleb ever has a temperature of 101.9 you need to bring him in." I called and set up an appointment at 3 pm. Knowing I would have to leave at 2:30 and also give him a snack before we left I went ahead and put him down at 12 pm. Amazingly he went straight down without any hesitation.

The monkey wrench in this whole plan was that my sister and her family were on the road to our house and I had no idea when they would get here. How would they get into the house? I first prayed they would get here in time and then I wrote a note with directions to my in-laws house in the event we missed each other. They arrived at 2:20 pm. I asked my sister if she wanted to go with me and off we went while my brother-in-law and my two nephews stayed in the house.

Caleb indeed had an ear infection in his left ear. We went to Walmart dropped off the prescription and then perused, sipped a fountain drink, and gabbed for about 45 minutes. We picked up the prescription and headed home. I was so blessed when I found out they wanted to take us out for Mexican food for dinner. Whew! This whole ear thing already had me desperately behind on my housework (and I'm still catching up.) We ate our yummy food, headed home, put our drugged boy to bed, and enjoyed each other's company.

Saturday started out pretty well and fun. Chris and my brother-in-law ran an errand to prepare for the party and then brought home breakfast. Yum! Then my sister and I left on our errands. We attended the new YMCA Grand Opening in our county and picked up the birthday cake. The cake was beyond cute! It was in the shape of a sea turtle and had a matching baby cake. We came home and continued to enjoy each other's company as we waited for my Dad and Step-Mom to show up which they did around 1:30 or so. Caleb got up from his nap and we headed to the party location after his snack.

As Chris pulled the van into the yard our eyes popped out of their sockets. We saw Chris' Grandparents' (Caleb's Great Grandparents) Cadillac in the driveway! They had driven from Rockford, ILL the day before, stayed in a hotel, and surprised everyone. The aunts showing up was enough to completely throw us off. My boy is so LOVED!!!

The guests arrived and we had such a wonderful time. I am still in awe of all the people who came out to see Caleb celebrate one year (plus nine months) of life. Thank you to everyone for such a wonderful party for my boy. We ate hamburgers, hot dogs, etc. It was all so yummy. Caleb opened his presents with some help form Mom and Dad and then it was time for his cake. He was as messy with his little turtle as you would expect and/or want. Everyone clapped for him and he started clapping too. He thought it was all so hilarious. Icing was going everywhere...face, hair, arms, floor, etc. A short bath was in order. I only shampooed his hair and rinsed the rest. I put him in his pajamas and he played some more with all his new toys.

Caleb got to be so tired and everyone left. My sister and her family left for their home in Atlanta from the party (sniff) and my Dad et. al came back to our house for the evening. Chris' grandparents had requested going to church in the morning. So, even though we hadn't planned on going to church we planned for Granddaddy and Grammy to babysit Caleb while we went to church and they would meet us for lunch afterwards. All went well and we had a wonderful brunch together.

The rest of Sunday was spent napping, talking, making banana bread and seeing my Dad off.

Now, our house is empty of its guests but it is full of new toys and little boy laughter. I will always remember Caleb's first birthday as being a time of surprises, celebration, and love. Thank you to all our friends and family who made this weekend so special. But, above all I thank God for giving me such a wonderful little boy I can call my own.

Such a Comfort to Hear!

I LOVE THIS SONG!! I heard it the first time online and then I started hearing it at church. I've always enjoyed songs written by Matt Redman but I think this is one of his best. No matter what is going on or how I am feeling this song helps me put my thoughts where they need to be and to remember that God will "Never Let Go."

I am in the process of taking back my house after this wonderful weekend of birthday revelry. I will be back, hopefully today, to tell you all about it. Until then, enjoy this song and soak it in.

I'm Going to be Busy With My Birthday Boy

Caleb is officially 1 now. Chris and I really didn't have many plans for Caleb's actual birthday because of the party coming up TOMORROW. Chris was even going to hang out with a friend in the evening and I was going to use that time to get house ready for our guests. Those were our plans at least.

First change was when Chris' friend had to cancel and Chris was going to be home after all. I wasn't planning on cooking but I was sure I could whip something up.

Then around 2:30 pm Chris' Mom called. (Note: Caleb wasn't taking a very good nap at all and I was struggling to get anything done.) She said I HAD to come over because something just arrived for Caleb's birthday. I said, "Okay, but wait till Caleb wakes up and we'll give him his snack at your house." "Great, you just have to come over AS SOON AS he wakes up!!" I got 30 more minutes of work done and Caleb woke up. I gave him a clean diaper and off we went. I was thinking about all kinds of options of what could be so important that it couldn't wait till the party. Hmmmm!! I finally came to the conclusion it had to be people.

And right I was. I pulled into the driveway and the first thing I saw was a rental car. It couldn't be anyone on my side of the family because they would be driving their own cars and they would come to my house first. I walk in the house and it was all three of Chris' aunts (Chris' Mom's sisters) from Rockford, Illinois. They had gotten up at the crack of dawn, drove to Chicago to catch a plane, and flew here without anyone knowing about it. I was shocked!

Of course, Caleb was the first one to be hugged and kissed. This is the first time any of them have met Caleb. He was still waking up and wanting his snack so he was quiet at first and then cranky. We fed him his snack, gave him a tennis ball, and he was ready to play. I called Chris and told him to scratch all plans for the evening because his aunts were in town. He was shocked too.

Plans were made to have dinner at Longhorn Steakhouse to celebrate Caleb's actual birthday as a family. He wore his #1 baseball cap and looked adorable. Dinner was such a treat. Caleb was passed around all the adults and fed all sorts of yummy food. He never complained once. Finally, the waitress brought Caleb his own bowl of ice cream which Mommy "had" to help him with...Daddy too. ;-) There was no song because it probably would've scared him but I have no doubt that the majority of the restaurant already knew Caleb was 1 that day. We were a happy, boisterous crowd celebrating our little boy.

Caleb is so LOVED!! Have I mentioned how BLESSED Chris, Caleb, and I are to have the families we do? We thank the Lord for them often.

So, needless to say I will be busy today and the rest of the weekend celebrating and enjoying family and friends. I probably won't post much if anything during that time. But, I will post pictures hopefully on Monday. See you then!

My Boy is 1 !!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY,
CALEB!!!!

Mommy and Daddy are so proud!!

Here is Caleb the day we brought him home from the hospital.
Look how tiny he looks in that carseat!

This was taken yesterday, July 4th.
He LOVED playing with his little American flag.

The time has flown by way too fast.

Thankful Thursday

This is the first time I will be participating in Thankful Thursday. I found this lovely meme over at The Preacher's Wife and I followed the link on over to Sting My Heart, the hostess of Thankful Thursday. I am excited about participating each week and I know it will be a wonderful asset to my spiritual walk. Let's get started.

Here are a few things for which I am thankful:

1) His Radio and their On-Line All Praise Station (See this previous post). I am listening to it right now. :-)

2) Fourth of July and all that it stands for. Thank you to all our soldiers past and present.

3) Caleb's 1st Birthday

4) All the friends and family coming into town for Caleb's party on Saturday. The list is at 25 people. I never imagined that many people would want to spend their Saturday evening at our little boy's party. We are so loved and blessed.

5) Being able to spend time with other wonderful women on-line who challenge my thinking and faith. I am just now realizing all the resources that are out there.

Independence Day

HAPPY 4th OF JULY !!!!

Now go hug a soldier or veteran for their contribution to making this day possible.
THANK YOU!

Also, please go read this post over at Laced With Grace. It makes me that much more thankful to be an American.

Caleb's Birth Story...One Year Later

One year ago today Chris and I checked into the hospital to have Caleb. I was one week late and beyond ready to have this baby. We arrived on a Monday and prepared ourselves to have our Fourth of July son. That was how it was supposed to happen anyway.

Here is a little background. Caleb was VERY stubborn when it came to coming out of his Mommy. I went for my final OB/GYN appointment and I hadn't dilated even the slightest bit. The doctor who saw me through the entire pregnancy was on vacation and I was seeing another sweet doctor and I became very thankful later that I had seen her. I signed the papers for inducement for the following Tuesday and off I went to get ready.

Life continued as usual. I nested and nested until there was nothing else to do. I finalized when family was coming into town and who was going to help this new Mom during those early weeks. I was nervous but I was also happy about the inducement because it was delivery on my terms and not the unexpected. I hate anything that I can't prepare for. Chris and I went to churh on Sunday as always and then we had our last dinner out as "non-parents." We still talk about how special that dinner was and tell our friends who are having babies to do the same. We went to bed knowing that our lives were going to change forever the next day.

Monday we got up and finished cleaning the house because we knew we would want an extremely clean house when we got home in a couple of days. Chris got a hair cut and I bought him some snacks to put in his overnight bag. I showered and got dressed and made my "I am coming, do you have a bed ready" call to the hospital. They didn't have one ready yet so we sat in the den and waited for the "come on over" phone call. We watched "Dumb and Dumber" to calm my nerves and to make me laugh. I was beyond nervous.

We started our drive to the hospital and stopped at McDonald's to eat chicken nuggetsin the car as we finished our journey. We checked into our room in Labor/Delivery. I got into my oh-so-stylish hospital gown and Chris got situated on his chair/bed. I got connected to an IV and all the needed monitors. The last major event was when the nurse came in and inserted the Cervidil to get me ready for labor. I ate a popsicle and we watched tv. Finally, I went to bed so I could my rest. I kept thinking I would be a mom the next day. With all the thoughts and constant trips to the bathroom I hardly slept at all. How was I going to push with this little sleep? A nurse gave me some Ambien and that helped a good bit.

Tuesday began early when the nurse started the Pitocin drip. The contractions started soon after that. They weren't that bad and I even got to see my Dad, Step Mom, and sister. They barely knew I was having contractions. They were ranging in the level 5-6 area and I thought "this isn't bad at all." Ha! The nurse told me they had to get up to 10 for Caleb to come out.

I hardly progressed at all and they increased the drip to push things along. That is when the contractions started getting very bad. I wanted an epidural but I had to get to 5 cm dilated before then. I was barely 2 cm. I breathed the best I could and I Chris was a real trooper. The nurse gave me some Staydol and they pretty much kept that coming.

I really can't describe how bad the contractions were. I just know I reached a point where I just couldn't do it anymore. They had me on oxygen because Caleb wasn't happy either and they just couldn't find a position to make him happy. When I was about ready to perform a C-Section on myself my OB came in and said that we weren't making ANY progress. So, he would order the pitocin stopped and I could take a shower, eat, sleep and we would start again the next day. Whew!!

The nurse removed my IV and I did all those things. I took my shower and my Dad bought Wendy's for us. That was SO SO GOOD! The nurse reinserted the Cervidil and I prepared for another day. I continued to have contractions throughout the night but they weren't as bad. I was able to get some rest.

I think the Lord was smiling on me when my doctor came in first thing in the morning and said that even thought I was barely 3 cm he would go ahead and order an epidural. I was ready to KISS him on the lips. Everyone talks about the dreaded needle of an epidural. After the contractions from the day before I was ready for a needle twice that size. I didn't care! Stick me! The epidural was put in and the nurse told me it may take a few minutes for it to take affect. One minute later she asked me "Are you feeling that contraction?" I said, "What contraction?" Thank you Lord for Epidurals!! The pitocin was started and I actually slept a good bit. Chris was able to leave the room for awhile and get a break. I am glad he did that. Sometimes I would see Chris' eyes get big when he looked the monitor as I had a contraction. He would said, "WOW! That was big one! I think that was the biggest yet!" Did I already say, Thank you Lord for Epidurals!?

My water was finally broken and of course I was getting ready for delivery. Ha! I was still barely 4 cm and Caleb wasn't even fully engaged yet. The nurse had me get on my hands and knees on the bed and do this little sway maneuver. I hated doing that. But, Chris brushed my hair and that was delightful. I made it 30 minutes in that position before my knees couldn't handle it anymore. I got back into bed a usual. When is this little boy going to be born?!

After about an hour or so (I'm not sure) I started to feel a twinge that felt very much like a contraction. Surely not! I have an epidural! Very quickly those twinges turned into full-blown contractions just like the day before. What the Heck!? We quickly called the doctor and it turns out that the epidural FELL OUT during that hands and knees time. Figures! Anyway, they gave me another Epidural and I was happy again. Well, I wasn't that happy. I was beyond exhausted, drugged up, and ready to stop.

Finally, the doctor I saw before all this started came in. Remember her? My regular doctor had gone off shift and this nice lady was on. She said that it was time to stop. You've got that right! (Can you tell my attitude started to deteriate?) She scheduled me for a C-Section. There was one other Mom before me and then I was next in line. I did get a kick out of being in line for a C-Section. At this point I was reminded of when my sister said, "Sarah, it is okay if you end up having a C-Section. Don't feel bad about it." I didn't.

When I arrived in the delivery room I was struck by how light the mood was. The nurses were discussing schedules, dinner dates, kids, you name it. The doctor arrived with a resident and we began. I do remember how cool it was that I felt no pain and yet I could feel everything they did. Even the doctors discussed the weekend coming up while they were operating on me. Right at the end the nurses said that someone better go get Chris because we were about to have a baby. Chris arrived and just a couple minutes later Caleb was born. July 5, 2006.

There was some tension that I didn't understand. I found out later that Caleb wasn't crying without being given oxygen. He was born with the umbilical cord around his neck. They let me kiss his little cheek and off he went to the NICU. Chris left with Caleb and I was sewn up and taken to recovery. I was there for an hour and then taken to my room. Chris came and so did my family. Once Caleb was cleared from the NICU I finally saw my son completely. He was beyond beautiful. We were a family.

When we arrived at the hospital one year ago we had no idea how everything was going to turn out. But, as I look back I am thankful for how Caleb was born. Who knows what the cord would've done if he came through the birth canal. I am thankful to God for his grace and soverignty. Now, I have an incredibly awesome little boy I can call my own. We are having a birthday party on Saturday and we will be surrounded by family and friends. I am the most blessed woman in the world.

A Really Cool Book Drawing

Hey Everyone! Go on over to Biblical Womanhood and look at the awesome book drawing she is doing this week. She is giving away an entire set of the the Ballantyne Christian Adventure Library. I have been looking at these books for awhile and thinking about my little boy reading them and daydreaming of the adventures all the while being encouraged in his faith. This set would be such an asset to our library. Go to this post to read the details and put your name in the hat. Good Luck!

Declaration of Commitment

Our pastor read this Declaration of Commitment to us during his sermon Saturday night. I have heard it before and liked it a lot then too. I finally found it online and in its entirety today. Look here. Enjoy and adopt it yourself!

THE ANGEL STADIUM DECLARATION
April 17, 2005

Today I am stepping across the line. I'm tired of waffling, and I'm finished with wavering. I've made my choice; the verdict is in; and my decision is irrevocable. I'm going God's way. There's no turning back now!

I will live the rest of my life serving God's purposes with God's people on God's planet for God's glory. I will use my life to celebrate his presence, cultivate his character, participate in his family, demonstrate his love, and communicate his Word.

Since my past has been forgiven, and I have a purpose for living and a home awaiting in heaven, I refuse to waste any more time or energy on shallow living, petty thinking, trivial talking, thoughtless doing, useless regretting, hurtful resenting, or faithless worrying. Instead I will magnify God, grow to maturity, serve in ministry, and fulfill my mission in the membership of his family.

Because this life is preparation for the next, I will value worship over wealth, "we" over "me," character over comfort, service over status, and people over possessions, position, and pleasures. I know what matters most, and I'll give it all I've got. I'll do the best I can with what I have for Jesus Christ today.

I won't be captivated by culture, manipulated by critics, motivated by praise, frustrated by problems, debilitated by temptation, or intimidated by the devil. I'll keep running my race with my eyes on the goal, not the sidelines or those running by me. When times get tough, and I get tired, I won't back up, back off, back down, back out, or backslide. I'll just keep moving forward by God's grace. I'm Spirit-led, purpose-driven and mission-focused, so I cannot be bought, I will not be compromised, and I shall not quit until I finish the race.

I'm a trophy of God's amazing grace, so I will be gracious to everyone, grateful for everyday, and generous with everything that God entrusts to me.

To my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I say: However, whenever, wherever, and whatever you ask me to do, my answer in advance is yes! Wherever you lead and whatever the cost, I'm ready. Anytime. Anywhere. Anyway. Whatever it takes Lord; whatever it takes! I want to be used by you in such a way, that on that final day I'll hear you say, "Well done, thou good and faithful one. Come on in, and let the eternal party begin!"

Rick and Kay Warren began Saddleback Church at their home in 1980. ©Copyright 2005. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt

Theme: Sweet

Here is Caleb eating one of the cookies that his Great-Grandmother bought him while we were in Poland. Oh course, he thought they were so sweet. The chair he is sitting in was his Great-Grandfather's favorite chair. Unfortunately, Great Grandpa didn't live long enough to meet Caleb, but we thought about him every time Caleb ate his cookie in that chair.

Not much today...

I am so sleepy today and of course, Caleb is wide awake and ready to play. That is when our overly hyper Jack Russell becomes quite useful. Chris' parents arrived yesterday from Poland. They stayed on for an extra week. I volunteered to pick them up at the airport last night because I was the only one who would not have to "work" today and I could always nap when Caleb naps.

The plane was supposed to arrive at 10:52 pm. That wouldn't be too bad. I would go ahead and row, shower, and do everything to get ready for bed but put on pajamas. I did wear comfy clothes, though. I even laid out my jammies on my pillow so all I would have to do is strip, put them on, and fall into bed. I wouldn't even have to turn on a light for that.

Chris and I were having our evening "date" when we received the phone call that the plane was delayed till midnight. Ugh! My bedtime is 10 pm. The original arrival time was already pushing it. I started eating some chocolate (not the best choice) to get my blood sugar up and wake me up. Chris went on to bed and I actually watched 11 o'clock t.v. I never see that time.

I left for the airport at about 11:30 pm. The traffic was practically non-existant. I was appalled at what is on the radio that time of night. I arrived at the airport, didn't have to pay for parking, and got a great parking spot. It worked out okay. The airport was FREEZING....very happy I wore pants. I grabbed a real estate magazine and sat. I sat and sat. Turns out the airplane was expected at 12:14 pm. Ugh again! I was very thankful too that the airport was rather empty and not hectic as usual.

Finally, my extremely exhausted in-laws stumble towards the baggage claim and give me a hug. Remember they had been traveling since about 1 am Eastern time from Lancut, Poland to Savannah, Georgia. They kept saying thank you for picking them up. Hey, we're family!! We waited and waited for the luggage. It came and we left.

I fell into bed around 1:45 am and I think I drifted to sleep around 2 am with the little dog, Tiny, we are dogsitting curled up in bed next to me. It was a hard night but worth every bit to bring family safely home.

Needing more sleep,

I Have Arrived!

Now, I feel like a blogger. I have found a way to have one of those awesome signatures at the end of each post. Did you notice?? I have admired those signatures on other people's blogs for a long time and I just couldn't find the way to do it. I Googled "signature at end of blog" and I found it. I went to MyLiveSignature and used their super easy signature-generator and voila, there is my name in a pretty font, pretty color, and attractive slope. I am a happy blogger now.

Coming to you with a signature,

The Testimony of Maximilian Kolbe

When I went to visit Auschwitz in Poland I was reminded of the story of Father Maximilian Kolbe. I even saw the cell where he died and Pope John Paul II left a candle in his memory. I was inspired by his story greatly (more detail below) and thought about him a lot the rest of the trip. Then a pastor at our church mentioned him in a sermon and told his story there. I thought it was kind of neat that I heard that story twice in less than a week and was even there. THEN, I received my July 2007 issue of the Voice of the Martyr's Newsletter and there he was again! Three times in less than two weeks. Apparently God wants people to know Father Kolbe's story.

Here is what is written in the July 2007 issue of the VOM newsletter.

"I am a priest. I wish to die for that man."

These were the last words of Maximilian Kolbe as he offered to give his life in a Nazi Concentration Camp for another man who pleaded for mercy. Kolbe was born to hard-working Polish nationalist parents onJanuary 8, 1894. At 12 years of age he gave himself completely to the service of the Lord. When asked whether he would like a crown of purity or of martyrdom he said, "Both." After his studies, Maximilian served as a missionary in Japan, opened a seminary in Warsaw and started a radio station, newspaper and magazine. At age 45 Kolbe was a vibrant leader, but to be a Polish leader in 1939 was neither safe nor prudent. Indeed, his media outreach began to assail the dangers of Germany's militarism. Kolbe and his team also began to hide Jewish refugees. Before his arrest by the Gestatpo, they kept 1,500 Jews under cover.

In a well known statement Kolbe said, "No one can change the Truth. What we can do is to seek truth and serve it when we have found it...There are two irreconcilable enemies in the depth of soul: good and evil, sin and love. And what use are victories on the battlefield if we are defeated in our innermost personal selves?"

Kolbe brought these words with him to Auschwitz in May of 1941. After offering his life for another his wish was granted and he was locked in a starvation cell with nine other prisoners. Kolbe was heard leading hymns and prayers. When he was too weak to speak, he whispered. After two weeks he was still alive, so a Nazi guard injected him with carbolic acid to kill him. He was later found drowned in the camp latrine.

Kolbe also wrote: "Your blood now runs in mine; Your Soul, Incarnate God, penetrates mine, giving courage and support. What miracles! Who would have ever imagined such!"

Francis Gajowniczek, the man whom Kolbe offered his life, lived to an old age, dying in Poland in 1997 owing his life to a faithful priest who had chosen the two crowns of purity and martyrdom.


I think the story of Father Kolbe speaks for itself.

Everyone Loves Links...

How about some Polish Links?!

Here are some links to a lot of the places I visited while in Poland. If you happen to actually be going to Poland you've got to check these places out. I would say these are on my"You can't leave Poland until you see these places" list. Enjoy! (Note: Some of the sites will pull up in Polish, just click on the little British flag for it to be in English.)

Lancut--This is the town I stayed in. It is in the Southeastern part of Poland and is about 30 minutes away from the Ukranian border. Chris' father grew up here and we stayed in his mother's house (Caleb's Great-Grandmother). Lancut was our home-base of sorts. We would go on excursions and then return.

Lancut Palace--Chris' Grandmother lives across the street from a very cool PALACE. It is beautiful. The palace grounds were made into a public park and Chris and I would walk through the grounds when we were walking back from town. How often do you get to walk by a real palace? While there you should go see the Carriage House. The collection of horse-drawn carriages is phenomenal. Horse enthusiasts and mere appreciators will be in awe.

Rzeszow--This is the closest "big city" to Lancut. Chris and I spent a day looking around and shopping with one of his cousins. A day of shopping is always fun and there is some great shops here.

Krakow--Krakow is one of the best known cities in Poland. Chris and I went there for a weekend while Caleb was babysat for the weekend. We stayed with Chris' aunt and was shown around town by two of his cousins. We had no idea that we were arriving during the 750th anniversary celebration of Krakow. WOW!!! 750 years! One of the most prominent things in Krakow is St. Mary's Basilica in the City Square. Never in my life have been in a church so old (750) and so ornate. I was floored and reminded of God's majesty. Our favorite restaurant while in Krakow was this one. We would neve have known of it if it weren't for Gregory, Chris' cousin. It is down deep in the basement of a university and there is only one sign on the street. But, Oh My Goodness!!! The price was great and the food was phenomenal. Go There!

Wieliczka Salt Mine--Close by to Krakow is the coolest Salt Mine. You may think, "Salt Mine, what is so cool about salt?" I thought that too until I went 427 feet (130 meters) under ground touring this place and we only saw the first three levels (out of seven) and only 1% of the mines. The air is clear and cool. There is even a sanitorium type place farther below where people with respiratory ailments come to spend the night just to breath the air. You will be amazed at how everything was carved out of salt including an entire cathedral that holds weekly mass to this day.

Auschwitz--I know that Auschwitz isn't exactly a happy place to go and I understand reluctance. But, I believe that it is a place that people must see to keep the memory of those lost alive. You can even bring or buy flowers to lay somewhere if you feel so inclined. It is a very quiet place and it is emotionally wrenching. I was thrown back when I realized that as I walked along the railroad track to the crematorium I was walking the very route that probably thousands of people walked and never came back. I had the luxury of just looking and then walking back to my air-conditioned motor coach. Just go and see it. You will never forget it.

Well, those were the best links I could find that were primarily in English. Enjoy! Poland is such a beautiful country and it has really come a long way since communism fell. I was actually amazed at how little culture shock I had and how "Western" it has become. Put Poland on your "Must See Before I Die" list and thank me when you get back.

This is Why We Went To Poland

Here is a video of Caleb playing with his Great-Grandmother in her house in Lancut, Poland. Being able to have Caleb meet and even play with his Great-Grandmother was the only reason we needed to make this journey. We just wish Caleb's Great-Grandpa could've been there. We miss you!

Note: Yes, that is me coming out the bathroom on the left side. Lovely, huh?!

In Other Words

As I am working hard to get this blog up and running again I am choosing different carnivals and memes I would like to participate in each week or at least on a regular basis. These events are chosen because I think they are either fun, informative, or challenging to me. One of those events is "In Other Words" at Christian Women Online. Each week a fellow blogger picks a quote that means something to them and then she hosts the carnival at her own blog where others, like myself, can sound in with their thoughts on the quote. I have been enjoying reading the entries in the past and finally, I will begin participating. So, with no further ado...

This week's "In Other Words" is being hosted by Laurel Wreath. The quote she chose is:

"When there is little awareness of real need there is little real prayer."
~ Donald S. Whitney ~
Spiritual Disciplines For the Christian Life

The best thing I can think of to say at this point is "How True is that?!"

Everyday I make a point to sit down to read my Bible and to Pray. Sometimes I don't always read my Bible, but choose to read a devotional book instead and sometimes I don't pray and just read my Bible or other book. There really isn't that much consistency in what I choose to do, but I always make a point to do something.

As I pondered this quote I came to a conclusion. What I choose during my devotional time is often times based on what I am experiencing or going through. If life seems to be going well I may choose to just read a devotional book or some other uplifting book. If things are kind of So-So, I will spend more time reading the actual Bible (wow...imagine that) and praying. But, if things are just down right tough I spend the entire time praying. I cry out to God for help and all I want to do is talk. And then I feel like I spend a lot of that time trying to "catch up" with God.

It is rather funny that it takes a tough time for me to fully lay myself out before God. Why can't I be this open with Him when the times are good or even great? It feels like I am just using God. I am like a little kid going to her father only when she wants something and wants it now. That is so terribly twisted and wrong. My earthly Father was always available to me and still is and I know that I can call him "just to chat" anytime. God wants that so much too and I know that and yet my prideful self only wants to approach him with a need and not "just to chat."

In the book Safely Home by Randy Alcorn (see previous post), Li Quan says to his friend, Ben Felding, that he prays that Ben will endure some suffering or persecution so that he will grow strong and remain strong in his faith. I confess that I am afraid to pray the same for myself but I know for a fact that I walk so much closer with my Lord when I am enduring hardship.

"Do not be anxious for anything,
but in everything, by prayer and petition,
with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 4:6-7

Hanwritten Bible Finally Finished

I wasn't planning on writing anything this evening but then I came up on this news story. (Thank you Stacy at Persecution Blog for the tip.) Vernon Henson finally finished hand copying the ENTIRE Bible after 40 long years. I have heard of people in closed countries copying portions of the Bible because that is the only option they have and I've heard of people in America doing as a spiritual discipline. But, this is the first time I've heard of someone actually finishing the entire Bible. Wow!! I am inspired by Mr. Henson's dedication to the Word and how he stuck with it for 40 years. Aren't you inspired too?!

The Withdrawal has set in

Today marks the first "regular" day back to a routine after the trip to Poland.

Last week was spent actually getting home and recovering from jet lag, unpacking, and anxiously wanting to get back to normal. Chris, Caleb, and I had our official "end of vacation/last meal before returning to a budget" family date on Friday night. We went to Zaxby's and it was great to eat some good 'ole American Chicken Fingers. On Saturday, Chris tamed our semi-overgrown lawn and I picked up the house. Unfortunately, some friends of ours had to take their sick 2 week old baby to the hospital on Wednesday and were still there on Saturday. So, we spent a good bit of the afternoon visiting with them and then went to church. (UPDATE: Little Zeke is home from the hospital and is doing well. Other than being little stubborn in the nursing department he is back to normal.) Sunday was a wonderful "Family Day" spent just enjoying being at home and ended with a fun trip to Taco Bell.

Needless to say, nothing has been "normal" since our return until today. Chris went to work like usual. I have created my To-Do List and I'm working on that as usual. My time in Poland was a much needed break from routine. I guess you could say it was the ultimate break from routine. We weren't even in the United States. I had people all around me practically begging to take care of Caleb and wanting Chris and me to take off on our own. I was a part-time mom. We were surrounded by family every day. I never had a chance to really be alone, let alone feel somewhat lonely. Being surrounded by people and occasional help with Caleb were all things I yearned for before we left. Then I had my wishes for two weeks. Towards the end of the trip I was amazingly wishing for my regular, routine, slower-paced life.

Now, I am home with my To-Do List and feeling a good bit of withdrawal. I miss the people and I miss the adventure. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE being home with Caleb and tending to our home and family. But, how do you recover from the trip of a lifetime? I guess one day at a time everything will get back to normal and that normal will feel great.

Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt

Theme: Shiny

I couldn't resist snapping this picture of Eowyn on her pillow in our utility room. The sun streams in every morning for about 30 minutes and Eowyn is always on her pillow for the full duration. She is enjoying the summer especially as the sun is that much stronger. I kept calling her name trying to see if I could break the spell but all Eowyn would do is barely open one eye and give me that "leave me alone" look. "Okay, Baby...enjoy that warm, shiny sun."

Capitalism, Why Do You Hurt Me?

Today I stopped at my friendly neighborhood Parker's Gas Station for my beloved Fountain Drink that costs a mere 69 cents. It doesn't what size you choose it will always cost only 69 cents. Of course, I always pick the largest size they have. Keep in mind I LOVE my fountain drinks with tons of ice...especially after experiencing drinks with no or little ice in Poland. I've been thinking about my first trip to Parker's after returning. I go in there and what do I see?! The drinks are now 79 CENTS!!! They went up 10 cents. I was thankful that I thought to pull out a dollar from my change drawer in the car before I went inside. I still got my drink, but I was miffed as I walked out. Where is the world going if even Parker's has to raise their fountain drink prices?! Geez!

Be Still My Little Bread-Baking Heart

I LOVE to bake bread. I started just this year because my domestic self felt like I needed to learn how to bake bread from scratch, without a bread maker, and using my own hands. I have had some failures and many successes. I am getting to the point where I want to try all kinds of recipes. I know Chris is happy with my new passion and so is Caleb. Poland has some of the best bread in the world and that makes me want to learn even more. I was over at Enjoy the Journey and I found this link to a Bread Baking Blog! Oh MY GOODNESS!! My heart burst with joy and excitement. I can't wait to try some of these recipes. Go on over there and try it out.

Weary Traveler

Caleb was such a trooper during our journey home. He was the least grumpy of us all and a real inspiration for being upbeat despite the circumstances.

Home from the Land of the Poles

Chris, Caleb, and I finally made it home yesterday around noon from our wonderful trip to Poland. I will be writing much, much more about our experiences as time goes on and I'll even post lots of pictures. I just have to formulate my thoughts and put these posts together in some organized manner. I am still in a fog of jet lag and trying to get all our unpacking and laundry done. Keep checking back. But, let me tell you about our trip home to get you started.

We left for Warsaw, Poland from a smaller airport in Rsesow. I am amazed that my little family, including Chris' sister, Alicja, were able to navigate these airports with our very limited Polish. Granted, most people in the airports speak English. Our plane left Warsaw for Chicago an hour late due to weather. We were very happy for our four hour layover in Chicago after that. It was a very LONG 9 hour flight in a completely booked plane. We sat right next to a group of middle-aged people who were returning from a long trip. The amazing thing was that they never seemed to get tired. They talked and talked the whole flight. They would get up and visit each other and my seat seemed to be the most popular meeting point. I was exhausted and taking care of an exhausted 11-month old and then had these people always congregating by my seat. Thankfully, Caleb was an angel. He pretty much slept or played. He hardly fussed at all. We were even complemented for how good he was. Thanks, Buddy!

We landed in Chicago thankful that the big flight was over. We just had to get through passport control, customs, get our boarding passes, clear security and then we could eat dinner and relax. Home was just a few hours away. That's how it was supposed to happen, at least. The line in Passport control was insane. I was thrilled when a security guy came right to us and said we could go through the handicapped line because of Caleb in his stroller. It was much shorter. Thanks again, Buddy! We officially entered the country. We got our luggage and even cleared customs. Everything was going pretty well. (I've become a pro at collapsing a stroller, emptying my pockets and bags, and taking off my shoes all at once.)

We proceeded to the line for our boarding passes for the last leg of the trip. While waiting we saw that our flight to Savannah was CANCELLED due to weather. WHAT?! What are we going to do?! We came up all kinds of options. Could we fly to Jacksonville or Charleston and then have Alicja's husband pick us up? We even considered staying the night in a hotel if we could get an early morning flight. We get to the table and find out there are no flights to Jacksonville or Charleston and all flights to Savannah were booked till Thursday. This was Tuesday night. We asked about Atlanta and there was an 8:45 pm flight we could grab. While Chris and Alicja took care of that I got on my cell phone and called my sister who lives in Norcross. After three calls I got my brother-in-law. I fought back the exhausted tears and asked if they could pick us up. "Of Course!" he said. They secured a car seat for Caleb and even bought diapers for us. I kept thanking him profusely and he said, "Sarah, that is what Family is for." You are so right, Corey. Alicja called her husband and he got in the car and started driving to Norcross. He was to meet us at my sister's house and we would all stay the night and leave first thing in the morning. Okay, everything was settled. We could finally eat and relax. Right?!

We headed to security and Alicja goes through no problem. Chris, Caleb, and I were "randomly selected for special security screening." Our boarding passes were confiscated and were sent to a special line. We did the usual security stuff and went through the metal detectors. Then they frisked us all. Yes, they frisked 11-month old Caleb. Can you believe it?! By this point I was beyond exhausted and couldn't look down without feeling dizzy. Caleb continued to be cheerful. I have the bestest boy in the world.

We ate dinner and boarded the plane. Caleb was zonked in my arms. I had to get Chris to put my seat belt on me. I put my head back and quickly fell asleep. I was so gone that I completely missed take off. I am usually a bundle of nerves during take off and landing. That should give you an idea how tired I was. The flight was very comfortable and easy. Thank goodness!

We land in Atlanta and quickly went to baggage claim. Corey was waiting on us. He has never looked so good. Chris and Alicja go to get our baggage and slowly bring suitcases to us. To top off our adventure we discovered the airline LOST Caleb's suitcase along with Alicja's. I was almost in tears because that suitcase held about three-quarters of Caleb's wardrobe. He would be wearing pajamas if we didn't get that back. Chris goes to the lost luggage office and files a claim. He was told we should get it back by today (Thursday). We head home to my sister's house.

My sister and Alicja's husband were waiting for us. We went straight to bed. I am so thankful that I thought to pack clean clothes for Caleb in our carry on along with underwear for Chris and me. I also had our toothbrushes. I borrowed a t-shirt from my sister and we went to bed. You see our suitcases were full of nothing but dirty clothes and those were protecting souvenirs. Those bags went from Corey's van to our van without ever entering the house. We got up in the morning put on our already filthy travel clothes, brushed our teeth, ate breakfast and drove home. We slept probably 4 hours in two days.

Chris, Caleb, and I are home and happy. We all took baths and went to bed around 6:30 last night. Due to the jet lag Chris and I were wide awake at 3 am but we stayed in bed till 6 am. (Note: Poland is six hours of us in Eastern Standard Time.) Chris has gone to work and I am tackling the laundry and getting our house in order again. I am so happy to be home.

Poland is such a beautiful, wonderful country. I can't wait to tell you all about our time there. Keep coming back to learn of our adventures. I'll see you soon.

Off to Poland we Go...

Tomorrow is the day we jump the big pond and visit Poland. Today has been spent packing some more and trying to gain my composure. I am still very nervous and excited at the same time. I'm going over to a friend's house right after dinner to drop off Eowyn for doggie sitting. Chris' parents are picking the three of us up around 8:45 am and off we go. I wonder if I'l even sleep tonight. Anway, my mind is going too crazy to write anything else. I'll be gone for about 2 weeks and when I come back I hope to have some new direction for this blog. See you soon!!

So Easy Baby Food Kit

In previous posts I talked about the wonders of making our own baby food for Caleb. Not only is it absolutely yummy for Caleb and Mommy, it is also MUCH Cheaper than buying commercial baby food. You just can't lose when you make your own baby food. Caleb is getting to the age (11 months old today) where he is eating a lot more table food and he won't be needing baby food anymore.

I just wanted everyone to know the system that we used. We used the So Easy Baby Food Kit. The kit comes with a video with great instructions, two freezer trays, and a cookbook. I guess you really don't need "system" to make baby food because it so easy but as a first time Mom it sure helped a lot to have a tried and true method to follow. I also had a gift card to Barnes & Noble when I bought this kit. I loved every single part of this kit. The cookbook is well loved and has plenty of baby food stains on the pages. The freezer trays are incredible for keeping freezer burn and oders out of the little baby food cubes. I tried saving money by buying cheaper ice trays at the store so I could make bigger batches and there was a marked difference between the cubes in cheaper trays and the cubes in the Kit trays. Finally, the video takes you step by step through the process. Chris and I watched the video even before Caleb was born and got so excited about it. I've since lent the video to my friend who will have her baby any day now.

I am so glad I bought this kit and I encourage any of my friends to get it or to just try homemade baby food. Check it out and let me know how it goes!

Safely Home by Randy Alcorn

I just want to take a quick moment before I settle down for the night to tell you about a book that really changed my life. When I say a book changed my life I don't take it or mean it lightly. Really. I read Safely Home by Randy Alcorn about two years ago and it was near impossible to put down.

I have been aware of the persecution of the Christian Church for sometime. I subscribe to the Voice of the Martyr's newsletter and I read the VOM Blog too. But, it was Safely Home that made it real for me. The characters were written so well that they became completely real in my mind. I mourned and rejoiced with them as I turned each and every page.

Short synopsis: Ben Felding, an American businessman, travels to China to further his business through Chinese labor and contacts. He meets up with his old college roommate, Li Quan, whom he hasn't seen for over 20 years. As Ben spends more and more time with Li Quan his eyes are opened to the reality of Christian persecution in China. His faith is challenged and strengthened as he learns that an easy life on earth is not promised but eternal rewards are promised by his Great God.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about Christian persecution and to anyone who wants to have their own faith challenged and strengthened. Don't cheat and skip to the end, but I'll tell you that I cried with joy.

Filling My Day With Praise...

Of Jesus, that is!

I have found an incredible radio station. Where I live there is a wonderful radio station called His Radio. It is your basic listener supported Christian radio station. I listen to it all the time in the car. You can also listen to it online. But, the coolest thing is that they have jumped into the HD Radio world. I'm not exactly sure how radio can be HD, but apparently His Radio is one of those pioneering stations. Being that I don't even know what HD Radio really is, I don't have the proper equipment for it. BUT, you can listen to all their HD stations online TOO!! One of those stations is His Radio Praise. It is a commercial free station that is nothing but Praise and Worship music. I was so excited that I found this station that Chris rigged up my computer so I could put the music on our surround sound stereo. I play the praise music almost all day. I used to have the TV going for those extra voices in the house. I knew that was bad for me and for Caleb, but silence was worse. Now, I have His Radio Praise and I can tell a HUGE difference in my life. I just wanted everyone to know about it. Go to the above link and click on the His Radio Praise banner and it should start up on your computer's music player. Enjoy and Be Blessed!!

Packing, Packing, Packing

The next few days are going to be crazy and yet relaxing. I devoted pretty much all my time to packing, running errands, and just get ready for our trip to Poland. I am used to having several different projects going at the same time and that can keep me in a frenzy. This week, though, I am very busy but I have only one objective and that is actually kind of relaxing. Weird, isn't it. Chris is pretty much packed. I have practically nothing in my bag because I need to do laundry. I need to finish Caleb's suitcase and then go over our packing lists over and over again. I always have a problem packing early because I always need something out of the suitcase. So, I am one of those last minute packers. Chris' parents have been packed for almost two weeks now. Granted they both have to work full days all week. I am blessed that I am home and have a lot of time to get this done. Wish me luck! I have never gone to a country where English is not the native language. I am nervous and very excited too. I pray I can take this one step at a time and enjoy every minute.

Do You Remember Me???

Yes, I know. It has been way too long. I can't seem to get this blogging thing right sometimes. One thing I know for sure is tha I love to write and I love to write about what I love and that is why blogging is so great. I have found so much pleasure when I write here. It is a creative outlet I can't get otherwise. And yet, it just doesn't want to stick completely. I could give a long drawn out excuse by saying I am super busy with life and blogging has taken the back burner. The actual truth is that I am LAZY. Countless times I have found myself thinking about my blog and considering writing. I would see something happen or have a profound thought and think that it would be perfect for my blog. Then I will just push it away because I don't want to take the time to formulate it into words. I am not making any promises but I can honestly say that I really want to continue blogging. It is fun and even therapeutic. I don't want to let it go. So, I am coming back. I don't know to what capacity I am coming back. I just know that I am.

Of course, I am making this announcement right before I leave for a major family trip to Poland. Yep, Poland! Chris' family lives there and we are packing up Caleb and heading across the Atlantic. I have never met this side of the family and of course, neither has Caleb. I am very nervous and excited at the same time. We are traveling with Chris' parents and that will make it a lot easier flying with a 11 month old. I am sure I will have tons to write about when I get back. I'm not sure how much internet we will have while there. It is kind of funny that I am returning here only to disappear again for two weeks. Fear not, though!! Sarah is Back!

Remembering

For Easter my church put on a play called "Our Deliverer." It was all about Christian martyrs throughout history. I longed to see this production but life and busyness just got in the way and we couldn't go. Oh well! I saw the program and there was this quote on the back:

A Christian prisoner in Cuba was asked to sign a statement
containing charges against fellow Christians that would lead to their arrest.
He said: "The chain keeps me from signing this. "
The Communist officer protested, "But you are not in chains!"
"I am," said the Christian, "I am bound by the chain of witnesses who throughout the centuries gave their lives for Jesus Christ. I am a link in this chain.
I WILL NOT Break it."

I tore that part of the program out and I've kept it near me ever since. I am touched and convicted by those words. Towards the end of the program, when they are depicting modern day martyrs, there was a list of names of Christians who are currently being persecuted for their faith scrolling on the screen. During the second week of productions the staff of my church got word that one of the names on the screen was killed by Hindu extremists. She was the wife of one of the pastors who works with the India Mission we support. She was struck by a rock when she and her husband were stopped by a gang of Hindus. She was pregnant with their first child. Her husband is 29 years old. He is only one year older than me. I was struck by how much he is already enduring when I still feel so young. It brings me comfort knowing that he will see his beloved wife and child in heaven someday. I pray that brings him comfort as well and that his faith in Jesus brings him strength to keep running the race.

Happy 100!!

This is my 100th post on my bog. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!! From what I can tell in the world of blogs number 100 is a big deal. I would love to bless everyone with my list of "100 things about me" on this post. I started that list and then, once again, life happened. I will add to as time goes on and then I'll post it. Come on by and celebrate my 100th post anniversary with me. Yeah!

A Few Random Thoughts This Morning...

I am sitting here this morning while Caleb plays with a magazine I've already read. He LOVES magazines. He flails them around and adores tearing them into pieces. Apparently there is some sort of pleasure when he hears that wonderful crinkly sound as it tears and one page turns into TWO. WOW! The only thing is that I have to make sure he doesn't eat his magazine.

I am waiting for Caleb's nap time to come along at 9 am. Once he goes down I can take my shower and get other things done around the house.

Have I ever mentioned that I really DISLIKE Spring. I mean I REALLY don't like Spring. I know I go against the grain with this but it is true. Spring means warmer temperatures and warmer temperatures mean pretty flowers and blooming trees. Yes, those flowers are so pretty but they are EVIL under all that beauty. Flowers mean pollen and pollen means a headache that just won't go away. The whole left side of my face hurts from sun-up to sun-down. All I can do is take my Advil and Claritin-D. My teeth even hurt on the upper left side. I have gone to the dentist twice in recent years convinced I had a cavity only to have the dentist tell me to take sinus tablets. This morning I once again woke up with a literally splitting headache. I promptly moved to the bathroom and took both sets of my medicine. It has helped a little bit that that booger never truly goes away until the pollen lets up. DARN those flowers!

I am such a FALL person. The temperatures are coolish but not too cold. I can wear sweatshirts but not a jacket. The leaves are so pretty as they fall and it is only a few weeks till Christmas! Fall is the way to go for sure.

Now, there is one thing I do like about Spring. I can use my clothes line again. I really enjoy putting clothes out on the line. I looks pretty in weird kind of way and there is so much pleasure knowing that I'm saving money by not using the dryer. The only time I use the dryer is when the clothes come in and I put the crispy pieces into the dryer for a quick fluff with a dryer sheet. I don't use the dryer nearly as much as I do during the winter and that is great.

I am in month 3 of our new grocery cash only budget. It has been going well except for this month. I am almost out of my money and it is only the 20th. I'm having to think of ways to make our food stretch till I get more money next month. Do I use the last money for milk or something else? Should I get a bag of cereal or should we live on oatmeal in the morning? What to do? Thankfully, I have a very accommodating husband who will do whatever it takes to make our new budget work. Why hasn't my grocery money lasted this month? I've had to buy that darn Claritin-D (or the Equate version) and that stuff is not cheap. Why do I buy that....POLLEN. Ugh! I don't like Spring!

Finally, there is one thing I don't like about selling stuff on eBay. It is the wait from opening the listing till it closes. So many bidders wait till the very end to make even the first bid. I will wait all week and see there have been no bids and that can drive me crazy. Why won't they sell?? They sold so well last week! Then on the day of the listing ending bids start coming in like crazy and my mind rests and gets excited about next week...only to do the wait again.

Today is a "Stay at home in comfy clothes and get things done around the house" day. I might go walking in the afternoon after Caleb's nap if I feel brave enough to brave the pollen. It will depend on how much I want to get out.

Everyone have a wonderful day!!

What A Weekend!

I don't think I would say that I enjoyed this past weekend. It was most definitely different in that I didn't spend much time inside the house. That is a nice change. I spend time with some friends from small group and enjoyed Saturday night church and on Sunday I spent most of the day with Chris' parents, sister, and brother-in-law. The one thing that was missing was my wonderful husband, Chris. Where was he you ask? He was WORKING! The poor guy rarely has to work on the weekends and if he does work it is usually at home. He had to re-do the server at his office because really didn't want anyone else to do it or even mess it up. So, he worked with the other computer savvy guy at work. He worked late on Friday and that is our date night. DARN! He then went into the office at 9 am on Saturday. Thankfully, he left around 2 pm and that allowed for us to go to church together. Unfortunately, he still had to go back on Sunday. He was to be there at 9 am again, so we had an early Donut Connection date. Like I said before, I spent pretty much the rest of the day at Chris' parents house. That was nice. Chris didn't get home until after 1 am THIS morning. I was practically a single-mom this weekend.

The good out of all this is that Chris gets to take a regular work day off. We are going to Atlanta to visit my sister next weekend and Chris decided to take next Monday off. So, we get to have a nice long weekend with my sister and her family. I guess that makes all of Chris' hard work worth it. Yeah!! He even said we might do something special while we're there. I wonder what it could be?

Two charter members of Caleb's fan club are also coming into town today. They might actually already be here. Chris' Grandparents (Mom's side) are arriving today to visit. They usually only come once a year but apparently my son has powers and those powers seem to draw people here to see him. I better get ready so that Caleb can go visit his public.

See ya later!

My Heart and My Prayer

Each and every week (well, mostly) Chris, Caleb, and I go to Church on Saturdays. We've come to LOVE going to church on Saturday evenings because it completely frees up our Sundays and that allows for a more relaxing Sabbath and Family Day. Once we get to church Caleb goes into the nursery, Chris goes to teach his 2-5th grade boys in his small group and I go to the church bookstore to serve. After the first service is spent in service, we gather again for the worship service. Then we go home for bedtime, dinner, and usually a movie.

Our evenings of service and worship are so easy and even routine. Sure, we are fed and we don't move around like robots. But, it is so EASY to realize how EASY we really have it. We give no second thought to getting up and going to church with our two Bibles which are only two of many more left on the bookshelves at home. We have Kiddie Bibles, NIV, NASB, NKJV, German Bibles, Teen Bibles, Precious Moments, and the list goes on. We have our BIG Study Bibles and the smaller Bibles we carry around with us. There is a Bible in my car that stays there for church. We have a Bible on CD for the cars and we have access to any number of Bibles on the Internet.

WOW! How Lucky we are!!!

A couple of years ago, I subscribed to the Voice of the Martyr's newsletter. I read it every month and I am moved and convicted. I am reminded that it is so EASY to be a Christian here in the U.S. of A. It is so easy that people take it for granted most of the time. I hear the word "persecution" tossed around by peers when they complain of someone picking on them at work or from family members. Do they even know what real PERSECUTION is? Since becoming involved with Voice of the Martyrs I know what it is and I KNOW it doesn't happen here

My heart grows more and more for our Brothers and Sisters in places where Persecution is very real. Where they are literally chained up in jail, forbidden to worship together, forbidden to hold even one page of scripture, and even executed because they committed the "crime" of loving their Savior, Jesus.

My prayers for them grow in number and I always wonder what can I do more. I have participated in the Bibles Unbound program and I've donated funds to various VOM ministries. I know my gestures make an eternal difference and yet I desire to keep going and to never stop.

A few months ago, I signed up to blog for the Persecuted Church with VOM blog. I confess that I have been delinquent in not keeping up my end of the bargain. My blog has suffered lately from my lack of writing and unfortunately, my commitment to the VOM blog has gotten the shortest end of that stick. I have confessed to the Lord and I seek forgiveness from the people at VOM blog.

From this day forward, I will make a difference in my corner of the Internet by raising awareness about my Family who can't gather up their families and so easily go to Saturday evening services because that is the most convenient for them (out a choice of 6 total services). I pray that my heart will not grow soft because of how easy I have it and I pray that I can raise my son to remember his little friends in Christ in other parts of the world.

To my Brothers and Sisters in Chains, we hear your cries and we pray daily for you. Keep the Faith and Keep Strong in your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I Would Watch This Survivor Series!

I had to steal this from Rocks in My Dryer today. It is GREAT!! What would our men do without us??

Six married men will be dropped on an island with one car and 3 kids each
for six weeks.

Each kid will play two sports and either take music or dance classes.

There is no fast food.

Each man must take care of his 3 kids; keep his assigned house clean, correct all homework, complete science projects, cook, do laundry, and pay a list of "pretend" bills with not enough money.

In addition, each man will have to budget in money for groceries each week.

Each man must remember the birthdays of all their friends and relatives, and send cards out on time.

Each man must also take each child to a doctor's appointment, a dentist appointment and a haircut appointment. He must make one unscheduled and inconvenient visit per child to the Urgent Care (weekend, evening, on a holiday or right when they're about to leave for vacation). He must also make cookies or cupcakes for a social function.

Each man will be responsible for decorating his own assigned house, planting flowers outside and keeping it presentable at all times.

The men will only have access to television when the kids are asleep and all chores are done.

There is only one TV between them, and a remote with dead batteries.

Each father will be required to know all of the words to every stupid song that comes on TV and the name of each and every character on cartoons.

The men must shave their legs, wear makeup daily, which they will apply to themselves while making three lunches.

Each man will have to make an Indian hut model with six toothpicks, a tortilla and one marker; and get a 4 year old to eat a serving of peas.

Each man must adorn himself with jewelry, wear uncomfortable yet stylish shoes, keep their nails polished and eyebrows groomed. The men must try to get through each day without snot, spit-up or barf on their clothing.

During one of the six weeks, the men will have to endure severe abdominal cramps, back aches, and have extreme, unexplained mood swings but never once complain or slow down from other duties. They must try to explain what a tampon is for when the 6-yr old boy finds it in the purse.

They must attend weekly school meetings, church, and find time at least once to spend the afternoon at the park or a similar setting.

He will need to read a book and then pray with the children each night without falling asleep, and then feed them, dress them, brush their teeth and comb their hair each morning by 7:00. They must leave the home with no food on their face or clothes.

A test will be given at the end of the six weeks, and each father will be required to know all of the following information: each child's birthday, height, weight, shoe size, clothes size and doctor's name. Also the child's weight at birth, length, time of birth, and length of labor, each
child's favorite color, middle name, favorite snack, favorite song, favorite drink, favorite toy, biggest fear and what they want to be when they grow up.

They must have a loving, age-appropriate reply to, "You're not the boss of me."

The kids vote them off the island based on performance.

The last man wins only if he still has enough energy to be intimate with his spouse at a moment's notice.

If the last man does win, he can play the game over and over and over again for the next 18-25 years...eventually earning the right to be called Mom!

Oh, To See My Words in Print

I was reading one of my favorite blogs this morning (Rocks in My Dryer) and someone left a comment about Blurb.com . Apparently, you can take your blog and convert it into a book. You can pick and choose your favorite entries and then have it all "published" into a fancy schmancy book. WOW! When I read that and surfed on over to Blurb I couldn't resist but get inspired. What would it be like to have my blog in print? Hmmm. I know there would be a great sense of satisfaction even if it was just me or my friends and family who read it. I also became greatly convicted because I KNOW I've been terribly delinquent about writing here lately.

During my Devotional Time I prayed that God would give me the initiative to write here far more than I have lately. The Lord knows my ultimate dream is to write in some way and to touch lives that way. I believe He put that dream within me. In the short term, my blog is a great vehicle for that. So, I prayed that he would help me find/create/make the time to be more disciplined in my writing. I also prayed for inspiration and the words to write.

Maybe the thought of seeing my blog in print was a little nudge for the Big Guy to get my fingers tapping away. I'll take it. Here's to many words to be written and books to be published. I wonder what the future holds? How Exciting!

I Have Found My Diaper Place

I am so excited and I can't believe that I haven't written about this before now. I have found my place to buy diapers. As Moms, we ALL know how hard it can be to find a great place to get that good supply of diapers. First, how do those kiddos go through them so fast? Geez! The dollars add up so fast. Well, after much looking and trial and error, I have found it. I go to Amazon.com. Not only does Amazon have a great price for the diapers, they also have free shipping for orders over $25. Any box of diapers is going to meet that requirement. Caleb is currently in Pampers Cruisers Size 3. (I remember when he was in Pampers Swaddlers Newborn) Anyway, not only are the prices great I also signed up for their subscription service in which I will automatically get a box of diapers sent to me each month. No more hurrying to get the diapers ordered because I realize I am drastically low. I have this problem going to the store in town to buy diapers because they are so expensive compared to buying them online. Not only is the subscription service convenient it also offers 15% off your order if you sign up!! What!? I get great diapers for a great price and then get a discount! This is awesome! You can cancel your subscription anytime and sign up again. That is what I'll do once Caleb graduates to Size 4. Use my link over there--> (in the sidebar) to order your diapers TODAY!! You will get a great deal AND I'll benefit too. ;-)

Life is too busy sometimes

You know that life is too busy when you end up avoiding the things you love the most. One of those things for me is this blog. I just looked at my blog and I saw that the last time I wrote was February 20th. It is already March 7th!! Where has the time gone??

Caleb is 8 months old. He has a tooth peeking through and he is already trying to crawl. He can stand up on his own in his playpen...as long as he's holding onto the edge. He is talking up a storm and he has a BIG belly. You would almost think he is pregnant or something with that thing. He can eat his little Fruit Puffs on his own while using his thumb and index finger. I'm raising a genius. I found myself looking at kiddie party invitations today because I know that his 1 Year birthday party is inevitable. I've even been compiling a guest list in my head. NOOOO!!! My baby is growing up WAY TOO FAST!

During the time I've been gone, I've been focusing on my eBay sales. They are going well and February was the best month yet. I have my friends and family to thank for that because they have given me great stuff to sell for them. Thanks, Guys! Feel free to check out my auctions. My User ID is over there--->

I have also come to conclusion that I really miss my writing. I miss my blog and everyone in blogsville. I have been a shameless lurker, though. Apparently, I can find the time to read blogs but I don't even leave comments. Well, now that I realize how much I love writing here and elsewhere I've decided to put more effort into it. I'm going to focus more on my blog and EVEN leaving comments on other people's blogs. I'm also going to make an effort to break into the freelance market. I LOVE to write and I would LOVE to contribute to the family that way. eBay has been great to me. Don't get me wrong. It is just that writing is my dream and that is what I'm going to pursue. eBay will continue...business as usual until I have found something else that is substantial enough.

Please pray that I can stay focused on my writing and that I can put my confidence in the Lord and not myself. Lord knows that I will be discouraged VERY quickly if I put my confidence in myself. I've gone down that road and I've quit. (Exhibit A: My absence from this blog). Thanks everyone!! I'll see you again very soon. :-)