Excited.....

We're all getting pretty excited - only 3 sleeps and a wake up and daddy's home. He has his checkride tomorrow and then starts packing up. He'll actually fly the jet for the first time next Wednesday - yes, they are actually training him to fly the Vice President and First Lady in a simulator for 7 weeks. That doesn't seem like quite enough - but of course I still can't believe actual humans get those big machines off the ground anyway. I'm looking forward to him getting the "real" experience next week.

I'm REALLY excited about a good Dr's report on Michael and a team being put together to help us out with his muscle issues. The neurologist last week was perfect - she really took time and engaged Michael which helped her see thru all of his compensations to the potential of some potential problems. Fortunately she ruled out Cerebral Palsy and some other big stuff, we're waiting on blood work results and the MRI. But her initial assessment was that it may just be the way Michael is made - that I can live with. Michael being in pain I'd like to avoid.

I'm excited about Abby's high school team. I love football, I even like watching the cheerleaders - but when the teams 7 -0 - I really LIKE football. Congrats to Abby's team for making Districts in their cheerleading competition also.

I'm excited about another day of homeschooling tomorrow. Never in a million years did I think I would enjoy it this much. Tomorrow we do swim team, then some school work, then we're going to the McCain/Palin headquarters to check things out and help a bit. THIS is awesome. I love watching Michael unwrap things in front of me - pretty stoked his favorite subject is history too - since mom likes it so much also.

I'm excited about our family taking a White House Tour next week with a friend of Jeffs. The kids are over the moon - Michael is drawing, reading, watching specials...devouring all things White House.

I'm excited about our new Bible Study group this year. What a great group of ladies - it's week 6 and folks are opening up and I hope we're on the road to growing in dependence on the one and only true and righteous "parent' - God. I really enjoyed our class this week - and love these women already.

I'm excited about Matti's next couple of weeks - he's been practicing his songs for the Thanksgiving program and I love it! He's such a joy. Pumpkin patch on Friday ....whooo hooo

I'm excited about web cams - and how Jeff and Abby do homework over them everynight and then we have family prayers and can actually see daddy.

Mostly I'm excited to have come thru this last 7-8 weeks with God as my "husband" - taking such great care of me. I have felt His hand and strength and His endurance thru the 3 cases of walking pneumonia, calendar pages with no white space left, and scary doctors appts and so on and so forth. "I" have been able to do way more than I ever would have imagined I could...surely in my weakness He has shown up BIG.

So thank you God:
for no major emergencies,
no flat tires,
no major storms
no major crises with the kids
no ....

We've done it! Thru Christ alone....yet again.

Pix for the September 1sts...2008

Michael's first day at the "Ward Academy"...first grade here we come!

Michael's first day of Swim Team... "I didn't know it was going to be dark when we left every morning mom!"

Matti's first day of Pre-K! We love Haymarket Baptist - he's loving Mrs. McNeil's popcorn room!!!!



Abby's first day at Battlefield High School - and first game to cheer with the Varsity Squad....Here we go!

September Firsts.....

I've been waiting to post so I could include pix - but that's going to be awhile.

So let's catch up.
We have almost gotten thru all of our September "firsts":

• first day of high school
• first high school football game to cheer for
• first day of homeschooling a first grader
• first day of swim team
• first day of Pre-K school
• first week without daddy (only 7 weeks to go!)
• first month with my iphone - a pretty good stand-in for Jeff - but I'll sure be glad when those silly phones can help with the carpooling
• first facebook connections

Still to come:

• first homecoming dance (we're all hoping daddy will miraculously be here to hold mommy up)
• first home football game with Ward family in attendance trying not to embarass our cheerleader (next Friday)
• first AWANA's of the new year
• first spanish class for Michael
• first 2 soccer games of the fall season for the boys
• first Mad Science class - "mommy, I heard he tries to trick you into drinking lemonade..and it's really pee. Is that science mommy?"
• first class for this years Mommy Bible Study group that I lead- looks like a good group...should be fun.

So there we are - it's been a wild week. The pictures are going to be good - I'll post them when Jeff sends me my cables back from Seattle.

I have to say I am running fast enough to feel a bit like I'm chasing my shadow - and was a bit worried I could keep up. It's been a long time since we've experienced a long deployment with daddy gone.

But God is strategic in His care and He had been in this week long ago. So way back in the summer before we knew the dates of Jeffs training and I was mapping out some memory verses for the Ward family I decided to start the school year with Philippians 4:13 - " I can do all things thru Christ who gives me strength" - I've spent the week hearing 2 little guys and an occasional teenager say that to me over and over again - thank You Lord.

I'm also being blown away by "obedience" and what God's teaching me through it. Homeschooling Michael wasn't really in my 10 year plan - but as God started shifting vision and changing the focus it became obvious that I had to obey. I have to say the best part of my day is when we're in the school room - the blessings of obedience; the freedom; the ease of it all is amazing. It makes me want to re-examine lots of areas - especially the ones I struggle and strive in - perhaps there's an obedience issue. Doesn't Hebrews 3 or 4 talk about that - "the rest of obedience".

So there's lots more to say - this homeschooling thing is providing me with quite the education and this highschool thing is stretching my faith in ways I couldn't imagine. I'm also begging God for the grace to give thanks alot more - I met a lady this past week who's a recent widow homeschooling 5 kids thru grief and exhaustion and yard work. Surely there are heroes among us.

I am blessed.

The hills are alive.....

Ok - that's Austria - but Heidelberg Germany was a hit!

I had read it's the most beautiful town in Germany - don't know about all of that. But I loved it.

The castle is amazing - and dates back to AD1214.

315 steps up to the top (they're numbered) gives a great view of the city and the river below.

The shops, the churches and the restaurants on the streets below were so charming.

And then of course, if you know my love for doors - you'll understand the other picture. I've gotten a few so far that I really like. Still looking for the favorite yet!

We're off to Switzerland!!!!

The story of the tooth

So, the dentist says Matti's tooth must have been loose for about a year - because his permanent tooth is on it's way in. Since this is all happening about 2 years too early - there's no room for that new tooth. SO.... it's coming in sideways.

In lieu of all of that - we ran to get the boys pix taken before the crazy "tooth experiment" happens. The resolution isn't great - but you get the idea.
Enjoy.

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Off we go....

Road trip tomorrow.

I'm ready.

Part of Abby's 14th birthday present was a week long trip to her best friends house in Nashville. So we're heading south.

I'll leave in the morning with the 3 kids and hopefully be in Nashville Sunday, Monday the boys and I are off to Alabama where they'll enjoy "Camp Grandparents" for a while.

Then ... next Wednesday I fly to Germany to meet Jeff for a week in the Alps.

Jeff's been in India for a week and has to return their the first of August. Then he spends the month of September in Seattle preparing for his new gig.

We're in desperate need of some quiet time together.

I struggle with what to do with the few days we have together - it's been a pattern for our entire married life. If you have one weeken in 6 weeks - what do you do with it?

I guess everyone would handle it differently. For me when the guilt train roars thru with how we should be taking the family on a family vacation instead of just him and me and a bunch of mountains and chocolate - I come back to the hard choice of priorities.

I find "priorities" to be a hard discussion with moms - especially stay at home moms. Not necessarily the concept or ordering of priorities -but the willingness to walk it out. We become so focused on the kids that everything gets out of kilter.

The hard truth today is that this mom is running on empty; mom and dad are strangers they've been a part so much recently - and that's not really a great way to have a "family" holiday.

In lieu of that - mom gets a quiet 9 hour flight across the pond to decompress and a week with just Jeff - we're going to leisurely tour some of our favorite spots in Germany, Austrai and a few new ones in Switzerland and check the Ward foundation for cracks.

The kids will definetly win in this deal.

Talk to you when we return.

Boys Sports Show - 2008

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