Just Good or Absolutely Great!

I love my job! I don't know if most people can say that these days. My boss is fantastic, I get to use my creativity, marketing and speaking skills, and I get to build relationships with Raving Fans of Chick-fil-A everyday. He is a constant encouragement, source of knowledge, has a listening ear, and challenges me at every turn. I have spent the last couple of weeks mentoring and encouraging a friend in the marketing industry. She is good at what she does, and could be great, but is held back by a boss who sees her as just another employee. What I mean by that is that I go to work everyday with a couple of goals in mind. Represent the Chick-fil-A name well and lift my boss up by doing the absolute best job I know how to do. My friend desires that as well but is being pushed down with every idea or action. She feels frustrated, deflated, and stuck. Why do I bring this up? I was thinking, how many times do I (intentionally or unintentionally) limit God in His ability? Sounds like a strange question because God's ability is endless and perfect. How many times does He tell me something or put something in my path to move me His direction and I don't see God for who He really is? In the ordinary day to day life, do I make Him ordinary? Is He "just God"? I think life has a way of detouring God's plan for us at times. He desires to do great things in and through us but we miss the blessings because we are like that boss....we hold God back with what He wants to do. We get "good" but we could have gotten "great"!

Up To Speed

When I was a kid, time never moved fast enough. An hour in an English Lit. class felt like 4 hours, waiting for a date to pick me up felt like an eternity, and parents could not get home quick enough when babysitting. I find it interesting that time now seems to move at lightning speed. I remember almost every detail of the last two Christmases because they seemed like they were just a few months apart. The litle girl who I rocked and sang to just a year ago is now 3, and it seems like yesterday that our beloved BoBo died...and it's been almost two years.

What is it with time? I am just as excited about upcoming events as I was as a kid yet they seem to be over in the blink of an eye.

2012 is lining up to be a year of milestones for my family. Meagan will start Kindergarten in the Fall, Danny will prayerfully transition into a new company in late summer/ early Fall, we will be moving into a house in April, and Emily will be fully potty trained leaving our house diaper free for the first time in five years. With time moving so quickly, I wonder if I will remember the details of these events.

What is it about time? There is so much of it yet not enough. I am working hard this year to revel in the small moments and journal them through picture and words so I can capture the details that will be forgotten otherwise. I am blessed with every second of life God gives me and I would love for it to slow down so I can enjoy it even more.

Living With An Extremely Strong Willed Child

Don't get me wrong, our first child (Meagan) is strong willed, a leader, and extremely stubborn at times. How can that be magnified? How can that be topped?

Enter child #2.....Emily. Any idea must be her idea.....or at least she must think it is her idea. She tells you exactly how she is feeling all the time. You never have to wonder what she is thinking or feeling. Her facial expressions give it away every time. She is not good with change and has to be given warning when things are going to be different. This helps to prevent a nuclear meltdown of catastrophic proportions.

With all of this, we have two of the most amazing kids ever. Our two girls may be challenging at times but We love the fact that God designed them with extreme leader qualities, the desire to be different than other kids, and the ability to express themselves.

I remember something an old friend said when her first child was born 10 years ago. She said, "My job is to break the qualities that need reshaping without breaking his spirit."

This is soooo true. Our job is to allow God to work on her Spirit and for us to encourage it while molding and sometimes reshaping her.

No schooling prepares you for raising kids so I agree that it is the hardest job EVER. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love it but it is still the hardest job EVER!

Oh and did I fail to mention that I am strong willed as well? Ha ha....that makes my job even harder. :)

So for all of you with strong willed kids, hang in there. For all of you who are strong willed kids, young adults, or fully grown....I would go hug the neck of your parents, guardian, or who ever raised you. Most likely you challenged them numerous times, gave them a few more grey hairs, and added a few wrinkles to their aging face. Yes, we can blame part of the aging process on strong willed children!

So this strong willed woman will go back to raising our two strong willed girls and love every minute of it. :)

Potlucks, Fish Hooks, and Santa!

It has been a very fun and eventful weekend for us. Friday night we had a potluck Christmas social with our Bible Study class. Danny was home and was able to attend. I firmly believe potlucks were designed for men! Multiple types of meat and potatoes all for the taking and tasting. All I had to do was bring one small dish and....voila....he gets fed to his hearts content.

Saturday started with A Coca and Santa event at one of Meagan's friends house. A ton of people, tons of breakfast food, and a great chance to let my kids run wild in someone else's house for two hours. Meagan shared with Santa that she wanted a trampoline. Being this is the first I have heard of this and the fact we live in a town home at present.....well....wish denied! I am sure she will not be traumatized after she opens everything else.

Saturday afternoon was spent at the Fort Bend Theatre watching a production of Winnie the Pooh Christmas Tale. My kids wiggled quite a bit but kept their eyes fixed on the stage for 45 minutes! That is a huge testimony for the theatre.

Saturday evening was extra special because Danny was cooking and watching the girls while I took the night off. After just 15 minutes home from the theatre, a fish hook met my pinky and my quiet evening was interrupted briefly by a trip to the ER. I started to actually feel sorry for fish as I felt the barb dig into my flesh.
No one was at the ER and it took all of 30 minutes for them to stick me with a couple of needles and pull the barb out. I was still able to come home to a good dinner and sneak out for a couple of hours to stroll the mall to window shop.

Our life is full, fun, and sometimes not planned but is all mine and I love it!

So....What is Normal?

It has been quite awhile since I last wrote. Life has sped by so quickly and some days feel like a blur.

Many times over the past (almost ten years of marriage) I have heard the following comments...
1. Your life is never dull!
2. I bet you would enjoy some normalcy in life.
3. Sometimes things just need to happen to someone else for a change.
4. Do you ever just shake your head and wonder why?

Danny and I will celebrate 10 years of marriage this coming February and I will agree with the comment that life is never dull for us. In the last ten years we have
- bought a house in the country
- rescued 19 dogs and 10 cats
- bought a small restaurant
- had 3 miscarriages
- sold everything to move overseas to what we believe God was calling us to do (lived in 5 different places before leaving since our house sold so quickly). Was five months pregnant with our first child.
- had the joy of giving birth to two daughters in Japan (I need to write a book on those experiences alone)
- Danny seriously breaks his leg on a deep sea fishing charter while living in Japan, finding out we were pregnant with our second child, and finding out that my job was going to be cut all in the same time period.
- Moved back to the states after just 3 short years (this should be part of my book too. Traveling with your life on your shoulders including a two year old, 6 week old, a dog and two cats....and on a series of planes. Let's just say we can laugh now.)
- settling into an apartment as our new home
- Danny changing careers and struggling with low income while he completed training
- my two year struggle with stomach issues only to have my gall bladder removed
- and last....Danny falling and breaking his arm on the job putting him out of work for awhile.

Would we change anything? No! Obviously God knew all of this was coming and we could somehow manage. Don't get me wrong, I had many a talk with God to ask for a break and some normalcy.

As another Thanksgiving passes, I am reminded how thankful I am for life, my family, and all the craziness that goes with it. I have come to realize that this is our normal.

The Simple Life

I have always believed that kids today are spoiled. Mine included. As parents we naturally want the best for our kids but the definition of "best" is what I have been focusing on lately. After moving half way across the world and selling all our earthly possessions not long ago, I am glad we live very simple. I still get in purging moods in the house when I think we have too much stuff. Craigslist becomes my best friend for that short time period.a

We don't have cable, my girls don't know what a WII game is, Meagan told me this morning "Mom, that car has a t.v. in it? I didn't know you could do that." Our girls share a bedroom and all their toys. Most of their clothes are hand me downs or consignment sale buys.

Now, I am in no way suggesting if your kids have or know all about the mentioned things that you are wrong. For us, we have decided that simple is better. Our kids still ask for everything they see in the store or whine when I give them water instead of juice.

I mention this because everything going on in the news lately is about what others think they deserve or are entitled to. I want my girls to understand and know that everything you have is earned and is a blessing from God but it is NOT a right. I grew up with the understanding that nothing is free and If you want something ( a specific job, an item, etc.) you work for it, earn it, etc.

We have an entire generation that has been taught ENTITLEMENT. And now this thought process will most likely be taught to their kids. We are going against that thought process. Just as God made Adam work the land to get food, we too must work and not expect a handout.

Lord, I pray our girls know they are loved by their creator, work in the capacity that God created them to work, never blame others or put others down for their mistakes or lack of, and are content with every situation presented.

On the Road Again

It is 5:30am and we start another two week journey without Daddy home. He just pulled out to head to his truck. Of course, I loaded him down with home cooked Jumbalaya, chicken and vegetables' and blueberry muffins along with a ton of snacks, peanut butter and jelly makings, and fruit. His home away from home is quite cozy with a small frig, toaster over, portable DVD player, and pics of his girls (including me) velcroed to the wall.

Life with Daddy gone has become routine and time seems to go by somewhat quickly. However, his two days went by like the speed of light. This past weekend included church, the pumpkin patch' and lots of daddy/daughter time that included giggling. On some of his trips home I get small windows of rest. This time was not one of those times. I did get two hours of uninterrupted grocery store time.....that may have been my rest.

So, here we go! Another two weeks of just the girls. I get tired, weary, but I am always blessed to raise the two most amazing girls.