2 Posts in One Day?!?

Please read following post about Stephen’s triathlon, too.  This is the second post in one day.  Where have I been?  Not doing a whole lot blog-worthy.  No pictures have been taken to chronicle our day-to-day life!  Then all of a sudden today is the day.  Things were happening! 

After the Triathlon, Mom and I went shopping with Grace.  Stephen got to stay home and rest.  That race pretty much did him in for today!  While we were out, a sweet bouquet of flowers arrived from my sweet hubby.  Also, which I think is sooo sweet, he sends 2 balloons, one for Stephen and one for Grace.  This is the second time he has done this, to remind you!  On the heels of the spa day, even!  What a guy!  He could have been coasting on that one for a long time!  (SHH! Don’t tell him that, though!) 

The balloons were so huge this time, that I had to chronicle that!  Look at them compared to little Grace!  She could fit in one!  They loved them.  Grace knows exactly who they came from, too = Daddy!

She has been a Daddy’s girl lately.  She talks about him every day.  “Dada hold me”, ”Dada cook with me, oatmeal”, “Miss Dada”, “Dada play babies” and on and on!  We drive by the airport and she still remembers the day we watched his plane fly off until the speck disappeared to Iraq.  Right now she is on “Dada come home soon”, we will be ready to see that speck return our way, until he is right here holding us! 

Father, Thank You for the love our family shares.  Thank You that we are able to continue to share that so intimately over all these miles and remain so bonded.  Please continue to sustain us until we are reunited! 

My Little Triathlete!!!

Not only is he growing up right before my very eyes, he has now become this family’s first triathlete!  The gym that I am a member of hosted a Kids’ Triathlon.  When I asked him if he wanted to do it, Stephen was all for it!  So the daunting task was to swim the length of the pool, bike 1/2 mile, then run 1/4 mile.  Whew!  Stephen was such a trooper!  He is just learning to swim, but he gave that his all.  In the bike ride, as he went passed the turn around point, he fell off the bike.  Cried a little, but got back on and finished that leg.  He was so far behind the 3 other boys in front of him, that when he finished the bike portion, he thought he had won!  Bless his heart.  Then for the last leg, he took off running.  But instead of walking to rest, he would completely stop, look behind him, see someone coming and scream and take off again!  I don’t know about him, but I had a blast!  He was pooped but crossed the finish line with arms in the air!  Way to go, Buddy!

I told Joe that I hope I wasn’t pushing him to do this and that Stephen would have fun.  Joe reminded me that Stephen has fun doing everything.  He really does and today was no exception.

Lord, Thank You for a healthy child that can do all those things.  I pray that we never take that for granted and enjoy everyday with such enthusiasm, arms raised to You!

Spa Day Pictures

Here are the pictures of my lovely day!  The first is the “Before” picture, about to go into the spa.  The second is after all my “treatments”, hair and make-up are done.  The last is on my way home with the limo driver.

How spoiled I was that day!  I told Joe I will be looking for limos outside our front window until the day I die now.  Sigh.

THANK YOU, SWEET HUBBIE!!!

Operation Overwhelm is a Resounding Success!

OH MY!  Where do I start?!  What a day, planned by my sweet husband!  His rather technical and tactical review of the planning phases can be read here: http://sandboxadventures.wordpress.com/2008/07/26/operation-overwhelm/

But I am here to tell you about the wonderful, girly day I had!  First of all my Mom was way too interested in the fact that I got up and got around and showered this morning.  And Granny was up before I showered.  But neither of these things made alarms go off in my head that “My husband planned a spa day for me today!”  Nothing near that thought was in my head.  I was going shopping for new running shoes today.  I thought my Mom and Granny were just very supportive of my physical fitness.  Joe called this morning and talked a very long time compared to what he usually talks.  I was thinking he needed to get back to work!  He was waiting for the limo to arrive, which was running late.  So as we were talking on the phone, I look out the window and up pulls the limo.  I teasingly asked him “Did you get me a limo for the day?”  He says “Maybe”.  I lost it.  I just began bawling.  I don’t know why that was my reaction, but I just cried and cried.  So my mom ushered me out the door and off I went to who-knows-where!  I was handed a sweet note from Joe that I read in the car (more crying).  The limo driver pulls into Starbucks and says “We’re going to get you coffee.”  Joe and I always end up there for dessert and a frappuccino on our date nights.  The limo driver took my picture as I ordered, I felt very strange, in such a good way.  I felt like everyone but me knew what was going on.  The Starbuck’s lady asked if I had a big day planned.  I had no idea.  I am a planner and this was way beyond my control and out of my element! 

Next, back in the limo, I was taken to Aesthetique Spa.  I have had a massage before, but let me tell you this was the works!!!  I changed into my robe, then proceeded to begin my day full of treatments.  First I received a salt scrub with Vicci shower (hot water shower from a line of shower heads above while you lay on massage table), then a hot stone massage, then lunch, then a facial, then a pedicure, then a manicure, then my make up done, then my hair done.  I also received a $20 gift card to Starbucks while there.  I had my picture taken today so many times I felt like a celebrity.  Joe apparently had given specific orders on picture taking.  I will scan and post those when they are developed.  But I had to blog about the day!!!

The picture is the “Before” of the children checking out the limo before I left.  When I returned, the limo driver gave the kids and I a ride around the block.  Stephen loved it!!!  I will have to scan and upload some pictures of “After”! 

Lord, Today couldn’t have been more perfect.  Thank You for giving me a husband who loves me with a love that is so much like Yours to us.  You want to shower us with Your affection.  I felt so unworthy of my day, but mirroring Your love, Joe just wanted to show me his love for me.  Words really can’t express how thankful I am for how You blessed me with him as my husband.  What a sweet and romantic husband.  I am overwhelmed.

My take on the “E” word

So if you read Joe’s blog, which is the point of me having this one, you know what “The E Word” means.  Check it out here: http://sandboxadventures.wordpress.com/2008/07/23/the-e-word/

Anyway,  as he says, I was pretty much expecting it, so the official “unofficial” news was disheartening, but no shocker.  The funny thing is what I was praying about this morning.  In an email to Joe I explained my feelings, so to save typing, I will quote it here:

“I am disappointed you won’t be home as thought, but I know God has a plan for us still.  I was praying for you this morning minutes before you called.  I asked God to reward you for your faithfulness to the army.  Knowing that our rewards are in heaven, but also claiming that like with a marriage, He doesn’t want faithfulness to be rewarded with deadpan, lifeless, unfruitful marriage.  So I asked Him to put you in a job where you felt a part of what is going on, rewarded for the effort you put in to it, where results are seen.  Not hidden away in a trailor type office that no one could find on Bragg.  So it looks like He answered my prayer.  How can I argue with that?  It will all work out for the good to us for Him.  Pastor Jeff said that he believes God allows pain and suffering to occur so He will get the glory.  I don’t call this pain and suffering (most of the time) but I do want Him to get the glory.  I also pray that the time extension allows Him to continue whatever work He wants to accomplish in this separation.  That we will be moldable and useful to Him.” 

So that is what I really think about the “E” word.  Today.  Ask me again when the day he was supposed to be home comes and goes; when the children are misbehaving and I need Daddy to take over; nights when I go to bed and it really hits me that he is not next to me; when the children celebrate milestones such as potty training, starting homeschool-kindergarten; when we do ordinary every day things that I just genuinely miss his company. 

I really, really love our Lord and I know and hold onto the fact that these days too shall pass, it isn’t that long in the vapor that we are living, and I really look forward to seeing His work in both of us upon our reunion. 

Lord, hear these words and know my heart, as I call out to You and look to You for comfort and guidance and strength.  Help me not to complain.  Show me how You want to use me.

Projects!

Grace loves her cousin Jonah!  We were able to have dinner with Jordan, Susan and Jonah on Saturday and hang out for awhile.  Jonah is at a great age, he is laughing and interacting so much.  He is 5 months old.  He thought it was very funny to try to pull Grace’s hair, and she thought it was pretty hilarious, too. 

After dinner and visiting for a bit, we began a project.  Attempted to begin a project.  My mom’s house has a large hedge of azaleas along the front of it.  They have been there for many years.  I talked her into getting rid of them and putting in a more modern look.  So the project “began” Saturday with us and 2 shovels and a piece of rope.  The project-attempt ended about 15 minutes later, with 2 broken shovels!  Wow.  Azaleas 1, Us 0.  So Sunday (I know, a day of rest?) we purchased a crow bar thingy and a spade type shovel.  One-and-a-half hours later, the front of her house is down 3 azaleas!!  Those dudes are heavy!  The roots aren’t deep but they are monstrously big and heavy.  Only about 10 more to go!  I will post before and after pictures when there is an after picture! 

Second project:  Joe’s brother Alan has a very cute old home.  The people who owned it before him had put carpet over their hardwood floors.  The carpet has since become stained and in need of replacing.  So we decided instead to take up the carpet to investigate the hardwoods.  We started this project a couple of weeks ago, removing the carpet from the dining room.  Tonight, we finished with the rest of the living room area.  The pad in the dining room had to basically be scraped off the floors.  So that turned into quite an ordeal.  The final product will be just great, after the floors have been buffed and cleaned!

There is something about me and projects.  I always envision them to be so easy.  But it always seems there is so much more involved or I don’t have the right tools.  Oh well, I love ”befores and afters”, so I continue to do these things. 

Father, Tonight I want to solely lift up my dear friend Jenny’s new baby, Chloe.  She is 2 weeks old and having seizures for reasons unknown as of yet.  Please show your grace to them.  Be with the doctors and give them wisdom.  Be with Jenny and Matt and give them peace.  Be with their other daughter, Kaitlyn and give her security and comfort.  Above all, please heal this baby girl and to You be the glory.

Trophies and Trains

T-ball is over but the prize has just arrived.  Mom brought home Stephen’s trophey from church last night after he was already in bed (we were out of town when they handed them out).  This morning when he saw it, he was sooo excited!  He gets it though, because his first question was why he got it, if they didn’t win a single game.  I explained to him that it was because they played hard and were good sports.  He was cool with that, and glad to have a trophey.  He wanted me to send the picture of him to Daddy right away.  So here it is, Honey!

As for the rest of the day, we went to the gym, Wal-Mart, and then to a small park by the Arkansas river.  The park has a ferris wheel and a merry-go-round.  Joe’s parents and brother went with us.  We had a good time riding the rides then eating dinner in an old train’s dining car, that has been turned into a restaurant.  That is all for the exciting day and the above pictures sum it up!

Lord, Thank You that Joe is feeling better today.  Help him to rest when he can, with him trying to do so much.  Thank You for the last couple of days that have been back to our ”new normal” routine.  Help me to make the things that are important to You priority in my life.

Halfway…Maybe?

This practice of “waiting for him” is marked by an unofficial milestone today.  Joe is supposed to only be over there for 120 days.  Today is halfway!  Of course, I know that is not “to the day” even if he weren’t extended, due to sandstorms, security and other miscellaneous circumstances.  But I will count this as a good day.  A lot has happened since he has been gone, but the days have gone by fairly steadily.  All that being said, I hope the last part of this journey will go by safely, quickly and with a great helping of God’s grace on both sides of the globe.

Father, You are with us each and every day.  Time has no meaning to You.  Yet it is so important to us as we live out our days.  It is how we plan our very lives.  We practice corporate worship on certain days.  We celebrate birthdays and anniversaries to count off the days.  I wait for the days to pass until my husband and my children’s father is reunited with us.  Most importantly, we look forward to the day we are united with You.  Help me to focus on what is important as the days pass until that Very Special Day!

I am married to the sweetest man!

First things first, to finish up about our trip to Hot Springs, on Sunday we did a little sight-seeing and shopping.  Saturday night after Magic Springs, we had just enough energy to go to dinner at Red Lobster.  The first picture is of Stephen holding a live lobster!  One of the ladies that worked there got it out for him and he actually wanted to hold it.  You go, boy!

I love the picture of Grace and her Papa walking hand in hand after breakfast on Sunday.  The third picture just cracks me up when I look at it.  Stephen is reminding me more and more of his dad every day.  This is like something his dad would do.  I was just walking by and Stephen said “Hey, Mom!” and I looked to see him hugging this mannequin from behind.  What a goofball!  Not that Joe ever did this, it is just LIKE something he would do!  He probably would have posed beside it… :)  

The last picture brings me to the reason I am married to the sweetest man.  I went to get my hair trimmed this afternoon and when I got home, a beautiful floral arrangement along with one pink and one blue balloon were there waiting for us.  Stephen and Grace loved their balloons and the fact that their daddy sent them!  I am amazed that he had time to do this for us.  I miss him terribly!  I would love to give him a big hug right now.  

Father, Thank You for my husband that You picked for me.  He knows how to love me and his children so well.  He is a wonderful leader of our family, modelling Your love for us.  His thoughtfulness is more than I could have asked for or imagined, as is Your love for us.  Thank You that his heart’s desire is to follow You.  Bless him for his faithfulness.

Magic Springs

We had a pretty good time at Magic Springs.  For those who don’t know, it is a fairly impressive size theme park for the hills of Arkansas.  I hadn’t been since I was a kid and the only thing I remember being there back then was the log ride.  They still had one, but we never got to ride it.  The lines were entirely too long for part of us to stand in line and the rest to wait with Grace, as she is too short to ride anything there, except the Carousel.  That was the disappointing part.  Quite a bit of $$ to get in and Stephen could (and would) only ride a handful of rides.  Two of the large roller coasters were closed for various reasons, which left the log ride a hot item.  Speaking of hot, it was, so we headed over to the part of the park that saved the day for us.  The water park!  It was sooo crowded, but the kids had a blast.  They had a lazy river, several very large slides (we skipped) and 2 kiddie areas that had perfect-sized slides for Stephen. 

All-in-all it was a good day.  We were all exhausted, as Grace represents in the last picture!  She giggled until she left the water park, then she collapsed on the stroller ride to the car.

The top picture has my mom, Robert and Doris (Joe’s dad and mom) with the kids.  The second picture has me in place of my mom.  The third picture is of Stephen on the Carousel, just as we were getting started!

Lord, Thank You for the fun we are able to have.  We want for nothing, because of Your blessings.  Days like these are good for us to keep our minds busy while Joe is on the other side of Your world, but these times make me miss him so much, because I want to share them with him.  I look forward to the many times like this You have planned for us when we are reunited as a family!