9/29/12

Today: I stayed up way too late again. (It is 12:45 am--yikes to tomorrow!)

Children and I went to two stores, which took four hours. I have to post for you what a lady said to me at Michaels... tomorrow.

Sparrow--made THIS. Just because. Just on a whim. She is so creative!

Golden--picked out aNOTHER pair of shoes at the used clothing store that she fell in LOVE with and promised they were not too small. An hour later, she was in pain and had to take them off. What is it that doesn't jive between my daughter Golden and the world of shoes? All shoes seem to bother her or hurt her!

Silas--is down to his last diaper and no, I did not go to that kind of store today. Oh and he got new (used) dress shoes, his 1st pair, and didn't want to take them off. He fell asleep with them on! Hah!

Pippa--a good baby. We called her "bunny-kitty" a lot today. Cause she's cute as a bunny kitten. Whatever that is.

9/28/12

Today--

The day started out rough, continued rough, I found myself lecturing a lot... man! How can I ever teach them a good attitude when mine is so rotten!?! Finally by the end, the children went to bed an hour late, but I had decided that I'd better be happy, even in a mess and in chaos. They are who they are and they are themselves NOW. I will never again have them like they were today.

Sparrow--prayed for us this morning that we'd have a good day and not be mad at each other. O.o.

Golden--spent all day telling me I had "forgotten" to repaint the nail polish she has already picked off her nails since getting them freshly done yesterday.

Silas--kept on stripping out his diaper, peed in underwear twice, then successfully peed in his potty (his own initiative, too) after dinner. Thomas and I did a happy dance thing that included us rapping about what good parents we are. However, when the neighbor boy came to get his fire engine back that Silas had borrowed yesterday, and Silas kept screaming and crying about not wanting to give it back, and the little boy let him have it for another day without any trouble at all... I was a bit ashamed about my parenting skills. =/

Pippa--did yoga all day. That is one strong baby.

9/27/12

Today--

I woke up late, as I'd gone to bed after 3 am! It's funny now, but at the time... Oh, I don't know how I get such lapses in judgment--I spent ALL DAY yesterday on the photo site Shutterfly to try to get a baby book done for Silas--I was trying to beat the clock on a special promotion they were having where you could get a free photo book--and it was the last day! I worked and worked and worked til 3 am and then I was not even close to being done, but I tried to check out...and the promotion had expired. Of course.

So I was a little weary today. But no matter. Thomas watched the children for me while I went to run errands. I bought them their fancy holiday clothes (5 sets, incl. 2 whole outfits for Si), three pairs of snow boots, three pairs of shoes for Pippa, tennis shows for Golden, dress shoes for Silas, and three jackets, all for $100! (the used children's clothing store.)

Sparrow--drew her first cross section of a house. It is amazing and wonderful.

Golden--received her "big girl prize"--of a tiny pink poodle toy--for successfully stopping thumb sucking! Woohoo! (That bitter nail stuff helped greatly.) Then we did our nails in fancy new colors. She also received home made lemon cakes.

Silas--bonked his head on the corner of our new (used) glass table and is sporting a band-aid and his usual lovey attitude

Pippa--has a little bit of a cold and wakes often at night, but came with me on errands wearing a pink dress and is almost crawling! Almost, almost, almost! She does a LOT of push-ups. Right now she does an inchworm type of move to go forward.

Just a Line

I'm going to try updating daily for a little while. Having the task of a long blog post ahead of me seems to be a deterrent to ever writing anything! So short and succinct it shall be! And here is today:

Sparrow: Couldn't get enough of me reading "Good Queen Bess" and an adaptation of Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" to her...loved it!

Golden: Thought that the soap in the plastic travel box was really special and wanted to keep it in her room.

Silas: INSISTED we take his baby laptop AND the large hardcover "Maisy" book out to the back yard with us.

Pippa: Grew, ate, and charmed us all in the way that she does. Chewy, chewy, but no teeth yet.

Signing off, in lovely memories... -the Flourishing Mother

Silas and Golden's Birthdays

Silas is two. Golden is four. Their birthdays are two weeks apart. So... Instead of doing two events, I wanted to have a "simple" joint party. Simple. Hah. Hah. Hah. We don't have a kitchen. It is hecka hot outside. What was I thinking?!?! Turns out there was no good place to HAVE the party! But God provided something that worked out perfectly: a condo that is associated with the Eldercare business we work for was available and temporarily empty. I'll take it! SO the day before the party, we moved everything over there that was necessary for cake making and decorating, and baked cake. So far so good. And the day OF we did... everything else. It was *kind of* a MAD rush, and I was still unkempt and wrestling the fondant 45 mins before guests were to arrive...I don't recommend that..., but it ended up being really fun and good! When the guests arrived, the ladies all asked me if I'd like some help, and the women all chopped veggies and chatted in the kitchen while the men retreated to the living room and yard to set up the pinata, etc. (the pinata that had just been finished about an hour beforehand... LOL.)

I am so grateful that we already have so many people we can count as friends here. First of all, the people we work for are amazing. Mrs. S. is so wonderful, helpful, kind, and sweet, and always goes above and beyond to make sure we are doing well. This is not normal. This is Jesus. She came early to the party, even though she is a super busy lady, brought me stuff I had forgotten from home, watched the baby, blew up the balloons, did the girls' hair, etc. etc. I can't thank her enough. And our other friends? Well one of them is my childhood friend from Arizona!!! A couple of weeks ago, she had sent me an email just updating me on her life--it had probably been about a year and a half or so since we had heard from one another. At the end of the email, she mentioned where she was now living with her husband, and I literally yelled out loud to my computer screen in excitement! She lives about 10 minutes away from me!!!! I know God was just keeping that little secret up his sleeve, just laughing with delight to see our expressions when we found out about this. She has a little son now, about the same age as Pippa. So lovely. We have also been given wonderful neighbors! There is a great family that lives right next door to us, with a son the same age as Silas, and one the same age as Pippa. The mother is from Japan, and she is such a lovely person--always bringing over fresh veggies from her garden, reaching out to us, asking us if we need anything. I am just in such good hands. And as for our other friends--I just cannot  say enough good things about our church. We came upon this beautiful church called Dreamhouse, and haven't felt the need to look anywhere else! From the first time I walked in I just felt like--all my best friends live here! There are a good number of young families, the ladies are just so--kindred--our children love it, Thomas is getting to know people, etc. They invite the Holy Spirit, and seek God's presence for all that He is--I am so, so happy to know that there is Spirit-life out here! Every place carries its own spiritual atmosphere. Here, I can see the heavens are opening and God is calling a people to be fully after Him, to reveal His glory, to be radically obedient sons and daughters--warriors--ALL for the Kingdom! So thankful. Here are a few shots from the party!

Still dealing with fondant--party to start within the hour...

Let's just pretend that I *meant* to wink, ok? ...not overtired or stressed AT ALL!

Pinata time!

The boy didn't want to hit it. #enthralledwithcars

All done.

 Traditionally, I like to write letters to my children on their birthday. ...SO here are some little card-sized thoughts for them...

Silas--

My dear son, my firstborn son, my only son. YOUR smile, YOUR eyes, YOUR two-year-old bare, dirty feet, the curve of your neck, the breath of your face, are the delight of a million moments--I see your heart. The way you come to me with such confidence, even after bedtime, your blanket trailing behind you, as you quietly scoot in next to me, sucking your thumb. That is the confidence you have before an eternal throne. One of comfort and full access and blessing. Your identity is love. You are a lover of the Word of God. You haven't yourself said three words together yet, but what you will become is what you already are, for God sees the seed the same as He sees the full-grown tree. So I say--you are. A lover of the Word of God. May God give you Logos for sustenance, and Rhema for power. Be gentle. Be strong. Be listening. Be pure.

Golden--
 
Shiny, sparkly Golden girl. Here I have someone truly original. You don't even try. You make laughter and art and magic happen all around you. Four years is such a little time, and you still such a little thing, but I see you now, going out that door, changing the world, and it will still seem too small a time to be with you, soaking you in, laughing girl. You are aptly named, the name He intended. He longs to bestow treasure on you, He sings over you with shouts of joy. The treasures open, Golden one, in His presence. Laugh in His presence, sing in His presence, and be still in His presence. Listen. He waits to give you the real magic. You. Are. Growing. Into. Him. Like a wind He lifts you, He is all around you, and YOU have the ability to enjoy Him like very few... that delight will create safety for others. So you choose to delight in Him, and to stand in Him, little Pillar. Always choose it, and you will bloom. Shine brighter and brighter until the full day!

August in August

Sp: "Why are they crying if they're still gonna get silver? ...Because the silver's not real?" -Aug. 1

Sparrow, watching the women's gymnastics team win Gold, says, very concerned,
"Do they get to take the leotards home?" -Aug. 1

Me, leading devotions: "What can we see around us that tells us there is a God?"
G: "He made flowers and houses and books and farts..."
Sp: "No He didn't! ...Well He did, but He doesn't talk about them, I don't think." -Aug. 2

Profound questions I have to answer:
Sp: "How does the chicken have eggs without a husband?" -Aug. 1

G: "Actually, I don't want a cookie. I want some red things."
Me: "What red things?"
G: "It's red, and it's really yummy, and it comes from a pig."
Me: "BACON?!?!?"
G: "Yeah. Bacon." -Aug. 2

(Analyzing the classic tale of "The Lion and the Mouse")
Me: "So what's the moral of the story?"
Sp: "Little--like mouse or ant--can help Big--like hyena or lion." -Aug. 4

Golden, after all the birthday excitement of presents and sugar and McDonalds:
"Can I sleep standing up tomorrow?"
Sure you can, lovey. Sure you can. -Aug. 7

Sparrow's subjects in the notebook she wanted to make for school:
Babies
Science
Wheels
Fastness and Slowness
Birthday parties
-Aug. 8

Sp: "Mom! wouldn't it be cool if we could go to Chincoteague Island and find a huge X on it?" -Aug. 8

Sp: "Oh *I* get it! The water goes up into the air, and comes down again as rain! ...So if we put lemonade outside and it evaporates, will the rain taste like lemonade?" -Aug. 12

Me: "You do NOT play racing games with eating. That is a waste of dessert."
Sp: "...Then how will I become a world champion?" -Aug. 14

Sp: "I'm gonna be one of the most beautiful dancers in the world when I grow up." AND I'm gonna be a gymnastics girl. AND I'm gonna be a fire girl. AND I'm gonna be a zookeeper."
G: "I'm gonna be a unicorn." -Aug. 19

G: "Mom, babies have thinking problems cause they cry in their crib and they think sucking on their fingers will make them feel better. And then they do it." -Aug. 23

G: "Mom, I'm gonna look BEAUTIFUL and no one will believe me." -Aug. 25

Sp: "Mom, I do know this place is getting flooded. Mom, I think God wants us to build an ARK." -Aug. 25

Sp: "God, I pray that you would help the president to become more interested in you, and that he would have a vision about you, and that you would make him feel more humble." -Aug. 28

Sp: "Mom, guess how loose my tooth is."
Me: "How loose?"
Sp: "A googleplus loose." -Aug. 29

G: "Dad, at night I had a dream about a talking hat, and it was pretty. And I was scared of it. And it said, 'Are-you-a-hat?' And it was a spooky world!" -Aug. 31 (said "spooky world" with a smiley sparkle in her voice. Love it!)

Sp: "Dad! The trick to getting Pippa to stop crying is to:
-get on your side
-put a pillow over your ear
-and get under a blanket." -Aug. 31 (Haaaaaaah!)

How We Came Here

This family is a sign and a wonder. It may seem a random surprise that we suddenly live in Virginia, after being jobless and "broke" for so long (though God always took care of us. Checks in the mail, etc. THANK you to those of you who let God use you to that end!) I can hardly believe it myself.  Coast to coast. I am happy to be near the ocean, even if I don't see it that often. My name, in Greek, means "the sea." So--crazy faith adventure--here we are, a dream fulfilled. I speak to this season, that it will be a tree of life for us, and all we come into contact with. A desire fulfilled is a tree of life. Fulfill that word, Lord!

"Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain" (Psalm 127:1). It seemed sometimes over the past year as if Thomas were basking in the Lord too much, spending too much time praying and reading the Bible... People were telling him to get out there more, do a better job of getting a job. To try harder. And to get on welfare. I myself was even getting on that boat most days, the negative thoughts and words. They were speaking negativity over him. Speculating, and forgetting the way the Father sings over us with shouts of joy, how He deals with us. Through encouragement. Love hopes and believes all things, does it not? I repeated this over and over to myself in those months in California. Love believes all things. The people of North Coast Calvary Chapel was a huge breeze of life to us in that season. They were not repelled by our lack of work, our *many* children, our living situation, our needs. They were happy that we were glad to be there. They actively looked for work and housing with us. We could have spent a lifetime there.

One day, a few weeks before the deadline to move out of the housing in San Diego, I was lying in bed trying to nap, sinking into depths of emotion over our situation. I thought, "HOW is this going to work, Lord? I KNOW you are good, but I feel like maybe we have been unfaithful with our resources, and not applied wisdom principles to our life and finances, and maybe that's why this is not working out! Even if Thomas got a job today, we would NOT have enough money to pay for deposit/ first month's rent on an apartment, and we're going to be homeless! WHAT IS GOING ON??!!??" Suddenly, in my mind's eye, God gave me a vision of a person running through a paper wall. I understood at once what He was trying to tell me. That this seemingly insurmountable wall did not NEED to be surmounted. That it was only an illusion, and that though this situation seemed impossible from a human standpoint, it was nothing to God. We were to just RUN through it in faith. That gave me so much renewed courage!!! About two weeks after that, we got an email from the mother of a good friend from Santa Barbara. She owns an elder care facility in Virginia and was losing a couple of employees in July. She prefers to hire men and simply offered for Thomas to take a job with her! We had no idea how in the world we would afford to get there, but we both felt a resounding "YES," toward this!

The day after we decided to just go for it, despite not having the funds, said friends in Santa Barbara gave us a huge chunk of money toward that end, which covered the moving van and then some. AND our church in San Diego (North Coast Calvary Chapel) gave us the money for the airfare! It was simply astounding how God provided. The people who employed us worked so hard to get us settled, welcome us, make us feel at home. They give, they give, they give. They arranged it so the job would include room and board. This is above and beyond. This is so. Not. Normal. So we currently live here in the top floor of the elder care house; the lower floor is used for residents. There are three bedrooms downstairs and three residents, and another house and two more residents next door. Thomas works in both houses, taking care of the elderly residents and doing any other odd jobs they need him for. We will be the night managers of this home. I get to help with cooking, which I love! And  our children get to see the other end of life and have older generations around them. I think it is wonderful. We stand truly amazed!

God doesn't say, "try harder. You're going downhill! Do a better job! I'm worried about you!" God says, "Trust me. I love you. I am able. I want to give you all good things." He provided this job with no resume sent, no application filled out, and we got a place to live with no deposit or first months rent. Income can go toward paying off debts! You can't imagine how many times I thought over the past year, "how cool would it be if someone we knew who owned a business simply hired us?" I should have known. I should have contended for that, I should have been speaking that out the whole time! Instead, I was known to frequently cynically say, "You have to be the manager's nephew to get a job at McDonald's." ...HE was listening. I still. STILL! Have not grasped the discipline of directing my words toward positive things. Speaking truths, not cynicisms. ETERNAL truths, God's truths, what He wants to see realized, are ALWAYS good; there is always good truth to speak. Hope does not disappoint. AH, LORD! Come get in my face! Be in my face. All. Day. And may I live out of the spirit man. Nothing can shake this spirit man.