As A New Day Dawns

I'm not often a "mushy-gushy" spiritual person, but I'm kind of at that point where I feel like I'm bursting at the seams with amazement about how God has just changed me. I mentioned a bit about this in a recent post, but I almost expected by now it would all be gone, that it would have dwindled away. Says a lot about me, huh? Well, it's not gone...I am still in awe, every day, of God's amazing faithfulness and I just had to say a little something about it - it's so simple!

The talk in my MOPS group a few weeks back was how to have a happy home. The woman said that as the wife and mother, we are "the heartbeat of our home". She also suggested some things that, frankly, were a bit old fashioned sounding to me but this one statement keeps coming back to me. I didn't think too much of it at the time, but as I see the days go by, I see such truth in it.

Among other things, she suggested that we be the first ones awake in our home, to set the pace and the tone for the day. (She also suggested having a hot breakfast ready each morning, but...sorry, folks, that ain't happenin'!) She also said a simple prayer that can be said when you first wake up - just to start the day with God. Now, I am NOT typically a morning person. Nearly every day I would wake up almost angry that my kids would come in at 6:30 and wake me from my precious sleep. How could they? Don't they know I need my sleep, and that I have to be with them all day? My attitude was terrible, and it set the tone for the rest of my day. I would be snappy with the kids and with Jon. I would yell at the kids unnecessarily, and take things out on them that they didn't deserve. I would look around my house and feel so overwhelmed with all that needed to be done that I would do nothing instead, which would just increase my stress for the next day. Things were not looking good, and I didn't even realize it.

The morning after my MOPS group, I decided to put that one simple suggestion into practice. I often DO wake up around 6, before the kids, but typically I try and go back to sleep, because I just feel like it must be too early to rise. That morning, however, when I woke up at 6, I took a few minutes then turned on my little lamp. I sat up in bed, and wrote just a few simple lines in my journal as a prayer to thank God for this new day, and to invite Him to be in charge of this day. For HIS will to be done in my words and thoughts and actions. It was just instantly a beautiful morning. I was still and happy and awake, and guess what? I got up and made "melt-in-your-mouth" pancakes for the family! Other mornings I will get up and shower, or spend time with whoever wakes up first. It's been truly amazing!!

And can I just say that the statement about me being the heartbeat of my home has really proven itself! EVERYONE in the house has changed! My relationship with Jon is at a high. The kids are happier and better behaved. Jon really notices a difference in my caring for the house, and now seems to almost want to help out sometimes. Things are just really good! There have been a couple of days where I didn't wake up first, or didn't spend those few moments in prayer, and I can absolutely see the difference in the day.

I feel like I could go on and on about this simple notion. I won't. But what I will do is HIGHLY recommend this simple action for those of you who aren't typically morning people. Whether you have kids or not, this could be incredibly useful. Don't let needy or whiny kids, or the annoying alarm clock set the tone of your day. YOU set it by waking up and inviting God to be in charge of your day. I literally felt like I was going insane every day - barely making it through. Now that this simple secret of partnering with God as my first action of the day has found me, my sanity has returned and everyone in my house is benefiting from it. So, give it a try and let me know what you think!

Below is one of my favorite and the most simple of Jon's songs. It's beautiful and prayerful and I want to sing it every morning...and I do many mornings. Some day when I figure it out, I can attach the song to the blog, but until then, here are the lyrics.

"As a new day dawns
I will lift my eyes to Your throne.
May this new day
Be a sacrifice pleasing to You.

May this day honor You.
May the words of my mouth honor You.
May the thoughts in my mind honor You.
May my life, now, honor You."

DELICIOUS Dessert!!!

Do you like a nice, gooey brownie? Perhaps some peanut butter? Maybe some marshmallows, and the crunch of Rice Crispies? Then this one is for you! A mom in my MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group made these, and though she didn't have a recipe, she kinda mentioned what she did, so I did my best, and the result was AMAZING! It's super simple and great for any occasion!!

What you need:

1 box brownie mix (I use Betty Crocker Fudge Brownie mix)
1/2 bag of mini marshmallows
1/2 stick of butter
12 oz. bag of semi-sweet chocolate morsels
Approx. 1 cup peanut butter (no need to really measure it out - just 2 big globs)
2 cups Rice Crispies

What you do:

* Make brownies in a 13x9 pan as directed.
* With 5 minutes cooking time remaining, take out brownies and cover evenly with the marshmallows.
* Return to oven and bake another 7 minutes. (that's 7, not 5)
* In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add and melt (stir continuously) chocolate chips.
* Stir in peanut butter til blended
* Stir in Rice Crispies (will be thick and tough to stir).
* When brownies are done, top marshmallows with 6 globs of chocolate mixture, and spread over and through marshmallows. It can and will look messy - just try to make all ingredients even over the whole thing.
* Refrigerate til ready to serve. (Not necessary, but a lot yummier, I think!) I refrigerated my last batch overnight, then took them out and cut them a couple hours before serving, and they were great!

Good luck and ENJOY!! Oh, and they are fat free (haha, yeah right!)

I'm Back - with a complete life update!

How many excuses can I give for why it's been so long since I've blogged? Procrastination, sick kids, life issues...the list could go on. But, here I am. I'm back. And we've all been back - from Scotland for three weeks now. I can't believe it's been that long already! It seems like a lot has happened in those three weeks, though...

Sick kids. Oh boy! Well, all three kids came home with ear infections and conjunctivitis. They were all on anti-biotics - Caleb did well, Hannah got some nasty, 'need-a-prescription-for-this' diaper rash, and Johnny broke out in a full body rash (see picture). I guess we found our first allergy! Also, Johnny got the 24 hour stomach virus during the other sicknesses, which was terrible!! We shipped off the other two kids to Grandma's for a day and night so we could focus on helping Johnny get through it. And, he did, but not before Jon caught the bug. A few days later Caleb started complaining about headaches, neck pain and an achy body. I was convinced he had bacterial meningitis, but we stuck it out for a couple days before freaking out, then took him to the doctor who assured us it was just viral symptoms, and it's just the time of year for it all. Phew! So, aside from Hannah being on diaper rash medication, we are all healthy and well again.

Onto life issues... Well, for as long as I can remember I have struggled with self-image, self-esteem, negativity and identity problems. And while I still don't know who I am and what I'm gonna be when I grow up, God has truly freed me from some of my negativity and concerns. It had hit a pretty major low just last week, but after talking with Jon and another friend who gave some simple suggestions, and after my MOPS (Mother's of Preschoolers) group, and after the start of the new sermon series at New Hope (all three timed perfectly, I must add...God, was that you??), I feel a new freshness about each day. I'm feeling less overwhelmed and so much more in control of my life and my situations. I am in the process of making a list of things about myself and my life that I can change when I partner with God, knowing that 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me'. So, I'm giving life a thumbs up these days! (Thanks for hearing me out about my personal struggles in life - we're all human, right?! Oh, and that's me recording in Phil's attic studio.) So hopefully no more procrastinating and being lazy with blogging...we'll see.

Also in the latest news, Jon turned 29 yesterday. He's a bit concerned about how close to 30 that is, but, we all know he's still a young-un. (How would you spell that??) This new American citizen has a fresh outlook on life, as well, and is excited about the future. While still unemployed, he's got his application in some places, and has some ideas for down the road. We shall see where the good Lord leads...and we know that He always does lead, so that's reassuring! In the meantime, Jon's doing some work on our friend's new house, which he loves doing. He's also working on getting his CD together, which should be available sometime soon. For a sneak peek at one of the songs, check out newhopejourney.com and see what you think!

It turns out I'm already 5 months pregnant with this amazing baby #4. Boy, how time flies! It's amazing to feel our little GIRL (for those who didn't know) wiggling around and kicking me in the gut or the ribs. That is a feeling that just never gets old - I LOVE it! The babe's name is Lily or Lilly...we haven't decided if there will be one 'l' or two 'l's' in the middle yet, but at least we know the name. We're almost set on a middle name, too, but since it isn't 100% we won't share it just yet. It's amazing how I can be in love with little Lily (Lilly) already, and she's just 11 inches long and I have no idea what she's like or looks like. I guess that's one of the miracles of parenthood!

Well, while we had an AMAZING time with Jon's family in Scotland, we are happy to be home, and are pleased the weather has improved so we can be outside a lot more! HAPPY SPRING, everyone! :)

(This is a picture of Hannah with her little buddy Lily from next door.)

Home Sweet Home

'Scotland 2' just never seemed to happen...so we'll tie it all together now that we are home. We left a CD with a lot of our photo's on in Scotland, so we'll have to post some more photo's another time...

We had a GREAT time. It was wonderful to see family and old friends - some that I haven't seen for about 12 years since I left home. We visited the church that I grew up in and took a quick drive around my old neighborhood to show Ang the house we lived in till I was 17. I had forgotten how beautiful Scotland is...or possibly just never appreciated because it was all I really knew. Scotland is truly a beautiful country. This pic is of Stirling Castle.

We spent most of our time at my parents house in Saltcoats on the south-west coast of Scotland. My dad currently pastors a church there. They live in a house right on the sea with incredible views of Arran (a mountainous island) and the Firth of Clyde. They let us borrow one of their cars - if it was just me and Ang, we took the Smart Car - what a sweet car. We laughed every time we returned to the parking lot...it's small - very small.

We spent a week in Perth staying with Jaime and Phil (Sister and Bro-in-law) where we had the opportunity to record some music with Phil. Phil is an incredible musician and sound engineer and helped us to produce a sound which I am truly amazed at. Thanks Phil! Hopefully the CD will be complete in a couple of weeks after it has all been mixed and mastered. At some point it will be available to everyone if anyone is interested :) These pics are nephews David and Daniel, niece Leah, and our three.

My parents offered to look after the kids for a couple of days so that Ang and I could get away on a 'real' vacation. We found a great airline called Ryan Air who fly out of the local airport to destinations all over Europe. It was sooooo cheap to fly! We ended up choosing Spain as I have an Aunt and Uncle there who I have not seen since I left home. It was great to spend some time with them as an adult (instead of being the adolescent nephew), and they treated us to free accommodation and most of our meals. Thanks Irene! Along with our $60 round trip flights, this made for a fantastic, CHEAP, vacation. These are pics of downtown Malaga which has an incredible bull fighting arena. Spain was warm and beautiful...

It was also great to be able to celebrate Hannah's first birthday with my family, since they have always been so far away for the kids' birthdays. We had a little party for her at my parents' house, and the rest of the family made the journey to celebrate with us. It made for a wonderful last day in Scotland. Happy Birthday, Hannah!!

Truly an incredible month. Flying was difficult with three kids as I'm sure you can imagine. I think it will be a while before we do it again...as we will have four kids soon! It was a blessing in disguise to be recently out of work so that we could take a whole month to go. This is Robert the Bruce (Ang) storming Stirling Castle...

So now that we are home, life will slowly get back to 'normal'. The job search continues. Being back home in Ohio makes us realize how much we love living here. Not for Ohio (by any means), but for the friends and family that we have here. We are so happy that God placed us here, and continue to feel completely assured that this is where God wants us for now - unemployed and all...

Oh yeah, I became a U.S. citizen today. A subject for another day...

And, we find out tomorrow whether our new one is a boy or a girl - CRAZY!

Scotland 1 - Catch Up Post

It's hard to sum up our time so far here in Scotland. I have been putting off blogging about the trip - partly because I've wanted to have pictures to post with it, and partly, well, I'm not sure why.

Our trip here went so much better than I expected - better than past trips. We flew from our time zone west to Chicago. We found out the London Heathrow airport was closed due to snow for the first time in 20 years...lucky us - so our flight was cancelled. We were re-routed to Amsterdam. We spent about 6 hours in Chicago at their play place (thank God for it!), then hopped on a long flight (on which Johnny threw up) through 7 time zones to Amsterdam. We were there just a couple hours then headed back one more time zone to Glasgow. The kids traveled so well, and we were actually fairly sane upon arrival. They managed to only have 2 of our 4 suitcases, but the others arrived the next day. Only 3 days in the same clothes and greasy hair - not bad!

It's been wonderful to spend so much time with Jon's parents. We certainly don't get to see them often enough. On top of how great it is to see them, there is the most amazing view from their home. They live right on the sea, with a mountainous island called Arran just across the sea. Every night holds the most amazing sunset you can imagine - and it can all be seen just by looking out their front room window. Spectacular!

We've met some great people, too! We took a drive down the coast a bit and ended up at the home of their friends, Geoff and Carol - some of the most welcoming people I have ever met. The seven of us just sort of showed up unexpectedly, and we were invited in for tea - and even to stay for dinner. Jon was given some amazing (and what would be very expensive in the states) scotch, too. This was also the most eccentric family I have ever met. Hard to explain, really. They looked quite overgrown and ratty, in some ways. You'd think that perhaps they didn't have much money to live on...until you walked out to their driveway and saw the car they own. I don't know anything about cars, but this corvette was a beauty! The engine was perfect and shiny and new. I wish I knew how to explain that part, too. Turns out that Geoff is an inventor, and he works for the government coming up with all sorts of technology for them. Right now he is working on some x-ray machine for the airport. And, he does all this in his unlocked wooden nearly falling down shed in their back yard. We really need to just go back and take a picture of this place...

We also have spent some time withe upstairs neighbors, David and Min. David came down to play cards one night, and we just had such a great time. He is a recovering addict, clean for like 19 years now, and he is just full of life. It was so much fun. It was great to see Jon's parents get along so well, and just love and accept their neighbors for who they are...doesn't matter that they aren't 'church goers'. The next day, I went with David and Jane (Jon's mum) to a craft show where Min was selling her glass beads that she makes. It was great to see some more of Scotland, but also to go and support these friends. (She is an amazing bead maker!) We roamed around the town, looking in shops and enjoying each other's company and conversation over lunch.

Right now we are in Perth where Jon's sister Jaime and her family live. The whole family is here (well, actually they are all at the pool, and I am home with a sleeping Hannah - she's a bit sick.) It's great to see where his sister's and their beautiful families live. All the cousins are having a blast together. There are 7 cousins under 5. It's crazy and busy, but very exciting! We love being altogether.

Jon will begin recording his CD next week, and he is SO excited! So is Phil, his brother-in-law. Hopefully he'll have lots of songs to bring home, and a CD will soon come together.

That pretty much sums it up for now. Oh yeah, we did go to Erskine where Jon grew up. We went to his old church, saw his old high school and primary school, and even the house he lived in for so many years. He loved showing us around!

Hopefully soon we can get more pictures to post. We are taking them, so eventually you will see them. Know that we miss you and love you and hope that you all are well.

The Man is the CEO

As a couple of friends have recently blogged about the role of women in the church, the workplace and the home, I thought I would share a story, and see what you thought.

A little while back I was visiting a stay-at-home mom friend for the day with my kids. I was there pretty early in the morning - before her husband left for work - and was planning to stay through dinner. It was going to be a fun day of chatting as moms in similar life situations, and watching our kids play with each other, which didn't happen often enough. I sure wasn't thinking much about cleaning and cooking that day. It was just gonna be fun and relaxing.

The husband came downstairs ready for work. He kissed his kids good-bye, kissed my friend good-bye, and headed for the door. He turned around just before his final exit and said to my friend, "Oh, and I expect the house to be clean by the time I get home." I laughed out loud, thinking it was a joke. I was the only one laughing (woops!), and my friend said lovingly and with a smile, "Okay, honey." Oh, okay. Was that for real? I guess it was.

What I had thought was a joke was not meant to be funny at all. That was just the way it worked in their house. While my friend is in charge of keeping the house, she's sort of just the manager while her husband is the CEO of the home. I understand that this is the way some families work, but I was surprised to find myself in the middle of that.

What are your thoughts on this situation?

Caleb's Castle Stories

Back in October, Caleb was really into the movie Shrek. He also enjoys writing stories, so he had a couple to write about castles. Here they are...oh, and they are best read aloud and with a British accent.

THE CASTLE
Nobody's allowed to get out of the castle. They are locked in there forever. Nobody is gonna come and rescue them. Everyone is locked in their homes. I love them to be locked in there forever. The Prince Truth is to give a kiss to Princess Fiona. I love them to be a prince - Princess Fiona. The dragon will blow fire and smoke out of his mouth and nose and ears. He would think that he would kill everybody. If it was true love, they would give a kiss to the castle birds. To think that they won't have anything to eat or drink, or to go outside and ride their bikes and strollers. I love them to be out of there now - to give a kiss to everybody, and a hug!

THE END

THE CASTLE (#2)
This is a river and the castle is on top of it. Nobody is allowed to get out. The thing is, that if somebody would kiss somebody else, or a hug, it would be true love. By then a big rainstorm bug came in and something new came out of his ears, and it was a frog. If true love would kiss a Cheerio, it would give a hug to the true love. If they kiss a dragon, they would kiss a frog. This is a really silly story. If they kiss paper, they would kiss a cup of water. If true love would kiss a paper, then true love would kiss a wallet ticket. True love would kiss a Cheerio box, and a sock. It's a really...silly...story.

THE END