So Many thoughts...

Isaac stole a marshmallow, so the penalty was tickling...

My head is so full of thoughts to share...

I spent way too long looking at others blogs trying to figure out whether I should respond to posts on my blog, go to others blogs and respond that way, or what exactly is protocol...what I see is that it's up to me! That's good news...this new venture can be intimidating at times.

Friday, once again and the lawn is still not mowed! I tried on Wed. afternoon, although the temp was very high! It started, I cheered, and it died! So, I gave up and tried again yesterday...thinking all the while, "I put oil in this thing, that's gotta be what's wrong." NOT~same thing happened yesterday and my dear husband hasn't had any time to intervene and rescue me from this monster yet...I suppose we'll attempt it again tomorrow...after we clean up a pool we were given last nite. It was free...needs serious cleaning; that's no big deal.

Have any of you gone on Craigslist? It's awesome...check your town for it...well worth the effort. (Guess what? I just went to the site, and found a LAWNMOWER FOR FREE!!!) I emailed them and we'll see.

The pool guy from last nite said that he got twenty-seven emails about his pool within thirty minutes~I'd have to say that was the favor of our God on me! He also said he was homeschooled. But that was after he chose us as the receivers of his gift.! I've been asking God for one since last winter...all two months of it!

Have I ever mentioned that we have some fun family traditions in our home? One is our "Highlight of the day" and that's when you sit down together for dinner, everyone gets a turn at telling their best part of the day to everyone else. If you've ever eaten with us, you know this is serious business...sometimes, if one of us has had a difficult day, they'll tell their 'lowlight' instead, but that doesn't happen too much. Or maybe they didn't have one. That's ok, too...Josh always asks if the boys had gotten a spanking that day and if so, then he ALWAYS CHANGES HIS to that! I guess it's his dry sense of humor!

The other tradition that's been going on for quite a while, but not as long, is Friday nite family nite with a movie...it's open to the members of our church, but I wonder if everyone thinks we live in Mexico or some place else, so they don't want to drive too far to watch a movie and get the best popcorn in the state! It doesn't matter, tho, cuz we always see a movie and get popcorn, too...

Tonite's movie is one that, as you can tell, I've dodged watching, except for popcorn delivery: "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"...not my favorite...I'm allowed to be excused cuz I really don't even think they even know I'm not in the room...this is the third time they've watched it now (not in a row, I mean!) and so I know I'll be hearing quotes from it for the next three weeks, at least! But it came from the library, which means we didn't have to pay to watch it this time.

Don't you just love the library? I mean, it's such a gift...when we were back in Buffalo, they closed the one near us and it was like saying goodbye to a dear friend moving far away...what a similarity to our life, huh?

Boy, I really do have a lot to get out of my head tonite. Thanks for your patience.

I'm so excited for our fellowship...we've gotten into a facility to have our services, the school, symposiums, meetings, community outreaches, etc, and everyone is working so hard to get things painted, cleaned, and ready to move into. Jef has gone every morning to pray with the men for the city and God's will for our particular church.

Ya know, we came 1800 miles to fulfill the Great Commission with this particular group of people and I couldn't be more thankful. They're hearts are set like flint to go forward, obstacles or not. I feel privileged to be a part of it all. I love and appreciate our pastor, his wife and the passion and zeal they have to affect this culture. Do check out our website...and if you're in our area, please come and check us out. You are so welcome to run with us and the vision to transform San Antonio, Texas.

Let me see...is there anything else...oh, yes. I wanted to share a small thing that was a big thing...you know my heart is for marriage, family, etc. Well, I really wanted to go on a date with Jef on Tues. nite after the boys went down and Josh didn't work...I made a suggestion we go out, and he jumped in the shower. Well, when I looked at the clock, it was already 9:45 p.m. and I knew my batteries were going to run out in only a short while, so I said, "why don't we do something different?" So, we put two small candles on the table, and as we always go to Borders on our dates and find books to share and a drink at the cafe', we got two books and took turns reading, "John Adams" and "I Have A Dream" to each other...AND WE WERE ALL ALONE! Josh was still asleep from the floor picture you saw in a previous post~! He did eventually wake up and sit with us and listen, but that wasn't for too long...it was a marvelous time and we saved money and gas! Those are the times that bring you close and you touch each other in a different way...I saw, firsthand, his heart in the emotion of reading me MLK's speech and he heard my heart in Abigail Adam's words of love to her husband far away from her.

Well, Jef is putting the boys to bed. He nightly reads passages from both the Old and New Testament to them and prays over them. It's an excellent time of bonding and imparting. I love it. He also sings, too, and occasionally, if he's not too tired, or they aren't, he brings out the guitar and they worship together that way...these times are slipping by at light speed. I remember when the older ones were little and he'd do that with them...sigh. Selah.

Goodnite.