Why Everyone Needs A Mom Like Mine

K ind to stranger and friend alike.
A ble-bodied to do hard tasks. Plow Girls my dad calls us.
T eachable, and more-so the older she gets.
H ard to keep secrets from, a sign of a true friend.
E xcellent at gaining whatever information is needed
R enders to others both needs and wants, regardless of time or money.
I nsatiable appetite for time with her children and lets us know it.
N ews gatherer so all can stay up with what's going on.
E early riser to spend time with the Lord and my dad.

M oney is no object when it comes to blessing others.
A rtsy and creative in all things craft and decor.
R ighteousness is ever becoming the desire of her heart.
I nterested in learning about what others are interested in.
E ntertained by what is properly entertaining.

F lexible each and every day to whatever comes along.
I mitates those who are spiritually worthy of imitation.
T eaches others what she has learned--and educates my little sister.
Z ealous in praying for family, friends, and strangers.
R eads then recommends GREAT books.
A nticipates what God is going to do through her children and grandchildren.
N otices when someone needs a pick-me-up and gives it--flowers especially.
D oes not hold back emotion when it is time to show it.
O pens her home and heart to any who need them.
L aughs alot--and spreads it.
P refers to relax over being a busy-body.
H opes for our Lord's return.

If I had to choose just ONE thing that I have learned from my mother, it would be generosity. I never paid attention to it as a child because I didn't care about characters of the heart. But the older I got, the more I saw how much time, money, and self she gave to my sisters and I...and now that I am even older, I see how much she gives to those outside our family. She puts aside whatever she is doing to listen and give advice the moment it is needed. She has no outward qualms about spending money to fulfill a need or even a want. I don't know how many times she has sent me flowers, but it NEVER gets old. Ever. She has the perfect kind of generosity that anticipates the need before it is voiced and then does what she can to meet it. And time and time again, I think about how THAT is what I wish to be known for and I pray God gives me the means to do it as well as my mom does.

Happy 43rd Year, Momma. I love you!

Praise the Lord for Creation and Situation!

In the midst of a combination of situations that can make us feel at a loss, God has still proven faithful!

We got a call yesterday from the Memphis office, and the movers will be packing up and moving out our stuff...on FRIDAY. The last day of the month. This is saving us from having to pay another full month's rent to Cherry Grove for an empty apartment. The manager however is wanting us to pay for three days double rent SIMPLY because the walk-through may not be able to happen until Monday. Empty apartment on Friday. Empty on Saturday. Empty on Sunday. Walk-through on Monday because of their rule of no walk-throughs on weekends (don't know where that's stated). And we pay over $100 for those three empty, unoccupied days. We'll see about that. I just gotta keep calm on the phone while protesting.

AND we got our computer desk delivered yesterday instead of Thursday. No more sitting at three stacked boxes trying to juggle keyboard and mouse...and figure out where to put your legs. So we're up to three pieces of furniture now. Air matress, computer chair, and computer desk! Movin' on up!

Please pray that we will be able to figure out the health insurance election TODAY. I've spent hours (with my wonderful mom) the past two days researching, calling, being frustrated, and trying to find answers. And it's starting to give me an instant tension headache every time I think about it. We know which company we should use (thanks to my dad's final advice), but there are two issues that must be answered. At least now I know what the issues are exactly and who I should call to ATTEMPT to find answers. I pray it works out today.

And now for Cross-Country Trek pictures... PLEASE CLICK on some of them at least so you can see a bigger picture and get more detail of the Grand Canyon.


This was my FIRST view of one of the most awesome places in God's creation. No movie, no IMAX presentation, no person, no photograph can EVER truly prepare you for how vast and deep the Grand Canyon is. I just stood there wondering for a while if it was really REAL. How can something that HUGE possibly exist...aside from a God who is bigger! I describe how big it is by saying if you are standing on a beach looking out at the ocean, THAT is how big the Canyon is. And yet you still know that there is more beyond what you can see. Add the mile depth, and it's even more "grand." Simply astonishing.

Our first "First Real Vacation" picture. More than 3 or 4 hours outside Jackson. Not because we had to. Not to see family. An honest-to-goodness sight-seeing vacation. It was so much fun! Just me and my husband. A vacation with a boy! Alone! Very cool. This was Matt's fourth time to see the Grand Canyon, my first. And now I am the only one in my family who has seen it...even though all of them have lived or still live in Arizona. You all MUST get up to see it! For Thea: The lady who took this picture was from England. When she handed the camera back she said, "Have a good holiday!" in a cute British accent. Made me think of you!

And now for what God blessed us with to impress us even more with His creative abilities...

Days Later...

Welllll....we are here in Salinas now! We got here on Wednesday around 12:30 pm, with move-in at 2:00. We walk into the leasing office to find Christy (a very nice, fun lady and very helpful) suprised to see us. We asked if we could still move-in even though we were early. She said, "Well, if you were a couple hours early it wouldn't be a problem. But you are two days early." WHAT? we were thinking. Turns out, everywhere in our paperwork she had written the 21st at 2:00 which was Wednesday, but human error had her write the 24th (Saturday) on her calendar. So she knocked off a couple days of our rent payment and we have stayed in a hotel the past two nights, set to move in today at 11:00 am. Horrible you think? Nah. Not really. The reason the apartment wasn't ready is because they installed all new vinyl and carpeting over the past two days and are scouring it this morning. Two days is SO worth it to have two years of really nice floors. I'm totally gonna post a picture of the vinyl when I get a chance...you'd think it was stone. You'd swear it was stone, feel it with your bare foot, and wonder why there wasn't a pronounced grout line. The old vinyl would have been just your typical white tile look. God is good and we are willing to wait for what is better!

In the meantime, Matt has started his check-in/registration process with NPS (the graduate school). Hopefully things will move very quickly since classes start on Monday. He has all of his books save one, which he is getting this morning while doing a few more things at NPS. Priority right now is paperwork so we can get paid and not let our insurance drop. Please pray that everything will turn over quickly. Our insurance from Union drops Sept. 30th which is not very long from now. And I really should get to an ob/gyn for my first check-up which will end up also being my half-way check-up. :-P

Just found out my friend who lives an hour from here is having a boy. That just makes me giddy all over! So does the weather here...if anyone comes to visit, pack warmish clothes!!! You'd be chilly in shorts. I was even chilly in cords and a 3/4 sleeve shirt and undershirt yesterday. Salinas is a little warmer than Monterey (25 miles to the coast), but there is always a cool breeze. ::evil grin when thinking about the hot humidity we escaped::

Ok, I need to get moving and pack up our hotel room. We basically moved in...house plant, desktop computer, nonperishable food items, and the clothes we packed. So I need to get it all ready to go save the computer so we can pack the car quickly when Matt gets back from NPS and then move-in to our new home! It's still very weird for both of us to think that we are residents of California now...until Sept. 2007 when he graduates. And that we'll have a 1 1/2 year old by the time we move to Maryland.......................

3...2....Drive!

Day after tomorrow is when we start our 5 day/4 night cross-country trek. I'm soooo happy to have Matt at home today and tomorrow. It's fun to have someone to pack with. Today we're working on getting our "essentials" boxes packed up...since our stuff will follow us later (when? who knows?). We do have an official address out there now, but Matt is currently at Union having it faxed to him. Our move in date there will be next Wednesday, the 21st. Us and our essentials. While we will still have an apt full of furniture and other items several states away!

Matt and I are going to see Dr. Keith tomorrow morning at 9:00 so he can listen to heart tones of the baby and make sure everything is still running smoothly. I still feel great with minor compaints about not sleeping very well and still eating every 2 hours. Though I don't have to eat as much as I did at first. I also cramp when I have to go potty. :-P

Anyway, I'm gonna keep on gathering essentials to pack. I hope you all enjoy your day! I'm enjoying the heavy rain/sunshine combination today. I'm "soaking" it up since we won't get rain like this for a long time...

Made It Through the Night

So marks my very FIRST time to be alone at night since July 2, 2004. Sure, Matt and I have been away from each other three times since we've been married; but I had a companion every time. Rachel for Josh Groban's concert. Thea for Matt's first Baltimore trip. And 7 crazy fun girls in Guatemala. But last night it was just me and Matt's old teddy bear in our huge bed. I didn't cry like I thought I might. Probably too tired! :-P I did wake up quite a bit though. The first time I did the whole turn over and think "Where is....oh yeah." But, it wasn't NEAR as bad as I expected, which I am grateful for. Part of me wants to think it was 1% nice to not have a pillow shifted by his arm or a knee in my shin. :-P But I guess either I wake up because his physical presence is made known or because my spirit knows he's not there with me. It's a lose-lose when you're married I guess. :-)

Anyway, today is a full day! Which is why this post should probably be made later so I can go shower. My last day with the quilters. Hopefully I will get a whole lot of Judana's (Judah, Elaina combined until we know) quilt done. Then they are all taking me to Olive Garden. Such sweet ladies! My digital camera WILL be going with me!

Then I'm gonna check the mail after praying hard that our new car's registration and renewal sticker will come in the mail today. It was sent last Thursday. Our temp tag expires today. So if the registration does not come today, I can not drive to Little Rock as planned. Not worth the risk of being caught in a vehicle who's license plate does not match the car it's on. :-{ But, if it doesn't come, I will take that as direction from the Lord that I am not supposed to leave Jackson while Matt is gone.

If it does come, I call Paul and have him put the plate on the car. Pack. And take a 3 hour drive by myself. Again, I think this would be a first to drive that long without someone else. My first thought when the opportunity was presented was, "Ooo, maybe Tracie can ask off work and take a road trip with me." But, then I came back to reality. :-P

AnyVay. I need to go shower now. But to leave the post on a mysterious note... I think I MAY have felt the baby for the first time yesterday. Still have to talk to Autumn about it and see what she thinks. Might have felt it this morning too. Very much a "Was that a muscle twitch down there or a baby kick??"

So Dizzy with Adventure...I just want to veg!

Our questions about timing, forms, etc. are being answered. But there are still several unknowns about the actual time of the move. But we have figured out a Plan B if we have to leave before the movers can come get our stuff...it involves Paul and Tracie, but they don't know yet. ;-)

There's also been a change in the plans for Dr. Keith (ob/gyn friend) to listen to heart tones before we leave. Silly Matt and I. (ooo, banana pudding sounds delish!) We just figured out yesterday that it would be CHEAPER if I actually had my official first preggie appointment while still here under our current insurance. With all the MRI's I've had, we have waaaaay passed paying my deductable which means anything I have done will be at 80%. If we waited for me to find an OB out in Cali, we'd be on new insurance and have to pay the deductable before the percentage kick-in. ::rolls eyes:: And we just now figured this out. Hopefully Dr. Keith will be able to fit me in either tomorrow morning, next Wed afternoon, or next Thursday when Matt is available to go with me. Though, if a pelvic exam is involved...I will NOT be seeing Keith! :-P

Just found out that Crystal, an awesome girl our age who is in our cell group, won the finals at the West Tennessee Shoutfest (Christian concert with multiple groups such as Skillet and others). She is now one of 20, 19 other people will win at 19 other Shoutfests, who get to send a personal cd with other information to Fervent Records. Five finalists will be chosen of the 20, and one will ultimately win a recording contract. While Crystal was different from the others who are mostly Christian rock style, it was said of her that of all the contestants she is most appealing to Word, the over-company of Fervent, because she can do more than one style. Word has a huge black Gospel area as well as a praise & worship area, and Crystal was MADE for both. Pray for her! She is done competing and it is up to the judges and her cd. This would be such an answer to prayer, and already has been. We prayed at the beginning of the summer that God would send Crystal an opportunity to use the talent He has given her...and here she is in the midst of it. And our cell group is her "posse," as we keep calling ourselves. Crystal Taylor. Watch for her name!

Anyway, I'm gonna keep ironing and going about some things I wanted to do this afternoon. Won't get everything done I want to because it is too much. And I still just wanna sit and finish a book I've been reading. But...discipline. ::sigh with a half-smile::

No More Hobby Room

Our Hobby Room has now been dubbed the Moving Room. It's becoming full of boxes that are packed and other items waiting to be packed. Sort of difficult for someone who has clutter nervosa, but I have come to accept it and am already excited about UNPACKING it all and getting another chance to decorate my own home. The ideas are running rampant! And Autumn, I'm actually going to start using ALL my candles instead of hording them. If I burn the cool and pretty ones, that just means I'll get to replace them with different cool and pretty ones!

Next week....ACK! But I'm more excited then overwhelmed. Stuff = Stress. Us? Yeah, we don't have alot of stuff. Praise the Lord!

On another note, here are some pictures of the last quilt I am working on with my Quilters. I will miss them so much! There is nothing like spending time with ladies aged 50 to 88, most on the upper end of the age scale. They are JUST as good of friends as those my own age, if not more fun! They have been such a blessing as they shared their WWII cadet nurse stories, what aches and pains they have and the "remedies" for them, touching stories of how they have lost those dear to them, what is on the latest TV shows (the ones I don't even watch!), and so much more. I'll miss Natalie's home baked wheat bread with peanut butter and jelly. She is so faithful to feed us, and now sees it as imperitive she arrive with food so my baby can eat, too! "I knew I had to bring something or Dawn would get onto me and starve!" I have gained priceless quilting and sewing skill and talent while working with them. Though I've never seen the children that recieve the quilts we make, I know that what our hands do are keeping orphans warm on the inside and out!

This quilt is the one I got to choose fabrics for and make to keep...both to remember the quilters and for mine and Matt's baby. We've decided it will be the theme for the nursery both spiritually and visually.

In the Rapids Now...

...and having a blast!

We got word on Tuesday that Matt has indeed passed his final security clearance. His recruiter has given the letter to NPS (the graduate school) and is now working on the fine details of orientation logistics and getting letters where they need to go. Hopefully we'll be able to get our apartment within the next few days. Pray NPS will work smoothly with Matt and the recruiter and accept him quickly!

I got an e-mail back from a pastor I contacted in Monterey. Their church came highly recommended by a man Matt worked with at Master's. So far, everything looks good! I just pray they are as much like Placerita (the church we attended our senior year) as I think they might be.

Matt's last day at Union is next Frid....oh my gosh. ::stunned:: Nothing like having a BIG realization while posting to a blog. We have next week to pack. The next week is when we leave Jackson. Exactly 2 weeks from tomorrow. ::shock:: So much still has to happen and there is so little precious time. With a deep breath, I remind myself of my previous post. Rapids go fast. But everything works out in the end with the Guide.

Two weeks. Pray for us.