S.A.D.

At times, things can really seem consuming, can't they?
I don't know about you, but the weather really affects my mood. Our bad weather comes in about November and seems to stay until May. Overcast skies, the snow's turned gray from the salt on the roads.
I have always been affected by hormonal changes too; for a good year after each pregnancy, I have felt "not quite myself" as my body regulates itself again.
Who cannot help but feel cautious about the economy?
I found out that a friend went through a divorce and another good friend's family situation is very unstable.
Yesterday I heard that the daughter (6 years old) of a college friend died.
Life is overwhelming, isn't it?
Again, I return to a word of hope from the Bible:
Yet, this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed... (Lam. 3:21-22)

This Ain't No Chuck E Cheese

This morning Josh found a coin on the floor. He asked me if it was a Chuck E Cheese coin. I told him no.
Later when I was doing the laundry, I found his coin inserted into the side of the washer. I guess he figured that it was a coin that operated a "mommy game". :)

We Went to the Pool

We went to a hotel this past Sunday night/ Monday. The kids had off school, well we THOUGHT Ben had off school. It was originally a day off, and I marked it on the calendar as such. At some point it was declared a "Snow Make Up Day", but I missed the announcement. I got a letter in the mail today telling us it is an illegal absence. They aren't going to call the truant officer on us yet. ;)

The kids LOVED the pool, but do you know what their favorite part of all was?

Riding the luggage cart down to the lobby when we left!

My Little Princes and Princesses

Tightening the Belt

John just found out today that they laid off 60 workers at his company. Thankfully, he is not one of them. He switched positions about a year ago, and now he is in a more precarious position. Though he is a valuable worker and asset, his position may be deemed "extra" and get cut. We are praying that is not the case.

I think we'd be ok for a while. He would get severence and be eligible for unemployment. Our house and van are completely paid for (unless you count all the repairs that need to be done). All of Rachel's medical expenses are covered through her secondary insurace (Medical Assistance...we went through the rigamoral this past spring.) We can cut out extras if we need to (Rebekah's preschool, Y, cable). And best of all, I was both a missionary and taught at a Christian school. I know how to live off N.O.T.H.I.N.G. I think we'd get by just fine!

Rachel's Milestone #1

Well Rachel finally reached a major milestone last night: rolling over. She will be 9 months this week. Most babies rollover way before this. Rachel's progress is slowed a little by the Spina Bifida and a little by the fact that she wears a hip brace for about 20 hours a day.We had her on the floor last night and everyone was in the living room with her. She worked and worked at it, and finally rolled from her back to her tummy. We all cheered and clapped! She knew she had done something wonderful but wasn't quite sure what. To put it in simple terms: Rachel's brain works just fine. Her body and especially her feet are structurally sound. It's just that the message is impeded from her head to her feet. The power station (brain) is producing. The light (feet) are in working order. There's just a problem with the electrical lines (her spinal cord).

Dave

Tonight at church we started a new series on the life of David: Just Call Me Dave.
There are so many things I want to share with you, but that will be in the next post.
For now, read these words (and listen to the song) that David wrote many years ago.
By the way, this is the song John and I listened to as we drove to Pittsburgh for the first time, thinking that we were going there to hear confirmation that our daughter was not going to survive.

God, my God, I cry out. Your beloved needs you now.
I will lift my eyes to the Maker of the mountains I can’t climb.
I will lift my eyes to the Calmer of the oceans raging wild.
I will lift my eyes to the Healer of the hurt I hold inside.
I will lift my eyes, lift my eyes to You

The Difference Between My Firstborn and My Secondborn

I asked Benjamin (6) and Rebekah (4 1/2) to put their jammies ON THE RAILING in the hallway after they took them off, so they could wear the jammies again tonight.

Notice how my firstborn took me literally; not a stitch is OFF the railing.

And then notice the efforts of my second born...

Life in the Tundra, er, I mean Northwest PA

Sending the kid off to school...

Where My Strength Comes From

When we were expecting Rachel, knowing there would be difficulties, I listened to a song over and over. The song, based on Isaiah 40, says, "Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord..."
As I listened to that song, I knew that God would get us through this most difficult time of our lives. We knew that Rachel would live, but we had no idea what kind of limitations we could expect; we could be in the hospital for weeks, even months.
Thankfully, that wasn't the case for us.
Last night in church, we sang that song again, and I was struck by something: the song (verse) says that our STRENGTH comes from God. When I had previously sung the song, I always thought in my mind that strength equalled CHANGE...that if I trusted God and waited, he would change the situation. Guess what? My situation has not changed. Rachel's feet don't work and probably never will. But God has done something as miraculous as healing my little lame-girl: he's given me the strength to get through it. Amazing when you think about it: God has not changed, the situation has not changed, I have changed.
As I wait on God, trust in Him, He provides the strength that I need. Amazing...