Time Flies

Time really does fly. Seems like I just barely get a perscription filled and 3 months have flewn by and it's time to call in my next-rx order again. And what about school? Didn't the kids JUST get started? They've already been back to school for about 2 and a half months! The thing that really got me this last week is how long our German student has been gone. The other day Brandon was in the kitchen getting some breakfast and was wearing a sweatshirt he'd pulled out of the drawer that apparently hadn't been washed prior to packing it away for the winter. I saw him reach over to his arm and grab a blonde hair that was about 14-18" long. As you know... nobody in our house has long blonde hair, so it was quite apparently still "hangin' around" from when Tina was here. She left in June. I began counting and realized that she's been gone for nearly 5 months already!! Brandon's exclamation, "EWW GROSS!!!" Didn't exactly take me by surprise, he always harassed her about her hair being all over everything. Of course this made me think about our German girl. I wonder what she's up to and how she's doing. If she passed drivers ed and how she's liking school. I haven't heard from her since my birthday in August and so I can't help but wonder what is new with her and her family. Surprisingly, I haven't heard from her mother since Tina's back in Germany. We used to email one another all the time when Tina was here - but since she returned home, I haven't heard from her mom at all. Kinda strange, since we raised her daughter for nearly a year and made her part of our family. But all in all... what I realized is that what I have left of Tina (besides a few lingering blonde hairs - ha ha) are fond memories.













I'm pretty sure that she's happy to be back home, eating her mom's cooking, going to "zuh disco", shopping with her friends and hangin' out on "zuh beach"... and most of all being back with her family. Really, we're happy too, to have our family back to normal (whatever "normal" is)... but we'll always remember the fun times and the funny stuff most of all. You know, things she said like "man chicken" for rooster -"christmas man" for santa, etc. One time she actually screamed down the hall "Ciara, zehr is an animal in our room!". Turns out it was a moth. ha ha. She didn't know what to call it so she yelled about their being an "animal" in their bedroom. :) It was great. We laughed so hard. I had to remind her often that we weren't making fun of her, but just laughing because the things she says are so amusing. :) It's hard to believe that nearly half a year has gone by. Time really does fly... so in a nutshell... Tina's long hair reminded me to slow down and enjoy life before it passes me by.

FALL - out. WINTER - in?

Geesh, there were snowflakes on my little puppy this morning when I took her out. This weather has been crazy!! Yesterday it rained sideways, if that makes any sense. The wind blew probably 40+ mph and it rained most of the day, it was also blustery cold. So when I got out at the dreaded Wal-Mart, my face got pelted with some of the coldest rain I've ever experienced. BRR!! When I went to bed last nite the "weather" was so loud - rain pounding on the house, etc. - that I had a hard time falling asleep. I usually love the rain, but not this kind. :S YIKES. Then to see snowflakes on Shoogies little coat this morning... Yes, she has a little winter coat. It is so cute! Well here... check it out: So first of all, she needs the coat because she looks adorable, duh - but other than that she weighs only 7 pounds so the tiny little thing can't quit shivering if I don't cover her somehow during weather like this when I take her out. No argument, she is one spoiled little dog, but neither one of us mind. :) She's my little baby. She also has a little hoodie that she wears around the house due to the fact that we keep it a little cool in here. (see thermostat post) ;)I've enjoyed a couple of weeks of Fall this year, that's more than we usually get here in Hays, but I'm definitely not ready for some of the inevitable yucky weather. I keep reminding myself, it could be worse... we could still be enduring a Nebraska winter. BRRRR. Guess Kansas isn't so bad. :)

Masks

It's that time of year again, you can't walk through any store without witnessing the displays of masks and costumes. The kids have a costume dance at school again this year on the 31st, so we are trying to figure out what they will "be". Brandon's plan was to be Phantom of the Opera, and Ciara was going to be a geisha. When we got to Around the World today (a costume and hobby shop) we instantly went to the photo books to see if we could find what we were looking for. Well... we didn't have much luck so began to contemplate plan B - which ended up being some cool viking hats we found on the top shelf. Yes, you heard correctly - the viking siblings will be attending the dance next friday. :)

I was in awe as we walked down the ailes looking at fake mustaches and beards, costume accessories, princess crowns, pirate hats.... there were so many things you could find there to alter your appearance, but the thing that really struck me, was all the MASKS. There were yoda masks, Obama masks, creepy masks and on and on. It occurs to me that even though these masks were created for the purpose of allowing some to "be someone else" for a day... so many of us wear masks EVERY day.

Ciara and I have had this conversation. Why do we metaphorically "wear masks" hiding who we really are? The mask we wear usually depends on who we are with at the time, it would seem that the masks change for the occasion. I've even noticed that about myself at times, when I worry that someone will not like ME for ME - I put on the mask that I think they'd be most comfortable with me in. I hate that about myself. I'm envious of my friend, Kristi - she is real every day. Every day she is Kristi. There is no guess work because she is herself all the time. She is humble and it humbles me. At any given time I can go to her blog and read about her shortcomings. She is forthright and broken about them. She doesn't wear masks... I wish I didn't.

My friend Lynnette just wrote on the subject on her blog over at Dancing Barefoot -

"What is it that makes people hide who they really are? Is it that we aren’t happy with ourselves? Not usually. I think it’s because we want others to think we’re perfect"

How could that be more true? We never want to look like a failure to those around us, especially to those that we esteem highly or want to impress. We want to appear as if we really have our act together and that we never mess up, when in truth... I forget things, I'm occasionally late, I sometimes leave clothese on the floor in my bedroom - the list goes on! I guess it is a pride issue then, we are too proud to admit that we are human and make mistakes just like the rest of the world. We can strive for perfection, but perfection is impossible - we are made perfect ONLY in Christ, through his free gift of grace. So why do we wear these masks? I pray that God would help me to be real every day and for those around me to love me for Me... not me in the mask.

P.S. Name that mask! I'll give you a hint, he changed his "mask" permanently by bleaching his skin and having lots of plastic surgery, most obviously multiple nosejobs. :)It's ok... go ahead and laugh, I did... when I saw it on the shelf at the store.

Thermostats

There's always a lot of "discussion" about thermostats at our house. My husband who loves 100 degree weather in the summer doesn't see why the AC should be set below 78 - afterall... that's the recommended temperature give by the power companies. The problem with our thermostat is that it can be 1 degree off. For example, if it's set on 77 it may be 78 in our home. Ok... 78 is entirely TOO HOT. Yes, 1 degree DOES make a difference. We've repeatedly had this conversation. 76 is the magic number for me. 75 is too cool and 77 is too warm. Some would argue, but I guess I'm just one of those people that doesn't handle hot weather very well. If I must admit, then I will.... I'm spoiled. I was raised with air conditioning and I'm not about to start walking around smelling like a goat because our home is so miserably hot in the summer.

As you might imagine, I am LOVING this cooler fall weather. Now again, this presents an issue about the furnace. *smile* I have not run the heat yet... though it's beginning to get a little chilly in here for my taste. West Star Energy Co. suggests that heat be set no higher than 68 degrees. Here's what my thermostat looks like this morning:

As you can see, that's 1 degree below the RECOMMENDED temperature. ;) It's chilly in my house, but I definitely prefer it over the heat. Yesterday morning it was 31 degrees, we got our first freeze. I'm just not sure I'm ready for winter weather. I wanna capture Fall in a jar and keep it all year. Now when it's time to run the furnace, I will argue that we should keep it on 69 and darling husband will want it no higher than 67 or 68 and will go around telling people that "she wants to keep it on 75" NOT TRUE!! (He lies sometimes. ha ha) Maybe 67 would be ok for him because he's running a space heater in his office?!!! Ahhhh.... now it's starting to make sense here. Hm... wonder if that's energy efficient? *grin*

So lets address the real issue then. Men and women have different thermostats. I've been accused of several things... such as the "M" word. (whisper: "MENOPAUSE") But my doc says that's just not the case and he has tests to prove it. What I'm learning is that I'm not the only woman who has issues with her built in thermostat, in fact I've talked to several that describe the same situation as ours! Thank goodness I'm not alone in this battle. So... what's a poor girl to do? I can add clothes in the winter and live with that... but the summer situation isn't quite as simple. I can't seem to get few enough clothes on without offending our teenagers and any visitors that may happen to drop in - ie: the UPS or Fed Ex guy. ha ha.

So... I will press on with my argument for 69 in the winter and 76 in the summer. I really don't care what the power companies recommend, this is what MY thermostat needs. :)

"The Weary"

You've probably heard the expression, "No rest for the weary." I'm weary today... my kids are home from school sick with nasty colds, my husband is in Pennsylvania for the week... my house is a mess... I'm behind in my work... I need to make the second of 3 trips to town this week in my gas guzzling SUV - I'm weary. I could use a little renewal and strength, not sure how it's gonna happen except by the grace of God ~ so I'm grateful that I always have a place to go for encouragement. He is so faithful!


"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Matthew 11:28-30


"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
Isaiah 40:29-31


THANK YOU LORD!!

Firsts

Don't let the sweet, innocent face fool you... yesterday Shoogie ate her first grasshopper. Eww. But she couldn't be stopped, she just chased it and caught it and.... Yuck. My little precious ate a bug. Oh well, maybe she wanted to follow in the footsteps of her big sister, I seem to recall a certain little curly head that was caught eating crickets off the ground at the Hespe Reunion out at Ft. Randall. (sigh) What's a mom to do?

She's really enjoying the new fenced in patio, we all are actually... it's multi-purpose - more on that later and I'll post pictures too. My studly husband put up a nice dog ear fence so that my sanity could remain intact instead of going nuts while standing outside for 15 minutes every time puppy went out to do her business and was distracted by our big dog Trixie and a gazillion farm cats. UGH. So anyhoo... my husband is awesome, Shoogie and me are happy and the fenced in area has been appropriately named "Sugarland" I think we'll put up a sign. :)

Me...today

Still

Hide me now
Under Your wings
Cover me
Within Your mighty hand

CHORUS
When the oceans rise
And thunders roar
I will soar with You
Above the storm
Father You are King
Over the flood
I will be still and know
You are God

Find rest my soul
In Christ alone
Know His power
In quietness and trust