Good Luck, Truck!

We knew this day would come.  We sold Matt's 2008 Silverado today.  We placed an ad on Craigslist on Friday and got a response this morning.  The gentleman drove up from Dallas, took one look at the truck and handed Matt a check.  We're sorry to see it go because it's a *beautiful* truck and Matt  has loved owning it for the past year-and-a-half.  Given our current situation, however, we're  relieved that we won't be paying for it anymore.

Good bye, truck.  Thank you, Lord, for Your Grace and Providence.

Morning Has Come....and So Have Coyotes

I woke up at 5 am today to the sound of coyotes howling behind our house. They've recently taken up residency near our property and we hear them almost nightly. I feel so Oklahom-y now.
I also awoke in a panic with the realization that if we sell our house before Matt lands a job, we're going to have a very complicated situation. Sure, we'll be out from under our mortgage, but where exactly will we live? What landlord would even consider renting to a family of 10 with no income? Moreover, if we don't sell and the bank takes our house, we'll be in the same dilemma. What then? The boys started school two weeks ago and there's a real possibility they'll have to transfer elsewhere. I know - they're adaptable and they'll bounce back - but I just wish they didn't have to carry the burden of all of this.
Throughout this journey we've been on for the past ninth months, I've always had a sense of peace and trust that everything will be fine. God is in control and He will take care of us. However, this morning my faith is weak. I have so many worries.
I don't know where this road will lead us. I can only do what's in front of me and blindly follow the path set before us. So, today I will fix breakfast for the family and throw a load of laundry in the washer; then Matt and I will scrutinize the job listings and prepare for another round of rejection letters. Tomorrow we'll wake up and do the same...all the while praying for greater faith and more trust, and fighting the battles and temptations that barrage us.
I still have hope, and I know that we have not been forsaken; but sometimes I tend to focus on what is true instead of the truth. What is true is that we are in a desperate situation and there does not appear to be a job in Matt's future anytime soon. However, the TRUTH is that God has promised to supply all of our needs and work all things for our good to we who love Him and are called according to His purpose. The TRUTH is that whatever happens, it is because God has allowed it and will likewise give us the strength to endure and keep going.
The TRUTH is that when I remind myself of these things, my faith grows stronger, tears of worry turn into tears of joy, and I have the strength I need to conquer another day.

Tabouli and Sympathy

I swiped this from someone else's blog. With all of the debate over the proposed mosque near Ground Zero (seriously, Katie Couric -- how blind are you???), I found this quite apropos. Sure, it's twisted -- but admit it: it's funny!

Two Muslim mothers are sitting in a cafe chatting over a plate of tabouli and a pint of goat's milk.
The older of the two pulls a bag out of her purse and starts flipping through photos. They start reminiscing.
"This is my oldest son Mohammed. He would have been 24 years old now."
"Yes, I remember him as a baby," says the other mother cheerfully.
"He's a martyr now though," the mother confides.
"Oh, so sad dear," says the other.
"And this is my second son Khalid. He would have been 21."
"Oh, I remember him," says the other. "He had such curly hair when he was born."
"He's a martyr also," says the mother quietly.
"Oh, gracious me..." Says the other.
"And this is my third son. My baby. My beautiful Ahmed. He would have been 18," she whispers.
"Yes," says the friend. "I remember when he first started school."
"He's a martyr too," says the mother, with tears in her eyes.
"After a pause and a deep sigh, the second Muslim mother looks wistfully at the photographs and says...
"They blow up so fast these days, don't they?"

Feeling Crafty

I have hated these gold manufacturers' warning labels since the day we bought the girls' beds. There is one on each headboard and each footboard. They were applied with some sort of permanant glue. Now that we've de-bunked the beds, the stickers are at eye-level and look pretty awful.

I've tried everything to remove them to no avail, and after three years I finally (duh) came up with a solution.

First I sprayed a matching paint over the sticker. Aw, phooey -- I should have sanded it first.

After the paint dried, I applied these cute decals on the headboards. The rough bumps from the stickers made it less-than-perfect, but the girls like them anyway.

I made basic picture holders from corkboard, fabric and ribbon, and used adhesive to attach them to the footboards.

So...I'm no Martha Stewart, but for $22 and 1 hour of work, I'll take it.

Tacos, Anyone?

We had a near-disaster yesterday. Last night before going to bed, I checked the garage to make sure the overhead door was closed. I noticed a light was on and was mortified to discover the source: the garage freezer door was wide open! I calculated that it must have been that way for several hours and sure enough, the contents were mostly thawed-out from the 100-degree weather. I rallied the troops to unload the freezer while Matt and I figured out what we could cook immediately and what had to be tossed.
Throw away: An unopened package of Rhodes frozen mushy bread dough. That's all!
Here's what we did with the rest: cooked 2 turkeys (the electric roaster Matt bought a few years ago was worth every penny!); turned 15 pounds of ground beef into hamburger patties and taco meat; marinaded 1 large pkg of boneless chicken breasts; re-froze 10 loaves of Sara Lee bread and a 5-lb. bag of corn. Oh, we also re-arranged our refrigerator to make room for everything and soaked 2 lbs. of pinto beans so we have something with which to eat it all, and we gave the kids formerly-frozen limeade with their breakfast this morning.
Now for the good part: right now Matt is having a grilla-palooza with brats, chicken and burgers. Our meals for the week are going to be a breeze! We have turkey sandwiches-galore, chicken for 2 dinners, hamburgers and brats tonight and more ground beef and pinto beans than you can imagine.
I'm thankful for God's providence in not losing all of our meat and that Matt had decided to hold-off on his planned trip to Sam's until Monday. Even moreso, I'm overjoyed that the child responsible for accidently leaving the freezer open confessed immmediately and took full responsibility, and even helped us with the food prep late into the night. Disaster averted, and thankfulness abounds!

Just A Thought

This is something I've become strongly aware of lately: once we get through this season of unemployment and transition (which I hope is really, really soon) I will have a greater appreciation and compassion for others in this position. Prior to Nov. 23, 2009 I never gave much consideration to those who were in a similiar plight. I am ashamed to admit that even acquaintances who were suddenly jobless didn't get much sympathy from me. However, because our God is gracious and delights when my heart is changed, He has opened my eyes and given me compassion for those who are in our situation. I can't wait for the day our family can use our resources to bless someone else who is struggling.
This journey has been both wrenching and joyous. The work that God has done in our lives is too wonderful to comprehend. I have no regrets, and I know that Matt feels the same. I am ready to be done with it, of course, but meanwhile, I am thankful for the fruit borne from our trials.

The Week in Review

Made blueberry pancakes for breakfast for the boys' last day of summer break


Took the boys out for some Mom-sons time and shopping for school supplies...and silliness.

Took over the yardwork and grilling duties for Matt while he recovers from ANOTHER bout of poison ivy. Doctor said he has to stay out of the sun until he finishes his steroid prescription.

Took time on a few mornings to go running

Got bitten by a spider

Took the girls and little boys to the park...

...and discovered they added this cool new equipment. We were the only people there most of the time. Awesome!

And today, re-arranged the girls' room once again. Bye-bye bunkbeds, hello trundles!

Back to Square One

Matt received some discouraging news. He'd been on track to start a career in the insurance business with a nationally-known company. Over the past 6 weeks he's taken the pre-requisite exams, been to lunch with the district manager, and has been clearing the last of the hurdles before getting officially hired. He was anticipating the possibility of meeting with the state director this week. However, yesterday he was informed that a policy had just recently changed and because of it, he no longer qualifies for the position. Just like that, he was done. It felt like a punch in the stomach.
So, I guess the Lord has another plan for us. I don't know where He's going with all of this, but all I can do is trust that He will take care of us. Whatever happens, He is still the Lord of my life and Matt's, and nothing will change that.
We're back to scanning Monster, CareerBuilder and Craigslist in hopes that a new job will open up. We're going to withdrawl the last of his 401k to pay September's mortgage. After that, I don't know what we'll do. We'd anticipated that he'd start the job with the insurance company by late September and we could pay October's bills with his earnings. Now, all we have left is faith that God will provide. Whether we sell the house or end up losing it, it's because it is His Will.
My boys are about to begin a new school year this morning. Seth is going to a new school for the first time without any of his siblings there, and he's as nervous as heck. He's shy and doesn't know a soul there, but I keep assuring him he will make friends and be fine. This old hymn has come to mind this morning, and it's a good reminder for both Seth and me.

"My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.
On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.
His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.
When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.
On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand."

Cute Stuff from the Hubby

I came across a collection of Matt's papers from his childhood. I am so glad his mom saved all of this. It's great! The last picture is a calendar page from the day of his first birthday.

Birthday

Here are some pics from Matt's birthday. I tried to get a shot of him at Mens' Wearhouse while he was getting his suit tailored. He was wearing the suit with white socks, Crocs and a baseball cap. The tailor was in the way, however, and I figured he wouldn't be very happy if I asked him to move. Sheesh!
I gave Matt an IOU for a birthday gift. It's going to be hard to top the anniversary gift I gave him (an iPod Touch)but I'm thinking a new camera would be perfect. (Our sad little camera is ancient and just not taking very good photos anymore. The zoom feature and lighting is way off. Hence the poor quality of these pictures --they look like they were taken in the 70's. But I digress...) Anyway, here's to hoping Matt's 43rd year is better than this past one!


Katie can't wait for cake!

Luke was SO eager to eat, he was doing the happy dance!

Nate's first taste of ice cream.

I included this one because Luke has such a great smile.

The birthday boy. He's the hottest 42 year-old I know!

Stuff

It's been a few days since my last post. Things have been plenty busy; it's just not been very blog-worthy. I've been scrambling like a mad woman to meet all the requirements to get the girls enrolled in Oklahoma Virtual Academy. Not really sure why they need their vision screenings up-to-date when they're going to be homeschooled, but nonetheless I'm trying to find a place to get it done. Oh, and we're really wishing we'd bought an all-in-one fax/scanner/printer when we had the chance because having to fax all this stuff at the UPS Store 3 times is really a pain.
Did I mention that today is Matt's birthday? He's 42. We're keeping things pretty low-key, but he's going to grill up a storm this evening and we'll have cake and ice cream. (I got smart and bought his favorite carrot cake instead of baking it. We've had temps over 100 degrees for like, 22 straight days! Hence, our oven is off-limits.) I'll post pictures of the birthday boy later tonight.
Openhouse this Sunday but I'm not stressing it...I've come to terms with whatever the result is. When I obsess for days over getting the house ready I make everyone miserable. Who wants that?!?!? Besides, we've got this cleaning thing down to a science.
Guess that's all for now!

Random Pics from This Week

I found this pic online and realized why the kids keep asking when we can go to Grandma and Grandpa's house.

DON'T BE ALARMED!!!! Zac and several friends from church went to a Christian metal concert last night. Mosh-pit included. (This is he with the lead singer of Underoath.)

On this episode of "Boy vs. Food", Luke takes on a chocolate ice cream cone.

I love my little girls, and they love their ponies. The tractor, I understand. I'm not sure why there's an army tank involved, though...

A Short Story

This evening Madi was sent to her room for misbehavior while everyone else had dessert, and she let us know she was not pleased. A while later I found this note written in unmistakable 7 year-old handwriting. Definitely an item for the scrapbook! (and in case you can't decipher it, "quit and pesfull" is quiet and peaceful.)

Untethered

Blah. You know that feeling, don't you? Perhaps not; perhaps it is I alone who feels like I've sunk to the lowest realms of "blah". Somewhere, somehow I've allowed complacency and doubt to creep in and now, like a ruthless mold, it's spreading quickly. I'm grouchy. I snap at Matt over the smallest things; I am impatient with our kids all.the.time.; I've given in to my insatiable craving for junk food and gained two pounds. (ok, three.) Worst of all, my prayers seem cold and insincere. What is wrong with me????
A few weeks ago I wrote that I realized it was time to let go of the proverbial rope to which I was clinging for dear life. Now I wonder if I've grabbed the rope again and declared defeat over the fact that life has had to move forward despite our situation. It is SO HARD for me to surrender completely to Him. My life is in His hands, yet I keep trying to dictate how I think things should be. Why do I struggle with this so often? How many times must our merciful Lord rap his knuckles on my forehead and say, "hello, McFly...this is MY doing and MY plan. Be still and know that I AM GOD."
That's it, isn't it? I must be still and know that He is God...
BE STILL and KNOW that HE is GOD.
BE STILL: don't strive to make sense of it all. Don't try to fashion an ideal of how I think life should pan out.
BE STILL: do the next thing and don't worry about the future.
BE STILL: Wait. Rest. Trust.
BE STILL: Know that He is God.
The title for this post just seems right. I need to untether myself from those things I'm grasping for and allow myself to fall into His arms. Be still. Cease striving. Fear not.

WHEN YOUR HUT'S ON FIRE

I found this little gem this morning while perusing the blog of a total stranger. (If you click the "next blog" tab at the top of this page, you'll randomly end up on the blog of someone somewhere in the world. It can be quite interesting! I do this often and have found some wonderful nuggets.) Anyway....

WHEN YOUR HUT'S ON FIRE
The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him. Every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect himself from the elements, and to store his few possessions. One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, with smoke rolling up to the sky. He felt the worst had happened, and everything was lost. He was stunned with disbelief, grief, and anger.
He cried out, 'God! How could you do this to me?'
Early the next day, he was awakened by the sound of a ship approaching the island! It had come to rescue him!
'How did you know I was here?' asked the weary man of his rescuers. 'We saw your smoke signal,' they replied.
The Moral of This Story: It's easy to get discouraged when things are going bad, but we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of our pain and suffering. Remember that the next time your little hut seems to be burning to the ground. It just may be a smoke signal that summons the Grace of God.

3/4 of a Year

Nathan is 9 months old today. Here is a glimpse of a few Nate-isms:

What is this??? It's Nathan's handprints on our refrigerator. I think he hopes that if he pushes on it hard enough, it will magically open.


Loves to play!

He's got two and a half teeth so far.

Likes to grab onto whatever is nearby. Here he has my camera lens.

Says "ahhh-ahhh-ahhhh" while he studies objects, as though he's thinking really hard.

He knows how to crawl, but prefers to scoot on his belly and pull himself up on whatever furniture is nearby. Sometimes that doesn't turn out so well; hence the shiner on his forehead.

Good Morning, Monday!

This is what greeted us on our front window this morning. EEEEKKKKK!!!!! I took these pictures before Seth rather unceremoniously "disposed" of the big guy. (The variance in the two pics is due to taking one with my cellphone and the other with my camera.) We're pretty sure it was a tarantula, but if any of you readers think otherwise please educate me.



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