Reminiscing

I think David and Ellen and sweet baby Seth are going home today.
Every time a friend or loved one has their first baby I am reminded of my first baby experiences...


Leaving the hospital with that helpless little baby. Having to wait outside of the car for my Dad and Dan to hook up the car seat. The nurse saying "See you next year" and scoffing to myself, Yeah, right! (Prophesy?) Stopping at Wendy's for lunch on the way home!? Filling my pain med precription. The pain meds wearing off while I waited!! How I thought I didn't need any help. How ready I was to get home and do it myself. How bad it hurt when my milk came in for the first time. (Sorry guys, if there are any!) How mad I got at my sweet Mom for offering advice that I now know was great advice!! How greedy I was with my baby. How hard it was to figure out how Dan and I were supposed to work as parents. How tired I was!! (I didn't know anything about being tired yet!!) How I stubbornly did what ever I wanted regardless of the doctors orders on "no Stairs" and "No Driving". How hard it was to get my sweet baby to sleep. My first glimpse of her in the delivery/operating room. That overwhelming love for this tiny creature I was only meeting face to face for the first time. Figuring out what features she had from which side of the family. Trying to imagine her personality.

Those were such sweet times! I am so thankful that David and Ellen are making their own sweet memories to remember later. We have some pretty funny stories of late night fiascos. I hope, David and Ellen, that your memories are sweet, precious, and yes, even amusing!!

Here's to firsts!!

Our Poo-Poo Princess

We have had quite an eventful day at the B Casa!! Not only did we get a new cousin and nephew but another much anticipated and hoped for event happened this evening as well!!!

Elise pooped in the toilet BY HERSELF for the first time EVER!!

Now, some you may be thinking, is this really blog worthy information? Well, until you struggle with potty training a child don't even go there!!! Has anyone heard of the book, How to Potty Train in a Day? Well, I say to that, you have never met Elise B.!!! She can not be tricked, conjoled, guilted(not that I would EVER try to guilt my children into anything), or demanded to do anything until she is good and ready!! She can be forced. Everyone can be forced but the last time we tried to manipulate her to poop in the toilet was about 9 months ago.

We thought it was a great idea. Set up the TV in the bathroom and make her sit there until she poops. Well, you can see, 9 months later where that got us!

BUT tonight, (insert Hallelujah chorus) while the girls were taking a bath, Elise got out of the tub and went poop on the potty all of her own accord!!!

I might have mentioned previously that we cut a deal with Elise. I can't say I recommend that you negotiate with your children but potty training can really just throw all those rational ideas out of the water. Anyway, Elise kept saying that she would try when she got bigger. Well she turns 3 in Feb. I told her that 3 was bigger. I asked if she would start pooping in the potty when she turned 3. She said yes. Then Dan had the great idea to offer an early birhtday gift if she happened to do it ahead of time.

SOOO........Here is our Poo-Poo Princess and her very excited support group!

Welcome to the World!!

Our much anticipated and prayerfully hoped for nephew, Seth David, made his appearance into this big, big world today!!!

He tipped the scales at 7lbs. 5 oz. and 19 3/4 in. long! Baby and dear mother, Ellen, are doing well. I think Daddy David is doing ok, too.

Only one day after his expected arrival! I'd say that's pretty timely on his part but unfortunately he didn't have much to do with it. But I will leave all of those stories for his parents.

Our dear Seth, we pray God's blessings and love to you. May your mind hunger for the knowledge of God and your heart burn with the compassion of our Savior. I pray peace for your spirit, strength for your soul, and love for your heart. May you live to love our Savior and King all the days of your life and may that life be wholly honoring and pleasing to the God who created you.

David and Ellen, I pray confidence in Christ Jesus will accompany you each day that you strive to fulfill this honor of parenthood. I pray peace for your hearts, rest for your bodies, resolution and clear thinking for your minds, and joy for your souls! Enjoy the adventure!!

I Think Today is Going to be a Good Day!

Since we have Dan around more we are trying to make meal times a family event and priority. This is hardest on Dan because he has to be at class by 8 and the girls always want to spend time with Daddy in the morning. But I am so blessed to have a husband who makes these kind of priorities and then strives to really keep them. Part of our breakfast routine is to pray using our Pray for China daily calendar. It helps us focus on Christ and help the girls learn to pray with us and hopefully make missions an everyday part of our family. It has truly been a blessing for us as a family. We all go around the table and decide who or what to pray for. Everyone prays. Except, of course, Olivia. She has a pass until she can talk. But this morning Elise wanted to pray for Mommy. Dan always helps her with prayers so she was repeating what he said but my heart melted when I heard her sweet little voice say, "Thank you for such a great Mommy!"

I am thankful for such a great Danny! He is always so good to help the girls honor me with the correct language and attitude. I am so prayerful that my attitude and actions toward Dan will foster the correct submission and respect for their earthly and heavenly Fathers.

Yesterday, I spoke of hope and God is so faithful. We got a call from a church we have been in contact with and they want us to come for an interview!! SO, next Tuesday at 4 pm, please pray for us. We are determined not to get ahead of God on this one. I am trying to keep everything in perspective and keep my excitement in check. Unfortunately that isn't as hard as it once was. I see this as a hopeful event but I am a bit jaded by the whole process and able to keep my head a little better.

It is a very hopeful opportunity though. Dan sent in his finished questionarre yesterday and we received the invitation for an interview late last night. It is nice to feel persued. All you ladies know what I am talking about and I am sure you men who have been looking for a job know what I mean too.

Every day God is reminding me is subtle and not so subtle ways that He has a plan for us and we are in good hands.

It Takes a Little Faith

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1

Have you ever lost hope? How our perspective on life changes when we lose hope is astonishing. As long as there is a small bit of hope floating around in my heart then I can press forward. But the instant that hope is gone I am ready to throw in the towel. BUT, that's where the second part of the verse comes in, CONVICTION of things not seen. That's the part that hurts. To keep believing when nothing in your life shows any reason to believe.

That's faith. It applies to every part of your life. From the smallest cirmcustance to the largest.

Here's a small example from my life. We have been potty training Elise for at least 12 years. HA! That's how it feels anyway! No, it has been more like 8-10 months. I had lost hope. There was no signs of this taking hold anytime soon. My Mom gave me an egg timer. Something that LOTS of people suggested. But this little apple shaped egg timer brought hope to this sad, tired, little Momma. Now we are seeing some great improvements and she promises that she will poop in the potty when she turns 3! That's only a couple of weeks away. But hope made all the difference in our small circumstance. I was ready to invest in Pull Ups! I was in for the long haul and already thinking of what to tell her Kindergarten teacher, unless of course that ends up being me! Now that I have hope, I am prepared to stay the course!

Now for a big example from our lives. We left the dream job, in the most beautiful place in the world, living in the most beautiful house in the world and came to Texas with no job a more than twice smaller house, and the direct leading of the Lord. We started out with hope. Hope that God had a plan for us, a purpose for good and not harm. We are so blessed to say that despite the crazy journey we have been on that hope is still alive and well. If we didn't know without a shadow of a doubt that we are where God wants us it would just not be worth it!! But we have a CONVICTION of the Unseen!! That unseen for us right now is a position in a full-time church ministry position, and a Masters of Divinity. Right now, we don't have a job, Dan is throwing himself full-time into classes and we are waiting and waiting to hear from a church that feels God is leading us to serve with them. On the outside we look pretty hopeless! But we have an assurance in things hoped for and a conviction of things not yet seen. So, regardless of how our situation appears I have never been more content! IT does NOT make sense. But I am so thankful for so many things!! All of our needs are met; we have a pantry full of food, a freezer full of meat, all of our bills are paid. What else could we ask for? We get to see Dan lots right now and he has plenty of time to get his homework done so when he's home, he's OURS! I mean really, what else is there? I guess the only thing that would make me more content would be to have each and everyone of you right here with me to visit and laugh with. I might even make a chocolate chip cookie or two.

I hope you aren't short on hope right now. It makes all the difference in how you are able to look at your world and circumstances. Once you give up on hope then you might as well just give up!

But, it takes a little faith. I am so thankful that God blessed me with a husband who has taught me the joys and adventures of a life based on faith in a God so much bigger than anything I can imagine! But faith is a muscle that needs exercise and use. With out use it just turns into fat or withers away. As long as My God is the ruler of this world then there is hope!

Life Goes On

Well, it's the official start of the new spring semester for Dan at Southwestern. We are trying something new this semester. Dan is going to take a full course load and try to get a campus job. He must first finish his paper for the J-term class he just took. It's due tomorrow by 5pm. I have never been so ready for a class to be over with!! This J-term class was a lesson we learned the hard way! But I am so proud of Dan for sticking with it. Believe me it hasn't been easy! So once this paper is done and Dan begins his classes on Monday then it will be the official start of something new for us. Since we know that God has called us here to do this we are trying what ever we can think of to make it through with out sacrificing what is most important, our love for the Lord and our family. SO, this is the next step in trying to figure it all out.

I decided that with this new step it was time to stop living like we are in transition. I am so tired of thinking we might not be here long! I am tired of waiting for something big to happen. All of that waiting is distracting me from what God has for me right here and right now. I took a long hard look at how things WILL be changing for us, new semester, less income, hopefully more of Dan. And it's not all bad. We have lots of great friends in the area, a fantastic church, and a few churches who are still remotely intrested in us. We have family in the same state for the first time in 4 1/2 years. We have an opportunity to go back to White Sulphur Springs for the Senior Staff Reunion!!! Dan is going to have 24 credits at the end of this semester!! And the stomach bug has been absent from our home for at least 72 hours!! There is a lot to smile about around here. Did I mention we even got an inch of snow this week!!?

It's a little late but I have decided to look at this year as the year of opportunity. Every day holds some new opportunity and I am going to look it full in the face and make the best of each one. I have a friend who once said "Do the thing you fear!" That is my motto for the year. And right now, the scariest thing for me is to settle down into this turbulent, month by month life we are currently living. I could tell you some stories about how God has already provided for our family and the blessings we have encountered for following His leading in our life. Maybe someday it won't be so fresh on my heart and I will share them with you, but right now, they are just between my God and me. He is good, all the time. And this scary transitional permanence that has become my life is exactly what Abraham must have known. God told him to go and live as an alien. He did and he lived his life. I believe he had a good life and I believe Abraham was thankful for the life he had. I know God has a promised land for us too. It's just not time yet and if I can't be happy waiting, I don't think I will be happy in the promised land either.

It's easy to keep looking forward hoping that some THING will make our crazy messed up lives better. A new job, a new start, a new house, a new car, more income, better body, more sleep, more motivation, more whatever, a new whatever; IT'S A LIE!! None of that will make you happier. If you can't be happy in the circumstances you find yourself in then chances are you won't be much happier ever! Sure circumstances can change who we are, but we don't have to let that change be for the worse. See I didn't have the power to let this whole scary transitional life thing go until I realized how much I was holding on to it. That's when I gave it over to God and that doesn't mean I am cured of it.

I watched a movie the other day about a man who thought he was a total failure. His marriage failed, his kids were a mess, his ex-wife hated him, and people who didn't know him kept throwing stuff at him on the streets. He tried to write a novel and failed. Everyone ignored him and he had a volatile temper. He was a mess. He got this idea that if he got this super $1.2 mill a year job then his whole life would just magically float back together. His wife would love him again and his marriage would be fixed, his kids wouldn't be messed up and his sick dad wouldn't die. But the funny thing is, he never made any changes. He just expected it all to get better if he could just succeed at this one thing. He realized by the end of the movie that that wasn't the case. His dad died, his wife got remarried, his kids got into more trouble. The only thing about this movie that redeemed it a bit is the fact that this man started to take responsibility for his part in why things where the way they were. He started to slowly make changes and he did get the bazillion $ job. IT didn't change anything.

It's just a movie so it lacks the answers that I believe will truly change this man's life. But I don't. I know that I can not make any changes, make anything good happen in my life apart from my Savior's presence in my life. That's where real change is made!

So. To changes and to a new start and to doing the thing I fear!

BRRRR!!!

Texas weather is like no where else I have ever been. You never know what you might get except in West Texas where it is so flat. At least there you get to see the storm clouds rolling in about 1/2 a day in advance!

Right now it is cold!! I think the temp outside right now is in the upper 20's! And you know nothing says road trip like the threat of freezing rain!! Yesterday, on a whim, I decided to go visit Angie and Luke in Austin. I thought for sure that if I went south we would be safe and the weather would blow off by Sunday. Well, apparently, the weather was following us!! I woke up this morning after staying up most of the night with a very sick FaithLyn to find that the bad weather was coming straight for us and the threat of ice in Fort Worth was worse as the day went on! SO, naturally, I packed up all the kids, and a few extra plastic bags for FaithLyn, just in case, and we headed home!

I am not sure if Angie will ever let me come visit again. We were so tired from taking care of four kids that we weren't real enspired to do fun girly things. That was the intent of my visit. Anyway, Luke started feeling crummy with a 101 temp last night and FaithLyn reported that the food she had eaten for lunch hadn't been good to her tummy. We spent less than 24 hours there and most of those hours was filled with trying to comfort a sick child. Sorry, Ang, my intentions were good! But I am glad that I got to spend some time with Angie, regardless of the circumstances. It just doesn't happen often enough if you ask me!

But we made it home before the roads froze over. That is imminent any moment now!! SUnday school was cancelled this morning and the city is on the verge of pandemonium but I think now that we are safe at home we will all survive!!

Dan has been furiously plugging away at his assignments to complete this J-term class. He is really having to hit it hard. There is SO much work to get done between now and next Friday! The library will be closed tomorrow for MLK day so I hope Dan can still concentrate with all of us girls running around vying for his attention. I just hope no one else gets this stomach bug. I am really sick of everyone being sick!How many times do we have to run this stomach bug through our family?? AND does that say something about my housecleaning or is just a really persistent strain? I am choosing to believe the latter but think I know the truth behind that question. I guess you all know what I will be doing tomorrow? Cleaning the bathrooms!!

Hope you are all safe and warm. This is a pretty far reaching ice storm. Hope you get to enjoy a nice cup of Hot Chocolate!

The Sleeper has Awakened

There is no need to worry but this blogsite has been undergoing treatment for depression. It was totally unmotivated, slept for days, and did nothing for a whole month!! But I think I have coaxed this site out of hibernation and will try to return to normal updates. It's no wonder, Everyone says the holidays are the highest time for depression and suicide and all those sad things. This poor blog became one of the sad statistics.

I don't mean to be glib, depression is nothing to laugh at but I did take a nice long holiday from my computer and all of my computer habits, (or addictions) for a while. Honestly, I just hadn't been motivated to share anything for a while. But there is nothing like the threat of a really nasty day of housecleaning to bring back the desire to sit and share my thoughts!

Here is the only family pic I have of the holidays. Ok, I am really holding back. There is one picture that includes me but I reserve the right to withhold any picture that I feel is not flattering! Unfortunately, this is the only picture I have to record the visit of Mimi and PopPop. They took the picture before church but we don't have any with them in it!! I really fell down on the job this holiday season. I don't have much to show of wonderful Christmas season!

But let's get back to the details. Dan's parents came for a whirlwind visit the weekend of the 16th and we enjoyed having them so much!! The girls loved taking them to the Cowgirls Hall of Fame Museum. I missed that one but heard they had a great time in the huge water fountain out front! Too bad we don't have that on tape!! I heard it was America's Funniest Home Videos worthy.

The Wednesday after Mimi and PopPop left the girls and I loaded up and headed for long visit at Nana and Papa's house. We had a great time! It took us a few days to figure out how to make the best use of our small space, especially since Angie and Luke were there also and Dan and Uncle Brett and Tres Arnold would be joining us on Saturday, the 23rd! We got creative and made it work. Unfortunately, we all passed around a nasty stomach bug, but enjoyed our time together nonetheless.

My favorite thing about being at Mom and Dad's was that we got to spend some good time with my grandparents, the girl's great-grandparents! My Memaw and Papaw moved to be closer to Mom and Dad so they are living right behind the house in shouting distance! It was so fun to see the girls react with and learn to love the grandparents I have always loved!

This isn't the greatest pic but I love it anyway. FaithLyn decided to walk with Memaw to the mailbox. Not a big deal but it melted my heart to hear her chattering away with my Memaw just like I used to. These moments are the things that I hope to remember and hold on to for a long time.

We went and ate Christmas dinner with my other grandparents, Memaw and PawPaw Wayne. Memaw always has lots of food and the homemade pumpkin pie is always the focal point of the meal!! She has learned to make two so that family feuds don't errupt over that silly pie! We didn't get to stay as long as we would have liked because Dad was home sick with the stomach bug so we all rushed back to make sure he didn't enjoy his few hours of peace and quiet too much! The girls were especially sad to go because they made fast friends with their cousin Zeah who was also there for the day.

Olivia has always adored her Nana. They have a very special relationship, Nana does what ever she wants and that has bonded them together until the ends of time! This is the only picture I have to document their time together but I am not kidding that this child has it fugured out!! She knew who to go to get her needs met!! It was lots of fun while we were there but the 5 and 1/2 hour drive home we sure did pay for it!! The seperation was just too much for Olivia and she screamed for Na-Na just about 5 hours of that 5 and 1/2 hour drive!!

But really, I am so thankful that the girls love their grandparents and great grandparents!! We had a lovely time with family. AND cousin Luke eventually warmed up to Aunt Kelli. It took a while but he finally taught me how to play and we had lots of fun tickling and chasing each other!

Nana and Papa got the girls a new kitchen for Christmas. The girls were so excited but we couldn't put it together until we got home. They have had more fun with this kitchen!! Thanks Nana and Papa!!

I wish that I could say our return home was just as lovely but let's face it coming home from a long trip is never as good as you imagine it to be!! The piles of laundry, the suitcases to be unpacked and put away, the reality of a home that you left in a rush, It is still home, though and we were glad to get back to our small space where at least our stuff fits.

On Saturday after we returned I was awakened by a sad croupy coughing Elise. We got her comfortable and back to sleep and then Olivia woke up coughing but not with croup. So we had two very sick little girls and then Daddy got a second visit from the stomach bug and we ended up taking him to the emergency room with abdominal pain. IT was pretty scary, he couldn't even stand up straight but thank goodness it wasn't anything serious. Just a nasty case of stomach flu! I don't think Dan was thankful but I was sure thankful it wasn't something worse! The girls didn't mind because they got to spend some time with their friends Grace Anne, Gibson, and Hayden Mize while daddy was in the ER. Thankfully we didn't, as far as I know, pass on any of the illnesses to them.

Once we got Dan on the up and up we had a great week together. We really enjoyed having Daddy around for meals and bedtime. This week Dan started his J-term class and is sitting through 8 hours of lecture a day!! I am not sure there is a professor on this earth that could make that fun! But it will be worth it when all the work is done and he is one class closer to finishing! We are still glad to have him for meals and bedtime! That's one trend we would be grateful to keep up!! We didn't realize just how much we had been missing having Daddy around. Dan and I have been ecouraged about his choice to quit his job. We have experienced immediate rewards with the girls. They are doing so much better and we can tell that not having Daddy around as much taking a toll on them.

We are still trying to wait patiently to hear back from Jacksonville on the position we interviewed for in December. We just can't quit thinking about it and hoping for it. We are in a very new place right now. We have always trusted God to lead us but He has always shown us the way before we started hoping for it. This time we are waiting to see what God has for us, knowing He has something perfect for us, but at the same hoping and praying that this is what He has. We have both been afraid to go ahead of God in hoping for this position but at the same time want to have faith that what we are feeling, this hope, is from the Lord. Either way, we know that God is in control and we are satisfied with HIS best for us. Right now we are enjoying more family time!!

I forgot to mention Dan and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary! We are thankful for God's blessing on our marriage and hope to experience that blessing for many, many years to come!