Simply Joys!

It seems like we are always finding joy in places we don't expect. As our family took a trip to Pine Cove Camp for a retreat, I experienced the joy in the beauty of our surroundings. I looked out of our cabin one morning and the mist was rising from the lake. I found great pleasure in the beauty that was before me. I can't explain the sweetness of that moment. Often, the beauty of the Earth gives me great pleasure. Unfortunately, we live in a huge metro area where we don't experience it much. Growing up, I lived so close to mountains and trees. I really took those moments for granted. The joy that I experienced in those wonderful places can also be found in our day to day lives.

My husband lowered our goal for our middle child. She loves to shoot. I think that she would stand and shoot baskets all day and night. When he lowered the goal, I could see her eyes get bigger and bigger. Wow, the joy that she has experienced by lowering that goal. It is similar to what I experienced at camp.

The sweetness and joy of life may only come in small moments. I sure love it when it comes, don't you?

A Working Day?

When we talk about moms, we usually mention how special they were or how often they were busy. I think sometimes we talk about how our moms where there all the time or how our moms were not there a lot of the time. I watched a special on 20/20 tonight. It really started my thoughts spinning. I quit my job nine years ago to stay home with our kids. I felt like I would be unable to give 100% to my job and my kids. "I did not think that I could have it all!"

The program that I watched tonight discussed and interviewed working moms. Most moms who work are overwhelmed. They feel like they have to do everything. Most don't have much time for themselves unless their job is flexible enough. Lets face it, who's job is flexible enough? Probably, women who are at a higher level of income!

I think working mom's tend to not want to cheat their kids. They also don't want to cheat their husbands or their jobs. They want to be able to give to everyone, and they certainly don't want to look weak doing it. You probably are wondering why in the world do I care? You see I am in the process of returning to work in the Fall. Wow, that scares me to death. I quit because I did not think you could do it all. Even though my kids are a little older now, I still wonder about it? Will I be able to do it all?

I know a lot of women who work, and they seem to have it all. I can't help but wonder if they do have it all? I am not trying to say working is wrong for women. I mean in a couple of months that will be my situation. I guess that I am honestly asking can we as women have everything without any negative consequences? I certainly don't want my kids when they grow up to not know what I was doing or not remember my being there with them. Is there an answer to this dilemma? I don't think so!

Just a little Fun!

We sure had a lot of fun before it even got dark! I wonder which one will win?

Penny Voting

Well, we have been very busy and sick lately. Madison and I have had strep--not a fun thing. We also went on a youth retreat this past weekend. It went well. We had our own cabin this time, and we experienced Pine Cove in a new way. I suppose you are wondering what in the world is that green thing. Well this week at school, the third grade had penny voting on pumpkins. Each third grader was suppose to decorate a pumpkin. The pumpkins sat out in the hallway and all the kids in the school brought pennies to vote on the pumpkin they liked the best. The third grade uses this as a fun-raiser to buy journals and magazines for the kids. Well, this green one is Megan's pumpkin. She did the whole thing by herself except I helped her glue the grass on. She used the hot glue gun with such gracefulness. I was so proud of her!I thought for sure hers would win, but instead some kid that built a pumpkin with a body and hands won in her class. I saw some interesting pumpkins when I walked through the hall at lunch. There were every kind of pumpkin that you could imagine. There was everything from bald babies to sharks with bloody hands hanging out of it. I must say the kids did a great job, and they were certainly creative.

We are getting excited about going to JC for Thanksgiving. We haven't see Steve's parents in a year. My parents came out to visit this past summer. It is exciting to finally see our families. My brother will have a new baby when we come in for Thanksgiving. I know that it is going to be exciting to meet the new addition to the family. I know that Steve's mom is getting excited to see us. It is a very hard thing to go a year and not see your parents. I know Steve misses them dearly. I hope that JC has not changed too much in a year.

By The Way, We Caught 6 Fish!

Do you ever feel like you are living in the moment? I think that I find myself there everyday. With our family situation, we tend to feel like as a family our future is unknown. I often think about how everything is for a season. Everything is for a time. These words often comfort me. I use to think how irresponsible it is to not plan for the future. After our family chose this path of uncertainty in life, I have laid our future in someone else's hands.

So, when I say do you ever feel like you are living in the moment? I really am there. I am taking each day as it comes. For example, we went to 2 soccer games, did some fishing, washed off in a sprinkler park, and watched a movie this Saturday. We had a great time enjoying each other as a family. We were living in the moment. It felt so good to connect as a family and take time with each other.

Maybe, I am talking about all this because moments like these are so rare with our family situation right now. They may be rare, but boy they are the coolest. Spending time with the people you cherish and love. I think that I could live in that moment forever. Well, I suppose that is enough rambling. By the way, we caught 6 fish!