Yesterday we welcomed home one of our dear friends. He has served our country so many times throughout his life and this time he had been gone for a year. A year away from his wife, a year away from his 2 growing children, a year away from his friends and family. Now, he is going to pick right up where he left. His family is still there, his job is still there, and his family and friends are still there. I hope and pray that his transition from Afghanistan to home goes well. We are so blessed that our dear friend is home, but he reminded us that some did not make it. Some people that he loved and cared for did not make it home. He was not supposed to make it home; but he did. Listening to him say these words brought tears to my eyes. It made me feel embarrassed for my discontentness. But that's not how I feel now. Having Tom home reminds me how precious life is. How precious my family and friends are. How precious my relationship with God is.

Thank you God for keeping Tom safe and for being with him and strengthening his faith in you. Thank you for bringing Tom back to his family. It was so good to see Tom and Melissa with their girls. You truly are a good God. Be with Tom as he gets back to life here in America and let him transition well. Thank you that there are men out there to fight for our country. God, thank you for blessing the United States of America.

God, help me with my discontentness and desire for more. I don't feel this way all the time, but when it rears it's big ugly head, help me to remember your blessings. Lord, when I am overwhelmed with getting my papers graded for school or planning, when I want my house in order, or when I don't get the time to do what I think is needed to do, help me to remember your blessings and to also decipher between the urgent and the not so urgent. God, give me time to be with my kids where I play on the floor with them and love them and where I don't push them away because of my "to-do" list. Bless the time that I have with Archie; strengthen our marriage where it needs to be strengthened. You have made me and created me with a Type A personality, the type of personality that is driven and that likes to get things done. . . help me to learn to let things go when neeeded. Teach me how to trust you in all I do. Thank you God for all you do and have done in my life. I will forever praise you!

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day and I am thankful for many things, but I am sad today and am wanting more. More things, more money, more time for me, more time with my kids, more time with Archie . . . . just more. I know that I'll feel happier and more thankful later, but right now I just want to feel the way that I feel. It's sad that I want more, but it's the truth. Learning how to be content with what we have is a hard lesson to learn and it's something that I struggle with.

Movies and fun

Friday night was family fun movie night! The kids and I went to the library to pick up Toy Story 1 and Aunt Lori- actually, Uncle John, let us borrow Toy Story 2! Toy Story 3 will be coming out soon, and I would love to go as a family to see it. They love eating popcorn out of their popcorn containers.

Ahhhh! It was cute when Christian laid against Caleb.

Even Daddy got some popcorn! I love this picture.

Today Madison and the boys played "house." Madison wanted me to see how she changed Caleb into jammies and took care of him. Caleb LOVED playing house with his big sister! She even buckled him into his seat. It's hard to believe that we took him home from the hospital in this same seat. Oh, how time does fly! I LOVE the days when Madison and BOTH boys play well together- this was one of these days.

A few things

Since Halloween fell on a Saturday this year, we went to a pumpkin farm in the morning. We usually end up going to this farm to ride horses, pet animals, and jump around in those "jumpy things," in early or mid October, but we couldn't get there until the last day it was open. Oh well, at least we got there.

It was a very cold morning and nobody was there. We practically had the place to ourselves. The kids held baby chicks in which the boys kept repeating, "Ahhhhh, so cute!" in little high pitched voices. We went on the the choo choo ride and the hay ride a few times, and the kids just had a blast running around. The hot chocolate and apple cider donuts were much needed to end our afternoon.

Halloween was fun, but unfortunately I do not have any pictures, since it was easier to walk with the kids and let everyone else take pictures. I'll have to get them soon. Mom, Julie, Katie, Laura, John, and Robbie came with us and we all had a lot of fun. Robbie was a monkey, Madison was a flower girl/ White girl, Christian was a giraffe, and Caleb was a froggie. There were a few falls and a few tears, but the large amount of adults and having the wagon with us was great! We ended the night with pizza at our house.

Today, November 12, 2009, was an intense homework night. Since I had conferences earlier in the week and Madison had Awanna last night, her homework piled up until the day before it was due--oops! Have no fear- Madison did an amazing job! In the beginning of this feat together, I did not think that it was going to be amazing. To start off, Madison began stomping her feet and saying that she hated stupid homework over and over again. It took her a little time to calm down and become alright with doing it. The popcorn that I popped and the reassurance that I would be with her the whole time, was what she needed. We first had to decide on how to decorate a turkey, but not decorate it yet, since we had to write about how we decorated it. After Madison decided to use flowers, tissue paper, and marshmallows, we then wrote a rough draft about that. After revising and editing, Madison wrote her final draft. Madison had a nice break with going to church choir for an hour and then back home for more homework and dinner. What a trooper she was. While eating, Madison decorated her turkey and practiced reading her "baggy books." After all of that was finished, pajamas were put on, teeth brushed and spelling words studied. These spelling words were the "challenge" words and it was our first time even looking at them this week. Another oops! I was so proud of Madison getting all her words correct on her pre-test, but I will say that challenge words are definitely a challenge (for the child and the parent teaching them). I am happy to say that Madison was in bed by 8:10 with ALL of her homework completed and ALL of her spelling words learned . . . and 10 minutes of television. Yes! I am so glad that I did not bring any of my homework home tonight- I am all homeworked out. My little Maddie Mae was such a trooper tonight, but I do not plan on waiting until homework is piled up again.

A pleasant weekend

It's been hard this year going back to full-time teaching and trying to spend good quality time with my kids- and Archie- and the overall family. This weekend was wonderful and I am sad that it's ending. Even though I had a baby shower and a middle school dance to chaperone this weekend, it was an overall relaxing and enjoyable weekend.

Dad and Marsha came over this past Friday night and babysat when Archie went to a worship team gathering and I chaperoned the dance at my school. It was good to catch up and see them. They brought Christopher too, so Madison got to spend some time with her cousin.

On Saturday, Laura, John, Robbie, Julie, and the Coleman 5 went to our annual apple orchard and pumpkin patch. We had such a nice time being together. Archie's parents came out and spent some time with us too! We all had a great time together going on the hayride, picking out pumpkins, and seeing the animals. After our excursion out, Archie and the boys went home to rest so Madison and I went over to spend some time with Grammy and Aunt Julie. It was nice to just sit there and be together.

Today, Sunday, we went to church together and had our family picture- we'll have to see how that turns out. I love going to church with Archie and the kids since it's such a special and important part of our lives. Later in the afternoon, I went to a baby shower and got to spend some time chattting with girlfriends. I ended my afternoon-evening shopping at Jewel and saving our family a lot of $$ by using coupons and watching for the "catalina" specials. This is all new to me, but I have done it two times now, and I feel really good knowing that I am shopping smart using coupons and etc. I don't know how much this will become my every day life, but I think that if I make some time out of the week to look at the BIG sales and coupons, a little will help. To end my wonderful weekend, I spent a little time with the boys tonight before bedtime, I read A Prince and His Horse (?- not sure of the title) by C.S. Lewis to Madison, spent some time with Archie talking about the carpet that we are putting in the basement, and then spent some time on Facebook. It was a great weekend and I will be looking forward for the next one to come!

Yes, our basement is coming along! I really do hope that it will be done before Christmas! I am so excited for extra room for the kids to play and for all their stuff--and for my new reading corner! Yes!

Recently . . . 1st day of 1st grade

It's been a long time since I have written on my blog and a lot has happened: Laura got married (a beautiful day and a BEAUTIFUL bride), our family vacation to Maranatha (much more relaxing and enjoyable since our children are a little older), me being asked to be the co-leader of our women's prayer ministry (YES!) But for now, I am going to focus on today- Madison's 1st day of 1st grade!




Madison is helping me write this.

Madison loved today because she started 1st grade and met her new teacher named Mr. Bornancin. She was a little nervous at first, but then stopped being nervous when she got into her classroom. She liked her classroom and thought that she was acting like a "baby" if she was nervous so she just decided not to be nervous any more. Her favorite part of school was when she had recess and lunch and when she got to see her friends. 2 boys had time outs today - uh oh! Madison behaved so well that she brought home her "Wow Trophy" - a piece of paper to show how good she was. Mr. Bornancin is a cute man that likes to read books and when he grows up he wants to be a principal. He also loves kids and he likes polar bears. Madison wrote her name on paper today and she has a Smartboard in her classroom! (a Smartboard is some of the newest technology that schools have). I guess that's all for today folks!

my thoughts: We started off a little bumpy this morning with Madison falling and hurting her foot and of course LOTS of tears. Through her tears she repeatedly cried " I don't want to go to 1st grade!" I think that she was a little nervous this morning but didn't show it until she fell and then it ALL came out. With a popsicle and some hugs from me, Madison made it to school. We prayed together on our way to school and asked God to help Madison enjoy her day and not to feel scared because God is with her at all times. I love praying with her and helping her to realize how much God loves her and how things are ALWAYS going to be OK because God is with her. When we arrived at her lineup line, I met her teacher and realized that it was the same teacher that I met last year which I had a really good conversation with. I was very glad that my principal allowed me to come into school an hour later!

I think that it's going to be a successful year for Madison. I am so excited for Madison to grow in her learning and reading this school year. I look forward to the stories that she is going to share with us about kids in her class, trips to the library, hot lunch days, and science projects that she is going to participate in. My little girl is growing up right before my eyes and I am so excited for her. Most importantly, I am eager to see how God is going to shape and grow her into a little young lady. I didn't cry this morning when I dropped her off and watched as she walked into her school for her first full day. When I thought of her while I was at work I wasn't secretly wishing she was at home hoping that she would stay young forever. At times I have felt this way, but not today. Today I want to give Madison wings to soar. Wings to fly so high that she can experience new things, new places, and new ideas. I am blessed to have this little girl in my life and can't wait to see what God has in store for her.

Going back to my last blog- with Archie flying me home from Virginia- NO, the weather did not cooperate with us, so Archie did not come and get me in his father's plane. But, we celebrated our 8 year anniversary last week by flying to Pilot Pete's- a restaurant on the airport in Shaumburg, Illinois. That was our first time together in the plane and we really enjoyed ourselves--pics to follow soon!

Stories and pics to come about Madison's last day of kindergarten, my trip to Vegas with my sisters, and the Coleman 5 Family Day. Soon!