My baby is 9 years old today!

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

This morning he was up at 6:45am, excited to go fishing with daddy for his birthday. What a great day it will be!

Where does the time go?


©2016 Loving and Learning on the High Plains. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://www.homeschoolhighplains.blogspot.com

30 Days of Thankfulness in November

I've been counting my blessings for a while. My gratitude journal is numbered up through #764. For November I tried to post one blessing each day (or more) on my facebook account. Are you counting your blessings?

My Novemeber 2013 thankfulness count (#765-794)

November 1, thankful for His mercies, new every morning.

Day 2, thankful for a friendly phone call yesterday, lifting my spirits.

Day 3, thankful for the body of Christ, which doesn't even fit in a building.

Day 4, thankful for rain on my windows... winter rain is never so fun as summer rain. Lighting up the pellet stove. #warmlyblessed

Day 5: Today's thankful from Wyatt: "I'm thankful we get more light in the morning!"

Day 6, thankful for my lovely husband. I adore that guy.

Day 7: Thankful that God is in control of it all. He's much better at it.

Day 8: today I'm thankful for unsung heroes, people who move mountains behind the scenes, go above and beyond what is asked of them, put in hours and hours of effort after the lights are out and the doors are locked. You do more than the minimum, you show up when others skip out, lift up others instead of trying to "get ahead". You know who you are, and just because most of the people you serve have no idea, it's ok, because your treasures are being laid up in heaven.  (praising God for each of you by name this morning)

Day 9, thankful for my family. Many hands make light work. Glad this crew knows how to work it!

Day 10: Today I'm thankful for the sane thoughtful people God put in my life to help me talk it through and figure it all out. Many people, but specifically Benjamin Leggott and Jessica King.

Day 11, thankful for all of our veterans, including my grandpa Virgil King. I Was missing him yesterday. He always loved celebrating veterans day. Thankful for the wonderful living veterans and soldiers in my life too. David King, Joel King, Nicholas Wohlers, Stephanie Merrifield, Gary Thomalla, Michael Blue, just to name a few... Thank you all for serving.

Day 12, thankful for the support of family, so I could run off and Doula one more time. So thankful God made the birth process so perfectly and amazing.

Day 12 part 2, thankful for God knowing needs and meeting them before we even ask. Also, thankful for the privilege of knowing and living near my grandparents. Got to paint my grandma's nails today.

Day 13, thankful for friends who step in and help, and for the children getting to meet the author, Jan Brett.

Day 14, thankful for my little post office job and the sweet people I meet there. Also for my hubby fixing my washing machine. And for the fact that my mom taught me what a gerund is, making 6th grade English not too scary for me to teach this morning. Also, thankful to enjoy a house full of friends tonight. Love and appreciate each one of you!  (and chocolate cake) Thanks for helping me have a great party Patina McKeehan!

Day 15: Thankful for my spunky wonderful Grandma Bettie King, who is 87 today! The angelfood cake is in the oven! (since we ate devilsfood cake last night, lol!) Thankful for CAKE. Love that stuff. (Yes, you can tell by looking at me, heheheheh)

Day 16: thankful that my son and hubby enjoy the sport of hunting together. Praising God that our whole family loves venison.  (hope we get some)

Day 17: Thankful for the deer that Ben was able to harvest, and the privilege of cutting it up just the way I like it to put in the freezer for this winter. I'm pretty picky about my wild game.  Also, thankful for my Sunday school class this morning, so many young men Tyler's age sitting in an adult class with their parents. (6 boys all-together). Awesome.

Day 18, thankful for our Awana kids and their generosity! It's looks like the club will be packing at least 85 shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child on Wednesday! (they raised $785 in total!)

Day 19: thankful for the beautiful weather today. It was a gift.

Day 20 tonight I'm thankful for friends who give and serve beyond measure. But if you could measure it, it would probably fill 111 shoe-boxes.

Day 21, thankful for the nice people I am getting to know through my job, and for the warm house and family to come home to.

Day 22, thankful for a warm house, and that Tyler *just* got his deer!

Day 23, thankful for my hubby: kid chauffeur-ing, bountiful basket collecting, car fixing, tag teaming, wonderful guy!

Day 24, thankful for fellowship! Hanging out at the church from 7:30am till 3:45 (two services/cooking all morning for the college age thanksgiving meal/ loading up the 111 shoeboxes the awana kids packed/ decorating the church for Christmas), chapel with my grandma after that. It was a great day.

Day 25, Thankful for my sister Jessica King, her voice is is a gift from God, she rocked her voice recital today. More than that, her kind and encouraging words lift me up. We are so blessed to have her here!

Day 26, thankful for 3,719 Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes packed by our local community.

Day 27, thankful for a well equipped kitchen and the food that fills it. Thankful for Bountiful Baskets and the fun things we get there. Thankful for coconut cream pie (from scratch), pumpkin pie, shoofly pie, and pumpkin cream cheese muffins.

Day 28, thankful for family, near and far. For memories of Thanksgivings with my cousins, grandparents (some who are no longer with us), Thanksgiving birthday parties, and pecan pie and hiking adventures. Thankful that God blessed us with so many loved ones to love, and friends old and new to fill out the table.

Thankful for small town hospitality! Got a phone call from the Safeway meat department because they were worried I didn't get my Thanksgiving turkey.  I had called and reserved one on Saturday and picked it up Monday, but evidently the meat guy that day didn't give me the one with my name on it. So thoughtful!

Day 29 Thankful today for my morning date shopping and breakfast with Emma.

Day 30 thankful for preparing my home for Christmas, my favorite time of the year. The whole world celebrating the coming of my Lord and Savior.

Other posts counting blessings:

Joy Dare from A Holy Experience:

May Joy Dare Week 1

May Joy Dare Week 2

May Joy Dare Week 3

May Joy Dare Week 4

31 days to Crazy Joy in October 2012:

Counting Gifts in October

October Blessings Pt. 2

October Blessings Pt. 3

October Blessings Pt. 4

October Blessings Pt. 5

October Blessings Pt. 6, and Solomon's Prayer

30 Days of Thankfulness in November 2012

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

©2012-2013 Loving and Learning on the High Plains. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://www.homeschoolhighplains.blogspot.com

L is for Living Things

My favorite part about spring here on the plains is the dramatic transformation from brown (and I mean everything, even my "ever-green" Rocky Mountain Cedars turn brown!) to GREEN. A month ago we were having our last snow storm, and now everything is green and growing. We have had some good rain, and even our corn field is sprouting.  This week I finished planting the last of my garden, while the things I planted first begin to really shoot up. 

We always plant radishes in the first round, just because they grow so fast. In only 4 weeks they are nearly big enough to harvest. My peas are finally up (maybe too late), and the lettuce is looking good! We've had unseasonable cool weather, so the lettuce is actually happy. Most years in June I'm already worried the heat will cause it to "bolt". My asparagus is feathered out, and the green onions are thick. The potatoes are finally above ground, and should be ready for hilling in a couple more weeks. 

Also sprouting:

• broccoli
• beets
• second round of radishes
• garlic
• corn
• beans

This week we planted from seed:

• cucumbers
• cabbage
• watermelon
• pumpkins (3 kinds)
• cantaloupe
• more corn

New plants from the garden center:

• Peppers: Anaheim, Santa Fe, jalapeno, habanero
• Tomatoes: cherry, early girl, bush, and roma. 

The best part about this past month has been the new growth in my heart. After a long dry spell of feeling very lonely and lost spiritually, I've been having a spring of my own. I'd really been struggling with a hunger for the Word, but not really getting into it. I went a little overboard and joined up with three different book/Bible studies. I'm reading through 1,000 Gifts with some homeschool mom friends, and also Desperate: Hope for the Mom Who Needs to Breathe* with some other moms. By far they most rewarding has been A Woman After God's Own Heart®* , by Elizabeth George. I can't fill the pages of my prayer journal fast enough as the Lord speaks to me in a million ways each day. I know we can't always live in the springtime, and there will be summer scorchers ahead. But I'm so thankful to be drinking from the cool banks of a River that will never run dry.

Linking today:

©2012-2013 Loving and Learning on the High Plains. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://www.homeschoolhighplains.blogspot.com *Affiliate links may be included in all posts, see my disclosure policy in the tabs above.*

Wordless Wednesday: May Day in Nebraska

Linked:
 

@ 5 minutes for mom

©2012-2013 Loving and Learning on the High Plains. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://www.homeschoolhighplains.blogspot.com

Homeschool Snow Days

So, everyone knows homeschoolers do school in their PJ's. Actually we don't very often. But another thing that makes us different (as if we weren't before... lol), is that we take our snow days differently. Two of the last weeks we have had late spring snow storms. One was pretty severe, but both left us with a good bit of snow. Thank you Lord for moisture!!!!

So as the snow fell I made cookies and hot chocolate for those coming in from frigid chores. And then I got out the school books. No sense going out in a blizzard, so we had better do school! Every day we would check the school closings, and then get out our books. Then the day came: the public schools were open! The roads were clear, and the good sledding hill was DESERTED. Then we took a snow day!

©2012-2013 Loving and Learning on the High Plains. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://www.homeschoolhighplains.blogspot.com

Ever Present Help

Today, a day of excitement and joy for those running the Boston Marathon, turned into a day of fear and pain, in the blink of an eye. My first thoughts were: But God is there.

We ask, "How could this happen?" People tweet "What is wrong with our country?" We rage about the fear that has taken up residence in our lives. Don't we know half of the world lives with this every day? Of the 10,283 terrorist attacks (worldwide) in 2011, more than 95% of them happened in the Eastern Hemisphere. This same day there was a new story about the American Pastor Saeed's declining health due to increasing beatings at his prison.

And the storm clouds gather on the horizon.

Where is God when we are hurting? Afraid? Terrorized?

He is there. Ever Present. Nothing surprises Him. He knows the pain and damage this sin-war causes. And he longs for us to run to Him, our Helper and Refuge in times like these. 

I've seen a quote circulating today:

"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.' To this day, especially in times of 'disaster,' I remember my mother's words, and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers--so many caring people in this world."
From The World According to Mister Rogers

The comfort to look for on days like today, is to see the helpers. The ever-present help that is our God. The refuge.

Psalm 46
1 God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
    and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
    and the mountains quake with their surging.
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall;
    God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
    he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord Almighty is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress.
8 Come and see what the Lord has done,
    the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease
    to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
    he burns the shields with fire.
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 The Lord Almighty is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress.

©2012-2013 Loving and Learning on the High Plains. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://www.homeschoolhighplains.blogspot.com

Feeling a bit old today

Me, age 2. 

Today is my birthday! I have been reflecting on a few of my favorite past birthdays... :)

My friends, Nicki and Anna and an assortment of sweet babies!

5 years ago today I had the best SURPRISE birthday gift ever. My dear friend Anna, who lives WAY too far away, conspired with my friend Nicki and my hubby. Secretly she flew out here from PA and showed up at MOPS that morning. I cried! I had NO idea at all what they were up to. She brought her daughter, one of my first doula babies... and we spent nearly a week scrapbooking, eating out, staying up too late, and organizing. :) Anna has flown in to my life at so many perfect moments, she is a true gift from above.

Then there was the 25th birthday I spent alone with the kids here in Nebraska, while Ben was working in Florida. We were living in Florida then, but I'd flown back here to help my dear Grandma Lydia out, as she had broken her hip. I remember it was right after my pregnancy loss. Ben was such a sweetie and sent me flowers! We celebrated with candles in Little Debbie cakes. :)

On my 20th birthday I remember, Ben and I were still dating then. He picked me up from my office and took me out to lunch. While we were there eating out lunch, a man with a big scruffy beard started walking toward me, scared me to death... until I realized it was my dad! (In my defense, he'd grown a beard since I'd seen him last!) My folks had flown out from PA to visit me here in Nebraska. I was totally surprised! I had broken my ankle 6 weeks before, and they had been hoping to come see me while I was recovering. That week my mom went with me to get my cast off. Then we did a little wedding planning. :) Such fun memories.

How funny to think how many of my birthdays center around broken limbs... I actually had a broken arm on my 17th birthday too. lol!

I've been so blessed to have birthdays to count, and loved ones to share them with. I'm so thankful. God has been so faithful! Thanks for following me on a ramble today. :)

Ecclesiastes. 11:5-8a 

"As you do not know the path of the wind,

    or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb,

so you cannot understand the work of God,

    the Maker of all things.

Sow your seed in the morning,

    and at evening let your hands not be idle,

for you do not know which will succeed,

    whether this or that,

    or whether both will do equally well.

Light is sweet,

    and it pleases the eyes to see the sun.

However many years anyone may live,

    let them enjoy them all."

Practical Grace for the Homeschooling Mom

Dear Friend,

You are tired today. It's been a battle. You made up a song for that spelling list, and your child just flunked the written test you gave. You explained fractions three different ways (You even made a pie chart!), and your child just asked you if a denominator is a part of a bomb.  Your child is so frustrated he is in tears, and you are so exhausted that you can't even offer a hug. You are three weeks behind in your assignment charts, but are desperately fighting the idea of doing school all summer. But, oh, how you had looked forward to a break!

This is for you...

{please join us here for the rest of this post, as we have been graciously invited to be guests on the TOS Crew Blog today}

Peering through a Mist

Castle Rock, in a pre-dawn mist.

I Cor. 13: 12-13

"We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!

But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Linked:

Make your own Gospel Valentine

This year the kids are making valentines to deliver to two different nursing homes. I am super thankful that my kids love on these people! We visit the nursing home where my grandma lives once a week or more. It's amazing to see how much love these folks have to share with the kids and how patient they are with them. Truly, there is no greater gift we can give than the Gospel.

I recently saw a post on Pinterest showing a bulletin board showing the word "Valentine" in John 3:16. But we noticed it was a shortened version of the verse, so we made a new one... whole verse included, for the front of our valentines. Feel free to print these up for your own valentines! Because nothing says "Love" like the gift of eternal life!

Here's the link to the document, so you can print your own!

John 15:13
Greater love hath no man than this, 
that a man lay down his life for his friends. 

When the disciples are the teachers

Two weeks ago. There was so much to do. It was a busy week, and it was my turn to cook for the Awana crowd. Tuesday's school lessons were a blur, but Mayda was motivated by something or other to get caught up. She was behind in Bible. Yes, the Bible curriculum that I had said I wasn't going to use; she really likes it. After failing to click with her two older siblings, this one clicks with her. The lesson that day was about sin. Not sin you commit, but the sin of omission. Knowing to do something and not doing it. I wanted to hurry through it, but she had figured out how to listen to the Bible readings on the smart phone... so she looked them up, and we read:

Matthew 25:31-46
31-33 “When he finally arrives, blazing in beauty and all his angels with him, the Son of Man will take his place on his glorious throne. Then all the nations will be arranged before him and he will sort the people out, much as a shepherd sorts out sheep and goats, putting sheep to his right and goats to his left.
34-36 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why:
I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.’
37-40 “Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’
41-43 “Then he will turn to the ‘goats,’ the ones on his left, and say, ‘Get out, worthless goats! You’re good for nothing but the fires of hell. And why? Because—
I was hungry and you gave me no meal,
I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
I was homeless and you gave me no bed,
I was shivering and you gave me no clothes,
Sick and in prison, and you never visited.’
44 “Then those ‘goats’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or homeless or shivering or sick or in prison and didn't help?’
45 “He will answer them, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you failed to do one of these things to someone who was being overlooked or ignored, that was me—you failed to do it to me.’
46 “Then those ‘goats’ will be herded to their eternal doom, but the ‘sheep’ to their eternal reward.”

We talked about what it means to serve Christ through serving others, and how a heart obedient to Him will follow His leading. Mayda pondered that for a bit and she said, "I want to bake some bread."

There is a woman who comes to the farmer's market and buys bread. After buying some of the bread we sold there, she called and asked if she could order bread regularly. So every so often I deliver the bread to her home and we chat. The last time I delivered bread before Christmas, we brought cookies. Her husband had fallen and broken his hip and was not doing well. I felt a nudging from the Spirit to do more, but I felt the bag of cookies was enough. I had invited her to church. But she was on my mind. Mayda didn't know that. Other than joining me in praying for the woman and her husband, she didn't know the struggle in my heart. What did He want me to do?


But here a few weeks after Christmas: Mayda read God's Word, her heart was pricked, and she knew just what she wanted to do.

Me: "Bake bread?"

Mayda: "Do you remember that lady who buys your bread? I want to bake bread for her. I know she's sad that her husband is sick. And I want to help!"

I told her we could bake later that night, and I was swept up in the day with everything on my plate I'd almost forgotten. But Mayda didn't. After supper she helped me clean up, and she reminded me that we needed to bake bread.  We even tried a new bread recipe, but also made the loaves the woman liked so well. And as we packed up to go to town, she got more excited.

When we knocked on her door, the woman's grandson answered. I apologized for not calling ahead, and he welcomed us in. Mayda was suddenly shy. It turned out the woman had just brought her husband home from the nursing home with the care of hospice. There he was... sleeping soundly in the living room, struggling with the pain of the un-healing hip.

Mayda and I went on through to the kitchen where the woman was sitting, and she was completely taken by surprise. I told her how Mayda had wanted to bake her bread. She turned to her grandson and then back to me, and gesturing to the crust of bread on the counter, said:

"I just told him this morning that I was going to need to order more bread!"

We exclaimed together that God had heard, and placed an order with Mayda, who was beaming now (but hiding behind me out of shyness). She wanted to pay her, but Mayda told her it was a gift. I couldn't have been more proud of my girl.

And in my heart I was humbled. How many times have I had the thought to minister to someone: to drop someone a note, or to give a quick call? Did I do it?

In a recent conversation with a friend, we were talking about how we live in such blessing while the world outside our door is struggling so. How can we snuggle in our warm homes, when there are tin huts with dirt floors? And as I hung up with her I struggled in my heart, "Am I doing all I am called to do?" And I came to this conclusion... before I discovered this post by Ann V. about Radical Christianity; where she says the words that are the very thoughts I've been chewing on in my mind for two weeks:

"Because only a life contemplating the love of Christ becomes a life acting the love of Christ.
Because all radical Christianity is first rooted in relationship Christianity — with Christ and His children. Right where we are.
And love always moves. Always rippling outward, onward, forever homeward.

There’s love in a loaf of bread." -Ann Voskamp

I am teaching my daughter to bake bread. I am making disciples right where God has called me. What can my two hands do that wouldn't be better with the help of the eight small hands I am teaching?

I have been given a mission field, and it is here. And I have so far to go, in teaching them... and I will begin with the lesson of listening. Listening to that still small voice that prompts us to love, and to be the love of Christ. In our home. In our community. In our world.

Even if that lesson came from a child, a good humbling, and a a few loaves of bread.

One Thousand Gifts Study

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy. *
I'm very excited to be starting a study today with a few sweet friends through this book:

and this study guide:

Have you read it? What did you think? Do you keep a list? Please comment! I'd love to hear from you!

-update-
It was a great first session. Love my friends. :)
I really need to start my blessing journaling again.
~~~

It's just one of many on my To Be Read List. :)

Job and Mayda

My dear sis recently shared this link, about what to say and what NOT to say to someone who has lost a child. It touched me profoundly.

A dear friend of mine, Anna, walked this road ahead of me... And I didn't know what to say. So I didn't. I avoided her, and I didn't call. I did everything wrong. And when the time came for me to walk that road, she did everything right. I am so thankful God gives his grace to us!

Here is my story, from the pages of my old blog, January 2005, when we were living in FL. Hang in there for the end, it's happy, I promise.

Posted: Monday, 31 January 2005

The day after I last posted [that we were expecting]... everything changed.

Short story: we aren't pregnant anymore.
Long story:

We are still without internet, but I wanted to get this posted to let everyone know what's up with us. Hopefully I'll be back online in a week or so, not too sure. I think I'll post a two week update today and then I'll be taking a couple weeks off from [blogging], until life settles down a bit. Once we get back online I'll try to catch up on my email and comments. :) Thanks for all your sweet thoughts...

January 16th: We [the kids and I] flew back to FL from PA, after a wonderful visit with my family. It was great to bring my friend, Anna, and her daughter K along with us on the plane. They came for a week long visit. Anna and I have been friends since we were 12. Having her come visit is like a week long slumber party. :)

Jan. 17th. - Unpack, do laundry, buy groceries... Scrapbook. :) Anna is as crazy about scrapbooking as I am. Some of our best creations went into K's baby book, I wish I had scanned them before she left.

Jan. 18th - Ben's birthday. Anna, K, Tyler, Emma and I went to MOPS in the morning, and then threw a little birthday party for Ben when he got home from work that night.

Jan. 19th - We stayed home and scrapbooked all day.
Jan. 20th - We went to the beach, it was kind of cool weather, but that didn't keep our toes out of the water:

Jan. 21st. Since it had been a week since I found out I was pregnant, I felt about to burst, so Ben and I started telling everyone  We were SO completely excited. I'd had the "baby itch" for a while, but we weren't trying to get pregnant... so it was a big surprise. Even so, we were just thrilled at the thought of another little one... especially after getting to enjoy Anna's baby, K, all week.

*sigh*

Jan. 22nd - I started spotting. After totally freaking out we cancelled our planned shopping trip and stayed in and scrapbooked all day.
Jan. 23rd. - Still spotting. more even. *more tears* Called my mom and she suggested taking it easy and going for less stress. Since Anna had to fly out in the morning, we did our best to enjoy her last day... and took her sightseeing. It was a good distraction...
Jan 24th. - Took Anna to the airport. It was so hard to hug her goodbye. She and I had grown so much closer this week (as if it were possible) and she had been a huge encouragement to me with the distress in this pregnancy. I started my 8th week of pregnancy, still spotting.

Jan 25th, - spotting changes to clotting, more bleeding, and cramps. Spent a lot of time on the phone with mom. Praying (and crying) in the shower. God, I want your will... oh but God, I WANT this baby!

Jan. 26th - more bleeding. cramps, and now a migraine headache. Ben comes home from work early. I love my sweet husband. My headache lifts by bedtime and I do a little of my Bible-in-a-year reading. I'm in Job now. I came across this verse:
"What? Shall we accept good at the hand of God, and shall we not accept calamity?" Job 2:10
How true, I was so quick to praise God for his choosing to give us a baby when we weren't trying for one... Praise Him even now, for He's knows best and whatever He sends, I will be thankful for  it, because it is from his hands.

Jan. 27th - less bleeding. Ben stays home and takes care of the kids and everything  so I can keep off my feet.
Jan. 28th - Ben stays home again. We finally decide to go ahead and fork out the money for an ultrasound so we can see what's been going on. The kids go to a friend's house and we go in about 2pm. Why is it when you tell someone at a doctor's office that you don't have insurance they look at you like you are nuts? All in all, we spent $400 in just one hour there. The doctor was really nice, and the ultrasound went quickly.

Suddenly there I was staring at an empty screen. He told me my womb was completely empty. I had completely miscarried  We had what we needed to know... Our baby was already in the arms of Jesus.

We walked out and sat in the truck... it's difficult to explain the peace that just overwhelms you when you have been praying so fervently for God to show you what He's doing, and He finally does. I'd been crying all week, and there were no more tears. God had spoken. And we were at peace. It was SO strange, I really thought I'd fall apart, but I didn't, and I wasn't even wanting to. It was peaceful.

We made some phone calls and broke the news. That was tougher. Ben went back to work yesterday, and life just went back to it's normal routines... Like waking up from a bad dream. We're still healing, and I'm still hoping God chooses to bless us again. But for now... healing.

Thank you to all of you who were encouraging us through this hard week. One very special moment was when our pastor from back home called up, having heard the news, and had a word of prayer with Ben over the phone. It was the only time during the whole thing that I saw Ben cry (not that he wasn't sad, but he's not much of the crying type). There were so many calls and prayers from friends far and near... So appreciated.

Hugs and prayers, Laura

It doesn't end there though...

We had thought we were done, but God had plans. He did not leave me with empty arms. The baby, whom I call Job, was with Jesus.

But the baby, called Mayda, who was born one year to the day from my miscarriage... she wouldn't be here if Job hadn't left. If God had answered my heart's prayer... We wouldn't be celebrating the 7th birthday of our precious little girl. Not a replacement, but a double blessing.

January 25, 2006
Mayda came into the world. When we saw our pastor the only words I could speak were "God is so faithful!"

Psalm 34:1-8, 15, 17-18

I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; The humble shall hear of it and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces were not ashamed. 

This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry. The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.

Happy 7th Birthday to my dear sweet Mayda! You are my every-day-reminder of the faithfulness of my Father in heaven!

And Happy 8th Birthday to Job, celebrating with Jesus.