I should be in bed

I should be in bed resting-sleeping. But, Orlando is in my bed. He is sick. I don't want to wake him-he might need to throw up or something. Ivan has also had the "my butt is broken" problem today. It is my last night at our home here on Glencanyon Drive. Powell (Columbus) has been good to us, and my feelings about this area would probably be different if it wasn't such a darn tough 2 years. Josh is at work all night. This seems also somehow fitting for my last night here. I used to have major problems with being alone at night. Now I look forward to it-watching my shows, crafting my crafts, eating my eats.

Well, did I mention that I was nearly spammed? Ya, we found a rental back in May when we were down in LR. We emailed about it, got a response, but determined still to buy didn't respond again. Yesterday, I found a great rental (I thought) in Alexander-emailed and get this: I got the exact same email response back that I got for the other place in May!! Word for word. First time Michelle, second time Andrea. And-there is a link to put in who knows what all personal info so they can check your credit, etc. NO, I didn't click on it and I certainly didn't give them any info. I've also turned it in to the scam pros. Crazy-oh ya, it was on Craigslist.

What else? Sick kids, and scamming and our 3rd house to put an offer on is also a no go. This time a better offer was given in the same 24 hour period as ours. Well, que sera sera.

Obviously the computer is not packed, neither is my room. Maybe I should go put Lando to bed and work on that. I hate waking up babies. (6, but still my baby).

So, I'm 33 and moving in with my in-laws. In the middle of the hot, hot summer to Little Rock. Well, good thing there were a lot of indications this was what we should do 'cause right now I don't feel like facing it.

Okay, I'll quit rambling. I'm gonna miss my OH friends. Hope you'll comment on my blog occasionally or even often.

Checking out from Ohio,

Lara

Our Week

Monday: 7 shots for the boys, and Ammon is 100th percentile for height and weight. At least he is proportional! But, oh my he is gonna stay big! Packed basement, some clothes. Finished Bleak House by Charles Dickens. Not the book-the Masterpiece Theater version--a must see!

Tuesday: Packing kitchen. Josh comes home to sleep. Boys have a play date (yay!)

Wednesday: Ivan's MRI. These always make me nervous. More packing, and dinner with a friend.

Thursday: Crunch-time with packing the rest of the house.

Friday: Moving van is loaded (when Josh gets home). Cleaning out our lil' condo that we've called home. That night staying w/friends.

Saturday: Leaving for Hawg Country.

Wishing we had a place to move straight into, but hopefully we can find and close on a home quickly...thankful to have family willing to let us stay!!

Teaching

I love to teach. I went to school to be a teacher. I taught two years in Rogers, AR. Then Orlando was born, and Ivan, and Ammon. Josh went to medical school and teaching wasn't right.

A year ago, a good friend encouraged me to update my license-because it interested me, and well, you never know. I took her advice, and got my license current in AR.

Is it any coincidence that my husband found the ONLY spot in pathology available back near family and in AR?!! That someone just happened to drop out, leaving this very desirable spot available??!!

Well, Josh got that job.

And this week I got my job. I'll be teaching parenting, human relations, child development, and sewing (only the very basics here!). I'm SO excited. I'll only have three 90 minute classes a day. I'll be at the high school in Bryant, AR a nice community with great schools -oh, and wait the school sits next to the elementary where my boys will be!

Call it coincidence if you want. I call it a miracle. The Lord in his timing planned this for our family. Giving us not only what we need, but in his tender mercy what we also desired.

I am so very thankful!!

Rainbows are Real!!

My niece Molly was baptized yesterday. I was asked to give the talk on baptism, and with her permission shared the following story that happened to her.

Before we are baptized we need faith. A few months ago Molly was struggling with the concept of faith. After all, faith is a belief in something you can't see. She worried if God and Jesus were real because she had never seen them. She worried about her cousin Owen (who died in the womb full term)-she had never seen him. Did he exist?

Molly has wonderful parents who tried to teach her. They used the example of the wind. We don't see the wind, but we can feel it. We can feel in our hearts things are true, though we don't see them, and that is faith. They prepared a special family lesson on faith. They sang songs on faith. Still, Molly's doubts remained. She was willing to continue to pray, and her parents prayed too-that Molly would come to understand faith and believe that Heavenly Father, Jesus, live and love us!

The morning after her parents had tried so hard to teach her with the examples and music, Molly and her mom went for a walk in their neighborhood. Suddenly, they noticed a beautiful rainbow-which Molly describes as having an extra large orange stripe, but the other colors too. "Mom, Rainbows are real!" she exclaimed.
"Well, of course they are" her mom explained.
"Mom!, I didn't know rainbows were real. I've seen them on t.v. and in books, and always heard of rainbows, but, I thought they were made up!"
Her mom compared this to faith and Molly caught on immediately finishing her mom's thoughts. Teaching herself as she spoke that even if she hadn't seen Heavenly Father, He IS real!

Molly told me that now she understands faith and believing in something even though she hasn't seen it for herself. Molly and her parents consider this an answer to prayer.

I too regard it as a very special experience and am so glad they shared it!
I am glad Molly has faith in a loving Heavenly Father and I am thankful I could witness her special day as she made a promise to do the best she can to live as He would want her to.

Favorites

Here are a few of my favorite things!!

From a child's eyes

I am in love with my boys and the cards I got for Mother's Day. Just so you know, according to Ammon: I am smart because (scribble, scribble) strong because I can lift him up! The favorite thing I have given him is Batman, and he likes it when we have fun together.

Ivan says I'm smart because I clean up, I'm strong because (blank). The favorite thing I have given him is chocolate cookies and he likes it when we play together.

Orlando says I'm smart because I know all about God. I'm strong because I'm 33. The favorite thing I have given him is story time and he likes it when we bake pancakes.

And now why I love my mom and mother-in-law.

Mother-in-law Kathryn. She is smart because she has all kinds of trivia in her head, and is a faithful reader of Readers Digest! She is strong because she raised 9 children. The favorite thing she has given me is her son, Joshua. And I like it when we quilt together.

My mom-Janis. She is smart because she is in her sixties, ready to retire, has a masters degree and is still taking college classes!! She is strong because she has been widowed twice and lives with life long injuries and chronic pain. The favorite thing she has given me is her time and experiences. I like it when we cook, play, talk, and dream together. (Current dream involves Costa Rica next year!)

Mother's Day

I decided some time ago, that my gift for mothers day would be pictures of my kids. It is what I want and takes lots of pressure off of Josh to find the perfect gift. Thanks to my wonderful friend Karyn, at http://www.knicpics.blogspot.com/

we have these!! These are just a few, and I'm sure I'll add more later, as I am totally in love with my boys.

Orlando age 6
Ammon age 3
Ivan age 4