Waiting

So much of life is about waiting. I've come to the conclusion recently that it's okay to wait. I am facilitating a Wednesday night women's study of Angela Thomas' When Wallflowers Dance. The content is phenomenal. Her gift is evident. The videos we watch each week are hilarious. She is transparent and has inspired me to be more transparent, as well. I know, I know...many of you are wondering how I could be any more transparent. :)

This week has been about waiting my turn...my turn to be called up for His service. Yes, I'm in His service each day, but she's specifically talking about being called up for whatever it is we have passion for. Some of us wait a long time to find our passion. I've come to the realization that my passion is helping people. I desire to help others become better people tomorrow than they were today, whether that's regarding parenting, walking with God, growing in their relationships with family, etc. I'm not sure what that means career-wise. (I'm a little too focused on being a wife and mommy right now to worry about going back to school, at this point.) However, I'm convinced He will show me what it is He wants me to do when the time is right. He will put people in my path that will help me attain my goals. So, I will patiently wait.

Angela says in this week's devotion:

"Waiting is an opportunity to grow up."

How true is that? I've already used that quote on Jordan. :) I need to use it on myself more.

So, as I do my best to re-enter the blogging world, I ask you to be patient and wait. Entrust your valuable possessions and dreams into His care and work towards your goals knowing His timing is perfect.

Love to you all,
wk

Life with Three...

According to the process of a normal pregnancy, baby number three should be here around February 23. Now, I've miscarried before, so I am perfectly aware that it could happen again. However, I'm trying to have a positive outlook. (That's for you, Baby!)

Here are some things that I can always expect from my pregnancies:

Every smell, especially bar soap and baby poop, makes me nauseous.
I have to run to the kitchen at about 2:00 am every night for a snack.
I have to carry another bag full of snacks everywhere we go...for myself. :)
Water tastes awful to me until about week 15. Orange gatorade, it is.
Hard candy helps my nauseousness.
I have chest-wrenching heartburn from the beginning to the end.

In the end, it's all okay, because God always blesses us with healthy, beautiful children.

And even if this baby isn't healthy, I am confident that God will never give me anything that He and I can't handle together!

Blessings,
wk

The Rough Ride to Abilene

We seem to be okay with absolutely wearing ourselves out in the summer. Now that Jordan and Ella have joined the family, they have been forced into our way of life, like it or not. :)

Monday night was the first Summer Youth Series in Houston. Sugar Grove was excited to be the first host of the summer. The kids and I got to church at 9:30 on Monday morning and did not get home until 9:30 that night. I guess it slipped my mind that yesterday (Tuesday) was not only the first Girls' Bible Study class of the summer, but that we were leaving on a 9 day road trip immediately following GBS. Somebody please stop the madness!

As we were leaving the church building yesterday, Jordan's meltdown began. Oh, the pains! Josh was taking him to the bathroom before we left and Jordan could not decide between using the regular potty or the urinal. (I'm glad that as a woman I don't have to choose what kind of urine receptacle I want to use!) Since he wouldn't make up his mind, Josh decided for him. After 5 minutes of Josh trying to get him to go tee-tee, Jordan screaming his head off because Josh told him he needed to go potty on the regular potty and Jordan never relaxing enough to let the urine out, Josh gave up.

We got on the road, Jordan calmed down and asked for a piece of bubble gum. He chewed on that piece for about 2 minutes and was done. We threw it away. He asked for another piece a little later, chewed it for 2 minutes and threw it away. When he asked for a third piece, I told him he could have more tomorrow. Oh, the wailing that followed.

Then, since he was so upset, he thought it would be a genius idea to start hitting his sister's hand with his shoe.

By this time, I was done.

We pulled over into the parking lot of a bank in Hico, and I told him I was moving him to the very back seat and that when we got to Poppa and MeMom's, he was getting a spanking with a wooden spoon because of 4 hours of inappropriate and hateful behavior. Once again...the wailing and the pleading, "Moooooommy, I proooooomise I'll be kind."

So, Amy and I unpacked the WHOLE van, pulled the back seat up so that I could put his carseat back there and reloaded the whole van. Because I didn't want to stop again, I told him he needed to go tee-tee on his little potty. "But I want to tee-tee on the graaaaaass." SO SORRY! He sat on the seat for about a minute, and I said, "Okay, pull up your pants and get in your carseat, please." "But I'm not done." "Yes, you are."

Then the flailing started.

Then I picked him up off the potty and spanked his bare bottom three times with my hand.

For ten minutes after that he was screaming, very loudly. I talked with him and he slowly calmed down. I said, "Why are you screaming?" He said, "Do I still have a spanking coming?" I assured him that he didn't and that the spanking in the van was sufficient.

After that, he was fine. Hopefully our two and a half trip to Lubbock today will be less eventful! :)

Dr. Morgan and Cousin Morgan

When I was in Abilene two weeks ago, I went to see my dermatologist named Dr. Morgan. Jordan has been very concerned about this so-called Dr. Morgan, because he cut a mole out of my back and Jordan does not like the scab it left or the fact that he used a knife on his mommy. :)

Here was my conversation with Jordan, as we were driving to Payless Shoe Source this evening.

Jordan: Mommy, where are we going?
Me: We're going to Payless to get you shoes for Morgan's wedding.

-15 second pause-

Jordan: Mommy, are Jonathan and Morgan going to be there to cut another mole out of your back?
Me: No, Jordan. Dr. Morgan and our cousin, Morgan, are two different people.
Jordan: Oh, okay.

And that, was that.

Fun with Ella

Ella and I have so much fun when she wakes up from her nap before Jordan does!

Here are some pictures I just took of her. ADORABLE!

Cantaloupe Seeds

I absolutely LOVE digging out cantaloupe seeds with a spoon. The squishiness and gooshiness are awesome! It tells me that summer is here. :)

I haven't posted a recipe in a while. So, here is what I'm making for dinner tonight. It's easy breezy and yummy!

Peachy Picante Chicken
Serves 4

1 lb. boneless chicken, cubed
1 T. taco seasoning
2 t. oil
8 oz. salsa
1/2 c. peach preserves

Coat chicken with taco seasoning.
Heat oil over medium heat.
Add chicken and cook until brown and tender, stirring occasionally.
Add salsa and preserves.
Lower heat, cover and simmer 15-20 minutes.

Serve with minute rice.

Enjoy!

Love,
wk

Lucky Number Seven

Happy Anniversary to Josh and me! Today marks seven years since we said, "I do!" Wow, how the time flies.

Here's the last seven years in a nutshell...

-Got married
-Josh ministered at HOPE for two years while I finished school at ACU.
-Moved to Sugar Land the week after I graduated from ACU for Josh to be the worship minister at Sugar Grove
-Josh took on the youth ministry a year after we got here.
-Gave birth to our rollicking bundle of joy, Jordan Riley, in December 2005
-I taught school at WCS from 2006-2007
-Said good-bye to Josh's sweet Nanis
-Moved out of the Apple Drive house to an apartment
-Bought a lot on Pinewood Court
-Josh went to the Philippines for a long awaited mission trip
-Gave birth to our angel face, Ella Paige, in August 2008
-Said good-bye to my precious Poppy in September 2008
-Moved into our lease house on Zieglers Grove
-And now...here we are!

Here are the highlights of our mini-anniversary-vacation on Friday and Saturday.



On our way to The Melting Pot



Celery Teeth



Yeees?



Silence of the Lambs anyone? Seriously...I almost made myself sick eating these breaded stuffed mushrooms! YUMMY!



The Happy Couple :)



Our dippers that went with our oreo milk chocolate marshmallow fondue. DELISH!



Well...it was either a king sized bed in a smoking room or two full sized beds in a non-smoking room. So, we slept Desi and Lucy style. I know...we're dorks.



Josh's new shades from the Outlets on 290.