Lots of Stuff

Be warned this post will be all over the place, and I'm not going to worry about trying to make it perfect. Here goes...


...so, I'm not a scrapper (for my family who might not be familiar with that term and be tempted to disagree - a "scrapper" is someone who loves to scrapbook), but I think I want to do this one little word thing.

Here are some that I am considering...

Discipline
Faithful
Dedicated
Devoted
Surrendered
Content
Fruitful - this one is Julie's, but I've been so inspired by her lately that I'm tempted to share this one with her.

I like how Julie wrote all hers down. I think I might do that and pray about my "one little word". If you are totally confused all together, you can read about the "one little word" idea here or here.

Sidebar - this is just in case someone out there hasn't figured this out. It took me a while, and I think it's so cool. In a blog when someone refers to someone or says "here" as I did above, you can click on that person's name or the word "here" and go to the site referenced. So in the above paragraph, you can click on "Julie" and go to her blog, or you can click on "here" or "here" and go to those blogs. Hopefully that makes since. I didn't know that for a long time. It's easier to notice with the background is white. Since my background is colored, it's easy to miss that. Anyway, just thought I would share that.

That brings me to another thought. I think I would like to make some major, major changes to my blog. Honestly, I don't know where to start. Here are some of my blog thoughts. I LOVE my current look, but I think that having a white background might be easier to read. I would like to learn how to add videos (but no time to sit don't and figure it out). There are a few other tricks I'm interested in. And, I like it when people use {these} in there blog. What do you even call {these} cute little things. On another note, I hesitate to say this, because I'm not sure I want to open myself up to a lot of opinions, but here goes anyway...I think I might need to make some changes for security reasons. Anyone who knows me, knows that I'm serious about safety! My 8 year old is still in a booster seat in our vehicle for crying out loud! Here's the problem. I wish that our last name was not part of our URL address. I know that I'm the one that set it up that way, but now I wish that I had considered the risks. This blog is a window into our lives and is available for the whole world to peek in. I've always been careful to avoid sharing specifics about where we live, but let's face it, as long as our complete names are on it all someone would have to do is look us up. Right? So, while I have concerns about this, changing it seems so very complicated!! I would have to start a whole new blog (I guess), and I fear that I would lose dear readers in the process(not something that should be part of the equation anyway). So, although I said that I wasn't sure if I wanted opinions, I guess I really do want to hear your thoughts. Just be sure to share them kindly and know that it could take me some time to make the changes if I do indeed decide to make them at all.

OK, gotta run very soon, but here's a few other musings. I'm not sure that I'm using the word "musings" right, but I think I am, (notice the commas) and I like it.

I think I use too many commas, and I'm sure that I don't always use them in the right places. Sometimes it's easier to just add a comma and keep going rather than figure out if I'm writing a run on sentence. Now, don't start looking for the commas!! I'm much better at math than grammar.

I'm a little stressed and kind of beating myself up a bit lately, because I fear that I'm failing to document everything. Recently I've not gotten all the pictures I wanted, not recorded all the cute stories I wanted, and can't remember all the cute sayings and mispronunciations. Sickness has definitely been a factor. Time is so flying by, and I know that I won't/can't remember it all and that has me a wee bit stressed.

I got several books for Christmas. AMAZING books!! I am LOVING them!!! I think, no I know, that these books along with more time in The Word are going to so seriously change my life.

Here's the practical one.



This book is AWESOME! I'm learning so many practical home management tips. I really think this book is great for any family not just large families.

I also got the autobiography of George Mueller. I'm a few chapters in, but I can't say enough about that book.

Another one I got was, Elisabeth Elliot's book, "Discpline, the Glad Surrender." I haven't got into it yet, but I admire Elisabeth Elliot so much. I know it's also going to be an awesome book.

Another one that I really want to get to this year that I don't have yet is, "No Other Gods." I've heard so many great things about this book! There are a few others on my read list for this year , but I think I've got my plate full for now.

I know this post was all other the place. I didn't really have the time or the desire to complete organize my thoughts, but I still really want to share a few things.

Final thoughts, I have made a couple new year's resolutions. I really hope to share them sometime, but they all involve my desire to grow in the Lord. I think that 2011 is going to be great. The Lord has brought this verse into my path 3 different times recently: "Thou crownest the year with thy goodness" ~ Psalm 65:11. One of the ways it came my way is in a Christmas card from a friend who wrote, "Wesley and Jennifer, May God crown your year with goodness." What a sweet prayer!! I feel a great stirring in my heart these days. Wesley feels it in his heart too. The Lord is at work. I want to love Him, serve Him, follow Him, honor Him, glorify Him, and praise Him more. I want to fully trust Him, fully surrender to Him, fully rely on Him. I want HIM!! And I want to want Him more than I want a new house or a new vehicle or a new camera or whatever else that's on my mind at any given moment. I want to rest in Him. I'm tired of being so easily distracted. Satan is trying to bring me down with reminders of my fears and failures. But, I know that He who is in me is greater than he that's in the world. OK, awkward ending, but I've really got to go. I'd love to hear your comments, ideas, tips, suggestions, even advice on the blog thing. Thanks for reading!

Very Mini Update

Elizabeth is doing better as is the rest of the family. She is responding very well to the medication. However, it has been recommended that we keep her at home for 3 weeks from the onset of her symptoms which was about a week ago now. So homebound we are!! Thanks for praying!! I'll post more when I can.

Elizabeth Update

I only have a second so this will be the short and quick update. I'll try to post more details when I can. Elizabeth is one sick little baby, but we get to care for her at home. We caught it early and hopefully she will respond well to oral medicine and not require further treatment. She also has secondary ear infections (both ears). Please continue to pray for her and for us.

Please Pray

**Edited** Our doctor's office called and asked us to come this afternoon instead of this morning.

So, remember how we've all been sick, sick, sick. Well Baby E got it. Not good at all! Elizabeth had a rough day yesterday that ended with a trip to the ER, because she was having trouble breathing. Turns out she has RSV. As most of you know, RSV is very serious. We are seeing our pediatrician this morning to find out how to best treat her. Please pray for her to get well soon! I'll update when I can.

Monopoly

Since we've been cooped up and sick for days and days and days, we've passed some of the time playing Monopoly. We've kept it going for like a week. It's been very educational for the kids and very fun. Until today. Today people started running out of money. Tears flowed. People folded. Doors slammed. Well one door slammed one time and discipline was issued. And finally a winner emerged.

Congratulations, Mary Ruth!!!

1.1.11

Really I just wanted to record this historical date. Although there will be a similar date later this year: 11.11.11

Anyway, what a day. Well for me there was never really an official beginning time since I pretty much did not go to bed last night. It's so good that I function well with little sleep. Elizabeth was miserable and could not sleep. She could pretty much only sleep when she was being held upright in my arms. She was/is so stuffy, even if she had been sleeping I think I would not have slept. Since the risk of SIDS (something I've been more concerned this time) is higher when a child is stuffy or congested, even if she had been sleeping on her on I think I would probably have slept with one eye open to watch her chest as she breathed. If all that wasn't enough to add up to a long night, then we had a terrible storm with a lot of thunder and lightening. Wesley got up to go to work at his second job. I may not have mentioned that on the blog before, but he does a part time weekend paper route. The money sure helps our budget so, so much, but I hate for him to have to work so hard and miss sleep. Anyway, he didn't leave until the worst of the storm was over, but still I could not stand the thought of him having to drive in the dark and in the rain. So I stayed awake holding and rocking Baby E and praying for her and for her Daddy. Both Wesley and I took turns taking long naps today so I actually feel pretty rested. I've just finished balancing our checkbook. It's so much easier to do the finances with Quicken. I LOVE it!! Too bad Quicken does not add in money to help the budget when needed. Ha ha! Now I'm off to bed or maybe to watch Elizabeth sleep (she's sleeping in her bouncy seat tonight) and to pray. Happy New Year Day!!

Longest Post Ever!!

I just realized that my last post was definitely the longest ever!!!! Guess that's why it took me 2 days to finish it! Good thing my purpose for writing it was to record our family memories not to gain readers. :)

So if you're brave and you have a lot of time on your hands, check out the post below.