Brief and to the point

Hi there! We are still here, safe and sound. I am just in a place where I can't really sit long enough to rub two thoughts together and actually have them sound coherent. I am certain you can relate, especially if you are raising the kids and tending the home, etc. My next few thoughts may not be coherent or even relevant, but sometimes you just have to write it down, if nothing else, just so you can move on. I promise it will be brief and to the point...

Fall: This has been the strangest fall since we moved here. It seems to have lasted forever (not a bad thing) but has been lacking the vibrant colors we so look forward to seeing. Most of the mountainsides have simply turned brown. Oh, there were a few spectacular specimens that got to dazzle and compete for our attention, but on a whole, it has been a drab fall. There's always next year.

School: I feel so blessed, because this school year seems to be going quite well. Seamlessly well, dare I say it? It's not perfect, so don't envision this fantasy picture of our school life or anything, but there seems to be less blood and screaming this year. For all of this, I give the Glory to God, and Him alone!!!

Home: I love keeping the home - it is what I was created to do. I love organizing and redecorating and trying new recipes and creating new things. Our home feels so homey, at least to me, anyway. I have never been great at creating a show home, but I feel like we have always lived in a home that is warm and welcoming. You can put your feet up and relax, and for that I am thankful.

Marriage:  Keith and I have really been having fun dating each other again. It's so much fun, we try to go out every week. It's always something simple, but we are alone together and there are no kids complaining in the background. God is so good to create such a beautiful relationship he called marriage.

Friends: Without fail, the Lord has blessed us with some of the most awesome friends on the planet. Some of them drive for hours to come visit, some we see every week to study God's word, some are phone friends, some we play board games with, but ALL of them are very special to our hearts! A true friend is the most valuable treasure you can have!

Family: We are heading to Louisiana next week for Thanksgiving. Being on a tight (very tight) budget, traveling is a pure luxury to us. I would really rather spend the money on utilitarian things and practical things, such as clothing or food. Do you have any idea how much money it takes to clothe 5 men, all wearing mens size large? And feed them? Egads! Anyway, we really do need to nurture the family relationships and we are all looking forward to seeing the extended family and friends next week. What a blessing to be able to go for a holiday!

The Guys: Chris is a junior and is driving some. He continues to be my left arm when Keith is at work. You have no idea how much I love and appreciate this guy! Andrew continues to excel in Civil Air Patrol and is no embarking on his first musical band venture. He plays electric guitar with four other guys and they are writing their own music. Michael is doing great in school this year. Who would have thought that? I am so proud of him getting A's in some very difficult subjects, including chemistry! James is a mini me. He's happy-go-lucky and so easy to please. I love going shopping with him at craft shows and festivals. He is so FUN! Thank you, God for these four wonderful guys! They are the light of my life!

Spiritual: I save this for last, because it is the most important. Spiritually speaking, I think we are doing well with our daily family Bible reading and prayers and conversations. Unfortunately, we are still without a church home. We have been absent from church since May. This is a first for us. In Louisiana, we had to be near death to miss a service. I know some of you can relate (because we have talked about it), but those of you who can't, consider yourself richly blessed. There is nothing more challenging than to deal with being without a church home for this long. We have tried all the pep talks you could imagine to get us to stay at a church, to visit a church or to continue visiting a church. Simply put: we are misfits. Some of you already know this, intimately, I might add. But we are not aliens or lepers or stinky or.... Anyway, cutting to the chase, we are searching again. You can say we are too picky or too strict or too whatever, I don't care what you say about us. Finding a church home is vitally important, and we would relish your prayers as we embark once again seeking.

Ok, I feel better now. Off to school! Have a BLESSED day!!!