Nothing Much

Nothing much going on today. Woke up later than I wanted to this morning, but still managed to make a pot of coffee, load the dishwasher and put dinner in the crock pot before I headed out to class at 8:30am! After class I caught up on some emails, got the brows waxed, stopped at REI to look into renting snow shoes and cross country skis then it was off to work. After work back home to eat the delicious dinner! And try and register for next semesters classes (it wasn't as easy as it seemed)on line. Listened to hubby play his new Christmas present (Les Paul guitar) and now I am about to kiss the kiddos goodnight and then relaxing in front of the TV with the hubby, glass of wine and a Nicholas Cage movie!

My hubby is Wonderful

My hubby is my hero. He is a gracious human being filled with love and courage. He faces challenges head on, cleans up many peoples messes and is able to laugh at himself. He is an excellent teacher, pastor and friend. He is faithful and loyal. I don't always appreciate the sacrifices he makes for me as his wife and our family. I guess this is my little way of saying, I love you honey and I am sorry for not appreciating you more.

Ethan Quotes

So this is the real reason I wrote an earlier blog. More Ethan quotes!!!!
"Come on Dad, I am six, Ashling is 10 and Nathaniel is 9 don't you think we know everything there is to know about sex"
Said at the dinner table Monday night while we were having a discussion about the simpsons, sex and why mom and dad need alone time!

"Come here ya big lug!"
This was said when Ethan said good night to Tom He wrapped his arms around his waist and shouted this to him.

More to come I am sure.......

Been Forever

So it's been forever. I have wanted to write a number of times but get overwhelmed at all that I could update on. So I have decided to let go of that idea and just pick up where I am now. Church is still going, we just hired another pastor to lead with Tom. I am still at the adoption agency. Kids are all healthy and doing well in school. Ash is enjoying her last year of elementary school in 5th grade, Nathaniel is in 4th and Ethan is a 1st grader. Tom just got his training to be a substitute teacher in the local schools and I am back at college taking classes towards my Social Work Degree. GO BRONCOS! This past fall we have had trips to PA just Tom and I for a friend's wedding, Disney World with extended family for a long over due vacation and I went to England to celebrate my Grandmother's 90th birthday and my brothers 30th in Ireland (a blog entry I will follow up on). Thanksgiving is tomorrow and Christmas is just a few short weeks away. So you are caught up!

Peanuts

It seems that every time we go out we come home to something new. The dog getting out of the yard, the dog chewing the fence. Last night we went out to see Spider Man 3 (I loved it), went for pizza at the mall and ended up at the new borders bookstore that just opened up. It was fun relaxing and had a great family time. We came home at around 10pm to find white stuff all over the yard! It wasn't snow! Looks like I took a short cut and when one of Ethan's birthday presents came last week and the box was filled with styrofoam peanuts I just dumped the whole box in the trash. Didn't bag up the peanuts and didn't think anything of it. Well Ash put the trash can out by the curb yesterday before we left (still not sure why since trash day isn't today) and we had a huge gusts of winds going on. So some thoughtful neighbor put the can up by the garage door and at 10:30 last night I was picking up peanuts. The most embarrassing thing, it was all over at least two of our neighbors yards so I looked ridiculous sneaking around their yards trying not to be seen.

Home Sweet Home

We are almost three weeks into our new home and we have had two church functions, a birthday party, two sleepovers, and at least six playdates! Yeah! We have also had our water heater leak, dog have diarrhea (the second day we moved in!) onto the new carpet, broken airconditioner, dog chew through our fence and through the new electic fence we bought to prevent her from getting to the fence! Oh the joys of homeownership! I am honestly loving our new home. It is fun to walk the kids to school in the morning (or watch them ride their bikes). We walk to the movie store, the grocery store and starbucks on a regular basis and my work is only 5 minutes away.

Joy

We sold our house at 10am
We bought our new house at 3pm.
We move on Wednesday.
I could be tired. I could feel anxious. I could feel overwhelemed.
But my goal this week is to soak in how joyful I feel and how loved and blessed our family is.

I can't wait

Another quote:
"Mom, I can't wait until my birthday..I am so excited that it's on a Sunday and I get to go to church..do you know why? Because they are going to have a big party for me!"
"Ethan why are they going to have a big party for you?"
"Because Dad's the pastor and I'm his kid!..You know they are going to have a big party for me!"

When I grow up

There is so much I want from my life. I want to be so much more than I am. I am doing that by choosing to examine the past so I can heal and grow through it. I am choosing to rethink my responses and actions towards certain people and situations and I am choosing to respond differently. And I gotta admit, at times it's a bitch. At times it feel so overwhelming, but yet I continue. I want to be more..so much more.
When I grow up...
I want to be beautiful, on the inside and the out
I want to be strong
I want to strive for more but be content.
I want to feel joy and freedom
I want to be selfless.
I want to be generous with my life.
I want to contribute to the world as a whole through my everyday living.

Trying Again

I tried posting this before and I'm not sure where it went..somewhere in cyberspace I guess. I am getting such a thrill, knowing my family and friends across the world are checking in on me to see how we are doing here in Boise. Hi everyone!
So today I wanted to give you some quotes that have been said over the past few weeks in our house.

"Mom, Do you know why I love myself?"
"No, Ethan, Why do you love yourself?"
"Because, you see this big glass of milk, I can drink down in one big gulp, that is why I love myself!"

"Guys, you have to open the door for mom, she's got Dad's beer!" - Ethan

"Mom, guess what? I didn't get sick! I prayed to God that I wouldn't get car sick and it worked! I told him that I was tired of getting car sick all the time and I he let me sleep instead..I knew he could do it!" - Nathaniel on the way home from McCall, a very winedy road that Nathaniel has gotten sick on numerous times!

"Mom, can I have a Liammint?"
"A what?"
"You know a Liammint"
"I'm sorry Ethan, what is it you want?"
"Mom, you know those mints in the jar with the plane on it from Liam's baby thing You know a Liammint" - Ethan talking about a mint candy favor from our nephew's baby shower 6 months ago!

I have no quotes from Ash this week. She is just keeping us on our toes! We have changed from having a home phone, can't stand Qwest, and now we have three cell phones. Tom, mine and the HOME one! Ashling has quickly adopted it as her own. With her ipod nano in the other..I feel ancient.

More Stitches

I really hope we aren't starting a trend! Monday evening, Ethan and Nathaniel were playing golf out on the front lawn. Ethan swung back the club and hit Nathaniel square in the jaw! Blood everywhere, Nathaniel's screaming, Ethan's crying, Tom's trying to gain control of the situation and I'm running around trying to get a towel that I don't mind getting blood all over. I am desperate to find an urgent care open (no such luck) so that we didn't have to make a trip to the emergency room. Poor Nathaniel, they ended up giving him some anti-anxiety medicine to calm him down, which caused him to act drunk! Poor kid couldn't even walk straight! Ethan was a mess and has dedicated the rest of his spring break to serving his brother because he feels so bad. I still haven't figured out if he did it on purpose. I do hope we aren't starting a trend, every other month stitches. Oh and my thanks to my Dad for the wonderful gift of the golf clubs in the first place!

Don't Call Me Ma'am

I am 32 years old.
I don't feel old on a regular basis....yet!
I feel old a when certain things hits me like I have a 10 year old that is turning into a young lady right before my eyes! Or my 5 year old is such a big boy pouring his own milk and putting away his own laundry.
But on a regular basis I feel young and in my prime!
But one thing that makes me feel 90 is when those polite "young people" call me Maam!
I swear I want to turn around and deck them!
Do I look like a ma'am? (That was a retorical question!!)
I know people are only being polite, but maybe they could call me "Miss"
Have a good day, Miss
Do you need any help Miss?
I swear I have been called Ma'am 20 times in the last week!
So, thank you for all of you wonderful polite people....but listen
DON'T CALL ME MA'AM!!!!!!!!

Goofing Off

I have a ton to do. I am supposed to be working on our church retreat..that's this Friday. But I'd rather goof off on the internet instead. I also need to work on my Doula certification paperwork. I have until May 13th to submit it. I have done all the requirements except write my essays. In theory this shouldn't be that hard but I am really intimadeted since I haven't written anything formal since college. So the goofing off continues. I also need to work on my passport paperwork since I will be going to England to see my grandmother for her 90th birthday in October my passport expires in April. Since I am not a citizen I need to go through the British Embassy in Washington D.C.. Which reminds me I would like to go ahead and work on my American citizenship paperwork which should take 9 months to 1 year. According to the Boise Immigration Office they are processing applications that they received last July. It's gonna be awhile. Since the United States allows dual citizenship I will be able to keep my British passport.
Enough for now. I've guilted myself back into working.
I'll goof off more later

Home Sweet Home

We only a block away from the kids school and a really nice park that backs up to the school.
I'll post more later!

YEAH!!!!

We have a new home! I am so excited!
The sellers didn't accept our original offer but we accepted their counter offer.
WE are looking to move at the end of April but are hoping we can move in earlier than that.
Thanks to all of you who have prayed.
I will post pictures tomorrow
Tonight I am off to relax with Tom since I didn't get much sleep last night
Later

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday Gareth!
I hope you have a great day and we wish you another wonderful year!
We miss you and wish we could be with you to celebrate your big day, 31 getting older.....
Love ya little bro,
Love the gang in Boise

New Offer

Since it's after midnight I guess we put in an offer on a house yesterday. And they have until today at noon to respond. It is the first house we looked at this week but weren't sure about it. It's room set up is a little different than I hoped for but I have now fallen in love with it and hope it works out. It's a block away from the kids school, and it's in walking distance of their middle school and high school. I am so excited.
I'll post as soon as I hear.

No Go

No go on the house. Someone made a better offer this afternoon. Bummer.
So for now, we are having our agent check the MLS listings everyday and we pray that God opens up another house. There isn't anything on the market right now that we like and that is in our school district.
I'll keep you posted

My heart's desire

As I sit and write this I have tears in my eyes and my heart is bursting with love.
My God loves me.
He truly cares about the little things I care about.
And I feel so loved.
I have been praying for over a year now that we could have the opportunity to move into a house that has a bedroom for my middle son. My middle child is a soft spoken, introverted, loving soul that is bookended by a brother and sister, that at times, can be as obnxious as all get out. He keeps to himself, is so kind hearted he brings me to tears all the time and loves his own space. But he has never had the luxury. Now that he is getting older, homework is a little harder to concentrate on at the kitchen table and it's getting down right frustrating to share a room with a person who doesn't respect your boundaries! So I started to pray. I have done this before when I have a desire that only God can fulfill or gently nudge me to let go of.
So I have been praying. This past fall Tom and I decided to go ahead and put our house on the market but the stress almost broke us and we decided that selling the house wasn't worth our family. But, still the desire was there but now when I approached God I knew I didn't have the strength to put it back on the market. So I kept praying. Well two weeks ago we get a call from a real estate agent representing a family that had seen our house in the Fall and wanted to know if we were still interested in selling! WOW! Once Tom and I got over the shock of the phone call and talked honestly about if we were, as a family and as a couple, in a place to embark on the adventure, we told them yes. So we got a call on Sunday that they wanted to come look at it, Tuesday morning we had an offer in writing, we counter offered that afternoon and as of 11:00am this morning we sold our house! God is awesome. My hearts desire has been answered one step at a time. The next step as been finding another place by April 27th, closing! We found a house this afternoon and await a response to our offer by 5:00pm tomorrow (Thursday) So I will keep you posted.......................

My Baby

My youngest son is so much fun. At 5 years old he is and always will be my baby. He is so cute and fun and funny. Not that my other two kids weren't at this age it's just I think I was to busy to pay attention. Here are some of the cute things he has said in just the last couple of days.

"Mom, we can't move...How will we find Disneyworld!"

"Mom I want to give away my blanket. So that the poor people can have it. We can cut it into little pieces and then more poor people can have some and then they can be rich too."

"Mom, when I get home I want to take a bashower. You know when you take a bath and then turn on the shower!"


I love my little guy!