Quilt #2

All hands helped with Danielle's quilt. She is not verbal enough to express her favorite colors but we found a girly print that reminded us of her and a pattern that used a similar print and ran with that. She obviously loves it as she sits at the table quietly for a time and wants to help. So now there are two quilt tops pieced and two to go.

Poppell Farms

Today, we headed to Odum, Ga to go to the pumpkin patch. We had lots of fun. Danielle was so funny.......she kept picking up pumpkins and then put them down as she got to the next one and then switched it out for that one. I think this was done about 15x. Zoe just loved everything....The farm had animals, a catfish pond, a moo cow train ride, slides, a hayride, the pumpkin patch, a gift shop, a concession stand, a corn maze........we spent hours there.........thankfully everything could be bought in a package which included a pumpkin for every person.

Reflections of time

It has been a year since my husband walked thru the door at dinnertime tired from a day at work. It has been a year since I watched him pack up his duffel bag and gather his gear, strap on his weapon and stand in formation. A year since he boarded that stinking white bus that I will have alternate feelings for in 2 months. It has been a year since I ensured his name tapes were on everything. It has been a year since our kids tried to crawl in his bag to go with him. In that year, the baby had her first birthday, Ken turned two numbers, Zoe turned 3 and we both turned 40. I have struggled with my health and Kendra started cheerleading. Zoe now can say her ABC's and is learning to count. She can color between the lines on occasion. Danielle is starting to talk more and loves to be read to. She has moved from bottle to sippy and has gotten 12 teeth. Danielle loves to color on everything...........including herself. We had a full set oh holidays and are starting our next round of them. Some this year he will still miss.
During that year, I have shuddered everytime the phone rings at odd hours. Early morning or late evening calls worry me. Some mornings at the beginning of the deployment, I peeked out the window to ensure no one was waiting to greet me. I hate that feeling. Lately though, it seems to have quieted down over there some and my concern level is not as high as it first was. I hated those days, when he was not on the computer as planned........those were the days that the quietness and the news would get to me. My husband's unit has now moved to their last stop before they head home EARLIER by just a few weeks shy of the 15 months. I still do not feel able to breathe deeply....not just yet, as that will not happen until he is firmly on American soil. Only another military spouse will probably understand that. I can not wait to see the guys march in and sing the Dog Faced Soldier and the Army Goes Marching Along song. I cannot wait to feel the sense of pride and know that he is home not just for 17 days but more than likely for a couple years this time. It will be the longest we have been together since we got married..........we actually may be able to celebrate our 7th wedding anniversary together.............which will be a first. We have not been together for a single one yet. It is looking like John will be home just in time for the second and eleventh birthday of the kiddos and Christmas. We are all so excited!

Sunshine Quilt

My hands have not been idle this week by any means...........iron transfusion took a whole day (again) it seems until my numbers come up into a normal range the every 6 months thing is somewhere in the future. I was an 8.3 this time though! I will be glad when hubby is home to take me and watch the kids......cause sitters and gas money for a driver is costing us an extra $100 each time. Christmas is around the corner we need to be watching pennies. UGH.
But the real work is Zoe's Christmas present from Mommy. In consideration of all the stuff they have and our upcoming move. I decided each girl would get a quilt for Christmas from John and I. Although he is not here to physically help he did work to be able to afford the materials. Zoe has seen me working on it and keeps coming over and tells me Mommy, I love you working on my quilt and kisses the material. She is so loving.
We chose the sunshine design (Grandmother's Fan) cause she loves the colors of orange and yellow. I call her my sunshine girl as her smile lights up a room. The top of her quilt is done..I now have to layer it and back it but decided I would do that after the other girl's tops are done. Danielle's is all cut out and the tops are being pieced together. Na was interested in learning how and helped pin and sew last night. She learned to make a 4 square..........Kendra will help tonight as we start piecing together. Each of the girls have picked out a pattern. Kendra, of course, had to create her own. Now, I just have to draw templates out for it. It will be cute but is going to entail learning some things and more purchases which have to wait for payday. I really like that the girls are enjoying this and wanting to help. Even Zoe has been trusted with scissors. (She cannot do any more damage to her hair and the threat of what will happen to Christmas presents has her scared to leave the table with the scissors). Zoe sits next to me and trims the strings. All able and capable hands have had a part.

Kisses or Prayers

When Kendra was little, I started with her education that God is bigger than Mommy. With no active father figure around at that point (this was 10 years ago....), I wanted her to know that Mom did not have all the answers and despite my attempts at it... Mom is not Superwoman. That God has more authority and knowledge than me. I started with a simple little thing. When she got hurt and came running to me for kisses, I asked Kisses or Prayers? Is this something Mommy can take care of or is it bigger and a God thing? I have continued this tradition with my other kids as I see it works. Today Zoe stubbed her toe......and asked for prayers. When we were done, I asked how it felt. She replied Good. As she got up and started running from my lap she yelled Thank you, God. Then stopped in the doorway and turned around and said Thank you Mommy for praying with me. I responded immediately with tears and an "AWWW...it made Mommy happy to...anytime kiddo. I love you." It was just one of those moments I want to record on my heart and in my memory forever.

the number 40-food for thought

Lately, I have noticed the number 40 being repeated in the Bible a lot.
here are some examples.
t rained for 40 days and 40 nights when God wanted to cleanse the world and start over.
(Gen 7:12 KJV) And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.

Noah waited another 40 days after it rained before he opened a window in the Ark.
(Gen 8:6 KJV) And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made:

Embalming required 40 days (although this was an Egyptian custom, the Egyptians recognized the period of 40 for the preparation of going into a new life, what they called the afterlife)
(Gen 50:3 KJV) And forty days were fulfilled for him; for so are fulfilled the days of those which are embalmed: and the Egyptians mourned for him threescore and ten days.

Moses was on the mountain with God for 40 days (TWICE)
(Exo 24:18 KJV) And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.
(Exo 34:28-29 KJV) And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.
(Deu 10:10 NIV) Now I had stayed on the mountain forty days and nights, as I did the first time, and the LORD listened to me at this time also. It was not his will to destroy you.

Moses' face shone after the 40 days on the mountain.
(Exo 34:29 KJV) And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him.

It took the spies 40 days to search out the promised land and bring back fruit
(Num 13:25 KJV) And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.

The Israelites spent 40 years in the wilderness, one year for each day they explored the Promised Land.
(Exo 16:35 KJV) And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan.
(Num 14:33-34 NIV) Your children will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the desert. {34} For forty years--one year for each of the forty days you explored the land-you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.

Goliath came for forty days before being killed by David
(1 Sam 17:16 NLT) For forty days, twice a day, morning and evening, the Philistine giant strutted in front of the Israelite army.

Elijah strengthened by one angelic meal went forty days to Mount Horeb where the Lord passed by and he heard the voice of God
(1 Ki 19:8 KJV) And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

Jonah warned the City of Nineveh they had 40 days until God would overthrow the city. The people repented in those 40 days and God spared the city.
(Jonah 3:4 and 10 KJV) And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.
And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

Jesus fasted for 40 days in the wilderness
(Mat 3:17 KJV) And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
(Mat 4:1-2 KJV) Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. {2} And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered.

Jesus was seen in the earth 40 days after His crucifixion
(Acts 1:3 NIV) After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.

in talking with Ken about it........40 also is the average amount of weeks one is pregnant. and in thinking back over my times of testing it appeared to last 40 days. It was exactly 40 days from the day of my fire until I moved into my new house.
40 seems like a significant number and hmmmmmmm...I am 40!

POOR ZOE

Zoe has had quite the week.................my little long haired princess has had a cold .......... a deep cough that we could not get her into the pediatrician to see about. So over the counter stuff we are attempting to ease her discomfort with. Then her sidekick decided to "do" Zoe's hair.....with my Design perfume lotion. A no-no of course not only does lotion not go in hair but not my favorite stuff. Well when she realized she was going to be in BIG trouble over this she tried to remove it herself. Her mode of doing so? Can you take a guess? no not water.....she did not flood the house or even bathroom. No not my good towels..........she used SCISSORS! I have had a pair missing for a week but she knew right where they were and those were the ones she used! This all happened in a 15 minute timeframe too. I attempt to be in every room with every child and keep the house up and dinner on the table but man every time I stay out of a room for 10-15 minutes things like this happen. UGH......
so now my long haired beauty has a very short do. It will grow..........It will grow..........it will grow. There was no saving much at all and for a bit she will PROBABLY be mistaken as a boy. IT HAS BEEN ONE OF THOSE WEEKS. I think it will be time to start the reminders that beauty comes from within talks again.............