At 2:45 this afternoon, my MIL received a phone call from a tired, sunburned and exhausted much-loved man. We were outside and missed her message, which is why I am just now updating. P. is on his way home! He had stayed awake all night long, walking some 12 miles from where he was last seen in an attempt to get back home. Because of missing his medications, he was disoriented and ended up very near our large metro airport. But, my MIL says, after racking his brain ALL NIGHT (no sleep) trying to remember her telephone number, it all of a sudden just clicked, and that's when he called.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRAYERS!!! S-O M-U-C-H!!! I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBT THAT GOD SPOKE THAT PHONE NUMBER TO HIM!
Without giving away too private details, I do want to explain a few things to God's Glory and for gratitude for your prayers for a cyber friend when I was much too exhausted to even form the words for my family or myself.
P. has gone missing twice before, yes. And on those occasions (especially the first time) we were also very frantic. But certain circumstances this time made us fear for his safety even more than we've had reason to in the past. Let's just say that the details surrounding this episode make his return to us all the more miraculous and deeply humbling. And this time, (I am CONVINCED) because of so many prayers both here and elsewhere, he returned quicker than we ever anticipated. Quicker than the other times, which were a week the first time and 2 1/2 days the other. Knowing what we did about details this time, that was TOTALLY UNEXPECTED.
P. is a sweet man who just takes people at their word unless and until they give him a reason not to. He also is tall and muscular and hefty and built like a college linebacker. You can see where this might be a dangerous dichotomy. (Remember Lenny from "Of Mice And Men?") Beyond his own safety, we also feared for the trouble P. could face if he were to retaliate at being taken advantage of.
Instead he is at my MIL's home, sleeping soundly (as is she!) before they return him to the center where he lives sometime today or tomorrow. I do want to say that knowing what she does (which is more than she's even had time to tell us) she does not seem to think that they have been negligent in any way.
As for me, I have been an emotional wreck today. Whatever strength I might have seemed to have had yesterday was shot to bits today even before we knew P. was safe. The sheer amount of problems we have been handed in a just 48 hours has been a bit overwhelming, to say the least. Earlier today, it just all seemed to release with a hysterical fit of crying that had obviously been at the brim without my even realizing it. Then the message about P. sent me crying again. Then laughing - with joy at the news and at myself for feeling like I change from up to down and back about every 15 minutes. I still feel peace that God is going to see us through all of these inveniences. I'm just wondering which to tackle first, ya know. All of them require action and I am but one person. That is where I struggle more than anything. Not with worry at the outcome but with having grace in the wading through. I want to do well in everything I set my mind to, but that takes more time than I sometimes feel like I have. I don't want to tell my kids I'm too busy to watch a somersault or tell my hubby it will be fast food tonight yet again! Anyway, sitting here is getting none of it done and it will take several weeks to wade through it all, so I suppose I should get started.
Again THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRAYERS. THEY MADE A DIFFERENCE.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Prayer Makes The Difference
Friday, May 30, 2008
The Ending Is The Most Important Part Of This Post!
My husband just called. It's 8:30 p.m. He left for work today at 5 a.m. and wanted to let me know he still has about 1 1/2 left before he makes it home and has to finish putting up our fence. "How is your day?" he dared to ask. "Oh," I drawled coyly, "I'd really rather not talk about it." He knows this is my code for "if I really let you know, I'm going to scream and not stop for the next 3 hours. " So for good measure I reiterated, "I don't even want to discuss it because I WILL lose my testimony." At least his reply made me laugh. "I'm sorry Babe. I had that kind of a day again too. And I still have my testimony but unfortunately it's probably not a very good one." :-)
For the past two days, Murphy's Law around our house would be a laughable understatement. First, there was Walmart. I DETEST Walmart! Always have. I don't know why I haven't learned my lesson by now. Frankly, I am far too tired and swamped with chores to explain it all. I'll be up well until 2 or 3 a.m. at least and that's JUST to deal with the basics. THE VERY BASE BASICS. So the really super short version is that I could get no help there with a roughly 200 pound swimming pool that I was purchasing precisely to give the kids something to keep from getting bored while I spend the summer trying to recover from 3 1/2 years of frustration stemming from our complete lack of organization that makes absolutely everything we ever try to do far from anything even resembling efficient. (I know that is a monstrous run-on sentence and I don't care. Can you FEEL my sassiness?!) I had to push the STUPID BLASTED swimming pool ALL THE WAY through Walmart by myself, barefoot (to attain enough traction), bent over at a 30 degree angle (to get enough muscle), sweating, while "customer care representatives" (bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha!) stood around watching with all the amused customers doing the same. UGH!!! And then I went completely against principle and bought the dumb thing anyway just to not waste any more time (at a laughable "discount" "for all my troubles" - there is SO MUCH MORE to the story.) Then I got home and wouldn't you know, a main piece of equipment (and the important first step in setting it up) IS MISSING! AAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!
O.K. Then, our mortgage company just informed us that THEY made a mistake but it will be costing us just under $5000 to fix and BTW, they need payment by June 26. And, oh yeah, property taxes are going up (from all the nice homes built on unaffordable credit and now in default - my add, not their, of course) and so even WITH paying our escrow deficiency, our new payment will still be 30% higher from now on. Ahem. Yeah. Let me just pull that out of my sock to pay you big guy!
Oh, and our company's worker's comp is now requiring coverage for two of our employees who work either in their own homes, or in ours, for no more than 3 hours per week crunching numbers. But because they work for a construction firm, we have to cover them with the same "higher risk" status as our guys who work with the heavy equipment. And they'll need close to $5000 right away as well. Are you serious?!!!!
Here is why I need to rant tonight. NOT BECAUSE of all that is taking place. Quite frankly, my husband is angered and annoyed far more than he is worried. And I'm convinced God is going to take care of us. That's not my issue. If we have to move or home school again or whatever, so be it. But why do people have to be so rude about demanding "their" money even when you pay in full and on time and try to be pleasant while they tax you four times on the same dollar? Sometimes I just want to ask them who crowned them king of civilization!
WHEW! O.K. not out of my system yet, but that helped.
And now could I please ask something that makes all that junk written above rediculously unimportant by comparison? (I'm afraid the former part seemed more serious - and it is, but God has given me the ability to keep it in perspective and laugh once I get it off my chest.) Just now, however, as I was typing my hubby called with some hard news. His brother, my age, and a wonderfully loving big ole' teddy bear, has mental handicaps and has recently been having a REALLY rough time with the balance of his medications. HE IS MISSING. In just the past couple of days, he was released from a lengthy hospital stay to return to the center that cares for him. I would REALLY REALLY appreciate if you would please pray for him, the police who are searching for him and for my MIL, who is not only a loving caretaker but also right now, a graceful but secretly frantic mom. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I appreciate it so much. Last time they asked me to contact the news stations. I am off to see what is needed. THANKS!!!!
Thursday, May 29, 2008
In His Glasses And Underwear
I came into the living the room this morning to find my youngest son creating his perfect football character on the Playstation while sitting in nothing but his Buzz Lightyear skivvies and new blue-framed glasses. I can't tell you how cute he looked! Well, actually that's all I can do because he said "Oh, no! Don't..........."
"blog about this?" I guessed.
"No. PLEEEEEASE don't get out your cRamera!"
Did I mention that I love there a still a couple of words he can't quite figure out how to pronounce?
I'm soaking it ALL in!
Saturday, May 24, 2008
MOO!
My youngest son learned several songs as part of his Kindergarten Graduation. Three of them were hymns and praise songs and one was this silly little diddy that has become our official family car song. It. Is. H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S!!! (Wish you could hear the tune and hick accent to get the full effect!) So cute. We couldn't believe he was actually able to keep it a secret from us for those few weeks of practice. We literally sing it all the time now and I can guarantee it will be wafting out the windows of our roadtrip this weekend.
Bessie, the Heifer (Moo!)
Queen of all the cows
She gives more milk than
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Random, Rambling, Heartfelt, Sad and Hopeful
It's been a looooong, exhausting, exhilarating, up-and-down, lesson-filled, lovely two weeks since I decided to ignore the blog as life slammed into overdrive. School is over. We are not exactly slowing down anytime soon, but it's shifted and we were ALL ready! I'm at peace. I wanted to record our activities on here at least five times a day and it was exceedingly difficult to realize I was going to forget many of the smaller moments that not only held together my sanity through so much DOing, but made it really funny and sweet. Cute things the kids said, life lessons that made me smile, things they did that made me so proud and SO THANKFUL that God sees them through all the imperfections of my parenting. If I can just remind them "Jesus," they are going to do O.K. come what may.
I wondered what I might post when I finally had the time again. There are several "big events" that need to written for family memories, but then when I came to the computer this morning there was something that overtook my focus. I received it first, oddly, through channels other than the news page. I received it through a long-ago connection to the music world. Stephen Curtis Chapman's precious tiny daughter, very near my own son's age, died in a horrible accident in her own driveway.
You know those movies where the end culminates in a dramatic realization after snippets of all the seemingly unrelated stuff in life flashes one by one to reveal that each one was important to that eventual moment? Today has been like that. Years ago, I was the Promotions Director at a Christian music station. A big major part of my job was to make all of the many preparations in bringing a concert into town. Everything from securing the venue based on projected ticket sales to concocting contests weeks beforehand to drum up excitement to giving the artist a ride from the airport to his hotel. I never met S.C.C. I came in a week before his concert at the height of his career (at least according to ticket sales) and the prep work was already well underway. My manager handled the rest of the details after the girl I was replacing left, so I wouldn't be playing catch up first thing off the bat. But I do know this about him. He was one of the two kindest, most genuine artists we ever had the pleasure of working with. (The other was Gary Chapman, for those curious.) He was humble and involved and REAL. I know this just by the professionalism he used in dealing with us. He called my boss personally to make the more personal arrangements (hotel accommodations for his family, for example.) He was the ONLY artist ever to do that and it saved us so much potential for miscommunication. Also, artists would routinely submit "riders," listing their needs for the trip, including type of sound equipment compatible to their bands' instruments and dietary restrictions for catering, etc. One artist was so detailed as to require a certain brand and color of grand piano and a particular kind of chocolates and pillows in the five star hotel room. S.C.C.'s rider listed only that he had such and such type guitars that needed a special booster in order not to feed back. He tried to insist on paying his own cab fare to get to his hotel even though it was our regular practice to provide their ride. No special privileges needed. He was there to sing to Jesus and hope it blessed others to know Him in the process.
But that's not why I felt connected to him. It's not why my kids wondered why I literally shed tears when I was heard the news. It's because we have kids the same age and we serve the same God. I guess the older I get the more I am appreciating the connection that comes from the sisterhood I have with people I have never even met because their Father is mine. I can call out to MY Jesus to help them and I know He hears me and that He knows THEM and loves them as intimately as I know my own blood line.
While I was away the past two weeks, I came to find three different blogs that had to do with losing their children either at birth or at days' old. I was already contemplating the right way and time to finish my "Miracle Girl" series. But I needed to wait. I haven't re-lived all those feelings in a very long time, and yet I felt the words of these blogs so deeply, so personally, with such understanding. The details are different, but I 've been there. Except that I DON'T have the memory of an encounter with meeting my baby. I DON'T have the photos. The place of memorial to go visit. Friends who share that moment in time and remember it from their own perspective. I was jealous. I lost my focus and concentrated on what I DON'T have and forgot to watch only what I DO have. And what I'm glad these three couples also has. It's what we have in common. It's Jesus.
I share something else too with all these amazing broken people I have never met. We all have the same hope. I know what thought they will likely rest in at that time when the deep grieving gives way to peaceful acceptance. And I believe it eventually will. Eventually, but only when the time is right. There is nothing so beautiful as the thought of the complete and utter safety of an innocent child, your own innocent child, resting entirely healed and eternally unburdened in the nail-scarred arms of a Savior who would PROVE his love through his torture and death. They are happy and perfect and peacefully at play with the very Author of all that is PERFECT. It doesn't mean we here on Earth won't hurt and miss them more than can even be described, but eventually we learn to rejoice in their new circumstance more than we hurt at our new circumstances.
Because the Chapmans are parents, and because they are praying to the same God that hears me also and because I've done things that were unintentional yet can never ever be reversed as their sweet son will have to face forever from now on (he accidentally hit his sister while backing out of the driveway), that is why it hurts. Not because I know them (I don't) or they are famous. I've cried too for the the other bloggers I've read. I'm just getting really mushy like that I guess. I cry at everything anymore it seems, and yet I feel stronger than when it was me. If you have ever lost a child or if you are ever destined to, bless you. Especially when you've shared memories and known their personality. That I can't relate too or imagine.
The answer is ALWAYS to FOCUS on JESUS.
God please bless the Chapmans and everyone grieving the loss of a child, grandchild, niece, nephew, aunt, uncle, friend or sibling. Be especially with this young man who was driving and protect his mind from the turmoil and confusion, Lord. In Jesus name.
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Taking A Break
Friday, May 02, 2008
Real Life CSI
I have never watched an episode of CSI before, but now I may have to. Yesterday, my son participated in the dedication of a new 30-million-dollar crime laboratory. It was built to be one of the premier forensic centers in the country and will assess the most complicated cases in this area of the nation. Dalton's scout leader has a good friend who works there and he secured this extremely unique opportunity. What a huge and humbling honor to have the privilege of being a part of this because Mr. S. was willing to invite us along. Our scouts and their siblings, plus one other family (who I didn't know) are the only children who will ever be privy to those parts of the building which today are closed off to "personnel only."
Most of the 70 employees of this state-of-the-art facility acted as tour guides for groups of about 4 to 10 people, including several of our state's highest leaders. This was thrilling on so many levels because my son is already showing strong interest in politics and how they affect our society. For him to get to mingle with judges and state senators and the lieutenant governor and discover that they are normal people who complain about having to wear suits on a hot day and talk proudly of their kids making the soccer team - that was really neat. Our tour guide was absolutely lovely! We couldn't have asked for a sweeter lady to show us around. She was probably in her mid-forties, short, with salt and pepper hair and an infectious smile. She allowed us to stay as little or as long as we wanted in each area and answered - I'm not kidding - about 50 different questions between us (my friend and I, three of our kids and our scout leader.) I have never been so interested in Science and this was the perfect person to bring that out in me. She LOVES science and she had this way of simple explanation and of making it so relevant to real life. I wish I'd had her as a teacher in high school and college!
We learned all about things like ballistics and toxicology and physiology and a whole bunch of other "ology's." They told us how they had solved specific crimes that are notorious to our area. The kids got to see the gun range where they determine if bullets found at crime scenes match to a certain gun and how they shoot it through a water trough to prevent it from touching anything but the gun barrel itself. They showed us the car bay where they check vehicles for evidence. They showed the huge hauls off actual drug busts and the secured space where they dismantle volatile meth lab chemicals to make them safe to investigate. We learned about a multi-million dollar steel pier system from the first to the third floor that prevents the most minute seismic activity from shaking their microscopes. These microscopes are so sensitive they can magnify residue unseen by the naked eye more than 600,000 times! We saw how finger prints were lifted off of victims of Hurricane Katrina for identification though they had floated in water for weeks. :( They showed us the database computers containing the DNA samples of all felony convicts nation wide and the area where evidence is transferred to the facility by an officer. There was a sterile area for masked and gloved lawyers to review their client's cases in the presence of a scientific preservation expert. Oh! And you know those textbook photos where they show an actual strand of DNA and how it has a code that distinguishes you from every other person on the planet? We saw that in real life! AMAZING! Astounding really, how uniquely designed and intricately structured we all are! Plus there were about 5 dozen other things equally or even more interesting that I just can't remember them all!
I can't tell you how much I appreciated our guide's discretion in explaining the more tender areas of crime scene investigation. She knew EXACTLY how give enough information to satisfy our questions in terminology that was not harmful to the kids. If there was no way to do that, such in the s*exu*a*l crimes unit, she didn't even try. I really really appreciated her for that. I asked and she told us that her degree in Science to be a drug analyzer (she figures out what a drug is that is found) took only four years. That boggled my mind given her EXTENSIVE knowledge of all things Science. She must have studied HARD! Other people in the building had up to three DIFFERENT 8 year degrees, PLUS computer programming training to boot! (They have to employ their own computer service technicians for obvious reasons.) And they all are licensed officers, able to pack heat and make arrests.
After the tour the kids were given a commemorative coin as proof of their attendance and we were all treated to a catered buffet. How fun to realize as we made our way through the line that one of our long-time restaurant-owner friends had catered the meal. We have gone to his place for the past 20 years. He knows us by name. And honestly, this was the best spread he has ever made! It was delicious. While my friend and I sat and ate we joked about how they were probably going to lift our prints off the water bottles after we left. Especially because another guide had said something so funny when our guide deferred to his explanation in the area of his expertise. He works on matching DNA samples to the data base and we had asked him if they ever use DNA samples for comparison that were NOT collected in the commission of a crime. He explained a particular law that requires all CONVICTED felons to submit their saliva swab upon booking into any federal prison. Then he said "of course we would like that to expand so many more people are included in the database." We cracked up! Of course what he meant was that they would like to take samples from misdemeanor criminals and anyone who is even arrested, whether or not they are eventually convicted. (Because, he explained, so MANY crimes are committed while the charged is out on bail still going through the LENGTHY judicial process to get a conviction.) Of course, we explained that it sounded like he'd like more people out there to commit crimes. He thought his mis-speak was as funny as we did. We figured he would have the sense of humor to laugh with us, since he was responsible for sticking the dashboard hula girl on top of the arm of the machine that mixes blood samples. But honestly, the people of this facility were highly professional and easy to interact with. Our guide made the comment that their jobs are as scientists. She said to her, it's a win either way. If evidence shows that a crime did occur, it will be what's needed to pull that dangerous person from society. If is shows a crime was not committed, she rejoices that the world is still positive for her daughter to grow up in. From our kids to state dignitaries to the friendly high school girl behind me that used "like" three times in every sentence, they treated each one of us with equal kindness and respect and the attitude that this building was for US, having been purchased with our tax money. That did an awful lot in my eyes to convince me that they truly can and will investigate what is brought to them in an unbiased manner, with a concern for justice no matter who is the victim. They were humble justice lovers and I appreciate that.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
None The Wiser
Sometimes when a situation occurs in our family that is funny on a level that pretty much anyone could appreciate, my older son will sternly warn me through his cackling laughter, "Mom, you CAN'T blog this, O.K!" Funny how quickly they've learned that anything they do or say is potential material for mom's addictive habit. (They have rarely even read the blog, but they know better than to want other people to either when it wouldn't show their better sides.) And I promise I have left out some of the more embarrassing stuff they've offered, basically because I understand the principle of blackmail. It's not like I'm completely free of my own blonde moments. Not by a long shot.
This is why my interest spiked yesterday when my son came home almost singing "Mom, I've got something you have GOT to put on your blog." I really appreciate that he is understanding the value of a good memory, even if it does stem from a pre-teen male perspective.
He said that he was in Science class when the teacher asked "What happens when the rock inside a volcano heats up to the point of changing it's state or form? What is that called?" Everyone apparently looked at her blankly as if not to recognize exactly what she was looking for. Dalton's friend J piped up and asked, "do you mean what does it turn into?" And during his quest for clarification he accidentally sounded his horn so to speak, what we refer to in our house as "tooting." This naturally got all of the guys around J giggling as respectfully as possible when a kid on the other side of the room, outside of earshot of the offense, raised his hand excitedly shouting, "Oh, oh, I know! Is it GAS?" Dalton said the group on his side could not contain themselves! They were all now cracking up at how innocently this guy had called out the other.
He said that J was a great sport about it and luckily kids that age are still just young enough to be somewhat forgiving of social no-no's. He also said that the teacher let them have their giggles for a few seconds before urging them without any condemnation to move on. She knows how to handle boys that will boys.
I thought it was a pretty good story and I was actually impressed that my son recognized it would make a unique memory to record. By the way, the answer to her question was "MAGMA."
