False Hope

I kept saying, “I think she is better.  Really, I do.”  Jody dropped off a tupperware dish and said, “She doesn’t look very good.”  I agreed but was certain that as soon as I gave her a nice warm bath and put her in a comfy sweatsuit, she would come around.  As she sat in my lap, watching a movie, I think I could actually feel her temp rise.  So here we go again…more tylenol, pushing fluids and laying in bed watching Aladdin.  Maybe after a nap???  Ugh…

Still…

I’m still tired, Lani’s still feverish and sick, I still need to make snack for Brigg for preschool tomorrow, I still need to search the house for “O” items for preschool, and my hair still looks like crap.

BUT

I got a 100 watt bulb put in my kitchen and I finally feel like there is enough light in there.  Paul finished the trim in our room and the spare bedroom around the windows so he was finally able to hang blinds (it’s been 2 years since we’ve been up there with no blinds!), my lap top is totally running correctly (after messing with it for 2 days), Paul got the lumber needed to build a bookshelf in our room, the dishes are done and the children are in bed.  I cannot complain.  Now if I could only get some sleep tonight…

Just Tired.

Lani is sick. Fever, sore throat, lots of crying. I have been trying to tend to her for the past 36 hours and have left everything else undone. She doesn’t seem to be better yet. Last night she slept for about an hour straight and I started to get worried because she was only sleeping for about 15 minute shifts most of the night. When I went to check on her after an hour, this is how I found her….snoring…

Unfortunately it did not last and we spent most of the night trying to keep her cough and fever under control. ugh. hope we are ALL cleared up by the time we leave next week…

Just in case you don’t read comments

Thank you Miss Donna G. for your wonderful comment!  I miss working with you, I miss lunching with you, I miss you wonderful insights.  In case you don’t read my comments, Donna G. posted this yesterday.  She had read it on another blog and it seems to fit how I am feeling perfectly.  I know there are others out there that are feeling the same, so I wanted to share…. 

“Disturb us, Lord, When we are too well pleased with ourselves, when our dreams have come true because we have dreamed too little, when we arrived safely because we sailed too close to the shore.”

Preparing

I am trying to mentally (and physically) prepare for our trip these last 2 weeks before we head out. As a group, our team was instructed to read “Unveiled at Last” by Bob Sjogren. It has really put things into perspective for us. I know so many people wonder why we would ever go off to another country when there is so much work to be done in our own. I am beginning to understand that it doesn’t have to be one or the other. We are beginning to have our hearts soften in so many different
ways since we have decided to embark on this journey. My eyes are being opened to not only the need for God’s love in Guatemala, but also in Africa, in the USA, in Iowa, and in my very own church. I feel like there is a new part of my brain that has been ignited. I am excited, I am passionate and I am overwhelmed. I am searching and searching for that God-given gift that I was given to help all those around me. I am hoping along the way I will find it and use it as it was
intended to be used. Sjogren says, “Unfortunately, we’re usually Americans first and Christians second, and our teaching reflects it. Instead of looking out first for God’s kingdom, we are usually so concerned about ourselves that we have missed the very heart of God.” I love that. I am finding just how self-centered I really am and working on changing that. It’s not about me, it’s not about just the USA. It’s about something so much greater. Praying that as we prepare
for this mission, we begin to figure out how we will allow God to use us as a funnel and not a cup. Sjogren says “God wants to bless you, and He wants you to turn around and be a blessing to all the peoples on the face of the earth.” Praying that in some way we will figure out what we have been blessed with and be able to turn around and use it…to bless our neighbors, our community, our country, humanity. I just wish our gifts were so much more very obvious!! (Although it was exciting
to hear that while in Guatemala the construction team will be building a wall around the local church. They will be working with rocks, gravel and CONCRETE. Certainly Paul will be able to contribute significantly in that arena!) So continue to pray for us as we prepare…we need all we can get!!

Quincy, Max and Lani

So
this morning Jody stopped by to borrow my camera. She brought Max and Quincy in with her for a quick debriefing on the camera. We were talking and all of the sudden I realized what I was hearing. Max and Brigg were saying “Quincy is in love with Laaaaannnnniiii! Quincy is in love with Laaaannnniii!” I started laughing and Max said, “Well he is, he SAID he was!” And Jody said, “Well that’s ok. We SHOULD love eachother.” Brigg and Max both looked at each other and
did the Oh Gross! face. It was too funny. Then Jody left with the boys and Lani said, “Mommy, I’m going to go in my room and play.” Fine with me. I ran upstairs to grab something and I heard Lani on the monitor. She was quietly chanting, “Max is in love with MEEEEEE. Max is in love with MEEEE.” Oh my, we may have some serious problems in the near future….

SO EXCITING!!!

I am posting from my new (ok…not so new, actually very very used) laptop!!!!  I’m so very excited!  Got a used laptop with thoughts of bringing it to Guatemala with us to download pics.  It was in my possession yesterday and I got the router all set up just now.  This is great!!!

Paul’s Nemesis

Paul is one of the very few people I know that does not have an enemy. To know Paul is to love him. There is one THING that I would call his enemy though…THE SQUIRREL. Paul has been battling the squirrel since we have owned a home. He has gotten ever contraption ever made to keep squirrels off you bird feeders. He has trying to grease up the shepherd’s hook to prevent them from climbing up. He recently bought a bird feeder that if a squirrel gets on it, the whole mesh thing
moves down so they can’t get to the seed. Yesterday I looked outside and noticed a squirrel. It had climbed up on top of the feeder and knocked the top off. It proceeded to dive down INTO the feeder to get to the food. I could only capture it through the screen, so the photo is a bit blurry. Paul is going to feel defeated once again. The squirrels are smarter than we give them credit for.

Fur

Ok, I think this is the last test post. The other day Lani modeled her “fur” coat. She was a hit. I made it clear though that we only wear FAUX fur around here!

Railing…check

Here ya go, Mom!