Snow!!

Friday evening through Saturday we got a little snow and sleet.  Not very exciting for those of you who live cool places like Colorado or New England, or even Western NC, but for us, well, we'll take what we can get!

We all went out yesterday morning, but since it was still sleeting I didn't take the camera.  We bought sleds a few weeks ago in faith.  All the ice made it perfect sledding on the roads around our house. 

Hayes made it about an hour and then we brought him in for a day of video games and play time with us.  (Ok, so it was games with Daddy and Mommy had a Glee marathon.)

Rebecca stayed out ALL DAY.  She was sledding and in and out of friends' houses until I had to call her home at 6pm.  And we had gone out at 9am!

I went out with the kids this morning and let me tell you, I was a little scared!  The ice was twice as fast as it was yesterday and the mailboxes and gutters made it a little hazardous! ha!  You couldn't exactly dig your feet into the ice to slow down. 

                

We could push the kids on our almost flat driveway and they'd go all the way to the street and down to the corner!

                

I'm sledding behind her snapping pics. Probably not very smart.

                

Another hill.

                

                

Down the hill....

                

                

And around the corner!

                

When Hayes figured out that he wasn't going to get to play video games all day, he decided to join us.

                

                

                     

Fun times!  But I was ready for their friends to come out to play so I could come inside! ha!     

Why we're here

So all the traveling. Daniel (he thinks it's funny that I've been calling him "the husband") has a project in FL that requires him to be here a lot. Since we homeschool we've been able to come with him some. We've been here for 2 weeks at a time over the past 3 months. Then we go home for 2 weeks and come back for 2 weeks.

And while in theory 2 weeks in FL in the winter sounds really great....sometimes it's just not. We're in a 2nd floor apartment. Much better than a hotel obviously. But a 3yr old and a 7 yr old in a 2 bedroom, 4 room apartment? Not easy. There's not much room to run around and they can't really run around and be loud since we're on the 2nd floor.

And I'm lonely. (pity party, table for 1) I miss my friends! Not that I see them every day at home or even always talk to them every day. But I know that I can if I want to, ya know? I know I'll probably see somebody I know if I go to Target or Chick-fil-A. But here? It's kind of odd to be in a city for 2 weeks, go places, eat out, whatever and never see anyone you know. Except for the ones you brought with you. Who are honestly getting tired of only seeing YOU too.

The kids are actually better this trip than others. On the other trips, they weren't very well behaved. Arguing a lot, with each other and with me. Lots of drama. Which makes the already emotional mama feel like her head is going to spin off her shoulders. Anybody with me?

So...after all the complaining, are you still with me? Because I've been praying that the Lord would show me what I'm supposed to be learning from all this. And y'all, He is showing me.

---another reason for the "reasons it's cool to homeschool" list
---my kids are fun to hang out with (who knew?)
---I actually like driving around new places and investigating things
---it's almost fun to clean a tiny apartment that doesn't belong to you, although I don't know why

Finally, (well not really. I think I could write forever about what I'm learning)but...Finally-in-terms-of-this-post, my sweet Lord is showing me that even though I think I rely on Him, I really don't. I tend to rely on Him when I'm at the end of myself and what I can handle by myself. And people, that has been almost every day of this journey. It's just too much for this control freak, comfortable in my little box, like things the way I like them, girl. We fully believe the Lord blessed (yes, blessed) us with this opportunity for D's work. We prayed about it and fasted over it and talked about it and finally decided this was what we should do. And NOW I think He's given me a situation that is TOO big?

Well, it IS too big for me all by my little self.

But nothing is too big for my God.

And THAT, my friends, is the moral of this story.

And then there were pictures...

Note the results of a face plant on the sidewalk. Fun stuff.

Me and the girl.

I told you they were good seats. Notice the Hooters girl waiting to catch foul balls. Yeah, the peanut gallery behind us was so excited when she had to get up to get one. Nice. She was actually pretty nice and promised the next ball to Becca. Unfortunately, there wasn't a next one.

Palm Sunday

So when we're in FL over a weekend (it's only happened 3 times in 3 months---don't like to miss our church) we visit a local church that we found on the internet. It's pretty similar to our home church and we really like it. The kids just go right to their classes, no problem. It's a little more of an ordeal to get ME to small group class though. I just don't really do well with the small talk and we don't know ANYONE, so I get really nervous. Of course I know that I'll never meet anyone if I don't ever do things like this, so off we went. And everyone was super nice. (and this is where the husband says "I told you so!" It's kind of annoying when he's always right!) Whatever. He knows I'm weird.

Well, I got really brave tonight (how many times have I typed 'really'?) and we went to their Lord's Supper service. Now I will admit (shamefully) that there have been times when I have just gone through the motions. Please tell me I'm not the only one! But tonight, with Easter coming up and all, it was quite moving for me. They also showed scenes from "Passion of the Christ" during the service. That movie is so powerful! I'm very visual, so to see the blood dripping off Christ's body, knowing it was for me....and then to hear the pastor quote Christ, "This is my blood, shed for you"...well, how can you not be moved? And so very humbled. And thankful.

And I love, love, love that my 7 yr old was sitting beside me taking part in the service. She accepted Christ last year and was baptized and is always so excited when we have the Lord's Supper. I just pray that she will never take it lightly. I know that she understands only as much as a 7 yr old brain can, so I pray that as her understanding grows so will her appreciation for what it all means.

Thank you, Father, for sending Your Son for me. For knowing the agony He would endure and sending Him anyway. For us. For all. May I never again just go through the motions.

Spring Training

My little family is in FL for 2 weeks with the hubby's work again (a whole other post). We were excited to go to some baseball games while we're here. We've been talking about the ones we really want to see, looking at the schedules, all that. So we're sitting at the Phillies/Twins game today. (Yawn) I mean, what self-respecting North Carolinian would be excited to see either of these teams? Seriously. Braves. yes. Twins? Not so much.

So anyway, the 3 yr old (almost) says,"When are the Crankies coming out?" (I should preface this by saying he is WAY into Thomas the Train and there is a crane named Cranky in that whole train set. So now he calls all cranes that he sees Cranky.) I'm thinking, "I haven't seen any construction around here. What is he talking about?" I say," What Crankies?" He says, "The Crankies, when are they coming?" THEN he says, "the Crankies and the Red Sox!" I almost fell off my seat! The YANKEES and the Red Sox! He's heard us talking about trying to see the Yankees/Red Sox game on Monday! The kids, they are so funny.

And speaking of the Yankees game. Apparently spring training? IT'S A BIG DEAL, Y'ALL! You can't just show up and get tickets. They sell out! Even the Phillies and the Twins! We got the last 3 seats in the whole stadium today. But can I say that 1st row on the 3rd base side? They are good seats. Although I almost got trampled by grown men trying to get autographs. Grown men! And the players? Signing baseballs and ticket stubs (my kid's) is not their favorite thing to do when they've just gotten beaten 11-2. Who knew? So the Yankees will have to do without us on Monday. Because it seems that all the real fans got their tickets in January or something.


Last thing. A word to the wise. From the unwise. Putting sunscreen on your face and chest does NOT protect your legs or arms. I mean really. So you have to put it EVERYWHERE? Well they should totally put that on the label. Now you know.

You're welcome.