Today was just a little fun! I do love to make it special for her since ….well….homework, you know. (Oh, and I owed her for the many “100’s” she has received. Pay up! (I don’t mind paying here).
She also tries to make things “more fun” by having new looks every day. The glasses seem to be the catalyst. The newest pair: Speckled and surprising. Just like her!
Which shall she pick for tomorrow ? We hope to go to an outing…so which shall she wear?
So, we did! Tot and I went to As You Wish, and what did we paint? Well, Tot worked on a couple of nomes, and me? I wanted to celebrate our mission: Living the 6G life.
We surprised Daddy at Idea dinner.
And the other nome? We named him “Nomo” since each day we’d hide him. Nomo Gnome.
Our Idea dinners are always full of joy. We love to brainstorm new ideas for our family and others.
He was to come over for breakfast, birthday, and now, just because he rocks!
In three weeks time, Austin has done a 180. Stuck in a dead-end landscaping job, we have been praying for him to get a “career” type of job going; but most everything requires a high school diploma.
Obtaining his GED would be a challenge since he worked so much, he was not able to do all of the arranging, and he had a limited time to complete it in order to make the deadline into the GCU Electrician Apprentice program.
BUT GUESS WHAT? He powered through, and on the week of his 25th birthday, he finished all of his tests, passed, and started at GCU. WOW! Talk about perseverance.
Well, today, we celebrate.
He came by and was blown away!
I made a sausage, potato, butternut squash, kale quiche and a coconut flour iced lemon bread. First, we prayed for the meal, and then dished it up.
Austin talked the whole time about his classes, and not how he is set on getting A’s. Also, he read his goals to us:
“I want to graduate with A’s, have a full time job, be married with. kids…and start my own company.” He had it all laid out! True ambition after being lacking of this for so long. Doug couldn’t be more happy as he has waited 10 years (PRAYING) for a change of heart for Austin. Who could have imagined he’d be at GCU now!?
WE can’t wait to see what God has in store for you sweet boy.
Tatum was asked by the principal to be an “ambassador” (hostess) to a new student in January. I reached out to her mom before to arrange the before school meeting.
Milania and Tatum hit it off instantly. Also an only child, she seemed to have a sweet disposition like Tatum. I found out that they enjoyed spending time with each other.
Fast forward to last week. Tatum was home with Covid for a few days, and Milania’s mom texted me to check on Tatum. Apparently, Milania cried when Tatum wasn’t there; she really missed her! I also found out from her mom (Danielle) that Tatum has been the ONLY girl who has been kind and inclusive to Milania. Wow.
We invited her over for a play date! I knew it was special, because Tatum took all morning to clean her room.
SPOTLESS! She also made Milania a surprise gift for when she arrived.
(BF friendship bracelets)
She rang the doorbell bearing gifts also: A Lego flower set! So kind.
They got right to work on it with Woody of course!
They had a blast together, and her mom and I? We hit if off too.
I told Tatum to just keep being WHO YOU ARE and the right friends will come.
The joy of family…yes…we just love being with them, right? It gets a little “crazy” when you add animals into the mix. Oh, and throw in some sickness, and you have lots of crazy.
The past few days, Tatum hasn’t felt too hot, and we finally tested her:
Oh, the poor girl. Now Doug and I are making sure we don’t get it, but this does mean a few days at home with our “cozy” family.
Little Woody continues to add to the cacophony of noise and sounds.
He continues to check out everything. Even the various birds he sees (virtual or not)
And then there’s church. We aren’t there physically due to the Tot being sick, but we do enjoy it from the comfort of our living room. Oh, the joy of family. Tot drawing, Coopy chewing, Woody singing, and Doug and I listening intently.
See how cozy we all are? Tot, Coopy and Woody. Family
How often do we say, “This is a new start!” I find I say it often, or at least I mean to make new starts when I say it. Unfortunately, change doesn’t happen overnight; habits can be hard to break. They require a discipline that may be more than we can handle at the moment. But God has a different timeline than we do, and when we ask for change (or for help in an area for us or another), He answers this, but NOT in our time-frame-wish.
Case in point…all of us! I have on my prayer cards specific requests that I have poured out my heart about. None of them have occurred in the way I have expected. HA! Is not that so GOD? His ways are not my ways (thank goodness).
I’ll go through each one of us. See how wonderful God’s ways are working.
Doug.
Now, my wonderful HHH has grown immensely this last year. He is now reading almost nightly! Also, he has formed some amazing men relationships that truly sharpen each other; as a leader of a small men’s group, he is looked upon with so much respect. At Honeywell, he is esteemed and appreciated. So proud of him. With Tot? Their relationship continues to grow in leaps and bounds. (as does ours)
Tatum
My little Tot. Not so little anymore! She has taken on so much more responsibility with now having little Woody. Also, I have her keeping a wallet and purse so SHE is in charge of her own money, budget, and therefore discretion in her choices. Her character continues to shine as she exhibits the fruits of the Spirit at school and now at home; (She got straight “E’s” on her report card for character!). At home, we created a “winning report card” for her to make some more allowance as well as to encourage good choices. Watching her grow in her writing, her creativity, and her passion for others is inspirational. Just recently she was an ambassador to a new student; that student feels so welcomed and loved at PVCP thanks to Tatum. I love you so much sweet girl. Keep shining your light.
Austin
If you would have told me 3 years ago that Austin would be attending GCU, I would have laughed and then woken up! You see, Austin had a rough few years; first dropping out of HS right before he graduated, then making a few wrong choices with substances, living conditions, jobs…you name it. But…the past 2 years, he’s been really turning it around. First, he is working for a landscape company manning a crew and leading that daily. He works so hard! However, he knows he’s in a dead end situation. I found out about a program at GCU where they put you through an Electrician training program for 16 weeks, and then basically guarantee you a job upon graduation. I got him into it, but he would need to complete his GED. NOW, we are in the process of making all of that happen. He had his first day of class on January 5th!!! WOWOWOWOW! So proud of him! You can do it, AUSTIN!
Now me: (Steph)
Where do I start? It’s been a year of getting rid of some old habits (which I thought were good things) plus finding out much information about my digestion. What a journey. I basically have relapsed 7 times with this SIBO situation plus now add on the pelvic floor proplapse where my small intestines have fallen into where my uterus used to be. My weight plummeted this year which created a domino effect of all sorts of nasty symptoms. Ugh. I’ve put my family through so much.
BUT, I have been forced to make some tough choices, forming new habits.
Breath work
Increased down time: Prayer, meditation, yoga, journaling
Diet changes: meal spacing, removal of fake foods, REAL eating, LOTS of cooking! Pureed food/soup habit!
Friends: Newfound friendships which go deep and are so supportive
Family: EVERYTHING! (besides YOU, JESUS.)
For me, it has been a gradual slowing down but a quick jump onto feeling better as I do the right things (for my body). My appreciation and gratitude quotients have quadrupled. God takes all the yucky and makes it into a beautiful mosaic.
New beginnings are new opportunities to see things from a different perspective. May we continue on our learning path of love, joy and peace. XO.
