Exciting days

Oh where to start? We've had some busy, exciting days recently.

Firstly, let me just begin with my thoughts on this blog.

I occasionally get visions of blogger grandeur in my mind and I think: I am going to consistently pay good attention to my blog and build it into something good and helpful and entertaining: a real real blog. But the truth of the matter, as you may have already guessed, is that I just simply do not have the time to devote to it, on a consistent basis. My life's priorities just don't allow it. So you'll just have to tolerate my on again, off again, mediocre style of blogging. =)

Now, on to the glad happenings of late:

Last Sunday, Father's Day, Madison trusted Christ as her Saviour! Yeah!

She is 4 and a half and has been, for quite a while, been discussing matters of eternity with both Seth and I, and her other spiritual advisers, her cousins- ages 8 and 9. ☺It's only natural for a child who has been in church since birth to ponder Heaven and Hell a bit younger in life than most... but still, sometimes I wonder what people who are not in church, or not as involved in church, would think of the unusual conversations we have with our young children. It probably seems bizarre, or even morbid, for my 3 and 4 yr. old to easily talk of Hell, Heaven, the Devil, God, Jesus, sin or eternity. And I'm sure I have raised eye brows as I push my (at the time) 2 yr. old Maddie around in a shopping cart in Wal Mart while she happily, and loudly, sings about God hating our sin. I did try to direct the song's theme to more happy truths about God but no, God hating sin was all Maddie wanted to sing about that day. But this is how our girls are raised. In church. With the Bible, and it's topics, openly discussed. So we talk about what Heaven and Hell are like. They play baptism in the tub. We pray for healing when we have boo boo on little knees. And we are okay with youngsters thinking about where their souls will spend eternity.

After eating out for Father's Day, we had stopped by to visit a family who had unexpectedly lost a loved one. Maddie wondered why the house was so full of people. Why had the man died? And then she really wanted to know where that man was right now. All of these topics have been covered many times, of course. After leaving the house full of mourners, I took the younger girls home for afternoon naps while Seth and Maddie went off to run some errands. In the van, on Father's Day, Seth got to lead our daughter in a prayer to become a Christian.

The following day, Seth went off the a week of summer camp.... as a counselor. I think. ☺ Camp went really well. The boys from our youth group who went seemed to open themselves up and allow the preaching to work in their hearts. There were many fun activities for them and they all returned very tan, sore, tired and smiling.

I was exceedingly glad to have Seth home!!! I do. not. like. being home at night without him. I'm really fine during the day. I miss him, but I get things accomplished... do my own thing. Eat yogurt for dinner. Put the girls in bed at 7:30 in the evening. ☺Put them back in bed for the next hour and a half. Regret trying to put them to bed too early. Take Motrin Pm so that I have some hope of falling asleep. Turn the fan on super high to drown out the noise of every axe murderer walking by. Wake up freezing. Then repeat it all again for 5 days.

Somehow we survived. There was an embarrassing moment during the week, however...

In the 7 yrs. we've been married, Seth has always filled the tank with gas. I don't really even pay attention to the gas gauge at all. Occasionally, if Seth knows I plan to drive all over the state to shop or visit friends, he'll remind me to look at the gas gauge once in a while. But generally, he takes care of it completely. Well.... his perfect record is now tarnished. With a bazillion things on his to do list before leaving for camp (it was the last week of school, so lots of records work, preparing for schooling program, preparing for Father's Day at church, financial mumbo jumbo at church, etc) he did not fill up the tank before abandoning... um I mean leaving me for his life's work. ☺So as I headed to the park on Monday with the girls all sun blocked and ready to play, I for some reason looked at the big "E" on my dash. Uh-oh. Do I even remember how to pump gas? It's embarrassing... I know. A 27 yr. old mother of 3 really should be able to pump her own gas without issue. So I pull in, and start the process. I'm simply following the prompts. But something isn't working!! I did everything like I'm supposed to but the stunkin' (and it really does stink) gas is NOT coming out!!!! I'm started to get flustered. And yes, a bead of sweat or two is forming on my brow. Grrrrrrr. I'm pretty sure the other customers are looking at me wondering how an idiot like me even has their license. And then, from the back window of the van, I hear the sweet voice of my 4 yr. old.

"Mom, what's taking so long?"

"Mom, maybe you should just go inside and ask for help."

Grrrrr.

Cell phone out, calling Seth... in the middle of whatever he is doing, 5 hrs. away from me and our gas-less van.

"What am I doing wrong?"

He doesn't know. He can't see. He doesn't have good reception where he is.

I abandon that gas pump. It's obviously defective. After pulling up to a different pump, I start anew. It doesn't work. The whole station must be broken. Was there an explosive episode in the OPEC nations that I hadn't heard about? Can a girl just get some gas????

We go to the park. Still on "E".

I drive home, stopping at the only full service station I know of and pay a ridiculous amount of money for my ridiculous gas.

I'm ready for electric cars. I think I can mange plugging in a cord.

After the week of Seth being gone, we were so happy to have him home again. He came home 15 shades darker and tired to the bones. After a day of recovery, which was actually a busy day as all seem to be lately, we celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary on Sunday. I intend to dedicate an entire post to our anniversary but for now, the highlights:

Steak dinner. No children present. Amen.

I brought my wedding veil to church with me and plopped it on my head for a while. Just wanted to make sure everyone knew that it was no ordinary day. ☺

Love,