This Week!

Oh my, some weeks are so packed full! Here are the some "highlights" that mostly have to do with Officership but I still think might be interesting to most of you. It's my life!

Sunday started with a very good, Spirit led, BUT very interesting church service. A good one, but in my 11 years of Corps Officership... something I've never encountered and a call I've never had to make.

Monday was a DPC (Divisional Program Council) meeting I had to go to at DHQ (Divisional Headquarters). For me a two hour meeting turns into an all day event because I have to drive nearly 2 hours each way to DHQ and spend the morning and afternoon situating all the children in their schools and activities. I consider Paul absolutely unavailable on Mondays because on top of an already busy schedule on Mondays, he is filling in for the Store Manager who has Mondays off. I sometimes wonder if I was appointed to DPC because "they" thought I had nothing better to do (?!?!).... but I'm glad to help and be a "voice" for Corps Officers. I imagine I'll have to ask permission to resign after the baby is born, unless they're okay with me bringing a baby and nursing in the middle of our meetings. This momma won't leave her baby all day.

Tuesday was me in the office trying to play catch-up from missing my Monday morning, and then me at home trying to play catch-up from missing my Monday afternoon.

Wednesday was disturbing!! We had our "Protecting the Mission" aka "Safe From Harm" training session for our Youth Pastor and our other youth leaders/helpers. As always, I walk away from these meetings disgusted and paranoid about the world we live in! Sexual predators, child abusers, and bad adults who want to harm our children. They tend to lurk around churches and Christians want to be so "forgiving" that these predators take advantage and harm church children at an alarming rate. I am so grateful that The Salvation Army has such high standards for those working with the youth! Our own standards are better than the state's standards and far better than the majority of churches. That afternoon, I gave my own children another talk about all that kind of stuff. I even have them practice yelling "Don't touch my ******!" and "You're not my mom/dad!" I want my children to always know that they have the right to say no to people and they have the right to not do something that they don't want to do.

Thursday started with an early pre-natal apt., then CBS, stop by the office with the girls to do a few things, and then in the evening another painfully fabulous visit to John, LMT (thank you, Miss Stacie!). I came home so out of it that Paul had to cook dinner. He dug around in the freezer and pulled out some stuff. It was all I could do to stay awake during dinner for visiting.

This morning I packed in 6 errands before we had to go drop my mini-van off at the shop, AGAIN, to get fixed. I took the girls to the Library story time. I like to take them as often as I can. They love it and learn to sit quietly on their mats and listen to the stories. And might I say (brag!), they really do a great job keeping control of themselves despite the other children crawling all over them and yelling around during the story. Ann looks at them mortified while Hannah lets out a few No's and Stop! She is quite bold! I remember taking the boys when they were real little to the Springfield library for their programs. I love the Library!

The girls are both taking a nap now and when the brothers get home from school there will be a flood of Valentines all over the kitchen table. I will sit and watch them show me every single Valentine. Let's see... 4 children times 20+ Valentines each... 80+ Valentines! I better go research some describing words so that I'll have plenty of comments ready! Elijah was so excited this morning because yesterday he peaked in a bag and saw soda pops. He was so excited to think that he might get soda pop at his Valentine party. Too cute!! David was also excited because his teacher does such a great job with games at their parties. I'm disapointed I don't get to go... but I have no car! I am stranded!

I have a lot of packing to do to get ready for our trip. It's not so bad though because we're not camping. Just clothes, snacks and bedding. The kids are so looking forward to going! So are we, but we can contain ourselves better! They are thrilled to see Grandma, Grandpa, Beebee, and Mr. Cool Uncle Jacob. It will be a good trip!