Friday and more.

This may be a long post, but bear with me, I don't plan to post this weekend so this is it.

Fridays are pretty much designated errand day.  Typically, I try to be home for lunch, but we had another full day.      Here's what we did today.... 

To the Corps (church) so I could get a few things done in my office.  The girls and I also checked on Sally, our new Sunbeam and Moonbeam hamster.  We couldn't play with her much though.   It is advised that we let her settle in for 7 days, and it's only been 3. :(

To the Jewelers so that I could get my wedding ring repaired that I messed up REAL bad during the Christmas season.  I was carry a bunch of boxes and rammed my hand into a door.  The prongs had wood all stuck in them and everything.   The girls LOOOOVED oogling and googling over all the jewelery (me too!).  Hannah kept swinging the counter doors, even after she was told to stop twice, so she ended up with her nose against the counter.  (I don't care where we are- home or out and about-
swift punishments come and then it's done and over with-  and on with a happy day)  My kids have had their noses all over The Dalles.

Then to the bank

and Dry Cleaners. 

Then to Staples for some Corps Office supply shopping.  Hannah accidently grabbed an old woman's rear end.  She thought it was me.  Thankfully the lady laughed and made nice with Hannah once Hannah realized what she'd done.  Ann helped pick out the paper for our VBS flyers and put her opinion in on what sort of pens I should be buying our staff  and corrected me on what rubberbands we should be using to tie the shoes in the Thrift Store together with and on and on.       She will make a fine Salvation Army Officer. Smile.

Then  to McDonalds (a rare treat! $$)  because we still weren't done with our errands.  Some play time too.  Mary really got into the mirrors.

Then to David and Elijah's school for their cultural assembly.  David's class has been studying the Polynesian/Hawaiin culture.  Quite cool because both Paul and I have been to Hawaii and I've been to Marshall Islands.  Elijah's class has been studying..... ISRAEL!!  Waaay cool because that's where Paul and I are headed soon.  Elijah is learning some Hebrew and everything.   The assembly was a blast, like always.  It's free entertainment for the girls and another avenue for me to be involved in.  All of the students learned special dances to perform.   There was a bag-piper from Ireland.  Ann was impressed that he was wearing a "dress" (kilt).  I was impressed that yet again, I am hearing Christian songs like Amazing Grace, How Great Thou Art, etc.  (At Christmas we did a school wide Carol sing and 75% of the songs were church christmas hymns).  I don't know where some people get "there is no God in public schools, government, society, etc."  I always thought God was everywhere...

Then we had a bit of time to kill before picking up the boys from school, so we went to the Corps, just down the hill, for a little while longer.

We picked up the boys from school so that we could take a trip to the Dollar Store.  While at the dollar store you won't even believe what happened!  I ran into a friend, who I quite respect,  and whilst I'm saying my hello and howdy-do, I look over and see my 2 little girls running down an aisle with armfuls of helium balloons.  Just as I tell my friend a quick good-bye to get to the girls, the female manager comes over the intercom in the little tiny Dollar Store to say a LONG and LOUD old spiel about the "children runnin' around loose with balloons that are for customers, not crazy children and the parent needs to pay more attention and yadda, yadda, yadda."  I almost went the other direction, straight towards her throat!  I mean COME ON!!  Well by that time Ann and Hannah are frozen in fright.  They get it.   They quickly put the balloons down and even the boys were quite schocked about the whole thing.           Okay, so I'm quickly asking the Lord to help me not to unleash the beast.  The manager really was inappropriate the way she handled it, but that doesn't mean I should be.   So I did what I would do as if I wasn't offended and I corrected the girls, and told them they needed to apologize  -which they did-   and we got out of that store as quick as lightning!    All the way home we were laughing so hard about how I  was going to go in the store and run down the aisle with balloons and see what happens!

We got home and dove into chores and dinner.  And the kiddos played and goofed around until bed.

DONE!

One of Paul's best friends suddenly died.  He married us. He leaves behind a wife and 8 year old daughter. It is so sad.  Death just comes, doesn't it?  Paul will be flying to his funeral.   God had already provided for the flight though!          We'd really appreciate prayers for the family and for Paul.

I am really enjoying my days the last few months.  I wake-up early and look forward to greeting Paul and the kids.  I always have, but now I feel more purposed about it.  I'm more chil' about the house instead of frantically cleaning and picking up all the time.  I'd rather look back and say I played Uno with the kids, gave Paul some cuddles, called a friend or prayed  hard for someone,  than "gee, wasn't my house clean"  or  "gee, didn't I do a good job fretting about things".

I am  really enjoying the ministry lately too.  It is so good to be ministering to our youth, planning lessons and programs.   Writing my sermons (I'm doing another on prayer this Sunday).  Visiting with our people. Preparing and planning Women's Ministries.    Dealing with "issues".     Even doing paperwork.  

So, did you make it through to the end?  Good for you, you're a finisher!