What It's Really Like

So, I've really put off posting on what it's really like since we stepped into our new appointment as ARC Trainees, (for drug and alchohol addiction) training to become ARC Administrators next summer.  Several times, I've started a post and then stopped.  I aim to be honest, but haven't always come from the best or realistic places.  A running theme for me for awhile was feeling so trapped in a lot of ways, even my husband's livelihood and ministry depending on my compliance as an Officer and wife.  But I'm having more peace about it now.  I still feel the "blood and fire" and I'm not letting anything stop me from obeying and serving the Lord the best I know how. 

     While I love a new adventure,  moving is still hard and unless you've *been there, done that* it is hard to truly grasp.  Leaving behind friends, memories, and years of hard work and hope.  Not to mention just the logistics of finding where things are, packing/unpacking, establishing new healthcare, changing all the addresses, making new relationships, and so much more.  Ugh!  It's especially hard for me when I talk myself into feeling like the stupidest person on the planet for allowing someone else to make life decisions for me and my children.     I am trusting like never before...  I thought I've surrendered it all only to find that yet... there is MORE!  I guess we never truly "arrive" anywhere except in the place that makes us wholeheartedly trust Him and rely on Him.    And life is so sweet right now!  It makes little logical sense, but here it is all sweet and solid and good ... amidst the busy-ness, challenges, temptations, and unexpected turns.  Thank you Lord for your amazing ways.

There's more...  
     I was praying for months and months for God to give me a passion for the addicted.  And then, I realized, or rather, God   spelled- it- out for me, that I already have a passion for people.  Especially the marginalized.  Injustice is my hot button, ever since I was little.   It just so happens that my new ministry will be to a more specific group.  I am trying to learn how best to minister to them,  whatever small part I might play.    Everyone else seems so much better qualified, but I am learning from them and seeking God's ways.
And surely, since God orchestrated all of this, I belong.

And more...
     I love our house.  This is my favorite Quarters out of 4.  It's got 3 big bedrooms, 2 bathrooms right next to eachother, an eat-in kitchen, dining room and living room.  It totally works for us.  There is also a guest apartment downstairs that has been frequented enough to aid my lonely heart.
     We walk all over the place here.  I walk to the beach, the forest park, several playgrounds, markets, shopping centers, Walgreens, etc.  I have always wanted to live in a place that I can walk everywhere I need to get.  Thanks for the freebie God.

     The children are such troopers!  Elijah had one breakdown of missing The Dalles after getting a letter from a friend.  Hannah and Ann have had a few, but the overall tone has been -- this is one great adventure!
Paul came up with the great idea of making and posting our Camp Chouinard poster since this is really just a transitional move and the kids are already anticipating the next one.  Despite a very frustrating and mess of a problem with the children's education, they are all settled and doing fantastic with their learning.
     We have had the most un-stressful Thanksgiving/Christmas season ever- ministry speaking.  Seriously, since I was a teenager in the Corps.    I hardly know what to do with myself because I'm only going in 10 different directions instead of 50.  I am savoring this.  It will probably never happen again until retirement. And by then I'll have my Officer children's families to help. Smile.
     I live the closest to my family and childhood friends than I have in over 15 years!  I have already seen my family 3 times, one of which was on my dad's birthday, the day we traveled down here, and a second time at my brother's wedding.  They have also come down to visit too.   I have yet to get to do much with friends, but I seriously have to get a move on that.  Schedules are so hard to co-ordinate. 
     Paul and I have had to leave for 1 to 3 day meetings here and there.  God keeps providing childcare  for these meetings.  My dear sister-n-law all the way from Michigan is a life saver.  Our good friend from The Dalles with her daughter.  My mommy ;).  And soon my newest sister-n-law.  I hate asking for so much help, but here I am, the one in need, and God is meeting that need through these fine ladies, and making me take a hard look at my independant streak.  Plus... Paul and I have really started enjoying our little "honeymoons" away from the children.  

This is what the LORD says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place.  For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you."
-Jeremiah 29:10-12
    
    

Another Way to See Things...

Notice anything different?  David has a new way of seeing things.

He got contacts.

Paul took him and Ann to Costco for an eye "inspection" (that's what Ann calls it). 

After Hannah, Mary and I took Elijah to a far away birthday party, we all met up at Denny's.  David walked in without his glasses and one very red eye, apparently the eye that he was practicing on.

Paul also surprised me with an early Christmas gift, right in the middle of Denny's ;)
He knows I've always wanted a nice cross necklace.  This one is beautiful. (I don't think the picture does it justice.)  This gift is especially significant to me at this time in my life when I am understanding with more depth about my own need to be crucified with Christ.   

*And then the boys bought each of their sisters a necklace with their own money at a Bazaar yesterday that our Women's Auxillary put on.  So us girls all turned out with some fine necklaces this weekend.  That really blessed my heart.

Watching David remove his contacts.  (Everything always seems to turn into a family affair.)

           This took almost half an hour, but he'll get more practice and be able to whip them in and out.

And oh yeah, David won his Middle School Spelling Bee! That is his second one this year. We're very proud, but I always tell him even if he were the worst speller ever, I'd love him just as much.   I don't want to raise a bunch of Pharisees who replace love with works.

A Cure for the "Maple Syrup Runneth Over"

I can't tell you how many times a nice and cozy morning breakfast has turned into my frantic shouts of "STOOOOOOOP POURING!!"  LOL!!  We've all been there when the ENTIRE bottle of syrup ($) ends up on one child's plate.  Or the ketchup bottle glubs out half it's contents in one hearty squeeze.  Or the kids have taken so much gravy, there's none left for... ME!

I put everything in these squeeze bottles-- Dressing, Condiments, Gravies, or whatever "saucy" stuff I'm serving.  It allows for the children to serve themselves but not to pour out the whole bottle in the process.  And, if I'm conserving, I fill it half way so that everyone will use less. (It's magic!)

I learned this from my "second mom", Frances, when I was a teenager, and crazy as I was, still enjoyed homemaking tasks and ideas.  Put the syrup in a pot, in the sink, and periodically run more hot water into it.  It warms up the syrup without having to microwave plastic.  I think about her every time I'm warming syrup, or digging under the couch cushions, or saying "this house is a mess".  I love her.

Elijah really enjoys learning how to cook and helping me in the kitchen.  French toast and turkey bacon.

We did have an injury though.  Elijah rested his arm on the edge of the smokin' hot frying pan.  He won't do that again.  Lesson learned, albeit the hard way.


"In the childhood memories of every good cook, there's a large kitchen, a warm stove, a simmering pot and a mom."
-Barbara Costikyan


My childhood should have taught me lessons for my own parenthood, but it didn't because parenting can be learned only by people who have no children.
-Bill Cosby

Each generation has been an education for us in different ways. The first child-with-bloody-nose was rushed to the emergency room. The fifth child-with-bloody-nose was told to go to the yard immediately and stop bleeding on the carpet.
-Art Linkletter

A three year old child is a being who gets almost as much fun out of a fifty-six dollar set of swings as it does out of finding a small green worm.
-Bill Vaughan



Rules For Married Happiness

I got my hands on another great read "They Said It" by William and Catherine Booth, founders of this great Salvation Army.  It is an easy read because there are so many chunks of wisdom in it in a variety of areas.  Many of their love letters are in print.  I admire the deep love and committment they shared.  The speech that William gave at Catherine's funeral in October 1890 is over the top, cry out loud.  She was so loved by him and she brought him honor and so much more.  What strikes me the most though is the full surrender that they continually made to God, despite the many challenges and obstacles they faced.  Catherine especially, who had the very unique calling of Williams beloved, mother to many children, and minister to the masses.  Below just a nugget of her practical wisdom:

                                                       

Rules for Married Happiness

"There were also certain rules which I formulated for my married life before I was married or even engaged.  I have carried them out ever since my wedding day, and the experience of all these years has abundantly demonstrated their value.

The first was, never have any secrets from my husband in anything that affected our mutual relationship or interests of the family.  The confidence of others in spiritual matters I did not consider as coming under this category, but as being the secrets of others, and therefore not my property.

The second rule was, never to have two purses,  thus avoiding even the temptation of having any secrets of a domestic character.

My third principle was that, in matters where there was any difference of opinion, I would show my husband my views and the reasons on which they were based, and try to convice in favour of my way of looking at the subject.  This generally resulted either in his being converted to my views or in my being converted to his, either result securing unity of thought and action.

My fourth rule was, in cases of difference of opinion, never to argue in the presence of the children.  I thought it better even to submit at the time to what I might consider to be a mistaken judgment, than to have a controversy before them.  But of course when such occasions arose I took the first opportunity for arguing the matter out.  My subsequent experience has abundantly proved to me the wisdom of this course."

-Catherine Booth during the early 1880's

Fort Chouinard

There's Fort Myer, Fort Knox, Fort Vancouver, Fort Stevens,  etc.

And then there's

Fort Chouinard...

                                    Engineered by clever minds

                                     Constructed by mighty hands

                                  Transportable, Adaptable

Can be torn down and built back up a thousand times over, (even if I just got through tidying up the linen closet!)
                         

(That would be the entire living room... again.)

Raising Patriots

We've always tried to do something to recognize Veteran's Day.  Parades, Memorials, Community Care Ministry Visits, sending packages of Juicy Fruit gum overseas, etc.   In the future, I'm wondering if I can do a little something for the men and women in our ARC who have served our country.   We have so many people to be thankful to for our freedom afforded to us in the US Constitution (click here to even have it translated to kid friendly documents, or the practical-simple minded like me!) and the Bill of Rights.  

In honor of Veteran's Day this year,  I bought the 3 oldest children a membership to this  Patriot's Club website that I came across.  It is only a one time fee of $12 with constantly updated material.  I'm sure I'll have to help Ann, but the boys will enjoy working at their own pace and having an excuse to use the computer.

Thank you to all the Veterans.

Thank you also to the loved ones that have stood by their side despite

all the challenges that come from being a military family.

Who Needs Blocks?