Thankful Thursday

I found a link today on my blogger friend Autumn's page - Thankful Thursday. It seemed like a good time to focus on things to be thankful for.

I am thankful for Skype, and the fact that I got to talk to my husband for several hours yesterday via the internet.

Afghanistan may be a long way away, but it feels much closer when I can see him on the computer screen, and hear him over my speakers.

I am thankful for Freon, or whatever the stuff is called that you put in your truck and suddenly that cab is filled with a blissful cold breeze, rather then the sweltering humid oppression that you are supposed to try to breath here in Georgia. I am also thankful that the truck only needed Freon, and not a new compressor.

I am thankful for coupons, and special deals, and the "rush" I get from buying food.

(like .99 frosted mini wheats!)

I could need caffeine, or expensive clothes, or illegal drugs to get that rush. I just need a Sunday paper and a grocery store. How cool is that?

I am thankful for my boys, and strangely enough, for their messes. They keep me busy, and I need to be busy so I don't have time to think negative thoughts.

I am SO very thankful for my amazing family. I have read several facebook status' lately from military wives with deployed husbands who are simply miserable - truly and honestly, I have never been miserable. I miss him dreadfully, and stress more then I should about his safety, but my family makes sure that I never have a chance to be miserable. AND, they love my Andy just because he is who is he.

That is something to be thankful for.

Just for a moment

I realize that I disappeared from here for awhile. If you are my friend on Facebook, (or in real life for that matter) you know that I spent this last weekend moving into our new house. I meant to leave an "away" message here, but time was in a bigger hurry then I realized... Facebook didn't get an update until it was all over with, and even my E-mail didn't get checked for three days straight. That is how focused I was.

I got a lot accomplished. Everything was moved out of storage and into my new place. All the big pieces are in their proper room, a lot of cleaning was done, since the lady who rented this house before me was not exactly fanatical about details, and even some boxes were unpacked and put away. My sisters helped me start a pile of stuff to get rid of - yard sale, here I come!

However, in all this time of being busy, I have neglected something very important.

God time.

I have been crashing into bed late at night, and picking up my Bible while barely able to keep my eyes open. My reading has been unfocused and my prayers have been selfish. I have still talked to Him all through the day, because that is habit, but I have noticed that our conversations have become very one sided.

I am doing most of the talking - I have not been doing a lot of listening lately.

This morning I finally had a little extra time again. I am back at my parents for a few days once more, so I sat at the breakfast table and picked up my very neglected copy of "Streams in the Desert" and I was fed, SO much more then eggs this morning!

The first thing I read was "I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction." (Isa. 48:10) Let me tell you, I have been dealing with some "affliction" lately. Just one thing after another. The death of Frank Kaleb, and then Seth Sharp. Wondering about our adoption. Multiple car problems. Moving stress. Mildew on my furniture in storage. Worry about Andy, and exactly when he is coming home.... "affliction".

The answer is, "Does not the Word come like a soft shower, assuaging the fury of the flame? Let the affliction come - God has chosen me!"

I love that "Soft shower", calming the fury of the flame - however, I do need The Word in order to have that soft shower.

I am going to make sure I spend some time seeking my flame "extinguisher" in the next weeks. There are still afflictions to be overcome - there always will be. But I have a promise that my God will never leave me nor forsake me. That is promise enough for me!

Another birthday update for Emilee

We had a small surprise party for Emilee today. It was mostly people from her work, and it was hilarious.

There is a small Karaoke place just down the street from their office, where you can rent a room for your own private party. The funny part is that most of it is in Japanese! The song selection, the remote control, the background videos... HILARIOUS!

There was an English selection, and we took full advantage of it.

Dad, and David. Emilee's two bosses... breaking it down to "YMCA"

Kelsey and Emilee, with dance moves added in with the singing...

Happy Birthday Emilee

Today is a very special person's birthday.

My first little sister, my Emilee.

My little sister is amazingly creative. She has such a talent to make art out of anything.

Any medium - but especially fabric.

She makes things for my boys ALL the time. She made this quilt for Canaan.

And this one for Zion.

Both my boys have a Christmas quilt.

And we all have matching aprons.

I am sure if I had the energy to go look, then scan them in, I could find pictures of her through the years, creating beautiful things... but I am too tired to go digging tonight, so we will have to settle for what I can find already on the computer.

She plays with my boys, is not afraid to get dirty....

Yet she is one of the most beautiful, polished, "girly girls" I know.

And of course, as anyone who knows her can confirm, she is an absolute riot!

Happy Birthday to one of my favorite people in the whole wide world!

(and I know people all over the world)

Independence Day Celebration

I have seen so many beautiful pictures of fireworks, posted by my blogger friends across this country, in the last two days. Just beautiful!

I don't think I took a single picture of fireworks! Sorry...

However, I did take lots of pictures of the people I love enjoying the fireworks.

First things first -

My patriotic toes!

A beautiful summer's afternoon deserves a few rounds of backyard Croquet.

Zion loved pounding the stakes into the ground!

We celebrated Emilee's birthday a few days early, since we were all together.

Larry and Barb

Tim and Kevin have been friends since elementary school. His wife, Anna, was Emilee's roommate in college. Isn't it convenient how that worked out!

I loved this picture - just because.

This one too!

Now, on to the Fireworks!!

Zion was a little unsure at first...

But he got over his fear!

Canaan, of course, loved every minute of it.

He REALLY wanted to light some of the "big" ones and was very disappointed when I told him he wasn't old enough yet.

Personally, I wasn't sure these boys were really old enough yet! (and they have been lighting things on fire, together, for a l o n g time!)

Kelsey looks like she is still a kid at heart.

My parents- Aren't they precious?

At one point mom grabbed my camera and took a picture of me, insisting that there had to be proof that I was there too!

Enjoy Independence every single day!

Blessings, Bethany

Giants, Stress, and a trip to the mall

I have been really, REALLY, stressed lately.

Yes, yes, I am well aware that I am supposed to be trusting God. Believe me - I lay everything down at His feet every day. The problem is, I have this really bad habit of picking all these "burdens" right back up again.

For example...

Money, or the fear of the lack there-of, is a never ending problem right now.

Andy's truck and my parent's mailbox got into a little disagreement a few nights ago.

(please, please ignore the reflection of me in my very old pajamas!)

They both seemed to think they had the right of way - and neither wanted to bend at all.

Thus, they both ended up damaged - although if I had to declare a winner of that "fight", I think the mailbox came out on top! The damage there is definitely less costly!

The truck also needs new tires...

We have a house in Valdosta, all picked out with a lease signed - but now I have to find a fridge, and people to help me move out of storage, and into the house, as well as places to arrange all my stuff in this new location, which may not be quite as big as our last place.

Another stress is that Afghanistan cannot seem to stay out of the news right now. This headline greeted me on Foxnews.com, first thing July 4th.

2 U.S. Troops Killed in Attack on Base in Afghanistan

Strangely enough, or perhaps not strangely, I had already heard about the airstrike that was called in to end the battle - my hubby is right there after all. At least he was not at the base being attacked, but rather just loading the weapons onto the planes for the airstrike. Still, I know guys, personally, who are there. I know their wives - who are here, waiting for them to come home.

A kid that was part of the church youth group with my sisters was killed in Afghanistan this week. His name was Seth, and he was just a kid.

In other news, my little girl is still in Africa - waiting for me. Although, she is now wearing a Disney T-shirt, and hugging a Build-a-Bear lamb - proof that I am coming SOMEDAY!

Lots and lots of stress, that I just keep picking up and worrying over.

So, what is the absolute best cure for stress?

Retail therapy, of course!!!!

A few cute things for the boys, just because I was there.

Lots of adorable things for my little girl. I am getting very eager to get my Eden Gladness home! Thank goodness for the $2.99 rack at Children's Place!

I spent a little over $100, got all of the above, plus new sunglasses and a birthday present for my sister. I love the outlet mall!

In Numbers 13, the spies that had gone into the promised land came back with a report of "giants". Most of God's people were shivering in their boots, afraid that the giants would eat them alive. But Caleb and Joshua were not afraid - they didn't just see giants; they saw the wonderful example of God's power that COULD (and WOULD) be displayed when God conquered those giants.

I want to remember to think that way. Things that stress me out and make me fret can be giants if I let them. In fact, they could even "eat me alive". I choose to refuse to let the giants win. Thankfully, that is all that my Savior requires. A statement of faith - He takes care of the rest, as long as I fully trust in Him.

I love this quote - "It is when we are in the way of duty that we find giants. It was when Israel was going forward that the giants appeared. When they turned back into the wilderness they found none." Streams in the Desert, June 29

Only when we are following the path we are supposed to be on, will we be challenged by giants - they may stress us out, even scare us a little - but WE are conquerors!

Thanks for listening. I feel so much better now!

The new house

I signed a lease today. On this beautiful house below.

I spent a lot of hours over the last two days looking at houses. Online, in the local paper, driving around frantically trying to spot signs in yards. Mom and I have done it all. This house has been on the "to view" list, today at 2pm, since yesterday around 3. I waited almost a full 24 hours to see this house, and honestly, I had reached the point where all of my hopes and dreams were pinned on it.
Nothing else was working for me.
Too old.
Too tiny.
Too dirty.
Bad area of town.
Too far of a drive for Andy.
WAY too expensive (but what I really wanted...)

So, when I walked into this one, I simply breathed a sigh of releif. It isn't my dream house, and I wouldn't want to buy it - but I am quite confident we can be very happy here for a year (or two) renting.

The current tenant hasn't quite moved out all the way yet...

I will have trees in my yard!!

That will be a nice change after my last house, in the middle of a field.

I can't get the pictures to rearrange. I am on the old laptop, rather the on my Mac, and I am not as familiar with the controls on here... sorry.
I wanted to comment on the picture of the dining room, and the people standing in it. They had come to view the house after us - they were the 2:30 appointment. I am pretty sure that if I hadn't already claimed it, they would have put in an application themselves, so I am really glad I got the 2:00 showing. However, after talking to them and finding out that they were newly transferred to Moody from whatever that base is out in Las Vegas, I felt sort of bad. At least looking for a house is a little easier for me. I already know the area, and have friends to watch my kids. (Thank you Mary!!!) They were just driving around, trying to figure out what areas had good schools, and safe neighborhoods, etc., dragging their two kids with them.

I led them to another Realtor's office that I had talked to earlier in the day, went with them to look at another house, then left them with my phone number so that we can stay in contact in the future. I told them that house hunting in "competition" was a bonding experience!
I am just so glad to be done with the hunting part.

Next weekend is the actual moving. Any volunteers?