1st day of the hunt

I got my deer at 7:30am on Monday morning, opening day of the season here. A nice big doe came out about 7:00am, but I didn't have a doe permit. I was pretty bummed, but I guess it was a good thing! He was about 35 yards away and dropped right there. We have about 80lbs. of meet in the freezer now! Tastes real good! I'm going to have my buddy Kevin mount it for me. The rack has a 20" spread on the inside--
7 pointer. I am very thankful for the whole experience!

Drum Roll Please....

I must brag on my little boy today. This is the fourth morning of our potty training week, AND we have had NO ACCIDENTS since day #1!! He is even staying dry through his naps! I'm a little hesitant to say that he is completely day time potty trained, but man, I feel that he is pretty darn close. I haven't even used the timer to remind him since the first day. He comes and tells me when he has to do either #1 or #2, and then we just run to the bathroom and make a large deal out of the whole entire process! :0)

AND...I must brag some more.....even though he was only day #3 into his training, I decided to go to MOPS anyway yesterday. Instead of wearing normal underwear on him, I just put a pull up on, feeling certain that he would probably have an accident. This is a new place with a new potty and new people who he would have to tell. BUT, when I came to get him after my meeting, the ladies told me that he came right up to them and told them that he had to go, and he even went in a strange place on a big toilet with no potty seat!

I am just so proud of him and how quickly he's grasped this concept! I really feel like I haven't even done much to help him understand. It's like now that he's grasped the concept, he totally undestands. I think my lazyness in waiting until he was two in a half before starting has made this whole process a whole lot easier!! This is my new philosophy, anyway. I'm waiting until two and a half for all of them from now on!

All that to say - I am fully expecting for there to be more accidents along the way. I'm sure that we are nowhere near the end of this training process, but I am just SO thankful that each day since the first has not been a repeat of day #1. That was NOT my favorite! :0) So - thank you to all who thought of us and prayed for us. Have a great day!

WE HAVE NEWS!!!

First of all, let me just state that this is NOT the way that I would normally broadcast our news for the first time for some of you to read, but I am having no luck reaching some of you via the phone, and as news flies fast, I fear that this may be the only way that some of you at least "read" it first from my fingers - even if you do not necessarily "hear" it first from my lips. So, especially for Angie, Shannie, and Kristi......I do so badly want to chat with you VERY soon, but just in case we end up playing phone tag for weeks, hopefully you at least read the news first from me rather than get it second hand.

O.k. here goes.......WE ARE PREGNANT! Yep. Very exciting. I haven't been to the midwife yet, but we think that we're about ten weeks along. This is a little bit earlier than we shared when we were pregnant with Kaden, but I feel like second time around it's a little different. We're so far away from home, and I think that even if something happened and I miscarried, I would still tell everyone anyway. So, rather than say, "Hey, by the way, I was pregnant for two months but I miscarried," I would rather have the ones that I love walk the entire journey with us from the beginning. That's my philosophy anyway.

So, we are both really thrilled. We really didn't want there to be ANY more than three years between our kids (if we could have our way), and we also did not want to put our family on hold for school. If our calculations are correct, we are due at end of June or early July - RIGHT IN THE HEAT OF THE PHILLY SUMMER (Praise the Lord), but my schooling wraps up mid-June, so that's pretty perfect. Kev will be right in the middle of his internship, so it will be a little crazy, but such is life. We are thankful and feel so blessed. So far, I feel really good; just a little sleepy and queasy if I don't eat. But, other than that, I have absolutely NO complaints.

As much as Kaden understands, he is excited. When I ask him what Mommy has in her tummy, he whispers, "A baby for Kaden." From day to day it changes as to whether he wants a boy or a girl! So.......that's our exciting news. Feeling blessed and filled to overflowing......

Potty Training 101...Take Two

Since Thanksgiving is over, my Psychology work is complete, and we have only three weeks left until we head for the great country up North for the Christmas Holiday, I thought that this would be a good time to really buckle down and do the potty training for real this time.

I told Kaden right before he fell asleep last night of the plan to go into "big boy underwear" today and to start going on the big boy potty. He enthusiastically agreed that today would be a "good idea." So......here's the download of how things went this morning. The plan is that we set the timer, and every 15-20 minutes we go and sit on the potty. Kaden gets boatloads of drinks all throughout the day to help the process move along and a treat after each success. Bribery is a beautiful thing.

7:15 - Kaden wakes up with a super wet diaper from the night before. We immediately go into
big boy underwear with all pep talks included.
7:50 - Kaden yells, "I peeing RIGHT NOW!" and promptly gives me a small pond on the floor.
8:50 - KADEN PEES ON THE POTTY FOR THE FIRST TIME!!!! We are both totally pumped!
Kaden gets a treat and Mommy does, too.
9:10 - Yet another small pond on the floor.
9:30 - Pond #3 on the floor. (Mommy is feeling slightly exasperated but is trying to keep a
positive vibe going. In my head I am yelling: ALL I SAID WAS, "SHOULD WE TRY
TO GO AND POTTY AGAIN?" I meant - once we arrive to the bathroom - not NOW!!!"
9:55 - SUCCESS!!! Pee #2 on the potty! Thank you, Lord!
10:20 - Maybe we're starting to get this thing down. Pee #3 on the potty!
11:00 - Minor step backwards. Large pond on my countertop, no less, while he is helping me
fix us a snack. Lord, have mercy.

And.....nothing after this until naptime. To start out, I think I'm going to put him back in diapers for naps and bedtimes until we get the daytime conquered. Loving the song...."I've got a river of life flowing out of me".......Will keep you updated on the glorious going's on in the Booker household. In case any of you are wondering, I AM totally sanitizing all areas where pee has touched. Good times!

Hallelujah!

Lord willing, you will never have to hear or read such phrases as: "Blasted Psychology" or "Psychology Schmycology" ever ever again. Do you know why? BECAUSE I'M FINISHED MY FINAL PAPER!!! Oh my, this is so very exhilarating. In retrospect, it's not even that the course was all that difficult - it was an Introduction to Psychology course - nothing advanced. However, because it was a correspondence situation that allows you to go at your own pace over a period of a year, it can just seem to drag on and on and on. I had until March to finish this final assignment, but it's just been hanging over my head for weeks and stressing me to no end. I don't like this vast amount of freedom for getting assignments done. I much prefer a bit more of a pressure situation, I guess. I like closer deadlines. So, now - praise Jesus - it is finished, and I can move on to more exciting and important things like figuring out Christmas gifts for people and enjoying our tree.......and Old Testament Prophets....yeesh....but not for a few more days. I need to revel in the success of one more completed class. I am so happy! Aaaand soooo sleepy....only....four....more.....courses to take.....zzzzzzzz.

P.S. - Our tree looks fantabulous! Kaden preferred much more to secretly stash our ornaments away into his own little box than to put them on the tree, but he loves the finished product, as well. When all was said and done, he proclaimed: "I love our tree. It's super fun!" I couldn't have said it better myself! :0) Good night, all. I'm off to la la land.

It's Beginning to FEEL a lot like Christmas!!

Well, although once again the weather is in the high 60's today, it sure is beginning to look and feel a lot like Christmas in the Booker household. We found the coolest spot to cut down our tree this year. We went clear to Jersey last year to cut one down, because everyone we talked to around here just seemed to always get their tree at Wal-Mart. This country girl MUST choose and cut her own. It's tradition! So, we found the greatest spot called Carousel Village at Indian Walk. (Weird, eh?) This is a whole mini "village" that gives hay rides all around the tree farm, carousel and train rides, sells food, and has a couple of little antique and Christmas shops to browse around in.

We spent our entire morning at this little place riding on the hay ride, scoping out the perfect tree, and checking out the little shops. It was SO much fun! They even had a mini animal farm to look at with emus and ostriches walking around! (Random choices of animals)!

Kaden got a little bored when Mommy couldn't find the perfect tree. So, finally I just told Kev to choose one and chop it down. Come to think of it, I think there has only been one year where I actually made the choice of our tree! Well, he found the cutest chubby little tree that I just love! Seriously, I would have a tree up in my home all year round if I could.

So, now it sits - naked in our tree stand until Kaden awakens from his nap. We're doing it piece meal this year. It will be an all day event! So, while he sleeps, Kev is off doing a numb cultural study for one of his classes, and I'm going to attempt to get a huge handle on this blasted Psychology paper. But, when that little boy awakens - no more work for us! No siree!!!

Back to the Ole Grind

Oh man - only ONE month until we get to come home for Christmas to see our friends and family and stay for TWO WHOLE WEEKS!!! But, until then, Amy has much work to be done. Chapter one of my final book project is complete, and for that I am thankful, but I am just beginning that huge project. I really want to get a huge Psychology paper written within the next couple of weeks, get really far ahead in my next PBU class before I come home, AND figure out what class I could possibly test out of next. Joy unspeakable. I am on the homeward stretch though. Other than my final project, I only have two classes through PBU left to take, and two Gen Ed courses. Praise be.....

It is tank top and capri weather today, we're going to get our Christmas tree and decorate for Christmas tomorrow, and it's the week-end for goodness sake! How am I supposed to concentrate?! Ai yi yi......

Giving Thanks

We had such an awesome day yesterday with friends and our new "family" away from home! A staff member from the school invited all of us young couples from PBU who couldn't make it home to their families, over to their big home to spend the day. So, rather than all of us cramming into one little apartment over here, we actually got to be in a beautiful home eating a feast off of their china! There were about twenty-five people at this staff member's house! We stayed all day and into the evening eating, sharing blessings, playing games, and just talking and talking.

I LOVE this new family that I met! Their parents have died, and their siblings live away. But, rather than sit home and pine for how "things used to be" they opened their home to a boatload of people that they have NEVER met before and just really served and blessed us! We all brought food to share, but other than that - they wouldn't let us do anything! They did the dishes, packed up our food, AND played with our children! I want to bless people like this!

Kaden took a three hour nap over there, thoroughly enjoyed his meal, totally flirted with this family's two daughters, and had blast with their little dog. When we got into the car on the way home I asked if he had a great day, and he said, "That was SUPER fun!" I couldn't agree more!

Lazy Crazy Saturdays-ies!

I love Saturdays! I live for them! Kev has a fairly rigid rule that he strictly abides by, and that he tries to enforce on me (which I don't mind) - and that is: no homework on our day off! It is strictly a family day! Even during Kaden's nap, we should not do homework! Must admit - when an assignment is due, sometimes this is a little hard on me, but oh so necessary for my "retentive" personality when it comes to schoolwork.

So, today, for our family adventure, we went to one of our favorite state parks around here - Ralph Stover State Park. It's about forty-five minutes away, in a very private location, with a rushing river and lots of beautiful trails to hike and explore. We came here one other time this summer and brought a picnic and just played in the water all day.

It was a little chillier today, but we still brought nets and things to try and catch crayfish etc. Well, we were not there more than ten minutes when Kaden fell headlong into the water! We were throwing rocks, and the momentum of him throwing a pretty big rock made him take a couple of extra steps forward which sent him right into the river where he kept right on going until he fell down onto his hands and knees! I was right beside him, and it was just like I was watching a movie - I didn't even move. But, once I saw him down, I gasped and ran in after him and got drenched from knees to toes!

Well - normally, I have entire changes of clothing for my child. Not today, of course. So, we're digging through the car - trying to find things to change Kaden into. He's not even crying, but his lips were blue. I think he was in shock! We finally found an extra shirt and jacket for him, but no pants or shoes. So, Kev came up with a brilliant plan to put one of his long sleeved shirts onto Kaden for some makeshift pants. His legs went into Kev's sleeves, and then we just tied a huge knot around his waist to keep the shirt up. I found a dry pair of socks, so we put those on and then some plastic sandwich bags over them so that we could put his wet shoes back on. Oh my word - he looked hysterical - just like a little hobo! We went to a little sandwich shop for lunch and got some pretty funny looks from people. My pride made me tell the story to anyone who stared, because I didn't want them thinking that I normally dress him this way!

Oh my - a crazy, fun day. A necessary day from the wildness of life. And, a great memory day!

Happy Thanksgiving......a wee bit early!

Oh man - I am just getting SO excited for Thanksgiving......and I'm not even going home! That's pretty good! :0) It really is a very fun event here in the married students' complex. This will be the second year of our new tradition, and it is soooo much fun. All of us marrieds who can't make the trip home all get together for a HUGE potluck! We all bring our favorites that remind us of home and we cram into someone's apartment that's been all decorated festively. We eat off of china, talk of our own traditions back home, share blessings, play games, and just spend the entire day together. It is so so fun. For one entire day, we all come together and we become each other's family away from home. It really is such a blessing. We're all in the same stage of life together - we're all taking this crazy journey of having left home, friends, and family to come back to school - and we all just understand where each other is coming from and where we are going. It's a really special time. AND THEN......on that very Saturday following Thanksgiving, we go to get our Christmas trees! Oh, good times! Because we all travel home to see our families for the actual Christmas holiday, we need to get our own trees early so that we will have time to enjoy them. And every year gets more and more fun with Kaden! I love it! Other than the cold, it truly is the most wonderful time of the year! Fun! Fun! God bless you, my friends!

He is a Baby No More

Our little man has moved into a big boy bed! Oh my word - what a bittersweet event! We actually didn't think this transition would happen so easily or quickly - he is so timid about life! So, we just set everything up on Saturday afternoon thinking that we'd leave it and the crib in his room for a couple of days and just let him play on it and get used to it before we took the crib out at the beginning of the week. Well, he would have none of this! He wanted to sleep in it the very first night. He said, "My no baby anymore, Mommy. My big boy now." (His grammar is a little lacking, I know). So, we went with it. It was SO cute! We took tons of pictures and video footage and made a big deal out of it. Wellll, he only lasted for about an hour before he decided that maybe he would sleep in his crib for ONE more night! We didn't push it as the next day was Sunday and a very long day for us. However, the very next night, we tried it again, and other than him toppling out head first into a basket that I had beside his bed at 1:00 in the morning, he did great! He doesn't even remember, so we're not reminding him. However, both Kev and I almost peed our pants laughing! Kaden now gets so excited for nap time and bed time, and he keeps telling us how much he loves his new big boy bed. Too cute! AND, he has, thus far, obeyed us and not gotten out until he asks us if he can! Very exciting. Okay, now that this is conquered, on to the potty training!......Maybe I'll wait until the Maine gang leaves our place and start fresh the next week! My new goal is to be trained by Christmas! I'll keep you posted......Good times in the Booker household!

Was It A Phase?

Well, I feel I must post again on the attitudes and actions of my little boy. I'm sure that there will be more to come in the future - many phases - but I fear I made my little boy out to be a tyrant. Gone is the terrible two-ness and in its place stands - at least for now - my little Kaden who keeps saying, "I obey Mommy the first time....it makes Jesus happy." This stage -Round One - of telling us "no" and disobeying, at least for now, is over. Kev says I should always wait a little while to blog before I just puke out what's going on in our lives, since everything changes so quickly! Who knows....maybe in a week, my tyrant will have returned! Good times! Such is the life of a toddler. For now, I am simply thoroughly enjoying his sweet spirit and the fact that he is learning how to make Jesus happy.

Other news....Mr. & Mrs. Keezer had a sleep over with us on Sunday night! Such fun. We ate lots of junk and watched "Nacho Libre." Kev and Gret slept through the last half of it, but Bri and I made it through. Oh my - what a numb movie. It's Kev's new fave. Funny!

Okay, I am off to conquer laundry. I know you're all gasping at the shortness of this blog!!!

In Whatsoever "State" I am in, I will be Content

.....even in Philly.... in a place where there was just a huge drug bust next door yesterday that made the front page of today's paper. It's not like there aren't any drugs or rapes that take place in Maine...it's just not my favorite that they keep occuring right in my very back yard.

Anyway, that's the news here. By the way, I realize that my previous blog somehow posted twice. I just need to wait for Kev to fix it, as I cannot figure out how to delete it, but I am aware that it's there. Also, can anyone tell me how to add new people's links to my blog? I am absolutely computer illiterate, I am ashamed to say. Scott and Esther did this whole blog for us to begin with. Which...by the way, I am feeling the itch to change my background. Any wisdom there, as well? I could just wait till you guys come down next month, I guess. It's not like you'll be busy with a van load of teenagers, or anything! :0)

So, I am seriously praying about dropping one of my random babysitting jobs. Three mornings a week I am waking Kaden a whole hour early to go to this family's house. Although he loves the kids and has a blast while he's there, I am wondering if him being more tired is adding to his "two-ish" behavior. Even if it is not, I am missing our lazy mornings together and am getting a little tired of the rat race. Although the extra money is helpful, both Kev and I feel that a more happy, sane, and tranquil family is worth the sacrifice!

Wow - this is one of THE most boring blogs I have ever posted!!! Sorry, to the three of you who read it! :0) Ha! Will try to think of more exciting things to write later.

Long Time No Blog

Hard to believe it's been almost a month since I sat down and wrote a little ditty....or as my blogs tend to go, a long ditty. Kev and I have just completed one of the longest and most tiring weeks of our lives, and I must say that I am glad it is over. Kev had a HUGE paper that he needed to write to finish a grad course, and I had a HUGE "Psycho"-logy exam to study for and complete by yesterday. Both, I am happy to report, are now finally completed and passed in. Hallelujah!

For more exciting news, my hubby turned the big 3-0 on the 18th! Kaden and I saved our pennies, and we whisked him away to the Poconos for an overnight at a fun little Ramada. We got a great package deal that included a hot tub in our room with supper and breakfast included. We had TONS of fun - it was so nice to get away for a little while. Kaden slept great, the food was really yummy, and it was just nice to rest and recupe.

On the flipside.....I believe we have finally hit that lovely stage of the "terrible twos," and this glorious new stage of life began on our fun little get away! Kaden has always been very docile and obedient - tender and really quite timid. Well, my friends, I no longer believe that this is the case! Over the week-end and throughout this past week, Kev and I have spent much of our time formulating our game plan for how to handle this new crazy little person! We are now dealing with such issues as disobedience, disrespect, refusal to share - the normal stuff that every little kid goes through, I know. But, we are just really seeking the Lord's guidance and direction for wisdom, consistency, and all things needed for parenting two year olds and for truly "shepherding his heart" and not just his actions! He is still such a joy and so much fun.....now just with a spicy little twist! Good times! If you think, you can pray for the sanity of all three of us! :0)

Feeling Fried

Praise the Lord - I have finally finished my blasted Psychology reading. Now, I just need to review my vast reams of notes and my ten million definitions to prepare for the exam. At least the reading is out of the way. I tried to write the first chapter of my little book, but I'm just not feeling it today. What I am wanting to say is just not getting expressed on paper the way I want it to, so it is getting shelved for awhile. I think my brain needs a break - these past few days it has been on overload, and I am feeling a wee bit crabby. Therefore, I am done for the day.

We had homecoming at the school this past week-end. It was very fun and silly. The teachers took on the students in a crazy donkey basketball game. Kaden was quite mesmerized by the whole thing, and I have not laughed that hard in a long time! It was also very nice to see Katie for awhile and meet a bunch of her new friends. She's interesting, that girl! She doesn't just call people by their real names - she prefers such names as "Antangonist" and "Prom Queen" for addressing her cohorts!

Well, I'm hoping that Kev will blog about his whole hunting experience that he had on Saturday. But, just in case he doesn't, let's just say that he had a large run in with both the school security AND the local police! I found the whole thing to be quite funny.....buuuut he did not! Poor guy - hunting here is a whole lot more tricky than popping one off in the Maine woods. There aren't too many hunters in these here parts!

Well, I'm off. Esther, let's catch up soon! Shannie - soooo nice chatting with you! Lovies.....

Psychology Schmychology

Ai yi yi - must take a break from this blasted Psychology reading! I'm taking a correspondence elective through Moody, and I must say that I am really not giving a flying flip about this course these days! I appreciate their approach - how they are having us get both the secular perspective AND the Biblical approach to "the science of life and the mind," but, Holy Heavens, this course is killing me! Reading ten pages of this blasted material takes me an entire hour!!! And I really do not care to read any more about Mr. Wacko Freud today. What a psycho! (Sorry, if I have offended anyone, but oh my word......).

Therefore, I am taking a breather to make coffee and blog for a moment. And I must put a little plug in, dear friends, that it is time for some of you to update. Come now. Indulge me.

So, last night dear sweet newlyweds Brian and Gretchen Keezer came to our place for supper and spent the evening with us. We had SO much fun with them and have only gotten together with them one other time since they've been out here doing their internship. We are all going to go into Philly together sometime before they go home. Neither Kev nor Brian love the city, but Gret and I LOVE the experience! So, we shall go.....and Kev and Bri will be on high alert the entire time while Gret and I will be blissfully unaware of "potential dangers" while we traipse (that's my new word from Kelsey - did I spell it right?) through beautiful Philly! (My other new expressions I got from Brian - "super fun" and "super cool." Kaden says these phrases all the time now, too! He also determined last night that "Brian is not scary - he's nice!", and that Gretchen is a "pretty girl!")

Anway, it was SO nice to sit and chat with Bri and Gret about marriage, life, and ministry. It is SO refreshing to be around a young couple who is solid in their marriage and in their mutual love for the Lord. They have such a great foundation, they know each other well, they are best friends, they are real and open with each other, and they just totally love living life together! Must admit....it's still a little weird to me that they are actually married and living together....and that it's okay to be doing that.....but it was just so fun and special to be with them.

Okay, break time is over. My goal is to finish this numbnut chapter before Kaden awakens from his slumber so that we can go out and catch bugs in this lovely 75 degree weather! This is my MOST favorite season of all.......way too nice to be inside reading about nut-brains!

Thoughts on Motherhood

We had our first MOPS meeting this morning to kick off our new semester. I'm a table leader this year for a group of women. My responsibilities include: "facilitating discussion, being vulnerable with the women, listening without judgment, making them each feel loved, welcomed, validated etc. etc." I LOVE MOPS - I love what it offers to the women in our community, and I love how it refreshes my soul and reaffirms that what I am doing is oh so valuable and important in the eyes of the Lord.

It is so easy in gatherings such as these to observe and listen to other people's different styles of parenting and then to immediately come to a judgmental conclusion on their style of motherhood. There are definitly women who I have crossed paths with out here who I do not agree with some of the decisions they are making in their "style" of parenting. But then I think, "Well, if I feel this way about them, probably they are feeling the same way about my style!" Lesson learned, especially in this position that I have at MOPS: I don't want to be judged in how I am mothering, so I shouldn't judge anyone else! What I want is a friend who comes alongside me and walks with me in this journey of mothering. I want to be encouraged and affirmed - not judged and compared. Therefore, my goal in MOPS this year and in my friendships with young moms is to just really love them - regardless of our differences. I want to be a blessing - a breath of fresh air - to these women, so that when they leave my presence, whether it's at MOPS, out back doing laundry, or going to the park - we part ways with each other feeling more encouraged and built up in our womanhood and motherhood than we did before we got together.

The Lord is teaching me so many things these days. I think that my generation of moms, especially, can so easily get caught up in the things that are of lesser (is that a word?) importance in parenting, such as: structured naps and routines, watching the clock, making sure they know their ABC's at the appropriate age, breaking the will but not the spirit, proper etiquette at the table and in public etc. etc. I do think that these things are all important. I just sometimes feel that we can get so caught up in trying to accomplish these tasks that we forget to just relax and extend that extra measure of grace to both ourselves and our children and just really ENJOY our kids and enjoy living life with them!

I just want to truly and fully enjoy this season of life in every single way. I LOVE this stage that Kaden is in right now! He is carrying on full conversations, he is learning new things every day, he is understanding so many things, and he is just a little boy full of LIFE! I'm savoring this stage of toddlerhood. I'm seeing that my baby is gone - never to return - and in his place stands a little boy who very soon will be off to school, and it will not matter how long it took him to acquire certain skills, how he compared to others, and how "together" I came across to other young moms. I ultimately answer to the Lord alone for how I mother and nurture my children - as do all other moms. Nothing else matters.

The Lord has just been really helping me to slooooooow down and savor Kaden, and I am feeling so blessed and refreshed, as a result. I am loving life with Kaden, and I want to be an encouragement to other moms who are like me - who so easily get caught up in schedules, comparisons, and routines. This season is only for such a short time - I want to live it and love it to the fullest - putting all other things in perspective! What if he is the only child that we will ever be able to have? If that is the case, I will never regret not getting the dishes done or not getting him potty trained by summer's end like I had planned! I WILL regret if I didn't take the time to slow down and live life at his level and through his eyes. "Teach me to number my days, Oh Lord......"

Friends and Reconnecting

I'm feeling sappy today, so be prepared!

I love the friendships where you could go months - years even - without talking, but in a single phone call or visit you are able to reconnect instantly. When I went home to Maine to visit with several of them, and this week when I got messages from three others who live out of state and in Canada, I have once again been reminded of the depth and gift of friendships that God has given me.

When we go home to visit with our friends and family now - the visits with friends have changed. I usually now only have an afternoon at best, or more likely an hour or two to reconnect after being gone for four or five months. So, we've got to make that time count! In a way, I love these visits even more, and I KNOW that I appreciate my friends more now - because I treasure those few moments that we have AND we don't spend time talking about petty things. We go deep immediately. It may no longer be "quantity" time, but it surely is "quality." (Although I didn't get as much of that with Esther and Jess - but Christmas is coming!) Anyway, I just love that even though we haven't been sharing in each other's lives for months, these friends make time for me and we can always pick right back up where we left off.

I had a conversation like that a couple of days ago with my beautiful friend Angie. I think it has been almost a year since we've talked. The same happened a few months earlier with Kristi - my longest known friend and with Tracy, my CRAZY freshman college roommate. I am mortified to think of the time that I have allowed to lapse in between conversations with these girls, but I LOVE how we immediatley reconnect, how we know each other's hearts, and how we feel safe to be able to share the deep things even though it has been months. THAT is true friendship. These are women who I may not see for five or ten years, but it will feel like yesterday when we finally do get together again. My cousin, Jodi, is the same way. I swear we play phone tag more than we actually talk, but she cares enough to play! We live states apart and see each other only twice a year, but she is still the sister-I-never-had.

God has blessed my life with women who are kindred spirits and sister's of the heart. And He has blessed me with wonderful new friends here in Philly, as well. I have a full life, I am blessed, and He has given me some wonderful women to walk this journey of life, of being a wife, of motherhood, and of ministry, alongside me - and I am SO thankful.

Stay at Home Working Mommy

So, this will just be a rambling blog.....as I guess all of mine usually are, but I am just feeling blessed and refreshed (catchy, eh?) these days. It is my MOST favorite time of year - still warm, but without the dreadful mugginess, soccer season has started and we love going to watch the college kids play, Kaden and I are outside playing, walking, and running ALL the time, we are finally finding our rhythm to our new semester's routine, and life is just plain good.

I have been praying some time now for an opporunity to bring in a little extra income for our family so that Kev can focus more on classes and not feel like he needs to pick up a third part-time job. But, I also am very protective of Kaden's and my days together, his nap schedule, and getting too busy etc., so I have been VERY choosy about what job(s) I would take. I have been cleaning a lady's house every other week for an afternoon. This works perfectly with Kev's schedule - he can study while Kaden naps, and then when Kaden wakes up they can have some good Father/Son time. But this was just one thing for one afternoon two times a month - a pithy contribution of gas money.

So anyway, as of this week, I just picked up two more bitty part-time babysitting jobs that totally mesh with our daily schedules, that do not make me feel too frazzled or stressed, and that relieve some of our financial stress. Three mornings a week, Kaden and I go to a single mom's house and basically just hang with her two kids until they leave for school. She leaves for the city really early and doesn't want them home alone, so I go and fix them breakfast and just hang with them until their bus comes. The kids are fabulous, Kaden loves them, and once they get on the bus we go for long walks all around their beautiful SAFE neighborhood. Lovely. And job #2 involves my new neighbor and friend right here in our complex. For two afternoons a week, I will be babysitting her little seven month old just for 2 1/2 hours each time. Perfect. It's not my entire afternoon, but it's just enough to help. I wanted something that would not just bring in money, but something where I would be able to bless others, as well - and this is what God has given me. Yay.

Revamping My Book

I have to write a book for my final project in order to graduate from this program. I have been thinking about doing something along the theme of marriage - but there are already so many books out there on the topic. However, I honestly don't think that there is ANYTHING new under the sun to write about on ANYTHING, so I think I'll still stick with this theme.

We have to write about a problem that we see in life that we are passionate about and develop a plan or program to help. I think I'm going to do something for young marriages - ten years and younger - possibly even for engaged couples or others who are contemplating marriage. The statistics show that Christian marriages are failing almost as rapidly as unsaved. Pretty sad and scary. So, I think I'm going to research the failure rate of young marriages and the reasons why and write something about that.

Maybe my title could be something somewhat cheesy and catchy like: "Surviving the First Five Years - Establishing the Foundation for a Lifetime of Friendship." I am now accepting applications for other brilliant ideas, as well.