Leah and Marissa

I am thankful for Kohl's Me and My Dolly dresses.....and great sales!!! Leah and Marissa are so happy!!!!

Black Friday

Busy productive Black Friday. Aunt B and I braved the crowds for some good deals. I wanted to go more out of need to shop than the good deals (I have been so spoiled living in the big city). Of course I am not crazy (at least not overwhelmingly so) and we left the house about 6:30 AM. I am pleased with my purchases and prices. I also made it to ALDI's. I have been so spoiled with living near an ALDIs my entire adult life. Canned staples....especially vegetables are outrageous in a normal store!! So we bought cases of veggies and chili supplies at 1/2 price. I LOVE A GREAT DEAL!

The greatest blessing of all today is our appointment with Dr. C ---- Luke's pediatrician since 5 weeks old. She literally saved his life before his pyloric stenosis surgery and although we made do in Seminary City, we are close enough to drive for routine visits and I TRUST HER COMPLETELY!!!!! Today was a just med check and I kid you not.... she checked his eyes, ears and throat, neuromuscular reflexes, palpated his abdomen, checked for scoliosis, rashes, and goiters. MY KID IS HEALTHY!!!! I trust her completely. Luke said if was red and Dr. C said it was black......I'd agree with her! I visited with her nice nurses that reassured me so much when I was a neurotic new mother.....hopefully I am less so -- but nurse mothers are probably the worst!! Dr. C spent probably a half hour just talking, some about how his teachers can best help him stay focused and also sharing how she learned as a child. I left with such a feeling of complete joy that my child's pediatrician loves him just as much as any Dr. could and he is OK!!!!!! He has been a little worried about being smaller in stature than other 4Th graders....but he still is about 27% on height and weight and is 9 months younger than some of the others in his class. I am so reassured to see him charted on a height/weight scale. OK, Luke's neurotic nurse Mommy is still crazy, but definitely counts Dr. C as a blessing to be very thankful about!! (I did not see Dr. S, Ann....or I would have said Hi!!!)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving from my in law's home. I hope everyone had as wonderful a day as we did! 2 delicious meals, lots of family and niece, nephews. I am so grateful to be only 3.5 hours from "home". Thank you God for so many tremendous blessings. Faith, food, family and home.

THANKFULNESS JOURNAL

I have so many blessings in my life. Seminary City had more blessings than we could see at that time in our life. And at this time -I am really trying to see all of our blessings as they are gracefully given by our Lord. One blessing I have never praised God for is that my children can communicate. In fact, any one who knows my children in the real world.....knows they can communicate very well, exceptionally well. They have practiced practically every minute of their life!!! Anything you want to know...or didn't know you needed to know; Luke and Leah are happy to announce!

The past 3 months, I have work in a Autistic classroom. All of the teachers...there are 3 plus me, are so excited when a word is spoke!! One little girl has been counting and saying Mommy and Dad!! WHAT JOY!!!!!! Seriously...there is a CELEBRATION and recorded for home. It is hard to feel like you are doing the best job you can, when your communication is so limited. My student signs a few words....but somedays is so distracted.

I am thankful my children can tell me their needs, feelings, love and excitement! I can truly be apart of their world and it is a GIFT!

FOR THE HUNDREDTH TIME

Leah --- You can not wear flip flops to parent teacher conferences (even if we didn't catch you in the car) and you can not wear your pretty sandels (even if you wear socks)!!!

Happy girl!

What makes this girl smile???


We have found very nice beautician who works out of her home. We found her by asking a Momma in Wal**Mart who did her daughter's hair. We had talked about a perm for more straighening, however decided on the relaxer as a safe route. I am actually disappointed in the minimal relaxing. We will still need to pull her hair back and perhaps do braids. We will see....but she had a fabulous time and is SO HAPPY to let her "HAIR BLOW IN THE WIND". In Iowa....there has been plenty of cold wind :-)

Baby E's family

Baby E makes a great addition....don't you think! Check out Mom's blog. I will be checking in frequently!! Through the blessing of technology, Leah and I were able to have a web cam visit this week! She is a cutie!!!

For the love of books

Conferences last week went great. Luke does not have homework, except for very rare occasions when the class does not accomplish Mrs. J's high classwork expectations. Luke's reading score is 133 (I have no clue how they come to that number....but he is suppose to be at 125 by the end of 4th grade....so we are happy with it). The problem is HE HATES TO READ!! How did this happen? I bought garage sale books by the dozens, family and friends gifted him the most beautiful books that we faithfully read every night. Ed and I love to read. I find it so calming and must read a little everyday, even if just a magazine at bed. Leah LOVES to have us read. Last week, I asked the school librarian if the love of reading was somewhat genetic related .....you know NATURE versus Nurture. She said she didn't know as most kids who were read to as babes love to read.

Well, Luke now has 'homework' of reading for enjoyment for 20 minutes every night and 10 minutes of spelling review. (Ed and I are both poor spellers, despite our love of books.) Any way..... you'd think we were torturing the poor child. He chooses the book. I or Dad reads along side of him. Tonight, I am really into "The Joy Luck Club" and loving the quiet of the living room, when the timer rings and I am truly expecting him to finish the chapter.....page....paragraph....line.... Nope he is off the couch and running down the stairs, yelling " Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee" Is it wishful thinking that he'll ever LOVE reading....or even like it?

Mums for Mom

A great day with family (my cousin's grandson's baptism) and a great nap. (always high on my list). I got to hear baby's E's voice and she is doing well. Now we are having a family movie and since I can't just watch a movie.....will probably scrap book a little. The best part of my day is going to my mother's cemetery. It was too cold to actually stay a while, but the Mums I planted a couple of months ago had not only survived but BLOOMED! It really made my day!

BABY E

SHE'S HERE!!! AND BEAUTIFUL!!! Mom and Dad are a little tired. But I'm sure Baby E. will be gracing M.'s blog a lot more in the future. We have been so blessed to have Baby E and Baby H. join the family this year. Next year, my sister will add Baby girl C. GOD IS GOOD!!

I'll add Baby E's picture after she actually makes it to Mom's blog....but take my word for it...... BEAUTIFUL!!!

Gym class

Today Leah will start her new gymnastics class. Her YMCA teacher pulled me aside after the second session and said she needed a 9 month class as her abilities where too advanced for the YMCA fun class. Evidently, children her age don't lift their head when they do bridges or have "strong gymnast muscles". We always saw Leah's abilities in dance. (Her spine works in ways mine never did...or ever will). But we are going to let her try and know that the flexibility and poise she will learn will help her in her future. Maybe gymnastics will become her passion and we don't have to set limits on Pastor's daughters hip.hop routine. Maybe she decides to become the next Shawn.Johnson! Io.wa could produce another I'm sure!!

This weekend a fellow Vicar came to preach and raise money for his vicarage assignment. He stayed with us and learned a lot about his vicarage and rapidly counted all of our blessings. Vicarage is a blessing in so many ways. Life is more structured then seminary life. Ed isn't constantly thinking about the next exam or paper due. He doesn't have Greek and Hebrew floating around in his head 24-7. We don't just live on my pay check, have a very comfortable home and live just 3.5 hours from Grandma! There are more blessings....too numerous to list here, but there are still so many uncertainties and worries that settle on my husband. We have no idea where we will be next summer and April 22 is so close, yet so far away for this lover of a life planned.

God opened my eyes this weekend. S and K (newly weds) are spending these 6 months raising money before being allowed to fly to their vicarage in Uganda! Then there is a 6 month period to learn the language to finally start their vicarage in 2009. This energetic God fearing and loving couple sincerely pray that their vicarage is convertible for the next 30 years. Uganda has 63 Lutheran churches...yet only one Pastor. S hopes become the next and his job will be to help train up new leaders in this young church that isn't waiting for America to send more pastors...but is following the Holy Spirit to lead more to Christ NOW! Since then any worries I may stumble across with our future are greatly diminished. I pray for S and K as this spoiled housewife empties the dishwasher and has too many blessings to count. God will continue to bless us and He will continue to do the same for S and K.

Interesting

Another busy week. I'll try to post life happenings tomorrow. For now...... I can't stop thinking about this email......








No matter what your political convictions are this is an eye opener....What a thankless people we are!!!

David Letterman, on President Bush. (Surprising)

David Letterman wrote this; it's the David we don't often see...

'As most of you know I am not a President Bush fan, nor have I ever been, but this is not about Bush, it is about us, as Americans, and it seems to hit the mark.'
'The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some Poll data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true given the source, right?
The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the President.. In essence 2/3 of the citizenry just ain't happy and want a change. So being the knuckle dragger I am, I started thinking, 'What are we so unhappy about?'

A. Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 Days a week?

B. Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter?
C. Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job?

D. Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?

E. Maybe it is the ability to drive our cars and trucks from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state.
F. Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter?

G. I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough either.

H. Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide services to help all and even send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.

I. Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home.
J. You may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames thus saving you, your family, and your belongings.

K. Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes, an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss.

L. This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents. Neighborhoods where 90% of teenagers own cell phones and computers.

M. How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world?

Maybe that is what has 67% of you folks unhappy.

Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the US . , yet has a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don't have, and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord we live here.

I know, I know. What about the president who took us into war and has no plan to get us out? The president who has a measly 31 percent approval rating? Is this the same president who guided the nation in the dark days after 9/11? The president that cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession? Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled ungrateful brats safe from terrorist attacks? The commander in chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me?
Did you hear how bad the President is on the news or talk show? Did this news affect you so much, make you so unhappy you couldn't take a look around for yourself and see all the good things and be glad? Think about it......are you upset at the President because he actually caused you personal pain OR is it because the 'Media' told you he was failing to kiss your sorry ungrateful behind every day.
Make no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many cases may have died for your freedom. There is currently no draft in this country. They didn't have to go. They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a ''general'' discharge, an 'other than honorable'' discharge or, worst case scenario, a ''dishonorable' discharge after a few days in the brig.

So why then the flat-out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of Americans?

Say what you want, but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds it leads and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells, and when criticized, try to defend their actions by 'justifying' them in one way or another. Just ask why they tried to allow a murderer like O.J. Simpson to write a book about how he didn't kill his wife, but if he did he would have done it this way......Insane!

Turn off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage. Then start being grateful for all we have as a country. There is exponentially more good than bad. We are among the most blessed people on Earth and should thank God several times a day, or at least be thankful and appreciative.' 'With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, 'Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?'
-David Letterman


EDITED ON NOVEMBER 4
My inlaws read this post and had read one that Jay.Leno wrote last year, very similar wording. Still made me think and appreciate what Blessings America and God provides! I should double check these posts on Snoops though. Thanks R and M!!