Thank You, Don!!

I have to take a minute to say THANK YOU, THANK YOU to my friend's husband Don! He's been reading my blog and saw where I had asked for help. My yard looks better this evening than it has since I've moved in! It is so pretty - so evenly cut. I'm so thankful for the blessing he has given me.

And! He left a bag of clothes for my daughter on the front porch too! I'm so thankful for you, Don & Leeann!!

One of my children cried all the way home after picking them up from daycare (just a bad day....again). Two of them were arguing and fighting (over a water bottle for goodness sake!). When we pulled up to the house and they saw where someone had mowed the yard for us, the car got so quiet! They were stunned. All three children just kept asking, "who did it, mom?" It was a sweet blessing for them to hear that God had sent a friend to help mommy. The whole tone of our evening changed in that moment. The water bottle was shared, they helped each other with carrying their backpacks in. They are now quietly playing upstairs together and talking.

This sweet act of kindness may seem like a small thing to you, but it has affected me and my three in a much larger way...

Thank You! Thank You! I love you!!

I NEED HELP!!

Just a few weeks ago, I was out with two friends having coffee and they kinda lit into me about how I'm not asking for help when I need it...

Well, here is the thing...I feel like God hasn't given me more than I can handle, right? He knows where I am. He knew I'd be here. He's taking care of us. I can do this, right!??

Okay. Okay. How many times have I preached it (I'm sure YOU have heard it from me before yourself!!)... God uses others in our lives to help us. That is how we handle it. I know!

It's just that....I love to be used by God!! I want Him to use me in YOUR life!! I don't want to be needy!

But alas...I am. Maybe God can bless you by using you in my life. Here is the deal...I've done pretty good keeping my yard mowed all summer. (I admit that I have taken the drought as a personal blessing from God!! I am very serious!) But my grass is a bit too high due to the rain this week and I'm sick with sinus yuck! I tried to mow it this evening, and was coughing my head off the whole time. I had to quit. I barely made it into the house before throwing up. I had left the kids watching a little TV (this is one of my biggest obstacles to mowing...what do I do with my kids while I'm out there!?). They have now been traumatized! I jumped in the shower to try to cool myself off and stop the coughing/hacking/gagging/puking. It took several minutes, but I finally got myself under control.

Sorry to gross you out and all. So, I think it is obvious what my need is this week. I officially invite anyone over at anytime to mow my grass for me. I don't have to be here - help yourself! And so you know...the land behind and to the right of my mailbox (facing my house) is my property, almost to my neighbors fence and all the way to the curb.

I love you, my friends.

The latest!

I feel like my blog has become a way to update my friends. I guess that is okay. Some of you have been asking for it! So here it is...

Life is busy. Life is exhausting at our house... I'm managing to work one full time job, M-F, 8-5, at Hosenfeld Chiropractic. I worked there years and years ago and they are really close to my house. So this spring when I needed a job, it was natural to try there first. It made job hunting easy. I work in the Billing Office, which is seperate from their two locations where they see patients. Sometimes I fill in at their two offices working at the front desk, when people are out sick or whatever.

I've also been working from home part time for FAST Billing. I do medical billing from home in my spare time. Since school has started, I have very little spare time and don't know how much longer this job will be mine!

I also work from home part time for TSS Photography. My parent's own the local franchise and I work for them whenever I can to help them and make some extra money.

So, that is my three jobs.

Now for the "real" update... My children found out this week that their dad is getting remarried. It wasn't taken very well, to say the least. I called and asked Papa to come over and answer their questions and talk to them. They were withdrawing very quickly and I'm glad he came over. It forced them to deal with it. They still aren't happy about it, but they are talking about it, which is good.

Everyday is a challenge to keep each of them encouraged, motivated, and feeling loved. I have so little time with each of them individually. I'm learning how to make the time by staggering their bedtimes by age and keeping the older ones busy while spending some one-on-one with each child. I cherish this time with them. I think they do too...

I have had a couple of opportunities just this week to share my faith with friends, co-workers, and acquaintances. It feels good to be used by God, and not be the "needy" one all the time! October 1st will be the one year mark since Papa moved out and it all started. They say that the first year is the hardest. It has been really hard. I've thought many times that I wasn't going to make it. Those moments are becoming further and further apart now (Thank you God). I have hope!