Spring Forward and Skype-ing

Well, we're all dragging this morning and all day.  Not only is it that "lovely" time of year when the clocks moved forward (more on THAT later), but there entails a joyful reason for our excessive lack of sleep.  All started when we were pleasantly surprised (and BLESSED) with the amazing gift of a webcam that arrived by UPS Friday.  Between my own lack of full computer know-how and the age of both myself and my aged laptop, it took me til Saturday evening to connect! ;o)

I'll spare you all the embarrassing (to me) details but suffice it to say that I did fall asleep Friday night (wee hrs of Sat) while it was "installing" (akin to watching water boil but much longer) and thus had the space bar and ALT keys firmly tatooed on my head for a few hrs...much to the merriment of my sweet children!  Yet, still--somehow--we had no video via the camera.  I worked on it some more after errands Saturday all to naught and again I think it's due to the age of this laptop but we had success with the audio part and chatted LIVE on Skype (free phone call) with our benefactor!!  Ben's younger cousin, Ryan, currently stationed in Korea has been chatting via Facebook chat (typed words) with us and now we can Skype!  Last night and this morning we had an enlightening chat from everything about favorite desserts and songs to what life was like there in Korea.  Ryan thru FB video shared what the Korean currency looked like and explaining it to us while on Skype chat. After 7.5 hrs he also got to see how silly we get when tired and had heard from all the cousins, including baby Levi and even Ben before we finished. 

Wonderful windows are opened now.  We have family in Japan, Bangladesh, friends in China and missionary friends in Trinidad.  Not only can we "see" them and talk to them in person now through this new gift, but our children can see glimpses of other countries/cultures more intimately than they ever could just from a book!   The crew is also excited that our neighbor JoAnn who was like a grandma to them has Skype so now that she is in Idaho, we can video chat with her too!  Though no more marathons!  Part of the time was trying to problem solve the video issue but we gave up on that finally!



As to my thoughts on the time change....this little quote sums up my thoughts well...



:o)  Well, I have to finish working on our tax return and then clearing off the desk in here to make room for the newer computer so we can set up webcam with proper (insert computer-eze here needed to make it work LOL)! 

By the way, anyone reading this that is a IRL (in real life) family member/friend with Skype you can email me becca95@centurytel.net with your Skype name and we can connect ;o)

I want to leave with a scripture from my desk I just read...
"If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ."
~ 1 Peter 4:11 
Reminded me of cousin Ryan and so many others we know who serve our country!   And good reminder for all of us!
Blessings!

Babies Don't Keep

I LOVE this poem!!!  This is what I was doing after baby was born this May <wink>  It's a good reminder...especially as I stand in awe of my young people who surround me.  We have 3 now tall as or taller than I am and they certainly grew up FAST (16, 14, 12).   Baby Levi is in my lap as I type this.  I love his snuggle, kissable, little self.  Not so long ago it seems those same almost adult dc were nestling in my arms and toddling around.  Chubby cheeks, love for momma and loving his siblings already so much!  9 months and growing...where indeed does the time go??  I kiss his little forehead and smile, loving every moment....God is good!  


                                                                   ~BABIES DON'T KEEP~

                                                                     Mother, oh Mother,

                                                                 come shake out your cloth,

                                                                      empty the dustpan,

                                                                       poison the moth,

                                                                    hang out the washing

                                                                    and butter the bread,

                                                           sew on a button and make up a bed.

                                                            Where is the mother whose house

                                                                        is so shocking?

                                                                    She's up in the nursery,

                                                                        blissfully rocking.

                                                      Oh, I've grown shiftless as Little Boy Blue

                                                                (lullaby, rock-a-bye, lullaby loo).

                                                       Dishes are waiting and bills are past due

                                                      (pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo).

                                                               The shopping's not done

                                                             and there's nothing for stew

                                                        and out in the yard there's a hullabaloo

                                                        but I'm playing Kanga and this is my Roo.

                                                     Look! Aren't her eyes the most wonderful hue?

                                                                (lullaby, rock-a-bye, lullaby loo).

                                                               The cleaning and scrubbing

                                                                   will wait till tomorrow,

                                                                   for Children grow up,

                                                              as I've learned to my sorrow.

                                                               So quiet down, cobwebs.

                                                                    Dust go to sleep.

                                                I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep......

      

                                                                  ~Author Unknown ~

FAR too long....

I have been neglectful of my blog...sorry, to my few friends that do like to read...but I did have a new little one last May and then we started having issues last summer with the computer only to have it blue screen in Nov...the one with all my pictures and ebooks in it.  ACK!  Waiting on tax refund money now to find someone to rescue my "stuff" off of it.  Also took me awhile to find where I hid the address of my blog!  My computer that crashed had it all "saved" and I had gotten lazy and forgot how to find it and what the PW, etc were <facepalm>

I have written SO many posts in my head though and all of course have been witty and brilliant.  Really will be doing better, I so miss writing...so with all that said, I'm first going thru the drafts and digging up anything I've had waiting and then play catch up! 

AND I do admit a little thing called Facebook has kept a bit too much of my attention. ;o)

A little excitement, some new changes we are starting a garden and several projects so hoping to blog about that too, not sure if I'll keep it all here or start one just for gardening.   Been reading up on Back to Eden gardening and finding it very interesting.  Ben had me look it up so I have to give him the credit for learning about it and why we are trying to do that this year.  That's all for now.
Blessings!

Birthday Fun

Just found this in my drafts....I'm going ahead and sharing, a few pictures are missing but as soon as we deal with the computer that crashed and find them I'll share.

2010 birthdays and cakes...

Twins 5th birthday...went the easy route and just made regular cake and put big cars on top!  They thought it was great!  The yellow candle played "Happy Birthday" tune.  We were in the middle of soccer games in May!

Blowing out the candle...Zeb in red, Josiah in blue.  I couldn't get Zeb to sit up tall...he's not that short!

Birthday dinner w/Mema and Pepa in Clarksville!  Twins choice...PIZZA!  Got everyone but Briar in this picture...well, and me, of course but I was behind the camera :o)

[Abbie]
Abbie's cake and pictures are on the computer that crashed and will have to wait...she turned 7 and we celebrated w/my folks at Chik-fil-a and had a sort of carousel cake but it's better told w/pictures...I'll make a WHOLE post on it...a bit of a drama to that one LOL!

I don't know what happened to the pictures of Hannah's bday and cake (9th).  We had soccer championship games before and after her birthday and I must have used one of the older children's cameras or a throw away one.  When I find it, I'll add it.
[Hannah]

While at church camp (July 2010), Briar made the decision to become a Christian.  We got a call and made it to camp in time for Ben to do the honors and baptize our oldest son in Christ.  The same camp we met 22yrs ago!

July is now Briar's SPIRITUAL Birthday.

So glad we made it in time...Ben has now baptized both of our oldest children.

Moments after his baptism--so proud of our son--now our brother in Christ!!!  Oh HAPPY DAY!
"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth" 3 John 1:4  Our oldest 2 now walk in truth...

July 16th...few days after our anniversary...Bonnie's birthday cake...Panda Bear...w/pink candles!  Had a few issues w/the cake, but it turned out okay!  This is what the b-day cakes USUALLY look like!  Some sort of animal, etc.   By the way, those aren't sunglasses she's wearing, those are Irlen filters on her lenses!

July 28th, Ben's fire hazard cake LOL!  Yes, we actually lit all 39 candles!

The smoke that lingered after he blew them out!!  Amazed that it didn't set the fire alarm off!  LOL!

Close up of cake...John Deere tractor and what was left of the candles...look at all that wax!!

My handsome Hubby on his birthday...at our neighbors.  He had no idea we planned a party!  He was surprised!!   We even had pizza there!  He thought he had to go help with their plumbing~!  HAHA!!

Hmmmm, seems I did several easy cakes this year just in the pan with decorations on the cake...  Briar LOVES Star Wars and these were his new figurines.  Cake decor and present all in one LOL!

Happy Boy!  Officially a teen...13th birthday, Aug 5th.  His birthday signals the end of the long string of spring/summer bdays!

Oct 3, Pop (our neighbor who adopted our dc as more grands!) helping Angus open his present from them...such a serious look there...

Happy Birthday!!  Handful of cars from Pop and Ms. JoAnn and the hat from Mom and Dad...he's ready to go home now and he had to carry his cars instead of use the new bag he also got for them LOL!  Another little boy who LOVES cars!  Poor sweetie had chicken pox on his birthday...so we did his official b-day cake later when he wasn't spotty!!

Another picture AWOL....I KNOW I made him a cake :o)

You ARE a Soul

"You don't have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body."  ~C.S. Lewis

I heard this yesterday and was struck with the profound simple truth contained within.  God made all of us spiritual beings that will ALWAYS exist, but this body won't always exist--just a temporary shell.  Our focus should be on where our soul will be eternally.  I knew this but needed the reminder...thus the reason for this post.

Yesterday was a mixed day.  A blessed day, yet a heartbreaking day.  Blessed because I got to spend a lot of time with my man alone in the middle of the day/week.  We were able to have some heart to heart talks and even a steak dinner!  We listened to an uplifting message that included the quote above and saw many dear friends we had not seen in a LONG time.  My heart and soul needed that.  Reminder to self to PLAN more time alone w/my sweetie!

On the other hand, it was one of the saddest days...the reason for this day together...was to attend a funeral.  Ben has known Doug and his whole family all his life, Doug is the brother of our friend, cousin of our former landlord, our ins agent (we'd even bought a horse from him yrs ago) and just a GREAT man!  He was only 47--not much older than us, a very sudden and unexpected death.  Another stark reminder that our days ARE numbered and this world is, surprise folks, not our final destination.  We need to be ready at ANY time!

But the funeral was an uplifting funeral.  As humans we are sad but yet joyous when the person who died is a Christian and has committed themselves to Christ FIRST and set eyes on eternity--these are the things the preacher reminded us of yesterday.  This is what we should strive for...to be ready always for our eternal reward, and was what Doug did and lived.  I needed that reminder yesterday, I think we all did.

Which is why I'm sharing this today--as a reminder to all of you as well.  It's the Little Things we do, day in, day out that show our TRUE character, our TRUE bent in life.  We need to see every day as a gift--to make it COUNT for Christ.  I used to keep these thoughts in the forefront, but I have taken my life for granted lately, worrying too much about tomorrow and not making each moment count--instead of living for Christ TODAY.  I've put a lot off for tomorrow and I am NOT guaranteed a tomorrow here on earth.

Lord, may I always strive to make today and every day COUNT as I live for you and Christ and live to bless my family.  May the day I am taken home for eternity (whether soon or long time from now) be a day my children and friends can rejoice saying, she lived for CHRIST and we were blessed because of her love and example.  Amen.

Blessings my friends,
Becca

PS.  If any of you, dear readers, would like to know how to have the same assurance in Christ, I'd be happy to chat w/you privately.  He is THE reason I have joy.  Feel free to contact me at my email addy  becca95@centurytel.net

What is your perspective??

Some quick thoughts as the old year ends and a new one is about to begin...it is funny how perspective and attitude is everything.  Think about it.  I could dwell on all the negative moments (and believe me this year there were plenty) and say it was an awful year, or I could instead look and see where God carried me (us) thru the hard times, even preserving us and protecting us at times.  No, not from all the hard or bad things in life but from a worse case scenario, or by giving us peace or walking with us, or by keeping us from a worse situation...GOD NEVER ABANDONS HIS CHILDREN!!  It is we, that sometimes walk away from him.

I personally choose to see the glass half full, rather than half empty.  I choose to find the good in others and in each situation.  I admit that sometimes I do not think this first :o) I am after all human and have my moments and down times and can cry with the best of the best...and bemoan, oh why oh why...but ultimately I seek to find the good, the redeemable in the situation, in others, in myself.  I choose to think instead...okay this is not great but boy it could be worse, look at what could have been.  Pollyanna is a good starting point for all of us.  The glad game is one of my favorites from the book/movie.  Jesus said blessed are the children and that we need to be childlike...so as 2010 is now officially over and yes, I am optimistic that 2011 will be even better :o) I choose to glance back (never dwell in the past, only glance) and say, thank you Lord for the blessings of 2010, for helping us through the rough spots, for never forsaking us.

May you find joy and peace in the little things as you look back over 2010 and more importantly think on how you choose to go thru 2011.  What will your attitude and perspective be in the new year?  May we all remember to keep God first, and to be not of the world but be like Christ.

The joy of a new year, oh, the joy of a clean slate...I admit I do love the thought of it all, but one last thought...aren't you glad that we don't have to wait every year or even every week??  For those of us who are Christians and IN Christ, HE continually cleans our slates for us...every day he renews us!!  Praise God!

Blessings my friends!  Happy NEW YEAR!!