Daisy Scout Fire Department Day

We did a cute little field trip to the Fire Department today. It was with Abby's Daisy Scout Troupe, this picture is caught in the reflection of the fire truck she was looking up at the tools. So cute.

Fear

Let me tell you something about fear. The person who said there is nothing to fear but fear itself didn't know that fear itself was in itself a big enough monster to fear. I haven't written for so long because I have been consumed with fear, anxiety and worry. I have shared these feelings with a few friends, okay anyone who would listen, but now here I am writing about what I have learned in the past few months about fear. I actually cannot write now because I have to unload a ton of groceries, cook dinner, cook another dinner, then make lunch, clean up and get ready for church and clean the kids, and jar some peaches that about to go off and dry some apples and juice the rest of them. Okay now I am tired just thinking of what I am trying to avoid. Anyway the point is I need to sit down and journal what it is that God has shown me in the last few months since our trip, where I realized the fear began. I think the more light I shine on it the less power it has over me. So when I actually find a second to think, then find another second to write I shall spill my guts and my tears and share what I have gone through.

Lots of Love

Well a lot has happened in the several week since I stopped blogging. Mason lost his first tooth a few weeks ago. He believes in the tooth fairy so we played along although strange since we don't do any fictional characters, it was still kind of cute. He was 15 months old when he first got a tooth so it doesn't surprise me that it took so long for one to fall out.

Abby started Daisy scouts again, she is too adorable. We ordered a uniform online and as we were shopping she was just enthralled with the whole process of online shopping as we were checking out she grabbed my purse for me and asked "well where do you stick the card?" as she looked down into the computer!

We were getting ready to go to church on a Saturday night and I asked the kids "So why are we going to church tonight?" hoping for the deeper meaning, I was a little surprised when Abby piped up saying "We don't want to go to bed!" They had a blast anyway.

Abby was very shy with the dermatologist as she saw him remove a spot from me. Later she told me that she wasn't about to let that Meteorologist touch her foot!

Nettie started school, her first day of kindergarten, she came home telling me she had a boy friend and that she was going to get married. She also told her teacher that she wasn't coming back and she was going to tell her mom on her. The teacher wasn't phased. She is not super excited about school but in the end she is happy when we pick her up. Mornings drag but the afternoon she is excited about school. Someone apparently made the comment at school that she was adorable but didn't like to be boxed in. Go figure, her name means Freedom.

Judah is back at school, we asked him if he wanted us to take him his first day. NO. He wanted to ride the bus. He is doing good, I look forward to this being the last year of preschool. I think he will do really well in kinder.

Well I am trying to get back into the swing of things, sometimes life just throws you a curve ball and you have to figure out where you are and what position you are playing. My struggle has mostly been trying to figure out where I am in this world and what God wants me to do with this life he has given me. The realization of the shortness of our time on the earth hit me hard and I am hoping that God will use that realization for his benefit in teaching me to love each day with his heart and to live for him.

Whoops

Well we are not going to end this vacation with the bang we thought we would. Gary thought he had to be back to work on Wednesday but actually when he checked just now he has to be back to work Monday at 6 AM!! We have been gone for 28 days and I could just keep going. Mason is in tears right now and I don't even feel like blogging because we are all so dissapointed that we have to come home sooner than we thought. Currently we are Las Cruses New Mexico, the sun is setting through the cactus, kids are playing in the pea gravel (no grass) We are only going to stay here for one night now verses two. We had sleds and were going to romp down the sand dunes and see the missle museum. Gary just returned them to the KOA. Mason is so upset. We will be back there is so much to see here in New Mexico, Carlsbad, Missle Museum, it is only 400 miles away and after five thousand miles and four weeks anything seems possible. Well after a five hundred mile drive we arrived here to relax

Rodeo in Texas

Well we did decide to stay for the rodeo, turns out we are here for the final night, today the top ten will be competing to see who wins. It should be fun for the kids. The three older ones are swimming in an icey cold pool while Judah naps. I am getting ready to get them but thought I would take this moment of silence to update. I can't tell you how I have missed the internet. I love KOA's they are so reliable and we know what we get. I missed the KOA's as we have tried many other kinds of RV parks and they simply do not measure up. Alot of them don't have WIFI and if they do they don't work properly, the laundry rooms can be dirty and not work either. With KOA you just know that everything is kept up and there is a standard in camping and RVing. You know that you will get a clean bathroom, laundry, and playground, internet, pool and sometimes more.

Anyway we took a little drive and by the way you must own a GPS to do this right. Wow the hassle it saves is amazing. We found an airforce base and watched B1 bombers fly in, took pictures of flowers and played on the playground before rough daddy had three kids in tears. So nice mommy promised icecream! We found Wendy's and Walmart, picked up a few supplies and found the arena for the rodeo tonight. There was one lady in the parking lot whose grandson competed but didn't make it to the top ten so she gave us her tickets! We simply stopped to ask her what time the rodeo started. I told the kids you should always try to be friendly with people. If you want to make friends you have to be a friend is our current lesson, that and don't jump on mom. Well I have to get the young en's ready for their first rodeo! New Mexico first thing in the morning.

Thorns in Texas

Well we are nearing the end of our journey. We spent a blessed day in Shreveport LA, we were able to visit a butt kicking science center with our AZ membership, it was rated top six in the nation. The kids had a great time, they even got to pet an alligator, then we went to an air force museum for free the next day. I nearly passed out from the heat and was to going to the ER, but I think I was at that point having a panic attack. Gary prayed for me and I felt much better.

Funny story about our first R V park in LA, to put it shortly we ended up in a corn field and the Confederate flag was a flying high. We by the grace of God found another place. I will have to write more on that later. We are getting ready to leave Texas where we currently are. Abilene Texas to be exact. The sky is cloudy and it is our first taste of being back in the desert. I walked outside this AM and I stepped on several thorns. We are not in the lush green south anymore. Bummer. I only have a few minutes to blog. We are heading for New Mexico to spend a few nights in Las Cruses. Then home. Abby is the only one that really wants to return home.

A quick update is that we left Alabama several nights ago, stopped in Vicksburg Mississippi, toured a civil war battle field and then headed to Shreveport, LA had a great time like I said at the museums and headed to Texas, now we are on our way to New Mexico apparently there are a few museums free admission that tell of the history of the atomic bomb. I have to run because we are getting ready to leave and I have to make reservation at the good ol KOA, oh wait the kids just ran up to me and told me that there is a rodeo show tonight and it is only four bucks to get in. The kids are so excited, I guess Gary told them we are going to stay. I should probably go and talk to Gary who was off getting in the shower at the public shower. Apparently there is a cowboy next door to us that is practicing roping and I forgot to mention there is a rodeo college here in Texas where we are staying. I didn't know such things existed. I saw a sign for it that said "Reading Writing and Rodeo" I didn't know that kid was a rodeo guy, this morning I saw his boots sitting outside the cabin he was staying at so I took a picture because I really thought it represented Texas, haha little did I know. :) This blog is choppy as Gary's computer was dropped and the back space button doesn't work. My thoughts are scattered as the kids run all over and dogs keep getting loose. Better run for now, bugs are crawling up my leg and Sweetie just puked.

Next Stop Vicksburg Mississippi....

I have truly been stranded without Internet service for some time now. I guess I just assumed that everywhere we went would have Wi Fi. Not. I will have to update with a copy of my journal when I can get to my own computer. Currently I am borrowing my sister in laws.

We spent one night in Montgomery, we said good by to our friends from Singapore, visited a few sites and celebrated Gary's birthday. More on all of this later.

Then we headed for Lake Guntersville State Park, AL where we were camped out for the last 9 days. Last night we stayed our first night in Huntsville AL with family. We are here for two more nights, heading for home Monday morning.

We have had an adventure that is for sure. We plan on taking 10 days or so to get home. Our first stop I think will be in Historic Vicksburg Mississippi, the site of a famous civil war battle. I don't know where we will go next. Time will tell I suppose.

I have so much to write, so much to catch up on. It is 11:14 here right now and I am short on sleep, a reoccurring theme throughout this trip. It is kind of weird sleeping in a house, my kids seem so far away even though they are just a room away. I have enjoyed our visit with family very much but I am also excited about what is next, what new things will we see? Total our trip will be about 26 days. It is to record the longest trip we have been on. I think only coming in second to our trip to South Africa (3 weeks) and maybe tieing with our motorcycle road trip to Maine at 24 days. I am glad our kids are finally at an age where we can do this again. I missed it so much.

Abby is having the hardest time about being away from home. She tells me she misses the big shower and her grandparents. I miss my friends and family too. I don't miss the normal responsibility of life, the pressures and stress but I guess it wouldn't be a vacation if you didn't have any thing to vacation from.

More later, we had a great time in Guntersville and I can't wait to write about it. Tomorrow we will kick off our goodby to Alabama with a trip to the Space and Rocket Center where they do space camp! Off for now, must update facebook...... (me zombie like)

so so tired

I cannot begin to tell you how tired I am. I woke up this morning and just couldn't move for the life of me. I felt just plain yucky. Every since Louisianan I have been feeling a little blah. I chalk it up to possible food poison from that sticky adorable Cajun joint. Anyway... We were supposed to meet our dear friends at the US Naval Aviation Museum on base and needless to say we were very late. When we got there they were already having lunch and had seen most of the exhibits, I felt horrible. The day was good though and because they are so flexible and kind we ended up taking a look at most of the exhibits. This is home to the Blue Angels, and tomorrow for Gary's birthday we will go down early to the base and watch them practice. This is really a dream come true for Gary who loves them. I have to admit it is pretty cool.

After we did the museum we headed for the beach, the waves were high today and the kids had a blast surfing on them into shore. I laughed as I watched several little ones totally bite it in the surf. Shirley and I had a great time just talking on the beach under the shade watching from afar. It was a nice break and the two of us have not had a chance to chat without a million interruptions. I am really going to miss our friends but we are already planning on meeting next year, perhaps in Singapore, which sounds absolutely wonderful!

Yesterday I did not blog, but for a quick recap, Melvin and Shirley came by in the AM and the kids jut played and we hung out until dusk when we all took a fishing trip down to the dock. Mason caught several catfish the biggest one being about 18 inches! He also caught a crab which Melvin killed and Shirley cleaned and the boys ate. I have to admire the sportsmanship of killing your own food, I on the other hand am a coward. I eat meat but I couldn't even look at the struggling crab.

I am now going to try to post some pictures, Melvin and Shirley were able to get some of our pictures on Gary's computer. Tomorrow we are going to head out after the Blue Angels to Montgomery and see some of the museums. Then we are meeting Melvin and Shirley up for dinner at a steak house where you can throw peanut shells on the floor. My kids ought to love that!

Our kids have had a great time with their kids, they get a long so well. It is a such a joy to hang out with them. Their oldest is destined to be a pastor, he has been preaching the word of God since the first day of our trip together! I love it.

Okay now for some pictures. Man it is not working, try again tommorrow.

White Sandy Beaches

Today we met our good friends on a private beach in Pensacola Florida. It was spectacular to say the least. Hardly no body there and the water was clear enough to see fish swimming by. The kids played for hours in the sand and in the waves. The water was nice enough I even did some ocean swimming for a little work out. I got a lot of saltwater in my ears and tonight Judah explained why he had to pee so much is that he swallowed too much ocean! After the beach we packed up and headed back to the camp. Melvin and Shirley picked up more shrimp and we had the best dinner ever under the stars. I took the kids to the KOA icecream social, 2 dollars for all you can eat icecream. Needless to say they really took advantage of that. The kids road their bikes, watched a movie and played trucks and Lego's for hours. Instead of the beach again tomorrow we are going to hang out here and try the fishing thing again. Then we will let the kids play for a bit then maybe go have lunch out and then perhaps go to the Naval Air Museum, then have a cook out here. Steak this time, although I am really enjoying the shrimp it is the best I have ever had I am too close to the water and seeing those fish on the line yesterday made me feel bad. The mosquito bites on my leg have become infected. Being in the ocean kind of helped but I was at the point of looking for a doctor today, we will see how it is tomorrow. I am really sick of the bugs here, I found a flying roach, some kind of beetle, several moths and a few mosquito's in the trailer tonight, although we are careful with the door it seems they sneak in regardless. shiver. After all of this I cannot look at mosquitos the same. They are the enemy and I hate them. I will seek and destroy. No mercy.

I will make you fishers of men....

We had a wonderful day. Melvin and Shirley came by and we had a fantastic time catching up. It was so good to see them and the kids. I am very sad that they will be going back to Singapore in a few weeks but I know I will see them again and we will, like always pick up where we left off.

I love Alabama. The pace is slow, the farms out here are fresh and there is just wide open spaces, green trees and grass. People are friendly and today I realized how truly Southern I am. I see where I get the gift of gab, I see how I fit in. It is like I found my people.

We stopped by a few farm markets and bought, watermelon, onions, eggplant and a plethora of other vegetables. Picked straight and set up on carts, dirt still clodded on them. I asked if they were organic and he laughed at me. He said they have copperhead rattlesnakes, not that I know how that relates to spraying your farm with chemicals, but .... he said he had one that was six feet long. He apparently eats them. He told us if he caught one tomorrow when he went to get the corn he would put it on ice for us to grill. I am down with that.

We stopped by one little market, I nearly cried. Three little old men chomping on peaches and chewing the fat. They gathered next to a pick up truck with a home made trailer filled with fruit. The trailer was the back end of an old truck, it was covered with an awning made of sticks and tarp and in the middle was flown an American flag. The flag waved faithfully in the breeze, tattered at the ends, but still in the middle of that little shade awning and above those three old men in overalls it looked glorious. We bought a watermelon from them and sampled a few nectarines, I giggled as I watched him clumsily put the fruit into a Walmart plastic bag. Just can't get away from Walmart, even in the very fringe of the United States.

My trailer envy has turned into full blown motor home desire. Of course that would not happen anytime soon but a girl can dream. We stopped by camping world and I made the grave mistake of looking at trailers. Let me tell you, the difference between our trailer and the ones I looked at were night and day. They were huge!! one even had a separate rooms the room in the back had four beds!!! Someday....

For dinner we had fresh shrimp that tasted like lobster, we apparently liked it as much as the fish did today. Gary had the great idea of using it as bait for our first real fishing trip down to the dock. I have pictures of all of this but ... I will post them later. We took Melvin and Shirley and their two kids down to the dock and cast our lines over. I prayed that this would be a great fishing trip for the kids and Jesus ordered all the animals he could certainly arrange my kids to catch a fish. Ethan was the first to catch a fish and he did it within 3 minutes. Next came Mason a cat fish, then Nicole.a pin fish, Abby was struggling with her little line. I held her tight and prayed that she would catch a big one! Gary interrupted but Abby was taking this prayer very seriously and told dad to wait. Then when I was done she hopped over to dad and grabbed the pole. A few minutes later she reeled in a catfish that was about 8 inches! The biggest catch of the day, prior to her casting her line and hooking me on the back of the leg! Her faith was so big and her fish was big too. She really did pray believing, not doubting. Later she told me, "Wow mom God really does control the animals!" Next Judah caught a fish then Nettie. That was it. No more, once everyone had a turn they stopped biting. We caught 6 fish within 30 minutes. It was and experience that I don't think they will soon forget. God wants to use our kids, he is sending a message that he does intend on making them fishers of men. Gary was shocked I was shocked, we laughed and had a good time. There were several other people on the Pier fishing but not a single fish was brought in but from our little kids with the least experience and a bat man pole.

It is time to sleep, our trailer is still crooked which means I can't use the hot water as it has something to do with the propane I don't know. It feels like there are crumbs in my bed and I am sticky and itching like the dickens. I rubbed banana on my leg like my mom said but I haven't felt relief just yet.

Mason is my boy. He found an injured toad and really tried to take care of it. Finally he let it go, I think Judah had run over it with his bike. He decided to write a note and leave it next to Mr. Toad. The note was a song that went like this

Mr Toad Mr Toad, how are you
Mr. Toad Mr. Toad I love you

We prayed for that little toad.

He also was a big helper and really impressed me. He went to his daddy and asked him what it was he could do to help. I can tell he really wanted to hang out with the guys tonight. It was so cute. I also was walking in the sand next to our trailer and in the sand someone wrote, I love my mom. It was Mason. What a sweet kid.

All for now. We are getting ready for the beach tomorrow. It should be fun. We will meet Melvin and Shirley there in the morning, maybe with fresh grilled rattler. :)

I need to add for Judah how I am seeing him become a little man, a guardian like his namesake. He woke up straight out of his sleep the other night and was walking out the front door. When asked he said, half asleep, that he was looking for Abby. She was right there but he is so protective of her. Also on the pier I found him hanging onto Mason and Abby's shirts from behind. I asked him what he was doing and he said he didn't want them to fall in. We were on the playground I took off my shoes and in the middle of swinging he asked me to put them back on so bugs wouldn't bite my feet anymore. He is such a sweet boy.