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I love this blog, and this post in particular.

Highs and lows

Today's high:  Celebrating my husband's birthday with him.  I realized that this is the 9th birthday I've been blessed to spend with him.  Joel's a great guy!  Plus, it gave the kids and I a wonderful excuse to bake brownies.  Dinner involved homemade lasagna, Caesar salad, garlic bread, and fruit.  Yum!  I look forward to eating the leftovers.

Today's low:  My son was throwing Legos, and the Lego bin, at my daughter's head.  I picked him up and took him to his room.  He bit my arm hard and then repeatedly yelled at the top of his lungs, "You are not my mommy anymore!"  and  "No one is ever nice to me!"  He got to spend an hour of quiet time in his room and came out with a much better attitude.  While eating the lasagna at dinner, he leaned over, hugged my arm and said "Now you are my mommy again!"

A house is not a home...

I love cats and books.  I always have.  If I wasn't married with kids, I imagine I'd be an old spinster with oodles of cats and piles of books.  I suppose I would work in a library.  You can picture it right?

But since I have been blessed with an amazing husband and darling children, I spend hours every day reading to my kids.  Funny thing, they love books too!  We snuggle on the couch and read great books.  I'm learning an awful lot about history and science.  From time to time I get kicked in the head by my four year old son who doesn't exactly "sit" and listen.  And I am reminded to laugh.  When my voice gets tired I hand the book to my six year old daughter and she does the reading.  We cuddle up, we learn, we laugh, we love.  Life is good.

When I was about fourteen, I desperately wanted a cat.  I had unsuccessfully asked my parents if I could have a cat.  Then I figured it out, my house didn't feel like a home without a cat.  And I said so, "Mom, a house really isn't a home without a cat."  Who knew that simple heartfelt statement would work?  It wasn't long before I got to bring Milo home.  Milo, my friend with long, orange fur.

I've been thinking about this lately.  When my kids go to bed, I snuggle up on the couch with more great books, a cup of tea, and my two black cats.  I feel very much at home.  But it isn't the cats, or the books, that make me feel at home.  It is the love that fills our house.  It is knowing that my husband is in the room with me, that my kids are tucked safely in their beds, and that we tucked them in with words of love.

As a teenager I felt like I was in a house that wasn't quite a home, not because the people weren't loving, but because my parents were often gone.  It is easy to realize how much young kids need their parents to be home, how much they need their parents' time and attention.  Little kids tell you, they make their needs known.  No matter what they say, or don't say, I believe that bigger kids need their parents to be available just as much as the little ones do.  As my little kids get bigger, I plan to still be here.  I plan to keep on reading to them.  Even if I drive them crazy and they wish I'd go away.  I hope that my presence and love will continue to make our house a home.  And if I'm mistaken on this point?  Don't worry, we've got the cats.

The grass is greener

Did you hear me whining?  I'm sure sorry if you did.  The grass really did look greener on the other side of the fence.

My husband, Joel, worked a bunch of overtime in June and July.  That wouldn't be too bad if he got paid extra.  Or if the kids had been able to see him a bit more.  For Father's Day, my 6 year old daughter made him a card and showed it to me.  "See those four hearts, Mom?  Those are so Daddy doesn't forget that we have four people in our family."

But, the part I was whining about?  We are a one car family.  We share a car; which leaves me without a car most days.  Nothing wrong with that.  In fact, I was the one who chose to go without my own car in order to save money.  Usually we can take Joel to work on occasion and the kids and I can spend the day driving where we please.  It just doesn't work too well when he works super long days and gets home after the kids' bedtime.

Sheepishly, I must admit to you, my whining sounded something like this:  "I feel so stuck at home.  I had hoped to get out of the house a couple times a week this summer and go places with the kids.  Oh, poor me, I live such a hard life..."  You get the idea, right?  I'll leave it at that so I don't drive you crazy.

The grass simply looked a whole lot brighter over there. 

Now my darling is back to a normal work schedule.  The kids get to see their daddy; they know that they are not forgotten.  We are able to drive Joel to work and roam freely about the county doing as we please.  And what do I want to do?  Well, I just want to stay home of course!  The kids and I are having a blast here!  Who would want to go anywhere else?  Yes, our lawn is full of dry grass, weeds, and chicken manure.  But home is looking mighty green and bright to me.  It was just my attitude that needed a little weeding and watering.

Road trip

We leave soon for our long drive to the northwest.  It is time to visit with family and friends!  My kids get to play with their cousins; two they have never even met.  One big family reunion.

Not sure if I'll get a chance to blog while I'm gone.  But don't worry,  I'll be back eventually!  Please pray for me as I drive back home with kids, but no husband.  He is flying back early due to work.

Eavesdropping

A few weeks ago I was listening to my kids as they played a game together.  My son, Arik, explained a rule he would like to have for the game.  My daughter, Anna, replied, "How about I always choose the rules, the oldest kid always decides.  Say 'Okay,' Arik."

I continued to listen, curious how he would respond.  Arik paused and sat quietly thinking for a moment.  "Okay," he agreed to Anna's role as the dictator.  Is he happy with that rule?  Or was he simply trying to avoid conflict?

As a young child, I too almost always did exactly what my older brother told or asked me to do.  I don't remember being bothered by it.  Sibling relationships and birth order are very interesting to behold.  How have your relationships and interactions with your siblings impacted who you are today?

My brothers (and my niece!) and me.

A world away

Traveling to the Democratic Republic of Congo presented me with some challenges.  I knew God wanted me to go and I was very excited by the opportunity to go.  I didn't know how I was going to afford the trip, or have funds to help out Kaziba Orphanage... But God took care of that.  I got sick from both rounds of immunizations and was really sick on the way home and for a few days after...  But God took care of that.  Thinking about the horrible things the people of Congo face on a daily basis kept making me cry and I was worried that I would cry during my whole time with the kids at the orphanage... But God took care of that.  Congo continues to be a very dangerous place to go and I was kind of scared about my physical safety and health... But God took care of that.  I could go on, but I'm guessing you get the idea.

Being so far away from my kids was the hardest thing I had to face.  Would they be okay without me for two whole weeks?  Would I be okay without them?  Would they think they were somehow less important to me because I was leaving them in order to go and show love to other kids?  What would their lives be like if something happened to me while I was in Congo?  Like I said, Congo isn't exactly the safest travel destination in the world.  Let's just say I had a lot of fears about traveling so far from my precious and beloved babies...

But God took care of that!  My kids did great without me.  Yes, they missed me, but they had lots of fun with Joel (dad) and with Grandma, Grammie, and cousin Haleigh.  I didn't die after all, so I got to come back to them!  There were a few nights when I cried myself to sleep because I missed Joel and my kids so much, but all in all I was okay too.  And they didn't think they were less important to me.  Instead they learned a little bit about what it means to care for others in the world, what it means to share and do without some things (mom, in this case), and a tiny glimpse of the blessings we enjoy here in the United States compared to other places in the world.  They are even making plans for their futures that include mission trips and adoption!

My sweet kids,  "Baby Oliver" and "Tabby Cat" (ages 3 and 5)

Family in Congo

This is me at the airport in Ethiopia, after a day and a half of travel with only 3 hours of sleep.  My little blue buddy there is Henry the Hippo, who came from Japan to join us in Congo.

My human travel companion, the lovely Cammie:  she is my husband Joel's cousin (and my dear friend).  Thanks for jumping in and joining me on this adventure Cammie!

My beautiful sister-in-law Holly and her daughters, Mia and Ellie, our newest nieces!

Me, Holly, Isla and Natalie (my other 2 sweet and adorable "Congolese" nieces).

Somehow I did not take any pictures of my brother-in-law, Mike.  (Sorry Mike, nothing personal I promise!)  He was there too!  Mike is Holly's husband, the father of these 4 sweet girls, and the director of Food for the Hungry in DR Congo.  It was wonderful to have the added benefit of spending quality time with my amazing family members who have been living and working in Congo for the past 3 1/2 years.