Thanks ladies...

Thanks ladies for keeping me company while Paul has been away. Paul left Wednesday and I got to go to the park with Susan, Eliana and Zadok. The kids had a great time. We even ran into one of Noah's classmates there so Noah enjoyed playing with a buddy his age. Susan and I enjoyed catching up with each other as well as the kids. They came back to my house and we had a nice lunch and got to chat so more. I loved it and look forward to more time together esp. with the nice weather coming. Wednesday night I had small group at my house with some amazing people, it was too bad I was so wiped out from the day or I would have been more engaged in the night. When Paul is away, it makes me appreciate him all the more and everything he does do especially when he plays with kids while I make dinner. Hence, the next couple of nights I decided to either eat out or do low maintenance dinners.

Thursday morning I took Noah to preschool and then headed out to IHOP with Carlye and Mirah. It was great to share cool God stories in the car out to IHOP. The set was really great with some classic songs that I had not heard in a while but really touched a deep part of me. I also get really emotional watching Hadassah dance. She is such a gift of joy to me. As I delight in her, I can feel my Father's delight in me. We came home, picked up Noah, ate lunch, and we all took a nice long nap. Then we meet up with Tami and went to Chick fil A for dinner (Yes, I used the coupons I bought at the silent auction). It was great to get to know her better and to share a cookies and cream milkshake (the kids liked it too :).

Friday morning, I had a special treat, Kait came and watched the kids for me for 2 hours while I spent time with the Lord and worked on some KL admin things. When I got back she was feeding the kids, emptying my dishwasher, and doing my dishes. WOW is all I have to say. We got to enjoy a nice lunch together and chat about life and God. My kids and I absolutely adore her. Noah actually asked if he could marry her when he gets older and he told us that Dassah said, "Kait is a beautiful dancer." (I don't think Dassah knows those words yet so I wonder who was admiring Kait's dancing?).

The rest of the day on Friday I got some cleaning, laundry, and organizing done. Then at 12:45 am my dear friend Sarah Stroer arrived from Arkansas. It was so good to see her. It had probably been over a year and a half since we last saw each other. We stayed up talking till almost 3am. It felt like we were back at Intro to IHOP again. But reality soon hit the next morning when the kids got up. But even though I was tired, my Spirit was alive. Then I got another big kiss from the Lord when Noah, Dassah and I got to talk on Facetime to Leah and Cassidy that morning. It was great to see Noah and Cassie talk. Leah and I soon realized that we might need to find a different time to chat though. Just seeing their smiles and hearing their laughs sent my Spirit even higher. After I got off the phone, Sarah had gotten up and asked if we could go to Einsteins. How could I turn her down? So off we went... yummy food and great fellowship what is not to like.

I came home both kids took a nap and I got to listen to a great teaching by Tom Blake via  their blog on the menorah and spent some time in prayer. We had Jimmy Johns for dinner and ran around at the gym. Bath time and bed time. AHHH! Thank you Lord for filling me up through Yourself and these amazing ladies. Paul comes back tomorrow, I look forward to giving him a big hug and telling him thanks for all he does.

Lego and Playmobil Room

Well it is finally here.... the Lego and Playmobil Room.
We have been talking about doing it for over a year.
Harrison and Noah are very excited about it.
I am sure the kids in our community will enjoy it too on Sunday nights.
Here are a couple pictures and a short video.

Missing Leah Moments

As many of you know my sister-in-law and one of my best friends, Leah, moved to Israel yesterday for 3 years. I am so excited for her, Tom and Cassidy - and extremely sad - all at the same time.

Today I had several missing Leah moments....

I woke up, got ready, opened the garage door and saw her old house across the street (so many memories there).

I get in my car and have the beautiful L'Chaim necklace that Leah gave me hanging from my rear view mirror. It is such a beautiful reminder to treasure every moment of life.

Then I take Noah to preschool but I missed not getting to run into Leah in the hallway or stairs as she brought Cassie, or see her van parked at the bottom of the hill because she got their before me.

Then I go home to make out my grocery list for my meals for next week... I look for what recipes I will make, and of course half of my recipes are Leah's.

I get home from the store, and it is such a nice day out I decide to walk to pick Noah up, crying most of the way because I missed my walking-talking buddy Leah who used to walk with me to pick up the kids.

When we get home I feed the kids lunch and give the kids naps.  Then I check my email and Facebook for the 12th time to see if there is any news on their arrival yet.  Nope.  Still waiting, so I pray some more.

Decide to make some tea and open the cupboard to find my clear Buck's mug from Leah, and we both love clear mugs.  Later on I decide to have some water, in my new water cup from my mom for Valentines day, and it has a straw.  All I can hear is Leah saying, "You drink so much more water with a straw."

I decided to try to take a nap but just ended up crying.  So I took a shower instead, and there was the Aveda shower gel that Leah gave me.

I went to Costco with Bailey, and I almost lost it in the middle of the store when we got to the flowers because Noah almost always says, "Mama, can we get Leah flowers."  When we pass the snack section, I see the salt and pepper pistachios, and I am taken back to the first time she introduced me to them.  It was at Panera, and she gave them to Dassah.  Dassah loved them, and so did I.  She always had fun things for Dassah to play with or eat when we would hang out on Tuesdays mornings.  No wonder Dassah sees her as her second Mama.

I got home from Costco and head out for a date with Paul.  We end up going to a new Italian restaurant. They had Frank Sinatra playing and it reminded me of the last time Leah and I got to hang out just the two of us for dinner.  We went to a wine and pizza place on the plaza and they played Art and I's Frank Sinatra song "The Best is Yet to Come."  I teared up and ended up sharing about Art, and she so graciously listened like she always does.

We decided to stop at the Brown house on our way home to get Paul's office ready again for him.  Since this is where our church meets, and where Tom and Leah lived for the last month, there were many obvious memories.  I put a fire in the fireplace, and it reminded me of the day after preschool when Leah and I did that and had a long meaningful conversation.  I couldn't even bring myself to go downstairs, because all I could picture is Leah in the kitchen cooking for our community with a smile on her face.

When we got home, I checked my email and Facebook again for the 30th time that day; and there it was, a picture and video of them in Jerusalem.  What a relief that they are safe, and that they are where they are suppose to be for right now.  Yet it made me sad and angry all at the same time.  I broke down crying and haven't really stopped since even as I write this.

As hard as all these reminders are in my daily life, and I am sure tomorrow there will be more, I am thankful for them because I am thankful for the memories.  They will remind me to pray for my dear beloved friend and sister Leah as she serves our King in Jerusalem.

Sorry if this post is too mushy; it felt good just to get it all out though.  I love and miss you, Leah Blake!  I look forward to our Skype chat; hopefully my emotions will settle down by then so I can talk and not just cry the whole time.

Snow Day

The snow finally came.....
                and we sure did have fun in it!
                         Then we enjoyed a nice bowl of soup at Panera.