my world is shrinking (& that's a good thing)

it has been a bit since i posted... well God is alive and active... i can see his fingerprints in so many areas of my life, it is just amazing... our past year has been such a devasting and richly blessed year... this new path God has put us on has been so full... family and friend relationships have bloomed and blossemed so beautifully that i am sitting here in such awe of the master orchestrator...

i have two amazing bible study groups packed with so much authenticity it thrills my soul... i love my "real" fellow sojourners... my little n is haveing a playdate with two friends - one from our new church (daughter of one of my new friendships in one of my bible study groups), and one from awana that happens to be the daughter of the older sister of my youngest sister's best friend from high school... crazy!!

i keep finding out that old and new friends are in touch with other old and new friends and relatives of mine.... not sure if this happens to all of you but wow it is happening a lot to me lately...

anyway sunday is easter and i love easter, monday at bible study was amazing - what we were taught by beth moore was what jeff was teaching this past weekend at church, which is only a God thing...

it is late and i must go get some rest...

my trip to cincy..

good morning,
big z and i were to go to cincy for her soccer tournament this weekend. well following is a short summary of our trip...

.... our trip to cincy started out very nice then.... shortly after our first rest area stop our precious van started doing something funny... and that funny thing kept getting worse... Lord, please let me get to an exit.... we get to an exit and pull into the parking lot of a gas station and the van stops and i mean stops - the engine sounds beautiful - BUT it will not go forward or backward.....

after calling p we go inside and there are three customers at the register - young guys - one dressed as an elf, yes i said an elf with elf ears and all - i am not kidding! on is dressed liked a pirate and the other is dressed like robin hood's cronies - no lie- (z was a bit nervous "mom they are weird") well the one (the pirate) knows about cars and offers to check our transmission fluid and low and behold it is empty, so he goes back into the station with us and shows us what to get and where to put it... by the way they were dressed for a Renaissance reenactment....

well that did not do the trick although it would go forward and backward a little bit.... but it sounded like it had rubber or stones stuck somewhere and it was jerking quite badly.... we called and cancelled the hotel in cincy and check into the hotel next to the gas station... yes they had a room (thank you Lord!) and an indoor pool so zoe was happy once again..... and the price was much cheaper that cincy...

well we have very helpful people at the hotel and they google toyota dealerships and of course the service center was closed until saturday morning at 8:00.... we walked to big boy for supper and the other gas station has their own tow service and they have towed my baby to the toyota dealership in ann arbor....

we saw five cardinals no lie.... 3 last night in front of the tree that was in front of our broken down van... just sitting there watching us.... and saturday morning as we were looking out our window watching for the tow truck.... yes our window overlooked the parking lot where our van sat under the big night light all night...

so we were stranded in little milan, michigan off US23, 20 miles south of the dealership off 94.... p rented a car and picked us up, we had a yummy breakfast saturday morining with a cycling team from colombia, kentucky and z is go to go swimming... so all was well and the Lord let us breakdown at a small hick town with an all service exit....

this morning i got a call from the dealership and we need a new transmission, he tells me a new one would cost $4500 (WHAT?!) then he proceeds to tell me that a used one can be shipped from the toyota plant and parts and labor and 1 year warranty would be $2795 (huh?) seems a little high so i call the guy who did work on our rodeo over the years and he said those prices are bit excessive (thank you)... he is currently calling around for a part and our little adventure still continues.... we will have to get our van back to gr... somehow.. we are thinking renting a uhaul and bringing it back ourselves... but we will see....

so, that is our cincy trip saga and it still continues... the kids and i are driving around in p's omni this week... a bit crowed... but it is wheels...

this morning i have one daughter who said she was not going to school and can not seem to get herself dressed for school, but does not have any trouble getting outfits and dressed for church, shopping and everywhere else... and the other who wants her hair straightened 15 minutes before we have to leave for school (not happening)... we get to pile into the car and i mean pile in and head for school... boy am i looking forward to hearts alive tomorrow... so i can learn how God uses change in our lives.... hmmmm He must be using me alot!!

my report on tru.... i have been using the body wash and cream on my face and i am liking the results... i think there has been a reduction of wrinkles around the eyes... which is one of the benefits of the ingredients... the website will have to be on hold for a minute or two till this van thing is worked out.... i have gotten 2 more orders this week!!! way cool....

i may have a solution for mineral make-up costs been doing research and will keep you posted... am very excited about it...

well time to wrap things up... i just want to say God is good even though my circumstances may not seem so... But He took care of us this weekend and He continues to do so .... so even though i do not know what is ahead i know He is already there and has paved the way for me....

have a great day!! i am going to try to!!!

yipeeeee!!!

okay, so mondays are my night off/out.... i stopped in to see a friend i have not seen in months it was great to see her again if only for 15 minutes.. then the exciting part, i decided i had enough time to stop into goodwill (my favorite store) in the area... guess what i found????? i found a beautiful pair of trouser jeans that fit perfectly, and when i say perfectly i mean the right length and not tight around the waist area so no cutting into skin creating spillage and a great dark color and even cuffs on the bottom and they were still long enough!!!! and not to long in the crouch area...... and all this for only (hold on to your seat) $3.99.... wow!!! i also found an awesome pair of khaki crop cargo kind of paints same price same great fit!!! a cute old navy shirt for big z... for $3.49..... i love goodwill and you know what... shopping there is "green" and it helps the community..... can't beat that!!! then i headed to bible study feeling very loved and blessed..... He just knows how to make my day!!! oh and to top it all of it was a gorgeous day!!!!

i have recovered!!

had my meeting with bec. m. with WAR... i think it went well, was there for 2 hours.... she is going to give my products to the boutique product purchaser person and i guess we wait to hear from her.... she (bec. m.) wants me to write my story down both as a survivor and as a mother of a victim so that they can use them on their blog of hope or something like that.... not sure of the exact name right now... but me legs are back and the rubber has gone... i admit i was a little nervous....

well still looking into website stuff... need to decide on a host site p. and b. are looking into some... would love to find someone that could sit down with me and just set it up with what i want and have it be the cost i want... so i guess i will continue to pray about it - God knows what we need and when we need to get it.... i have been amazed at what He keeps doing in my life and my fam's life....

loving this weather, got to go find n and little z.... keep your eyes heavenward!!!!

there is a sun after all!!!

this morning we have sun!!! it is still about 20 below (not really but almost) ... been busy setting up business stuff and dealing with listing our home (anyone need a house that is about 2100 sq feet and beautiful? really it is a nice house)... the market is awwwwfullllll..... but will keep the faith and press forward. nothing earth shattering happening today- get to go to soccer practice for my oldest - looking forward to getting out... pretty bad when that is a highlight of your day. we also get to go look for a bday gift for her friend's party tomorrow... that will be fun (really it will)... we are leaning toward a polar fleece hs musical blanket we will make... but we will see.... well off to search for bags for customer orders.....

God loves me and you - have a great day....

what happened to spring????

okay, what happened to our weather??? we have snow again - arggggg... well at least it is blowing around alot and so far does not seem to be sticking or accumulating (is that a word?)... it is very cold and very windy...

been busy trying to get things set up with the business... got some cute pics done yesterday (can check them out at my product blog . Did set up an email address for tru (http://www.trubodyproducts@yahoo.com)still waiting to hear from p's friend re: website.... had my first order yesterday YEAH....

have meeting with former place of worship tonight... please pray - they said it would be quick, but honestly i have never known them to do anything quick - we'll see..... will keep you posted....

so today is clean up the house and clean up my attitude (feeling a bit skeptic), need to clothe myself in grace, boost up my faith & trust in my almighty Father King for tonight and lay my worries at His Feet....

well got to go wash big z's hair (home from school today) and get going with my day... i am thinking of my friends in florida and still working on the big green giant (hahaha) love you all and hope your having a very fun sunny time!!!

is that a warm breeze i feel?

i just went outside to get n&z back to our yard (got to review the yard rules again) and i went outside with no coat... yipeeee... i actually have two windows open and there is no snow coming thru... have we turned a weather corner?? i guess i will have to finally give lizzy a haircut... she is looking really bad these days -- talk about a bad hair day-- she may look horrible but i see her inner beauty... i know i am reaching... but i need it today... i went to starbucks today to get my cup of joe and apparently i was not the only one who heard the calling because i was about the seventh person in the drive thru... while i was waiting to order and thus pick up my order.. two cars ahead of me - a nice clean white bmw by the way- a lady got out to throw something away and she was decked out & i assume on her way to work... i must confess i had a wave of self insult hit me as i sat in my dirty van with no make-up, bedhead, no holster bolster (which is something i personally cannot get away with), a few red spots on the face and my eyebrows not filled in--- i think i will stop there --i am sure you get the picture.... anyhow i am 40 and i can still have these thoughts --will it ever end??? BUT i will report with victory it only lasted a few minutes because, well, i have a higher calling right now - mom, taxi driver, wife, me-a daughter of the King--who sees my beauty even though i may not always...

so as i sit here wondering why i am having a hard time motivating myself to do anything constructive i have to ask myself by whose standard am i defining constructive.... using God's standard i am always being constructive - even changing that really nasty diaper.... i am going to go fill up my spiritual food bank right now and pray for peace and patience in the journey...

i need to rest the restlessness..... have a warm and happy day... it is a gift....