frumpy house shoes

Sorry it has been so long. So much has happened since Halloween!!! For example, Thanksgving, Christmas, New Year's Day, just to name a few. Man, I really fell behind on my recommitment to this blog!
Nothing like an awesome rainy day, a little David Crowder Band, and catching up on your Bible study homework, to make you want to write your blog. Right?
A lot has happened so far in 2012. Some good, some not so good. Most notably for our family, would be having to say goodbye to our sweet friend Baby Tripp. I'll post more about that later.
Let's just say this phrase has been my constant companion recently: are you trusting God through it, or questioning God through it? Not that questions are bad. Lord knows I ask more than my share! I do believe they can even strengthen and grow our faith. They can hold us back though, when we try to lean on our own explanations or when there is not an answer. Some things are unanswerable. Faith...trust...loss of control...I'm just going to leave it at that.
Now, about the rain. I learned a valuable lesson this morning. I need rain boots and a super cute umbrella. The plaid gap umbrella I have from my college days doesn't really fit my style anymore, although it is still quite functional. It can be my backup. Why rain boots? Well, it seems on rainy days my guy's school has no one out front to get the kiddies out of the cars. Oh! I still use the child safety locks! Is that weird? I thought all moms did. Anyhow, I was in my super frumpy, but oh so warm and comfy, house shoes! Not suitable for walking in puddles, might I add. I quickly solved the problem, by asking my guy to climb up front to get out. I need rain boots and a coordinating, but not too matchy-matchy, umbrella to get him out of the car and still look reasonable cute for first thing in the morning! I have priorities!

Love,
j

Thank You

Halloween Day!!! My little pumpkin woke up ready for trick or treating this morning. Unfortunately for him, and probably his teacher too, he has to make it through the entire day at school before he can even put his costume on!!
Today is also the last day of EB awareness week. I know several of you have checked out Tripp and Courtney's story this week. I would like to say Thank You! Also, a Thank You to everyone that was already following their story. I know that reading the posts can sometimes be emotionally difficult, and that even the first time you see sweet Tripp, it can be shocking. I also know that the more you get to know about him and his mommy, the more inspiring it becomes. I still cry every time I read an update, good or bad; but, I also find myself feeling inspired and pushed to action. And as far as Sweet Baby Tripp goes, I think he is one of the cutest, most beautiful little boys I have ever seen. Not to mention, he is an extremely talented drummer! His spirit is so big and bright that it outshines anything that may have shocked me the first time I clicked on that blog link, not knowing at all what it was about. (God sure answered my call for a more devoted prayer life in a way I was NEVER expecting!!!)
Thank you for educating yourself on this unfair, dreadful, painful disease. The more people that know, the quicker a cure can be found.
If you haven't yet, consider sharing Tripp with your kiddos. My guy LOVES to read the updates and is always trying to think of ways to help. It is beautiful to see your child respond to another child's hurts and pains with such empathy.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for taking the time...
jodie

For more info on EB:
randycourtneytripproth.blogspot.com
debra.org

confessions of a control freak

It has been a while. I have had several moments where I have wanted to sit down and write, but I was distracted or procastrinated, and just didn't get it done. But, here I am. It is actually really quiet in my house at the moment, which makes it even more difficult to concentrate!
So, last night me and the hubbs were flipping through the channels, and there was a preacher on TV (not going to mention his name), and he was talking about they why's we have when living a life of faith. Why did this happen? or, Why did that not happen? His whole point, I think from the 2 minutes I watched, was that it is not for us to know why, just to let it go and move on.
What do you think?
I agree and disagree. I agree that our God does not want us to hold on to anger or bitterness or dispair. I don't think he wants us holding on to anything, except Him, and the hope that is in Him. As Beth Moore says, our hands have to be open to receive anything from Him. If we are holding on to something we can't receive.
BUT...
I also think he made us thinking, creative, reasoning creatures for a reason. If we question nothing, won't we miss out on understanding our God even better? Won't we miss out on understanding exactly who He is? I personally ask Him questions all the time or tell Him I don't understand why something is happening the way that it is. I also let him know that even in my questions, I trust in His perfect plan, even if I have to wait until Heaven to see how it all fits together. Sometimes in those converstations, he gives me an answer or clarity, but a lot of times he lets me sit on it. He leaves me to ponder and come back to the same conclusion. I have to trust Him. I have to trust in the unseen. I have to believe that what He said is what He meant, "for I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a futre." Jeremiah 29:11 I also have to change my view of what He means by being prosperous and without harm, and where my hope and future lies. This verse does not indicate that we will go through this life without difficulty, pain, or trials, rather it lets us know that even in those moments, that place where our future and hope lies will be wonderful.
So, even in those moments when I don't understand why sweet babies are born to suffer, why dads leave their children, why people who love the Lord suffer unimaginable pain, I have to lean on His shoulder and TRUST that it is all for His Glory so that every perfect part of his plan can be carried out. I have to have faith that it will all make sense one day. I cannot dwell on the why, but rather ask it and move on.
For someone like me, this is a pretty difficult concept. I like being in charge. I like having ALL the information available. I don't like being out of the loop! It takes a trust and faith, that quite often requries a lot of work for me to have. It requires a complete lack of control on my part. AHHHH! The only control I really have is how I respond to the situations before me. Sometimes, I don't even have control over those (Lord keep my mouth shut, please. Can you realte?) Thankfully, he is also a God of Grace and he continues to let me work on my issues :)!
Have a trust filled day!
jodie

PRAY FOR TRIPP ROTH AND HIS MOMMY, COURTNEY.
randycourtneytripproth.blogspot.com

We Made It!

The first day came and went! My sweet guy did so well at drop off it almost hurt my feelings!!! I am so thankful we made the decision last year to keep him in preschool an extra year. We could both see the huge difference that it made in him.
And, just in case you are wondering, I didn't do too bad either. As I told you last week, I tried to be thankful for the moment and enjoy it for what it was. Now, I'm no saint. I cried a few tears, but we made it!

Tomorrow

Tomorrow I will let you go
I might cry a few a tears, but I won't let you know
From me you'll see nothing but a smile
Then, we'll say "see you in a little while"!

Tomorrow I will let you go
Into the world to learn and grow
Oh, my sweet little man, I hope you know
Just how much I love you so!

That New Smell

Meet the teacher was fantastic! I loved the layout of the classroom and how his teacher had everything organized. The best part of all for my bugaboo, pillow pets in the reading center!!! Oh! And, he is at the BLUE table! His teacher seems really nice and soft spoken.
We had lots of fun walking the halls. The school in our neighborhood is brand, spanking new; and, the layout is pretty unique. Everything looked so clean and shiny and smelled so new.
As we were walking along I couldn't help but notice how each classroom was decorated so unique and cute. Do you know what? I even got a little jealous of one teacher's owl bulletin board border. Jealous? Really? I haven't taught for six years, and the thought of going back scares the heck out of me, but I guess I not immune to the lure of cute bulletin board border!

I know, I know, I know

Wow! Over a year since my last post! I really thought I would take this blogging thing a little more seriously. So, this is my official re commitment to Rambling Mama! I know a re commitment is like a redo on your New Year's resolution, but work with me here!
So, in the past couple of weeks I've had a pretty huge change of perspective. I know this seems to happen to us all every few days, months, years or so; but, this one is ENTIRELY different!
You see I have been fretting and fretting over the boy who first stole my heart starting kindergarten. How am I going to this? What if I don't like his teacher? How do I let them know I was once an insider without being too pushy or helicoptery? I knew I needed a distraction or this thing could really get out of hand. I know I have the baby chunka munka here, but that is not the kind of distraction I am talking about. I started P90X, definitely not the distraction I am talking about either. Last week, though, that distraction came in the form of a perspective change. You might even call it a Godly attitude adjustment or slap upside the head!
I was being so SELFISH! First of all, the boy is not at all worried about kinder. He is 100%, full throttle, ready.to.go! Why should I diminish that with the energy of my worrisomeness all over the place? Secondly, there are mamas all over that would love to be able to take their sweet baby to kindergarten, but can't. Now, I don't mean they can't because they don't have a car, new clothes, bus fare, etc. Are you following me here? I told you this one was different!
I know next Monday is going to be hard. It's just my nature. But, when it feels like I just can't let him go, I'm going to think of all those sweet mommies that would love to be letting go of their babies at kindergarten.
I know, I know, I know...It's a little heavy for the first one back.

Jodie

PS. Please pray for Tripp Roth and his family. Their blog is: www.randycourtneytripproth.blogspot.com