a day off

One nice thing about teaching summer school four days a week, is that Friday actually feels like a day off. I had a nice relaxing morning, watching Sesame Street with Anna. It was great not to have to be anywhere!! I spent the morning cleaning, we went shopping and to the library, had lunch and then all took naps... a great day!!!

After dinner Anna and I played in the pool.... actually she played, I watched. She is so funny!! She spit water in the air and then said it was fireworks!!! So creative!!

"Last days" are happy-sad!!

***Yikes!! so I started this two weeks ago and never finished!!! I hope you all have not given up on me... keep checking back!!

We have had lots of "last-days" this past couple of weeks.

Miss Dottie's, then aunti pat's, and now pre-schoool. I am so thankful for the memories we have made and for fun times with other moms, fun memories of hearing all the things Anna did at pre-school, and especially the precious gift of Aunti Pat, the wonderful woman who cares for Anna and Dillon while I teach at Biola!!! Precious gifts that will be missed!!!

Last day at Miss Dottie'sAnna's pre-school picnic

Fun and Hot times!

We went camping this weekend... It was great!!! Well, some would not call sleeping in a tent trailer, using toilets that flush and swimming in a huge beautiful pool camping.... but that fits the definition for us... especially with children.... some day we will take them backpacking... until now... this is camping!!!

We went to Soledad Canyon, up near Acton. It was hot, hot, hot!!! Thankfully we were able to find a nice place in the shade.
Our activities included miniture golfing, swimming and playing on the playground. Enjoy!!!

4 miiles and counting...

Yay!! Running is going well now!! I did my 4 miles on Monday, and it felt great!! My last two 3 mile runs have felt better... so I am encouraged. The hard part for me is keeping this up when summer school starts.. and when traveling... hopefully the goal of running the LB half will keep me motivated. I also have a new challenge that sounds interesting... a 15K in Serrano Canyon, up at Point Mugu. The fun part is the 1000 ft elevation gain between mile 3.5 and 4.5!! Yeah.... anyway, I will keep you updated... thanks for asking and for your encouragement!

Can three miles get longer???

So I have been working on the three mile run... I wanted it to be more comfortable so I can start progressing to longer run. This morning... those three miles were so long!!! I am not sure why... maybe going to bed at 11 and waking at 5:45 is not a good plan.... hmmm....anyway, I felt like giving up!! It was so hard to keep going. But I did it!! So rejoice with me!! If you think of me in the early hours, pray for perserverence. A companion would also be nice... maybe not every day but once or twice a week, it would be nice to have a running partner. Any volunteers in the Whitter area??? My plan is to run 4 miles this weekend... and I run pretty slow... anyone??

This is a good place to share something I wrote and then re-wrote for a mother-teen age daughter ministry at our church. It is a good lesson to keep remembering... and maybe you will appreciate the reminder as well???

Creative Perseverance

Life is often frustrating. You have decided on a plan of what you want to do, and then people or life keeps spoiling or interrupting your plan.

My plan is to run three or four times a week, in hopes of training for a longer race. Yet some days I feel overwhelmed with all I have committed to... and I question my commitments. Life just isn't working!!! Then God gently reminds me of the lessons I am learning as I train my body to run.

When I run, I get to a point where I am out of breath and feel like I can't go on. Yet, if I am ok with this uncomfortable feeling, if I press on, I discover a rhythm in which I feel I could run for hours!! (Or, at least a few more miles) It is the same with my life... if I just press on, perhaps needing to walk, but still moving forward, then suddenly life is easier, or at least, do-able, survive-able. It is that hanging on in the difficult times that is important. Maybe that is what I love about running, that feeling of accomplishing something that at times feels impossible. So perseverance is the first lesson.

The second lesson is creativity overcoming any obstacle to my plan. When I don’t get up early to run in the morning, then I have to figure out how to run with my two children. Sometimes I run with them, pushing 90+ pounds of stroller and child. Hard work!! Not what I want!! Other times I let them play at a park and I run around the park… stopping at every lap to push them on the swing before running another lap around the park. I would prefer a simple run without children; however, I will never establish a habit of running if I only run on my own terms. God gives me creative solutions.

Listen to what God has to say about running:

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. “ Hebrew 12: 1-2

What “race” are you running? Perhaps it is to do well in school, to develop good friendships, or figure out how to get along with your parents. Good plans, yet often difficult to accomplish. God calls us to persevere, and gives us the strength to persevere.

What is spoiling your plan… keeping you from running your race? Are you struggling with being too concerned about what others think? Does taking test and completing homework assignments seem too difficult?? God calls us to lay aside every encumbrance and sin. He gives us the creativity and wisdom to do this.

Fix your eyes on Jesus. When we fix our eyes on Jesus, we are able to run. He gives us the wisdom and strength to be creative and to preserve in running the race He has set before us.

This brings me to the third and final lesson. God has set before me my race, and that is the race I need to run. Other friends “races” may appear easier or more desirable, but that is not my race. God calls me to run the race He gives me.

May you fix your eyes on Jesus and may He give you the strength and wisdom to creatively persevere in running the race He has set before you.

Thank You!!!

Everyone enjoyed these cards from Dillon's birthday so much I wanted to share them with all of you!! It was a fun idea and not too difficult... though I did have to bribe them to help us finish, and we took the pictures over two days.. I made them put their old clothes back on second day... so they would match!!! =) =)

June 9

Lately I have been into journaling with an actual pencil and paper... even studying the Bible with pencil and paper... printing out the passages on paper so I can write all over them. I usually work on the computer for this... but lately I have wanted to write.

So this is my entry from June 9, typed so you all can "enjoy the story" too!!!

I have got to figure out how to relax, take it easy, and still be productive! This time off from teaching is hard to figure out! Yesterday I did nothing-no work at all! No dishes, no picking up stuff around the house, I barely got showered and out of my pjs, and that was only because we had a lunch date with a friend!!! Today, I de-cluttered Anna and Dillon's room, vacuumed, mopped, dusted, changed all the bedding, caught up with all the laundry, and even went out on a date with Todd in the evening!!! For me it is so often all or nothing. (Kind of like how I blog, all or nothing!!) I have got to find a middle ground somewhere!!

Good news on running... three times in the past week, yippee!!! Maybe the Long Beach half will be a possibility in the fall!!! I love running!!!

I can't think of any funny/cute stories of the kids to entertain you all with, I guess that will have to wait. Until next time!!!

There goes May!!!

May went by in a blur of Biola finishing up, Todd coming home, trying to get back to normal, suffering from colds and the fatigue that came... I totally let down after Todd came home!! I didn’t realize how much energy those 12 days took!!! This is why no blogging happened last month… so I will catch up and hopefully stay a bit more regular. Running has been pretty intermittent too… which is sad but understandable. I have gone twice last week and we went today… so maybe next week I will reach my goal of 4 times a week. I am thinking half-marathon next year…. Or October at the earliest… in Long Beach. Hmm… who knows??? I haven’t given that up entirely!!!

Here are some pictures for your enjoyment!!!

Anna loved riding on the ponies...

Dillon? Not so much!! =)
Mother's Day at the beach with friends

Their solution to sharing the bike...(they do have another one)

Fun times at Disneyland... in honor of Dillon's birthday.



Dillon's pre-school mommy and me class...
With the amazing "Miss" Dottie!!!
Anna has been improving in her artistic abilities... she was so proud of her sunflower, I thankfully remembered to take a picture!!

Love to you all, thanks for continuing to check my blog!!!
ope to

Todd’s trip…

Todd had an amazing time. God worked in such a miraculous way…. Working though these 5 men… reaching over 1000 people and having over 250 decide to follow Christ. The numbers are amazing… but even more amazing is the confidence that filled Todd’s heart as he shared God’s truth to people who live in fear of the thousands of idols/gods that they worship. Todd has never done anything like this before… and the word he keeps using to describe his experience is Amazing!! Also, it was amazing to me to hear of the reaction of the people to God’s story… almost all had never even heard the name of Jesus. Their reaction to knowing what God has done for us is indescribable… and what is so heart-breaking is the struggle so many had to give up their idols. Many could not make that choice. How many of us today still cling to our idols?? They may not be statues that we worship, but they are present and tempt us to worship something else other than God. What are you worshipping??? What captivates your thoughts and emotion?? What takes away your attention from God and His truth???

Something else I wanted to share from Todd’s trip… is the love that I felt from family and friends and my church family.
-Several men in the church told me specifically that I could call if I needed something.
-So many people encouraged me in telling me that they were praying for Todd and for us.
-My sweet friend sent a precious letter illustrated by her daughter… reminding us that they were praying.
-My precious mom came and stayed for a week…. Thanks mom!!!
-My neighbor’s 20 year old son mowed our yard... on his own initiative!!!
-Anna was sick and my friend brought over groceries for us… especially bananas, rice and applesauce… rice we had on hand. Thanks so much!!!
-My friends had us over for dinner one night… after my mom had left… that was great!!
-My aunt and family sent 12 envelopes filled with activities to keep Anna and Dillon entertained and to help them in remembering to intentionally pray for the people Daddy was ministering too. That was great… thanks guys!!!

I felt so loved those two weeks he was gone… God is amazing!!! Thank you all so much for your encouragement and prayers.

What I have wanted to share with you all…

Let’s see

April ended with a fabulous fun weekend in San Diego with a trip to the Wild Animal Park. Such a great time we had with our dear friends… whom we don’t see nearly as much as we would like!!! (That goes for almost all are friends…. It is amazing what having kids combined with a longer commute does to your social life!! )Dillon was so funny!! Todd took a TON of pictures… he is a little camera happy, and Dillon would feel a bit neglected. So as we were viewing the pictures at home… here is what we saw….

It was so great to hang out and relax… we definitely needed that time before Todd’s trip overseas.