A Gift

Outdoor Mom at Yaak Adventures, has graciously bestowed me with this blog award.  Thank you so much Outdoor Mom!!  Readers, if you have not visited Outdoor Mom's blog, please do, she is such a blessing!  Her blog is full of encouragement, humor and love.

The rules for accepting this award are to copy and change the answers below to suit you and pass it on. Answers can only be one word! Pass the award to a deserving blogger and alert them they have been awarded.

Here are my answers to these questions:
1. Where is your cell phone? purse
2. Your hair? brown
3. Your mother? fiery
4. Your father? quiet
5. Your favorite food? bread
6. Your dream last night? crazy
7. Your favorite drink? tea
8. Your dream/goal? heaven
9. What room are you in? guest
10. Your hobby? blogging
11. Your fear? widow
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? settled
13. Where were you last night? home
14. Something you aren’t? sinless
15. Muffins? pumpkin
16. Wish list item? health
17. Where did you grow up? California
18. Last thing you did? pack
19. What are you wearing? jeans 
20. Your TV? noisy
21. Your pets? relaxed
22. Your friends? kind
23. Your life? service
24. Your mood? thankful
25. Missing someone? yes
26. Vehicle? van
27. Something you’re not wearing? hat
28. Your favorite store? Target
29. Your favorite color? blue
30. When was the last time you laughed? Today 
31. Last time you cried? yesterday
32. Your best friend? Jesus
33. One place that you go over and over? bathroom
34. One person who emails you regularly?  Facebook
35. Favorite place to eat?  home

I am sincerely grateful to Outdoor Mom for this award *blush*.  However, due to the current constraints on my time I will not be able to pass this on right now.

Emotions Show the Cost

Latest events?  Friday evening we had a very small party for the boys for their birthday.  They each got to invite a close friend for dinner.  A good time was had by all.  Saturday was a rainy day.  On that day we heard from our realtor regarding the inspection.  Things need to be worked out, but basically nothing is going to be completely hashed out until we see the results of the appraisal.  We might get news regarding the results of the appraisal on Monday (12-14).

My little gray kitty named Princess (or Cess for short) is sick.  She has a respiratory disease.  She has been on two courses of antibiotic, but she is still sick.  I am worried that her time is coming.  It has been weighing on me.

Many thanks to those of you who have posted comments of encouragement, I am blessed!  I have been having many strong emotions about our upcoming move.  In the Sunday message God spoke to me about surrender.  Then I realized that obedience to the Lord costs something, that is why I am having feelings about moving.  Faith is taking a step out even when it looks dangerous just because He said to.  I think about our salvation and how much it cost.  Jesus laid down His life for us.  This is love: a willingness to sacrafice (to surrender).  Am I willing to love Him back?

Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.  (Luke 14:27)

Awesome Day

Last night I was so upset that I had trouble going to sleep.  I also was having a tummy pain which did not help. Anyway, I was thinking that there was no way I could stay for the inspection.  I mentioned it to Mark and he said that I did not have to stay if I didn't want to.  That took some pressure off, but I felt the Lord gently nudging me, saying that I would be blessed if I stay for the inspection.  I finally fell asleep and that made a big difference, because in the morning I felt able to be obedient.

Today was amazing!  Our buyers are Christians!  I enjoyed talking to them and they are thrilled with the house.  When we first listed the house I believed that the Lord would bring the right buyer to our house and I am thrilled with how everything is turning out so far.  The Lord is able to do above all that we ask or think.

The other amazing thing is that everyone encourages us about Colorado.  Everytime I tell anyone that we are moving there they perk up and say it is beautiful, you are going to love it, etc.  I am taking it as the Lord's encouragment.

Strong Feelings

Today I went to a luncheon & meeting at Mark's office.  The meeting was about the move to Denver.  I met all the people that are going.  Management was there and everyone asked questions and got answers.  Going to that meeting got me all worked up about the unknowns.  How everything is going to work out, etc.  It scares me, but the Lord reminded me that He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above anything I ask or think.  That comforted me and I have decided to leave it all with Him.  Everyone was joking about the weather, because even though we are having a cold snap here in Southern California, Denver is much colder.  As I drove around I started to notice how green it is here and flowers that are blooming.  I have always taken it all for granted, only now do I realize how blessed I have been to enjoy such beauty.  Then I got a really strong feeling that I do not want to leave, stronger than I have had before.

Unfortunately, I think I am coming down with a cold.  Certainly, I have been under a lot of stress.  Tomorrow is the inspection with the buyers, I am hopeful that after a good night's rest I will be feeling well enough to get through the day.

What a day!

I knew today might be challenging, but I did not expect many of the things that happened today.  It was one of those days where things happened one right after the other.

I woke in the morning and worked hard to get the house neat as a pin for the appraiser.  After that I was off to see my PT (and this time on the right day).  Anyway, the past few days I have been in quite a bit of pain in my tummy.  Eating is causing pain, no way around it.  It has been hurting so much that I have been skipping meals.  I told my PT how much pain I am in and that I am skipping meals again.  She said that isn't good because I am already skinny.  Anyway, what she did today felt so good and helped, but then I eat and the pain comes back.  She and I are in agreement about what is going on with me, which I feel relieved about that.  She said that the function of my bowel is off and that with all the work she has done it should be functioning better, but it isn't.  She said that something is preventing my bowel from functioning properly.  So it is looking more and more like the only answer is surgery.  Even so, I am going to continue PT through December and January.  We will see what God does.

After my PT appointment, I rushed home and the appraiser was already there.  I am thankful that my husband and our realtor were there to meet him.  We should know the results by the middle or end of next week. While Mark and I were talking to our realtor I got a phone call and it was Brandon.  He was in the school nurse's office because he fell down while at PE, hit his head and blacked out.  He did not want to come home, but the nurse said since he blacked out, he has to.  Thankfully he is doing fine, except for a headache.  I am blessed that he is okay.

Later, I picked up Eric from school and went to return an item to Costco. While there I noticed some cool fully lined sweat jackets. Knowing Eric needs more warm things for Colorado I had him try one on and he loved it.  Well, somehow during that time I dropped my jacket and didn't know it.  When I was at the check out my Mom called, she said she got a new cell phone, but she couldn't get it to work.  Since we were not far from her house I told her we were on our way.  The sun was going down and it felt cold so Eric put his new jacket on.  While driving I realized I was cold and wondered where my jacket was.  We had to go back to Costco.  I gave Eric my membership card so he could run in, find the jacket and then leave.  Well, I had to park the car because it was taking him longer than anticipated.

When we finally found each other in the parking lot, Eric had a tale to tell.  Some of the store staff noticed he was wearing that new jacket and approached him.  They were thinking he was a shoplifter because they asked him if he paid for the jacket.  Eric said he had 3 employees around him, one being a big burly man that was scary.  Thankfully, one of the clerks in the clothing area remembered Eric and me and knew that we bought the jacket.  So funny to know that people are watching us when we do not even know.  After all that excitement it was a good thing that my mom's cell phone fix was as easy as pressing two buttons.

Christmas Time

My oldest son had a friend over tonight and I took them down to a place in town where they have lots of Christmas lights and music.  We had fun walking around viewing the lights and the kids got some hot chocolate. It was a great way to spend a Saturday night.

This week had its twists and turns.  For one, I wrote my PT appointment down on the wrong day.  I showed up for my appointment on time, but a day late.  Unfortunately, there was no room on my PT''s calendar to reschedule.  Then I had a phone appointment with my endometriosis doctor.  He got hung up with a patient, so I did not hear from him until 4 hours after my scheduled appointment.  The conversation went alright, but we were both tired.  I had to tell him that the PT has not made much difference.  I do wish that I could say differently.  Even so, I am going to hang with it till I move to give it a good try.

I spent one day of the week walking around in a fog.  This time of year has always been stressful for me.  Not only because of Christmas, but both the boys' birthdays are in December.  Load on top of that escrow, a garage sale, and a trip to Denver, and I think I have valid cause to be stressed.  As my realtor says, selling a house and moving is one of the most stressful things in our lives.

Friday afternoon, my Dusty kitty was enjoying herself in our backyard when all the sudden she burst through the sliding glass door that was left ajar.  She had spit hanging from her mouth and a wild look in her eye.  Then she started gagging like something was caught in her throat.  I had to leave her to pick the boys up from school.  We ended up taking her to the ER vet.  They checked her out and said she was fine, but she has a heart murmur.  We brought her home and praise the Lord in the morning she started eating again.  She is still having a little trouble with a cough here and there, but I pray she will heal from whatever happened.

We got the papers for escrow in the mail.  Our agent was in Hawaii this week, but he emailed us and let us know what is going on.  He told us the appraiser is coming on Tuesday.  Eek!  We need prayer!  My realtor told me that I have to make sure the house is looking good and it might be a good idea to bake cookies.  Hopefully, we can appraise at a good price.  Thursday the buyer is coming with an inspector.  In short, it is going to be a high stress week for me.

Inventory

This morning I rose early and got on my knees by my bed.  I looked out the window at the big tree on my neighbor's property.  I have enjoyed that tree for 18 years and it feels like a friend.  To think that soon I will no longer see it makes me sad.  I remember raking up its leaves in autumn to make a pile for my boys to jump in.  I remember Gentleman Bird flew to that tree when he was first flying.  So many precious memories!  I managed to pray a bit, but mostly these days it is the basic "Lord, please help me."  My mind traveled to the thought of greeting a man from the moving company.  My body filled with anxiety.  Every step is a step toward separating from what I know.  The good thing in all this is that I will not be separated from God.

Mark dropped the boys off at school and then came back home with a pumpkin muffin from Panera Bread.  As we enjoyed a hot beverage and munched on our shared muffin we talked about moving.  Shortly after finishing our muffin the man from the moving company arrived to take inventory.  As he went about his business, Mark and I stood in our little house remembered the day we moved in.  We embraced one another thankful for our good memories.

All of us are having anxiety about the move and it comes out in different ways.  Mark and I have been struggling with attitudes and behavioral issues concerning our sons.  Each of us is looking around and realizing that we may be enjoying something for the last time.  Today we live in our home and the next thing we know we will be in a strange place. In a few weeks we will be boarding a plane to this new place we are going to call home.  We will explore Denver for five days looking for the spot God wants us to settle.  This will be a very important trip for our little family.

"He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." (1 John 4:4)

And though this world, with devils filled,

Should threaten to undo us,

We will not fear, for God hath willed

His truth to triumph though us.

~Luther