-It is the day after Thanksgiving, and I had the idea that stores wouldn't really be that crowded. Yeah, right...but the boys were so well-behaved and the deals were excellent.

-It never fails that every time I take Cameron with me to find Christmas gifts for his dad, he ends up telling him what they are. We are sitting at lunch today, and he says, "Well, dad, you know that _____ that we got you..." And then I shush him, and he says to me, "What? I am just telling him the secret." Oh well.

-My in-laws are missionaries to South America, and I am putting together their Christmas letter mailing to send out. Dave says his mom's address list, which is around 65 (just the actual letters, not emails) is short compared to the 100 or so she had when he was younger. It makes me feel like they're not so far away when I can help in that way.

-I miss my friends. And I am grateful that they are so wonderful to me and my family.

-I wish it would snow.

-Jack is now crawling and into everything. It's fun to see him explore and a reminder to me to get those outlets covered!

I am in the process of learning that I will never know why things happen the way they do, that in the middle of praying fervently and consistently, it may not be answered the way I want. So, it's a good thing I am not God. I was reminded of that this morning when I was reading Psalm 139 before the worship service started:

13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.

14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.

15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
16 You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was
laid out before a single day had passed.

There are no easy answers when we go through the times when we are watching the waves coming and can't seem to stay on the water. But in my devotions the other day, the writer reminded me that we have to keep our eyes on the One who walks on the water. That is security.

I am ready for it to snow. The weather has been cold for awhile now, and we might as well have something pretty to look at if it's going to be cold anyway. Maybe it's because I'm pretty much done Christmas shopping that I want it to be winter so badly....I can't wait to decorate. I am holding off until the day after Thanksgiving, but it's not wasy being patient!

-It has been a busy few weeks around the Mowers household. We went to see Veggie Tales live; our friends came for a surprise visit from Indiana (which was great fun); I had a wonderful birthday, complete with early morning presents and ice cream cake from Dairy Queen; we took a trip to Lincoln for a t.v. interview Dave was doing, and Halloween night we went to a community Harvest Party sponsored by local churches (since it was free and since I'm too cheap to buy costumes, and it was inside in a safe place).

-I am almost done Christmas shopping, and I have to say that I have really gotten great deals this year. Coupons keep coming in for my favorite places, and I am stocking up. I am shipping a few packages internationally, since I have missionary in-laws, missionary friends, and a brother in Iraq. I figure I'm doing my part to help keep the postal service in business.

-Cameron has spent most of this afternoon in time-outs.....he is alternating that with hugs and "I wuv you" when he is not sitting on a step for punishment. I guess it's a relaxing way to spend a Saturday.

-We found out that we are expecting another boy. I have decided I am destined to have a house full of males and that God must have a sense of humor. I had four brothers, no sisters, and I value very much the relationships I have with women. Boys are fun, and since this will be our last one, I look forward to all that is to come.

We traveled to a city we used to live/serve in for a funeral of a church member. I sometimes wonder if making the effort makes any difference to the people involved, and that led to a discussion with Dave about who we live to please. In the end, it didn't matter if the family cared if we were there (they did), but it did mattered where our heart was. If we were only going out of a sense of obligation, it would have been wrong. But if were going out of a sense of love, it was right.


As a Salvation Army officer, I at times have felt like I am acceptable or not based on people's praise or criticism. That, too, is wrong. That would make how I live each day up to someone else, and that is just not worth it.


This is a pretty busy weekend for our family...a pumpkin patch trip tomorrow with church members, church services on Sunday followed by...dun, dun, DUN....Veggie Tales Live!! We are so exicted, but I think Cameron is most of all. Everytime we mention it, he jumps up and down and starts singing (loudly) one of the songs. It is too funny. I am looking forward to it.

I want to write at how amazed I am with how easy potty training has been, but the temptation is one I'll have to resisit. I know if I do, regression will happen and Cameron will go back to wetting his bed....because that's how it goes. My brother Jon was trained in one day...granted, he is the middle child, and pretty smart, but that was no indication that my kids will be that way. And I'm sure he would love to know I am writing about his toddler days on the internet, him being back from his 2nd tour in Iraq and all. He's a grown man, but he'll always be Jon-Jon to me.

Anyway, it's a beautiful day today in Nebraska. It's sunny and 72 degrees....the best weather day.

I made a nice cup of tea last night only to dump it out in the bathroom sink because I read the label....I'm a label reader anway (that's why it takes me so long to grocery shop), but I read the herbs, then went to the internet, read some information on herbs and pregnancy, and got worried....so, rather than risk it, I dumped it. And it was too late for Dave to go out just for tea, so I survived on Vitamin C drops and tissue (because I don't want to take cold medicine, either). I'm sure it would have been fine to take, but why take the chance?

In our women's Bible study this morning, we talked about God's gifts to us and how we give to others. Almost everyone had a story about how selfish their kids can be; I thought of the life of a 3 year old ("mine, mine, mine") and how it is so easy to raise our kids to be selfish. Dave and I have responded to a call of service, but we don't always show it by example. Sure, we pray for other people, and hopefully in the midst of doing what we do, they see selfless service, but I also want to voice it and let them serve, as much as they are able. And not just because it's a nice thing to do, but because it's commanded. We've been given every spiritual blessing, and God expects us to share with others.

And finally, my friend-like-sister Erica Johnson is selling items that she has made online in order to pay for school tution. Today, I bought some note cards with envelopes made from recycled sheet music and a handbag made from old curtains. I think it's awesome....last month, she sent all proceeds from her sales to support The Salvation Army overseas. Here is her website:

www.others.etsy.com

Afternoon at the park

Elmo underwear...woo-hoo!

Fall Weather and Birthdays

The weather is beautiful today. That is one of my blessings on a Saturday when Cameron seems to not be listening, but is keeping his underwear dry (another blessing).

We find out if we are having a boy or a girl on my birthday. Just a few more weeks and we can decide if we're having a garage sale to get rid of the boy clothes that are filling up the Rubbermaid totes in the basement or keeping them all for the next few years.

And then we're done. Unless we adopt...after Jack was born, I just thought about how fun kids are, how it's just more love...and more noise, but that's why naptime is so special.

The next few weekends are pretty full...fall camps, pumpkin patch visits with corps people, Veggie Tales live on stage. I look forward to it. And then kettles start!

Our funny for the day: Cameron was working on his play refrigerator with his toy drill, and insisted on wearing goggles so that he did not "screw himself in the eye". I don't know where he gets that stuff.

Potty Training and Stuff.....

Cameron went the WHOLE DAY with dry Elmo underwear. I could not believe it. I see and end in sight....or a beginning, to no more Pull-Ups.

I was thinking the other day about how much we have been able to do since we have moved here, so much fun that will go down in scrapbooks to be looked at years from now and smiled at. Zoos, a dairy farm, a pumpkin patch, a kid's museum....several times where we have been able to make new memories. It's been fun, something that seems to be lacking so many times when I meet families under stress.

I have learned a lot lately about speculating and/or worry. It really is pointless and can take up so much time....I have found myself sitting and wondering, then wonder why I'm wondering. It makes no sense to start a thought with, "I wonder if...." Worrying changes nothing and takes up time I could be praising God for what He's done instead. For example, I wonder and worry every time Officer's Councils (pastor's retreat) comes up, twice a year, about who will watch my kids. Grandmas and Grandpas are out, we live nowhere near anyone who can do it, and since we move so often, it can be difficult to form relationships with people in enough time to trust them with your kids for four days. But every time it comes, God provides someone...friends will take vacation to come stay with them, someone from the corps will offer. So, I ask you,why worry?

It's the end of September and it's still close to 90 degrees here. I started to pack up summer stuff, but I am keeping it close at hand just in case....

I have teeth!

Ernie (or is that Bert?), our new hermit crab

Feeding goats at the pumpkin patch

The house is eerily quiet because Dave and Cameron are "camping" in the backyard with a tent we bought a few weeks ago. We wanted to see what it looked like, so if it's already up, why not spend the night in it? They did zip it up tight because Dave found a huge shedded snake skin in the yard, which means Mr. Snake is slithering out in the backyard somewhere.

We have had a "friend" on our patio sliding door for about a week. We got up one morning and found that a spider had built a beautiful web...but alas, it was connected to the screen door on the outside, so every time we opened it, the spider would get all frazzled because her house was messed up, so as soon as the door was closed, she would scramble to fix it. Today, there was no such scrambling. Her house was gone, and she left. Guess she knew it was no good to stay connected to a door with such a busy household.

While we're on the topic of animals, two family members have joined the Mowers household. Dave and Cameron picked up two hermit crabs today, one with a shell painted like a soccer ball (Cameron calls him Bert) and one with a football shell (Ernie). Ernie has not moved since he came home, so we're not sure if he'll be a keeper, but Bert has been quite friendly, crawling on arms and even being brave enough to walk toward Jack (though Dave wouldn't let him hold him, for fear that legs may be pulled off).

What can I say? It's like a zoo here sometimes.

-We took a walk today, and Cameron kept telling me how nice it is that we can walk with our feet. I agree.

-This morning was our Women's Bible Study, and tonight was Women's fellowship group. I gave a testimony about my life and showed the ladies some scrapbooks...they seemed interested in learning how to scrapbook. I see a group forming....

-I opened a savings account for the boys today. We have had debt since before we got married, and were able to become almost debt free, so it was really liberating to be able to do that. It wasn't very much money, because things come up (medical bills, etc.), but it was liberating nonetheless.

-We have Officer's Councils (pastors retreat) in a week, and we are counting on someone we don't know to watch our kids. It is something that I dislike very much, but we are required to go and have no one else to do it.

-We are teaching Cameron a family verse...he catches on pretty quickly and hopefully this will be a pattern for life.

Our little man bug

Bluberry waffles, anyone?

It is beautiful today, lots of sunshine and just a little wind. I love this time in between summer and fall...I just want to be outside.

I went into work for a little bit today, and actually got some things done. Of course, there will always be emails to answer and reports to do. It helps to have the thrift store around the corner so that Cameron and I can sneak in every once in awhile.

I do take them with me to the corps (church) whenever I go, since we cannot afford day care. I do wonder, at times, if staying home makes any eternal difference. I know kids who go to day care who are just as well behaved, if not better, than my kids, and seem well-adjusted. They will grow up to be successful and happy, so why not have get a baby-sitter? Probably because it's my job to raise them, though I would take a day or two of Cameron in pre-school when he is old enough.

For now, this is life. Day in and day out, it's predictable but never the same. Lots has changed over the past several years, but it's a life of love and faith.

Birthday Parties

I wanted to come up with some catchy title, but I'm just not that creative.

Cameron's birthday was so much fun. I'm not really sure if he knew what he was celebrating, but there was lots of cake, laughs, and "woo-hoos!" as gifts were opened. We also took naps (he fell asleep in the middle of the livingroom floor with gifts surrounding him) and played football outside. Great day.

He is three. I still have to tell myself that, thought it's been true for almost a day now. Where did single life/engaged/married with no children/married with one child life go? So fast everything goes, and all the more reason to enjoy each day. Even in the midst of poopy diapers, temper tantrums, dirty dishes, laundry, and trying to balance it all with everything else, I love the day-to-day.

Really. Not that I would mind someone doing my laundry...but they would probably do it different than me, and then I would have to do it over. So never mind...I'll keep doing it. It's a reminder to me that I have two kids and a great husband to do it for.