Expecting Perfection in an Imperfect World?

Are we expecting perfection in an imperfect world? No one is perfect! And nothing is perfect! Except God that is! But why do we act as though people, or things should act perfectly? We have these wild expectations and when they fall short...we act suprised and upset! Why do we do this? Why can't we be happy with what we have? Why can't we accept people for who they are? Why can't we appreciate things despite the flaws that we know will be there? Maybe b/c we are imperfect as well?

THese are just thoughts running through my head this lazy Tuesday afternoon. I want to still be able to smile, even when things go wrong. I want to still love people even when they let me down. I want to be able to "let it go" and still embrace life with joy and contentment! God loves us in the middle of our chaos and drama, why can't we do the same to others?

A Sweet Day!

I am thankful today! So extremley thankful for my life, for my family, my husband, my children, my parents and my friends! God is so good...so wonderfully good! His love is so much more than I can comprehend! Some days I feel so far removed...so overwelmed...so lost in the day to day chores of life! BUT THIS DAY! God unleashed a bit of heaven into my soul and I am feeling the JOY! So amazing! I feel alive, loved , cherished, and very much HAPPY! I am so blessed...so fulfilled...so gloriously loved by a beautiful Saviour! Got to love being a daughter of the King!

It is raining, cold, wet, just one of those yucky days outside! But in my heart I am rejoicing b/c of the abundant goodness of my awesome God! Just thought I'd share:)

Welcome Home...

Our soldiers here at Wainwright have just arrived home from a 12 month deployment! The air is buzzing with excitment and celebration! Last night I went with a sweet friend to welcome her hunny home! I was their photographer. It was so amazing...to see her little girls eyes searching the crowd until they rested on their Daddy! To hear the screams and applause as the men walked off the bus. To see the tears of relief to have their husbands and fathers back in their arms...safe from harms way. It was so serene...to be apart of the emotion...to feel the amazing love and tenderness in the room. How extremly humbling it was to stand and watch the reunions...

How much we take for granted our freedom in this country! The men and women who die daily to secure our safety. We go about our lives, living in our small bubbles, never thinking twice of the child who stands beside their daddy's graveside, or the wife who wonders what will happen next! We are so consumed with our daily drama and forget to pray for the family who is spending yet another year apart...trying to learn how to deal with life as a single parent...all the while praying that her solider makes it back in one piece! I live in the midst of this life we call the army...and still I forget...but praise God for the sweet reminder! I just want to say thank you to the men and women who fight, not just with the physical strength needed to win a war, but with the emotional and spiritual strength it takes to keep it together for their loved ones, their families and friends. The strength needed to keep lines of communication open so that marraiges don't fall apart and kids get to live with both mommy and daddy! I know the struggle it is to be a family so far apart...how days seem to drag on and the moment seems like it will never arrive to be reunited! But thank you for holding on...you guys are truly amazing and I love you so much! I am honored to have true friends who I can depend on to keep my freedoms alive, and who I can depend on to encourage me on a day to day basis! I am just thankful tonight...and wanted to share! My prayer is that the rest of us will be faithful to keep praying for these heros...for their families...and the transition that they are always in the middle of! God is good...

Wonderful Sounds!

I love sounds! I thank God that he gave us ears to hear with! SOunds trigger memories...same as smells do! I just love the senses God has granted us! But tonight I am stuck on sounds. I am sitting here on my couch, with my computer in my lap, my one favorite lamp on beside me, and I am listening to my sweet husband snoring on the sofa beside me. Snuggled up on his chest is little Luke, snoring right along with daddy. Every now and then Luke will make that ADORABLE baby sigh of pure contentment! LOVE IT!

Another favorite sound was my two older kiddos this morning when they looked out the bedroom window and right before their eyes, was a new trampoline I convinced my VERY skeptical husband into buying! They literally squealed in delight! They couldn't believe it...and Wes said it wasn't even Christmas! He told me later today that he thinks his daddy is better than Santa...cuz Santa only buys you presents on Christmas, but his daddy gets him stuff just b/c he loves him! So sweet!

Another favorite...is listening to my sweet children playing together when they don't think I am listening or watching. I am so thankful for how much they love each other!

THE RAIN! I love hearing the still sound of rain tumbling to the ground from the sky above! It completly stills my soul...

I truly and whole-heartedly enjoy Wes and Emmy singing songs in the car...especially when their words don't come out quite like the writer had anticipated. So cute.

Laughter, music, snow falling on a crisp winter morning, and quiet. I love it all!

Quiet Time

I set my alarm for 6! A whole hour before Luke wakes up! I hear it ringing and quickly jump out of bed, rush through a shower (the first one I have taken in 3 days...it's been a rough week) , get dressed and hurry down the stairs. I pick up my Bible...the one I haven't seen in weeks...the one that has been replaced with pacifiers, diapers, booger suckers, kindergarten books, tissues for little runny noses...and the list goes on! I snuggle up on my favorite part of the couch for some much needed, and much missed, quiet time alone with my Saviour! Just as soon as I close my eyes to pray, a harsh and VERY hungry cry comes screaming across the monitor! A sinking feeling stirs the inside of my belly! I go get my little angel (who I assure you isn't acting on God's behalf right about now) and bring him downstairs. I feed him, change him, clean out his nose, burp him, and then look at the clock. I still have 20 minutes before the rest of the family come bounding down the stairs...is it possible? I pick up my treasured FRIEND and open up to the book of Luke. (fitting since I am holding MY little Luke in my arms) and begin to read. My little Luke gets squirmmy...so I begin to read outloud. And he stopped! He looked up at me and smiled so big! I read him the whole first chapter of the book of Luke all the while he just smiled and cooed like it was the best thing he had ever heard! PRAISE GOD! What a sweet 2o minutes...holding my sweet angel and reading my Bible!

So, my quiet time wasn't alone...but hey...mother of three and an infant at that, at least it was quiet:) Thank You Lord!

Perspective

More Valdez

The Chons and the Sabos were in Valdez when we were. We fished together every day and hung out. IT was a blast! We are so thankful for friends who are so wonderful! The weather was so amazing...just gorgeous! The scenery and the wildlife is so great. If anyone has never been here...it is a must go!

Camping in Valdez

So, we did rent a camper...and it was amazing! I don't know if we will do it every year...but I loved having heat! The kids enjoyed it as well! Travis wasn't so keen on the whole idea...but maybe I can convince him otherwise:) We still used the fire pit and he made all our meals over the open fire! So nice! And Christi played the "Train" with Wes and Emmy Grace! They LOVED IT!

Labor Day continued...

The kids were so good...they love playing while we fish! Their friend Titus came too with his parents and they had a blast being together! And yes, there are bows in Emmy's hair while fishing...she loves her hair bows! (and so do I:)

Labor Day Weekend 2009

Every year we head to Valdez for Labor Day and catch the Silver Salmon Run! We always go with Mom and Dad, and for the past 2 years Blake has joined us from Mississippi. And this year, CHRISTI! So much fuN! We had a great time...caught alot of fish...spent some great nights around the campfire...the weather was GORGEOUS...and had fun with friends as well! We even rented a camper this year b/c of LUke being so small...didn't think it was smart staying in a tent with a 2 month old when the temps got down into the 30's at night! My favorite trip of the year...so much fun! HEre are some pictures... I even fished while wearing LUke...super mom!

G.O. MAN

So, a random picture and post, but the other day I was cleaning the house while Emmy and Wes were playing. I went to go change Luke's diaper on the changing table and this is what I found. A half naked g.i. joe man. He was laying perfectly on the table in the middle of a diaper change! I asked Emmy what she was doing and she simply said, "The G.O. Man needs his butt changed. He pooped in his pants." It cracked me up! Thought you guys might enjoy!

Cool Daddy!

Travis and Luke fell asleep the other day in matter of minutes! Travis didn't even take his shades off...they were gone! It was too cute of a picture of pass up! Enjoy!

Uncle Brett

My brother and his family visited Alaska this summer. IT was such a blessing having them here...even for a short while. The kids LOVE their uncles and aunts! So, saying goodbye was extremly hard! But we are thankful for the time we had together hanging out and spending quality time together!

A Carrot Picking Party!

This year we planted a small garden...when I say small, I mean brocolli and carrots! But, thanks to our lovely vols, we only had carrots left when picking time came! So, we picked and we ate! And yummy! They were so good! NExt year we will be a little braver and add some other things. But Wes and Emmy Grace were so proud of their veggies!