Wessels' Family

Confirmations...

2009-07-02T09:10:00.000-07:00

So when I said the journey would be trying, well...I am getting a taste of that now. However, it wasn't unexpected. We knew people wouldn't understand. We know they mean well, but at this time in our lives we have to live our lives according to what the Lord is saying to us. What we are doing isn't logical, it isn't methodical, it isn't planned, it is simply being faithful. Our convictions, our peace, our "hearing the Lord's call" is all being called into question. So again, we take refuge in the Word and in prayer. As we were praying last night for direction, it dawned on me that this is a part of the process, and it is another confirmation that we are heading in the right direction. Confirmation this time comes in the form of persecution.

Surely God would tell you where to go next BEFORE he asks you to step out in Faith, wouldn't he? Surely he would want you to have a plan in place first, right? Surely, you are rushing into this. You have bills. You have children. What are you going to do?!

God has told us to step out in faith.
God has told us to depend on Him.
God has promised to provide for our needs.
God has blessed us with a peace that surpasses all understanding.

That is all we know, and so we go.

June 24, 2009

Going . . . Not Knowing, Part One
by Charles R. Swindoll

Genesis 12:1-5

The statement recurs through Scripture like a repeating telegraph signal on a high frequency radio band. Sometimes faint, barely discernible---sometimes strong, clear. Over and over. Paul made the statement as he was saying goodbye to a group of friends standing with him on an Asian beach. Several of the men wept freely, realizing they would never see the missionary again. The aging apostle looked from man to man, holding each one's eyes for a brief moment. Then, looking out to sea with his weathered hand pointing south to the stormy skies above the Mediterranean, he voiced these words:

And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. (Acts 20:22 NIV)

What an honest admission!

I am going . . . not knowing what will happen . . .

That's what this thing called the Christian life is all about, isn't it? Going . . . yet not knowing. As followers of our Lord we believe He leads us in a certain direction . . . or in pursuit of a precise goal. That leading is unmistakably clear. Not necessarily logical or explainable, but clear. At least to us. So---out of sheer obedience---we go. We pack our bags, pull up stakes, bid our friends farewell, and strike out. We face a future as uncertain as our leading is sure. How strange . . . yet how typical!

There isn't a Christian reading my words who hasn't walked that path. And struggled with ways to convince others it was right. And endured the frowns and well-meaning counsel of those who tried to point out why the idea was a fluke . . . even downright foolish.

For sure Abraham faced it when he wrenched up roots from his hometown soil and struck out for---let's see, where was he going? He didn't know! There he was, almost seventy-five years old, loading up a camel caravan with his wife and family bound for . . . somewhere. Hebrews 11:8 puts it straight:

By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out . . . not knowing where he was going.

"Abraham, what are you doing?" asked a neighbor.
"I'm packing."
"Packing?"
"That's right. We're moving."
"Why? Why in the world would you want to leave Ur?"
"God has made it clear that I should go."
"God, huh? You've been talking to Him again?"
"Right. He told me to leave. I must go."
"Well, where are you going?"
"I don't know. He didn't tell me that."
"Wait a minute. Let me get this straight. You know you oughta go, but you don't know much beyond that, huh?"
"That says it pretty well."
"Wow . . . that's all I can say . . . wow. God sure gets blamed for a lot of stuff He doesn't have anything to do with. You know, man, some of us have been a little bit worried about the way you've been acting lately. Up to now, it's just been a little strange . . . but this, Abraham . . . this takes you off the end of the pier. It's like everyone's saying---you really are off the deep end!"

And so it goes. Who hasn't stepped off the end of the dock to stride on faith footing? Abraham and Paul did it. And, sooner or later, all of us will be called to do it. Are you on the verge of such a decision? Tomorrow, I'll give you some things to ponder before you jump.

__________________________________

Needless to say, there are times of weakness and times of strength. When we get alone with God our resolve is strengthened and we are renewed. So again, Lord, we eagerly wait for you to light our next step as we live each day in faith, whether it be weak or strong, Lord we just want your will. We don't want riches, wealth, or security, we just want the blessing of living a life dedicated to your plan. Step by step...we walk in faith. Have mercy on us Father.

Stepping out in faith...

2009-06-22T12:26:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's been 2 months since I blogged over here.

We are entering new territory. We haven't a clue what lies ahead. The journey will be very exciting, yet trying I am sure.

After a lot of prayer, we have decided to leave Concord Sheet Metal. CSM has meant security and comfort to us. It has been easy, it was always there and would have always been there. It was a sure thing. God has shaken us up a bit. Through a long story...the basics are that God has provided a way out and a way to step into His glory and into a life of FAITH.

We don't have a job lined up, we don't know how we're going to pay our bills or put food on the table, but we DO know this is where God is leading us. We know that He will provide for all of our needs. We are trusting in Him. The best part is that we have been blessed with the peace that surpasses all understanding.

Psalm 119:105 has never meant more to me then it does now. "Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path" Just a few days ago, things were so foggy, we were unsure, confused, and scared. We wanted to see a mile down the road, we wanted more light then what the scripture provides step by step. We weren't relying fully on God. We were asking Him to show us the plan so we could decide if we wanted to follow or not. We were also giving Him OUR plans and asking Him to fit inside our little box. This isn't what God wanted for us, and PRAISE the Lord he has set us free. We are trusting in him step by step as he lights our path.

The world will think we are crazy. People already do. Thats ok. Jeremy was reading in 1 Peter and this verse spoke to the both of us.

17 Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. 18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. 21 Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

So we don't know what tomorrow brings, we don't even know if there will be a tomorrow, but we have committed every tomorrow he receive to the Lord. We hope that our children will see our faith and receive blessings after blessings for their own faith.

So Lord, we eagerly wait upon your provisions, your blessings, and your direction.

Wish I could do that...

2009-04-27T09:09:00.000-07:00

This is Tyler's conversation from the backseat of the car last night as we passed the baseball fields.

TYLER - "Wish I could do that mommy. Wish I could play 'Kid Baseball' and Mommy and Daddy could watch me. I would hold a bat and hit the ball and run and you could watch me. "

ME - "Good idea Tyler, maybe when you turn 4."

TYLER - "Oh ya for my birthday, my 4 year old birthday. You can buy me a bat and a ball and a helmet. I will play 'Kid Baseball' and I will run fast and you will watch me."

Of course these same sentences were repeated 10, 000 times because that is of course what a 3 year old thinks he must do to get his point across. Jeremy and I just kept looking at each other, realizing this was one of those moments where you get a little glimpse into your child's personality, his need to be "watched", his innate love for sports, and his understanding of things we didn't even know that he "got" yet. These moments don't happen all too often, but when they do, you realize you have just encountered a chance to help your child find their dreams and passions in life. So as soon as he is old enough Tyler will play "Kid Baseball".

2009-04-22T00:20:00.000-07:00

Today was a very exciting day for Cody, his glasses finally came. His expressions are priceless, we are so blessed that he will be able to more clearly see. In Cody's words "Everything is closer and cleaner." Cleaner...what a perfect description.

Easter 2009

2009-04-13T13:33:00.000-07:00

It is HARD to get all 4 kids to even look at the camera at the same time, this was the best we could do! Happy Easter everyone!

Granny Smith

2009-04-02T20:53:00.001-07:00

So today I had a very good laugh. Haley, 7 years old, and full of a new reader's inquisitive mind said ... "That box over there say's Granny Smith, is that from one of my grandma's that died?"

Day at the park, exploring nature.

2009-03-26T13:13:00.000-07:00

Cody is getting glasses!

2009-03-24T14:05:00.000-07:00

So we had Cody's vision checked yesterday after we noticed one of his eyes turning inward. Well turns out he has very poor vision in both of his eyes, especially the one that turns inward. The condition is called Esotropia. The first step is to get him into glasses and reevaluate him every 3 months for the 1st year. The best they can do to correct his vision with glasses right now is 20/40 in his right eye and 20/70 in his left eye. Going to be an interesting journey for him! Another reason to homeschool.

He is going to look adorable! Pictures to come when the glasses are here. He chose blue frames, his favorite color.

Haley's first flute lesson...

2009-03-18T14:05:00.000-07:00

The sounds down the hall are so precious, my little girl in the church chapel learning to play a beautiful instrument, the flute. She is such a gift to our family. We have been blessed to know Melissa, who graduated with a Master in Flute, and is an amazingly talented musician. She is giving Haley lessons at a very gracious rate. Thank you Lord for orchestrating this opportunity for Haley and for giving her a chance to see you answering her prayers.

Take up your mat and walk!

2009-03-16T12:50:00.000-07:00

I taught Children's Church yesterday and we learned (yes I said we) I have so much to learn myself still, about the man who lay paralyzed for 38 years waiting to be healed. This morning I was reading an article about eating out and the scary fact that we simply can't afford to eat out, yet it has become a habit, a BAD habit for so many of us. Of course there are excuses after excuses...I am tired, it's been a long day, I am really craving _____, I don't have time, I can't cook, I am too busy, blah blah blah. This isn't directed at anyone but ME! These are some of the truths I learned this morning from a frugal mom blogger.

It is so easy to become apathetic about our finances, whoa is me. I am drowning in debt, let's get a burger. Lol, sounds really silly, but it's so true and sad at the same time. We sink into a fog of apathy, hopelessness and discouragement and just give up trying.

So the lesson I taught last Sunday was found in John 5. It tells about a man who couldn't walk. He had laid by a healing pool for 38 years. If he could dip in the pool when the water stirred, he would be healed. Jesus asks him what he is doing there and he says "Well, I just don't have anyone who will carry me and put me in the pool" (Poor little old me.) Jesus then asks him, "Do you really want to get healed?" This might seem to us a strange question but, as I once heard a woman speaker point out, if he really wanted to get healed wouldn't he have tried some way to inch his way over to that pool even if he could only make it a half an inch a day no matter how hard it was?

Maybe Jesus asked this question because He too thought here is a man, like so many do these days, making excuses, being a victim and waiting for someone else to fix his problem for him. What did Jesus tell him to do? GET UP! (stand on your own two feet), TAKE UP YOUR BED (start being responsible for your own things), and WALK (become active in solving your own problems which may mean physical labor, or doing without somethings).

You need to be like the lame man and GET UP, TAKE UP YOUR BED and WALK. If you know you are going out to eat too much then stop saying you're a victim of these "hard economic times". Be responsible for the "bed" (or the debts that you have now) and actively start doing something about it today.

So thats my challenge to myself, since I don't think anyone, other then Jeremy reads my blog. Haha. I am going to STAND UP (put on my apron), TAKE UP MY FRYING PAN, AND COOK!

We are so blessed.

2009-03-16T10:28:00.000-07:00

I am sitting at home on a Monday morning. I don't have to pack the kids up and drop them off at daycare, I don't have to go to work today. I can sit at home and play with the kids all day. In fact, right now Tyler is sitting on the couch next to me putting Transformers together while I watch Rachel Ray, drink my coffee, and blog. Life is good. I was looking around making a mental list of the "stuff" we have as a reminder of how absolutely spoiled we are. Cody has legos coming out of his ears, Tyler has more Thomas trains then he could ever play with in a day. We have 3 books shelves lined with great reads, Haley has a Nintendo DS and several games. Then I look over at our entertainment center and you will find a Wii and an Xbox, and 50+ kids Disney movies. This is just the "stuff". We also have a warm home, comfy beds, a pantry full of food, our health, and lots of love.

A blog I recently read gave me the following things to think about...

"Two million children died last year because of lack of clean water and I sit here complaining because the price of gas is so high that I might not be able to take a vacation this year?"

On a home shopping show they were selling American Girl dolls for $135. The woman selling it said "Kit is our most popular doll."

The other woman said "That is probably because Kit represents the Depression Era and girls nowadays relate so well to that because they have to sacrifice and give up so many things in these hard economic times." They sold out of the doll. This meant several thousand of these poor little girls who have had to give up so much received a $135 doll for Christmas. What was it they had to sacrifice? Maybe it was the $25 outfits that went with the doll."

The Bible cautions us to watch the words we say. Don't just spout empty meaningless words like "in these hard economic times" just because the world is using them and don't use words like that as an excuse to justify why you don't have your life and finances together.

Wow, hits home for me.

Travis is starting to talk!

2009-03-06T21:21:00.000-08:00

So far he can say...

"Thank you"
"Stinky"
"Sissy"
"Car"
"No, no, no!"
"Mama & Dada"
"Bye, bye"
"Baby"
"Kitty"

So put that all together are you get...

"Mama, Dada is stinky. Kitty, no..no...no! Sissy can you get my baby? (Baby is what he calls his dog/lovey) Let's get in the car and go bye bye. Thank you!"

We're taking the plunge!

2009-03-05T16:30:00.000-08:00

We have said Yes to the Lord and Yes to homeschooling.

This blog is all about my calling to homeschool. It goes all the way back to the summer of 2007, I was very pregnant and getting ready to send Haley off to her first year of public school, Kindergarten. We were registered for our local school but I was in agony. It wasn't what I wanted for her but the thought of homeschooling barely entered my mind if it even did. Had it, I would have almost surely dismissed it immediately. Then Marcia, my mother in law, called me with an ad she had seen in the paper for a charter school called Cornerstone, it was a public co-op school with small class sizes. It sounded a whole lot better than the school we were zoned for and we immediately called and put her name on the list, the long long list. Well just a few weeks before school started we got the call! She was next on the list and we jumped at the opportunity. The day before she started school, her youngest brother Travis was born. He was very sick :( That's another story itself, but I managed to get discharged in time to spend the night with her at Gma Pat's house so I could go to the hospital every couple of hours that night to also see Travis. I was so glad, looking back, that I had made that time with Haley a priority. We spent time giggling late at night together, getting ready for her big day. School started and all was well for a year.

There were a few things here and there that I was unhappy with at Haley's school but homeschooling wasn't pressed on my heart until it was time to register Cody for Kindergarten, I just couldn't do it. In fact, he could have started when Haley went to 1st grade and they would have been in the same class. I couldn't do it then either, but I had the excuse in my mind that he was on the young side...as I look back this is another area that the Lord was using to prepare my heart for this adventure. We also couldn't afford preschool for Cody, so we were "homeschooling for preschool" but I didn't really realize it. When I called the school we are now zoned for to register Cody I asked if it would be possible to tour the campus first, she said no. How could I be expected to blindly send my child off to school? Very simply, it is what everyone else does, after all it is not a business. They don't have to sell us on their school, it's just a fact that we have to accept, or is it? There was only one option in my mind, it was clear we had to take Haley out of the public school setting and become a homeschooling family. That brings us to where we are now, only a few months ago...deciding to homeschool was something I had to consider heavily. I finally worked up enough courage to start to tell people what I thought the Lord was saying to me. First of course, I talked to Jeremy about it and he was very supportive. Honestly, I was a little surprised he actually thought I could do it! It just seemed like such a HUGE responsibility, I didn't think people would think I could do it. Then I remember thinking, this IS such a huge responsibility, why am I so willing to let someone else take on the task?
It was Friday and I was headed to Marcia's house to drop off the boys for my "mommy day off". Well this day wasn't so much of a day off because Tyler and Cody would be staying with me to attend their first art class at church. Anyhow as I dropped Travis off I quickly brought the subject up with Marcia and she immediately shared how pleased she was with the idea and so we prayed together right there that the Lord would confirm for me His will. She asked me, in the end...what are we here as parents for? First I said, to raise our children to become responsible educated adults, Quickly, it dawned on me that that was only a very small part of the equation, the bigger picture is their heart. We are here to raise our children in the ways of the Lord and commit to God our children's eternal futures.

I remember feeling very unsure, could I really do this? What makes me so qualified? We arrived at the art class and I saw an old friend, we were becoming reaquainted when I noticed she had all her kids with her, even her school-aged daughter. She was homeschooling! I couldn't wait to call Jeremy and Marcia and share that the Lord had already began to confirm His calling for me to homeschool. I then began to share my heart with the key people in our lives, and from every direction we received blessings and more confirmations. Was it really going to be this easy? Would everyone be so supportive? Praise the Lord! To this day, I still question my decision, but I try to quickly disperse the thought because I know it is coming from the father of lies. That is a big part of why I am writing this blog, so when things get cloudy and I can't remember why I have embarked on this journey, I can look back and see God's answers to prayer, His provision, and more importantly His CALLING for our family to homeschool.

So, we are taking the plunge! Fall of 2009 we will officially be open for business :)

So we are homeschooling because:

1. The Lord has called us to homeschool.
2. The Lord has called us to homeschool.
3. We want to follow His calling.

Do I feel prepared and adequate? NO! But I have been told that He does not call the equipped, He equips the called.

Tyler's Bear

2009-02-12T23:19:00.000-08:00

It wasn't until bed time the night of his 3rd birthday that we noticed "Bear" was missing...I told him I would look for Bear and bring him to bed when I found him. Well, as I came down the stairs to look for Bear it dawned on me he was left at Ikea. Panic set in! I immediately called Ikea but it hadn't been turned in yet. Haley was crying, poor girl, she knows how much Bear means to Tyler because she has the same connection with her Lamby and Beary, yes very original I know. She also felt responsible because she kept picking Bear up for Tyler in the play area, as he was too distracted to care for him. I started looking for a picture of Tyler with his bear so I could then search on Ebay for another one, just in case. Well when I found the picture, Cody was looking over my shoulder, and he started to cry too. We all ended up in a weeping mess on the couch, grieving poor Tyler's loss that he wasn't even aware of himself! Jeremy was having a very hard time holding back the laughter.

VERY long story short, Tyler was reunited with Bear after a friend of Haley's mom who works at Ikea brought him safely home. Tyler didn't even know that Bear had spent a cold and lonely night at Ikea, had he known...well there would have been many more tears.

Tyler's Ikea Birthday

2009-02-12T23:18:00.000-08:00

Well, all of my big 3rd birthday party plans fell through this year and we ended up having a Thomas the Train birthday party at Ikea of all places! Tyler loved it though and had a great time. They played in the play area, had a special lunch on Thomas plates and cups (the only thing he was sure he just had to have at his party) and got a few new trains. He was pleased and at this age, it was just perfect for him. I think Haley and Cody were concerned about him not having a big party just as much as I was, but we were all pleasantly surprised to see how satisfied he was with so little. I think we all learned a little lesson from Tyler this year.

It was a wonderful day and evening, we celebrated with a cake that night when Daddy got home. Tyler called it his "Happy Birthday Fire Cake" he was more than happy to blow out the fire. He loved the cake and for whatever reason just had to fit the whole piece in his mouth, twice. Silly little boy.

I feel challenged.

2009-01-27T08:45:00.000-08:00

Last night I went to a meeting about homeschooling and boy was I challenged in my walk. I feel like I am learning that I need to do 2 things this year, so maybe this is my new years resolution.

The first being to memorize scripture, something that I haven't made an everyday part of my life since High School. I want to do this so that I can minister the word of God to others as needed. I find myself without the right words to say, or advice to give, if only I had the Word of the Lord tucked away in my heart. Then I could minister even more effectively. Of course there are only a few ways we have to communicate with God, and one is through His Word. The speaker last night shared several stories from her own life where scripture that she had even forgotten she had memorized came to her lips at just the right time. God uses us and our willingness to tuck His Word away, for our own good when we are going through dark times, to bless and minister to others, and to speak truth into our children's lives. Lord help me as I begin to memorize your Word. Here are a couple verses that I found that give me a good reason to memorize.

"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12)

And this one is my favorite...

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

My second challenge is to become meek, gentle, slow to speak, and slow to anger. I want to become like Jesus more and more this year. Thinking carefully before I speak, asking the Lord for wisdom and discernment. I want to be slow to speak, or even silent at times. I want to hear the Lord speak, I want to SHUT UP this year. When I do speak, I want it to be the Truth of God's word, I want my words to be edifying and encouraging. This will be a challenge even more at home, which I think is interesting and sad at the same time. Lord forgive me for using my words and the tone of my voice in a way that did not glorify you and did not show my Children what the face of Jesus looks like.

Thank you Lord for challenging me!

To homeschool or not?

2009-01-26T14:17:00.000-08:00

So I haven't really blogged about this yet, but the Lord is leading our family in the direction of homeschooling. It's also a good chance that we will be taking Haley out of school mid-year to start our homeschool journey. Today we "mock" homeschooled to get an idea, I realize a very vague idea, of what homeschooling would be like. I got excited and started to create my homeschool area. We will see where God takes us.

Perfect timing!

2009-01-23T21:49:00.000-08:00

I just had to put this picture up, I was reminiscing and looking through the past few years of pictures and I found this one. So gross, yet so exactly what you would expect from a picture of Travis at that time. He ALWAYS SPIT UP. Anyone that spent more than 20 minutes with him at any given time knew he spit up and he did it often. Boy am I glad that is over. But I do miss my baby, although, he will always be my baby.

We LOVE our new dig.

2009-01-23T08:47:00.000-08:00

In the first picture Tyler was telling me all about his "motorcycle" and Jeremy was cracking up. We just love our new place. The kids love to go out front and ride thier bikes, run around the circle, and play with thier more than 10 neighbor friends. The Lord truly answered our prayers and provided this wonderful home for us. Thank you Lord!

Travis' infatuation with the laptop...

2009-01-23T08:40:00.000-08:00

"I just have to send a quick email, you know to set up the next playdate."

Haley is 7 years old!

2009-01-20T13:21:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe how quickly time goes by. I know that sounds so trite but it is so very true. 7 Years ago I found out I was pregnant, and although not in the best of circumstances, we were beyond blessed with such a beautiful little girl. Thankfully she is still a little girl too, as much as the world wants our children to grow up sooner than they should, we are fighting that battle. She loves Build-A-Bears and collecting clothes for them, she loves to read and do anything that has to do with crayons, markers, scissors, and glue. Haley is determined and responsible. She loves her brothers and will do anything to help someone, she aims to please. Most importantly she loves Jesus. She wants to please Him, praise the Lord. Afterall, isn't that our main goal in raising our children? Not only do we want them to become responsible adults but we want them to love the Lord with all their mind, heart, and soul. Thank you Lord Jesus for the rich blessing that you have given our family, thank you for Haley.

I love my boys.

2009-01-20T12:54:00.000-08:00

Lately they have become more and more enjoyable to be around. It's not so much of me taking care of them, I mean that is still non-stop, but they are giving back now. Hugs, kisses, kind words, proud moments, sillyness, and concern for each other has become more and more prevalent. I just love being around them. Reading the same Thomas book for the 100th time or building the same lego pirate ship just to destroy it and build it again. Boys are fun.

"Hey mom...look!"

2009-01-05T11:52:00.000-08:00

Travis is always getting into something, always displaying his newfound talents. He was so proud of himself after stacking the diet coke cans that he did a dance around them. He is so much fun.

Pumpkin 'Patching'

2008-11-13T16:33:00.000-08:00

Surprisingly, it was a very relaxed day. The kids had a great time and we all brought home a pumpkin, even the baby! Did we get to carve them this year? No. We were just too busy moving...yes moving. We have moved after 4 years at our home by the church, it was time.

CCCN Staff & Board Retreat

2008-11-13T16:22:00.000-08:00

I can't believe I haven't blogged in almost 2 months! So much has happened in the past 2 months, I will blog about that soon but the weekend we spent at the retreat stood out for me as very refreshing and enjoyable. I love you Jeremy, thanks for being so much fun!

Loving Mommy

2008-09-20T21:48:00.000-07:00

Travis is such a cuddly baby and I don't want it to ever stop! I tell the kids everyday to stop growing.

Sleep Peeing

2008-09-10T23:07:00.000-07:00

Tonight we found Cody peeing on the cabinet just outside of Haley's room. Really funny. I can remember my mom telling me a story about when I was little I once peed in the cat's litter box. I guess it's called sleep peeing. :)

T-Ball

2008-09-10T09:44:00.000-07:00

It was such a funny first day of T-Ball. Haley and Cody are playing on the same team this year, and while they won't actually play any games against another team they don't know the difference. Oh and there aren't any outs and you don't keep score, it's all about learning the game this year. It became very evident that someone had seen a T-Ball game before. Even though we read books about how to play T-Ball, watched a DVD that gave step by step instructions, and "practiced" playing catch it was total chaos on the field. You're supposed to hit the ball and then go running after it right? If you don't want to chase the ball after you've hit it, you can just run straight across the field to second base, I am sure that's what the DVD said to do. Then after 1.45 minutes out on the field, it's ok to start calling "MOMMY, MOMMY....MOMMMMYYYYYYY!!!" "I am tired. I am hungry. Can I have a snack?" Next thing I know Cody is sitting in the dugout and I am feeding him goldfish and water through the fence. A cry fest is in order too when you realize your cute new pink T-Ball shoes are dirty. Then there is Gpa Wessels using his baseball lingo while Cody is at bat... "Choke up the bat!" Huh? I could just see my son with the most literall mind I have ever known trying to figure out what he meant. I think whoever created T-Ball did it so the parents could have a good laugh. That indeed we did have.

Top of my game?

2008-09-04T12:34:00.000-07:00

Will I ever be at the top of my game? It feels like I can't seem to always have everything under control. When I am excelling in one area of life, I see that there are others that are floundering about. Does it take just accepting that there will always be something that isn't getting 100% of what it needs? I just can't seem to let things go like that. There isn't a conclusion to this and maybe there never will be. Is life really like a pendulum, swaying my focus from one area to the next? How do you decide what takes priority in your life? What if you do set your priorities and then realize that there are priorities within your list of priorities. See? It's overwhelming.

Lazy Labor Day

2008-09-02T13:50:00.000-07:00

We had a great day lounging at with Gma and Gpa Wessels, we even got a surprise visit by Uncle Gabe, also know to Tyler as "chicken". Why? We don't know! He is a silly boy. Good food, good weather, a fun park, and family. Jeremy and I got to excape for a couple of hours too. It really was the perfect day.

Then & Now

2008-09-02T11:11:00.000-07:00

Travis is 3 days old here. Hanging onto life by a thread. At this point his lung has colapsed and he had a chest tube insterded, soon to be followed by a second.

Here Travis is 1! Perfectly healthy and an absolute joy. Praise the Lord for his health and his joyful spirit.

1980's

2008-08-29T16:53:00.000-07:00

I know, like who has cassette tapes anymore? Seeing Travis unwinding Sissy's beloved Adventures in Odyssey tapes transported me right back to my childhood. Strange how cassette tapes are a thing of the past and our kids will never
buy their favorite band on tape, unless of course it's New Kids on the Block and Haley finds a tape at the thrift store. :) Reminds me recently of a friend who brought her 13 year old son to work with her, he saw a machine and asked his mom "what is that?" She almost couldn't contain herself...it was a typewriter! Strange things like this make me feel old. Actually I am reminded again of when I got the ironing board and iron out one Sunday morning before church and Haley asked me "what is that, mom". Oh ya...that has nothing to do with me being old, I just buy things that don't have to be ironed! I conserve my time, right?

Homeschool.

2008-08-28T21:17:00.000-07:00

I am homeschooling Cody this year for PreK, he is doing great and loves to learn. He begs me all day to start his "homework". I hope that never ends! Look how well he stayed in the lines even, I was impressed.
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Play it safe!

2008-08-28T21:12:00.000-07:00

Travis is officially walking! Today was the day he stood up without holding onto something and walked around the house, one room to the next. Just yesterday he was doing the one two step dive into mommy's arms. Now he is walking, it is so hard to believe, he is growing up too fast. One year ago today, my little Travis was fighting for his life in the NICU. Thank you Lord for a beautiful, healthy, and energetic little boy.

Bananas.

2008-08-27T12:06:00.000-07:00

We go through about 6lbs of bananas each week. I found this picture of 40,000 bananas that was used by an artist for a project. The article says they were then given away for free. Anyways, it is amazing how much fruit we consume here each week.

6 lbs Bananas
4 lbs Straberries
6+ lbs of Apples
Countless ounces of blueberries and raspberries
3 lbs of Grapes

I am scared of when we have 3 teenage boys in the house. Going out to dinner will be expensive!

Kindergarten no more...

2008-08-27T09:37:00.000-07:00

1st Day of 1st Grade

She is becoming such a big girl, my baby is growing up. It is hard to believe I have a 1st Grader now. She is an amazing little girl, full of personality, a willing helper, eager to learn, and most importantly she has a heart that longs to be obedient to the commands of Jesus.

Thank you Jesus for my baby girl, and yes, she will always be my baby girl.

2008-08-24T21:25:00.000-07:00

Where's Waldo?

2008-08-24T21:19:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TRAVIS!

Our little bundle of joy turned one today. I am so thankful for his life and his health.

Schedule. Time. Calendar. Clocks.

2008-08-20T20:56:00.000-07:00

I am a full time mom to 4 kids.

I am a wife.

I work PT as the Children's Director at church.

I am on the Board and serve as the Fundraising Coordinator at Haley's School.

I feel like I am running out of time in the day to be all of these things. However when I give it all to God and put it ALL in His hands, it all falls into place. I am at that point where God is reminding me that He is in control and that on my own, I will fail miserably.

Father of lies.

2008-08-20T20:34:00.000-07:00

Satan wants to trip us up, deceive and confuse. Throughout the process of deciding what was best for Cody, a couple of things seemed like such huge road blocks. One thing being "He can't surely stay HOME another year without ANY schooling, that would be just TERRIBLE for him, he NEEDS preschool!" or this one "Being around his little brothers would cause him to regress and not mature as he should." Ya I know, you're laughing now, but those were the thoughts that were going through my mind. Satan is the father of deceit. John 8:44b says "He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

I shared my heart and my concerns at staff meeting, and Pastor's response to me was "What's the worst that can happen if Cody gets to spend another year at home with Mommy?" I had a huge "DUH" moment. It hit me then, who has God entrusted these children to? Me. Mommy. Jeremy and I. He thinks and intended us to be their teachers, to impart wisdom, life skills, resourcefulness, knowledge, love, compassion, the list could go on forever. So through all of this the Lord has led us to keep Cody home this year, and with a peace in my heart, I will get to spend another year with my little Cody.

Philipians 4:7 comes to mind..."And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

2008-07-24T14:39:00.000-07:00

Is this little face really ready for Kindergarten? I keep going back and forth with my decision. Jeremy feels at peace with sending him. Maybe I just don't want to believe he is growing up. He will be in a combined class with Haley this year and I can't help but wonder how the dynamics of that situation will work out. We don't really have any other option as finances won't allow us to put him in a good PreK program and staying home another year would not be good for him at all. My prayer is that he would have the room to explore and grow this year as an individual and that having Haley in the same class would be a blessing to them both. At some point I have to just accept the decision we make as the final word on the situation and move on. Lord help me to do this, bring me peace and understanding. Lord., I also ask that you please cover us in your grace as making this decision is not easy, please Lord work in only the way you can despite us. Heavenly Father, little Cody is in your hands.

Papa Jack

2008-07-23T11:21:00.000-07:00

We love you dearly. You are in so much pain right with Shingles and the kids are just dying to see you. Haley draws you pictures daily and Cody has asked his Sunday School class to pray for you each week. You have influenced so many people's lives in such a positive way, we can only learn from you. It's such a scary thought that one day you will no longer be here on earth with us, but I am reminded to enjoy every day we have with you and I have the hope of knowing you know the Lord. You are a joy and an inspiration to me. Life is short, I am sure you would be the first to say that even 80+ years seems to go by too quickly.

Something that has been so very heavy on my heart is the need to let each person in our lives know how much we love them. We never know when our last day here on earth will come, for some it comes sooner than others, while some of us are blessed with 80 years of life. Some of us are just blessed to be alive. Baby Travis was given a second chance at life and for that I am so very grateful. I have been following the life of a lady named Christina who recently lost her little boy named Judson, she is a believer and has the hope of the Lord. She is in deep mourning but still manages to thank the Lord for who He is and what He is doing in her life. So that I will never forget to hold every day captive and treasure every moment I have with my kids and with my family, here is a link to Judson's story. She doesn't know me and I never met Judson, but he has touched my life in a very deep way.

www.storyofjudson.com

First Steps

2008-07-22T21:32:00.000-07:00

Baby 'Travi' took his first step on Friday, July 18th. It was one step, but it was his first! Why do I get excited over things like this...you would think by the time the fourth baby starts walking I would know what is to come. Here goes to no more sanity :)

Pleasant

2008-07-21T13:48:00.000-07:00

This is Haley's VBS picture, she seems so peaceful in this picture. She loves being in front of the camera, she is our little attention lover. **Squeeze** Love you Sissy.

Grumpy

2008-07-21T13:46:00.000-07:00

I was taking pictures of all the kids at church for VBS, I got a smile from everyone except Cody. "I don't want you to take my picture." Sounds a little reminiscent of stories I have heard about his Daddy.

Trip to the ZOO...

2008-07-17T14:10:00.000-07:00

Tyler was happy to find out that he wasn't actually a monkey, after seeing them in real life I think he gets it now. :) We had a great day overall. They loved the animals, Tyler especially likes the Elephants. Cody was ready to go to next animal after one glance, a little on the impatient side it seems. The older three and I got to ride the train, that was a lot of fun and this time Tyler was finally tall enough to go on all of the rides! He has grown over 2 inches since we last went just a few months ago!

2008-07-17T11:40:00.000-07:00

The kids had a friend over today. We went to the park to get some energy out, fun was had by all! Good times, these are the kind of days when memories are made but more importantly friendships are built. Thanks for coming to play with us Ethan.

Mommy and Me

2008-07-16T21:04:00.000-07:00

Big, slobbery, wet, sweet...

2008-07-14T16:17:00.000-07:00

KISS FROM TRAVIS! My first :) He has been giving them to Daddy for about a week now, but today I got my first kiss. It was all I could have imagined, wet.

Look mom...no hands!

2008-07-11T08:57:00.000-07:00

Here is my brave little Travis. He loves his rocket and is pushing it around the house all the time. I actually bought it for Tyler, but even Tyler will tell you that it belongs to "Baby Twavis".

Honey...

2008-07-10T23:25:00.000-07:00

So Tyler has taken to calling me "Honey". With a cute smile and laugh afterwords. "Honey, Mommy." He is such a funny little guy, his vocabulary is growing immensely day by day now. But "Honey" isn't something I ever expected my 2 year son to call me. Love that little boy.

Vacation.

2008-07-09T10:33:00.000-07:00

Really, everyone should try to take a vacation at least once a year. We had such a great time in Palm Desert. We stayed at the Marriott Desert Springs Villas, gorgeous place! We had a 2 bedroom, 2bath condo, living room, 2 pations, and a fully equipped kitchen. It was so nice! This is our second time going to this resort and we plan to go many more times. We got a great deal through the Wessels' time share.

I can describe the week as relaxing, fun, hot, organized, clean, quality, and good food. Jeremy and I got to spend some one on one time with Haley and Cody, that was really nice. They rarely get breaks from thier little brothers so it was a nice escape for them. We also got to go on a few Mommy and Daddy dates, that was the best part! Bowling stands out for me.

Celebrating Life.

2008-05-21T10:37:00.000-07:00

Travis had a review appointment yesterday with all of the NICU doctors, social workers, physical therapist, and nutritionalists that worked with him while he was in the hospital. It was such a joyful time, he is doing so well. He is above average in every area, and is even excelling in some areas. He is a big and healthy baby. Praise the Lord!

Drives.

2008-05-19T09:16:00.000-07:00

I grew up going on long drives. I loved it, we went to explore far away small towns, have lunch, and just enjoy the drive. I have passed this on to our family now. Sadly gas prices are getting to be a hindrance to our drives, but we still like to get away. I look at it as an escape, we often feel like we are getting a glimpse of someone else's world. Yesterday we went for a drive, we had planned to end up at Bodega Bay but found several things to do along the way. We stopped at an antique/vintage airplane airport. The planes were beautiful and very interesting to look at. The kids loved the planes, and Tyler kept saying "Tyler ride airplane".

Just across the street was a HUGE lawn chair, the kids and I climbed up on it for a picture.

We stopped at a fruit stand and continued on our drive. When we finally got to Bodega Bay we saw heavy fog and felt the windows from inside the car, we soon realized it wasn't going to be 80 degrees and sunny like weather.com said. So...we tried to get out but the kids weren't having it. So we turned around and heading towards home but we weren't ready to be done exploring. We stopped at our favorite Salt Water Taffy store and loaded the kids up with sugar, a brilliant idea! :)

Then we got on the road and decided to head towards home. We got stuck in traffic and then we realized it was going to be a LONG wait in traffic unless we turned around, thank you GPS. The Infineon Raceway had just let out after a long weekend of races. We found another way to get home and soon found more traffic. So we got off the freeway in search of something to do for a couple of hours. Again, thank you GPS. We would have been lost without you, or even worse stuck in hours of traffic with 4 kids in the car. We found a quaint park and met a nice family. The kids had a good time playing and swinging at the park. Then, finally after many snacks in the car, they were ready for dinner. So we went for a late night dinner to Applebees. It was fun, the kids behaved, well...Haley, Cody, and Travis behaved...Tyler was acting like your typical 2 year old. Overall it was a GREAT day, albeit not exactly what we had planned but still interesting, fun, and we got a glimpse at someone else's world.

Oh! And...Tyler wore big boy underware for the whole car trip with only 1 accident, we are so proud of him.

The best Mother's Day yet.

2008-05-14T09:57:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day was more than a day for me this year, it was a weekend. Saturday Haley and I went to a Tea Party at church, that was a lot of fun! It was a special time for her and I, if only I wasn't coordinating it. I wish I could have spent a little more time focusing on her, next year I will plan it better. Even still we had a great time. There were 50 people there, all celebrating the joys of being a little girl.

Sunday morning I woke up to Haley trying to whisper "Daddy, Daddy...WAKE UP! We have to make Mommy breakfast. I have a lot to do this morning and I am running out of time. WAKE UP!" I pretended to be asleep. :) That is until I realized Jeremy wasn't going to get up, I nudged him and gently asked him to wake up and help Haley. Ok so... I punched him in the arm and told him he better get up so she isn't crushed. They made me the most delicious chocolate chip pancakes. I got 4 cards, 3 from Haley. She loves to draw and write. Cody said "I know it's just scribble scrabble but you'll like it". Of course I loved it. He did manage to draw a very nice heart. We then got ready for church and headed off.

After church insanity struck Jeremy and he offered to watch my friend Adriane's kids as well as our own so we could get away for the afternoon. Her husband had to work that day. So he had 7 kids ALL BY HIMSELF! The oldest is 7 years old. He is the best husband EVER. I love him and appreciate him so much. I came home to a house that literally looked like it had been turned upside down, but there were no injuries and everyone was fed and happy. It was a great day!

Also, it struck as the best Mother's Day ever because my family feels complete. I have a sense of peace knowing all the children the Lord is going to bless us with are here in our arms. Thank you Lord for the mighty responsibility you have given us, but even moreso for the incredible blessings. I love being Mommy.

Fridays are nice.

2008-05-09T16:53:00.000-07:00

I get to spend time with Travis while the older kids spend time with Grandma Wessels. It's usually a very low key afternoon filled with errands, cleaning, a bit of work, and sometimes even a nap. Today we walked downtown and met Daddy for lunch, stopped at the bank, and headed home. So peaceful and relaxing. Thank you Lord for the beautiful weather and the day off. I love having the opportunity to get on the floor and play with Travis, just one on one. He is my last baby and I'm trying to treasure every moment of it.

"I have set you apart."

2008-05-08T14:01:00.000-07:00

A few months ago the Lord impressed this upon my heart. "I have set you apart, you shouldn't feel 'comfortable' in this world."

It was a strange day, last minute I decided to go out to a movie with a group of girls who I don't normally hang out with. I can't remember what movie we saw. I do remember very clearly how 'uncomfortable' I felt. I felt uneasy and overall just felt like the Holy Spirit was trying to talk to me. After the movie I couldn't get to my car fast enough, in fact I couldn't keep back the tears. As I walked to my car they just started to fall.

"I have set you apart."

That was the day I felt that the Lord was beginning to show me His master plan for my life. I still don't know what that all entails, but I feel called to ministry and to serve Him with my life. There is a bigger picture that I haven't been able to grab hold of yet, I am not a dreamer. I am reality driven and so it's tough for me to see beyond the walls of 'life'. My prayer is that the Lord will begin to break down those walls and in time reveal His plan.

It's a gorgeous day.

2008-03-24T11:04:00.000-07:00

It is Monday, the day after Easter Sunday. The sun is shining, Haley is home from school, the kids are playing well together, the baby is napping, and I am feeling refreshed and accomplished.

Saturday was a huge success, we had a great Easter Egg Hunt. Everyone was having fun, volunteers were in place, and I had more help than I imagined. Praise God. I met several families from the community, struggled through my Spanish but I managed to say what needed to be said. The kids ate way too much candy though!

I love what I am doing...

2008-03-18T20:06:00.000-07:00

Working as the Children's Director at church has allowed me the opportunity to fulfill a desire to be 'working' and serving God. My children are my ministry team, and a great team at that! This is such an amazing responsibility and a high calling, I feel scared and honored at the same time.

2008-03-15T22:04:00.000-07:00

Footsteps...Baby Travis.