Thinking about last year...

I've been thinking a lot about last year...what I was doing last year at this time. Tonight as I write this I think that last year on this night we were spending the night in the hospital. At this exact time, we would have just found out the bleak news regarding our family, and holding out hope for the morning. There is so much emotion as I think about our son's birthday tomorrow.

A missionary friend from CBM wrote me and helped me to imagine Collin celebrating his first birthday in heaven. Most kids don't remember their first birthday, will Collin remember his, or does he get to "grow up" in heaven? I think about him being up there with Jesus and his family who has gone before (and come after him in the past year). Are his cousin Grace and Grandpa Brant celebrating with him? I wonder what they do in heaven on earthly birthdays, or for that matter on anniversaries of joining the heavenly host. In Collin's case, it is the same day.

I miss our son. He would be one.

What I like about fall

Cooler weather
Turning leaves
School starting
Marching band practice
Fall decorating
Cross Country
Candy corn

God's grace

This week has been so productive. I'm so thankful to the Lord for that because I was praying that the Lord would allow me to establish a good schedule now that I am at home all the time. Last week at our ladies Bible study, Molly asked each of us to say something for which we needed God's grace. It was my turn and I asked for God's grace over my new schedule. That was something that was weighing on me. Ever since I have stopped working at McFarland Clinic, I haven't really had any time at home until last week (because of camps and weddings). So, I was struggling to establish regular daily habits while also trying to work around Andy's habits since he's also at home. I need to do my school work. The sooner I can get that done, the sooner we can have regular income to add to our support level. I also need to help Andy with the website. We have been working on that for around 8 months, so it's important for us to get that done. We also need to make a missions video update for a church in Dover, DE. There are also letters that need to be sent, letters that need to be written, items that need to be ordered, etc. So, I was just having a hard time organizing all of that, and I needed God's grace.
Well, this week I could definitely see the Lord helping me--in spite of the draw of the Olympics! On Monday we signed up for life insurance--something that needed to be done since I'm not working at McFarland anymore. On Tuesday the nurse lady came over to the house and did the mini physical required for that, so now I officially have life insurance. That's one thing done. I also applied for a job at MMSC (the hospital here in town) for a part-time medical transcription job. I made sure to tell them on the application that I'm not finished with my schooling yet, but that I have lots of experience in the medical field, so I'm familiar with how some things work. They called me on Tuesday morning and want me to come in for an interview next Wednesday morning (the 20th). It would be great if I could get this job and then work from home or from a different state! That's what is so great about transcription. Plus it would be nice to work for someone from Marshalltown so I can have some sort of connection to the people for whom I am working.
I was also able to complete almost 2 chapters of my school work this week--that is amazing!! Each chapter takes FOREVER! Andy and I finished the missions video! So now we can start showing it for our meetings that we have right now--including our update to our home church on August 31st! That will be cool. We have the "August Rush" soundtrack as our background music--love that movie (P.S. that's also Shawn Johnson's floor routine music--did you notice?)
We also got most of our website published to the web, thanks in LARGE part to Luke Demarest! That was such a blessing to get something published after working on it for so long.
So, I am praising the Lord for allowing such a productive week for Andy and I both. Andy was able to schedule some meetings for our next trip out East. It is hard for me to listen to him make phone calls because he just puts himself out there--so vulnerable to pastors who can sometimes be so warm and receiving, but can also be so insensitive and rude. You never know who you're going to get. I usually have my devotions while he does most of his calling so that I can just pray for him. I can see that sometimes it's very hard for him to make phone calls because not everyone is as considerate as he is.
Thank you God for teaching me about your grace. I've been learning how your grace extends so much farther beyond saving grace. It is also grace that works in us to will and to do good. It is your grace that makes me want to come to you, to please you, to honor you. It is your grace that I need each day to obey and to remember your love for me. Your grace keeps me on track--I don't keep myself on track. Thank you for your grace this week to allow me to honor you in how I spend my time and energy, and for letting me get so much accomplished. Please multiply your grace toward me this month, this is such an important lesson for me to learn right now.

I miss Paige

Well, Paige got married last weekend. A week ago today I was helping Paige and Patrick set up tables and practicing my hair for the wedding--not at the same time. Last week was so much fun, that I find myself extremely bored these days. One night I lie awake thinking about how much I now miss my sister Paige. Right now she is on her honeymoon in Vienna, Austria. She will soon be returning home, but not to Marshalltown, she will go home to Bakersfield, California. I failed to realize this fact until she was leaving the church to go on her honeymoon. I had been so much enjoying our time together that it never occurred to me that it would end. I told Paige once that every time I thought about her wedding, I would get excited not so much about the wedding, but because it meant she was coming home. I also enjoyed my time with Deb and Luke last week, and guess what? They left too. Fortunately we get to see Deb and Luke a little more often that Paige and Patrick, but I still wish that both sisters lived close to me (or I close to them) so that we could see each other more. One of my favorite parts of last week was going to see the movie "Mama Mia." That movie was so great--I loved the music. There were parts that I wish they would have left out--I would have enjoyed it so much more (think Moulin Rouge), but I will definitely have to at least get the soundtrack.