Do you remember from the post before last how I mentioned the DVD that was stolen in the DVD player and that we paid the library for? We realized it was missing almost immediately after the robbery. Zac had watched it just the day before - it couldn't be far. Before we moved, I looked everywhere, even went through every DVD case. We moved and it was no where to be found. After I provided them the case number for our robbery, the library allowed us to renew it the maximum number of times. Every time it came due I had my entire family look for it. I think all the DVD's were gone through at least 5 times.
Last Christmas, the DVD Elf was in someone's stocking since our supply of movies had been diminished in the robbery. This Thanksgiving, we took it with us to watch on the drive. Last week, the boys watched it again at home. Last week, I also began the fervent prayer for God to redeem the time that was stolen from us.
I was sharing with a friend the story of how God allowed me to find the missing documents for Rob's dissertation. I was so caught off guard at her childlike faith when she responded "Well, they probably were stolen and God put them back there." I recognized that my childlike faith had also been stolen from me.
Yesterday morning I was looking through the DVD cases for my workout video that had been misplaced. I opened up the Elf DVD case. There was the missing DVD. It had not been there the week before. The DVD had not been in our house before that moment.
Some may try to explain this away. I call this a miracle. God gave it back to me along with my childlike faith.
Rob turned in chapter 2 (revised) and chapter 3 to his adviser today. He's grading finals today and tomorrow and then the real writing begins.
Please pray for us. "REDEEM THE TIME!"
That crazy Voss family
12/15/11
12/10/11
God is already at work
I know it's only been 4 days, but God is already at work!!! Thank you so much for your prayers already.
Today was my last performance/work day until January and so I felt domestic when I got home. My room has not been thoroughly clean since Halloween until today. Then I started in the boxes that had not yet been unpacked in Rob's office. In one, I found some books and some dissertation stuff. When Rob looked at it, he was speechless and then almost crying.
You see, in February, when he had gotten back to work, he looked and looked for the two chapters that had been commented on by his adviser. He had determined that they were probably in the backpack that was stolen during the robbery. He described it to me as if he had been on a journey following directions on the GPS and then halfway there the GPS just stopped working. It was like he had been working blind - he had been trying to duplicate what had been lost. The GPS has been turned back on! Praise God!
I know it's a direct result of the call for prayer. Please, continue to pray. I love that God has so quickly moved, but it just makes me plead for more. Redeem the time, Lord! Let him finish in the next 6 weeks!
Today was my last performance/work day until January and so I felt domestic when I got home. My room has not been thoroughly clean since Halloween until today. Then I started in the boxes that had not yet been unpacked in Rob's office. In one, I found some books and some dissertation stuff. When Rob looked at it, he was speechless and then almost crying.
You see, in February, when he had gotten back to work, he looked and looked for the two chapters that had been commented on by his adviser. He had determined that they were probably in the backpack that was stolen during the robbery. He described it to me as if he had been on a journey following directions on the GPS and then halfway there the GPS just stopped working. It was like he had been working blind - he had been trying to duplicate what had been lost. The GPS has been turned back on! Praise God!
I know it's a direct result of the call for prayer. Please, continue to pray. I love that God has so quickly moved, but it just makes me plead for more. Redeem the time, Lord! Let him finish in the next 6 weeks!
12/6/11
Redeem the time!
My prayer over the next 6 weeks (not including the week after Christmas since we'll be in CA) is that God will redeem the time that was stolen from us last year.
You may remember the series of events that occurred for our family last year starting with the break-in and robbery of over $3000 worth of stuff from our home the Sunday after Thanksgiving and continuing through 4 car break-ins into the middle of January. At this time last year, we were scrambling to hurriedly put our belongings in boxes to quickly move into a new home God had so readily provided for us. (For more info: http://vossvignettes.blogspot.com/2010/12/who-moves-in-december.html). It was the second to last day of the semester for both Rob and I as we scrambled to finish our teaching well while protecting our family.
The plan had been for Rob to finish up and then take the next 4 weeks before his next teaching assignment and write his dissertation. He had prepped for it mentally and physically. Now we were without his laptop again and moving and dealing with insurance and change of address for everyone and deciding on what school the boys were going to and dealing with the police and dealing with the library (some books got packed away and returned very late - one DVD was in the player that was taken and we had to pay for it). All these little details that simply exhausted us emotionally and physically. Rob's writing did not get started up again until February - he was teaching and so was I and still trying to find time to write.
So, here it is, a year later. Most of the stuff has been replaced (not that it's important) and we are back to "normal" life. But time was stolen from us. Who knows if Rob could have finished in that intensified 4 weeks, but even if he had just gotten further, he might have had the motivation to finish before the summer graduation deadlines. I hate to do the what-if game, but it's hard not to think that perhaps a fulltime job would have presented itself had he been done. I know God has a plan and a purpose. So we press on. Rob writes every Saturday and any other spare moments he can, but this process requires a lot of focused attention, something that is hard to come by in our life right now.
Once again we are facing the end of one semester and a full 6 weeks before Rob has to teach again. I am asking you, as my friend and fellow prayer warrior, please beg the Father on our behalf to redeem the time that was stolen from us. Pray for Rob to have supernatural focus and clarity of thought. Most of all, pray that God would be glorified through his writing. Please be on your knees to the Father for us. Please.
You may remember the series of events that occurred for our family last year starting with the break-in and robbery of over $3000 worth of stuff from our home the Sunday after Thanksgiving and continuing through 4 car break-ins into the middle of January. At this time last year, we were scrambling to hurriedly put our belongings in boxes to quickly move into a new home God had so readily provided for us. (For more info: http://vossvignettes.blogspot.com/2010/12/who-moves-in-december.html). It was the second to last day of the semester for both Rob and I as we scrambled to finish our teaching well while protecting our family.
The plan had been for Rob to finish up and then take the next 4 weeks before his next teaching assignment and write his dissertation. He had prepped for it mentally and physically. Now we were without his laptop again and moving and dealing with insurance and change of address for everyone and deciding on what school the boys were going to and dealing with the police and dealing with the library (some books got packed away and returned very late - one DVD was in the player that was taken and we had to pay for it). All these little details that simply exhausted us emotionally and physically. Rob's writing did not get started up again until February - he was teaching and so was I and still trying to find time to write.
So, here it is, a year later. Most of the stuff has been replaced (not that it's important) and we are back to "normal" life. But time was stolen from us. Who knows if Rob could have finished in that intensified 4 weeks, but even if he had just gotten further, he might have had the motivation to finish before the summer graduation deadlines. I hate to do the what-if game, but it's hard not to think that perhaps a fulltime job would have presented itself had he been done. I know God has a plan and a purpose. So we press on. Rob writes every Saturday and any other spare moments he can, but this process requires a lot of focused attention, something that is hard to come by in our life right now.
Once again we are facing the end of one semester and a full 6 weeks before Rob has to teach again. I am asking you, as my friend and fellow prayer warrior, please beg the Father on our behalf to redeem the time that was stolen from us. Pray for Rob to have supernatural focus and clarity of thought. Most of all, pray that God would be glorified through his writing. Please be on your knees to the Father for us. Please.
8/13/11
See, I told you!
(Read the two previous posts before this one to get the whole picture).
Thursday I came home from errands and Rob pulled me into the office with a huge smile on my face. He had been trying to call me and my phone had not been cooperating. He had gotten a follow up email from UNL. You see, 6 weeks ago he was asked to be the backup to teach a class in case the person already assigned got the fulltime job he had interviewed for. It is August, tho, and nothing had been heard. Aug. 6th, his summer research assistantship ended and we had heard nothing.
Rob was completing the paperwork to get back on the local substitute teacher list. That's not why we came out here. That's not why he is almost done with his PhD in History - to go back to teaching in the public school system. We were both a little discouraged to say the least, but he needs to work somehow and this seemed like the most viable option.
Then he got the email. His fellow grad student scheduled to teach got the fulltime job. Would Rob be willing to step in and teach the class that starts in 11 days (do what he really wants to do and get paid twice as much as subbing)?
Wow, this sounds familiar. Rob's very first teaching job, he was hired on Friday and started prepping for school on Monday and teaching on Wednesday. When we moved out to Nebraska, Rob had a phone interview the day we were packing the truck (Aug 1st) to teach starting Aug. 15th.
We could have spent the last few months freaking out (I did that a couple of summers ago and it was NOT a fun time for me or my family). Instead, we rested, knowing God was fully looking out for us.
The moment Rob told me he got the job, I did not feel relief, for I had not been anxious. I did rejoice, however, and hear the still small voice: SEE, I TOLD YOU!
Isaiah 49:16b See, I have carved you in the palm of my hand
Thursday I came home from errands and Rob pulled me into the office with a huge smile on my face. He had been trying to call me and my phone had not been cooperating. He had gotten a follow up email from UNL. You see, 6 weeks ago he was asked to be the backup to teach a class in case the person already assigned got the fulltime job he had interviewed for. It is August, tho, and nothing had been heard. Aug. 6th, his summer research assistantship ended and we had heard nothing.
Rob was completing the paperwork to get back on the local substitute teacher list. That's not why we came out here. That's not why he is almost done with his PhD in History - to go back to teaching in the public school system. We were both a little discouraged to say the least, but he needs to work somehow and this seemed like the most viable option.
Then he got the email. His fellow grad student scheduled to teach got the fulltime job. Would Rob be willing to step in and teach the class that starts in 11 days (do what he really wants to do and get paid twice as much as subbing)?
Wow, this sounds familiar. Rob's very first teaching job, he was hired on Friday and started prepping for school on Monday and teaching on Wednesday. When we moved out to Nebraska, Rob had a phone interview the day we were packing the truck (Aug 1st) to teach starting Aug. 15th.
We could have spent the last few months freaking out (I did that a couple of summers ago and it was NOT a fun time for me or my family). Instead, we rested, knowing God was fully looking out for us.
The moment Rob told me he got the job, I did not feel relief, for I had not been anxious. I did rejoice, however, and hear the still small voice: SEE, I TOLD YOU!
Isaiah 49:16b See, I have carved you in the palm of my hand
7/26/11
My Miracle
I am so happy to announce that we have our miracle! For months we've been praying for God to give Rob a job. Every morning on my walk from the car to my classroom at UNL, I would pray the whole way that God would provide and that I wouldn't worry. The stress has been noticeable in conversations between Rob and I as well as in interactions with our children.
I asked God for a miracle and He gave it. No, Rob does not have a job yet. BUT, I claim my miracle. The stress and worry are gone! We have no fear or worry or stress about it anymore. We are completely at peace knowing God is fully in control and will provide for us.
If you reading this and are confused right now, God promises to give those who ask "peace that goes beyond all understanding." That's what this is. We are at rest, we are at peace. We laugh around our dinner table again. We go buy the groceries that we need knowing that the money for next month's groceries will be provided. Why? Because He has told me He will. I have complete faith in Him.
I asked God for a miracle and He gave it. No, Rob does not have a job yet. BUT, I claim my miracle. The stress and worry are gone! We have no fear or worry or stress about it anymore. We are completely at peace knowing God is fully in control and will provide for us.
If you reading this and are confused right now, God promises to give those who ask "peace that goes beyond all understanding." That's what this is. We are at rest, we are at peace. We laugh around our dinner table again. We go buy the groceries that we need knowing that the money for next month's groceries will be provided. Why? Because He has told me He will. I have complete faith in Him.
7/17/11
The summers of our lives
It's summertime so, of course, I would be struggling with the same things I've struggled with for the last four summers in a row. Summers are the bleakest time of the year for us financially. Rob and I teach and so when school is out, we are not getting paid. Rob has taught at four different colleges and been a research assistant or grad assistant for 3 different projects over the last four years. While all those experiences look great on his resume, they don't allow for a stability that I expected at this stage in life. After all, in my plan, by now Rob was going to be done and hold a respectable position so we could be part of the rat race with a mortgage, car payments, braces on the kids, you get the idea.
Instead, once again, we are minus paychecks over the summer and waiting to see what will happen this fall. Not only that, but our 2nd car is requiring monthly mechanical visits. It's old and we just keep it limping along because we are not in a position to be able to replace it. Last week I started back to teaching and right away there were issues. What I thought I was going to be teaching/earning was suddenly jeopardized and I went into an emotional tailspin.
I received the copy of my dad's book recently "Trusting God with the Rest of Your Life" in which he retells the tale of Abraham's journey of faith making applicable the lessons he learned through his failures and mistakes. When God called us to Nebraska, he used Gen. 12:1-3 (God called Abraham) to confirm in my heart that we were supposed to move. Chapter 5 was exactly what I needed to read this past weekend. He talked about how we often don't trust God because of how we will look to other people if He doesn't follow through on His promises. I realized that is exactly what my fear is right now. I am afraid that Rob will have no job and we will not be able to afford the necessities for our family that He gave us. Except that God gave us Zac as a reminder of his promise. In fact, we named him Zacariah because it means "God keeps his promises." It is not my reputation on the line if He doesn't work this out, it's His.
God brought us to Lincoln for Rob to go to school. Rob was denied admission. Rob went to school anyway, non-degree, was accepted and received his Masters. Rob is almost done with his Doctorate. God did not call us here to leave us. His name is on the line here. He said he would take care of us and I believe Him. I can't wait to post next about the miraculous way He provides.
Instead, once again, we are minus paychecks over the summer and waiting to see what will happen this fall. Not only that, but our 2nd car is requiring monthly mechanical visits. It's old and we just keep it limping along because we are not in a position to be able to replace it. Last week I started back to teaching and right away there were issues. What I thought I was going to be teaching/earning was suddenly jeopardized and I went into an emotional tailspin.
I received the copy of my dad's book recently "Trusting God with the Rest of Your Life" in which he retells the tale of Abraham's journey of faith making applicable the lessons he learned through his failures and mistakes. When God called us to Nebraska, he used Gen. 12:1-3 (God called Abraham) to confirm in my heart that we were supposed to move. Chapter 5 was exactly what I needed to read this past weekend. He talked about how we often don't trust God because of how we will look to other people if He doesn't follow through on His promises. I realized that is exactly what my fear is right now. I am afraid that Rob will have no job and we will not be able to afford the necessities for our family that He gave us. Except that God gave us Zac as a reminder of his promise. In fact, we named him Zacariah because it means "God keeps his promises." It is not my reputation on the line if He doesn't work this out, it's His.
God brought us to Lincoln for Rob to go to school. Rob was denied admission. Rob went to school anyway, non-degree, was accepted and received his Masters. Rob is almost done with his Doctorate. God did not call us here to leave us. His name is on the line here. He said he would take care of us and I believe Him. I can't wait to post next about the miraculous way He provides.
7/14/11
Where did June go?
I seriously have to think about this question. I have been in a whirlwind - June came and went as fast as any month ever has in my life. June 4th, 5th and 6th were the final performances of the quarter for my voice students as well as the ensemble I help direct.
June 6th I started my Masters program. I took 3 graduate courses in Music - an afternoon class, one online and one at 7:30am EVERYDAY (for those who know me it would be hard for you to believe, but I NEVER missed a class and I was NEVER late!).
The second week of classes, Rob's parents came for a visit. While I was a horrible hostess, it was so nice to have my boys occupied and the house being upgraded by a few home improvement projects.
The last 2 weeks were the hardest with 5 papers (one a 10-15 pager), 2 presentations and a comprehensive exam. I seriously am so proud of myself for doing it all and doing it all well. I know I have an A and A- so far. I am already back to work, but grateful that it's only part time. It feels like a piece of cake compared to being in school.
The bigger boys have kept busy this summer doing some fun activities in town. They both took a Legorobotics course through Bright Lights a couple of weeks ago. They both want Lego Mindstorms for Christmas and the legos have been spread out in the basement ever since.
Ethan earned a scholarship to band camp at UNL this week. I guess they thought an almost 7th grader who has taken lessons for 4 different instruments plus been involved in choir might be a good investment! His band director from school is in charge of the band as well as his individual instrument group (bassoons). He asked if he could play the sax this year so he could play in jazz band and his director said sure as long as he continued playing bassoon! One more instrument coming home next year, I guess.
Justus has been going to our church's version of VBS in the evenings called "Sports N More." He's in the group learning more about flag football and he was super excited that he caught three passes last night! He also has been taking a Writing Workshop at the library in the mornings. Yesterday he read a poem he had written this week and I was pretty impressed! I had to share it with you:
Noises
I hear things people normally don't.
whispering, droning, creaking
I hear things people normally don't.
tapping, moaning, buzzing
I hear things people normally don't.
scratching, sweeping, tones
It's a blessing...and a curse.
June 6th I started my Masters program. I took 3 graduate courses in Music - an afternoon class, one online and one at 7:30am EVERYDAY (for those who know me it would be hard for you to believe, but I NEVER missed a class and I was NEVER late!).
The second week of classes, Rob's parents came for a visit. While I was a horrible hostess, it was so nice to have my boys occupied and the house being upgraded by a few home improvement projects.
The last 2 weeks were the hardest with 5 papers (one a 10-15 pager), 2 presentations and a comprehensive exam. I seriously am so proud of myself for doing it all and doing it all well. I know I have an A and A- so far. I am already back to work, but grateful that it's only part time. It feels like a piece of cake compared to being in school.
The bigger boys have kept busy this summer doing some fun activities in town. They both took a Legorobotics course through Bright Lights a couple of weeks ago. They both want Lego Mindstorms for Christmas and the legos have been spread out in the basement ever since.
Ethan earned a scholarship to band camp at UNL this week. I guess they thought an almost 7th grader who has taken lessons for 4 different instruments plus been involved in choir might be a good investment! His band director from school is in charge of the band as well as his individual instrument group (bassoons). He asked if he could play the sax this year so he could play in jazz band and his director said sure as long as he continued playing bassoon! One more instrument coming home next year, I guess.
Justus has been going to our church's version of VBS in the evenings called "Sports N More." He's in the group learning more about flag football and he was super excited that he caught three passes last night! He also has been taking a Writing Workshop at the library in the mornings. Yesterday he read a poem he had written this week and I was pretty impressed! I had to share it with you:
Noises
I hear things people normally don't.
whispering, droning, creaking
I hear things people normally don't.
tapping, moaning, buzzing
I hear things people normally don't.
scratching, sweeping, tones
It's a blessing...and a curse.
5/17/11
Esther turns 1!
Our little girl was one year old on May12th. It is so hard to believe that it's already been a year and at the same time it's only been one year. Our family feels so complete and my mother's heart is happy. I love, love my boys. But having a girl who loves to snuggle, who wears dresses and pink and needs ACCESSORIES, who's favorite is MOM (rather than dad)...oh, I love it! She is getting around very well without actually walking, she can say Zac and Daddy and Hi and "na" (which means I want food or drink). It has been challenging for Rob to learn how to pair dresses with tights and then shoes and bows for her hair. She has more shoes in her life then my 11 1/2 year old has! But it's just too fun.
To celebrate her birthday, I took her brothers to get some gifts for her after school, we ran and got dinner, got in the car just in time to avoid the hailstorm and drove to Ethan's band concert. It was late after the concert, but we couldn't let the day pass without allowing Esther to have her first taste of cake and open her presents. She was tired, but it was worth it. The next night we took advantage of her birthday to have some friends over for a BBQ.
I can't wait to see her learn to walk so she can explore even more; I can't wait for her to learn to talk so I can understand what she wakes up wanting to say. I can't wait until she's old enough I can paint her nails and take her to get her ears pierced. I can't wait until she starts telling me whether she likes pink and purple or not. Until then, she's in pink and frills as long as I can get away with it :)
To celebrate her birthday, I took her brothers to get some gifts for her after school, we ran and got dinner, got in the car just in time to avoid the hailstorm and drove to Ethan's band concert. It was late after the concert, but we couldn't let the day pass without allowing Esther to have her first taste of cake and open her presents. She was tired, but it was worth it. The next night we took advantage of her birthday to have some friends over for a BBQ.
I can't wait to see her learn to walk so she can explore even more; I can't wait for her to learn to talk so I can understand what she wakes up wanting to say. I can't wait until she's old enough I can paint her nails and take her to get her ears pierced. I can't wait until she starts telling me whether she likes pink and purple or not. Until then, she's in pink and frills as long as I can get away with it :)
"Mom, the presents are as big as me!"
The boys were fascinated by the first tea set to ever be in our house.
Easter 2011
This Easter was special for me because I had just come through a very rough period in my relationship with God. It was a GREAT reminder of the truth of why I believe that Jesus is the Son of God, as He claimed to be, and He came to earth as a man to bridge the gap between God and man so that I can have REAL life, here and for eternity.
We enjoyed our Easter traditions of dyeing eggs, having an egg hunt in our yard and dressing up. I don't know how many more years I can convince my middle schooler to dress like his brothers, but I'll take as many as I can get. He had decided that he was too old to search for eggs, so I asked him to help his little sister. I had a LOT of fun dressing up my little girl for Easter. Here's a few pics:
We enjoyed our Easter traditions of dyeing eggs, having an egg hunt in our yard and dressing up. I don't know how many more years I can convince my middle schooler to dress like his brothers, but I'll take as many as I can get. He had decided that he was too old to search for eggs, so I asked him to help his little sister. I had a LOT of fun dressing up my little girl for Easter. Here's a few pics:
4/8/11
Spring Break 2011
Thanks to 2 visits to the mechanics, we enjoyed a staycation during Spring Break. The "bigs" worked on their culinary skills. They made "Don't Even Try to Say These Aren't the Best You've Ever Had Because They Are" Chocolate Chip Cookies...
Ethan made pancakes...
and Justus made cake and frosting.
Ethan did a 3-D puzzle of Anakin's Jedi Starfighter in less than 48 hours!
I might have to give up my "puzzle queen" crown because I had given up on this puzzle last year!
I might have to give up my "puzzle queen" crown because I had given up on this puzzle last year!
Esther practiced her mobility skills. Up to this point she had refused to crawl - HATING to be on her belly, but moving herself around when she's standing up.
Grandpa's visit
At the end of February, we got to enjoy Grandpa Brownie for a few days. He was headed to a conference and stopped at our house on his way. While he was here, the Omaha Zoo advertised a free admission day and we took advantage of that - it's one of our favorite places to visit. We also played games and each of the older boys got some one-on-one time with Grandpa. It makes us feel not so far away from CA when he visits.
3/7/11
I think the plates are crashing
Have you ever seen someone do the plate spinning trick? You know, he puts up one pole at a time and gets a plate spinning, and then another, and then another, and then has to run back to the first one to make sure it doesn't fall off, etc. Do you ever have those seasons in life where it feels like you're doing that sort of thing? It seems just when I get something working right, something else goes wrong and as I'm working on that the first thing goes wrong again. That's how life is right now in the Voss family.
Life feels out of control and has felt that way for almost 4 months now. But the question is, is it ever really in control? Balance is a concept God has been working on in my life for quite a while. So, can life be in balance? Why do I have the overwhelming desire for life to be controlled and balanced? I believe it is part of the God-shaped hole in me that will only be satisfied by Him.
For now, I will stop frantically running from one plate to another. I will rest. Be still and Know that I am God. I will trust. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and don't lean on your own understanding. I will wait. Knowing that He is my balance. And I am in his hand. See, I have carved you on the palm of my hand. It doesn't matter if all the plates are spinning. That is not my task. My assignment is to give Him glory in all circumstances. Even when the plates seem to be crashing to the ground around me.
Life feels out of control and has felt that way for almost 4 months now. But the question is, is it ever really in control? Balance is a concept God has been working on in my life for quite a while. So, can life be in balance? Why do I have the overwhelming desire for life to be controlled and balanced? I believe it is part of the God-shaped hole in me that will only be satisfied by Him.
For now, I will stop frantically running from one plate to another. I will rest. Be still and Know that I am God. I will trust. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and don't lean on your own understanding. I will wait. Knowing that He is my balance. And I am in his hand. See, I have carved you on the palm of my hand. It doesn't matter if all the plates are spinning. That is not my task. My assignment is to give Him glory in all circumstances. Even when the plates seem to be crashing to the ground around me.
1/31/11
That's our Ethan
Sunday night, offhandedly, Ethan says "I got an award on Friday."
Mom and Dad's heads suddenly jerk towards him and away from his little siblings.
With big huge smiles and jaws wide open "WHAT?!?!?!?! For what?"
Ethan pulls out this framed certificate he got and a gift certificate for a free treat from the school cafeteria. From his 6th grade team (there's one other team), he and another girl were given the award for being "Knowledgeable" (dad says "in other words: Smart").
If I had gotten this award, I would have been prancing to the car on Friday afternoon asking what kind of treat my parents were gonna give me for getting the award. Not our Ethan. He almost forgot to tell us!
So proud of that kid and his ALL A'S this quarter.
Memories from Christmas
- Spending 4 beautiful rainless days in Modesto with the all of Rob's family.
- Torturing the Voss family by forcing them to play games all night long.
- Having breakfast at the motel with Grandma Rae, Tim and Jayne.
- Watching Darby (13 mths.) share her toys with Esther (7 mths.).
- Having Darby almost walk for her first time between Aunt Joni and Uncle Rob.
- Bingo! (that was for you, Russ)
- Seeing extended family even if it was for just a short time.
- Getting the Howells (Rob's sister's family) all to ourselves for a whole day. My kids really love their cousins!
- Christmas Eve with the fewest Browns EVER at Aunt Sue's house. Where was everybody?
- Waking up early Christmas Day and taking our big kids over to Chris Cable's house where we made breakfast burritos and gift bags of fresh fruits and muffins. Then we delivered them to some people who needed a pick me up on what may have been an otherwise depressing day.
- Spending Christmas Day with both sets of parents together. Never imagined it would happen and it was so much fun!
- Being with the Merediths on their last Christmas in Redding.
- Finishing a 1000 piece puzzle with my sister at 2am.
- Watching Tate and Zac take turns whomping each other.
- Being told as I'm prepping my family to leave for Oregon that there were 2-5 inches of snow on the pass and another 4-6 expected that day and realizing it was illogical to make the trip to see my brother and his family that day.
- Seeing my best friend Jennifer Beaver. There's never enough time.
- Doing black-ops with Noah.
- Going to Cattleman's with my parents and my sister and her husband for their anniversary. So much fun and the menu special made it really inexpensive!
- My dad spoiling my boys with Laser Tag and Go Karts, the park, and hot dogs at Costco.
- Going to In N Out 4 times (Rob went 6!)
- Sitting in church listening to my dad preach when pictures of my siblings and I flash up on the power point. Not fair that they were from my dorky years. (I wonder if any of my years were not dorky?)
- The New Year's Eve Eve party my brother, Joey, threw for us since we were traveling back on New Year's Eve. That was a seriously STRONG margarita!
- Experiencing the stroke of midnight while sitting in our airplane seats at the gate in Omaha waiting for the doors to open. Esther was still awake!
- Our family Christmas 2 days after we got home. I did not have time with the move to go shopping for the kids before we left for CA. We might have to do that every year - I got such great deals on the kids gifts the week after Christmas!
- Not wearing a winter coat for a whole 2 weeks!
- Torturing the Voss family by forcing them to play games all night long.
- Having breakfast at the motel with Grandma Rae, Tim and Jayne.
- Watching Darby (13 mths.) share her toys with Esther (7 mths.).
- Having Darby almost walk for her first time between Aunt Joni and Uncle Rob.
- Bingo! (that was for you, Russ)
- Seeing extended family even if it was for just a short time.
- Getting the Howells (Rob's sister's family) all to ourselves for a whole day. My kids really love their cousins!
- Christmas Eve with the fewest Browns EVER at Aunt Sue's house. Where was everybody?
- Waking up early Christmas Day and taking our big kids over to Chris Cable's house where we made breakfast burritos and gift bags of fresh fruits and muffins. Then we delivered them to some people who needed a pick me up on what may have been an otherwise depressing day.
- Spending Christmas Day with both sets of parents together. Never imagined it would happen and it was so much fun!
- Being with the Merediths on their last Christmas in Redding.
- Finishing a 1000 piece puzzle with my sister at 2am.
- Watching Tate and Zac take turns whomping each other.
- Being told as I'm prepping my family to leave for Oregon that there were 2-5 inches of snow on the pass and another 4-6 expected that day and realizing it was illogical to make the trip to see my brother and his family that day.
- Seeing my best friend Jennifer Beaver. There's never enough time.
- Doing black-ops with Noah.
- Going to Cattleman's with my parents and my sister and her husband for their anniversary. So much fun and the menu special made it really inexpensive!
- My dad spoiling my boys with Laser Tag and Go Karts, the park, and hot dogs at Costco.
- Going to In N Out 4 times (Rob went 6!)
- Sitting in church listening to my dad preach when pictures of my siblings and I flash up on the power point. Not fair that they were from my dorky years. (I wonder if any of my years were not dorky?)
- The New Year's Eve Eve party my brother, Joey, threw for us since we were traveling back on New Year's Eve. That was a seriously STRONG margarita!
- Experiencing the stroke of midnight while sitting in our airplane seats at the gate in Omaha waiting for the doors to open. Esther was still awake!
- Our family Christmas 2 days after we got home. I did not have time with the move to go shopping for the kids before we left for CA. We might have to do that every year - I got such great deals on the kids gifts the week after Christmas!
- Not wearing a winter coat for a whole 2 weeks!
1/10/11
I have fallen out of love with Lincoln
Watch out - this is a vent blog. Rob went out to plow the 6 inches of snow that had fallen between the last time we shoveled last night and right now. He came back in incredulous - during the night our car window had been smashed in. Things had been disturbed in the car, but anything of value had been taken last month when whoever had gotten into our car. This is ridiculous! The reason our cars are parked where they are is because our garage is still in total disarray from the move. Rob and I had just been venting last night about how frustrating it is that we can't find anything. While we are incredibly grateful that we had help moving, we did not label things well or put things in this house in an orderly fashion. And the empty boxes are getting in the way of the garage being organized anytime soon. So the vehicles are outside. But our neighbor says he's never had an issue with car vandalism. What the heck? Do we look rich? Cause we are NOT! In fact we are so close to broke that I am not buying groceries this week until I get my paycheck on Friday. Granted, we are trying to live debt free. Maybe I should just give that pipedream up. Especially since now we have to pay for a broken car window to be fixed! The whole reason we had to move was because we were broken into for the 2nd time in 2 years. That didn't include the numerous car breakins we had or the times our toys/bikes were taken from our deck by the neighbor kids - even by young 2 year olds who wandered unsupervised into our yard. Each time I tried to remind myself it's just stuff. This is getting REALLY hard to not feel victimized. I AM A VICTIM. I do not want to live in that state, but I have to let myself feel the feelings and get over them. My God is still in control. Did I mention that the car we were borrowing in CA got broken into? Yeah - it has followed us EVERYWHERE. We cannot escape this. I feel like Job right now. I wonder if one of my children is next. It makes me want to leave this place - escape. I know it can happen anywhere, but it's happened in Lincoln, NE. While we lived at Rob's parents house, Rob's window got smashed out 3 times. Our current neighborhood as well as Rob's parent's old neighborhood are nice areas of Lincoln. People can say "well it was where you were living." Really? Cause I don't believe it. My friends who I consulted before I moved there have never had an issue like we did with break ins. Right now, I feel sorry for myself. I am not a person to do that. That is not me. But right now I have to be ok feeling that way. I refuse to live in that state. I will continue to live a very generous life, I will continue to show others love even if they are the ones who broke into my home or car, I will continue to raise above these circumstances to be a light for Jesus Christ. He lived with nothing but the clothes on His back. I have so much more than that - and I know I don't need it all. I will not be beaten down. I will wait upon the LORD and have renewed strength; I will mount up with wings as eagles; I will run, and not be weary; and I will walk, and not faint. (Is. 40:31).
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