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1 John 5:14-15 NASB This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

How did I used to do this tax stuff for weeks on end?

I think my tax season may have arrived.  Yippee!  One or two weeks vs 25! :D I'll take it.

Utilizing apple cider vinegar for its antibiotic treatment qualities, even at half strength, is not always pleasant. It burns like fire in the eyes! . The kids had burning questions to ask me this evening.  It's definitely more information than I wish they had knowledge to ask about for at least another few years.  I did answer, but there are just some things you can't fully explain to an 8 and 9 year old no matter what they've actually seen or heard. . Woe is me.  I took on another tax return this year and they are going to OWE MONEY.  It's not my fault, but now I'm trying to wrack my brain for all kinds of remote possibilities for other deductions before I end up breaking the bad news to them.  They are so not going to be happy.  I am so not going to enjoy saying it to them!!! . I have a collection of abandoned pen and pencils.  A new pen, pencil, crayon, or marker makes me very happy.  If I'm having a bad day, or I just want a change, I sometim...

Some friends did a lovely thing this evening.  They planned a secret photo shoot for my kids.  I'm glad and excited to see how it turned out! . I have wonderful friends. . I put the kids to bed forever late past their bedtime because I forgot I hadn't changed the time forward on the clock hanging on the wall.  I hope we aren't sorry tomorrow. . Tomorrow the kids get to go take spring pictures with two of their younger siblings.  They wanted to know if their mom was going to be there.  I don't think she is, but nobody said for sure. . Tonight's bible story was partially about the Foolish Nabal and his wife Abigail.  In this particular Action Bible version, David states that he is going to ask Abigail to marry him.  My oldest said, "You have to ask someone to marry you?  Wouldn't you be scared?  Isn't that scary?"  :D  Great unexpected opportunity to explain how that should work...VERY CAREFULLY.  The kid was very traumatized by ...

Went skating. Bout died. Breathing is HARD. True story.

The world as we knew it is gone. So how do we live now? . A person I know told their spouse today that they wanted a divorce. It was their anniversary. What kind of person does such a thing? . What did you give up for Lent? . Pizza tomorrow night with some of my favorite people. . Ever wonder what you would tell people if you knew you were dying and only could write things?  Who would you write? What would you say? Would you decide to tell people things you never were brave enough to share in person, or would you let everyone live on without the burden of knowing the ignorance they carried while you were still here? I wonder who you would tell secrets and with whom you would make things right? What confessions would you make or what encouragement would you leave? Who would find out that you wished you would have said the words "l love you and I always have"? What would you leave as your memory? . The fence on the side of my house is falling down which pulls the gates post too...

How to balance expectations of little normal child behavior with training to obey?

9 months later I still occasionally struggle not to be bitter. I still haven't dealt with the boxes that clutter my closet floor, all still full of things that bring back the memories.  I realize that I'm so much better off, and that God had His hand on me and worked out everything, but every once in a while, that old hurt over how I was treated still matters. I wish it were gone.  God please take it away. . My life is so much better in comparison to where I have been, that I've never felt more blessed.

I've never loved and hated someone so much at the same time as I do someone who refuses to curb their own appetites for things.

It really hits home that life is too short when you watch dear friends come to the final stages of their life here on earth.  No matter how much faith you have that you will see them again in eternity, it still hurts to see them this way. This lack of function and disintegrating mental capabilities is a sad way to end things.

So glad to be home and in my own bed! Words cannot tell how glad I am to be home so I can sleep.  . Thankful for God's hand of protection on lots of things today. He covered everything from travel safety to meetings to compliments to scary gas stations to unexpected visits and everything in between. . Oh! And cake!