Reminiscing and Missing..

It's probably the rainy weather we've been having. I've been thinking a lot about my friends: new, old, in touch and not so much. The army moved us every three years, so you had to make the most of the time you had anywhere. These are the people who I've been thinking about, praying for, and missing a bit:

April Capps, Christine Fient, Kelly Blevins, Jenny Ernst, Jennifer Scott, and Carrie Coddington: these were my middle school buddies...really the only friends I had. I was definately NOT popular, but it was okay. I had the friends I needed.

Heidelburg: man...the best part about Heidelburg is that everyone knew that you were gone in 3 years because it was an army base. It's hard to describe a place where the new kid isn't new for long because everyone knows what it's like to be the new kid...man...it was a great place...so many great friends and times. Kalli, Lorna, Anita, Gooch, Tosh, Scauflaire, Susan, Frank, Kevin, Walt, and Greg....best. friends. ever. still. I wish for each and everyone of them absolutely nothing but the best. I miss them almost daily, and our adventures are still my best stories.

Sigh...Lizz. Rissie. Krissy. Ants. Mark. Rose. I truly have no words for you guys. You are so in my heart. As stated in Nicolas Nicholsby, "Family is not only those with whom we shared blood, but also for those which we would shed our blood." That'd be you.

Also in that same catagory comes Sandina, G-Dog, Hill-Billy, Bri-Baby, Bubbason and Danna D...our college days didn't include lots of drinking but I'm not sure if people could tell. What does it say about you you're just as goofy sober as most people are under the influence? Hush. That was rhetorical. Thanks for helping me grow up....slightly.

And recently added to this list is Kimmee for whom the Navy has swept away to VA. and Fawn who is still in town just not as available as she used to be. It's just not the same without you guys.

Blessings that you can't even imagine or contain be given to each and everyone of you. I've been blessed to have known you...thanks again.

Romans 8:28

Do you see this little bit of super cuteness? She turned 4 years old yesterday. I was thinking about the day she was born, and how she's not really a baby anymore. And then, I began to think about how God worked it all out and I was gobsmacked at the absolute ridiculous awesomeness of it all. Check this out. Boy meets girl: two kids in the youth begin to date. Will they last? Who knows? It is high school after all. Well fortunately both of them realize how amazing the other is and they think: let's get hitched. Miss B. will soon be Mrs. S.

Back at the stately El Hira, Jen finds she is with child much to her surprise and shock. She and her man, Major Hotness, have decided that 2 kids is enough...God was thinking 3...the baby is due on Aug. 6th, 2007.

Boy marries girl: like everyone else that year, Miss B. and Mr. S. decide they want to marry on 7-7-07, but because everyone else wants to marry on that day, that doesn't happen. They are to marry almost 3 week later on July 23rd, 2007. Because they are cool like that, they invite Jen and the Major to the wedding. They happily go.

Before the wedding: Jen has 37 weeks of baby using her bladder as a trampoline. She rushes to the bathroom before the wedding is to start. She leaves the bathroom and is forced by someone pushy to run to her seat so the lovely Miss B. can walk down the isle on time. Now usually, Jen would've told pushy person where to stick it, but she didn't want to upset Miss B. on her day, so she runs and is then yelled at by the Major for running.

The wedding: Miss B. and Mr. S. got married.

During the reception: Jen starts to feel rather ill and wants to go home even though everyone is line dancing, and it is very hard for Jen to give up a line dance. Very. Hard. By the way, Major Hotness blames this on the running...not helping Eye Candy Man. They leave early.

The next day at the El Hira: Jen is talking on the phone from bed because she's still not feeling good. She's not feeling good because she's been in very mild labor since running down the isle. Her good buddy Lizz makes her laugh so hard her water breaks. Uh-oh. It's baby time. Time to call the Lanning hotline for help. It's not quite the Bat Phone, but it's pretty cool.

At the hospital: About 6 hours later, Annalina Elizabeth is born on July 24th, 2007 at almost 9 lbs. Yeah, that hurt. She was born almost 3 weeks early. She had slight breathing trouble called snorting and flaring. She also had her cord wrapped around her neck a few times and two knots in the cord. If she had been born later and bigger...things might have been bad.

Tonight at the El HiraLina: I am struck at how God wove all these happenstances together to make this awesome picture...like one of those picture mosaics...a bunch of little moments ended up in one big one. I'm not saying something bad would have happened if Lili had been born later, but that's some pretty good circumstantial evidence in favor of God's ultimate protection and divine grace. Romans 8:28

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Happy Anniversary Adam and Chelsey Sexton. May your life be filled with joy, blessings, and the kind of crazy only God can provide. Don't ever think God isn't using you in some way or another because you just might not be in the loop yet. I love you both and thank God for you.

Happy Birthday Little Pretty. Ditto. Mamma loves you and I thank God for you.

It's Raining, It's Pouring and Everyone But Me is Snoring...

I don't know just how it happened, but I am the only one awake on this rainy Saturday. I have to get ready to go in a second. I'm getting some much needed Mommy Alone time.

PRAISE THE LORD!

As much as I love my girls, I understand how absence makes the heart grow fonder. I think we've been together a bit to much in this weather, and we are all getting on everyone's last good nerve. We just need to miss each other a bit. Not too much. Just a bit.

Today's thought of the day is: by month's end, I will have a 9, 6, and 4 year old. Technically, I'm out of babies. Honestly, I'm a little sad, but I ready to move past that part of motherhood. I'm actually looking forward to the challenge of the teenager (famous last words, I know) but I really want to go on adventures that they are still too small for. So we'll make blue cow cookies for now (I so can't eat them...I just made them for the kids) and we'll hike mountains later.

I'm very proud and blessed to have the girls I've been given. I just need to miss them...just for a bit. So snore on little sleepies...mamma's steppin' out!