Pre-Approved!

Well, we had some really great news last night.  BJ and Madora have picked out the house they want to have built and they are pre-approved for the loan.  Hurrah!  We were all estatic about it.  I mean, really...the house we live in, while it is a 4 bedroom, all of us are used to having our own space so it will be nice (in about 4-6 months after the house gets built) to return to our usual spaces and get together once a week for family night as well as other occasions.  It will be nice to have family living in the area (but not in our house...lol).

At Roman's school this week, they've had dress-up days all week.  The first day, they wore their pajamas.  (Get out of here...PAJAMAs?) and the second day, they had to dress up like someone from another era so Roman picked dressing up like a Gangsta.  (Gangster in normal language) Here is a picture of him from that day.

I mean really...does it get any cuter than that?

I found a winter coat for him at the Boeing Store.  He is all about being in the military right now so I got him a fighter pilot jacket and surprised him with it on Monday after it arrived.  He was so excited when he was telling his Dad about it that he couldn't speak clearly.  It came out "Dad, loo loo, Can you believe, look what GiGi got me....loo loo...it's a 'for reals' fighter pilot coat."  You have to imagine all the gasping breath sounds in between all the words.  I can honestly say that I have never taken a kids breath away in excitement before.  It was amazingly adorable.  (Mark one up for GiGi...whoo whoo)

We are looking forward to our Friday off tomorrow...it will be our first day with no one in the house in two months.  We are almost as excited as Roman was about his coat...ROTFL.

Well, that's about all the news for now.  Here is some more from Max on Grace...(my favorite subject)

"Make it Personal

By Max Lucado

Christ took away your sins. He endured not just the nails of the Romans, the mockery of the crowd, and the spear of the soldier, but the anger of God!

God didn’t overlook your sins, lest he endorse them. He didn’t punish you lest he destroy you. He instead found a way to punish the sin and preserve the sinner. Jesus took your punishment, and God gave you the credit for Jesus’ perfection. As long as the cross is God’s gift to the world, it will touch you but not change you.

Precious as it is to proclaim, “Christ died for the world,” even sweeter it is to whisper, “Christ died for me!”

For my sins he died. He took my place on the cross. He felt my shame and spoke my name. Thank God for the day Jesus took your place, for the day Grace happened to you!"

By Grace Alone -

Teresa

Reflections...

I thought it might be time for some reflection this morning.  Life has gotten very busy...sometimes fun, sometimes stressful, sometimes just plain old relaxing (not a whole lot of the relaxing thing happening though...). 

I am coming up on my 6 month Oncologist appointment and it always throws me into a bit of an internal frenzy.  For about 5 months I just pretend I didn't have cancer and enjoy life, then about a month before my appointment, I have to assess how I am doing 'cancer-wise' and be prepared to talk about it.  I have a bit of a cough that has us concerned but it could just be allergies.  Especially since I am allergic to dogs and we have added one to the house.  The only thing is that I had the cough a bit before the dog...it has just gotten worse since he got there.  (See....that totally points to allergies!)  I found a lump in my other breast a couple of weeks ago but I think it is just a milk duct.  They told me that if I ever find a lump in the other breast that it will not be from the original cancer but that it would be a brand new one.  Anyway, I'm pretty sure that is just a milk duct that I never felt before...I mean, good grief, who can remember all the lumps and bumps in breasts.

On to other reflections...

Roman is a special child who loves easily and is just one big burst of energy that is non-stop. 

Imagine, if you will, a fifth dimension...one where the atoms in a child are always in motion, never stopping, always eating to fuel it's constant state of flux.  A dimension where if the child stopped, he would literally explode into nothingness.  A dimension that is not just imagination but a reality called the Small Person Twilight Zone. 

Ok, that might be a slight exaggeration but believe me...he never seems to stop moving.  Even when he is eating, he is squirming in his chair, ready to take off as soon as allowed.  Not sure how many times my mouth has uttered, "Roman, please stop running in the house..."  Sometimes, watching him just wears me out.  LOL

Madora is a good daughter-in-law.  BJ is right...'She IS the one.'  She is his soul-mate and it is obvious that they adore each other.  She asks my opinion on things (which is unheard of in past daughter-in-laws) and we laugh together.  We also disagree at times and that is ok...it is good that she feels comfortable enough with me to disagree.  (It obviously doesn't mean she's right...but I'll let her disagree if she wants.  HA!)

They've been with us now for a couple of months and we've settled into an easy rhythm.  On the weekend, she helps me clean house and BJ helps Tom with the yard.  We cook and eat meals together Fri-Sun.  During the week, we fend for ourselves since we are on such different working schedules.  Tom and I get our laundry done on Thursday and Friday evenings and they get theirs done on the weekend.

Saturday mornings, I work with Roman to help him learn his spelling words and do the 4-6 worksheets he  has to get done for school.  He is doing really well in school now.  He is in the first grade and the first week, before we really understood what the teacher wanted, he didn't do so well on his spelling test or the worksheets but now that we understand (we meaning, his Mom, myself, and Roman.) and we are making sure he learns everything and understands all the math, spelling, and reading worksheets that he has to accomplish each week.  He doesn't like to slow down enough for good penmenship (reference twilight zone paragraph above) and we are having to work on that a lot. 

I am still sewing when I have a moment or two.  I got 38 squares sewn together this weekend for a quilt I am working on.  Next weekend will be doing the embroidery squares for inbetween the pieced squares.  Here are the first two rows of the quilt that I put together a few weeks ago.  It is made with basically 5 different fabrics.  I cut 1.5 inch strips of 4 of the fabrics and sew them together, then I cut out triagles that are 4 inches tall.  Then I sew 4 of one type of triangle together to make the squares.  I use the alternating triangles for every other row.  Then I use the basic cream color fabric to make the embroidered squares.  I didn't have a pattern for this quilt, it was just something that I thought up out of my widdle head.  Not sure what I will do the border in yet.  It is going to be 11 squares wide by 14 rows long when I am done.  Each square comes out to approximately 7 inches. 

Well, I guess that is enough prattling for today. 

Here is some Max for you:

"Grace Happened!

By Max Lucado

We are incarcerated by our past, our low-road choices, and our high-minded pride. We have been found guilty!

Our executioner’s footsteps echo against stone walls. We sit on the floor of the dusty cell, awaiting the final moment. We don’t look up as he opens the door. We know what he’s going to say. “Time to pay for your sins.” But we hear something else! “You’re free to go. They took Jesus instead of you!”

The door swings open, the guard barks, “Get out.” And we find ourselves shackles gone, crimes pardoned, wondering, what just happened?

Grace happened! Christ took away your sins.

Romans 3 says: “God in his gracious kindness declares us not guilty. For God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins. We are made right with God when we believe that Jesus shed his blood, sacrificing his life for us.”

What happened? Grace happened!"

By Grace Alone -

Teresa