An entire book about our weekend =)

I'm feeling very loved by my Father today. Life has been hectic around here, but Jesus is reminding me again that if I let Him, He can pour out His love on me in the midst of chaos. Today is a good example.

Let me back up.

This has been a very long few days.

Ava has a cold and is teething which equals NO SLEEP for mommy. Last night I was grateful she only woke up three times - MUCH better than the night before when she ended up in our bed because I was too exhausted to get out of it anymore.

Yes, she is nine months old.

And no, before you ask, I can't let her scream endlessly because she's sharing a room with her brother.

And it breaks my heart.

Anyway, I am seriously sleep deprived.

My house is a disaster. My wonderful husband put four new windows on our house this weekend. But he made a MESS! The kitchen did not get cleaned because I've been planting flowers I bought on clearance at Menards while I was supposed to be buying construction supplies. =)

School with Ethan is puttering along. I'm having a hard time spending much time doing book work with him. Pounding metal strips pulled out of old windows into swords and sword fighting with your sisters counts as school, right?

Poor Ava screams constantly. You would too if you had a cold, were shoving four new teeth through your gums, and were on a sleep strike.

And to top it all off, Caleb's pickup is smashed.

Friday night we went to Menards to buy the last windows for our house. Caleb was late getting home from work but had promised to take us out for supper, so we fed our kids supper at Sonic at 7:30.

Kylie had major intestinal issues. Caleb had to pick her up (without shoes) and RUN to the bathroom with her while some poor 15 year old girl was trying to hand me my food. I think she thought I was nuts because I was screaming at Caleb "Kylie's going to poop her pants!!" as she was sweetly saying, "Here's your corndogs."

The girls and I were in the van and Caleb and Ethan drove the pickup, so they got to Menards before us and went inside. I showed up two minutes later - just long enough for the boys to get all the way to the back of the store - and had to call Caleb because Kylie's stomach was cramping again. We needed a bathroom NOW. But both the girls had taken their shoes off and couldn't find them, and I was holding Ava. So Caleb had to come back out of Menards and run Kylie to the bathroom again. Where he found the source of the stomach issues.
She had swallowed a magnet marble.

He heard it clink in the toilet.

We had a long talk about only eating FOOD. A tough concept for a four year old to get, apparently...

Ok, one issue solved. Now that it was almost 9:00, we raced through Menards, grabbed what we need, and headed home.

I was driving down NW 48th street a mile from home talking to Caleb on the phone when I saw his pickup brake lights and heard a giant crash. His pickup went skidding to one side. Luckily I was far enough behind him not to run into him. I yelled at Caleb on the phone, but got no answer - which made me think he was unconsious or something (I've been known to have an overly dramatic imagination...)

I turned onto a side street, jumped out of the van, ordered the girls not to move, and ran over to the pickup.

The first thing I saw was smoke.

So I tried to drag Ethan out of the pickup - which is not easy when he's 50 pounds and I have to lift him up out of the window. He kept yelling, "Mom! I'm fine!" and finally I got out of his way and let him climb out on his own.

Later I learned that the pickup was not in imminent danger of exploding. Apparently airbags smoke when they go off. I wish someone had told me that earlier and saved me some panicking!!!

Anyway, Ethan and Caleb were a little shook up and Ethan's eyebrow was bleeding, but they were fine - as were the other guys in the other car. A 15 year old was driving and turned left right in front of Caleb. I felt kinda bad for him because his dad (the passenger) was screaming at him.

While waiting for the police and a tow truck, guess what? Julia decided she had to go potty - and peed her pants while standing in the van. I grabbed her and dragged her out, but she kept complaining that she wasn't done. So at 9:15 at night with red and blue police lights flashing on us, Julia pooped in the little pink potty (thanks Oma!) on the side of NW 48th street while Kylie munched her corndog and slurped her slushie.

We must have looked like some kinda hillbillies - or at least totally irresponsible parents.

It's half an hour past bedtime and one kid's eating grease and sugar water; the other is naked from the waist down. On top of that, there's a little pile of poop sitting in a pink potty on the curb.

Wow. I should win a mother of the year award for that.

Anyway, all this craziness happened around me and all I could think was how grateful I was. God protected my husband and my son - and the two guys in the other vehicle. So many things could've been different that would've made it much worse.

That's why I'm feeling loved. Because the God of our vast universe cares enough about me and my family to pour out His blessings on us - sinners who don't deserve His notice.

And to remind me again today, my mother-in-law called to ask if she could watch my kids today instead of Friday. So I get a whole unexpected day to myself.

I've done a little bit of cleaning and have a few errands to run. But I'm exhausted, so right now I think I'm going to take a nap.

Oh, one more thing! Because Ethan's scraped eyebrow was listed as an injury on the accident report, we have recieved TONS of mail from lawyers, chiropracters, and car salesmen offering us their services. One on Monday (These lawyers are quick!) and nine more today. I can't believe that people actually think they're entitled to compensation for their "mental and emotional turmoil" because their son has a scraped eyebrow. Come on people!

Winner!

Wow! So I totally forgot about my t-shirt giveaway.... Sorry! So I randomly picked a number this morning, and Leah! You won! =)
Yay! Wish I had enough for all of you!

Free T-Shirt!!!

Ted Dekker is doing some unique things to promote Immanuel's Veins. Here's a book trailer video he posted on facebook.
Also Thomas Nelson is giving away free t-shirts! Here's a pic of mine. =)





Ok. It's hard to tell what color this is for sure (and as you can see, I've already stained mine.... Kids). But it's a nice darker grey color with black and red.
Anyway, one of you can win your very own! Rob, this is the part for you!! =) Leave a comment on this post, and I'll randomly pick a winner!

Immanuel's Veins by Ted Dekker

I’ve come to expect the unusual from Ted Dekker. Immanuel’s Veins is no exception.
Honestly, I’m not sure how to summarize this story – especially in 200 words. You’ll just have to read it. It’s a story full of passion, seduction, evil, blood, romance, and mystery. A warrior loves a forbidden woman. That woman’s hardened, broken heart struggles to find freedom. Many are skillfully tempted, wooed by evil and fall under the control of its power. Only blood saves.
Dekker grates on the nerves of my “good, religious morality”, filling this book with blood drinking demons masquerading as friends. I’ve got to say, I didn’t like the whole vampire thing. But I couldn’t put the book down.
Dekker drives to the heart of the divide between a love relationship with Jesus and religion. Do I live a relationship or a set of rules? Is Jesus my lover, sacrificing Himself to save me? Or is He a remote judge on a throne, balancing my good and bad acts to see if I’m worthy of his love?
Although the setting and characters in the story were a little too “horror story” for me, I ended the book with a fresh view of the love of my Savior, one that left me praising Him.
Isn’t that the point?

Vacation pics!

Here's a link to the pics I posted on fb of our vacations.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=227774&id=616033247&l=61ec606042
Hope you like them!

I don't have time to tell you about our Reno trip right now. It's about time to start packing for our trip to the lake. I just couldn't resist sharing this. While we were in Reno, my sister, Rebecca, was enjoying her time dragon fighting and treasure hunting and craft making with our kids. She chronicled one of their adventures on her blog. http://thisrooftop.blogspot.com/2010/09/plastic-funeral.html
Coming next:
-A book review on Ted Dekker's soon to be released book, "Immanuel's Veins" - including a t-shirt giveaway!!!
-Pictures of Lake Tahoe!