Keeping it Simple

Often I write in my head what I'd like to record, to perhaps post on here, to explain where I am spiritually and what is happening in our lives. But then it seems to stack up, the thoughts, the details....it becomes mass confusion in my head and I give up not wanting to mentally process my thoughts to get them on paper or typed out. It just seems too overwhelming! So I've decided it doesn't have to all be recorded or recorded how I'd like....I don't have to go through every thought, emotion, and lesson learned (or being learned!). Perfection is not required. So there you go :) Giving up on that "perfect, deep, well recorded blog post" and going for the real life. The simple thoughts, but yet still getting out what is in my head. Still getting things typed that I want to look back on and remember.

Mark encouraged me in this with a comment he made this past weekend. He read the last update I'd sent out about him and said how well written it was. "I was really impressed! You could write a book!" I was surprised since I've never thought of my writing skills as good and since he's never mentioned anything about it before. So I thought, "Well, since he thinks its good and interesting to read then why not pursue it a little more and keep up on my blog!" And with twins on the way and Mark going through Pararescue training, I'd like some of this time recorded. So there is my explanation for jumping back in the blogging world.

August 28th and 29th (Saturday and Sunday) I was able to drive down and see Mark for a second weekend in a row! The intense training starts on Monday, and he was definitely "in the zone," focused, and ready for Monday to be here. I was amazed by his determination, his mental grit, his do or die attitude. Of course I knew he was strong physically and mentally, but he was way beyond what I expected. It makes me just swell up with pride for him when I think about all he's accomplished and what he is setting out to do. I still stop and am amazing at what an awesome husband I have....I've loved every second of being married to him, even the rough times, because I just never realized how close you can become emotionally, physically, and spiritually to one person. And now to have two little ones on the way....the blessing is overwhelming and every time I stop to think about it, tears come to my eyes. A wretched sinner like me, deserving not a single breath or second of life, and yet God has washed me clean and given me way above all that I could ask or imagine!

"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21

This weekend was full of preparation for Mark's training (which started at 0330 this morning!) so we ran errands, got supplies, prepared his gear....it was so neat to see all that. To help him prepare and to see his new dorm, the training area, a small glimpse into this new phase.

Mark sent me this photo of his new room (I can't go in the dorm). There are three guys to a room and its way nicer than his basic training accomodations of course! 

Saturday afternoon, the PJs practicing some water confidence before training starts on Monday. Mark is across the pool, sitting on the edge with his hands on his hips. (cell phone photos aren't the best quality, but I was already the odd one out being pregnant at a military pool so the last thing I was going to do was pull out my Nikon D40! haha) 

Left to right: Marzilli, Driggers, Schnell, and Snyder (this guy is Mark's roommate). All three of these guys were in Mark's flight at basic training. They had to cut out the stencils and stencil their names on their training shirts. Those shirts and shorts (or a speedo for swimming) are what they wear a lot of training days. They will also have training in their ABUs (camo).

This is Mark's "radio." They give each guy a rock (about the size of Mark's fist) and they can write whatever they want on it. They have to keep it with them at all times (like they would their radio once they are out of training). Mark's added more to his "radio" now....the "Jolly Green feet" have a story behind them. From Wikipedia, "Many pararescuemen tattoo green footprints on their body. This tradition arose during the Vietnam War, at which point in time the most commonly used helicopter was the H-3 Sea King, nicknamed the Jolly Green Giant due to its enormous size and olive drab exterior. Members of the 40th Aerospace Rescue and Recover Squadron, stationed at Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Navy Base, were the first to receive such tattoos on their buttocks in 1971." That is of course a quick explanation, but it you google it you can read the whole story. There are green feet painted in different places all over Lackland AFB, although you wouldn't notice them unless you were looking. Whenever the guys run past them (and they never run over them) they yell "Hooyah green feet!" It's a really respected symbol.

I have more photos, but no time to post....maybe a good post for tomorrow :) 

Seventh Generation

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Seventh Generation

Spring is coming!

This was our backyard when a foot of snow fell.....today it looks completely different out there and I see spring coming! Green, sunlight, flowers, warm air.....I love it.

Looking back at old blogs (my xanga...wow, so long ago!) it was neat to read where I was, where God had me, how I put situations and feelings into words. I miss that in a way. Being honest and getting it out, not putting up a shell of "perfection" but being real, asking hard questions, facing hard things. 

I feel like an all-out war has been going on inside me lately....trying so hard but getting shoved down. It's such a weird time in my life right now I just can't even describe it. What do I do, what do I say, who should I confront, who should I just love, how can I forgive, and will I ever forget? Those questions burn in my mind daily. And the one answer I always come back to? Jesus Christ.

Cling to Him, spend time with Him by praying, reading the Word, clinging to Truth. THAT is what's important, THAT is where I will find peace, answers to my questions, love for those it is hard to love, forgiveness for wrongs long past that I wish I could just push back in their face, true joy that will carry me through every day good or bad, and contentment with what God has allowed in my life. It sounds simple. So hard to do. But it IS the answer. He is my everything.

Cool Photo

Mark did a duathlon out at Texas Motor Speedway last week. Despite a flat tire on the bike he did great! Ran two 5:44 miles and two 6:05 miles. He rocks. I decided to watch instead of doing it....got some great photos! This one is my favorite. I love how the background is blurred, how the runners are in focus, but their feet are blurred, the water on the pavement, I just love it :)

New House Photos!

So I'm finally getting around to posting pictures of our new house. These are taken before we had moved in or touched anything! So here you go :)

This is the garage that was closed in because when the Trail Ridge neighborhood was first being started this home was the show home. Why the french doors that don't open and the weird/small garage door, I don't know! It's all going to go! We will eventually turn this back into a garage.

Another view of the "garage" and the laundry room (that pantry on the right is awesome. Love it!)

Kitchen

Kitchen view #2

Dining room - this is the view from the laundry room doorway. The fireplace is on the living room side also. The whole house is 10ft ceilings which makes it feel so open! The door on the left goes into the master bedroom.

A second view of the dining room

Dining room fireplace

Master bedroom with a raised ceiling. There is a door to the right that leads out onto the back porch.

Master closet - nice and big!

Master bathroom - yes, the wallpaper is hideous. And no, the toilet does not go there. There is a little room on the left where it is suppose to be. They were in the middle of tiling this room. All the tile is laid, there is just no grout. And we don't like the color anyway, so it will all be coming up!

Master bathroom - there is a second sink to the right. The master closet is also to the right.

View #3 of master bathroom. Formal dining room (right by the front door)

Living room. Kitchen and dining are to the left, formal dining is right behind me, front door is to the right.

Living room #2

Formal dining room, front door.

Back bedroom (all three bedrooms have a raised or vaulted ceiling)

Hallway (love the bookshelves and linen cabinets!). Front bedroom.

Front bedroom view #2

Guest bathroom (there is also a door that connects this bathroom to the front bedroom)

Outdoor patio that has electricity run out to it. We love this!

Back of the house

Fence and barn will both eventually go.

Driveway that goes along the side of the house.

Front of the house!

Another view!

So that's it! Our new home :) There is a lot of work and remodeling to do, but we are excited about learning how to do things and making it our own. We feel very blessed and are so grateful to the Lord for allowing us to get this home (and for a good deal too!) Now back to pulling off wallpaper.... ;)

The Last Few Days

This week has been full and fabulous! Friday I helped some with painting at Josh and Kelsie's new house (my brother and sis-in-law). It is such a cute home! Perfect for them. Friday night I got together with my Quito girls (14 women from McKinney Bible Church went on a missions trip to Quito, Ecuador last July) I LOVE THEM! We stayed up late talking, watching a movie, and eating of course.

All of us together! Thanks for the photo Dianne!

Saturday morning I was back over at Josh & Kelsie's house to do some more painting. Then Saturday afternoon Mom Driggers and I went and picked up Callie (Mom's girl she mentors) and Mahaley (the 9yo I mentor) to go play some putt putt golf at Mountasia! Thanks Aubrey for the coupons!

Mahaley left, Callie right

The cave!

Mahaley, myself, and Callie. I didn't get the pink memo!

Mahaley, Callie, and Mom

Sunday afternoon a little before 3pm, Josh and Kelsie brought over my two adorable nieces so that we could have a play date and they could have a date night. I LOVE THESE GIRLS!

Rebekah went down for nap time right away so Abigail and I decided to paint our nails. She is a girly girl and when Josh & Kelsie pulled up to drop the girls off the first words out of Abby's mouth were, "Are you going to paint my nails?!?" We sat in the entryway with the door open so we could watch the rain.

Abigail painting my nails PINK of course! (her favorite color) Bekah woke up from her nap. Here the little cutie is trying on big sister Abby's shoes. What an adorable smile!!

I pulled out all of my old Felicity doll clothes and furniture. Abby had such a fun time changing the "baby's" outfits :)

Are these two pictures not hilarious?! Rebekah is sitting in one of the doll chairs looking at the classical music that was playing on the TV. She loved those chairs and carted them around everywhere! Abigail wanted to try on some of my make-up. Here she is holding the doll, wearing the dolls skirt, and putting on blush! Did I say how much I love these girls??

Dinner time! When I asked what they wanted Abby said, "Pancakes and salad fruit!" So that is what we had! Plus some scrambled eggs :) We make a not so quick run to Albertsons to get fruit and eggs. It takes a lot of work to get two girls in and out of the car, especially since when we came out of the store it was raining! I just told them we would have so much fun getting wet, and we ran to the car! haha Here is Bekah "having a picnic on the floor" since I don't have a high chair. Because we are remodeling everything, our bedroom furniture isn't up yet, hence the mirror in the dining room.

The girls did so well. They are very well behaved and I just loved getting to watch them. Think we need to do it again soon!

Sunday night we had planned a girls night at the Driggers house. Dad Driggers, David, Mark, Adam, and Noah are all gone hunting in Kansas City so we decided to party! We talked, watched the movie UP, slept in the next morning, talked some more by the fire, and had Eggs Benedict for breakfast. Yummy!

Monday I did several things around the house. Laundry, dishes, picked up, unpacked a few more boxes, took down the rest of the old, nasty curtains in the house, and started pulling down wallpaper!

Taking down old curtains in the formal dining room....I'm wearing a mask because of all the dust on them, ugh!

Taking down more curtains in the master bedroom. We've gotten a few paint samples to try and find what color of blue we want.

Tearing down wallpaper in the master bedroom. Lola, hello! Camera is the other way! That one strip looks tiny, but it was so time consuming. I had to rip off the top layer, spray the under layer with water/Dawn soap (you can see the wet part right above me) and then peel that off. Plus, first they had put the wall paper up, then painted the trim on top and bottom. So I had to scrape the paint to make sure it was all straight for when I painted it (hard to really explain)....And it doesn't help that I'm a perfectionist!

After finished the master I started on the bathroom....wow, that's a big project! I worked until 7, jumped in the shower, then headed over for girls night #2 at the Driggers! We watched some birth videos (laughed our heads off at one CRAZY one!), watched home movies, and stayed up until midnight. It was fabulous :) Today has just been full of running errands and doing small projects. I was also able to spend some time organizing my schedule and planning for the upcoming weeks and holidays. I love planning stuff like that out, now to just DO it!

Well, it's time for bed. I've had so much to be grateful for this week, and each and every day. Lord I'm amazed by You!