Seventeen At Valley Forge

 Well, I guess we have entered the holiday season.  What starts things off in our house is our son's birthday.  Yesterday he turned seventeen.  SEVENTEEN!  He keeps reminding me that in just one year he'll be a legal adult and I struggle with accepting the fact that time moves so fast.  He's my oldest.  The one who made me a mother, which is something I always dreamed about.  I'm sure I keep screwing it up but I am so, so proud of the young man he's becoming.  

And since he has such a big interest in politics and history it was no surprise that he requested a trip to Valley Forge for his birthday.  Valley Forge was where George Washington and the Continental Army set up encampment from December 1777 to June 1778 during the Revolutionary War.   My husband and I had both visited Valley Forge back in our teenage years but it was a first for our children and they seemed to enjoy it.  

We took a lot of pictures during our exploration.  Oh, look, it's me!

General George Washington's headquarters.

Our trip to Valley Forge was on Saturday and since we were close we decided to walk around King of Prussia mall where we circled around and got lost.  It's a big mall.  The biggest I've been to with several stores I could never afford.  Then we ate at The Shake Shack before heading home.  

Sunday was the official birthday.  After church we hung out at home, ate the chicken wings Rob prepared and ate birthday cake.  I really wanted a nice picture of Matthew by the cake but he insisted on being silly.  Typical teenager!  

These seventeen years have been quite a journey and we've had our ups and downs but I would not want it any other way.  I miss the little baby who cried every time I put him down, the toddler who gave me constant hugs and kisses and the little boy who always smiled contently at everything.  The teen years have been difficult, I'm not going to lie, but despite all those obstacles he works hard and has goals set for the future.  He's funny and loving.  He gives so many reasons to be proud!  

The Homebody Life

I love being at home.  That's the truth.  I love comfort and peace.  I love making myself comfortable on the couch under a blanket with my dog napping next to me while I spend time getting to know God a little better.  

I love spending my time cleaning and reorganizing the home, even though it feels I never have enough time to get it all done and there's always some kind of mess in every room.  It's frustrating when I feel I have no help from the others as I pick up things my kids left in places they don't belong (like a jacket on the floor instead of hanging on the coat rack, shoes on the floor instead of the shoe rack, empty snack boxes left in the pantry, etc.).  It's a house filled with junk we don't need with rooms not big enough to store all of our possessions but, still, even through all that stresses me out about it, I still love being at home.  

And it gave me a chuckle when our dog decided to jump up and greet me while I'm cleaning the kitchen window.  

After a long day of the kids being in school or their after school activities I love the moments when they are home with me.  Wanting to get a jump start on some Christmas activities they each purchased a small gingerbread house to make.  Neither could get the houses to stay put so they gave up and bit into it unstructured.  

It's been a busy week of doctor appointments and after school activities and as much as I enjoy it all nothing beats the coziness of being at home.  I'm looking forward to tonight, snuggled up with everyone while we watch the much anticipated boxing match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul.  I don't really care so much for boxing but it's a good excuse to be at home, isn't it?  

Are We Sure It's November?

 What do I mean by the title?  Well, it's November 6th and the weather here in Pennsylvania will be in the upper 70's.  Oh, I'm not complaining.  I love the warmth.  Even the breed whose ancestry comes from below freezing Siberian temperatures seems to be enjoying the sunshine.  She refuses to come inside.  

I hope all of my reader friends are doing well.  I am feeling quite tired after not going to bed until after midnight as we watched and waited for those election results.  Eventually, I gave up and went to bed but kept waking up throughout the night.  Lately, I've been having trouble sleeping and I don't know why.  I know as everyone woke up this morning they had feelings of either relief or disappointment.  Whatever it may be for you, just remember that God has the power and control yesterday, today and forever.  I spent yesterday fully emersed in Scripture reading and prayer.  Today I have so much to get done around the house and would like to get the dirty school van all cleaned up but all I could think about is taking a good nap.  There are no plans for tonight.  No running around and no having to be anywhere.  I'm hoping as a family we can just gather together and rest.  We could all use it.  

It's also the last week I'll have one of my three kids in the school van with us since he's been given the green light to go back to his home school.  He's the kid that brings either the phone or tablet to entertain the others so I'm not sure what the other two will do without him but it will be okay.  As a van driver, the route and the students I have always keep changing.  I'm wondering if/when I should head back to a full-time job but for now I'm blessed by this one.  

And I guess that's it for this update.  May you be filled with happiness and peace on this beautiful Wednesday!  It's a half-day for my kiddos.    

Having Peace On Election Day

 Tomorrow is Election Day!

I keep going back and forth with trying to figure out if I should use my blog to share my insights on what I believe is better for this country but just as Billie Jo so accurately stated on her blog today, we already hear enough of it around us.  I aim to find peace in the midst of all the chaos.  

Tomorrow I will go in person to cast my ballot and continue to pray that the decision will be in God's will.  I prayed so hard this morning as tears poured out of my eyes.  I just want to see our country moving forward in a way God intended, the way our forefathers intended.  I want my children to grow up feeling safe and continue having the honor I've had of being part of such a great nation.  It's a privilege being an American.  I won't take that for granted.  

But if things don't go as I hope it will what could I do?  Probably nothing.  So, either way, I'm going to continue striving to make my home a place of peace and love.  To go about my day knowing that only God has total control of the future and rest assure knowing He will make a way when there seems to not be any hope.  

We are currently living in a moment that will one day be considered history.  Let's make it amazing!

November Is ...

 This morning I flipped the calendar to a new month.  November how did you get here so quickly?  In this month we celebrate birthdays (my dog's 2nd and my son's 17th), eat turkey, and let's be sure to mention a very important election in 4 days.  No matter who is elected, I'm preparing myself for the complaining and protesting from the opposing side.  I'm reminding myself to focus on faith, remembering that God is in control and He has a plan.  November will be a month when I open up my Bible more and pray intentionally and consistently.  

November is also Alzheimer's Awareness month.  I began working at a nursing home my senior year of high school.  That was my first experience of witnessing what Alzheimer's looks like first hand.  I remember walking the hallway of the second floor delivering a cart filled with food for the nurses to give to the residents.  Each wing had a locked door so none of the residents could escape if they left their rooms.  The doors had a small glass window.  I very clearly remember looking over at one of the door's and on the other side was an old woman's face staring in my direction with blankness in her eyes.  That image has been etched in my mind since.  Now here I am, watching as my own mother is battling this cruel disease.  Years before the diagnoses she had a stroke that took away her ability to walk, speak clearly and be on her own.  My father, having been newly retired at the time, was already struggling as a caregiver to her.  Then we noticed she was repeating herself and becoming very forgetful.  When I heard the doctor diagnosed her with the ugly A word I knew it was time to prepare my heart for witnessing the woman who brought me into the world slowly lose herself.  It has been hard.  It has been even harder for my father.  

There is no cure for Alzheimer's and I do not have much hope that we will see one anytime soon, especially with the financial greed from Big Pharma (yeah, I said it).  I do believe that the choices we make in our lifestyle can have a huge impact in avoiding many diseases (yeah, I said that too).  The chemicals in high processed foods have a huge impact on our health and so does lack of exercising.  I'm most certainty not a health nut and am guilty of eating what I shouldn't more often than I should.  So, do not take this as a lecture.  But I do want to take this month to spend more time researching and understanding the disease better than I have before.  I want to take this month to find ways of creating a healthier lifestyle for me and my family.  There are plenty of websites and resources available in helping and I'm ready to dive into as many as I can.  My mother's health decline started with diabetes many, many years ago and I always make sure to get tested every year.  

No one deserves having to live with this disease.  Not you.  Not me.  Not our families.  Certainly not the kind, loving, amazing woman who has been my mother.