Savoring autumn this morning!

My husband and children gave me a special "Just Because" gift that made me cry again!  Why?  Because Ted had purchased these candles before he left town and gave them to the kiddos to give to me with sweet notes that they had written.  Spiced pumpkin is burning now! Mmmmm!

Another heavy frost this morning...called for hot chocolate to go with our french toast.  The kiddos wore heavier jackets and gloves.  I have our electric heater going...it is just now 65 in the house.

I like it all cool, foggy, and colorful!  Nothing my slippers, sweatshirt, and a cup of coffee can't take care of!  What a beautiful day here!

An update for Sunday and Monday

I opened an email from Ted Sunday morning at 6:15 after cat-napping all night long...praying and wondering where he was and how he was.  That email made me cry!  He missed his flight from Amsterdam to Germany due to customs which was "horrible and long".  He had to spend the day in the airport till a 5pm flight and "I have no idea where my luggage is".  We knew there could be hiccups with international travel...but there is no way to prepare for somethings.  It would have been helpful if his co-workers would have given him some "heads up pointers" to the newbie...but that seems to be in line with the whole "you'll be fine" concept we keep getting hit with!  After this trip, Ted will be well seasoned.

I know that God is a God of details...in Amsterdam and beyond!  There was a reason for the delays and misses.  Ted made the flight last night and found his way to work this morning! 

For the next couple days...he is in Germany.  He has been able to send emails off and on when there is wifi capabilities.  He found out that "free wifi" at the airport was "a joke"...I am thinking he has found something better since then.

We had an email this morning telling us that he had made it to work and "...all went well...What an adventure!"  That made my heart flip-flop with relief.  The kiddos just wanted to know if he had his suitcase!

He is six hours ahead of us...at 9:41am here...3:41pm there.  I received an email awhile ago that he indeed has his suitcase and had chicken parmesean for lunch.  Sounds like he is doing fine!  However...I'm curious if he had to go out looking for lunch by himself, and how he paid for it!  He explained to me how to figure out the euro before he left.  $1.00 US divided by 1.22 to find the worth of the euro...worth $.82 right now. 

So many new things to learn!

A Unique Sort of Day

We spent the morning together...slow and restful...as Ted prepared for his first international trip.  He planned for us to all go out for lunch...and try something new.  We went to a little place just down the road from our home.  They had painted the neatest fall scenes on the windows.

Backyard Coney...what do we eat here?  Ashlynn and Teddy ordered breakfast.

We tried their chili cheese fries...and Ted, Alisa, and I had sandwiches.  "We have to come back here!  This was good!!!  Dad, you picked a good place!"

We went home and prepared for our first trip to the Detroit Metro airport.  Easy to get to!

Ted and Teddy thought it would be fun to ride on the twirling cylinders.

We gave our hugs and left Ted at the curb by Delta.

We saw planes leaving and arriving.  We will try to plan to go early when we pick Ted up...the kids want to see the airport and watch the planes.  While we headed home...after finding some fun places to stop (someone had to use a bathroom) like Hobby Lobby, Aldi, Dunkin Donuts...Ted got all checked in with no problems and boarded the plane for his 6:15pm flight.

It is going to be different for all of us this week!  We are going to focus on our schoolwork and enjoying all things fallish...tonight's taste...yummy cider!

Tomorrow, we have a church "carry-in" dinner.  Our contribution...chicken enchiladas with a side of chips and salsa and a pumpkin crunch cake!  We are all wondering what Daddy is going to eat tomorrow...in Germany!

All packed and ready to go

 The suitcase is packed.  The important documents checked and re-checked.  The secret notes tucked in here and there throughout Daddy's things.  We're just sitting and relaxing as a family before heading out to lunch and our first airport run!  Another chapter in our new adventure...and Ted has said he would send picture updates per Wifi availability. 

An afternoon lunch date

with new girl friends at a yummy Chinese place.  A fun way to spend a Friday afternoon.

This day brought to you by the color...orange!

We had plans...my sissy and I...for lunch at a favorite hot spot!  I had "earned" a free pastry.  They count cookies!  Mmmm, we split it right down the nose.  What is better than sitting and lunching with your sister...on short notice?  Not much!

Unless...she drives you around and shows you places you haven't been before!  We found another Walmart schmal-mart...she stopped at an Archiver's store.  Oh what fun to wander around looking at all the pretty decorations, papers, embellishments....it was over-whelming...but not enough to keep me away!

And how fun...a FREE make and take!  A little pouch to put candy inside.  We were inspired to create!We picked up some fallish papers...cuz we're gonna stamp and drink coffee...some day soon!  So we stopped at the storage unit and pulled out the tower of stamps for me to bring home.

It was a beautiful day to drive around to new places with my old friend...my sister.  It is starting to sink in...we are in the same town...and I can see her...anytime...almost!

Finding space and time to craft

I crafted with a purpose today for about an hour.

It was fun.  I need to do some more...my card choices are out of stock!

Can I help? Turned into a help for me!

A special blessing of a coffee hour with Mrs. Coffey on a misty Wednesday morning.  What a fun way to use your last name especially when you like coffee, wouldn't you say?!  It was fun helping Mari with a couple details...sweets and an errand.  The kiddos told me I "just have to top the pumpkin muffins with cream cheese frosting...the ladies will like that!"  and "you should add the leaf sprinkles...that will make people want to eat them because they look so pretty."  They knew what they were saying...I came home with nothing left on the tray!

There were lots of yummy home-baked goods and a huge variety of fruit to go with coffee, tea, and hot chocolate.  Ladies kept arriving and chairs kept being brought in!  We had a lovely time together.

Mrs. C. shared what God has been working in heart about...and it was something that made many of us squirm in our chairs.  To paraphrase:  "When we look to the world for fulfillment, we see that we can't be satisfied here...no matter how we try.  People let us down.  Things wear out.  We're told we need more, something better. We all have cravings...desires...it is a cycle that never ends!  What is it that motivates you?  What is your ultimate desire?  So often...we will do anything to get what we want...that is sin...it is an idol of our heart."

James 4:1-2

"From whence come wars and fightings among you?  come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?  Ye lust, and have not; ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain..."

Finish reading the rest of the chapter...WOW!

"What is it that you want?"  As women, what do we struggle with each day...fear, wants (we are never satisfied with the next thing...), selfishness, anger, harsh words, comparison, perceptions, unsubmissive hearts, unfilled desires, bitterness...the list goes on...

"When you are feeling these ways...ask yourself....What do I want?"

Psalm 73:21-28

"Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.  So foolish was I, and ignorant:  I was as a beast (think of a cow who just stands and stares...can't say a word) before thee. Nevertheless I am continually with thee:  thou hast holden my by my right hand.  Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.  Whom have I in heaven but thee?  and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.  My flesh and my heart faileth:  but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.  For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish:  thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.  (We will never be satisfied with things...or the next thing...)  But it is good for me to draw near to God"  I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.

Psalm 63:3

"Because Thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee."

Jesus is the only perpetual (continual) novelty (new, fresh).

"When you figure out what it is that you want...remember Jesus is better!"

As a wife and a mother, I find myself in spots where I get annoyed, frustrated, hurt, and every other emotion of each day.  Why do I have those feelings...which often I put action to?

What is it that I want...that has been interrupted or disrupted?

I haven't been able to forget that question.

My coffee cup now is going to be a reminder of that daily.

It was a helpful...if not a little painful...Coffey hour!

My poor husband!

Let me set the stage...(these details help the story, trust me!)  We got new phones.  I lost all my cool ringtones.  Ted was relieved.  Every single person had a different song or noise.  Hey, we knew who was calling!
Now..we just have the standard-come-with-the-phone alerts.  Boring for a fancy phone, if you ask me.  I haven't figured out how to get some fun things going again...yet.  I hadn't changed any of my default settings...till the other day!
I believe, the other day, I mentioned on this blog the flashing red light situation we have had to learn (re-learn)...the poor people behind us needing to observe the Illinois license plates...even though they feel the need to honk and other assorted gestures of welcome.  So...the other day, Ted experienced the honk and welcome action as he sat at a red light...that was not flashing.  Not really knowing what the problem was, he stayed put and then asked someone later.  He has the crazy left turn situation to deal with two times coming out of work everyday...often called the "Michigan Left".  You have to drive past where you want to turn left and make a u-turn...most often a light controls the traffic flow.  Evidently, you can turn left even if the light is solid red...when no traffic is coming...because it is like turning onto a one-way.
Yeah, his head is spinning too. 
"It's stupid!"
Me?  I get it because I lived it for several years.
"Saying it is stupid doesn't help and won't ever change it!"
So...Sunday afternoon, we took a quick run to the store.  A date, if you will.  A lovely time, just the two of us.  We are sitting at a red light...solid, not flashing...going straight.  When a beeping sound goes off.  Ted jumps and begins looking around, "What!  What did I do now?  The light is solid red.  I am not going, no matter what they do!"
Um...honey...it was my phone...a reminder just came through...I have choir tonight at 4:45pm.
"You have to change it!  I nearly hurt myself thinking someone was honking at me...again.  Can't you find another ringtone that doesn't sound like honking or a siren?"
I laughed.  I couldn't help it.  He is very jumpy around red lights right now.  And to top it all off, he has to remember that when he is driving in Europe next week, "RED means RED!  Not like here in Michigan!"
Those silly noises and songs don't seem so aggravating now! I can help with that...but the whole red game...he is on his own with that.

We've been having special meetings this week with Aaron Coffey...

and what a blessing they have been to my heart!  Every message and every song have ministered in ways that I can't fully describe.  It is as if God whispered in this evangelist's ear.  Last night, he made the statement, "Your trials are custom made for you by your Heavenly Father.  He knows what you need.  He is up to good in your life.  He is committed to my spiritual growth all the time.  He will not leave His children alone.  All that He is doing is for our profit...good gifts...so I can be a partaker of His holiness."  He preached out of Hebrews 12.  Oh what a blessed reminder to be thankful for God's working in our lives...and to keep trusting the One who has held us in His hand!  I wanted to stand up and say a loud "Amen! Listen to this!  He is right!  Don't give up!  Look up!  Press on!"  Instead...I sat quietly in tears thanking God for meeting every need I have had...even in those hours, days, and weeks that I wanted to run away and hide.  I am so glad that we didn't give in and give up.  God wouldn't let us, because we belong to Him!

I have Jesus!  Do you?

He is enough!  We know!

I can trust Him for tomorrow because He brought me through yesterday!

More things to learn...

Just because various vehicles are pulled off on the sides of the roads...doesn't mean they are having trouble!  The owners are in the woods...hunting!

The gps in our phone is a very helpful tool as I find my way around this area. 

What a beautiful morning for a drive!

Facetime has been a fun way to keep up with family.  It is easy to use and fun to watch the reactions...on camera and off!

We're gearing up...literally...for Ted's adventure.  We picked up approved items for travel in the air.  We were made aware of the need for an electrical adapter.  We have checked guidelines, measured, and researched.  We will finish up the plans we are responsible for and then leave the rest in God's capable hands!  I can't wait to hear Ted's stories...because I know he will have many! 

What a weighty...neat...scary...opportunity!

A new month...

brings something new to focus on each day! 

It is about God...and what pleases Him!