Thursday Night

I am supposed to be watching Speedracer with my family, but I am not really paying attention.  Obviously, if this blog is any indication.  It's not as good as the previews made it look.  The boys love it, though, and that's all that matters.  They opted not to go to karate tonight in order to stay home, and read (for the read~a~thon!), and play outside with their friends.  All of which they did.

It is almost Friday and I am thrilled!  It's been a long week, and I will be glad when it ends.  Todd, the boys, and Big Daddy are going horse back riding tomorrow night, for their monthly riding lesson and Bible study, and I am going to have dinner with Mom.  She's had a really bad week, and is desperate for some girl time.  My grandmother is going down very quickly...hospice is at her nursing home daily, taking care of her, but it's probably just a matter of time.  Even though she's known this for a while, it does not make it any easier on Mom.  Please pray for her when you read this...she could really use it!

My dad and I usually spend Friday together, but tomorrow is his anniversary, and him and Sandy are spending the day together.  I am working at the school in the morning, then am spending the day with my friend Sunny.  We haven't seen each other in forever, so I'm excited.  I think we're going to have lunch, and after I pick up my kids from school, we're all going over there for playtime.  Our kids are having withdrawals from each other.  I told her we really have to start having our get togethers again.  I miss them.  And the Rusty's, as the kids call them.  

Saturday will find us busy with a couple birthday parties...one for a family member of Todd's, and one for a sweet man we go to church with who is turning 80, and having his very first birthday party ever.  That night we're going to church for a game night, complete with karaoke!  Whoo hoo!  Should be fun...the boys love these type events, because so many of their friends are there. And they're fun for us, too.  This is really boring, isn't it???  I'm in the mood to write, though, so here you go.  

Another week come and gone, another weekend fastly approaching, then ending all too soon.  All I can hope is that I enjoy every minute of every second that I am fortunate enough to be able to spend with my family.  I pray that everyday, I will take the time to truly enjoy them.  I am so blessed in my family life...with my own, but also in the extended versions as well.  I have great relationships with all 3 sets of parents...they're actively involved in our lives, and in the boys', and that thrills me beyond words.  We genuinely enjoy hanging out with all of them...whether at home on a Friday with Dad, or on Halloween night as everyone comes and goes at their own leisure at my house while stopping and talking over bowls full of taco soup.  I think what I love the most are traditions.  I crave the simple life...I would have loved to have lived before electricity, and modern conveniences.  I love reading those kinds of books, and in all of the ones I've read, their lives are centered on God and family.  They work together, play together and pray together.  They taught their own children school, they made treks to the general store (or whatever it was really called back then) once a week, there were no cars, no nothing.  Just nature.  What God intended.  Isn't that a logo for some product??

Those are the things that I want...to have a life centered on God, but not one that would judge or comdemn someone for choices they make.  I have a hard time with that sometimes...not understand why someone chooses to do what they do.  But it's not up to me to understand...all I am called to do is love unconditionally.  I think we're also called to admonish (GENTLY) when someone's about to do something that would harm them, or if something's a bad decision, but all we can do is say it.  We can't force it.  I had experience with that this week.  I think God used me through the situation, though, and for that I am thankful.  I know that He put the words in my mouth to say, I know I never would have thought of any of what I said on my own.  I think it was easier to live a godly life back in those days, is the point I'm trying to get around to.  There weren't near as many influences back then...maybe that's not the right word, but I can't think of the one I mean.  

I feel sad for my kids that they live in a world where it's a scary thing to not have them in your sight at all times.  I feel sad that they won't ever experience riding their bikes to a distance farther away than our neighborhood, and being gone until the sun goes down.  I hate that they can't see the stars that well from where we live.  When we go out to Mom's and Bill's house, their newest thing is stop to look up at the sky before we leave and trying to find certain constellations, and the big and little dipper.  And then I hear Drew say, "Man, I wish we could them this good from our house, I'd be tempted to sleep outside."  Not that that has anything to do with simpler times, but still.  These are some of the things I would love for my children to experience as well.  Of course if I tell my husband this, he'll be ready to pack up our house tomorrow and go buy a house near where his best friend, Bob lives.  And have me homeschool the kids.  Hmmmm, maybe I don't want it that bad.  

In the midst of all this, however, I am so blessed, and I know it.  I thank God everyday for the many blessings He has given us, for our healthy children, our home, cars, family, everything.  And this is my favorite time of year...well, almost anyway.  I love fall!!!  Graham pointed out to me just today that this is our last week of fall, and I'm thrilled because we actually may get to enjoy one this year, complete with cool weather and the colors of the leaves changing.  One of my most favorite times is halloween night, when I make a huge pot of soup (our current fav. is taco, however I think I'm going to make chicken tortilla this year!!), and our families come over and see the kids in their costumes.  Todd and I always leave with the boys, and the whole fam stays here and answers the trick or treaters.  It's soooo much fun!  Of course, Thanksgiving and Christmas I love even more than halloween, it's just that that night is the kick off for fall, it seems like.  

I am getting waaaaaay ahead of myself here.  This post is so incredibly random.  I told you I was in the mood to write.  Sorry for the length, as Todd so rudely pointed out, if you think it's too long, you can skip it.  I really do this for me...although if someone enjoys it that's good.