My Organized Ways..

One thing that I have noticed through the last decade of bearing 5 children is the more I had, the more I craved order.

LOVE me so order..

Chaos ensues hourly within these walls of mine. Lucky for me I have the most challenging ages under the same roof at one time.  Teen, Pre-teen, 8 (there is something about 8 that just drives me batty), 2 (almost 3, which is like arguing with a drunk person EVERY SINGLE DAY, only they don't sober up for an entire YEAR) and a newborn.  Do you see my need for order?

Organization is right up there with God in keeping me semi-sane.

God.
Husband.
Kids.
Organization.

OK, maybe not always in that order. But pretty darn close.

Now let me remind you that being organized does NOT mean that I am consistent. In fact I am so very inconsistent at being consistent. That saying it takes 15 days to form a new habit.. I will never know because I've never made it that far. Being inconsistent is most likely the reason I crave organization and why I am constantly revamping my organized ways. To some how bring order to my chaos.


Anyway, some of you asked me to show you some of my madness.

First, the daily routine. I created this because running a homeschooled house with all those ages is distracting. Depending on how much sleep I get, I know that I can refer to the routine without having to use my brain to much or I send the kids to read it so they stay on track.

(click on image to make it bigger)

I laminated two, then posted one right outside their bedroom door and one on the front of the fridge. We try to stick to this routine M-F during the school year. Since I had Cayte in the middle of our school year things have been a little wonky so we are still trying to do school through the summer. So far, not so good. ;) Most days we push everything back on that routine an hour.

Second there is my 2 week menu plan. There are a lot of free templates on Pinterest  for meal planning. I signed up for Motivated Moms  7 or 8 years ago and it came with a template. It's a plain jane simple to the point menu plan. I have tried others, but always come back to using this one. :)

I do not stick to the dates. Since we rarely eat out I use this as my restaurant menu. I know that I have all the ingredients to make anything on there, so I pick one that I feel like making and then highlight it so I don't make it again within the next two weeks. I usually put this on the side of my fridge.

(front of my fridge)

To the right of the daily routine is the Parent Chore Chart.  Then I have the kids chore charts. I am VERY VERY grumpy when I have a messy house.  When I don't follow this, and my kids don't follow their chore chart- hell hath no fury. I raise Cain. I scratch my head like no tomorrow. (if you ask my kids what that means they will tell you "clear the room, she's gonna blow!"). Sad, but true.

We pay the kids each $30 dollars a month at the beginning of each month. Every day just before dinner Dale checks to make sure they have done all of their chores. For each chore they haven't done they give us a dollar. Whatever they are left with at the end of the month is their paycheck. We did the daily commission, we did allowances. But I was tired of being on them all the time for doing their job. In the real world your employer is not going to press their thumb upon you to make sure you are doing your work correctly, and he sure as heck isn't going to pay you for work you don't do. The deal with paying them in advance is that they can not spend the money until the end of the month. It seems to be working the best out of all the other things I have ever tried.

Just this month I created a new "chore" for them to do. If you look at the chore charts you will see each one of them has a day where it says- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. It's important to Dale and I to teach them life skills so they can function well as adults. So they have been making or help make one meal in each category each week.

Tables/Chairs means they wipes them down.
Dishes means they are either loading or unloading the dishwasher.

I usually switch this around from my master list of chores every 3-6 months so they all learn how to do a chore properly. I believe having them do chores not only teaches them how to keep a proper house when they decided to move out, but it also prevents entitlement issues.

can't.
stand.
entitlement.

The world owes them nothing. My job as being a stay at home mom is not to be their slave. It's to instruct and train them up in the way they should go. We are all in this together. It's what works for our family. Dale and I feel a conviction to implement these things. To each their own.. ;) I say this because some believe kids should be able to make messes and not be accountable for their actions. Creating a wicked sense of self entitlement. No Thanks! We make plenty of messes around here, but we work together as a team to clean them up. :)

So, there you have it. My organized ways. And just to keep it real. A before and after picture of what happens when mom doesn't follow the parent chore chart.

The Laundry Room

(before)

(after)

A Season.

This July, we will be married 14 years.

This October will mark 14 years in the Coast Guard. 

We are currently on our fourth station. 

This house is our 12th home since being married.

I have rallied with each new move.. 

Each new station..

Each new curve ball that comes with being married to a military man. 

But this station.. 

I have yet to rally. 

I have yet to find my groove.
I am struggling.

What pisses me off the most is I can't put my finger on it.

It. 

Whatever IT is needs to leave. 

It was never invited to our 3 year tropical vacation.

It has created some serious self doubt.

It keeps trying to diluted what I have always known as truth.

It tries to rob me of my joy- daily. 

It whispers lies. 

It is no longer welcome. 

My kids are healthy. 

My husbands job provides more than we need.

An unexpected pregnancy turned into an amazing blessing of bringing home a beautiful daughter!!!

But seriously-  

This year has ROCKED me to my core! 

I guess we came into this tour with too many unrealistic expectations.
One too many curve balls thrown our way. 

I don't want to spend the next 2 years here barely surviving. I am tired of treading water. 

I am exhausted. I want to THRIVE here. I want my kids to reflect back on this tour and smile at all the cool experciences we had as a family.  I want to stop comparing this place to previous stations. 

I want a church to get plugged into. I NEED a place to feel connected.

I want REAL friends. I NEED real friends that come and drag me out of my house.  I want friends that look past Braless Mondays, Showerless Tuesdays, Shoot me it's only Wednesdays, Trashed House Thursdays, and Desperate to get through this day Fridays. 

I have AMAZZZZZING (off this island) lovely, supporting, encouraging, call me out, create special hashtags to remind me it's ok to be real with them- friends. But a girl needs a local support system too.

The alternative is booze and Oreos. Which will just make me fatter than I already am.

So if you are reading this...  Please pray that just the right friends would come along and pull me out of my funk and that Satan's whispers fall on deaf ears.. :) 

Hell Week..

SUNDAY: We were to start our very first Home Fellowship Group, Dale got called in to work, we had to cancel.

MONDAY: Dale started his first day of working Nights, Jeremiah fell and had to get NINE staples in the back of his head.

 TUESDAY: Shane fell at the skate park and broke his arm (BAD), bone sticking out, will never forget that image- bad!

WEDNESDAY: After waiting in two different limited English speaking ER's with Shane for over 24 hours, with the other kids waiting in the HOT parking lot for 8 of those 24 hours- Shane finally had surgery at 6:30pm. Hospital policy would not let Cayte or any child under 12 in his room or even on his floor.

THURSDAY: We had purchased a package deal to enjoy a nice family retreat at a Resort in San Juan before all of the above went down. They wouldn't refund us the money so Caleb, Ian, Jeremiah, Cayte and I drove 2 hours after visiting Shane in the hospital (already 2 hours from our house), got lost in the mountains, cell phone died, baby screamed. Only to check out the next morning leaving our MAC computer with Caleb's school work on it along with his cell phone at the hotel. We didn't enjoy the amenities, not with Shane in the hospital and Jeremiah's head wound.

(Jeremiah enjoyed people watching while I packed)

FRIDAY: While visiting Shane in the hospital, I noticed that Jeremiah's staples were not looking so good. It took two nurses along with myself holding his strong little body down for the doc to finally get them out in the ER, only for them to recommend he be admitted for IV antibiotics due to an infection in the wound along with an abscess. I begged to try oral first given our situation, they agreed. 

SATURDAY: Went to 4 different pharmacies trying to fill the antibiotics from Jeremiah, NOT ONE had it in stock. Caleb went to the beach with some friends and ended up coming home with over 15 sea urchins in his feet. 

SUNDAY: Cayte and I came down with a sever THRUSH infection. Ripped Nipples on top of that, added to the fun!

.......Reflecting back on my HELL WEEK, each day felt so VERY heavy. 

I cried. A lot. 

Dale was at the hospital with Shane. 
I was Alone. Confused. Frustrated. MAD!

I felt like each and every day that something ELSE happened I was physically/spiritually being SOCKED by the enemy. At the end of each of those days I longed for the comfort of my husbands arms around me.

I prayed every night that the Lord would spare DEATH from my family.
I felt like Job.  Continually being hit with discouraging, heavy news.

This week I am thankful that the Lord carried me through the valley. That my small issues were just that, SMALL- considering what Job lost. Not once did I question if God was there with us in each and every issue that arose. Going through the Refiners Fire is PAINFUL! I had hope that there would be an END to this season. That we would be refined. Stronger and more beautiful than before. We just needed to keep seeking HIM regardless the weather.. He WOULD bring good from this craziness.. This is the speech I echoed to my boys throughout this week. But honestly, at the end of each day- I questioned my own pep talks. I earnestly wanted my children to believe in my words- yet didn't believe myself. 

Pretty sure PRAYERS and BREASTFEEDING were the only things that kept me SOBER!! ;) 

I did have my moments of not handling things Christ like. Pretty sure my Savior never uttered the F bomb.. I did. Too many times! I cursed Puerto Rico. I cursed the Devil. I cursed the traffic to and from the hospital. I tearfully apologized to my kids and husband daily!

Where the hell was the easy button?

Couldn't the Lord see I was waving the white flag. In my mind I was screaming- "I surrender, Lord. What is the lesson in this?" What are we doing so wrong to deserve a continual slamming of chaos and pain. I kept praying, "you have my attention Lord, what?!" And all I heard back... 

Silence. 

I don't think HELL WEEK was the Lord bringing correction. I think I was asking the wrong questions. During one of our hospital visits I was talking with Caleb about feeling like Job. And my sweet 13 year old ministered to me.. 

"Mom, Job's friends told him to curse God and die. That is what Satan is trying to get us to do! It's a test, Mom. He doesn't want us seeking God, He is trying to distracting us" 

Man, I love that kid! Such wisdom.. 

I think it WAS a testing of our faith. Because up until that week things had been going pretty well- spiritually. 

Dale and I were kneeling by the bed together every morning in prayer. Reading the word together, doing devotions with the boys. Getting ready to start a home group. This last week has brought the reminder of just how REAL that stupid ole' devil is. And it has also shown me just how HARD seeking Jesus is- regardless of our circumstances. Finding contentment in our Savior when you feel like you are drowning in a sea of chaos is freaking HARD. 

H-A-R-D

Many said, 

"Jen, you are so strong!" 
"You have nerves of steel!"
"It's amazing how well you are holding up in all of this!"

I didn't respond. I didn't know what to say. Last week was a blur. I went through the motions of life- maintaining the basics. Straight up ROBOT mode. 

The only answer that seems appropriate is the Messiah carried us through.  
Carried ME through.. 

We made it through that week in HIS strength, mercy and grace!!! 

Today, I am thankful.

• Another Sunday is coming, another attempt to have fellowship with like minded peeps.
• Neighbors and friends near and far stepped in and acted like family. BLESSED by those who checked in on us, Encouraged me with texts, made a meal, came to the hospital, let us borrow a car, helped translate, sent flowers, babysat. 
• Jeremiah's responding well to the antibiotics and his wound is healing. 
• The day after Shane's surgery I was folding laundry and started to weep. So many Mom's come home from the hospital and eventually pull laundry out of the dryer only to mourn a child that is no more. Shane is home from the hospital, no infection, arm still in tact. Bones will heal. 
• The resort was a place to rest our heads. The kids enjoyed getting room service. And the maid was honest and turned in our computer and phone. They even shipped it back to us for free! Yay!
• The on base Doc made an exception and changed Jeremiah's script, on a Sat.  so I could get it filled on base. The pharmacist came in on his day off to fill it right away. The sea urchins will eventually come out of Caleb's feet. (Prayers that they do!)
• Gentian Violet seemed to clear up the thrush. And I am really hoping my nipples heal QUICK. Tips Anyone?
• My husband is amazing and took the brunt of my CRAZY that came with this past week, and even though I would have liked one day with him home before he had to go back to work, I am thankful his job provides a roof, clothing, food, MEDICAL INSURANCE and so much more. And that when he kisses me goodbye, the scent of his aftershave lingers long after he's gone.
• Laughter.. And modern medicine. God's healing hand. All things to be thankful for.

 

BoYs

Boys.. 

Our quiver is full of them.. 

...FOUR to be exact 

With one sweet precious baby girl to complete our crew. 

From the time the boys were babes, they were ACTIVE. Caleb got his first set of stitches at 1.5, his second set at 2.5. Shane has had numerous battle wounds courtesy of his older brother, Caleb or a stunt, trick that didn't quite turn out like it should have. Ian is my more conscious one, mostly acquiring a bump or bruise with nothing too major. Jeremiah is ALL boy, just like his older brothers and I really wouldn't want it any other way.   

They do plenty of things that could lead us to the ER, but for the most part their fearlessness is inspiring.. And sometimes most always, they exhaust the crap out of my adrenal glands.  

-Shane-

-Caleb-

-Ian-

 After watching so many wipe outs, and having them come in with missing flesh, bloody noses, mouths, and gravel embedded in various places it shouldn't be.. My nerves are kinda numb, I guess..

-Shane with a pretty funny wipe out-

(Go ahead replay it.. You know you want too!) 

Yep, I'd say- I assess each and every situation, apply pressure or laughter when needed and most of the time yell out for the all mighty New Skin..



Today, was NOT one of those days I calmly assessed the situation. I yelled. And I am pretty sure I dropped a few potty words trying to figure out why the back of Jeremiah's head looked like this-

 Cayte was in the swing. The boys were to be doing their chores. I was upstairs vacuuming our room, Jeremiah was downstairs laying on the spare bed watching Curious George, or so I thought...

It's never good when you can hear blood curdling screams over the vacuum cleaner and music. Ian was crying, Jeremiah was crying. I finally make it to the kitchen. They both were standing there- crying.

"What!" 

"What the hell happened?" 

First potty word dropped. 

Shane and Caleb come running in, tension and chaos increase.  As we all see the stream of blood that has now soaked the back of Jeremiah's head, down onto his shirt. I quickly scoop him up and apply pressure to what looks like the source of where all that blood is coming from. Giving him a dose of Motrin to help ease the throbbing that I am sure is soon to be.

"Ian, what happened?"

Curious George. 

A two year old. 

A eight year old.

Monkeys JUMPING on the bed.

I pull the blood soaked towel away from Jeremiah's head to access the situation. 

LOTS of potty words dropped.

There wasn't enough New Skin in the world to fix this owie.

Dale is at work. I knew I had minutes before the on base medical closed (saving me a trip to the local dirty non english speaking, hours upon hours wait to be seen ER), so I scooped Jeremiah up and rushed out the door. Called Dale on the way.. By this time, Jeremiah was calm. Actually laughing at me as I ran with him in my arms towards the medical building. 

Two duty core-men answer my knock at the back door. And rush me in to an exam room. With first glance, they both almost in unison say he is going to need staples. 

NOT something any mother wants to hear.

Dale finally shows up, and shortly after the Doc comes in from a meeting to see the core-men trying to figure out how to proceed. The Doc changes out of his dress blues and into scrubs and within 20 mins he has numbed and placed N-I-N-E staples in my sweet baby boys head.. 

Facebook

Soo.. Today I quit Facebook. As of this moment, for good.. I had been wrestling with the decision for Y E A R S.. (yes, sad I know- But addicts don't become free from their addiction over night. ;)

As I was saying my prayers last night I made the decision to just do it. QUIT..

Cold Turkey..

No more Facebook "Fasts".
No more deleting the app from my phone, and then re-downloading it only days later.
No more having Dale change the password so I wouldn't be tempted to log in.

Honestly, I kinda feel ashamed to be admitting all that.. Pathetic, right..

Being a stay at home mom, I LOVED LOVED LOVED plugging into my "social network" while I was nursing, during nap times, after dinner, waiting here or there..

I justified it.

Called it "Me Time".

But what I have come to realize is- Facebook made me, well... Socially Inept.. And for lack of a better phrase, a half ass mom, wife and friend.

So I guess in a way, I am trading in my social media for:

Date Nights..
Sillyness with my kids..
Girls Night Out..
Crafting..
Sewing..
EXERCISE..
Blogging..


Don't get me wrong, Facebook is awesome for staying in touch, especially since we acquire such amazing relationships with so many different folks during all our transfers.  Staying in the loop with family is so much easier too. But I filled my free time with liking statues, reading random boards, and filtering through all the "shared" sayings and quotes. Oh, and the pictures.. Gonna miss those the most!

Facebook made me lazy, disengaged with my kids, my husband, and REAL people in my neighborhood I could be inviting over to play a game, have a drink with or go out for dessert with. At the end of the night, I'd log off and feel frustrated going to bed- yet again getting sucked into the vortex of time lapse Facebook is so good at doing.

Facebook was a H U G E distraction for me. You may be thinking, get a grip Jen. But seriously, it was my Mommy Crack.. I allowed it to control me. Not Cool!

*disclaimer*
Facebook does not have this effect on everyone, just me!

Being a Momma to five, I have plenty of other things to distract me.

At this exact moment, It actually feels liberating to be free from it. I look forward to filling all those "Me Time" moments with things that will make my heart content at the end of the day.

Day 21 through...

So.. We didn't complete our entire 30 days (Bummed)... But we did do several other things throughout the last couple of months. No pictures to capture the moments. My hope is that they were captured in my boys hearts and will be at the forefront of their minds for a long long time.. Long enough to pass on to their children and grandchildren.. :)

At first I was really hung up on not getting them all done. A day would go by and we didn't get one done. Another week would go by and I would feel a sense of guilt and urgency to get caught up on doing...  Until the Lord gave me a reality check in the matter of the heart.. Totally wrong perspective to have. So I let go of the list. I allowed moments to arise naturally.

Unplanned.
Genuine.

The boys started seeing a need, and filling it without our prompting. The whole point of doing this 30 days of Finding THANKS in GIVING act was happening.. Our hearts and eyes were changed to see moments to GIVE and find THANKS in doing so.

 Even though my type A personality reallllllllllllly wanted to check off each and every act- I found contentment LETTING GO of my plan and embracing the moments God allowed to take place..

We've also been enjoying a LOT of moments like this.. :) 

Day 20: Let someone go before you in line.

Sams Club in Puerto Rico is not an easy feat. The parking lots are always crazy. The store is always full of people.

The lines are LONG..
No matter what time you go.
I dread the waiting in line.
I despise it.
The kids equally despise it.

Today, I had a cart full. I had already made several other stops before this one. My feet hurt. I was ready to home. By the time I made it to the checkout lane, I was grumpy and done.

Ian was the only one with me. He was begging to bust into the cookies sitting in the cart. I caved. He smiled. Which made the woman in front of me smile. It was a cool little chain reaction. It helped elevate the aching back, and throbbing feet.

I looked behind me to a man standing with just 3 things in his cart.

I looked back at my cart. I looked at the lady in front of me grabbing her receipt and I turned to the man behind me and said he could go ahead of me. He quickly moved around my cart without cracking a smile, a nod, a whisper of gratitude. He paid for his items and away he went.

Ian looked up at me and whispered- "He didn't even say thank you!"

After I checked out and we had loaded our groceries into the car. I explained that some people just didn't think like we did. They are so wrapped up in "To Do" lists or to busy going through the motions of life to notice the kindness around them.

Ian sat quietly next to me for a moment and than says-

"So he doesn't know how to find THANKS in GIVING, does he mom?"

I just laughed and asked him to hand me a cookie. :)

Day 19: Help to the needy.

DAY 19: Help to the needy.

As we were driving home from the $60+ grocery store trip, we saw a station wagon parked next to a dumpster with a wife and three kids sitting inside. The husband rummaging through the trash looking for cans and various other things with a stick.

As we drove past, I asked the kids if they saw what I saw? They said yes.
I asked them if we had EVER had to dig through a dumpster to find food or a source of money? They said no.

I asked Shane to open my wallet to see how much cash I had left. It was a little over 10 dollars. I pulled over and told the boys I was going to drive back and give whatever money I had left to the family.

Ian emptied out his pocket full of change. Shane grabbed all the change out of the ash tray.

I caught him just as he was getting back in the car.

My eyes watered as I gave what I had to him. I muttered "May God Bless You!"

As I walked back to the car, I prayed he wouldn't spend it on booze. That he would use it to provide for his family. That our simple act would allow him to feel HOPE and know that God was looking down upon his family.

I got back in the car to the boys smiling, asking what he had said. What I had said. I smiled as I wiped the tears away and just simply prayed again out loud-

"Thank you Lord for always providing just enough for our family, may we never take your provisions for granted! May we continue to find THANKS in GIVING what you have allowed us to have." 

I didn't grab a picture. It didn't feel apporpriate.

HUMBLING Experience..

Day 18: Give a stranger a ride.

Day 18: Give a stranger a ride.

Living on a tropical island= Being blessed with amazing weather. (most of the time)

Usually it is always sunny. And you can almost always tell when a monsoon monster is about to attack. The boys and I were out and about running errands and swung by the exchange for some last minute items before heading home.

When we entered the exchange it was bright sunny skies.

Hot! Muggy!

When we left the exchange the sky had turned dark gray. And we just made it into the car as the heavens opened up for a downpour.

As we exited the gates from the Exchange and made our way home, we noticed a man walking with a newspaper over his head and a couple bags of groceries. My first initial thought was- "Sucks for him, my babies are in the car and I promised my husband I wouldn't pick up any more random people!"

But then Ian spoke up, he must have noticed him too.

"Mom, I know that guy! He lives on base"

BINGO! A loop hole in not disrespecting my husbands wishes! 

I put the car in reverse and rolled down my window just enough to yell out- "Need a ride?" He hesitated for a moment and then smiled as he motioned towards the car, already a bit drenched.

He said he had just moved here a couple months ago and was the OS for something or another. (I really should pay more attention to other job titles besides my husbands.) He said he hadn't thought to bring an umbrella with him. I suggested it be an every day accessory, especially if he planned on continuing to walk to and from work.

The boys asked him a million different questions on our short ride home and as we dropped him off at his front door he was extremely grateful for the ride and went on his way.

When we left the Exchange I was exhausted from all the running around we had done that day. I was a bit grumpy and short with the kids. I had a goal- make it home and take a nap with Jeremiah. But after picking up that man (which he told me his name and I forgot) my heart was full of contentment. My boys were smiling. As I looked through the rear view mirror at my boys sitting in the back seat, there was a sense of peace. I could see their little minds spinning with thoughts. Hopefully, those thoughts were finding THANKS in GIVING.. I know mine were.. :)

Day 17: Treat to the Gate Guards.

Day 17: Treat to the Gate Guards. 



They stand guard 24/7 to protect us. To make us feel secure coming and leaving our home.
We are thankful for them.

They sit in that tiny little shack with no A/C fully clothed with bullet proof vests to boot. With a heavily powered pistol at their side. Many days with the intense Puerto Rico heat beaming down on them.

Yes, it is their job. They knew what they were signing up for when they agreed to take this job, but I wonder, how many people THANK them when coming in and out of the gate? I know how many people give them attitude because of expired tags, un-valid insurance, taking to long with another person holding up the line preventing them getting home quicker. I've been guilty of it myself.

(Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread for some of our favorite guards!)

I can tell you this.. I sleep better knowing that they are there. I leave things I shouldn't in my car from time to time because I feel secure. What makes me feel secure to let my children ride around at dusk, or go to a movie past dark- Knowing that we live on a base where the security officers take their job seriously. They patrol the neighborhoods while we sleep. They remind my kids to wear a helmet when they forget. They care about us and our safety. Which makes it VERY easy to find THANKS in GIVING.

Day 16: Life Savers to the Life Guards

Day 16: Life Savers to the Life Guards

Sometimes ordinary people do extraordinary things- Like Save Lives!  Luckily for us, we have never had a moment that needed the services of a Life Guard. But as a mom to almost 5 kids, its impossible to have eyes on all my chitlins at the same time. I take comfort in knowing there are paid life guards when we head to the pool- Just in case!

Yesterday, the older boys went swimming while I stayed home to rest. No issues arose that needed the life guard on duty to administer services.  But that got me thinking. How many times I wonder do they get a THANK YOU?!

How many times have I thanked them. Yes, it is their paid job to guard the pool. But seriously, I have seen a LOT of mom's and kids get down right nasty with the life guards because of a whistle being blown for safety precautions. I have seen a lot of parents get irate with life guards for their kids wrong doings.

So this act was simple. But I think equally important.

Everyone likes to hear that they are appreciated. That what they do matters.  I told the boys that I hope they remembered this act when they were old enough to hold a job. Maybe one day they would become life guards? And they would have to deal with grumpy people throughout their work day. I asked them if they'd like kids to do the same to them some day. They all agreed they would.

The inside of our card said-
"Thank You for always being ready to SAVE a LIFE! You truly are LIFE SAVERS! "

Finding THANKS in GIVING for this act was really a no brainer. :)

Day 15: Spreading the Word.

Day 15: Spreading the Word.

Because I like to keep it real.  This Finding THANKS in GIVING act started off UGLY! There was NO joy in preparing for this act. There was lots of complaining. And Frustration. Even a couple of time outs. I even started lecturing them at one point.

Evidence that Satan is real and doesn't want us encouraging others with the word??? BINGO!

Thankfully, I felt the ever so slight punch from the Holy Spirit.
So, I retreated to my room. And prayed.

I was turning this act into a task. Forcing the kids to take part.. How were they learning ANYTHING in that? My heart wasn't in the right place and neither was theirs.

When I could feel my blood pressure return to a normal rate, I headed downstairs and went straight to the stereo and put on a mixed Christian CD. I asked the boys to come into the living room where I asked for their forgiveness for how I was acting before my timeout. I explained that I wanted them to do this for the right reasons, because they wanted to. Not because I was shoving it down their throats.

With that, I began writing out bible verses and sayings in Spanish on 3x5 cards, in hopes they would be interested in what I was doing. The boys continued doing their own thing.

A couple songs into the CD- the boys started to sing along with Casting Crowns-

And then, Caleb asks how he could help, followed by Shane and Ian. I suggested they brighten up the notes  I had been writing with doodles to make whoever received the message smile.

We wrote and colored FIFTY 3x5 cards.. 

Translation from top to bottom: 

"Smile, Jesus loves you!" 

Numbers 6: 24-26

"Believe, He loves You!

John 3:16

"You are a child of God" 

Proverbs 8:17

Then, we were off to the local mall to SPREAD THE WORD! :) 

So thankful that the frustration was replaced with joy. The complaining replaced with eagerness to spread the word. The unwillingness replaced with willingness. They had a blast. I had a blast watching them run from car to car. When they all hopped back in the car, we sat and watched as several different people found our note. Only one out of the five we watched threw it on the ground and drove away. The rest smiled..

Shane insisted on hopping back out of the car to go pick up the one thrown so he could put it on another car that didn't have one. I was actually surprised at how into it they all got. We prayed for the people that would be getting our notes. We wondered what kind of day they were having. If they would hold on to it as a reminder or simply throw it on the ground.

 As we drove out of the parking structure, the boys actually asked when we could do it again. HA!

They were PUMPED and filled with JOY! 

After the PAINFUL beginning to this act we ended up finding THANKS in GIVING!!!

BOOYAH! 

Day 14: Help a Homeless Person.

Day 14: Help a Homeless Person.

Today, D took all of the boys to get much needed hair cuts. Leaving me in an amazing, much needed quiet house. On his way there, I called him and asked him not to cut Miah's hair without me being there. Silly, but it was going to be his first professional haircut. That's a moment I didn't want to miss. :)

After the haircuts, D decided to stop by Walgreens to get the kids a treat. Before they went in they noticed a homeless man scrunched in a corner near the trash cans. D walked over and asked him if he spoke english and the man answered brokenly that his name was Julio and he was a recovering addict that missed his treatment for the day at the clinic across the street.

D offered to buy him some food.

D told each of the boys to grab a small basket and scan the isles on their own for healthy snacks and treats for Julio. D was curious to see what they would pick.

Trail Mix, Tuna Packs, Gatorade, Beef Jerky and Peanut Butter Crackers.
Shane's basket had a pack of Oreos.. (because he wanted to include me)

When they came out of the store, Julio was being run off by the Security Guards. They ran to him with the bags of goodies and he was on his way to who knows where. D wasn't able to snap a picture.

I have a feeling the boys will remember this Finding THANKS in GIVING act regardless of missing pictures. Because the conversation that proceeded after they got back in the car was deep.. And thoughtful.

They speculated on how Julio had ended up homeless.
Where his parents were.
If he knew who Jesus was.
If he would always be homeless.
Why he didn't try to get a job.

They wanted to know his story. They prayed for his safety and that he would enjoy the treats.

I hope my boys wonder about Julio often. I hope they think about everything Julio doesn't have every time they open their mouth to complain about something they do have. Same goes for D and I. I hope these moments turn into lasting memories that change our way of thinking.

Years from now, when they see another homeless person, I hope they flash back to this moment and GIVE without judging that persons circumstances or prior poor choices. I hope they see beyond the dirty rags and smell, and see a soul that some how got lost along the way. That the person on the receiving end of what ever my children are willing to give, will FEEL Jesus through their actions.

That is my hope.

Day 13: Serving Me.

Day 13: Serving Me.

This act was not one of the 30 things we wrote down at the beginning of the month. It wasn't part of the plan. But because my uterus was still angry with me for over doing it all last week, I wasn't able to stand more than 5 to 10 minutes today without my feet swelling and mild contractions starting to flare.

So today, I was bummed. I thought we would break our streak in the 30 day tradition because of my inability to do anything other than lay in bed. Dale had duty, so he couldn't do the original Finding THANKS in GIVING act with the boys.

I was frustrated.

My personality and being still don't really jive. It's a bit ironic that I want to get -BE STILL- tattooed on my forearm to remind me of all the scriptures that tell me to do exactly that. Guess the Lord is just giving me practice in this area.. ;)

Two things the Lord brought to my attention today- Something I have always struggled with:

-BEING STILL.
-And letting others serve me.
.
The Lord allowed both of those things to happen today even though it wasn't part of MY plan.

Every time I got up today, one of my boys would holler at me to GET BACK IN BED! They all took turns carrying for Jeremiah. Changing his diapers, feeding him. Playing with him. Caleb laid him down for a nap so that I could stay in bed..

Unexpectedly, A very kind neighbor was gracious enough to bring over dinner. Caleb heated it up and brought me some on a tray.

Shane read Jeremiah books and took him on a walk. He did the dishes, changed poopie diapers and he never complained once. He also knew his mama has a weak spot for Oreos. When he came to check on me after dinner he had a stack of them in his hand.

Ian, the one I am constantly on for doing his daily chores came walking into the my room with a Norwex cloth ready to clean all the mirrors. Without asking. He cleaned up smashed grapes that Jeremiah had left on the landing of the stairs. He came in almost every 30 mins. to make sure I was drinking my Gatorade and refilled my glass when he saw that it was getting low.

They were finding THANKS in GIVING.. And I was their humbled recipient.
Without being told, they were serving ME.

I even had entertainment from a very funny, almost 2 year old. He would put the trash can on his head and spin around and around. Or he would come up to the side of the bed with the can still on his head and growl like a scary beast. I would pretend to be scared and he would let out the biggest belly laugh.

They were being the hands and feet of Jesus to ME!! 

I am BLESSED!

Day 12: Dessert to Ready Crew

Day 12: Dessert to Ready Crew

Today is Veterans Day. Last week,  I totally over did it and woke up with contractions this morning. Which meant bed rest for me until my uterus is done being angry.  Daddy and the boys were on their own for this Finding THANKS in GIVING act.

My husband has an awesome job.
He is my very own Veteran.
He was lucky enough to have today off.

But given his line of work, there is always a ready crew (even on Holidays), in case the SAR (search and rescue) alarm sounds.  Any military wife, I am sure has longed to have what is called a duty night. I have a fantasy of what a duty night consists of. I picture having a night of surfing the web, watching cable and taking a shower without any interruptions. In reality, for my husband and his co-workers, duty comes every 4 days in a segment of 24 hours straight that they have to spend on base. Usually it consists of maintenance, routine flights and SAR.

The boys know what duty entails. And as we enjoyed having Daddy home on this holiday, we reminded them that there was a crew standing ready at the hanger.

This meant:
No BBQin' for the ready crew.
No enjoying the day off in celebration of their service to our country.
No one really paying any attention to them standing ready... Just in case.

I asked them if they wanted to make the duty crew a treat and go serve it to them to show their appreciation for their service to us and others. They all agreed they would.

Because I was on bed rest, and Dale was doing other things the boys made brownies all by them selves. Without fighting, or complaining. They were excited to bring a treat to the guys at the hanger. Or maybe they were just excited I wasn't in the kitchen micro managing their every move.. In any case, I could hear the giggles and laughter coming from the kitchen and it was a wonderful sound to hear.

Did they even realize they were serving? Did they understand that they were finding THANKS in GIVING just by doing this simple act? By the look on my boys faces, I'd say they enjoy serving others. How cool is that!!!

The guys said it was one of the best Veteran's Day they had ever had.
Who doesn't love hot brownies and root beer floats?

Day 11: Purchase Groceries for a Vet.

Day 11: Purchase groceries for a Veteran. 

Today, we went to the commissary. We needed a few things but our main goal was to scan the isles in search for a retired veteran. Not that other service members wouldn't suffice but usually retiree's are on a very limited budget, more so than enlisted.

We spotted an older gentleman sitting on a bench with a basket full of groceries down at his feet and a few scattered next to him . His wife wandering the isles looking for other things to add to the already loaded down cart.

I approached the wife first to ask if either of them were prior service. She nodded with a smile. I guess I  should have asked "Halba Ingles?" first because that was the extent of our conversation. :)

So I went back to Dale and asked him how we should proceed.
*Blank Stares*

So, we shot up a quick prayer, walked over to the man and I said "Halba Ingles?" which he replied in an accented "Yes."

I asked if he was a Veteran and he explained that he had just retired four years ago.

Yay- victory numero uno..
Yes, I took Spanish in High School.
Yes, I am still speaking with a VERY primary vocabulary..


I explained that my husband and I were trying to teach our boys to give back and that we would like to purchase his groceries to show our appreciation. It was a way for our family to honor him for his time and sacrifice to our country. He shook our hand, His eyes watered up and with all the boys surrounded, he told a bit of his story.

He was retired from the United States Army.
He served one tour in Iraq, and was thankful he came home in one piece.
He had joined young to provide for his family.
He is a native Puerto Rican.
He was grateful for the 26 years of serving.
He was thankful to God for all that he had.
His name was Carlos.

His wife came back and he explained in Spanish that we were thanking him for his service. And with that, they both smiled, he again thanked us, got up from the bench and they started to walk away.

Some how I think us paying for his groceries to show our appreciation got lost in translation. So Dale explained once again what we wanted to do. Carlo's eyes watered. My eyes watered. His wife shook her head in disbelief and whispered "no, no, no!"

We insisted. They finally agreed.

God Bless Carlos.. 

God Bless ALL the Veterans.

Day 10: Beach Clean Up

Day 10: Beach Clean Up

Today, I headed to San Juan with a group of girlfriends to participate in the Diva Run taking place on Sunday.  Leaving Dale and the boys to do the Finding THANKS in Giving act of the day.

The beaches are BEAUTIFUL here.  And there are plenty to choose from, which is one of many silver linings of living on a tropical island. What saddens me, is that every time we go I wished I had brought a garbage bag with me due to the crazy amount of trash either washed up or left behind from other people enjoying one of many God's amazing creations. :)

Dale and the boys picked the beach right across the street from our house to go pick trash up at.

They had a couple of neighborhood kids join in the fun.

I am so proud of all of them. Being eager to serve, knowing that they would not receive a thing in return. It seems that the worlds mentality these days is "Well if I didn't do it, why should I do anything to fix it?" "What's in it for me?" Sad. Very very sad way of thinking.

I hope these moments stick with them. I hope, as they grow into fine young men they reflect upon these Finding THANKS in GIVING acts and it inspires them to continue to build upon the Servants Heart that we are trying to instill in them.

Day 9: Donate to Food Bank.

Day 9: Donate to the Food Bank.

All throughout the week we have been gathering things to put in a box for the food bank. And today as I bought a few more canned goods to go in the box I was disappointed with myself.

Why is it that the majority of us only donate once or twice a year, usually being back to back months?

How sad to be a family in need of food ALL YEAR ROUND, knowing that you wont get nearly the box of treats that come when Thanksgiving time rolls around and people like ME have some how given ourselves a pat on the back for thinking of the needy near the holidays.

I explained to the boys as we packed up the box that all of these items were luxuries to the families that would be receiving them. Who would have thought SPAM and 10 pounds of plain old white rice would be considered a luxury?

I explained to the boys that the kids receiving this box probably have never had a root beer float or homemade cinnamon rolls. That got the boys thinking and popping off questions.

How about smoothies or milk shakes? Nope!

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Oreos in the middle? Nope!

Dinner at Benihana’s? Nope!

Wouldn’t it be an eye opener from this day forward- each and every time you took a bite of food you considered how blessed you were to have that particular item on your fork or spoon?

You didn’t have to dig through a trashcan to find it.

You had a stove, microwave, etc. to cook it on.

You most likely could get up from your seat to get seconds if you wanted too.

And given the culture these days, you’d most likely have some type of dessert to finish off a very satisfying meal.

Makes my heart hurt. It also makes me feel shame for all the PETTY things my family complains about.

It’s time to find a soup kitchen and sign my family up to go serve a Hot Meal to the needy families we just put a box together for. I want my boys to SEE and FEEL what I am trying to convey to them. I need to SEE and FEEL what I am trying to teach them.

Here’s to hoping that I can make it a priority to set aside a specific amount of money to use every time I go grocery shopping so that our family can start donating more than just around the holidays.