One of the coolest things about summer vacation

One of the coolest things about summer vacation for me has to be coffee cups. Every morning throughout the year I make my coffee. I used to get Gevalia coffee sent to me. It's great coffee, but I found a coffee I really like better...Dunkin' Donuts coffee. I order it online and it is shipped to my home.
What's so cool about coffee cups? Summertime is a slower time for our family. This summer has been crazy busy, but we are now in "camp mode" and most of the kids are at camp. Our schedule has slowed some and we are getting ready for Florida. The cool thing about coffee cups? Oh yeah, I forgot....the cool thing is I can pour my morning coffee in a coffee cup from home. And it's not in a to go cup!
Most of the time I have to pour my coffee in a to go cup and then I roll out the door. Not today. I am sitting at the desk in the office and I have a REAL cup of coffee. A Spider Man coffee cup to be exact. It's really cool with Spider Man even on the inside of the cup! So, here's to a slower summer...a time for real coffee cups..."Coffee...Splenda and half n half...for here, please."

My wife is a very stubborn patient!

Robin does not like to be waited on. She wants to do everything for herself. I am convinced that if she was in the middle of a 42 car pile up, in the hospital for a month and then at home for home health care, she would be up and about...even in a wheelchair...doing laundry, organizing the kids' stuff, fixing her own I.V. drip, while online researching things the kids need.
She's in a lot of pain and it hurts her to move. She fusses at me for doing stuff for me...or at least protests. "You don't have to do that," she says. I want to serve her...I really don't mind helping her. ARRRGGGHHH!! Maybe one day she will let me serve her. I have already learned not to hover and bug her. I keep my distance and simply ask her if she needs something. I am a "doter". I like to dote on people. She despises doting. I have learned a balance. Yet, she still gets a little upset when I do things for her.
Thanks for letting me vent.

I don't know exactly what to say...

I am in a mood. I'm more like in a funk. I am not sure, but it's probably because my routine is off...geeze....I am just like my kids!! Robin is home from her outpatient procedure yesterday. She is really hurting because of the stint at her left kidney. At least she has no kidney stones on the left side! Of course, the 10 on the right make up for the fact that the left kidney is clear. I prayed the night before the surgery...I prayed for no kidney stones.
The fact there is no kidney stones put me in a quandary. Did Robin pass the stones in the week before the procedure, or did God take them away? Why am I so skeptical? Sometimes it's hard to believe that God works like this. I know He is ALL powerful. I know that He is ALL knowing. I guess I'm just doubting a little. I believe, but sometimes I believe He won't. Does that make sense at all?
Anyways...if anyone is reading this post, please continue to pray for my bride.

An ever-present help in trouble

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble."
Psalm 46:1

Wow. I needed to hear those words today! God has been whispering them in my ear today. Have you ever had "one of those days"? Robin and I have had "one of those WEEKS"! The last three days have felt like three months! Here is the rundown of the week so far...please bear with me!
Vacation Bible School Monday through Wednesday 9 AM to 12 PM
Family emergency that Robin had to help with.
Kids off of routine and acting like their world has been ripped apart (We went to VBS, for crying out loud!!)
14 kidney stones....Robin is officially "Rocky"!
One of our kids had a friend spend the night...not stressful...a great friend...but the routine changed!
One of our kids had to go to the emergency room to get an I.V. for dehydration...6 hours waiting in the waiting room.
One of our kids decided on the last day of VBS to go around the church (it's huge) with her friend to look for her friend's sister. It took 30 minutes to find her...we ALWAYS meet at the fish tank!
Our little van decided to break down...transmission...fun fun. My wife called me and said, "There is a new light on that I have never seen...a spoke looking light with an exclamation point in it." Now our four year old is freaking out because the little van isn't at home!

Craziness. Yet through it all...it's all O.K. God has been our refuge...our ever-present help in trouble. Psalm 46 is really awesome...read the whole thing. It has really helped me today. Verses 2-3 say, "Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging." Selah
Selah...Hebrew for pause. Pause and think about this. God is in control. Don't fear.

Verses 10 and 11: "Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord Almighty is with us, the God of Jacob is our fortress." Selah

Pause...
God was exalted today. The best thing about today? My 12 year old accepted Christ today. How amazing! God is on His throne! In the trouble of today, God is in control. How awesome is that!!

Robin is Rocky!

Robin is now officially nicknamed "Rocky". She went to the doctor today and she has 14....fourteen kidney stones. (10 in one kidney and 4 in the other) Please pray for her! She is truly amazing...she still carries on despite the pain. She is facing some procedures in the near future, so please pray! Life is nuts already...let's add some kidney stones in the mix!! Woopee!

Busier than a one-legged man at a butt kicking contest!

Whew! It has been nuts around here. Peaceful Father's Day. Then BLAM! Vacation Bible School is this week and 4 kids attend and one is helping...I'm really proud of the one helping...I'm trying to teach my kids to be servants. I had to register all of the kids and get them to the right place. Robin had a doctor's appointment, so I had all of the kids with me. I leave the church, run to the bank and then get home. O.K. A little breather. NOPE! My sister-in-law had a crisis of sorts and Robin had to go help her. While this was going on, one of my older s called me and she had a flat tire. I went to help her...this is when the sister-in-law situation arose. A friend of ours picked up the kids along with hers and some others, like 8 kids 6 and under...I drove to meet her and get the kids. I did get to catch a breather after getting home.
9:30 PM hit and we desperately needed groceries. Robin thinks I'm nuts, but I really do think milk is the life of our family. The day there is no milk in the fridge is the day our family implodes! So...I went to the store to get groceries.
Times like this drive me crazy....but through it all I see God at work and it's cool to see Him hold us up.

Cool Father's Day

I had a really cool Father's Day. I got to spend most of the day at home and it was awesome. Robin and the kids took me out to eat at UMI, one of our favorite Japanese Steak Houses. I got a Sunday Home Braves Jersey and a gift certificate for a Wii. COOL! But the coolest was the Saturday and Sunday I got to spend with my wife and kids. Saturday we went to Mom and Dad's and we had a blast. We cooked out and had a great meal. Two of my older s came and it was a great evening.
Sunday one of my older s called me to wish me a Happy Father's Day. I spent the day in my "chair" (No, I'm not Archie Bunker!) The kids played and it was a cool day. I got to "soak up" the day with my family. Cool stuff.

My 13 year old is here...here is what she says...

I don't want to say anything. NO!

Stubborn Kids...Stubborn Dad

I have some stubborn kids. One in particular is really fighting us on finishing up some math work that she needs to complete. I was talking to her the other day and it reminded me that sometimes I am just as stubborn. I told her that she knows what is the right thing to do...she just needs to do it. How many times has God said the exact same thing to me? So many times I know what I need to do, I just don't do it. I think God gives us kids to teach us stuff. (that's not the only reason) What do you think??

New Flag

I put up a new American flag at the house today. I am fairly patriotic and I enjoyed putting it up. The kids were curious and the boys were excited about the flag. I try to stick to flag etiquette, so I have a spot light on it to shine at night. I had some fond memories go through my mind as I put the flag outside. I thought about my Uncle Marion. He passed away a while ago...I always respected him. He was a retired Colonel from the Air Force. He always put his flag out on National holidays and he never had it out during the rain. He often complained about how people abused the flag and I sort of promised myself I would always respect Old Glory.
I also thought about our country. Our nation has a lot of problems, but it is still a great nation. We are so blessed. I thought about the folks in the Armed Services...I have so much respect for them. I remember seeing a group of soldiers in uniform walking in the airport. It was a sight to behold. There was almost a silence that surrounded them as they walked. I silently prayed for them as they walked by.
I stepped away from the house when darkness came. There she was...Old Glory...shining in the night. It felt pretty cool to see the flag on the house. May God Bless America!