Have I reminded you lately of Superman.

It's OOOOOOOOVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRR!Yeah! Another semester down and one to go for Nathan's undergrad. Allow me me just take a minute and break down for you how awesome my husband is, if you will.

Four years ago (in January), he made the decision with me (after a lot of prayer and counsel) to pack up our lovely home and our four children (at the time 4,3,1, and 7 weeks old) and move two states away from all of our family, or really ANYONE we knew. He has an AAT in photography, but was only able to transfer elective credits in upon admission. He has worked so hard to keep a healthy balance between home, school, and work. While doing this, he has kept a decent grade point average and even managed SEVERAL A's in classes along the way. There have been many nights when he has stayed up, at this kitchen table, all night long to study or complete a assignment. He started off working part-time overnight and going to school full time during the day. Then, as our family's needs have changed, he has backed off of school to either be more present at home or to work full time to earn more income for us. Half-way through the four years we have been here, we had our Annagail. He was, as always, present and active in every part of that first year--more than willing to slow down on school (to even one class per semester!!) in order that we could adjust to life with five children. This semester, we decided to step it up. He jumped back into a full load at school, even though he was working 40+ hours per week. He has had A TON of work to do, including several papers, book reviews, 2 evaluated speeches, and even memorizing an entire chapter in 2 Timothy!! Many times, I would find Nathan like this in the middle of the night:

Nathan asleep on the floor of the hallway, studying something.

I could go on and on about how blessed I am to have been chosen by this man. He has never wavered from his calling, even when it seemed impossible to face. That is a character trait that cannot be bought. I get goosebumps thinking about the testimony of strength and stamina that our kids are seeing through his life. They know that they don't have the latest and greatest _____________ (fill in the blank with shoes, toys, games,trips, whatever) that flood the airwaves. Honestly though, I don't think they care. It has been a testimony to me to see how little the "latest and greatest" matters when a child has a family that is full of love. Their Daddy is here for them, despite his hectic schedule. On that wonderful day in our future maybe, when we are standing there ready to give them away to their spouse, THAT is what they will remember. They won't have a clue what kind of shoes they wore when they were 5 yrs old or which toy they got for Christmas last year. They will remember Nathan reading through Pilgrim's Progress with them each night, last year before bedtime. They will remember that he made pancakes for them on Saturday mornings and that he always has to open a window to keep the smoke detector from going off. They will remember that he busted his hiney some days, just to ride through carpool line with us, so that he could see them for 10 minutes before he had to jet out to class. They know that, above all else and only under the Lord, we are his highest priority.

I know that I am going on and on here, but I have been really moved over the last few days to take notice of what I have been blessed with. He could have easily thrown us under the bus for his calling. He would have been wrong, but he could have done it. On the contrary, he could have thrown his calling under the bus for us. It would have been MUCH easier to stay in our little house and stay nice, comfy, & convenient. Instead, Nathan wrapped his arms around all of us and stepped right out of that boat. I would be a liar if I said that there was never a time that I worried and fretted over our decision. I probably always will at some point. That is part of MY sin. However, praise the Lord that he gave me the husband who could overcome even my fears, could listen to the Lord, and could just GO. It is one of the many things that I thank the Lord for every day. Also, we haven't always clicked our heels in unison onthe journey, but when we got off synch, we quickly back-up and fix whatever it is that isn't working. Nathan appreciates that when our bond is rocky, nothing else can move forward. That is another of many reasons that I am blessed.

So, "YEAH!!" to the end of another long semester. To the next one coming in January, I say, "Bring it!". To that graduation day that is right around the corner, well, I cannot put into words how my heart feels about THAT day. You'll have to stay tuned until May for THAT one.

8th Verse, Same As The First...(and 2nd, and 3rd, and you get it)

Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends and foes alike,

We have reached that part of the semester that we have come to know as "the trenches". In the restaurant industry, they call it "the weeds". Nathan's school load is at a peak. With school and work, his stress is high. I am supporting him any way can, which sometimes involves just staying up WITH him to make sure HE doesn't fall asleep instead of write his paper, or book review, or curriculum assignment or (fill in the blank). Therefore, I am tired and under stress as well. The kids feel it and they seem a little more...stressed, I guess. It is an acute time in our life, but OH how I can't wait for it to be over!!!

This is the part of the semester that we always try and think about before we say "yes" to service opportunities and commitments outside of the home. In a non-trench time, all of our service and ministry opportunities seem easily achieved. We try (before we commit) to imagine how they will be now, during times when we are already pressed. So, here we are being pressed and serving, and trying to do it with the correct heart-attitude. Being pressed does make serving difficult. Impossible? No. VERY DIFFICULT, yes ma'am! The question I always get asked is why? Why do we teach? Why do we serve in AWANAS? The answer is very simple...

EASY AIN'T A PROMISE!!!! (said with all the love I can muster this morning).

Today, I am tired from AWANAS last night and then staying up to work on crafts for our church's ladies' outreach this weekend. I absolutely DID NOT want to stay up until 2 am to wake Nathan, so that he could get some sleep before burning the midnight oil on a deadline. Never did I think that we would sleep in our bed in shifts. That one NEVER even entered my radar until this semester. These days, it is common.

I am looking forward to being able to post this again. There is joy in the morning friends. The last day of classes this semester is December 8th! It is so close that the release of burden starts to creep into my heart like the sunlight creeps in through that slit that never seems to close in your bedroom curtains. We are pressed right now. We have a lot on us. The past two weeks, in particular, have been heavy laden for me. I am ready to put them down and breathe easy for a few weeks. Nathan's next semester promises to be just as tough as this one, but at the end of it will be a day that we have (until now) thought of in the same way some think of unicorns. He will get his undergrad at the end of this next semester and I know that we will feel SUCH a release! Whew! (I just literally yelped!) It makes me want to push through the weeds even harder now! I know that his education will immediately continue into his graduate work, but OH what a day that will be!!!!!!

So, here I am again friends--asking for your sweet prayers for our family. I am getting over the pride that tells me I ask too much. We need them ALL right now :o) We are pressed. We are weary in our well-doing right now. Last night, after I got the kids to bed (with an elevated tone and a frustrated spirit) I found myself sitting in my chair and just crying. I was so tired and so undone. I ended up spending time curled up with each of them in their beds, just hugging them and reminding them of how much I love them. They were so tired that they had already gone to sleep, but it didn't matter. Just like the 7 before it, we will get through this semester. I thank you for your prayers. The good thing about the weeds is that, as hard as they are to drudge through, you learn to appreciate open fields even more!!