My Ebenezer

I am having technical difficulties with posting my blog. Couple this with the fact that "busy" does not even begin to describe the last couple of weeks, and you'll see why I haven't been posting. Hopefully soon I will be able to figure out why I cannot post, and can fix it. Scratch that; it should say "have my husband fix it." :) P.S. Does anyone know what "javascript void" means? I'm guessing it's not good...

My blog calls to me every day. "Write!" it says, "Remember!" On the other hand, my dishes and laundry and meals and the dirty bathrooms and the floors and empty refrigerator and my family all call my name too. Daily, hourly. And this is fine, I promise! I'm just explaining why sometimes you see me and sometimes you don't. Sometimes life is conducive to me taking a breather and recording my thoughts, and I am deeply grateful for those times. Other times, life is simply not conducive to that and I'm grateful for this too. Life has been very full lately. We've been celebrating Noah's fourth (!) birthday, visiting splash parks to beat the heat, shooting water guns, growing sea monkeys (a birthday gift), making thank-you cards on a rainy afternoon, playing Uno; enjoying each other. I'm so thankful for these blessings and more. :)

After greeting Noah yesterday morning with "Happy Birthday! You're 4 years old today!" he looked down at himself and declared slightly deflated, "But I don't look any bigger. I think I'm still 3." Noah opened a bow and arrow set from Josh and me yesterday, which provided hours of entertainment as he learned and honed his skills as an archer. He's big into Robin Hood these days, and wanted a quiver to put on his back, but we rigged one up on his side instead. Being that his birthday fell on a Wednesday (we go to church on Wed nights), I told him he could have his favorite meal for dinner, and then we will have his party with the cake on Friday evening. Here he is in front of Macaroni and Cheese with Hot Dogs, his all-time favorite meal. And yes, I most certainly did serve the mac n cheese out of the same pot it cooked in. That's just me being my classy self. :) More birthday news and thoughts to come after his party this weekend, Lord-willing! We

Today is my mother's 77th birthday and I wish more than anything that I could have shared it with her (Hi, Mom!). My mom, who taught me how to tie my shoes, and drive a car and mend a relationship, and everything else. Which is an understatement of course. How many "everything elses" are there in life? Can we even count them? How many things do we learn from our mothers? My mom, who loved me when I was unlovely, and poured herself out for me daily without much thanks: this beautiful lady turns 77 today! Happy Birthday, Mom! I love you!

One of my friends posted this link on her facebook page, and it was like looking in a mirror to me, so I had to post it on here. Keep your toes covered when you read this--they might get stepped on! Priorities Don't we all need a wake-up call every once in a while?

With Noah's birthday just 6 days away, the little guy is letting everyone (and I do mean everyone) know about his approaching big day. Only he has no concept of time, so it comes out like this: "Did you know it's my birthday? My birthday is on Wednesday. So tomorrow is Friday and after that it will be next Wednesday soon, and that will be my birthday." Clear as mud. This is the first year he has been eagerly anticipating it, and it kind of took me by surprise. Ever since Brianne's birthday last week, he has been So Excited for his own birthday, which he knows is in July as well. Up until this year I have been able to get by with waiting until the actual day before telling him that we will have cake and ice cream, and giving him a gift. We have managed to keep it very low-key, and invited only family. Not this year. Before I could stop him, I heard Noah announcing to all his neighborhood friends yesterday that he wants them to come to his birthday. (He never said &

I've been chewing on this verse for a few days, and committed it to memory because it was so helpful to me: " 'Do you not fear Me?' declares the LORD. 'Do you not tremble in My presence? For I have placed the sand as a boundary for the sea, An eternal decree, so it cannot cross over it. Though the waves toss, yet they cannot prevail; Though they roar, yet they cannot cross over it.' " Jeremiah 5:22 The Lord is indeed in control of everything in our lives! If He is able to place the sand as a boundary to the sea, and contain the sea by His power, then He can control the tiny and big events in my own life and yours. I'm remembering that and clinging to the truth as I enter my fifth week of illness. I have another cold; my second one in less than a month. Praising the Lord for His sovereignty and grace in my life! Praying that this one doesn't settle in my ears again, if that be His will.

Though I know the answer to that age-old question "which came first?", I am experiencing a similar riddle with my diet. I know two things: 1. I am back in the middle of all my female health concerns. 2. I am not sticking to my diet as well as I could be. I just couldn't tell you which was the cause and which was the effect or if they're even related at all. Did I start experiencing cycle issues, and so I answered the hormonal call of chocolate, bread, and dairy? Or did I first give in to temptation and thereby open the floodgate of hormonal problems? I just can't remember. This has not been an incredibly healthy month for me. Cold, ear infection, ruptured eardrum, cycle problems, and 2 other infections which shall remain nameless.... I am at a crossroads of sorts. It would seem I need to either quit the diet and assume it's not working at all, or become even more strict and cut out ALL foods that are questionable. Either way it seems I'm risking my sanity.

This Fourth of July went down as one of my favorites in recent memory. The blessings of spending holidays with family are numerous. Dave and Andrea were able to come down for a visit, and Matt and Jen and their family were here too. We had a very relaxing day riding the jet-skis, eating great food, and spending such fun times with everyone. On the beach July 2nd. Pre-haircut. Eesh. Dave and Andrea on the jet ski. Andrea trying not to be worried. Telling herself it was going to be okay. It was! Matt getting ready for a tube ride. Hold on tight! Josh, Noah, and a neighbor girl pulling Matt on the tube. Aunt Andrea and Uncle Dave with the kids Admittedly not the best picture of Jen. But she's happy because she just got the best haircut of her life! :) Brianne telling herself it was going to be okay. It was! Brianne's haircut made her look like such a big girl! Titus coming after Uncle Dave

I have found a new hairstylist. THE hairstylist. The one that I have been looking for all my life; who listens to me, and gets me, and does what I ask . Imagine that. Take a look at what she did: This is the first haircut I have had in a LONG time where I have not had to tell myself, "at least it will grow." Who accomplished this amazing feat? The newest Mrs. Rowley. :) Dave and Andrea came from Greenville, SC for a visit here July 4th weekend, and upon request, Andrea brought her scissors. Jen, Brianne, and I had a haircutting party on Tuesday morning and Andrea quickly established herself as the best hairstylist any of us have ever had. Jen and I are now concocting plans to make the 6 hour commute every 3 months or so. Or get Dave and Andrea to move down here. Either one.