Gonna be awol...

Tomorrow we set out on our vacation to see Laurie, Stephen & our little Kasey. I was only supposed to work til 3 today and then we had a few things get complicated so I stayed until 4:45. That was my choice, but still I feel a lot better if the loose ends are all tied up before I leave for any length of time. So we are all packed, except for my girlie stuff that I use in the morning like makeup and curling iron...you know the drill. :)
We've been waiting for this vacation for a long time. It's my first visit to their new home since they moved in...Ron was there in May to help with projects and to spoil Kasey. I will probably check in once or twice but we are renting a cabin with Laurie and Stephen for a few days so no computer. As much as I enjoy the computer, it will be nice to just be away from everything. Know what I mean? I'm taking a little camoflage Bible with me - Psalms and New Testament - easy to tuck into any suitcase and I am counting on some quiet mornings with the Lord. We'll be busy but there will surely be some time with Him.
Before I go, know that you are in my heart, especially my friends with deployed - or ready to be deployed - soldiers. For Emily, Barb, Wendy and Fran and anyone else reading this - may God keep you and your soldiers strong until you are reunited.
I wish that all of you could be taking a trip to see your soldiers as Ron and I are.
Be blessed my friends - God is watching over us all and holds us close.
May His love & peace be with you, & may His grace be sufficient for us all. Sue

Sunday nights...

Hi everyone. It's Sunday night, the end of another weekend, but instead of being stressed about the week ahead, I am counting the hours until Ron and I leave for vacation. Lots to do tomorrow at work, but will leave early so that I can get home and finish packing.
I learned a lot about stamina today as I assisted with a 5k race our church sponsored. It was hot and I mean really hot, but as I watched the racers pass me by, it was amazing. Some of them were struggling toward the end, but they all thanked us for helping to watch the traffic and for cheering them on. Scripture has a few verses about running the race..
2 Timothy 4: 7..."I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith..."
Hebrews 12:1; " let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so entangles, and let us run with perseverence the race marked out for us."
I don't know about you, but I sometimes get tired of running the race. I sometimes feel like I'm on one of those wheels that hamsters use. And yet, as the author of Hebrews encourages:
"Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men so that you may not grow weary and lose heart."
Powerful words. Jesus endured so much for us and surely must have been weary. We KNOW he was weary in the garden of Gethsemane as he spoke to his Father, but he did not give up the cup his Father asked him to drink.
Worried? Tired? Sure we are. Uncertain? Struggling? Who isn't?
"But I fix my eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith."
Good words from Hebrews....as a new week begins, may we remember that God is with us - that we may not lose heart.
Blessings my friends,
Sue

Well, I think I have it figured out. They aren't perfectly lined up but they are all with the right family!
Scott, Tina, Veronica and Luke



Kasey - our little man - and his mommy and daddy, our soldiers.
Ron & I - Can I have this waltz for the rest of our lives?

Good Saturday to you all!
Well, I hope you like the pictures. I had them all up yesterday, but being the perfectionist that I am (yeah, right) I wanted to adjust them a bit. Then I had this cookie thing going on so I just gave up.
I brought work home with me this weekend so wanted to get going on that but also figured I would try this picture thing again with fresh eyes.
What's on your agenda for this weekend? For me it's work, meetings at church, helping with our 5k run our church is sponsoring (not running) and various other activities...but especially my date with Ron today. It's HOT HOT HOT here again today, but that's ok.
You know what? I have never stated my political opinion here, or how I see the war in Iraq, or whether President Bush is "my" President. The war has affected me big time, not just because of Laurie and Stephen, but also because there are so many soldiers that are loved by my friends. And so I can't just leave a vague comment here...it's something I am passionate about...and I suspect many of you are as well. So I will keep that post for a different day. It deserves it's own post apart from other things.
Meanwhile, these are the people who play a major part in how my world goes around. Faith has helped shape who you see in these pictures...I remember when Scott was in Kindergarten and he said to me one day..."mom, for Christmas, I want Jesus to come into my heart." And I said, "honey, He's already there." And I know that Laurie walks with Him as well. That is comforting to a Christian mom. One less thing to worry about.
I hope that your weekend will be a joyful one -
God's peace and love,
Sue

Stay tuned!!


Well, I did a dumb thing. I was trying to fix some of the pictures that I posted this morning of my family...and for some reason got things all messed up. I can still post, but am having trouble posting pix. It's ok - I'll figure it out...computers, a love/hate thing. Mostly love 'cause it's led to many, many friendships. So I'll try re-posting the pix tomorrow.
So now that I'm here, hope that your Friday has been a good one. Things are a little stressed here as I try to get everything done before we leave to visit the kids on Tuesday. You will never see me post where Laurie and Stephen and Kasey live - most of my MM friends know, and Erik and Emily know, but I guess our MM website security rules have kind of sunk in and I am kind of protective of our military kids and where they live. Call me crazy. :)
Tonight is movie night - Ron always goes to the local video place and gets three movies on Friday. We watch one on Friday night (if I can stay awake we watch the good one..and if I fall asleep he watches the horror/sci-fi movie that he always rents. USUALLY he gets two good movies and the horror one which I tend not to watch. Good grief, I have enough trouble getting to sleep at night!
There are lots of people on my heart tonight...family AND friends. It's not an easy world to live in, is it? No matter what generation we are, we have experienced war. Some of us because we have children or spouses or other loved ones serving here and now, or love a veteran of a past conflict. What ever the circumstance - it is a bridge. We know the fear, the hardship, the loneliness, and God willing, the relief of homecoming. No matter how we feel about the war, we agree on one thing - we love our troops.
So, if you are struggling, or waiting, or fearful, or lonely, remember that there's this bridge. And it connects us all.
I'm so grateful that it connects me to you.
Blessings,
Sue

The whole world is in His hands.

Hi everyone...Wednesday...PAYDAY!!! Today was a busy one at work again...but little by little I can see the surface of my desk. If I can see at least half of it before I leave on vacation I'll be happy. Ha ha. It's not THAT bad, but for an office that is supposed to be going paperless, we sure do have a lot of paper. With 27, 000 students, most of whom receive financial aid of some sort, it sure gets busy.
Today I am thinking especially of my friends who have someone deployed. Wendy, Barb, Emily, and so many of my friends at militarymoms. It sure isn't an easy time to have a loved one serving in the Middle East - or anywhere, really. Things are so uncertain and yet, the hands that are in the graphic above remind us of His never ceasing love for us - and for those we love. And sometimes there are situations in your life that have nothing to do with the military, and yet they are breaking your heart or causing so much stress that you don't know where to turn or who to talk to. Sometimes you can't talk about it because that makes it REAL and then you have to deal with it. For my friends dealing with deployment, remember it's too big to carry by yourself. My friends Emily and Barb have been on this road for awhile now...remember that you are not traveling alone.
To my friends Wendy and Fran - the two military moms in my life who are just recently beginning to deal with deployment...with Wendy's son Jay just deployed and Fran just getting the news that her Vinny will be deployed after all...I can only tell you that God is with you every step of the way. And so are we. Remember that you are never alone - and though we can't be with you in person, and your heart may feel soooo lonely for your son...Jay and Vinny will be in God's care. Remember the MMs motto - Jesus on one side, MMs friends on the other.
Nails pierced Jesus' hands..and I know that fear will pierce your heart during the months ahead...but it is all in His hands...they may have been pierced, but they hold the world. Securely.
Thank you for stopping by - God bless and be with you.
Sue

Good friends are the glue that hold us together!

Far left: me, Nancy, Paula, Barb, Chris, Colleen, Betty, Karen, Chrisbeth, Sueski, Fran, Jeanette, Wendy...Military moms...support and encouragement and love

Tonight I had dinner with a couple of old friends at Olive Garden. Pat and Joan. We do this once a year - at least Pat and I do, sometimes Joan can't make it. Pat lives in FL most of the year and comes back to our area to visit once or twice a year. She used to be my Supervisor - and she was one of my mentors. I learned so much from her. And she was my friend. Sometimes we learn the most just because someone took the time to be a friend. We had a great time tonight.
In tonight's post, I would like to talk about my friend Nancy - we call her Cheese cause she is a Packers fan from Wisconsin. There are a group of us at our military moms website who have become the best of friends. We are from all over the country, but Nancy is kind of the glue that holds us all together. We began as Cyber friends, now we are sisters in Christ. We have visted each other's home - even though we are hundreds of miles apart, we know that we are always in prayer for one another and for each other's children. Nancy never tires of serving others..she serves the Lord faithfully at her church and takes His love to others through her energy, ambition, kindness and love. She is tireless. Truly, the Holy Spirit leads her in all things.
She will be uncomfortable when she reads this and her comment is likely to be BLTHHHHHT - she does that very well too.
Nancy is a friend in the truest sense of the word. God knew we needed her. Her son Josh is a veteran now, but she loves many soldiers - my own two soldiers included - and supports every branch of the military as though they were her own children. I love Nancy - one of many who do. So I have to share her, but in doing that, she connects me to many many others. You know who you are..and don't worry - you're on my list of top 10 things I need to post about.
Thank you for who you are Nancy. I love you for infinity.
See you tomorrow - God be with you all and God bless our troops.
Sue

My grace is sufficient for you.
Three times the apostle Paul asked the Lord to remove a thorn from his side - not a thorn in the literal sense, but an illness. And the Lord spoke these words to Paul..."My grace is sufficient for you."
Ever have a thorn in your side? We say that about situations or dilemmas that won't go away and we don't know how to deal with them. Or, as in Paul's case, a weakness or illness that just seems to sap our strength - and we spend more time concentrating on the weakness than seeking the strength that is available to us.
My thorn is worry. I am a devout Christian, but am also a worrier. Isn't that an oxymoron? I suppose it stems from the fact that I am a mom. And worry is what moms do best...isn't it? Well, hopefully loving our children is what we do best, but worry is a close second. So today, during worship, when these words were read from 2 Corinthians, I felt like scrunching down in the pew because I keep forgetting them. I pray for Paul's boldness of faith that I may find the constant storehouse of strength that is in Jesus. It's not an easy thing to do..it takes practice and constant reminders - kind of like having to wear a string around my finger to remind me to stop and get a loaf of bread or gallon of milk after a busy day at work.
Because if I can remember His grace, then I can remember the rest of Paul's words..."For when I am weak, then I am strong."
God bless your day..
Sue

My kind of day...
It's one of those dark and rainy days. I slept late this morning - later than I've slept in years - when I woke up and saw the clock, I thought I was seeing things! I guess I was more tired than I thought last night.
So, it's been one of those mornings when two - count them, two - cups of coffee taste especially good 'cause I 'm not rushing around getting ready for work. We'll be leaving in a little while for our date - today will be our usual visit with Scott and Veronica (Tina and Luke are going to the movies) and then a stop at the mall and dinner out. I've been trying to stick with my diet the past couple of Saturdays by ordering fish, but today feels more like a comfort food type of day. I guess the packing and preparation for our trip can wait til tomorrow. And the cleaning can wait for another day too. There are some things I need to do for church as well, so tomorrow will not be a day of rest.
What do you like to do on Saturday? Spend a day with the kids? Run all your errands? Kick back on the deck with a beer or iced tea? (or Jim Beam and water - my occasional choice :) I'd like this site to be about my friends too - so please share your favorite things - don't let it just be about what I have to say.
Tonight when we get home I would like to work on posting some pictures so I can personalize this site a little more. Meanwhile, may God bless your day - whatever you may do.
Joy and blessings in His name,
Sue

What a week...
T.G.I.F. Between trying to make sure we were getting our students set with their financial aid before the fall bills run tomorrow, and finding a few "surprises" in the systems that we use every day, life sure has been interesting this week. Tonight at VBS, the staff could barely drag themselves up the stairs from the fellowship hall as we gathered in the sanctuary for the closing. Well not ALL of the staff were dragging - just us "mature" people. :) The closing went well - it was a great week and the kids were still ready for more as we closed with the Gospel Express theme song. It won't be something I can do again but I sure enjoyed it this year.
Next week is my last week of work before we visit Laurie, Stephen and Kasey for our vacation. So it will be another busy one getting packed and getting my desk cleared at work. Anyone have a match? :)
I just wanted to say thank you all for visiting so regularly. It's hard to believe that I've been posting over a week now. Blogging used to be a word that I never understood. It's all new to me - but I had some good teachers as to where to begin. Thanks Cathy and Erik and Emily. But I say thank you not just for your websites and the words you share, but your sacrifices too. Cathy - your Dan being deployed for a year while losing your other son at home...praise God Dan is safely home and to think you also know one of Laurie's best friends - how small this world can be sometimes. Erik for the sacrifices you and Missy and the kids made during the time you were deployed - and for always making me smile, and for teaching me that people really do care about what's on our mind - that they actually go to a website to read it. For your trust in a stranger by letting me be in contact with your precious family. And Emily...we have not known each other that long...but you are a blessing to me as well for your faith and to think you know one of MY dearest friends in all the world. What you and Dan are sacrificing even now as I type...never think that it is forgotten or unappreciated.
And then there are my Military Mom friends - this will be a separate post in itself. If you are reading this, remember that I love you but if you are Wendy or Barbara, I am praying for Jay and for Nathan. And for peace in your hearts. I truly understand.
Tomorrow is Saturday. We may or may not go on a date...will start to get things ready for our trip and maybe go out for a quick bite to eat. Lots to do. I need to figure out how to post real pictures. You'd think somebody my age would know how to do this stuff.
I learned a lot this week...about work (crunch time can be fun - I love a challenge); about serving God - VBS is still a wonderful place to be and that I am thankful that He led me to help this year; and most of all that I have friends to visit with each day - even if it's a cyber visit. I love your company.
Sleep well my friends - tomorrow is another day.
Sue

Changing my mind...

It always seems like I get an idea for a post, only to have God lead me to another. I have a friend at church - her name is Diane. She is one of the sweetest women I have ever met, with a quiet strength that is amazing. She has three beautiful daughters, the oldest of whom recently gave birth to a baby boy with Downs syndrome. His name is Collin - and the road he has traveled in his short life has not been easy. He's been in the hospital for several weeks - heart problems, and intestinal problems which will need surgery, and leukemia as well. But tonight, Collin is finally at home with his mommy and daddy and his big brother Sean. I just received an email with some pictures from Diane - pictures of Collin in his own crib, sleeping like a little angel - the look on his little face totally at peace.
God is so good to give us these blessings. Tonight a young mom's eyes will close in sleep knowing that her baby is at home. Her rest will be the best she has had in a long while, and yet it will be a vigilant sleep as well.
Someone I used to work with came through the office the other day and asked me what's so great about being a grandma. There are no words to describe it - not words which are adequate anyway. I think about holding Veronica and Kasey when they were newborns - that feeling of total love and peace when a baby is asleep on your shoulder, the sweet scent of baby powder more lovely than the finest perfume. When you have children, you think nothing could be more wonderful than holding your baby. But then comes the raising of that child, all the good and bad experiences and the busyness of their lives which make them dependent on you for a lot more than when they are babies. (Yet they would NEVER admit they are dependent on you when they are 14 and need a ride to the mall and you have to pick up 4 of their friends on the way...and then go back and pick them all up, take them all home, order pizza and listen to them giggle the rest of the night when they do an impromptu sleepover at your house. I sometimes miss those days).But when they marry and have their own children, the peace and contentment and amazing love comes flooding back the very moment they place their child in your arms.
Tomorrow my friend will hold her grandson - a little boy who has much ahead of him. But oh the love that will get him through every step of the way.
Praise God for His tender mercies.
Sue

I hugged a Marine today.
Well, I didn't get to post yesterday...but God sure gave me a wonderful opportunity today. Just a little while ago, one of my co-workers - Kathy - came to my desk asking me to come out in the hallway. Her son is home on leave...is going to the sandbox in a few weeks. Just a couple of weeks ago she was thrilled because his enlistment was almost over...he was feeling like he hadn't accomplished a lot because he never got to the sand. I told Kathy at the time he accomplished great things by being a Marine. Last week, Kathy came to my desk.. she looked a bit tired...and she said that a stop loss had been issued and her son will be going to the sand. And so today, he stopped by the office to see her...and she brought him over to our area. Well, of course I had to hug him (I was polite and asked him first). I told him all the things you tell a deploying serviceman. Be careful, God bless you, THANK YOU...and that we would take care of his mom while he is away. It put things into perspective...all morning long I had been stressing about "stuff." You know...the stuff that stresses you out at work or at home or on the morning commute. The programs that you use each day at work may fail; the cable modem for your computer at home is down; the cost of gas goes up to $2.99. It's all stuff. The things that really matter are simple: cherish your family, help others, hug someone and tell them you love them. DO SOMETHING GOOD. And every chance you get...hug a Soldier or Sailor, a Marine or an Airman....
I hugged a Marine today...I hope and pray that he felt the love and respect and admiration that I feel for all our men and women in uniform...It was a hug for Laurie and Stephen and Erik, and Dan, and Billy...for Nate and for Jay as well. For all who serve...though I don't know all of their names, God knows each and every one - at home or far away. He puts the courage in their hearts and the faith in the hearts of all who wait.
It's a comforting feeling to know that God loves them even more than we do.
God bless your day..may His peace be with you.
Sue

Hop on Board...
This week is Vacation Bible School at church...VBS. The past few years, our Pastor has decided to have it in the evening to encourage participation since so many people work during the day. Although I haven't participated in VBS for a long time, this year I was led to sign up to help. There's something about a group of kids singing songs and playing volley ball in 90 degree heat that appealed to me this year. Seriously, their energy and childlike faith are contagious - it's fun to be there. So I am one of the "conductors" leading the pre-k, kindergarten and 1st graders between story time and games, cinema and snack, and of course the craft time. Do you KNOW how much kids that age enjoy using glue? And how MUCH they feel they should use? Not pretty...but it was fun for the kids and that's why they are there. I especially enjoyed watching one of the 3 year olds. He was with his grandma...wouldn't let her out of his sight...he was so shy.
Gradually, during the Bible story, he left her arms, and joined the kids. I watched as he really began to lose his shyness and enjoyed participating in the telling of the story and answering the questions. His grandma took a step back and sat down...within his line of sight, but away from him. Big step for a grandma - bigger still for her grandson.
Laurie was shy as a little girl. We used to go to a local restaurant...the kind that had baskets of peanuts on the table and peanut shells all over the floor. They had a clown walking around making animals out of balloons. She was so afraid of clowns - when she saw him headed for our table she would always take a drink of her soda - she couldn't see him over the glass and she assumed he couldn't see her. What a funny little girl...but really, aren't we all like that in a way? How often do we avoid doing what we know God calls us to do? As the little boy at VBS did tonight, for a few moments he joined in...took a step forward and forgot his fear.
It was kind of a long day, but tomorrow will be another - a new workday and a new VBS experience as well. The Gospel Express is our theme. Spreading the good news of Jesus.
Hop on board! After all, we have the easy part. Jesus did the saving...we just need to tell of the Savior.
God bless our troops.
Sue

Don't be afraid...just believe!!
This verse from the gospel of Mark served as the basis for our Pastor's sermon today. Just as I did, I suspect all of our congregation needed to hear these words this morning - the world is not a peaceful place. Yet, just as Jesus spoke those words to Jairus, a synagogue leader, concerning Jairus' daughter who was dying, Jesus speaks these same words to us all. Are we listening - am I listening? If we are following Fox news, or CNN, or MSNBC...well, you know what I'm talking about. It's not easy to NOT be afraid. Especially those of us who have loved ones serving. For those with loved ones in the sand, believe that those soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines are in the prayers of nearly everyone in America-everyone who believes, and we definitely out number those who don't. Those prayers are rising every moment of the day. They are spoken in faith, with confidence, and with trust. "Don't be afraid - just believe!"
He embraces us all. Can you feel it?
Blessings,
Sue

Saturday. Didn't it seem like it took an awfully long time for the weekend to get here? It's a warm one in our neck of the woods - Ron just went outside and he said it feels like a rain forest out there with the heat and humidity just hanging in the air. I guess we won't be looking for an RV today - maybe we'll go to a movie or something. Thank goodness for central air - I kind of dragged my feet on it when Ron first suggested it (I do that about many of his projects around here). Sure am glad he's the boss and went ahead with it (as all the other projects turned out great too :)
Today I would like to send you to a few other websites, if you have the time. The first, www.militarymoms.net is one which is very dear to my heart. Support and encouragement for military families, with an emphasis on faith, prayer, and friendship. I have met many wonderful people (all military moms or wives) through MMs from all corners of this great nation, and everywhere in between. Many of them I have met in person, others are "cyber" friends whom I would be lost without. Not to mention countless military moms right here in my hometown. I've been a member there for nearly 5 years...and it was through that website that I learned this deep pride (and sometimes the anguish) is not an uncommon thing. It was good to know that there are others walking in the same shoes (although sometimes I could use a pair of good, comfortable slippers).
And then there is my friend Erik Holtan, whose Long, Strange Trip took me to the sands of Iraq through the eyes of a soldier. His blog is excellent and though I eventually will post the link on the side of this blog, until I know how to do that he's located at http://erikholtan.blogspot.com/ Thankfully he is safely back home in MN with his beautiful wife Missy and their three (almost 4) children. He is honest, to the point and almost never at a loss for words. :)
Through Erik, I "met" Emily Bari, a military wife from MN whose hubby Dan is in the sand. Her blog is beautiful - Consider how the Lilies Grow and can be found at http://emilybari.blogspot.com/ She is walking in faith and is an inspiration to anyone who has a loved one serving in the sand.
Well, guess that's about it for today. God bless your day and may you find joy in your corner of the world - wherever that may be.
Blessings,
Sue

Well, here we are ~ Friday at last! I love the weekends - date day for Ron and I on Saturdays. We visit our son and daughter in law, Scott and Tina, and our granddaughter Veronica. She's 2 - has us all wrapped around her little finger, especially her grandpa. Veronica has a brother Luke who is almost 9...a great kid - we love him to pieces too. Then we'll do some shopping or run some errands and then out for dinner. It's not what some would consider an exciting day, but for Ron and me, it's the day we wait for all week long. And this weekend I'll be tweaking this site a bit - adding some color and some pix...it's something I look forward to doing. If you have any suggestions, please don't hesitate to let me know in your comments.
Thanks for visiting my site - it's my first attempt at having my own site, although I have a couple of good friends and I visit their sites quite regularly...when I figure out how to do it, I'll post their links. :) In yesterday's post, I mentioned that Laurie recently re-joined the military - this will be my coping mechanism. For anyone out there who is in the same shoes as I, it's my hope that this will be a place where you can feel at home...because I understand your heart.
Always the protective mom, I probably will keep the personal information regarding my soldiers to a minimum. I will tell you that they have a 16 month old son named Kasey who sure knows how to charm the ladies. It's wonderful to be a grandma and to see how our children have grown into their role as parents. For Ron and I, the last 8 years have been a mixture of pride, of fear, a little bit of frustration and a lot of tears. From the day Laurie enlisted - til this very moment, we have been enlightened in so many ways. Not just by how well Laurie did, but also by seeing our son adjusting to this military family thing in his own way. He is the oldest child, but life has not always been easy for him.
My children ~ military and non military ~ are the inspiration behind most of my writing. And of course my faith and the husband God gifted me with. Our Stephen and our Tina...they are not my son in law and daughter in law...they are our second son and daughter. We are blessed.
Tomorrow is another day - enjoy today and be blessed. Thanks for stopping by.
Blessings,
Sue

Blue star service banners tell so much about a home and who lives there. A passerby needs only to see one to know that someone in uniform is loved by those who live there. 18 months ago, the 2 Star banner in our front window was replaced with 1 Star as our daughter Laurie completed 7 years of active Army service. We became a single soldier family as Laurie’s husband Stephen continued to serve. They had a baby boy and life seemed good. But life as a military mom is like being on a roller coaster. Your children go to the sand and you learn that prayer and trust are your two best friends. You see the happiness in your soldiers’ eyes as they are reunited after their deployment. And all the while, keeping in mind the children and grandchildren here at home. It’s not just about the soldiers, but about the soldier’s sibling - your son, and the things going on in his life. The world spins every day, your job needs your attention; you spread yourself thin sometimes, but love the fact that you are needed. You worry, you pray and finally you trust. And you are strong when you need to be. Your soldiers count on your faith and your prayers.
This – and so much more – is the life of a military mom.
A few weeks ago, Laurie called, and with voice quivering, she said, "Mom & Dad, I miss being a soldier." The dips and curves on the coaster grew sharper as she joined the Army Reserves.
Along life’s journey we are sometimes asked to take uncertain paths. We step out with trepidation and yet, God is there. These are not uncharted waters for me, but in this day and age a lifeboat is a blessing. The lifeboat isn’t seen except in the love and goodness of those who love you and those who pray for your family. But never forget they need you as well. He is present in all of these things as His gifts work through these earthly angels. With faith in God and trust in His will, and a lot of prayers, my journey begins.
Once again, I am a two star mom.