It's so easy to forget

You know back when it was.....let's say.....mid June? And how it was sunny out and the front door could stay open, the windows were open. Maybe you had the fan blowing on low. I think about that time I forgot to be thankful for the warmth and sunshine. I got so used to it I started to just expect it. Now that I've lived without the warmth and sunshine and open windows and short sleeved shirts and flip flops for what seems like years, it doesn't feel as if I could ever forget to be thankful for it again. It's probably the same way I'll feel when my boys are grown and gone and not around every day. Will I look back and think, "I wish I would have been more thankful for the sticky fingers, stinky socks, home made tents, and even the boy induced bodily function sounds"? I hope I will enjoy all of those things now so I can look back in 15 years and say, "I'm glad I did" and not "I wish I would have". The same could be said about my marriage and my christian walk. I want to live every day, this day, like it is my last because one day I'll be right. I want to love my husband like this is the only day I get to prove to him how dear and precious he is to me. I want to serve my God like this is the last chance I'll ever have to invest in someone else's life for Christ. I'm starting a new Bible study for the ladies in our church. It's a study on marriage and I'm pretty excited about it. It's one of my favorite subjects!! We watched the movie "Fireproof" and purchased journals. The ladies ages and experiences and years married vary so much in this group and I'm thrilled to get the opportunity to teach and learn from them. Please pray for our group, I would love to see marriages strengthened, homes restored, and people come to know Christ through this Bible study. Another thing to pray for....I applied to Troy University in GA. This May I will graduate with my certificate of studies in the IPP program. (Interpreter Prep/Training Program). I have just been informed that I can continue with my education, while working as an interpreter, through online courses. Troy offers an online program that will allow me to obtain my BS online. I'm pretty excited about it. We'll see if I am accepted and if the Lord opens the door for me to go in that direction. Please pray that we will be able to reach more deaf in our area as well and get them in to church to hear the gospel and have their lives changed for eternity.

I wonder what it's like to be bored??

Well it's been a bit since I've posted. Sorry about that. We've been quite the busy little beavers around our house lately. My oldest son, Noah, was diagnosed with epilepsy in late December. We then started to look at Levi, our youngest. We often tease around our house that we have two sets of twins, Daniel and David and then Noah and Levi. Noah and Levi look so much alike, they have the same temperment, and the same "quirks". So our pediatrician decided the wise thing would be to do an EEG on Levi and rule out epilepsy. Unfortunately, his test came back showing abnormalities, high spikes and waves, and seizure activity during the awake and asleep portions of the test. Although it wasn't a complete surprise, I was a little more "stunned" at his diagnosis than I was with Noah's. He is only 4 years old, so I think that has something to do with how I'm feeling about it. So....other than getting to know our local pediatric neurologists, what have the Andrews family been up to?? Brian has started driving the school bus part time and seems to be enjoying that. Noah turned double digits. He had a birthday party at the Christian Center Bowling Alley. He had lots of friends and family there and had a great time. He got two things for his birthday that he's been waiting for for quite some time. He's wanted an ipod and a pocket knife for such a long time. We've told the boys those were two things they would have to wait for until they turned 10. He was thrilled!! Daniel and David are doing well. They are doing great in school. The past few weeks math has gotten much harder for them (I remember Noah reaching this exact same point last year). They have, however, been troopers. They study hard and are smarter than whips! They are Cowboys fans all the way and the older three are signing up for little league baseball this Saturday. We're all pretty excited about that. They are all having their yearly eye exams these next few weeks. David had his today and his eyes are 20/20. YEAH!!! Levi is doing well with his school as well. He's quite the character, keeping us on our toes all the time. I'm almost done with school....I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I am set to graduate in May, Lord willing. I have joined Phi Theta Kappa, which is the honors society at ICC. I'm really enjoying my internship as well. It's a bit daunting, but I'm learning so much and I can't tell you how good it feels to take everything I've learned these past few years and put it to use. The feeling when I'm sitting there interpreting and I think, "wow....I'm doing it. I'm really doing it. And it makes sense." My goal is to be more consistant with this blog. I enjoy writing it, it's a great outlet. Our computer just got fixed this week....we had a total meltdown. So hopefully keeping this updated won't be such a huge task.

Tonight is family night. We've made pizza, chocolate chip cookies, played the wii (well.....not the REAL wii.....just the generic one.), and we're getting ready to make popcorn, all crawl in Mommy's bed and watch a movie. It's been a nice day. Restful. Doing nothing much except enjoying being. Being a wife. (I love it when my husband comes home and night and I see his smile....he looks genuinely happy to be home). Being a mom. (The boys did all their school work today with great attitudes. They are SO excited to cuddle with me and choose to lay in MY bed with ME and watch a movie.....I know there will come a day when that won't be the case, so I'm enjoying it now). Being a sister. (I have the very best little sisters in the entire world!!) Being a daughter. (I am learning more and more that my parents were much smarter than I gave them credit for when I was an all knowing teenager.) Being an aunt. (Since I produced 4 grandsons into the family, it is only fair that my sister bring forth the girls. And boy am I ever glad she did. I am soooooo the cool aunt!! Just ask me and I'll tell you. ;) I love painting Kayla's toenails, putting her hair in pigtails, buying her frilly dresses, and seeing her be thrilled when she arrives at my home and be sad when she has to leave.) Being a grandaughter. (I still love how my grandparents can make me feel special, just like when I was younger. Even though I relish in the fact that I am an adult lady that is very capable, I secretly love when Grandma and Grandpa are around and spoil me.) Most of all......being a child of God. (Wow....to know that although I'm not perfect, that I make mistakes, but that my God has forgiven that all. To know that I have been cleansed, been renewed, made whole. It's just the best thing in the entire world!! Knowing that I will NEVER be alone, ever. Knowing that I never need fear death. Knowing that with Him all things are possible. Having true peace. Hmmm....can't even put a label or name on it. It's worth more than all the money in the world, and then more.) So today.....cheers to being.....well just to "being".

So today I'm not so much Super-wife. I'm not even close to Super-mom. I'm completely, "T-Totally", 100%, full blown Super-tired. This first week back to school has been a killer. I didn't know it was possible to feel as though I were 80 years old, when I am clearly housed in a VERY YOUNG 32 year old (did I just say I was 32??? Sheesh....how did that happen anyway?) body. Since my eyeballs are about to burn out of my head, I'll keep this short. Nothing extremely funny to report today. It was a blessed day, however. I came home from school today and found that my husband had completed the whole day of school with the boys, had my kitchen clean, my living rom clean, the twins room rearranged, the baby napping, and laundry going. I was almost jealous of his success. But I was so thrilled and wanted to enjoy it, so figured jealousy would have to come for a visit another time. I just want to brag on my husband. Other than salvation.....he is the greatest gift I've ever received. I'm totally unworthy of such a great friend, but I'll certainly take it anyway!! Tonight I'm thankful for my wonderful heavenly Father and the great time we had fellowshipping today. I'm thankful for good friends. I'm thankful that my boys still cry if they miss me too much. (Oh to be so loved......). I'm thankful for the ability to learn and the opportunity to exercise my brain. :) That sounded cute....."exercise my brain ;) I guess some part of me needs exercise occasionally. Hope you had a great day. I expect great things from tomorrow!

***DISCLAIMER: This is not an original, I stole it from someone else. ;)***

Be A Chef

If I cook great dishes, make them into literal works of art as I work them up in a commercial kitchen, and serve them to people I’ve never met, or will ever meet again, I am called a chef, an artist!

But, if I cook those same dishes for the ones I love most and I nourish my family in the realm of my fathers home, it is said that I am wasting my talent.

Be a CPA

If I go to school for years, become a CPA, and manage books for other people that I have absolutely no ties with; I’m a career woman, I’m independent, I am a woman of the twenty first century!!!!

But if I, after years of studying, keep my dad’s books, I am then wasting MY life, all that training down the drain!

Be a Childcare Professional

If I take care of a other people’s children, I become their nanny, I am then a childcare professional, I am valuable and important!!!

But, if I take care of and nurture children GOD gives me, then I am old-fashion. I am repressed by a sexist society of dominate males! I am told I am wasting my life!

Be a Cleaning Professional

If I care for rooms, homes or offices that belongs to strangers; I’m a housekeeper, a cleaning professional.

But, if I remove dust bunnies out of my own home and make it clean and orderly for my family; It is thought that I am a house wife and am wasting my life with coupons and soap operas! (who has time for soap operas???)

What is the difference between the examples above? Why is nanny-hood OK, but motherhood frowned upon? Why is professional respected and domestic criticized? Why is going through a secular college an assumed event in every high school graduate’s life, but simply learning at home and continuing education in many mediums highly disregarded?

Ironic isn’t it?

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It is our duty and delight to shine forth as examples of true-womanhood in action. Many of you are exemplary women who have utilized societies tools (college, career etc) to great advantage without being taken advantage of, or losing your foundation.

Today We Make History

Ok.....so maybe it's not exactly history. But that slogan is certainly going around, and well....I wanted to own a piece of it too. ;) Today, however, I do start my very first blog. Who knew??? Who would have guessed??? Then again, I would not have imagined that two 7 year olds could pop a water bed and keep it hidden from their parents for two days using a whole box of bandaids. I would not have imagined 3 worms and a frog could make such a mess in my washing machine. I would never have imagined sitting in a cardboard box and being pulled around on hard wood floors by 4 adorable little boys could keep a little princess entertained for 2 hours. I would never have imagined sticking your head under a running faucet and coming up with a soaking wet head would make a 4 year old "look like a pastor" (in his own words, of course). I would never have imagined that a little person with sticky hands, messy face and sweaty hair could melt my heart by uttering one special word....."Mommy.....". I never imagined I would feel so cherished and loved by such a great man. So I guess writing a blog isn't all that surprising. I'm looking forward to making history....the making of my very first blog.