I just had to update and let you all know we woke up this morning to snow. As i look out the window now wonderful snow is coming down. Even though I am not a huge fan of  cold and snow it is a amazing reminder of who is in control and that HE held off the snow until the building was all closed in.

God is good!

It is unheard of that it is almost the middle of November and it has not snowed! First, we had a wonderful Halloween with no snow, very weird and usual for us, and now it is November and, you guessed it no snow. I am no weather person and am not sure about weather patterns but… I can  bet you it will snow sometime soon. How do I know you ask?  Well let me tell you…

My husband is  a pastor of a church in Colorado Springs and we are building a new building.  The whole project has been, well, a nightmare.  Getting permits,  city approval, and all the sub contractors ready has been a really difficult and tedious process. The project is finally on tract and going well and we have been praying that the workers would get it all closed in before the weather hits.  Recently the weather has changed, the skies have been cloudy and the threat of snow has been real, but it hasn’t snowed, and today the last of the siding went up. I for one would LOVE it if it snowed tomorrow! It would be GOD just showing off – just showing us all how in charge HE is!

Even if it doesn’t snow tomorrow, I still believe that God in HIS graciousness to us has held off the weather so the building could get closed in with no problems! So now, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

Heres to knowing who controls the weather!

On a very snowy day 15 years ago in a very small country chapel I said “I do.” There was so much I didin’t know about marriage and the life I had ahead of me.  I didn’t know I would have four kids, I didn’t know that marriage is work and you have to fight for it. I didn’t know how we (Graham and I) would change into the people we are today. I didn’t know I would become a pastors wife – that wasn’t part of the orginal deal.(haha)

 I also didn’t know, he would still make me laugh after 15 years, that I would still miss him when he was gone and that he would still be the one I want to talk to after something big happens.  We have been through some really hard times, like any marriage, but today we are stronger for those times. I am glad I didn’t know all that marriage would entail – it has been quite a ride and I can’t wait to see what the next 15 years have in store for us. 

Here is to marrying the man of your dreams and realizing 15 year later he still is the one!

I have had one of those weeks and it is only Tuesday. My daughters are having some problems with a former friend, and while I would like to say it typical teenage stuff it has become a little more serious than that, and Graham and I are in the middle of it with the school, and well, it is so frustrating. I was sitting here tonight feeling a little like “Lord why is this happening?”  And frankly, not really in a very nice tone,  I was saying this. It was more like me whining, telling God how we don’t need this right now. Then I went on the computer to read my favorite blog and wow did the Lord put me in my place. First I went to Transplantingme my favorite place to go.  She is a friend who has moved to Thailand with her whole family, her recent blog is about Poverty: it is blog action day for Compassion International and she is one of their bloggers. She writes about how she has felt poor in the past, maybe because she couldn’t afford to go to Starbucks with a friend, but she knows that is not poverty. Thank you Lord, for I have a roof over my head and my house is warm tonight and my kids bellies are full.

Then I went over to Bring the Rain. I LOVE this blog what a amazing story she has and what a inspiration she is! Her blog was about how October 15th is National Remembrance Day for pregnancy and infant loss . The lady who writes this blog lost her daughter hours after she was born.  In this blog entry she invites her readers who have lost children to share there loss.  Over 300 ladies responded!  I sat and read them and was overwhelmed by all the loss. I have four healthy kids (Praise God) and I can’t imagine that loss. Thank you Lord for my children!

So my lessons so wonderfully taught to me tonight:

1. Return to being Thankful for all I have.

2. Spend less time asking God “Why is this happening?”

3. I have no idea how good I have it!

I encourage you to read these ladies blogs: both are amazing women who have done amazing things that take great strength. I hope to grow up to be like them.

Here is to very wise and strong women all over the world, some who sit tonight with kids with empty stomachs wondering how they will find food for their families tomorrow and to some women who sit in a empty nursery still grieving what could have been. I pray the Lord will be close to you tonight like He was to me.

Last night I got to see someone I haven’t seen in about 2 years. It was great to see her, I recognized her right off the bat. She had the same laugh, and loved being with people. She is different in some ways, you can tell she has been through some stuff. It seems as if she had grown, there is a confidence that was lost but is slowly coming back. It was good to see her I am so glad she is back.

That person is me, and I am finding my way out.  Last night Graham and I went to the Pikes Peak Baptist association annual meeting, I know your  thinking that doesn’t sound fun, but it actually was. There were pastors from all over the Pikes Peak area, some of which we knew. One of the pastors we started ministry with many years ago was there with his wife. Others we were just meeting, but what I realized half way through the night was, hey – I am back! I felt like myself again, I am not sure when or how or why but, I just felt more like me then I have felt in 2 years. I was laughing, and not that made up hahaha kind but really laughing, I was enjoying meeting people, and it was a great evening of pastors encouraging each other while finding out what has been going on in each others churches. I also got to listen to a fellow pastors wife who was struggling with some stuff I had been through in the last 2 years. I love when God allows you to use your pain to help someone else going through the same thing. I think it is very healing.

It was a great night, it is good to see signs of the old Trish coming back.  Hopefully she will be wiser and much more dependent on God for her happiness. Last night was a small step in the right direction.

Here is to finding your self again, it is good to be back!

Today was national see you at the pole day, for those of you who don’t know that is were high school students who believe in the Lord gather at the flag pole at school and pray 1 hour before school. It is a time for students to not only take a stand for Christ but to meet others at their school who also are believers, as they come together to pray for their school, teachers and each other.

My twins went to see you at the pole today. I was so impressed; first, they had to be there by 6:30 am which means for high school girls you have to get up really, really early to get ready. As I drove them and two of their friends there, the car was quiet with nerves I could almost here them thinking out loud, “ will anyone else be there?”  It was a very quiet ride, which is unusual for this group. Finally, we came around the corner and saw other kids there and I felt a collective sigh in the car. I dropped them off and as I drove off I stopped and watched for a minute as they walked up and joined the circle and prayed. I was so impressed and proud! “Wow,” I thought to myself, “when did they get so grown up?” Then I thought, would I be so bold to do that if there was a meet you at the mailbox day for moms – would I do it? Would I walk out and pray for all to see not knowing if anyone else would be there? I would like to think yes but… would I? I have been a Christian all my life and still I think, that would cause me to stop and consider, even if only for a moment, about how weird that might be or what if people walk by? What about you? Would you meet at the pole not knowing what others would think or say at work?  I so respect all the kids all over the country who did meet at the pole, it takes a lot of maturity and confidence to go and make a stand. Way to go! Not only that, but prayer changes things and I can’t think of a school in this country that doesn’t need prayer.

So here is to brave teenagers, may you always be as bold in your faith as you were today; I know your heavenly father was there with you at those poles!

One of my dearest friends left me many months ago.  She got on a plane and moved, not just to another state, but to another country!  She did however, leave me something to remember her by…  every day as I load up the kids to do my usual rounds of drop off and pick up for school, I remember her.  She left me her Mazda MPV minivan, and I am so thankful.  We needed a car, and she graciously met that need.  But that is not where the story ends…

Once she was safely on the soil of another continent, my family and I decided we needed to customize the van to fit OUR family.  It was a heavy decision, but we made it non-the-less and in a very non-threatening (or so we thought) way.  Apparently a very small action on our part, was no small action on theirs…  (Truly we were only trying to help S9 out!)  My friend tells her version quite well at Transplantingme, so catch up there…

Admittedly, we did do the scraping.  It was a sorrowful moment, and it did feel weird.  No prayers were spoken, however there was a moment of silence, but only a moment because our son never stops talking…  The BFF did shed a tear, and of course that led to more of us tearing up… She did her best to protect her BFF, but to no avail… 

So tonight, to “Write” a wrong, I headed to the store to replace that which was so cherished.  The thing in question should be set right, and I was going to make sure that all was put back in order before my head hit the sheets.

So here is to you, Transplantingme… I hope these pictures make up for all that was lost, all that was sacred is restored and you are still on our hearts, in our prayers, and in the van!

The work begins…

No little stickers to represent our friends here mind you!

Ode to A11, from your BFF… Life isn’t the same without you here!

Here you are going from here to there…

and here is what we are hoping for someday!

And did we mention, we would gladly give the MPV back if you were here!  Shoe polish and all!

Here is to great friends, who make you laugh, even from far far away… I miss you.

This weekend was the big wedding of my nephew and we had a great time. We left Friday for the rehearsal and dinner and then stayed in a hotel, which for my kids huge treat and for Graham and I it was very nice to get away. It had rained all day Friday and this was to be an outdoor wedding, so we left in pouring rain and were a little nervous. We got 4 inches of rain in Colorado Springs – so it wasn’t just raining a little.

Well, Friday afternoon the rain stopped 2 hours before the rehearsal and was beautiful the rest of the time. There were a lot of wonderful times in the weekend but I thought I would show you some of my favorite shots….

This is my favorite and I know it is not the bride and groom but it is the groom and his mother (my sister). It was such a touching moment. He walked her down the aisle and she looked amazing – it was a neat moment, I decided that is what I will have Jack, my son, do at his wedding.

These are my girls as some of their girl cousins – I love how much fun they are having and they all look gorgeous don’t they?

The pastor (my hubby) and the flower girl – love it!

 My gang on the way home after a long fun weekend!

It was a great wedding and I did not get a shot of the bride and groom, but I am sure someone in the family did so I will get it from them. It was great fun and we hated to see the weekend come to a end. I love weddings! It is this beginning of life for the couple and so much lay ahead of them. I love the look on the groom’s face when he sees his bride for the first time and I love the way their voice quivers as they say their vows. I love everyone dressed up and the bride and groom smashing the cake in each other’s face. I love any chance I get to dance with my husband.

Here is to Justin and Tracie; may you live happily ever after.

Oh my, the house is in much need of cleaning. I am not sure how it happened or what exactly I was doing or not doing when it happened, but, the house needs help! Have you ever had that moment were you walk from room to room and in every room there is a mess!  There is not a room I can escape to, not a room I could hide in to avoid the mess. Except maybe the laundry room – but only because of the lack of laundry I have been doing!

So tonight I am psyching myself up for a clean day, mainly because we have relatives coming in town this weekend that will want to come bye. And did I mention it is bad, not good, really dirty. I am the kind of person, that when there is a big mess I have to clean. I have to get myself all psyched up for it. I plan in my head which room I will start in. I think about how nice it will look when I am done. I warn the kids that all their stuff must be returned to their rooms or it will be gone tomorrow, because I am cleaning in the morning ( I think they are on to me  because their stuff really never disappears). So tonight I will go to bed planning to clean, planning to do laundry, planning to go through the piles. And hopefully in the morning it will go that way, you know how sometimes you wake up and you just don’t “feel” it.

So here is to a clean house.  Maybe one day I will be the women who’s house is always ready for company, but not today.