Last evening, my husband led our small group study time.  The topic was on HOPE.  It was so powerful to see, and discuss, several verses about this topic.  Just within the last two weeks at work, I have heard of two family members of coworkers who have taken their own life and I have another coworker who recently had both breasts removed due to stage four breast cancer.  We are living in a time when people are deeply searching for hope.  So often, hope is misplaced.  We can't find true hope within US.  Our only hope is in Christ.  Our government, our military, our finances, our family background...can't offer us  true hope.

Romans 5:3-5 "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. "

OK, I like to have hope, BUT...not so sure about the suffering, and perserverance.  But we read here that this is a growing process and as we persevere we grow in character and then in hope.  They are products of each other.

Romans 12:12 " Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."

Not so sure how I measure up in the patient and faithful part. (well, actually I do know...there is much room for improvement!!).

What a blessed HOPE we can have in Christ.  We ourselves are hopeless.  We can't look within ourselves and somehow pull it all together. True hope is looking ahead to something so much better!!

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Today was MOPS.  I'm so glad that all the children were well and that we could go.  So great to be with other moms and just talk and laugh together about life, raising children and the joys and blessings along with the struggles and frustrations.  (I do encourage you to seek out a group in your own area if you are a mom of preschoolers, It will lift you up).

The craft today was "squishy squashes".  Our mentor introduced the craft and the name and then proceeded to say "that is dumb".  She is a riot.  The craft was a blast.  These little squashes are adorable. 

To make them: cut a fabric circle 8 inches in diameter. Do some loose stitches around the outside edges. Stuff with a plastic grocery bag and pull the stitching tight.  Add a stem and leaf and ...viola...a baby pumpkin.  (or squishy squash...Hee HEe).  If they get smashed, just "fluff" them up again.  These could be reused over and over year after year.

I made Pumpkin Cream Cupcakes for our snack last evening and they were wonderful.  (Recipe was found in the Kraft Food and Family magazine Holiday 2009 edition.)

Pumpkin Cream Cupcakes

1 pkg. (2 layer size) spice cake mix

1 pkg. (3.4 oz) Jello vanilla instant pudding

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 pkg. (8 oz) Philadelphia cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cake batter as directed on package.  Add dry pudding mix and pumpkin; Mix well. Spoon into 24 paper-lined muffin cups. (I filled them about 2/3 full and had enough to make 28). Beat cream cheese with mixer until creamy.  Blend in sugar and egg; spoon over batter.  Swirl gently with small spoon. (I didn't swirl either just sort of poked a knife down in the middle to push the cream cheese down into the cupcake.). Bake 18-21 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean.  Cool 5 min.; remove to wire racks. Cool completely.   I topped mine with whipped cream.  the recipe also said that you could stir 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg into 1 1/2 cups thawed cool whip and spread over cupcakes.

YUM. 

Live with HOPE!!

 Last Friday was Seth and my tenth anniversary!!  It seems like I've known him for quite some time and yet it is hard to believe that we have been married that long.  I can truly say that I love my husband more now than ever before in our relationship.  We are growing closer and closer.  He is myprovider, helper, friend, father of our children and I LOVE HIM.

We went to Ocean City, Maryland with our children and my mom.  We like going to the beach in the fall.   There is a different type of crowd walking the boardwalk than the one you see during the summer.  Most of the businesses on the boardwalk are closed.  It is just more quiet and relaxing.

This weekend was so rainy and cold and Seth even asked at one point last week if we should cancel it.  I personally could have just staying in our oceanfront hotel room with a book and watched the waves roll and crash and the gulls try to fight the air currents. 

Seth gave me a mother's ring.  He has been getting some sort of diamond for the 5 year increments.  The ring is so special.  When I took it to get sized on Monday, the jewelry store person asked if I liked it.  (well, duh..:).  He then told me that Seth had taken a lot of time getting it put together.  Oh, that just makes it even more special. 

The children had been asking about this motel ever since we stayed there several years back.  There is an atrium in the center of the hotel and many cages of parrots.  Every morning they open the cages and the parrots climb on top and SCREECH at the top of their lungs.  We loved it.  The caretaker even asked the children if they wanted to help feed them.  We found out that these parrots have bones in their tongues that make it more like a hand.  Their throats are in the center of their tongues so they can breath and swallow at the same time.  We are fearfully and wonderfully made and God didn't leave out any of the details!!!

Andrew posing with Dillon.  Dillon would get down on the floor and follow the caretaker around as she did her duties.  The housekeeping staff would "tease" him with their brooms and garbage bags as they went by.  Oh, what personality.  Dillon liked bacon (per the caretaker). 

Feeding the fish in the pond in the atrium.

This parrot was Curly.  We were able to feed her a piece of apple.  Oh, how meticulously they eat the fruit from the skin....and spit the skin on the ground.

We had to come up with "rainy day" activities.  It was just entirely too cold for the sand and surf.

Friday, we went indoor miniature golfing.  The course was fun and the older children enjoyed it.  We were glad we went on Friday since the place was packed on Saturday when the rain was heavier.  We also walked on the boardwalk with the wind blowing us nearly to pieces.  We also were glad we did this Friday because the weather just didn't cooperate to do it any other time.  I think we were blessed to have the "window of opportunity" to do the things we had planned to do.  Seth reminded the children that they had prayed that "the rain will stop so we can go to the boardwalk".  What a teachable moment that God does answer prayers.  (even though mom sort of doubted in her heart that it would happen...)

Rachel had some of her subway sub leftover from lunch and I told her that she could feed the gulls.  They swooped down to her and grabbed pieces of bread from her hand.  At one point, she yelled and threw the bread. (my eye was behind the camera and I sort of missed it).  Seth said that she went to put a piece in her mouth and the gull came right in her face and took it....  Rachel says "it poked me in the eye".

We took a road trip to Assateague island and saw a few of the wild horses.  The twins didn't want any windows rolled down and would shrink into their seats when we saw them.  Another amazing wonder to see these horses in the wild.

I am so thankful for my loving husband and I thank God that he gave him to me to share life with here on earth. We have been so blessed to have had these ten years together.  God has blessed us with a wonderful family and I pray that we will have many more years together!!

This sand angel was outside of our hotel window.  Don't know who was brave enough to go out and put it there (no one in our party), but I sure enjoyed it while it lasted.