January 12, 2011

why DID you join the Army? My thoughts on deployment, army life and love!






 Our last goodbye.......


We are four months in, with four months left until R & R, and then four months left after that!   I miss him more than you can imagine.

I have to say, when I married my husband five years ago, I thought we would be together always. We didn't think any two people could be more in love than we were.  We spent every waking moment together.  If you lived near us at the time, you would have witnessed that. If Sean was in the woods cutting fire wood, I was with him- if he was building a fence or clearing property, I was there with him! When I was nine months pregnant, I was in the back of the truck helping him throw logs, just so we could talk (or not talk). We enjoyed being in each other’s presence, no matter what the circumstance.  Sean got a job working on bridges for about six months before we joined the Army.   I would take both kids with me to San Francisco to stay in some raunchy hotel.. just so we could be there when he got off work each night. There were weeks that I didn't go; however, and we hated it.   I never imagined we would be apart for this long, and especially, this far apart. Some may ask, “Why on earth did they decide to join the army with two children and one on the way, knowing that our country was at war and most soldiers have gone or will go to Iraq?”  Well, we ask ourselves the same question at times, but the second that thought creeps into my mind… I'm reminded.  We had been praying about where our life was heading and what the Lord wanted us to do. We knew that He had a bigger plan and that we needed to make a change. Yes, most would think we didn't have the best of living arrangements, but we can both truly say we were happy and loving life and wouldn't change the past.  We lived on a homestead and ran our home off a generator…. (another story).  We believe though our experiences and after much prayer, the Lord gave Sean wisdom in this decision.  My heart followed in agreement because it was His Will. We were able to sell everything we owned, including our horses, our home, horse trailer, vehicle, and everything we didn't need, just in the nick of time.  Our double wide home was trucking down the road three days before Sean left for basic training.  Well, here I am in Texas at an army base-  the girl who once thought men in war movies were crazy for leaving their women, is now in the middle of the biggest state in the U.S. while her husband fights the war in Iraq for our freedom.  He is half a world away and I am 1800 miles from family. I can tell you this... that my husband misses and wishes he could be with his family as much as anyone.  He did one of the most amazing and selfless things a man can do... he trusted God and put HIM first.. he didn't do this to be macho.. or because he wanted to go fight and shoot guns ... he simply followed God's plan to provide for his family and serve his country at the same time, and he's also trusted God to take care of his wife and children.   I already know that God is using him in more ways than we even know right now.  He's never been one that liked to be in rough crowds... around profanity, etc. He never drank, never smoked, never cursed..he is a living testimony and example of Christ's love. No, he's not perfect...none of us are.... but I will say he loves Jesus and loves his family more than anything!  And do you know that of all the people we talk to in the military they say "the army WILL change him" ? (hmm... they must not know Sean) and to this day.. he still does none of the above! He is the same today as he was 18 months ago. You may be thinking, “Oh just wait... he still has eight months left”.  But the same God that got him where he is, will get him home.   I still love and miss my husband as much today as I did the day he left.  I never doubt why God has our family in this situation.  Each passing day, the Lord  continues to grow our love for each other and for Him.  I've said it before, and I'll say it again.  He's given me an unexplainable amount of peace! I used to hate being home alone... and now being alone doesn't bother me at all.  I know who protects us.. I know who loves us.. I know that with God all things are possible and that with His help, I can handle anything that comes my way and so can Sean! We still don't know all the reasons why, but so far I've met some amazing Army wives in Texas and around the world. I've learned something from each one of them.  You've been an amazing support system, and I thank Jesus for all of you! I hope and pray that I can pass that on as well!  We have found a loving church, we're enjoying the Texas sun, and my children are growing and learning about Jesus every day!  Thank you Jesus for my amazing life and my amazing husband, I have far more than I deserve!

I ended up bragging about my husband just a tad... but I got to say I'm a PROUD ARMY WIFE!
I miss you Honey, I love you more than you know, and I long for the day you come back into my arms. You are my best friend, my hero, and my true love! :)


 Luke 9
23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

January 11, 2011

how to sew a simple bible cover....

This isn't exactly what I had in mind, I could have added some pockets and fancied it up a little but I'll show you what I did and you can be creative and add to it!  

I laid my bible open over the fabric to measure and I cute approximatly 1 1/2  away from it all the way around.
You will cut one piece of fibric, one piece of fusable badding and one piece of the outside fabric.



 Cut two, two inch wide straps about 10 inches long, fold and tucking all raw edges. Finished strap should measure 1 inch wide.
Pin them on each end after you have ironed your lining fabric on to the fusible badding.
sew together a about a two inch wide strap with your button hole.  You'll want to hold it around the end of your bible to get the right length, but you'll also be able to adjust that by where you place your button, which you'll do last!
 After you pin everything down lay your outside (blue) fabric face down over all your straps and lining.
Sew all the way around leaving a four to five inch opening. This is where you stick your hand in and turn it, right sides out!  After you turned it right side out and pushed out all your corners you fold in the opening as neatly as you can and stitch shut.




After sewing the button onto the front I made two more straps one inch wide (folding ends inside neatly)
I just sewed each end with a zigzag stitch. There you have straps to hold down the book covers.




This would have been cute with some quilting stitches and an applique on the front or you could embroider someones name.

Sewing a purse from a Uniform!

well, I've been sewing purses now since last fall.  I finally got to try something other than an ACU.
This is a Coast Guard Brag bag.   I love using used uniforms and making someone in that family a purse that their son/husband has actually worn!  This one in particular was worn by Andrew Gordon one of my husband's best friends. I'm very close with his mother and had so much joy making this for her!  If you know her.. please don't tell her that this is in the mail!  I wish pretty badly that I could give it to her in person as I know it will bring her tears of happiness.  For her son is so dear to her heart and she misses him when he's gone. They live all the way in Placerville, CA and he's stationed at Cape May, NJ!  Can't get much farther apart than that and still be in the US.

I didn't have any ribbon , so I settled for ric rac and I think it added just the right touch of femininity.

I'm going to try and make a matching Bible Case cover for his dad.  Can't leave him out :)





January 04, 2011

Carley making pizza

she kind of just jumped in helping mommy and forgot to put on her new apron!

but if you've never tasted Hewitt Pizza... this is what your missing!  The dough turned out perfect and we made
it so simple.. Organic Marinara sauce with cheese and pepperoni! Doesn't get any easier than this.

1 1/2 cups water
2 TBS Yeast
1 TBS Salt
3 TBS Sugar
1/2 cup Oil


this made exactly enough for one pizza and a few breadsticks.  Perfect for a small family... we even enough for breakfast the next morning!

nice and soft.....perfect for spreading



she LOVES to help in the kitchen every chance she gets! yay!


waiting patiently for a snack.

December 30, 2010

15 months... and moving on!

(click to enlarge)

My babies are growing up... Stetson will be 16 months on the 8th of January.  I found these three pictures of each of them .. they were all here on my blog.. so if I looked through all my cds I maybe could have found more similar looking ones.. but I've been wanting to do a comparison picture for a long time.. still want to do one of them all as infants too.. especially for my wall at home.   Man do they grow up fast!  OH so CUTE!

December 26, 2010

Christmas at the KINGS

We definitely made the best of our Christmas.  Daddy watched from Iraq through skype! We were so happy he had Christmas Eve day off and got to watch everything!  The kids were very excited to share their excitement with him. We love and miss you so much Daddy... see you soon!

These are somewhat of a random order.. (click pics to enlarge)

My friend Ladoshie came to wrap gifts with me and make enchiladas

her first big girl doll!


Love his new bike from Grandma Brandy!

Excited!




My munchkin!




Christmas Eve Morning.....

Christmas Cookies

Happy to Celebrate Jesus' Birthday!



matching aprons

her first LONG Pjs...

Happy Birthday Jesus


they love each others toy... glad they can all share

Looking so much older lately!



I attempted to use the tri-pod

The kids were just as excited about making Jesus a cake and cookies as they were to open their gifts!  One day they are going to awesome little cooks!  (as long as mommy keeps letting them make messes) :)

December 21, 2010

ready for Christmas...

The week before Christmas and it's finally starting to feel homey in here.  I spent a couple of hours looking around at Hobby Lobby, my new favorite store!!!  I found this rustic wall hanging the week before and then just the other day I went back and found the sconces and candles.

The curtains were on sale at Anna's Linens.  As much as I wanted to make All the curtains for my house...I broke down and bought these.  I couldn't find fabric that I liked for the living room and even though we have blinds I wanted them heavy enough to block out light..

The kids and I made a late night run to Walmart and finally picked up a tree as well.  I didn't have the truck .. so I tied it on top the mini van.  I'm kinda bummed that I didn't get a picture of that!  It was only 6 1/2 feet tall.. but yes.. I carried it in and set up by myself! oh, how I love the smell of the outdoors!

So, needless to say last week was extremely busy with all the shopping..  a great friend of mine also watched the kids so that I could Christmas shop for them.  I got everything done for in about 2 hours!  It was so amazing to actually walk in a store ALONE!  I even made a phone call while pushing a shopping cart. (thank you Kathryn)

Check back soon for pictures from Christmas Eve and Christmas morning! Might be hard for me to take pictures, video tape and help the kids with their gifts..most importantly though we're going to #1 read the Christmas Story... #2 celebrate his Birth with a cake!  I want me kids to know it's ALL about HIM... not Santa, not presents...   I find it hard not to fall into the whole Santa thing when all their friends and neighbors (even the 9 year olds) still believe in him.  It's so sad to me that their parents can put that much effort into teaching them about something that isn't even real.  But only take their kids to church during the off school summer months.  So, instead of telling them that if they be good Santa will bring them nice things.. why not teach and tell them what Blessings Jesus can bring into their lives if they decide to follow Him?  Even at age 2 and 4 children can learn to honor their Lord and Savior. They are already learning right from wrong and the consequences of their action.  So, I think they can learn the consequences of sin. and the blessings we can also receive if we do the will of God.  Children love to please us.. they love to make us happy.  Sure they aren't perfect and I find myself getting frustrated way more than I should.  But there is a lesson in that too. Mommy's aren't perfect but at the end of every day if I ask Jesus to forgive me and I repent of my wrong doings.. He forgives me each and every time. I pray that I can continue to be that kind of parent..  Always their for my children and always willing to forgive, what we know as unconditional love. 

(I John 1:9) 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness [phileo], and in your brotherly kindness, love [agape]. (2 Peter 1:5-7)

and we've all heard this one... 

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:1-13)



so anyway.. here's what my recent decor looks like... let me know what you think!

The curtains are a little plain but with some colorful pillows and a few more things on the wall I think I'll be able to tie it in nice.. and I can change my accent colors in the future if I want to.  They are about as rustic as I could find around here!  (that will go in a house with all white walls).  I'm going to hang a sepia wedding picture on both sides of the saddle picture above the couch. Got the pictures just no frames yet. oh.. end tables and lamps yet to come as well!






















 


 my first candy cane and hot chocolate of the season! mmm yummy!