Remember When...

                                                       "The sound of little feet

                                                                  was the music

                                                   we danced to week to week......

                                             Brought back the love, we found trust

                                                      Vowed we'd never give it up
                                                               Remember when...."

Jeff has been sleeping in the basement during the day because he has been working 12 hour night shifts. I'm so glad to have him home, but it's been a bit tough trying to explain to Charlie that he can't bounce his balls and throw his cars on the kitchen floor. It doesn't matter how many times I say it, he still finds new things to throw on the floor- and whats worse is he runs, or stomps rather, all over the place! And Jeff can hear every bit of it. So I told him to just wear ear plugs because there is nothing I can do about it! 

Well, he woke up Sunday afternoon and said that he could hear Charlie running through the house...and I immediately went to apologize when he said...."but I'm not mad at him. Every time I hear it I think of that song that says 'Remember when...the sound of little feet..." and I teared up! I know it's one of those things we'll look back on and "Remember when" and cry and hold each other and realize that our children truly are our biggest blessing...a gift that He gave us to love...and how can you be mad at little feet? 

The car sounds he makes are all too precious...the way he likes to look through my pink glad container lids and walk around the house makes me laugh at how silly he is...and he loves all the simple things: balloons...the moon...birds and air planes...cows...everything is a new discovery to him! And everything is simple.

                                       "Remember when we vowed the vows
                                                           and walked the walk
                                    Gave our hearts, made the start, it was hard... 

                                         We lived and learned, life threw curves
                                                There was joy, there was hurt
                                                             Remember when..."

                           I remember when. It was May 25th, 2002... I became a wife. 

Jeff became my husband.  And we were beginning this new adventure and had no idea where it would take us! Shortly after getting married Jeff's company, P&G shared the news they were selling the Olean plant where Jeff worked and we could either relocate or stay with the New Company called Twin Rivers. So, we packed up and headed for Iowa New Years Day 2003. We met with a wonderful lady who showed us beautiful homes...and after three days returned home. On the flight home we realized that even though staying with P&G would be nice, living that far from family would not, so we ventured out with the new company. Things changed...not necessarily for the better...but hey, we still had a job. We were really sad to lose all the wonderful things we got with P&G, but we were not the ones in charge and so we could either sit and mope about it (which we did somewhat) or we could move on...which eventually is what happened. Long story short, Twin Rivers ended up being bought out by another company and this company changed everything. No more Twin Rivers. Instead, for Jeff's hard work, over the past several years, he has lost his Christmas bonus (which I took really hard), profit sharing of course along with the Christmas basket and P&G dividend day, a weeks vacation, a pay cut, a shift change that only zombie's would like...and yet...we still have each other...   

                                                       Matthew 6:26 and 30 says:

                "Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not neither do they reap, nor do they gather into barns: yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not better than they?"

               "Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the feild, which today is and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith..."

So how can we complain when God has taken care of us? How dare we even worry over things we cannot control. We ought to take the ways of the lillies of the field and the birds and take no thought of such things. If we do, we have little faith in the one that created us. Obviously he didn't need our help in creating the universe so why should he need our help in telling him what we need and want? He already knows everything we need. He loves us so much to send his only Son to die for our punishment...and to think he would not take care of simple daily needs... Shame on us!

  

   "Now lookn' back it's just a steppin' stone

                                                To where we are, where we've been

                                                           Said we'd do it all again

                                                               Remember when..."

And if you were to ask either Jeff or myself, quicker than a blink we would tell you that we would do it all again. Life has this quirky way of taking you all over the place and you have no Atlas, no GPS- only your bended knees to give you sense of comfort. When the roads are tough and you aren't sure of all the things to come, I remember; He is Faithful. He will never let me down. He is my rock. The foundation of our home, our lives, our very substance. And I am not afraid. 

         "Remember when we said when we turned gray
             When the children grow up and move away
        We won't be sad, we'll be glad
          For all the life we've had...

                                                          And we'll remember when"

To my husband, I love you. I am so very, very thankful for you- always by my side, always lifting me up, teaching me, loving me...when it says in the Bible for a husband to love his wife like Christ loved the church and gave himself for it- I am reminded of your love for me.

I hope to always make you feel that way...

To my dear baby boy (who is not so much a baby these days) "Your Mudder Wubs You!!!" Kisses and Huggies and Lovin's everyday! You make me smile! (Sometimes you make me want to cry- but that's just what you're supposed to do)... :) "I'll love you for always I'll like you forever- as long as I'm living my baby you'll be!!!!"

And to my next Baby: you're in for a real surprise when you come out! :) There's lots of chaos to go around so I'm sure you won't feel left out :) Oh and here's an early "Welcome to the Family"!  As our newest member, you get to be squeezed, poked and all out mauled by your older brother, Charlie. Don't worry, I'll try and backpack you around until he's old enough to not poke out your eyes! 

   I'm truly thankful for all the life I've had...and I'm looking forward to what  else God has in store...