First Day At our New School!

Today the girls started school at their new school.  After many months of praying and trying to figure out what we could do differently with the girls, the Lord opened the doors to send them to Santa Rosa Christian.  It is a private school, and one that I never imagined we would be able to send the girls to.  It it only the Lord that has made it possible, and we are truly thankful.  I have a job at the school as the kindergarten aide and the job has made it affordable for us.  As I watched the parents drop off their kindergartners today, I thought back to what it was like when the girls first went to their first days of school.... I remembered Makayla falling apart crying and her teacher scooping her up in her arms, and Abbey running around in circles all by herself as Chris and I wondered how she would make friends... all gut wrenching moments for me; today however was full of more of those moments.  Watching Makayla and Olivia standing off to the side not quite sure how to join in the middle school.  Abbey standing at the 3rd grade orange cone alone, while groups of other 3rd grade girls were huddled together laughing and talking... to be completely honest, my knee jerk reaction was that I wished I could scoop them up and drive them the half mile to their old public school where they know everyone and are completely comfortable.  However, as a Mom, part of loving our kids, isn't always doing what is "comfortable" for our kids, but what is the best for them... that is a mothers sacrificial love, putting our own hurting hearts aside so that our kids can grow.  As I have pondered this all day, I have thought a lot about my Heavenly Father.  I have asked Him many times and on several occasions over the years, "Why can't you take me out of this difficult situation?"  "If you love me, why do you stand by while I am hurting so much?"  Today, I think the Lord was showing me a bit of His heart for me.  I think there are times when the Lord looks at me... at us, and wishes that He could just scoop us up and place us where it is more comfortable... but He, in His wisdom, in His ultimate goodness, sees what is best for us, knows that certain situations, though maybe more comfortable, are not ultimately, the best He has for us.  

I am still processing the entire day.  The girls had some great moments, and some hard moments... all part of the transition to a new school...  I know they will be fine, I know that God has directed us, and opened the doors for this move, and so I trust Him.  I trust His Fathers heart that sometimes must allow the difficult moments!

Gone Campin'

Well we are home from our favorite place on earth.  Instead of writing about the trip, the girls and Chris have told me that I should share my journal entry from our second day up at Wrights lake, so here you go....

"Is there anyplace as beautiful as Wrights Lake? I am yet to see it.  Coming up here, for me is like visiting my "Mt. Sinai," the place where God dwells.  Why does God seem closer in this place? Because His beauty, the beauty of who He is, the beauty of what He wants for us, is spoken in the landscape and wild life of this place.  It's a place where as I sit, I can almost feel the fingerprints of the Father.  A mere word, even a whisper from Him, and this mountain came into being.  

   As we drove up Wrights Road yesterday, I couldn't wait to get my window down and breathe in the fragrance around us.  To smell the pine trees, whose needles smell like Christmas and also fresh cut wood: and yet it's mixed with the sweet smells of thousands of wild flowers.  Even the dust that is kicked up by our truck smells musty and woodsy.

No matter how many years we come up here, I'm still anxious to come up over that last hill in the road, and get my first look at the granite mountains that surround the lake in all their majesty.  To me, I've often thought that they seem to protect the lake and this beautiful place.  Almost as thought they are keeping the rest of the world from finding out this place is here.  The colors that seem to pop out to me are blue, green, and pink.  The sky is blue, while the water is a clear green, that looks cool as the sun sends sparkling light across it, and I am anxious to feel it on my feet.  The mountains with the sun shadows on it, are a coral pink, and they reflect across the surface of the water.  WOW! All of this has hit my senses in the 30 minutes it has taken us to drive up the mountain, and the words that keep going through my mind are, "I lift up my eyes to the hills, from where does my help come from"  My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth."

Needless to say, it was wonderful, and we made many great memories together!  I am so thankful for this last week, it was time I will never forget with my family!

6 Flags Discovery Kingdom

Well, to say that we had fun really doesn't cover it.... we had a blast!  Yesterday, we went to 6 Flags AKA Marine World with Chris' sister Tanya's family.  The girls had just finished a fun filled week up in Chico with them, so we thought it would be fun to meet at Marine World for the day to pick them up.  Unlike when the girls were little, we spent less time around the animals, and more time on FAST roller coasters.  When we first started, Makayla was absolutely not going to go on any roller coasters.   However, after the other kids got off "Medusa" she was starting to cave... so on the next big one... "Kong", Daddy kind of made her try it... she was not happy... as we began the 3 story ascent, Makayla, who is strapped in next to me is beginning to cry and saying,"I can't believe you forced me to do this!!!"  Meanwhile, I'm thinking I need to be turned into CPS.... what the heck is she going to do when we take this first dive?  The next thing I know, we are dropping and Makayla is screaming.. "I LOVE THIS RIDE"

SHE HAD A BALL!  When we got off she informed us she would never miss out on another fast roller coaster ever again!  We really had so much fun with Mike, Tanya, and their kids.  They were so good to the girls, it really made Chris and I feel great!  The cousins all seemed to have so much fun together.  At the end of the day, Shawn even gave Abbey-girl a piggy back ride all the way from the Tram to parking lot D.... up hill!  It was a great day!