Michelle's Birthday Party

The party went very well. I found this great box full of Disney Princess party supplies a month or so ago at Costco for Y777--that's less than $8! So, I made up Michelle's mind for her and we had a Princess party. She likes Belle the best, so I that's how I decorated the cake.

We now have this awesome kid's playroom here on base that can be reserved for free. It has some fun play equipment in it like a slide, climbing wall and maze area. Unfortunately, it's decorated in a jungle theme, which totally clashed with the whole Princess theme, but the kids didn't care a bit. The had a blast running all over the place, and as you can see by the picture, Mike seemed to have as much fun as the kids! It was nice that the kids could run around out of the heat for a bit.

Michelle's favorite gifts were the Japanese doll one of her friends gave her, and the Crayola coloring game Angel got her for the DS. Angel recently bought herself a PSP, so we bought her DS from her for Michelle to play with on our trip next month. She has played the Crayola game before on her friend's DS, so she was super excited to get it herself. It came in handy today in the Dentist's waiting room as well. :o)



Anyway, tomorrow is Mike's retirement ceremony, and going away party. I spent most of the day making his cake. I'll get a picture of it and post it tomorrow along with pics of the ceremony. Until then...

But as for us, we will bless the Lord from this time forth and forever. Praise the Lord! Psalm 115:18

Moving brain?

They refer to forgetfulness during pregnancy as "pregnancy brain", so can I claim to have "moving brain"? I seem to be forgetting everything lately. Maybe it's because we're not on a normal schedule and things are a bit out of whack. Poor Mike had to come all the way back home from church yesterday to pick up 4 different things I forgot!

Anyway, tomorrow is Michelle's Birthday party. It's a bit early, but we wanted to do it before our pack out next week. She promised me at lunch that I won't forget anything because she won't let me! Thankfully I did realize Saturday evening that our grocery store is closed on Mondays so I would need to pick up any party supplies Sunday after church and I think I have most of what I need. Hopefully they will get some ice cream in by Tuesday, or we're going to have to go without.

Our washing machine died on Friday, but thankfully, the base has loaner ones and will hopefully be bringing one for us to use some time this week. I guess I should close here and go finish cleaning the laundry room floor and getting it ready for the new machine. Ta for now!

Blessed be the name of the Lord
From this time forth and forever.
From the rising of the sun to its setting
The name of the Lord is to be praised.
Psalm 113: 2,3

We've been a bit busy here with doctor and dentist appointments. One of the benefits of being in the military is the free medical and free dental when you're overseas, so we're trying to get in our last check-ups before we get out.

Monday night is my Bible Study night with the ladies from our church. We are currently studying Daniel, and this week was chapter 3 where Shadrach, Meshack, and Abed-nego are thrown into the fiery furnace. The lady in the Calvary Chapel video we watched (sorry, I can't remember her name) had an awesome analogy for us to remember. Whenever we are going through the "fiery" trials of life we can simply remember what the firemen tell us:

STOP worrying, stressing, and running around
DROP to our knees and pray
ROLL all our troubles onto the Lord
and
WRAP ourselves in God's Word

Isn't this awesome? My first application of this is Michelle's eyes. She happens to be someone prone to getting styes. She's had between 40 and 50 of them in her short 5 years. Most of them stay small and go away quickly, but occasionally, she gets one that just won't go away. She already has scars on her right eyelid from one that got REALLY bad a while back. Well, she's been fighting one (or actually a series of them in the same area) for almost a month now. It got pretty bad at one point and I took her to see the doc who prescribed some medicine. Of all the times we've taken her in, they've always said "warm compresses, and wash with baby shampoo". This was the first time they'd given us an antibiotic. Unfortunately, it seems that she is allergic to it because within a few hours the whites of her eyes were really red, she had a rash below her eye, and she was itching really bad. WE stopped the medicine and are back to the simple washing and warm compress routine. With my new lesson in mind, I'm learning to

STOP worrying and stressing about it. We're doing everything we can to help her and worrying isn't going to change it.
DROP on my knees and pray, which I've been doing, but now I'm praying for God's will and not mine.
ROLL the situation on God who is the ultimate Physician. I know He is more than able to heal her and He knows what it best for her.
and as I WRAP myself in His Word, I find "For I will restore you to health and I will heal you of your wounds, " declares the Lord, Jeremiah 30:17a I know that He loves Michelle and she is in the best of Hands!

Now, I just need to apply this to retiring, building a house, teenagers, finances, moving, etc. etc.... :o)

Here's a picture I took of Michelle recently. Her sty looks pretty good in this picture.

Introduction

I've finally jumped into the blogging world. I have 2 blogs-this one to keep family and friends up to date on our latest family happenings, and the other to help encourage other's creative spirits.

Heres's a quick update on us:

We are currently stationed in Iwakuni, Japan (August 2008) where we have been for the last 6 years. The beginning of next month will start a new chapter in our lives, and a "grand adventure" as we leave the Marine Corps behind and begin our lives as civilians. A few years ago, while home on vacation, we purchased 17 acres in Frederic, WI where we plan on building our house. I can't wait to have a place of my own, and I'm especially looking forward to the basement that will be turned into our classroom/craftroom.

A little bit about each of us--Michelle will be turning 5 September 7th. Since most of our stuff will be packed out before her Birthday, we will celebrate a little early. Angel is 14, and quite the little business woman. She has started her own jewelry making business along with babysitting, and at the present moment holds a job at the base Exchange. She's saving money for college and a new bedroom set for her new room. :o) Nick just graduated from MC Perry High School and is looking at technical colleges near us in WI. We've home schooled the kids for the last 6 years, except for Nick who opted to attend MC Perry for his senior year. He really enjoyed his yearbook class and business class where he got to work at the base radio station. Mike has been busy finishing up his Bachelor's degree and looking for a job. I've also kept him busy on our house plans and preparations! :o) As for me, I'm usually busy with the kids, house, or some kind of craft project. I enjoy teaching papercrafting classes as a Stampin' Up! demonstrator and cake decorating classes.

Enjoy your day, and I'm off to go sort through closets and get rid of stuff we don't want to move!

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Phil. 4:13