Still love the sleep positions. That's her bear lying across her neck.

Wrestling

I need to put this somewhere, so here it is.

It has been a peaceful, calm, easy last 6-ish weeks. I felt settled. Loving it here. Settling here. After 4 years, it's about time to really do that.

Then, last week, I taught a lesson in my ladies group about when Jacob wrestled with God. As I planned it, I realized I hadn't really wrestled with God about much of anything lately. Life has been good. 1/2 hour before teaching the lesson, however, Jon got a call that would lead to much wrestling. The next morning, my other Bible study was on the same lesson. More wrestling. More words I listened to, wrote down, and am still absorbing, processing. Then a good talk with a dear friend with more words I needed to hear.

"We often step out of His will while trying to do His will"

"Do whatever God has told you....His way"

"Blessing comes with a high price of obedience"

Then this from a blog today...

"Moving hurts when the living has been done well. If there are tears and a ripping in our hearts then we have succeeded in really living and not gotten lost in the busyness of life. This move will leave an ache in every one of us and by that we know we have loved and been loved well."

Then there's my girls. Great phone conversation with one yesterday, she's so beautiful. Great evening with another one last night, so good to get to know her better, she's so amazing. Then a great fb message from another. The growth she has exhibited, the sensitivity she has to God's voice, she's so inspiring. How could I think of leaving these girls? What would I do without them?

Here, I am living. Here, I am involved. Here, I am being used. To encourage, to cheer others on, to love. Here, I am learning. Here, I am growing. Here, I am loved.

I think about where we might move. It could be beautiful, peaceful, nice. But it won't be here. Where my life is.

But if that call was the call. What can I say about it?

So torn!!

And also struggling with sadness for a dear friend and the pain in her life.

All weighing heavily on my mind. All causing wrestling.

Not to mention that Jon started back to work at Scotts this week, thus we are in the middle of another adjustment phase.

Gibbles chip factory!

Good morning and good night.

and then there were three

Callie wanted twins for Christmas and got them from Grandma and Grandpa Thielbar!! She was very excited!!

And when we got home, her twins became "Three Twins"! Here they are with the blanket she sewed for them.

She's such a good Mommy.

William wants to move...

Here.

I guess it could be relaxing.

Callie made dresses for her babies.

Busy coloring

The teacher says.

This is a story from William's teacher...

In preschool yesterday morning, I passed out white paper bags. I asked the kids to color one side of the bag, so later in the morning, they could turn it into a frog puppet! A hand went up..."Mrs. knight? I'm exhausted...I think i need a rest first!" My reply..."Do you think you have a little energy in one arm to ...color?" Reply, "yes...I guess." This was 9:20...preschool had just started at 9:00!

: ) Also, his CBS teacher said that he has grown up so much from last year!

Callie's CBS teacher has told me more than once, "she's such a good girl, she's such a good helper."

: ) I love my kids. They're great!

Drum roll please...

We all came together to spend $10 on Water as our First Gift this season...and the grand total raised in only 24 hours....was OVER $10,000!!!

Providing life-saving, clean water to over 1,000 people for 10 years!! Amazing!

Thank you so much! What a difference one day will make for years to come in the lives of so many!

You can continue giving water via donations all year long on the link in my side bar, or by purchasing gifts (for others or yourself) on Water4Christmas's etsy shop! Lots of fun stuff there!! (PS, I wouldn't mind a white H2Africa decal, hint, hint)

My new coffee mug!

Pardon the interruption

I'm going to interrupt this current blog series to bring you a BIG announcement!

Tomorrow. Friday November 13 is the day.

Water 4 Christmas's day for the First Gift!! Give $10 Friday as your first gift!

Let your first gift this Holiday season be for life! For Water that gives life!

Gifts to dig fresh water wells in Liberia. All donations go straight there!

This is the old water source in Wakesu, Liberia:

And THIS is the new water source thanks to Water 4 Christmas 2008.

Beautiful!! We have affected thousands!!! Lets do it again this year!

You can go here to give. Or click on the First Gift link in my sidebar to the right.

Here's some background...

If you missed it, you can still give at Water4Christmas.com.

Smokey mountains

Another busy day!

Today we again took our time in the morning, did some snuggling.

The kids took a fun bath! Callie already wanted to take another tonight.

Then we headed out to Dollywood. We all had a blast! The kids loved the rides. Callie's favorite was the Scrambler and William liked the bumper cars.

We all went on our first Ferris Wheel ride together.

We were there all day up until the time we headed over to the Dixie Stampede to watch the "horses dancing" as the kids said. They loved this dinner show! William enjoyed cheering for the green team, the "North" and he liked the comedian character "Skeeter" and his dancing chicken. Callie liked everything...horses dancing, pigs, chickens, singin', dirt...the list goes on.

Thank you Dolly, we had a great day!!

Tomorrow, nature calls. Spending the day hiking at the park.

Gatlinburg, TN

I'm going to try blogging as we go here on this vacation.

Yesterday we packed up and drove to Hagerstown, MD where Callie and I attended Bible study while Jon brought William to a dr appointment (asthma) and then brought him back for his class and then ran some errands. After that we headed out for our 8 hour drive to Gatlinburg, TN.

We arrived in Pigeon Forge at night and the Christmas lights were everywhere. This town is quite lit up even without Christmas, but it's really bright now, complete with every one of the 12 days of Christmas items lining the street. William calls it the Christmas town.

Our condo is great. We thought the kids would go to sleep well last night after traveling. Not so, they were too excited to get to sleep together. Tonight, however, is a different story! They fell sound asleep in the car and woke only enough to take care of business before drifting back to sleep. This is our view.

kids sleeping arrangements.

Today we lounged around and did some researching and planning. We headed out for lunch atSonic. My first Sonic meal ever, quite possibly thanks to the influence of Mr Bill Glass. We wonder if we would have gotten a discount if we mentioned that we know the guy in the comercials. Probably not.

After lunch we went to the "Upside Down House" as the kids call it. Wonder Works. A museum of sorts of scientific fun things. Make sense? Things like optical illusions, how hearing works, earthquake exhibits, flight simulators, etc. The kids thought it looked funny, but when they heard the speakers outside the building making creeking and groaning sounds as if it was falling down, they wanted to leave. After a bit, once they forgot we were in an upside down building, they enjoyed themselves, but when we returned to the lobby and they remembered, they were ready to leave. Also funny, they both wondered why the potties weren't upside down too.

laying on a bed of nails

Dancing to make shapes on the screen.

Stepping on a picture on the floor to make it morph.....

but the funny thing is, with flash, it really looked like this...

We also all took a turn in the pitching simulator. Jon's fastest was 54 mph and mine was 38. To which my dear, gracious 90+mph pitcher brother said, "add a few mph to that since you were just warming up". That puts me in the 40s! Aren't I amazing?

Then a little shopping at the Smokey Mountain Knife Works. Interesting...possible Christmas gifts for a couple people. And then off to dinner at Mama's Farmhouse. Mmmmm! Delicious! Then groceries and back for bed. Busy day! But fun. Better sleep now, those kids will be up at the crack of 0630 again I'm sure.