Busy, busy, busy

This week is like a whirlwind and hopefully when it's done I'll land safely in Texas!! The kids and I fly to Texas next Wednesday... excited about the trip but not too thrilled about flying with two toddlers by myself! Mom and Dad Pardee bought Chad a ticket to come down for a week and help replace a roof or two. We are so thankful!!

This week has been so busy with lots of things needing to be done and also lots of traveling! One thing at a time... I would type them all out for you but I don't have time and it would bore you anyway.

Tomorrow Chad is selling his car, tomorrow night is cousin Hilde's graduation (woohoo!), Saturday, Chad hops down to Augusta to work on his parents roof, Sunday is always busy and Chad is preaching the evening service, Monday morning we are participating in the town's Memorial Day Service/Parade, and finally Tuesday heading down to Rockport to stay with the great-grandparents so they can take us to the airport on Wednesday. Whew...

As most of you know, Trent has a clogged tear duct in his left eye. In March he had a routine procedure with a probe to open the duct. It didn't work. So yesterday we went to a specialist in Waterville who scheduled another surgery for July 29. This surgery will require Trent to be put under anesthesia again and will be similar to the first. They will put a tiny tube through the upper tear duct and it will run down through the lower duct as well. Then they will tie it in a knot and leave it in his eye for 3 months. This serves 2 purposes... 1) It will ensure that both ducts are open and 2) It will ensure that they stay open and heal that way. After 3 months we go back and they just snip that tube and pull it out. Simple, right? I sure hope so... it's no fun putting a little one through surgeries!! I know many other moms have been through much worse, but the Lord knows what each of us can handle.

Pray for us, if you think of it... as the next few weeks pose several changes and new adventures for our family!

Car Exchange

Last July before we moved up to Maine, Chad was searching for a second vehicle. We were looking for something dependable because he has an 3 hour commute to and from work everyday. We also didn't want to spend much money because we had just purchased our Explorer. Chad found this little beauty on Craigslist and bought it. It has been a great little car for the last 10 months and we've put very little into maintenance.

Every weeks (so it seems!) Chad is saying that he wants a truck, he wants a truck, he wants a truck. What guy doesn't?! The week of his birthday, he came home and said he found a truck that he wanted for his birthday. Haha, right? Well, super-duper long story made short... our friend, Glen, found a great deal on a 1985 F150 that he has fixed up for Chad! Chad is like a little kid in a candy store whenever he sees/talks about that truck. It's a great truck as it only has 65,000 miles on it! An added blessing is that Chad is able to sell his car for the exact same price he paid for it... WOW! The Lord definitely blesses in His time.

Here is Chad's new truck!

Happy Birthday, Chad!

Even though it was yesterday we want to say Happy Birthday to Chad!!! We are so thankful for him and all he is and all he does for our family and church. He is the most patient, loving, creative, and God-fearing man. He is a wonderful husband and father and we love him SO much!!!

Though it was his birthday, he let me sleep in a little since I was sick. What a fella! After a special request birthday breakfast (fried egg sandwiches), he headed over to the church to help Tim put carpet on the gym walls. Then after a delicious lunch with the Bickford fam (thank you, Hilde!), we came home to let the kids nap. Chad planned on resting, but he just CANNOT sit still... which I like about him! He went BACK over and cleaned up the gym with Tim.

We had Youth Group last night with a big cake for Chad... he got a big corner piece with lots of frosting! Guess what... he decorated his own cake! Special, huh? After all the kids were dropped off, Tim came over for steak fajitas and they sat around "shooting the breeze." All in all, I think he had a good birthday.

Today when he gets off work, I'm going to meet him in Bangor and take him out for a birthday dinner... we like to celebrate birthdays all week in our family!!

Happy Birthday, Sweetheart! We love you SO SO SO SO SO much!!!

The Sick Ward

This past week my poor babies have been down with a cold. It sure seemed to take it's time coming and going! Trent caught it first, then passed it to Caylyn who passed it to me (though I was sure to get it because we did a LOT of snuggling!). Snuggling is just about the only good thing that comes from being sick... :) Thankfully, Chad never caught it!

There wasn't much I could do, either. The vaporizer ran non-stop and I gave them baby Tylenol when they ran fevers... thankfully, they usually only required Mommy-time to make them feel better.

We did have a few fun/funny moments amongst the misery.

Caylyn and I were snuggling on the couch and Trent decided to go play in their room. A few minutes later he emerged wearing his sister's Easter hat! I laughed so hard!

Anticipating a rainy week, I made some homemade finger paint for Caylyn. Just cornstarch, water and food coloring and she was ready for some messy fun! This recipe was fine for a small child, but wouldn't work for older children who would actually draw pictures. It was quite thick and jello-like, but she had fun!

It started out nice and neat...

... but soon turned into quite the mess! To make it even better, I tossed in a chocolatey beater from making Chad's birthday cake.

We are all on the mend now and should soon be back to our normal selves. The kids seem to have their energy returning quicker than I, today should be better!

Easter Weekend

**WARNING! This is a long post.**

Well, the end of Music Retreat turned out to be only the beginning of a LONG, BUSY, but FUN weekend. Saturday, we celebrated cousin Grace's 16th Birthday with a cake, and small get-together with Gramma and Grampa Colburn and the Bickford kiddos.

Caylyn and I dyed Easter eggs! It was fun and she did a good job saying the colors (with a little prompting from Gramma!). She really enjoyed putting the eggs in the dye and then putting stickers on the eggs. Such a big girl!

Sunday morning, bright and early, we headed to church for the sunrise service. Early morning is such a great time for reflection. On the drive to church, I reflected on what it might have been like for Mary and Mary Magdalene to come the the tomb and find it EMPTY! What thoughts raced through their minds when the angel said to them "He is not here, for he is RISEN!" They knew that He was the Son of God, but he was also their dear friend whom they had watched die. Another thought, what a great plan for soul-winning is found in Matthew 28:5-9.

"And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. (6) He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. (7) And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. (8) And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word. (9) And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him."

First, the lost are seeking for Christ. They stumble through life searching for meaning that can only be found in Christ. We must tell them to "come, see the place where the Lord lay" after He sacrificed Himself for our sins. The we must tell them the greatest news in the history of mankind: "He is not here: for he is risen!" This news can only bring great joy and a desire to tell others as He has commanded us. What a great time of reflection this Resurrection Day brought... we do serve a RISEN Saviour!

I missed the sunrise service because Caylyn and Trent are quite active first thing in the morning. :) We had a nice breakfast there at church with some good fellowship. Easter morning service was wonderful. I'm so glad we have "The Peace of God versus the Peace of the World" as explained in Sunday morning's sermon. All were encouraged to bring Easter Lilies "In Memory Of" loved ones who have gone on before us.

Here are the kids at church...

Sunday afternoon, we had a big Easter dinner with Gramma and Grampa and Grace. We also started a new family tradition... an Easter Egg Hunt. I know, big whoop, lots of people do an Easter Egg Hunt. Well, this was our first so it was special for us. Caylyn did such a good job finding all the eggs while Trent picked up one and threw it on the ground so he could get the jelly beans. :)

Happy Easter, everyone!

Spoiled Rotten

This week we have a guest staying with us! YAY! Chad's cousin, Grace, is up for the week because she'll be attending Music Retreat. I was just excited to have some company around but she has been the biggest helper EVER!! I've washed dishes a grand total of 2 times since FRIDAY! She's made almost every meal (and they've been quite delectable, I might add) and she's great with Goober and Gomer (aka Caylyn and Trent). I haven't told Chad yet... he's going to have to hire a maid after Grace leaves because I've been so spoiled this week!

We have had a good week so far after a very BUSY weekend. What weekend isn't busy around here? Tim and Grace came up on Friday and it was so good to "Unca Tim" here for a visit. We'll be VERY glad when he can finally move up here! Saturday morning, Chad and Tim helped Pastor install a shower in the ladies' bathroom at church... just in time for the retreat! The grand total now 50 teens and 15 adults! Praise the Lord!

This might be the last post before the retreat so Happy Easter, everyone! Remember the true meaning of Easter and praise the Lord that we have the blessed assurance that we serve a Risen Savior!

Day 1: Disaster

So our first official day of school (with a curriculum) was a DISASTER! Monday morning we had some errands to run so school didn't happen until after nap-time. Ideally, I want to do school with Caylyn while Trent is taking a morning nap. Ideally.

Caylyn was not interested in sitting down to learn and Trent was curious and wanted in on the action... which only frustrated Caylyn even more! Finally, I was able to engage Caylyn in a learning game with crayons and Trent was sitting in my lap looking at a book. Whew. After we managed to cover the few things we needed to cover, we watched a PBS documentary on cows. The kids were only able to handle a few minutes before then were distracted, but I found it quite interesting. Namely, the fact that cows are the most useful animals as you can use everything from them for survival. Also, did you know that Henry Ford got the idea for an assembly line from slaughter houses? It also made me never want to buy meat from the store! Industrialized feed lots house several thousand cows at a time and they have to give the cows antibiotics to keep disease from wiping them all out. They are grain fed to fatten them quickly so they can be sent to market. I would much rather have meat from a cow who is able to graze on it's own. Someday... maybe... we'll have a cow or two of our own! The are quite social creatures and good in nature... AND Caylyn LOVES cows! By the way, that's the animal we are learning about in school this week. :)

Yesterday was better and we have blue, yellow, and green down. Now we are working on writing the letter "A" and the number "1". Fun, fun!