The Artist formerly known as Princess

Keeping herself entertained. She is not really "Formerly known as Princess"...I just thought it was a funny play on words. If you don't get it...it must be generational. LOL.

A word fitly spoken (or read)...

I like to read My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers. A former student gave me a beautiful, purple, leather bound copy and I keep it close. I usually read it every day, but sometimes I miss. I missed yesterday. So, I caught up today. This was yesterday's entry. (For the record, I'm not sure about copyright issues on a blog, so make a note that I am not claiming this work as my own.)

ARE YOU TROUBLED?

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give I give to you...-John 14:27

There are times in our lives when our peace is based simply on ignorance. But when we are awakened to the realities of life, true inner peace is impossible unless it is received from Jesus. When our Lord speaks peace, He creates peace, because the words that He speaks are always "spirit, and they are life" (John 6:63). Have I ever received what Jesus speaks? "...My peace I give you..." -a peace that comes from looking into His face and fully understanding and receiving His quiet contentment.

Are you severely troubled right now? Are you afraid and confused by the waves and turbulence God sovereignly allows to enter your life? Have you left no stone of your faith unturned, yet still not found any well of peace, joy, or comfort? Does your life seem completely barren to you? Then look up and receive the quiet contentment of the Lord Jesus. Reflecting His peace is proof that you are right with God, because you are exhibiting the freedom to turn your mind to Him. If you are not right with God, you can never turn your mind anywhere but on yourself.

With regard to the problem that is pressing in on you right now, are you "looking unto Jesus" (Hebrews 12:2) and receiving peace from Him? If so, He will be a gracious blessing of peace exhibited in and through you. But if you only try to worry your way out of the problem, you destroy His effectiveness in you, and you deserve whatever you get. We become troubled because we have not been taking Him into account. When a person confers with Jesus Christ, the confusion stops, because there is no confusion in Him. Lay everything out before Him, and when you are faced with difficulty, bereavement, and sorrow,listen to Him say, "Let not your heart be troubled" (John 14:27).


Very fitting, don't you think?

Some things I stole...

My African family.....back in the states.

The twins...

...and their twins.... LOL. Too funny. Wish I was wrapping my arms around all of those twins!

Update...

Tonight the Princess asked me to count down the days until we see the Prince again (if all goes well).

It's 15. :)

He called tonight just to chat and after we'd talked about all we needed to, he said...."Don't hang up! I'm not through hearing your voice."

Altogether now....AAAWWWWWWwwwwww.

A Sweet young man, that one is.

Maybe we're over most of the tears for now. People asked me today how I was and I didn't even tear up...Time will tell if we're really past them.

Lest you think I don't need you...

I reread over the post "About the Boarding School" and all of it is true, but maybe I should tell you that tears were streaming down my face the entire time I typed and every time someone asks me how I am...I tear up. Peace does not negate emotion or the sense of loss in my daily life, it just keeps me focused on what's important.

So, lest you think I don't need your prayers, I thought I ought to clarify. I believe any Mom would need support in these transitions, and the rest of the family as well.

Michael O'Brien's new CD has this old hymn that I love and it's done so simply that it allows the word to soak in and is powerful.

Be Still My soul the Lord is on thy side
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain
Leave to thy God to order and provide
In every change he faithful will remain
Be still, my soul, your best, your heavenly friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul, your God will undertake
To guide the future as in ages past
Your hope, your confidence let nothing shake,
All now mysterious will be bright at last.
Be still, my soul, the waves and winds still know
The Christ who ruled them while he dwelt below.

Be still, my soul, the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord,
When disappointment, fear, and grief are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul, when change and tears are past
all safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

About the Boarding School...

For months up to the time to leave I cried (grieved, really) randomly over the fact that the Lord has brought us to a place of surrendering our son much sooner than I had originally anticipated. He has never been ours. He's always been on loan. He belongs to the Lord. We've done our best to be good stewards of him. There were days we didn't think we'd keep from killing him before his next birthday...but we didn't and he's still alive...and thriving, so far.

When we left here for "that place" I was still struggling...not with the decision to allow him to go, just with the fact that he was going. I never imagined we'd be in these shoes. I never wanted it. Still don't. Somehow, there has been a consistent peace. It's the goodness of our Heavenly Father to give the peace that only he can...the one you can't explain...the one that, once again, proves his faithfulness.

When we took our first steps onto the campus...there it was...in all its glory..pouring over my soul like a balm. God's perfect peace. We had yet to meet his dorm parents, roommate, get his schedule, understand the workings of campus life, or know anything about his teachers or administrators...but the peace remained.

The first people we met were not the Prince's dorm parents, but another set, who super nice. Of course, they would be. What kind of person live their life with a bunch of teenagers willingly? LOL. Special people, that's for sure. When we met The Dorm Parents we knew they were special. The Dorm Mom immediately fell in love with the Prince because he's a rare teenage boy who is unafraid to converse with adults. He left with her to watch a basketball game. We had a separate conference with The Dorm Parents and heard their hearts...which are beautiful. He's in good hands.

We met his roommate and parents and equally loved them. They are in a similar situation with a kid sister at home. We'll try to hook up with them for the sisters to play.

So many great things happened in the course of setting up shop for the Prince. All confirmations. He is doing very well. We know someone who lives there and is on campus fairly often. He told us that two separate adults pointed out the Prince and asked if they were related (He was checking on him for us.) when it was answered "no" they continued to brag on what a fine young man he is. That's always good for a parent to hear, but we already knew that. :)

While we were staying together before the Prince moved into the dorm, he made such an effort to love on his sister and include her in things. By the way, she was TOTALLY bummed that they only start boarding kids in 9th grade...she loved it there and was ready to go! So she said, "how many years do I have to wait?" It's crazy.

I never would have wanted this, but I know the Lord has plans for me. Us. The Prince. And the Princess. It involves growing and changing and surrender. All of which can bring pain...for me at least. I am a creature of habit. I like things planned out. I would love for God to tell me things ahead of time...but he knows me better than to do that. He asks me to trust him with the deep things of my heart. And right now, that has to do with my children. But he has ALWAYS proven faithful. In every trial. Along the bumps of life. When I can't see him or feel him and even when I'm at my weakest in faith. He is faithful. He is trustworthy. He is in control and he knows my pain. He loves the Prince more than I can fathom and He will be faithful to him.

He is the Giver of Peace. He is the Author of Peace...that's why we can't explain it or define it or wrap our brains around it. But we can be thankful for it and walk in it and when the road makes us weary, we can simply sit and bask in it.

I'm there. Care to join me?
Thankful for the gift of Peace,

Craft night

Look in the background...see the giant bug-like thing sitting on top of the fish tank? That's a CD player. We are listening to Focus on the Family's "The Chronicles of Narnia" (great stuff...like being in a theater...well...without the screen LOL) while we are making cards. The Princess loves crafts and needed some family time to adjust to three instead of four. I had originally intended to work on her homeschooling stuff (hence the stack of stuff on the corner), but we made cards and the Princess giggled over and over again as her daddy was being quite creative. I think she hasn't seen this side of him before. He's very creative, but usually I do the crafts with her...she had a good time and only commented once about the absence of the Prince.

Our Last night with the Prince...

After the Prince moved into his dorm, after his first day of school, and before we left him early the next morning...we walked a couple of miles to a Starbucks.

The last picture of them together...

Walking back after Starbucks...he was being the big brother and being protective of her. She had made comments off and on about how she was "getting ready to be miserable" and "I miss you already" at random times.

We enjoyed our time after dinner and just enjoyed being leisurely.

I'm sure NO ONE slept that night for all the sugar we took in...but we did it together. :)

Back at the dorm before we said our good-byes...

Sweetness...

A "Noogie" to remember me...

A kiss you least expect because I really do love you...

This one brought tears...We had one last group hug and prayed over the Prince before we sent him home for the night. When we finished, he draped his arms over my shoulder and began to pray aloud over me...thanking God for a Mother like me ("The best mom in the world") and then he moved on to his sister and prayed over her, and then his father, saying the sweetest words of thanks to our God for his family. When I looked at the King, his eyes were filled with unshed tears. We are abundantly proud of our young man and terribly sorry to see this time of life arrive.

There is more to share...just not right now. We are adjusting. He is doing famously well! We've talked to him several times and he and his roommate are getting along. His dorm parents loved him the moment that he started answering questions without them having to PULL the answers out of him.

We've already been told by a friend who lives there that two separate people pointed the Prince out and commented on what a fine young man he is. We couldn't be more proud of him and we couldn't miss him more.

What once was lost is now is found...

Yesterday I LAUGHED OUT LOUD...for a while...and giggled the rest of the day when I thought about what I'd discovered.

Here's the scoop:

Since the Prince is mostly out of our house, and his bedroom has also been the office, we decided to rearrange some things until he comes home again. So...I started at the top bookshelf and began cleaning, sorting, and chunking some things. On the highest shelf was my Bible cover/carrier/protector/thingy. When we moved over it was too heavy so I just took my Bible out of it and packed it. Since we've been here, I haven't carried that particular Bible anywhere. It's big and bulky, and I usually carry my pocket size.

I took it down off of the shelf it has been on for nearly 20 months and opened it to find treasures! Real treasures.

Some background:
Recently, I was looking for a handwritten recipe for Bread and Butter pickles from The King's Grandmother. She's in her 80's and it is a treasure to me to have it in her handwriting, but I was anxiously looking for it, ready to try it out. I never found it. What could I have done with it?

Also, when we first came and I unpacked...I lamented the loss of a brand new set of salt and pepper shakers that I KNEW I had packed, but never found. What could have happened to them? Surely someone in security didn't take JUST a set of S/P shakers... Really, it was crazy.

Well, yesterday when I took down the Bible cover...sticking out of a pocket on top was the treasured recipe! Talk about putting a smile on my face. I was thrilled. OF COURSE this is where I would put it while last minute packing...

I put it away and unzipped the pocket to find more treasures...pictures of my BFF's and one of my father and me while dancing together on a cruise. More treasures.

Last but not least, there were heavy things wrapped in paper towels. What? Immediately I LOL'd! I knew it was my shaker set. Who would have thought?

If I'd searched my things like the lady in the Bible who lost one coin...I would have found them, but as it was, I was overjoyed to find these treasures right in the safety of the protector of my greatest treasure, My Heavenly Father's Word to me.

Such a sweet surprise.

Coming home...

We have had a WONDERFUL time with our son and there is much to share.

He is doing well...thriving.

We are so very proud of him and I'll let you in on more of that once we get back home.

Just an "Aside" for you... after we left the Prince at his school we traveled to a larger city where we'll catch our flight home. The Princess was watching a movie on the King's computer in her room where we are staying. When the movie got to a funny part....she bolted out of her room and yelled, "Prince! Prince! come see this..."

...and then it dawned on her...he's not here. She handled it well, I must say. We will all have some adjusting, but we are reminded again that this is the best thing for the Prince and, therefore, us in the long run.

Our God is in Control and he knows our needs.

Traveling tomorrow...

And...we're off!

This is the day that the Lord has made.
I will rejoice and be glad in it.

Any more words than that...and there'll be tears...which I don't want.

We're packed and headed out...more at a later date.

Love~

Happy 19th Anniversary

To the King,

I'll never have the words to say what a gift you are to me and what having you by my side on this journey of life has done for me. So I'll be brief...I am MUCH of what I am today because you loved me. Thank you for telling me out on a date all those years ago. Thank you for choosing me, then and now.

Happy Anniversay Love,

The Queen

Still counting down...

Well, it's Monday and we leave on Thursday...still trying to accomplish a ton of things, but the visas and permits are all in. PTL.

I think there must be something innate in teenagers that makes them become real stinkers before they move out. Granted...ours is not moving out forever...just a few months at a time....but still.

He doesn't talk about it much...even if we poke and prod him...but I know he is feeling some of what we are. Therefore, it does make sense to me that he is pushing us away some. It seems like a smart thing to do when you are about to leave all that you love and have known as your security. I remember fighting those feelings when we were leaving the states. It makes sense to guard your heart against some of the upcoming pain and grief. But, to me, it was more inportant to have those last good times with my cherished ones. Those are some of my favorite memories to recall when I'm homesick, but...

I can't expect a 15 year old to have that wisdom. So, he is being 15. There have actually been a couple of days that I thought, "OK. The tables are turned. I can't wait to get him out of here!" Good thing I only thought it...because it didn't last long. He is still a kid whether or not he thinks it.

The Princess hasn't fully realized the changes coming, either. I think I forgot to tell you that we have some American friends over here who have a daughter the same age as the Princess. Well, they are going back to the States while we are taking the Prince, so when we come back...much will have changed for us..as well as the young couple who were visiting for the summer...going home. It's coming up on a lonelier time for us. Please pray for us as we transition. ALL of us.

Thanks for walking the journey with us...it makes it so much sweeter to share it with you.

3 days...

Along the journey...

If I didn't KNOW that we are supposed to be in this place at this time in our lives...

If I wasn't CONFIDENT that the One who guides me daily has led me here...

If I didn't COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND what it means to be in the center of God's will...

If I was tempted to FORGET that I have an enemy seeking to devour me...

then all the trouble we have been going through...all the RED TAPE to get a simple visa would SEND ME HOME. That is, if I thought I wasn't SUPPOSED to be here. It's enough to drive you CRAZY!!!

Anyway. Now, I feel better.

I've heard stories from people living in other countries about how much time it takes to do the paperwork to live in a foreign country. When we first came, we had help and it wasn't too bad...but this time...we were on our own. And, no matter how much of a foreign language you think you know...it's not enough. It seems that the vocabulary you learn in class is the grammatically correct way to speak...but no one you ever talk to uses those words. Although, they can understand you...you don't know the synonyms they use and you can't understand them.

It's crazy...but we're almost through the process for another year. And I'm SOOO ready.

One week from tomorrow...we leave to take the man-child...you might not hear much from me between now and then...

then again...you might. I never know. LOL.

Love my new header!

Thanks Pandamom for the new header!

We had a blast trying to get a decent picture of the four of us for Pandamom to play with.

We even got one where it LOOKS like the King is picking his nose...he snot....I'm mean, he's NOT, but it looks that way. He FORBID me to blog it, and even though I REALLY want to...I won't.

We needed a new family picture before the Prince leaves for school. We're satisifed.

We leave on the 12th to accompany him...
11 days and counting...