Daddy is Home!!!

 I don't know how someone's presence can affect you the way that it does, but I've been so very sick and still I've hardly slept without John here at the house.  Even when I did sleep it was quite fitful and full of strange dreams. I'm over the moon with happiness!! My honey is finally home. We got to the house at 4:30 yesterday afternoon, had sandwiches for a snack and we were in bed by 5.  I slept like a rock. We woke up at 9 and I made fajitas and we all sat down for a really late dinner and we were back in bed by 10:30. Last night...none of that dreaming and rolling around...I just plain slept like a rock.  Thank you Lord for sleep!

So much has happened over the last couple of months that I'm not sure what you all might want to know.  Just look at this sweet card that Little B made for daddy in the hospital.  I'm really proud of how my little ones have rolled with the punches through it all.  There are so many things that have been blessings to us through it all.  I want to take a moment to dwell on these things and share with you all.  

We have learned how to function better as a family.  Where I used to scramble to keep our house all on my own and my children used to complain and scream when asked to do anything, now, everyone pitches in. John helps me to communicate with the kiddos better and I help him to communicate better.  We are on the same page and our family is a team for the first time ever.  My local friends have been to the house and each one of them has asked me "what's going on?! Your house looks great!"  Last night when I made fajitas even little L ate the peppers and mushrooms and onions like a little champ!  My children have learned to be thankful for every little moment and find joy in taking care of their things.  

Little L is super proud that he made his own bed!

Most of you know that I've been a coffee fanatic since I was pretty little.  In fact, my PawPaw used to dip my pacifier in coffee when I was a baby!!  :)  Coffee is one of those things that reminds me every day that Jesus loves me.  I know that sounds a bit ridiculous, but I take a sip and every single time I think "Jesus Loves Me"  I think he was thinking of me when he made the coffee bean back in the beginning.  Anyway...I tell you all of that nonsense so I can show you this funny picture that cheers me up :) I found it on pinterest while not sleeping one night.  

I've had an espresso machine at home for nearly 3 years now.  It was something that I never would have purchased for myself, but John brought it home for me and learned how to work it just so that he could show me and I wouldn't get frustrated.  Well...on Thanksgiving day my espresso machine burned out, and that man drove to Wal-Mart and got me a cheap one to hold me over until tax return and he has been shopping for a nice one for me ever since!!  He doesn't even drink coffee....it's just for me and to make my business run better.  I teach crochet over coffee.  I'm a future director with Mary Kay and I do a lot of training around my table over a cup of coffee just because my husband has made it a delicious place to have coffee!! Thank you Honey.

This string of events has resulted in a deep soul search for me. Thankfully my friend and colleague Ayla Kimmel had already set me to work on a soul search.  She asked me "Nettie, what do you want your life to look like when you're dying and looking back on it?"  That's not something I've ever written down before.  I had a general idea...but nothing in writing or even in an organized thought. 

I really didn't know where to start when Ayla told me to think about it, so...being a Mary Kay Business owner, the words of Mary Kay Ash came to my mind. "Don't go to bed without writing down your 6 most important things for tomorrow. It will get them out of your head and on paper, give you a sense of purpose when you wake up, and ensure that you don't forget anything."  so I thought, why not make a "6 most important things that I want my life to be" list.  So that's were I started!!

1. I want my life to be JOYFUL

2. I want my life to be FAITH BASED

3. I want my life to be FAMILY ORIENTED

4. I want my life to be FUN!

5. I want my life to be FULL OF LOVE

6. I want my life to be WORTHY of the legacy that I leave my children

While laying in bed...coughing so hard that I saw spots, and I thought my head would explode...I have to be honest...I thought "what if I don't get through this? What if John doesn't get through this? Have we lived a life that we can be proud of?"  It was quite a great realization that we have accomplished every single thing on my 6 most important things list!!  It's not as pretty as I'd like it to be, but it's all there, and in all honesty I don't think that it was all there before this time of crisis hit us.  We have grown more than I can express. 

Thank you to all of you who have taken the time to pray for our family.  Please don't slow down the prayers.  I will keep updating you all on this blog. I was making a list and it's pretty funny: In the last 8 weeks we have had 2 broken bones, 2 cases of strep, 4 ear infections, 2 cases of the flu, 2 broken appliances, 1 house flood, 1 infected bug bite, 3 cases of pink eye, 2 cases of bronchitis, 1 week of severe diarrhea, 2 cases of chronic constipation, 2 surgical procedures, 4 trips to the ER, 5 trips to Temple, 1 hospitalization, and 1 chest x-ray!  LOL  What's Next?!!!  Please don't stop praying!!  We love you all. Thank you again.

Nettie