Life Returning to normal...Whatever that is!

So just finished the last busy weekend for a little while. I am looking forward to getting back into our "normal" routine, whatever that is. Yesterday was so crazy for us. We were up early for Vickie to compete in State Choir ensembles, she is in two so she performed at 8:00 am for Women's Glee they received and Excellent rating of a 2. Then she performed again at 10:30 for Acapella Choir and they received a Superior rating of a 1! The other choirs from South did wonderful as well. Then we had to pick her up and head down to Springfield for State Winter Guard Championships. The other girls went down Friday afternoon but since she had choir we had to take her down yesterday. We arrived around 3:45 and she performed at 6:45 pm. Awards were not until 11:15 PM!! So as each class was announced we waited patiently...ok maybe it was a little impatiently, she has worked all winter for this last performance score and ranking so we were a bit excited. The performance was wonderful! They performed to Michael Buble's "Smile" It was an exciting show and Vickie's smile just lit up that gym!! So fun too! Anyway so they got around to her class and they received 4th in the state!! Pretty great job I would say!! We got home around 3:00 am, and we are exhausted today. So we get a few weeks repreive to rest and get back into our normal routine, course if you know us our lives revolve around our children and band so it won't be long till we are back at it again. If you have a child in band it really never stops! But we LOVE it!!

This past week though Ernie has been home for Spring break and we let a friend of his stay with us too. It made me think about some things. First how much I LOVE having a full house! And second how I love the quiet times with my hubby and more important the quiet times with Our Lord! They are so very precious to me. Our home seems a little less empty now days because he is gone. I am starting to get use to the routine of the four of us, yet he is still missing. There are times I look around and say you know Ernie should be here to see this or do this. I am however SO proud of the man he is becoming, and letting go is a little easier each time, although I do hang on for his hug when he leaves as long as he'll let me. He gives the best hugs!! I did like the feeling of every room in our house being full this past week, and as much as a pain I am about having the house clean, I was reminded that its not so important when your loving on people and sharing your lives with each other. In the end that is what they will hang on to. Not whether the house is clean or the laundry was done, its whether there was love there.

Which brings me to the point of this blog today. I am not sure I want life to return to normal. I want my home full of conversation and busyness. I want The Lord to be honored and loved here no matter who comes and goes. I want people to come and be comfortable and feel loved when they are here. Normal seems boring. I like a little spontaniety and some real laughter in our home. The kind you hold your stomach and cannot breathe sort of laughter. Most important, and if you know me, you know this, I want LOVE here! I want to show love and be shown love, just give my heart completely away to those God brings into my life. That is what life is about!

I have so many thoughts in my head and just have not had the time to put them here this week. I am so thankful for this coming week and what it stands for in our home. Today is Palm Sunday! What joy that is in a Christians life! Friday will come, and we will reflect, but Sunday is coming!!! The Lord will be celebrated, for dying on the cross for us to forgive our sins but more importantly rising from the grave and fulfilling every single one of His promises!! In that I am reminded of not only the promises of the bible but the promises He has made me. China is waiting, somehow, someday! It will all be so beautiful because we will get to watch His plan unfold right before our eyes!! You know we were adopted into His family? So why not adopt others into ours!! Lord just show me each step you want me to take so that each one will honor You! Show us hope and remind us of what You want us to do! Please console our hearts when they are hurting. Whether its because this world is cruel and won't cooperate, or whether our hearts are hurting because we just cannot bear the waiting sometimes. Love on us like only You can! Fill us up!

We won't be satisfied with anything ordinary!
We won't be satisified at all!
Open up the sky fall down like rain,
We don't want blessings we want You.
Open up the sky fall down like fire,
We don't want anything but you!!

Just let us serve You and honor You sweet Jesus! Your ways are higher and better than we can ever imagine! Protect our sweet daughters birth mother and show her Your love. And when it is time for her to do the unimaginable, comfort her and give her peace, and in Your wonderful wisdom show her that her daughter and ours will be loved eternally!! And love on her so much Father that she will know she did the best she could! Protect our daughter as well and love on her too, do not let her go one minute without knowing she is loved SO very much! I am hanging on to Your Word and Your promises Father! All for Your Glory Lord, ALL for Your Glory!! I cannot wait to be part of this wonderful plan that You have shown us! I am Yours USE me!!