Vienna doesn’t like to sleep… she will get louder and louder
talking to keep herself awake.  She did this a while ago, was talking
very loud then all of a sudden she went quiet… after she was quiet
for a full 30 seconds I came out of the kitchen (I was fixing dinner,
and I could see her by looking over my shoulder) and found her dead
asleep just sitting in her Bumbo chair, propped up on her Frog
rattle… I couldn’t believe it!!! I was freaked out at first, but when
she proved to be breathing, I couldn’t resist getting the camera and
snapping a cute shot.  Of course, the MOMENT I took her out of the
chair she wanted to be up playing again!! She didn’t go back to sleep
for another hour… she was SOOOO TIRED!!!

This is how I feel this week!!!  We had a wonderful vacation but I’ve done nothing but run all week long and now I’m into my second week of go-go-go!!! 

Why do we do this to ourselves??  I didn’t have this problem in Latvia, but there is something about the States that causes us to all over commit and over “do” on a daily basis! What’s up with that!?!?!?!? 

Tomorrow I stay home all day, but of course, since I’ve been out almost every day for a good half of a day, that means there is laundry to do… and since Vienna is now rolling over both front to back and back to front and getting ready to crawl, that means I need to keep up with the vacuuming (humm… have I vacuumed since taking out the Christmas tree!?!?!)  She found a tree needle today!! Oh boy, here it comes!!   I think it’s time for me to slow down and just enjoy my time at home with my baby girl!! 

Next week starts a week with no commitments, I think I’m going to try to keep it that way.  I’m going on a “go-go diet”. We’ll see how I feel.

Last October marked one year for Sam and I. We returned to the United States.  No money, no jobs, no baby and not much of a household left.  We came trusting that the Lord was going to take care of us, even though we were stepping out of ministry for a while.  For anyone who’s depressed….It’s amazing how much can change in a year!! 

Here I sit.  In our house (so we don’t own it, but we’re in a HOUSE!) full of furniture (and nicely pulled together mind you considering all of our furniture was given to us by different sources). Decently decorated (Praise the Lord for ultra clearance sales!!!). Our car parked out in the driveway (it works, its nice and it has no payments on it!)  My husband is in his office working away at a business that is already out of debt!!! (we’ll see how well we are doing at tax time, but…) with our lovely daughter sleeping away in the cradle next to me. 

Had anyone asked me last year at this time what I thought life would be like upon returning to the States I would not have been as optimistic to think that the Lord would have us where he does today.  I don’t understand it, but I am thankful for it!!  Sure, our house isn’t as big as most of our friends or family members (you could put our entire house in one of our friends living/dining areas!!), a car that has lots of squeaks and creaks and a few little “issues” but it is reliable and works well, we don’t have a lot of excess (but we don’t have any debt either) …but we are happy with our meager little life.

Sure, we miss some things about living in Latvia.  I miss living in the thick of the city, being able to step out side, walk a block and catch public transportation to anywhere in town I need to go (though not as peaceful as where we are now). I miss having a grocery across the street (small and soviet though it was). I miss friends (though its wonderful being near family). I miss most the pace of life (and the fabulous shoes!).  But we are so blessed here!!!!

This isn’t meant as a “brag” or as a ohh… look what we have… but more as a wow, the Lord has truly taken care of us and blessed us abundantly! It is an acknowledgment of the good in our lives. (every good thing comes from Him).  I constantly have to remind myself how faithful He is to us, yet I sit in the MIDST of His faithfulness to us… that amazes me. 

But you can focus on the happy or you can focus on the sad.  You can focus on what you have, or on what you still want.  But the Lord gives us all enough good in our life wherever we are if we choose to look at the good.  See every little blessing in each day… the beauty of the sun, the freshness of the rain, a smile from a stranger, food on the table, clean water to drink… not all the world is as fortunate as we.  We can  choose to remember how  He HAS been faithful, or we can focus on the area’s we worry He just might not pull through for us… (Especially for many of us as we approach tax time!!! duhnnn dun duuhhhh)

Here’s hoping everyone who reads this has an amazing year ahead of them!!!!  and when you do, remember to thank the Lord for it all.