Women's Retreat at Cannon Beach

I was forunate to be able to spend two nights in Cannon Beach at a women's retreat with two of my very good friends. I wasn't sure I was going to be able to go because the kids were sick almost all week, but I'm so glad I went. The theme of the weekend was "Satisfy My Thirsty Soul," and I have to say that my soul is more than satisfied. I learned more about how to truly love God, and how He is there to help me during my most vulnerable times. I came away with stronger convictions about how to love Peter and the kids, so I am incredibly grateful. It is comforting being with people who have a lot of the same struggles I do. It helps me to not feel alone in my weaknesses. I know my friends so much better now - it's funny how sharing the deepest things about our lives brings us so much closer. We also had fun going on long walks, shopping, talking, crying, eating delicious food both at the retreat center and at restaurants, and drinking some great wine (I did knock the bottle of wine off the table that my friend had just bought at the Cannon Beach Cooking school, though...)! This morning at the end of the retreat there was a beautiful rainbow across the ocean. By the time I was able to get my camera, it had almost disappeared. You might be able to see a little glimpse of it. This was our view from the giant window where our sessions were held. The whole time we were able to listen to encouraging messages, sing, and look out at the beach. I'm already looking forward to next year's retreat and will bring along anyone else who wants to come :)

You Never Know What a Week Will Bring

It seemed like it was going to be a "normal week." There was nothing to indicate that it would be any different, but it was.... It has been filled with lots of trials, but they all have something positive attached to them. First, we needed a new transmission in the van. Even though we were passed the mileage for the warranty, the Honda dealer gave us a new transmission for $100, rather than the $3,500 it normally costs. When I had taken it in to find out what was wrong, I told them that I would appreciate "anything they can do for us," and I went in the waiting room and said a quick prayer since we definitely didn't have an extra $3,500 laying around. I knew God would do something for us. The dealer told us that they would knock $3,400 off of the price since we have been loyal customers of theirs for many, many years. I felt like hugging the guy, but I brought him "thank you" cookies instead.

The next day, the kids got off the school bus and told me that they "almost died..." I thought they were exaggerating, but after hearing what happened, I realized that they were very fortunate that nothing serious happened to them. Their bus driver had a medical emergency while driving the bus (we had heard it was a stroke, but then heard they couldn't share because of privacy). The bus driver drove on a couple of sidewalks, almost hit a pole, knocked over a fence with the bus feeling like it was going to tip over, etc! Thankfully, the bus driver finished the route without the kids getting hurt, and the district was able to find him and take him to the hospital.

The next day, Peter found out that he got a 10% pay cut. We have officially joined the ranks of being directly affected by the economy. I will find out February 20th what cuts my program will be facing. We are both grateful to still have jobs, though! Despite the hard times in the economy, it has been neat to see people's generosity. McKenzie and her 2 friends have been canvassing our neighborhood asking people if they can donate pennies, nickels, and quarters to raise money for cancer (a fundraiser they're doing at school). They have been given $100 in change for about 2 hours of work!

Then Friday night Kelsey came down with the flu. She usually gets pretty wiped out when she gets the flu (I think because she is so small), and she ended up needing to get an IV on Saturday night because of dehydration. We are thankful to live in a place where we can just drive to a hospital and get help. From check-in to getting her IV, it only took about 20 minutes! Not the way we planned to spend our Valentine's Day - good thing Peter and I decided to go out for dinner on Wednesday night to celebrate!

So, that's been our week. It will be interesting to see what the next 7 days will bring....

Cupcakes

I was inspired to bake cupcakes after looking at the website of a new cupcake shop that is opening by our house. I waited for Kelsey to get home from school because Kelsey loves making cupcakes with me. Her favorite part is tasting the cupcake batter. We had fun dipping frosted cupcakes into shredded coconut and mini chocolate chips. Kelsey made a special cupcake for Peter and gave him a very nice note that she had typed on the computer. The family agreed that the cupcakes were delicious and they were a hit at Bunko that night.

Beautiful Day at the Beach

Every once in awhile I feel a need to spend some extra quality time alone with God. One of my very favorite places to do this is at the beach. Spending time at the beach helps me to clear my mind, be free from distractions, and connect more easily with God. Today was absolutely amazing at the coast. It was very sunny, and there was no wind whatsoever. There was a light layer of fog that made Haystack Rock look even more beautiful. I usually spend hours sitting inside the lobby at the Stephanie Inn. When I drove up to it today, I was surprised to see that it was closed for repairs/remodeling. It turned out fine, though, since the weather was so amazing. I didn't even need to wear a coat. I walked for a couple of miles on the beach and then sat on a cozy chair on the grass of the Ocean Lodge. I listened to the waves crashing, as I studied about how God wants me to use my words to encourage people rather than tear them down. I drove home feeling very refreshed and re-energized.

Superbowl Fun

It was lots of fun having so many friends over to watch the big game. Since the Packers weren't playing...we really didn't care who won the game. It was just fun to catch up with friends, laugh at the commercials, eat tons of good food, and decorate football cookies. Another bonus was having the whole family help clean the house!! (Thanks, McKenzie, for scrubbing the floor :)