Celebrating and Coming Home...

Tomorrow is a big day around the Shisler house, and NO not because it is April Fools Day although that is always fun.  Scott, my Love, and I will be celebrating our 14th Anniversary!  April 1, 1995 on a chilly spring day in Edina, Minnesota we promised before God, family and friends that we would love each other forever.  (and so on with the vows...)  And here we are, 14 years later, 3 moves, 3 wonderful children....so blessed.  Love him more today than I did that day and I never thought THAT was possible.  10 months of dating, 6 months of engagement to the day (ask him about his 6 month rule sometime) and a wonderful wedding day.  (Thanks Mom and Dad for that)   

Some of my favorite memories from that day are... that I woke up to snow, and some Fruity Pebbles in bed ,yes true.  Then a sweet card from my parents about getting married...climbing in bed with them that morning finding it hard to believe the DAY was finally here.   Yes I was 23 years old and climbed in bed with my Mom and Dad...still do on occasion even today.  I remember getting ready in the bathroom, doing my own hair and make up (before the day of fancy salon preparations) and my brother sitting in the bathroom talking to me while I was getting ready.  He even brought my Burger King Chicken strips and Sweet and sour for my pre wedding meal...great diet I had huh?  My Dad popped his head in the bathroom to tell me I looked beautiful.  

I remember being so calm and sure about the day.  And so excited.  We got to the church around 1:30 and finished getting ready with my dear girlfriends...and then my Dad came to get me.  Tears in his eyes but so careful not to show me as I had made him promise not to cry that day so that I wouldn't cry that day...or I knew I would be a mess.  He walked me down to the Prayer Chapel to meet Scott...what a moment.  He looked at me with this look of awe.  Like WOW I am marrying YOU.  What a great moment.  We saw each other early as we did pics before the wedding.  And there he was...my groom.  So excited about it all...fast forward to 4:30.  It was time.  My dear friend Julie and I stood back and watched as one after another bridesmaid went into the church...and there were 7 of them before Julie.  So that took forever it seemed.   I couldn't believe the day was here...I was marrying Scott!  It was one of those moments I will never forget, and I told Julie at that moment that this was one of those pictures I would always have in my memory(and I do).  There are few moments that stand still in time, that was one of them.  Then I looked over and my Dad and I locked eyes and with such confidence he took my hand.  We didn't cry, which for those of you who know either  one of us is a MIRACLE in and of itself.  But I remember the look on his face of faith in me, trust in who I was about to marry and pure joy as my Dad.  Pure honor to be walking me down that aisle. 

The doors opened and there stood my Love at the end of the aisle.  He was already crying, which I had only seen once in my life, when he proposed.   Scott was everything I had prayed for and more.  And he loved ME, he chose ME!   And he smiled at me and at my Dad and we walked...with over 450 people in the room all I could see was Scott, and my Mom (who was wearing cream like I was, just how I wanted it to be, my Mom and I and the flower girls, only ones in cream I LOVED that) and I remember feeling the strength of my Dad as we walked and I remember watching Scott's face as I walked down that aisle.  

The wedding was wonderful, just what I had dreamed.  Music and flowers, prayer, laughter and God was there...the sun peaked out of the clouds just as we said our vows and lit the unity candle.  I felt God was blessing our marriage at that very moment.  I remember Scott...crying through it all and I remember seeing his eyes and the gratefulness he had for that moment.  He had waited a long time for this moment...36 years old and he had found his bride.  He had been to a lot of weddings, stood up for a lot of friends, watched friends have children...and now it was HIS turn.  FINALLY...

(click on any of the pictures and they will enlarge, so you can see them up close )

This year, Drew is coming home from 5 days in DC on our anniversary so Scott will be driving to get him and we will celebrate with dinner out another night.  I am so grateful for a loving husband who protects, cares and adores me on this day.  And I am so grateful for Drew coming home, we have really missed him...a wonderful day of celebration at the Shisler house.

With a grateful heart,

How quiet a house can get...

It's amazing how quiet a house can feel with one less child in it.  Drew is still in Washington DC with my parents.  The house feels so different without him here.

He is having a terrific time. He was able to see Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Arlington Cemetery and many of the monuments yesterday.  This morning he is at the Bureau of Engraving, where they make the money, and then the Smithsonian and then he will have the opportunity to be on the floor with MN Congressman Erik Paulson.  Evidently if you are under the age of 12 you can be on the floor during the session.  So that is exciting.  Erik also has some sort of special permission to take Drew, Mom and Dad up to the top of the Capital building as well.  So they are all excited for that.  Thanks Dad for planning all of these fun details for him while he is there and to think he has 2 more days of fun ahead!

It is fun to hear his voice and what he thinks of it all on the phone...Mom and Dad are blessed to get to see his face first hand as he sees all of these special places.  I am counting on loads of pictures from all cameras when they arrive home. 

We do miss Drew.  Tommy said yesterday as we were walking into church, "Mom it feels really weird with Drew not wit us".  Amazes me how God knits you so closely together as a family and when one is not with us, it just doesn't feel complete.  And to think there will be a day when the 5 of us will not all live together.  There will be a day when life is different and the boys will grow up.  Until then...I will be so grateful that we are together.  

Miss you Drew...hope you are having a great time!  We love you buddy. xo Mommy

Don't blink

I think the time is near...where our boys are more social than we are. 

 This morning I drove up to the border of MN and IA to meet my Dad and deliver Drew to him.  They are taking him on a 5 day trip to Washington D.C.  That is their 10th birthday gift to him.  They have taken the other grandchildren at 10 as well.  He is so excited about the trip.  They have so much planned it should be a packed few days for them.  Fancy hotel, tour of white house, Capital, the monuments, Arlington Natl Cemetery, seeing old friends (I was born in DC as was my big brother so lots of friends for them there).  Drew has all of his fancy clothes packed, khaki's, blazers...wow he is growing up.  I told him this morning on the drive up that he should probably wear his blazer on the plane over his shirt and with his jeans, his comment "Great idea Mom I think blazers look really good with jeans".  So cute...

Then there is Tommy...last night he had a baseball kickoff the season party he didn't get home until 10:30 from, had so much fun.  Today he had a birthday party from 1-4 at a friend from his old school and then he was invited to a NCAA basketball party at a boy from his basketball teams house 30 miles from here from 4:30-10 tonight.  His social calendar if filled for the weekend.  And trust me, he IS Mr. Social so loves it all.  

Hmmm...they are growing up quickly.  Both of them.  So proud of them and who they are becoming.  Can hardly believe they will be 10 and 12 this summer.  Where do the years go??  

This afternoon I snuggled with little Jack and took a little nap...happy to have him home with me.

Today I am reminded "Don't blink"...

Proverbs 31

This was my daily devotion today from Proverbs 31 Woman's ministry...it really touched my heart.  Hope it touches yours too.  With God's help may we all look for that gold in our beautiful children.

Finding God's Purpose and Perspective

26 Mar 2009

Renee Swope

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." Genesis 1:27 (NIV)

A few weeks ago, I shared a devotion about the day I wanted to quit being a mom. I spent time that afternoon writing in my journal, processing my emotions with God and asking Him to help me. Later that day I read something in Zig Ziglar's book, Raising Positive Kids in a Negative World, that God used to completely change my perspective as a mom and as His child. Here's what I read:

Andrew Carnegie was the wealthiest man in America in the early 1900s, so wealthy that he employed over 42 millionaires! One day a reporter who was intrigued by Carnegie's wealth asked how he developed these men to become so valuable that he would pay them that much money. Carnegie explained, "Men are developed the same way gold is mined. When gold is mined, several tons of dirt must be moved to get an ounce of gold, but one doesn't go into the mine looking for dirt — one goes in looking for gold. And the more he looks for, the more he finds."

After this story, Ziglar challenged parents to look past their children's mistakes and mine for gold in them. I'd been buried in the dirt that day! My discouragement and feelings of failure as a mom left me so disappointed in myself. I was also convinced God felt the same way about me.
Pity set in and I started wishing I had a gold-miner in my life who could see beyond my mistakes and find the gold in me. That's when God whispered to my heart, "Renee, I am that gold-miner. You are the one who is so critical of yourself. You are the one who focuses on your faults. But I see the gold of My image in your heart, and I want to bring it to the surface so your kids can see Me in you."

As I sat there trying to process what God was whispering to my heart, stories and promises from the Bible started flooding my thoughts helping me believe that God really does see beyond who I am to who I can become. It would take time for those truths to sink in, but that day God used His thoughts to give me a new perspective - of Himself and of myself. Then He challenged me to look for ways to transfer that perspective to my children.

It's easy to get buried in the dirt of discontentment, disobedience and discouragement. You may even be thinking, Where's the gold in it all? I wondered, too. But after reading Carnegie's story and hearing God speak to my heart, I wanted to become a gold-mining mom.

As I thought about the gold I'd like to find in my children, character traits like patience, kindness and contentment came to mind. I decided to make a list of golden attitudes and actions and look up Bible verses we could learn together. I even made gold nuggets by balling up foil and spray-painting them gold. I decided that each time my kids showed a golden attitude or action, I'd reward them. When they saved up enough nuggets, they'd get a special treat.

Each week we'd find a new character trait and Bible verse, write down ideas to live it out and make them part of our family devotions. God's Word became a part of our everyday lives as He taught me to take my eyes off of my children's habits and focus on their hearts. Not only did it change my kids' attitudes and actions, it changed me, too. For the first time in months, I was excited about my role as a parent. God had given me a new perspective, and a whole new sense of purpose as a mom!

Dear Lord, thank You for not focusing on the dirt in my life but seeing beyond who I am to who I can become. Help me believe that, receive that and give it away to my kids, my husband and my friends. Help me look at their hearts and encourage the glimpses of You that I see in them. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

My Job

This week feels like it has been a whirlwind in a lot of ways.  Getting home from Spring Break late Saturday, and Scott leaving Monday for St Louis at the crack of dawn, starting this fitness challenge, the boys having Monday off from school, running Drew in for a mono recheck, unpacking, laundry, grocery shopping, healthy cooking and eating, working out daily....just seems like it has been non stop.  And we are about to enter the busiest time of year for our family, baseball season.(tonight the boys have 2 pitching lessons and 3 practices)

I am excited that today I can spend most of the day at home.  Finishing the unpacking, finishing the laundry (for today at least), getting the house picked up.  I went to my workout at 6:30 am so have that checked off the list already...can I tell you how much I love it when I can have my workout done before the boys go to school.

It's days like these I am really so truly grateful to be a stay at home Mom.  That I can have days where I can catch up, I can have some time for myself in the house to get on top of things.  As a little girl my biggest dream was to be happily married and be a Mom and be home! I honestly prayed for those dreams from 4th grade on, really.   And to be living that life is such a blessing.  

I am remembering that today...so thank you to my beloved husband for allowing me that privilege and honor and for always being supportive of that.    And thank you to my Mom and Dad for raising me to see just what an important job being a Mom and Wife is, for allowing me to know, even as a very little girl, that it is a highly valued "job" of its own.  And MOST of all, thanks to God for knowing my dreams and hearing my prayers.  I LOVE my "job"....

Challenge

I started a fitness challenge yesterday through our kickboxing gym we go to.  It is a 9 week challenge of fitness, weight loss, body fat comp loss etc.  After the way I ate over Spring Break the timing is perfect and before summer.  This is about 7 years coming, since I have had Jack.

I told the boys about it, knowing if I really wanted to succeed I would need all of the accountability I could get.  What I didn't expect is how into it they all are.  I told them Mommy needs to be eating healthy and no sweets for these 9 weeks.  Boy they are watching my every move.  Drew has made me 1 egg the last 2 mornings and Tommy the toast.  They are all into the menu plan I am on.  When I made grilled chicken breasts for dinner last night with spinach no one complained.  They did ask if they could get some apples and pudding to put with their meals.  :)

Guess it shows their love for their Mom and probably more than that...their competitive edge.  They hope I win the challenge.  (the winner gets a year free membership)  I told them I wanted to lose 30 lbs and some body fat so they are now all into it.  I have always been so careful not to talk about "diets" with them, for fear I would raise boys who thought girls were always on diets and that looks were what was important.  My Mom did such a fantastic job in raising me not to think of diets and to enjoy food in a reasonable way.  I always felt beautiful to her and to my Dad.   So I am not using the word diet but CHALLENGE.   I think this may really help me....having the little guys on board with it all.  They are offering to cook for me, throw away tempting foods, walk or run with me.  It's been fun to see.

One of the cutest things...last night Jack wanted Choc Chip Cookies, which is a 2 times a week thing here AT LEAST, and Tommy said "Jack I will make them with you."   SO they made a batch of the refrigerated kind, not quite homemade, but it was sweet Tommy knew that is a weakness of mine. 

So here goes....I am on day 2 of a 1200 calorie/day challenge.  Pray for me.  I don't want to let myself down, nor do I want to let my little personal coaches in this house down.

Love my parents

Have been thinking about my parents a lot today.  How much I love them, how much they have given up for their children, how much time they have given to us and the love that I have ALWAYS known...how they raised me to be a lot of who I am today.

I pray that our children understand how very much we LOVE them.  I pray that the boys know that without a doubt.

Some days are harder than others to be parents...

Love you MOM and love you DAD!

XOXO

Home Sweet Home

We are home from a LONG day of driving.  We left Columbus this morning.  Thank goodness for electronics on road trips.

Off to bed...

We had a great week together!  I feel blessed!

Heading out...

The bags are about packed, the iPods, DS's, DVD players are all charging....we are ready to head out in the morning. We have been at the farm since Monday. The boys have had such a fun week.

Jack is now Mr. Farmer. He helped Daddy and Gpa Shisler "sell seed" all week, which translates to delivering seed Gpa already had sold. They delivered "sillybeans", or soy beans and corn seed. HE LOVED every minute. Loading, the bobcat, the pickup...checking out the farm equipment at the deliveries...all of it. He has been in heaven. He has riden the bobcat, dump truck, 2 different tractors, the pickup truck...wow. They finished the final deliveries today.

Drew is now the resident "dog whisperer". He has watched that show this week for the first time and Gma and Gpa have a new puppy...9 months old, Cindy, who he has been training. He loves to walk her, play with her, give her treats and more treats. It has been fun to watch. He feeds the cats too and Buck, his favorite one, loves him.

Tommy is Mr. Pedometer. He has been wearing a pedometer for school...and today alone has over 24,000 steps. FYI most of us probably take around 5000 steps in a normal day including exercise. So he is working HARD...competing with his Dad. Beating him royally right now. He is outside all day shooting hoops on the new hoop Gma and Gpa got for the boys this fall.

We will head out in the morning for Columbus and spend tomorrow in Columbus....watch Ohio State win tomorrow night at our good friends, the Townsleys, before heading back to Iowa on Saturday....

We are having a fun time...

The Shisler Family Road Trip continues....

I am back to a computer where I can access the blog. I will catch you up on the Spring Break road trip so far...

We drove to Chicago on Friday after school. We stayed outside of the city in a Suburb and got up on Saturday morning to drive into downtown. The boys were mesmerized by the size of the buildings. I hadn't really thought of how big those buildings are...guess I have seen big buildings and big downtowns throughout my life so I don't really realize it. Fun to see it all through their eyes.

Saturday we went to the Field Museum which was fun. A lot of explaining to do for the boys. There is a lot to explain about science vs. biblical views on things. Cool dinosaurs to look at, a Pirate exhibit Jack liked....lots of "stuffed" animals. Probably wasn't the boys favorite museum ever but we had fun. The highlight for Tommy and Drew came after the museum...we went for a late lunch at the ESPN Zone. Of course the Buckeye game was on too so we watched it there on a HUGE screen, like a movie theater really. Then following some arcade games there we went to the LEGO store which was Jack's highlight. After all of that we were beat and heading to our hotel...

We stayed at the Hilton Chicago which was right on the lake on Michigan Avenue. A huge, beautiful hotel. The boys were so excited too. We decided to stay put for dinner and had Giordano's Pizza delivered. (Makila great tip thanks) Chicago Style stuffed pizza...YUMMY! We then all went in the pool, yes even Mom went in the cold hotel pool.

Sunday we hit the subway and rode it to Wrigley Field. Just for the subway experience and to see the field.   The subway was such a fun experience for the boys.  We made friends with the man who was "working" the subway.  He was so excited to show the boys how it all worked. Put his picture on here too.  So many wonderful life experiences we are gathering up.  Rode it back to the bus ride and took the bus to the Museum of Science and Industry. THAT museum was terrific. The boys loved it and there was so much to do. (we even ran in to the Rosberg, Wolfeswinkel, White families there..small world) We had a great time there....

Sunday night we went to the Hard Rock Cafe for dinner in a taxi, which was fun. Then we took a horse carriage ride around downtown. Then back to Ghiradelli's for a hot fudge sundae and back to the hotel by taxi. (Tommy and Scott walked 3 miles back to the hotel for fun :) )

Monday went for a walk by the lake in the morning and took some pictures with the skyline behind us...and of course...the boys found rocks to throw in the lake.  What is it about rocks, boys and throwing? Then we headed towards Ohio.

We would highly recommend staying at the Hilton Chicago or the Hilton Towes as the taxi drivers call it...great hotel.  Clean, newly remodeled, great service, kind people and wonderful location.  Probably the fanciest place we have ever taken the boys...they loved it.  :)  The boys enjoyed our bellman too...he was a fun guy.  He even let Jack try on his hat, the picture didn't turn out of that one but the one below is pretty fun.

Stopped for brunch at Bob Evans, Scott's favorite, and then drove the rest of the way to Ohio. Got to the farm, aka Grandma and Grandpa Shisler's, in time for dinner. Grandma Shisler had made everyones favorites, mashed potatoes, pot roast, creamed spinach, salad, gravy, homemade applesauce. YUMMY...and the best part a Homemade Peach Pie. Just what we were hoping for...

Boys are all up and running this morning. Drew is busy playing with their new puppy Cindy, Tommy is shooting hoops, and Jack has dug up all of Daddy's old toys and is playing with those...

This got really long...will update tomorrow....

On the Road again...hoping for some homemade pie

We are getting organized to get on the road again.  This years Spring Break is a little different for us, no beach, plane or sun we are heading on a Shisler Family Roadtrip. The DVD players are charging as are the video game players.  The DVD's are packed, the boys are packed....by tomorrow afternooon we will be on the road.  After school we are heading out.... 

First,we are heading to Chicago for a few days.  We have never taken the boys there.  We plan on hitting a couple of museums, the Shedd Aquarium, the ESPN Zone and staying at a hotel downtown.  The boys are really excited to be in Chicago.  Maybe we will drive by a baseball stadium or 2 as well for fun.  We don't have anything set in stone, which is kind of a nice treat for us.

Monday we will leave Chicago and head to the farm in Ohio to see Scott's parents.  That is where we are hoping for some homemade pie.  mmmm.... hint hint Grandma Shisler.  For those of you who don't already know...Scott's Mom is probably the worlds best pie maker.  (sorry Mom I like yours too, but it's hard to compete with those crusts of hers)  We will spend a few days there, meet their new puppy Cindy and just do farm stuff.  Jack is hoping to ride the tractors with Daddy and the boys are looking forward to seeing the new hoop they bought in the fall.  We may swing by Columbus after the farm...we have the end of the trip pretty open now.  A couple of ideas and options for the way back to Iowa but we will see what the week brings.

We are hoping Drew does okay on the trip.  He seems SO much better today even than yesterday, so hopefully we won't wear him out.

As much as I love the beach and the sun, I am really looking forward to this trip and to something a little bit different this year.  My 2 beach/sun trips in February probably helped me get that fix a bit.  :)

....as Willie Nelson says best "on the road again...just can't wait to get on the road again..." and can't wait for that PIE.  The diet starts AFTER spring break!

The Hamster Funeral

Drew went back to school this morning, for the first time since Wednesday.  We just tried the morning and it went well may try a little but longer tomorrow.  So now he is home with me and planning the funeral for Scruffy, the hamster.  He even found a scripture he wants to read at it ( the scripture is from the Lord's words to Adam and Eve after they ate the forbidden fruit)

Genesis 3:19 

       "...you will eat your food 
       until you return to the ground, 
       since from it you were taken; 
       for dust you are 
       and to dust you will return."

 I think it is great he spent time searching for the scripture he wanted to read for him.  

The hole is now dug in the ground, thanks to Daddy. Drew and Scott chose a spot underneath a tree since Scruffy always liked to be hiding underneath things.  :) We will have the Funeral after we get the other boys home from school.  Drew plans on making a cement tile with Scruffy's name written in it to put over the spot where we bury him.  Sweet thoughts....

Short Night

It was a short night for sleep here, not just because of daylight savings, but more because of Scruffy's death.  Drew did wake up around midnight to find that I had taken Scruffy out of his room.  He died sometime between 10 and 11:30 last night.

Sad Drew, and a sad Jack.  Tommy is doing all he can to comfort his little brothers and being a great kid all around with the situation.  Drew's health seems a bit better today, just tired.

Scott gets home tomorrow around 1:00.  He has had a terrific time in California, feels badly he hasn't been home to help with the ill and the loss of Scruffy.  But time away was good for him.  We can't wait to see him here.  Always good to have him home.

Scruffy

Scruffy, our hamster, really more Drew's hamster than anyones...is dying.  It has been a very sad night here at the Shisler home.  Last night we noticed Scruffy wasn't in his normal, cozy hiding spot and I asked Drew how Scruffy had been this week.  And he said he hadn't left that spot for a couple of days for anything.  I knew that was not good. So tonight I checked on him, and sure enough he is barely alive and barely breathing.

These are the days when your Mommy heart breaks or shatters into small pieces.  I wish I could make the pain go away for Drew...and for Jack who is so sad as well.  Tommy wasn't as attached to Scruffy but is sad for his brothers.

Scruffy was a great hamster...he was friendly and loving and never crabby.  He especially loved his home in Drew's room.  They were 2 of a kind in a lot of ways.  I told Drew he would probably not make it through the night so that when Drew woke up he would know Scruffy would be dead.  Drew put a washcloth over his little body so he would be warm and comfortable, we put his favorite treat by his nose to smell and he hung his little Christmas Stocking back up on his cage.  Ugh rip my heart out...and before all of that he asked if he could hold Scruffy one more time and if I would take their picture.  Ugh...so we did.  

Drew's last question before bed was "Will Scruffy go to heaven because he didn't really know Jesus Mommy"  ...these are the times when the right words are hard.  I said that I know God loves all of His creatures , He made them and He knows how special Scruffy was to Drew and that I hoped that there was a place in heaven for the loved pets we all have had, but that the bible doesn't tell us that for sure.  Drew agreed with that.  So tonight we thanked God that Scruffy wasn't suffering that he was just falling into a long, sound sleep.  And Drew prayed that Jesus would welcome him to heaven and hold him there.

I am posting a couple of pictures of Scruffy from last year...some of my favorites.

Please pray for Drew.  He has had a rough week with the mono and now this...he is exhausted.

 At Drew and Jack's request; there will be a private family funeral service held in our backyard on Monday afternoon, the burial will follow soon after in the garden.  :) 

Update on Jack's tooth