Help Me Find It

Starting my day with some truth and music...

One of those days

Somedays require reminders of truth...

...hamburgers and root beer floats

...and pajamas before 7:00 pm. 

Love this boy

Tommy had braces on again for the past few months. (Lesson in wearing your retainer) He got then off last Friday early in the morning. Fun to see his smile without metal.

Sunday we went tux shopping for prom.  Hard to believe.  He settled on the red.  Ebby's dress is black and white. 

With this tux...

Love this boy...

Hard Days

Some days are HARD...just HARD.

I don't know how people live without the promise of Jesus and the plan that has been set for us.  I don't know how you can live without trusting in heaven.  No pain, no suffering, no sadness, no illness..

I believe God has better plans than my own, I trust in Him.

On a day where I would prefer to climb back in bed, and under the covers and hide from the world I am going to choose to CLAIM His promises today!

And cancer sucks by the way....

And the smell of rotten milk in my car is not helping either...

Keeping it Real: Parenting is HARD

Parenting is HARD, it isn't for the light hearted or weak minded.  Parenting is NOT always joyful.  Parenting is heart wrenching sometimes.  We pray and pray and pray for our boys, and sometimes it doesn't feel like it's enough.  But God asks us to come to Him for direction.  He is the ultimate parent.  I have been looking through scriptures last night and today for direction, comfort and leadership...here are some that I have found.

Proverbs 14:26

"He who fears the LORD has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge."

Proverbs 22:6

"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it."

Matthew 18:12-13

"What do you think?  If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?  And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off."

Ephesians 6:4

"Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord."

James 1:2-3

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance."

3 John 1:4 

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth."

(one of my ALL time favorites)

Micah 6:8

"And what does the Lord require of YOU? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

There are times in this parenting journey where we need help, wise counsel, people to step in...we have been doing that.  We continue to...we have friends who have stepped in when we have needed them.  We are so grateful.  There are dear friends praying.  I have been crying a lot.   We love these boys DEEPLY.  We care about the men they become.  We care that their relationship with Jesus is THEIR OWN and not ours.  We pray for deep roots in faith.  

I know we are not alone in this journey of parenting.  Just keeping it real today....

Pigs...and more pigs...3000 pigs

Monday my college girlfriend Niki came down for her annual spring break to Iowa trip...this time she went to our friend Lisa's house first.  Lisa lives on a farm near Newton about an hour from our house. They recently built a new house on the farm and knocked down their old farmhouse...so she has space to entertain.  Not only IN her house but of course outside.  Our boys LOVED the farm, Niki's kids LOVED the farm.  We headed there Monday after school for dinner with everyone...but Tommy who had golf back here.

After dinner the kids were outside playing, checking out the chickens, the four wheelers...messing around.  We learned that 3000 pigs (hogs) were being delivered on Tuesday to the farm.  David, Lisa's husband, asked if Drew could stay and help with the unloading.  They have a son, Holden, the same age.  At first it was kind of a joke, or so I thought...but then I learned no he really DID want help and Drew thought it sounded fun.  Niki's kids were super excited as well.  Jack didn't want to miss it, nor did Max.  So I ended up leaving Drew there to spend the night on the farm.  I head home with Jack and Max....

Jack went to school on Tuesday morning and then I picked him up to go and see those piggies.

Oh my goodness, pigs are LOUD....I did NOT know that.  And they smell and I mean REALLY SMELL...BAD!  The hogs are about 4 miles from their farm so they don't get to endure that smell every day.  Yikes.

But WHAT an amazing experience for our kids!  All of them, but Tommy and Caleb, both sophomores in high school....got to experience it.

Drew, Holden, Jack and Zach stayed the longest to help.  The rest of us got out of the smell after about 20 minutes.  The rest unloaded and made sure 136 per pen.

Later that evening we all met back in Waukee at our house, Niki and kids spent the night, Lisa and kids came for dinner.  We couldn't get over how very blessed we are...11 children between us.  3 happy and healthy marriages.  Friendship that spans over 23 years.  Children that LOVE being together and get along SO well with each other.

This is how the ages lined up.  It was cute we asked the kids to get in line by age, they were all asking each other their birthdays.  We have 4 sets of kids that are very close in age.

Tommy (16), Caleb Jansen (16), Drew (14), Holden Jansen (14), Katie Eisenmann (almost 14), Jack (11), Nate Eisenmann (11), Korinne Jansen (11), Zach Eisenmann (8), Megan Eisenmann (5), Max (4)

Lisa. me and Niki

A lot and what I believe to be true

My college roommate started chemo yesterday.

My friend Karen had a double hip replacement this week. 

My father in law is currently in the hospital. 

My mom needs to have a hysterectomy to be sure she doesn't have cancer. 

I believe this to be true. I believe God is good. I believe his ways are better than ours. I believe he knows best. I'm clinging to this today. I'm praying for peace. 

Priceless Friends

-24 years ago

-3 freshman girls in college

-lots of late nights dreaming

-3 weddings

-2 forest green, 2 eggplant and 2 mint green bridesmaid dresses 

-11 children later

Friendship=Priceless 

19

Today we celebrate 19 years of marriage. I'm in the midst of doing a "media fast" for my bible study. (For a week I am taking 7 media items out of my life...I'm cheating by doing a blog post but this is worth the cheat). 

I couldn't be more grateful to share this life with my Love. I'm so blessed. He's my best friend, my true companion. Things are not always easy...not always great...but no matter what we share life together. We laugh together. Cry together and most importantly we pray together.  

Last night I was finishing up a funny book on marriage "Antelope in the Living Room"...sounds like it would be about marriage huh?!  But in the end the author talks about how marriage is all about forgiveness and grace.  I loved those words.  Forgiveness isn't always easy but often times I think grace is even harder.  But both are equally important to our marriage. 

Somedays I look at Scott and think how very much I "thought" I loved him on our wedding day 19 years ago....and how I love him that much more today than I did then. Love is amazing that way. 

Love doing life with him.... And as I often tell our boys..it matters who you marry. 

Happy 19 my Love...