Life...

What a crazy week and weekend:

Car broke down in parking lot last Sunday... it's still there. Ken thought he could fix it, but it's going to need a tow.

Wednesday got a phone call from someone saying they felt God leading them to give us their van.

Thursday went and picked up a 2000 Honda Odyssey... It is so nice. They had it detailed... and it has more than I could ever have imagined. It is nicer than I would have ever bought for myself. When I was driving it home with the kids all sitting quietly watching a dvd, I thought, "I feel like a rich person." And I felt God saying to me, "You are rich because you are my child." I cry every time I get in the car or just think about what is sitting in my driveway.

Friday I frantically prepared for my oldest son's birthday party. We were going to be busy Saturday morning, so I had to do everything Friday. I even made his cake; it was a Star Wars ship with all the characters and a fight (and for those of you who really know me I know you are smiling).

Saturday I got up and went and ran a road race. Nothing exciting... for being 40 I did win a really nice pillow and two gift certificates. I laughed at the fact that the top 3 "20 somethings" did not get pillows... So what are they trying to say?

Saturday we raced home, I cleaned the house, finished putting out the food (did not have time to shower), so I just brushed my hair, put on nice clothes and went out to greet people.

The party was a blast thanks to our great friends Kim & David Broadwell. David created a whole theme around Star Wars where he created these light sabers that the kids got to make after they found a crystal in the yard wrapped in tinfoil. They then had to pass a light saber test to go from being "padewans" to "jedi knights". After they became a Jedi they had alot of time to fight with light sabers (and without light sabers) on the blow up jump around "thing". It all concluded with a pinata of Darth Vader where they got to try and kill him where he then would explode candy for all the kids to take home. It was an impressive party... and all I had to do was supply the food and location. Thanks Kim & David! You guys are so special to us.

We then kept all their three boys overnight only to have to get up (Ken & I and 7 kids) at 6:00am to get to church by 8am because we had a class we are taking for small group leaders. After the class I go into the service and they tell me I am singing at the 11 o'clock service (I am on the praise team). So without even getting to look over the songs, I went up on stage and praised the Lord with the best of them.

After church we went out to finally get to look at our broken down car from last week and while Ken was trying to fix a belt, a very large piece that I guess is important broke off... so the awesome thing is that God knew our more reliable car was on it's last leg and that we would need something else... and I didn't break down on the highway or in the middle of nowhere with 4 kids... our car died in the church parking lot where there were people to help us, and then from that church God put it on someone's heart, who I'm not sure knew how bad our car situation was, to give us the nice van they drove every day. I cry (even now) every time I think about what God did.