Perfect Fit

At least it seems that way.

Wednesday Dave is home from work.  As he is on Tuesdays.  But they are both work days for me.  Fit everything in days.  We had plans to go to a bulk shopping club... not my idea of fun but suddenly I got the urge to go pick up June from the shelter.  We visited her and the 300 pound pig last week in a snow storm.  So after working out and a trip to Walmart sans children, I stopped in at the shelter to take June on a slumber party.  But I left with Loki.  After what seemed like getting through the line at the department of motor vehicles... they don't work at lightning speed at the shelter (with the exception of one lady).  I almost walked out without him because it was taking SO long.

I am glad I didn't because Loki is amazing.  We are not thrilled about his name but we are in complete shock that we have a dog at our house that isn't a complete nutcase.  It's a first.

Loki was dropped off on the road near one of the local shelters when he was 8 months old (4 months ago).  He was super hyper.  Not shocking because he is half walker hound (what Maggie was).  We think he might be half golden retriever.  He's very pretty.  The shelter works with the local prison and some of the dogs go through and intense training program.  Whatever they did worked.  This dog is still a puppy but for the most part is the most amazing dog I have ever been around.  He listens and has the best nature.

Hudson has already grabbed and pulled almost every inch of him and he doesn't flinch.

So the next step is naming him... if we keep him.  Been one night and one full day so far.  So far soooooooooooo good.



When we were leaving this morning.  Hudson visiting with Loki before we left.



Henry with the dog tonight before bed.  The little monster is beside me right now because he couldn't sleep.  Love my little man.




My wild little man with the dog tonight.  Kept sitting on Loki.

I got to go to Henry's swim lessons alone this week.  Hudson got to spend some time with Aunt Steph, Teagan, and Christopher.  It was so much fun.  He did a great job and told everyone he was the teacher.

Happy New Year from the Umsteads!!

Our boys on New Year's Eve.

We went to church and came home well before midnight.

Love this quote:

Fear is a thief. It erodes our faith, plunders our hope, steals our freedom, and takes away our joy of living the abundant life in Christ. Phobias are like coils of a snake - the more we give in to them, the tighter they squeeze. Tired of fighting, we succumb to the temptation and surrender to our fears. But what seemed like an easy way out becomes, in reality, a prison of unbelief - a fortress that holds us captive. Dr. David Jeremiah in the book What Are You Afraid Of? quoting Neil T. Anderson, author and educator. Here's to living like we believe in 2014!!

I finished Kisses from Katie and now am working on this book.

It's been extremely cold and snowy the last few weeks in Maine.  Loving our wood stove.  Today we ventured out to the YMCA.  Henry and Hudson go to a program called Prime Time while I work out.  It's basically babysitting which is awesome.  The facility is getting remodeled so they had it in the basketball gym today.  Hudson tried to make a basket with the basketball the ENTIRE time I was gone.  The teachers were pretty impressed.  This kid is MADLY in love with balls.

It's been snowing pretty lightly all day.  Last night when I couldn't sleep I happened to look on the humane society's website and noticed a walker hound and blue tick mix that's available.  Two of my favorite dogs but MAJOR drawbacks with both.  Major.  After the gym, I decided to take the kids over there since we were already out in the sub-artic blizzard.  It was quite a blast.  The facility was teeming with cats just roaming around freely.  Hudson loved it.  Henry was fascinated with photos of the small animals and kept asking it they sold hamsters and rabbits.  The lady responded that did have rabbits and Henry turned to me and asked what I thought about that.  This kid kills me.  Such a talker.  Such a lover. Such a salesman.  He told Bobbie Jo she is part of our family and went through on how she could sleep at our house and that we had lots of food for her to eat.  So sweet.  So after looking at the dog - very pretty but it was extremely loud in the room with all dogs barking.  We decided to see the 300 pound big they had just rescued.  And the two rats - one with a neurological disorder.  And the extra large bunny and small bunny.  Quite the filed trip in snowy Maine in January. 

Not sure if we will try out the dog.  We might.  She is beautiful.  Just not sure about the jumping issue with hounds and the food stealing with little kids.

When we got home, I was dreaming of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, but our oven is broken.  



Then the oven came to life for but a moment.  So I resorted to trying to cook them on the wood stove.  It worked.  Not the soft cookies I was dreaming of.  But they were edible.  Not sure they are worth the calories but Henry thought it was really cool.

Tomorrow we get our oven fixed.  Hopefully.  If the repair man can make it in the snow.



Here's Henry painting the truck Aunt Desi and Uncle Glenn got him for Christmas (sorry I haven't posted more photos - our internet is pretty bad so it's so much easier to upload to facebook from my phone).

Our two boys are so different.  Henry wants constant conversation, attention and human interaction.  He is independent on some levels but I would say more typical boy when it comes to independence and a major people person so NEVER likes to be alone.

Hudson on the other hand wants to do EVERYTHING by himself.  He throws a fit if I try to feed him something.  He even feeds himself yogurt with a spoon.  Tonight he climbed up on the couch and propped his little head on a pillow.  I covered him with a blanket and then tried to cuddle him.  He does like to cuddle but tonight he was mister independent and just wanted to be cool on the couch by himself watching TV.  He is a riot.

He is almost as obsessed with hats as he is with balls.  Just loves them.  Talks about them all the time.

David's job is going fine and he might be starting a Bible study in a town about an hour away.  He got a pair of snow shoes for Christmas and now can't imagine walking in the woods behind our house without them.

I rearranged our bedroom furniture yesterday.  Not that I had formally set anything up.  Was kind of thrown in there.  But now I love it.

Kisses from Katie

http://amazima.org/



I LOVE THIS BOOK!!  So worth reading.

http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/

He Works All Things Together for Good

Emphasis on all.  That's what yesterday's service was about.  And the ending theme of the book Kisses for Katie that I finished at midnight even though I was extremely tired and knew I would be up several times in the night and early in the morning.  I just couldn't stop reading.  It was that good.  Yesterday during the sermon our pastor played part of Amish Grace.  Incredibly intense.  Had I been home by myself I would have been heaving bawling.  I was trying to hold myself together.  The thought.  Too much.  Then I finished one of my favorite books.  And started meditating on all things.  Giving thanks in all things.

I was really planning on having this incredibly grateful day.  I really was.  Henry's first swim lesson was today.  Something I had planned for my work went to Hades in a hand basket and there was personality conflict, opposition and the day continued to be an up hill battle.  And the little tasks became major.  By the time we got to the swim lesson I was trying desperately to keep Hudson from running out in the general facility or from jumping in the toilet or getting through the door of the lap pool, while trying to get Henry undressed and in his swim trunks while he was meeting every new person he saw.  I should have been enjoying the gifts of both of my children.  The moment in their lives.  But I was completely stressed trying to get Henry to the pool while managing an extremely brave and active 18 month old.  Getting phone calls about people's opinions and texts for my work mini fiasco.  We made it to the pool and I finally sat down on the parents' bench to watch Henry and sat in an inch of water.  In my jeans.  Still holding a wild man who by this time was slapping me across the face.  Henry's listening was limited to start, so I was at the same time giving him the mother look across the pool.  Then Hudson wanted to dive into the pool, so he resorted to screaming.  I kindly asked Henry's instructor is I was allowed to leave the area and then walked by all the other parents with my arching baby and my wet bottom.  Then I walked through the rest of the YMCA to find the kids' play gym packed for the first time since I joined.  By that time I just didn't care.  It was a port in my storm.  I managed to get a few snap shots of Henry's first lesson all the while getting extreme mother guilt about not being in a better frame of mind.  The post lesson locker room was almost a replay of the pre lesson except Henry decided to attack hug his new friend and run and scream the length of it.  By the time we made it to the door up a major flight of stairs (why didn't I take the elevator???), I just couldn't handle setting Hudson down one more time to zip Henry's coat.

It took me a while to process all of this after repenting for my attitude and mustering enough desire to make dinner.  I asked God, why after such a spiritual high did I have a crappy day?  When I started out really wanted to seek God and hear His voice.

I got this revelation about the giving thanks for all things... I tend to go to an extreme in my mind.  Like really bad things.  But I almost think it's more difficult or one needs more grace for the daily things that can needle at your nerves and mountain with pressure until you feel the weight of Everest.  It's so ridiculous.  It's almost laughable what a baby I can be.  But it's a reminder that it's all grace.  ALL.  The none of our flesh is good and I need less of me and more of Him.

So at the end of this day, I give thanks for the lesson He has taught me.

And I am still super excited about Kisses for Katie and really want everyone to read it!!

And more excited to see my big boy start swimming lessons.  He was very brave and a little naughty.  He splashed his teacher in the face.  When Dave asked him why later tonight.  He said to make her laugh.

Embracing Winter

I am embracing winter for probably the first time in my life.  At least the first time for a Maine winter.  I usually braced for winter.  I hated winter.  It's a new twist in the story of my life.   A literal work of God on my heart.

I reflected on this today as it is my late brother's 38th birthday.  Been gone five and half years almost.  1 year 4 months and 27 days older than I.  It wasn't a day of sadness.  It made me think about what God has done in the biggest "winter" of my life.

Winter used to mean grayness, unnecessary suffering - something to be "lived" through and loathed.  I guess I applied that to many areas of my life I didn't like.  Just get through.

And then there's a winter so brutal that leaves you so wrecked there's no pretending.  There's no, "Well, God wants you to have joy (I know He does)."  There's no just slapping a Bible verse on it.  It's a cut so deep it tears through your soul ripping you to the core of your being.  Where death is more welcoming than living.  It's brutal and it's real.  And you just don't get it until you've been there.  There's no fixing yourself.  I mean, you could actually just pretend on the surface whilst you slowing implode.  People do that.  Or slowly harden your heart with bitterness.  Yup, I could see that happening.  Could have been me.   Could put on the church smile and manicure your life to appear whatever you perceive everyone wants out of you.

But true healing comes from the Lord.  It can't be analyzed or prescribed.  It can't be timed, forced or manipulated.

That brings me back to winter.  I used to see only the horrible parts of winter.  Now I see so much beauty.  Where there were masses of greenery masking the gray and hard bodies of trees, now are exposed for everyone to see.  Not that we have to be exposed to everyone.  But I am learning to welcome the Lord exposing things to me in my life.  Imperfections and scars are shameful.  A healing season after a brutal winter can change your perception.  There's clarity and definition in the winter season.  The snow and ice that frame the branches offers a clean visual of straight and crooked lines.  So much beauty.  Each tree is beautiful.  It's battle in the wind, drought and rain has made it unique.  It's imperfections can bring a greater depth of beauty.  All of this can be seen in the winter.

I am so thankful for the healing God has done in my life.  I wouldn't have understood on this level without a deep shattering and breaking of my life.  But like snow makes everything clean and pure - his love and righteousness cover me.  He shows me new things are to come.  And while there are times I am crippled with pain - like when I see my brother's name chiseled into a grave stone - there are still so many things that cripple me.  I embrace that pain and thank God that I have His power, His life and I am still living.  I want to live.

Live for my brother.  He was frail.  He was imperfect.  But he lived out his faith in ways that some of us have never done.  He got out of his comfort zone, loved people and was a doer of the Word.  He helped orphans and families around the world.  He didn't wait until he was perfect to do that.  We have nothing to wait for.  I have nothing to wait for.  Just to live.  For God.  And I have.  But on a new level.  Thank You, God, that if we offer our pain, heartaches, bad decisions to You, you can make something beautiful.

Happy Birthday, Vinny.  You have left a legacy.  And your nephew Henry sang happy birthday to you in heaven.

















Pease Family Cousins.

End of Year Post

Wow, a lot has happened in a year.

We took our first family vacation.

I attended my first Melaleuca convention and saw my business grow.

Hudson turned one.

We saw Rye & Tim return for a second year on the mission field.

We took our second family vacation.  But technically it doesn't count if you are visiting family?

We made a decision to see if God would open doors for us to move back to Maine.

We saw God open doors.

We got a contract on our house while visiting  Maine.  A total miracle.  Seriously.

We sold our house and bought an incredible house.

We moved.  My father and uncle drove our moving truck from Maryland.

My mom graciously hosted us for two weeks before we closed on a house.

We had more help than we have ever had moving in and cleaning our house.

We were sad to say goodbye to our church but love our new church (new/old) in Maine.

We love our new babysitter.

We got the fantastic news that my cousin Annie is pregnant with her first child and moving to Toronto.

We have been able to see our family in Maine so much more.

Especially Teagan and Christopher - we are their only aunt and uncle so that makes them special.

We got to meet Jana's third daughter Vera.

Have made some great new friends and gotten closer to others.

We are grateful.

CS LEWIS QUOTE

Merry Christmas!!  I will be posting some photos later!  We are having a wonderful Christmas in Maine with our two little boys.  Such a joy and such a gift.  Dave got me some great new books and I loved the quote on the back of the CS Lewis book.  So good.

"There is no safe investment.  To love at all is to be vulnerable.  Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken.  If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal.  Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness.  But in that casket - safe, dark, motionless, airless - it will change.  It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.  The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy is damnation.  The only place outside of Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all dangers and perturbations of love is Hell."