A Wake-Up Call That Changed Our Life And Diet

Last December I received a phone call from my husband. He told me he was having ANOTHER episode and I needed to bring him to the emergency room. My husband was at work and I told him to call the ambulance and I would be there as soon as I can. I cannot tell you the thoughts going through my head. 
I was a mess!

Please Show Her Some Love

Back in December 2009 when I first started The Forever Neighbor I wrote about how I found out what a blog was and also how I came up with the name "The Forever Neighbor".  If you missed that post you can click here. 

I am so excited because my friend, my sister in Christ and my forever neighbor who showed me what a blog was has FINALLY started her own blog!  Please show Angela some love and stop by Life With My Littles and leave her a comment welcoming her to the blogging world.  Oh yeah I forgot to mention she is hosting a GIVEAWAY!

"Trip Across the Nation" Part 2

If you have missed the introduction and part one please click here and here.

My son, of course, had no idea where Alaska was but my daughter did, and I could see her starting to put some pieces together.  I was wondering how long it was going to be before she really started asking questions.  My son asked "mom where is Alaska?"  I tried explaining to him where it was and how far away it was from Maryland.  My son being four at the time obivsouly could not fathom the huge change that was about to take place in his life six months later.  My daughter did.  Kaitlyn was quiet the entire 35 minute drive home.  She asked no questions, commented on nothing, and would only give me one word answer if I asked her a question.  I decided that right now I would let her take in what she just heard, and try to sort it all out, and that the hubby and I would sit down with the blessings that evening.

"Trip Across The Nation" Part 1

We were reaching our three year mark of being stationed in Maryland, and we had a decision to make.  We were debating on not trying to get an assignment and see if we could just stay in Maryland.  We had some awesome friends, we loved our house, and we were about a day drive from grandparents.  After much debate we decided just to see what kind of assignments were available.  We did not want to take a chance of staying there in Maryland over our time and then the hubby receive orders for some place like Korea (where family does not go, and it is a year assignment).  We were trying to go back overseas to Europe.  There was one assignment available and when the hubby requested the post, we were denied due to my hubby not being in a deployable unit.  In other words, our next assignment was going to be one where my hubby would be deploying.  Something our two blessings have not dealt with, in regards to dad.

I was out with my forever neighbor doing some thrift store shopping when my hubby called and told me that we did not get our overseas assignment but he did get us a different assignment.  This is how our conversation looked like:

Hubby: "I called the branch manager and she told me that we did not get our overseas assignment that we were looking out." "But I did get us another assignment."

Me: "okaaaaaay" "where are we going?"

My forever neighbor: (in the background saying) "noooo you can't leave"

Hubby: "Alaska"

Me: "ALASKA!!!!!!!!!!!" (that was a good thing) "Which post are we going to?

Hubby: "I am not sure, she told me that there are two available slots, Richardson and Wainwright.  I told her to put us in either one."

Me: "Okay, which one did she put us in?"

Hubby: "I am going to call her back and let you know." "But it is hard to get a hold of them, so we may not find out today, and we may have to wait until it post to EDAS (just a website where they post your assignment.)

Me: "Okay just let me know when you hear?"

I then get off the phone and I cannot believe that we are finally going to Alaska.  We had tried going there in 2003 but there were no available assignments, so we went to England instead.  My forever neighbor kept saying, "no, you can't leave". 

Now when I had gotten off the phone with my hubby, my neighbor and I were just getting out of the car and walking into the Salvation Army, and that is when the hubby called.

Hubby: "Babe, I got a hold of her, which I was shocked because it is so hard" "Anyways, she said that she put us at Fort Wainwright." "Also, I looked in EDAS and it is already in the system." (It usually takes a couple of weeks to show up in the system.)

Me: "Okay, I guess we are going to Alaska" "Where is Wainwright?" "Anchorage or Fairbanks?"

Hubby: "I am not sure, hang on, let me check...."

My forever neighbor: "no you can't leave"

Hubby: "Fairbanks" "Oh, and my report date is October 10th."

Me:  "Okay, I will check housing and everything when I get home." "October?" "That means we have six months before we move." "Okay, we will be fine."

My forever neighbor: "we can go to my house and check.....you can't leave"

So, my forever neighbor and I then went to her house, and jumped on the website for housing and to check out the post.  That is what us military wives do.  It is very important to us to know how big the Commissary is, the PX, the schools, and of course what housing looks like. 

After about an hour of looking I had to go get the blessings from school.  I decided that I would pick them up a little early so I could tell them the news.  I would so excited, and I couldn't wait to see what God had in store for us.

I picked up the blessings, and immediately told them that dad was able to get a new assignment today.  Little man asked "what is a new assignment?" My daughter then went on to answer him and told him that we are moving.  They both asked "where are we going?"

I said "Alaska"

They both said at the same time....

"ALASKA??????"

To be continued.......

Who I am....

This past weekend my family really took time out for ourselves.  Our new schedule is very busy and time consuming, even though we are together, we are on the go a lot.  So this weekend the hubby and I decided to relax with the blessings.  We took the blessings to the last University of Fairbanks hockey game, and then rented movies for the whole weekend.  On Sunday, after church we came home, put on pj's and watched movies for the rest of the day/night. 

Well, when I went to bed last night all I kept doing was thanking God for who I am, who He has changed me to be.  I have wrote about how at one time I was truly broken, and also about my testimony, you can read about those here and here.  See when I was younger I didn't know who I was.  I know we don't really know who we are in elementary school but I remember not knowing where I fit in.  It was the same also during middle school and high school.  I think the time I was 13 to about 29 was the hardest for me.  I never really knew who I was, or who I was suppose to be.  I probably couldn't tell you what I liked, or didn't like.  I always worried about what others thought of me.  During those times I was dealing with some family issues, and was walking really lost.  I didn't know where I fit within my family, and sometimes I felt very alone.  I never really had anyone in my life that taught me about Christ.  We did attend church but it wasn't the right church for me.  I never knew that we were to have a relationship with Him.  I always thought that if I believed that there was a God that I would be saved and would go to Heaven.  Boy, did I have a lot to learn.

I wish I could say after I gave my life to Christ in February of 2004, that everything was okay, but I can't.  At that moment, I knew what I was suppose to do and I could feel God pulling me closer to Him.  It wasn't until December 2008 that I finally knew what I was suppose to do.  During that time I was to be still, and to know Him.  That was it, I didn't know Him.  I didn't take time out like I should to know Him, to pray to Him, and to thank Him.  I remember being on my knees, humbling myself before Him, asking Him to forgive me, and reaching for Him.  It was then that I gave my whole self to Him, not just the areas I felt I wanted to give, but all of me.  A few months later in March of 2009 I took a huge step in my walk and was baptized.  I will be celebrating my one year mark in my baptism this March, and looking back I can see where God has restored me.

Since giving my whole self to God, I can honestly say I know who I am!

I am:
a daughter of Christ
a wife
mother
teacher
friend
daughter
sister
an auntie
niece
cousin
volunteer
a soldier in God's army
doctor
guidance counselor
homemaker
cook
student of life
blogger
forever neighbor
happy
loved
emotional
caring
compassionate
acceptor of my body
thankful for being of God's image
Overwhelmed with thankfulness for my salvation and my deliverance!


Some of these things on this list are obvious ones but it took me awhile to understand them.  Once I started noticing these things in my life, and embracing them, my heart started changing.  Not because of me, but because of Him. 

He has brought me out of the desert and into His palace.

Lord Jesus, thank you! Thank you for raising me up and bringing me into your palace.  Lord, I pray for those reading this.  I pray Lord that they know you, and I pray that if they do not know you, that they search for you.  Lord, please put your hands upon each and everyone of them and protect them.  In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Our Homeschool Story Part 3 (The Final Decision)...

If you have missed the first two installments of Our Homeschool Story please click here and here.

Okay, last time I left off I was realizing that I was truly broken and God was working within me to change me.  I started noticing that when I was by myself I had a lot of spiritual warfare going on around me and I really needed to focus on God.  I began to really read and take in what I was reading in my Bible and trying to apply it to my life.  God kept showing me what He wanted me to do, and it was up to me to obey.  One thing that kept rising up in me was the guilt of having my two blessings in school.  The two blessings that God had blown His breath into to save at birth, the two blessings that He sent to my husband and I to raise to follow Him.  I couldn't stand it anymore! 

Our Homeschool Story Part 2...

If you have not had a chance to read the first part of our homeschool story please click here. 
This part is dealing with me and more of my emotions.  So please bare with me ;)
Let's see where did I leave off at...ummmm....
Oh yes, I was thinking "am I really considering this?"  While walking back to my car I couldn't believe I was seriously thinking about homeschooling.  I knew I had two obstacles to overcome; my daughter and my hubby. 

Okay I am Listening....

 Laura over at Heavenly Homemakers is hosting "Becoming a Christian" today, and I thought this was a wonderful idea.  I think it is always interesting to know how God has brought us closer to Him.  So I would like to share what He has done for me. 

So It Begins....

How it all started:

I met my neighbor and we became great friends. One day my dear neighbor friend tells me about this blog she has came across. I say "blog? What is a blog?" My dear neighbor friend continues to tell me about this "blog" and all the information it contains. So, after having a cup of coffee with my neighbor friend and discussing this "blog" thing, I decide to go home and check out this "blog".