Torn Between Blessings and Trials

Today I am torn between blessings and trials..... Veronica is still sick and has another Dr.'s appt. I did not go with her to the last one.  I did not want to take Aaron to the clinic for fear that he would catch something, also not knowing what Veronica had.  She had just returned from China.  She was diagnosed with a common cold and told to purchase some items over the counter.  Today she still has a horrible cough and is not feeling 100%. So she has a Dr.'s appt. this morning.  John and I agreed that I needed to go with her so that I can "demand" that she get meds to help kick this "cold".  Well Aaron has been screaming since he got out of bed.  Thankfully he slept all night so that makes these days a little easier..... So needless to say I can not take a screaming baby (that I just laid down) to the Dr.'s office.  So I just sent Veronica on her way.  I did give her instructions that if she does not feel that I would be satisfied with the results that she needs to call me before leaving the clinic.  UGHHHHH So to say I am overwhelmed by my circumstances is an understatement!! I am having a pitty party that is out of control!! I read a friends blog this morning and it helped me to put some things back in perspective...... I always need reminders and am so thankful that God uses sweet ladies to help me along the way.... I am thankful that Veronica is old enough (18) to be able to take herself to the Dr. when we are having meltdowns at home.... I am thankful that I am able to stay home with Aaron when he is having those meltdown days and that I don't have to pass him off to someone that could possibly be less than patient with him.  I know that he is in pain.  His cuspids (K-9 teeth) have just broken through and his lower two molars are almost there.  I do have compassion for the lil stinker :)  So with all of this moaning and complaining I am still a very blessed woman! I am blessed to have a wonderful husband that wants me to stay home and take care of our children.  I am blessed with a beautiful, capable daughter, an industrious young man, that is sweet natured and a lil blessing that when he is happy can melt any heart!  I am so blessed that God loves me enough to show me His love through friends..... Thank you Jesus for your unending Love!

True Story: The "Hooters" Shirt!!!!

When I was  pregnant I had gone to the Dr. for a regular checkup.  The Dr. was discussing some things and then she looked at me funny and asked "are you wearing a Hooters shirt?"  I looked at her all serious and replied, "No I'm not wearing a Hooters shirt!"  Thinking to myself, how obsurd.. She knows I'm a chrisitan, why would I be wearing a Hooters shirt!  I would have sworn on my life that I was not wearing a Hooters shirt!  She looked at me all puzzled and said, yes you are! I jumped up and looked in the mirror and to my surprise I WAS WEARING A HOOTERS SHIRT!! Panic set in, then I started laughing so hard I almost had an accident!! In my defense it did not look like your typical orange Hooters shirt.... It was a pale mint green with a swirly design on it.  I had purchased it at a garage sale and obviously did not read it.... That still gives me a laugh to this day, but it also serves as a reminder to not be so sure of myself.  I am not without flaws and I pray that God will reveal the truth in all situations.  Even when it is hard to see... like the Hooters shirt......  It always gave the Dr. and I something to laugh about too.

Friends???

I am going through a season of changes in relationships..... I do not like change! Can I repeat, I do not like change!!  :)  I am the type of person that wants to be liked by all. I will do most anything to right a wrong and to make sure that I have not offended anyone.  If I am made aware of something I will do my best to "fix" it..... But what I have learned recently is that there are going to be situations that happen and people will not "like" me.... In some cases these may have been people that I have just had random relationships with, in other cases they could be people that I have let close to me and God has moved them away.  In either case, I can see that although I feel the need to "please" not everyone can be pleased... Sometimes people just want to be upset and not seek peace... Some of the relationships have never bore fruit...so why do I mourn there loss?? It is because it is change.  Simply that, change!  So today I am thankful that God improves me through change and builds my character through His will.....  Maybe one day I will like change! Today I am thankful for the friends and relationships that God has kept me close with.  I am surrounded by a beautiful group of uplifting ladies that try to build each other up in the Lord..... I am a blessed woman!

The "P" word!

Well I should have known that the "P" word would bring me many problems when in order to get the "p" word I had to cry and throw a fit! Ha Ha  We had a smaller 18 foot pool and it felt like a sauna by mid summer and was so hard to keep clean because of that.  So for the past couple of years I stopped trying ;) so I have been looking for a new pool for a couple of years.  The only problem with my plan is that John was not "looking" for a new pool..... So I found the "perfect" pool on craigslist.  It had everything I wanted...I was told that it was 30' round (its actually 27' round) it has a slide, wedding cake steps, and a saltwater system..... So I threw a fit, until my husband gave in.... I would like to add that I am not prone to fits... So John took this serious ;)  So we ended up going to get the pool, all the way in Tyler.  This was back in Feb. Well the first thing we noticed after getting it home was that the pump was rusted right through.  So I called the "owner" and she gave us a good amount of money back.  The refund was good but it was not enough to cover a pump! Well God provided again, my neighbor had a pump and filter for sale that was a BARGAIN!! So we are back in business.... Until we decide well if we are going to do it we better go BIG.... So we decide to sink the pool about 3 feet. John had rented a backhoe for a weekend to dig up roots and work on several projects so he dug the whole.  I guess the part that I missed in all of this is that it would be a really "rough" dig job and that it would take several man hours with shovels to level this whole out..... So the kids and I spent hours, and hours and hours and hours (OK you get the idea) digging and leveling the pool.... John also spent hours and hours leveling and then the pool project came to a stand still for MONTHS!! Like the whole summer..... John's office manager left, he had a big project due so the pool was the last priority..... Meanwhile everyday I see the whole in the ground and can not get it accomplished.  Thankfully John hired a new employee and the project is complete so the pool is up and now it is just nickel and diming us to death but it sure does feel good to swim in ;)  The reason why we could not say the "p" word in our home for a couple of months was because my poor hubby felt the pressure every time the  word was mentioned and I felt my blood pressure rise...... Through all of this I have learned that every time I force something, it NEVER works out the way I want and I am FORCED to be patient anyways..... I am praying for the day that I can learn things the simple way and I don't need a baseball bat to the head to "get it"........

The Beautiful V

Today I am so thankful for the beautiful V...... She has been a blessing since the day she was born.  V just returned from a two week mission trip to China where she was "loving on" orphans and showing them the love of Christ..... I picked V up approx. 2 AM on Sunday morning and although it was early and I knew I would be exhausted the next day I would not have traded that 40 minute car ride for anything.  She talked non-stop the whole ride home.  For those of you that know the beautiful V you know that she is not much of a talker.. I have prayed that God will allow me to slow down and listen when V decides she needs to talk.  Unfortunately V is sick and has no voice, but she is still trying to talk to me. Praise the Lord!! She did not cry once while in China but she has cried buckets since being home.  I pray that she heals quickly from the series of emotions that she is feeling and has been through, but I do pray that she does not forget too quickly why she is feeling all of these things.  Thank you Lord for the beautiful V and I am thankful that people all over the world are able to be blessed by this beautiful child of God.......

The Circus is in town

 Well in the Claassen household every day feels like a day at the circus..... Some days this can be good, always something to give you a good laugh.  Other days you wish the clowns would have stayed in bed.... Today is a day I wish the little Master A. aka grumpy  clown would have stayed in bed, he woke up on the wrong side of the crib!  :)  It has been a busy Monday running from the time my feet hit the floor. It started with A's therapy then to take C to small engine class, then to guitar lessons and then off to do some grocery shopping.  Thankfully the beautiful V has returned home and life feels as it should.  I can not believe how much I miss that child when she is away...... I do think that God is preparing me slowly for the day that she will move away.  He does this with a week here and a week there..... I'm so thankful He loves me enough to think of the little things.... Well off to dinner... bedtime can not come soon enough............so that grumpy clown can get some rest ;) and momma too!