NAME CHANGE..........Can they do that?

Well...........I'm not usually fully aware when I make one of my brother's mad, but I think I offended Jody 2 nights ago! When I called to see how Cace was doing.........he told me they had changed the baby's name! I said "WHAT?" Being afraid that the name would be mispoken too often, or thought of as 'casey' - a girl, they went with their other choice of Caedmon Josiah. Keep in mind that this particular part of my family NEVER shares what names they are contemplating until AFTER the birth...........we knew nothing of either name prior to birth. I proceeded to tell Jody that it sounded like caveman and he was not happy. He figures people will call him Cade. Now, mind you......the name Jody is best known as a girl's name, and none of his other 4 children are called by anything other than their given name..........

I will love this baby no matter the name, but may just have to call him CJ. Because as I feared, when I shared the name with people, they mistook it for caveman or caymen.

By the way, I did not receive the position at work due to the fact that my "house is on the market!" I'm not sure what to think about that..........is it discrimination? What if we sell the house and just move to Kearney? I could have still driven 15 miles to work and not had a problem with that. Instead, the position is being filled from outside the bank, but I am expected to continue in that capacity until the girl can spend 2-3 weeks training at another branch and then I will have to train her on some things at our bank.............I'm thinking..........NO, not doing it.

I'm worth more than that, and there are better managed places to work.........so..........

The house stays on the market and I may play Aunt for awhile........Jody & Nicki now have 5 with the oldest age 7, they can certainly use my help. Janin & Amie will have #3 in December and the oldest is 4 and Rance & Brylie are having #2 in October.............

Meanwhile, I continue to pray and listen for God's directives.........as well as my husband's! He's very supportive and willing for me to take a break.............we'll just have to see

Baby #1......nope, not mine

Though this is MY baby #1, it's not the one I'm referring to, read on.

I haven't gotten to see Lee yet, since his return from 2 weeks in Michigan, but popped onto facebook this evening and was jolted to alertness when I saw his most recent mobile upload! For any of you that know my family.......this took me back 25 years to when Lawrence and I started dating!! He really does look alot like his dad. Of course, I don't like the beard, it's too scruffy and makes his chin that much bigger. But I love the boy, so whatever. He did say it was the last time he went 3 weeks without shaving........whew.........

I've just come from the hospital where the first of three nephews/niece to be born this year, was. Cace Josiah came into this world at 7:39 this morning. That's pronounced: hard c, soft c - as in a "case" of the flu. It's Irish.....as is his mama. Unfortunately, there are no pictures yet. He went directly to NICU due to poor breathing and is still there. He was born by C-section, so didn't get the nice squeeeeze that a vaginal birth gives, thus still has some fluid in his lungs and an irregular breathing pattern. Mama is doing okay, very nauseated from the anesthesia and pain medication. Daddy is staying pretty much by Cace's side and praying. He has a little IV in his arm, and an oxygen tent. His color looks good, heart rate is strong and no murmer. So we're all thankful for an easy delivery and praying for quick recovery for mama and strengthened lungs for baby. Cace weighed 7.2 and was 20 inches long. I will post pictures once I can get my hands on that little critter!

Purpose

Purpose: 1. the reason for which something exists or is done, made, used, etc.
2. an intended or desired result; end; aim; goal. 3. determination; resoluteness.
4. the subject in hand; the point at issue. 5. practical result, effect, or advantage: to act to good purpose. –verb (used with object)
6. to set as an aim, intention, or goal for oneself. 7. to intend; design.
8. to resolve (to do something): He purposed to change his way of life radically

How many times have I asked God what my purpose in life is? And how many times have I gotten different answers? I believe God's ultimate purpose for us is to be his child and eventually spend eternity with him.......but I also believe he has many other purposes for us, depending on where we are in our earthly walk of life.

I am currently dealing with a very frustrating situation in my work and wish I could tell some people how incompetent, sexist, demeaning and lacking they are.......but it's hard to say that to management! I fight with whether I'm where God wants me, wants to use me and teach me........or if I should just "get the hell out of dodge!" Once a decision can be made here, then a decision will be made on whether we continue to list the house and try to move south, or stay put.

I know my family has a long history and many ties to Lathrop, but for me, a lot of those ties are painful, annoying and really have very little to do with who I am. I wish God would just pick me up and plant me somewhere else. Like Belarus, Ukraine or Russia!! I spent 2 weeks in that area about 10 years ago and absolutely fell in love with the people, countryside and mission work I was doing. I'd been to many areas of the world, but never felt so at home and in love with the people. After returning home, I did some digging and found that my mother's ancestors were from those areas. Maybe that's why I felt so at home?

I've been dreaming of returning, praying God would direct my path and I have now found information about a mission that is all Russia! It's called simply! Russian Missions. One of the people involved with this spent time in Missouri at the Midwestern Baptist Seminary in KC and is a Russian native. Pastor Vitali Yuchkovski has a newsletter and there is a website. They have a mission group going in October, but I'm not sure if I and Lawrence are meant to go. Praying about that.

I don't know how I got off on that, but I'll come back to our day to day activites. So I'm battling some demons at work, getting Lauren ready to go to college, continuing to learn what makes a good marriage, reading a lot of books, trying to spend more time reaching out to others, rather than caccooning myself at home, and eat right! To have peace of mind really does take meditation, determination and purpose of heart. Our lives are so bombarded with stimuli that is worthless.........it's no wonder people have quit using their brains and just do whatever feels good!
So turn off the t.v., loud music and computers.........and turn on some quiet music or no noise at all, and let God permeate your thoughts. He loves to love us, and give us his peace..........if we'll just stop long enough to let Him.

Have a wonderful day, pray for me and know I'm praying as well.

Wonderful mistake!

In my last post I mentioned the number of nieces/nephews I would have at Christmas time this year. Yesterday brought exciting news that Janin & Amie would NOT be having a boy, but their first daughter!!! I'm so excited to get another niece. We need a girl in the mix as Rachel & Jacqueline are getting older and we wouldn't want all those boys without a little girl around to keep them straight!

I get to go babysit Aden & Deegan tonight while Janin & Amie go out for a much needed quiet evening together. I'm sure it will take me a week to recover, but it will be worth it!! :)

No news on the house, but that's ok, we may just decide to stay here afterall.

Mom's family tree keeps growing...........

My mom passed away 2 years ago with ovarian cancer.......the baton of Matriarch was passed to me. I could not pass up this photo op to share how her grandchildren will number 12 by this Christmas. She absolutely LOVED her family and her grandchildren.

My sisters (n-law) and I have something very special in common.......NO......it's not pregnancy this year! We all grew up with brothers ONLY! Needless to say, we know how to handle our brothers and we love having sisters after all those years without. Another quirky thing about us, our names all end with the same sound.......Tami, Nicki, Amie and Brylie.........as if God knew we would be sisters all along.....oh, yah, HE did!

However, as I mentioned above, all 3 are pregnant this year and I'm loving it! Being an aunt has got to be the most wonderful experience this side of Heaven........I know, you say being a grandparent is but I'm not ready for that.

Anyway, by Christmas of this year, I will have 10 nieces and nephews, age 8 and under. If that wasn't bad enough, 8 of them will be boys, age 4 and under! There's no question the Carlson name will continue for many generations to come! For those of you wondering and that know us......Amie is on the left, she's married to Janin and pregnant with their 3rd; Nicki is in the middle, married to Jody and pregnant with their 5th and that's Brylie on the right, married to Rance and pregnant with their 2nd.

Now having all those nieces and nephews hasn't caused me any gray hairs, but my son's blog on his trip to Michigan this past weekend HAS! If you get the chance, check it out......claddwellers.blogspot.com..........and feel my pain!

The lives we touch.

You know how sometimes you get a message on your answering machine, and you think, I'll return that call in a little while.......I forgot about one today, but thankfully the caller tried again! An acquaintance from Lee's earlier days remembered me fixing some sauteed vegetables on a grill when we were all together at the "Show Me" games for soccer, in Columbia. This must have been at least 6-8 years ago! She had just come from the garden and remembered how much her husband had enjoyed this recipe. After giving her the quick fix, we went on to visit about all kinds of things........including our children (she has a daughter Lee's age), church, school, work and community.

She mentioned, as so many have, her surprise that we were selling the house and wanted to know more. There's really not much to tell right now, still in a holding pattern, as are many that have their homes on the market. In the middle of our conversation, she commented "you're behind!" I said, "what?" You're behind on your blogspot............oh.........laughing after that.

So I thought I'd pop on here and tell you that there is nothing to tell! No lookers, no calls, but that's ok. We're not in a hurry, don't know where we want to go and still find this house quite comfortable. Unlike others, that really do need to get their houses sold........I feel for them.......I'm sure it's quite frustrating. The almighty dollar that isn't so mighty right now and the horrific gas prices are not making our well known commutes so attractive to city people.

Besides the house, Lee is doing well in his apartment and new found independence......he's not that independent, we're still paying for college! Emily is still in the picture, though they may have your typical tif once in awhile. She's living with 2 other females and learning what sharing space with someone other than family is all about. Lauren is just biding her time until we move her to Cape Girardeau in August and we're just getting older.

This was for you, Theresa! Have a great day.