Winning the Battle

It's Wednesday morning & we're winning the battle!!! Satan has tried some of his best moves to rob our joy, but it's not working!!

Jason has been MIA all week due to a 10-page paper that he has to turn in tomorrow, so I've been getting a crash course in Single Parenting 101.

The girls have been battling a stomach virus that has left Peyton's behind looking rather war-torn & Mommy feeling more like a nurse with each passing hour.

Not to mention that this weekend we turn the clocks back one hour. Have you ever tried to add an hour of sleep into a toddler's day?? Not an easy task. So I've been pushing bedtime back 10 minutes every day in preparation for Saturday (in the hopes that Jason & I will be able to get some much-needed rest). However, that precious 10 minutes does not seem to be translating into morning wake-up time :(

But that's okay! I came across a verse this morning in my devotions & personalized it to fit my particular circumstance.

"The LORD will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched (sleep-deprived) land & will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden (well-rested Mommy), like a spring whose waters never fail (a woman whose Savior never sleeps)."

Life's still good :)

Lessons from VeggieTales

So there I was on Saturday night, driving home from the Ladies Banquet in my mini-van with my 2 toddlers in the back.

{Let me interject here that some of the ladies in our church are participating in a Bible study called "40 Days of Community." As one of their projects, they decided to reach out to a family in our church that was in need. And who do you think that lucky family was?? Needless to say, it was mine. These ladies graciously put together an absolutely AMAZING care package for the 4 of us. And among all the incredible gifts was the VeggieTale "Gideon" video ~ a new family favorite.}

Back to Saturday night . . . the girls were in the back of the van watching "Gideon" on the DVD & I was driving, mulling over all sorts of life stuff. I wasn't feeling downcast per se, but seminary life is a challege ~ the house is unsold, Jason's time is very limited, my devotions are giving me more to chew on then ever before ~ my mind was full. As I sat in my own little world, something (or Someone) brought my attention to the video (now mind you, every time we are in the van, the girls are watching some sort of video & thus, I have gotten very good at tuning it out). What I heard was a very touching conversation between Pa Grape (dressed like an angel) and Larry the Cucumber (dressed as Gideon). It is right before Gideon is to face the Midianites in battle & the angel comes to offer some encouragement. The conversation goes something like this (& forgive me, all you VeggieTale die-hards, if I don't have it 100% correct . . . I'm doing this from memory):

Gideon: Do you ever have trouble trusting God?

Angel: Me? No. I see Him everyday. I know how glorious He is. I know He never breaks His promise. I also know how much He loves you ~ He told me.

The conversation goes on & the angel adds:

"It's easy for an angel to trust God. But you have faith in something you've never even seen. I admire that."

And then the angel ends the conversation with:

"Trust Him, Gideon. He'll never let you down."

I'm telling you, Pa Grape might as well have been talking to me! My heart was so encouraged. It still makes me giggle a little.

I guess adults can learn from talking vegetables :)

Slightly Disappointed & Whole-heartedly Encouraged

So I started that new book I had mentioned earlier (I see no reason to mention it by name here, as I am getting ready to run it into the ground). I feel that I gave it it's due time & opportunity to leave a lasting impact. However, I found myself slightly disappointed. It seemed as though chapter after chapter was about saying "no" to everyone & everything, taking time out for yourself, & being in tune with your "needs." And while I appreciate the sentiment & agree that being overcommitted can be detrimental, it just seemed impractical . . . especially for me.

I went out with a friend on Thursday night & bounced some of my feelings & thoughts off of her. Let's face it ~~ I'm currently a seminary wife & soon-to-be pastor's wife . . . life ain't slowing down anytime soon!! So do I sit around lamenting the fact that I have no "ME Time," or am I grateful for the moment's I have (such as now, when my girls are sleeping in a bit) & live the rest of my moments by the grace of God, knowing that this is the life He has called me to?

I'm so sick of hearing about "margin" ~~ the concept that if my responsibilities outweigh my strengths, then I need to eliminate some responsibilities. Hello!! I'm a seminary wife with 2 children under the age of 3!! Of course my responsibilities outweigh my strengths . . . my human strengths, that is. Everyone seems to conveniently forget that God promises, "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles. They will run & not grow weary. They will walk & not faint." So maybe instead of spending my free time pursuing a hobby of some sort, perhaps I should spend more of those moments waiting on the Lord, since that is what renews my strength.

Okay, enough of my soapbox. I picked up 2 new books that I've been thoroughly enjoying. As a mom, I can only read schnippets of chapters at a time & in this case, that's a good thing. The author packs so much thought-provoking content in each chapter that I can only handle a schnippet at a time! The books are When I Don't Desire God: How to Fight for Joy & Taste and See: Savoring the Supremacy of God in All of Life ~ both by John Piper.

Anyway, the girls are awake & I'm off to selflessly minister to my children. I'm sleep-deprived & overworked. I guess it's a good thing I don't live by margin, otherwise I'd have to cross them off my list!!! So I guess it's off to real life by the grace of God . . .

Laundry, Doctor's Appointments, & Unexpected Blessings

So it's Laundry Day here at the OK Corral & I thought maybe I should take a few moments to update my faithful readers on some struggles, some blessings, & some overall musings.

I'm doing laundry fast & furiously today because I have somehow gotten behind on it & I swore I would not let that happen. But, low & behold, as I passed each of the 3 laundry baskets this morning, I couldn't help but noticed they were full to overflowing! But not to worry, things are under control & the 4th load is spinning as I type :)

There have been a few rough days this week. We are still feeling the effects of a complete "life overhaul." For example, in my pre-seminary life I used to meal plan & grocery shop for an entire month at a time. I could do that because our schedule was fairly predictable & we have the financial resources for such an excursion. Having such a plan in place allowed me more free time as I was not running to the grocery store on a weekly basis. However, such is not the case anymore. I'm lucky if I know in the morning what we will have for dinner that evening!! Our financial state is such that I find myself at the market at least 3 times a week! At the market 3 times a week with 2 kids who either have to pee or take a nap long before the trip is over.

I am also starting to feel the true tinyness of our home. When everything is cleaned up & in its proper place, our home feels almost spacious (almost). But as soon as something out of the ordinary is added to the mix (like bins of clothes for the cold weather switch or a bag of stuff for Goodwill or even a new toy), the house seems to shrink by leaps & bounds!! I've been meaning to get out some new fall candles that I have packed away, but that would mean attempting to dig out the candle bin from the bottom of our walk-in closet -- the closet that has become the catch-all for everything that doesn't have an assigned spot. No thanks.

Before we left for seminary, I would have considered myself a very organized mom. A place for everything & everything in its place. But our current situation is truly putting my organizational skills to the test. It is a struggle everyday to arrange things so that we are not tripping over each other all day long!

But through it all, we are also experiencing the amazing effects of God working miracles everyday on our behalf. Here's just a small example -- the girls have their health insurance through the state. A woman from the Department of Welfare called me up & told me that I needed to chose a primary care physician. She read off a list of names & asked me to pick one. I had absolutely no information about any of these doctors! I breathed a quick prayer asking God to help me pick the right one. So on Tuesday, we headed off to the mysterious Dr. G.'s office. It turns out that the office is a Christian-run practice & all the doctors are believers!!! I could not have asked for more!

And that's just me. Jason is experiencing his own set of trials. He is feeling very overwhelmed by all the work that is coming up in the next few weeks. Seminary would be a lot easier for him without a wife & 2 kids. But God called us here at this time in our lives for a purpose. We are just trying not to "grow weary in well-doing."

Fall is Here!!!

Enjoy these pics from the Dickinson Girls Annual Pumpkin Carving Extravaganza!!

A New Perspective

Thanks for the advice, girls! As I was baking some apple crisp last night in anticipation of Jason coming home from class & needing a snack, it suddenly dawned on me . . . we've only been in seminary for a month! I'm being much too hard on myself. It's okay if I don't have everything flowing perfectly ~ we'll get there. We'll be back to the well-oiled machine we once were in no time (okay, maybe not well-oiled, but at least functional).

I've been reading Ravi Zacharias' book The Grand Weaver. It's a great book, & I am enjoying it. However, I don't think it's giving me the practical advice that I am in such desperate need of right now. But, as my true friends know, I'm a perfectionist . . . every fiber of my being is saying, "You CAN'T start a new book without finishing the old one first!!!!" However, my common sense is going to win this battle. I just started Breathe: Creating Space for God in a Hectic Life. It was the back of the book that drew me in . . .

"While juggling kids, errands, jobs, relationships, & church activities, many moms don't realize that their value is found not in what they do but in who they are. If this is you, & your energy runs out long before your day comes to an end, then maybe it's time to take a break & breathe."

Hmm . . .

The Bad Mommy Award

So . . . I have officially given up all delusions that I can do it all. And not just that I can do it all (let's face it, I may still have to do it all), but that I can do it all without losing my mind, my marbles, or my temper.

I've been going strong now for weeks since Jason started seminary. There are the usual household responsibilities ~ cleaning, cooking, laundry, grocery shopping, etc. But the over-achiever in me just can't leave well enough alone. I have to research cookbooks in my spare time (ha ha) to fulfill my goal of trying out one new recipe every week. I feel as though it's my personal responsibility to make sure that everyone is not only healthy, but also happy. Then there's taking care of the girls, which all you moms know is a full-time job. But I have decided to go above & beyond that call of duty & homeschool Caleigh for pre-school this year. Which basically means that I spend 3 nights a week making lesson plans (granted, they're not rocket science, but they do require a lot of creativity). Then you add all the miscellaneous activities to the mix ~ family obligations on both sides, worship team practice, nursery duty, Cubbies team color night, Bible study, 2 part-time jobs . . . arghhhhhh!!!

Well, needless to say, last night was the breaking point. We often tease our youngest daughter, Peyton of "hitting the wall" every night. She can be going strong, playing with her sister, happy as a clam . . . then all of the sudden, one thing will not go her way & she instantly melts & life just stinks!! I hit my wall last night. I was having a face-off with Peyton because she wouldn't say "thank you" when I gave her her juice. No thank you . . . no juice. We had been battling it out for a good half hour, which mostly consisted of me muttering under my breath & her sobbing uncontrollably. Since this was the 2nd time we had faced-off over such ridiculousness in the past hour, I had had enough!! I hit my limit, looked at Peyton, & said, "Fine!! Just take it!! I don't care if you never say thank you. Just stop crying!!!!!" That certainly was not one of my finer moments.

Next comes the analysis . . . what can I do/change to safeguard from one of those moments happening again? I'm not really sure. I took the first step & had myself in bed before 9 o'clock last night. I know that everything looks a little bit better after a good night of sleep. However, if sleep could cure everything, I'd never get out of bed!!! I still feel a bit of the leftover frazzled-ness today. Not really sure how to get over that. Any suggestions??

The Good Life

If you're visiting our blog, chances are you know our story. And if you know our story, you may be asking yourself what is possibly so "good" about this life. I'll tell you what . . . EVERYTHING!!! Especially the two little girls who are in this life!


Okay, so things have been a little bit hectic. Jason started his classes last week & the first day was quite an experience for me. He went to work all morning & then to class all afternoon. After his first class, he came waltzing down the hill for his dinner break, completely forgetting that he needed to be in the library for his Seminary Research class. The girls caught sight of him, only to have him turn around & head right back up the hill. And so ensued about 45 minutes of crying! Later that evening, (after Mommy was in charge of tubbies & bedtime) I had to navigate my way around the emotional trauma of having my 3-year-old saying, "I don't want Daddy to go to school. I don't want to live here. I want to move back to my old house. And I want my dog back!" But we made it through & are developing a new version of normal for all of us.


Jason's classes are good. There's only one that he feels is going to be the "I'm-ready-to-go-right-over-the-edge" class. He has to write six 6-8 page papers for this class, but is only given the topic the week before. That has him a bit frazzled. All in all, his classes are great. He really enjoys the subject matter & his professors.

Meanwhile, the girls & I are enjoying our "new" life. Peyton is walking all the time now & loves to explore (read "get into trouble"). I'm homeschooling Caleigh for preschool & we LOVE the time we get to spend together. I am also learning to take pleasure in the little things. Like this picture of the girls . . . what you can't see is that they're both sporting their new rainboots.

Our family still needs your prayers. The house is still for sale, & although there's been lots of activity on it lately, nothing has materialized.

But life is still good. God's still on the throne. And He knows the plans He has for us.

The Long Haul

The day is finally here. The day that we have been preparing for this entire past year. It is Jason's first official day of seminary!!!! And it's going to be a long one! He decided to get some hours in at work so he is there from 8 to 12. Then he will be in class from 3 til 9:30. But he is really looking forward to it. His 2 classes today are The Pentateuch & Joshua and Personal Foundations for Ministry. When I talked to him this morning, he was more excited than nervous.

I, however, am nervous. Today is my first day as a "seminary widow." I realize that this is just the beginning of deadlines, late nights, & no time.

It will be an adjustment for everyone, especially the girls. I tried to prepare Caleigh for the fact that Daddy wasn't going to be home at bedtime. She was less than happy about that, but she'll adjust.

We are very happy to report that Jason got an 'A' on his summer course. We are hoping that it is the very of many 'A's'.

Keep praying for the sale of our house. We haven't heard anything about the open house we had on Sunday.

More later . . . .

Family Update

First let me apologize to my faithful readers for being so slow getting new updates posted. I know there are many of you who like to be kept up-to-date.

Things are going very well here in Myerstown. We are finally starting to feel like this is home. Jason has started his job & seems to be enjoying it. There are plenty of hours for him to work, so we praise the Lord for that. We just got our new car (new to us), so that has been a big help.

Jason just finished his first summer course on Monday. It was a seminary writing course & he really enjoyed it. It was definitely worth every penny we paid. He learned so much about what his professors will be expecting & how long it should take him to write a paper. We're just waiting for his final score, but he feels pretty confident.

The girls are doing very well. Peyton has been having a rough couple of days. She is getting 3 teeth & she is MISERABLE. We've been trying to be understanding & give her a little extra love & patiece, but when she's clutching your leg, screaming (as she has been for the last 2 hours), & you're trying to make dinner, patience is a little hard to come by!! Other than that, she's great! Two nights ago, she walked from the kitchen sink to the middle of the livingroom all by herself!


Caleigh's doing pretty well. She's been having a little trouble adjusting to being without Livvy. She will mention Livvy every couple of days. At first, she would cry . . . A LOT. But now, we usually just have to say that we miss Livvy & then pray for her. We are checking with someone at the school as to whether we would be able to get Caleigh a hamster for her birthday next week (since we're technically not allowed to have pets). We thought that would help her get over Livvy. Caleigh will also be starting a homeschool pre-school curriculum in September. I've been working on getting some of her lessons ready & am really looking forward to teaching her.


As for me, I'm actually starting to enjoy life here. I've found some markets & some stores that I like to frequent (The Salvation Army is my favorite!), so it's starting to feel more like home. I just got a job working every Friday afternoon as a receptionist at a local chiropractor's office. I start tomorrow & am really looking forward to it! It will be a little extra income for the family & a chance for me to get out of the house & have some adult conversation.

Please keep praying for us. A couple saw our house on Tuesday night. Their realtor said that they really liked it & would like to put in a bid, but their numbers are low. That same realtor was showing our house to another couple last night.

Also pray for our health insurance situation. We applied to get CHIP for the girls & we're told that we were better qualified for Medicaid, so pray that we can get that application processed soon!!!

The Lord continues to faithfully provide for our every need, at just the right moment. We have no doubt that He will continue to do so as we serve Him here at the seminary.

"The LORD will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." Isaiah 58:11

Great is Thy Faithfulness

Ahhh, finally . . . a few moments from the crazy busyness of life to update my blog. I know that many of you have been wondering where we've been & what we've been up to. Well, step into the life of the Dickinsons & I'll tell you all about it . . .



We just got back last Saturday night from the most AWESOME vacation EVER!!!!! We headed up to our family cabin in the Poconos for a week of relaxation & recharge before seminary classes started. As a "thanks for everything," we took our wonderful friends, the Nygards & their 3 kids. What a fantastic week!!! We arrived late on Sunday night. It poured most of the day on Monday, but we did get a chance to head out to the world famous American Candle Factory.



Tuesday was absolutely gorgeous, so we took the kids & a picnic lunch to the beach. The kids had a great time building a sand castle with quite possibly the most elaborate moat I've ever seen.


That night, we built a campfire, roasted marshmallows, & enjoyed partaking in general silliness. Evan was, by far, the expert Marshmallow Roaster!


On Thursday, in celebration of Heather's birthday, we took the kids to Claws 'N Paws Animal Park. The kids had a great time learning about all sorts of different animals. They had the opportunity to feed & pet goats, deer, & sheep, as well as petting tortoises, & feeding the zoo's beautiful giraffe, Twigga.


Other highlights of our week included pizza at Alfredo's, a lesson in pretzel-making at Callie's Pretzel Factory, & a rousing game of Dutch Blitz with Kris, the sloppy Blitz player.

We were sad to leave (just ask Isaiah), but are counting the days until we can go back again next year.

As for our life at Evangelical, Jason official started his first class this week. It has been one of our most difficult weeks, but also one of our most rewarding. The Lord provided Jason with a part-time job doing estimating work. It does not offer health benefits, but it gives him plenty of hours & pays well. Jason is loving his class & is learning a lot. God also provided a 2nd car for us that Jason is picking up at this very moment. The car was offered to us at only $100!! (It's worth well over than that!) Thank you to the family members who purchased this car for us & got it road worthy! But perhaps the biggest praise came just yesterday . . .

I received the bill for Jason's first semester . . . due on the 21st. After student loans were applied, we still owed over $900. We only had about half of that after paying yet another month's mortgage. I went to bed on Thursday night begging the Lord to provide. On Friday afternoon, I received a revised school bill in the mail with $1000 credit added to our account!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We don't have to pay a dime this semester! The Lord is faithful!!

But, of course, Satan just can't leave well-enough alone. Please continue praying for us. Jason & I have both been very under the weather this week. Also, we cannot apply for CHIP for the girls until Jason gets his first paycheck. Please pray for God's protection over our girls while we are without health insurance. And, as also, pray that our house will sell soon!!!!

A Whole New World

I know there are so many of you who have been following our family's "Great Adventure." (Even though you don't leave me any comments ~ that's okay . . . I'm not bitter!!!)

You will be thrilled to know that we are now official residents of Myerstown!! The move was exciting, a bit tearful, but ~ overall ~ uneventful. We loaded up the truck on Sunday night ~ an event that lasted into the wee hours of the morning. I think we finally got to bed sometime around 3 am (of course, that was after we put together Caleigh's Dora big wheel . . . her "welcome to your new house" surprise). We had a hard time explaining to Caleigh why everything was being loaded onto the truck, but we thought she understood. WRONG!!!! We thought we would be wise & wait until after she went to bed to empty the playroom of all her toys & get them loaded into the truck. In the morning, when she walked into the empty playroom for the first time, she got herself so worked up that she immediately began vomiting!!! It took a long time to settle her down. She never really did seem like her old self again until a few days in the new house.




We got to Myerstown around 11 on Monday morning & the first words out of Caleigh's mouth were, "Look, my new swingset." We knew that was a good sign! It was a very busy day, but we had a lot of friends & family there to help & support us. Because of all the planning we did ahead of time, it didn't take long to find a place for everything. The last box was unpacked & hauled off to the dumpster by Thursday. For those of you who enjoy decorating, look for pics of my new house coming soon!

As you can see, the smiles returned rather quickly & we have started thinking of this as our new home. Here, Daddy & Caleigh are goofing off & enjoying a cookie pie made by Miss Sarah.

We tried to make sure that the girls had lots of new outside toys to greet them at this new place. Their new pool is one of their favorite additions & here is Peyton thoroughly enjoying herself!!!


One week after the move, I had the awesome opportunity to show my jewelry at "Arts on the Avenue" which is part of Philadelphia's Welcome America Fourth of July celebration. They close down Broad Street, starting at City Hall for about a mile. Then they line the street with tents of vendors, ending with a main stage ~ this particular night's entertainment featured Branford Marsalais. It was thrilling!!!! I was very proud of myself, as becoming a vendor is by invitation only. As I drove down Broad Street, I was overwhelmed with the feeling of podunk, backwoods girl meets big city!! We passed my tent & I practically passed out!!! We had an awesome night & I made tons of contacts. Here are some pics from the night . . .



You can check out some of my stuff at www.morganmariedesigns.etsy.com


So now things are finally starting to settle down. For those of you who have been following the "Great Adventure," please continue to pray for our family. Our buyer backed out of the deal to buy our home & so our house is still on the market. Obviously we cannot continue to pay the mortgage & the rent on both places for much longer, so we really need to sell. Also, Jason still has not found a new job here in Myerstown. He is still employed currently, but will not be able to continue once his first class starts at the end of this month.

But God is good & He will provide!! And we just can't wait to tell you how He does it!

We will keep you updated!!!!

Trust & Obey

Well, the time has finally come. We're picking up the U-Haul this afternoon, packing it up, & leaving in the morning. We are very excited & I'm pretty sure we're ready.

However, we have hit a snag. The world would look at it & see an obstacle as big as the Grand Canyon. Maybe they missed the memo, but my God made the Grand Canyon & this is truly just a snag. The sale of our house fell through at the last minute. For reasons that would be too lengthy to get into right now, our buyer wanted us to drop our price another $5000 & that's just not feasible.

So please pray for us. We will be heading out to Myerstown in the morning & still own our house (not a good thing financially).

Wish I had more time to update all my faithful readers, but I must get my cherubs ready for church.

Goodbye Old Friend

If you are reading this blog, chances are you did not stumble here by accident. And if you did not stumble here by accident, then you know all about the "Great Adventure" & that we leave for seminary in 9 days.

Well, let me tell you . . . Satan is not a happy camper. As I e~mailed some of you yesterday, he has tried everything to stop us from going. Since that's not going to happen, he seems to have changed his tactics . . . he is now doing everything in his power to rob us of our joy.

It all started on Wednesday afternoon . . . .

The girls, my 2 best friends, & I spent the day at our new townhouse, taking measurements & figuring out where all of our furniture would best fit. For those of you who don't know us personally, we currently live in a fairly large 4~bedroom home with a finished basement, 2 attics, 2 sheds, & space GALORE! We are moving into a 2~bedroom townhouse with NO extra space. Things will be tight. But believe me when I tell you, I was completely content ALL DAY. Sure, we ran into a few things that I'm not going to have room for after all & they'll have to go into storage, but I was okay with that. I'm not being boastful, just realistic when I say that God has given me the ability to see the potential in any space. As my sister reminds me, "Little is in!" Things were good & I was happy. Until mid~afternoon. Through the grapevine, we were told that a 3~bedroom townhouse might be opening up & then we had the opportunity to see one. That ol' tempter . . . he's good. As soon as I saw a 3~bedroom & the amount of extra space, I could feel the discontent creeping in. It felt as though an entire day of peace & joy came to a screeching halt.

Around 3 am the following morning, I woke up feeling awful. And then came the violent vomiting. I was so sick, Jason had to stay home from work to take care of the girls. I couldn't even get myself out of bed. This lasted all day. Towards evening, Jason decided to take the girls to Walmart to get some groceries. I made up a list & sent them on their merry way. I wasn't expecting them back until 8:30 at the earliest. When Jason called me at 8 asking me to meet them out front, I knew that couldn't be good. Now, I have this story 2nd hand, but here's what happened:

There was Jason, in the middle of Walmart, with a cart half filled with groceries. Peyton was sitting in the front seat & Caleigh was sitting in the body of the cart amongst the groceries. Several aisles in, Jason told Caleigh she was going to have to get out of the cart & walk because the cart was getting too full of groceries. She was not happy about that, so like any good dad, Jason tried to bribe her with Dora fruit snacks. Caleigh proceeded to tell Jason that she didn't want any fruit snacks because her "tummy wasn't feeling berry well." A mere 30 seconds later, everything was covered with vomit ~ Caleigh, the groceries, Walmart's floor, & Jason. It was a race to get the girls out of the store (without groceries). The poor thing continued to be sick in Jason's car. By the time they got home, Caleigh was looking awful. We got her cleaned up & in bed, only to be awakened several times during to night to change sheets, jammies, & clean out "the bucket."

When morning came, I greeted a very bleary~eyed Jason. Not only had he lost sleep helping me with our sick child, but now he wasn't feeling well himself. However, with no sick days left, it was off to work.

For those of you who are not pet lovers, the next portion of our trials will seem like no big deal, but many of you know that our pets are like family. And last night, we had to say goodbye to a family member.


We are not able to have pets at our new home, so we had to say goodbye to our beloved Livvy. We are so thrilled that the Lord worked out the situation so perfectly that she has gone to live with life~long friends of Jason's family. They are complete dog fanatics & we know that she will be loved & cared for. It is the best that we could ever have hoped for her. However, the sting is still there. She was my dog & I will miss her greatly.

If you think of our family in the days to come, please pray for us. We know that we are on Satan's radar. However, we also know that God will not allow anything to touch us without HIS permission. It is our sincerest pray that we respond will to these fiery darts.

"Satan has asked to sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail."

The EST Countdown

We have started the official EST countdown. We move in 14 days!! Everyday is filled with lots to do ~ packing, sorting, purging, packing some more!! But with all that work, I am amazed that no matter how many boxes I pack, the pile of what I still have left to pack doesn't seem to be getting any smaller.

We are also in phonecall/appointment mode. All the important phonecalls need to be made ~ turning off the electric here & turning it on in Myerstown; turning off the phones here & turning them on in Myerstown; transferring all our mail to Myerstown. And all important appointments need to be made & attended ~ eye doctors, physicals, surgery.

Speaking of surgery . . . thank you for all of your prayers for Peyton. She had surgery this morning to put tubes in her ears & she came through it like a champ. She is currently sleeping comfortably. The doctors hope that this will fix all of Peyton's illness issues. We are just so grateful that God orchestrated things in such a way that Peyton was able to have the procedure & her follow-up appointment before we leave for seminary.

Please continue to pray for our family. We hit a small snag regarding the sale of our home. But the Lord already knows the outcome ~ we just need to be patient & wait for His perfect timing. A possible job opportunity has opened up for me & Jason. We should know more later on in the week.

And here are some pictures of our beautiful girls . . . . . . Please continue to keep them in your prayers as well. Caleigh is having a hard time with all the boxes & disorder in our home. She knows all about the move, but is still a little unnerved by having her schedule so disrupted.

Mission Accomplished!!

It was another busy weekend for the Dickinson clan as we prepare for the "Great Adventure", but we accomplished a TON!!!! Jason had off work on Friday & we spent the day sorting, organizing, pricing, & packing. We had to give the house the once-over again to make sure we didn't miss anything for the yard sale on Saturday. A huge thank you to the Nygards, who once again were indispensible! Jason & Kris took a load of our stuff to storage & picked up the world's heaviest wooden tables for the yard sale on Saturday. It was a late night (2:30 am) & an even earlier morning (5 am). Jason says we didn't sleep that night; we napped. I guess 2 1/2 hours really is more of a nap :)

Saturday's moving sale was a HUGE success!!!! We sold tons of stuff (it was hard to see some of it go, but we know it was all for a good cause). And everything that was left over went to Liberty Ministries. We were able to sell all the big stuff . . . refrigerator, washer, dryer, couch, armchair . . . so Kris & Jason didn't have to load those onto the truck. It was a race to the finish ~ Liberty Ministries closed at 4 pm & the guys got down there at 3:59. The rain held off until everything was delivered to Liberty Ministries, my mom's house, & storage. My girls were so exhausted, they were in bed by 7 pm.

On Monday evening, we decided to have a small party to celebrate Peyton's 1st birthday. She had a great time. Here is a picture of her, very pleased with the gift from Uncle Ian & Aunt Karis.



Caleigh was pretty good about PeyPey getting all the attention, but don't worry . . . MomMom & PopPop didn't forget a little something for her.



PeyPey thoroughly enjoyed her birthday cake. She loves cake, muffins, brownies . . . you name it! She must take after her Mommy!




We already knew that Caleigh takes after Mommy. She sat on the lawn licking the icing off of her fork. She said to me, "You eat the brown stuff & I'll lick!!" She definitely got Mommy's sweet tooth!!!



PeyPey got lots of wonderful gifts from friends & family. And here she is modeling one of her favorite toys with Uncle Adam.


When the night was over, & all the little ones were in bed, Jason & I were soon to follow. After 4 days of being on our feet, contantly moving, all we wanted to do was NOT move . . . ever. We're pretty tired, but have a great sense of accomplishment. The Lord truly blessed our efforts this weekend.

Now we're packing . . . a little bit each day to get ready for the big move. The end is in sight!!!!

What a Fabulous Day!!!

Today was truly a GREAT day. We decided to take the family on a little road trip to Myerstown ~ soon to be our new stomping grounds.

Now that we've sold the house & are planning to move next month, we thought it would be nice to take the girls to see our new home & to get them excited about the upcoming "uprootment."

We started off the day with a bit of a splurge. Both girls got new car seats!!!!! Aren't they cute?!?




When we got to Myerstown, we decided to pick up some Happy Meals & head off in search of this illustrious park with a pond & ducks that we keep hearing about, but have never seen. Well, I'm not sure how we could have missed it. It's right down the street! It's a great little spot, complete with pavilions, picnic tables, grills, tennis courts, basketball courts, playground, community pool, ducks, geese . . . you name it!! As we walked over this quaint little bridge, Jason said, "I could definitely see myself studying here."



After lunch, it was off to the seminary. And here is our scholar looking so smart at the entrance to the school!!


And here is our new home. Caleigh was very excited to finally see it. Her only disappointment was that we were not able to go inside (there is a missionary living there until the end of May). She seemed to think it was a good idea if we could just wait in the van until it was ready & then go in. :)



One of the things that Caleigh is looking forward to the most about moving to her new house is the swing set that is in the middle of the backyard for all the kids who live in the townhouses. There are a lot of things that Caleigh will be giving up (like her own room & her dog), so we're really trying to play up the positive. When she spotted the swing set, it was all over, so we took the girls over for some playtime!



Then we took the girls on a stroll around the campus to show them where Daddy will be going to school & to get tons of pictures for friends & family so they can see where we're going to be for the next 4 years. This is Christ Hall. All of Jason's classes are held here, & it is home to all of the professor's offices & the chapel. Graduation (I get giddy just thinking about it) will be held right here on the front lawn.


This is a picture of Rostad Library ~ or as I like to refer to it . . . Jason's Home Away From Home. I have a feeling he will be getting quite comfy here.



All in all, it was a wonderful day. Caleigh is very excited about going to the new house, which was our main objective for the day. We were also able to drive around & get the lay of the land. We located all the grocery stores, pharmacies, hospitals, restaurants, etc.

We had so much fun that both girls were in bed by 8:00! Now that's what I call a good day!!!!!!

Our Version of Normal

PeyPey's face says it all!!! It has been quite a few CRAAAAAZZZZY days for the Dickinson family!

On Saturday, we had the privilege of spending the day in West Chester watching Jason's brother, Adam, graduate from WCU with a degree in criminal justice. The ceremony was nice, but long. And here is a picture of the girls with our favorite graduate . . .


We had a party afterwards, where we discovered that Caleigh loves games that involve a bean bag toss (you'd better believe that we're going to get one of those for the new house)!


Mother's Day was less than ideal. Although my wonderful family took me out for lunch, disaster was about to ensue. Towards the end of the meal, PeyPey was getting a bit antsy, so I held her. I could practically feel her temperature rising in my arms. By the time we got her home, her fever was up to 105!! We immediately got some Motrin into her & called Aunt Sharon. We wanted to avoid the ER (Sunday, Mother's Day . . . what are the odds that we would actually see a pediatrician?). We were able to get the fever down & manage it throughout the night (even though that meant we were up all night). In the morning, I called our family doctor. We were sent to the ER anyway. I must say, I was less than thrilled with our experience there. I'm about to get on my soapbox, so here goes:

As a mom who has no knowledge of the medical field,
I feel completely unqualified to argue with the medical
staff, even when my mother's intuition tells me that
something is not right. I don't know what to tell them that I
want . . . I just know that I want something more than what
they're giving me. I don't know what the problem is . . . I just know
what I think it's not. I don't know on what basis I don't
believe them . . . I just don't believe them. So
where did that leave me on Monday??

We were sent to the hospital for the following reasons: the results to all tests & bloodwork could be given to us STAT, an IV of antibiotics could be started, & PeyPey could get some fluids immediately to prevent dehydration.

Not only did we not see a pediatrician, we didn't even see a doctor. We saw a physician's assistant who looked into PeyPey's ears, said it was an infection, gave us an antibiotic, & sent us on our merry way. We spend the rest of the day on Monday watching Pey's every move, administering Tylenol & Motrin at regular intervals, & doing our best to keep her cool. On Monday evening around midnight, Pey's temperature spiked again to 104.8. What to do??? We had already been to the ER & had given her the first dose of antibiotic. We gave her more medicine . . . nothing. So we moved on to a cool bath . . . nothing. Finally, we put an ice pack on the back of her neck & rocked her to sleep. Around 1:30 am, we got her down to 102. It was a scary night.

By morning, her temperature was normal & has been ever since. Please keep little Peyton in your prayers. We are concerned that her illness is not just an infection (although I have no medical basis for this ~ just Mother's Intuition). Please pray that if it is just an infection, we can knock it out for good this time.

On Tuesday my poor husband had the arduous task of taking care of all 3 of his girls, as I was sedated for 5 hours for dental work. With me out of commission, he certainly had his hands full!!!!! He has some funny stories to tell about me on the pain meds . . . although I don't remember any of it!

But, I guess it was all worth it in the long run. While I was unconscious, the girls were with our favorite babysitters, & Jason was watching the crown for my tooth being made, our house was being sold. Yes, you heard me correctly . . . we sold our house!!! Barring any unforeseen glitches, we will be moving on June 25th. We're really excited, but also a little sad. Things are becoming more final every day. We are trying to take one day at a time & walk by faith one step at a time.

But for now, this is our new version of normal!!!

My Biggest Fear

I came face-to-face with my biggest fear yesterday & walked away victorious . . . . I went to the dentist!!!!!

Now, I don't know how you feel about going to the dentist, but I HATE it! I would rather do anything than go to the dentist . . . anything. Just the thought of the dentist chair puts a knot in the pit of my stomach. I have been known to take Tylenol before a visit to the dentist in anticipation of the pain. A visit to the dentist for me equals an entire day of sweaty palms, butterflies in the stomach, & tension all over! But in light of Jason starting seminary in the fall, we will no longer have dental insurance. In a moment of pure insanity, I promised my mother that I would visit the dentist & have all my work done before the insurance is no more. What was I thinking!?!?

I'll freely admit . . . I'm a wimp!!!! Embracing that fact & adding to it the fact that I was certain there would be some work to be done (cavities, crowns, etc.), there was only one logical conclusion in my mind -- go to a dentist who practices sedation!!! And my wonderful husband graciously agreed.

And so, next week, I will undergo 5 different dental procedures . . . all from the comfort of Dreamland!!! Now that's going to the dentist! :)

Our Busy Life!

There's so much to report . . . where to begin??


First of all, thank you so much for all of your prayers for Peyton. She is doing really well. She just finished her strict antibiotic regimen yesterday & we have seen great improvements in her health. She has almost no cold symptoms, she's eating like a champ, & she's not sleeping around the clock! She goes back to see the doctor next week & will hopefully get a clean bill of health! Your prayers certainly worked & we're grateful for all of you who love little Pey~Pey so much!!



We took a little trip on Monday to Evangelical & you are looking at a picture of our new backyard!!!!!! Pastor Tim came with us & gave us the official tour of the campus. Christ Hall is absolutely beautiful! We were able to meet a lot of Jason's future professors, including the president of the seminary. The library was awesome ~ filled with the smell of old books . . . my favorite!

Jason registered for his classes & I couldn't believe his schedule. I guess I was just assuming it would be like when I went to college ~ class Monday through Friday, from 8 am to 3 pm. Not so. He only goes to class on Tuesdays from 3 pm to 9:30 pm & Thursdays from 8:15 am to 2:45 pm. We were thrilled because that gives us a lot more time to divide among his studies, work, & family.

Then we took a tour of our new home. We got a 2-bedroom townhouse & although it is small, we see a lot of potential. We were excited to discover that we can take our picnic table & our grill! And, as you can see from the picture, the area is beautiful!!!!

We signed the papers with our realtor last night, so our house is officially on the market! It was tough & we got a bit misty eyed, but we know that the Lord has great things in store for us.

As we get closer to moving, more & more prayer requests arise:

~ Please pray for a job for Jason that is completely orchestrated by the Lord. We have no idea what Jason's study schedule will be like, so we have no idea what the best days & times to work would be.

~ Please pray that there will be a buyer for our house (of course) & that the date of settlement would be completely orchestrated by the Lord. We are torn between getting there early so that we can settle in & get into a routine before the semester starts & staying here so that Jason can continue at Travelers for as long as possible.

So, that's the big news here. I guess that's enough to keep us busy for awhile ;)