a very big thank you

I just want to thank those who came by the former home of the Jarvis family this Sunday, brought us some lunch, helped my husband move furniture from our two-story apartment into a U-Haul in the bizarre pre-summer heatwave, packed my entire kitchen in no time flat, kept my grandson Ryan occupied, and just generally brought some cheer and relief into this stressful weekend of moving.

I'm happy to say we (and all our things - Janine's cup fetish and all) are in our new home (which is a 3-bedroom, 2 1/2 bathroom, 1 car garage, with a place for a washer and dryer (hallelujah!!!!!! no more lugging laundry back and forth from the laundromat anymore!), a backyard for the munchkin to play in, and really just lots of room!). We have only to clean out a good part of the old apartment by the 1st and turn in our keys and we will be completely done with apartment living!

I'm going to post some pictures soon and will share more about this crazy, sudden, move into our new wonderful home! We are very blessed to have found this place - it's in a great neighborhood and our landlords are wonderful people. I'm very anxious to be a friend to our new neighbors, see what God has in store for us in this new community, and to make our new home really home. And, of course, have everyone over for a breaking in party!

Thanks to literature lover and her entire clan (by the way, I continue to be impressed by the maturity and initiative of your wonderful daughters - they are awesome, girl!), my very sweet friend Laura, and Chad (aka strong man) for pitching in and helping us out in such a big way - you have no idea just how much this pregnant woman and her family appreciate all you guys did for us on Sunday! Just your presence in my home that day decreased my own stress level by quite a few notches and brought a happiness to my heart I can't even explain. And, I know Jerry very much appreciated another strong body to help him with all the furniture. We honestly couldn't have done it without ya'll! THANKS, THANKS, AND THANKS!!!!!

*** On a final note, Jerry's even made a few resolutions about NOT living in two-story apartments and maybe selling all our stuff the next time we move and just buying all new things. We'll see.

completely true

You Are a Frappacino

At your best, you are: fun loving, sweet, and modern At your worst, you are: childish and over indulgent You drink coffee when: you're craving something sweet Your caffeine addiction level: low

What Kind of Coffee Are You?

WOW! Now, if only it said Mocha Frappacino, this quiz would be exactly right about me!

I know there's been blog silence for several days on my end, but I've been saving up some good blogging material and will share it soon! Enjoy the quiz for now!

Happy Friday! and other thoughts

If you hadn't guessed it yet, I love celebrating Fridays! Not only is it the last day of the week before the weekend (which means two heavenly days without my current full-time job), but I always seem to be energized more on Fridays than any other day of the week and I always seem to get more done. It's just always pretty much a happy day for me, no matter what happens. Makes me think I need to pray for that same kind of energy every other day of the week - just think of all I could get done then!

Today, I am contemplating many ideas for blog posts. I just can't seem to find the time to do all that I want and need to do, including blogging. A friend was talking on his blog about being attentive to the ordinary, which has resurrected some thoughts in my own mind and I'm hoping to expand on more eventually. Another friend has been processing through some of her thoughts in relation to church, callings, and ideas that have been brought up recently in our community. I have to say, she's quite a thinker! I guess I am still processing all my thoughts and am hesitant to write them down. After Sunday night, I honestly feel a little overwhelmed and like my brain is close to being fried on the subject since I've participated in nearly four conversations about it.

I also have thoughts of my own that have been brewing in my heart and mind of late when I have been thinking about my upcoming entrance into full-blown motherhood as well as the situation I currently find myself in as a stepmom, stepgrandmom, and wife (not to mention all the other roles I'm currently in). I'll just be honest and say that even though it's been more wonderful than terrible, the introduction of two children into our home - ages 19 and 2 - has still been extremely hard and a lot for me to take in. Sometimes, I feel that the task God has placed before me is more than I can possibly handle, even knowing that I have God's help! And to be pregnant on top of still being in the process of adjusting to life with two more family members only adds to the stress. When I think of the four of us all sharing time and attention with each other, particularly the attention of my husband (which has been all mine for nearly three years as a married couple), and then think of adding another one to the mix in six months, there are times I just think - what could I have possibly been thinking?! I'll share more on this later, but this can give you an idea of what's been on my mind.

In the spirit of what I posted yesterday and how I'm feeling today - overwhelmed, like I just don't have time to do everything I feel I should and need to be doing, and that sometimes I honestly just don't know about this whole four-way stepmom, stepgrandmom, wife, and mother-to-be thing - I was reminded of this quote from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring -

Frodo: I wish the ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened.

Gandalf: So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world Frodo, besides the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the Ring. In which case, you were also meant to have it. And that is an encouraging thought.

Sometimes, the task God has given me seems overwhelming and impossible and I'm not always sure I really want it. I think it's meant to be that way - as were the tasks the characters in this incredible story faced. But, like Gandalf, I believe there is a Force - namely God - and a reason behind all the tasks we face. We are meant to be here for whatever purpose God has designed and in light of that, the only remaining choice we have is to decide what we will do with the time that is given to us. Sometimes it's a one-foot-in-front-of-the-other-thing, but it's those very steps by which God leads us and builds our faith, whether the steps seem to us ordinary or extraordinary. When I think that Frodo could not have completed his task had he not taken the steps to get to Mordor or given up in the process, that is an encouraging thought to me. One step, one day at a time, Janiners.

Maybe now I'm just rambling, but that's not anything new. I hope everyone reading this has a very Happy Friday - celebrate it in whatever way you wish because if nothing else, it's another day closer to our real Home!

UPDATE: In relation to this post, I just read this incredible blog about "plodding." Go here and read it. You will be encouraged and challenged! Thanks, Lindy!

encouragement for today

I was reading online this morning and was just so very encouraged by what I read -

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin"— they simply are! Think of the sea, the air, the sun, the stars, and the moon— all of these simply are as well— yet what a ministry and service they render on our behalf! So often we impair God’s designed influence, which He desires to exhibit through us, because of our own conscious efforts to be consistent and useful. Jesus said there is only one way to develop and grow spiritually, and that is through focusing and concentrating on God. In essence, Jesus was saying, "Do not worry about being of use to others; simply believe on Me." In other words, pay attention to the Source, and out of you "will flow rivers of living water" (John 7:38 )……. If you want to be of use to God, maintain the proper relationship with Jesus Christ by staying focused on Him, and He will make use of you every minute you live — yet you will be unaware, on the conscious level of your life, that you are being used of Him.

When I read this, I think it’s very easy for me to lean one of two ways – either I can spend lots of time thinking of ways to minister to others or I can continually doubt what my life is really capable of accomplishing and what possible influence or impact I’m making on the lives of those around me.

The truth is, when I think in either of those terms, it’s really all about me and I’m failing to nurture and acknowledge the very relationship from which all hope and good works flow out of. It’s no good for me to try to think of ministering to others apart from nurturing my relationship with Christ properly (whatever that means between Him and I). And there is no reason for me to lose hope when it seems that my life is meaningless - without influence or impact - because in Christ, we are not without hope and our lives are not meaningless!

I really needed to be reminded of this today. Wherever you are today and whatever you are doing, I hope you will be encouraged.

an answer to prayer

In a previous post, I mentioned that I had some tests run this week regarding my elevated blood pressure and the functioning of my kidneys. Well, I received a phone call on Friday from my doctor's office that my test results came back normal! This is indeed wonderful news, especially at such an early stage still in my pregnancy. I still have to go in for my scheduled appointment on Tuesday for follow-up, but there is most definitely a sense of relief over this happy news!

I have to acknowledge the faith in action of a good friend of mine and another girl who was pretty much a complete stranger to me, but who took the time to pray over me in the middle of a Starbucks Thursday night when I shared this concern with them. My good friend actually stopped by my office on her way to work on Friday afternoon - literally moments after I received the call that my tests had come back normal - and we celebrated right there in the lobby of my office building over God's answer to our prayers! Thank you, my dear friend, not only for your incredible faith to always believe for God's highest and best in every situation but then to act on it immediately by taking our requests right to the source.

random interview

I have been interviewed by janjanmom in a fun, online game called THE INTERVIEW GAME. If you want to play, just leave me a comment and ask me to interview you and then I will give you five random questions (different from mine) for you to answer on your blog. Pretty simple and harmless. So, thanks janjanmom, for the questions and here are my answers to your questions!

1. What is your earliest memory as a child?
~ this one was kind of hard for me, but I would have to say it was of my crawling around on the floor of our family's mobile home when we briefly lived in Alabama (somewhere Army-based because my Dad was in basic training).

2. Describe an embarrassing moment from elementary school.
~ does Kindergarten count? I was in Germany at the time (Army-related, of course) and I remember having watched the Disney cartoon version of Pinocchio and was first introduced to the word jacka$$ (you can click the link and find the movie quote yourself; I ain't making it up). Well, at school one day I got myself into pretty big trouble when I called one of my classmates a jacka$$. Not one of my finer moments - although in my defense I felt since I had heard it from a cartoon, it must have been ok, even though it wasn't very nice.

3. What is a life acheivement of yours that really stands out in your mind?
~ I don't have any because anything that could be considered an achievement is ultimately God's achievement in me and I couldn't take credit for it.

4. What color do you like to paint your nails and why?
~ actually, bright red or light pink (though I gotta be honest and say I rarely paint my nails). Bright red when I'm feeling sassy and light pink when I just want to feel feminine (plus I'll keep the pink longer because it's not so flashy to me). I'm going to treat myself to a manicure soon though because the pre-natal vitamins are making my nails grow so beautifully these days!

5. What sort of event constitutes putting on make-up to you? (just leaving the house or only for certain things etc.)
~ pretty much anytime I'm going out in public. Although, I only wear undereye make-up and mascara, so I don't know if that even constitutes a full putting-on of make-up.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

So, who's first?

janiners, the acronym

I love stealing ideas! I got this idea from a fellow blogger - janjanmom. Truly, I'm such a sucker for this kind of thing - all the personality quizzes, all the cutesy things you can add to your blog (I REALLY love my pregnancy ticker, I gotta admit!), etc.

J	Juicy
A	Ambitious
N	Naive
I	Ideal
N	New
E	Extreme
R	Relaxing
S	Sensational

Name / Username:

Name Acronym Generator
From Go-Quiz.com


*** I particularly love the juicy and sensational descriptions. If any of you dare call me juicy, though, I may just have to hurt ya!

wild grace

A while back, I discovered by way of another blog, this blog called Wild Grace. It features poems, art, and photography by several artists and has just become kind of a contemplative site that I have enjoyed visiting.

Today, I went there and read a poem which one of the artists, Gracie, wrote in response to the happy outcome of the miners' rescue in Australia. The poem is beautiful and I think all of us can relate to a time in our lives where we have been rescued from something or by someone. I hope you'll check it out.

the names

OK. I can't tell you how anxious I am to know whether our little bundle of joy will be a boy or a girl! I am sometimes beside myself. I, personally, want a little girl. Only one person has asked me why and I'm not sure I can explain my reasoning. I think, in my mind, I've always pictured myself with a little girl first. It's not that I don't want a boy. Maybe it's because I was the first child in my family and so I want to have a girl first. Who knows? I'll investigate more and see if I can come up with some logical, deep-felt heart reason for my desire. Anyways......

My husband and I have already pretty much decided on our boy and girl name finalists. Isn't that amazing? And, my parents are pretty much in agreement, too, which even though doesn't matter in the whole scheme of things, really does help.
:-)

If the child is a boy (which is what my husband wants more than anything since he already has four girls), my husband has insisted we name him Jerry (which is my husband's first name). His family has started this little tradition with their firstborn boys of taking the dad's first name and giving a different middle name (so as not to make the child a junior). However, we won't end up calling the child Jerry. He'll be called by the middle name. Let me just share something about this with you. My father-in-law's name is Jerry Walter. My husband's name is Jerry Anthony. When I'm around my husband's family, they all call him Anthony and I call him Jerry and have two people turning to look at me. I have to admit this annoys me a little bit, but I have relented since the other two names will be family names from my side. So, we decided the boy's full name will be Jerry Allen Granville. Allen is my father's middle name. We would have gone with my dad's first name, but then our child would be Jerry Kerry and that is just unacceptable. So, Allen it is. Granville is my grandfather's name and the original due date fell on his birthday, so that's pretty significant.

Now, I've given lots of thought to what I would want to name my little girl. My very first thought for a long time was Samantha Josephine. But, when you put our last name on there, it just doesn't sound very feminine to me and a little hick. Her nickname would no doubt be Sammy Jo (which is cute until you add the last name). My dad suggested first names of Emily and Amy. Well, my husband's brother already has an Emily, so that's out. And, I'm not too fond of Amy. So, I compromised with one of my favorites and have decided on Emma. I had finally decided the girl's full name would be Emma Ruth Josephine. Why these names? Emma I just like. (And, it's cute to hear my dad already calling the baby Emmy Jo. How precious is that?) Ruth because I am in love with her story in the Bible and her name means "friend, companion." Josephine because it was my grandmother's name. My mom is very happy about this and so am I. One little problem. My mom's not digging the three names and she suggested a different second name. My mom's middle name is Rosemary, so she said I should call her Emma Rose Josephine. I have to admit I like that name, too. So, what to do?

I'm really happy with these names. No one's really digging the three names except me, but oh well. They're significant and I think they all flow beautifully.

I'm kind of interested to hear what you think. Just for the fun of it. You may even help me to decide or lend some insight into the names. Especially the girl's name which now has me a little stumped.

Should it be

Emma Rose Josephine
or
Emma Ruth Josephine?

a miserable weekend & request for prayer

I have no other way to say it - it was a miserable weekend. I caught some kind of bug that made me so ill on Saturday that I couldn't keep anything down for over 24 hours. (We knew it wasn't morning sickness since I've been pretty fortunate not to have any all along.) About eight o'clock Saturday evening, I finally gave up trying to eat or drink anything after so many times of seeing everything in reverse and praying to the porcelain gods more than my share. We had even called the doctor on Saturday and she had recommended some anti-nausea medicine called Emetrol. What a crock! Every single dose I tried to take would not stay down. Anti-nausea medicine my butt. :-) (Can you sense my disdain for this medicine?) I was lonely, dizzy, and miserable. Sunday morning, I started eating saltine crackers bite by bite and sipping water. It was getting better. Sunday afternoon, I was finally able to handle some soup and it was heaven. Really. I was famished, dehydrated, and still dizzy.

Monday came and I was still really dizzy with a small appetite. I was having to force myself to eat anything. At the advice of one of the nurses, I went in to be checked out. They thought I might have low blood sugar and was probably dehydrated, so it was possible I might need to be hooked up to an IV to replenish fluids and such. It turned out to be a good visit and my husband was with me since neither one of us thought I should be driving. He got to hear the heartbeat of our baby (which really made all the misery of the previous few days worth it; even though the baby will drain me, God has arranged it that the baby will get everything they need to survive, even at my expense, and baby's heartbeat was nice and strong) and I got complimented by the doctor on some things that might seem a little strange. Let's just say she knows I'm drinking LOTS of water and was really happy to tell me so! I told her my mom would be so happy to hear it! The dizziness I've been experiencing appears to be from fluid in my ears and she recommended some over-the-counter allergy medicine to help alleviate it. She also said it might take a few more days for me to fully return to feeling well since I missed an entire day of eating and have a baby dependent on me for its nutrition and well-being. Wow! Babies can be so demanding! :-)

One area of concern - my blood pressure was up. I won't even get into the lovely 24-hour test I had to take, but I will just say that I'm thankful I didn't have to do it at work. The doctors didn't appear to be all that worried or concerned so I'm trying not to be either. We will know better how my body is functioning very soon. My original routine appointment was scheduled for next Tuesday and I get to keep it due to my blood pressure.

I still haven't gained any weight or outgrown any of my clothes yet! Yeah! And, I'm just about out of the first trimester! Everything else looks really good and the doctors were very positive.

Please pray that when I go back in on Tuesday my blood pressure will be back to normal and that the tests I've taken will come back normal and positive. And, even if it turns out not to be, I know God will certainly give me the strength, patience, and wisdom to deal with whatever the doctors advise me to do. After all, I am choosing to believe that this pregnancy (as are most in my belief) is God-given and therefore, He saw ahead to all that would come and thought it was still a journey worth putting me on and through. So, regardless of the outcome, I have to trust that He is working out a plan for His glory and my good in all of it. Especially in the uncertainties and unknowns. Oh, for faith to trust Him more!

more 80's trivia!

Since Kyle sort of got the ball rolling and because it's Friday, check out the quiz below and see how many lyrics you actually know to those great 80's tunes! I scored an 81 and of course, recognized some of the lyrics I missed after I found out the answers. Duh! You know how it goes. Let me know how you do! Enjoy and have a great Friday!

I am from

I couldn't resist the opportunity to write one of these myself. It's kind of lengthy (as is most everything else I write), but I enjoyed taking the time to look back and write some things down on "paper." For those of you who haven't done so already, just do it! :-) You'll be glad you did. Mine's probably not the best example of length, so forgive me. You can find some simple ideas on getting started here .

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am from evergreen trees and the smell and sound of the ocean. I am from the warm, salty, night breeze blowing in from the bay through the windows of the small second- floor room of my great-Grammy’s house where my brother and I slept during summer vacations. I am from walking the length of the small city where my brother and I were both born, from the McDonald’s at the highway junction to the park at the other end of town. I am from hanging clothes out to dry on my great-Grammy’s laundry line to be dried in the warm, summer, ocean air. I am from trips to the candy store with my brother where we would buy cowtails, gum, and soda pop nearly everyday of summer vacation. I am from lighthouses, Acadia National Park, Mt. Katahdin, and fresh seafood. I am from finding out the news that the very house my great-Grammy had lived in all my life and the place where I’d made so many precious summer memories with my family was being sold and my great-Grammy moved to a Florida retirement home.

I am from vacations on the road. I am from Niagara Falls and Mount Rushmore and Devil’s Tower and the Redwood Forest and Ruidoso and Pike Place Market. I am from fighting over room and space with my brother in the backseat of our car, from singing out of tune with my headphones on and driving my family crazy. I am from dinners on the road at McDonald’s and Mom stealing licks from everyone else’s ice cream cones because she refused to get her own. I am from a brother who played with his food, made us laugh till our sides hurt, and then grew up to become an incredible pastry chef. I am from a family that resembles The Griswolds when it comes to vacations on the road.

I am from the Army life and never staying in the same place more than four years at a time. I am from a home that, on the outside, looked just like everyone else’s around me. I am from making friends, moving, and making new friends. I am from learning to adjust.

I am from long walks with my mom in our Washington neighborhood. I am from the Maranatha Praise albums and listening to my dad singing, Come, Let us Worship and Bow Down. I am from pandas and coin collections. I am from “forest hotels” and singing along with Psalty the Singing Songbook. I am from Dad’s homemade lasagna and snickerdoodles. I am from homemade pizza and movie nights on Fridays. I am from Easter dresses sewn with love by my momma every year of my childhood. I am from a picture of a little girl hanging in only her underwear on a hook on the back of a door in her grandmother Josephine’s home.

I am from the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I am from watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, from Mom’s homemade, warm yeast rolls, from trimming the tree with the same ornaments year after year that we had brought back from Germany when I was really young, from reading The Story every Christmas Eve and Christmas morning before doing anything else. I am from countless Christmas movies and songs.

I am from playing in the band at football games, from the music of Beauty and the Beast and West Side Story, from panthers to lancers, and from friends who I’ve lost touch with.

I am from failure, rebellion, heartache, moving away, and being on my own. I am from Wide Open Spaces. I am from a small, one-bedroom apartment with an empty living room and a borrowed bed to sleep in. I am from a 1 and a half hour bus ride each way to work and a three-mile walk home for over a year just to pay the bills. I am from coming to know the faithfulness of God in the sunrise that would greet me each morning walking across the Mingo Creek bridge on my way to catch the bus. I am from Testify to Love. I am from all the precious times I shared with the Lord riding the bus to work.

I am from brokenness and a trip home after nearly three years without seeing my mom and a reconciliation that can be likened to that of Jacob and Esau or the prodigal and the Father. I am from All Things New.

I am from late-night coffee house talks with good girlfriends, girls’ nights out, book discussions, prayers, and friendship. I am from friends I thought I would never have and from telling them (over and over) how very much they mean every time I get to spend any length of time with them.

I am from love I thought I would never find. I am from shoeboxes that hold cards, movie stubs, dried flowers, letters, pictures, and other sentimental memorabilia of my life since my husband’s love swept into my life. I am from two Journey concerts, more than a handful of trips to El Paso over the holidays, one trip to California, from Eureka Springs, and building an everyday-kind-of life and love together.

I am from a beautiful girl and her son that have seemingly captured what ever of my heart is left to give and a beautiful child who is yet to come.

I am from a life that is more than I could have ever dreamed yet still my heart is longing for a place I have never seen. I am from a Father who is so good to me I can’t begin to contain it! I am from a mercy that is renewed every morning and from new opportunities to make more memories.