So much for which to be thankful!

I hope that y'all had as wonderful a Thanksgiving holiday as we did. We spent most of the weekend out at Boys Ranch with my family. The kids built up strong memories for the future.


They received plenty of cuddle time, they rode horses, played on hay bales, went hiking, decorated Thanksgiving cookies and a Christmas tree, Uncle Michael brought his wii over and we all had a great time.

The adults (Joel, my youngest sister-Tiffany, her boyfriend-Wes, and I) went fishing while the kids were hiking with Poppa. I'm the one who loves fishing and yet Tiffany was the only one who caught any fish. I think the final count was 7! They were just little perch, but I was fishing right next to her. We'd both get bites and she'd be the one who brought in the fish. She was fishing with Dara's barbie fishing pole and the hook was smaller than the rest of ours (I'm saying that's why she caught so many while we didn't. Don't know if it's true, but it makes me feel better so we'll just go with that.) :)One of the moments that I'm most thankful for is Friday afternoon. I was moving a load of laundry from the washing machine to the dryer when I hear a clunking in the bottom of the washing machine. After I got all of the clothes out, I realized I had washed Joel's thumb drive. It's the one he uses for everything (like our bills - all of them)! As he plugged it into the computer, I sent up a desperate plea for mercy to my loving heavenly Father. It worked long enough to save everything over to the computer! Don't let anyone every tell you that God is too busy to care about the little things. He is good all the time!

(You can barely see the light flickering on the thumb drive. It was a beautiful sight!)

We came home on Saturday and had a second Thanksgiving with Joel's family on Sunday. It was such a relaxing day - just sitting around visiting and playing games. Sadly, I didn't take any pictures to show you of how funny four adults look when they are trying to make a video game system work (one that doesn't work very well for anyone...according to the reviews on the internet).

I hope that your Thanksgiving weekend was as relaxing and full of thanks as ours. It's my favorite holiday and I cherish every minute of it!

Veteran's Day

Dara's music class put on a show for veterans this past Tuesday. Here's a short video clip of "You're a Grand Old Flag"

She is growing up so fast, and she is definitely my daughter. If you remember our most recent newsletter, I expressed a type of frustration when people make comments like "you are so brave" in regards to going to Africa. This past week, Dara told me that kids will come up to her at school and say "You've got to be so excited about going to Africa!". Then they run off and leave her wanting to tell them that some days she is excted and some days she's not excited at all and sometimes she's really scared about it. I love her honesty and was happy that I could understand her feelings. Please pray for both of us as change is not easy for these Skinner girls.

p.s. Joel's previous blog post was hilarious and very accurate. I do wish that everyone could have seen the passion and fervor with which he jumped up and demonstrated how little of the bed he actually has. I'm just glad that he at least said how little sleep he gets without me. He's such a funny man, and I'm glad that he's mine!

No "Room"

Jill didn't make it home last night until around 9:00. That's a late night for her - most of the time she will make it home by 7:30-8:00. We visited while she ate a late dinner and got ready for bed. We stayed up to watch the weather since it had been storming since 7:30. Our kids are not the bravest when it comes to thunder and lightning. So after making the safe assumption that there would be no more storms until the early morning hours, we hit the sack. After debriefing a little from our day and praying together (our normal bedtime routine), we each rolled over hoping that sleep would creep up quickly.

I was beginning to doze just a little, when I hear Jill say, "just one thing - when you roll over onto your back you take up a lot of room and are on my half of the bed." That was at 10:42. I laid there silently for about 10 seconds while it regsitered in my mind what she just said. See, we have this ongoing feud about space on the bed (a friendly and funny feud mind you). I just couldn't believe my ears. Every night I gaciously allow her feet and arms to rest on "my" half. Very rarely do I complain, because the reality is that I love to know she's there after a long day; and the leg draped over me and the hand poking into my back remind me of the gift God gave me in Jill.

However, I couldn't let this one pass. I immeditaley sat up and held her foot in place while I turned on the lamp. I wanted her to see who really took up all the space on the bed. I kept telling her to put on her glasses and look at where her foot was but to no avail. The problem was, that by this point, she was laughing hysterically and not even able to sit up. When she finally raised up enough to look, she laughed even harder and rolled back over. I turned off the lamp, but couldn't let it go. I told her I would take a picture of the bed this morning with a blanket showing the amount of space I sleep in and prove to the public once and for all who takes up two thirds of the bed and who is left fighting for room throughout the night. So, if I can figure out this picture posting thing, the picture will be below.



As you can tell, the blanket on the left (as you are looking at the picture) represents the amount of space I sleep in. While I didn't measure (but probably will tonight before Jill gets home), I assure you that it is about one-third of the whole bed. So, when Jill says she has no "room" I just want it on the record and want to have plenty of witness that will agree with me that I am the one with no room!

It's sad to admit

I really don't know how God puts up with us (especially me). Maybe you're like me, but hopefully your faith is much more stable. We're trying to sell the house, right? So in our efforts to advertise that this is our desire we have a sign in the front yard that reads "FOR SALE by OWNER" and our phone number. That's it - no flyers or anything else. It gets better...We live on a cul-de-sac that branches off of a street that does not receive a lot of traffic. With all this said, it is huge that we've received at least 3 calls a week and shown the house 6 times! In today's market and economy, God is so gracious to provide this much interest!

One of these prospective buyers has actually verbalized a desire to buy it. Their English is not that strong, so their adult child is supposed to call this Thursday or Friday to talk numbers. I was very excited when I heard this and yet I still feel myself prone to being anxious about what the future holds. What if the financing doesn't go through? What if they change their mind? I have all sorts of similar thoughts racing through my mind. Don't I trust that God has it all under control? Why doesn't my mind find peace in this? Where is my faith? I am confident that God has a plan and I am so grateful for that knowledge. I guess it's a choice I make as to where I put my thoughts (that's what I'm always telling Dara). Please pray that I will rest in the knowledge that God has a plan that is perfect for us and it's a good one. (Romans 8:28) Do I think I'll be disappointed? How silly!

No wonder God said it only takes faith the size of a mustard seed in order to move a mountain. He knew how hard it is to have even that small amount of faith. It's pretty sad. I am so thankful that He loves us and desires us. We are so undeserving.

This is much longer and deeper than I usually post, so to make it lighter and add a picture (which I believe should be a part of every post)...here are the kids in their "fall festival" (a.k.a. halloween) garb. I didn't get off work in time to be with them, but Joel said they had a blast and we have enough candy to insure the high continues for awhile.

On the Thursday, Dade kept wanting to shoot Dara with his gun, but Dara was quick to point out that you shouldn't shoot an angel. Watching them wear their costumes then and knowing they will wear them for months to come, makes it all worth it.

Joel was right...

Well, Joel is right. His mother is amazing when it comes to rearranging a house. She was a bit deceitful as I thought she was just going to help clean while I finished painting my room. I knew something was going on when I heard from the other room, "Do you mind if I satisfy my curiosity about some things?"

Now, I am smart enough to defer to those who have a gift that I do not. So after much, much, much (I really can't say that enough) rearranging - my house has metamorphosed into a house ready to show to the two prospects coming to see it tomorrow.

I told my sister that I would post pictures that will only impress you if you knew what our house looked like originally.

This is our living room.

Our kitchen.

Our old dining room - now family room.

Please pray that the house sales in God's timing and that I will relax in His perfect peace while waiting for His perfect plan.

Charlotte, thank you so very, very much. I love you!

Moving

No - we are not moving yet, but some things in my life are. I just got a phone call from Jill (which I missed). I tried her back on her cell, but to no avail, so I called the house. My mom answered - she is over helping Jill do some cleaning and straightening - trying to get our house ready to show as we try to sell it. For those that know my mom, you know very well what that means. It means that I will go home tonight to a a completely differnt home. Rooms will be moved around, furniture rearranged, some pieces may even be missing and nothing will look the same. These are the times I wish I had taken 'before' shots, so you could see the 'after.' I'll let ya'll know how it turns out.

The one that got away

We had a wonderful little get away this past weekend. Joel's parents went with us to Lake Bridgeport, a little over an hour away. We went fishing, boating, playing, and fishing some more. Everyone caught a fish or a couple of fish. Dara actually caught 6! She would just dangle her poor little worm (some of them she named) in front of them and they would gobble it up.

Dade's technique was quite a bit different. He wanted to catch the fast fish so as soon as he cast out his line he would real it back in as quickly as possible. I am not lying when I say that he cast as well as any of us out there - except that he would often fail to look and nearly caught his mother on several occasions. It was hard for him to slow down enough to catch a fish, but he finally did it. He wanted to throw the fish back into the water, but he didn't want to touch it while it was on the hook.

Charlotte (Joel's mom) caught a fish too!

She caught it right down there!

We think Weldon's fish was a bass...pretty isn't it?

About the one that got away...I really did catch 2 little bass - about the same size as Weldon's, but we never had the camera with us when I caught them. I know that you're thinking "Oh yeah, right!" but I am telling the truth! Note how my precious son is tempting gravity by swinging around the pole. The water around the dock was 20 feet deep (thus the mandatory life jackets for those under 12). I feel the gray hairs popping up!

The love of my life was so busy helping everyone keep worms on their hooks and safely on the dock that he didn't get a chance to enjoy the fishing. Besides, the pole that was defaulted to him was in pretty sad shape - it wouldn't cast past the edge of the dock. He unselfishly sacrificed his fun to make sure the rest of us had some. What a great man!

If you try and don't succeed...

try, try, and try again. This is exactly what Dade and Papa did last week. My dad bought Dara and Dade each a small, thin, wooden airplane.

Apparently my dad has found memories of having one of these planes that flew great! You may have had one too. You twist the propeller that is attached to a rubber band. Once the rubber band is wound as tightly as possible without breaking (which did happen), you release the propeller. Somehow the force that is created when the rubber band unwinds should be enough to lift the airplane off the ground and soaring through the air.

Dara was at school and Dade was gnawing at the bit so with visions of grandeur the flying began.

Amazing really...or is it. :)

Not to be misleading - it did get off the ground a couple of times. Overall, I think that I had more fun watching and laughing than the two boys did flying.

Dade kept trying long after Papa had gone and I have a funny idea that one day he will buy his son a small, wooden airplane that "flies great". Maybe there will even be a story about how he and his Papa flew it over and over outside in the street - you just never know.

Sisters

I just want to say a huge "THANK YOU" to my sister Robin. She came to help me paint the kids room and support us as we get the house ready to sale. There are people who have the gift of organization and planning and who can just get the job done quickly and efficiently. Robin is that type of person. She is such a blessing to us. I am sad to say that I don't have any pictures of her painting, but I do have one of her getting Dade to work (which she took while I was picking Dara up from school - just in case you think that I wasn't working while she was.) :)

After Dade finished his task, he and Allyson (our sweet little 22 month old niece) ran around the house in capes - so cute.

Well, we finished the room and then celebrated at the park. It was hard to get good pictures of the kids as they ran around so I had them all go down the slide for a posed picture (that's why they are all smiling so beautifully). Dara kept making silly faces and had to go down 3 times (she gets her silliness from Joel).

For a brief note on Joel, the doctor said the rest of the healing process will just take time. Please pray that it will go quickly. He was cleared to lift Dade which is a huge blessing and adds more laughter to bedtime!

Recovery

I've thought a lot about what to write regarding this recent surgery. Many of you have been kept up to date on my progress and have often reminded me of your prayers. Thanks will never be enough to let you know what those prayers have meant. With that said, let me try and summarize the experience and share some thoughts about what I've been learning through this.

For those that don't know, almost 4 weeks ago, I had a lipoma (fancy name for benign tumor) removed. We had the same procedure done 5 years ago, but they must have missed some of it, because it grew back. This time we had a different doctor in the same practice and to his credit (and thankfully the radiologist's keen eye) they made two incisions and feel like they got all of it this time. However, that meant a much more lengthy recovery process for me.

The first two weeks were harder than I ever imagined! I think I have a pretty high pain tolerance, but I can't begin to describe the pain I felt during that first week. Thankfully, the pain medicine took the edge off and kept me fairly lethargic and loopy. I was given strict orders not to lift anything over 10 pounds for at least a month. That meant very limited playing with the kids, especially Dade who likes to be chased around the house and tossed in the air and across the couch. The incisions healed nicely, but some unexpected and unknown complications have kept the pain lingering around longer. I'm moving around much better, but find myself frustrated that I still can't get around like I used to. Please pray for the final follow up visit this Wed. We hope that they will be able to help us understand why the pain is still there and help us figure out where to go from here.

Despite all of this, I have seen God at work, teaching me little lessons that continue to amaze me. Within the last week, Dade has finally started feeling comfortable enough to be near me without a fear of hurting me. What a neat illustration of our relationship with God - sometimes we feel like we've hurt God with our sin. There are times we draw away because of guilt or fear of what we've done. And yet, through it all He just wants us to draw near to Him, just like all I wanted Dade to be near me.

For fear of losing many of you with the length of this post (Jill warns me about this constantly), I'll share one more thing.

As the pain failed to completely go away, I failed to share with many of you who pray faithfully for our family, all of the frustations and fears I felt. Jill had to reprimand me one night, asking why I hadn't shared these with anyone. The next day, I sent an email to many of you and tried to explain the situation and share some of what I was feeling. The reponse I got was immediate and felt!!! I realized that what I share with men about relying on each other and letting other's prayers give us strength during difficult times had fallen on my own deaf ears. It just reinforced to me what I've always known.....we can't do this alone. To walk with Christ takes a complete reliance on Him coupled with a reliance on fellow believers who will lift us up.

I used to say that I was looking forward to the day God had to quit teaching me the hard way. In hindsight, I hope He never does. It's going through the hard times that I see my relationship with Him grow deeper and stronger and more intimate.

Game night

Tonight we decided to play UNO Attack (a new and improved UNO that we highly recommend). Dade works hard and this time he actually won the game. Somehow we missed training him in the joy of winning because he promptly said, "I'm out of cards - can I have some more?"

Since the game was going well, we let him have more cards and Dara promptly became the second "winner". She decided to take pictures of us playing "for the blog site" so here they are. We had a blast and like all good times - things eventually got too silly to continue...

Dara planned the "bunny ears" with much giggling on everyone's part but mine who had to pretend not to know what was going on. I love this age!

Joel is still slow to move around since his surgery, but he's able to grab Dade without too much difficulty and great efficiency.

Soon the bunny ears weren't enough and I became a peacock. Isn't it lovely?! :)

Then Dade got the camera so Dara could get in on the action of making me look silly (these are supposed to be antlers) - we need to work on his photography skills, but at least it's in focus.

p.s. the bathroom is all one shade of blue as of this afternoon!

Dade rides again (or at last...)

Well, here is a short video of Dade's accomplishment today. He finally learned to ride the bike. Joel has worked with him a bit over the summer, but today it was all Dade. In the video you can see our neighbor and his son. They watched Dade keep working on it while I ran in to get the video camera. Joel is recovering from a surgical procedure (he's fine but hurting) and he watched Dade from the window in the dining room. It's so neat to know that he has finally learned how to ride - a skill that one never forgets. I know it's not much but at least it's a post. Hope you enjoy watching our little boy grow up. God is good! P.S. The bathroom is still three shades of blue. :)

There are just some days...

that you wish you could do over. It all started yesterday (Friday) when I decided to use the perfectly matched paint from Home Depot to touch up some scratches on the bathroom walls. We're trying to get the house ready to sell and find lots of little things that we think will help. It didn't take long to realize that the "perfectly matched" part wasn't quite accurate. (I am not bashing Home Depot, they did great with my dining room paint.) So I painted quite a bit with my little brush and decided that today I would get a roller and make better progress.

Well, the quart of paint ran out - no problem -> back to Home Depot. I took Joel with me because he's just my favorite person to be around.

We also came home with a new pedestal sink. We originally had a little wall-mounted sink. (Our bathroom is quite limited in room but very serviceable.) So we both had our projects and set to work (the kids are at a friend's house for the day - making it a perfect day to enjoy working together). I'm painting away without a care. Joel's mumbling to himself things that he doesn't expect me to respond to like, "last time I did this..." or "did it go this way?" Our house is older and any small, quick project easily becomes quite involved.

Do you know how paint looks different when wet? Well, this new paint looks different dry as well. My painting and my mood slowed down considerably as the project progressed. I called my sister and whined and I whined to Joel. Did I think that whining was going to make the paint suddenly match? I think it was a dread of doing it all again next weekend (this time with the kids). But Joel was right (he often is) that this is really just a minor thing and no amount of complaining will change things. By the way, his sink looks great. (Notice the two shades of blue around the top of the sink as well.)

The moral of the story is to buy a gallon of paint vs. a quart and to not waste your time getting down about things outside of your control. Maybe instead of repainting, I can just pray that whoever buys the house will want a painting allowance to paint it themselves and won't care because they'll change it anyway.

The verdict is in!

I filled up this afternoon and the result was not impressive. I ended up with 17.6 mpg. (But I honestly think - and Dara agrees - that my original mpg was 16.6) So at best I was able to get 1.6 mpg more by accelerating slower than my grandma (who doesn't even drive!). I don't have much else to say...I was just hoping for more. Oh well. At least I can go back to driving normally, and won't have to hear Joel say, "I could run faster than this" as I go up a hill. :) If any of you have newer cars (which most of you probably do), you might try the experiment for yourself and let me know if it works. I really want it to work for someone.

Experiment cont.

Joel caused a bit of a panic this morning before church when he got into the driver's seat of the van. I didn't want to make a big deal out of it, but the experiment is important to me. To my surprise and delight he did his best to keep the rpms less than 2ooo. I couldn't believe it.

After church, the kids went with his parents so I used that opportunity to ask him to go with me to Garden Ridge. (For any of you who don't know, this is a store that has rows of miscellaneous things for cheaper prices. My mom can spend hours in there and my dad will usually stay in the car and nap.) Well, Joel went with me - being careful to watch his acceleration. Honestly, he didn't complain much at all. I was so proud. Then, as we're walking into the store, he says ,"You know it's bad when you feel like you're walking faster than you've been driving." I haven't had such a good laugh in a long time. (I'm still smiling about it.) The experiment lives on!

Experiment

I'm in the middle of an experiment that is driving Joel crazy. Earlier this week we watched some evening news special (it may have been Dateline - I really don't remember) about increasing your miles per gallon. Some of the people with whom they were talking were getting > 60mpg. One person was getting 92 mpg! Isn't that crazy?! Doesn't that sound desirable?

Well, I don't have a hybrid little car, but surely I can help my 2000 Plymouth minivan get more than our current 16 mpg. So I inflated my tires to the maximum and have done my very best to not go above 2000 rpms. It does take a bit longer to get up to speed (especially if there is an incline of any kind), but I haven't been late anywhere as a result.

I hadn't told Joel for several reasons (if you have ever ridden with him, you'd understand), but today he rode with me. Before we were two blocks away, he gave me this curious look (like I didn't know I was going slower than normal). I could barely drive without laughing. :) All day long I have defended my experiment despite the ribbing. Now I'm praying that it will be worth the effort and the irriation that I must cause the other drivers who are stuck behind me who feel like Joel. Honestly, I think maybe I'm helping those high strung people enjoy life a bit more. Joel doesn't think I am.

We should know by next week sometime if it has been worth it. I'll be sure to let you know!

Uganda Bound!!!!!!

We are Uganda bound! Got the unofficial word from AIM today. We'll be heading to Mbarara, Uganda in July of next year. We will post more details as we get them. We are so excited and can't tell you how much we appreciate all the prayers during this waiting period. AIM still needs to firm up all the details and get final approval from the International Office, but for now, we've been given the green light to move forward in our support raising, planning, and all the misc things that need to get done within the next twelve months.

Please keep praying for us as we prepare and for the hearts of those in Mbarara, Uganda that we will be ministering to and those we will be ministering alongside. Love you all - we know we couldn't be doing this without each of you coming alongside us.

P.S. - Didn't mean to surprise any of you with this news. For those that are scratching their heads.....yes, we are still going to Tanzania with AIM as part of their TIMO program. However, due to unforseeable delays, the team was pushed back until late 2010 or early 2011. This will be a completely different assignment than the island work we will do in Tanzania, but one that we feel God has led us to. We are eager to get started!!!

Praying and Praying and Praying and.....

Weird title huh? Just thought I'd share a quick tidbit I picked up from another AIMers blog a few weeks ago. She is wrapping up her time in the Lopit hills in South Sudan, serving alongside one of our dear friends we met during Candidate Week a few years back. In fact as I write this, her team is probably on a plane heading to Nairobi and leaving behind the people they have lived among as part of AIM's TIMO program. How appropriate I thought, that God would bring this back to my mind today. They have lived among this people group for the past two years and I can only imagine as they fly out of this remote wilderness that they are praying for those they left behind that don't yet know the Creator of the Universe.

Anyhow.....she shared this quote by George Mueller, stating that she was both "intimidated and encouraged." I have to say that I shared those sentiments after reading it.

"I am now, in 1864, waiting upon God for certain blessings, for which I have daily besought Him for 19 years and 6 months, without one day's intermission. Still the full answer is not yet given concerning the conversion of certain individuals. In the meantime, I have received many thousands of answers to prayer. I have also prayed daily, without intermission, for the conversion of other individuals about ten years, for others six or seven years, for others four, three, and two years, for others about eighteen months; and still the answer is not yet granted, concerning these persons [whom I have prayed for nineteen-and-a-half years]. Yet, I am daily continuing in prayer and expecting the answer....Be encouraged, dear Christian reader, with fresh earnestness to give yourself to prayer, if you can only be sure that you ask for things which are for the glory of God."

Muddin'

Now let me first introduce this glorious river that runs from Colorado through New Mexico, the panhandle of Texas, and most of Oklahoma...this is the Canadian River. It apparently is a large supporter of the Arkansas River which is a large supporter of the Mississippi River. All of this is from Wikopedia and is just to show how even little things can make a big difference. Before discovering all of this (which I am not sure is all that important to most of you), I would have thought that the river died out around the bend - it was that unimpressive in size. But what it lacked in size, it made up in fun!


I don't know what color the water started out as, but in this stretch of the river it was all red clay.

The kids had wanted to play with a slip-n-slide earlier that day, and were quite thrilled to see that God provided them with one when parents did not.

I was a bit worried about Dade because he didn't want to wear his swimsuit for fear that the white would never be white again. I thought that maybe he would not want to get in the muddy water - what was I thinking?

Even my dad got into the games, at one point I took several pictures in a row of him walking across a large slippery area. I thought that it might be good to have pictures to say how he broke his tail bone.

You would think that swimming and sliding would be enough of a blast - but no! Tiffany and Dara decided to explore the cosmetic benefits of mud. Afterall don't people pay big bucks for a mud bath?!

I'm telling you - things got way out of hand when Joel would slither out of the water into the mud and roll around as if he were going to be used as a paint roller.

Thankfully, I was in charge of the pictures and we value the camera too much. Otherwise this wonderful beast of a man would have carried me kicking and screaming into that nasty river. He reminds me from someone in Braveheart.


Overall it was a blast, and we would definitely do it all again. (Again I would gladly be in charge of the camera?)

July 4th

This most recent holiday found us with my (Jill's) parents at Boys Ranch. We were there two nights and have tons to show for it. We rode horses, jumped on hay bales, saw beautiful fireworks, played in water and mud, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The pictures of the mud will require their own post - you'll see...

We also went to see my sister, Robin, and her new home. Afterwards we all lunched at McDonalds. With Dara and Dade gently supporting/coaxing/dragging (you can pick a word) her along my niece, Allyson, made it up to the top of the McDonald playground slide and down!



My camera battery died just before the fire works started so the only pictures I have are some family shots before the show started. Hopefully, you were able to see your own.


The next day we went on a hike to see where the Indian women used to grind their corn. It was kind of neat. To be honest, I was a bit preoccupied looking for snakes...it felt as if they were waiting for one of us to step on them. Thankfully, we never actually saw one. :)



There were several holes like this on this flat rock that we climbed up to. Apparently they would use another rock to grind the corn. I thought it was a very strange place to do such a job, but when I saw the view - it seemed obvious. The task of grinding corn probably took a long time and the women could act as look outs while they were working. Don't know if it's true, but it sounds good.


I did find another way that our God is so wonderful, besides protecting us from all the snakes, there were these beautiful little flowers growing among the rocks. There hasn't been rain out there for quite some time, no one sees up there, and yet God thought it best to let these tiny little flowers decorate an otherwise barren hill side. Isn't He great!