Where Do I Begin?

I am going to attempt to describe what an amazing weekend I just experienced. I know for a fact I won't be able to fully describe the blessings that God delivered to me right from the palm of His mighty hand, but I will do my best. I will try to be descriptive but brief so I don't make this post 10 pages long.

WOW! Is there any way to describe the gift of friendship? I received a call a couple of months ago from my friend, Peggy. She invited me to go to see Beth Moore with her and a mutual friend. It was actually her husband Brad's idea. He said Caleb could come to Georgia and stay with him and the kids while the moms went on to Jacksonville for the LPM event. I told her I'd talk to Caleb about it and call her back. A few minutes later, she called me back instead and said, "I'm on Lifeway's website. There are still tickets available and if it's okay with you, I'm just going to buy you one for you..." How can you say no to that?

Brad and Peggy are a rare caliber of people. We were connected to them through our friend Kris, after his death. Knowing Kris like we did, should have given us some insight to the kind of people the Headleys are. They were dear to Kris which indicates they are special people. They have the same commitment to the Lord and same generosity towards others that Kris had. They made us feel so incredibly welcome in their home with an uncommon level of hospitality. The dads took great care of the kids while us moms were gone and the kids had a blast too. There was a lot of Wi playing going on, pizza was ordered and they even raked the whole yard on Saturday before we arrived back home again. We so appreciated our 2 husbands being brave enough to let us moms head South for 24+ hours while the dads cared for our 5 kids ranging from 12 years to 18 months! Since then, Brad has decided there's a fine line between courage and stupidity. Even still, the guys were so glad they gave us the gift of a weekend away to rejuvenate!

So off to Jacksonville we went. Peggy, Kalie and I went, which was great because we were all in small group for a Beth Moore study, "A Heart Like His" about 3 years ago. We checked into our hotel nice and early. Then we walked around the lovely downtown of Jacksonville, FL. I really like that beautiful city and it smells like coffee because the Maxwell House plant is right in the middle of it. We rode the monorail, walked along the river, checked out Jacksonville Landing and had an incredible dinner at a restaurant called BB's. Don't tell the kids, but we even splurged on an enormous dessert! As great as all that was, our day hadn't even hit it's peak yet.

We headed to the stadium where nearly 15,000 other women would find their way to in the next 2 hours. Yes, we did get there a couple of hours early because this wasn't our first time to go see Beth and we had learned about seating and we wanted good seats. "Good seats" is an understatement. We ended up about 10 seats away from Beth's seat when she was sitting and right near the stage. Travis Cottrel and his team were all around and it was just FUN! I don't think I could ever go back to sitting in the "nose bleeds", which I've done a few times. Beth was on it both Friday and Saturday! Wow! I felt like the entire session was hand picked for me. I have a feeling most of the women felt the same way. The whole thing was perfectly placed in my path for this season of my life. I can't even begin to describe the impact it had on me. It was huge!

We returned to Georgia where there were children and husbands who were clearly happy to see us! I love being missed! We grilled out and chilled for the evening. Sunday morning we woke up and headed to St.Simon's Island Community Church which is where we attended during our 5 months of living in that area. When we attended, it was a remarkable group of Christ followers. They were meeting in a very nice, converted (no pun intended) shopping/business park. Things have changed in the last 3 years! While the people and their focus on God has not changed, their location has! The new campus is seriously breathtaking. The church looked and felt like a resort inside and out! It was really amazing to see the fruit of their labor with our own eyes! The service was amazing too. This church is one of the most prayer-centered churches I've ever seen. Being on St. Simon's Island, it's congregation has a lot of very wealthy people in it. However, they are incredibly generous, not only with their money but with their lives. This church mission-focused. They're continually planning trips to not only poor, but dangerous places like Haiti, India, Asia, etc. They leave their amazing homes and give sacrificially, risking their own well-being all the while. What an example!

The time with the Headleys was steeped in generosity. Their girls gave our girls a toy set that they had outgrown (but still looked brand new) which included a My Little Pony castle, about 20-30 new ponies and many accessories. Brad sent us home with a case of MonaVie, a juice, which is probably the greatest "super food" known in the world today. This stuff is NOT CHEAP! It retails at $45 a bottle! They insisted that we go home with not 1, but 4 bottles! They have experienced such great things by consuming only 2-4 ounces a day. So, they wanted to share it so we could try it for ourselves. Have you ever heard of such unnecessary kindness? I want to give to others like that!

The trip home was quiet and a good chance for Caleb and I to reconnect after being so busy and apart for a short time. We got home early enough to eat sandwiches for dinner, bath time and our bedtime routine. I'm certain I will never forget this weekend as a gift!

I just found this recap on Beth's blog and my friend Peggy is actually on it!

Here are just a handful of pictures from our weekend. If the slideshow below doesn't work, click on the X in the upper RIGHT corner 2 times...

13 Things I'm Looking Forward to this Weekend

1. A change in scenery.
2. Going to see Beth Moore in Jacksonville, FL and I know I will leave that place better than when I arrived. I'm praying that my heart will show up ready and that I'll be tender to what God would have me to learn.
3. Getting to be involved in the awesome worship. With Travis Cottrell leading, I know it will be great.
4. Going to St. Simon's Community Church where we used to attend and seeing old familiar faces there.
5. Getting to see St. Simon's new building that we heard about over 3 years ago!
6. Getting to spend some quality time with some good girlfriends on the trip to Jacksonville. Girl talk- Yay! I may even find time to read a magazine- imagine that!
7. Getting to go out to dinner on Friday night with my girlfriends and not be interrupted by children! (You know I love my little ones. Spending time with them is very important to me, but getting a dinner out without them is a rare treat!)
8. Getting to have a much needed "Mommy break". I may just have a nervous breakdown looking around for my 3 blondies, reaching for Elle's diaper bag and feeling irresponsibly indulgent... just for a split second but I'll recover.
9. Getting to eat lunch on Sunday at Barbara Jeans -one of our favorite restaurants in St. Simon's Island. Caleb's been tucking a little away since we started planning our trip to make this happen. He thinks it's a shame to get all the way to St.Simon's Island and not visit Barbara Jean's for one of their incredible crab cakes. I agree.
10.Getting to do some photography on Jekyll Island. I'm hoping to reshoot some of the stuff I took 3 years ago but new and improved. I'm so glad for a do-over and this time I have my new digital SLR!
11. Enjoying a road trip with Caleb. I love the DVD in the van because it helps the kids settle in for a movie and Caleb and I can actually finish conversations, uninterrupted. It's a beautiful thing!
12. Getting to breath in the Georgia and Florida air. For some reason, getting away for a weekend has a great effect on me. I always appreciate home more afterwards and see my old surrounding in a whole new way.
13. Getting to return to our home with my children and husband rejuvenated because I do love them SO much. I love serving them and spending time with them, even though sometimes I just need a little break.

Still Hard but So Worth It

I'm digging into an old project that I've neglected for awhile. I forgot just how hard this project is for me. I'm putting together a tribute with many peoples' writings for a dear friend and brother who went home to be with the Lord over 5 years ago. Kris Eggle was one of the greatest people I have ever known. He was a friend and a brother to both Caleb and I. He lost his life to an illegal immigrant who sniped him from the brush while Kris was serving us as a Federal Law Enforcement Ranger for the National Park Service. We were supposed to have Kris for dinner that evening as we had many other nights. The news was nothing short of devastating. Thousands grieved the loss of a friend that was so dynamic, so selfless and loving. He was such an amazing earthly example of His Lord. Kris stirred something in all of us that made us want to live better, give more, and complain less.
I started this project back in 2003 and still haven't completed it. As I jump in with both feet again, I remember why this is so incredibly hard. Because Kris was so incredibly special to us. I just came across a letter from my little sister who loved Kris and it nearly knocked me off my feet. We all still miss him so much. You would think this would get easier after 5 and a half years, but in many ways, it hasn't.
I know I have disappointed so many people in not finishing this book sooner. Quite honestly, I've disappointed myself. When I began this feat, I had no idea what crazy turns laid ahead on mine and Caleb's journey of life. It has not been very conducive to this type of in-depth project. This is such a worthy assignment and I so desperately want to see it's completion. I have taken this storage container with all the books' contents in it from Arizona, to Georgia, to South Dakota, back to Arizona and now to South Carolina. I found a note in there to myself, with a to do list that said "Go back to Arizona with a finished book!". I wrote that in 2005 but I'm claiming that for 2008.
Please pray that I can be focused (with my many, many, many distractions) to put this book together in a way that truly shows who Kris was. I need to balance caring for my family and staying focused on this book. Honestly, it has been impossible for me up to this point. I would GREATLY appreciate your prayers and support while I press on towards this finishing this goal that is so honorable.

Monday's Quote of the Week

"Hunger is a good sauce."

I like this quote because I think it simply speaks volumes on gratitude. Enjoy!

This Year's Easter

Our morning started early. At some point in the early a.m. hours, Delainey had made her way to our bed and fell back to sleep somewhere in the blankets. This isn't unusual for her. She reminds me of a little pet who can always find their way home. I'm always putting her back in her bed but by some magnetizing force, she is draw to our queen size. It was still dark out but I needed to finish a few things for our picnic and I needed to iron. Caleb made plans to fix us all a big breakfast. I heard Caleb say, "Jaim, we've gotta get up. I hit snooze a few times and I need to get breakfast started." Then I hear DJ's raspy & sleepy voice say, "The 3 year old wants cereal." I didn't even know she was awake. I laid there thinking, "Did she just refer to herself as 'the 3 year old'?".

A few moments later, the 7 seven year old who has a gift for sleeping in very late surprised us by bursting into the room. He said, "Come on let's get started! It's Easter!". DJ responds excitedly, "It's Easter! Does that mean I can have candy now?"

We had a great day and yes, there was some candy involved. First we let the kids find their hidden baskets, then we had a huge breakfast, scurried around to get ready for church. Next, it was off to church where we had a great service and then we stayed for the next service to help out in the kids' classrooms. Afterwards, we headed off to a nearby park for a picnic with two other families who are dear friends. We flew kites, played on the swings, blew bubbles, hunted for eggs and enjoyed the gorgeous sunshine. It was a perfect day for a picnic.

Tonight, I asked the kids what their favorite part of the day was. Bryant said it was finding his Easter basket and all the fun things in it. DJ said it was when she was sneaking candy from the bag of extras in my room earlier today. What?? Thanks for the honesty, DJ!

We had a great day. We're so thankful for friends here to spend special days with. We, of course, miss our families in Michigan, Minnesota and Arizona. We can't wait to see them all again. We miss them everyday, but especially on days like today.

We're hoping your day was filled with all the hope and celebration of our risen Lord this Easter!

Thursday's 13 ~ Movie Lines That We Use Frequently

These are situations when movie lines are just the perfect response. Here are a few we use around our household:

1. When asked if you remembered something. Like, if you brought the diaper bag:
"Harry, I took care of it." -Dumb and Dumber

2. When feeling envious of someone else:
"Shocks, pegs, LUCKYYYY" -Napoleon Dynamite

3. When something is wearing on your nerves:
"And it makes me compleeetely insane! DING, DING, DING!" -French Kiss (when Kate hits the bell for service in the Paris hotel)

4. When feeling rejected:
"It's because I'm GREEN isn't it???" -The Grinch

5. When in admiration:
"How cute is that?" -You've Got Mail (in that Meg Ryan tone)

6. When irritated by the the people around you:
"I am surrounded by cow turds." -Holes (in your best Texan accent)

7. When desparation sets in:
"We have no food...our pet's heads are falling off!" -Dumb and Dumber

8. When someone says something that you just don't appreciate:
"Don't ever use THAT word again." -French Kiss (after Kevin Kline's character called her ex-fiances new girlfriend a goddess)

9. When you're seriously impressed
"Just when I think you couldn't have done anything more dumb, you go and pull a stunt like this!... and completely redeem yourself" -Dumb and Dumber (after Lloyd sells the dog-mobile for the scooter)

10. When someone asks if you can do something:
"I'm your huckleberry" -Tombstone (Doc Holiday)

11. When you're saying good-bye:
"Have a lovely day (snort)" -Home Alone 2 (in your best British accent)

12. When you see something nice:
"What a lovely family heirloom" -The Grinch (as a little boy, just before he smashed it with a hammer)

13. When you want to call someone a name without using a bad word:
"BABY RUMP KISSER!" -Dennis the Mennace (Margaret calls the little friend this after she tricked him into closing his eyes to kiss her. Instead she makes him kiss her doll's bottom and holds it against him later.)

I'm conviced there's a good movie quote for just about any scenario you may find yourself in!

Things Our Kids Have Said This Week:

Delainey, for some reason thinks the real name for a squirell is "dirty rascal". That is how she has always referred to them and until recently, didn't know they were actually called squirells. Caleb said this about a squirell while he was working in the yard: "That dirty rascal better get out of here or I'm going to eat it for dinner."
DJ replied: "You can't, they'll throw nuts in your mouth."

Bry's dinnertime prayer: "Dear God, thank You for this food.... my family, grandparents... And please help my knee to get better because there's pus and it really hurts and I don't want it to get infected anymore..." He continued on about his knee for a good couple of minutes. Finally came the "Amen". The thing that was so funny is how he went into "Napoleon Dynamite" mode and almost forgot that we were all listening to him describe to God (who already knows everything) just how bad off his knee was. It struck me as funny and I for one, no longer had an appetite after hearing about the pus and blood and the rest of the knee situation.

I was fixing DJ's hair and in order to keep her looking straight ahead I thought I'd buy myself a few seconds by asking her, "What's cooking in your oven?". Since there is a picture of a pie on the front, I thought that's what she'd say.
Instead, she replied, "shoes and horsies are cooking in that oven".
I was confused so after I finished putting her hair up, I opened the oven door. Sure enough, there were a few My Little Ponies and a pair of her shoes I'd been looking everywhere for. Who needs pie when you can have horses and shoes for dessert?

Yesterday we all climbed into the van to run an errand. We got in and I said "it smells like dog in here". The thing is, we don't have a dog. Bryant replied as serious as a heart attach, "Oh, it's Fudge." Fudge is Bryant's favorite stuffed dog that goes EVERYWHERE with him, even school. It's a WEBKINZ, which his teacher allows in the "daycare" at school. He was completely convinced the reason our van smelled like dog was because of Fudge, the stuffed animal. I didn't tell him it was because he and his little sister had been running around outside for hours and they smelled like stinky little puppies. Caleb and I winked at each other as we kept this little secret to ourselves.

DJ came running out of the bathroom last night and said in a panic, "Look!". She then lifted up her tongue and pointed under it. I asked what she was wanting me to look at. She said, "Look under my tongue". I said, "Honey I don't see anything." She explained that it looked like something was wrong because it was "purply and weird". I showed her under my tongue and explained that that was normal. She responded, "Oh, is that just how God made it?". She was relieved.

We got a letter in the mail from one of Caleb's favorite aunts today. She included a picture from her son, Ryan's recent wedding. Bryant looked at the picture and said under his breathe, "I didn't know they were old enough to get married." I thought this was so cute because Ryan is such a FUN cousin for our kids. His new gorgeous wife, Kristi is also a blast. Whenever we go to Michigan, they spend so much quality time with our little ones and our kids adore all their older, college-age cousins. I can see why Bryant thought they were kids too. He had no idea Ryan is no longer one of the high school kids, but in college and old enough to be a husband.

Today we went to The Mustard Seed and parked down wind of the dumpster. When we got out of the van, I mentioned that it smelled like "barf". Later, we returned to the car and I heard Delainey say, "Ah, it smells like MARF out here. Mommy, what is marf?"

Tonight during devotional time I heard Delainey as she was picking out which Bible story she wanted. She choose the creation story and this was her version of it, "God made all the plants and animals and took a lot of days and then He was very tired".

As for Elle, she only says one complete sentence, "I want that". However, she is really starting to communicate and say new words. One form of communication that I'm not really very excited about is that she is starting to scream and yell, "NO" when she's not happy. This isn't fun. But there are so many sweet things that she says like, "peas" (please), "shoe", "Hi there" "DAY"(Delainey) "By" (Bry). She also loves to give kisses, hugs and is starting to flirt by raising her shoulder to her chin while wrinkling up her nose. She doesn't have as many words as the other two but she still manages to make her point.

Here are some pictures from this week. If the slideshow below doesn't work, click on the X in the upper right corner 2 TIMES and it should start up:

The Rubber Meets the Road

It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt. The kids were soaking up the sunshine today in front of our house with their new BFF's and neighbors. I was planting shrubs while they got loud enough to make every neighbor peek through their mini blinds at least once to see what the ruckus was. They got out the bikes, helmets, go-cart and big smiles. Everyone was happy until Bryant was tripped by the go-cart and his Croc hugged the asphalt too tightly, causing him to spill over. He ended up with a gash on his forehead (that bled like crazy), a skinned up knee and elbow. Delainey couldn't stand the blood dripping from his forehead and cried louder than him. She was 10 feet away from the accident but for some reason felt it was her fault. She sobbed, "I'm so sorry Bryant" about a dozen times and finally we told her she didn't need to be sorry because it wasn't her fault. Bryant cried loud enough and long enough for the entire neighborhood to know something was seriously wrong at our address. After his dad hooked him up with a mammoth sized butterfly bandage, Bryant was all smiles (and limps). You gotta love the drama in the Kesler house!

I'm from the "toughen up already" school of thought. Thankfully, Caleb was very warm and tender. He let Bry soak in self pity for most of the evening. I think when it was all said and done, Bryant was almost glad he fell. I think he'll pop out of bed in the morning, that is until he remembers to limp, and won't be able to get to school fast enough. He will probably show off his wounds and tell all about today's big event.

The Gang:

Elle trying to be part of the Gang:

Elle with after-nap hair:

Elle wanting her space:

DJ thinking she's one of the BIG kids:

The knee injury:

The tears:

More tears:

Playing it cool:

Elle demonstrating the importance of a safety helmet:

Give me your honest opinion

I've been growing my hair out to look like this:

...but it's going to take at least another year to reach that length. I'm tempted to go really SHORT again. I had my hair like the one below about 9 years ago (15 pounds thinner) and I loved it. I grew it out simply for our wedding but I'm thinking about going way short again with this cut:


So friends, leave a comment with your honest thoughts. I really do want to hear what you think about these 2 extreme do's. If you don't know how to leave a comment, shoot me an e-mail because I want your opinion. If you know me at all, you'll know ultimately I'm going to go with my instinct (and what Caleb will like most- since he's the main one I'm out to impress) but I'd still like to get other people's thoughts.

To me, the longer do says "youthful, s*xy (can I say that on a family blog?), funky, sassy" The short do says, "sofisticated, smart, fun, sensible, good hair for photography days". My only reservation with the short one is that it will make me look pear-shaped. Okay, your turn... What do they say to you? Which suits me best and would look best on me? What are your thougths? Be honest.

Sunshine and Rain

Not sure why, but I associate rain with blessing. I guess it's because I'm from the desert. There's nothing I love more than a soft unexpected rain that makes you want to put on a big pot of soup for dinner, curl up with a soft blanket and read. I used to read books for me and these days it's usually books with bright illustrations and rhyming words. I'll take the trade for the sweet company wrapped up with me as the raindrops drip down the window pane.

That was the kind of rain that settled over our house yesterday. I had been working out in the yard all afternoon. While I was planting my new herb garden I actually heard a morning dove (see the previous post to understand the irony and beauty in that).The kids ran around the yard having a great time with our new neighbors and their old friend "sun" who hasn't been out to play a lot lately. It was wonderful. Finally, we cleaned up and went in for dinner. I went to the front door to water my rosemary plant on the front step. That's when I heard the lovely sound of blessing softly dancing on our roof and awning. I had been outside all day yesterday and would have never suspected rain! How did this get past my keen sense of awareness?

It was a God stop moment for me. It made me realize, we never know what God is up to. Sometimes, blessings are on their way and in plain site but we just don't know it until they show up on our doorstep.

Your Will is Better

I'm homesick today. Don't get me wrong, I love the Charleston area, particularly in the Spring. I love all the great friends we have here and a lot of valuable things that are going on in our lives right now. I am still, however, missing home. I've decided that whenever I miss something from home so bad I can hardly stand it, that I'll remember to thank God because His will is better than whatever it is I'm missing.

Your will is better than:

the smell of rain in the desert that brings out the aroma of the delightful creosote and acts like a medicinal syrum to my soul.

journeying through that favorite pass near the highest point in Arizona where the healthy green pines contrast with the back drop of pure snow until everything turns white in the Aspen grove. ...oh, and the endless fields of sunflowers in the late summer that are the size of straw hats on tall green stems.

eating at Mom's restaurant for the first time and seeing the work of my parents' hands established with my own eyes.

having cacti in the front yard, hearing coyotes throughout the night, the blackest skies with the whitest stars, and waking up to a handful of choice mountains to hike.

road trips that inspire and stir my artistic and creative side. Tuscon, Jerome, Sedona, Flagstaff and Cameron. Pottery... art... organic beauty...

hiking into the glorious Grand Canyon and knowing that I have a relationship with the One who is bigger and mightier than that place. He is the landlord of it and it displays the wonders of Him well.

day trips to Phoenix where exists some of the most enjoyable shopping and eating I know of. Feeling right at home in that city, even though I'm a small town girl.

seeing faces that have watched me grow up, in everyday places, like the store, the bank and the Post Office. They know my story, good or bad, and they are kind.

having an herb garden in my courtyard with the distinct sound of the morning dove, reminding me of sweet memories from years past.

watching my parents and my children build meaningful friendships that pull hearts closer together and pass down ways from grandparents before.

seeing the extreme side of God's color choices on Earthly canvas through purple mountains splashed against orange sunsets that are too much for pictures or words.

Nutrional Education

Bryant at dinner tonight: Mom, is coca-cola like a fruit... or something?

Me and Caleb in unison: No, it's not a fruit.

Bryant: Oh, it just tastes a little fruity.

Me: No, soda isn't healthy at all. This is cherry coke and you're tasting the artificial cherry flavor but even that isn't made from real fruit.

Bryant: Oh, that's why it's fruity.

I'm not really sure how to feel about that question. We very rarely have soda in our house but I can't help but think, when your 7 year-old asks if Coca-cola is a fruit, you may want to feed your children more fruit... just a thought.