It's All Wrong...but, It's Alright!

Ron used to work with a guy by the name of John Anderson...really great guy with a couple adult kids and some grandkids. I remember when Camdyn was just about 2 and into everything Ron would tell John about Cam's misadventures. John taught Ron the phrase..."It's all wrong but it's alright." As of late I have been reminded of this phrase as the boys and I adjust to Daddy being home while he is between jobs. The little ones are THRILLED to say the least to have so much of Daddy but they have a way of getting into his stuff and causing chaos. It's all wrong, but it's alright.

Ron's job search isn't easy. The economy certainly isn't what it was when we left Washington last year. Ron said the other day he had a feeling around April of last year that maybe Jacobs wasn't the company for him. He was feeling discouraged and voiced regrets of not just cashing in his chips then and coming back to Washington. THANK GOD for the Holy Spirit. It was that still, small voice that reminded me to remind him that we had already made the decision to follow God's direction and move the Oklahoma BEFORE God provided the job at Jacobs. We chose to be obedient and provision was made. Now that job is gone. The office Ron worked at in Washington is gone now too. A season of unemployment was on the horizon of whichever path we took - leave and obey God or stay in Washington and be disobedient. Is it hard to be without the income? Yes. Is it hard to watch my husband struggle with doubts? Yes. Do I know that we are suppose to be here and that our obedience will be counted as righteousness? Yes. See, It's all wrong, BUT It's alright - God has it covered.

Life's Volcanoes

Ever been to Hawaii? The big island is beautiful. It's so lush and green and yet some areas are just black volcanic ground. We visited the big island in February 2003. One of our favorite excursions was to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. We went at dusk and drove down the Chain of Craters road to the ocean. As we started our hike we noticed a sign that said "New land flow September 2002". We were walking on ground that had come from the volcano, been cooled by the ocean and was now a new part of the island. That's pretty awesome. One of the rangers informed us that they had lost 100 acres of unstable new land into the ocean the month before. God giveth and God taketh away was my first thought.

Hot lava pouring into a cold ocean produces a large plume of steam which is spectacular by day and breath-taking by night. Imagine...all that mixing of hot molten earth with cold water to create a place that seeds will eventually land on and will flourish. Creation from chaos and destruction.

Isn't that just like God? He takes our heavy earthly burdens and tries them by fire. He pours our circumstances out into a cold world and creates a landing place for new growth and life! He trims away our unstable parts to make way for the new land. In the end, when the race is run we become beautiful, lush islands teeming with life.

Praying for abundance and life from your volcanoes.

But forget all that— it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. The wild animals in the fields will thank me, the jackals and owls, too, for giving them water in the desert. Yes, I will make rivers in the dry wasteland so my chosen people can be refreshed.~Isaiah 43:18-20

Friday Night Lights for the Kingdom

Ok, so everyone knows I am married to a football loving guy - after all, he went to college on scholarship for football. (Go Loggers) Yesterday was a rough day. We found out Ron was being laid off from Jacobs - now that's pretty serious since he's our sole income and we have 3 kids that would require daycare if I worked. I was in a low place last night. Off we went to God's house and the love of our church family - I do NOT believe it to be coincidence that we found out on a Wednesday night.

THANK YOU GOD for the women in my bible study and for Joyce Meyer. Only God knew that I would need a study called Never Give Up. Only God knew that I would need her message of hope last night - that week's video was for me! Only God knew that the scripture on the wall during the Dwell prayer service would need to be Phillipians 4:6-7 (my mantra scripture).

How does Friday Night Lights fit into this you ask? Well let me tell you. We live in a small town here in Oklahoma. When you are driving the roads around Piedmont there are two things you can usually see from a distance - one is the Baptist church's tower and the other is the stadiums lights. Think about every movie or every little town you've driven through (especially if you've been in the mid-west states or Texas). Friday night you'll see the lights of the football field shining bright in the dark fall night. Big, bright, wonderful lights calling you to watch a battle on the gridiron. Opposing forces line up against each other heading down a path to defeat the obstacles in their way and using every ounce of energy to do so. Most people would say the quarterback is the hero of the game since he's the leader on the field but I ask you...who tells the quarterback what plays to call? The coach, of course.

The Cardwell family is being given a rare opportunity to be Friday Night Lights to all those around us. The boys and I are putting on our pads and helmets, learning the plays and ready to charge onto the battlefield led by our quarterback, my wonderful husband. We are blessed to have close friends acting as cheerleaders and fans in our seats watching as we line up to defeat the enemy and reign victorious over this crisis in our lives. God is our coach and boy, we couldn't ask for a better one! He has the best defensive line ever when the enemy decides to try to go on the offensive and attack us. He has the best offensive plays - The Word - to gain yards as we move toward the goal to score a new job for Ron and ultimately to win the battle and victory when we head through the pearly gates to our permanent home in Heaven.

Thank you dear friends for suiting up with us, for cheering us on and Thank You Lord for leading the charge!!!

Evan Update

And the countdown continues! At my weekly appointment on Thursday Dr. Stanley has agreed to induce me the week of May 12th if I don't go on my own. Good news!! I am now dilated to 2 and have a "favorable" cervix - ok, whatever...I haven't made it past 2 without the addition of pitocin so it will be interesting to see if I continue to dilate. Next appointments are Monday and Thursday for non-stress tests and then another ultrasound on May 4th. I'm going stir-crazy staying quiet and keeping still. I think I am starting to hate my house - just kidding. My pops guessed April 16th for the birth - missed. Ron guessed April 24th - missed. Mom is guessing April 28th so still a few days to go. I figure May 8th which is when the moon is full next and all the kids have been born right near that time. Evan would be the one who really knows. Cam and Jake just come ask every day - is Evan coming today?? Send your guesses in - no prize since we never started a "pool" but you can have bragging rights!!

Saga continued

Good news today! Evan is not as directionally challenged as we thought and put himself back head down. That would explain why my ribs are ready to break on the right side...he has both feet firmly planted right there. I was so excited. Now if he can just stay put I don't have to have a c-section at this point. Dr. is still keeping me on bedrest due to the bleeding episode but he's not planning on stopping labor if Mr. E decides to come. Non-stress tests twice weekly with an OB visit at least once weekly. Anyone want in on the betting pool for delivery date?

Spring Craziness!

So here's the latest update...Baby Evan is a pain in the neck! At 25 weeks this little bundle weighed in at 2 pounds which is about 3/4 pound larger than expected. At 31 weeks he was up to 4 pounds 15 ounces. This last Sunday I woke up with some bleeding and clotting which freaked us out so off to Mercy we went at 2:00 am. That little complication ended at about 7 am but I was still under a 24 hour watch. Monday afternoon Evan decided to go crazy and his heart rate jumped to 195 for about 45 minutes which freaked out every nurse who was monitoring me. Guess what? - Yep, another night in the hospital. In the middle of the night he decided to throw us another curve ball and drop his heart rate to between 90 and 105 which is way too low. The nurses called in my doc around 3 am but by the time he came our little bundle had straightened himself out again. Poor Dr. Stanley didn't get any more sleep than I did that night!

That brings us to Tuesday morning...I had to wait for an opening for an ultrasound at Dr. Stanley's office which meant they came for me at 4:30 in the afternoon. He was hoping to find out what was causing the mystery bleeding and the erratic heart beat...HA, like Evan would cooperate. No idea why either occurred but oh by the way...now he's breach AND weighs in at 6 pounds 9 ounces. All his parts are functioning great and they have given me two doses of the steroid to mature his lungs. One more night in the hospital AND if he can behave I would get to go home on Wednesday. Right...like that was gonna happen. I woke up feeling a bit sore in the tummy, well duh, I had been having contractions so back on the monitor I go again. Doc comes in around 10:30 and says we'll just watch to see what my contractions decide to do. Another night in the hospital. UGH!

Thursday morning and a decision at last...I get to go home and be in bed but now I have to go see him 1-2 times per week and get 2 non-stress tests per week. Our goal is to keep the little stinker in there for a while longer so we can make sure he's healthy and fully developed. Wonder if he'll turn back around. If not, it's a c-section for me and yahoo...more time in the hospital while I recover! Thank heaven my mom is here along with my sister to help out with the boys, the house, and the kiddos I babysit. That's the update for today - it's an ever changing pregnancy that is for certain so who know what will happen next!

Dems Cows Mom

Here's a fun conversation with Jacob:

Driving into town to pick up Cam and Ky from school we pass a field full of cattle.

Jake: "Dems cows mom"
Me: "Yep, they are"
Jake: "I eat cows" (imagine a soft, deep, growly little voice)
Me: "Yep, you do"
Jake: "Dem cows are cheeseburgers. I like to eat 'em"

Crack me up...what a little carnivore!