Instead of writing what I am thankful for, I have been enjoying those things the past couple of weeks. Other reasons kept me from the computer as well, but here is my short recap of our Thanksgiving. It was wonderful to see both sides of my family for a few days in a row. First mine, then Matthew’s, then mine again. Thanksgiving morning was spent with Pop & Grandmom and the Weldons. I just can’t take enough pictures of these two.
We played a Thankful game which Mom made up. I pulled the card about a man, and got to gush on my wooly husband. He hasn’t shaved or cut his hair this month which makes him look very different. His eyes looked tired in most of the pictures, so I told him to keep them open wide and got the funny one in the corner. I loved every minute spent with him during Thanksgiving.
Back at my parents’ house, we took a walk through the 500-acre wood. My dad made a scavenger hunt of trees and other forest-y things to observe. It was lovely.
Hanging out with Daddy is one of the best things in the world!
Our wonderful host and hostess for the weekend… they put up with many mouths to feed, many messes to clean, and many noises to be heard!
One of my favorite parts was just being with my sisters and mom! I don’t know if we’ve ever had a picture of just us! I am thankful for my family.
thankfulness
World’s Toughest Mudder Experience
Our tendency is to shy away from pain and discomfort. This weekend I came face to face with over a thousand people who thought otherwise. My husband was one of them. Matthew competed in the World’s Toughest Mudder in New Jersey. Nadine and I went to support and cheer him on. If I could recap everything in a couple of words, I would choose: Muddy, Cold, and Stinking Hard. Willingly, they began a 24-hour race stretching 10 miles, dotted with 32 obstacles. The goal: get through as many laps as you could in 24-hours. It started out as quite fun. Beautiful weather, warm gloves, french fries and treats made our spectator spot quite appealing.
Some friends sent us off with a package of treats which we enjoyed immensely Another friend mailed me a package with 24 gifts to open at each hour. We lined them up on the dashboard of our van, and I took a picture of most of them, but once it got dark I put my camera away. I appreciated the toothbrush and toothpaste for when my mouth got “woolly”, and the glow sticks at 9pm were a great hit. The handwarmers at midnight were a lifesaver! Books to pass the time, and other gifts to simply make me smile and take my mind off the shivers. Thank you! 
Matthew’s “tent” site, without a tent. Simply a blanket, chair and box of ice-tea and food… everything that wasn’t consumed was frozen solid by night.
My wonderful daughter who kept me company and helped my spirit tremendously throughout the day.
Coming off Everest. One side they slid down, then on the other side of the lap they had to scale it again.
Our favorite guy.
Once the sun started dipping over the horizon, however, things took quite a different turn. The temperature dropped so low that everything wet started to freeze. That basically meant every single surface, since there was mud and water everywhere. My boots no longer kept my feet warm, and I wondered at the wet sneakers of each runner, and how their toes weren’t falling off. I won’t give you a breakdown of every hour, but between the hours of 10pm and 1am, I was at my lowest. The hat and gloves Matthew was wearing didn’t fit him correctly, so he had taken them off, which later made matters worse. His hands were so cold. This was in the back of my mind while Nadine and I warmed ourselves in the van. She eventually fell asleep and I set off to try to find Matthew since we had lost contact with him for 3 hours. At midnight I walked the now familiar mile to the 29th obstacle, to see if I could find him. I did. He was the best muddy sight I have ever seen. Holding back my tears, and while my feet froze in my dry boots, I watched him go through icy cold water and then through some electroshock “therapy”. We walked the last frigid mile together. When we split up, he told me he would see if he could warm his hands and feet. I went to our van to close my eyes for a bit, and the next thing I knew, he was knocking on the window, bags in hand. His body felt physically able to continue, but the cold dominated. He completed 40 miles total.
I’m so incredibly proud of his determination, his courage to face very difficult situations, his stamina, and his wisdom to know when enough is enough. I’m so thankful for the people who rallied around us during this weekend. I’m so thankful that Matthew didn’t suffer any injuries, and that we were able to grow closer to each other through this experience.
Last Night’s Robbery
There’s nothing quite like hearing your kids tell you there are policemen at your door. And they weren’t friends who are policemen, delivering pizza. Yes, that has happened. This policeman and policewoman got straight to the point. Do you know where your car is? Um… we pointed out to the street where is was supposed to be and our mouths fell open. Gone. My mind flitted to the afternoon. We were all frantically searching for the car keys because it was time to drive Nadine to her horseback riding lesson. I ended up having to cancel it because we couldn’t find the keys. I had checked the van around 4pm, and that was the last time I knew for sure it was in the street. After going over with the kids the events of the afternoon, we concluded that one of them had accidentally left the keys in the car when they went out to get something out of it earlier in the day. We guess that someone took them, then later drove our car away once it got dark. A neighbor in the hood where it was parked, called the police, because they noticed it had been running in their alley for about 4 hours. So, Matthew got into the back of the police car, they took him to where they had found it, and then he drove it back home. It was a strange evening. The kids all surmised that maybe the mystery thief was really going to steal it, but since it was so messy inside (the story of my life) they changed their minds. I’m just amazed that it was found so close by, and that we didn’t notice it in the morning when it might have been harder to put the pieces together. It caused a bit of unrest, but we trust God is in control of our lives and surroundings, and there is nothing we can do to change that. He promises to never leave us or forsake us. He knows we need our vehicle, and thankfully He saw fit to keep it for us a bit longer.
Last night we also finished reading the story of Nate Saint. He and four other men willingly risked their lives to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to people who had never heard the gospel before. Jesus said, The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they might have life and have it to the full. John 10:10
Today, I’m thankful for this promise! I want to live life until it overflows!
Our birthday day yesterday! Nadine’s present included a homemade robot, puppy from Elsie, nine cents, and a letter. I attempted making lego block cakes, but my specialty is not decorating cakes. Elijah wasn’t sure what they were at first.
Our birthday boy now at nine years old!
Nine Years and Thirty-Two Weeks Later
I woke up and our bed was soaked. Something wasn’t right. We had been living in my in-laws attic for a few months. The baby inside of me kicked and squirmed, but something still was not right. The bleeding I had experienced for six months straight took its toll on my body. My water had broken, and it was time to go to the hospital. Once there, they gave me shots to help his lungs develop. I prayed he would cook a little longer. Thirty-one weeks wasn’t enough. As I lay still in that hospital bed for a week, listening to Christmas music, our baby boy grew . A week later, however, things started to change. Matthew and I had just ordered food from TGIFriday’s. I had a huge BBQ chicken salad, and enjoyed every single bite. A couple of hours later, I started to feel funny twinges. Having had a baby only 13 months previous, the feeling was recognizable. The twinges became more painful and significant. I watched the clock, and let Matthew sleep in his little pull-out cot next to my bed. He had spent every night with me, thanks to his parents who were watching Nadine. She had learned to walk that week, and had come toddling into the hospital room with a pretty new dress, white stockings, and shiny patent leather shoes. A lot had happened that week. Now these birth pains were beginning.
I finally called a nurse and told her was labor. She assured me that the monitor wasn’t showing anything significant. Awhile later I woke up Matthew and reassured the nurse that I knew what I felt, whether or not the monitor did. They finally believed me enough to wheel me down to the labor and delivery unit. Sure enough, on the newer monitors the contractions showed up sky high, and I was already 7cm. He was still breech, so they prepped me for a C-section, not wanting to risk anything. Everything happened so fast, and before I knew it, I was in the OR, Matthew leaning over my head. Then they showed me this precious tiny baby, and I kissed his small nose before they whisked him away to the NICU. By then, Matthew was looking very green. He eventually had to leave the room, and the anesthesiologist kept me up to speed on what was happening on the other side of the curtain.
Nine years ago, in the wee hours of the morning, Elijah Watt Weldon became a part of our family. He was 3lbs 6oz, and Matthew’s wedding band fit around his ankle. He spent five weeks in the hospital before we were blessed to bring home our special Christmas present on December 18th. What a love he was and is! Our Mr. Fix-it. The person who almost knows where anything is that is lost. He is so sweet with babies, has a great ear for music, an incredible memory, and makes us laugh. Thinking back to his birth, I chuckle about the salad I ate a few hours before he was born, because he absolutely loves BBQ sauce. Happy birthday, Elijah boy! We love you.
Got Funnies
Today I’m thankful for the funny things my kids say.
I want to be a policeman when I grow up because they eat donuts and drink coffee.- Jack
I want to be a ballerina, not a ballerina coach. Just a ballerina. -Elsie
Raise your hand if you like oaps [oats] the most. -Elsie
When asking Nadine if something was too hot, she said, Not enough to make my flexibility [reflexes] leave.
While driving, Elijah and Nadine were talking about different colors, and Elijah mentioned the color of Abendigo. As in, one of the men thrown into the fiery furnace. I think he meant indigo.
Of course, Betty is full of cute things every day. Her latest is an exuberant, Let’s go! Whenever we go somewhere.
A Handful of Thanks
Today I’m thankful for the rush of water from our taps. I’m thankful for the ability to clean. I’m thankful for the lessons learned throughout this whole no water ordeal. I’m extra thankful for the fact that I can wake up and go to the bathroom in my own home. That is a blessing I have definitely taken for granted. I’m also thankful for libraries, Grandmas & Grandpas, care packages, and a thoughtful husband. These are just a handful of the delights that filled my day.
Love Does
One of my favorite books is by Bob Goff, called Love Does. Today my life felt like a chapter in that book. This morning I woke up to the beeping of my phone and this text from a friend: Dear Weldons, would you like to come spend the day with us? We will make you a pancake breakfast, we will get your laundry started, and then we’ll get to work on school stuff. We would love to have you! I went to bed wondering what the day would hold. I woke up so incredibly touched by this practical invitation. Love does. Today at lunch, at a full table of a dozen children and two mommies, Nadine thanked the Lord that our water was off so we could enjoy the day with our friends! I’m also thankful that I can run over to another friend’s house and go to the bathroom at any hour. I’m thankful for the offers of showers and baths. Sometimes we think about how we could help others, instead of just doing it. Being on the receiving end of love in action is incredible, but not even as much as being on the giving end. He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. Prov. 11:25 Getting outside our comfort zone is awkward sometimes. It might involve having some un-bathed family raid your house and cupboards. It might not even be that dramatic. But when we love practically and specifically, we bless in eternal measures. Pressed down, shaken together, running over kind of blessings.
Stormy Miracles
What is there not to be thankful about? Today at church we heard a riveting story by a man named Terry Caffey. Click on his name to read his story. I am overwhelmed with thankfulness for my family. Though our basement has a layer of smelly sewage on the floor, our water is turned off, and we have to walk to our neighbors to go potty, these are insignificant challenges in light of many things. I am thankful for the moments together, even the moments of hair-tingling annoyance or when it seems like things will never be quiet… I am thankful. God is good. When heaven seems silent, when the waters are stormy, when the boat is rocking and we feel the strength of our problems overwhelming every corner of our heart… He is there. God uses the storms in our life to show His greatest miracles. He has a purpose for my life and yours. He is working behind the scenes on things we cannot even begin to dream about.
Thrilling Tapioca
Today I’m thankful for the tapioca pearls someone gave us awhile back. They’ve been sitting in my cupboard, and I pulled them out this week for some sensory play! Betty was immediately pleased with herself that she was cooking alongside mommy, and set to work scooping, pouring, and taking handfuls of the fun little spheres. Soon all the kids wanted in on the game, and there were tiny white balls all over the kitchen floor. They roll and bounce very easily, by the way. Every day now, Betty goes to the big drawer under the oven, pulls out the muffin tins and a spoon and looks up at me with those baby browns, expectantly waiting for me to fetch the tapioca. I’m thankful for imaginations, the grace when messes happen, and the joy on my children’s faces from simple things. Who needs toys when you have tapioca?
Giant Generosity
Today I’m thankful for wonderful neighbors, especially Jen, who is this magical gardener. I’m thankful to drive past her house whenever I come home, and whenever I drive or walk by, I feel as if I’m transported out of the city to somewhere beautiful. I’m thankful for the ginormous pumpkin she gave me. It made five pan-fulls of roasted chunks, and five blender-fulls of puree! It could feed our family for a week, I think. I’m thankful for generosity shown to us through our family in Christ. God loves a cheerful giver! So many times we wonder at what He wants us to do. Usually He is just nudging us towards small, everyday acts of kindness, generosity, and selflessness. He loves that. It reflects who HE is to us. I want to reflect who He is to others.
Grow Old With Me 