Dear William

Dear William,

            Today was your first day of kindergarten. You truly are a big boy now. You were at first a little nervous about meeting new friends and teacher, so I held your hand tight as we walked down the hall. I was so proud of you as we walked hand and hand. I wanted everyone to see this beautiful young man we had made. There were many smiling faces as we walked closer to your door. I looked down at you and you up at me. We both smiled for each other, trying to be brave. I could feel the tears wanting to come out, but I held them in. Truthfully, I didn’t want you to go. I know I made such a big deal about going to school and made you believe it was going to be the best place in the world, but I wasn’t ready yet. I wanted to pick you up, take you home and just sit and hold you.  As I held my tears in we came to the door of your classroom. Your teacher greeted us so happily and we found your desk with your very own name on it.  I looked at that desk, thinking about how much time you would be spending there; thinking about how much you will grow in this next year. Another teacher grabed your hand and found your book bag hook, and helped you hang it up. I stood there helpless and watched my little boy start his life.  You sat down at that desk and started playing with green blocks. I could tell you felt at home and you were going to be just fine. I on the other hand had a lot of empty feelings inside. I hugged and kissed you and said my goodbyes, and had to hurry out of the room, as I could no longer hold back the tears. They poured out.  Tears fell one by one as I thought about all the things I hoped. I hoped I did okay to this point with you. I hoped I taught you good manners. I hoped I read enough books to you. I hoped I spent enough time with you. I hoped I laughed enough with you. And the list just kept going on and on, over and over.  I cried throughout the day, missing you so much. Wondering what you had been doing at the moment I was thinking it.  It was so hard to just handing you over and hope!  So, when it was time to pick you up, I got so excited. I was there 15 minutes to early, but I waited. The teacher had said she was going to bring the class outside, so I just waited. I waited for my boy to come out.  It seemed like days before you finally came out and there you were. I wanted to run to you, but I decided a fast walk might be better, I didn’t want to embarrass you to much, after all I did just cry my eyes out dropping you off. As I walked up to you, I could tell you had a great day. You were talking to some friends and had a big smile on your face.  We hugged and I walked, proudly holding your hand again, just like I never left you!  You told me about your new friends and all the fun things you did that day all the way home.  That’s when I knew it was going to be just fine.

            I want to thank you, William. Thank you for teaching me to be the best mom I can be!  Not to take everyday moments for granted, because soon they will be gone.  I want to thank you for making me realize that I can never be to busy for the ones who will soon be too big to be by my side all the time! Thank you!

            I love you more than life itself,

            Your mother

When your battery is low…. Rev it up!

One night last week I parked my van out in the driveway over night. I needed to move it because Levi wanted to ride his bike in the driveway the next afternoon.  As I turned the keys all I got was a clicking noise.  Ah man!!!! Russ had me turn on the lights, they worked, and so, he concluded it was not the battery.  Then he went on his way to work. HA! Well, the only mechanical skills I have I had just learned a few months back and that was how to change the rear break light (I was so proud of myself when I did that. If you need a lesson in that skill just give me a call.)  I learned how to do that on yahoo, so I went back to my “teacher”. My teacher told me that the clicking noise was the battery.  The one thing Russ said it wasn’t.  So, I called him up on the phone, kind of like I was the mechanic calling my client “Well, I think it’s the battery” I said to him.  “Oh yeah” he said back to me, “How did you find that out?” he asked “Well, that’s what my teacher said, Yahoo.” I told him, so sure and proud I found what was wrong. “That’s what Tom said too,” Russ said back. Tom is “the mechanic” Russ works with, you know, the kind of guy who can fix just about anything.  “I’ll be home to fix it” he assured me. Hhmmm. I thought.  This could get interesting.  When he arrived he didn’t let me know, but when I found him outside he had open his truck manual and was reading the roadside emergency section.  He had also brought the jumper cables from work because we do not own any. (By the way doesn’t everyone own a pair of these?) He said “Well, I’m gonna need your help. Do you see a metal piece that’s not hooked to the gas tank?”  I took a look under the hood of my van; lots of interesting thoughts were going through my head.  This was actually a time when I kept them all to myself (hard to believe I know) I just said. “No, are you sure you want to do this.” He ignored this question and kept looking.  Just when I thought he was going to forget the idea he called Tom. “Where’s the metal piece I attach the yellow one to?..... Oh, ya, you don’t have to, ah. Okay, are you sure….. Oh?  Oh, there. That’s okay to do? You’re sure.  Thanks.” He grabs the jumpers and holds them so far apart and says to me “stand back”. So I head to the garage. “No come back” he said “I need you to hold this end.” I was kind of scared, after all he did just tell me to stand back, but I held what he told me to.  Then he attached some more of the parts while reading the manual instructions.  “Now you can go in the garage,” he told me.  So I went back in as he started the truck.  It turned on without any thing blowing up!!! I was so glad! “Okay, good” he said with a smile on his face, now, go start the van.” So, I walked to the van saying a little prayer, got in and turned the key. IT WORKED! I was so happy I clapped, smiled and did a little jig! Russ said, “Well, I just saved us 60 bucks! Rev her up!” I pushed on the pedal to hear the roar of the van. My van was working again!  
My van brought me to the Women of Faith Conference the next day, where I too reved up my faith in God. I know it was always there; sometimes a girl just needs a boost! What does it take for you to get that boost?  Do you need someone to help jump-start, call a friend or join a group.  Do you need to dust off your manual and read it, open the Bible! God has great plans just for you, once you get excited about the plans He has for you, His work will begin in YOU! I encourage you to get excited!

A Host in Heaven

Being a hostess really is a good time.  I love having people at my home and playing hostess. I have learned through the past couple months that it is okay to host a gathering even when your house is a mess! Infact, I learned most recently that there really shouldn’t be any other way! Why was it before I’ve always thought Oh, no… people are coming over I’ve got to clean every corner of my house. Why? We all know after everyone leaves it is going to be even more a mess then it was when you started cleaning the day before. So, I gave that a try this past weekend. I just picked up some things here and there but for the most part didn’t do a lot of cleaning. I was a little more relaxed and didn’t care so much that little wet feet were running on the newly moped floor or that sand was getting EVERYWHERE. It was fine. It was great to see my own children enjoy sharing all their toys and greeting the guests too. Children get so excited when they know their friends are coming over to play! We counted down the day to our beach party every day that week.  They had such a wonderful time that day and are still talking about it two days later! I wondered what Ivan thought as he looked down at this fabulous time we were having.  He would have been two this July and I’m sure he would have been creating lots of messes of his own. Instead he gets to greet all the newcomers into Heaven and be a host himself! It is in honor of Ivan James Hrouda I celebrate the month of July! I looked forward to having a gathering with all of you in Heaven with my son Ivan! I bet I won’t even have to worry about cleaning!!!

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.