Colorado Cashens

Chris buys a slingshot at the Tillamook Cheese Factory . Boppa teaches him to use it. Chris actually rolled down the window while we were DRIVING to try and hit a passing sign with his pocket of rocks he'd collected. Hmmmm...a few more lessons to learn in discernment I guess!

...and attacked all day by our four little pigs! Tim got home last night! After 5 days in the airport waiting to get on a flight, Tim arrived from Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta, Germany, Kuwait, and Iraq!!! Wow. That's a lot of travel. He's doing so well though! You'd never know he was going through any jet lag! Made it through the day with hardly a nap! They kids were at his side all day and Tom hardly napped as he thought Daddy would leave before he got up! "Best friends"? He asked Tim as they colored today. "Yes, Best Friends." Daddy answered. We had Christmas with Tim today. His only request was our rockin sweet potato casserole which is more like a dessert than a side dish. We celebrated by opening presents and playing all day and then had dinner here with my parents and my little sister. It is marvelous to have him home. AAhhh...a sigh of relief and a content and happy heart thanking God for his safe return.

I often think..."What is the purpose of family?" Then I am drawn to different parallels that are made: Mary as a new mother -accepting the gift of a healthy newborn when Jesus came to earth as a baby. (Matthew 1-3) God giving up His only Son to die in our place. (I Corinthians 15:4) And the thought with me right now...Jesus as the bridegroom returning to accept the bride (the church). You won't know the day or the hour...we are told. And so another parallel here. Tim comes home for Christmas. But we don't know the day or the hour. We are told to prepare our hearts for Christ's return and I'm drawn to that over and over again as I clean the house to get ready for my husband...make his favorite foods and prepare my own heart to see him again. How God wants me to do that for Him. How gracious He is to give us physical examples of what He desires to see in us. We will be caught up with Him in the blink of an eye...I keep thinking I'll turn arou...

Tim called very excited about his trip home the other day. He should be on a plane soon to head back to us! Hooray! I can't believe it! I'm so excited that the waiting is killing me! I'm trying to surprise the kids, but I don't know how good I'm doing. No one seems to know yet! So if you see them...don't say anything yet! Kate glued a red circle to her nose today...she was pretending she was Rudolph and she and Tom and Chris ran around the house with antlers on their heads. Ben just takes it all in with big eyes and an open mouth. So, next time I post...Tim should be back!!!

Wow now that last post was on the down swing. Anyone who read that would just want to stop reading altogether! Yikes! Guess I should delete that one, huh? Oh well...it was real. Today not so bad. Pretty good actually. We did our school work, made cookies for teachers, went for a toddle down the street with Ben and Tom, and watched Christmas movies while Tom turned the Christmas tree lights on and off over and over again. Ben sat staring at him with his mouth gaping open. Who am I kidding...I've got it good. These little guys are awesome...

Have you ever had someone yelling in your ear for hours at a time...really in your ear? Take that...and a toddler pooping on your floor...then add a little beautiful girl asking you to play and a boy who really needs a man watching you respond to it all. That is my life for the last almost 5 months. Can you say, "deployment"? No. I didn't think so. It really is hard. Anyone who doesn't think so hasn't been through it. It is in every way a hard day....every single one.