Did and Didn't of 2010

2010 is almost gone.

Let's see...

What happened?

Did plan 3 major Refuge events... ATF, SWC, R&W
Did make 2 trips to Washington

Did lose 30+ lbs. & bought a new swimsuit.

Did have 1 amazing vacation to San Diego
Did get Bursitis... yuck.
Did have 3 kiddos turn one year older
Did celebrate 15 years married to my Sweetie
Did mourn the loss of my Aunt Suzie & Uncle Rob... Jenae and Jeanie did too...
Did throughly enjoy the year of Grace Church Babies! Christian, Caleb, Hudson, Jacob & Levi!
Did knit, alot, and baked & cooked and played in the kitchen!
Did homeschool 3 kids who are smarter than I could have ever anticipated!

Did absolutely need GOD every step of every day this year!

Did love every moment!

What didn't happen?

Did not sew a single thing. or scrapbook or bead.
Did not run a 5k or a 10k.
Did not crush the 50 lbs loss mark.
Did not lose hope.

Thank you JESUS for 2010 & Bring on 2011!

Merry CHRISTmas!

From our little family to yours!

Merry CHRISTmas!

Love, The Sherwood's

Musings of my Extra kids

I love them, sew into their lives and then they fly.

It's the downside to being who I am, a momma to many. "Children" here, there, on the other side of the world, and my heart rips.

I miss them. All of them. The ones following GOD's will & direction and the ones running from HIS voice. I want to scoop each of my kids and hold them for just a moment, remind them how much I love & believe in them but more than that remind them how much the KING of KINGS loves them.

A call from Kona the other night thrilled & wrecked me.

"Momma, I think I'm suppose to commit to a year in South Africa (AFRICA?!?!?!) and live out CHRIST's love to the people of Cape Town. What do you think?"

What do I think?! ARRGG!!! I think 8 weeks in Africa with a missions team is way easier to digest than my darling girl smack dab in the middle of HUGE city still reeling with the aftermath of apartied.

"Sweetheart, If GOD is telling you to go, then you need to go. HE will provide and protect you."

COME HOME!!! I miss you! I want to fashion a feast and listen as you tell stories of GOD's amazing love & grace lived out through you in Kona as you eat and laugh and you're here...

"You're a sparrow, baby girl. Sparrows are made to fly. GOD will not let you fall. You have to fly."

And as I release this wonderful child, ok she's 20 but still, into the wonderful journey GOD has set before her my heart tears just a little. The hardest part of being a momma to many is watching each of them spread their wings & fly. Yes, it is joyous but oh how is hurts to watch them leave.

So I pray, a lot, for each of the beautiful children GOD's blessed me with over the years and know when I've done what GOD has asked me to do I can rest knowing GOD has each one of them in the palm of his hand & no one can pluck them out.

This Christmas season, I'm thankful for my "extra" kids;

Tony, US Navy, Bremerton, WA

Tracy, Wenatchee, WA

Stephanie, East Wentachee, WA

Taylor, East Wenatchee, WA/ Tansania, Africa

Taren, Kona, HI/Lake County, CA/Mozambique, Africa

Jessica, Simpson University, Redding, CA/Lake County, CA

I love you! ~ Momma Sherwood

Daisy Mae Sherwood

We have a new addition.



Her name is Daisy Mae. She' s black and white and fluffy.



She bounded into our lives Saturday night. It went something like this;

Marah: "Daddy! Michaela has puppies and I want one and Nana sent me $100 for my birthday so I can pay for half and they're so cute and I already know the one I want and Mr Mahnke said we could go look at them today!" (Yes, run-on sentences are very Marah)

Daddy: "Is it yappy?"

Marah: "Nope!"

Daddy: "I suppose we can go see them, but I'm not saying we're getting one."

Marah: "OK!"

three hours later, at the Mahnke's Bunkhouse;

Marah: "OH, I want this one! No, this one! No, I want this one again! Their so cute! I love them! Please Daddy, Please!?!?!"

Daddy: "Sweetie what do you think?"

Me: "I want this one! They're so cute!"

Daddy: "Ok. I like this one." referring to the sweet puppy crashed out on his lap.



And there you have it!

Miss Daisy Mae Sherwood... simply a sweetheart!

Getting ready for 9!

Create your own digital invite

Should be wonderful!

Marah's invited 8 friends and 8 high school girls.

The perks of a YPK, lots of HS girlfriends!

Driveway Carnage

We awoke this morning to a blanket of white.

White across the driveway, in the trees, wrapped everywhere!

No, it isn't a freak August snowstorm. It's toilet paper and LOTS of it.

I think we were suppose to feel loved.

As the kids clean it up, I'm pretty sure, they don't.

Day Off Bread

Today is the first whole day off we've had together as a family in over a month. Yep, I said it, a month.

(It's hard work attending conferences & concerts, Burgerski & movie nights. Those teenagers are exhausting. Ok so maybe it's not exactly mind numbing or back breaking labor. Maybe it great and I love it and I wouldn't change it for anything, but every now and then it's really nice to have a day just for the Sherwood 5.)

So what, you ask, did we do on this momentous day off? We cleaned, organized, washed and made bread.

I don't know what got into me, I'm blaming it squarely on the kneading machine my momma (<3) got me, but we just had to make bread; not just a loaf either but 8 glorious wheat loaves!

So much fun and the house smells amazing.

I may just do this every Monday.

Flame retardant socks

Me "Carter, how do you feel this morning?"
Carter "Eh."
Me "How do your feet feel?"
Carter "The bridge of my foot feels waxy."
Me "Maybe we should keep you away from an open flame."
Carter "MOM!"

and hour later...

Carter "Ok, maybe I just need flame retardant socks."

A Coughing Sleeping Beauty

She's still asleep after another fitful night of coughing.

I'm told it's allergies but honestly this morning, you couldn't sell me that diagnosis cheap.

"Whooping Cough epidemic spreads through San Francisco and NorCal" crawls through my day like that annoying news feed at the bottom of the TV when something supposable important is happening. (How OJ or Jlo or Lady Gaga make the crawl is still beyond me.)

The cough, oh the cough. It's not seal like or barking just a dry, nasty, hacking cough that never ceases.

I've tried everything I can think of;
Cough syrup (she hates it)
Codeine cough syrup (hates this more)
Honey Lemon tea (insisted she would vomit)
Humidifier, off to purchase today (totally keeping my fingers crossed!)

So people, help a girl out! What do you do? What are you tricks of the trade? How do you ease your babies persistent cough?

In the meantime, would you pray for Sleeping Beauty? She's miserable.

Thank Ya'll!

It's all for HIM <3 Suzanne aka M2M

On my way...

Blogging.

I never thought I'd be part of the blogging universe. Didn't think I had all that much to say. Turns out maybe I do.

Food, friends, relationships; the topic list is long and continues to grow the longer we're in Youth Ministry.

I find myself saying the same things over and over;

Show me your friends and I'll show you your future.

Keep the main thing the main thing.

Dating is terrible vehicle to marriage.

If you're honoring GOD with every decision, why are you asking me if you can do something stupid?

We don't do stupid.

This blog will be my musings of life married to a youth pastor, the rises and falls, hopes and dreams, mother wonderings and wanderings and everything in between with a good dose of food throw in!

Here's hoping you have as much fun reading about it, as I do living & blogging it along!

It's all for HIM! ~ A Momma to Many <3