More than you ever needed or wanted to know

The boys are napping and I have strict orders from my mama to not overdo it today, since she went home this morning.

(Oh, and her thanks for coming and rescuing us before I died (drama is my friend)? A cold. She woke up sick herself this morning. What’s up with that?)

But since I’m sitting here, doing nothing (see Mom? I’m obeying. I’m listening. I’m being good. Shall we sing? Obedience is the very best way to show… oh, sorry.) I’m going to revisit some of those Q&A thingamabobs.

Heather asks: What is your favorite dessert?

Hot fudge brownie sundaes. The stuff dreams are made of.

A gooey, soft brownie (big one) with a big scoop (or two) of Breyers vanilla ice cream, with lots and lots and lots of thick hot fudge (Hershey’s syrup is a joke) and a little bit of whipped cream and a ball of uber-dyed sugar maraschino cherry–it’ll make any day the best day of the week.

Ginger asks: When did you get saved?

I was five years old and it was a Wednesday night at church. The concept of salvation was nothing new to me, but it “clicked” in my heart that night. I understood enough at five to trust Jesus for my salvation, and then He was gracious enough to continue to grow my spiritual understanding as I grew in years.

Sileena asked a whole SLEW of questions. I should do a whole post just for her questions. Or I could, you know, just answer them here. But, just so ya know, Sileena cracks me up. I think we’d have a crazy fun time if we spent a few hours together. I think we’d laugh. A lot.

Are you involved in any ministries in your church?

Right now, I serve in the infant nursery several times a month and do “little” things like taking meals and helping plan Sunday School activities. In the six months we lived here before John left, we were both in the choir and sang in one of our church’s ensembles. And before that, at our old church, the list of things we were involved in would require a post all their own. But for now, with the season we’re in, this is the involvement God has for me. And I’m doing my best to not let myself feel (wince) guilty for not “doing more.” Although I don’t always do a real good job with that one.

Did you always want to be a SAHM?

Well, given the fact that I was, ahem, nursing my baby dolls when I was two, I think it’s safe to say that yes, yes I did. Until I was about ten, I also wanted to be a second grade teacher so I could teach children to read.

Because, in my mind, there would be nothing on earth as grand as opening young minds to the wonders of Beverly Cleary’s Ramona Quimby: Age 8. Nevermind the greater benefits that go along with being able to decipher letters.

Where did you and John spend your honeymoon?

Alaska.

John had been saving his money from the time he went into the Marine Corps for two things–a ring and a honeymoon. This was his chance to shine.

So he planned a two-week honeymoon in Alaska–the first week at a bed and breakfast in Fairbanks and the second week in a tiny cabin in Denali–without me knowing a single thing about where we were going until we got to the airport the day after our wedding.

All I can say is that if there is a place on earth that gives a foretaste of heaven, Alaska is it.

What one article of clothing can’t you live without?

Long, white tank tops. They cover a multitude of, well, skin in shirts that I otherwise couldn’t wear.

Can I get an AMEN???

If you could live anywhere for a year where would it be and why? (JoyfullyHis also asked a version of this question.)

Whenever I read that question, I immediately think England. Just because I’m a hopeless romantic and, hello?? Is there any place more romantic than England?

But in all honesty, if given the chance to choose someplace to live, I don’t think I could make a decision. I spent almost my whole life living someplace I loved, not at all because I would have chosen to live there–the desert would actually be one of the very LAST places on my wish list–but because it was home and I love the people there. So while I would, of course, love to live in England for a while, and I simply love, love Colorado and Alabama, and I’d like to think Alaska would be pretty nifty, I really would be happy to stay right here at the beach, for as long as possible. We’ve been here almost a year and love it. At the risk of sounding ridiculously cliche, I’d much prefer to be near family and people I love than to choose someplace new.

Anonymous asks: How do you and John pray together (when he’s home and/or when he away)?

Well, we hold hands at the kitchen table, bow our heads and… oh, wait, I think you mean our more serious, deeper prayer times, right?

Up until the last few months John was home, our “plan” was always to have our family devotion time (i.e., the two of us) while I nursed Troy before he went to bed. John would read some scripture and often something from his own personal devotion time. Then we’d pray together, sometimes taking turns, sometimes just John, before we fell asleep.

That was the plan. Not always the reality. For a variety of reasons, we didn’t always have the “formal family devotion time” we intended–it was later than usual, Troy hadn’t gone to sleep easily, we’d stayed up reading individually too long, or we were just going through a period of inconsistency, which I think all families go through at times, whether they say so or not, ahem–and we’d frequently end up praying snuggled up before we fell asleep.

Sniff.

I miss those times.

Anyway. Moving right along.

All of that changed once Troy was weaned and started going to bed earlier, then I had Merritt, and then John left. We never really had a “plan” as things started changing, and our prayer times were almost always those before-we-fall-asleep times. We’ve had some true pouring-out-of-our-hearts and some really good mutual talks with Jesus during those times.

Now that John’s gone, we share lots and lots and lots of prayer requests with each other. It’s kinda hard to snuggle up and fold our hands over one another’s when we’re half a world apart. But often, the highlight of my day is getting an email from him that says, “Hey my bride, I’m praying for you today while such and such is going on.”

Last week John asked me to order a children’s Bible a friend had told him about (it has actual KJV scriptures instead of just paraphrases) to start reading with the boys. It’s all different now that it’s not just about the two of us adults! I have a feeling that when he gets home, “family devos” (as we call them) will be 5-10 minutes long with repeat-after-me-prayers and our serious, deep prayer time as a couple will always be snuggled up before we fall asleep.

Sorry, I have no idea how that answer got so long. It kinda sounds preachy. I don’t mean to be preachy. I don’t like preachy posts. We are not super-spiritual and we don’t have it all together. But we do love Jesus. A whole, whole lot.

Okay, I think that was the last of ‘em. Did I miss any? Let me know if I didn’t answer your question. Or if you thought of a new one.

These things are fun. I get to ramble. And we all know I’m good at rambling.