Sir Josh!

Josh's 8th birthday was a couple of weeks ago but as sometimes happens when you have a busy life we just had the party yesterday. Since his mother likes to decorate cakes the boy decided he wanted a castle cake he'd seen in a cake book. To his young mind there was no question as to whether I could actually pull it off or not!

His whole birthday party was planned around this cake.

We invited his friends with a pronouncement of "Hear Ye! Hear Ye!" written on scrolls we'd made. All the "squires" were invited to the "trials". If they successfully completed them they would be knighted by King Jon at the end of the party.

We had them decorate tunics with their crest (they colored clearance pillow cases with fabric markers and then put them on. We tied brown rope around their waists for the leather belt.)

Next they went outside and decorated their shields which were made of cardboard. When that was done they began the trials. The first thing they had to do was run the obstacle coarse. They started in the back yard where we paired them up. They had to run from the back yard, around one side of the house where there was a "log in the forest that they had to jump with their horses" (we put a board down that they had to jump over). From there they traversed the great desert (the front yard) and ran until they reached the "castle" which blocked their passage into the back yard again. They had to climb over or through the castle, run back to the starting point and use the "lance" they'd been carrying to slay their dragon. (The dragons were two saw horses with a green balloon stuck to the end. The lances were foam pipe insulation with a pin stuck in one end).

They had to rescue a maiden (while keeping a balloon aloft with their sword) and they had to find the King's treasure which someone had stolen and scattered throughout the land. And of course their was the opportunity to just sword fight (again made from foam pipe insulation).

I had so much fun watching them! Today we taught Sunday school and several of the boys were in our class. We've heard a few times that it was the best party ever! That makes a mom feel good!

I just hope he doesn't want a party next year because I'm not sure we can top this one! lol

King Jon did knight all the boys (like his crown? We sacrficed a gift bag! lol) Gracie decided to get in on the act and started knighting people too!

Nothing left

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

That's how I'm feeling today; just a teeny, tiny bit overwhelmed.

The e-mails have been rolling in like one demanding tsunami wave after another and I began to feel like I was drowning in a sea of "did you? would you? have you? when are you?"

I called Jon to hear a friendly voice and maybe talk myself down from the wall I was about to jump off of.

I told him I'd like to be a cat; they lay around all day sleeping and eating. If they do decide to get up it's to pounce on another cat or walk over to a nice lap for some loving. Mine are laying around like little rugs in front of the woodstove slow roasting their bellies.

I'd definately like to be a cat! He just laughed not understanding how overwhelmed I was feeling. I think he got it when I got all weepy though. He tried to reassure me that we'd get it all figured out and I appreciate his efforts, but that wasn't quite what I needed.

I asked him to remind me of who was in control so he did. He reminded me that God is in charge and all we need to do is seek Him and let Him direct us. I know all of this, I just need to be reminded now and again. I take my eyes off my Lord and get them on the storm and my sinking boat and just like those disciples I start panicking.

Jon and I finished up and I felt a little better. Not much, but a little. Josh and Arielle were sitting at the kitchen table finishing up their lunch and reading bible verses to each other. Arielle said something to me about what they were doing and I replied, "I'm having a nervous breakdown!" She asked me if it would help if she read me a bible verse and I said sure, try to read one that's comforting.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

If you know me, you know that is my life verse. It's the one I cling to when I feel overwhelmed, unsure or out of my league (which pretty much describes me today!) As soon as she began to read I started to laugh. God is not a God who is far off. He is nearby waiting for us to call on Him for help. He's not unaware of my state and He has all I need to do what He's asked of me.

It was like He reached down into my kitchen and tenderly lifted my eyes off my storm and back to His beautiful face.