Request From Ms. Hope

Well, as I sat and ate my Asian Chicken Salad I popped over to Ms. Hope's blog for relaxing and humorous reading and found that I had been tagged to share. I was relieved you see, because I was getting ready to blog and ask the questions that perplex mothers across the globe...Why did my child leave part of the dressing packet in my salad? Why do I have to make my Diva 2 come and separate her laundry in front of me so that I can be sure she gets it all.

I would much rather do what Ms. Hope has asked of me than deal with the answers to those questions....

Here's the deal. Think back on the last 15 years of your life.What would you tell someone that you hadn't seen or talked to for 15 years? How would you sum up your life? You get 10 bullet points. A list of 10 things to summarize about you. At the end of your list, tag 5 more people and send on the love.

1. In 1993 I only had one child...I can't even remember what it was like. However, almost a year to today we started trying for number 2...NFLman. The grossest thing is that I think he was conceived while we were on leave...at my aunts cottage...in her bed...gross...but true. I was contently doing home daycare...completely unaware of the plans that God had for me.

2. In 1994 we had NFLman...he was such a sweet baby.....so much so that I lost my mind and got pregnant with Diva 2 before his first birthday. Actually, my good friend had just PCS'd and my husband was "comforting" me...thus Diva 2 arrived. Now let me tell you Diva 2 had colic...imagine 2 babies in diapers and one who screamed for 5 hours every night....for 5 months! About two months into it I was praying and I told God that I REALLY wanted to do HIS will concerning the number of children we were to have...but if He didn't speak soon I was having my tubes tied. Three days later we were at a wedding and my Pastor was holding the younger three and he looked at me and said, "God said one more boy, Jill." My reply was along the lines of...you have got to be kidding me!

3. Once Diva 2 was done with her colic I went back to doing home daycare. I can tell you that I loved being home with my own kids and I loved teaching and caring for other people's kids. I began working towards my CDA.

4. At a marriage conference in 1998 Zman was conceived (hey, at least it wasn't my aunts bed). I carried him until I was 43 weeks pregnant....even at that they had to go in and get him ( I really can't blame him for not wanting to come out.....) God allowed him to be born at 10 pounds...he was going to need the extra weight to deal with this brood.

5. When Zman was just about 2 I gave into God's calling in my life and began teaching at the school where my kids attended. The school and the staff became such an amazing part of my life...I know beyond a shadow of doubt that God sent me that family to sustain me through the next couple of years.

6. In 2000 DH made chief......had no idea what I was getting into...absolutely no idea. We were completely shocked it was his first time up...who makes it their first time up? Anyway that's another blog. When he made chief he was advised that in order to make senior chief he should stay at sea....so we gave up those shore duty orders and headed to another boat....one that ended with us doing a 9 and a half month deployment...and DH being on one of the boats from Pearl that launched tomahawks during shock and awe. It was the longest 9 months of my life...I didn't sleep or eat.... However, those who told him that he would make senior chief if he stayed at sea were right. Just three years after being pinned he put another star on his anchor...at this point I am blown away by the fact that God blessed him to make it so quickly. This ended an eight and a half year sea tour.....thank God!

7. DH came home with the determination that we would accomplish some things on his shore duty: buy a house, pay off all our debt, he would buy his dream car ( a jag), and I would get at least one degree. God is so faithful that all of those blessings were given to us. However, our shore duty went too quickly and before we knew it we were doing a geo-bach tour between Hawaii and Washington.

8. In the fall of 2007 during a normal womanly exam there were growths found in my uterus. Over the next couple of months I went through numerous biopsies and procedures trying to get around having a hysterectomy. Only in the end I had to have one any way....and it is probably one of the best things I have ever done.

9. In 2004 my friend Kelle and I received a word of prophecy about opening a preschool. We toiled and went on an amazing journey with God and in April 2008 we opened Blessings From Heaven Preschool ( http://www.blessingsfromheavenewa.com/)

10. As I look back over the last 15 years I can see where God has brought me from. I am amazed that the toil and turmoil in my marriage was preparing us to be marriage counselor's and to minister at marriage conferences. That my education and teaching was preparing my to be the Director of the Children's Ministry at our church. That my husbands military training and education was to prepare him to become an ordained Deacon and also, how his ordination was an asset to his leadership skills. I am amazed that all my trials and shortcomings as a wife, mother, woman, sister and daughter can and are being used as I minister to women at woman's conferences at the church.

I cannot take any credit for any of it because if the truth be told I fought God all the way...why do I have to go through this...why me? Recently, I was accused of having the spirit of pride in my life....but I don't take credit for anything that God has done and to be amazed I am quite shocked that God would use me...and that is why I share what He has done for me...not because I have done it...but because He used a broken vessel like me to do it in.

I remember shortly after Rick made chief and was ordained, and I had just been appointed the Director of Children's Ministry....I looked at Rick and asked....Do you think God knows what He is doing with us....giving us so much responsibility? His reply...I sure hope so!

So...that's the last 15 years of my life in a nutshell..Thanks Hope for taking my focus off of the amazing lingering lack of common sense of the teenagers in my home and putting it on our great God who has done so much for me....

So here is the deal........I am new to this blog world so I don't have many people to tag.
I will tag....
Mellie....she can share in her diary. She's pretty awesome.....me and God think so:)
Ms. Em...we can double team her...so she has to do it!
Shari....you know who you are....I know we can glean from your last 15 years of a christian submariners wife.
So that leaves me two wildcards....any takers?