Just Thinkin'

I love Saturdays. Saturdays are for ripping...do you know what ripping is? Ripping is when you absolutely SPRINT to get as much done as possible.

Today I ripped through my pantry. I took everything out, labeled stuff, laid new shelf liner, moved stuff to the basement, threw stuff out. The pantry looks...well, it's perfect. There, I said it.

Why is it that when things are in order I feel...life? And that when things are a big stinkin' mess, it sort of feels like death?

I don't want to get ahead of myself or anything, I mean I know that being OCD about stuff is not healthy, and NOT having people over because my house isn't perfect isn't healthy, either (which I don't do...just ask my supper club friends from last night). If my husband working in his garden is bringing God's kingdom to bear...can't organizing my pantry be bringing it as well?

Yes, I did organize my pantry mostly for myself...but I also did it because I love my family. Michael works in his garden both for himself, for the kingdom, and for us. We have some beautiful (and organic!) lettuces growing right now, along with broccoli, sweet potatoes, green onions, butternut squash and lots of herbs.

Does anyone else care that bagged lettuce is $3 a bag and a head of lettuce is only about $.75??

My girls had breakdowns today because of a Ken doll. See, we only have 1 Ken doll and his head doesn't stay on very well (thank you, Sam Estes! ;) Plus, he doesn't have appropriate clothing for much more than the beach or the Barbie pool. Today, Caroline had Cinderella barbie dressed in her wedding gown and she was gettin' hitched to...you guessed it! Ken! However, Ken had only his swim trunks on. I would have killed Michael if he had shown up to our wedding in only his swim trunks. The last time I was at Wal Mart I saw a Ken on clearance for only $3, so I bought him. Now, I didn't get any clothing for him (this one is also in his swim trunks), but his head does stay on and he has real hair instead of the brown painted plastic kind. Caroline had set up her wedding party and a while later she left them set up and moved on to the art supplies. Molly happened along, saw the Barbies set up and asked if she could play with them. Caroline quickly told her that no...she could not play with them. I asked Caroline to reconsider, which she did, but Ken was to be off limits.

So, I went to my room where I pulled out the new Ken and gave him to Molly, who then proceeded to sing the "na na na na boo boo" song. That just about started WW3 - when Caroline realized there was a stable-headed Ken in the vicinity. I wish I could tell you that I handled all this in some "stellar" way, putting down my "mother-of-the-year" award and loving everyone into repentance. Nope. It took Michael taking each girl on a knee and talking through it to help them see how they were both being selfish and not loving the other well. In fact, aside from their sinful hearts...I actually CAUSED the problem.

I'm just so thankful for Jesus. Things like this really help me see what a mess I really am. And like I read in a Paul Miller book today, "knowing you're a mess means you can stop pretending you have it all together."

That's my 2 cents. And I'm going to try again with the picture!!

Oops!

For some reason I can't get the picture to download. Could it be because I still am using dial-up? Hmmm.

I will try again, hopefully with success this time..

Sorry about the pause!

Wow! It's been a while since I blogged last! At this point, though, I do believe it's only me, and occasionally Michael, who actually read this. So, I'm not going to kick myself too hard.

We had a great spring/summer: a trip to Memphis where we got to visit with Mitch and Jawan McGinnis at General Assembly; 3 birthdays: Mason (8), Caroline (7), and Molly (5); a 10th wedding anniversary celebration (!) in Birmingham (it was the first time EVER that Michael and I have been alone for more than one night! We went to see 2 movies and ate out every meal, slept late, etc. Roger and Lynne Means happily kept all 4 kids. Friends like them are rare!!); a trip to Destin to stay at the Beach home of our friends here in Monroeville (and they joined us for the weekend - they have 5 children so we have 9 total! But sooo fun!)

So, now we have started school. Mason is in 2nd grade, Caroline in 1st, and Molly in K4. Ethan is home with me, which is fun, too. It seems that as fun as the summer is, the beginning of fall brings back "real life". The big kids are playing soccer now. Michael is coaching Mason and Caroline's team, so we spend Tuesday and Thursday evenings at the YMCA. It seems surreal that my children are old enough to do this.

I had a friend ask me recently, "How are you?". Now, I know that's not a very loaded question or anything, but it did get me thinking. I have spent the last year of my life virtually crisis-free. And you know what? It's been nice. The Father is so sweet to help us face hard things that grow and change us...help us to see our real need of Him. And then, to give us rest and respite. This season of rest has been so refreshing. And even though I guess I really DO enjoy the calm times more (who WANTS to suffer? I don't think I do...), God has been teaching me that seeking Him when there is no obvious storm is just as important.

Michael is doing a sermon series on Isaiah right now. Can I confess? Isaiah, to me, has always been a bit of a challenge. But the way Michael talks about it and preaches from it, I can see so much richness there and am really seeing more of my need of the gospel minute by minute...like I need to breathe. I'm really looking forward to the advent sermons he will preach from Isaiah.

Tonight I am hosting Supper Club. I started this last year as a way for young families in our church to get to know each other better through fellowship and fun. We're having breakfast for dinner and a game of cranium. I had to go buy the game...and now I just need to read the directions!!

Have you heard of the book: 1000 Books to Read Before you Die? Well, I have decided to read them. A couple weeks ago I finished Aesop's Fables. For some reason I had never read that book...but it's really good! Short (most only a paragraph) stories that you have heard all your life but probably didn't realize where they had come from.

Anyway...here is a picture of the children and my dad. He has been coming to visit us every couple months or so - we love it! And the kids really love their "Paw Paw".

Have a good weekend...and God bless!

Amy

A Year of Waiting...

It appears that our long wait is nearly over! Monroeville, Alabama (The literary capital of the US & birthplace of Harper Lee and Truman Capote. Ms. Lee still lives there! She wrote To Kill A Mockingbird in case you're wondering) will become our home sometime this summer! Michael will assume the role of Senior Pastor following the congregational vote and examination by the presbytery. Both of which should go smoothly.

I can't believe that within a couple of months I will be unpacking stuff - my dishes, my pictures, my furniture, things I can't even remember I have. Of course, the old rule of "If you haven't used it in a year, you don't need it" could apply, I suppose. I have learned so much this year, one of those things being that all my stuff is just that - stuff. All the things of value and importance I have surrounding me.

What else have I learned? Well, that God is our provider. Not man. Countless times over the past year things have looked hopeless, but God has always been faithful. Money when we needed it, continued insurance coverage, clothing for the kids and myself, tuition help at school, a church body to call our own for a while (Grace Fellowship Albertville - a true gift from God), good friends to confide in and be real with. There are so many who have truly walked through all of this with us.

Another thing? Waiting is not passive. It's not sitting idley by. It's an active seeking. I studied 1 Peter on my own and James with the ladies at Altadena Valley PCA over the past several months. Rich, rich words. I have clung to God's promises to restore us and make us strong, firm and steadfast. Honestly, I don't think I'll ever be the same. Neither will Michael!

Michael's job in Cullman ended on June 5, 2005. We found out that Monroeville was going to happen on June 4, 2006. On June 5, 2006, as we drove home from Monroeville, I was struck by how God had redeemed that day for me. I had found myself dreading the "one year mark", but instead God made that a day of joy and anticipation. He's so sweet like that.

So, for those of you who travel south on 65 to go to the beach, please stop by and say hello. We are 15 minutes or so from the interstate. I'll give you more information when we get it!

Oh! And by the way - Mason lost another tooth...Ethan's surgery is Thursday, June 29, to remove the birthmark from his leg...Caroline had "cheerleading lessons" while at Sports Camp in ALbertville last week where she learned a roll tide cheer...and Molly, well, Molly continues to be our little bit of sunshine. Here's the proof!

Blessings,
Amy

Big Events in May...

May 10 was Mason's 7th birthday. We celebrated with his friend Dalton at Recreation Station and had Darth Vader cake afterward. To him, nothing could be better. Nothing, that is, except his new red bike! Much bigger and, of course, faster. I can't believe he is 7...where has the time gone? He also has his first "buzz" cut. He doesn't like it, but I know he'll be cooler during this hot Alabama spring. Plus, it'll grow!

Caroline is excited about attending a show choir camp this summer. It is from 9 am until noon every day for four days, then on the fifth day they will present the program they have worked on all week and each kid gets a solo. I am excited about seeing her up there! She will also take cheerleading at the Grace Fellowship (our church in Albertville, AL) Sports Camp the second week of June. Good times.

Molly is plugging along. We are learning letters this summer, using lots of flash cards and cash rewards. I am not above bribery. Hopefully she'll be in a 4 year old program next year, but I may still keep her at home.

Lastly, we attended Michael's grandmother's 85th birthday party in Charlotte Mother's Day weekend. Namom is dear to us all. It was great to be with all the MacCaugheltys, too. Mason and Namom share a birthday, which is special. Here is a picture of us all at the celebration.


Ethan is busy growing teeth and trying to crawl. Pray for us. You wouldn't believe how big he is getting. He is so expressive and fun. People who meet us for the first or second time remark how much he looks like Molly. However, those who really know my children say he looks like Caroline. That's interesting to me. He's almost 6 months now...wow! I had fun giving him a bath in the sink when we stayed with my Aunt Sue, who lives outside Charlotte.


Michael is still going strong in Albertville. It is such a sweet church. He is going through 1 Peter right now, which I have been studying on my own this past spring. We are all doing well. I am in Physical Therapy 2 days a week right now for what I am calling "baby shoulder". You do the math. And God has even provided there - my PT told me she was only charging me whatever the insurance covered, plus a co-pay, so I will not have to pay very much at all! I'm thankful, for sure.

We will have job news soon! Something is in the works right now and when it's all in writing I will let you know where we are headed. God has indeed been good to us this past year!

More to come! My goal is to write every week, but I have a lot of kids, so...

Blessings!

Mason Loses First Tooth

A couple of weeks ago, after being loose for many, many weeks, Mason's first tooth finally came out. Within 5 minutes we had lost it. We searched the floor, my purse (he had wanted to call Michael, who was at the library, immediately, so I thought the tooth might have fallen in my purse where my phone was.), everywhere to no avail. Finally I had a thought: let's pray about it. Mason and I bowed our heads and asked God to lead us to this tooth. After another quick search we found the tooth sitting next to us on my bed.

A good lesson in prayer for an almost-seven-year-old, don't you think? Not to mention his mother!

Welcome

Welcome to the MacCaughelty Family Website. Here you will find all the latest happenings of the MacCaugheltys from...wait...we don't have a place yet. We are still in Birmingham until Michael gets a job! Hopefully that will come soon.

Until then, and afterward, too, you will find all the latest updates on our terrific children: Mason, Caroline, Molly and Ethan; and mom and dad may make appearances as well.

Easter '06

Easter weekend was a fun one for us. On Saturday, we all went to Aldridge Gardens here in Hoover. We spent lots of time at the pavilion overlooking the lake - there were so many fish and turtles! We also walked around the trails and, of course, Molly fell in the water. We also got a great family picture taken by a stranger...


Mason, Caroline and Molly also had their first experience dying easter eggs. I know that keeping them from it for so long probably makes me a bad mom, but oh, well...

On Sunday morning we read the Easter story and had our yearly Easter picture taken. We had a great day in Albertville (where Michael is interim Pastor), and lunch with friends at the Gadsden Country Club. Later that afternoon we went up to Altadena Valley Church and hid eggs on the playground. The day ended with everyone pretty much at meltdown, but we had a fun day of being together and talking about our Risen Savior!