Sunday, December 24, 2006

Who knew ... cooking in Colorado was SOOO different than in St. Louis? I just made three pies ... two apple and one pumpkin ... I couldn't get the dough right .... sooo frustrating. Kelly was very sympathetic ... she said it took her four years to get her brownie recipe right out here.

I can't tell you how beautiful this place is. I love it. I love the mountains ... I'd love to see them everyday. I really would. There is something so powerful and peaceful about mountains.

Tis time to leave for the Christmas Eve service .... I love Colorado.

Monday, December 18, 2006

I took Kennedy to girl scouts tonight ... Kadi stayed there with her ... they were going to look at Christmas lights and goto Dairy Queen.

Upon stepping through my door when I arrived home, the first thing I saw was Koel laying on the floor flat out like something from a horrible CSI scene .... so we had a little bit of morbid fun with it ....



Poor guy ... his daddy, big brother and mommy had a good chuckle while he slept like a rock or rather like a CSI victim.

It was so nice to laugh like that with Kyle. Maybe not so much at the expense of Koel ... but it was funny. Here is the after-shot ...




Wonder what he'll think of us later in life for this ... :)

Thursday, December 14, 2006

I wrote my Christmas Letter today ... here it is ....



Merry Christmas 2006 Friends and Family! December 14, 2006

This has been a year of changes for our family.
In January, we acquired a lawn care business to expand our landscape company. That was very exciting ... and lots of work! This is shadowed by what happened in April however!

On April 13, Klayton John was born. He truly is an incredible baby. He just fit right into what we all already had going on .... like he just belonged ... which of course he did and does! He is now 8 months old and we are all amazed by him every day! He laughs and thinks each one of us hung the moon ... especially Daddy. He loves his Daddy. He has a way of looking at you adoringly that makes you blush. It is just so incredibly sweet. When we are grocery shopping he just stares at me, when I look down he smiles so big. Oh, that kid! Klayton is coming into his personality and it is such a retreat for us all from our life routines to watch him and be refreshed by his simplicity. Thank you Lord for Klayton John!

Going back a month, my parents moved up here, actually to Chesterfield, in March. WHAT a great help that has been ... especially with the lawn care business and the birth of Klayton John! I don't think Mom and Dad will ever truly understand what a relief it has been to have them so close. The children LOVE it. It has always been a desire of mine for my kids to have grandparents close at hand. They do now, and they love it! Keenan and Kennedy both like to have their special spend the night with the Grandparents night, away from the other kids, including each other. One at a time. Kadi is still working up the gumption to be away from Dad and Mom by herself. Koel is busting at the seams for his chance! Kennedy always seems to think she should be there with him ... Ha ... she just wants Grandma to herself, because she knows Grandpa and Koel are buddies.

In August, I was introduced to Freecycle.org. I would explain it, but you can check it out for yourself .... On Freecycle we found Samantha .. our puppy. She is also a breath of fresh air in our home. The kids needed a dog. She came to us potty trained, obedience trained (mostly), with all shots, fixed and very very sweet. Sammy is a beagle/lab mix we believe ... not that it even matters, her breed is just what we needed ... whatever it is. She is a self-appointed ferocious guard dog. It is very funny ... to me. Everyone in the house is being patient with her chewing habits because of her puppy status ... it will change, already is getting better. Keenan is her boy ... he feeds her and picks up after her. Oh how she loves him.

Keenan Weece is 10 ½ and in 5th grade. It is a hard thing to grasp some days. He is a little man now, full of ideas and concepts of his own. He is developing his own world view and his own faith. It is truly remarkable to watch him mature and change. Kisses from Mom are a thing of the past ... in public. Occasionally he'll sneak up and give me one on his own. THAT, I treasure with all my heart. Keenan is a reader ... always has his nose in a book ... usually a Harry Potter novel. This year he had to get glasses. We tried on several pair ... at first we picked round ones ... funny ... because he looked just like Harry Potter. He opted for a more rectangular shape. I didn't blame him. He is such a good kid ... so imaginative and creative. He has an artist's soul. We love that about him.

Kennedy Morgan is 9 and in 4th grade. She is destined to a judge or a lawyer I imagine. EVERYTHING has to be fair ... her view of fair. Boy will she try to persuade you to her side. Despite this, there couldn't be a more responsible child ...atleast at our house. She is always ready to lend a hand. I appreciate that so much about my daughter. Kennedy is the second mother around this home, from Kyle all the way down to Sammy ... she doesn't let me forget what I've told each and every person to do. So often she is reminding me of whose night it is to empty the dishwasher or take out the trash. Because, of course, it has to be fair. She is having a good year at school and loves her teacher Miss Nobles. In fact she just recently informed me that she is teacher's pet. I laughed and said "Good, I was too." That made her smile. Kennedy's biggest news this year is she gave her heart to Jesus and was baptized! So very exciting!

Kadi Dene' is 7 and in 1st grade this year. She continues to be a spark around here. What I mean by spark is this .... she knows how to light each and every person's fire AND if something funny is happening, she's in the middle of it. Life is always high drama with this little actress. I love that her kindergarten teacher referred to her as Greta Garbo. That makes me smile. Kadi is passionate and she swings from elation to frustration in a heartbeat. It is not easy to be bored around my sweet Kadi. I had someone tell me yesterday that Kadi's eyes would melt ice. She is so full of life. She wants to experience life ... not go to school ... yes, already in 1st grade ... school is boring! I try to point out the aspects of school that I know she loves and that usually changes her mind, for the time ... like friends and recess! Ha! Oh my Kadi.

Koel Thomas is 4 and still at home with me. He has decided that 4 years old is a good time to hit your terrible two's. God gave him the deep dimples in his cheeks to soften the toddler years I think. He is his own little man ... wants to take things apart and put them back together. Anything Dad does, he wants to do ... he'll say "Just like Dad" when he feels accomplished in his goal, whatever it may be. He and Sammy have a love/hate relationship. Koel loves to 'play' with her ... I think it should really be called torture. Poor puppy. She must love him, as she puts up with soooo much. Sometimes her big eyes look at me as if to say "Help me please ... soon". I do. This devastates Koel ... he's playing! We still live in Bob the Builder land. Although now we've added the Wiggles and Lightning "Uh-queen" to the list of favorites. Koel is a nonstop train ride. He goes and goes until he drops each evening between 6 and 8:00. When he's asleep, oh he's so sweet. I could just stare at him forever.

Kyle and I have had a very busy year with the business and in our personal lives. It has had many up-hills and down-hills ... all we have ridden out together. God placed just the right people and just the right timing in our path every time. His love is amazing. I love being able to look back over the year and be reaffirmed in my faith .... He just constantly is there. Always providing. I am grateful for God and His patience. I'm grateful for His grace. I'm grateful for the family He has blessed me with. I am grateful for the husband He gave me to love. I'm grateful to be at the end of the year being grateful.

As we jump into 2007, I will be going back to school to work towards my teaching certification and my master's degree. This will be a big change for the family, but we are ready for it. The kids think it is funny that Mom will have homework too. Kyle and I are excited at the prospects for the future it will bring. We dream about the future and where it will lead us .... with the ability to teach in a classroom, and certification tests in other states... our ability to move and make big changes will greatly increase. Our end desire/goal is to find ourselves in El Paso/Juarez. That hasn't changed. It is always there ... looming, not ominously, but provocatively ... calling and waiting. Kyle's desire to work alongside his friends in Anapra to minister to and to help the people there in the Juarez area continues to grow and churn in him. We both believe God is moving us, teaching us, preparing us. We may be in our 60s when we end up there ... preferably not, but we believe that God has planted this dream in our souls for a purpose. It is good to dream and to be dreamers.

May this Christmas Season find you grateful and full of dreams as well!

With all our love and friendship, I have written this note for
my family as a whole .... Kyle, Keenan, Kennedy, Kadi, Koel,
Klayton, Sammy, and Myself.

dlw
Dacia Wilkinson

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

I just was reading back over December 11's entry ... I said "God is bigger than this" ... know what was running through my brain ... "GOD IS BIGGER THAN THE BOOGIE MAN" ... complete with music and singing vegetables! Ha!
Ah .... I feel more relief today than I can begin to make anyone understand.

Least of all .... the sink is fixed. We spent the evening yesterday trying to snake it from under the sink, from the roof stack, from the basement stack ... nothing was working .... it was soooo sad. Kyle finally got on the roof and started just ramming the garden hose down the stack ... IT WORKED! It moved the spahgetti clog! All is back to working order .... I can breathe.

AND ... some will understand this .... not all ... and that's okay ...

Karen and I had a nice talk on the phone yesterday. She isn't angry at me anymore. She understands why I did what I did. They have gotten themselves into a program. 90 days. Wow. She said for their sake they have to break off our relationship as well as several others. NO problem I said. I understand. She said but please let's say Hi in the front yard. No problem again.

This call came on the heels of ....

At 7:45 a.m. my doorbell rang ... it was Jeanne ... Marty's Mom. We talked for 45 minutes.

After I got home from taking the kids to school, my phone rang. It was Mary ... Karen's Mom. We talked for 36 minutes.

Wow ... both moms contacting me in a matter of two hours. It was good. Very good.

Then I talked to Aaron two seperate times.

I was exhausted by 10:30 a.m.

I also had a few other pertinent phone calls in there ... on the phone ALL day!

Karen called after talking to her Mom ... her mom told I said that I loved her ... that if she seeks what she needs, she has a friend here. It was good.

What a day. EMOTIONAL.

On so many levels.

The relief comes at a HIGH level. Relief flooding my soul ... a year ... two years of turmoil .... released today. Thank you JESUS!

I was able to tell Karen too ... if help was really going to be ... it would have to be with GOD involved!

Oh how I pray for them. For Marty and Karen. God speed them on as they do what they need to do!

Kyle is released.

Hallelujah!

Hmmmm ... wonder what can happen today? Cleaning hopefully. AND ... Tom Plog said SLCC has a deal worked out with UMSL for education issues .... I'm trying to get ahold of Kendall Brune from SLCC to discuss it ... to know who to talk to at UMSL ... theoretically it would take less time to do what I want to do there than at Lindenwood ... where by the by I am completely enrolled now at NO cost to me! I do have to get my books though! I can't forget that! That'd be tragic would it not!

I also HAVE to get a power of attorney paper filed with the state, so they can talk to me concerning business tax information. Argh ... the frustration of it all!j

Here's what I know today ...

God is bigger than the boogie man!

That Veggie philosophy has been in my head all week, I have to say it. I had to announce it from my head! I've been fighting getting my encouragement from a children's show about vegetables .... but here it is ....

GOD IS BIGGER THAN THE BOOGIE MAN!
HE'S BIGGER THAN GODZILLA OR THE MONSTERS ON TV ...
GOD IS BIGGER THAN THE BOOGIE MAN ...
AND HE'S WATCHING OUT FOR YOU AND ME!
ARE YOU FRIGHTENED, NO NOT REALLY ...
ARE YOU WORRIED ... NOT A BIT ...
I KNOW WHATEVER'S GOING TO HAPPEN THAT GOD CAN HANDLE IT!
"I'M SORRY THAT I SCARED YOU WHEN YOU SAY ME ON TV" ...
THAT'S OKAY, CAUSE NOW I KNOW THAT GOD IS TAKING CARE OF ME!

I know whatever's going to happen that GOD can handle it!

Amen.

Monday, December 11, 2006

How many days have passed? Many. Life just flies at you.

The week we just had made my head spin and my heart sink.

All is well on our homefront, but with some friends we love very dearly, their world bottomed out, was a long time coming, and now our relationships are severed.

I pray for them earnestly. I long for them to be okay. I desire them to live well. To live right.

So many who know them have no hope for their situation.

BUT ... my GOD is bigger than this! My prayer is that they will somehow in their tragedy seek God's face!

Why is loving God and letting Him love you so hard for people?

I am so grateful to understand ... I don't always live recklessly in faith like I should, and to my shame ... but I do understand GOD loves me! Even me!

Please God show my friends that YOU love them ... despite their iniquity. Despite all of our iniquity! Teach them. Mold them. Teach us. Mold us.

Drama.

Drama in my house.

Koel head butted Kennedy in the stomach.

It is always something.

"Great Mom, now you're writing about me." Kennedy just came in hear and said this .... Now she's growling at me. Apparently I'm becoming an embarrasing parent. Ha! That's funny! She's smiling now. Good. Maybe the head butting wasn't as awful as she was making it out to be .... Oh wait "Yes it was awful" she says. She's a great healer .... like academy award switcharoo kindof thing.

Dinner time.

AND then ... we make fudge!

Saturday, December 02, 2006

Why is it that every measuring device that I have in my house is missing ... albeit the trusty old wooden ruler like I used in 2nd grade?

I had an ebayer ask a measurement question tonight ... I scoured the house for my measuring tape that I got from HCC and my sewing measuring tape ... both gone. I just found the former earlier today and remember putting it up high ... apparently not high enough. I pulled out the trusty wooden ruler ... I guess it was findable based upon uncoolness ... my kids don't ever want to use it. Funny.

So ... I'm looking at my fingernails as I type. Pitiful. I should be de-paintifiying them right now ... I am enjoying making up words tonight. Good times. Good fun. I wonder if I could use them in scrabble. I'm sure I could half way convince Jenny they are words. It's worked before.

So ... I made 11 dozen cookies to take to church today for Journey to Bethlehem (which is December 7 - 10) ... and had near 7 dozen left over for the family. I didn't eat ONE at all!!!!! I know they are good though ... Him had like 5 of them. I, though, made it through that HUGE challenge. It began as a family (children and Mom) project ... the cooking making ... however ... as it does so often, it became a Mom project quickly. Kennedy stuck it out the best. She said she was going to see it through to the end .... The end came, and she was no where in sight. It's okay. It's what I do.

THEN ... I did dishes in the bathtub for the 3rd time in two days. My oh my .... what was it I said in a previous blog ... SERENITY NOW!

Him has been very busy with the fallen snow and ice ... soon to be also busy with destroyed trees. I know he's tired, and I hate the fact that I stuffed the sink up again ... but come on ... it needs fixed! I am soooo paying pennance by doing my dishes on my knees next to the toilet ... I hate the toilet ... I'm a toilet-phobe. I subconsciously try not to breathe when I am near a toilet ... I'll catch myself doing it and make myself stop. There are just so many germs there. Icky. I don't want to breathe them ... yes I realize it is not rational ... but that's what makes it a phobia ... right? Irrational fear ... course it isn't really fear ... more disgust. Disgust of toilet germs. Is there a name for such an illness? It must be a rare illness ... most people think I'm ridiculous ... so obviously not many suffer from toilet-apnia .... can't breathe ... get it? I like that ... toilet-apnia. Of course ... I think people who suffer from cemetary-apnia are silly. Not breathing when you pass a cemetary ... come on ... what's that about ... ... I understand now there must be mutual respect of strangeness.

We watched You, Me and Dupree tonight (I was sitting at the kitchen table frosting cookies) ... it was hysterical. I had heard that it wasn't very good .... I thought it was GREAT! Him and I were both laughing outloud! That's a good movie!

Owen had a shirt on the said ... "Meet my Little Friend" with a picture of a gnome beside it ....I WANT that shirt! Too funny! If that isn't the exact wording, it's like that ... it was great!

Also a non-often known fact about me ... I love garden gnomes. Yes. It's true. There's an episode of King of the Hill were Peggy discovers garden gnomes. It rocks ... as does the Traveling Gnome ... those commercials are THE best. I have three garden gnomes in my flower bed. One has painted fingernails ... he's from Becky.

A fun site to visit if one enjoys the friendship of a garden gnome is ... www.freethegnomes.com. Hysterical ... and oh so informative. I can't make out whether these people are just bonkers or what. Great stuff.

I am sooooo rambling and VERY sleepy.

Klayton slept from 10:30 to 6:30 last night!!!! Fabulous!! I did too. It was awesome! Like ... the best night sleep I have had in MONTHS ... maybe even a year ... maybe this is the cause of the rambling ... although fatigue is setting in ... the adrenaline from the excitement of realizing I had rest is still with me.

It's 11:30 ... and Klayton has a good jump on sleep on me ... so I must away ...

Goodnight sweet Blog.