Proverbs 31:21

 "When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
       for all of them are clothed in scarlet."


This scripture is on my heart today. The wife of noble character is ready for tomorrow. She has been a good steward of all that she has and planned for the storms of winter. Because of this, there is no fear in her. She knows she is prepared for what lies ahead.


One of my neighbors inspired me yesterday. She is reorganizing her living room and sorting out all of her drawers and cabinets to prepare for the fall. I know it was a lot of work for her to start this project, but when she is done there will be a great reward. Her order and diligence will be a tremendous blessing to her family and help their day to day life, and her own work, to run smoothly. 


It is important to be a good steward of what we have. Spiritually, relationally, materially, and financially. The richness in our spirits as we grow in Christ impact our relationships with our family, friends, and communities. Using our material possessions to their fullest capacity and conscientiously managing our finances will set us up for the best outcome in the future. For we never know what lies ahead. 


I am thankful I do not know what storms are brewing in my future, because I am able to live in peace today, without an anxious heart. BUT, as I mentioned before, there cannot be a mountain top without a valley. 


May I be a wife of noble character, unafraid of winter, because my family is cloaked in good stewardship.

New Blog!

I've created a new blog: www.jodyeleanormadden.blogspot.com

It's my creative outlet <3

Flawless

For those of you who are wondering, we aren't a flawless family. In fact, I alone have more flaws than could be listed in a single post. We aren't the kind of all-American family that you'd splash on the cover of a magazine, air brushed to perfection, looking brand new. On the contrary, we are a far cry from refined.

I choose, in written word and verbal, in my thoughts and reflections, to focus on the positive and be optimistic. What is the use in complaining or focusing on the negative?? It leads to discontentment and discouragement, at best.

So, when you see my bright and shiny blogs, remember there is a flip-side. There is for everyone.

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

Under One Roof

Daniel came home after 9 months of training with the good old USAF in April. All of his children had grown up so much, in fact he missed all of their birthdays, save Adele's. Devan had turned 9 and the twins turned 2. Sweet little Benjamin was a whopping 4 months! We had a highly anticipated and slightly emotional reunion at the Ontario International Aiport. The Madden Kids were like little barnacles, clinging to their daddy wherever they could find a space to latch on. He was clearly overwhelmed and delighted by them.

We spent the following 2 months living in different hotels/guest bedrooms/campsites/cabins while waiting to close escrow on our first home! I can't express our sheer joy the day we unlocked the door and let the kids explore the inside, run through the backyard, and marvel at the view. It was amazing. We've been home owners for almost three months now, and are still in awe of our new place.

It's perfect. The girls share a bedroom, the boys share a bedroom, we share a bedroom, and we have one to spare for guests! The backyard is spacious enough for kids to romp and because we are across the field from a state park, there is plenty of wildlife to observe. We have a variety of desert trees lining the perimeter of the yard, and a rocky hill towers above our property line. There isn't much light pollution so in the evening we can see a crystal clear sky and study constellations.

The neighbors here are lovely. Many of them have children and in the late afternoon garage doors open, lawn mowers and garden hoses come out, parents tinker around outdoors while the kids ride bikes, scooters, and play basketball. 

Daniel has been enjoying his seasoning at March immensely. It's only 7 minutes away from our house, which means we enjoy lunch as a family nearly every day. He's using all the training he went through working on KC-135's and is excited at the opportunities to grow in his field. The kids love that his work day ends shortly after 3:00, so there is plenty of time to play or do schoolwork before supper.

Since moving to the Inland Empire we've met scads of other homeschool families. I am so excited about the upcoming school year. We have enriched our curriculum by expanding to other publishers and supporting literary materials/outdoor excursions. We found a wonderful private school nearby that has more than 200 families enrolled, which includes a steady flow of field trips as well as organized sports.

I never would have dreamed this time last year we would be where we are today. God has surprised and delighted our family, blessing us beyond measure. I'm thankful to be on the mountaintop, though fresh on my mind is that you can't have a mountaintop without a valley.

2010, Oh Boy!

The length of time between posts clearly demonstrates my busy life as a full-time mother and bride! Daniel did, in fact, graduate from BMT with honors. There were 70 out of 700...he was awarded a number of coins and ribbons. We are so proud! Just before coming home for Christmas, Daniel graduated from his first tech school with honors too, and is presently one of two top students in his second tech school. We expect him home by April 9th or 10th.

Our sweet baby, Benjamin Ezra Madden, joined our little clan on December 30th at 11:15pm. We are so delighted by his presence, and I'm afraid there is not enough time in the day for all of us to take turns lavishing him with our affections.  He was 6.5 pounds, 19 inches, and surprisingly has a little layer of red fuzz on his head! We love it :]

The little house we moved into truly is adorable, but the neighborhood is very dangerous. Since we've moved here I've had a number of men try to "get" me and two of them were arrested. Needless to say, the day we move out will not be a sorrowful one! Uncle Sam was generous to us this year on our income tax return and we are house shopping in Perris and Moreno Valley. Right now we are waiting to hear back on a cozy home in Perris that I "love" and will hopefully find out tomorrow if our bid was accepted. 

Rain has been abundant and I am not complaining. What a beautiful thing, rain is! It cleans up the world around us and nourishes all living things. Our future home town is very green because of the rainy season, which is much nicer than the dry blazing summer that leaves the earth rather bare. Thank goodness for sprinklers!

Devan just turned 9, which I just cannot believe. He is an incredible boy, son, and older brother. We all adore him to pieces. And, boy, does he know it! 3rd grade is quickly coming to a close and we are looking forward to a break! All park and rec activities are temporarily on hold until we settle into a new place. 

Adele is enjoying her preschool days and never wants them to end. Luckily, neither do I. She has so much to learn and it keeps her happy and busy, so why not?! I'm glad she is growing into a loving older sister and more like a little sweet girl. I am so glad she is such an engaging playmate with Devan to keep him company until we move into a neighborhood where he can romp around with other little boys!

Ginger and Giselle will be 2 in a couple of weeks. I just cannot believe it! Didn't I just say that about Devan?! Well, I can't! It's true! They just grow so fast. Somehow, time stands still for me, and I feel maybe 19 or 20ish :] These two little girls are so sweet, busy, and full of laughter.  They bring us all great amusement and joy. I think they must be Adele's sidekicks because she trains them in song and dance on a daily basis. The three of them are very close and know just how to work their older brother!

Benjamin is a teench over a month old now. He looks very similar to my sweet baby Adele when she was a newborn, but he has red hair. We think it's darling. Devan gets this little guy so wound up he doesn't know quite what to do with himself, but take a nap afterward. The girls smother him with kisses and hugs until he cries, and I am his recovery person. We try to rest a little bit each day, but generally I just run on fumes :]

That's all for now, and pretty good for a sleep deprived, almost 26 year old mother of 5!