Tuesday, June 12, 2018

Compassion


I saw this at a second hand store about two years ago and had to buy it because it reminded me of Elia. I also love ducks and all kinds of birds and well, my pen name is Momagoose. :) The girl here reminds me of Elia because of her compassion and empathy for people, animals and even inanimate objects. She has the biggest imagination and is very tender towards animals of all kinds. She even loves flies! 
Today we went to the nursing home with our co-op for the second time. Elia did not want to miss out on this trip because she loved it so much the first time. On the way there she asked if we could go as more often without the co-op, like any time we wanted to. I said “yes, we can.” She then said “does it cost money?” My heart exploded... to her it is so fun that she thought it costed money to go. I love watching this girl live life. She is deep, kind hearted and so very genuine. ❤️ love you, Dolly! 

Saturday, October 7, 2017

Special

Today Noah said "Mommy, I used to think that I was special because I am the Pastor's kid at church but I don't think that anymore." I said "Aww, why honey?" And he said "because I see that there are other kids there and they are all special." 
My heart!!! 

Saturday, December 31, 2016

2016

I haven't blogged in months but I want to get back into it. They have a full app for my iPhone now, so I can hop on here and post anytime super easy. So, here's to ending 2016 and starting tomorrow with keeping up!

What a year 2016 has been! Wow! This year has been loaded with change and transition. Let's go back to August 2015. I was at a place in my work with Bethany Christian Services that I was feeling the need to find a job that was more. Clock in/clock out, a "mommy" job with daytime hours. Well, I posted on Facebook that I was looking for such a job and left it up for just a couple of hours and in that short time, my friend Nathan Edberg inboxed me about a job. The job was an office manager position at a Christian Life Assembly in Willimantic. Pastor Richard Lafferty was the interviewer. I got the job! Long story short, Donnie got the job there as the Sr Pastor!! The welcoming celebration service was on January 31, 2016.
Although Willimantic is only 30 minutes from where we lived before, our move was still filled with many goodbyes. Goodbye to our 11 years at Crossroads Community Cathedral, Bowers Elementary School, our home and the many friends the kids had nearby. It was very exciting to embark upon this amazing opportunity to pastor a church but still sad in many respects. 
So, Donnie is the Sr Pastor at Christian Life Assembly! They call me Pastor Jen and I even got to do the Easter Sunday sermon as Donnie was in TX doing his sister, Clara's wedding. We love our church. The people are amazing, genuine, loving servants! We are having a blast serving this community for God's Kingdom sake! Noah and Elia are going to the Catholic school in town, Saint Mary's Saint Joseph's and Liliana is currently homeschooled. 
Elia turned 6 and is learning to read. She still loves all things vicious but also enjoys nail polish, dolls and blush on her cheeks ever now and then. 
Noah turned 9 and is in the knitting club at school. So cool. He loves Minecraft, Peanuts comics and The Legend of Zelda. 
Liliana switched on to double digits when she turned 10 in March. We had a fun girly dance party! She still loves to write and draw. She is always in creative mode. She is training for a half-marathon with an amazing godly woman from our church. 
Donnie's sister, Patsy, aka Aunt Patsy moved in with us in July of this year. She is a blessing to all of us and our church in many ways. She is super funny and and a very talented interior decorator. 
I had a big birthday this year!! I turned 40! Wooh! I was showered with love, Birthday songs and gifts by the family and church. So thankful! 
I starred in our church play, One Quiet Night. I played the role of the stressed out mom/wife who finally found peace in the true meaning of Christmas. 
Courtney visited us 3 times this year!!! Wow!! She came in March and was here for Liliana's big birthday. She and I also spend a night in Newport, RI and toured the Mansions. It was very special. She joined us for a Caribbean Cruise in October that was gifted to us by a couple Donnie married a couple of years ago. Then she came here for the week of Thanksgiving with her boyfriend, Daniel. He just proposed to her on Thursday, December 29. She said YES! 
So, 2017, we look forward to spending each day with gratitude and anticipation of God's Hand at work in our lives! We are ready to serve more selflessly and grow in Christ's unconditional love for each other and for the world around us. 

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Dresses are my Enemy

One day a week, just one, I try to get Elia to wear a dress. Sundays for church is the day. This past Sunday I showed her the dress, leggings and sweater I had chosen for her to wear and left the room. A few moments later, she walked out in utter play clothes. She pleaded with me to not make her wear a dress tearfully screaming, "DRESSES ARE MY ENEMY!" 
I said "why are dresses your enemy, honey?"
She said, "dresses are pretty and pretty things are my ENEMY...seps (except) you, Mommy...and Nana."

Be still my heart! She immediately caught herself and realized I am in the pretty category along with her sister. 

Love you more than all the dresses, Dolly!  

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Dolly

Okay, I have been calling Elia, Dolly for as long as I can remember... She is my Dolly! If I call Liliana Dolly, Elia will say, "I'm your Dolly..." And I say "oh, yes, of course." ☺️❤️ Well, this morning as we were snuggling and opening our eyes to find a new day, she hugged me and with our faces about two inches apart asked me "Mommy, when I'm a gwown (grown) up, will I still be your Dolly?" And I said, "YES, of course, always!!" ❤️❤️❤️

Monday, June 15, 2015

To Be a Kid

Me: "It must be cool being a kid!"
Elia: "It is, do u wish you could be a kid? 
If you do, you need to be a toddler, be a tomboy and like dinosaurs and...love GOD, the most!!" 

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Cousins

On our way to the park right now as a fam and NOAH says to Liliana and ELIA: you know how we live really far away from our cousins...when we grow up and get married, let's be neighbors, right next to each other so our kids can have their cousins right next to each other and can see them every day! And let's go to the same church and to the same school. 😍❤️