Hey, daddy....!

We love you!!!!!!!!!

The Mizpah mystery...and my snazzy pedicure!! *wink*

So...I promised a picture of our Mizpah tattoo...so here you go! :-) You'll just have to pretend that you see Joshua's arm here. Just be glad you weren't there when we (read: HE) GOT the tattoo...what a baby!! *ha!!*

Mizpah is something we're hanging on to a lot right now--because the circumstances lately have required us to place our faith in God alone. We don't always get to talk every day, the internet is not always available and Joshua's working long, hard days. So we just have to learn that like Genesis 31:49 says...may God watch over us while we are apart from one another. Putting my complete faith in God alone is something I always felt like I knew how to do...but man...how He's humbled me!! When you get married, part of the process is attaching your soul to another's, and in that, you do become dependent on each other. If its a healthy dependence, that's how marriage is supposed to work! You depend on each other, and together, you depend on God. Its an awesome process. But now...we're in this situation that has taken us away from each other, and I'd like to say that the depending on God alone part has just come naturally...but its a struggle. I find myself wanting to control and figure out and keep my hand on every situation...that inevitably...I have absolutely no control over in the first place! I didn't realize what a control freak I really am! (And I'm sure some of you might be laughing right now...that's ok...) All I can honestly say is that I'm learning, friends. Every day. Its a hard place....but its a good place.

And how 'bout that snazzy pedi?? *wink* Miss Jill, from the Y, gave me an AWESOME gift to go get this--so I did it right before we flew out to see Joshua. I think that my creative and patriotic red, white and blue pedi was WAY more appreciated by me...but...Joshua oohed and ahhed over it like a good hubby. :-) Thanks, Jill!!!!

Wishing you fewer control-freak moments...and more God-filled dependence!

~Mizpah~

meg

Updates:

Here are the most recent comings-and-goings of the Carr family:

• Caleb and I got sick. Really sick. Yucky viral thing going around. But we're good!
• I joined a personal training place. I figure my emotional eating phase has to end...so I'm going to do something healthy for myself a few times a week while Joshua's gone. So far, so good!! They mean business there...!!
• Caleb joined the dance team at church for Easter....this is gonna be good....*grin* He is so good at practice--I'm just hoping that when the sanctuary is full for both services on Easter morning he still loves it as much as he does during practice!
• We had a little visit with the in-laws--Caleb was in heaven!
• Got the trampoline back up and worked a little in the yard...oiy!!
• Josh said he was finally leaving for his one hour journey into Iraq on Thursday.
• Had surgery on Friday. Starting to feel like my stomach is no longer falling out of my body *OUCH*. Thank goodness we have family here....been camping out over at my mom's and getting some major TLC.
• Josh finally GOT to his destination...on Sunday. :-) Gotta love the army. A few days and a couple of pit stops later....He's settling in and should be up online in the next few days. Thanks for praying him in.
• Its Spring Break!!!!!!!!!!!
• I set up a YouTube account so Josh doesn't miss out on stuff while he's gone. Its the closest way I could think to keep him, and our out of town family, in the loop for the really fun stuff. If you search "Jubilee595", that's my 'channel' and all of the videos should come up. There are 3 videos up now....I think Easter will be the next one....we'll see!!

That's all for now. My vicodin-induced naptime is coming on....*grin* Love you all!!!

Life in Kuwait

So I haven't really blogged in a while because I haven't really felt like I had a whole lot to report. Things have been going slow. We've had a little training but for the most part we've been sitting around. Well the last couple of days some interesting things have happened. First, I had to go out to a M16 range. It was cool because I got to see the sun coming up across the sandy dunes. Pretty cool. That same day, I found a beetle that I swear was cast in the move The Mummy with Brendan Fraser. That sucker was huge. Then today, I have encoutered my first sandstorm. And I have to tell you...its wild. I went to breakfast with a couple of guys. We were just sort of hanging out talking and enjoying life. And suddenly, I could smell sand. I thought it was a little weird and actually smelled my uniform. Nothing. So one of the guys said that the toaster had been smoking and something was burning. So I dismissed the whole thought. A couple minutes later, I got that smell of sand again. Now granted, there was a sandstorm on the weather report but everything was perfectly clear when we went in to the chow hall. So anyway, one of the guys at the table points to one of the windows and I look and the whole window has an orange tint to it. Crap!!!! So we quickly move to head back to the barracks. It was like walking in a bad fog that gets in your hair. Totally weird. Anyway, I attached some photos to help share the moment.

Hope you all are enjoying in my fun!!!

Sunrise was pretty. Sucks I was up that early.

I wasn't kidding. This guy was definitely in The Mummy!!!

See how perfectly clear the world was before? And that haze in the background is the sandstorm.

And after it has hit...

And a another pic just for emphasis!!!

Choosing NOT to share in the joy...

So it is definitely no secret that we have a little guy with some pretty serious opinions on life. One of these opinions is that every pretty girl that God has created was apparently supposed to have been HIS girlfriend. He doesn't take kindly to learning that someone he has his eye on is taken.

Enter the pretty girl in our story...Jessica. :-) Jessica is an awesome young lady at our church who just happens to be the girlfriend of an equally awesome guy--JL. I'll save their love story for JL's blog. *grin* Back on track...we call Jess the "Preschool Cougar"...because she just has this awe-inspiring affect on preschool boys. They LOVE her. But seriously--who wouldn't?

Enter my son...and his infatuation. :-)

So...let me let you in on a sneak peek during Friday night prayer time:

*laying on the couch saying our prayers*

Me: Anybody else you want to pray for, buddy?

Caleb: Uh...no...

Me: Oh! I know...we should pray for JL! Know why...?

Caleb: Why?

Me: He's going to ask Jessica to marry him!!!!!! Isn't that exciting?














*and for reenactment's sake*.......his face upon hearing the exciting news...the shock sets in that once again, he's lost the girl...

Me: So....aren't you excited for them? They love each other a lot! Jesus picked them out for each other!














*And I believe this would be either his face of concession...Ok, JL...you win...OR...his face of plotting how to steal Jess away....haven't figured it out yet. Ha!!*

Needless to say, prayer time ended without my son sharing in anyone's joy. But don't worry Jess and JL...we love you and are SO excited for this time in your lives. We are praying endless blessings upon the journey that you are choosing to take with one another. I hope that along the way, you'll continue to learn from the amazing people God has put in both your lives and that it will enrich your relationship in a way you never thought possible. You guys are going to impact the Kingdom in mighty ways...

And don't worry about my kid. *wink* He'll be fine...

*sigh....*

Our last night in OK

Day at the zoo

Joshua's 4 short days

Being intentional

So I promised the next blog would be about our visit with Joshua...so here goes! (pics to come later...)

Highlights, bullet-point-style:

• Staying in the fancy hotel...and having our son faceplant off of the windowsill (on the INSIDE, everyone...he did not fall off the 5th floor!). We were subjected to our very first bloody nose. Oiy.
• Seeing Matty and Sarah for the first time in over 2 years...what a blessing!!!
• Watching CJ and Joshua wrestle, play "ka-chow!" and read together...
• Having Caleb ask Uncle Matty if he's ready to "throw up again" *laughing*
• Going to the OKC Zoo and having our son get mauled by a lion...with an inch of glass in between them. Wish you'd have been there. Almost peed my pants!!! So did he...!
• Swimming at the coolest Y ever.
• Eating at Sonic every day. YES!!!!!!!
• Praying with my husband while laying in his arms...*sigh*
• PF Changs. Yum! (thanks, Sarah and Matty's home group!!!)
• Having s'mores on the back porch.
• Sitting with Joshua on the couch, watching a Cavs game.
• Getting lost. A lot. Sprint's navigation lady SUCKS.
• Kissing. *blush*
• Pulling into a parking lot and having our son exclaim with great joy, "We're at a SUPERTarget!!" And he knew that how...??
• Changing Matty and Sarah's locks...and having them ring the door bell to get inside because they were locked out!! :-)
• Making fried chicken for everyone.
• Meeting the OKC versions of "us" *wink* (Rickie and Tim, Laurie and Brent...you guys are awesome!!!)
• Making Caleb-sandwiches.

I could go on and on....but I'm sure for most of you reading....that list might be kind of lame. But let me tell you....God has taught us SO MUCH about being intentional in our relationship with each other and others. Its such a blessing for us right now, because we absolutely savor every moment--no matter how mundane or ordinary. We know that we are in a situation where we need to make the most of every moment and make the time count...because our time together was short. What's so good about that though is this...we are learning to walk in the spirit of John 10:10 to the very fullest. We know without a doubt that our Savior came for us...a relationship with us...which He wants to reflect in everything and anything we do. And when we can walk in that knowledge...and the knowledge that every moment should be lived to its absolute fullest, we begin to live intentionally.

Every moment matters...

Every "I love you" is precious...

Everything ordinary is extraordinary...

And though we know that our situation is unique...let us challenge you to live in this same spirit. Live as though every moment might be your last. Live as though each decision and word you speak matters for eternity. Live intentionally in each of your relationships and I guarantee you that the Lord will work in amazing ways.

Wishing you lots of "ordinary" moments with one another...

~meg, josh, and caleb