Nonstop

We have had a very busy 3 weeks!

The first week Michael was gone and we had the saga of the refrigerator and the motorcycle, along with the busy Saturday before Rachel and her boys arrived!

The second week started with Rachel's arrival and ended on another busy Saturday. We usually volunteer with Angel Food Ministries the 3rd Saturday, but I decided that I needed a break.

The next day, Sunday, was amazing. Amazingly busy. Amazingly incredible. Our church had been invited to the church down the road for a Sunday afternoon service. To show you exactly how incredible this was, let me give you a little history.

Jenkins Chapel Missionary Baptist Church is tiny. I am a little wider through the shoulders than many women, but not by much. The front door to the church was too narrow for me to walk through without turning sideways. They appeared to be the original front doors. Once inside, there are about 10-12 rows of pews with a center aisle. Our pastor was the 2ND white man in the history of the church to preach. The first white man to preach from their pulpit spoke there in January of 2009.

The service was incredible. We were squeezed as tightly into the pews as we could possibly squeeze. The acoustics were amazing. Our choir did not need mics and the sound just resonated throughout the room! We had a totally different choir too. I have no idea where our usual choir went, but this choir was energized and full of life. Same people, different sound! Afterward, they fed us a wonderful meal. Let me tell you... those ladies can COOK! And the fellowship. Beautiful!

Of course, this was after our normal Sunday morning services and before our usual Sunday night activities and service. So, it made for a very long day, but I would not have missed it. The best part... The folks from Jenkins Chapel are coming in April to do a service at our church!!!

After that Sunday was over, I was looking forward to relaxing a bit. Nope! Instead I got busy on cleaning the house and taking care of some other things. Then Thursday, I babysat for a friend of mine.

Friday rolled around. Time for another busy weekend. But this time, I was gonna have some fun! We left around 8:45 am to head to Greenville, SC for the Extraordinary Women Conference. Just me and 10 other ladies! No husbands, no children. After a long drive, we got into the hotel and had dinner with just enough time to make it to the place where the conference was being held.

Chonda Pierce is hilarious! And Newsong is amazingly talented!!! If you ever have the opportunity to see either in person, I would highly recommend it!

On Saturday, I headed home with a friend of mine. I didn't want to take another full day away from home and she wanted to be at church Sunday when her husband preached. (our pastor was out of town)

Sunday was pretty quiet, but today (Monday) has been hectic again. A different friend is moving this week and so I helped load the U-Haul this morning. The house she is moving into is still being worked on - floors, painting, etc. This afternoon, I showed up to see what I could do to help clean the place as the people working on the house did the finishing touches. Tomorrow will be more of the same.

And somewhere in all of this, I really need to vacuum my living room... before Thursday and Friday when we will be having another benefit for the woman who needs the lung transplant.

Stellan

I want to share with you a little boy named Stellan. He is just a few months old, but he has been through some amazing things in his short life.

Stellan was not yet born when an ultrasound showed something wrong with his heart. Doctors predicted that he would die within a couple of weeks of that ultrasound. Later, the doctors revised that prediction to say he would not live until he was old enough to be born at full term. Then the prediction came that he would not survive the labor and delivery process and if he did, he would not live long after birth.

God was working though. When Stellan was born, there was no sign of the heart condition that caused doctors to predict his imminent death.

Right now though, Stellan is in the hospital with the very same heart condition. Basically his heart rate is too high and his heart is enlarged.

If you would like to visit his mom's blog, just go to www.mycharmingkids.net.

Please pray for Stellan and his family.

Invaded!!!

Today this van pulled up in my driveway...

I said, "I think we have company!"

N responded, with a little jump and a clap, "COMPANY!"

Aunt Rachel and her boys are here to stay. At least for a few days.

We are excited to see them and wish Spring Break lasted a couple more weeks instead of just one.

a trip, the refrigerator, the motorcycle, and a busy Saturday

Let's start at the beginning. . . And I will warn you... this is a long post!

The Trip

Michael spent last week in Connecticut for a Leadership Training Course. He left Sunday afternoon and arrived back home very late Friday night. He had arranged his flight home so that he would be home on Saturday for a benefit motorcycle ride that would be taking place Saturday morning.

The Refrigerator

Monday morning, I had an appointment for a repair man to come to our house to look at our ice maker. The ice maker had quit working about 2 weeks earlier. I had resorted to making ice the old fashioned way. You know. . .fill an ice tray, wait for it to freeze, dump it into a container, and then repeat. Over and over and over.

So, bright and early, and actually on time(!), the repair men show up. After taking about a 5 minute look, they determine that my freezer is not as cold as it should be. The temperature is about 14 degrees when it should be about 8-10 degrees at the warmest. Their assessment was it would cost about $400 to fix. Their recommendation was that a new refrigerator be purchased instead.

And so it was. Before the men had pulled out of the driveway, they were on the phone and asking to come back in to measure the space available. By 3 o'clock that afternoon, I had a new refrigerator in my kitchen.

The only problem was that the ice maker was not hooked up. It needed a part. . . I didn't find that out until later.

The part finally arrived on Thursday and was installed later that morning. However, Tuesday and Wednesday, my kitchen was in shambles waiting for the fridge to be pulled out and put back again.

Thursday was a great day because I finally got my kitchen cleaned! YAY!!

The Motorcycle

Michael was so excited to order a new (and comfortable) seat for his motorcycle. He placed the order in February and waited (im)patiently for it to arrive. He estimated that it would arrive sometime near the 14th of March.

It actually came on the 10th. I opened the box to see if I could understand the instructions well enough to put the seat on his motorcycle to surprise him when he returned from Connecticut.

The instructions were simple. Take off the old seat. No problems there. Install the bracket. Easy enough. Put the new seat on the bike and screw the 2 screws into the bracket. Sounds simple, right?

Nope! The instructions said that the screws on the bracket were 6mm hex head cap screws. So, I got out the 6mm hex key. (a.k.a. Allen Wrench) It was too big. I tried the 5mm hex key. Still too big. My next option was a 4 mm hex key. I thought surely this would be the one to work. Once again, I had the wrong size. Except this time it was too small.

So, Tuesday and Wednesday, the box and the seat sat out in my living room. The box was not small.

I went by a friend's house on Thursday morning with the seat and borrowed the correct size hex key. 4.5 mm. I didn't even know they made 4.5 mm hex keys.

Once I got back to the house, I was able to take the bracket off of the seat and install it on the motorcycle. Then came the seat. I aligned the front correctly and pushed it forward and down as the instructions had said.

The holes did not line up. They were about a half inch off. I called my friend to ask that her husband stop by to help me. He couldn't make it move quite far enough forward.

I worked on it off and on throughout the day, but I put a call into another member of our church who was organizing the benefit ride. I thought that since he knew more about motorcycles than I did, so maybe he could figure out where I was going wrong.

Ken stopped by Friday morning and managed to get the seat to within a quarter inch of where it needed to be. But still not quite close enough.

Friday night, after Michael came back home, he worked on it for a while longer. I am glad that we spent the 2 days prior trying to get the seat into position. Otherwise, Michael may not have have had the new seat for the ride.

Saturday morning, we got up bright and early. Ok, maybe not so early... About 9:30, we went to an auto parts store to buy some heavy duty zip ties. One of the screws had been stripped in all the efforts to force the seat into place.

So, Michael rode on Saturday with his seat held on only by body weight and 4 zip ties.

Did I happen to mention that the seat was designed specifically for the motorcycle that Michael has??

A Busy Saturday

As I mentioned under the motorcycle post, Saturday started fairly early. I got up around 8am to pick N up from her friend's house. She had spent the night there because she had not seen her friend in "forever!" (N's words, not mine)

After that, came the trip to the auto parts store. On the way there, we stopped by the church to allow Michael to register for the motorcycle ride. A woman in our community needs a lung transplant and has been required to have at least $15,000 before her name can be placed on the transplant list. The motorcycle ride was a fundraising effort for her.

With the weather, only 8 men showed up to ride. It was cold and supposed to rain, but N decided that she wanted to ride too. However, we still raised over $500 to help this woman. $160 of that was from the 8 men who registered to ride since there was a $20 registration donation.

After the motorcycle ride came nap time for A. N had gone home with a friend and I headed over to N's friend's house as well. I wanted to help my friend Cari prepare for her daughter's birthday party that afternoon. We did some last minute cleaning - washing dishes, sweeping and wiping down the tables. Then we got to decorating! Once people began to show up for the party, I left to get Michael & A. I ended up collapsing on our bed and taking an hour long nap. It was wonderful! We headed back to Cari's house to drop off clothes for N and found that the food had just come off of the grill. We were invited to stay and eat, so we had a great dinner, though not what we had originally planned. The party was also a sleepover for the girls, so after we ate, we left the clothes and headed out.

It was a LONG, but productive week. And now, I get to focus on next week! Rachel & her boys are coming!!!

Home again

YAY!!! Michael is home & I have computer access again!

Be prepared for a few posts to get caught up with all of the fun & exciting things from this past week!

Overheard

N: (at dinner last night) "Look! I have a naked hot dog!" (she was eating a corn dog)

A: "I can't wear this dress! It doesn't come to my knees!!" (barely understandable through the tears)

A: (a few minutes later) I don't want to wear a dress. I want to wear clothes. (wearing a tank top & shorts)

Ode to a Blender

Ode to a Blender

Oh blender, my blender
How do I love thee?

I use thee each morning
(and noon and night too).

I make new concoctions
Juice and fruit smoothies.

Dear Husband always uses
oranges and milk,

And something to give
a bit of tartness.

I love my new blender.
I enjoy how it mixes,

And crushes,
and stirs.

The food processor's waiting
Impatiently maybe,

But until I am ready,
I'll keep enjoying my slushies!





(can you tell I like my new blender?!?)

After almost 12 years of marriage...

Michael (and the girls) got me the 2nd best birthday gift EVER!! Last year took the #1 spot with Michael giving me the "go ahead" to buy my digital camera.


So, may I introduce my new toys?

Not only is it a blender, it also has the food processor attachment as well. I have been requesting a blender & food processor for about 10 years now...





And after dinner, Michael made dessert. It was very yummy, but I couldn't finish, so I made popsicles with the leftover smoothies!

We went to Olive Garden for lunch after church. The timing really worked well. We live about half an hour from Olive Garden and we left the church at 11am. We arrived just in time. There were about 3-4 families and couples waiting ahead of us. About 5 minutes after we were seated, the wait time jumped from 10 minutes to about half an hour and it just kept growing. After a very filling lunch, we headed over to Best Buy to look for a macro lens for my camera. They did not have the one I was looking for, but I do know of a more specialized camera shop in the next town over that would carry it.

Anyway, we came home after the stop at Best Buy and I was able to take a nice long nap and then fix a yummy steak dinner. (If you have never tried the Angel Food ministries, let me know & I will tell you all about it!) After that came the smoothies Michael made. Then, hugs & kisses and bedtime for 2 very well behaved girls.

I love my Michael & my girls!!! They really made it a very special day for me.

imagination and a story

A friend of mine shared a video with me of her son telling her about the crocodile outside. It turned out that he saw a cloud which looked remarkably like a crocodile. Because of the video, I was reminded of my seahorse. N & I were outside one morning as N was heading over to her bus stop. I saw this cloud formation and ran for my camera. I was amazed at the detail in the cloud. It was simply amazing.

And now for a story. Michael and I heard this on the radio last night and it is too good not to share with all of you.

A man decided one day that he was going to quit shaving every morning. He told his wife that he would be going to the barber shop each day for a shave before he went to work. So the next day he stopped by his usual barber shop. The owner was also a pastor and had been called away that morning. The owner's wife, Grace, said she would be happy to give the man a shave. When she was finished, she told the man that it would be $20. The man thought that was a bit high for just a shave, but then again, she had done a good job. He paid her and went to work.

The next morning, the man got up and noticed that his face was still smooth. He was pleased and headed off to work. A few days passed and the man's face was still smooth. After a few weeks went by and he still did not need a shave, he decided to stop by the barber shop again to compliment the owner's wife on the shave that she had given him.

When he stopped in, the owner was out and once again, the owner's wife, Grace, was there. The man asked her how she was able to give him such a great shave. Grace's response?

"You were shaved by Grace and once shaved, always shaved."

In sickness and in health...

Our family has been sick lately. The saga really begins with a friend of mine.

My good friend, Cari, and I were talking on Tuesday the 10th. Her son was home sick and was not even interested in looking at the boat kayak ramp that was being built on the property they are renting. Wednesday, he was better and I saw them at church. Thursday, Cari invited A & me to come hang out at their house while she prepped for our Bunco night that was coming up on the 21st.

Thursday afternoon~ Cari got a few text messages from her husband. A friend of ours had a "minor" surgery on Wednesday and was still in the hospital with severe pain. Another friend, MJ, had spent the day Wednesday and much of the day Thursday at the hospital with our friend. She needed relief. And sleep! I volunteered to go relieve her. I sat at the hospital with our friend from about 3:30pm until about 10:30pm.

Friday morning~ I spoke with MJ and we decided that I would come back to the hospital before 9pm and spend the night with our friend. I got to the hospital around 8pm and found out that our friend was back in surgery because of some complications from the original surgery. A few people dropped by to see if she was out of surgery and after talking for about an hour or so, they left to head home. By this time it was around 11pm. I still had not gotten word that our friend was in a room where she could receive visitors. I finally found the number to the OR desk and found that she had been transferred to the Surgical Trauma ICU, where she would spend the night. I hiked across the hospital, looking for bathrooms along the way because I was beginning to feel a bit sick to my stomach. I was able to speak with the ICU nurse and my friend before I really began to feel like I needed to go. I was sick once before I left the hospital and made it the hour+ drive home without being sick again.

Saturday~ Valentine's Day. I stayed in bed almost all day. That evening while A & N were playing, I heard A go into the bathroom. She made a strange noise and I realized that she was throwing up. Michael took care of her and she kept telling him, "I frow up!" A couple of hours later, the same scene repeated.

Sunday~ I was still very weak so I stayed home from church with A.

Monday~ I was on the road to recovery, but not quite feeling the best. I had an appointment in the morning and Michael had the day off, so we spent the morning and early afternoon in town. By the time we got home, I was ready to collapse. So, I did.

Tuesday~ I was much better. I was even able to get the grocery shopping done!

Wednesday~ I decided that since no one had gotten sick in the past 2 days and I was feeling good, I would go see my friend who was still in the hospital. On my way out of town, I decided to check my phone. I realized that it was off and when I turned it back on, I had 2 voice mails. N had gotten sick at school and I needed to pick her up. Sudden changes in my plans are not always easy to adjust to. I still had several things left on my to do list while I was out. But N, poor girl, was sick! I took her to the grocery store to pick up a couple of things and the moment we walked in the door, she asked to go to the girl's room. She collapsed on her bed when we got home and slept for several hours, waking only to race to the bathroom.

Thursday~ I woke up to, "Mommy! Can I go outside to play? Please?!?" I was a mean mommy & made her stay inside until after school got out. But I also knew it would be warmer in the afternoon.

Thursday night~ Michael came home from work and just didn't look as though he felt great. Sure enough, later that night, every time I was almost asleep, I was jerked back to consciousness because of Michael getting sick. Neither of us got much sleep.

Friday morning~ Michael still had to go into work, but he was able to go to sick call at the medical clinic where he works. They sent him home!! I was very glad about that. I was also watching our next door neighbor's girls on Friday morning, so once Michael got home, we left to try to finish up my to do list from Wednesday.

Friday evening and Saturday morning~ N went to a lock-in at the church and worked with a missions project on Saturday morning. Michael was feeling quite a bit better after having slept much of the day on Friday. I asked Michael if he would come with me to pick out some ant killer. He told me he wanted to stay home. I said, "So, it's okay for you to take me out when I'm sick, but when you are sick it is a different story?" His response?? "I saw how you did on Monday and I think I'd rather stay home." We got a good laugh about the double standard there!

Saturday night~ BUNCO!!! We got together with 9 other couples and played Bunco. We always have a great time. Good food, good friends and definitely lots of fun! When we got home, I told Michael that I was starting to not feel so good again.

Fast forward to Monday (yesterday)~ I went to the doctor because of some pain and I am now being treated for a kidney infection.

So, that is what has been happening in our home lately.

I believe I've had enough of this sickness stuff for a little while. Can I get some health around here?? :)

I'm getting old

Or as N likes to remind me, I'm turning 31 this year because SARAH"S BIRTHDAY IS TODAY AND SHE IS GONNA BE 21!!!!!!!!!!

Of course, our dear, sweet brother used to tease her that we could not celebrate her birthday until the time of her birth. And because she was born at 11:59 pm, we couldn't celebrate later than the time of her birth because it would be the next day and therefore, no longer her birthday.

So, Sarah, I will wish you a happy birthday now, instead of waiting as Andrew has suggested many times over the years!

I love ya! And I really enjoyed talking with you the other day.

Tagged, again

Here's how it works.
1. Go to the 4th picture folder on your computer.
2.Post the 4th picture in that folder.
3. Explain the picture.
4. Tag 4 more bloggers.

Well, I had to cheat a little bit. The 4th folder only contained 3 pictures. So, I went into my photo software and picked the 4th folder. That particular folder contained 50 pictures, so I figured I'd be safe there.

And to explain the picture... I took both girls to the church and propped them up in a tree that had a great couple of branches. One branch is almost parallel to the ground while the one above it forms a great arc that leaves plenty of head room. So, this is a pic of N in a tree.

And as for tagging, well, I guess that would be Rachel, Sarah and Shery since they are probably the only other ones who read my blog on a somewhat consistent basis. However, if I have anyone lurking who has a blog, consider yourself tagged too.

Birthdays

I was talking with N tonight about different things and one of her questions was if we finally had one due date for the baby or if it was going to continue to change. Then we talked about the possibility of the baby being born on her birthday. I shared several birthday stories, including the one from College Station where the server didn't really think we were celebrating 10 (or was it 12) birthdays. She laughed and laughed!

One of my most favorite things about our birthdays was each of us had our own celebration. Even with a whole string of birthdays lasting from Dec 31st to Mar 1st. (5 total in that time, not to mention the extended family) So, even though I think it would be neat to have the same birthday as a child or sibling, I am praying that our little one does not make their entrance on N's birthday. I want her to have her special day just like each of us had as we grew up. Just like I want our little one to have his (I hope) or her special day as well.

So, Mom, thank you for making our day special. I love you!

Baby update and a photo

A quick note about the picture: baby's head is toward the bottom of the picture and the line on it is showing the crown to rump measurement.


My appointment went well once I was seen. I waited with Michael for an HOUR before a room opened up for us. I really liked my doctor. She is not an OB, but she is a family practice doctor who also delivers babies.

She started out with the ultrasound. There was a brief moment of panic (on my part) because she was not able to see my uterus on the abdominal u/s. We switched to the trans-vaginal and sure enough there was baby. According to the crown to rump measurement, I am 10w 6d with a due date of August 29th. Baby had a heartbeat of 166. Baby even did a complete flip while we were watching. I admit that I was nervous when I first saw the baby because I couldn't see the heartbeat & baby wasn't moving. So, the flip & heartbeat were VERY reassuring.

When we got to the internal part of the exam, we found out the reason for all of my back pain & cramping as well as why we couldn't see anything on the abdominal u/s. A normal woman's uterus will grow forward as the pregnancy progresses. Right now, mine is severely tilted toward my spine.

As far as monitoring me considering my previous losses, she says I am still in the "normal" range and that there would not be anything special that would be done because I have not had 3 losses. She explained so many things and the best part. . . . . She's PRO-LIFE!!!!!! We were talking about the screening tests and how many women decide to abort after a positive for Down's. She was very clear that she didn't agree with it and Michael said that abortion was not an option for us anyway.

So, it was a very good appointment and we are very happy with the choice of doctor. Even though I do anticipate long wait times. My appointment was supposed to be 40 minutes long and we were in there for an hour and 10 minutes.

Prayer request and a little note

Please pray for Athena & baby. She went into pre-term labor yesterday. The doctors were able to stop it and Athena is now on moderate bed rest. After she was discharged from one hospital and on the way home, she started having contractions again. She went to the Naval Hospital and was monitored for several hours.

Her family lives in a different country and her mom will be arriving sometime next week.

Please pray that baby stays put for a few more weeks. Please pray that Athena does well with the bed rest.

Just as a reminder I posted the pictures I took of Cuong & Athena here.

On another note, I should have more baby information for all of you tomorrow afternoon. I have my first official appointment tomorrow morning and I should hopefully find out a more accurate due date.

Groundhog Day

Why anyone thought it would make a good holiday is beyond my comprehension...

However, 2 special events in my family occured on the 2nd of February.

Way back in 1976, my big brother made his entrance into the world.

Then, because my brother has this thing for numbers (he's an engineer), he married a wonderful (and beautiful) girl named Shery. They married on 02/02 at 2pm. I am sure Andrew would have preferred the ceremony to take place at 0200 (also known as 2 in the morning), but this is one person who would have really struggled to stay awake at that hour.

So... Happy birthday to Andrew and happy anniversary to Andrew & Shery. Hoping this year brings more joy than pain, more laughter than tears, and more of God than anything!

Love ya!

Snow!!

My next door neighbor's wheelbarrow. Sara has had this leaning up against her house for several months. I had thought it would make a good subject, but it never really caught my eye until the snow.

Our puddle froze completely over. I refer you to the pictures of when it rains. The girls broke the ice once things started to thaw.

Throwing snowballs! Though I am not sure what A is upset about...

Our snow gauge. This was taken during the heaviest of the snow.

Introducing...

.....Cuong & Athena. They were very nice and allowed me to take some pictures of them together before their baby is due. These are some of my favorites. I really enjoyed the practice and getting to hang out with Cuong & Athena was fun too!

Light of the World

And by the way... keep scrolling for the other posts I did today!

Laura~ Is this what you were thinking??

Telling Mom

here is my version of mom's reaction in stream-of-consciousness:

I already saw what it is...wait a minute this doesn't make sense...oh it's a...ooo...ooo...ooo...I thought she was going to say something when I talked to her last...I just kind of knew...oh this is so exciting!

***contributed by my lovely sister Sarah***

And now for Sarah's pictures...

I spoke with my mom later in the evening the day her gift arrived. (it was her birthday) She told me that she would have to send the clothes back because they were a little small for her.

Mom~ I love you and it was so very difficult not to tell you right away. I am glad the gift arrived on your birthday!

Sarah~ Thanks for your play-by-play on Mom's reaction and the wonderful pictures to go with it. You rock!

Guess what?

This is how we told Michael's parents that we were expecting a new baby this coming September. Since our little one will be the 12th grandchild for them, I thought a dozen eggs would be the perfect way to share. Especially because I know that Michael's mom always makes a breakfast casserole that uses a dozen or so eggs for Christmas morning.

The best part about this was Michael was helping out, but he'd been asked to crack the eggs. With some swift thinking on his part, he ended up stirring the cheese sauce. Michael's mom started cracking... without even noticing at first that something was written on the eggs. She also had the carton facing away from her. The names were written so that when you opened the carton normally, you'd see the names. Michael asked if something was written on the eggs. He had to help her out a little bit. Michael's parents examined the remaining eggs and wondered why anyone would write their grandchildren's names on the eggs.

Fortunately, I had thought ahead and written the names on the 2 full dozen eggs in the fridge. I skipped the partial container... I pulled the other carton out and opened it up so they could see the full picture.

Michael's mom laughed and laughed once she realized what was going on. It was great to see her face. And then she had to show everyone the egg carton...





***UP NEXT: My mom's reaction... now that I have all the details, and pictures, from my sister.

Random Pictures

We found this very friendly kitty at our local park. He came right up to me and just wanted some loving. Because he scared A while she was eating, I asked the maintenance man if he knew anything about the cat. Between the two of us, we decided that the cat had most likely been dropped off by someone in a vehicle that had left moments before I got out of our truck.

A was brave enough to pet his head while he was looking at her. For those who may not know, this is a HUGE accomplishment for her.
Watching all the children play. He looks a little sad to be locked out of the playground.

Something in the Indian River near Manzo Park. I liked the reflection in the water.

The water was so still that day, but there was a bit of a current flowing around this palm branch.

I liked the angle of the light and the way the sails hung.

This squirrel jealously guarded his find.

I looked up and there was a squirrel with its body in the trash can and only its tail out. I was a little late to get that picture, but here he is digging into his find. Looks like a good muffin. I think someone was watching their calorie intake because there was half of the muffin left.

The lamp post. It made me think of Narnia.

She put the bow on with her flapper dress as well. I'm not sure what she is thinking about, but it must be something serious.

Sarah Bear!!!

I know you are probably wiped out from traveling.... but I need pictures of Mom when she opened her birthday present!!!

Love ya! Hope you got home safely!

"Happy Birthday to my birthday"

That is what A would sing to my mom if she were here.


We love you so very much and I am blessed to have you for my mom!!! We hope that you have a wonderful day and a very blessed year!



(the Indian River taken at Manzo Park in T-ville)

Girls

Sleepy girls! I walked into the room to get something and called Michael to look before I woke the girls up by taking pictures. Note the Santa hat N is sleeping in.



Static!!

Haircut. N really enjoys it!

Another sleepy girl photo...She didn't even wake up for dinner.

Hair cut, silly Daddy, and beautiful girls

Not sure what the lip was all about...

The new do...

N wearing her beautiful outfit from Grammy!

Michael being silly while trying on his new shirt. He forgot to unbutton it first.

More pictures coming soon!

Coming soon...

Photos of girls in beautiful dresses along with other gifts from their Grammy!!!

Also, photos of my new haircut!

Procrastionaters Unite...Tomorrow

“No unwelcome tasks become any the less unwelcome by putting them off till tomorrow. It is only when they are behind us and done, that we begin to find that there is a sweetness to be tasted afterwards, and that the remembrance of unwelcome duties unhesitatingly done is welcome and pleasent. Accomplished, they are full of blessing, and there is a smile on their faces as they leave us. Undone, they stand threatening and disturbing our tranquility, and hindering our communion with God. If there be lying before you any bit of work from which you shrink, go straight up to it, and do it at once. The only way to get rid of it is to do it.” — Alexander MacLaren (1826-1910) Scottish Preacher

Tuck & Roll

Ever see those video game commercials where the kid is dropping his grandma off somewhere? He flies around a corner, the door flies open, and he says, "Tuck and roll, Grandma. Tuck and roll!"

That was me yesterday.

Well, not really the falling out of a moving vehicle part.

N's friend was at the park with us yesterday. He looked like he was getting ready to take off running, so I asked if he was ready. He nodded yes and off we ran. That kid is FAST! But that is another topic. Right now we are talking about me... :D

The sand did not provide too much traction, but it was not terribly bad to run in. However, when I got to a small rise, my knee did not straighten. Instead it continued to bend, my foot began to slip, and I saw the ground coming up fast.

My hands went out. I performed a roll that would rival some that Captain James T. Krik performed.

Not only did I roll, I got back up. Put my hands up in victory and brushed off the sand. Which unfortunately got everywhere!

what do they know?

STUDIES SHOW THAT SUGAR
IS ADDICTIVE

Amazing isn't it? I could have told them this. I used to eat sugar directly from the sugar bowl. I tried to be pretty sneaky about it, but I may have gotten in trouble a few times.

I would sneak cookies out of the cookie jar. The squirrel jar was much more difficult because the lid didn't go back on as quietly as the other jar.

I got in trouble for walking down to the Jiffy Mart to buy candy after school. If only my mom had driven past a few minutes later. I would have been on the correct side of the school and she would not have known that I'd done anything wrong. Of course, if I coughed wrong in my hometown, my mom somehow knew...

A half gallon of ice cream lasted 2 days at the most when I was pregnant with N.

I make pumpkin bread simply for the 3 cups of sugar that go into it. But I'm eating a vegetable, right?

I eat most of the birthday cake in the few days after a birthday.

Sweet tea? A gallon a day.

And today, after reading the story about the study on sugar, I offered to take a cake so my friend would not just throw it away. We were cleaning out the church refrigerator so we could fill it up with food for our Kid'z Night Out tomorrow. On a side note... why on earth would anyone spell "kid's" with a 'z'? I have seen 'kidz', but never 'kid'z'. I think night was spelled correctly though. So we aren't having a "Kid'z Nite Out." GRRRR!!! And to think it was a woman older than me who decided to spell it that way.

So, my name is Julie and I am addicted to sugar.

Did I mention rain?

If you take a look at the pictures in my last post...That is what my yard & driveway look like right now after 2 days of fairly steady rain. It is nice to have the weather guy get the forecast right. Then again, 100% chance of rain is like saying it's a bit chilly in Antarctica.

Rain, rain go away!

(Just to let you know...I did several posts today, so keep scrolling to read all of them!)

Need I say more?? The 1st two are out my back door & the 2nd two are out the window on the garage door. Which was also filling with water. The water only came in far enough to barely touch the back wheel of the motorcycle.

The flowers we thought had died...

...are ALIVE!!!

A little bit of history. Michael & N bought me a flowering plant because they wanted me to have flowers that lasted for more than a few days. Very sweet idea, however, I felt bad because I knew I probably would have killed the plant in the length of time it takes cut flowers to die.

Sure enough a few days later, Michael remarked that it looked as though the plant was dying. I gave it some water with the slim hope of keeping it alive a few more days. After a few rounds of that, the plant looked as though it was truly dead. In a last attempt to save the plant, I stuck it in the ground right out our back door. Throughout the summer, the plant was mowed along with the grass and other weeds. Much to my surprise, I called the girls to come inside one day recently and looked down to see this...

Girls

Tackled! N came home from school & A attacked her! It is so sweet to see my girls loving on each other. And love each other they do. Just today, I caught the girls hugging again after N came home & A woke up from her nap.

Who could resist such a face??

Back in my favorite picture tree.... This time I put both girls up there and they just had fun. Lots of laughter and a few terrified moments getting N out of the tree. She was wearing flip flops & shorts. We finally decided to have her grab me around the neck & take a piggy back ride out of the tree.

I realized I had not gotten any pictures of the girls up recently, so I hope you have enjoyed. And now... Daddy & his girls! (Look at those muscles!!)

overheard

from A:

"Thank you for my Daddy & my N. Thank you that we go to church. Thank you that Daddy practicing. [unintelligible speaking while yawning]"

I love that A will pray anywhere and at anytime. Because her next words were...

"Mommy, I went poopy...."

Tradition...

I propose a new tradition this year. A tradition of giving. A tradition of prayer. A tradition of prayerful giving.

Giving isn't a new tradition, you may think.

The sort of giving I have in mind is not your typical gift.

Pray about how you treat people this Christmas. A man in New York was killed today because of greed. He opened a door and was trampled by a crowd of people eager to save a few dollars. When the crowd was asked to leave the store, some complained that they had been there very early and they continued to shop! Lord, help me to remember that we are all only human and that you love each of us, even when we are unlovable.

Pray about how you speak to people this Christmas. I have seen people yell at others and get into fights over the latest toy. Not everyone behaves like this, but I have seen it too many times to dismiss as a rare occurrence. I have seen cashiers berated for an item scanning at a different price than what the customer said it was on the shelf. A simple smile and some sympathy for the cashier's plight during this busy retail season is generally appreciated. But I ask that you pray about how you speak not only for strangers. Our families often are on the receiving end of our frustrations and callous remarks. So often, I see that I speak with more courtesy to a stranger than I do to my husband and children. Lord, remind me to treat my family with respect, because they are my family.

Pray about opportunities to give this Christmas. (and then give) My girls often ask to put money in the buckets for the Salvation Army. Every opportunity that my girls have to give is priceless. This last weekend, we packed up into the truck with a friend and headed to a local church. We volunteered with the Angel Food Ministries distribution day. It was wonderful to see my girls, and their friend, so excited about helping others. Giving does not have to be for the world to see. Giving can be done with money or time. I enjoy giving my time because I gain from the experience. Lord, help me to find ways to focus on You and others this Christmas.

Our main tradition at Christmas time is to focus on family, but mostly to focus on Jesus. We remind our girls that Jesus did not stay a baby in a manger, but that He grew, just like them, and that eventually He paid the penalty for our sin because He loves us so much. But we also tell them that the story does not end with Jesus' death. We have hope for our future, regardless of our past, because of His glorious resurrection.

Let your actions and words be gifts to each other. Peace be with you.


Rom 12:1
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice-the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?
Rom 12:2
Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.
Rom 12:3
As God's messenger, I give each of you this warning: Be honest in your estimate of yourselves, measuring your value by how much faith God has given you.
Rom 12:4
Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function,
Rom 12:5
so it is with Christ's body. We are all parts of his one body, and each of us has different work to do. And since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others.
Rom 12:6
God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out when you have faith that God is speaking through you.
Rom 12:7
If your gift is that of serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching.
Rom 12:8
If your gift is to encourage others, do it! If you have money, share it generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
Rom 12:9
Don't just pretend that you love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Stand on the side of the good.
Rom 12:10
Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.
Rom 12:11
Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically.
Rom 12:12
Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful.
Rom 12:13
When God's children are in need, be the one to help them out. And get into the habit of inviting guests home for dinner or, if they need lodging, for the night.
Rom 12:14
If people persecute you because you are a Christian, don't curse them; pray that God will bless them.
Rom 12:15
When others are happy, be happy with them. If they are sad, share their sorrow.
Rom 12:16
Live in harmony with each other. Don't try to act important, but enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don't think you know it all!
Rom 12:17
Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable.
Rom 12:18
Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible.
Rom 12:19
Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God. For it is written, "I will take vengeance; I will repay those who deserve it," says the Lord.
Rom 12:20
Instead, do what the Scriptures say: "If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink, and they will be ashamed of what they have done to you."
Rom 12:21
Don't let evil get the best of you, but conquer evil by doing good.


Holy Bible, New Living Translation ®, copyright © 1996 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

The list

*******UPDATED******** And I still need ideas for the "no clue" group!

• Michael- not yet
• N- not yet
• A- yep
• Mom- yep
• Daddy- not yet
• Mama- yep
• Laura- yep
• Scott- yep
• Miss Arty Pants- not yet
• Sweetness- not yet
• Stealth Man- yep
• The Ark- yep
• Rachel- yep
• Andres- yep
• David- yep
• Alex- yep
• Miguel- yep
• Sarah- yep
• Andrew- yep
• Shery- yep
• Jessica- yep
• Rayna- yep
• Ethan- yep

"yep" = I have the gift in my house

"not yet"= I have an idea, but I don't have the gift in the house

"partly" = I have a portion of the gift and I'd like to add more to it

"no clue" = I need an idea for a Christmas gift...PLEASE HELP!!

Most of you know this is amazing for me to have the majority of my Christmas shopping done BEFORE Thanksgiving. Now, we'll see if I can mail the gifts that need to be mailed before Easter...

Have you ever?

I copied this off of a friend's blog. (thank you Faith!) If you'd like to do this to, feel free.


Have you ever?

Bold the things you’ve done.



1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band Does the high school band count??

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland/world- I used to work at Disney World, so I have been there a couple of times!

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang/played a solo - I've sung many solos at church & for choir in high school. I also played the flute and did Solo & Ensemble competitions.

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea - does being on the beach & watching the lightning storm count? If so, then I've done this, otherwise, I have not...

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables - I have what is known as a "black thumb" I look at plants & they die...

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight - I didn't really share a room with my sister, but we had many fights. Some included pillows

22. Hitch hiked - Twice in one day. It was interesting to be sitting in the back of a truck with a soccer team and a tiny crab. In Ecuador, I learned that hitch hiking is not a quiet thing like here in the States. Here, you stick out your thumb and hope someone stops. There, you yell the name of the place you want to get to and when someone slows down, you run & hope you can make it into the back of the vehicle before they speed up.

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill - Michael wanted me to spend the day with him & after my physical therapy appointment that day, I called into work & said I wasn't feeling well.

24. Built a snow fort - We played in the snow when we were in Wyoming. By June, I was ready for spring!

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset- Living near the beach, I have seen many beautiful sunrises and sunsets.

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing- Only on the rock wall thing on a play set at church. We had a child who was too scared to get down so, I climbed up to get him.

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant - I don't think we bought the entire meal, but we at least contributed $10 toward it. Michael was home on leave & we were eating lunch with some friends. A little girl & 2 men (dad & grandpa) came into the restaurant. The little girl looked so tired. The men treated her as if she was very fragile. She appeared to have lost the majority of her hair. The men kept urging her to eat a little bit and she would. My heart broke at the sight. We didn't have much money at the time, but I knew that what we did have, we needed to give to this family. I asked our server to take $10 off of their bill because I wanted to pay that much. She did. I don't know if the server said anything to the family, but I felt good knowing that I had been obedient to what God had prompted me to do.

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight - After our theater performances, we'd go to this restaurant called Herbie K's. Then we'd walk through the pool area of a nearby hotel to get to the beach.

46. Been transported in an ambulance - N was coming a little sooner & quicker than expected. I had the truck at work, Michael was almost an hour away at his work. My contractions were 4 minutes apart & steadily getting closer. My boss couldn't leave because the only other gal working was 16. So, when the ambulance crew got there, I was told that I was the calmest woman in labor they had ever transported.

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie - In the live audience for a filming of The Mickey Mouse Club.

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Gotten flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy - My lion, Larry; my bear, Apple Jack; my doll, Lolly Dolly; my parrot, T-Bird; my dog, Snoopy; and several others that my mom saved & sent to me

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial - We lived just south of DC for a while, so we visited a few times.

71. Eaten Caviar

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London - I also saw the guard change at Windsor. There was a large gate & a smaller gate next to each other. We expected the men to go through the larger gate so I stepped over to the opposite side to take pictures. The men walked through the smaller gate and I was backed up against the wall trying to keep out of their way. I did manage to get several pictures. It was a somewhat scary experience for a 12 year old...

77. Broken a bone - I hit a wall and later I hit my sister. My hand started hurting after I hit my sister. She has a hard head! :D (Love ya Rachel!)

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle - Michael likes to ride fast...what can I say?

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read the entire Bible

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous - I met several Christian artists at Disney's Night of Joy. Which, by the way, is probably the WORST nights to work. I did crowd control and it was NOT pleasant.

92. Joined a book club

93. Lost a loved one - More than I can count

94. Made a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a law suit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee

Romans 1:16-32

I was preparing the lesson for the Celebrate Recovery ministry at my church tonight. I was looking for a particular verse in Romans and I read through the following verses. My heart breaks for our nation , but more my heart breaks because of verse 21.

How often have I failed to give God thanks for who He is? How often has my mind become dark & confused because of trying to imagine what God is like instead of going to the source, God's own word?? How many times have I failed to worship because I simply "didn't feel like it"?

Lord help me to not be ashamed. Help me to walk in your ways and to remember to seek you daily.

Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes-Jews first and also Gentiles.

Rom 1:17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, "It is through faith that a righteous person has life."

Rom 1:18 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who push the truth away from themselves.

Rom 1:19 For the truth about God is known to them instinctively. God has put this knowledge in their hearts.

Rom 1:20 From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God.

Rom 1:21 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn't worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. The result was that their minds became dark and confused.

Rom 1:22 Claiming to be wise, they became utter fools instead.

Rom 1:23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people, or birds and animals and snakes.

Rom 1:24 So God let them go ahead and do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other's bodies.

Rom 1:25 Instead of believing what they knew was the truth about God, they deliberately chose to believe lies. So they worshiped the things God made but not the Creator himself, who is to be praised forever. Amen.

Rom 1:26 That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other.

Rom 1:27 And the men, instead of having normal sexual relationships with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men and, as a result, suffered within themselves the penalty they so richly deserved.

Rom 1:28 When they refused to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their evil minds and let them do things that should never be done.

Rom 1:29 Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, fighting, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip.

Rom 1:30 They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They are forever inventing new ways of sinning and are disobedient to their parents.

Rom 1:31 They refuse to understand, break their promises, and are heartless and unforgiving.

Rom 1:32 They are fully aware of God's death penalty for those who do these things, yet they go right ahead and do them anyway. And, worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.

Pray 7x7

Angie Smith posted on her blog (Bring the Rain) about her desire to pray for her children on a daily basis and encouraged other moms to do the same. If you click on the button that has the little girl praying, it will take you to her blog post.

I believe that prayer is one of the most important gifts we can give our children and our families. Through prayer, we can teach our children about a relationship with God. I read recently that sometimes people think the Lord's Prayer says, "Our Father who art in Heaven... gimmie... gimmie... gimmie..." Not so.

I want to teach my children that it is okay to ask God for things, but mostly that we need to seek His desires for us. What will be the Godly choice in a given situation? How would God want me to respond? But more than asking for things, I want my children to hear God's voice. I want them to enjoy His presence.

N was reading her Bible to A in the truck tonight. She asked what other verses were good to read because she had already read John 3:16 and Psalm 23. The only specific verse I could think of at the time was Romans 3:23. "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"

But what a wonderful blessing to know that even though we have sinned and come short of God's standard, He loved us enough to send His Son to die for us and take the punishment that should rightfully be ours.

John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world (you & me & yes, even the person we think of as the most horrible person in the world) that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him, will not perish but have eternal life."

Gifts from a very special Grammy!

A received her gift from Grammy on Monday after her birthday. She was very excited about opening it.
I loved the look on her face when she first peeked inside. Unfortunately, her expression changed just as I took the photo. Here she is exclaiming, "SHOES!!!!!"

Still talking about her shoes...

Looking at Flat Stanley. (I would underline the title of the book as that was what I was taught to do. However, for some reason I only have choices to use bold or italics...)

Wearing her pretty slippers. She had to go show her Sunday School teacher yesterday. Today we went out for "coffee" with some friends. One of A's friends was there and she had to show off her slippers again.

And just so no one passes out from shock...I did NOT drink coffee. I went out with some friends and THEY drank coffee. I had sweet tea.