Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Our Little Elves

I know it's not even Thanksgiving, but this is too funny not to share.

Merry Christmas from our little elves!

Monday, August 13, 2007

Sunshine Rewards sign-up bonus!

You may have noticed the link to Sunshine Rewards over in the "Links" section to the left. And here are my thoughts about it that I've written previously: What I've Been Up To

Just wanted to let you know that Sunshine Rewards is currently offering an extra bonus for signing up. You always get a $2 credit for signing up, but for a limited time you will earn an extra .50.

As you can see from my earnings banner, I've earned a lot of Gift Cards. And it's a lot of fun! Find out more at this link: Sunshine Rewards Sign-up Bonus!

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

Extreme Makover: Doggie Edition



While we were away at India Camp, Sugar had a little vacation of his own....including a little doggie makeover. This is the new and improved Sugar I picked up from the kennel yesterday.

Poor Sugar....I'm sure this must be a blow to his manhood. The lady at the kennel said they had three "Sugars" last week.....he was the only boy....and now THIS! But it needed to be done. He was getting so matted it was embarrassing. So now we're starting fresh. Hopefully he'll be cute and fluffy again by Christmas time.

I don't know what kind of shampoo they used on him, but oddly enough, he smells like my Grandma! LOL! And gee, I didn't realize how skinny he is. I wonder how much weight he lost with all that hair cut off.

One good thing....now I can see his eyes! :o)

Monday, July 30, 2007

Packin' up!

Early Wednesday morning we will be leaving to drive out to Tulsa, OK for Dillon International's India Heritage Camp.(See Dillon's link to the left) The kids are really excited to go to "camp." Hopefully, we will get to meet up with some other adoptive families that we haven't seen in a very long time and connect with other moms who I only know throught he Dillon India Forum. It should be really fun!

It's a 15 hour drive though! PRAY FOR US!!!

I will post pictures when we get back. In the meantime check out this Children From Matri Sneha site. You may see some little faces you recognize! (wink)

Friday, July 27, 2007

Today at our house

So what have the boys been doing today while Gracie is at camp, you ask????



It's been VERY quiet at our house today!

Grace at Camp

Grace has been attending day camp this week at Camp Straight Street. On Wednesday they had a shaving cream war. See if you can find my little girl!

(I'll give you a little hint....scroll down to the third picture.)

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Happy Birthday Grace

Here are photos from Grace's birthday party last Friday night.

Monday, July 16, 2007

What If I Asked You?

1 Timothy 2:14

Mary was studying her Bible quietly at her desk. A still, small voice began to speak to her.
"Mary?"
"Yes, LORD?" Mary had been walking with the LORD and recognized His still, small voice. Especially in His Word.
"Mary, what if I was to ask you to go to work for Me."
"Oh, yes, LORD." Mary answered anxiously. "To France, perhaps?" As she gazed at the globe on her desk, pointing a finger decidedly on Paris.
"Mary, what if I was to ask you to go to work for Me in an obscure place."
"Ah, yes, LORD." Mary sat dreaming while moving her finger down a bit. "Africa. The jungle..." Her mind wandered to the missionary stories she had read, "perhaps where Elizabeth Elliot worked."
"Mary, what if I was to ask you to work for Me in an even more obscure place."
"Hmmmm...even more obscure. South America, LORD? Or innermost China? Or perhaps Indonesia? Is that what you mean LORD?"
"Mary, what if I was to ask you to work for Me in a home."
"Ah, now I understand, LORD. A home for handicapped kids."
"Mary, what if I was to ask you to work for Me in an obscure home."
"An obscure home? Perhaps a home for orphaned children in Mexico or South America?"
"Mary, what if I was to ask you to work for Me in your own obscure home?"
"Here, LORD? Here?! All I do here is scrub, vacuum, wipe noses, wash clothes, sing lullabies, pray with toddlers, change diapers, cook meal after meal, sweep and dust, stretch one income, mop and mop; oh, and then over and over the very same thing again. Sometimes more in one day that I can count. This can't be the obscure home You mean, LORD!"
"Yes, Mary. This is the home. Will you do it for Me? For when you do it for the least of these, you do it for Me. Will you do it for Me, Mary?"
Big sigh. "No one is going to notice it, LORD. Not even the ones I am doing it for. None of them really even care, LORD. Everything I do, they undo. And then I have to do it all over again. Don't you think Paris is kind of obscure?"
Big Smile. "Mary, I have chosen you especially for this work in this specific place. I have Leaders and Warriors being raised here. I have wives of Leaders and Warriors being raised here. Will you wipe these noses for Me, Mary? Will you bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the LORD, Mary? Some day I may send them out to places like China, Indonesia, South America, Mexico, and yes, perhaps even Paris. Will you do this for me, Mary, in this obscure home of yours?
Spinning the globe gently, Mary bowed her head, "Yes, I will, LORD. Yes, I will."
"I'll do it through you, Mary. Keep coming to me for your strength. It is a very big job raising My Warriors and My Wives of Warriors; but I will walk you through it every step of the way."

-Laine Amavizca


I pray that out of His glorious riches
He may strengthen you
with power through His Spirit
in your inner being,
so that Christ may dwell
in your hearts through faith.
And I pray that you,
being rooted and grounded in love,
may have power,
together with all the saints,
to grasp how wide and how long,
and high and deep is the love of Christ,
and to know this love
that surpasses knowledge,
that you may be filled to the measure
of all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:16-19

[A wonderful reminder from my friend Pam. Keep on keepin' on Moms!!]

Friday, June 29, 2007

SLIDE!!

I just discovered the SLIDE website thanks to my friend Pam. (You can read her blog and see her precious Micah at www.babymicahsjourney.blogspot.com.)

So I've been tinkering around with it a little and thought I'd share some of our Disney World photos.

Disney World photos

Monday, June 25, 2007

Mistakes

This morning as I was getting Samuel dressed I accidentally started to put his pants on backwards. I caught mayself and mumbled some comment about it and Samuel said "What are you doing Mom?" I told him I made a mistake and he said, "I make mistakes too." "We all make mistakes sometimes, don't we?" I said. "Except God!" Sam reminded me.

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Sugar



What I've been up to!

If you want to take a "look-see", follow this link....

Sunshine Rewards


Just a little something I've been up to lately! :o)

oops!

I was just re-reading my post from yesterday and thought that I probably should post updated photos of the kids too....not just the dog! LOL!!
So here's kind of a silly picture of the three kids, plus a couple of Samuel having fun at Disney World!


Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Here I go again!!

It seems like Summertime is the only time I have to keep this blog updated. (Actually, I'm surprised it's still here!) We are still one crazy household, but a lot has happened in the last year!

First of all, in November last year, Mike took a new job. It was a big step for us but Mike felt like he needed a new challenge and room for more growth. The new job is an hour away, so the new schedule has been an adjustment for all of us.

Samuel is doing great! He just finished first grade and had a super year. He still really loves school and is such a hard worker. He is reading and is very good at math. He loves maps, mazes, and telling time (and keeping Mom on schedule!) He is growing like a weed.... so tall and thin. He continues to drive his power chair and think he is hot stuff! LOL!! In January, Samuel and I (along with my sister, nephew, and niece) went to visit my parents in Florida for a week. We always all have a great time together. We visited Disney World on two days and had a blast! Samuel thought it was the greatest....Mom did too....such great memories!

Noah has been promoted to first grade for next year!!! Hallelujah!! Yea Noah!! Although he still struggles a lot at school, Noah really has come a long way and did have a good year in school. He still gets very tired at school and therefore has behavior problems, but academically he is doing well. He is a TERRIFIC speller and is reading simple sentences. These things finally seemed to click for him this year. His handwriting also improved by leaps and bounds this year. He had a wonderful aide this year as well as our amazing special ed. teacher who really seem to "get" Noah and are very in tune to what he needs. They have been so amazing. Noah will have the same aide next year and we are really happy about that.

Grace survived Kindergarten this year. For the most part, she loved school....the "social" part of it anyway. She had a lot of trouble with staying focused and getting her work done and with interupting. In February, she was evaluated by a neurologist and was diagnosed with ADHD...no big surprise there. The poor thing has been through the ringer trying different medications. I think we're on about the sixth one. Some of the early ones seemed to help, but she also had AWEFUL emotional side effects. It's been rough. But she's been one tough little cookie as always. Grace has really enjoyed the nicer weather and being able to play outside. And she still likes being "little mother" to her older brothers! She'll be going to Day
Camp one week this Summer and she is really looking forward to that.

We've had one more addition to our family this year. No, no more kids! LOL!! Back in the Fall, we "adopted" a dog. We picked him up the day after Thanksgiving. His name is Sugar, he is a little over a year old now, and he is a Goldendoodle. We got him for the kids, mostly Noah....but he has turned out to be MY dog (don't ask!) He is very sweet and playful. As I was sitting here typing, he came in from inside and promptly vomited on the living room floor. Don't know what that's about. So loving "Mother" that I am I put on my rubber gloves, got out the carpet cleaner (Thank God for that thing!) and cleaned it up. Just a gross FYI for all of you out there who have never had a dog.....dog vomit is actually much easier to handle than kid vomit! Just thought you'd like to know! LOL! Oh, but if anyone knows how to keep a white dog clean in the summertime, please let me know! :o) I will try to post a photo of Sugar soon. (Our computer was out of service for several weeks and I don't have my photo files back on it yet.)

And me....well, I'm hangin' in there. I struggle with not having a "normal" life and feeling lonely....I have to be honest. But I know God has put me right in this spot for a reason and someday I will have a better understanding of "why." Until then, I will just put on a smile....and keep the rubber gloves and carpet cleaner handy too!