Ten Years....

We went to my 10th (?) year High School Homecoming (I say ? because technically LAST year was my 10th year anniversary of my senior year HC...but who's counting right??) and my children had a BLAST. Didn't see as many people as I'd hoped to but those I did see look awesome. Most haven't changed much and that's a comfort....or is it? I think I've changed A LOT but who knows, maybe I haven't changed that much. I'll blog about 10 years in a little while....
Here are my children enjoying the awesome baseball field at Homecoming (it's a combined field and they had a nice alumni tent and catered dinner and basically blocked in from 2nd field to the dugouts....a veritable PLAYGROUND of greatness for my children and C&Y's kiddos too). They had THE BEST TIME!! YAY for my alma mater for making a great place to hang out with our families!

More Monkey and Lion Pics

No, he's not really sick....he's just enthralled with "Handy Manny"

Oh my goodness!! It's a MONKEY!!!!

"Cheeeese, oh no I mean ROAR!!"

Cutest kids EVER

So they picked their Halloween costumes out today....here they are!! TA DA!!

Also, Daniel got a haircut again today....we decided that he needed to have a big boy haircut again, so I took him to Sport Clips (which, by the way, I HIGHLY recommend for your little boys!!!)

Here's the before (check out those amazing eyes!!)....

the during....

and the after....

Not to be outdone, the Zoe-Pie had a BLAST here's her journey :

These kids are simultaneously the best of me, and the worst. They're curious, happy, stubborn, emotional, and short-tempered....it's a lot like looking in an extremely naked mirror....it's scary, really. And I find myself having a really hard time keeping an even keel around them sometimes. I've enjoyed my time off with them more than I thought possible, and I adore them. They're the most incredible Blessing anyone could ever ask for. I adore them, and thank God for them every day. Patience is a virtue, and unfortunately sometimes I'm not very virtuous :)

And, as though God sends little things just to make us smile, or make our lives somewhat easier in the midst of the worst times....Zoe's trying to potty train herself! Not even two yet, and when I think back to the struggles we had with Daniel....what a difference....haven't even TRIED to potty train her yet, she just wants to do what her "bubba" does!! So see, even in the midst of tribulation God sends something to show you He's watching over you.

Remember that no matter what, things are never so bad God can't send a Blessing....

Calling All Independent Contractors....

Interior Design experts, Independent Contractors, people with talent, upholsterers, I'm putting the call out there! Help meeee!!

I've been dilligently plodding along working on my house. Decorating here or there, cleaning mostly, and sometimes adding some artsy flair...??? Here are some little seen pictures of my house, I need ideas, people. I have very little free time to do this, so it has to be able to be spread out....

Here's the official request, too : would someone PLEASE help me reupholster those two hideous PINK (salmon?) chairs??? We're buying RED couches and I want to keep those chairs because they're good chairs, but my goodness why are they THAT color?!?! HELP!!

These first two pictures mean NOTHING if you're not one of the four people who ever saw our master bath before....but I'm sort of proud of myself for this.

The aforementioned PINK chairs (and the three new frames I bought for family pictures)....the red matches our new couches!! :)

This is our mantel, which now has the obligatory fake flower arrangement ;) You can also see one of the crosses from my "collection," which technically isn't a collection as of yet, but it's getting there!!OK so I didn't realize just how strange this picture might look, no it's not for you to admire Rachel Ray in High Definition on our big TV. It's to see our picture collection ABOVE her :)

And, last but not least, here's a cute pic of "monkey see monkey doooooo"

So anyone got decorating tips? This house is very open, with difficult-to-keep-clean, but gorgeous wood floors and I want to do a goldenrod color on the walls in the dining room with robins egg blue accents. [Leslie, I know you're a pro...do those colors actually WORK together?!?!]

I'm not sure about wall color for the living room though, because the entertainment center is a dark cherry GORGEOUS piece, and our couches will be TRUE RED. I want a neutral shade to complement everything that's going on in the house but I want some definition between rooms, know what I mean? Pics of the master bedroom and the kids rooms will come later. Still working on those. Also want to repaint the kitchen....but that's going to have to wait too.

Hope you enjoyed your glimpse into my home. I LOVE my house, but it's so boring and generic with the early white trash decor :) I'm SERIOUS about wanting advice and help so BRING IT!

I envy, I won't lie....

I envy all you organized, clean superfreaks out there. And I'm sad because I'm not one. But I'm working on it, because I finally cleaned my bathroom to the point where it looks BETTER than it did when we first moved in! I feel bad because my son went in there this morning and exclaimed, "Wow Mommy your bathroom looks like brand new!" And I guess I can't really set a cleanliness example, and expect my children to clean up after themselves if I don't clean up after MYSELF right? Well, I'm just resolved to change my habits. So there.

Enjoy some cute photos of the kids in the bathtub last night :

And one of my new most favorite pictures ever :

I am a friend of God, He calls me friend!

Through my life I have learned one thing : Lean on God, "Let Go and Let God..." When you give things over to Him, you still have rough patches, life still sucks now and then, but the Faith that things will get better is never gone. The warmth and caring of His loving Hands are never far away, and like any good Daddy....all you have to do is ask, and He wraps you in a warm embrace and the fears, tears, aches, and pains of this world just melt away and all that's left is Love.







A very warm and loving Thank You to those of you who are praying for us. I cannot tell you the Peace we both feel right now, just knowing there are amazing folks out there praying for us. It's humbling, awe-inspiring, and amazing. We truly realize how Blessed we are, and it's in moments like these I sing out a love song for Jesus, that He has shown Himself to us in such tremendous ways.

We'll see you guys Sunday. We both finally have a Sunday off together to go to Church!

Clarification

OK so here's the deal. I do not think I'm depressed. I believe I am living my life in the scariest place ever : the middle of God's Will. I'm just having some moments lately. There have been days when I've just wanted to scream, but I know one thing is for sure : everything is in Divine order but right now it's a scary time to be me.

I'm not really at liberty to discuss everything that's going on, but please suffice it to say this : we could really REALLY use your prayers right now. We're in a very tough spot....

Oh the places you will go

Looking back on the last ten years of my life, I'd have to say that I'm not where I thought I'd be. But where I am is a darn good place to be. Sure, life has it's ups and downs...we've got our share of problems (sometimes MORE than just OUR share), but life seems like it's headed in a direction it always needed to go...just took some time to get there!!

I want to share some stuff that's been on my heart for awhile, and I'm hoping you'll listen. But if you don't it's no big deal, it's more of a catharsis for me than anything....

I am sort of sad lately. Don't really know why, but I am. I feel like I walk around with my head in a sad cloud, and I don't know how to get out of it. Maybe it's because Michael is also depressed, or so it seems....things just seem really unhappy at our humble abode and I hate it.

Or maybe it's because I'm having to work so much I miss seeing my kids sometimes five days a week. I work twelve hour shifts, you know, so when I work I leave before they are up and I'm home after they're asleep. It's really hard on me.

I have discovered that my family adores Yo Gabba Gabba. It's the highlight of their morning!! Zoe calls it "Abba Gabba," Daniel calls it "Yo dabba dabba." And I've got "Eat yeaaah yummy yummy gonna eat yeahhh in my tummy...." in my head. It's really a very good childrens show.

And I feel guilty. I have a horrible pit of guilt right in the midst of my tummy. Over everything I've just posted and more. I guess what I'm saying is I feel guilty for wishing I wasn't having to work so much, I feel guilty for missing out on my children, and I feel guilty for being so useless sometimes.

Thanks for reading my pity party

Thoughts that creep into your brain at 0400....

1. Where did they come up with "origami" anyway??

2. KLTY plays the same ten songs over and over from about midnight on...or so it seems

3. I understand "bone tired" now

4. I need a nap

5. Man it's quiet

6. Is that someone calling for a nurse?

7. Nope, just my imagination

8. I'm hungry

9. I shouldn't eat so late

10. What a weird word "morphine" really....

11. Did I mention I need a nap?

12. Who named the numbers?

13. What day is it, anyway?

14. I need a nap

I can survive this....right???

working two night shifts in a row.....tonight and tomorrow night....7p to 7a......nervous......please pray that I don't fall asleep!!!

"DOMINOES?!?!?! The worst kind!!"

That is what Daniel said when he found out what the "little things with the color dots" are called....thought it was hilarious, and wanted to share!!!!


Michael and I say that to each other now, "DOMINOES.....the worst kind!!"

Please Pray For Baby Bennett

A friend is in need. My friend from High School, Elizabeth, has a long time family friend who needs your prayers. Here's a cut and paste from her latest blog : (PLEASE PRAY FOR BENNETT!!!!)


From Elizabeth's Blog :

Pray for Bennett
Everyone out there.....I covet your prayers. Please pray for baby Bennett and his parents, Travis and Kelly. Kelly is a life-long friend of mine....we've been friends since kindergarten. She delivered baby Bennett on Monday morning by emergency c-section due to infection, and he has had numerous complications. He is currently on ECMO, which is a heart and lung machine. It acts as his heart and lungs, giving his body a chance to heal and strengthen. This is a very scary process for a mom and dad to go through, so please lift up your heart to the Lord in prayer that he will heal little Bennett. They have two websites with updates:

http://prayingforbennett.blogspot.com

and

www.totsites.com/tot/bennettmitchell

Meet Penny Lane

Say Hi to Penny Lane, our rough coat Jack Russell Terrier Puppy :

she hates it when I make that sound....

she loves her "quackie" and her "wope"

obviously, she's a miserable puppy ;)

I found my camera!!!!

I dreamed where it was, can you believe it?!?!?!?!?!

Daniel, thinking

Zoe, plotting

Penny, dogging

10 Things I'm Thinking Right Now...and an update

1. I'm tired

2. I wish I could find my camera :(

3. I want a tattoo

4. I have popcorn stuck in my teeth

5. I have most likely the cutest puppy on the planet

6. I miss my children when I go these long days without seeing them

7. I need a vacation

8. I enjoy Hospice nursing

9. I need a shower

10. I'm tired of coughing


Now for the update :

Michael and I took a big step Sunday. We went back to Church...our Church Home. And I've got to tell you, it felt good to both of us. It's taken us awhile to be able to get back there, but it feels very good. Forgiveness is a wonderful thing, and it feels good to give the forgiveness and to get rid of the junk in our hearts. Carrying around that heavy load does something to you. So it's feeling good that we're back where we belong.

I worked at my Hospice job this week. It was an amazing experience. I met some truly wonderful people, both nursing staff and patients as well as their families. In addition, I met a truly caring and wonderful physician who is going to start taking patients at Kindred! YAY!! He's fabulous, and I was awestruck at the way he dealt with the patients and their family.

I'm working at Kindred Friday and Saturday days so if you are looking for me on those days, that's where I'll be.

Here's to overtime