Asthma is yummy.

I didn't want to forget something Mikey has said the past couple days. Both the kids are sick, and a couple times I've had to give Mikey some Tylenol for his fever. Well for some reason he keeps thinking the Tylenol is "asthma" and asks "Mommy, can I have some asthma please?" or "Do you think I should have my asthma now?"

So cute.

Thankful Thursday, Volume I.

I've never joined in on Linny's Thankful Thursdays posts before today, but got the itch to do it today. And now, 12 hours later, I am . :) I actually started this post early this afternoon. But there has been much puking in my house in the last 24 hours and I have been a little distracted with things like holding giant blue bowls under heaving mouths and washing my hands a gazillion times.


And a half.


I have many things to be thankful for everyday. My amazing family that makes me smile constantly- and laugh! My wonderful husband that works so tirelessly so that we are provided with a comfortable home and food on the table- even if it means he can never enjoy it! But here are a few things I am especially thankful for this late evening (or early morning, depending on how slow I type this).

• I am thankful for Phineas and Ferb. Because without them today, my sick babies would have been quite bored. And I can honestly say this is the first day I can ever remember having the TV on all day long, without a break. 
• I am so thankful for chocolate chips. And that gigantic bag of them I get at Sam's Club every so often. A handful of those or twelve really hit the spot when that sweets craving hits. 
• Consequently, I am thankful for Tony Horton and P90X. Kind of goes hand in hand with #2.
• I am incredibly thankful that our car is paid off! 6 years after getting our car and it's still going strong- it may not be the prettiest thing on the road, but I LOVE not forking out that $450 a month anymore!
• And right now, I'm thankful for late-night TV. I've become quite the night owl the past several months, staying up as late as 2:30am on the rare occasion. Of course this may not sound too late to a lot of folks, but I get up with my hubby at 7am and Mama needs more sleep than that. But nonetheless, I'm thankful for the Golden Girls to help me get through the night as surf the web.

Speaking of which, gotta get to bed now. The rest of my family is all in my room right now (both kids on mattresses on the floor since they're sick) and are snoring away. 

We're carnival folk.

Today is such a beautiful day! And, true to California norm, some of our most gorgeous days don't always wake up that way. In fact I couldn't even climb out of bed this morning because it was so gray and gloomy out! But it burned off and now we are left with an amazing 70 degree, sun-shining, birds-chirping kind of day. I guess, as is true with each of us, God even has to peel away the ugliness of our mornings to get to the real beauty. :)

We had such an awesome weekend! Well, Monday anyway. Big Hunk had to work both Saturday & Sunday, so those days were pretty darn uneventful- as are most days he's not around. Just some lounging around the house and pretending to accomplish things. But yesterday, a local children's home had their annual Memorial Day carnival. We had never even gone (or even heard of this home before as we're new to the area) so I didn't know quite what to expect. I checked out the children's home online a few days ago, and was so pleased to find out it was a Christian home for numerous abused & neglected kids from all over California. And we had an absolute blast!! Everything was free. Games, food, drinks, jumpers- EVERYTHING.

And let me say, it is totally against our nature to accept things for free! It felt so weird walking around being able to grab a complete lunch or let the kids play games (and win cool prizes, nonetheless) or get some yummy cotton candy all for free! I didn't know what to do! But we had so much fun and didn't want to leave. We all played tons of games (enough to win the kids each the tickets needed to get the prizes they wanted), ate a delicious lunch, had cotton candy (ahem, before lunch- I'll blame that on the kids!), and even got to tour one of the cottages on the property & the school as well. We ended our day checking out the fire engine from our local fire station (yellow!) and took a sno-cone for the drive. It was a great day. We were there about 3 1/2 hours, then headed home to lounge around for the Phineas and Ferb marathon (Mike & Ike's new favorite show).

If I were a goat, I'd totally wear a purple tutu.

Concentrating SO hard!

Spotted Daddy coming to tickle

Trying to challenge Mikey to a chickenfight. Didn't work.

This lady had these awesome therapy dogs there. This one weighed 121 lbs. Beautiful.

I like to find the most UNflattering pictures of myself. Just to keep it real.

I've got sunshine...

 

*photographed by Keely Scott

Today was an awesome day for me.

A few weeks ago, a group of bloggers all took a trip with Compassion International to India. They blogged and photographed the entire trip, revealing not only how Compassion can touch the life of a child, but also the extreme poverty in which these children live. I think we all have a picture of what it might look like in our minds, but we really never fully comprehend what their lives are like. I'm sure a part of us doesn't always want to know.

Well I followed those blogs and felt like I was there. Or as close as I could get from my comfy chair in my air-conditioned home.

God spoke to me. Not just once. Everyday. He spoke to me, and has continued to speak to me everyday since. I knew I needed to sponsor a child. And really, what is $32 a month?? One dinner out with the family? A couple trips to the fast food joint? 8 coffees at that one place? (Yes. Pretty pathetic. Making a HUGE difference in a child's life costs the same as 8 coffees.) How many times have we chosen those coffees over that kid?

But anyway, because of how things have been going for us lately, Big Hunk was just a little distracted. You know, with working his tail off 60 hours a week and barely having time to spend with his family. So it just was another thing on the long list of items needing his attention. And I dared not nag. ;) But I prayed. And prayed. I prayed everyday that God would do a work on BH's heart and that without me saying a word (okay, maybe just a couple), he would come to me and tell me we could sponsor a child.

I know my husband. He never tells me no simply to be a jerk. Never. He only tells me no when a.) we truly can't do it, or b.) he just has too much on his mind and has to let everything process. I knew he would never say no to sponsoring a child. I mean really- who would do that? I just simply had a hard time waiting! But this poor man has been SO overwhelmed lately that he can't even think straight. Now I won't lie and act like I never said a word about it and just let God do His thing. Unfortunately I am an expert on saying too much, and this was no exception. But my sweet man just kept telling me to hold on. I knew it could be weeks (or months) before he felt we were financially straight enough to afford yet another expense.

So today when I checked out the Living Proof blog and saw that 900 kids had been sponsored through Compassion simply from the India bloggers trip, I was stoked! On top of that, Compassion had JUST sponsored their 1 millionth child. How awesome is that?! So I copied and pasted that LP link and sent it to Big Hunk- just to show him what God is doing. But as I continued to read the blog, I realized that Living Proof was actually offering TEN scholarships to sponsor a child! Offering ten people, who have wanted to sponsor one but couldn't afford it, the chance to be a sponsor to a child in East India. To write letters and send photographs- to be Jesus in the flesh for someone they'd never met. Needless to say, I typed faster than my little fingers ever have, and I entered. Did I mention they were only leaving the contest open for 1 hour?

But you know what? I won.

I won!!!!

When I saw my name I screamed so loud "thank you God!!" and was immediately in tears. I told the kids "God answered my prayer!!" and relayed to them what had just happened. I was, and am, so ecstatic!! I've been on Cloud 9.

God always answers prayers. It just may sometimes be a "no" or we are too consumed in ourselves and our own lives to even see His work. But today, I saw His work.

I am so thrilled to go to bed tonight, praying for that boy or girl that will be our sponsored child. That we will watch grow up and communicate with and share the love of Jesus with.

Today has been a good, good day.

Letting it go.

A sweet little girl named Kayleigh made our ordinary Sunday into something special. Today, at 1pm in North Carolina, Kayleigh's family held her memorial service. Oh how I wish I could have been there. To hear firsthand from all the people whose lives Kayleigh had touched. But, knowing all those who love Kayleigh around the world would want to do something, a balloon release was organized. At 4pm Eastern (1pm here in Cali), pink balloons were released all over the world in memory of sweet baby Kayleigh.

What a precious, precious baby girl. I can't wait to meet her one day.

You look like a monkey...

I feel like I've run into a wall today. We had such a busy morning/early afternoon that once I'm allowed to stop (or at least pause, since my whole house needs a little help) I just want to pass out.

We went to the zoo last Saturday as our last school field trip of the year, and it was SO fun. I really had a blast. We were there for 8 hours (not counting the 3 hours total spent in the car) and we were all wiped out, but I don't think the day could have been better. I won't bore you with all the details because I'm just so nice, but here are some cool pics from the day.

Some baby ducklings and their horribly ugly mama.

Two lions really not happy with all the attention. The one on the left had her eye all tore up.

We found this egg (and dead bird) directly outside one of the birdcages. Sad.

Polar bear. And the next? A polar bear.

A bobcat.

Not a care in the world.

Okapi. Very cool looking animal.

We named him Timon. We're super creative.

I have a theory pandas don't have a problem just lettin it all hang out. Just a hunch.

Need something pretty to distract me from the panda innards.

Okay. That's better.

Quite possibly my favorite photo of the day.

The zoo had a new baby giraffe that I was SO excited to see. Turns out when I got there, I couldn't care less. Because this beauty was staring back at me.

Okay, enough pictures.

I think I have about a gazillion more, but I won't bore you. And I am too lazy to edit the rest.

No words.

I am so heavy hearted right now. No, maybe just brokenhearted. Kayleigh, the one pound miracle that I have just grown to love, has joined her Saviour in a place more beautiful than we could ever, ever imagine.

Please please pray for Kayleigh's parents, and her brother & sister. We could never comprehend what they are going through, and they need the Lord's strength more than ever. They had been preparing for the day they got to bring her home for the first time; instead they are now preparing a memorial service. And even more, keep them in your prayers in the coming weeks and months, as Kayleigh's first birthday approaches and everyone else gets back to the hustle and bustle of life.

We love you Kayleigh. Even though I never got to meet you, God was made more real to me by knowing you.

She Colors My Day

I love love Amy Grant. I always have. She is such a timeless piece of Christian music and her music, especially her older songs that I've listened to for years (hello, El Shaddai! One of the best songs ever!), always take me right to the foot of the cross.

So I was thrilled when I learned she has released a new EP. Check it out here! I love all of the songs, but I have to say Unafraid is my favorite. It's such a BEAUTIFUL song about parenting on your knees, and being on those knees even long after your kids are grown. So what I need on these days when parenting seems like a nightmare and my kids will never hear a word I say. (Okay, half joking. I know they hear me when I say words like "spanking" or "Xbox" or "candy". Their ears really perk up then.)

There are so many musical artists I just adore and whom hold a special place in my heart (music is my love language). Amy Grant is totally one of them. I adore her and it's so amazing how someone you've never met can feel like a sister that you've known all your life and has played such a special part in your faith and relationship with God.

No spiders in Heaven

Every time little Ikey prays, she usually says something like "and we love (wuv) God, and we love Mary & Joseph, and we love baby Jesus." Somewhere along the lines, I think she has forgotten the part of the story where Jesus actually grows up because in her mind, he is still baby Jesus.

Well on Wednesday nights the kids have Awana. (Side note: I know I've probably never talked about Awana before on here, but I just love that organization! In a nutshell, it's a sort of discipleship program for kids starting at age 3 and going up even through high school. Mikey has been in Awana since he was 4, and Ikey started last year, when she was 3. It is so cute listening to her little voice recite her verses!)

So anyway, we had a busy night last night- Wednesdays always are. Right after the kids ate dinner (their Awana usual of scrambled eggs) I told Ike that she needed to work on the picture that goes along with this week's memory verse. Yeah. She only has Awana once a week, yet I can't find time to work on it with her until 30 minutes before we leave. I'm awesome like that. (For the record, she had already memorized her verse. So I'm only half-unawesome.)

Well she had to draw 3 pictures of things she might see in Heaven. She stopped me in my tracks when I saw her sweet pictures.

First, she drew the streets of gold (or in this case, red. Because you don't mess with a girl's color choices).

 

Now at first glance I thought this next one was a present (which I still thought was pretty good. You know, we'll have the presence of Jesus. Get it?). But if you look closely, it's an angel. With cute little wings. And a gown.

 

 

And I saved this one for last because it's my very favorite. It's baby Jesus.You really have to look at it (and have play-by-play commentary from a 4 year old) because at first I thought it was a spider. And I'm sorry Jesus, but if Heaven has spiders, I'm not sure I want a part of that. Thankfully though, the spider creature was actually baby Jesus in his manger. 

I love my baby girl.

Lots of words *Edited*

Seriously? Almost Wednesday already?? Scratch that. It's 12:03am so the Wednesday train is already here.

Big Hunk has been off Sundays & Mondays so it really throws me off on my days of the week! It's a good thing I don't have days of the week underwear or I'd be wearing the wrong pair and things would really get ugly.

I don't even know what that last sentence means. Let's just pretend it never happened.

I had the BEST time last Thursday with my friend at the spa. My gracious, how I love that place. After a week of questionable weather, it turned out to be the most gorgeous day (probably a good 80*) and sooooo relaxing. My sister had already agreed to watch Mike & Ike for me, so I headed out to her house first to drop them off, and then headed to the closest thing to Paradise this world has to offer. Well, if you don't count the torture of stick figure 20-somethings walking around in bikinis to remind you of what once was, and will never be again. I'm pretty sure that is something "the other place" has to offer. Yes, gravity surely is a product of the devil.

As I was saying, it was wonderful. We had a delicious lunch (and I'm not above admitting that I didn't eat my normal trough-full amount since I was in a bathing suit), took a dip in the mud then laid out in the sun for a good while. There was great conversation and I am so blessed to have a friend that provides me with true godly fellowship as well as having lots in common. I can't wait to go back. Whaddya say Laura? Tomorrow?

I am totally, unforgivably boring lately. My poor little life consists of a rampant Dancing With the Stars obsession, multiple (okay hundreds) of games of WordTwist on Facebook, and a messy house. I can't be certain, but I think they may all be related.

Oh. And dog pee. And poo. My life definitely revolves around lots of paper towels and Woolite carpet cleaner.

See? I lied. My life is pure excitement people. I'm livin the dream.

So before my head hits the pillow, just wanted to share a couple things on my mind, and ask for your prayers. Perhaps the reason for the brainfarts in the blogging department is that my heart is just so burdened. Surely my need to watch men in tights fifty (trillion) times is so insignificant to all the Real Life happening out there. (But skip to 3:00 on the clock if you want to waste your life too. It's pure awesome.)

• Please please pray for a miracle. Kayleigh is still fighing for her life and it's not too late for a miracle. Our God is the god of miracles and moving mountains, and I won't stop praying for her!! Here is a link to Aimee & Adam's most recent post, as well as a little overview of all she's battled in her ten months of life. So amazing that one little precious person could go through so much in such a short time. Please pray for a miraculous healing and for her parents & siblings as they go through the unimaginable.
• Baby Gaines was born April 24th at just over 29 weeks. He is making great progress but, as you can imagine, he needs our prayers! Please pray for continued progress (please check the blog for specific terms), guidance and wisdom for the doctors & nursing staff, and for Gaines' parents, Beau & Brittany. All a new mommy & daddy want to do is hold and love on their baby, and I can't imagine the pain of not being able to. Yet. The day will come soon!

Well, the husband is getting irritated with me because I'm still up (it's 12:36am now). Considering I have to be up in 6 hours, I suppose he has a point.

**Thursday, May 7 Edited to add:
Please pray for Preston Loyd. I believe he is about 5 years old, and a couple weeks ago he was in a horrific lawnmower accident. He has had multiple injuries and will be woken up by the doctors in the next few days. Please pray for no brain injury and healing for his other injuries!!