Puppy, Beads, and of course... Mud...

Check out the smiles... it will be nice to have a good dog around again. We had a dog just like this 2 years ago. It ran away, and began our saga of, oh, what was it? 4 or 6 dogs that either ran away or died, or didn't work out. This one's name is Jack.

He's on my lap right now, whining to get down and go to the kids. He as fallen in love with them in the few short hours we have had him. And so far he hasn't peed on the floor! Pray for protection over this dog!

Even Zach is enjoying him!

Beads...

I had to redo the back of Kiahna's head on Sunday. It was too fuzzy. And I learned to put in beads! I am planning to order more soon, and I have been learning alot online about doing other things with her hair! Look for exciting stuff coming soon!!! I HOPE!!!

These are from last Friday... I was determined to keep some of Kiahna's flip flops clean enough for good... they did clean up nice! But, I wasn't happy with them!

Remember how cute these were when I bought them! I have been trying to keep them up so she can't wear them like this! They climbed and got them! The third pair is Hallies.

Ahhh... the peacefulness of a quiet house after a long day... think I'll go make some tea...

Peace

The sunrise this morning. I was planning to blog this to you all... tell you how the sun came up again today, even after a hard blow yesterday. And it did come up. Today was tough. I wrestled with many doubts and fears. Negativity was trying to take hold of me. And then there was Kiahna's hair in the midst! Once you start that hair, you can't quit... it just gets so tangled!!

Here is the style I put in today. It is very cute now, but not near as tight as I wanted it to be in the back. I am afraid it is going to look fuzzy in a day or so.

I have to share her hair styles! They take so much work and so much time! I don't know how long this took today, it is a process... taking out the old... oh, I took a picture of it out for you today too!! It is POOFY!!

Washing it, parting it, braiding it, rebraiding it when it doesn't do what you want!!

The day has ended in peace. Tonight was busy. The kids were home alone for much of the time. The house was a disaster when I got home. I didn't lose it, but it was close! They cleaned it up! Leah made this to take to school tomorrow...

It's in a glass pan. She is taking it to school. Mom wasn't home to help.

Got to study vocab with Zach...

Thanks for the prayers today!

Something I keep forgetting about posting...

Of course in the midst of my busy day, I should blog... good idea huh?? As a matter of fact, the laundry IS caught up, the dishes ARE put away, and so i do have a moment! NOW THAT IS A MIRACLE!!!

I keep forgetting to show you a few pictures... this first one is taken on the trip home at an exit in Southern Georgia... all that was there is a gas station and this little building...

Here is a closer up...

Let me know if you can't read that. I thought is was pretty cool!

Right before we saw this we were at Taco Bell. Dad said, look at that guy's shirt behind you. It said House Of Hope Northeast Indiana. That was pretty neat. The guy was from Portland, and had helped build the back porch.

I guess I'd better go now!

Spring in Indiana

Of course it is Spring... it is 70 today and should be 40 and snowing by the end of the week... welcome to spring in Indiana! The grass has gotten so green since we got home from Florida... not too many buds visible on the trees yet, but they are slowing coming...

Maybe this year, Jadon and Kiahna won't pick all my tulips for me when they come up? Maybe?? One can dream, right???

The baseball equipment all came out today... and litters the yard... along with the tricycles...

Why should outside clean up be any better than inside clean up??!!

\

Thought some of you city girls might enjoy this! See Jadon waving? They are training the horses to pull buggies. Once, last year the buggy went by with a horse tied to the back, and all of the sudden the horse came back running all alone! EEK!

What happens to pumpkins over the winter. Nice huh. Time to work outside. I did pick up some sticks tonight! It was so nice out! And we are protected from the wind!

Notice how she is holding the bat! She actually tried hitting that way too!

That is better, and it is a much lighter bat!

Jadon is ready to play now! Next year he will be old enough... He can't wait!

And James running hurdles in the track meet last week...

Yes, spring is here... how many muddy socks have you washed today????

The Good News Is...

When we woke up this morning the house was warm... because of the wood burner... and the possum is gone. I tried lighting the gas stove last night, and it won't light either. So I am thinking we might be out of propane gas.

THANK YOU JESUS FOR TAKING CARE OF THIS FOR US!!

More good news... I found the mail I lost. Well, I realized I lost one thing, a check someone sent me. What I didn't realize was that I also lost my phone bill and an invitation I needed. The bad news is that they are all a little wet and stained with coffee grounds, because I had to dig down to the bottom of the trash can to retrieve them.

Now, I would love to blame my children for this crime. But, my children never throw away a blessed thing unless they are told... so I am pretty sure I didn't tell any of them to throw away the phone bill, my invitation, or this check. So, I guess it was me. Oops.

THANK YOU JESUS THAT I FOUND IT BEFORE THE TRASH MAN COMES TODAY!

Yesterday I did Kiahna's hair again. A friend told me I need to find a salon to take her to. She happens to live near a beauty college that does AA hair. Easy for her to say!! Hee, Hee!!

It only took me an hour to do this yesterday. She is so good for me. She actually stood on the stool, drowning her dolls and all the hair supplies in the sink and covering herself and the floor, counter, and mirror with water... but she never complained! She is so good!

Now if I could get her to cooperate like that with going potty in the toilet.

Rest...

Tonight I want to remember what it is to rest... the Bible says that all who are weary should come to Him and He will give us rest...

As I try to get back into life... after a very restful vacation... I don't want to be crazy busy and overwhelmed... I don't want to be frustrated and tired... I don't want to worry or doubt and fear... but tonight the furnace isn't working and there is a possum in the window well... and I just want to go back here...

I read the book by Stasi Eldredge Your Captivating Heart while I was in Florida last week... here are some quotes...

"See, the Beast is alive in this Beauty. And like the Beast in the classic fairy tale, I need to be transformed. Lucky for me, lucky for all of us, that is exactly what Jesus came to do. And exactly what happens when my soul finds it's rest in the love of God."

"My soul finds it's rest in the love of God"... I read it over and over again. I wanted it to sink in... I wanted to get it... I wanted to live it... I wanted to believe it... A few days later I read more...

"There is a rhythm to life. Every day we wake, and every night we sleep. The heart beats, then rests. It beats, then rests. For every beat there is a rest. O, that I would live like this in the rhythm of my heart. Yes, love and give... and then pull away for awhile. By all means, work hard... then play. Battle cannot be avoided... but let me seize the rest when I can.

And here is a secret. Women are at their most beautiful when they are at rest. Not striving. Not grasping. Not fearful. But resting. And we can be at rest too, at rest in the love of God. Zephaniah assures us, 'He will quiet you with his love' (3:17) God is saying, all is well, it's going to be alright. I have you. I love you. I will never leave you or abandon you. You are my delight. You are mine. In the great heart of God there is room for us to lie down and rest."

I guess her heart was saying the same thing mine was... now the miracle comes in living that in the days we are not on vacation... when there are appointments, car pools, groceries to buy, meals to make, (or at least stick in the oven), hair to do, (it took me 5 hours to take out Kiahna's braids yesterday), events to attend, laundry to fold... and don't forget possums and furnaces to tend to...

In my mind I am going here... and Jesus is here... and how did Stasi put that... there is room for me to lie down and rest...

Just like I hold my sleeping children... God is holding me... Last night in our counseling session, I was told that God has seen all of my pain... and that He has cried with me just as Jesus cried with Mary and Martha at Lazarus' tomb... I believe that... I find such peace in that... even though the furnace hasn't kicked in and that possum is still there... I started a fire, it is April, and that little baby possum will leave soon once our cats find him... I hope!

Dad and Mom on the last night.

I love the Gulf, purely for the sunsets...

Psalm 19: 1-4 Message

God's glory is on tour in the skies, God-craft on exhibit across the horizon.
Madame Day holds classes every morning,
Professor Night lectures each evening.
Their words aren't heard,
their voices aren't recorded,
But their silence fills the earth:
unspoken truth is spoken everywhere.

Can't Leave These Two Out!!!

I guess I haven't featured Lucas and Jadon yet! Lucas, who can't seem to make a natural smile for me in the camera... and Jadon who is so photogenic it is amazing... Gotta love 'em!!

Lucas...

That is a good one!

ROFL!!!

See...I told you!!

Jadon...

I am still trying to upload all the pictures onto Shutterfly... I took so many. I came home with 450 on my camera. I was taking off the bad ones as I went even! So, now I am trying to narrow them down a little more yet! Too many cute kids to delete!!

I have to share with you the story of the starfish... I am sure you have heard the poem about the child who was on the beach throwing the starfish back into the ocean... and the man walks up and tells the child that what he is doing is pointless... there are just too many starfish... and the child throws the starfish that is in his hand back into the ocean and says... "it matters to that one"... My friend wrote a song about her adopted son, calling him "my little starfish"... I'll have to get the words and her permission to share them. Jadon and I were walking the beach, suddenly a starfish washed up by our feet. He picked it up, it was still living... we took it to the pool to show the others, it soon died. I didn't know what he did with it after that... yesterday he told me that he threw it back in the ocean...

THANK YOU GOD FOR CHILDREN... FOR THE JOY OF BEING ON VACATION WITH THEM. GETTING AWAY FROM THE BUSYNESS OF LIFE AND BEING ALLOWED TO CAPTURE MOMENTS IN TIME THAT WILL NEVER RETURN AGAIN... ON CAMERA... IN WORDS... AND IN MY MIND... THANK YOU FOR JADON AND KIAHNA... MY TWO LITTLE STARFISH... AND THANK YOU FOR JAMES, ZACH, LEAH, AND LUCAS... BLESS THEM DEAR LORD. AND MAY THEY GROW STRONG AND MIGHTY FOR YOUR SERVICE, IN JESUS NAME.