My "nephew" is here!

"On April 7, my best friend Sherri is due to have a baby.


And as the official labor coach, I have to tell you, we've been planning that birth day for months now.

I've blocked off my entire Spring Break next week to spend with her. We've learned at least a dozen ways to induce her labor naturally. We've rehearsed positive statements to help her survive the contractions. We've planned the meals we're going to eat before, during and after her delivery.

I even know the exact nightgown she wants to wear after her son is born.

We are ready.

But not as ready as her little baby boy.

Because the little stinker went ahead and blew our plans right out of the water...."

Click here to read the rest of Brittany's story!

I ♥ Faces

To see this photo in color click here.

An evening of pampering...

The sweet ladies in our class organized and treated the five of us moms to a special spa evening! They said they wanted to give us an evening to just relax with no responsibilities.
It was such a perfect evening! They did such a good job!

As we walked into the house we were greeted with soothing music, lovely lighting from candles and a beautifully set table with "girl food" and tea cups!

Are those chocolate covered strawberries!?

I've died and gone to heaven!

There were three stations set up...

We got to relax with a warm foot soak and then Megan and Carla gave amazing foot rubs!

None of us wanted to walk after that, our feet were so relaxed. =)

Jamie did a wonderful job painting our nails.

Alana and Melissa gave some killer backrubs!

Thanks girls for blessing us moms in this special way. And thank you to the dads who stayed home and watched the kiddos on Friday night. =)

Thanks SO much for praying!

You guys are the best! Thank you all for praying for my mom this week while she was in the hospital. I wanted to pass on this email from my mom...

"The cup of my heart is overflowing with gratefulness for your love and prayers; for your calls; for your visits while I was in the hospital!

I was released yesterday afternoon (Friday) and am now back home - housebound for a week - and yet supposed to follow up within the week by going to several doctors to continue seeking the cause for the blood clot - in order to determine my ongoing treatment. So would appreciate your continued prayers.

God gave me many wonderful opportunities to share Christ while I was in the hospital! Yesterday morning - my third and last day - God sent a student nurse who spent an hour and a half with me. During that time, there were no interruptions! Amazing for a hospital! No nurses, technicians, housekeepers (who clean), doctors, tests, phone calls or visitors! But not amazing for our great God who is concerned for every eternal soul and wants each to be saved (after all, He died for them)! Was also able to give All That The Prophets Have Spoken to my Muslim doctor who accepted it. Please, pray for eternal fruit from the seeds that have been planted.


Thanking God for you!"

Esther

And one from my sister...

"The Lord chose to answer all our prayers with a YES!! Mom is home from the hospital! The upper body scan ruled out any more clots. She was discharged Fri. 3/26! J How long she will need to be on blood thinner will depend on the lab results & Dr visits this week. She’s on light activity. Which for mom, being such a busy lady, will be tough.
We are still awaiting some blood work results that will take a week. They said, since they have yet to find a cause they need to rule out cancer…So she will be having many more Dr appointments. Pray for a clean bill of health in the coming days.
When you pray for others or yourself How do you pray? In vague, general terms?


I want to encourage you, dear friends, that you can be specific in prayer! God cares about details. Here are some examples of answered prayer: Most people realize it’s hard to sleep in hospitals. So Andrew & I prayed that mom would get extra sleep… Which she was able to get because she had a nice nurse. We also prayed she’d be showered with love & care through calls and visits. Mom chocked up on the phone today saying “my cup overflows” when sharing about the shower of blessings from others. About witnessing - She spent an uninterrupted 1 ½ hrs sharing the gospel with a student nurse!! Thank you one & all for the outpouring of concern for mom. Thank you to those that have called or visited her What a blessing you have been <3


Abide in Him"
 
Crystal

A Request for my Mama...

My mom and sister last summer.

My dear mama is in the hospital with a blood clot in her leg.

They say if it was found in her upper body it could have lodged in the heart or brain. Since it’s in her leg if it migrates it will go to her lungs. 

She'll have to be in the hospital for a few days until the clot dissolves.

Even though she's anxious to get out of the hospital she is seeing this stay there as where the Lord wants her right now and is using the oppourtunities to talk to the doctors and nurses about the Lord.

Thank you for your prayers!!

Wordless Wednesday- Elijah the Astronaut

Lookin' Up!

Elijah
May 2007

(15 months old)

 

This week’s photo challenge theme is: “Focusing on Angles”

Let if Fade

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

- Luke 12:34

So often i find myself holding onto the things other than the Lord. My heart finds treasure in my marriage, my little blue walled house with the roses out front, our savings (or my heart stresses with the lack there of), a job.

These may be good things but will they keep my focus in the right place? Will they keep my heart secure and strong when hard times come?

Our hearts can so easily be swayed when our eyes aren't on the Lord.
Earlier in the chapter God tells us not to worry about these things. He says He knows what we need and He promises to provide what we need.

Check out God's track record in keeping promises. I challange you to find one time that He broke His promise! You won't be able to find it because He never has! Not even once!

God doesn't change. So when He promises this time to take care of those who seek after Him, what do you think He will do? =)

I'm praying that I'll desire the Lord and seek after Him as my treasure and not the things in this life that will fade.

"Have you been walking on a surface that's uncertain?

Have you helped yourself to everything that's empty?

You can't live this way too long.

There's more than this, more than this.

Have you been standing on your own feet too long?

Have you been looking for a place where you belong?

You can rest, you will find rest.

Let this old life crumble, let it fade.

Let this new life offer be your saving grace.

Let this old life crumble, let it fade, let it fade.

 

Have you been holding on to what this world has offered?

Have you been giving in to all these masquerades?

It will be gone, forever gone.

Let this old life crumble, let it fade.

Let this new life offer be your saving grace.

Let this old life crumble, let it fade, let it fade.

 

Are you carrying the weight too much? running from the call?

 

You can rest, you will find rest.

 

Let this old life crumble, let it fade.

Let this new life offered be your saving grace.

Let this old life crumble, let it fade, let it fade."

- Jeremy Camp

The Blue is Back!

It's been a dull gray in the Ozarks this week. But today, oh today is beautiful!

Elijah and his daddy just called me to tell me they're "stuck way out here on the lake". They sounded pretty pleased about it too! Although I could hear Big E in the background... "I'm hungry, Daddy!" So they may be paddleing their way home soon. =)





Have a great weekend!

Irish Potato Bread

Pinch! if you're not wearing green today! =)

Happy St. Patrick's Day, my friends!

Elijah is looking all serious and green in his new shirt from Carrie.

(photo courtesy of Carrie)

In honor of St Paddy's day I wanted to share a recipe my mother in law taught me the summer (2007) we visted Geoff's family in Northern Ireland.

Irish Potato Bread

(It's gluten free!)

Ingredients

4 potatoes

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon butter

Directions

Please note the above ingredients are approximate. Potato Bread is best made while potatoes are still hot.

Peel and boil potatoes until tender.

While hot, mash potatoes well with salt and butter.

Gradually work in flour in smaller increments until a soft dough forms. Dough should be a little tacky but workable.

Turn out onto floured surface and knead for about 1 minute.

Divide and roll into a circular shape about 9" and 1/4" thick.

Cut into 6 or 8 'farls' (wedges).

Grill in a hot, greased griddle or pan until well browned on both sides.

Geoff testing out the results.

Back on this side of the ocean...

Doesn't this look relaxing?

I know I could do with a quiet moment in a boat right now.

(photo from Carrie again!)

We're looking forward to having dinner with this guy and his wife tonight!

Enjoy the rest of your Wednesday!

Laughter

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Bundled Up

Anna

Peek a Boo Puzzle

Ebeanstalk is a website dedicated to selecting great toys for 1 year olds and toys for 2 year olds. They have a team of moms and a team of child experts that help them pick out toys by age, so you can be sure your child gets toys that have been specifically matched to his or her age!

I was sent this fun Peek a Boo Animal Puzzle to see if my boys would enjoy it.

"Children will love matching each of the twelve animal grown-ups with the appropriate home or habitat.

Once the puzzle is complete, a special surprise awaits them as they open a "magic door" to reveal a baby animal!
For added fun, the animals can be separated into three distinct groups: household pets, safari animals and farmyard favorites."

Ethan was mainly intereseted in the pieces as a new chew toy. Elijah on the other hand enjoyed matching the mommy animals with their babies and opening the door to find the baby animals. I think it's really cute.

The pieces are good quality and come in a sturdy bucket for easy clean up!

Wordless Wednesday

My Boys

What a beautiful day we enjoyed yesterday! The weather was only one degree cooler than Florida! It felt so nice! The boys and I spent a good part of the afternoon outside enjoying the sunshine.

It's a little boys dream around here! There's the lake, canoes, the woods, the creek, lots of playgrounds and swings.

Elijah was so sweet last night. He decided he wanted to cut some carrot sticks for me to take to class. So he pulled three carrots out of the fridge, got the chopping board out and chopped them up! He even put them in a zip lock baggy and put them in the fridge! He wouldn't let me eat them last night because they "are fo kwass".

As I was leaving for school this morning he asked to make sure I had my bag of carrot sticks with me! What a guy! =)

"Jump for Joy"

 

 My sister Crystal Joy jumping for joy in her wedding dress!

What makes you jump for joy?

Snap a picture of it and join in the fun at I ♥ Faces today!

An Award and A Winner!

My blogging friend Moya in Jamaica gave me this lovely award! Thanks so much Moya!
So here are the rules:- List 10 things that make you happy. Tag 10 bloggers that brighten your day and link back to the person that tagged you. So Here goes my list:)

My boys

Quiet Times

Chai

Snow Days

Sunshine

Taking Pictures

Blogging

Sleep

Reading

ELink

Each and every one of my readers makes me happy and your comments brighten my day! =) So if you're reading this I give you this award!

Also the winner of the digital thermometer is Mrs. Rabe!!! Click on the picture below to visit Creekside Cottage!

We're all pretty miserable in our house right now. The fever and cough started with Elijah and soon spread to Ethan and I. Yesterday we found out Ethan has an ear infection as well. So he's pretty miserable!

The reason we took Ethan to the doctor yesterday was to get his belly button checked. It's been red and leaky ever since his cord fell off after he was born over a year ago!

We really like our new doctor and she took our concerns seriously. "Congratulations" she said as she came back in the room. "You made me get out my medical textbook." She showed us that she's thinking it's an "umbilical pryor". Because of his age and the fact that it's been "weepy" this whole time she's recommended we take Ethan to Columbia to get a specialist to look at it and see what needs to be done.

Thanks for your prayers and interest in our family. We appriciate you so much!

"From there to here, and here to there, funny things are everywhere."

My little Elijah reminds me of a Dr. Seuss character here!

Did you know that yesterday was Dr. Seuss' 106th birthday?

"Hilarious Outtakes" Photo Challenge

Another picture from Jesse and Sherri's photo shoot!