Life

**Sometimes I hesitate to share sad stuff on here. I feel like I have to have funny, good stories all the time. But, it's my blog and the last few days have been difficult and I want to write about it! Funny ones will follow, I promise:).

It really is a sad world we live in. There is so much beauty, so much grace. But so much pain. Deep, bone crushing pain. How in the world do we make it? How do we cope when friends' marriages crumble? When young mothers and babies are killed in car accidents? How in the world do we not succumb to depression and despair? We have to find the beauty. We have to see the grace. We must remember there is a home waiting where there is no more sadness. Where our bodies are whole and cancer is not a word. Where relationships are never broken. And sin is no more. We have to be thankful in all things. I'm not sure I know how to do that. I am trying.

Today, I'm thankful for this face.

And oh, so thankful for this one.

I'm thankful that this one needs Zyrtec and Nasonex and not chemotherapy.

We celebrated communion this past Sunday at church. I was overwhelmed with sorrow for these friends and family of mine that are struggling. And I remembered that Jesus took on the sickness of the WHOLE WORLD. My soul feels like this over a few! Can you fathom his anguish over the world? I really do long for home. I long for that wholeness. Until then, I will continue, in His power, to see the beauty and the grace and the good. I will give thanks to Him. I will not try to understand His ways. I will try not to ask Why? And I'll pray that He will come quickly...

Camel Allergies

It's been another fun week around here. We are still enjoying lots of time outside playing. I have started doing Elle's morning school session at 8:00 {mostly still in pajamas} and that has helped things go a bit more smoothly. Reese is not quite as clingy and needy at 8:00 as he is at 9:30. They are all begging to go outside by then!

We celebrated Elle's 100th day of school. She could eat 100 cherries. She would like 100 flowers. She can count to 100. She has seen 100 bees. And she just might have 100 allergies.

We subjected her to this torture again:

And the results were similar to 3 years ago. She had an excellent year of health in 2010, not having a single sick pediatrician visit, but the allergens here are a bit more than she can handle on her own. All that means is that she needs to be back on the two allergy medications daily. A few weeks ago, she asked if she could be tested again to see if she was still allergic to "cats, dogs and camels" because she thought she might want a pet. I'm still not sure how she knows she's allergic to camels. The biggest whelps on her back are the two cat ones. The other big ones are dog and cedar trees. There were several reactions to some weeds, grasses and molds. Thankfully for my housekeeping, dust was not one. Unfortunately, she had to be off her medicines all week and she is paying for it with a severely congested, runny nose and cough.

I know some of my family and friends think I am an animal hater. I am not. I think animals are great and amazing creations. If you want to have animals, that is awesome. But if I don't let my daughter pet your animals or let them lick her face, this is why. I thank you for understanding:).

I have to say that she was incredibly brave. We prayed together before we went in and God was gracious. She sat in my lap with her arms around me, bare back braced for the pain. The anticipation got her and she cried and begged not to do it. But when the nurse actually started, Elle said quietly with each prick, "Ow... Ow... Ow... Ow...". Later, she said the itching afterwards was the worst part.

We are going to California Yogurt Craze this afternoon as her reward for being so brave. Happy weekend!

Outside My Window

It's been a fun and beautiful week. This is what I see out of my window as we sit down to eat breakfast every morning. Ridiculously beautiful. I've always thought these trees were magnificent, and now I have an enormous one in my front yard. I'm thankful for spring, flowers, and green.

We had some friends over to play this week. We went over to the same friends house and had dinner. We met some other friends at the playground. We learned about kangaroos. We read some great books. We colored and played games. I'm thankful for the fun and freedom in homeschooling. I'm thankful we can learn together.

My aunt came over and stayed with the kids so I could go to the grocery store by myself. She and Elle did a little bean alphabet work. I am very thankful for her and the way she loves us. {They only did the letters we've covered in school, so that's why some are missing!}

We did a little shopping for spring clothes. We rode the carousel at the mall. Elle bought chocolate milk all by herself at the Chick-fil-A counter. She was so proud. I'm thankful we have the means to do these things and enjoy them.

We listened to the birds sing their sweet melodies. We watched the squirrels scamper along the fence. Grady and I practiced passing the basketball. Elle rode her bike around the backyard. Steven's parents came and spent the day with us. I'm thankful for creation and the senses to enjoy it. I'm thankful for family that loves us and drives to spend time with us.

We also have enjoyed our church's missions conference over the course of the weekend. The one and only Steve Brown is the keynote speaker. Those of you who are familiar with him know how wonderfully the Lord uses him. And the missionaries here. God stirs my heart and my emotions. I think about Kazakhstan. I'm so, so, so thankful for our time there. I hope there will be more "going" in our future. I'm thankful for people who are willing to go. Not only to the hard places but also to their next door neighbors. I'm thankful God wants to use us even though He doesn't need us. I'm thankful for encouragement from God's people. I'm thankful to be reminded that the world is so much bigger than me. I am looking forward to tomorrow.

The ATL

We had a great time in Atlanta, and only missed out on one of the planned activities {and possibly the most important!} --meeting my 6 week old niece. I plan to get back up there soon though, since I bought a zoo membership. Yes, I live in Dothan but bought a zoo membership to the Atlanta zoo. Here's the thing: it was going to cost $102 for the five of us to go for the day or I could get a year membership for $99. And that includes 2 adults and 4 children. I'm sure I'll go to Atlanta again at least once within the year. Even if I don't, I saved $3 off our admission price.

Grady felt right at home in the arms of this mother gorilla.

Peter Pan was awesome and the kids loved it! Photography wasn't allowed inside, so I didn't get any pictures except for us walking back to our hotel after the show. Very cool venue and very cool production. I love experiencing creative works of art, imagination, story-telling, engineering, drama, etc. It is so thrilling to see people do what they love and be great at it. I'll confess when they did the first flying scene when Peter, Tinkerbell, and the Darling kids are off to Neverland, I got a bit teary eyed.

Steven and Reese had a good time together. He just called {he's on his way to Atlanta} and was asking about Reese. He said he missed him. They seriously bonded. I hear there were a lot of cookies involved. Maybe that's why Reese was missing Daddy too!

Crazy comments & clothes lines

I might need to enable comment moderation on the old blog.
Yesterday, I received this comment:

"Yeast Infection" has left a new comment on your post "Happy Day of Love":

As this type of the infection are getting very common and that also occurring in the children's. Therefore they must take proper precautions for the care of the children.

I laughed out loud.

I don't think English is "Yeast Infection's" first language.

But I do appreciate him or her looking out for the children.

I have a clothes line in the backyard. I used it today. It reminded me of my grandmother's house. I tried to pin them just like I remember her doing.The line is sort of under a tree. There are a lot of birds that come and go in the tree. You can see the potential problems with this. But for today, it worked.

Elle, Grady and I are going to Atlanta tomorrow for a couple days. We get to go to Ikea, stay at Embassy Suites, possibly go to the zoo, see Peter Pan, and meet our newest family member, Andi, on the way home Monday. Steven and Reese are having some male bonding time here. Happy weekend!

Enjoying the Weather

We've spent much of the past two days outside. Grady completed some much needed car repairs.

Elle learned how to "start" her bike with no training wheels. She starts and rides in a straight line. We are working on the turning part.

Reese dumped all the sidewalk chalk out and used the box as a hat.

Boxes are so much fun. Hours and hours of fun.

And trees. Oh my! Trees are fun.

And there is a bit of spring springing in our backyard.

Happy Day of Love

"So often these days we hide within the walls of large churches. We come in as strangers and we leave the same way. We smile at one another, give the impression that we are the one family that has it all together, and go home to our private wars. Life was not meant to be that cold. It is better to be known with all our hypocrisy and failings." -Sheila Walsh

I like being open and honest. I'm not afraid to answer a personal question. I'm certainly not afraid to confess my weaknesses and short-comings. Because I know the One who loves me in spite of all those things. The Son who helps me forgive myself and others. The Maker who makes me a better person. The Friend who enables me to love and be a friend to others. The Father who teaches me how to be a wonderful parent. Life is sometimes hard and I am not perfect. I felt like writing about some of that recently instead of only putting the "best" things on here. So please know that I am certainly better than ok. I was just venting and releasing some real feelings and thoughts and struggles. I think God wants us to be more open and honest with each other than we are. It's hard to be vulnerable because we think we have to be perfect. Once you realize you're not and you won't be this side of heaven, that's when real community starts to happen. When I cease to write, or stop answering my phone, or wear sweatpants every day, then you can worry:).

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God." -I John 4:7

**And now to the scrapbook portion of the blog:

I took Elle and Grady to the doctor this afternoon. Elle developed a "secondary infection" in her lungs so we've got round two of antibiotics and the trusty inhaler every 3-4 hours. Grady had not been seen by a doctor yet, and I wanted to make sure there wasn't anything major going on with him. But this is week 5 of sickness for all three kids. It just won't go away. They literally hack and cough constantly. I'm beginning to think Dothan doesn't like us...