In Your unfailing love You will lead the people You have redeemed. In Your strength You will guide them to Your holy dwelling. Exodus 15:13



Wednesday, May 21, 2008

39!

Lib throws grapes at Jared... just a few...

he gets tickled...
then end...
39 grapes!

The Making of GREAT Date...

Jared and I had a date night on Monday. Yes, you heard me right...A DATE!!! I thought that word had left our dictionary long ago. Mimi and Granddad took the girls for the evening while Jared and I frolicked the city of Denton. These were the ingredients to a GREAT DATE! sweet tea, Kentucky pie w/ice cream, chicken fajita spud and cranberry orange chicken sandwich w/ macaroni and cheese...I'll let you guess who ate what?
Isn't he handsome! I just love the accent!
And of course no day is complete without a little shopping at SUPER TARGET! I had a wonderful Mother's Day gift card from Mimi to spend. I found Karoline a cute swimsuit cover up, Jared a new shirt for church and a new white tank top for me. Thank you Mimi!
We got home around 10:30 to find Klaire wide awake on the play mat and Karoline curled up on the carpet in her jammies. Mimi assured us that she DID start out on the blanket, but rolled off.
Love you Jared, thanks for the date!

Monday, May 19, 2008

Weekend Recap

Thursday afternoon...Jared graduated with his Masters of Christian Education with an emphasis in Worship Leadership. Go Jared!!! Pictures to come, I haven't downloaded yet!

Friday...Jared, me and the girls headed to Las Colinas to close on our very first house! As we were hurrying inside, we each had one of Karoline's hands and lifted her up the two small stairs and thought nothing else about it. She instantly started screaming bloody murder like we have never seen in 16 months. I kinda laughed it off to the strangers staring at us, while looking at Jared thinking,"What is wrong with our kid????" We tried for the next 15 minutes anything and everything to calm her down and NOTHING worked. This is when I knew something was wrong. Mind you, the entire time this is going on we are trying to sign our life away with this table of business savy people in suits. Oh my, I don't even want to know what was going on in their heads if it was anything like their faces. I don't know if they were annoyed, feeling sorry for us, wanting to call CPS or maybe needed a pill of sorts, but anyway. Karoline was not using her left arm at all (which was the one I was holding...yep, rub it in) so I decided to call the doctor (of course, it is now 5:03pm, so no answer). They sent us to the Referral Care Center at CMC for a look. I love this place because it is kinda like reservations. You just show up and they take you back, paperwork already done. You just have to sign and pay. Lovely. Karoline finally fell asleep on the way to the hospital and chilled out. She didn't even cry when we got to the RCC. I get really tickled at her because she couldn't figure out why her sweet little arm would not hold her juice or Dandy. I am sure the nurse thought I was so inhumane. Anyways, the doctor said it was a radial head sublaxation. Basically, it was a partial dislocation of her elbow or a "nurse's maid". In less than 10 seconds, she snapped it back in. WOW! Karoline cried for about 20 seconds and was fine.

Saturday morning...my grandparents came for some quality time with girls. Karoline played her piano while singing and dancing for them. Klaire slept sweetly in my Aunt Gene's arms. We had a yummy lunch at Boston Market before taking a look at the new house.

Saturday afternoon...Lib came over to help me pack. Jared got a hair cut. Ashley came over for me to do her make up for prom...She looked beautiful in her HOT pink dress! I love her!

Sunday morning...Karoline poured milk down her brand new dress (matching Klaire!) So, of course I had to change both of them. Jared did another PHENOMENAL job of leading us in worship. John spoke about Daniel. It was a message just for me! He spoke about how when we are leaders, no matter what capacity, we are targets for Satan and guarding our integrity to protect us from the enemy and jealous or critical others. We had a "meet the staff" lunch. Thank you Mrs. Pat for a tasty lunch. We loved meeting the Roach family and Corbett family.

Sunday afternoon...After a much needed nap, Jared left for rehearsal, mission trip training and children's performance. I decided to take the girls on a shopping date with Aunt Lib. We ventured in Target for about 3 hours. It was WONDERFUL to be out and be out with help! Thank you Jesus for sweet friends who will follow you around for hours holding your babies! We picked Jared up from church and grabbed a pizza from the parlor and enjoyed it at Lib's new pad. At Lib's, Karoline had something come over her...she took off her diaper! What?!?! Yep, and she tinkled on the floor twice. Is this the start of the part of parenthood when you have to apologize for your kid?

All in all, it was a blessed weekend at home with the family! Wish me happy packing!!!

Friday, May 16, 2008

GHS Prom

Mr. Prom himself! This is Ryan, Jared's youngest brother. He is a junior at Guyer High School in Denton. He is a tennis superstar and money making pro at Petland.

Jared teaching Ryan how to shave.
Karoline and her "Gandad", hopefully she can get the "r" and say "Granddad"! He is very Grand!!! Karoline and Uncle "RyRy" as she says.
This is Ryan and his girlfriend Kayla getting ready to go!


This is their 'ride' to prom! Crazy, huh?!?
The Family at the photoshoot for Prom. Did I mention that Kayla's mom made her dress? Isn't it beautiful!


on the green...






Meet Dandy!

This is Dandy! He is the love of Karoline's life! He started out brown in her Christmas stocking from Mimi and Granddad and quickly became her best friend! We learned right off the bat that if Dandy was missing then we had a problem! So...we now have four "Dandy" monkey. One small brown, two small pink and one large brown. She loves them ALL!!! All we hear is, "Ju" which is for juice and "Dandy"!!!





Before bed...

The girls share some juice and big green soothie with Backyardigans.
Then, Karoline checks Klaire's diaper.
I guess it was stinky!
Gotta recheck to make sure...
Some sweet 'night night' kisses.
Who can go to bed without some headstands?

Then, yes THEN!!!, The hubby and I can finally watch LOST!

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Urgent Prayer Request

One of our youth workers just called. Her grandfather was teaching her 14 year old brother how to drive a tractor when something went wrong. Her brother ran over her grandfather. We do not know anything else right now. I'll keep you posted. Thank you in advance for bathing her in prayer.

***This is an update from Sarah Colvin.
I know I have already let some of you know what is going on with my family, but here are a few updates.If you haven't heard... my grandpa and my youngest brother, John, were involved in an accident with a tractor on my grandparents' farm this morning. Without sharing all the details, it has been a particularly traumatic experience for my family, especially for John, who was driving the tractor at the time. Many of you have been praying, and I can't tell you what an impact it has had on the entire situation. Thank you all. Here is the latest news. I'll continue to post updates as I get them.My grandpa has been transferred to the Intermediate ICU at Hermann Hospital (in Houston). He has two fractures in his femur, one on either side, and his blood pressure is dropping. They've been able to stabilize his blood pressure so far, though, and that's good. My grandma is going to be talking to a surgeon later today about possible options for recovery. He *is* conscious, and as far as we know, nothing has happened to his back. That's a huge praise, since we originally thought he might have broken his back.Again...thank you all for your prayers. John is doing alright all things considered, but please continue to pray for him, too. God's still very much in control of this situation, and I have so much peace right now about everything that has happened. He is still good. :)

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Can't leave home without it!

I came across the picture today when I was doing some reading on www.breastfeeding.com. This is Will Ferrell and his wife at the Golden Globe Awards Red Carpet. She was still breastfeeding at the time so Will graciously decided to make "the pump" a handbag for the night. What a sweet man! I guess it's true...when you gotta pump, you gotta pump!


Thursday, May 8, 2008

Compelled!

Here's the question that the Lord has been pressing on me HARD!

Why do you do what you do?

Why do you cook, clean, shop, love, buy, talk, write, walk, etc? Why do you make dinner, pick up your hubby's socks, open a door for a woman with four kids under the age of 4? Why? You get the drift. Everything. Why do you do it? Why do I do it?

I know the answer, but my heart and mind struggle to make it real somedays. The motions are so well rehearsed. Not by choice just routine I guess.

I want to do what I do not because I am suppose to do it but because Christ loved me so much that He died for me.

For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 2 Cor. 5:14

I want to be compelled!

Every moment of every day...Why do you do what you do? I want to hear your heart!

Back in the groove

Monday has come and gone...the day I have been dreading since March 14. Yes, I have gone back to work. I wish I could say,"YES!!! I have gone back to work!", but I can't. It is a daily surrendering to come to work with a servant minded attitude and a loving spirit. I know that summer is coming soon and I will be back with my babies again, so I will persevere! Work equals money equals food, shelter, shoes, cute clothes for the girls and all that good stuff. All is good! My kids will thrilled to see me! I have to say it is a huge self esteem boost to have 15 kiddos telling you how beautiful you are, how cute your shoes are, and how they can't wait to be like you one day! Funny though, they haven't noticed that I am not pregnant anymore! They have seen pictures of Klaire but just haven't put two and two together.

I am finishing up the "end of the year" jazz that all teachers go through with grades, perm folders, last minute tutoring and cleaning up and out. So far so good! I am starting today sending my resume out for a new position for next year. I feel like my heart is in need of a change. I have no clue what it is quite yet, I just know it needs some new life breathed in it (from a job perspective). Pray for me to be bold in going forth in the teaching job search. Pray that His Spirit would speak loudly to me as I discern.

The girls are doing great with me going back to work! Karoline doesn't really know the difference. Although, I have to say that she is coming around to liking me just as much as Jared. YES!!! Klaire probably doesn't know the difference either except she has less boob in her face and more bottle. I miss them! Both are well and growing FAST! I don't want to miss anything! I feel like we are going to be choosing wedding gowns before I can catch them!

I'll have Jared post some new pictures...he already downloaded them to his computer!