Reclaiming Territory

When Miss Alli came home, we decided it best to put all 4 girls into the same room.

We did this for several reasons. Mainly, so she would be comfortable and get to know all of her sisters well.  We wanted to see how each of them would relate to each other.  We also did not know Alli at all, and wanted to make sure that everybody was safe, just in case.  So she has been home more than 5 months, and all is well.  Mike and I have missed our old room, and we figured it was time to split the party girls up. :)

 For 3 days, the GIRLS and I moved the furniture around and pared everything down....what a JOB!
Mike, because he was working in the shoppe didn't have much time to help.  But when we couldn't get a screw in, or were beyond our capability....he came in and did what dad's  and husbands do. He made it look EASY! :)

 Here is Anna and Erika in their new room. Anna wasted no time putting up her pictures. :)

And here is Sarah and Alli in their new room.  They did "rock-paper-scissors" to settle who sleeps on top and who sleeps on the bottom..... but Alli had a sleep over last night, and they both slept on the bottom. LOL

And as for me..... I will have fewer bruises! Our room is big enough not to run into the sharp corners on that bed! Ouch!

I Have Two New Best Friends!

A Funny for August

We have been moving rooms around for 2 days..... Today I was in the back room cleaning and I heard something break in the kitchen and Erika say, "Sorry Mom!" 
Alli heard it too, and she took off running to see what happened.

I yelled down the hall, "Alli, don't go in there sweetie! You have real feet!"

And then I thought, wow, that sounds really weird! LOL

Sarah's Dance

I posted this in my birthday post. But I just love it so much. I think it is worth a separate post. :)
It is also on Youtube here: http://youtu.be/L5ZZLOD38j0, but I couldn't get it to post for some reason on the blog. :(  
Love that little girl! She is so special to me. :)

URGENT! Please Pray for Keri and Anya

This is directly from Keri's blog:

Beside Myself With Grief and Fear

Anya is having a blood transfusion, she lost so much blood. I cant get through to the hospital. My only contact is sporadic postings by her 2 best friends on Russian Facebook. I'm calling all her friends non-stop but thus far I cannot get thru to any of them. I am honestly losing it. I think I'm going crazy. Too much grief at once.I need prayers for her. I'm just out of the hospital myself and I'm supposed to be avoiding stress and it just keeps finding me. Pray for me too. All this, and the funeral of a beloved friend in a few days. I give up. I've prayed till I can't pray anymore. God, where are you?

Keri has tried endlessly to bring Anya home for 6 years. She has hit nothing but dead ends. Anya lives on the streets or with friends, since she aged out of the orphanage. :(

She was shot today. Please pray for my friend who is too filled with grief and worry to  pray.....

HOLD them both in your prayers.

Let's reach Heaven on their behalf.

A Blessed Birthday

Thank you to my family for my special birthday blessings.
I received necklaces and earrings from various girls. They were so sweet to do that. :)
All day today they have been excited about my birthday.  MORE excited than me. LOL
Tonight we had a special sea food dinner and gluten free chocolate cake.

And then, Sarah did a birthday dance for me. :)



Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe

1/2 cup oat flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/2 white rice flour
1 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup butter at room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup of white sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3/4  cup heavy whipping creme
3/4 cup sour cream

mix sugars, creme, sour creme, eggs, sugar and vanilla
stir in rest of ingredients.
Pour into 13x9x2 pan and bake at 350º for 35 minutes
or until tester comes out clean.

Cool cake.
Make a Ganache icing with
1/4 cup butter
chocolate (about 5 oz.)
1/2 cup heavy whipping creme

heat all ingredients on stove until chocolate is melted and whipping creme
thickens.
Pour over cooled cake and refrigerate.

Soul Surfer

We watched this movie last night.  The girls had been wanting to see it. Now that it is out on DVD, we bought it for our collection.

It was really a good movie.  Being a mom to two girls with amputations, it was different watching this movie.  And our girls' reactions to the movie were different too.

Sarah has always had a leg missing and fingers missing. She doesn't really miss what she has never had. Even though limb loss complicates her life, she doesn't think about it much.  So when she watched the movie, she watched it through the lesns of "What would it be like to lose an arm?"  She identified with the movie more like Alli and Anna.

Erika however had a much more profound reaction to the movie.  Her feet were amputated at the age of 8. Even though her feet were painful and she couldn't walk with them very well,  every once in a while she will say something like,  "I miss my feet." Or "I miss my toes."

It is sorta funny..... I do too. I miss her feet and toes.  There was a loss. a BIG loss.  Yet there was a BIG gain!  I am thankful that she can walk today.

Limb loss, no matter the reason is still a LOSS.

One of the things we were told at camp this year was that the reaction of a person with limb loss is different if they were born with congenital limb loss vs. losing a limb at an older age. I believe this to be true.

So while Erika is thankful that she can walk, and is thankful for her prosthetic legs, she can feel the raw pain of loss.

Both girls liked the movie, even though it made Erika cry.   Her favorite part was the end, when she rides the wave inside the tube.
I think that may have been my favorite part too.  The freedom of riding a wave and seeing the Glory of God from the back side of the water, from the  inside of a waterfall. :)

The Older I Get

 The Older I Get

The Less I KNOW.
The More I can see my sinfulness.
The simple things, are much more important.
The big picture is easier to see, because there is a LONG past.
The Parenting Paradigm changes
The amount of food I can eat changes....
The more I weigh...ugh
The more food snobby I have become.
The less I care about seeing a roller coaster.
The more I love my husband.
The less I care about being right.
The less I care about being perfect in a worldy sort of way.
The more I care about obedience to the Father.
The less I care about what others think.
The less I care to purchase.
The pickier I get with movies.
The more I love my jeans.
The less I want to clean.
The more I see the wisdom of a smaller home.
The more I love my children.
The more I need to learn to let go of things I cannot control.
The hope of a garden is fading.
The idea of being a seamstress is almost gone.
The more I can handle paperwork.
The fewer mirrors I have.
The More I love my Savior.


Today is my 53rd birthday. :)
Each day is precious.
Sadly, I share my birthday with the Bombing of Hiroshima.
And now, with the tragedy of 31 Navy Seals losing their lives in Afghanastan.
It is interesting how each day can hold happiness for one person and tragedy for another.
What a mysterious world we live in.

Good Night Hugs

It is late! Go to sleep! :)  They were talking about creative ways to waterski. :)

An All Around FUN Day

Our morning started with Sarah making the coffee! Thanks Sarah.
Alli was the last one to rise, and she was full of joy this a.m.
She is so cute when she wakes up. She is always in a good mood.
She cracks me up going from person to person for a hug. She has learned that
Anna meows in the morning. So she went to the rocking chair where Anna was reading a book,
and meowed. Anna meowed back, and then Alli pounced on her. LOL 
She had to have her morning hug.

I took Alli and Erika to  a horse stable to find out about costs for riding horses...they got a chance to see a lot of horses and met a really nice lady named Tina.  We talked about some creative ways to afford such an endeavor, and  the trip was really fun.

After working for a few hours in the office, I came inside, packed dinners and we headed to the Lake on the boat.  Would you believe I FORGOT the camera!!!!
That is ok. I'm glad I did, because the water at the lake is WAY down. I had to walk into the water to get into the boat. The water is too shallow to reach the dock. 
So what did I do?  I fell down! OUCH!  I slipped on the slippery goo in the water and fell.   I messed up my wrist, and have some sore spots.... nothing serious, thank goodness.

We swam in the lake for a while, jumping off of the boat.  Anna was pretending to fish with a giant rope and she kept catching ME! LOL  We had so much fun pretending I was a fish out of water, starving for oxygen. 

The water felt SO GOOD!  It was 109 today!  When it was time to leave, as the sun was setting, Alli jumped out of the boat and slipped in the same spot I did! 

We both had owies on our hands. So I took care of hers first. She asked, "will this sting?" I said, no.
IT DID!
Well, as soon as I was done taking care of her, she wanted to nurse me! She did the exact same thing I did to take care of her and then cracked up when I said, "OUCH! It stings!"   She got a real kick out of that one. :)  I told her she will make a great mama some day!

Everybody had a wonderful time......I'll bring the camera next time. :)

Alli Noodle's New Doo

She likes it! :)

THE UNSEEN CLOCK

We have had such a smooth couple of weeks. Really.... everything has been surprisingly smooth!
In fact, yesterday when we went to the Library, Alli was so cute because she was wanting me to look at each book to make sure it was ok for her to read.  This is a HUGE difference from 5 months ago when she first came and would say, "I can read what I want, why would you care!"  OR "I hate reading books, I don't like libraries, I don't like reading!"
YES.... MUCH has changed!
Now, she jumps into the car to go to the library and even created her own book bag from one of gramma's old bags. She doesn't just check out one book like before but lots of books! And she LOVES being at the library hunting for something new.
Last night, Sarah brought a book home that had something questionable in it. Sarah didn't know it was in there, and she and Alli were looking at it together. Alli saw the material covering a ghost and magic spell and told Sarah, "You need to show that one to Mama and see if it is ok!"
So, you can see we have come a LONG way!

Today however, when Alli woke up, there was a different feel to her. She seemed "contemplative", even though she was smiling.   I sensed there was something on her mind or there was something weighing on her emotions.
She seemed to struggle to day with bossiness.  And then, this afternoon, she  asked demanded that she be able to be alone in the bedroom that all 4 girls share.  Something in me said that she needed this time, so I asked her to be nice about it and I would think about it.  She was, and I did.  I decided to let her be alone in there and listen to her favorite CD by Phil Stacey.  I really like that guy's music. :)

After about 30 minutes, I went in to check on her and she was laying on the floor, surrounded by her stuffed animals. They were not the stuffed animals she usually plays with, but ones she brought with her from before.  She just looked so little. She was sound asleep.

I carefully woke her, by rubbing her back. I asked her if she was ok, and she said yes. But I could feel her heart beat and it was FAST..... If you have not read "The Boy Who Was Raised As a Dog" by Dr. Bruce Perry...I would highly recommend it.  In part of his book dealing with the Branch Dividian Children from the WACO disaster, he mentioned that the children were highly anxious, though their outward behavior didn't show it. They were self controlled, but their heartbeats were beating VERY fast.

Anna was very much like this for a few years.  Alli was at first, and then hers slowed down.  But today, it was fast again.
You may be thinking, "does this crazy mother actually check her kid's heart beats?"  The answer is yes. :)
It can be very telling.  It isn't that scientific.  You can tell if somebody's heart is beating as if they just finished running.

Alli and Sarah started to play together and then I saw Sarah coming out of the room upset. "She won't let me play with my own doll!"
Hmmm. This hasn't gone on for a long time.

So I called Alli. She didn't come. I called her again. She didn't come. I called her one last time and she came, angry. "WHY DO YOU KEEP CALLING ME?"
"Umm. When I call your name, I expect you to come. I kept calling you because you did NOT come."
"Now, don't speak to me disrespectfully!"  "Come and sit with me."

She said, "Oh brother, were going to sit and rock and talk..... rolling her eyes." But she came.

I asked her  if she knew what today was. She didn't.  I told her today is our 5 month anniversary!
She smiled.  (melted a little bit)  :)
Then, I asked her about the stuffed animals she picked to lay down with. She shrugged her shoulders and said, "they were from before".  She said, "I can't remember which family, but they were from before. "
I asked her if she had a "feeling" like she would be moving or going?
She looked at me very puzzled and said, "Yes."

I asked her, "Are you worried or scared?"  She said, yes.  Is that why you wanted to be alone and not play with anybody?  She said, "yes."

I'm telling you, these poor kids who have suffered so much trauma bear silent burdens and are misunderstood so much!  Behaviors can be guides that tell us something is going on.... getting them OUT of the behavior, in a constructive way, is the hard part.

Because of Alli's AGE, it is so easy to discuss things with her. She understands so much more than a younger child would.

So, I let her know about a "hidden clock" within her brain.
"Let me tell you about a secret clock!We all have one. It holds our memories, and when we smell something, or hear something, or the weather changes, it reminds of of a memory we had from before.  Sometimes they are good, sometimes not good." 

She was intently listening by now. :)

I said, "you know you aren't going anywhere, right? " She said, yes.
"But your clock doesn't know that. It is telling you the weather is HOT, and it is August, and that means you are:
1. leaving to a psych unit
2. leaving for respite care
BUT YOU AREN'T.   That is just what happened LAST year! :)
So, you need to reset your clock! Would you like to RESET it?"

"That means, give it a new memory to replace the one that is bothering you so much."

She said "yes"!
We snuggled for a few more minutes and she began to relax and her heart beat went back down.
Her anxiousness left and she was back to normal....

So, the activity to reset the clock????
DADDY, ANNA and ALLI, left about 1/2 an hour ago to take the BOAT on a test voyage!
She was so excited!  They aren't going to be gone long, as this is family worship night, and the purpose is to make sure the motor is adjusted properly and the boat is lake worthy.   But Alli has been longing to get that boat into the water.
It was God's grace that on this anniversary, Alli would have something positive and exciting with which to reset her clock! :)

READING

Anna is a really great reader.  Tonight, she checked out some books that will stretch her appetite, from the Classics section. She has read all the classics we have, but they are "dumbed down" abit, for lower grade level reading.
I have suggested she start reading the original versions. 
Tonight she picked a play from Shakesphere. She also got a book of Historical Fiction, that really isn't a classic but looked interesting. 
She started to read the fiction tonight and said, "I don't know if I'm going to like this one...it seems sort of boring." 

Alli chimed in and said, "Well of course it is boring! It doesn't have any pictures!  LOL

The Coundown Has Begun!

Yes, I cannot believe it! 7 more days until we start school.  I am working hard at getting everything ready. I think we are going to have a great year! I always think that. :)
I am really excited about this year's science.  We are going to study Human Anatomy and Physiology....There are some wonderful experiments in this book.  I can't wait to make the "edible cell" LOL.
We are also planning to read C.S. Lewis's  Space Trilogy for the first semester. We will start with "Out of the Silent Planet", then, "Paralandra" and finally "That Hideous Strength". 

We are also going to be doing "Wordly Wise" for vocabulary. I'm thrilled that I found this. All these years I have heard about it, and didn't check into it.
History this year will be U.S. History. It will include the colonists, forming of the Nation,  and go through the Westward expansion.   I LOVE history.

Some folks have asked why we start so early. The Public Schools don't start until the 22nd.  The reason is that we do best on a schedule. The girls like school, and there are times when we have unexpected Dr. appointments that interrupt our day.  We also like it that we can take off a week at Thanksgiving and Two weeks at Christmas.   AND... it is SO HOT right about this time of year, that staying inside for  a part of the day is very normal, so we may as well take advantage of the inside time. :)

Sweeties

I was typing when Erika and Alli came up and looked at me like this! So I took a picture. :)
I figured since I have one with Anna and Alli, and Erika and Alli, I may as well find Sarah and Alli. They are playing in the back room. They HAVE BEEN PLAYING all day! And I do mean ALL DAY! Wow, I got filing done and everything. :)
So here is Sarah and Alli, the snuggle bugs of the afternoon. :)

A MORNING SNUGGLE

We have just 7 days until school starts again. Today is the day we begin getting up earlier.   I must admit, I have LOVED sleeping in until 8:00...wow! 
Today, I was up at 6:15.  I actually LIKE getting up that early....but I have to get into bed earlier too. :)
The girlies alarm went off at 6:00, then 6:15, then 6:30 and there was not a peep from their room..... At 7:00, I went in and touched each of them on the arm to see if that would help.  Slowly, they got up and came out. The last one to get up was Alli.  She is a SOUND sleeper.  I was able to get her up by sitting by the bed and gently touching her face and hair.  She woke and smiled.

After breakfast, I found Anna and Alli snuggling up in the rocking chair chatting. :)

INHERITANCE

Today, our teaching Elder spoke on Adoption.  He was speaking about the Adoption of the Believer in Christ.  Two of the verses he used were:
Galations 4:1-7 and 1 John 3:1.

In Christ, we become ADOPTED sons and daughters of the most high God.  We become JOINT HEIRS... we have a FULL inheritance awaiting us.  We are not treated differently, than God's first born son Jesus Christ.  We are Co-Heirs WITH Him.  That is so amazing to me.  I am an adopted Child, in Christ.

There were times long ago when  I didn't feel like I belonged. Sometimes I felt less than, undeserving, unlovable, imperfect, like I'd never make it.  I felt frustrated and there was much I didn't understand about my "standing" in Christ. I needed to be reminded and refreshed and God was and is ever so patient with me. SO PATIENT and LOVING, offering tender mercies that are new every morning.   His word washes my soul as I read it. I have great confidence that He listens to my prayers and He cares about me, as His child.   He has caused me to TRUST in Him.... He has caused me to change... to see things differently, to be excited about life, and to really LIVE.... sometimes I go backwards and forget who I am .... He is ALWAYS there to catch me, to turn me around and guide me back onto the right track and to remind me of who I am in Christ Jesus.  GOD NEVER GIVES UP ON US!

As I was listening to this sermon this a.m. and pondering adoption in General, it really struck me how God USES the institution of Adoption as an example to us of how he LOVES us and considers US his Children.  He is the perfect example for us to follow!

When parents adopt,  they  bring a child in, who has no understanding of what their new last name even means. Some children have no idea about how a family works or what a family even is! Then, parents  lavish great love upon their child, imparting knowledge and understanding to him.  As the child begins to be familiar with the parent, a relationship starts to bud and grow and the Child LOVES the parents. 
There will be times when the child may have doubts about that love. They may struggle with not feeling like they really belong... and  parents, once again  reassure; "YES, YOU ARE MINE! YOU BELONG!"
You really REALLY do!
And the child becomes aware that they are FULLY and REALLY REALLY a family member.  They have an INHERITANCE that is JUST the same as any other child in that family.  They BELONG and they are SECURE in the LOVE of their parents.

They begin to go to their parents for understanding and comfort. They begin to assimilate into family life and enjoy the benefits of being cared for and nurtured by loving parents. They begin to care about and foster relationships with brothers and sisters and aunts and uncles; all part of their new family. The more they understand, the more secure they feel. The more they interact, the more they become LIKE their family.

And the parents.... begin to understand EVEN MORE , their own standing before a Holy God.  They are safe and secure and REALLY REALLY part of an ACTIVE spiritual family, being conformed into the Image of their older brother, Jesus Christ :)

As my girls sat and listened along with us, I saw them all smiling. Yes, they are doubly adopted. :)

Tonight, Alli was looking at all the knick knacks that surround the living room shelves. She was asking about the history of several different things. I told her, "You know, someday, your and your brothers and sisters will INHERIT all this stuff."  She smiled and said, "Well then be sure and take good care of it!" LOL

She has come so far in 5 months. I cannot believe it will be 5 months on Tuesday! WOW! What an amazing time it has been.  She has very much become a Minich. :)

The New Comode

Thank you! THANK YOU! To my Wonderful Husband who installed this beauty in the ladies' bathroom!
I never knew a toilet could break, but the old one must have been worn out.....so we got this one! And the cool thing is, it has "Power Flush".... the kind you get at the stores.   Sooo cool and uses less water.
So how's that for a blog post. LOL

The Captain in His Ship

This has been a rather sad summer for Mike. He LOVES his boat,  skiing and dragging the girls across the lake. At the end of summer last year, the transom (back of the boat) started taking in water.  During his spare time, over the winter, he took the entire back of the boat off and rebuilt it.  It was a HUGE job. Then, the unthinkable happened. When he removed the motor and sat it aside, he forgot about it, and didn't winterize it.  The block cracked.... so he had to completely redo the motor too.  Poor guy.....

Sooooo after a LONG repair, and more frustrations than can be spoken...... I heard the motor running once again! He finished the transom about a month ago and the motor went in this week...... 

He threw in some new seats for fun...... and I suspect, we will be on the lake before Summer is over. :)
Good thing, it is predicted to be 107 and 108 next week!

So here is the Captian in his ship, and a few excited onlookers!

The Adoption Quilt

The Adoption Quilt is leaving to the Deuck's House on Monday.  We didn't get a bid on it that was 50 dollars, so we decided to get the ball rolling anyway. Erika sewed our name into the quilt, and after the Deuck's have enjoyed, it..... it will be going up for auction again, for another adoptive family of their choice. They will sew their name into it, and send it on.
We really hope it catches on and goes all over the U.S. with hopes and prayers for the newest recipient.
Can't wait to see it at the Deuck's home. :)

I think she signed it "John Hancock" style!

Saturday

Today has been relaxed yet busy. It was a good sort of busy.  I broke down and got rid of some old clothes that I KNOW is will never fit in wear anymore.  Awww that felt SO GOOD to not have to stare at my closet... now I know exactly What I can wear and Where it is located!
I also got rid of some books to make room for other books. I hate getting rid of books, but there comes a point where there just isn't any room.  Sometimes I dream of empty book shelves and a simple "Kindle" sitting on the shelf next to a potted plant...... but that would just be too boring.  I REALLY love having my books around. They are like old friends. You love to see them, even if you don't pay that much attention to them every day.

The girlies helped quite a bit, and then afternoon hit.  They got a case of the "I don't know what to do's."
Sarah and Alli wanted to walk to the store with Anna, but Anna wanted to finish her book. I am not quite ready to turn Alli and Sarah onto the streets alone quite yet.   Sarah is still a little scared to go without Anna, which tells me she is too young and not ready. Of course Miss Alli is ready to conquer the world, so she was a bit unhappy at the thought of not going for a long walk to the store.
Alli doesn't yet appreciate the loveliness of a good book.  She will soon, as her reading is improving so much!
So, I suggested to them that it might be fun to wash the cars.  The looks were amazing! They spoke a 1,000 words.... "Mother Dear, you can't be serious!"  (of course this is what I read through their angelic little eyes). :)

Sarah, took the bite, and off she went to start on the car.
She started having fun with the hose, and before I knew it, Alli was all excited about joining in...

then Erika...
and Finally Anna finished her book and she joined too. :)
But she didn't want her picture on the blog. It was a pretty picture... with a nice smile..... but alas, I will be respectful and not post it. :/

 And now the cars are clean, the girls are happy and there is more to do! There is ALWAYS more to do!

My Duck

23 years ago, my friend bought this duck for me for my birthday.  I have loved this duck for years. It reminds me of my friend who moved to Colorado years ago.
This duck has been sitting guard on top of the water cooler all these years.
Tonight, Alli noticed that we needed water and decided she would fill the bottle. She didn't see my Duck, and it fell to the floor and lost a finger. BROKEN!

I seem to remember a few weeks ago a Pitcher that got broken thanks to Miss Erika.....

In both cases, it was an accident.  Poor Alli really felt badly.  She went to her bed to have a cry.
When I went in to see her, she was curled up with her blanket over her head.  I said,  "Alli, you are more important than things."
And, I want to tell you a story about your brothers.

This peaked her interest!
So I told her about the first time Dad and I left the house for  a date together after we had married.

"We left Chuck in charge and we were going to be gone for 45 minutes to an hour.
In that short time..... Chuck decided to entertain his brothers with his cool Ninja moves.  Now, in the same room that he planned his entertainment fest.... on the wall, were my collectible, ceramic bears. I had all sorts of them, on a neat wooden shelf.  I really liked them.

Of course Chuck, in his final move, used a large stick..... related to the BROOM, moved it cooly, jumping through the room like a TRUE NINJA , swung that stick and DECAPITATED every single one of my bears......

When dad and I got home, all 4 boys were sitting nicely on the couch. This gave us great discomfort, as this was not NORMAL..... I was so proud of Chuck.... "Mom, I have something to tell you."
As he was telling me his story, I turned to my bears and OH HOW I WISH I HAD A PICTURE..... they all had their heads sort of sat back on them, all crooked like.... and I burst out laughing....it was really pretty funny.

So, in the same way I am not happy that everything gets destroyed. I'm happy that all of my children are ok, and I'm happy you were just trying to help..... and in a few years, this will just be a funny story. :)"

And with that, she felt MUCH better, and she kissed me goodnight and went to sleep, safe and secure in our love for her.  :)
And Chuck would have had no idea that something he did  22 years ago, would help his little sister feel secure.  Thanks Chuck! You are still a great big brother. :)

A New Goo Recipe

 There's my happy girl. :)

Ever since Alli and I were in North Carolina at the Children's Museum, she has been longing to make goo. She just LOVES it; the feel the texture, the sheer squishiness.  Well, after several different tries, she has PERFECTED her goo.

So here is Miss Alli, giving directions on how to make her goo!
And it really works!

Letting Go Of Things

I posted yesterday about our mortgage situation here. 
Well, today EVERYTHING changed!  I couldn't control what happened yesterday and let it go as "that is the way things are".
Today, our agent called us back and said, "We on BACK ON!" YEA!!!!!

Apparently there was some confusion about our homestead, our other property and something about us living in the same state. LOL
It is ALL being taken care of, so we are back to refinancing!   This was such a blessing to hear!
I am so glad that the Lord is teaching me to let things go that I cannot control. 

Now, hopefully that lesson will be learned when it comes to my broken down body.  Logically, I can accept how things are.... but emotionally, it is upsetting. I DO NOT LIKE not being able to function like a normal person. 
I know, that sounds weird coming from a mom with kids with special needs...... BUT I'M the one who has to CARE FOR THEM!  I don't have time to be cared for......
That is what I tell myself. 
However, I have seen some helping hands stepping up to the plate to help mom.  I am so proud of my girlies. :)

What Ever My God Ordains is Right

This is one of my favorite songs right now...... "What Ever My God Ordains Is Right"
When combined with Romans 8:28 - "And we know that for those who love God, All THINGS work together for good, for those who are called according to HIS purpose."  I can rest in my Lord and know that I am in GOOD hands. HIS hands.

Today was a really hard day for me. It had nothing to do with the girls. They have been AWESOME all day long.... In FACT, the Lord used each of them to minister to my heart today.  They were so loving and kind today.
It seems silly to whine..... but I am going to whine just a little.....
We had tried to sell our old house more than once, and nothing has happened, so I got the bright idea to refinance it.  Everything was looking great and we were set to close on August 5th, and then the deal came to a SCREECHING halt.
I got a call today that because of the type of loan we have on that house, it cannot be refinanced unless it is our PRIMARY residence.  It isn't.
So, just at the point I thought a payment would be cut in 1/2, it is remaining the same. :(

And then, I lifted a bag of dog food yesterday.... not too large of one, just 15 lbs.... but the angle I used to put it in the basket sort of hurt. And now, my arm is hurting, especially around my elbow and forearm... and my skin feels rather burny...... (is that a word?)  and my shoulder is hurting and it is HAUNTINGLY similar to what happened to me 2 years ago when I got a frozen shoulder. It took a YEAR plus to get over that, (I'm at 90 % now) and the pain was unbearable for almost 6 months......because of a brain/nerve problem..... Do you hear my fear talking?  Yes.... I am actually afraid....because it was so bad last time.

So, right now I'm doing all I can to prevent a repeat. :( AND, I'm trying to rest in the Lord, knowing that HE knows all that I have to do around here; all the responsibilities, all the work..... and that I NEED my left hand. I'm left handed!

The good news I found out about the refinance thing is:  They are going to save all our paperwork, and tomorrow, we can start a refinance on THIS house, and knock the payment down.... Our plan will be to take the extra money to pay off the other one as fast as possible, and we are planning to rent it out too.
If this economy ever recovers, we might be able to sell it eventually!

I am THANKFUL that we are in a position to even have a home. I have been in situations where I didn't even have money for rent or food, so I know that we are not there and I am TRULY thankful.

The Lord must be teaching me to LOVE paperwork.... it is one of my nightmares, yet it seems I have not been able to escape it for the last 8 years.   It seems that my WEAKEST area on the planet, is paperwork and organizing paperwork, yet it is a major part of my days.  And Mike has me doing the same thing in the office, as much as I can....

WHAAAAAA!!!!! Ok... Pity party over.....
But I have to say, when I took those vocational tests in High school...... I scored 99% in ENGINEERING and 5% YES FIVE PERCENT in secretarial skills.......
I am truly being stretched.

A Day At Celebration Park

There is a really cool park not far from us that I have taken the girls to a few times. Today we went for lunch. 3 decided to get wet, 1 decided to read her new book..... and I decided to take pictures. :)

There is a really cool park not far from us that I have taken the girls to a few times. Today we went for lunch. 3 decided to get wet, 1 decided to read her new book..... and I decided to take pictures. :)

Anna

Oh my! My sweetie is growing up!  12 1/2 and oh so lovely. :)  Anna is such a good big sister.
She is so good for Alli. She understands her so very well.  I just really appreciate her insights.
She decided to not waste her clipons.... so she has her new pierced earrings AND her clip ons ..... :)

Mama and Alli

Erika was practicing her photography skills.  Now, if she can learn to erase wrinkles, she'll be worth a million bucks! LOL

I was able to share with Alli some very important personal information that I just found out about.  She was very thankful to hear it.  And I got this big, huge hug. :)