Introducing the newest member... Lady Belle

I'd like to introduce you to the newest member of our family. This is Lady Belle Hardwick, a 1 yr. old part German Shepard, part Husky (?) mix. We really didn't plan on adding more members to our family, but it happened!

We first heard about Lady from my friend, Lora,  who just found out they were moving to CA and while pets were allowed in their new place, there was a weight limit, and poor Lady would not be making trip to walk on the beaches. She sounded so sweet, but she didn't come without a few issues. It seems that she had been dumped, just after giving birth to a litter of pups, but not before being abused and neglected. Our friends hoped she might be a good one to help keep the deer away, but it seems the deer and Lady were afraid of each other! While living with them, Lady ended up being a constant companion for her brother who had physical and mental disabilities, often joining him on the sunk-in-the-ground trampoline, to make sure he was safe.    She wouldn't come without some problems, but she did come with all her shots and spaded.

After much prayers and talking, we decided to adopt Lady into our family and made the trip to pick her up. To make a long story short, she's terribly afraid of vehicles, loud noises, needs tons of assurance, love, and socialization. Buddy (our Golden Retriever) and Lady have become fast friends, though he can't figure out why she feels the need to bury all his bones! She has been spending her nights inside and her afternoons outside with Buddy. She is great to let us know when she wants to go out and settles down so quickly inside the house, sleeping beside our bed, bringing us stuffed animals that Connor has left out. She very sweet, docile, playful, curious, and eager to please.

We held a miracle

Yesterday started out pretty wonderful for us. We witnessed and held a miracle.

It started simply when Hurricane Ike went through and a visitor decided to stay at our home. In fact it attached itself to our front door, but we moved it inside to a jar so we could watch it. And so we waited, we watched, and waited... Gradually we saw changes of darkening. Then yesterday we noticed drastic difference from the day before. We began to anticipate the day...

When it began to happen, we were surprised. I'm not sure why because we'd been looking for it to happen. We watched as the Monarch struggled to free itself from it's chrysalis. We cheered and oohed as it emerged, wings wet. We freed it from the confines of the quart jar and finally decided that Connor's finger was easier to grip and it seemed okay with this. We watched in wonder as it struggled to find it's way as it's wings slowly dried. Mind you, this took about an hour to get to the point of taking it outside .

We watched, learned, and were fascinated by the handiwork of God! We were thrilled that God did Science that day for us. Needless to say, when we got to Science that day, we skipped ahead 12 chapters to study about Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths).

I took the chrysalis that it left behind and carefully placed in on a "special" rock (that one of my children gave me) in my kitchen window. This morning, as I opened the blinds to that window, I was suddenly struck by a realization that the "tomb" was empty. What a wonderous and sacrificial gift that God made and I'm so thankful for the reminders He sends our way - even by the way of a miracle we can hold in our hands.

Silly songs and football

It started so simply - we were watching a football game Sunday evening after church. Frankly I can't tell you who was playing, I really didn't care. I was grading papers and the rest of the family was into the game. I asked a question about a Spanish translation (Caleb and Claire are both taking Spanish), and one thing led to another. Before we knew it, Caleb was looking up the words for a silly song Dave & I used to sing as children, and we were all rolling with laughter before it was all over. The kids couldn't believe that we had such silly songs! Who won the game? I can't tell you, but what I do know is that we all shared a good laugh over a childhood memory and a YouTube video. Sometimes it's so nice to laugh and enjoy a simple evening - even if there is a football game on!

Oh Senor Don Gatto was a cat

On a high red roof Don Gatto sat He went there to read a letter meow meow meow Where the reading light was better meow meow meow Twas a love note for Don Gatto

I adore you wrote the lady cat Who was fluffy white and nice and fat There was not a sweeter kitty

meow meow meow

In the country or the city

meow meow meow

And she said she'd wed Don Gatto

Poor Don Gatto jumped so happily

He fell off the roof and broke his knee

Broke his ribs and all his whiskers

meow meow meow

And his little solar plexus meow meow meow

Aye-Karamba cried Don Gatto

Then the doctors all came on the run

Just to see if something could be done

And they held a consultation

meow meow meow

About how to save their patient

meow meow meow

How to save Senor Don Gatto

But in spite of everything they tried

Poor Senor Don Gatto up and died

And it wasn't very merry

meow meow meow

Going to the cemetery

meow meow meow

For the ending of Don Gatto

When the funeral passed the market square

Such a smell of fish was in the air

Though his burial was slated

meow meow meow

He became re-animated

meow meow meow

HE CAME BACK TO LIFE DON GATTO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Somehow it happened...

I'm not so sure how it happened,

but it did somehow.

I remember the feeling

when I found you would be joining our family

I was secretly thrilled

and my heart stilled

as I thought about the heart and child

that God had place inside,

we would soon meet.

Nine months went so slow,

we were anxious, just so you know.

We had a picture of you, all so perfect,

And they were right!

Those blue-berry blue eyes,

mesmorized me as I looked into your eyes.

One heart wrapped in love formed by His hands

What an adventure you have been,

We watched you fight with all you had

to learn those things some do so easily

We prayed for you, celebrated your victories

We're so thankful for the laughter you bring,

you have an endless thirst for knowledge

adventure, books, and animals.

Our greatest thrill was

watching you accept Him

into your heart a few years ago.

From your first heartbeat, first breath,

first steps, first words...

You're going to have a lot of First in your life,

but I'm so glad that He is first in your life.

Happy 10th Birthday!

Mercy and Grace

Ever had one of THOSE days???

- Yesterday -

With only 4 hours of sleep

Dear Aunt passes away after long battle with Leukemia

waking with a headache

funeral is Friday - in KS

locking my keys in my car

sobbing in the bread aisle

having hubby rescue me...

laundry is piling up

dear son needs library books for research paper

(for English class on Thursday)

and we don't have a library card where the books are

car refuses to start last night...

Yesterday I was reminded how quickly I let the circumstances pull me down when I'm tired and things just don't go the way I think they should.

I have a book that I love to read over and over: Espresso for Your Spirit: Hope and Humor for Pooped Out Parents by Pam Vredevelt. Chapter 5, Ruts starts out with Hebrews 4:16:

16Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Pam talkes about getting out of the Slump Syndrome with Grace. The slump may be a way of our body is telling us we need to slow down, regroup and get some restoration.

"We give ourselves grace when we refuse to expect more from ourselves than we can possibly deliver. We give ourselves grace when we grant ourselves permission to rest, sleep, play, take a break, and get alone with God. A few minutes of quiet interaction with God can get us out of a rut much faster than striving, trying harder, and forcing ourselves into overdrive."

So what am I to do? I am looking for those blessing when I'm in a rut.

God sent me gentle reminders throughout the day that, even though it was rough.

Unexpected friend to calm me down

while waiting for hubby to arrive on his "white horse" to rescue me;

Dear aunt is no long in pain and safe in Jesus arms;

Dear friend lends me library card to check out books;

dear friends call to check on me

friends help jump car so I could get home

Dear hubby takes care of stressed wife

I smelled the laundry! My nose if semiworking!

Young son worked hard at doing school

gentle rain

gentle hugs

Thank you God for your Grace and blessings in the midst of a meltdown. Thank you for your reminders that You are there - You never left, but were waiting... waiting for me with arms open wide, full of grace and mercy.

Home invader - is this my prince?

We dropped our bags on the kitchen table from our grocery shopping, tired and just glad to be home. As we were unloading them, Connor decided to start on his chores when we discovered we were not alone. I guess he was startled when we came in and tried to hide by staying still. I can't believe our cat didn't discover him, but glad she didn't. He froze, covered by (gasp) dust. Who know into what horrible spaces he had invaded, but clearly, his disguise failed to work. He moved quietly, slowly (who wouldn't with all that dust on him) at first. Then frantic to escape, he jumped...

and landed right in the TRASH!!! Taking pity on the poor creature, I took him outside to wash him off and set him free. This is not the first time we've been invaded by the lovely tree frog. When it rains, they feel the need to come inside. Usually we find them in the bathroom.

By the time he was rinsed off he was looking quite cute, but not enough to kiss him. I figured he would be quite a short prince, and I already have a most wonderful Prince of a husband. Why waste the kiss. He sat nicely for his picture shoot and left quietly. I don't think we'll see him again, but late in the evenings, when all else is quiet and our windows are open, I suspect he will seranade us with his throaty evening song and will join the chorus with others in the back yard.

The Spirit that lives in my home...

Humans are curious by nature, curiosity is not only a feline trait. Have you ever driven by a house at night and caught yourself looking in, if the window blinds are up and the lights are on? Wondering who lives there, how they've decorated, what do they do. Am I the only person with this type of curiosity? I'm not sure about you, but our family enjoys looking at houses. We've played that game with our kids and ourselves: "That's my dream home" or "I wonder what it's like on the inside, " or "Oh! I love the way..." Mind you, we're not peeping toms, or stalkers, but we're curious and we're dreamers... While looking out my kitchen window yesterday, I was reminded of a popular country group, Lonestar, that has a catchy tune out From my Front Porch Looking In. It talks about what's on the inside of the house that matters, the family. It got me to thinking of those people that drive by my house. Okay, so we don't live in a mansion or astute neighborhood, but it's our house and it has become our home through the years. What would you see if you drove by or even stopped by our house? Now be warned, this is where we live and it actually looks like we live here. Martha Stewart nor HGTV have ever visited here, and we'll never be featured on Better Homes & Gardens, but we want you to be at home. We will NOT pass the White Glove Inspection, but the EPA will not be shutting us down. What is home? To us it is a place where we belong, we can unwind, relax, and and feel safe. We are all homemakers, not just me. To borrow from Emily Barnes, Christian author and speaker, in her book "The Spirit of Loveliness"

A refuge is not a hole where you disappear to eat and sleep and then emerge to go about the business of life. A welcoming home is where real life happens. It's where personalities are nurtured, where growth is stimulated, where people feel free not only to be themselves but also to develop their best selves. That caring, nurturing quality -- not the absence of noise or strife -- is what makes a home a refuge"

You would be Welcome: Driving up to my house you may see the potted plants and flower bed out front filled with various treasures (special rocks given by my kids), things they have made, a basketball goal (kids like to play outdoors), a worn set of wood chairs (just right for stopping by to sit and visit in), welcome mat (Beware of the Cat) meant to warn and bring some humor. Come in! Come in! Kick your shoes off by the front door if you want. Pull up a chair at the kitchen table or get comfy in the living room. Make your self at home. Care to browse a magazine, children's book, photo album, or just sit back and take a nap? Don't mind the dust on the table or on the pictures. Can I get you some tea or water? The bathroom? Um... Oh... I hope it's clean! What is my goal in all this? Again, I turn to Emilie:

"For home is not a structure of wood, brick, metal or spackle. It is what grows within its walls, nurtured by the hearts and sounds of whose who live within... Open your hearts and allow your teachable spirit to develop a home and a life that are filled with caring and warmth and growth... and welcome." Emilie Barnes

If you visit here, hopefully you'll see treasures, memories, and maybe even an idea or two. We hope you'll laugh, snooze, chat, and relax. The invitation is open, just stop on by, but remember: If you come to see us, you're welcome anytime. If you come to see my home, please make an appointment, because, remember we live here, and we have bunnies that live on ceiling fans, under couches, and other various places. Next time, I'll try to make sure the bathroom is a little more clean! Does this mean that I'm completely comfortable with the way my house looks? Will I rush to straighten things up if I know you're coming? Probably. Why? Because my house is an extension of our family. How you view my home is how I see you view us. I hope that you will see that you are welcome

Matthew 25:35 'For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in.