Oh my son

Joshua came out of his room today in this outfit and told me he was ready to start cooking. I think he was going for the Aunt Jamima look.

We are so proud of Hannah

Friday was the big day "Report Card Day" as we looked at her report we were so proud of her, this is what we saw:
Language Arts 2 96% A
Mathematics 2 97% A
Science 2 95% A
Spanish 2 95% A
Social Studies 2 107% A
Music 2 95% A
Art 2 100% A
Physical Ed 2 100% A
Reading 2 95% A
Work Skills E Exceeds Expectations
Social Skills E Exceeds Expectations

When I was pregnant I used to pray that she would get her daddy's brains and she did. We are so proud of her . Great Job Hannah! We love you so much and are so proud of you.

1st softball game Go Crimson Tide!

Tonight was Hannah's first softball game and her team won 14-7 they played so well. Hannah had 3 hits, she scored and she got two people out at home plate while she was playing catcher. She was so good tonight I was so proud.

A devotion I found on Silence

Today’s Truth

Isaiah 45:3 I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.

Friend to Friend

I’m not very good at being silent. If there is a word to be spoken, I will gladly speak it. For much of my life, I avoided silence at all costs. I walked in the door from school, turned on the radio in one room and the television in another. I was afraid of the dark – physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Over the years, I have come to learn that the seasons of silence are different in nature and purpose. Sometimes the silence falls like a sweet, gentle and refreshing rain. During those times, I am meeting the One I love the most...and just reveling in His presence. I don't have to do anything - be anything or seek anything. I am just with Him...and He is with me. I crawl up into His lap...wrap my arms around Him and just stay for awhile. During these silent times He brings healing and restoration. I fall in love all over with Him again - He reminds me that His love in unchanging and unconditional...and that He is not going anywhere!
Then there are times when the silence is like a deep, dark pit. Several years ago, I went through a two-year clinical depression that nips at my heels every moment of every day. But in that pit, I found Psalm 40:1-3. God gave it to me in the darkness, but it has become my life song in the light.
“Psalm 40:1-3 For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.” (NIV)

Oh, I have read the book of Psalms many times, but this time, in the silence under the Juniper Tree, it settled into my soul and took root. I began to learn how to wait on God...how to cry out to Him...how to trust Him like the helpless child that I am while He lifted me up and we had what my kids call “daddy time”. During those precious times, we laugh, cry, and talk about the trials that brought me to the pit of darkness. For the first time in my life, I began to realize that anyone or anything that makes me cry out to Him – any circumstance that drives me into His arms can be counted as good, as a blessing!
I am learning to embrace the silent times as gifts from His hand to my life. So time under the Juniper tree is good. Sometimes I just need to be reminded. How about you?

Let’s Pray

Father, thank You for arranging the circumstances of my life in such a way that I was forced to stop…rest…and sit at Your feet in quiet solitude. Thank You for the healing I found there. Thank You for the new truth and redefined purpose for my life. I would go through it all again, Father, for what You did during my time “under the Juniper tree”. Help me to apply the truths I found there and to share Your plan of deliverance with those who now struggle with the darkness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Now it’s Your Turn

Do you long for times of silence or avoid them whenever possible? Why? I encourage you to find a few minutes each day to spend in silence. Establish the habit of a silent retreat when possible. Read the Psalms daily and keep your gaze on God.

More from the Girls

If you had followed my life over the last 30 years, you would agree that I have earned the title, “Stress-Buster”. At times, I was more like “stress-busted” but have come to realize that we will never be free from stress this side of heaven – so we had better figure out how to deal with it. That’s why I wrote the book Escaping the Stress Trap, a verse-by-verse study of Psalm 23. If you read Psalm 23 every day for a month, I guarantee that you will see a difference in your stress level. I pray that you will experience the peace of God in a new way. We would love to hear from you! Blessings

Why can't you rewind the movie?

Look at this sad face. We went to the movies Sunday to see College Road Trip and when it was over he wanted us to rewind the movie and watch it again when we told him we couldn't do that he got sad and started to cry. He doesn't understand that it's not like being at home watching a movie, he thought we were just being mean and didn't want him to see it again. Funny boy!
By the way what a cute, funny, clean "G" rated movie.

Joshua's Been Tagged

Ok! Joshua has been tagged by Sir Silas to give you all 10 fun facts about himself that you would all like to know so here he goes:

1) I was born in Fullerton Calif.

2) I love to slip and slide inmy back yard with my sister.

3) I love to listen to music and dance epecially if it's High School Musical.

4) I start kindergarten in August.

5) My favorite thing to eat for breakfast is bacon.

6) I love to watch movies some of them again and again and again.

7) I love to play baseball with my daddy in the back yard and I can hit a ball very hard and very far.

8) I love to wear flip flops I have 6 different pairs of them.

9) I love to pray with my mommy & Erica at Paradise Bakery

10) I was named after my daddy's favorite football player.

Ok, done! Now it's time to tag someone else so Titus and Shelby it's your turn to tell us some fun facts about you.

Easter Egg Hunt in the back yard

We had an Easter egg hunt in the back yard the kids had a great time and Brian and I enjoyed watching them. This was the second part of our day it's getting better.

How my Easter began

My poor sick baby boy
Joshua sleeping

Well today didn't go as planned you see got up at 5am to get ready for Easter Sunday around 6:45am I woke up Hannah & Joshua and he was happy and asked if today was Easter I said yes he was so excited he got up asked his dad for some water and was piddling around, then about 7:10 am I asked him to come here so I could dress him I put on his new shirt and when I looked at his face he looked funny I asked him if he was OK and he said NO! "I have a funny in my tummy" then he got down on all fours and threw up on my carpet he tried to get up again he threw up I took his temp and it was 98.6 but he looked pale and he got very lathargic and just wanted to lay down. I sent Brian and Hannah on to church and decided this kid wasn't going to church and either was mommy. I tried to get him to go to bed but all he wanted was his pillow and to lay down in the hallway next to a towel on the carpet and there he slept for 2 1/2 hours. When he got up he puked again this time on the towel then he came in the family room and asked me for 2 pieces of wheat bread and 2 fruit snacks which he ate and acted like there was never anything wrong with him and he was great the rest of the day. The enemy didn't want us at church today and I am not too happy about that. I missed Easter service for the first time in 40 years I was very sad.

He is not here for He is risen, He is risen indeed!

An empty tomb the most beautiful site. I pray you spend the day reflecting on this empty tomb.
Happy Easter.

OH! That bunny

OK, I went to the mall last week and there he was the "Easter Bunny" my kids were so excited they wanted their picture taken with him I wasn't sure but I caved and here it is. My husband came up with this great idea he said they need to have someone dressed as Jesus at the mall with an empty tomb behind him taking pictures with kids for Easter. Do you think the mall would buy the idea? Wouldn't you like a picture like that of your kids with Jesus?

Family friends what a blessing

Sunday night we met up with Brian's parents best friends who were visiting here from Florida. They are here for Chicago Cubs spring training. We had such a great time with them. They got both of the kids Easter baskets and they were so excited. What sweet people. Thanks Patty & Lyndon.

Horton Hears A Who

Friday for the last day of spring break we went to the movies to see Horton Hears A Who
The kids were so into the movie it was really cute
They wanted to pose next to the poster

Where does his style come from?

I about died when he came out of his room looking like this.

Softball begins for Hannah

My cute little softball player

She likes being the Crimson Tide since her Aunt Laurie lives in Alabama

This year Brian is coaching Hannah's softball team again and mommy is the asst. coach. We have 12 little girls ages 7 & 8. Tomorrow is our first practice and this year we are the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Hannah's last basketball game

Hannah had her last basketball game on Saturday, she played really well she even scored. After the game they all got trophys. It was a good season for Hannah she gets better each season and her love for basketball grows even deeper. For now we are on to softball until May.

Playgroup at the Park

Today was the playgroup day at the park we had a small group but the kids had a great time. Here are some pictures from our day. Thanks Monica for setting up the day.

My sweet sister

I just want to say Thank You to my sister for flying here from California to watch my children so Brian and I could go on a retreat together. It is really nice to be able to go away and know that my kids were being taken care of by someone who loves them as much as I do. My kids were having so much fun that when I called home to tell my son we were on our way home he burst into tears and said can't you stay at your hotel until Saturday, I guess he wasn't through spending time with his aunt. Not the response I thought I would get but understandable I love spending time with her too. Thank You Susan! I love you!

The right way to sleep
The wrong way to sleep

Tonight I went to check on the kids like normal and this is how I found Joshua. I don't know what happened. Brian put him to bed about 45 minutes before this and he was in the center of his bed and then this. What would make a child do this?