Nearing the end...

Well, we are nearing the end of the cleaning spree! Some of you have to think I am OCD or something... well, I CAN Be!!! Ha! We have every thing moved around in the kitchen... now it is all about picking stuff up and putting where it belongs! Hard to do! Hard to do! I will be thankful to be done and then kick my feet up for a minute before I have to clean up the mess my kids made coming along behind me! Ha!

I haven't said anything here about the kids for awhile. They are doing OK. They have had ups and downs. We've been passing a tummy bug here as of late... but doing alright other wise. It's been tricky here lately trying to figure out what the kids need. Joey's hydration is still an issue on occasion. Nothing where it used to be.. but hard to find a balance of too much and just enough. Abby has been having some moods here lately where her anxiety is up. To be expected with the Topsy turvey curves we have had with Joey. She's doing OK right now for the most part. had some tired spots and so i think it is hard for her to watch what her brother is going through.

Well, night all! ~Mindy

Cleaning spree...

Well, I have been on another cleaning spree... this is the biggest and most detailed since we have been here at this house (over a year now! Time flies!) I mean LITERALLY took every thing out of the rooms to the living, sorted it, got rid of over half of every thing then took it back in and organized it! Whew!!! Two areas left... our bed room and the kitchen/dining room. Techinically we have the garage left... but I'm sworn to not touch! LOL! I think my hubby is afraid I will toss something he likes! Men! Hmm...

I am slowly plugging away at getting lesson plans done! We will be starting September 21st... so I have some time.

Whelp... enough of my ramblings! I must go on with my night and hope for some sleep!

School is coming...

I am so excited!!! We have our curriculum ordered and today, I began school planning. I have enough of what we are using here that I could jump start. Today, I planned our date we begin and then all of our days "off" for the year. We are not beginning school until Sept. 21st. This will give both kids time to recover from surgery before we kick it off. I'm very excited to get started and can't wait for the day! It's so much fun to watch their minds grow!

Oh my!

It's been since Thursday since I blogged! Well, hello blogging world!!! I am still here! I tell you life is chaos right now. I have so much on my mind... some good and exciting... some nerve wracking... and some I could take or leave and be ok with it! :) Nothing earth shattering I suppose so all and all... I'd say I'm good! :)

Here is some random stuff on my mind:

1. I was a face model for mary kay tonight... very interesting!
2. I spent the day on the phone setting up 8 different appointments for my kids
3. I am considering coloring my hair! While in the bathroom at target... I took a good look and MAN ON MAN am i getting grey!
4. I'm working on my bad habits... eating is top on my list!
5. I'm seeking God's heart for my life right now.
6. I'm excited about what God is doing in the lives of some of my friends!
7. I'm anxious about up and coming surgeries for the kids...
8. I'm getting so excited about starting school this fall with BOTH kids! Yeah!!!! (Home school that is)
9. I'm feeling REALLY hungry at the moment but htinking it's too late to eat!
10. Last but not least... I'm listening to the sweet sound of miss Abby breathing in a heavy sleep beside me! :) Makes me kind of smile!!!

ENT visit...

Abby saw the Ear, Nose and throat doctor today from Cincinnati. the visit was productive. We were hoping for a different out come though but again... you do what it takes! He looked over every thing and talked with us for a good while. After examining Abby, he decided that her tonsils have to come out. They are causing sleep issues for her and have been since we were at Riley. Nothing was done though. So, they have decided it's time. For Abby, he says she has much more hightened risk than the average kiddo because of her health history and current breathing problems. So, she will be admitted after the surgery no matter what. The nurse said that it could be any where from 1-10 days that she is there. So... fun times! They will be removing the tonsils, checking to see if the adnoids have reformed after being removed when she was 14 mths. old and then also, removing a tube from her ear that is just sitting on the top of the drum... I'd say it isn't function up there! She goes in Aug. 25th. for the surgery. Exactly a week later, joey has his surgery so we are going to need lots and lots of prayers during this time!

Considering all of this, we are going to be also needing to stay in a hotel more... so we ask for your prayers for that. We are still offering bracelets, key chains and book marks as a fund raiser. We can mail these too! We also will be selling these and baked goods the 2nd friday in Aug. for our fridays in farmland event up town. If you are interested in helping with that or donating items... let me know! I know God will provide some how! He always does!!! ~Mindy

Flying by...

Well, my days are flying by right now yet seem so slow! Strange isn't it??

Joey had Occupational therapy today. He did really well. Worked on lip closure mainly. He had fun with that. They make every thing so enjoyable there!!!

Miss Abby made it through her sleep over and had a good time!!! She's beat... but happy! :)

Night all!

Wrestling...

Ezekiel 13:14

I will tear down the wall you have covered with whitewash

and will level it to the ground so that its foundation will be laid bare.

When it falls, you will be destroyed in it; and you will know that I am the Lord.

Here as of late, God's really been convicting me. In some way, every single one of us act different when we are around others as apposed to how we are behind the door of our home. God has been really convicting me of that. I need to live the same BOTH places. Now granted, I'm not sinning behind my door... no more than any one else anyways, I dont have major secrets... but my moods are different. I can force myself to be pleasant when I have to... but then when I'm home... I can be super grouchy! Regardless... I need to be real and be who I am no matter where i am.

In thinking about this... this scripture above has been heavy on my heart. So many times we as Christians white wash ourselves. we put on the game face when we go to church but then other days... when we don't have to wear the game face... we are real... our foundation is bare... we are exposed and the truth is... our hearts aren't always right. It's easy to pretend for a few hours on Sunday morning, but isn't always easy to keep it up...

The heart of God hurts when we wear the game face! He longs for us to be pure in heart... he longs for our hearts to be white but only because of the blood of Christ... not because we "whitewashed" so we look like we are Godly

.

The last part of this scripture really stopped me in my tracks... He will knock the wall down (The fakeness in your life) and YOU will be destroyed in it... the foundation will be bare... if Christ is your foundation... there is nothing to fear... but if you are whitewashed and your life isn't pure because of Christ... it's not a good place to be... Lay down your whitewash and run to Christ... My prayer is that I can stay pure in him! Daily, living out my life 100% true to who I am... A CHILD of GOD!!!

big day...

Well, my Abby is excited! She is having her first all nighter at Aunt Christi's house. She's so funny. her anxiety has sky rocketed with questions of "Will this happen? when will do this? Who will bring me home? Can I call you? Will you miss me?" Poor thing! I know she will do great! She loves her Aunt Christi and So, I'm sure it will all be fine! :) Mommy is ok surprisingly. It will be at bed time tonight when I can't snuggle her that I fall apart!!! Alas... growing up!!!!

One of my favs...

Zephaniah 3:17

The Lord your God is with you,

he is mighty to save.

He will take great delight in you,

he will quiet you with his love,

he will rejoice over you with singing.

This is one of my absolute favorite verses. I dwell on it often. To think that our God takes delight in us and quiets us with his love and hten rejoices over us with singing. I don't know about you, but that's a pretty amazing thought to me! The God of this universe is so big... yet he takes the time for ME who is so small. Thanks God!

Good evening!!!

Hey all! just wanted to share that Joey had therapy yesterday and today. His therapy yesterday was awesome! The OT says that he's very much catching up and only has slight delays in his fine motor skills. They are going to start working hard on his oral motor skills now to see if they can help him with his abilities of lip closure and that kind of thing. He has VERY WEAK mouth. So, that's part of our new goals now! Good things!

I lift my eyes up...

I have to confess, I have been really battling depression with this round of sickness with the kids. I think that I had so hoped we were there, the kids were healed and we weren't going to have all this any more... now I'm finding those hopes were dashed. The kids are STILL doing amazing comparing to a year ago... however, it's just hard to watch them go through all this. Today, I have realized that I still have the cutest kids in the world. They are so happy. Abby just stood beside me grinning ear to ear holding a torn up flour tortilla. She said "I'm pretending this is bread and I took all my little pieces and put them in the middle to make a sandwich with all the stuff that daddy puts on his... only mine tastes good." She ran off giggling then! God has blessed us so much in the midst of trials. I don't understand why we are walking through it right now, but I do know i have a lot of reason to get up every day and to celebrate that God's given me an amazing family. Even with days in the hospitals for testing/doctoring... We can have that Joy because we have each other. Thanks God! You Rock!!!

All I need...

Psalm 18:1-2

I love you, O Lord, my strength.

The Lord is my rock,

my fortress and my deliverer;

my God is my rock,

in whom I take refuge.

He is my shield and the horn of my salvation,

my stronghold.

writer's block...

I'm wooped and have writers block! I'll be back some time! :)

The action...

My sister and I were making cakes tonight. So, Joey and Abby got in on the action and here is what they created! Any takers on the artistic talent that they have??/ :) Precious moments is what I'd call this cake!

Joey's big day!

Joey had an awesome birthday. We were so excited to celebrate! Here are some pictures from the day!

Riding his new big boy bike.

Yeah for Chuck E Cheese!!!

Aw mom! Not more pictures! Come on!!!

Make a wish Little man!

You have got to be kidding me???

Look out! Abby's driving!

Pappaw liked the crown! I thnk he wished he got a cool crown when he turned 60! Ha!

Happy Birthday Bubby!

Well, Mr. Joey turns three today! (Sun, July 5th) His favorite show right now is Yo Gabba Gabba. This is his birthday cake that I made for him and it is Plex off of this show. He loves robots and when I showed him the cake I was making he shouted "Eebot, Mine!" It was just too cute! I am so excited to be able to make this for him this year! For him to be on a normal diet and eat normal things... The cake is huge... bigger than I think it needs to be but you know... it's for my little man and I'm thrilled he's going to get to eat some of it! :) Happy Birthday Joey! Mommy loves you tons!!!!

Little man's night...

Joey was excited!!! he got grilled cheese and fries before the test began...
He was testing out his bed for the night.... Unfortunately, I didn't get a pic of his cute hair style done up for the test. He just was a bit nervous. So, he held my hand and went to sleep. He was a little trooper for the test. He woke up at 530 and was ready to go!

Sticky goopy hair the morning after!!! Ha!

We are here...

Well, we arrived at the motel here in Cincinnat. This is an extended stay that works with Cinci. childrens. Normaly it is $129 per night, but because we are having stuff done at childrens, it is $35 per night! So, we are pretty glad about that. They have an out door pool. VERY cold. SO, we only went in for about 10 min. and Joey never made it past his knees. Just too cold for him. Abby enjoyed the tire float in the pool though! Thanks to all of you who helped us have the funds to pay for a room tonight for Joey's testing! We are GRATEFUL beyond measure. ~Mindy

Good morning every one! We are leaving for Cincinnati today. We had a very refreshing week this week. We were at a pastor's retreat near Syracuse Indiana. It was wonderful for all of us! The kids had a great time. Both of them were very excited about the lake and got to play in it a good bit one of the afternoons we were there!

Today, we are leaving for Cincinnati. Joey will be admitted this evening for an over night sleep study. Please pray for him. We have started talking about it to him this morning getting him prepared for all the little gadgets they'll be attaching to his body. He does not handle things on him very well. This could be a long night for he and I but we are praying that he'll do wonderfully! We will get the results from this on July 13th.

Also, Sunday is Joey's birthday! He turns a great big three!!! I can remember when they were concerned that he'd be so delayed if even make it to one and look at him now! He's doing awesome. we have had our bumps, but in comparison... God really has done a work in his little body to strengthen him and bring him along! even since his last birthday, he's just come so far! So, we celebrate his birthday Sunday with added Joy as to what God's done in our little man! If you want to send him birthday wishes via e-mail, I will be happy to read them to him! thanks all! ~Mindy

Pleasant additions to our week...

This is Shanna. She is a friend who we have been e-mailing with and she surprised us with a visit on Tuesday. She lives just 20 min. from our camp. Joey was asleep, but Abby enjoyed the attention! I was just awesome to hug Shanna and meet her face to face!
The kids have been enjoying the turtle that is staying in out lodge. His name is squirt and he belongs to one of the other pastors. Abby and Joey both can't wait to see him every morning! We have to greet the turtle EVERY single time we come back in the lodge, wake up or go to bed.

Joey has found a best friend in the turtle this week!

Saying good night to squirt

Meet our friend squirt.

Quaker Haven fun..

We are at Pastor's short course this week at Quaker Haven. We are all enjoying the stress free week! So fun! Here are some random pics... sorry... the comuter is having an attitude and will NOT let me put the pics in order...

Oh dear... is it cold???

This was abby's first experience with a beach that she remembers! She loved it!
So so sleep still... Umm... 915~Rise and shine little lady!

SPLASH!

Chasing sis on the play ground! Joey learned to climb a ladder this week! Yippy!

Ha ha! I sat in the water! I sure did at that!!!

This is a bouncy bridge. Joey was NOT too sure about it!

Abby learned to go down the pull! She's growing up on me!

Pretty girl waiding...

Watching the action with daddy. He had a touch of a fever and didn't feel to hot...

whew... the wind keeps gettin' me!

The dinner bell... Abby and Joey had to give it a smack every time we pass it!

Get ready... get set... splash!

Snuggling with daddy

Joey found a favorite toy in his activity room

Sis loved the jumbo checkers in our cottage

Bubby was nervous of the water... but as you can see above... he found his footing!

Yummy breakfast in bed...

Hey dad... what makes this bell work???

Aw... the beach at last!!!

We arrived and the kids were glad to be out of the van!!!