Pray for Tuesday............

here is a bit of the post from their blog...........
My deepest fears were confirmed. Tomorrow we take our precious daughter home. Her cancer doubled in size in less than a week proving once and for all that it is horribly aggressive and no longer chemo sensitive. We have no idea how to do this but we have no doubt we will be cared for every step of the way. This is all I have in me. Please pray for peace for our children, our parents and our siblings. Tuesday, full of grace, you are our so very loved.


My heart just won't be still with this one. So hard to understand, I know that God's plan is perfect for this little girl. That doesn't mean that there aren't buckets of tears along the way. I know that my God can and does miracles everyday. I know that my heart wants something that God may not have in mind, his view is so awesome.........Will you consider praying??

Wordless Wednesday

So many firsts.............

First trip out in the snow


First attempt at piggies


I think she looks like these babies are exhausting her


Can I just say how much I love my kiddos.......... I know, I know wordless.....

Not Me Monday

Well, here we are again........



Today I did NOT have a major melt down when I found that I couldn't log onto the computer. I had definitely NOT tried to help daughter number one get her computer to recognize the broadband that we have had since Christmas. She is NOT more impatient and clueless about the computer than I am. She does NOT have her Father's temper and had just decided to "forget it" continuing to use dial-up for her recreation and school work. That would be SILLY!!! Having NO phone lines for people to call in with questions for the upcoming llama show, I finally decided that we could do it. Well I spoke way too soon and ended up transferring her problem to my computer?!!?

I did NOT then burst into silly girl tears to get my husband to take a moment to look at it. He was so busy and trying to get out the door to get to work. He is NOT going to be out or town and the thought of no connection on the laptop for a few days did NOT almost cause me to have a complete breakdown. I did NOT tell him afterwards how much I loved him in that gooey voice of a new girlfriend. His response was "you wouldn't be talking like that if I didn't fix your computer". He did this with a small coy smile that told me he was onto my game.... busted! He really was my hero..... I wouldn't be here chatting with you otherwise. I would NEVER act like that. I also would NEVER tell him I was so worried about school and connecting when in my heart I was terrified that I wouldn't be able to play today in the Not Me Monday fun.

I didn't watch about 5 hours of the Dugger's last night just because I think they are like WOW interesting. The thought of 40 feet to put shoes on just amazes me!!

This year my resolution was to write on the "blog" at least 3 times a week. There is after all lots to write about in the zoo we call home. What better way to journal our crazy lives. Problem is I can't seem to find enough hours in the day to do it! I don't spend hours reading other blog, not me. I do NOT spend hours praying for families and their situations. There is seemingly no time for me to get a post done though. So I snagged one that I thought was very funny to give me the third for the week. Egads........ it is only January! This resolution may not last long.

I did NOT wear the same long underwear top and bottom for three days last week. I only have one pair and it was too cold to take them off long enough to throw them in the wash. Speaking of cold I did NOT freeze my glove to the pump in the barn while feeding the llamas. One big splash and before I knew it I was stuck. I told you it was cold!!! My glove froze to the pump then the llama latch, and then the barn door and the door to the garage.

I do NOT pretend to not hear my husband yesterday when he comented about the ruined rolls of insulation that a "cat" has been sleeping in. Not me... if you remember I would NEVER have allowed a cat in the garage. That is a rule around here afterall. Remember about the cold and the freezing........... well I did NOT feel so sorry for poor Pancakes that he may have "slipped" in the garage door behind me a few nights.

Yesterday I did NOT put the most pathetic little piggy tails in Kendall's hair. I am NOT just so jealous of Small Fry's hair and the amount she has. I LOVE to mess with it and she has more bows than hairs. I just wanted a sprout for her head. I did NOT even take pictures. You have to come back later in the week to see them though because I MUST get busy with school or the kids may be illiterate as adults and blame it on their "bogging" Mom!

So what about you?????????? Oh come on........... I KNOW you have had a few Not Me's right?!?!!? Hmmmmm maybe not.

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Nuerotic........ OCD....... not me!

I just want to thank all of you for your educational e-mails over the past year. I am totally screwed up now and have little chance of recovery.

I no longer open a public bathroom door without using a paper towel or have them put lemon slices in my ice water without worrying about the bactera on the lemon peel.

I can't use the remote in a hotel room because I don't know what the last person was doing while flipping through the adult movie channels.

I can't sit down on the hotel bedspread because I can only imagine what has happened on it since it was last washed.

I have trouble shaking hands with someone who has been driving because the number one pastime while driving alone is picking ones nose (although cell phone usage may be taking the number one spot).

Eating a little snack sends me on a guilt trip because I can only imagine how many gallons of Trans fats I have consumed over the years.

I can't touch any woman's purse for fear she has placed it on the floor of a public bathroom.

I MUST SEND MY SPECIAL THANKS to whoever sent me the one about poop in the glue on envelopes because I now have to use a wet sponge with every envelope that needs sealing.

ALSO, now I have to scrub the top of every can I open for the same
reason.

I no longer have any savings because I gave it to a sick girl (Penny Brown) who is about to die in the hospital for the 1,387,258th time.

I no longer have any money at all, but that will change once I receive the $15,000 that Bill Gates/Microsoft and AOL are sending me for participating in their special e-mail program.

I no longer worry about my soul because I have 363,214 angels looking out for me, and St. Theresa's Novena has granted my every wish.

I no longer eat KFC because their chickens are actually horrible mutant freaks with no eyes or feathers.

I no longer use cancer-causing deodorants even though I smell like a water buffalo on a hot day.

THANKS TO YOU I have learned that my prayers only get answered if I forward an e-mail to seven of my friends and make a wish within five minutes.

BECAUSE OF YOUR CONCERN, I no longer drink Coca Cola because it can remove toilet stains.

I no longer can buy gasoline without taking someone along to watch the car so a serial killer won't crawl in my back seat when I'm pumping gas.

I no longer drink Pepsi or Dr. Pepper since the people who make these products are atheists who refuse to put 'Under God' on their cans.

I no longer use Saran Wrap in the microwave because it causes cancer.

AND THANKS FOR LETTING ME KNOW I can't boil a cup of water in the microwave anymore because it will blow up in my face... Disfiguring me for life.

I no longer check the coin return on pay phones because I could be pricked with a needle infected with AIDS.

I no longer go to shopping malls because someone will drug me with a perfume sample and rob me.

I no longer receive packages from UPS or Fed Ex since they are actually Al Qaeda in disguise.

I no longer shop at Target since they are French and don't support our American troops or the Salvation Army

I no longer answer the phone because someone will ask me to dial a number for which I will get a phone bill with calls to Jamaica , Uganda, Singapore, and Uzbekistan

I no longer buy expensive cookies from Neiman Marcus since I now have their recipe.

THANKS TO YOU I can't use anyone's toilet but mine because a big brown African spider is lurking under the seat to cause me instant death when it bites my butt.

AND THANKS TO YOUR GREAT ADVICE I can't ever pick up $5.00 dropped in the parking lot because it probably was placed there by a pervert waiting underneath my car to grab my leg.

I can no longer drive my car because I can't buy gas from certain gas companies!

I can't do any gardening because I'm afraid I'll get bitten by the brown recluse and my hand will fall off.

If you don't send this e-mail to at least 144,000 people in the next 70 minutes, a large dove with diarrhea will land on your head at 5:00 p.m. Tomorrow afternoon and the fleas from 12 camels will infest your back, causing you to grow a hairy hump. I know this will occur because it actually happened to a friend of my next door neighbor's ex-mother-in-law's second husband's cousin's beautician . .
Oh, by the way.....

A German scientist from Argentina, after a lengthy study, has discovered that people with insufficient brain activity read their e-mail with their hand on the mouse.
Don't bother taking it off now, it's too late.

Okay, okay, so laugh a little it does a body good!

No 2 Snowflakes are the Same

Well, as the Mom of multiple kids I have long ago learned that God makes them all different. I think that maybe this is His warped sense of humor, if they were all the same we parents would "get it right" too soon and maybe get a big head about things. No problem with that..... I learned with the older girls that even though they are raised in the same home with the same parents,that they were different. Boy were they, they seemed to clash at every opportunity. Hat one liked the other didn't, we learned very quickly to never ask an opinion of two choices...... they never picked the same thing.

Once the little boys came around they seemed to get along better than the girls so I thought well maybe..... just maybe I have got two of a kind this time. God giggled .... at my revelation. The boys do share a room and seem to like being with each other. They do seem to play and most of the time they play very well. Logan is such a planner/prep man. Taylor is our out and out play guy. So Logan plans and builds and Taylor does the play once it is constructed. If he does try to help with the construction Logan will tell him why his idea is no good....... nice huh. Logan is SUCH a straight guy, he astounds me everyday with how smart he is and how analytical his thinking is. He can debate with the best of them and many times win. Taylor is the clown of the group I have never seen a kid be so funny without trying. He is absolutely the funniest thing. To show the differences in theri personalities here is an example that happened last week.

In church on Sunday I realized how different they really are. The boys came in from Joy Town where they have their own youth worship service and sat down with us. Logan handed me a snowflake made of silver pipe cleaners and beads. All perfectly balanced with beads placed perfectly. Taylor handed me his then, it seemed to be kind of a wad...... all there but I thought he must have crushed it. He isn't the most careful kid. LOTS of things end up squished in his pocket. As Logan started to explain the perfect placement of the beads I started to untangle Taylor's. He stepped over and said "Hey" What are you doing???......... I said "Is this your snowflake?" he looked straight at me with a completely poker face and said "No, I made a snow BALL!" I thought I would roll...... with laughter.

So this analogy of my boys fits so perfect

Logan's snowflake


Taylor's snow BALL


As different as snowflakes or fingerprints


God is so good...............

Not Me Monday

***UPDATE***** I guess I am not savvy enough to play, if you got here it must have been between getting removed. Sorry, I am trying....... I was a bit disappointed to be number 104. Should have not grumbled......now I am 265. Just like Moses and the Israelites.... 40 year wait for grumbling.




Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

I bet you thought I would forget didn't you? That crazy day when SOME of the antics of the week before are confessed. Well, I couldn't miss that, would NOT want to miss getting all of this out for my weekly therapy vent! With all the money I save here I should be able to buy some pretty something or maybe take the crew on a vacation.

So here goes..................

I did NOT stress half the week to try to remember the wild antics I put myself and the family through. They are always there but my selective memory tries to erase them as they happen.

After complaining to my husband for turning up the thermostat and "running up the bill" I certainly did NOT turn it up myself when he left for work. After all it was was a balmy -20 here and the fire just could not keep up. I did Not also remember to turn it down when he pulled in the drive.



Notice Taylor in the photo???? Anything out of the ordinary?? He has decided it is easier to not snap or button his pants anymore. No amount of reasoning can change his mind either. So on this issue I have given up, my Mom always says "pick your battles". So next week I may be posting about a child that losses his pants in public, probably church.....I can see it now.

I did NOT assign the boys a new job....... hauling the wood from the garage to the house. This is now a requirement to earn coveted "Wii minutes". What are Wii minutes you ask???? Well, in an effort to not turn completely into Wii potatoes (ha ha) I have devised the Wii minute. If all of your chores are done Bed made, piano played, and school is completely without dramatics then you earn 30 individual Wii minutes per day. If you also do not engage in hand to hand or mortal combat with your brother you also have an opportunity to earn 30 more combined minutes. Now let me see if I can correctly state the next part ..... All of these stipulations were needed since I DID want a Wii so that I could have more opportunity to be the bad guy and make my children get up and use their awesome magnificent brains instead of becoming lathargic and unable to think past the couch. Oh yea, contrary to what you may have heard ....you can totaly sit and Wii in most of the games.

I did NOT once again loose my gas card............. yes, once again. This seems to happen on a regular basis around here. I swear I put it right where it belongs and low and behold it comes up missing...... This is the 5th or 6th time that I have lost my card. My husband doesn't even get mad anymore, he just shakes his head and walks away. We always check and there is never any charges on the card. I know it sounds like I am loosing my mind, the card usually shows up a few days later and in the strangest place. I very well may be loosing it. I have decided that their are evil trolls in the world and they just love to mess with me. So now the plan is that I will NOT carry a card and see how far that gets us...... hmmmmm probably between gas stations.

I did NOT once again fail to make the appointment to go to the dentist. After all it is just a tiny little cavity and there is NOTHING to be nervous about. All of my children have a very healthy relationship with the dentist and it would be completely ridiculous for me to be paralyzed with fear at the mention of going to get the filling. All realistic thinking would tell me that waiting only lets the filling get bigger... Ugh!

I also did NOT offer to watch the neighbors two adorable girls today. That only brings the kids count to 5. Ages 1 1/2, 4, 6, 6, and 8. Wow.... a bit boggling. Then I did Not proceed to sleep very restlessly worrying that I would miss the alarm and not be up for the crack of dawn drop-off. I AM such a morning person that it is no problem to get up. They are adorable and I know we are going to have a ton of fun today. I am NOT spoiled... VERY spoiled about getting up early.

I did NOT spend most of the week getting pictures like the one below! It seems that Miss Kendall has discovered that she is IN the camera and needs to see the beautiful big girl. yea!....now we get the NOT so beautiful shots of the unhappy child. Atleast the outfit is cute right??????



Well, that is it for this week but since Karina brought it up how about a NOT ME blast from the past.

Being the fabulous Mom that I am I do NOT allow my children to eat fast food. Not ME! I did NOT on more than one occasion blast in to the drive thru and go through our simple order of minus this and add that only to then drive up to the window and hand her the absolutely deal of a price for such a nutritious meal. I then moved my car to the next window, pause and then leave without getting any of that yummy nutrition packed food! Then almost automatically chiming from the back were the crew screaming about not getting something!!! Did someone poke someone or what?!!?!? Oh no horror of horrors I left the building without the paid for junk food!?!? What to do...what to do?!?!? Well, like anyone of you I pulled back in the drive, got back in line, and when we came around to the speaker box, you know the one. I proudly told them that I was back to get my order, that I had paid for but left without. Was I embarrassed? NOT me!!!! After all, this kid has not even graduated high school....me I was there so long ago that we had a dress code and blue jeans were not allowed.




Shhewwww I feel so much better. How about you??? I would love to help you feel better, give me your antics. Click on the top and go to McMamas at http://www.mycharmingkids.net/ for the carnival blogfest of Not Me's. You'll be glad you did!

Well here is another one.................

I seem to be "getting" these over the last couple days. Once I guess could be coincidence. But I think that with all that is going on and the preayers being sent up for families that are missing babies, families praying for babies, and praying for children to be healed this needs to go out.

I hope that clicking on the link makes it work for you, as you all know this is not my area of expertise.

Keep in mind that when we are filled with the Holy Spirit that nothing can defeat us. Darkness can never be stronger than light....... try it yourself flip the switch in a dark room and watch the dark run!

7WondersoftheWorld1.wmv

Need a giggle?

Or maybe better yet Lift your spirits with a giggle. Little Abby is having a really hard time with her Chemo and so they are looking for some laughs. Lucky for them we are hot bed of grins and giggles. See with a house of 5 kiddos we have several fun kids moment/conversations. Let me think of a few high points.

Three yrs ago we took a trip to Florida. The day before we came home a hurricane was heading in and our friends said we should head out to get ahead of the traffic. The next week at Sunday school the teacher ask my then 5 yr old what he did that week.

Logan: We took a b'acation to Florida.
Teacher: Wow did you have fun?
Logan: Yes, it was great till the hooker came! Then Mom made us go home!
she could hardly contain herself when I picked him up. She knew us and we both had a good laugh.

When my the same son was about 2 he got one of those fairly annoying animals that sing when you push a button. A dog wearing a raincoat that sang "Singing in the Rain"

This is Taylor's rendition..... I'm singing in the "brain" I'm singing in the "brain" What a "glorpious" "breeding" I'm singing in the "brain".

I am so livestock-show promoter for llamas and at one show we were short staffed so I let the little boys hand out the ribbons. Instead of "Congratulations"! Logan told them "Congratunations" while he shook their hand.

both boys had always said "I don't matter" when they really mean It doesn't matter.

Hopefully these little funnies will lift your day a bit. You never know with the feast of fun around here I might have to do these once a week.

Special prayers for little Harper and Brayden, both fighting hard in the picu.

Let God's grace, peace, and healing cover you all.

almost wordless Wednesday.............

Just click the link or paste it and watch. Let me know what you think..........


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yl0HLn118pM


Let the little child lead them.................


hugs

Life is so precious

I remember as a kid my Dad bringing home these stickers. He worked for Dow and they had a campaign of some sort. They said Life is fragile......Handle with Care. Today as I sit in front of my sun room window and read my morning blogs that rings so LOUD in my ears. I hadn't thought of that statement in years but here it is.....

Over the last 24 hours 2 sweet little babies got called home to be with Jesus. These little babies were given a label that I have come to hate. Their dear parents were told their sweet unborn babies were "incompatible with life". Parents that were told that their sweet babies would probably not survive till birth and if they did they would only live minutes. Choices were given and sometimes encouraged that would end their lives before that time. But these parents chose to give their babies the chance to do the work God sent them to do. No matter how short. I don't think that these families would ever trade even minutes for no time at all.

Overcoming the odds both of these little babies out-lived the expectations of all the medical professionals.

Little Magdalena Grace Roberts was born on August 6th, 2008. She has been the light and the joy of her Mom, Dad, and family. They got to love her and show her so many things. Their words over-flowed with the joy she brought to them. Their pictures show a family so in love with this little girl. She got to stay here with them for 6 months and 1 week. She got to teach them so much and show the world her tiny footprints on the March of Dimes t-shirts. If you haven't been blessed to be a part of her life pop over to her blog and catch up. http://noahandjulieroberts.blogspot.com/

Little Mason was born on January 7th, 2009. He was also given the bleak diagnosis that he would most probably not survive birth. He went on to stay here on earth for over 4 days... 116 hours. He got to go home and be with his family and bless them. I have linked the blog to his sweet Great Aunt she is the keeper of his story for us here in Blogworld.
http://11thhourrebel.blogspot.com/

Today I write about 2 families.... their losses are fresh. But they are two of a group of families that know from the start that they need to take every moment and treasure it. These tiny little ones are sent for a purpose and I know for me they HAVE impacted my life. They HAVE made a difference. I have been working for the last several months trying to give my time when ever needed to help families blessed with these babies. All I can say is they are amazing ...... and like the sticker says life is fragile.

In the words of Horton himself.............. a person's a person no matter how small.

As I sit here broken-hearted, I still feel the rejoicing in my heart for the time given to these families and pure joy for the babies that are now laughing and dancing with Jesus.

Please go over to these blogs and leave them a comment, they need your prayers and to feel the peace that is knowing how much their little ones meant.
blessings to you all.......................

Not Me Monday............... again

Well here we are again and I guess that as long as we are going to be doing Not Me Monday I must oblige and have something to write about. I most certainly am a very careful Mom who, as you have read in the past, would never allow her children to leave the house with tags still attached to clothes, not me. But on to this week..... hmmmm where to start?

I did not let the boys hair get so shaggy that I even got comments on Christmas about if I needed help trimming it up.

Since we allow no cats in the garage there would be no reason for me to lay out a towel in a nice small place for our kitty Pancakes. NOT me, I wouldn't give him a small bowl with a snack either. Just ask my husband, he hates cats and does not allow ANY cats in his new garage.

My favorite appliances in the house are my HUGE waher and dryer. I am so careful with them that I would NOT pack them a bit over the limit to get all the jeans for the household in. That would be wrong.

I did NOT sit in the barber shop with the boys getting those very needed haircuts feeling very good about how well put together we looked when to my horror I look over and see a pair of my purple underwear stuck to the velcro on Taylor's coat where the hood sticks together. as I leap for it he must catch it in his vision and pulls it off saying "what is this?" in a louder than preferred voice. No NOT me I would have then needed to crawl under a chair. He also did not find a blue sock stuck to his coat. Note to self........... do not by items with velcro on them!

I did NOT finally make the meatloaf that my Mother-In-Law gave to us on Saturday night. I did NOT misjudge the cooking time and have it only cooked on the edges and then decide to cut that part off and finish baking the rest. The family never knew the difference.

So how about you?................. anything you feel like sharing?? Share away I love comments and there is no judgement coming from this blog! Then hop over to McMamas and check out why there is no need to feel shame..... we are all in this boat together!!!

Speechless...........

Take a moment if you haven't already and hop over to Angie's blog. She has just posted a absolutely beautiful video of Audrey. This very personal look into the time Audrey got to spend with her family and the private moments after. This is powerful! Don't try to watch it without the puffs beside you.

What an absolutely beautiful baby and miracle for the world.

On the wild chance that you don't have a link to Angie's site here it is. http://audreycaroline.blogspot.com/

Watch and be changed!

Also, I need to make note that today is my Dad's birthday. My Dad is like a hero to me, I hope he knows how much I respect and love him for who he is and the example that he set. Many times in my life I have let him down and not been the daughter he deserved. He is my Dad and he is incredible. In all my ups and downs I never once worried that he or Mom wouldn't be there in a flash for me.

Stay healthy Dad, I don't know what I would do without you........ love you!

hugs
Penny

Today was a good day................

I think I spend far too much of my day rushing and not enough time truly enjoying my life. I am blessed beyond measure and since you only go around once why is it that I am not on the edge of my seat relishing every moment.

Today one of my best friends is going to meet a new member of the family. She is going to go to her niece's delivery. This is no ordinary delivery though, little Mason is a very special little boy. He has a different path than most babies. Although the time for Mason is uncertain the impact he will leave is very certain. Maybe his time will be limited but his footsteps small as they are will leave an indelible mark on many lives.

So, for me Mason is going to help me to remember to enjoy every day and every step God puts in front of me.

Not Me Monday

Well here it is Monday again....... this week was the last of the Christmas vacation. I certainly didn't try to sneek in a nap each afternnon while the boys played new Wii the boys got for Christmas.

I didn't scratch the new floor in the sunroom by moving the table across it. I had the cushoin pads for the legs but I decided that I didn't need them. wrong!

I didn't almost burn the house down with our wood stove because we got the fire too hot too many times. While I was cleaning it out I saw the 2 holes, and then after 3,500 later we bought a new stove.

I didn't ask in a very "I will do it way" for help from my Dad in fixing the secret door to the boys room. Dad then fixed it for me.

I didn't sneek a bag of potato chips into my room and slip them under the bed.

I didn't let the boys spend almost 8 hours playing the new Wii one day. I had so much time to myself but that would be wrong for them to spend that much time in front of the TV.

I didn't secretly think it would be nice to have 1 more week off instead of going back to school on the 5th.

Now hop over to MckMama's and see what other Not-Me's have happend!

Kids say the darndest things!

You know after you have been around kids for a while that you should always expect the unexpected. But there are those times when you just know that what is coming is not good.

We have a BIG family tradition in our family for New Years Eve. All the kids go to Granny and Pa's house for the "Big Party". This is a party for kids only, anyone over 2 and potty trained.... no adults...absolutely none.... well that is except for Mom and Dad. They always seem to be aloud without questions. Maybe because it is at their house. I don't know but anyway. The "Big Party" starts about 3:00 on the 31st and goes until lunch time on the 1st when all the parents come barging in for a meal of pork, peas, and sauerkraut. The party is a no rules party, the kids can do anything including ride mattresses down the stairs..... yes they have done that..........eeeeekkk! No smoking, no alcohol, no boys sleeping in the same room with girls but otherwise anything goes!!! This year there was 14 kids between the age of 4 and 22. This year was the 28th anniversary of the party. My kids have been there every year even through the teen stuff.

So when we got home on the 1st and got the boys ready for bed Taylor told us that we knew 2 bad words, the "s" word and the "d" word. GREAT..... just what we need. What is the world did they hear at the Big Party?!?! The conversation went a bit like this.

Taylor I know 2 bad words the "s" word and the "d" word. Do you want to know them?

Tim No, I don't want you to tell me. Do not say them.

Taylor but Dad, are you sure you don't want me to tell you?

Tim Taylor! Just forget about them, God wouldn't be happy seeing you thinking about or saying bad words

Taylor (Hands on the side of his head) Dad! I can't stop thinking about them, they won't get out of my head.

Tim Taylor! Go to sleep.

Taylor Dad, just let me whisper them in your ear.

Tim Okay Taylor, this one time then to sleep and I don't want to hear anymore about it.

So Taylor leans really close to Tim's ear and very quietly says.................

STUPID and DUMB!

We all breathed a sigh of relief and very poker-faced said ... well okay then, no more bad words.

shewwwwwwww........................