How will I EVER survive?!?!?

I have surgery on my throat scheduled for Nov. 20th.

I have scar tissue still on my trachea from when I was little & was intubated for a week.

The ENT I saw last month thought it might be some of what is obstructing my breathing & FEELS like asthma to me.

I almost danced at the thought of being able to BREATHE normally for the first time in my life.

BUT…….there is one TINY drawback.

So simple to solve really (yeah, right!)

I can’t talk following surgery for 48 hours!!!!

(Bet I’ll be blogging up a storm, though, don’t you?!?!)

I am slightly nervous that they will be so close to my vocal chords,

so if you could pray for me regarding that aspect of surgery,

I would appreciate it!

New lessons for 7 year olds….(& even for 37 year olds!)

Lessons in how to graciously accept defeat.

Lessons in “God’s will is best.”

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him,

who have been called according to His purpose.”
Romans 8:28

Lessons on how to “try harder next time.”

& mostly……lessons for her parents.

Lessons on how to encourage your child,

when you just want to cry for them.

Ana raced a car she designed &

built in the AWANA Grand Prix last night.

She got an award for participation. Nothing else.

Oh, it was hard.

She tried so hard & was SOOO excited!

(the tears are welling up just thinking about her disappointment).

BUT……in the midst of this trial for her…..my mama’s heart nearly filled to bursting with pride!

Do you know what she did?

One of her friends came bounding up to me

& said, “Guess what guys??? I won the whole thing!!!”

Ana…..reached out to hug her…..
& said, “XXXXXXX,

I am so happy for you! Congratulations!”

I didn’t even prompt her at all!!

May we all learn that lesson-to rejoice with those who rejoice! (Romans 12:15)

(Do you think I told her how proud of her we were???? YOU BET I DID!!! & so did Dave….)

Oh.....ick

When Mommy is sick.....nothing is right in the world....

PLOT......that critcal part of a story that makes it worth reading.....(edited at the end-laugh out loud funny!)

Have I ever mentioned that Ana loves to write?

But, yeah…..we need some lesson plans on plot, I think.


(She loves anything to do with art,

too……so if anyone has any tips for organizing art supplies

(Andrea-feel free to chime in here!), please fill me in!!!

But……daily, I find her masterpieces

(of both art & stories)

left on my bedroom floor,

the kitchen counter…..

the couch-for the babies to tear apart,

the table.

She has lately taken to writing variations on a story called, “The Soup.”

The other day, I counted at least 3 copies of it strewn about the house!

Dave & I were laughing so hard,

as we read each story.

(please tell me other parents just have this overwhelming desire to LAUGH at their kids!

They are just so funny!)

The stories never vary much

(well, unless you count how much MONEY the “carpinter” made-ha!!! haa!!!)

……so my only conclusion is…….

Soon I better come up with lesson plans that focus on PLOT in story writing!

Click on the picture!

See if it doesn’t make you smile!

(& make you realize some things MIGHT be missing from our lesson plans-

you think?)

Edited: This was one of the comments left in the comments section. Made me LAUGH out loud!!! Didn't want anyone to miss it!

***********said...
You're missing the points of tension! They are there, but YOU, big adult that you are, are missing them! The carpinter makes soup, but we don't know until the end of the story whether or not he will get to EAT the soup. Also, when he goes to work, will he be able to make any money? In today's economy, this is an important consideration. Fortunately, our protagonist makes $105 dollars AND gets to eat his soup. A very fortunate man, all things considered. Also, notice how well she handles the soup theme: she mentions it at the beginning of the story, moves away from it, and returns to the soup. This also, incidentally, shows some understanding of plot, since we start with soupness, move away from soupness, and then thankfully are returned to soupness. It's a cohesive, symmetrical, and satisfying denoument. Perhaps you shouldn't criticize your eldest child so much ;D

What is Bonding???

How do you bond?

I have one idea…….going through trials together.

The girls have been throwing up the past few days.

A BIG trial for 7 & 2 year olds.

(& a BIG trial for their mama,

too-who am I trying to kid?!?!? Ha!! Ha!!!)

This is how they spent 45 minutes-1 hour this morning:

You know, this is not what anyone would consider fun…..but, it is still a special “sister time.”

Before I had more than one child,

I always thought the bonding would come from reading books

& playing together-

But, today,

I saw more sister love &

affection than I have ever seen from either of them!

(& Natty thought he was RULER OF THE HOUSE while the girls were occupied like this! Up & down the steps, laughing & playing with toys & not having them taken away!)

Please pray they feel better soon.
It has been over 24 hours now.
Natty has VERY loose stools, too.
Pobrecitos!

A Little more Lighthearted.....

After yesterday's post, I figured a "lighter" post was good.

Oh, my word......I am in SOOOO much trouble if he looks at me like that when he's a teenager!!!
Happy girl!!!!

Cooking-again.

Please be praying this family-such a sad story from Guatemala.

(& for FFF visitors, sorry I didn't follow the theme,

but we haven't gotten any pumpkins yet-everyone's been sick.)

How very SAD.....warning-not my usual type of post....

I have a prayer request to share with you. This is not my typical post, so be warned-you may need Kleenex. When I read these types of things-my heart breaks.

I opened my e-mail yesterday to the following note. To say that it shook me up would be a HUGE understatement. I know these things happen…..but, well, just read it & see if your heart isn’t breaking. It is from some friends of our who are missionaries in Guatemala City.



"I wonder how you would feel if the oldest of your 4 daughters married a leader of a gang which here in Guatemala means drugs, murders, robberies, rapes and whatever bad you can think of.

Then the daughter's husband gets put in prison so the rival gang take the opportunity to get revenge and kidnap his wife. The police call. They have a body, well sort of.

The father goes to identify what was the body of his daughter and is now chopped up in so many pieces it was not even recognizable except for one birth mark on one of the parts!

She leaves a little boy who the family take in.

Now, a couple of years later, another daughter goes to buy tortillas and she does not return. They learn 4 fellows kidnapped her. Five days later, the same story as the first daughter, but only half of her body was found and in pieces. They could not even tell how she had been murdered.

The poor mother wept in my arms on Sunday at the funeral and just said, "Why, oh why?" I had no answer. I did find out the girl was 3 months pregnant but do not know if this had anything to do with the murder. The mother wants to shift away from her home as she fears for the others girls. Also she apparently knows who did this and has to make police statements which could call for more reprisals.

As the girl's grandfather said, " This just shows us that we need to be right with the Lord as none of us know when the final call will come." This scenario is all too common here in Guatemala unfortunately."



Things like this happen on a daily basis-really the world over.

But, this hits home for us. Our children could have grown up there. And not made it to their 20th birthday. I am not trying to say "Yeah, Kim & Dave." Honestly, we are not heroes that rescued our children. We just followed His leading.

But, sometimes, I just want to say, "Thank-you, Father, for allowing us the privilege of bringing two precious children out of what could have been a childhood of poverty & danger-(& almost certainly would have been a life with out You)-into a life of peace & safety. & a home where they have the opportunity to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ.”

Please pray for the country of Guatemala-& for the people there (both missionaries & natives) who faithfully share Christ's love & His saving grace.

Please pray for this family as well....

Ephesians 2: 8 & 9
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

9 not by works, so that no one can boast.