Key Lime Cove March 2009

We went to Key Lime Cove back in January and had such a great time we decided to take advantage of the BOGO special still going on. This time my Mom, sister and her family joined us. We had a great time again. Key Lime does such a great job for the kids!! I am not good at taking pictures but I managed to snap a few this time. Enjoy!

Prayer Warriors needed

I am asking for those who visit this blog to please take a moment and visit the Caring bridges link on the right if you haven't already done so. This is a journal of a childhood friend of mine who's husband was left a quadriplegic in an accident in their home. Jen has been keeping a journal of the daily trials she faces in helping with her husband's care and raising two small children. She is having some major difficulties right now with the insurance company not wanting to pay for much needed PT and OT for Alan. She is also showing her amazing faith in God and the promises he has for us. She has glorified God through all this and still holds to the belief God's plan for them is bigger than she can imagine. She truly is another woman that God has blessed me with in my life. She has taught me through her journal how God works and sustains us in this life on earth. Jen and I grew up in the same neighborhood as kids and graduated from the same high school. We went our separate ways after high school and have recently reconnected. Her husband Alan, as you will read, is an aerobatic pilot and flew on a team. Jen herself also flies. Besides our connection with our belief in God and Jesus as our savior, we share the love of planes and aerobatics. What a wonderful gift from God to have us back in touch. We pray everyday for Jen, Alan and the kids. She needs our prayers to help fight the insurance company right now. Please read her journal and pray with us.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

I just wanted to say Happy St. Patty's day to all our Irish friends and to our friends who are not Irish also. We all have a little Irish in us on this day!

Friends

I posted last week that prayers were answered and we were sent a new friend for me to care for. Well that did not work out and Mom found someone else that fit her needs better. That's all right. God has pointed us in other directions that will help with the finances and I am still able to stay home with Emily. We still have our friends that do come every day and we do have a great time. I have two little girls that are 14 months and 17 months old. Sadie is 14 months old (she will be 15 months on the 18th) and Anthem is 17 months old (she will be 18 months on the 23 or 24th). They both have developed so much in the last 6-7 months and it has been a blast watching them grow. They both are starting to say words. Today they both said Emily for the first time that I heard. They both also can say "please". They love to explore everything and keep me very busy. We are learning the sharing thing and well we all know that takes time. These two spend the most time with Emily and I and I wanted to introduce them to our family and friends. Here are some pictures of our friends.




Anthem is on the top and Sadie is on the bottom

Thank you Schmit Family

I would like to thank the Schmit family for my birthday card and gift card for a Shutterfly photo book. I can not wait to put that together. Your thoughtfulness is so appreciated!! We miss and love you all.

Flu Bug

Well I guess it was bound to happen. We have dodged the "CRUD" bug here for as long as we could. This past week I started with a head cold that was really no big deal. By Tuesday night it was starting to be a big deal along with a tummy ache. I thought maybe I had too much meatloaf at dinner. Well that was not the case. I woke early Wednesday morning, around 2 AM with the worse stomach flu I have ever had in my entire life. In fact I really don't remember ever being this ill. I spent all of Wednesday in bed with a fever that reached 101.6 off the Motrin and then would hover at 100 on the Motrin. Most of the children I watched had already called in sick on Tuesday night with one thing or another too. Gary stayed home Wednesday to tend to Emily and well neither one of them minded spending an extra day in the middle of the week together. They really had a good time together playing outside most of the day so I could rest. Thank you Gary, these are the times I am reminded how much I really love you!!! My mother-n-law, Jean brought me some wonderful homemade chicken soup that I was able to enjoy late last night. Thanks mom, it was wonderful. I took today off to get a little more rest and to start the sanitizing process. I am also still enjoying that soup. I do still have a bit of a cold and headache, but no fever or stomach aches. I pray now that Gary and Emily do not get this crud bug!!

I hope everyone else is healthy and will stay healthy for the remainder of the winter. Days are getting longer and warmer it won't be long now!!

Happy Birthday Ryan

Today is Ryan Sweeney's 28th birthday. Ryan is Gary's nephew who passed away last June after a life long battle against Cystic Fibrosis. Today Ryan is in God's kingdom breathing easy. WE MISS YOU RYAN!!

Answered prayers

Recently we discussed the possibility of me needing to go back to work outside the home in the evenings because the ends were no longer meeting. This is not something we really wanted but were willing to do what ever we needed to. I prayed for God to send us the answer and to lead me where I need to be to help with our families finances and he delivered as he always does. I have a new full time charge starting on Monday...praise be to God! God has sent us a new friend named Rome. He is 5 and will be here full time until he starts Kindergarten in the fall. This will also help this summer since I will be loosing my two other full time kids. I have seen so many horrible stories of families loosing their homes and are living on the streets, in tent cities and in shelters that are full beyond capacity. But for the grace of God..., This could happen to anyone of us today. We give all the glory to God for our health, desire, ability to be able to work and have the employment to meet our responsibilities.

Random Emily Pictures

Here are some random Emily pictures from the last couple of months that I haven't posted. She is growing at an alarming rate and so his her vocabulary!! She keeps us going that's for sure!! Enjoy.

Camping in the living room

We started our morning today camping. We made a tent out of Emily's comforter from her bed. Here are a couple pictures of Emily and our friend Sadie in the "tent". They are too cute!!