Pictures of the Day

Like my new haircut???
I donated 12 or 14 inches to Locks of Love today.
Hannah took all of these pictures.
She also took about 18 pictures of her barbie doll sitting on the coffee table. And a video of her barbie doll sitting on the coffee table, too. The barbie didntm ove or speak, but Hannah did.

Three years ago...

This week marks three years since miscarriage number two. Has it really been that long? How has the time gone so quickly? Then again, there were days that it didn't go by quickly at all. Wow, what a lot we've been through since 2007. Even just looking back through some of these entries can give a lot of perspective about where I've been, and what I have come through to get here today. I'm so thankful for our growing little family.

I have been praying a lot lately about growing our family a different way, through adoption. But I will save that discussion for another time. Mike and I don't always see it in the same way. And I don't even know if it's something we should pursue. Just because it's on my mind and in my heart a lot lately, doesn't mean that it's going to happen. It just means that it's something I've always felt strongly about. It's certainly a higher calling, to give a loving home and a family to someone who doesn't have one of their own.

Granny the Prayer Warrior

My Granny just called me to talk about my brother's salvation and where he will spend eternity. Now, the fact that she was on the phone after 7pm is a very rare occurrence; usually she is in bed by then.
Two weeks ago when she and my grandpa found out where Andrew was staying and what he was up to, they met with him "for lunch." At first I thought it was nice that they were being so loving and supportive of him. But after talking with her again, I discovered that they really wanted to make sure that his heart was right with God, that he was spiritually saved, that he knew where he was going when he died.
Now wait: Don't get me wrong. I have the same spiritual beliefs that my grandparents do, and I am glad that they are so open about their relationship with Jesus Christ. Also, I have been praying like crazy, especially during these last few months, that each of my siblings will come to realize how much they need God in their lives. But the way that Granny is going about this seems a little odd. She hasn't told anyone except me that she is meeting with my brother tomorrow. It's almost as if she's treating this "meeting" as her own personal secret mission. I'm afraid that she comes on too strong. I hope she understands that she alone is not responsible for whether or not Andrew has a change of heart. And I also hope she takes into consideration that he might not be very receptive at this point in his life.
She said she hopes that this meeting tomorrow will be an "enlightening" experience for both of them. I think that her heart is in the right place... Im just not convinced that she will come across in the best possible way (especially if she uses phrases like "blessed salvation" and "eternal damnation"!). I am praying that God gives her the right words to say, and that Andrew won't be dismissive or rude when he hears her message.

My brothers need so many prayers right now.
They both have proven really good at making one terrible decision after another.
They have each strayed away from their faith and their Christian upbringing, and it is just so sad to see all the pain and grief that they are putting my parents through (not to mention the rest of our family). They don't feel guilty for making these poor choices, and they cannot understand that the things they do affect so many more people other than just themselves. They act like they are invincible, untouchable, immature little kids. I dont know what I can do for them, other than pray.

shower time

This morning I took a shower. Now keep in mind, this is not an easy feat with two preschoolers running through my house unsupervised. Fortunately, Hannah was still asleep, so I didnt have to worry abut her reaching things she shouldn't, getting out choking-hazard-sized toys for her sister to play with, or acting like she was in charge when Mommy wasn't looking. Instead of worrying about those things, I had to distract Aliah long enough to get myself clean in the shower. I locked her in the bathroom with me, dumped a bucket of blocks on the floor, and started washing my hair. Aliah didnt seem to mind at all that she has been confined to our tiny bathroom space with only a pile of blocks to play with. She loved the noise she made when she threw them on the linoleum floor.
After ten minutes and just a few rounds of peek-a-boo from behind the shower curtain, I was a much cleaner, happier, more sane Mommy.
I should have done this a long, long time ago!

They are destroying the kitchen now, so I need to get back to cleaning up their messes.
Please forgive my lack of blog posts lately. Aliah literally takes up all of my time and energy right now. She never stops moving, is always running and climbing and bouncing, and she is constantly asking for food. Example: she just ran up to me with a cup of cheerios in her hand, wanting me to open it for her. It never stops.