Helping Haiti

If anyone is looking for a way to help the people of Haiti, a charity I am acquainted with, is collecting funds. The Shepherd's Crook is primarily an orphan ministry, but has contacts in Haiti through which to funnel funds. The founders of The Shepherd's Crook are personal friends of mine and I know that any money donated will go directly to helping the Haitian people.

Their website is: http://theshepherdscrook.org/

My Mom, the Nurse

This is a shameless I'm-proud-of-my-mom post. My mom just graduated from nursing school in November. I don't think she cares if I mention her age, so I can say that at age 65, she felt that God was leading her to go to nursing school so that she could participate in medical missions.

So she went. And she studied. And studied. She worked so hard and kept telling me that she was 'managing' to pass her classes. She totally relied on God to help her with the copious amounts of memorization that nursing school requires. Each time she got confident in her own strength, she didn't do as well. When she acknowledged her dependence on God, she did well.

I wasn't able to be at her graduation but my dad took pictures. He called me the next day, voice filled with pride and admiration for 'his girl.' He told me that when awards were being passed out, he and my mom were both shocked to hear her name called.

She had won an award for academic excellence! She finished second in her class. Yep...God helped her 'manage' to pass. And He did it with style.

When my mom received her diploma, she turned and said, "For those of you who think you can't do something...you can. Look at me graduating at 65!"

Way to go, Mom!

Mom is studying hard this week to take her state board exam. She will be taking it on Wednesday if any of you want to send up a prayer for her.

Fun in the Snow

One nice thing about living in New England (at least where we are) is that the weather is pretty decent during the winter. Most days it's in the high twenties or low thirties. It's enough to keep snow on the ground but not so frigid that you are forced to endure frozen-booger-syndrome. If you don't know what that is, you have not experienced below zero temperatures. I'm just sayin'...

Anyway...some of the girls went out to sled down the little hill in our yard and I was soon summoned to watch.

Big sister Jillian assists little sisters


"Gah! I'm falling off! How do you stay on these things?"


"That was a little too scary for my taste."


"I think that was FUN!"


"Here's the way it's done, Ladies!"


"Like this?! See ya later, dudes!"


"I'm trying this again."


"Despite the fact that this bothersome saucer keeps sliding out from under me, I WILL prevail and figure out a way to stay on top of it."


"Here I go!"

"Oh yeah, baby. I have this mastered."


"I find this display of athleticism exhausting and prefer to sit at the bottom of the hill eating snow."



"Not me! I could do this all day long!"

Sometimes He Calms His Child

There is a song that I didn't take the time to look up--with words that say,


I took this picture on a sunny day in December when we went to see the ocean. The surf was crashing up and spraying the pier with great intensity. The seas were very rough, but the sun was shining. It reminded me of how sometimes we can see only the rough waters and not notice that the Son is watching over us.

That is how I feel right now. Held. Calmed. Although, sometimes I let my mind wander back three years ago as I watched my cousin's casket being lifted off the military plane. Images of his military funeral drift through my head. I have to deliberately force myself to stop thinking those thoughts, and instead return to the peace and safety of God's arms. The same arms who hold my son.

It's been weird around here without him. He was only allowed to take one change of clothes and some toiletries, so all of his clothes, computer, and 'stuff' is here. I did a bunch of his laundry yesterday, which seemed odd, since he isn't here to wear any of it.

We are still waiting to get a phone call. I hang out by the phone, hoping. We did get a few texts from him last night which was soooooooo wonderful. He is doing fine--tired from getting up at 4AM every day--but fine. I got none of the details that we females like to receive--just some cryptic information stating that he gets to keep his cell phone until Monday when boot camp officially starts, he gets his gun that day, etc.

I wanted to know all the kind of stuff Mom's want to know. Did they shave your head? Are you feeling okay? Are you scared? Are you missing us? How many vaccinations did you have to get? I want to hear his voice. I can't wait to hear him say, "Hi, Mom."

I think this whole get-the-kids-out-of-the-house-thing is totally over-rated.

Giving Thanks to those who gave all

A friend sent me the link to this beautiful tribute by Oliver North to those who are fighting for our freedom. Please take a moment to watch it:

http://www.nragive.com:80/ringoffreedom/nr_j0199_landing.html

Oh...and it needs a tissue alert.

"I Want to Serve My Country" Video

Here is the video of the recruits taking the oath. We had to upload it to YouTube to get it to work, so if you get these posts via email, you will probably have to click this link to see the video.

The Oath

This morning, we traveled to Boston to be present when Ryan and other recruits took the oath and left for b*sic training.

I have never been so humbled.

They had the recruits take the oath in groups of 15 or so. I watched them with tears in my eyes. Some of them were sooo young. And they were going to stand between my loved ones and the enemy.

We taped Ryan taking the oath and I tried to upload it to the blog but kept getting an error message. I'll try again tomorrow. At the beginning of the video, they ask the recruits to state their name, what branch they are joining, job training and why they wanted to join. Ryan was the fourth guy to speak. The three guys prior to him were embarrassed and couldn't think of a reason why they joined other than, "it was something to do,' etc. I wondered what Ryan would say because he gets very uncomfortable with any type of public speaking. But he calmly stated his name, branch, job, and then gave his reason for joining.

"I want to serve my country."

Ahhh...the tears started to roll. About half of the recruits ended up giving the same reason and it was so touching. So, so, so humbling.

I watched the tearful farewells from the other families around me. It was almost unbearable to be in the room.

President Bush's words ring in my ears...'On behalf of a grateful nation, we thank you." To those boys/men I saw today...thank you. Thank you to their families. Thank you to their friends.

Hanging out and waiting to take the Oath--along with a friend from youth group

Katie-bug gets some snuggle time

SaraGrace breaks down at the thought of Ryan leaving

These guys will be protecting our freedom

Taking the oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States

Some of the guys were SO young



Last family picture for awhile

Chloe breaks down and Ryan tries to comfort his little buddy

My hero

My heros

Tender Goodbye's

Ryan reported to the service office this afternoon at 5PM. Taylor stayed home to babysit the three youngest kids, but the rest of us went with Ryan. He is doing well--nervous, a bit scared, but God sent encouragement by way of a friend who had just gone through boot camp. The friend called last night and gave Ryan the scoop and Ryan was feeling much more at ease.

As for me, I pretty much cried myself out over the weekend and was dry-eyed today. We will be seeing Ryan in the morning at his swearing-in ceremony and have decided to take the kids out of school to attend with us. After that, he gets on the bus for the airport and we will not see him for 9 weeks. When he finishes basic tr*ining, we are invited to attend Family Day and his graduation.

God is SO good and has totally been sustaining us and giving us peace. I have total peace now that Ryan is where God wants him to be, and that is incredibly comforting.

Last week a friend wrote me and said something about the day that I was dreading would come but that God's strength would be perfect. (thanks, Holly!) The following morning I woke up with the words to a poem running through my head. I couldn't remember all of it but part of it was something about 'the clouds you so much dread, _____will break in blessings on your head. ' Even that little part of it was already comforting me, but because it was driving me nuts not to know the whole thing, I Googled it.

And here it was... It's an old poem, so it's in Old English...

"God moves in a mysterious way,
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
and rides upon the storm.

Ye fearful saints fresh courage take
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head."

And with those words, great comfort came as I remembered that God is working in ways that I cannot yet see. He is taking care of Ryan, watching over his every step, and encouraging me to pass the baton to Him and trust Him to take the rest of the race with Ryan. And the very clouds that I dread, are in reality the path of blessing...that I need to move forward in courage and hope, trusting that God will only bring to Ryan what will be best for him.

And so, although we are very sad, we said good-bye today with hearts that were peaceful...hearts that are held in the loving hands of the Prince of Peace. Thank you, Jesus, for loving us so much.

All packed and ready to go

Ryan and Chloe have been best buddies since she was a baby

I love you, son.

Waiting for processing

I'm proud of you, son.

I'll miss you, Ryan.

One more hug for his little buddy

Quotes to Remember

A blog I read, (so that I can view her amazing photographs) has some great quotes today on her blog, Short on Words--many from the founding fathers of this country. Please go read them and consider what we are so close to losing in this country.

Here are some samples of quotes she has posted:

From Thomas Jefferson:

“I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.”

“A government big enough to supply you with everything you need, is a government big enough to take away everything that you have.... The course of history shows that as the government grows, liberty decreases.”

"To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical."

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Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience. - C.S. Lewis

The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of the blessings. The inherent blessing of socialism is the equal sharing of misery. – Winston Churchill

A government which robs Peter to pay Paul, can always count on the support of Paul. – George Bernard Shaw

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety. – Benjamin Franklin

There is no worse tyranny than to force a man to pay for what he does not want merely because you think it would be good for him. – Robert Heinlein

Please go check out the other quotes she has posted. They are ALL good and we need to remember the wisdom of those who have gone before us...who have lived through the folly of others and learned. If not, we will be forced to re-learn what has already been taught down through the centuries.

Catching up - random stuff

Tonight Jeff and I took Ryan out for 'the last supper'--a tender good-bye kind of thing. It was supposed to be a nice, quiet dinner at a nearby steak place. You know...special...lots of ambiance...a memory-making event.

They seated us in the last table by the kitchen and the bar. It was loud, and the idea of a nice, quiet dinner would have been ruined, so we requested a different table.

After 20 minutes of waiting, our names were called.

Imagine my surprise when they led us to a table directly on the other side of the kitchen--in the back corner by the kitchen door--arguably the loudest spot in the restaurant. Hello? All evening we were treated to the sounds of the cooks, waiters, and busboys yelling, singing and generally being incredibly loud. I was quite annoyed at first and then it got to be hysterically funny. Jeff remarked that they almost seemed to be purposely loud as they filed back and forth past our table all night. argh.

Yes, Ryan really WAS this thrilled about having his photo taken.

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Monday, we took SaraGrace and Kate for some additional testing at the cardiac clinic. Kate's test results were fine but there was a surprise with SaraGrace's. The doctor had ordered a lung scan for her 'just to be safe,' and the results showed a problem.

A normal functioning set of lungs has 45% blood flow on the left and 55% on the right. SaraGrace has 19% on the left and 81% on the right. Obviously the 19% is not good, but the 81% is not good either because the increased blood flow can cause permanent injury to the lung. He is scheduling her for a heart catheterization in January. He said he would not know for sure what to do until he gets in there, but anticipates doing a balloon procedure to open up the artery in her left lung. If all goes well, she will only require an overnight stay.

I know it sounds weird, but most of we Mom's of heart babies dread heart cath's more than open heart surgery. There are so many things that can go wrong in a heart cath. Hopefully, she will be fine, though.

I am SO thankful that her current cardiologist is so thorough and caught this before it caused any damage to SaraGrace's heart!

Both girls had to have blood draws which produced blood-curdling screams from both of them. Sheesh....it got to be ridiculous since it was all BEFORE anyone even came near them with a needle. Despite their lack of bravery, we still treated them to Starbucks hot chocolate afterwards. So smart of Starbucks to be located right outside the Children's hospital.

Comparing their haul of princess stickers for being 'so brave.'

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And last, but not least, a few photos from the Christmas Eve service, where I got some seriously grainy photos due to trying to sneak some pics without flash. A big ol' blinding flash would have kind of ruined the worship and holiness of the moment for those around me.

It was a candlelight service and they passed out real candles to the adults and battery operated, votive sized ones to the kids.

Zoey was engrossed in her flickering candle.



SaraGrace loves any type of dramatic moment and thoroughly enjoyed singing about Jesus, candles, etc.



The service came to an end and we all blew out our candles.

Jake found a new use for his.

One Year Ago today...

...we were on a plane to China to bring Zoey and Kate home. We had the stroke-of-midnight-moment quite a few times as we flew across one time zone after another.

The packing zone...the day we left. I have never learned to pack light. I doubt I ever will!


And soon we were transported to a place where we saw cool things like this.


And sweet friends like this.


Whose daughter's were photographed constantly in public, by admiring crowds like...

...this.

We rode the subway with "Baby," the stuffed animal from Chloe's kindergarten class.

We shopped in places like this.

We shopped here too, where the look on this girl's face cracks me up to this day.

We met sweet babies like Corrie, who need Mommy's and Daddy's to love them.




I can't believe it's been a year.

As we savor those sweet memories of China, we are preparing to send Ryan off to bo*t camp on Monday. I keep finding myself wanting to slow time down...to make each moment last a bit longer, but time keeps churning forward.

Tonight, as we sit in our family room eating junk food, playing games and watching TV, I am so thankful for the family that surrounds me. I am thankful that I have a son...even though I have to send him to bo*t camp. There are those who don't have any children. There are those who have no families. There are those who don't have warm homes that bring comfort and shelter.

I am very, very blessed. Thank you, Jesus.