Thank you, thank you, thank you........

I just want to say Thank you... Thank you to everyone who has been praying for our trip. Thank you to everyone who gave so generously your money to help us. Thank you to my family and friends who encouraged me to go for it, helped me figure it out and filled in the missing pieces. I've been praying for blessings upon blessings to overwhelm all of you!!

I can't believe Thursday morning is almost here!! My living room is full of suitcases. I had to pack the girls also because they are off to California for the two weeks. I think I am pretty close to being ready. One would hope, being that I am less than two days away now. Despite my lists everywhere, I still seem to think of things I need all the time that are not on the lists. Talking about lists... Nathan has been laughing at me. He said, there are people in the world who feel better, more sane, are able to work more clearly when they get organized, prepared, make lists, have plans... you are NOT one of those people. You are actually just really angry when you have to do any of those things and somehow everything is more chaotic...and then I look at him and Nod and breathe deeply...I am so happy to be understood. It's so great to have someone understand how preparing for all this by myself has not been the FUN PART!! Lists, plans, organizing...NO NO NO!!!! It actually makes me CRAZY and MAD, MAD, MAD... ha ha I am glad he can laugh at me and then I laugh at myself. I think the planning is now officially over. I had to last minute plan when I found out just a few days ago that our three hour layover in South Africa turned into three days. At first I get overwhelmed. Really because I make myself nervous at my navigating capabilities. But, I prayed and worked through it and worked it all out. NYC overnight, London for a full day, Mozambique for a week and now South Africa for three days.... WOW, can I really manage all this??HEHEHEH!!!AHAHAHAHAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! God thinks so....He surely will have Angel teams mobilized watching over my craziness and keeping a good eye on Cole and I. What an adventure God can take you on, if you let Him, eh??

I am beyond HAPPY...beyond EXCITED...beyond READY!!! God has made a way and I hope to live in each moment He creates....

I love you all and thank you again for all your blessings....

Blessings to you~~~~~~

The Ring

Sunday morning at church our pastor called us up front so he could pray for us. He wanted to pray for Cole and I on our trip to Africa and for protection over our family. After the service I had an older woman ask to speak to me. I had never met her before at church. She was holding this ring in her hand. She told me this story.......

"I had been given this ring many, many years ago and I got it when I was first saved. This ring symbolizes so much and is so special to me. A few years ago my daughter's friend was taking a trip to Africa and I felt like God was telling me to loan her my ring. I told God, I DON'T WANT TOO! Nope, Nope, Nope.. this can't be God...I would never take this ring off or let someone else borrow it. It's too special to me. I kept arguing about it with God but finally gave in and told her that I felt I was suppose to let her wear it while she was gone. The ring was too big for her fingers, so she attached it to her bracelet. On her trip she was walking outside the base where she was staying and praying to God and she noticed her bracelet fell off. She turned around and saw it back behind her on the road. When she bent down to pick it up, she looked ahead to where she was walking and saw a poisonous huge snake right where she was walking before! God protected her! This morning when you were up there, I felt like God told me to lend it again to you and your son while on your trip to Africa. This time I didn't even argue!"

Isn't that just the best! I put it on my finger immediately and I will wear it the entire time we are on our trip. I love that it says JESUS and I am wearing it on my ring finger right along side my wedding rings.....

One of these people might not live much longer....

My two daughters....these two are the most different people on the planet. Down to their different hair colors. These two do not function, think or act alike. This can be fun and not fun. Tonight it is not fun. I closed the house a little early tonight so they could get to cleaning their room. This idea was not welcomed by them. They find it very hard to work together. Cleaning rooms were much easier at our last house when they had separate rooms. This will once again be easier as we move into our new home soon and they can work ALONE. Working together on cleaning their room, usually involves both girls getting in trouble, one girl crying, sometimes spankings and is never done before hours and hours go by. It's the most drama event that occurs in this household currently. Why does this happen?? Well...because they are different colors.. Hot Pink and Black! Kendall is a talker..she talks all day, sings all day, there is always something coming out of her mouth. She likes to talk and sing when she works.. CJ is pretty quiet. She DOES NOT enjoy talking/singing while she works. This simple difference causes ALL THIS DRAMA! It's insane... Tonight, this was the conversation while they were walking into their room.... CJ," Mom I can't do it! She won't be QUIET!" Kendall, " MOM I can't STOP, I am a TALKING PERSON!" Me,"Kendall you need to keep quiet and just focus on working." Kendall," MOM I CAN'T TAKE THIS CHALLENGE!" Me,"Kendall you have to take this challenge because I'm not asking you if you want to stop talking, I am telling you to stop talking." Well I am sure now that she was correct in her initial thoughts---I CAN'T TAKE THIS CHALLENGE! She did need some more guiding. Within the first 2 minutes there was drama and crying and Nate already had to walk down there and banish Kendall to eternal silence....well at least until the room is clean. He also had to threatened CJ not to physically hurt Kendall when she talks/sings. Kendall yells up to us lots that CJ has some crazy eyes on her and she has promised to inflict pain upon her soon.....Let's hope they both survive the rest of the night.

Bosley is seriously into Cole's travel pillow...we think he's getting a little too fancy for our liking these days...

Can't resist the fierce posing...

She did it again!

I'm super proud of her... she came home today with the news that she won the award for the second time this year! In honor, we let her choose dinner and she said there was a movie at school today where the person was eating pizza and it was torturing her...so, pizza hut wins.

Celebrating CJ!

Today CJ turns 9...She woke us up at 6:00am seriously excited. She said she couldn't sleep all night and she kept telling herself to just, "go to sleep ALREADY CJ!"

CJ's menu for the day:

Breakfast: Omelette's with bacon and cheese inside

Lunch: She has to think about it

Dinner: Shredded Pork over Rice

Dessert: Chocolate frosting and marble cake

We are taking her to tunnel voyage to play this afternoon. We got her horse riding lessons and she was seriously stoked over that. She starts Tuesday night. I found her some cowboy boots and she can't wait for Tuesday to be here now.

I love this child...it's been a serious joy being her Mom and watching her personality grow. She is really a mix of Nate and I. She is feisty and fun and free and full of life! I am grateful for these 9 years with her and I pray that God gives me many, many more....