Please say a little prayer for us!

Well, I'm having a hard time writing this blog, because I guess I feel a little selfish asking for prayer but we need it! I know in my heart that it's not selfish, but I guess I just have a hard time ever asking for help from anyone - I guess it's just the independent (and stubborn) part of me creeping through! Jonah and Caleb have been sick...again...and we're going to the doctor tomorrow. From the looks of it, I really think Jonah may have the flu. He's been really sick since last Friday, and we just can't seem to shake the fever. Caleb is doing better, but he still has a little fever too. We have been back and forth to doctors for one thing or another for the past 4 months, and Jonah has had an especially hard time. The nurses know me personally at the doctor's office - that's really sad! I know there are a lot of prayer warriors out there, and we would so appreciate any prayers lifted up for our family's health especially into the coming year!

I just had to put this picture of little Jonah, I think he was almost 2 here. It just makes me smile!

Happy Birthday Jesus!

Just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! Wish we could be with everyone this Christmas, but some of you will have to settle for some pictures!

This is Caleb all dressed up for church on Sunday! Doesn't he look like a little Barber Shop Quartet guy?

Jonah and Caleb checking out ornaments on the tree!

It's not just a saying...they really do like the packaging more

This was our Christmas Eve reenactment! You can't see it, but Curious George is actually playing the part of Baby Jesus, not exactly theologically correct but he served his purpose! The green light is supposed to look angelic, but I think it turned out a little alien-like. Oh-well we all had fun re-enacting the Christmas story. By the way, that's Tootsie in the back playing the big angel, and Caleb playing the disgruntled angel!

Little "Linus"

Here's a cute picture of Caleb dragging around his favorite blankie! This is a new thing - he likes to pull it out of his bed and drag it all over the house. Last night he wouldn't go to sleep until I put that blanket in the bed with him. It's really cute to me now, but I'm sure at some point it will become not so cute! And yes, he does still have a pacifier! He steals that out of his bed too, because he's only supposed to have it at night. Oh well - I'll get rid of it soon! By the way, yes that is a giant mountain of laundry in the background - we call it Mt. Veclothesius! It might as well have a name, because it seems to always be there!

Weekend with Friends

We had such a fun weekend with our friends Dan and Kelli and their sweet little munchkins! Dan and Kelli have such a peaceful home and they are such wonderful parents, they make parenting look so easy (yet I know that's because they've worked very hard at it)! It's rare to find friends where you can totally be yourself and know you'll still be loved, and we are so blessed to have found that in them. Here's a rundown of our great weekend:

Friday night they had parents night out at their church, so we dropped kids off and headed to Olive Garden. We had a wonderful meal with ADULT conversation, and no food thrown on the floor! It's amazing what you are thankful for once you have kids!

With six kids in the house, you'd think there'd be more chaos,

but they all have so much fun playing together!

Who's afraid of the Big Bad Adam! What sweet kiddos! (Jonah, Elise & Olivia)

Dan and Adam took the kids (minus Caleb & Judson who were sleeping ) to the park. A big cold front had come through, so on the way back, all the kids hopped in this little trailer together to keep warm! I think that's FaithLynn's little face smushed against the side!

After a cold adventure, it was time for a warm treat! Yumm hot chocolate!

This is proud momma and 4 month old Judson. Isn't he such a sweetheart?

Time to make dinner?

I walked in the living room, and this is what I found...

I guess it's time to make dinner!

A Little Side-Tracked

We're supposed to be decorating the house for Christmas...

but we got a little sidetracked!

The Provider

You know how sometimes God does something for you and you just really want to tell people about it? It may not be a big thing in most people's eyes, but to us it's just another reminder of how the Lord provides and knows your needs. Well, here's our story...
As some of you know, Caleb has been struggling with wheezing and allergy type stuff for a few weeks now. Jonah also struggles with eczema, allergies, and some asthma at times too. Caleb has been taking all sorts of medication, but I haven't seen the kind of improvement that I was hoping for. Also, as a mom, you hate giving your child medicines that you're not sure what they're really doing to your child's body! Sometimes it is necessary, but I want to do everything I can to prevent having to give medicines to my little ones. On Monday I was supposed to stop giving him a couple of the meds he was taking and I was so frustrated because he still wasn't better. It was one of those frustrated mommy moments where you feel like everything is falling apart because of being sick and tired of it and overwhelmed. I had a sort of tunnel vision I guess, and all I could think about was how I could get my little one better. After some unnecessary worry, and some desperate prayers I decided we should try an air purifier. I researched and the ones that seemed to be the most effective were $600! Not exactly in our budget, but I really felt like we should get a good one if we were going to spend the money. We were also going to have to wait a few days for shipping, because I couldn't find this one anywhere but online. I was just about ready to pull money out of savings, when my husband said let's just wait. Being the "fix-it right now" kind of girl that I am I did not want to be patient! I wanted my child better, and I wanted it right now! (Sounds very similar to a two year old fit, doesn't it?) Well, I begrudgingly listened to my husband and said okay we'll wait to see if we can find a better deal. Lo and behold, if my husband didn't find the exact brand air purifier on CraigsList that day! It was even a step up from the one we wanted! The family was in the military and they were trying to get rid of it before they moved, because it is a little large. It ended up being a fraction of the original cost and only six months old and still under warranty, and we got to pick it up that day!
Caleb and Jonah have both woken up with significantly improved symptoms, and Caleb's wheezing has improved drastically. Being the natural pessimist at heart that I am, I want to think in my head that they'll probably get worse again tomorrow, or that it was probably just the weather changing that made them better, but whatever it was I am thankful to God for some relief for my boys over the last couple of days.
A lot of people, would say "What a coincidence!". I say "Thank you Lord"! What a great reminder that He always provides - ALWAYS!