Update

Well, I'm back again. Sorry I haven't updated in awhile. Life has just been really busy. I'm getting ready to leave for my missions trip to Costa Rica the day after Thanksgiving. I can't believe it's finally here! I'm so excited but I also feel a little nervous too. I'm NOT going to have any communication with my family for 10 days. I've been away from them before, but we've always been in constant communication. Even when my hubby was thousands of miles away in Pakistan for 6 months, we still talked or emailed almost everyday. So, that aspect is going to be hard. Then again, I'm probably going to be so busy with the children, maybe I won't have time to miss my family. I'll be sure to give you an update, complete with lots of pictures, when I get back. I return on December 7. Please pray for our team while we are gone. Pray for good health, safety, turbulent free flights :), and most of all for God to use us in the lives of these children.

Trinity Church Costa Rica Mission Team - November 28 - December 7

As you've probably already noticed, I've added some new pictures of the girls to my header and sidebar. We had some professional family pictures taken a few weeks ago. I think they turned out pretty well. Here are a few more ...

This was most definitely not spontaneous!

Abby's model pose :)

It was hard to get Olivia to give a natural smile

Kevin (Kelby's brother), Heather, Adalee and baby Joah
Daddy and his girls
Kisses for mommy
The Deese Family
I know that was a lot more than a few. I kinda got carried away. I used a few of these pictures for our Chrismtas card this year. It turned out so well! Now I just have to finish writing my annual Christmas letter, finish packing, do laundry, freeze some meals for the family, clean house, and work some hours for my part-time job - all before I leave on Friday! Okay, I'm exhausted already! Adios mi amigos!

I'm Alive!

I know I haven't posted in awhile! I'm still alive, I've just been really busy. My part-time job has been very demanding the past few weeks. I've been updating Pastor Ray's website and learning a tun about HTML code. My hubby is very impressed that I know more about HTML than him! The girls are getting older which means they are getting more homework, so my afternoons are spent helping them with that. I've also been busy preparing my letters to raise support for my missions trip in Nov/Dec. I had a moment of panic last week when I realized that my passport expired, so I had to rush and get my renewal paperwork in the mail! We can't forget my sweet Olivia. She's loving preschool but missing the girls when they are at school so I'm hearing almost everyday, "Mommy, play with me!".

Anyway, that's what's been going on with me. Here are a few random pics from the past few weeks. I can't seem to post without any pictures! :)

Olivia with her 2nd cousin Serah, visiting from Turkey. Dark hair, dark brown eyes. Red hair, light blue eyes. Quite a contrast but both beautiful! Serah. Look at those BIG beautiful brown eyes!

All the girls

Olivia having lunch w/her cousin Adalee. She stayed w/us while her mommy was in labor!

We headed to the zoo the next morning. The girls had a blast!

Adalee loved the Butterfly Pavillion!

Liv patiently trying to catch a butterfly

Sweet cousins

I discovered that Adalee was petrified of gorillas, both real and fake. She screamed when I tried to get a pic of her on this with Olivia

Adalee wasn't too fond of the goats either!

You sure can get a workout at our zoo ... lots of hills!

We then headed over to the hospital so Adalee could meet her new baby brother. I think she was more interested in the Cheerios though!

The new family of 4!

Welcome to the world Joah James! The Deese name will live on ... I gave it 3 tries :)

Yep! Another redhead. I guess it's just in the genes!

He is so cute! I just love babies!

Olivia holding her new cousin Joah

The following pics were taken when we went to deliver a meal to Kevin and Heather. We were a little early and they weren't home so while we waited the girls and I had fun taking pictures!

I just love this girl!

Olivia and Dodger

Julia relaxing on the hammock

Jules holding Joah

Abby with her new baby BOY cousin! She keeps telling me I need to bring her home a baby brother when I go to Costa Rica!

Well, I think that was more than just a few pictures. I guess that's what happens when you don't blog for almost a month. Olivia is playing upstairs so I think I'm going take advantage of the peace and quiet and go watch the debate from last night. Why didn't I watch last night? Well there were more important things on to watch!

I know, I know. Shame on me! :)

Missions Trip

I want to share with you a ministry opportunity that the Lord has presented to me. In a couple of months I will be going to Costa Rica with a team of 15 women from my church. We will be working at a children's home. It is a Bible based, Christian, faith ministry which provides temporary homes for 'at-risk' children, ages birth to 7 years old. The heart beat of the home is to meet each child's physical needs, to share the eternal gift of salvation through Jesus Christ and to provide a stable environment in which the healing process Jesus Christ may begin in the hearts of these broken children.

Since prayer support is so important to the success of this mission, I would like to know if I can count on you in that area? Would you be willing to to pray regularly for me (at least once a week) during my preparation and training, and daily during the actual outreach? If I can count on you as a prayer partner, please post a comment or email me. I'm excited about the oppotunity and experience that lies ahead and I covet your prayers most of all. I will keep you updated in the coming months.

Escape of the puppies

Today hasn't been a very good day for me. It started out pretty good. I was up at 6:30 ... showered, dressed, with my make-up and hair done. This is a pretty big accomplishment for me because I normally take the girls to school in my pajamas! I know, I know. I'm not sure what I would do if I got in an accident. At least they're cute pajamas! My women's bible study started this morning so I had to have all three girls dressed, fed and out the door by 8:00. I made it to bible study, with a few minutes to spare, and had a great time of fellowship and digging into God's Word. I'm glad His Word was fresh in my heart because I was going to need lots of grace later that morning!

You may or may not remember that we got a new puppy a couple months ago. My mother-in-law also got one at the same time. The dogs are actually sisters. Well, she had errands to run so she asked if it would be okay if she dropped off her puppy at my house so the two could play together. I keep them gated up in my laundry room because they cannot be trusted yet! For good reason.
Well when I got home, I walked in through the garage door and this is what I found ...
The puppies had knocked over the gate. I later found out that when my mother-in-law came over to drop off Greta, she had let the dogs outside and when she put them back in the laundry room she didn't put up the gate securely! (GRACE, GRACE, GRACE!) I knew I was about to behold a disaster! There were accidents all throughout the house, chewed up flip-flops, paper, and toys. But the worst of all was there were scratch marks all over the bottom of my beautiful coffee table!

I know the culprits were Maggie and Greta. My sweet Mitzi probably took a nap while they reeked havoc throughout my house!

But it's hard to stay mad when you have a little face looking at you like this. I didn't get a picture of her co-conspirator. I had already banished her back to her home. I'm very thankful today that one of the messages in my bible study was not to become too attached to things that are temporal. I'm guessing that includes my scratched up coffee table.

Since we're on the subject of my dogs, I'm pretty sure this time around we didn't get a Miniature Schnauzer. They are supposed to weigh around 10-15 lbs. full grown. Well, my little pup was weighed the other day and she is already 13lbs at 4 months old... Mitzi's full grown weight.

I'm thinking this little Mini Schnauz of ours is turning out to be not quite so miniature!!! Enough talk of dogs, I have 3 girls that need some of my attention tonight.