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.

Prayers for Nie Nie

So, I've added a new past-time to my life ... blog surfing. I know, I know, like I'm not busy enough already! You can hop from one blog to the next and read about the most interesting and uninteresting things. It's really quite addictive. It's quite easy to get caught up in their lives, these people I don't even know. Well, the other night as I was blog surfing, I ran across this blog. Stephenie (or Nie Nie as she calls herself) blogs about her life as a wife and mother. Her love for her family spills out over every entry.

The Nielsen Family

Well a couple weeks ago, Stephenie and her husband Christian (or Mr. Nielsen as she so romantically refers to him) were in a tragic plane crash. You can read more about it here. She was burned over 80% of her body and Christian was burned over 30%. They are both in critical condition. They have been on my mind constantly since reading their story and her blog. The other night I was tossing and turning all night so I just began to pray for them. They are currently recovering in a Phoenix burn unit. Her sister has begun a blog to keep all of her readers informed of their progress. Keep them in your prayers too!

First Day of Preschool

My sweet little Olivia had her very first day of preschool today! She has been so excited, talking about it nonstop! "Mommy is it Tuesday or Fursday yet?" We drive by her school everytime we take her big sisters to and from school and she ALWAYS yells "There's my school." Well the day FINALLY arrived. I started out the morning by making blueberry waffles.

But she wanted chocolate cereal instead ... crazy girl

At least it was organic ... so I didn't feel like too bad of a mom

Jules was so excited for Olivia. Abby was too but she was still busy getting ready for school

All ready to go

This was Julia's backback that she had in Kindergarten. It's still in pretty good condition. She thinks it's cool to have her big sister's backpack. I'll take it while I can!

I look happy here but I'm really crying insideReady to go in!
Such a big girl

About this time she got really quiet! But my brave girl didn't shed a tear!
Playing with puzzles
I just couldn't make myself walk away. When I did, my tears started to flow
So ... what did I do with my first 2 1/2 hours of alone time. Vacuum? Clean my house? Workout? No. I got my haircut. Nothing's better than fresh highlights and cutting away a few inches.
Well except maybe for this. Maybe next Tuesday I'll head to The Cheesecake Factory for my favorite White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake.
Nah ... I really need to be doing this.
Well I have 3 little girls that have been playing outside all evening. It's been so beautiful here the past few days. Fall is in the air. I better go round them up and wash away the grime before John McCain's speech tonight at the RNC. I still get goosebumps when I think of Sarah Palin's speech last night. It was electrifying, passionate, and inspiring. Until next time my friends ...

Campout Dinner and Movie Night

I know I've been missing in action the past 2 weeks. Between Abby and Julia starting school, Julia and Liv getting sick, pre-school meetings, work meetings, Kelby working LONG hours, I just haven't had the time or energy to blog.

Yesterday evening we went over my brother-in-law and sister-in-law's house for a Campout/Movie Night. The weather was hot but once the sun went down it turned into a really nice evening.

Abby with Kevin and Heather's dog Dodger

Julia and Dodger Julia loves "mommying" her little cousin Adalee Adalee
Uncle Kelby with his niece
Awesome homemade salsa that Kevin made
Abby playing on Unlce Kev's iPhone ... as usual Adalee and Livvy having fun outside

Hobo dinner Kevin and Heather made. They cooked it over the firepit outside. Steak, chicken, potatoes, carrots, green peppers, red peppers, onions and green beans. Mmmmmm, so good! Well except for maybe the green beans. I'm not a fan of green beans
Oliva relaxing in the hammock
Julia eating a yummy smore Getting ready to watch the movie on the projecter and screen Kev and Kelby setup
We all laughed and had a great time watching "Happy Feet"
Well maybe except for Abby, she fell asleep at the end

Baked Potatoes, Sleeping Girl and New Chairs

I hadn't planned on blogging again quite so soon but there were a few events of the day that I thought warranted a post! I'm sure many of you already know what a picky eater Olivia is. We often call her "Mini Kristin" because she takes after my sister in that way! Now to be clear, I'm not asking the girl to eat brussel sprouts, broccoli or peas. She won't even eat comfort foods like mashed potatoes and gravy. She loves her fruit, yogurt, cheese, bread, macaroni cheese, chicken nuggets and crackers. You get the picture. Well tonight I made "Loaded Baked Potatoes" for dinner. I told myself before offering it to her that I was going to stand firm and not give in to her tears. I served up her potato and gave her a little pep talk and what do you know, she ate it!!! She said, "Mmmm, mommy this is so good!". Maybe this is a step in the right direction!

Then while I was cleaning up the dishes, Abby and Julia went on an errand with Kelby, so I settled Liv on the couch to watch her favorite show on Noggin ... I normally hear her singing along but as I was doing the dishes I noticed how quiet it was so I went to check on her and this is how I found her ... She was sound asleep! I guess eating that potato took a lot out of her!!!

When Kelby returned with the girls he had the new chairs we bought for our front porch which had been on back order. Don't they look inviting?

I look forward to many evenings sitting out on the porch reading a good book with a tall glass of ice tea ...
That is if I can get these girls of mine off of them!

A Break From Regular Programming ...

I got this email from a friend the other day, and since I don't have anything new to post about "The Redheads", I thought I'd post this "getting to know you" questionnaire. Who knows, you might learn something about me you never knew!

1. Gone on a blind date: Yes, my very first date was a blind date

2. Skipped school: I think maybe once in high school my friend and I skipped out to go to the mall

3. Watched someone die: No

4. Been to Canada: No

5. Been to Mexico: No ... but I'm going on a Missions Trip to Costa Rica in a few months ... more on that to come!!

6. Been to Florida: Yes, just last month!

7. Been on a plane: Yes, but I prefer not to. I'm not a fan of flying! Turbulance scares me to death!

8. Ever had your heart broken: Yes ... it also hurts to be the one to do the breaking though!

9. Been on the opposite side of the country: Yes, I lived on the opposite side of the country - Germany - for 3 years!

10. Gone to Washington, DC: No, but I would love to!

11. Swam in the ocean: If you count going waist deep swimming in the ocean, then yes. Honestly, I'm too afraid of sharks and of being out of my depth to swim in the ocean.

12. Cried yourself to sleep: Of course, I'm a girl

13. Recently colored with crayons: Yes, I love to color with my girls. I think it's theraputic.

14. Sang Karaoke: Not on your life!!!

15. Paid for a meal with coins only: At the drive thru sometimes.

16. Made prank phone calls: Yes, in Junior High ... before caller ID. Kids can't do that anymore, can they?

17. Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose: Yes

18. Written a letter to Santa Claus: Yes. I would leave a letter for Santa by the cookies and milk I left out on Christmas Eve and he always wrote back. It took me years to realize it was my dad's handwriting!

19. Been kissed under the mistletoe: Yes

20. Watched the sunrise with someone you care about: You know I don't think I've ever sat and watched the sunrise. Too early for me!

21. Blown bubbles: Of course, I have kids!

22. Gone ice-skating: Once and I wasn't very good

23. Been skinny dipping outdoors: No! Do you think I'd really admit to this though, my mom reads this blog! :) Just kidding, I haven't! Honestly!

24. Gone to the movies: Yes, I love going to the movies!

25. Any nickname? Lis, Leah

26. Mother's name: Jean

27. Favorite drink? Lemonade

28. Any Tattoos? No

29. Body piercings? Just ears, one whole in each. I had them double pierced a long time ago but I let them close up. I guess I go for the more classic look.

30. How much do you love your job? My full-time job - I love it! Best job in the world to be a mom. My part-time job as an administrative assistant to one of the pastor's at our church - It's great to work for such a wonderful man of God, to learn something in the process and to be able to do 95% of it at home! The Lord has truly blessed me.

31. Favorite vacation? Venice, Italy! I would love to go to Greece, Ireland and Hawaii one day!

32. Ever been to Africa? No

33. Ever been on TV? A commercial once, only because they recorded hometown greetings while we were in Germany to air on TV back home. I never got to see it though.

34. Ever been in a car accident? Yes, once when I was about 20. I totalled my little Mazda 323. A car pulled out of a side street and hit the passenger side. I went to the Chiropractor for months afterwards.

35. Drive a 2-door or 4-door vehicle? 4-door Honda Odyssey. You should see me driving Kelby's 2-door with all 3 girls. It's quite a sight!

36. Favorite salad dressing? Raspberry Vinagrette

37. Favorite pie ? I prefer cake but I do love Dutch Apple

38. Favorite number? I don't have a favorite number

39. Favorite movie? Too many ... Sound of Music, Pride & Prejudice, Meet the Parents, Dan in Real Life, The Bourne Trilogy, The Italian Job

40. Favorite holiday? Christmas

41. Favorite dessert? White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory!!!

42. Favorite food? Chinese, Mexican, Italian. I'm easy to please. Pretty much anything but Sushi!

43. Favorite day of the week? Saturday

44. Favorite brand of body wash? Bath and Body Works

45. Favorite smell? Newborn babies

46. Do you remember your first kiss? I was 17 and it was on my very first date. Of course I remember, you never can forget your first kiss.

47. What do you do to relax? Read a book, listen to worship music

48. How do you see yourself in 10 years? Being the mom to 3 teenage girls. Lord, help me!

49. How many siblings do you have? 1 brother who is 30 and 1 sister who is 25

50. Furthest place you will send this message? It's on my blog, so who knows?

Those were some pretty random questions! So, did you learn anything new about me? Comment away! Well, the house is quiet so I think I'll go take a Sunday afternoon nap. I'm feeling pretty exhausted from staying up late too many nights watching the Olympics! I also ran 15 miles this week, but not all at once! A nap sounds pretty good right now! Until next time ...

Big Girl Liv

Congratulations are in order to Olivia. She officially stopped sucking her thumb 3 weeks ago! Who would have thought that a trip to the dentist woud give her the confidence and desire to kick the very strong habit?!? She has been sucking her thumb, always with her blanket (soft, saw ... it had so many names), since a newborn. Her blanket was always the trigger for her thumb sucking, so a couple months ago I started to put it away during the day and just give it to her at bedtime. But then after our Disney trip, old habits started to form again and she ended up with it all the time. That is, until 3 weeks ago. She went in for her first dentist visit and the dentist noticed right away that she was a thumb sucker. He had a little pep talk with her and said that your teeth are your friends and you don't want to do anything to hurt them. He also told her she has such pretty sparkly teeth, which she talked about for days. On our way home she said, "Mommy, I'm not going to tuck anymore". I said, "That's great Liv" but I'm thinking to myself (because she's said this before) "yeah right, we'll see about that when bedtime comes". Well bedtime came, and while it takes a lot longer to get her to sleep, she has been without her blanket and thumb for 3 weeks. My little girl is growing up! Thought you might enjoy some pics of Liv over the years with her blanket and her thumb.

Nothing's better than hiking the mountains of Colorado as long as you have your thumb

Wow, I'd forgotten her "soft" was ever that pink and ... clean!

Chillin' with Grandpa

Relaxing with my friend Morgan

Liv fell asleep like this in Julia's room (faithful blog readers: you may remember this from one of my previous posts!)

RIP Soft - We'll miss you! This post is making me feel a little sad so I'm going to go watch the US Swim teams Freestyle Relay Race that I taped on my DVR last night. That'll lift my spirits. What an exciting event! I was on the edge of my couch watching those incredible swimmers beat the French. After all the French swimmers said about smashing the Americans, it was kind of fun to watch them eat their humble pie at the Medal Ceremony. I can't wait to see Michael Phelps swim the 200m Freestyle tonight! The guy is amazing!

Go Michael!