My vote is cast

I saw a bumper sticker the other day that said "Either way, we're screwed". I found myself laughing at the credence, though deeply wondering if the statement was true. It has been very distressful to see how how our country's ecomony as drastically weakened over the last few years and it boggles my mind to know how many people are facing forecolsures or other financial turmoil. I'm angered by the Bail-out bill that was passed a few weeks ago and wonder where our free-market society has gone (or was it ever here in the first place? - I don't know). I don't really know what to say about what I feel regarding the state of the economy. I feel a lot of people have succommed to greed for bigger house, faster cars, brighter TVs, and so many other things that sqeeze budgets and open credit lines. Has anyone ever heard of the word stewardship?

Anyway, I knew I was voting for McCain today. I was never on the fence. Obama has said too many things in passing that were like fingernails on a chalk board, like when he said that people can take money out of their IRA's without penalty for instance (what would THAT do to us financially?). But most of all, I am sickened by his position on abortion. Like my friends Kelly and Dana, I was wondering how the man was going to support his position on reducing the number of abortions when the first thing he'll do as president is sign the "Freedom of Choice Act" . What a horrible, horrible bill.

If you're reading this and are on the fence about your vote, do a little more research. Obama has charisma, charm, promises tax cuts for the middle class, and promises bright and shiney health care (which I personally don't see has bright and shiney). But what about his stance on the unborn? Think about it.

And please go out and vote. And remember that neither one of these men are the answer to our problems. The country should not be put first. And Obama will not give us the change we need. Jesus is who we need and we should put Him first.

- Abortion Reduction by the Freedom of Choice Act? - Randy Alcorn
- Barack Obama Takes a Subtle But Deadly Approach to Advocating Abortion

Fall Festival

There was a fall festival at a Lutheran church down the road from our house that we decided to take the kids to. There were infateables (Mal's favorite), bubbles, train rides, horse rides, local crafters and more. We got there towards the end, so the majority of the mayhem was down, which was good for our little girl. She had a GREAT time and cried when the big slide was deflated. We're looking forward to the fall activities this week at our church and in our neighborhood!

Thanks for sharing...

Ethan decided to share his cold with me. Thankfully, Patrick was here this weekend to take the "edge" off my care of the kids. Eventhough Ethan was still pretty goopy, Patrick took Ethan and Mallory out to Bojangles for breakfast on Saturday and then for a little bit of shopping. I had the morning to myself, which was just wonderful. I didn't start feeling the cold until yesterday afternoon, though I took it easy in the morning because I was just tired. I love quiet. I'm sure that when the kids are older and have left the house, which I'm glad is still a LONG way off, I'll miss the noise. But, for now I love quiet. And while the kids were napping I got to watch the Gators put Kentucky through the spanking machine. I love college football season.

Patrick had a great time with the kids and we planned on taking them out later in the evening to a fall festival down the road (more on that later). I took some cold medicine before we left and started feeling like a load of bricks hit me by the time we left the festival. We went to dinner at Cracker Barrel (a.k.a "The Barrel"), which is one of our favorite places to eat because the kids eat there so well. I had 2 cups of coffee, but was still feeling VERY tired and icky. When we got home, I realized I took night-time cold instead of day-time cold! No wonder I was draggin'! We got the kids ready for bed and Patrick watched a video with them before they were tucked in for the night. Patrick hung out with friends while I downed some probiotic and sucked on throat lozenges. Needless to say, I was out by 9:15.

I skipped church this morning since me and Ethan were both ick. E is doing better, but is still pretty goopy. I'm feeling better (I have great cold medicine!). Patrick is at church with Mallory tonight and E is already out for the count. I did vacuum today because my floors were so gross that I just HAD to vacuum! But, I'm on the couch after I fold the laundry...

Patrick and the kids:

Lifting up in prayer...

I was checking out my facebook page when I saw that there were condolences wishes to one of my friends (who happened to be one of my childhood friends from yesteryear). After doing a little bit more digging, I found an article that was posted today stating that her ex-husband, father of her sons, was killed in an accident yesterday in Gainesville near where we used to live. I know she and her boys are going through a lot right now and I ask for your prayers for Teresa and her family.

An interesting news article

I read this article this morning and thought it very interesting. Do you ever think we'll see stuff like this in the US?

Whole Worlk in Hands

The promised video...

Again? or shall I say STILL?

Ethan is sick again. I don't really know if he ever ridded himself of his stuffy nose last month, though it stoped running. Now, it's full blown runny-snotty yellow goop that has taken over his nasal passages. He's coughing, too. I just don't get it. Is it a myth that breast-fed babies rarely get sick? I heard it be true and as much breastmilk that my son has had, he should be well for the rest of his life! But, needless to say, he's been sick almost monthly. It's very sad and I just don't know what to do. I'll most likely sanitize EVERYTHING in the house, which will probably take a couple of days especially tending to a sick baby. Anyway, that's what's going on here. At least both kids are sleeping right now, which is unusual at 10am, but both kids need it. And so do I!

Catching up? Kind of...

I really need to sit down and journal about my time away with Patrick. But, it's such a large hill to climb and my time is pretty much limited, but by my choice. I realized how much time I spent on the computer once I came back from vacation and how the time I spent online majorly creeped into my time with the kids. So, I've really been cutting back - by probably half - of my time on the computer in order to enjoy the kids, walk (b/c my cholesterol is high AGAIN), clean, and get ready for the holidays (Ethan's birthday party is so soon!). Anyway, I hope to keep up with pics and updates for my out-of-town family and friends, but maybe not as often as I'd like.

We went to the gym today, which is our Tuesday and Friday routine. Mallory LOVES the gym and talks about it hours before and after we go. She looks forward to it and it's a cheap way for her to blow off steam and for me to enjoy her happiness. Ethan loves it too. And I'm sure he'll be walking around the entire space soon. Right now, he enjoys crawling all over the mats and bouncing his bum on the trampoline.

Our weather is simply beautiful right now, though still a bit chilly in the mornings to where I have to move my walks to the afternoons now lest I freeze my kids. Our foliage is beautiful and I assume we'll probably peak sometime over the weekend. It's just simply wonderful to live in the mountains during the fall season!

I took some pics of the kids today, along with some video which I'll post when they finish uploading. They kids were playing in Mallory's room after lunch. Ethan got into Mallory's snack that was left over from this morning and Mallory was trying to pick it up quickly (which she's supposed to do if her snack is dumped). Ethan didn't like her taking away food...

Ethan is 11 months

Ethan turned 11 months old while we were on our trip. I just got around to taking his pics and I just can't get over how much he's grown in the last few weeks. He's such a sweet boy and I'm so very thankful for him. Only 3 more weeks until I have a 1 year old!!!

We're back!

It's so good to be home! We had a GREAT time on our vacation, which I'll have to elaborate on later...when I have the time, which may not be until next year! :-) But, I can't tell you how wonderful it was to see my kids after 8 days of being away from them. I missed them so much, but it was a refreshing week with my husband and we were blessed with the time we had exclusively and individually. Though the suitcases are unpacked, I still have 2 more loads of laundry to do...4 are already complete.

Here are a few pictures. And I promise that more details will follow...

Yes Jemmie!

Mallory's "Jesus" medley

Jumping on the bed!

Ethan has JUST started jumping in his bed when I come and get him from his nap/bedtime. Oh, he's just so darn cute!

Getting Ready

There has been lots of list making and bag packing going on over hear. We begin our trek south tomorrow and I still have lots to do. The laundry machine has been working on overtime and I think I have more medication in our first aid kit than I know what to do with. Gommy and Poppy will be taking care of the kiddos while Patrick and I enjoy some much-anticipated R&R.

Mallory has been a big helper to me the last few days and I enjoyed painting her toes for the first time this evening. It's strange getting my toes ready for open-toed shoes when it's in the low 50's outside. Everybody is getting ready for fall while I'm getting ready for white sandy beaches!

Chest X-Ray is good!

The nurse from my Dr's office called me today and told me that my chest x-ray is clear. Praise God!

How little nothings make somethings

I love the character, Kathleen Kelly, from You've God Mail. I was reminded of how much I enjoy that movie after watching some of it last night before I went to bed. It was on ABC Family, which I never watch, and I just happened to see it on while flipping through the channels, waiting for Patrick to put all of his clothes that were laying on the bed in his suitcase in preparation for our upcoming trip. I find it ironic that I had sold my only recording of that movie at my garage sale on Saturday (for a quarter!) and wished today that I hadn't so I could see the remaider if it today. In watching the movie, I chuckled at Kathleen as she "dialed in" to AOL on her 1-inch thick Mac to check her email. Oh, how technology has changed since the late nineties!

And by the way, the 1949 musical version of this movie, "In the Good Old Summertime", is SUCH a great movie and must be seen by all who love "You've Got Mail". Van Johnson reminds me so much of my grandpa...

Anyway, I've been spending the day at home today, cleaning and preparing for our trip. It's been a while since I've had an "at home day" where all I've done is keep house, play with the kids and meet other in-home obligations. I realized today how many little things the kids do that make my heart quicken with love for them, even if those things seem like measley nothings to most people. Here are some of the "nothings":

-Ethan loves to crawl on me. I can lay on the floor and watch TV or read a book and he'll have a ball crawling OVER me. He'll do it for at least 20-30 minutes.

-While I was laying in Mallory's room reading my devotional book, Mallory was immitating me by laying next to me reading her Mulberry Bush book.

-Mallory loves her Bible stories. They are color-coated in her bible story books and knows a lot of the stories by color. It took me a while to figure it out, but once I did, I've been reading more stories that SHE chooses.

-Ethan will laugh if I do a fake sneeze.

-Ethan will follow me around the house all day. He likes knowing where his mommy is.

All of these things are precious to me. Blogging helps me record these little things so I can sift through them in the future to remind myself of God brings me joy through the nothings.

Another fun photoshoot

Another family who let me take pictures for them...

In and Out

I was in and out of diagnostics within 15 minutes, which was nice. I should find out the results of my x-ray early next week.

I did have OK sleep last night. I fell asleep fine and woke up a few times in the night, once to help Mallory find Doggie amidst her tousled covers...Anyway, I did have good rest. Thanks for the prayers!

Please Pray...

I have been feeling a weird mild burn in my lungs whenever I inhale, sort of like the sensation I've been breating in cold air. It's been like this for about a week, the intensity being different each day. I went to the DR on Monday to talk to her about it. I had an EKG (which came out fine) and chest X-Ray done and I just got a call that they want to repeat the chest X-ray to rule out a possible shadow. It's unclear on the X-ray if it is a shadow, so I'm going in tomorrow morning for another X-ray.

Pray for:
1. Good sleep tonight
2. That the X-ray will show nothing
3. That the LORD will heal

OH, and I had a pregnancy test and it's negative. :-)

Some time for Mallory

As I look back on my posts, I realized that I haven't posted much about Mallory lately. Boy, is she growing up quick. I can't believe how fast time flies until I realize how much Mallory has grown both physically and intellectually in the past several months. She had hardly any words in her vocabulary last April and is now talking up a storm. Here is a list of some of the things she's now doing:

• Mallory prays for her family every night before she goes to bed, going something to the effect of "Bless Mommy. Bless Daddy. Bless Ethan. Bless Gommy. Bless Poppy. Bless Grams. Bless Pops. Bless Aunt Amanda. Bless Uncle David..." and sometimes adds a blessing to Giraffe or Doggie in there too. And the order of blessings always change.
• Mallory has learned her first scripture. Ephesians 4:32 "Be kind one to another". We say this a lot. Plus, I know a song to it and I sing it a lot. Along with "Have Patience".
• Mallory knows how to count to ten and say her ABCs. We're now learning how words begin with certain letters. Her fall project is making her own ABC book using pictures I've clipped from old magazines, though I'm having trouble finding pictures that begin with G, J, Q, X, Y and Z. I had trouble finding A pictures as well, so I found a picture of Aunt Amanda and she knows that Aunt Amanda begins with A. She says it A LOT.
• Mallory and her daddy read a bible story almost every night. I would have to say that her favorite Bible story is about Simon and his boat, which goes something like this: one day, Jesus was speaking to a bunch of people and used Simon's boat to go out into the water to speak from there. After Jesus was done speaking, Jesus told Simon to go into the water, cast his net and catch fish. Simon, from his experience, didn't think he would catch any fish, but obeyed Jesus anyway. So, in his obedienc to Jesus, Simon did as He said and caught big fish, little fish and wiggly fish (oh my!, as the storybook goes). The lesson that the storybook gives is that Simon pleased Jesus by obeying him. So, how can we please Jesus? Mallory's answers are "obeying mommy, obeying daddy, and sharing with Ethan. So, whenever I tell Mallory to do something and she doesn't listen, I tell her to remember she needs to obey mommy, to which she answers "Obey Mommy. Please Jesus. Simon and Boat". I love that these little lessons are already working in her heart.
• Mallory loves to sing. Her favorite has to be "If you're happy and you know it", but she also loves "Whole World in His Hands", "Ring Around the Rosy", "Row, row, row your boat", and "I've got the Joy". She also loves the song "Jesus, there's just something about that name". Here is a video (taken this morning) of her rendition...

Lyrics:

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. There's just something about that name.
Master, Savior, Jesus. Like the fragrance after the rain.
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. Let all heaven and earth proclaim.
Kings and kingdoms will all pass away,
But there's something about that name.

A photo shoot!

A plug for some of my work...