A Little Birdie told me...

to let him out!

As I was preparing to leave this morning, I was in a hurry and busily gathering my things around the house. I was using my mom's car today, so I needed time to allow myself to pack her car with the things that I needed to take along. Since I had a few bags, I left the door open that goes from our breezeway room to the garage so I didn't have to keep opening and closing as I packed the car. I walked the garbage cans out to the street as and I walked back in the breezeway, a little bird was fluttering around the breezeway, trying to escape. He must have flown in through the garage door while I was walking the garbage out. I did my best to get him out but he was upset about the health care bill and kept flying back and forth, hitting the window, then the door. Seriously, it was such a funny thing to happen and try to resolve. I ended up just leaving the doors open and he eventually figured it out. If you could only have seen me, I'm sure you would have had a laugh!

Wordless (almost) Wednesday

Smooches!

A Sisterly Surprise!

This post should have appeared sometime around three weeks ago, but I had some camera downloading difficulties so here it is, late as ever! A belated bloggy Happy Birthday to my sister, Tammy!

I didn't get to take as many pictures as I would have liked to but all in all, here are some of the best!

This is a fun outside decoration for her yard from Amy. The petals spin in the wind - so cute, so Tam!

A great friend of Tammy's (Deena) and I arranged the surprise party for our dearest Tammy! It was so much fun to get together with old friends and sisters (and Mom and Grandma) to celebrate Tammy! And talk about childbirth, Sarah!!! :)

Here is sister Molly - who really looks like a "sister" - adorned in a blanket since my basement was so cold! :) Sorry, Molly!

Here is the birthday girl, enjoying many laughs over old stories and memories! We all shared a story or memory of Tammy, with most of them ending in an uproar of laughter! My story had to do with a certain toddler bed that she stole from under my eyes at a garage sale a few years ago but I'm over it. Really. :) (j/k Tam!)






Last but not least, here is the awesome cheesecake Missy made for the dessert, which is Tammy's favorite. It was so delicious and pretty with the fruit on top that we all decided we had to take a picture to remember it! Thanks, Missy!




Tammy - thanks for being a wonderful friend first, then sister! I enjoy our Amish country trips and singing together in church! I am thankful for the recipes you pass along and the coupons you share! I am thankful for your love for Christ and how it shows! God bless you! Love, Mary

Monday Happies!

This morning, I read Kelly's Korner and her blog title was "Monday Happies!" and she ended her post with "So what are your Monday Happies?"

So, despite the health care bill passing last night, I am trying to be happy and positive and here are some of my Monday Happies today:

• Being able to sleep in a half hour more than I normally get up (it really makes a difference for me!)
• Hearing Luke try to find me when he woke up and came out of his room to tell me "Good Morning Mommy"
• Making pancakes for breakfast and the boys saying "Mmmm"
• Having my mom stop by to say Hi on her way to an errand and playing with the boys while I made lunch
• Hearing Luke say "Bless you" when you Zach sneezed
• Hearing Zach pray in his own little way
• Having fun watching the birds and squirrels in the backyard (my boys love to do this!)
• Having my Honey get the mail while on his lunch break so I didn't have to go outside in the rain
• Having such great sisters/friends to chat with in email
• Calling on a bill and finding they made a mistake and gave me a lower price (thank you, Lord!)
• Enjoying a warm brownie and a glass of cold milk by myself while the boys are napping ('by myself' are the key words here!)

It doesn't seem like a lot while the day is passing, but when I actually typed everything out, I have had many reasons to be happy today, even with the rain and health care and a bad hair day - and it's only 3pm! God is so good to have given me another day!

So, now you tell me, what are YOUR Monday Happies?

late night thoughts

So, I'm sitting here at my computer at 11:33 p.m. Sunday night.

Church was great today - learned lots and enjoyed much fellowship. Came home and cleaned and even got to take a nap. Finished lots of laundry and other cleaning and enjoyed a snack and playtime with the boys. Got online to check my email and sales for the week and here I am now.

I have such a sick feeling in my stomach about this health care bill passing tonight. It was one of those things that I wanted to see but didn't want to see and wanted to talk about, but didn't. Sonny was very interested in seeing what happened tonight but I on the other hand, would rather hide away and pretend it's not even happening. I am ill for what it will do to our country, my family and friends, and my children and their future.

Just as the sick feeling of Obama becoming president came and slowly went, I know this one will too. It is what's happening and there is nothing I can do to change it. I would love to change it, to change many things, but God's will and way is perfect. He is allowing what is going on in the White House. He already knew this day would come. I must accept and keep focused on Jesus!

One of our sermons today was about "being not ashamed" as a Christian. It was very encouraging to me, especially on a day like today. I am not ashamed of Jesus, I am not ashamed to be an American, I am not ashamed to be pro-life and against the health care bill, etc. I can think of many things I am not ashamed of and in these last days, we as Christians need to step up and get all we can done for the Lord before His return.

Witnessing is easy for some and hard for others. For me, I can get very emotional and take it personal when they don't accept a tract or don't want to listen to what I have to say. I know not everyone will be saved but God knows who will and we just need to keep on going for Him. We need that childlike faith. Just think - with all that is going on in the world, right being wrong and vice versa, we know that He is coming soon! Rescue the perishing!

I will close with this saying that helps me through those tough witnessing times when I am afraid or emotional. Maybe it will help and encourage you!

"Dare to reach out your hand into the darkness

to pull another hand into the light."

Norman B. Rice

Wordless Wednesday

( making faces in the mirror after bathtime)

A.D.D. surprise

No, not "attention deficit disorder" - this stands for Aunt Dee Dee! :)

Aunt Dee Dee came over very early yesterday morning with a surprise for the birthday boy! Before he woke up, she put balloons all over the living room floor and a big gift on the table! Here a little video I took when he woke up and came out into the living room -

The video is a little long but it's funny. His first reaction is "What is this? It's an entire mess!" I don't know where he learned 'entire' but it was funny. Most kids would run and kick and play in them but mine says it's a mess - go figure :) He goes on to play with the balloons only to get distracted by a piece of paper, only to be distracted again by his trains (new ones he got for his birthday). Give him a break, he's blond! :)

A.D.D. got him some Thomas legos and a kids digital camera with batteries and a memory card along with a Thomas book and one of his favorite treats - oatmeal creme pies which he calls 'pumpkin pie'. He was surprised and very happy with his gifts! Thank you, A.D.D.!

I hope to post again soon with pics from his birthday party! We had such a nice time with our family - it was a great day!

Happy 3rd Birthday, Luke!!

With a heavy heart, I post about my son's 3rd birthday today! It, of course, was a very happy day but inside, I just could not get over the fact that three years have already passed! As I was preparing for this post, I went back through some old photos and picked out a few to share. Luke is so special to me and I'm so thankful to be his mommy!

This was Luke's first time in church

This was our first trip out after Luke was born. We went to visit my parents and I just love how he is so bundled you can hardly see him in there!

First night in his crib... alone... without mommy in the room...

(I didn't sleep that night!)

A trip to Grandma Tucker's house without being woken up. I just threw him in the laundry bin and took off. (FYI - she lives 30 seconds away!)

Luke's first Christmas - a charming photo of him with cousin Rose

Love, love, love this one!

Meeting Zachary for the first time in the hospital! Love that long lock of hair!

Luke's first birthday

We had to cancel his party due to a huge snow storm that day so him and I hung out all day at home in our pj's taking fun pictures of ourselves and napping together while Daddy (and all the uncles) plowed. Thankfully, everyone could come over the next day for his party!

Momma and Smiley

This was taken a few days before I delivered Zachary.

Praying to "Gee-zuh" for Daddy's birthday dinner!

This lip thing started late last year. Whenever he sleeps, he does this and I usually go in to his room after while and pull it back out :) What a kid!

Luke and Papa after his 3rd birthday party was over!

This is Luke turning 3 at 4:18 p.m. today! We are usually up from nap by now but after such a busy, long weekend, I let him snooze to his heart's content... well, I mean 4:45 p.m. but it was a treat to have the extra sleep!

Lord, thank you for this little boy for whom I prayed! He is a treasure and I thank You so much for giving him to me!

Luke, Happy 3rd Birthday!

Love, Mommy

Luke

In three short days, my baby will be 3 years old! THREE! As they all say, 'Where does the time go'?

In honor of my little blondie, I have added train decor to my blog and his picture, which he just thinks is the neatest thing!

I love this little boy more than words can say!