In the Spotlight!

Last night I took Jena and Paige to a birthday party for one of the little girls that was in Jena's kindergarten class. She was having her party at PUMP IT UP. They boast large inflatable slides and jumping rooms that the kids can play on for 2 hours! We were told that as parents we could jump too. I decided to pass on that one.

Anyhow, as I watched the girls get more daring as the night went on, I had no idea just how daring Jena would become. The girls careened and bounced into one another and the other children that came. A friend of Jena's took Paige under her wing and played with her most of the night. Paige really enjoyed that. The only bump of the night was when Paige was trying to get out of one of the jumping rooms and bent her pinky finger. After she was held by mommy and had a 5 minute drink at the drinking fountain she was back to sliding and jumping.

Towards the end of the evening one of the staff members pulled out a microphone and asked if there was anyone who wanted to say "Happy Birthday." Everyone stood around waiting for someone to step forward.

Jena was the only one to step forward. So in a room of over 30 people, my daughter grabbed the microphone and serenaded her friend, "Happy Birthday to you..." I couldn't believe she was doing that. And I was wishing that Duane was there to see HIS daughter in action! After she finished most of us parents were clapping and laughing and I could see her standing across the room looking for me. I think the reality of what she had just done sank in and she was feeling a bit embarrassed. She came running over to me and I told her how proud I was of her. I think that she was quite proud of herself too.

Apparently, her bravery ignited a fire in the other children and several of them stepped forward to sing too!

I couldn't wait to tell Duane about the night. So the moment we walked in the door I shared the story with him and his parents. They all laughed and someone asked, "I wonder where she gets that from?" I was reminded of how easily I have seen Duane step forward when no one else will to speak in front of a congregation of people. I am thankful that Duane has passed that along to her.

Or how about the time in high school that Duane and my best friend at the time talked me into doing a skit for the talent show at Homecoming? The only other person who was willing to help us was my ex-boyfriend. We had to choose a song from the 70's. So we chose a song from The Mama's and the Papa's, "California Dreaming". (Thank goodness those pictures are hidden from sight.) I didn't weigh much in high school and I was chosen to be Mama Cass, remember she was rumored to have died when she choked on her ham sandwich? I had to be stuffed with pillows to add some weight! Duane hammed it up before everyone and of course I was so busy cracking up with laughter that I almost forgot half of the song!

I love him for how he makes me laugh. And I love that Jena has those tendencies too! I know that you don't think that you can make me laugh anymore Duane, that isn't true! You have my heart and my laughter! I love you babe!

My Husband

Last week was a long week. My husband had some business travels to attend to and I was left here with the three girls and my nauseous self. The first afternoon alone I started to get a migraine. Usually when I get a migraine I am out for at least 6 hours! Anyhow, it was just 2 hours before I had to leave to take the girls to a birthday party. I called my friend and asked her to pray for me, she was also suffering from a bad headache. So we prayed for each other and I went to lay down. After about 20 minutes, my vision began to return and I didn't have any pain! The Lord had healed me! So off we went to the party!



The next morning I awoke to another migraine that attacked me with a vengeance. Jena decided to come talk with me before 7am and I tried to pacify her with some books. So she read in bed next to me while I tried to make sense of the pain I was feeling. I was supposed to babysit that day too. At one point I said to Jena, "Stop screaming!" She looked at me like I had fallen off my rocker. She was turning the pages of the book and it was so loud to me that it sounded like she was screaming in my ear. I couldn't believe the pain I was in. Now remember my predicament, I am pregnant and there isn't much that I can take to alleviate pain when I am pregnant. So I crammed a lot of Tylenol down my throat at breakfast and slowly ate my oatmeal. Apparently I was too slow and I only got through half of it before it came back up in the kitchen sink. The girls were astounded that I came back to the table to finish the rest of the oatmeal. If I have learned one thing from my past pregnancies, it doesn't matter if you've lost half the meal finish the rest before anything comes back up.



So I did. Then that came back up. Paige came running in to watch and proclaims, "Oh, that is distigusting!" Thanks Paige.

I went to take a shower and brush my teeth, hoping I would feel better, I wasn't. I cancelled the babysitting I was supposed to do and laid on the couch. Not to much later the phone rang and it was my sister-in-law checking in on me. She had called to share how bad her morning was going and then I fell apart on her. I was missing Duane so much and feeling so bad that I didn't know how I was going to make it through the day. At one point during our conversation, I had to put the phone down to deposit more of my breakfast in the sink. Man, I had had enough. Leah prayed for me and asked the Lord to send someone to take care of the girls for me. Tearfully, I said goodbye. She promised that she would call her parents and ask them to pray for me too.



Not more than 5 minutes later the phone rang. My friend Debbie was calling to see if we were planning on going to the water park that morning. She could tell something was wrong and I couldn't hold back the tears and told her how bad my morning was. She told me that I had been on her mind that morning and wondered if she could come get Jena and Paige for the day. I couldn't believe how quickly the Lord had answered Leah's prayer! He really cares for me. The entire time Duane was away he was praying that the Lord would reveal Himself as a husband to me.

Saturday passed without a migraine! Then as we were leaving church on Sunday I started to loose my vision again. I went to find my friend Jamie to beg her to drive me and the girls home since I couldn't see. She did and then she took my children home with her for the afternoon. I slept for the afternoon and kept the Tylenol down this time.

The best we can figure is that this is all hormone related. I am finding that the nausea is getting worse and I can imagine that is what has caused all the migraines. So far I have done pretty well this week, despite feeling nauseous almost all day long. Duane has been working from home the past few days so that I can have some relief. His parents are on their way out here to spend some time with us and the girls. We are really looking forward to their visit.

Isaiah 54:5 says

" For your Maker is your husband— the LORD Almighty is his name— the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth."

I believe that I got to experience a bit of what this verse talks about. My father reminded me that our God is also a practical God. He takes care of the things that we don't think that "the God of all the earth" would care about. That is what is so incredible about Him. He cares about my migraines!

The Aquarium

Last month our family took a trip to the Aquarium. It was pretty amazing. We started early and were amazed over and over at the colors we saw!

These jellyfish were mesmorizing. They look so graceful in the water. It reminded me of the childrens' video, Finding Nemo. There is a scene that Marlin and Dory are swimming through the jellyfish trying to stay away from the tenacles, it looks impossible watching these jellys!

Here Annie is wiping water off her head. We were watching the stingrays swim around the pool. As we stood there we all got splashed! We found out later that the stingrays have eyes underneath their bodies and they were just trying to see us!

I think that the girls could have spent a long time at this particular aqaurium, the fish were a lot of fun to watch. Their colors continued to amaze us. We were awed that the Lord cares about little fish to give them such amazing hues.

We also had a chance to walk underneath a shark tank. The girls were a bit apprehensive about it. The lights are low and it is extremely quiet, no one is allowed to talk, only whispers. I think that it gives the impression that you are actually in the ocean with the sharks. We sat for a while listening to a man tell us the history about the sharks and some amazing trivia about them.

We really enjoyed our time at the aquarium and I think that the girls enjoyed it too. Unfortuantely the only exit is through the gift shop and the kids had to torture themselves with all the toys and gadgets in the shop. We pacified them with a promise of a nice lunch afterwards!

Momma Maria!

I suppose that I haven't been quite honest about what has been going on in our family the past few months. I think that anxiety has fueled a bit of my hesitancy. But I am sure that it isn't fair to not include the big stuff that occurs in the normalcy of our lives.

We are going to have another baby!

The part of me that is anxious about announcing such news is that the question that comes from someone is "When are you due?" My answer is "Uhh, I dunna know..." There has been a bit of debate along that realm lately. Blood work states something other than what I think my body is showing. Although I look like I am 4 months already, I was concerned that there was more than one little one in there. Our doctor reassured us that there is only one and then announced that it is another girl! He thought that he was really funny at that moment. (For those of you who don't know, we cannot know the sex this early on...that comes later.)

Speaking of the sex of this baby...I understand that I let a few friends down last time. I even heard from one friend that it almost was the death of our friendship because I wasn't willing to share my little secret with anyone! In a moment of weakness I told one person, OK two. I had just found out and I told a stock lady at a store we were shopping at! I quickly looked around me just to make sure that none of my friends were around to hear what I had just said. Love you all sooooo much! Sometimes secrets are best kept! Wasn't it great to hear that Duane and Maria had another little girl???

Anyhow, I am feeling the normal blahs of the first trimester. Duane thinks that it is hysterical that I fall asleep on the couch every night and I find him trying to pick me up to carry me to bed. Better carry me now baby before I get to big to see around!

The joys of pregnancy are mine for a time and I would love to relish in them if only I were a bit further along!