Top 10 of 2014

Carson's top 10 in no special order:

1. learned to lope his pony.
2. mastered his back handspring
3. went on his first upside down rollercoaster
4. learned to ride his bike
5. started taking the school bus in the morning
6. prayed with his sister without being asked
7. learned to shoot a paintball gun with his Poppop
8. got two full bags of candy during halloween
9. went to the Marvel comic show
10. wrote kyndel a beautiful note after she passed away   

My favorite little girl

What if?

Point your finger all you want but...

God sees and knows all things. No thought can be withholden from thee. Job 42:2 For he knoweth the secrets of the heart. Psalm 44:21 Whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. Psalm 139:7-8 The eyes of the Lord are in every place. Proverbs 15:3 For mine eyes are upon all their ways: they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes. Jeremiah 16:17 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? Jeremiah 23:24 Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men. Acts 1:24 God ... knoweth all things. 1 John 3:20

one rude stranger.

stranger "He is really cute."
me 'Thanks.'
stranger "what is he?"
me 'excuse me?'
stranger "what is he? like...hmmm, where is he from?"
me  'He is my son and he is a gift from God.'
end of story.

Christmas list

xbox 360
quad
bow and arrow
beyblades
paint ball gun (for kids) lol
speed skates
baseball bag

I am in trouble with a list like this...

Carson dropped something 'chips' on the kitchen floor and he yelled, "Kyndle."  Carson looked at me and said, " I am sorry." Before I could reply tears were flowing out of our eyes.  We stood in the kitchen hugging and weeping together. 

I miss her

bark.
following me around the house.
always waiting for me.
soft fur.
feet walking through the house.
waiting for me to come back after a ride.
hanging out with me at the horse farm.
hanging out with the little ones while they played or watched movies.
being next to my bed in the morning.
eating all the food the little ones dropped on the floor.
sloppy kisses.
hanging out in the bathroom while I took a shower.
big brown eyes.
walking around the house showing off her bone or new stuffed animals.
hanging outside while I work in the yard.
walking down the hallway.
I just miss my Kyndle.
 

Psalm 34:13

Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies.

I am protected. Are you?

 

Verses About Protection From Evil

Isaiah 41:10  fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 54:17   no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD and their vindication from me, declares the LORD.”

Psalm 46:1  God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Psalm 91:1-3   He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”  For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence.

Psalm 121:7-8   The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. 8 The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.

2Timothy 4:18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Bible Verses On Protection

Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Ephesians 1:11  In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,

Daniel 12:1  “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book.

1John 5:18  We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.

Psalm 138:7  Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me.

 

I miss her so much...

 

 

 

 

 

9/2/14

Carson's first day of second grade. Of course Cinderella had to get in the photo.

 

 

Still....

 morning's just a moment away
And I'm without you once again
You laughed at me
You said you never needed me
I wonder if you need me now

So many dreams that flew away
So many words we didn't say
Two people lost in a storm
Where did we go?
Where'd we go?

We lost what we both had found
You know we let each other down
But then most of all
I do love you
Still

We played the games that people play
We made our mistakes along the way
Somehow I know deep in my heart
You needed me
'Cause I needed you so desperately
We were too blind to see

But then most of all
I do love you
Still

Play Music

Read more at http://www.songlyrics.com/lionel-richie/still-lyrics/#0EOjIFXCgBJ6skCr.99

Carson is off to a great start this school year.  While he is suffering from some testing anxiety.  He is hitting the mark with his grades, behavior and relationships. 

Happy Birthday, Best !

I hope you have a wonderful day. We have so much fun together.  I love hanging out with you.  I love riding in your car with the top down.  I love riding the rides on the boardwalk with you. I love our time together. But most of all, I love you!

 

Happy 8th BIrthday Carson

Dear Carson,

Today is your 8th birthday.  I can't believe you are that age already.  Where has the time gone??  You are truly a blessing to daddy and me.  We are watching as you grow up so fast and we are so proud of who you are and who you are becoming.  You are so smart and funny and kind and strong. 

God, we pray for Carson.  We ask that you continue to fill him with wisdom and compassion and strength.  We thank you for blessing us with him.  Continue to draw him close to You and direct his steps.

Tonight Cinderella said, " I think something is inside Kyndel. I hear this beeping sound."
 

5 hours on the beach today (yes there are beaches in NJ, John Carney). The little ones had a great time.  Carson jumped the waves while Cinderella was busy making friends.  

Just the highlights

Hershey Park, Wildwood boardwalk and Storybook land all within one week. Phew! Of course I did not remember to bring my camera to any of the parks. At Hershey Park, Carson rode his first upside down rollercoaster.  He loved it. On the Wildwood boardwalk, Cinderella went on her first haunted ride. Finally, at Storybook land Carson was our tour guide as Best takes him there a few times a year.  Overall, we had a great time. 
We do not want the summer of 2014 to end....
  

A note from a Guatemala team member sent on Monday night.

We arrived back home safely late last night at around 12:30 am.  The trip was amazing.  We built 2 homes, delivered over 50 wheelchairs, hand delivered food and clothing to app. 15 families living in remote areas (many live at the base of a volcano!), and prayed for and with countless men, women, and children.  God was clearly at work all week as people gave their lives to the Lord, others rededicated their lives to the Lord, and many received physical, emotional, and spiritual healing.  A number of our team members experienced spiritual warfare and physical illness, especially during the latter part of the week, but your prayers made all the difference as everyone felt much better by the time we headed home yesterday morning.  So thank you again for your prayerful and financial support and being a part of bringing glory to our God. Praise God for GretaJo who started this journey seven years ago.

Thanking God for his strength this week.  I can really feel the prayers. 

Carson should of been a fish.

baggage

so my baggage has left the country this morning at 4:15am. I sent five suitcases to Guatemala with the team. Please pray for them as they are going to be challenged mentally and physically.

Life is too short
to wake up in the morning with regrets. So love the people who treat you right. Forgive the ones who don't and believe everything happens for a reason.

-fortunate youth

One day I will want...
    to hear that little voice call me mommy every 5 minutes.
    to feel that little hand on me at night with a soft voice saying " Can I sleep with you?"
    the same song played over and over again (right now its, What did the fox say).
    to hear mommy will you play with me?
    to pick up the toys I just fell over.
    to wipe that cute little face that has ice cream all over it.
    to buckle him in the car
    to sit at baseball practice while its 90 degrees out.
    to be the taxi driver.
    my little boy back.

Life is going by so quickly.  I want to savor every moment with my children.  Do not wish time away.


           


 

my little ones

I have to go to the bathroom.....

Its the new 'I really do not want to go to bed so I'll say I have to go to the bathroom routine."

A new professional career chapter

starts tomorrow at 9:00am.

1 Peter 5:6,7
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you.

 

height and weight as of today

How often does this happen?
46" inches tall
46 lbs.
 

Never Give Up; Never lose hope. Always have faith, it allows you to cope.
Trying times will pass as they always do.
Just have patience, your dreams will come true. So put on a smile, you will live through your pain. Know it will pass, and strength you will gain.
-God vine

Are your bags packed?

Well in two short weeks the Guatemala mission team from Calvary Baptist Church will be boarding their flight to Guatemala.  This year fundraising was a little on the light side as life was very busy for most of us.  However, we had a wonderful turn out at the yard sale.  The ride/walk/run event which was hosted on the same day tripled in size from last year.  Most of the riders cycled up to 36 miles while the others did the 16 mile ride.  If you have never cycled before I would suggest you try it if you like the outdoors and exercising.  Yes, the cycling outfits are a little awkward at first but you get use to it.  Lately I have found most of my deepest conversations with the Lord on my cycling bike.  He has completely unclogged my heart, cleared away thoughts, and brought me to a place where I want my relationship to continue to blossom with him.  Sorry to side track,  the two fundraisers above, along with a few generous givers we were able to meet our required amount for the mission trip.  Praise God!  So with all that being said, my bags (backs are what Guatemalans called our bags) are not packed as I am not going to Guatemala this summer.  It was a very tough decision for me.  I waivered for many months and went through the motions as I was going, however deep inside I knew differently.  My personal life has made a few turns which require my attention to be focused here.  So the team must go on.  The team will be building homes, food/clothing distribution and wheelchair distribution.  There are two new team members going this year which is very exciting.  Its also interesting to watch and listen to new members working in Guatemala for the first time.  So I will be anxious to hear their stories. 
In the meantime, I thank you all for your continued prayer. I ask that you will continue to lift the team up as they have some heavy work in front of them.  Its not only physical work but also mentally challenging. If you click on the link below the song is called Your Love Amazes Me by Michael English.  This song clearly states the God will never leave us no matter what.  He will continue to love us and the only way we can be save and forgiven is through him.  I encourage you to take a few minutes and listen to the song with a clear mind. 

http://youtu.be/S_ubhKAVjW8

Happy 4th of July

sign the dotted line

After 13 years with the same management company my time has come to an end.  With much prayer, I have accepted and signed the dotted line with a new company.  More to come... 

Heaven questions

As Carson was swimming today he asked, "Mommy, what does heaven look like?" "What do you think I will do all day?" "Mommy, do you think I will have the same color skin?" 
Yes, a flood of questions without stopping. Before I could explain any of his questions he was under the water swimming.
 

burn baby burn

36 miles on my bike in 2 hours and 35 minutes.  Ahhh my love for cycling.

just in case you were wondering

six months until Christmas.

Carson's bucket list for the summer:

Go fishing once a week
Ride more roller coasters
Go on dates with Best
jump the waves at the beach
swim at Mommom's pool every day
read only one book this summer
skate board at night
travel to some place fun
eat lots of ice cream
visit the animal shelter
find lots of bugs
ride my pony every day
stay up until 10 pm at night

 

First day of SUMMER

Carson went fishing for the first time today.  He loved it.  He did not catch any fish but he did catch one crab. 

ahhhh

It's weird how certain songs can flood my mind with memories in a matter of seconds.

Psalm139:15-17 You, O Lord, know me inside and out. You know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing to something in my mothers womb. Like an open book, You watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before You; All of the days of my life You ordered and prepared before I'd even lived one day! How wonderful are Your thoughts toward me!

Listen to the words. what a powerful song.

Its been 7 years

Happy 3rd Birthday Cinderella

 

Me: Carson you have a science test tomorrow.
Carson: Yes I know.  I am ready.
Me: What is the test on?
Carson: A piece of paper.


Carson: Mommy can you google why is my skin brown and the bottom of my feet white?
Me: hmmm ok
Carson:  If you do not know something you just google it.
 

Just....

smile
say hello
wave
pray
Say something you are happy for
say you're sorry
think of one great thing that happened to you in the last 24 hours
search your soul
get on the floor and play with the kids
put your cell phone down
send a card to someone special
pay it forward
take a walk
be silent
watch what will happen....



 

Be still

God has this...
 

everyone gets a turn

As I am
  so you will be
      prepare yourself
         and follow me
-unknown

 

vestibular disorder

My 13 year old dog Kyndel was at the veterinarian hospital last week.  She was experiencing some very odd symptoms.  Her head was tilted, disorientated, rapid eye movement, stumbling and balance problems.  She was diagnosed with Vestibular disorder after a battery of tests.  Kyndel appears to be 60 percent better.  However with her other issues: seizures and arthritis its hard now to tell what is really going on with her. 

Happy Mother's Day.

Summer concerts for 2014 Lionel Richie in July and Rod Stewart in August.  It's going to be one hot summer.  woohoo!

Look at your life

are you a: getter or a giver?
Well...
The happiest people are the givers.  You will not be rewarded for what you get.  However,  you will be rewarded for what you give.  But, remember do not let the left hand know what the right hand is doing.  

I love the song (Lyrics) below.  What would I do without my relationship with the Lord.  Yes, I will fall apart.  I need him every hour.  He guides my heart. 

 

 

Verse 1:
Lord I come, I confess
Bowing here I find my rest
Without You I fall apart
You're the one that guides my heart

Chorus:
Lord, I need You, oh I need You
Every hour I need You
My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You

Verse 2:
Where sin runs deep, Your grace is more
Where grace is found is where You are
And where You are Lord I am free
Holiness is Christ in me
Yes where You are Lord I am free
Holiness is Christ in me

Bridge:
So teach my song to rise to You
When temptation comes my way
And when I cannot stand I'll fall on You
Jesus You're my hope and stay
And when I cannot stand I'll fall on You
Jesus You're my hope and stay

 

God spoke

Tonight Carson walked into my bedroom and said, " I'm sorry for my bad behavior in years 1, 2, 3."  During the course of our conversation, I questioned him as to what made him say that.  He replied, " I opened my bible, started reading, got the chills and needed to tell you I was sorry. 
I love his heart.  I pray he continues to listen and obey the Lord.
 

Keeping it real

I really struggle with moms complaining about their children.  Yes we all have struggles with our children but what the heck.  Children are a blessing from The Lord.  We only have a few blinks to raise them so we need to focus on our children's foundation.  Stop worrying about what the neighbors have, who is going to have another baby and what the gender might be, etc.  refocus your energy on your child(ren).   There are many moms out there who desire to have another child but are struggling.  There are moms out there that wish they could do it all again.  There are moms out there who's hearts are aching for their child.  So with that being said, stop complaining, comparing and wishing the time away.  

God is in control.

All good things must come to an end.  We truly enjoyed watching the Winter Olympics this year.  Carson loved watching the speed skating while I enjoyed the figure skating and hockey.  What a beautiful closing.  

Ahhh sunshine

What a beautiful day.  We were outside all day and loving it.  

Three girls

Carson told me today, that he is in love with three girls plus his Mommy.  I just smiled and he replied not bad for a 1st grader.

Be careful who you trust, because the devil was once an angel. - unknown

Please no more snow this winter.

The best thing I heard this weekend...  Carson said, Mommy I love your heart.  You make me feel so special.  Can we go skating?  Haha

It was a long night.  

500,000.00 people are without power tonight due to the ice storm.  Yes it could be worse but....

I love hearing Carson sharing stories about Jesus.      I. Love. It.  

I am praying for the sun.  It's been a cold gloomy winter.  Ugh!  Carson asked tonight " mommy will I ever wear shorts again." 

Do not look back
Do not turn left or right
Do not ask others for directions

Keep looking straight
Keep focused
And ask our Heavenly Father for his direction only
You might need a map called the bible
Fasten your seat belt and hold on tight as you might hit some bumps.

Second mark period grades... St and O's.  Woohoo!

Irma arrived from Guatemala two weeks ago.  Everyone is doing rather well with her transition. She fits into our family so nicely.  Carson loves her living with us.  He keeps saying "there are two Guatemalans in the house."  She starts community college next week which is very exciting for her.
Carson has been off of school for the last two days due to the weather.  It's been very cold and we had a few inches of snow. He is doing well with his school work but still struggles at times with his behavior. Carson can turn on a dime when he does not want to do something. The other night I took a video of him during one of his crazy rages.  I showed him the video a few hours later and he was in shock.  He kept saying " I do not remember that."
Anyway, we keep pressing forward.

Phew, what is with the seven year old I think I know everything attitude?  

The best part of my day....hugging and kissing my kids. 

Every day God thinks of you.
Psalm 68:14

Every hour God looks after you.
2 thessaalonians 3:3

Every minute God cares for you.
1 peter 5:7

Because every second he loves you.
Jeremiah 31:3