It's almost Easter.......

Sorry I haven't posted in some time, however it has been a crazy week. Last Saturday, Courtney went to get her ears pierced. Such a big girl. She only had to BEG dad for about 30 minutes and with those big brown puppy dog eyes, she got what she wanted.....Again. I was really proud of her, she didn't cry at all. I will post pictures of her soon with her new earrings in.

There are several things on my mind tonight as I sit here and update..........

First of all, Prayer Requests:

1. Jimmy Bagwell - a good friend of my husbands from college is still in the hospital in Michigan recovering from 3 surgeries to repair a damaged diaphragm. Please keep him and his wife Mary in your prayers.

2. Shane Ruiz - Freshman at Freed Hardeman University, Henderson, TN died in a tragic drowning while on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic for Spring Break. The body was not recovered as of the time the FHU Press Release was given. Please keep the entire Ruiz family in your thoughts and prayers as they have to deal with this tragic loss of Shane.

Next, have you ever thought about the Wonderful, Powerful, Majestic, Forgiving, Understanding and Remarkable God that we serve?

As I sit here, I wonder how many people that have been affected by tragedies and circumstances beyond their control and still do not believe that there is a God who loves and cares for us and only wants the best for His children. Over the past few weeks not only in our area but around the country, there have been tornadoes, flooding, lives lost due to accidents, cancer, or other reasons and who knows if someone ever cared enough about them to tell them of the Awesome God that we have. We can go to Him for anything and everything.

I teach the children's class at church and since it is a very small congregation, mine are the only ones in there, but occasionally we will have a visitor. This past Sunday, my lesson was entitled "Are you a Pest?" I looked at the kids and they looked at me and then looked at each other, yes Craig can be a pest sometimes to Courtney and vice versa, but the lesson didn't have anything to do with being a pest to one another, it talked about being a "Prayer Pest". I had an A-HA moment.

I have not been a prayer pest like I should be. When we pray prayers to our God we often forget about the important things and only pray out of habit or memorization. We don't put the effort into our prayers that we should. We don't praise Him for giving us the beautiful lives that He has given us, we don't praise him for giving us another day to live on this earth and try to show others the way to Him and we don't thank Him for being so Awesome. I guess what I am trying to say is that when I wake up to see another day, I should immediately kneel in prayer for giving me another day with my husband and children and I should thank Him for the roof over my head, the food that I have to eat, the car that I have to drive, and the job that I have to pay for all of these material things that I often take for granted. I don't "want" for a lot of "things". We are very Blessed, however, I am confessing to you all that I need to be held accountable for not being a Prayer Pest. Please help me in this.

Enough of me rambling, I am going to go to bed since it is getting late, however before my head hits the pillow, I will be "pestering" God with prayers of Thanksgiving, Forgiveness, Healing and His will being done.

Until next time,

In Him,
Kelly and Family

Snow Again........

It snowed again on Saturday and it was absolutely beautiful. I went down to the road to take some pictures and get some giggles at all of the 'Big Boys' sledding and having a snow ball fight.

The 'boys' are seeing who can sled down the hill the fastest.

See all of the tracks on the other side of the road????
Yes, they jumped the road and went down the smaller hill.

I know that at one point that there were red sled marks in the road from someone jumping the ditch and landing in the road only for the momentum to carry them down the other little hill. I don't know if all of the sleds made it through the 'big boys' competition, but there was lots of fun had by all and thankfully no trips to the ER. I know that they all had too much fun and were happy to be 'kids' again. One thing that I don't suggest is telling 4 men that they throw a snowball like a girl....they might or did make a new target...ME. Being hit in the leg by a very well made snowball is not fun, so I ran home, literally, to escape the incoming snow balls.

Hope that you all were able to make memories like we did this past weekend.

Until Next Time,

In Him,
Kelly

Monday, Monday...........

After such a busy day at work, it is WONDERFUL to come home to a clean house and this.........

Beautiful Buttercups picked by my Beautiful children

Courtney greets me outside and tells me that she and Craig had a present for me. I walked in and this was sitting on my dining room table. This is truly worth coming home from work for..... and then REALITY hits. Whats for dinner, Courtney have you done your homework, Craig leave her alone. The list goes on and on. Don't get me wrong I am not complaining at all, I am SO SO SO blessed to be able to come home to this wonderful chaos. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Gina seems to be a little better, but still not out of the woods. Wow, what an Awesome God that we have. They did have to do a trache so that they would be able to wean her off of the vent a little easier. They also changed her medicine so that her fluid would be released. They have unsedated her and she is now able to shake her head yes and no. I just got off of the phone with Grandmother and she said that Gina can also tell when the TV is on, and she lets you know that she wants it off. Like I said in an earlier post, its all about her, but none of us would have it any other way. Thank you for the prayers that have been said on my family's behalf and please continue to remember us daily.

Until Next Time,

In Him,
Kelly and family

Ok, I am sick again.......

Yes, I am sick again, but I should be and am very grateful that it is only the "gunk" that everyone else has and not something more serious. I started feeling bad yesterday and today I cant even talk. I sound like one of those squeaky toys that you give to pets. I called the Dr. and he called me in some antibiotics. I should start feeling better soon, I sure hope so. For those of you who know me, I like to talk, and this is about to kill me. I don't like not being able to communicate with people. Wish me well.

Gina seems to be doing a little bit better. They put her on some new medication to reduce the amount of fluid that she is holding. They also had to do a trach on her. I am not sure about the removal of the vent because I haven't talked to grandmother today. I will post again soon, I am headed to the bed.

Until next time,

In Him,
Kelly and family

Good Day Mates...

I just wanted to brief you all on Gina's prognosis this evening. I spoke with grandmother several times today and she said that she had talked to my aunt Terry this morning and this afternoon. The doctors are saying that it is just a matter of time until Gina's body shuts completely down and that there is nothing more that they can do except keep her comfortable and without pain. My uncle Curt who lives in Michigan called Terry this morning and told her that she was going to have to make some very tough decisions over the next couple of days whether or not to take Gina off of the ventilator. Here is what we are facing, taking her off of the vent, we are looking at a day or two max that she will be able to live, on the other hand, leaving her on only prolongs the grim outlook of death. I hope that I never have to face this type of decision, whether or not to take my child off of life support. I know that we can only lean on God for help in these situations and that He will not put on us more than we can bear. Please continue to keep my family in your prayers and that my aunt Terry will be able to withstand all that she is dealing with.

Until next time,

In Him,
Kelly and family