The winter yuckies...

Seems like it's been one thing after another for a while around here... I watched my nephew who had strep for Thursday and Friday of the previous week, and that whole week Brandon had "goopy eye" just nasty, so crusty when he would wake up you would seriously have to pull them open for him to see. We spent a lot of time with warm washclothes and his little eyes. Then he also had just a little naggig cough. No fever, just a cough here and there. So Monday comes around and his cough kept him from napping at all that day. Monday night was cough-fest #2, and he seemed to be struggling sooo hard just to catch his breath in between coughing. Called our wonderful doctor Tuesday, they said bring him in tomorrow..lots of nasty stuff is going around right now. So our trip to the doctor on Wednesday confirmed that little Brandon has an Upper Respiratory Infection... now he's on the antibiotic zithromax, liquid steroid, breathing treatments every 4 hours, and antibiotic eye drops for his little eyes. (Pics to follow soon, he looks adorable in his little mask). He's been such a little trooper. He takes his medicine so well, he's watched his big brother take breathing treatments for as long as his mind can remember, so he feels like he's being a big boy. God we know you are our healer and we believe for Brandon's healing...thank you for the doctors you give us for guidance. I thank you Lord for Dr. Lemmert who is a bold and wonderful Christian doctor. Thank you Lord for your healing hand on Brandon and I pray Lord for your hand on Darian as he has been struggling today with a cough that you would just touch him as he sleeps..... Thank you Father for caring about us in such a passionate and amazing way.

Just thinking

What a gift having kids really is. Sure it's tough, sure it's exhausting, sure sometimes it is very non-rewarding (puke clean-up, diaper duty), but we are shaping our future when we raise our children. Truly, we are raising the next generation to witness about God's glory..his kindness, his goodness, his faithfulness. BUT, if I never speak about his goodness, his kindness, his faithfulness... if they don't see me walk out my relationship with the Lord, how will they know how to do it themselves? Repetition, showing them things over and over... that's how they learn to count, to say their abc's, to learn their colors, to do everything in life they need to survive. Yet the most important survival guide I can give them is their relationship with the Lord...do I model this as much as I should be?

Girl Time =)

I had some wonderful girl time today...no kids, no hubby ... no guys at all, just me and my wonderful friend Laura. I think that's enough said, for any woman who is a mommy understands the thrill of some time out with a friend =) To my friend Laura, I couldn't have asked for a more understanding, encouraging, honest and open friend. I love you to pieces ...and your little monkies have stolen my heart too ;)
Your family's love and friendship and prayers mean more to us than you will ever know!! Can't wait for our movie date!

Simply friends

We had a WONDERFUL homemade pizza night with our friends Pat & Christine (and their 5 kids, with our 4 kdis... they so outnumber us...lol) Thanks for all the hard work Christine, and next time, my house, my dirty dishes, and me slaving over a hot stove. What a blessing it is to be able to just get together and fellowship. So much laughing, so much talking, just such a huge blessing. It will always amaze me the people that God brings into our lives... people who love us knowing all their is to know about us. Isn't that really what Jesus truly wants us to be... to do.... Get together, talk about how he's blessed us, or the struggles we're having, get encouragement from one another, and give Him all the glory. Loving each other even if you know the ugliest sin that person has ever felt guilty about... forgiveness, compassion, love, gentleness... but thank God he has a sense of HUMOR and lets us laugh till it hurts sometimes!!!

5th grade musical..

So Darian had his 5th grade musical... he did awesome just like I knew he would! His "rapping" solo was great, he looked adorable as an old dead composer (no rotting flesh, just "white" hair.. which was hairspray & baby powder if anybody ever wants white hair. Dave & Jarrad came, so I go little Miss Jaiden all to myself...she even ended up falling asleep =) oh the joy of those little ones! Just wanted to say good job Boo, and good job to all the kids & teachers who put so much time and work into these things!!

Happy #11 Birthday Boo =)

Today was a great day at church.... great teaching, great praise and worship, great fellowship. Then, at 2 we had a family birthday party for Darian. It's hard for me to believe that my oldest is turning 11...actually it's the 16th (we just had his party the 15th for family to be able to come). So, at 1:11 tomorrow, my baby boy entered this world. I still remember exactly what he looked like when he was a newborn. I remember the excitement of having my first baby. I remember the terror of having my first baby...lol =) I just have to say that I know God makes each of us unique in every way, and I couldn't have picked out a better young man in everyway. His spirit is gentle, his sense of humor is hilarious and quirky (just like I love it!!)his sense of loyalty and family is like no other. To my Boo... you will always be my first, you will always be my oldest, yet you will always be my baby. Momma loves you buddy!My beautiful momma & Boo
My handsome jokester!!

Happy Valentine's Day

The sweetest thing the other day... Gav & I went to the store to get a few things & pick up an ointment the dr. called in for him. As we were leaving the drug store, there were a lot of Valentine's things around up front.. boxes of chocolates in the shape of hearts, hearts this, hearts that... and when we got in the truck to leave Gavin quietly tells me, "Mom I'm really sorry I couldn't get you anything for Valentine's Day".. to which my heart melted, and I told him "You give me love and hugs and kisses every single day, not just one special day out of the year. What you give me everyday is so much better than any kind of a gift you could have given me to celebrate this one day." It was sweet to see where his heart was...he's such a giver and is growing and learning to think about other people first.

Here's special kudos to the world's best babysitter in the world.... Ms. Shelb's you've won the heart of the young Carver men here at home as well as at church. Thank you for the sweet words about the boys and how well they behaved. It always makes mom and dad proud to hear their kids are respectful and helpful and just plain fun to be around. BUT, it takes a speical person who is loving, patient, kind, and who really listens to them and cares for this to work both ways =) and my dear, you take the cake!!!! Thank you for letting us be in your life and for you being as special as you are to the boys and to us also. You have the sweetest spirit. I love being around you!!

And finally to the hubby... 12 years, 12 Valentine's Days together, and I will never take for granted the ways you show me you love me .... your respect towards me, your patience with me, your gentleness with me, your always loving and forgiving heart. You truly are my Prince Charming ;) And they lived happily ever after...

Facing your giants..

Susie gave me a book that she thought I would really enjoy. Max Lucado (one of my ALL TIME FAV writers) wrote this book called "Facing Your Giants". It shows our lives struggles and compares them to David facing Goliath, and to a lot more of David's life. It's a must read...only on chapter 4 and am already hooked (and being a mommy of a almost 3 year old doesn't give you the best opportunity to read!)

A couple of things I'll share that have touched me so far:

~ Rush your giant with a God saturated soul...David spoke of God, not about how big Goliath was

Focus on giants .. you stumble
Focus on God .. your giants tumble.

Are you as likely to describe the strength of God as you are the demands of your day?

God does not see the same way people see... People look at the outside of a person, but the Lord looks at the heart (1 Sam. 16:7)

God examines hearts, and when he finds one set on him... He calls it, and He claims it!

Linger too long in the stench of your hurt, and you'll smell like the toxin you despise.

All of this is such few chapters. I'm excited to finish it =) Such wonderful wisdom and encouragement. Lastly, the book also points out David's many flaws..his adultress affair, having the husband sent to the front lines to be killed, many many times David fell, yet his heart was pure... it even says that David was a man after God's own heart... Gives us all hope that we don't have to be perfect, we just have to be willing and Love the Lord with all of our heart, soul, and mind.

Change

It's funny how change sometimes can seem a little frightening, and other times you look so forward to the change that is coming =) So many changes are happening right now and I thank God that he does give us blessing upon blessing in so many different ways, and that no matter how our circumstances change, HE NEVER CHANGES. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. MY ROCK in times of change.

Remembering the night...

So Feb. 13th is the day Sheldon and I first met... 1997. This is the first year in FOREVER that we're actually going out with great friends and celebrating Valentine's Day which to us has always been wrapping these two days into one. We celebrate Valentine's Day and we celbrate the day that God brought our two lives together. It is funny how God can take a young girl from a little town called Fairbury Illinois, and take a young man from a little town called Morenci Arizona, and have them meet and fall in love in Cartersville Georgia. Now our lives are so interwoven into our community and church here, we know this is our home... a home that we just so happened to sign the papers on, Feb. 14th 2006 (a wonderful Valentine's Day gift if I do say so myself) God is soooo good to us. I was thinking today about how little he really wants from us. Yes, he wants ALL of us, but at the same time he wants us to just know that HE is there all of the time with His hand reaching towards us for Him to guide us in the path we should go...all we have to do is look for him (if you seek me, you will find me). I heard a short message on Jonah, and how the seas were horrible and tossed until he surrendered and threw himself overboard and the storm ceased... and the speaker said, that so is our life... our life is horrible and tossed and we are on a sinking ship until we throw ourselves overboard to God and to His will for our life...instead of running like Jonah did at first, THEN following where God was sending him, we should run to God and surrender everything to Him and follow His will for our lives. Made me think...

Church today

Sometimes I'm convinced that God gives us special little moments with our kids that melt our heart back to being soft. This world has a tendency to go straight for the heart, wound us, try and break us... Then you have this little person that you love more than anything in the world... it doesn't seem to matter what age they get to, they still have that effect on the momma's heart =) Something they say, something they do, something special that just warms you from head to toe. Today during church Gavin (our 9 year old) was standing with me, arms around me as always (he's always been a clingy or touchy kinda kid) and we were doing some of our Praise and Worship songs. I heard his sweet sweet voice sing as his arm was around my waist, and we sang together in perfect harmony. I felt like I had been given this gift... this special touch from Heaven as I closed my eyes and sang with my son, and with my heart.

Mixed emotions...

My weekend so far has been crazy.... It was kind of a full week too with dr's visits and procedures, the young ladies from our youth group kept me up at our sleepover on Friday night =) Which was a blast... it is such a reminder that I am not 20 anymore...lol Took Jonathan to the airport and said goodbye to a young kid who I think is making a big leap with little thought... I'm so tired I can't sleep (tried napping today, didn't work!!) The funny thing is Darian & Gavin are sleeping over at Bob's with Tristan tonight, my little brother and my niece & nephew are all gone.... it's actually QUIET ... I mean crazy QUIET!!! It's just me, Sheldon and Brandon and they're both knocked out already. Sometimes just peace and quiet is really all you need ;) Turning in early (to try and be recovered from Friday) since we have a Fellowship Dinner Sunday. Way to go babe for making spaghetti for 60 people while I drove to Bloomington =) You amaze me everyday!!We'll miss you Jonathan

It is well...

Some old hymns just bring back so many memories...being young, innocent, drawn to God...before serious peer pressure, and wories of being an adult, parenthood etc... took over... back so long ago it seems, yet hearing some of these hymns I can close my eyes and be taken back to such a tender age of innocence.....

Writing again

His Word never changes
though my circumstances do
His love never wavers
no matter what I go through

His arms never let go
they're always held tight
His weakness is stronger
than the strongest man's might

His forgiveness is free
all you must do is ask
His gentle hand peels back
all the layers of your mask

His Holy Spirit fills you
from your head to your toes
His whisper will guide you
in this world where to go

The only thing He asks
is simply for us to LOVE
in a way that shows everyone
that it's sent from above =)

Little tykes =)

I have always from as long as I can remember LOVED babies. Had tons of baby dolls, always played that I was a mommy taking care of her babies. I get more joy out of watching kids play than any tv show I've ever seen, movie I've ever seen... I mean you can go from comedy, to drama, to violence, to love story all within a 1 minute exchange between small kids...lol

So today I babysat for two of the cutest kids that are on the face of this earth!! I forgot to take my camera to get some pictures of Brandon's "play-date" while mommy babysat. Things went soooo well. The kids played so hard and all slept so hard for their naps ;) As odd as it may seem it's kinda nice to get out of the house even if it is staying inside at somebody else's house... does that make sense? I guess even just the change of scenery in another home during winter can make you feel good!!

Special thanks to my buddy Laura, thanks for letting us be a part of your lives =)

Happy #7 to my Sweetheart

As a momma to 3 boys, I have to admit that I ADORE my nieces =) I get to finally have someone "girly" around when I'm used to a house full of really loud and usually odd smelling noises. My sweet, sweet Ariana turns 7 in just a couple of days and we went to her birthday party on Saturday. Of all the little girls in my world, this one can put a smile on her Sissy's face unlike any other. I was blessed with being there through most of her daily life for right at 3 years. She really was the little girl I never gave birth to ;) So, to look back on 7 years as we drove to her party was pretty emotional... I could still picture the exact night she was born as I drove home from the hospital and it was snowing and everything was so beautiful and peaceful (it was crazy crazy early...lol that's the only time Joliet is peaceful!!), now she's turning 7. How fast life truly does go. Here's to my big girl... You will forever be my princess, and I will forever be your Sissy =)
I LOVE YOU!!!