Its been laid upon my heart-

Tonight, i kept coming back to the computer and couldnt think of what i wanted to blog about--- I now know why.. This needed to be posted. I was reading a childhood friends blog tonight ( who by the way if youre in the Salem, Portland Oregon Area, her photography is BEYOND outstanding!!

http://bethanyfphotography.blogspot.com/

Her most recent post was a family that she'd done a photo shoot on. I was absolutely awe struck at how beautiful these children were. You see, a few years back before little muffin came into our family, we had wanted to adopt oversees. I wanted to find out more on this family. Bethany posted THEIR blog link to their picture.. i went there. On the blog they had written : "Our URGENT Request ". I continued to read and my heart filled with sorrow.

Please read their post and if you feel led, help bless these children in the Ethiopian orphanage. Every small amount helps and PLEASE spread the word. God uses us as vessels to bless others!!

http://bethany-withthesehands.blogspot.com/

*Its already started?*

Look VERY closely at the LAST, ERASED "KH" - that would NOT be my signature!! Every day after school, mini me has a list of things she has to do and then each parent is required to sign it so we're aware of whats going on and what their homework is.. uh huh.. she thought she'd be slick and sign it and then erase it before she got home.. We already had a talk about it.. but lemme tell you what this reminded me of.

Growing up, i HATED math, i mean HATED it. In the 4th grade, we had multiplication tables. Every night we were to take them home and have our parent initial them. And INITIAL THEM I DID! One day, ( i went to a private CHRISTIAN school) my mom went to talk to the teacher about something and the teacher had already graded the paper and had set it back on our desk for the next am for us to get. Uhhhhhhh.. My mom found it.. Ya.. Dun. DUn. Dun...

I NEVER FORGED ANYTHING AGAIN! NEVER.. not even an excuse note to skip class in Highschool. ( i just did that and THEN told her)
So.. its all coming back at me now.. its scary being a parent.. because as you watch your kids do things, you think to yourself, they're ALREADY doing that?

All in a days work

These past few weeks have been EXTREMELY wearing on me- like i cant even tell you how wearing. Im not sure exactly why, but i think a large part of it is the girls.. Kids are so good one minute and then they start testing you. I have BOTH girls testing me in different ways right now and emotionally i'm spent!

The other night, they both wanted to fall asleep in our bed- i gave in. We put them to bed so early, that i let them and literally within minutes they were passed out.

....ITS TIRING BEING NAUGHTY ;)

You can run, but you cant hide!!

After logging onto my blackberry to check local news yesterday, I was shocked to read about that model that was found in California. My heart is heavy for her family - seriously, thats all i can think about. WHAT HAS THIS WORLD COME TO, people?! I dont remember all of this violence growing up, and yet i wonder if i was just oblivious, being a child.

I remember my dad saying he doesnt watch the news because its so upsetting. It is. Ironically, most of what's on tv impacts him thru his work. He is in Prison Ministry.

How ironic that the man this model married ( whom she met on a reality series ) is the one that was suppose to love her thru everything, thick and thin.. "til death do we part" and is the one who ended up taking her life.

And yet, he thought that by taking her fingers and teeth out, authorities wouldnt be able to identify her. HOW I LOVE THAT THEY DID AND HOW THEY DID! Who on earth would have thought that someone could be identified by a breast implant!! AN IMPLANT! I've never heard of an ID that way--- This man ( still at large and "innocent until proven guilty") thought that no one would know or see him and yet, HIS MAKER was there to watch it all.

God sees everything-- this world and all of its YUCK needs Jesus!!!!

There have been so many tragic things of heard in just the last few weeks that have really shaken me up. I think people are at an all time low with the economy and are literally just snapping- they are taking it out on people that are like family, or are family to them, and yet they should be turning to God for help.

Its in times like these we need to turn our eyes on Him for help--- He sees and hears everything.

One of my favorite verses is Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (NIV)

JESUS IS OUR HOPE- NO ONE, AND NOTHING CAN FILL THAT VOID BUT HIM!!

Minn-ee- sO-Ta 2

*With Great-Grandpa at church*
*AFter church there was a little cake social- i see the table next to us looking at lil muffin and dying laughing. She was taking her paci, dipping it in frosting and then sucking on it. Puts a whole new meaning to "HAVING YOUR CAKE AND EATING IT TOO"

*Our Nanny Katie from Oregon who we havent seen since we moved lives in Minnesota now so she met us at Mall of America. We didnt tell mini me she was coming so she was SUPER suprised and as you can see ran up and hugged her *

*Before we said goodbye to nanny Katie*

*UH, ... ok i promised mini me i would ride with her. I HATE things that spin. i get sick. REAL SICK. At the beginning of the ride, they say raise your hand if you want the ride to stop. The ride stopped.. halfway thru. PEOPLE, that ride was a freakin ETERNITY.i felt like i had morning sickness all over again and felt sick for the rest of the day after that ride!*

*Hilarious. My Drama queen. This is an exhibit to advertise the shark exhibit at the Mall of America- skipped out on that one*

*Could my cousin be ANY craftier? this is Pipe and she made it.. BRILLIANT! i'm so making one and thought i'd share the idea with you. Walking thru her house gave me so many ideas!*

*Another brills idea by the cousin. Our family has a golf tournament every year and these were pictures from it. The little golf balls had each persons name on them and were used in the table setting. The spoons you see were stamped and had golf sayings on them. *

*3 Generations *

*family picture with my parents and sister- look at lil muffins face- too hilarious.. she did this for about 90% of the pictures that night *

THe next morning, we drove to Iowa to the aunt and Uncles Lake house-

Minnesota Summer trip 1

A few days after Mini me got home from jersey, we flew to Minnesota- - - seriously i thought vacationing was so much fun. UNTIL that's all we did this summer. Im burnt out and LOVE being at home ;) We had a family reunion and the last time we had one was 5 years ago.

*Best seat on the plane.. my own.. and HE had the kids, LOL. I'd had only 2 hrs of sleep so was able to catch up. When we got to Mn, we waited for my aunt to get there for 45 min. I finally called my grandpa and there was miscommunication - she thought we were coming in the FOLLOWING day. We rented a car, and headed to Mall of America, where our close friends from Oregon, who now live there met us last minute. Havent seen them in YEARS and had a fabulous time with them!!*

*Pool and Yaht club- played at the pool all day= it was a calm before the storm *

* This picture was before she was almost KNOCKED OUT with one of those huge mallots! I was sitting eating during the reunion and one of the kids was taking the mallot and SWINGING IT in the air around and around- it was literally 4 inches away from her head and i SCREAMED bloody murder at the kid to STOP swinging.. i scared the ever living poo out of the kid, but better than having little muffin knocked out with head injuries! *

*All of the cousins- minus 3 due to being pregnant, out of town, or underage. I have NEVER had so much fun.. arent we all a good looking bunch? We had SO much fun just laughing and catching up. We shut the place down! *

*My West Coastie Cousins- The one on the far left and far right are brothers.Seriously i could spend EVERY day with these boys, they are a trip, i love them! *

*We went to a place called Stella's- its a fish house by day and fun bar at night- it had cute sayings all over the walls. I thought this one was humerous and TRUE! *

*Another cousin- she wants to be a mortician.. takes a special person to want to do that job. *

*The Husband and Cousin *

*One last picture before we all parted our seperate ways- Cheers to such a good time and SO MANY LAUGHS!*