The best thing in life....

Matthew and Caroline....

Remember when you were little and you had to write your name and then choose an adjective that corresponded with the letters...maybe just I did this?

MATTHEW

Mischevious

Animated

Too cute

Tempting little cheekies that mommy loves to kiss

Humorous

Energetic

Whole heartedly loves life!!

CAROLINE

Cute

Aware

Rolie Polie Olie

Oh So Sweet!

Laughing all the time

Interested in what her big brother is up to all the time!

Not a great sleeper:)

Entertaining, watching her facial expressions can keep me entertained for hours!

When life gets me down all I need do is look at their sweet faces, preferably asleep in their respective cribs and all is well with my world!

I picked some "oldies but goodies" for pics! Check out Caroline's "peace" sign!! Totally random!

S

Prayer...Works?!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello
I have been reallythinking hard on this past Sunday's L3 service. It showed this video from this horrible website that is www.whygoddoesn'thealamputees.com , at least I think that is the website. Regardless, its an antheist forum for why Christanity is false and how basically praying on a horseshoe results in as much as praying to God. While watching the clip on Sunday, I found myself irrationally angry. You know that feeling when someone attacks you or your spouse or children and your just want to pummel that person? That is how I felt. I wanted to scream out..."NO! NO! NO! That isn't true!" I also felt that way when I went to the website last night and read more of their lies.

I have disclosed how in the past year, I have really felt my prayer life strengthened. I have taken so much solace in this and really love spending time with God in this way. Something that Bruce, a fellow church goer, who organized Sunday's message said really struck me, he said that if what we pray for is God's plan, then it WILL BE DONE. Not if, not maybe, IT WILL BE DONE! I think where we struggle is when we think we HAVE God's plan. We think, well God would defintely want to do this or that..or God should do this or that. But, the reality is we can't even begin to fathom Him, He is too mighty, to awesome..to RIGHT..His plan always is THE PLAN. Something also we learned todayat LAMBS, (my mom's bible study) is that God wants to Glorify Himself. So those two things put together can really shake things up for non believers. So, what can we do about it? I think for myself, I need to be in the Bible , in God' s word more. My prayer life is there. But, my time with God in that way...very much lacking. That way, when God or I am attacked for believing in God, I am armed with His word.

I know prayer works... I have seen it in my own life and those lives of people I have uttered them for..I know God works for the good of all who believe in Him...I just want to reach those who don't!

S

Happy Birthday to me!

Today I am offically 32..well not really until 11:11 pm... We have had a nice day, Jeff took the 5 am feeding and Caroline and Matthew both slept till 8:15. We went to church and then to Jeff's mom's for dinner and cake!! Jeff's mom got me a lovely pair of pearl errarings and some body lotion and money to buy myself something! Its great weather, mid 70's. I came down in the basement to cool down, it was so hot running around doing things around the house.

I was thinking today that this is the first bday in 2 years that I haven't been pregnant, that is nice! I was also thinking how very blessed my life has been with the arrivals of Matthew Jeffrey and Caroline Carlysle. I am a lucky, lucky, blessed birthday girl!

S

Blogger confusion

Hi
Does anyone know how to add your own blog link to your profile? I noticed mine dosen't show up on other people's comments and I wonder why not?? ALso, yesterday it said that a comment had been deleted? I didn't delete it?? How did that happen? I am so computer illeterate!

S

CURVES

Hello
Are you looking at the title and thinking..."What?" I joined, Curves tonight and am optimistic that it will be a good thing for me. I am optimistic for the following reasons...

1. After reading about what Josh Buck is going through to do even the simple things we take for granted I have begun to really look inward at how much I take my body for granted and abuse it. There is no guarentee that tommorrow I wouldn't have an accident and not be able to do these things!!

2. I have two small children who are incredibly active and although I don't feel out of breathe or unable to play with them now.. more energy for them would be great. Not to mention being a good role model on healthy living.

3. I feel like a big , squishy, had two c sections in less than two years, yuck about myself.

4. My body aches while sleeping and I know its from the extra lbs !
5. I don't have any current health issues but know eventually I will and that would really stink b/c I can do something about it now!

6. I want to conquer this sin once and for all in a healthy, God helping me out kind of way!!

I would kindly ask for the passing prayer that I would stick with and see results so there will be less curves to me!!:)

SUE

BBQ fires,stuck bubs and more...

You may be looking at the title of this post and think..."What?" Well, then you will see the pictures and it all becomes a little more clear! Let me preface the pictures by saying that Jeff is the biggest procrastinator you will ever meet! It can defintely be a source of contention in our marriage. I want something done and it seems unless I endlessly nag or as he would call me,"Stick in the eye!" it doesn't get done! An example of this is our grill. Last fall, great with child, I asked him to please clean it b/c it had accumulated alot of grease, etc during the summer months. Well, it didn't get done, so last Tuesday when we had the awesome 70 degree weather we grilled burgers. He lit the grill, put them on and when he went back, a real live fire had broken out! It was somewhat humorous! Now for some kudos for Jeff. Next weekend is my birthday but we have plans to play cards with the neighbors so he surprised me by having his mom and Bert come over to watch the kids and then we went to dinner at a newer resturant and over to some friends to watch the debactle that was the MSU basketball tourney game. It was a nice evening and then today I went to church by myself and just enjoyed the service and went to lunch and a movie with Jessica and Kim. We saw Bridge to Terabithia(sp?),good movie but so sad! I am so fortunate to have such a great inlaw family...I love hanging out with the girls! It was just a nice day and a good break from my "mommy" life. Speaking of, tonight after Jeff got Matty ready for bed he was screaming in his bed and wouldn't calm down which isn't normal for him, usually you just put him down and he goes to bed. So, we both went upstairs a few times and then I decided to take him into our room and snuggle, he was so sweet just staring at me with his soulful baby blues and finally after about 15 minutes I asked him if he was ready to go into his crib and he nodded yes and went without incident. Those are the times I cherish with my little man, when we break the bedtime rules and just snuggle..

The one picture is of him stuck in Caroline's bumbo seat! He can't get out without help! Because its made for a 5month old! He can kind of say her name now, it sounds like "liney"..cute ! The last pic is one of Caroline's first professional pics...I am sure a more competent computer person could scan them, that person is not me! It a close up of her cute little face!

Later

S

Blogs are funny little things

I was just randomly going through blogland just now and reading ones I have never gone to before...seriously entertaining and once again...inspiring. Here are some blog related ?'s if you have the time please sign in and answer..I would love to get an idea of who stops by my neck of the blog woods..

What did we do before Blogs?
Why do none bloggers think blogs are annoying?
Do you comment on people's blogs you don't know?
Have you ever been offended by something you've read on a blog?
What's your favorite blog?

I will get the ball rolling here are my answers..

1. Before blogs and blog stalking/commenting , I surely wasted alot of time on the MTV show "My super sweet 16" and " The Hills" websites.. I know pathetic! I have to say, since blogging my spiritual life and especially my prayer life has been greatly improved.

2. Not sure, I think they think bloggers are self important people with too much time on their hands, although alot of my friends aren't Christians and it seems to be more popular with the "believe in Jesus " folks!

3. All the time...only to encourage or let them know I am praying for them.

4. No, except this one person once wrote that she thought random people shouldn't comment on people's blogs they don't know...I am sure glad that philosophy hasn't stopped any comments on Josh Buck's blog...I am sure they are lifted up daily by those comments!

5. I love the Hummels blog, about family who has 4 kids, a daughter and triplets, one who passed away at birth sadly...she is so inspirational and Greenhouse Ministries, because the Buck's are just amazing people, Noah Steven's blog, a link I foung through the Hummels of a little boy who spent several months in the hospital battling a mystery aliment who died in January..his mother is also very influential spiritually and is a very gifted writer!

Comments people...comments! please:)

S

Better together!

"Better Together"
There's no combination of words I could put on the back of a postcard No song that I could sing But I can try for your heart Our dreams, and they are made out of real things Like a, shoebox of photographs With sepiatone loving Love is the answer, At least for most of the questions in my heart Like why are we here? And where do we go?And how come it's so hard?It's not always easy and Sometimes life can be deceiving I'll tell you one thing it's always better when we're together[Chorus:]MMM it's always better when we're togetherYeah, we'll look at the stars when we're togetherWell, it's always better when we're together Yeah, it's always better when we're together And all of these moments Just might find their way into my dreams tonight But I know that they'll be goneWhen the morning light sings And brings new things For tomorrow night you see That they'll be gone too Too many things I have to do But if all of these dreams might find their way Into my day to day scene I'd be under the impression I was somewhere in betweenWith only two Just me and you Not so many things we got to door places we got to be We'll Sit beneath the mango tree now It's always better when we're togetherMmmm, we're somewhere in between together Well, it's always better when we're togetherYeah, it's always better when we're togetherMMmmmm MMMmmmm Mmmmmm I believe in memories They look so, so pretty when I sleep Hey now, and when I wake up, You look so pretty sleeping next to me But there is not enough time, And there is no, no song I could sing And there is no, combination of words I could say But I will still tell you one thingWe're better together!

I love that song Better together by Jack Johnson! Since Matthew is obsessed with Curious George it now reminds me of my little sweeties. Life is defintely better when I all together with my precious babies and Jeff too!

I have taken some new pictures of the kiddos.. I can't believe Caroline is going to be 5 months on Monday! Time really does fly! She is offically a baby now..not an infant anymore. She is so sweet now, its amazing to think that all she did was cry for three months. We have been spending alot of quality mom/daughter time in the afternoons lately. She isn't much for long naps and so Matty goes down at 1 and sleeps until 3ish and she goes down at 12:30 and wakes up at 1:30 and we just play or lounge on the couch snuggling. Speaking of which today Matthew had a very bad morning with the speech therapist. He had to go to time out 2 times and was generally naughty. The speech therapist thought maybe he was feeling like Caroline was stealing me from him..yah no doubt! I told her all the things I try to do to keep him feeling like he is still our little guy! She reassured me that it would get better...everyone says that! But, I know one day it will! Anyways, he woke up early from his nap so I took him to my room and we laid in our bed and he fell asleep next to me ! So sweet..I just spent time praying for him, for me, for the various needs of those around us . It was really nice!





Here are the pics..one of them is of Caroline's room with her cute letters, if you look closely you will see little Missy there in her cribby,one is of her favorite soother...fingers! Matthew in the bathtub and "Squeak" our nickname for her and daddy chilling on the couch!

Hmmm. Brothers, uggh part deux!

Ok, I emailed my brother, in hopes of being the mature, older sister...last Monday and that little bugger still hasn't emailed me back. I have to say I am feeling very ambivalent about him more and more. My mom and I were talking today and she was telling me a story about his in laws not treating him very nicely. I couldn't divulge to my mom why I am mad or even that I was mad at my brother, who is named Michael by the way because it would ruin her surprise that were are planning. I did say.."Well, Michael can be very difficult, maybe his inlaws are just over trying with him" That is how I feel...done with trying. When I look at others around me and there relationships with their siblings, I am envious of that. I have a close relationship with my sister but I really feel like my brother and I have no relationship at all. I am sure the thing that is bothering me most is that I have no control over how he is acting. I want him to email me and say.."Yes, I was wrong. I am sorry" You know where will freeze over before I ever hear those words from him. I guess I want to know how he could be so self centered and arrogant and mean spirited, we were raised better than that. My mom wants us so badly to all be close and really doesn't allow herself to think about us not being like that. But that is how it is.. my sister and I talk everyday, I hadn't talked to my brother since Christmas! I hope that Jeff and I enstill in Matthew and Caroline to respect and love family above everyone else.

Jeff and I went to Willow Creek in Barrington, Ill when we lived in Rolling Meadows, actually my parents could walk there from their house, anyways, one of the pastors did a talk about raising kids and he talked about when his kids would fight, he would say.."Look out there, outside of this house people are going to treat you badly, hurt you, beat you down with harse words and unfair circumstances. But in here, in our house, we treat each other with love and respect and care about each others well being." He then went on to say that the younger brother looked at his sister and said"Come on, lets go fight outside!" I love that and have already begun a 2 year old version with Matthew. When he is rough with Caroline, I will say, "No,no you need to protect Caroline, look how much she loves you." and its true, that little girl lights up, stops crying, when he is near her. She inately loves him..its how she was born to love her brother. So my question is How does that change? When do you go from being a little blob who loves another blob for no good reason( I mean the kid is constantly throwing pacies at her, shoving cereal down her throat and a finger in her nose!:) to no talking for months at a time for really no apparent reason! Boo hoo!

S