Silent

I did not mean to go silent on this blog again.  The last few weeks have just been overwhelming and I have been so very tired.  Our Make-A-Wish trip was wonderful and I will share photos and details in a post a little later, but a few days after we returned home we discovered the kids had lice.

This began a three week span of washing and combing and washing and combing and washing, the combing happened at home, but much of the washing happened at a laundromat.  About 1 week before we left on Daniel's Make-A-Wish trip our washer flooded the main level of our home as it did not stop filling.  Thankfully, I was in the kitchen when it happened, so the mess that ensued was as minimal as it could have been.  But it was still a mess.  We did not have the money to buy a new washer and dryer before our trip, so when we came home and discovered lice we were without a way to wash all of the towels, clothes, bedding, etc.  So I filled the back of my van with everything and spent many hours at the laundromat.  In the meantime we had fixed our washer so that it could wash small loads.  So once I had the bulk of the laundry washed I was once again able to keep up at home with washing sheets and pillowcases each day.

That lasted about a week and then the washer flooded the main level again.  And the day before this, we found that two of the kids who had shown no signs of lice, now had the pesky bugs too.  So began the process of washing and combing and washing and combing and washing and combing and washing and combing and washing and combing and washing and combing and washing and combing again.  Yes, I wrote that 7 times on purpose as I had seven people to wash and comb.  And so on round two we treated everyone.  Multiple times.   All I sincerely did for 3 weeks was wash clothes and comb hair.

And Brent tried to finish his last seminary class.  Poor guy.  It was a rough way to finish.  But finish he did and we just found out he passed!  Barely, but passing was all we cared at this point!!  Now he just needs to complete his internship (which is underway) and Lord willing he really will graduate from Dallas Seminary in May.

Anyway, lice and floods were what has kept me silent these past weeks.  It has been so exhausting.  But hopefully we are on the other side of it all.  And my mom and dad bought us a washer and dryer for Christmas, so no more trips to the laundromat either!!  I am so thankful for that.

Make-A-Wish Send Off Dinner

On Sunday night, through Make-A-Wish, Maggiano's Italian Restaurant provided our family with a wonderful send off dinner!!  

Tears spilled onto my face as I walked into the restaurant and saw the Jake balloons.  What a special gift this trip is.  This is such a huge milestone for Daniel!!  I cannot wait to watch him play and see and do all of the things he loves at Disney World.  

Noodles are Daniel's favorite... Pesto Noodles, Spaghetti Noodles,  Noodles in White Sauce,  Plain noodles, butter Noodles...you name it Daniel loves noodles!!  :)  

Drew loves the Cheese Ravioli!

These girls love Maggiano's too!!

I just love him so.  

And then at the end of our meal, Suzy (our wish granter) had a special cake brought out!!  It was a Jake cake and seemed almost too cute to eat!!  

This is Daniel with one of our wish granters, Suzy!  Thank you Make-A-Wish and Maggiano's for the wonderful send off dinner!!  We cannot wait to go to Disney World!!  

Daniel continued to enjoy the Jake balloons at home!

We are so very grateful for Make-A-Wish, for Daniel's upcoming trip and for the celebration of Daniel's life this will be!! Thank you Jesus!

My Birthday

Today was my birthday.  I had wonderful day.  My family made me some of the most beautiful cards (and I mean seriously beautiful, thank you!) and really took time in picking out presents they knew I would love.  They were simple, but wonderful!!

Tonight we ate dinner at the Cheesecake Factory.  We had a late dinner as Brent had to work until 9pm, so the kids and I went to mall and looked around.  We spent time in the Disney store, looking and talking and anticipating the big trip next week.  Daniel found a blue car that we ended up buying for him.  He told every stranger that passed by the rest of the night that he had a blue car! :)

At dinner, Brent and Drew made sure that the staff knew it was my birthday, so at the end of the meal they sang to me.  When they got to "Happy birthday dear Jaci", Daniel shouted "MAMA!" and pointed at me!  It made all of us laugh, even the waiters.  Sam was rapid firing photos as all this was happening and so he forever captured this sweet moment for me...

These are the moments I want to always remember.

I love all of these from today too...

Thank you dear family for making my birthday so sweet.  I love each of you to the moon, forever and always!  

Halloween 2015

This year Daniel was Super Man for Halloween!  He chose it in the store and was adamant that this was his costume.  I was surprised, but absolutely loved the choice!  He really is my little Superman!

He pointed to his chest (just like below!) everytime someone said Superman!  So cute.

And he loved showing off his muscles! :)

Abby was the cutest little Dorothy, Lizzy was Cinderella, Sam was an X-ray man and Drew wore his Horse head again!

The girls sweet friend Maclaine joined them trick or treating!!  So fun to have her here with us!

This was the first year that Daniel actually had an interest in going up to houses!  He would slap his face (for thank you!) and then run to the next house.  Some houses we had to wrestle a little bit, as when they opened the door he wanted to go in!!  :)  I loved watching him run with his cape blowing behind him.

The only kind of candy Daniel likes are lollipops, so he was super excited when he finally received his first one.

The truly saddest part of the night was that the kids just didn't get any candy! ;-)

1001 pieces on that table!

19th Anniversary

Today is Brent and my 19th anniversary! This is the card I bought for him this year. Tears filled my eyes when I first saw it in the store. It seems for most of our marriage it has been "raining", and I am so thankful for the man with whom I share the umbrella. We still have love, laughter, joy and romantic moments even with the rain continuing to fall. Thank you Jesus for forever changing our hearts and our lives and being the Rock on which we have stood thru the storms and the rain that continues to fall. And thank you Brent for sharing the umbrella with me all these years. Love you always.

A Sweet Note

Today was a hard day.  The past few days have been hard days.  Two days ago our washer temporarily flooded a few rooms in our home as it decided to not stop filling with water.  Thank goodness I was in the kitchen as it happened so I was able to stop the water almost immediately.  It took every towel in our house and a few from the neighbors to get the water mess cleaned up.  It turns out the only way our washing machine will stop filling now is if it is on the smallest cycle.  It's probably time for a new one. Daniel has not been feeling well and yesterday he threw up all over his bedding.  Having his bedding, along with every towel in the house, along with sports uniforms and our normal laundry make the days harder when you are stuck washing small  loads.

It was also hard because some days home schooling is just plain hard.  Household tasks and home schooling have become more challenging to do together as the school stuff of five different kids in five different grades takes most of my time.  Doing laundry is especially challenging as I feel like I need to baby sit the washer so we do not have a major flood.  The kids have attitudes and demands that need to be taken care of and some that need to be corrected.  I have my own attitudes and responses (that also sometimes need correction :)). combined with expectations and often the days do not go as planned.

Today did not go as planned.

As I mentioned, Daniel is not feeling well.  But neither is Drew.  I took them both to the pediatrician today.  Daniel had an ear infection and Drew needed further treatment for his cough, so it was good that we went.  However, it took up most of the day.  I got me ready, Daniel ready and fed everybody lunch, then we headed to the doctor appointment.

As we were walking out the door on the way to the doctor, my sweet Lizzy starts lecturing me on how she can't believe I haven't corrected her math yet...oh sweet child.  Oh sweet, sweet child.

The doctors office was crazy as Daniel wanted no part of being examined today.  He tried to bite me as I held him for the doctor to look in his ears.  It took three of us to hold him to get his throat swabbed.  I was sweating by the end.  I think the nurse and doctor may have been too.  Drew just kept saying "wow".  Yes, wow. I know the sweet boy is just over doctors offices and being examined and touched, but sometimes it is necessary and sometimes it is hard.

As we entered our home again it was nearly three.  So I corrected that math!  And tried to sit down and relax for a minute.

Then off I went a little bit later to take the boys to church activities while Brent stayed back and took Abby to softball practice.

Sometimes when days are like today they do not seem so hard.  But today felt hard.  I felt weary, I am sure partly from being up a lot throughout the night before. So the sweet note I found taped to my door tonight was especially sweet.  It was from my Abby,

I love how she added "...and for doing the laundry...".  Sweet girl.  Laundry has definitely been one of my challenges the past few days.  I  am so thankful that she took the time to write this tonight.  It was just the encouragement my weary heart needed.  

Lizzy's Love for the Orphans

Some of you may remember me posting in the past about Lizzy's love for orphans.  She has had a sweet and care filled heart towards kids without a mommy and daddy since the tender age of four.  This first came from sweet lullabies by Twila Paris that my girls used to listen to every night when falling asleep.  One night, about thirty minutes after I had tucked the girls into bed, I heard Lizzy start crying hysterically.  I went running into her bedroom panicked and said "What's wrong sweetie?"  Her sweet tear filled response brought me to tears as she said, "Who wouldn't have a mommy or a daddy?"  I crawled up into her top bunk and held her and said, "Honey where is this coming from?"  I will never forget her little four year old voice saying, "The song just said, 'And if you don't have a mommy or a daddy He'll take care of you. But who wouldn't mommy?  WHO wouldn't?'"  And so our first real talk about orphans took place in that little bunk bed, late one night, and Lizzy's heart to want to help the orphans was born.

She has been hard at work ever since.

Here is a blogpost I wrote about one of her projects from 2012:
A Heart for the Orphans

And here are some photos from the Harrison's visit last fall with the two sweet kids her project making efforts helped to bring home in 2014!  Ruthie and Seth grew the Harrison's from a family of five to a family of seven!!

I LOVE all of these kids pictured so much!  My heart was overwhelmed watching Seth and Ruthie play and interact and just be there with us.  Seth was found on a riverbank in China, naked and starving as a newborn infant.   He is a miracle boy as it is amazing he survived.  He struggles with seizures, but how wonderful to see him now being cared for and loved on by such a wonderful family.  Praise God for his sweet life!  And dear Ruthie's too.  Her middle name is Joy, the Harrison's said inspired by our family and also shared by our own Lizzy Joy.

Lizzy is still hard at work helping the orphans.  Her latest creation has been cute little pot holders.  And this past month for the first time, Lizzy has some of her wonderful craft creations put in a retail setting.  My friend Francesca has a fabulous little store at the Mercantile in our city and she has let Lizzy put up a display to sell her creations to help the orphans!!  This has been and incredible opportunity for Lizzy and I am so proud of her hard work!  This is what her display there looks like:

May God bless your efforts sweet Lizzy!  I love your desire to help orphans.  You have such huge heart!  I love you so very much and I am glad that I get to be your mommy.