Oh.My.Gosh

Here we are...healthy, happy and somewhat recovered from the most recent Cleveland plague. So, what Dalen had the other day must have indeed been it. The next day I was getting ready for church. Meredith and I had been asked to share to a class about prayer and use the testimony of her healing. At 6:15 I was puking at 6:40 I was in the car toughing it out....at 7:15 I was back in the car like a dog with its tail between its legs. I couldn't speak. All that would come out was well, you can finish the rest. So for the next 2 days Mario stayed home from work tending to me and Dalen. Then just as I was not feeling like I was going to pass out from just standing up Mario catches it. Needless, to say we have had our REAL test of parenthood...I think we passed.
Here is Dalen taking a bottle. You can see how drained he was from being so sick.

I did make it to the consignment sale though. I got Dalen a REALLY nice winter coat for so cheap. Of course, I couldn't resist purchasing this little necktie. The consignment sale has really, really helped our family out. We couldn't have made it without the clothes from there and the Hicks hand me downs :)

The Lord always provides!!!

Week of Losses

Many of you know one of my closest friends Amy Key. You have probably seen Me and Mario with Ava a time or two. Amy's mom passed away this week after fighting many health problems that stemmed from cancer. We have lost much but Heaven has gained an amazing woman. Please pray for Amy and her Dad, Jeff, and brothers, Caleb and Jonathan. Here are a few pics of Ava's dedication day and of Amy's mom. Sheila and Ava
Amy and Ava and Sheila in the background
Also, early Tuesday morning one of my other close friends pulled out of Tennessee heading for grad. school in Virginia. Damaris and I have been friends forever! It was hard to see her go but I know she is supposed to get this education and I am so proud of her. She is a strong woman and will succeed in all she does!

TEN THINGS

Here are TEN things I have learned in the last few chaotic months

10. One minute can change your life forever.

9. I really need to be more patient.

8. I share the need to be needed with my mom.

7. I love my family more than life and if they left me I don't know if life could ever be ok.

6. The older you get the more your preception of old increases.

5. God made babies out of rubber.

4. My husband is ABSOLUTELY crazy.....4 puting up with me.

3. Prayer REALLY REALLY changes things.

2. I love my friends and have been blessed with good ones.

1. Love NEVER fails.

DENTURES!!!

So I am just about ready to say peace out to teething and settle for dentures for Dalen. THen I realized you have to pull your teeth before you get dentures and I figure maybe this isn't so bad. The last few days have been absolutely trying and horrible!!! I am NOT a crier but Dalen has cried so much and so hard the last few days we have just cried together. It's all I knew to do. I got word Sunday night my grandfather had fallen and been taken to Sky Ridge then airlifted to Erlanger b-c of a fractured vertabrate in his neck. It all started from there. Dalen had a fever was whiney and literally unbearable. By Tuesday he was vomitting until his face was purple because he had nothing left to puke. The genius RN at the pediatrician told me to keep him hydrated with formula. I knew better!!! YOU NEVER DRINK MILK WHEN YOU ARE FEVERED!!!! I thought he had a virus so he had to be taken in and come to find out he was puking b-c his brilliant mom dismissed intuition and did what the nurse told her to. His stomach settled and he is now back to normal....wild as a buck and whiney over his teeth. Here are a few gorgeous pics of him the last few days.

Exhaustion

Dad and Dalen outside of Cracker Barrel I went to go to Wal-Mart and heard banging...I turned around and this is what I see. I think he was YELLING YAY!!! SHE'S GONE!!! and I was yelling back THANK GOD!!!! I was really ready 4 a break.
Olivias outfit
Sunday at lunch at my moms
Dalen wore his south africa ball hat on saturday some to breakfast.

The 16th was my dad's birthday. We took Dad to breakfast on Saturday. Olivia and Meredith tagged along. Mario bought the outfit Olivia has on. I thought it was so cute and Mario did too. Check out a few pics from birthday festivities.

Heaven's Homeless

In Luke chapter 2 we find Christ on his way to earth. He was transported by contractions and announced his coming through labor pains. This royal king, now fully man burst into society through the womb of a young, unmarried virgin girl named Mary. We find Mary and Joseph conquering their conquest from Nazareth to Bethlehem to pay taxes commanded of Caesar.
After searching for a place to deliver their first born son, they were rejected by full housed inns landing them in a nearby stable.
Desperation must have been tangible for these frantic first time parents. Can you imagine knowing your body has housed the Messiah and his debut would be made in a stable, that met the expectations of pigs and other lowly beasts of the Earth? I can't imagine the distress Mary and Joseph must have experienced holding Jesus, now homeless. The conquest of this family was detoured after the three wise men messaged a warning of Pharaoh's decree. This warning took them through Egypt prolonging their journey back to Nazareth. To think of Christ as homeless may seem somewhat radical but it is a conquest that is never ending.
It is evident throughout scripture and even through the Christ prayed desire in John 17:26 that Christ desires to inhabit in us. After a conscious acceptance of salvation Christ becomes a resident within our hearts. We, if we aren't cautious, become an overbearing landlord to his residence. We often tell him when to come and when to go, when he can come out and what time and in what situations he has a curfew. In other words we want eternal life without a roommate housing our hearts.
There are so many of us who have prolonged Christ's homelessness just as the innkeeper did in Luke 2. When we recieve the gentle knock on the door of our hearts we reply, "No room in the inn." There are others who house the title of his son or daughter but have never truly offered him a place to say. Then we are bewildered when we bear nothing but sin natured character. We must realize this thing called Christianity is more than a title. Before we bear fruit and reflect Christ we must house him. (John 15:15)
Anyone vacant?

God Help Me!

Small prayer, big need. Literally God help me has left my mouth about 1 billion times since Monday morning. We definately think Dalen is teething again. His other teeth didn't bother him too much but you would like a yaht is trying to sail right through his gums with these coming in. He has been a royal terror! Everytime his teeth come in his ears hurt him and he gets a cold. This means NO SLEEP for us and whining 24/7.


This morning was no better. His hair looks as bad as he seems to feel...and as you can see that PRETTY BAD! Dalen LOVES baths but he sat at the bathroom door crying and whining everytime I would even come near him to undress him.
This is what happens when he is forced to do something he doesn't want to. Everytime I tried to pull the shirt the rest of the way off he would scratch at my arms and then try to bite me...his most used form of defense...grrr! After watching him 4 a minute I figured well lets at least take a picutre of this rediculous tantrum it will make for a laugh SOMEDAY! I'm already thinking revenge...what about on his wedding slideshow?? haha

He eventually pulled this blue wig off his head and gorged on some vapor bath bubbles in the tub. He did pretty good after that. He is biting so bad. He has begun to throw tantrums and he bangs his head on our hardwood floors, bites, grunts with balled fists and of course the worst....SCREAMS at the top of his lungs. Oh yeah, and he holds his breath til he's blue. This is pretty funny for people to see b-c they began to panic as I assure them just he turns a light shade of violet and is about to pass out he will inhale. It never fails....just when you see purple shining through blue he takes a big deep breath. While explaining that to my mom she smiled. WHAT'S SO FUNNY??? She claims I used to do the same exact thing...wow, I must have been a royal pain.

GOSPEL!!!

YAY! Dalen likes gospel!!!! We watch Ok Cleveland every Sunday while getting ready. This Gary Sears' tv show and he is a great friend of our family. In between interviews he shows recordings of songs and Dalen just started clapping and dancing on his own. Me and Mario could NOT contain our laughter. Then if you look closely he is slowly turning around in some parts and thats what the song was saying....Turn It Around...lol.

Cutie Toot

Here is Olivia on Sunday. I just thought she looked so cute and hilarious in a cardigan. Isn't it so humorous how babies basically wear everything adults do now? I love it. After getting these picture texts I think I might understand why Mario wants a girl next....who wouldn't after seeing this cutie toot!

Sunday

Dalen dressed nice for church on Sunday and I thought he looked really cute. Here are a few pics.

After Mario taught Dalen to clap on Saturday we taught him cheer for the best team out there..ha ha! This is a classic and my dad will love Dalen 4ever for this.

He was saying It's great to be a Florida Gator and then he says go Tebow!!!

Saturday

I meant to put these under the part about the mall but oh well I can't figure them out???





Dalen went with Mario to a football game. He learned to cheer...I have the video to prove it! Its hilarious! He was cheering for his Uncle AP.

While Mario and Dalen were at the game I got to go to the mall with Meredith, Olivia and Mom. Olivia was terrific and seemed to really like her stroller. Meredith got some new clothes since she's lost so much weight. She looks great. These are at the top.

I got the video below from Mario while at the mall. Dalen got pooped on by a bird!!!! It's so hilarious but so sad b-c he doesn't even know its there!!!

Friday

Meredith had an appointment with the cardiologist on Friday and it went great. I kept the kids for a while. Enjoy a video of me juggling two. Olivia was so wonderful and barely let out a wimper. She got to a point of being really tired and didn't want to be laid down so I held her. Of course, just as she is getting tired and I am holding her Dalen does the same thing. He begins to act like he can't feed himself and has to be right beside me and Olivia. Enjoy the video.