Fun Pics

These are just a hodge podge of pics taken during the week.

Kaitlyn has finally learned to pedal her trike!

"Yes, mom."

Christopher giving Kayla big slobbery wet kiss!

Baghera (cat) and Fancy (dog) begging while I'm cooking:)

Yes, they are spoiled.

Christoher has never eaten veggies...until tonight! I have been praying and praying that he would have the desire to just try and eat them and it happened tonight! Withouth any coercing from me or Chris (or Kayla). I was so proud I had to get the camera and make a huge deal out of it.

"See....."

Broccoli and Carrots Oh Yum!

"You've lost your mind!"

"Nope, not doin' it."

It's A Boy!

Just got this from Michelle. She is having a baby boy! Isn't he beautiful! I think he looks like his Aunt Stacey:)

The Mosaic

My mother-in-law reads The Mosaic. It is a devotional for or by missionaries. I'm not familiar with it as I read Journey devotionals. This morning Kaitlyn and I walked down to Lucie's so I could borrow some Cream of Chicken Soup to make Chicken Soup for a sick teenager. She had clipped out Friday morning's devotional for me.

This is what it reads:

Passage: John 10: 27 - 31
Focus: John 10:29

"My father is stronger than your father!"

"No, MY father is stronger than your father!"

"How strong IS your father?"

"He's so strong that no one can ever take me away from Him. The wrestling champion of the world can't beat my Father. The greatest army cannot tear me from my Father's tender grasp."

"Wow! Your Father is strong!"

"Yes, my Father is so strong that even when I curl up my fists and shake them at Him and tell Him to leave me alone, He just keeps on holding me until I am over my fit of sin and doubt. The devil and all his demons are helpless against His power. My Father is so strong that when I die, He won't let death take me away from Him, but will pick up death and use it to pave the road that leads into His complete presence."

With that kind of Father, you don't ever have to be afraid!

It's strange how the Lord knows just what we need, and when we need it. I'm grateful for the firm grasp He has on me, even this very moment:)

Christian Garmen

Just so I'm not seeming one-sided, Christian Garmen took the time to respond to Chris' email. Here are his comments. I appreciate his response.

Yes....that's impressive...no doubt. We usually only do the top 3......

Have a great week.

FIREPROOF'S RATINGS

I was anxious to hear how Fireproof did this weekend, so Chris looked it up for me. WEAR3 and Good Morning America failed to mention the ratings from this movie.

The following is a copy of an email Chris sent to Christian Garmen.

Mr. Garman,

I just wanted to drop you a note concerning the weekend box office.
While ‘Eagle Eye’, ‘Nights In Rodanthe’, and ‘Lakeview Terrace’ were the top 3 movies, I think you missed the real story of the weekend.

‘Fireproof’ opened in the 4th spot with 6.5 million. Only a ½ million less than ‘Lakeview Terrace’ which opened on 2,467 screens, while ‘Fireproof’ opened on only 839 screens.

Actually, if you look at the earnings per screen, ‘Fireproof’ was 2nd behind ‘Eagle Eye’ – not bad for a small-budget film.

Just thought you might like to know.
Chris Paden

Sherwood Baptist of Albany, Georgia should be thrilled with these ratings! Makes me wonder, how many lives; how many marriages will be saved and changed for eternity because of this move?

More Later.....

Blessings.

Home

I stayed home this morning. Been listening and watching the Pastor online (http://www.oliveonline.org/worship). Just weary today and needed to rest. Kayla went with Chris. Christopher and Kaitlyn stayed home. We live on a quiet cul-de-sac. It's nice to be able to let the kids ride their trikes and play safely without the fear of cars flying by.



This is a picture of our house from the front fence. The "stuff" on the front right side of the house is part of Christopher's contraptions. He is so smart. He dumps out his toys and buckets and just builds and digs. Both the younger two love the dirt. I love that they love the dirt. It's a good thing.

We've been weaning Christopher and Kaitlyn off red-dye products and dairy products. Can't do everything at one time, but these two are the first of many changes to come to our family. Its been good. It's been challenging, but its been good. I appreciate all the responses to my prayer requests and the information being provided to me. I've already begun the research on many sites given and contacted several people that have information for me to look at and consider. I have much more work to do before the end of the 30 days of prayer.

Have a restful Sunday.

Scarecrow

Last year around Halloween I got two scarecrow craft items from Joann's (I love that store!) for Christopher and Kaitlyn to do. We didn't get them done last year before the fall holiday's, but we did get them done this year. I, of course, had to do the hot glue, but both kids helped with holding the pieces and even had their own ideas on where to put the accessories. They did good. After bath, took pictures of their finished products.

If you look closely, you will see Kaitlyn has scratches over her left eye. She took Fancy's tennis ball from her, and instead of throwing it so Fancy could fetch and return it, she started running so Fancy would chase her. Fancy was playing just as Kaitlyn was, unfortunately, Kaitlyn got hurt. Fancy used Kaitlyn's little body as a bounce tool to rebound and get the ball....ouch. I had just taken a picture seconds before the accident. Attaching a picture of that and the eye.

Kayla's on her normal Saturday night date with Justin. It's quiet on the home front as the kids are in bed. Even with what's going on with the house, I like being here. It's home. It's quiet. It's nice.

Gotta Have, Faith, Faith, Faith....

THrougH (Over the Mountain and through the valley and back over the mountain top again...something I learned from the Women of Faith Devotionals) all circumstances I know the Lord will be glorified. Even when I don't understand, I have to have faith the He is in control of ALL things. Not some things, or certain situations, but ALL things.

About a year ago Lucie started noticing there was a leak under her sink. Then the kitchen floor swelled about a foot from the kitchen counter. Plumbers were called out, nothing. The leak continued. This has been going on since then. She's called several plumbers out, they went under the house, they ran water...still, nothing, until three weeks ago.

The kitchen sink gets a lot more work now that there is a family of five living here verses a family of two. I guess all the water just had to come flowing out sooner or later because over the last several weeks water was everywhere! It came out from under the baseboards, from between the walls, under the vinyl; literally every where. The plumber came out...again. The drainage pipe in the wall from the kitchen sink was completely rusted through and clogged. All the water from the kitchen sink for three meals a day since we've moved in was being drained in the walls, under the cabinets, in the cabinets and under the vinyl. To say the least, the vinyl flooring and sub flooring is completely molded and swollen. From where the plumber put a whole in the wall to make the pipe repairs you can see the mold everywhere. The smell is rancid. As soon as you walk in the front door the smell just over powers me. My eyes have been watering and itching, my throat scratchy and burning and hard to take deep breaths. Kayla has experienced some of the same, but not as severe. (Writing all this out, maybe that's why Christopher is clearing his throat so much! Maybe it's not the medication at all!?)

A company named Belfore came out. The insurance company gave us their name. The insurance adjuster came out Wednesday morning. She took pictures and wrote a lot of notes. Lucie will know something in about two weeks as far as how much the insurance company will reimburse. They've put in for the cabinets and flooring to be done, the flooring and baseboards in the utility room (butts up to the kitchen wall where the leak was) and that' it. She said if once they start getting the cabinets down and there are signs of the mold all the way up the sheet rock (sp?) or worse damage, then to call her and she would come back out.

Until then...what do we do? We can't afford to move until the repairs are made and completed. If we stay here, the headaches, and throat and eye problems continue. If we stay here we have no kitchen for 30 days which means eating out every meal, which is impossible for us financially. I "feel" overwhelmed.

Kayla asked me the other day, "Have we done something to just tick off God?" I told her God doesn't work like that, that there's a reson for everything. While I know that and believe that, I also have to wonder, "What is your plan in all of this Lord?"

When I don't understand, what's that word again...faith.....that's a tough one right now.

Glasses

Kayla is getting her reading glasses this morning. On our way out; but have more to post later.

We are having to turn off our phones in the mornings in order to keep focuses on schoolwork. Seems to get crazy every morning when we start.

Thanks for all the prayers for Christopher and for us. We are in the process of completely altering all our diets, and doing a lot of research. Keep praying!

Blessings.

My Husband's Blog

Chris wrote about Kaitlyn's most recent experience at the doctor's office. I'm not going to duplicate it, so please check it out:

http://musingsofanunquietmind.blogspot.com/2008/09/splinter-of-babies-foot-apologies-to.html

Pine Summit Baptist Church

Today, I've been cooking for Pine Summit for one year. I started substituting in August of last year, but was officially hired one year ago today. Last night the church family showed me their appreciation as I was given a beautiful card and a $50 SIMON gift card. (Perfect timing, putting towards kid's Christmas!) While them saying thank you means the world to me, it should be me saying thank you to them. They have been such a blessing to me and my family. They have a great Pastor and his family is warm and loving; a great staff that goes above and beyond any "job description"; the church serves the community and provide meals for the needy and more organizations that I never knew existed; they just love Jesus and love on others for that reason. While I truly love my Olive family, it has been a privilege to be a part of such a great church family at Pine Summit.

More later...Blessings till then:)

Side Affects of Ritalin

I am asking you to please pray for my son and for me and Chris, for the next thirty days. Christopher is having side affects of Ritalin, that, if it continues, will affect his social life as a child, teenager, young adult...for the rest of his life. It began with facial ticks and has now progressed to his throat with a constant clearing of his throat. Once the medication is out of his system, the twitches and vocal stuff seems to subside, but within thirty minutes of taking the medication, it starts back up again.

I am praying for a natural way to treat his ADHD/OCD behavior. I know there are several out there and fortunately, I have several friends who I know will help guide me through this.

We know Christopher needs help. We don't want to just take him off and "throw him to the lions" and say just deal with it. We realize there is more to it than that. We also know if the side affects continue, which the studies on ritalin shows they do and even can turn into Tourette's syndrome, then his future will be affected preventing him from having any sort of "normal" life.

It's kind of cool how I got the confirmation to do this. A friend of mine took me home after our Sunday School Class meeting last night. There was another lady in the van that I had not met before. We had to stop to pick up Christopher's medication last night. The lady shared with me that her son is 25 years old. He's been on ritalin most of his life. She regrets it. Her son experiences full blown twitches to include muscles twitches and vocal ones (cursing). Her son's started out similar to Christopher's. Both the ladies have agreed to pray with me for thirty days about this.

Have to run....will keep you posted in this area of our lives. Again, thanks for the prayers; we treasure them.

Blessings.

Too Busy For Jesus?

Yesterday morning Kayla had a dentist appointment. While she was there, I had a pie to deliver to a friend whose wife had a baby a few weeks ago. On my way back to pick up Kayla from the dentist, driving down Michigan, lying on the side of the road was a man that had obviously fallen off his bike. He was entangled in his bike, and had fallen on the chain link fence that surrounded another's property. He was obviously crying or whaling from the look on his face.

If you live in Pensacola, you know that Michigan turns into several other streets. Michigan is also a highly traveled road. Hundreds, literally hundreds of cars drive down this road in less than an hours time span. When I first saw the man, I thought, "Oh, that poor man. I need to help." But, I shoved it off and thought, "Let someone else, I have my two year old daughter with me." I continued watching through my rear view mirror. No one stopped. No one. I made a U-turn as soon as traffic would permit and dialed 9-1-1 on my nearly dead cell phone. When I got back to where the gentleman was lying, he had gone from crying to just lying there.

From the time I first saw the gentleman to the time I got back to the where he had fallen, about three minutes had past. In the waiting time, I was torn between getting out and helping this man and staying in the car with my two year old. There are some of you who will be thinking I should have gotten out and helped. I probably should have and wonder still what I should have done. I parked in the business next to where he was lying. The ambulance arrived only three to four minutes later. It seemed like the longest three or four minutes of my life. The entire time I was on the phone with the 9-1-1- dispatcher, I kept saying "Why isn't anyone stopping to help this man?!" No one was stopping, in fact, from my side line view, not one person even looked in his direction! Most of them were talking on their cell phone or texting.

Prior to getting where I currently was, Kayla had helped me by writing out my "To-Do" list that I was telling her. My list was long and I was gung ho about getting it all done. After seeing all the people driving by and not paying this man any attention, the first thing I thought about was my huge "To-Do" list. How many times have I missed an opportunity to help someone in need because I was "too busy?" How many times have I been so consumed with "me" and what I "just have to do" that I miss an opportunity to bless someone, or even just help someone.

While sitting at a red light, trying to get back to get Kayla, who had already called to tell me she was waiting on me, contemplating the events that had just transpired, wondering if I should have gotten out and if I should have done more, a single feathers floats by! I could not believe that in the middle of Pensacola traffic, with no bird around, a single feather just floats by. In my heart, I knew I had learned what I was supposed to learn and done, I guess, what I should have done.

I'm reminded of the Good Samaritan as I am writing. Selfless acts and doing for others that seem unworthy.

You see, that guy on the bike, he was obviously handicapped and was more than likely homeless.

I'm just glad Jesus wasn't too busy for me, that He didn't think I wasn't worthy of His love, and that He stopped and sent someone to help me.

Baby, Oh Baby!

This is my sister Michelle. I told ya'll a few months ago she was expecting. Believe it or not she is just over five months pregnant! Michelle is the exact opposite of me. She is skin and bones and me, well, lets just say, "I'm healthy." She's going to make a great mommy and I can't wait to see her!

Michelle and Ron will be in Pensacola visiting in October. I will have lots of pictures to share with you then.


Will post later tonight about a guy that fell off his bike today on Michigan Avenue. Hope you check back later.

Prayer Request

I would appreciate your prayers for Matt Russell. Matt is my daughter's uncle, her father's brother. Matt is in his 50's. Alcohol has destroyed his life. He has battled cancer, had a heart attack and now a stroke. Most recent he began bleeding internally. Emergency surgery was done to remove his spleen. He is not able to speak nor breathe on his own. Matt is not a believer of Jesus Christ. Please be praying for Matt and his family. Matt has a daughter named Nichole. I've called the hospital two times. I've been praying a nurse will pick up the phone and put the phone to his ear. They won't let me speak to one since I am not immediate family. Pray for a Christian nurse, doctor, or even a janitor that will pray over Matt, that will tell him that Jesus loves him and present the gospel to him before his last breath is taken.
Thank you.

More Feathers....

Saturday the Lord gave me two more feathers. As Kayla, Kaitlyn and I were leaving for Sam's yesterday morning, I looked down, and there out of the corner of my eye something was floating and spinning in the air. I looked, and it was a feather. The wind was spinning it and flipping it, yet it never touched the ground and never flew higher than it was, which was just an inch or so off the ground. I called Chris to get the camera...

In this picture it looks like it is sitting on the ground, but it's not. It's barely hanging on to a blade of grass. It's hanging on it such a way that it is given freedom to move and float and turn around, but it's still connected so it won't get lost in the wind.

Isn't like like God. We are given free will to make our own choices, go this way or that, and even when we make stupid decisions and don't listen to the Holy Spirit, He doesn't let us go. Sure, there are consequences to our decisions, but He never lets us go.

The wind kept blowing and tossing and turning the feather, but the blade of grass never let it go.

The other feather, I don't have a picture of. My husband has been working in the yard every spare moment he has. Yesterday was no exception. In the midst of cleaning out bushes and branches, just sitting there nice and pretty was a single feather. It was perfect. For that moment, I could look down and smile and rest in knowing that when life is a whirlwind, I have a Father in Heaven looking down and smiling at me.

Now that's comforting.

Birthday Party Pictures

These are some of the pics from Christopher's Party. We had a great time. Chris will be posting more to his blog in the next day or two. It's taken two hours just to post these...this is exhausting! Enjoy:)

He loves his big sister!

OOOH, MONEY!!

This card sounds like a race car racing...he really liked that.

Christopher loves to be my helper in the kitchen and insisted on decorating his own cake, so I made him his very own. He decoreated it while I iced the other one for everyone else. We have separate pictures of that, but will have to download and post those later.

Oh my goodness!

This is Uncle Craig...Chris' brother:)

Kaitlyn loves her Uncle Craig

This is what Uncles are for! He has both kids going in the air!

Aunt Julie with Richmond. I accidently deleted a picture with Derek and Richmond. Will make sure Chris adds it to his blog. If I tried putting it back in, it would throw everything out of wack again. Sorry Derek:( Julie is married to Chris' other brother, Derek.

Kayla with Baghera

Christopher talking to cousin Richie.

This one says it all.

The end of a great day:)