I started it!

I started my book today. I wrote the first 2 chapters! YEAH! I'm letting the Holy Spirit guide me and I'm excited to see where he takes this! I just want to be an encouragement to others!

Happy Memorial Day!

Happy Memorial day from 4/5 of the kids! I pray for blessings over all of our vets who have served this country and I pray for protection over our military troops and families who are serving our country at this very moment!

Some prayer requests...

Lord, I am so thankful for a 4-day weekend with Andy. It was nice to have some time with him and spend time together. I pray that You will provide this apartment this week for my Mother-in-Law. I think it will do all of us some good to get her in her own place. I think it will give her her own dignity and it will give us a chance to get our own family going in the right direction again. I pray that You will continue to bless and show favor to our businesses and increase our sales. I pray that You will help us find where this attitude is coming from Deidra and that You reveal Yourself to her more and more. I pray for blessings over all of our family. Also, real quick as Melina just woke up...but please continue to speak to my heart about the book that I'd like to try my hand at writing with Your Holy Spirit's guidance. Also, please bless the kids at school today. Amen

What a breath of fresh air...

Days like today give me the hope to go on, hope for the future, that my kids can heal. The kids had a half day today and truthfully, I've been dreading summer vacation lately. I love my kids, but their behavior issues get me down sometimes and with the 3 of them going all at once it can be like a zoo in here somedays. Today, was a day that I really needed...I was in the middle of cleaning when the kids came home from school...we got a snack and played outside for a bit and the kids volunteered to help do various chores and we got the house cleaned up TOGETHER. No fits, no rages, no arguing, we worked TOGETHER and we had a very joyful day TOGETHER. It's days like this that are few and far between, but I treasure them...it gives me hope for the future and that my kids can overcome their struggles. Thank you, Jesus, for such a beautiful day of working TOGETHER and giving us all a day of peace.

Cookie in a Mug

I found something on pinterest a few months ago about making a cake in a mug. I played around with cookie mix today and gave the kids chocolate chip cookies in a mug. We had gotten some Betty Crocker cookie mix for cheap during a coupon run and it has been sitting in the pantry. I decided today to grease the bottom of the mug, put in a 1/3 cup of mix into the cup, put a little water in just enough to get all the mix damp, mixed it up and put it in the microwave for 1 min. The kids loved it! It wasn't too bad in my book either. Just wanted something quick to do today and it was a hit!

Let's hear it for Josiah

I'm proud of how well Josiah did in his kindergarten promotion ceremony (pics below). The new meds seem to be helping him with his temper tantrums...he doesn't need to be sent to his room all the time now...sometimes I can just put him in the time out corner and he'll pull himself out of his fits a little more quickly. He still doesn't like to be disciplined or like to follow the rules, but I do see some progress and I know God is working with my prayer requests and answering. I do see little changes. He is SO smart...how cute he is his saving grace. I'm thankful for how well he's done in school this year academically and for little changes that I see in his anger for this week. You can head over to www.themobsociety.com and brag on your sons too! :-)

Dreams

As I spent my quiet time today, I found myself praying about some dreams that I have. I thought I'd share them here. I'm excited to see where God takes them. I only want to do His Will for my life...it's not about Me...I want to do it all to glorify Him. I prayed that God would give our booth at Country Corner Treasures (Ferris, TX) favor so that we can bring in some more sales. I prayed that God would bless our ebay business (our user name is andesbear if anyone wants to take a look) and that we can get our powerseller status and top-rated seller status back. I also told God that I'd really like to write a book of prayers for adoptive families to pray for their children. I asked for guidance from the Holy Spirit there. It's hard with some of these struggles we face and I want to be an encouragement to others. I also would like to have an online consignment shop and maybe one day when the kids are grown actually have a store-front somewhere around here. However, I started my little shop on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FiveLittleDucksResaleShop and I am praying that God will bless Five Little Ducks Resale Shop and help it to grow. Those are some dreams of mine that I want to work on and let God lead me. :-)

A renewed spirit...

Thank you, Abba, for renewing my spirit. I woke up feeling better about things. So thankful that I can give my problems to You and You can take care of Me. You know what's better for me anyway, evenmoreso than I do myself. Thank you for renewing my spirit and I am going forward now and I will be joyful today while I go about my work and caring for my children and my husband. :-)

Just down in the dumps...

Emily came home sick today from school...I had to miss Deidra's talent show that I had Melina and Tracie all excited to go to. I was bummed that I wasn't going to be able to watch Deidra sing her duet. She sang Magic today with a friend. Anyway, we got home and were getting out of the van and Tracie freaked out as I was pulling Melina out and started screaming and trying to cling onto me so hard that she almost knocked me over. I couldn't figure out what was going on and as I turned around I saw that 2 big dogs were behind us. They weren't doing anything, but standing in our yard. I got kinda upset as I'm still not over my knee sprain and I didn't need to get knocked over. I finally got her in the house, but I was just really frustrated. I don't know how many times I've asked her not to yell and run when she sees a dog as it only makes it worse. Anyway, we got in the house and I got Emmy in the shower. She was doing fine. I think she got sick because she refused to eat her dinner last night and when she doesn't eat like that, she makes herself sick sometimes. However, she barfed all over in her backpack at school and so I went and brought her home. She was mad at me that after I got her all washed up and new clothes on that I had her go lay in her bed. She begged me for a couple of hours to come downstairs. She was mad that I wouldn't give her a snack. I gave her some soda to drink (about 2 oz) and told her we had to see how that settled in her tummy. That stayed down and so after we got Tracie to school, she asked for a cheeseburger. I got her a small one and a banana and she ate and started bouncing off the walls. She's been a bit crazy this afternoon. Once, the other kids got home from school, more chaos happened. Tracie can't think for herself of what to play with and she literally goes around and takes stuff that the others are playing with and they all start screaming and then she cries and cries because she has to give it back. Josiah pinched Melina with her pacifier clip because he can't leave his hands out of stuff either and her poor little neck was all red. I wound up having to put them all in their rooms and even tried to get Melina to lay down and Emily had to start yelling down the stairs that she wanted Reggie (Grandma's dog) to come play with them and it got Melina screaming when she was trying to nap. I'm down in the dumps...I need to pull myself out of it. Part of it is that I'm really tired of dealing with this knee injury....I had to chase Josiah out of Deidra's room and into his own room and I wound up twisting it again. It's these little setbacks that are getting to me. I honestly thought I'd be over this by now. I just need to pray and give it to God and let Him carry me through. I can do this! I have to say if I'm going to be completely honest that I'm not looking forward to the first couple of weeks of summer vacation to get them on the routine of summer. However, I will keep carrying on and God will help me!

Deidra's 5th Grade Promotion Ceremony

Isn't she just beautiful? I choked up seeing her all dressed up and ready to go. This Mommy isn't ready for how grown up she's becoming. It seems like just yesterday that she was toddling around and cuddling with me in the rocking chair all of the time.

singing in the choir...they sang "Unwritten" and it was beautiful

lining up to get her certificate from her awesome teacher Mrs. Hensley

Miss Deidra Cristyn

getting her certificate from the principals

Deidra and her certificate I honestly can't believe that I'm going to have a middle schooler next year. I am so proud of her. She's got so many friends and has such a big heart. She has a beautiful singing voice too. She wants to get into theater and choir and she'll be doing volleyball too. She's a wonderful girl and I couldn't be more proud!

Josiah's Kindergarten Promotion Ceremony

Josiah all ready to go to kindergarten graduation

"When I grow up, I want to be a paramedic."

Josiah and Mrs. Carlton...she did an awesome job with him this year of holding him accountable with his behaviors each and every time. I couldn't have asked for a better teacher for him this year. I'm proud of him! He did a great job at his ceremony. There were times throughout the year that he's had me in tears with his behavior at school (ok, and at home too)and I know that the school has gotten frustrated with things at times too. But, I'm proud of how smart he is and how well he's doing academically in school. He's a very smart little boy and how cute he is is his saving grace.

Emily's 1st Grade Program

I went to Emily's 1st grade program to see her sing today. She didn't get any awards from school, but as I watched her up on the stage my eyes welled up with tears. I give her an award for how hard she worked this year and overcoming her problems with reading. She went from a level 4 to a level 20 this year...most of that was over the past couple of months. I couldn't be more proud of that little girl. I love you, Emily!

God speaks...

I really have been struggling with so many things...the kids' behaviors, the no privacy factor with my Mother-in-Law living with us, the kids acting up more when she is around, this thing with my leg, I've been feeling burned out and just down about a lot of things. Andy and I have really become like roommates and I hate it, Deidra's attitude has gotten really horrible, Josiah's been out-of-control with anger and temper tantrums, and this "I don't want to" attitude and everything sets him off...the other day it was not getting a napkin first at the table...him not being first out the door, him not being first on the bus...him not eating something that someone else has...or he thinks someone else has more...him not getting his own way...not wanting to take his pills, not wanting to go to his room...he wears me down. Emma's gotten this horrible mouth on her lately and Tracie has been very disobedient lately as well. I'm just one worn down Mommy. Anyway, I've been praying for so many things this week and I love how God has spoken to me. Sunday, he talked to me about having faith like the mustard seed and he also told me that some things also require more prayer and fasting. I believe he was honestly telling me there to fast for Josiah and that I need to give everything to him in prayer no matter how small or how great...just give Him everything. Monday, He talked to me about always accepting His little children and to have a willing heart. Tuesday, He talked to me about being a good wife and about my marriage and that I needed God's help to be everything that He wanted me to be. I also asked for a huge increase in faith. I also asked God for heart-change for Josiah. Wednesday, I was having more struggles with Josiah in the morning and how he wants to be "first" for everything. God brought me a scripture from Matthew 20 that said "And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave--just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life like a ransom for many." So now, we had a talk and I told him that anytime we have a power struggle over being fist, he will get to do something for someone else...more than likely the person that he pushed or hit out of the line or whatever. And I'm hoping this will help to change his heart there too. Thursday, he talked to be about being a house of prayer and if we just believe and have faith, that we will receive. That one truly spoke to me as well. I need to quit being so caught up in everything and just trust that God knows what's going on, He wants us to bring it to Him, and trust that He will take care of it all in His timing and that He will make everything good. This morning, He talked to me about the fact that many are called but few are chosen and that He wants us to love the Lord with all our hearts, souls, and minds and that we are also called to love our neighbors just as we do ourselves. I have a lot to do in my love walk and in my prayer life. But, I love that God is talking to my heart and that I can give all my worries, fears, joy, and my everything to Him, and that He knows what is best for me and my family and He will take care of us. What an awesome God we serve!

Melina's 2-year well check

Took Melina in for her 2-year-well check...She did great! One vaccination that she wasn't too happy about and a finger poke to check her lead level that she fussed a bit over, but let her do it while eating her sucker. She weighs 28 lbs (66th percentile) and she's 34 1/4" tall (59th percentile). She was quick to tell me once we got out the door "ow." Love that baby girl so much! We got home and she wanted me to rock her.