Where We Live

My heart is filled with gratitude on days like today. What a beautiful place God has allowed us to live in. The sun was shining and there was a nice warm breeze, so Larry and I decided to take the kids for a walk down to the trail in Pacific Grove. The weather was picture perfect. As we walked I was thanking the Lord for my family. Sometimes life can seem so overwhelming and sometimes just straight up out of control. It's days like these that make me stop and really think about what's important to me. Who's important to me.

I am blessed to be the mommy of three beautiful children. I love being the wife of a wonderful, caring man. I am completely surrounded by family and friends who love me and who do just about anything for me. I live in one of the most beautiful places in all the world. I am truly blessed.So I thank you, Lord, for bestowing these blessings upon my life. I am not worthy; definitely not deserving. But because You love me, because of Your unmerited favor, You give. So from the bottom of my heart I say "Thank You."

It's In God's Hands Now

It is amazing to me to think about how powerful our God is. All of us have goals that we would like to see accomplished. We just rang in the New Year. It's 2011 and most, if not all, of our New Years Resolutions have already been broken - or "the new rules" we set up for ourselves have already been bent. For some people their goal may be losing weight, becoming debt free, getting more organized, to stop smoking, becoming more responsible, to be more patient, to be a better listener, a better parent and the list could go on and on. If you're like me, you start out trying to do your very best—standing so strong—but all too soon you find yourself disappointed and just giving up all together. But! I've recently discovered that when we place our dreams, our plans, and our goals into the hands of God? The Master takes over and we become His Students, ready and willing to obey HIS command. Becoming His student means admitting we don't know what He knows and believing He is wiser and fully capable of helping us. God's desire is for us to delight ourselves in Him so He could give us the desires of our hearts. We will be astounded at what HE could accomplish in us - and through us.

I've been struggling in one area of my life for YEARS! I mean Yeee-ears. My goal seemed so insignificant when compared to the struggles and hardships others around me are facing. But, nevertheless, it was important to me, thus important to God. A few days ago, I finally made the decision to put this struggle in God's hands and let Him help me and stop trying to do it on my own. It's only been a few days but what God has done in just a few days I could have, in no way, accomplished in even a month! Not only am I achieving my goal, but it is not even a struggle. I am experiencing a little discomfort, but God is doing something unbelievable in me. I can't explain it, but I can say that I've put my faith in Him. I'm admitting that I can't do it without Him and shouting that I need Him. He's honoring that. Thank you, thank you, thank you Lord!

God's Even In the Little Stuff

Gracie LOVES her Elmo shoes! Our little girl is growing so fast that we try to hang on to every pair of shoes as long as we can. Her poor Dora shoes had to go bye-bye because I couldn't shove her feet in them one more day. I bought these Elmo shoes about a year ago. The inside says they are a size 5 but I'm thinkin' their a 6 because they still fit her well. Yes, they fit her precious, beautifully big feet :) Anyhow, last night Grace wore her Elmo shoes to church. Unfortunatley, she only came home with one shoe on. We thought, "oh, well...there goes another pair of shoes." So, this morning we get in car, we jump on the freeway, I get her to her daycare, I then proceed to Safeway (to order her birthday cake, YAY) and when I walk back to the car I look up and I see a little orange shoe on my back bumper. There sat Elmo!


The people who were passing by me in the Safeway parking lot must have thought I was a nut-case. I was laughing so hard I almost...well, you get the picture. I was so amazed that that shoe hung on to my bumper through the drive home from church last night, on the freeway on the way to work this morning (and I wasn't going the speed limit!) and into the parking lot. When I got into the car, God reminded that He has everything under control. That little shoe, that is loved so very much, stayed outside in the cold, all night on that bumper. It survived the speeding winds on the freeway, the bumps and turns we made on the road, it was all alone. Sometimes I feel like that Elmo shoe. I feel alone, in the dark and coldness of night. I know I'm loved and wanted, so I don't understand how I could be going through what I'm going through. But God reminded me that He has me in His hands. Always. What He wants accomplished, will be done. Even when it seems like there's no way we're gonna make it, God keeps His hand in our lives and helps us to make it through the trials, through the afflictions, through the storms. Now everytime I see that Elmo shoe I've got a reminder that God loves me and He cares about me and He's with me. He does care about the little things in our lives. Yep, I hanging on to those shoes. What a great and powerful God we serve!

2011

Welcome 2011...I'm so glad you're here!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Our New Hobby

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Elf Yourself 2010

Our Little Mashed Potato Head

While we were putting up the Christmas tree in the family room we thought it best to let Grace eat her dinner in the living room to keep her safely out of harms way. We got a monstrocious tree this year and it would definitely do some damage if it fell on her. So we strapped her into her chair, gave her her dinner and juice, turned on the Sprout channel and then went to work putting up our Christmas tree. Needless to say, Grace found an interesting way to keep herself entertained while we were trying to get a 10 foot tree to stand up straight in the Christmas tree stand. About 10 minutes later, I asked Angel to peek in on Gracie, just to make sure she was okay. I'd heard her laughing and thought she was laughing at the cartoons that were on. But, no. He walked through the kitchen and into the living room and I heard a...."Uh, Mom?! You better come take a look at this!" THIS is what we found! LOL

She liked her mashed potatoes so much, she decided to WEAR them! btw...we discovered that mashed potatoes are a great conditioner for your hair! Her hair was so soft & silky after a good rinse :)

It's Gone...

This afternoon we said good-bye to our beautiful piano. We gave it to a woman from Montereyfreecycle.com It was just too big for our living room and our church is giving me a smaller piano they have in storage.

It's a bittersweet feeling.... many, many hours of worship were played on that piano *big sigh* but I'm looking forward to wearing down the keys of the piano that's yet to come. Soon, very soon....

Gracie's Papa D

What a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday we had. We spent four days in Clovis with all of Larry's family. It was so wonderful to get together and enjoy one another's company. Angel spent the entire weekend with Daniel at Tia Diane & Uncle Joe's house. I think my son would leave me in a heartbeat to stay with them for a few months. He's assured me that he would never want to leave us, but I dunno 'bout that one. He loves his cousin Daniel and both boys *cry* when they have to leave eachother. Alliah loves to hang out with cousins Alexis, Santana and Amy. Uncle Tommy and Lori are gracious enough to add one more girl to their clan and they take Alliah in. Little Miss Gracie is stuck with mommy and daddy ~ although Grandma Silvia tries to keep her most of the day. The funniest part of this trip to Fresno was Grace. As we were packing the car, getting ready to leave, we made the mistake of telling Grace we were going to visit Papa. Papa D (David) is Gracie's most favorite person *next to mommy* :) She cried the en-tire way there. She did laugh at Angel and Alliah a few times as they tried to amuse her anyway they could. Yes, she'd laugh or get distracted for a few minutes then she went right back to crying, "Paaaa-paaa!" She did this all the way to Los Banos. We stopped and got some ice cream there so she took a break from the constant whining. But once we got back in the car, the crying continued all the way to Madera - when she finally fell asleep. She tired herself OUT! We stay at David & Silvia's trailerhome while in Clovis. They live with Tia Sandy & Uncle Laz most of the time so their trailer is always available when we visit. We arrived at Papa's trailer about 11:30pm and Grandma Silvia tried to wake Grace up. She kissed Gracie all over, raised her arms in the air, took off her shoes, turned on lights, but Grace was not about to wake up anytime soon. Finally, at about 12:30AM we went to bed. At 8am the next morning,guess the first thing out of Gracie's mouth? "Papa!" Thankfully, Papa and Grandma came over early to see the kids and Grace jumped with excitement and ran into Papa D's arms. Each day there, she was inseparable from David. She would wrap her arms around his legs - he could barely walk! Then she'd move over to Grandma Silvia's arms and just nestle her little head on Grandma's shoulder. After we returned home Grace began to really miss Papa D. Even in her sleep she'd cry and yell "Papa!" I had to wake her up one night because she was so upset. We called David the next day to tell him and he couldn't believe it. He sounded so happy that she loves him so much - and THAT she does! Grace spent the first 11 months of her life falling asleep in his arms so she's got his name written all over her heart! :) Another thing to be thankful for this season....Grandparents and family who love us so much and whom we love even more!

My Blessed Life

There's a story in the bible about a woman named Hannah who wanted a child more than anything in the world. For years Hannah prayed and asked the Lord to grant her her hearts desire and, finally, in His perfect time, the Lord answered her prayer. While she waited, I'm sure Hannah tried her best to live happily with the husband she had and to live content with the life she was living. But there still remained a longing in Hannah's heart to nuture, to mold, to teach, to hold, to love a child. Like many women, as a young girl, Hannah must have dreamed about the child she would someday hold in her arms. I can imagine her closing her eyes wondering what it would be like to hear her baby's laughter as she kissed his cheek, to smell the fragrance of her newborn's skin, to feel her babe burrowing into her chest, feeling a tiny hand grab tightly onto her finger. To hear the words "Mama" sing across beautiful, little baby lips and the cry that could only be comforted by her would be her dream come true. As she walked through the market, she would watch the little ones dancing through the street, excited for the yummy treats their mommies were getting for them to eat. While going to fetch water from the well, she'd be the first one to offer help to a struggling mommy. She'd jumped at any chance she could get to hold any little one in her arms. Everywhere she went, it was the children Hannah noticed most. With each passing year, the yearning inside Hannah's heart grew stronger and stronger. While she tried her best to be happy, some days would be too much to handle. Tears would flow from her eyes no matter how hard she tried to keep them back. Her husband would ask, "Aren't I enough, Hannah?" She wanted to scream YES! but inside she would say "I wish you were." She loved her husband and she loved the Lord, and I'm sure she did her very best to be thankful. But deep inside, she was empty, undone, unfullfilled.

I was like Hannah. For years I wanted to have a child of my own. I gave every ounce of energy I had to my neices and nephews, my friends' kids, even the kids in my neighborhood. But my heart would break into pieces when one would fall or hurt himself, or get scared, and only his mommy could quiet the tears. I wanted to have a child that only I could comfort. I wanted to be the one a child would run to when he was scared. I had so much love to give and I was more than ready to do the work. Finally, after 12 years of trying, crying, waiting, frustration, anger...the Lord answered my prayers. Angel. Alliah. Grace. These three have created My Blessed Life. The love that has been created within mine and Larry's hearts is undescribable. These three kids have filled out mouths with laughter and have put unwritten melodies in our hearts. There's nothing sweeter than hearing "Maaaawwwwwmmmmm" being screamed down the stairs. There's nothing greater than seeing a proud smile on a face that just brought home an A+ on a test. There's nothing more precious than looking in on my sweet babies as they sleep, all tucked-in in their beds. I have waited for this all my life.

This Thanksgiving Season I have chosen to slow down, take a break-and a breather-from all the hustle and bustle the Season brings to thank God for listening. My children are what I am most thankful for. I am so thankful to God for holding onto me when I was questioning Him and blaming Him while we waited. He was full of undertanding when I was so angry with Him. He knew all along that there were three shining stars out there that He had created just for me. He knew my babies while in their mother's wombs (their birthmother's wombs) and He was with them when they took their first breaths. His angel's danced over them with singing the day they were born. He cared for them and watched over them until they found their way to my heart. Now, He has entrusted their little lives to us. I pray that God will continue to equip me and Larry to raise up children who will love God with all their hearts, love people and be filled with compassion for the world around them. As in the words of Hannah, "For this child I have prayed and the Lord has answered my prayer." Thank you, Lord, for your many blessings...but especially for my children.