Different Things...

I am going to post about several different things today...

First, I am asking for prayers for my sister. Julie, Her and her husband are going through difficult times right now because he has been off work so much.

Second, I am asking for prayers for myself. I need strength and patience and more discipline...I have been trying to lose weight and it has not went so well.. I have gained weight istead of losing. I have been getting more depressed here lately and cant seem to pull out of it. I also realized today that I am one of those moms that has let herself go. I mean, I enjoy wearing tshirts and jeans and I dont want to dress all fancy. But I never take the time to even paint my toe nails anymore and that is unusual for me. Even when Alaina was little, I did my own pedicures every week. I also used to keep my hair fixed. Now a ponytail is doing good. Better than my clippy that seems to be around all the time. I also, have not paid attention to my skin here lately. I used to wash my face every morning and night, anymore it is lucky to get washed once every two weeks besides what it gets in the shower. I mean come on.....I can do better than this....See I need Discipline (sp) I need to get my but in gear and take care of some of this stuff.

Third........WHAT IS WITH AMERICA NOW DAYS!!!!!!!! Every time I check the news or the weather all I see is bad stuff....always something about another town going througha drought and not enough water or too much water in some cases....its like they arent ever happy about stuff. Last year, some of them were praying for the rain to stop and this year they are praying for it to come back....last year some of them were praying for more rain and now they want it to go away.....No Wonder God is confused. Its like someone told me one time. Be specific....That saying be careful what you wish for....

I just dont know about the world now days. I mean it is so crazy. My sister posted on her blog this morning about a book that is being read to kids in public school systems. It is a book about two princes falling in love and getting married. That is just sick. But the school system where it was read is supporting it....WHAT HAPPENED TO TEACHING OUR KIDS WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS? We are supposed to be a country founded on religious beliefs but yet we have politicians claiming that we need to make our children aware of People WITH DIFFERENT LIFESTYLES. I SAY NO WE DONT>>>WE NEED TO TEACH THEM THAT IT IS WRONG AND THAT GOD DOESNT LIKE IT AND IT IS BECAUSE OF PEOPLE LIKE THEM THAT THIS WORLD IS GOING TO HELL IN A HANDBASKET.... THEY ARE SPREADING DECEIT AND IMMORALITY ALL ACROSS OUR WORLD AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE RUNNING OUR COUNTRY ON RELIGIOUS BELIEFS ARE SUPPORTING THEM....Makes you want to lock your kids up and throw away the key dont it? It is sad. I listened to a tape a while back that my sister loaned me. It was a Church of Christ preacher and he was talking about a girl that had come to him for some help. She had a situation at her school that she couldnt handle. She played sports and she had to share a locker and shower time with a team mate. Well her team mate was a lesbian. He suggested she go to her coach about switching team mates...She SAID HER COACH WAS ONE TOO AND SO WAS HALF THE TEAM!!!!!! IN HIGH SCHOOL Sad........ Even sadder was he went on to say that there are churches out there that are just for same sex couples. I had no idea until i listened to this tape that they were out there. I know I live in secluded America and I like it that way. That way, my kids dont have to deal with this.....

I have been reading them the little house books. They love them. Kylie told me the other day that she wanted to live like that. She said "Momma, if we lived like that then Daddy wouldnt have to go to work everyday and we wouldnt have to worry about money cause we wouldnt need it." She is four. She is very smart and she would love for us to not have to worry about money or for her daddy to stay home every day. She also knows when I tell her no about something, that I mean no and it is usually because we dont have the money...So she tells me that that is okay we will just have to save the money till we get enough.

I guess that is all for today. I know I kinda got going on the book thing but it just makes me so mad to think that we are letting God out of our country. I mean it just doesnt make sense. But he did say it would happen so I guess we just live our lives the best we can and do his will and let them take care of their selves.

I still need to get some laundry finished and I am going to try and make some cookies tonight. I ran out of gas in my lawn mower and will not have any more gas money until my husband gets paid so I dont have to mow the yard tonight...(Yippee) Wait .....let me rephrase that. THank you God for my yard and my mower but THank you for me not having to mow tonight....It is nice to have a break.

Love and Prayers

Crystal

Jason sitting up by his self

My rotten and wonderful Rooskie Bear (dont know why but that is his nickname and it has stuck--see we are the bear family...Momma Bear, Daddy Bear, Kylie Bear, Alaina Bear, and now Rooskie Bear....lol my husband came up with the bear family when I was pregnant with Kylie, he called me a bear and when he talked to her in my belly, he called her daddy's baby bear and it has kept on with all three of them. ) Bubba bear, sister bear, Jack is also Bubba bear....


Anyway, Rooskie Bear is now sitting up all by himself with out mommas help (sniff sniff) He can do this from any position...if he is scooting across the floor, he can sit up, if you lay him on his back he will sit up....its not fair, he is growing up....

On the other hand though, both the girls were doing this by 5 mths and crawling by 5 1/2 and walking by 8 1/2 to 9 mths....and they had teeth at 5 mths.....he has no teeth, he is not crawling..he will leap frog but not crawl and he just started sitting up today......so he is not as fast as them but that is okay because he can be mommas baby longer...lol

If my camera worked, I would post pictures but sighhhhhhhh it is still broke..

Love and Prayers
Crystal

UPDATES-Thankful Thursdays-Memory Verse

Okay I have a few updates today..

Jason is doing good. He does not have to have tubes right now. He is a perfect candidate for them and we could do them if we wanted to go to Oklahoma City or Tulsa or Little Rock to a Childrens Hospital but they dont like doing them before 1year old so for right now we are going to play with his medicines and see if we can find something that works and if he turns 1 and nothing works, then we will talk about tubes again. Please keep praying that he will not have to have them.

Papa Gerald is back in the hospital. They concluded that he had a minor stroke and he has a heart valve that is not working right and that he does have a blockage in his head. They sent him home tuesday night...Yesterday, he had caught a virus and was so tired and with the valve not working right he kept running out of air and so his daughter took him back to the hospital. He was still there last night from what I heard. Christina.....please know that I am praying for you and If I get the gas money today, I will come see him. I do have a cold though that I dont want him to catch so I will not get to close.

Micah Harcrow....Sept 25 2007 6lbs 9 oz 21 in long... I believe all this is correct..Melissa if it is not please let me know....Everyone up here says Congratulations and Best Wishes. I bet Michayla is so excited. If you need anything please let us know.

Thankful Thursday:

I am not going to put a picture up here for this because I dont have the time for my computer to load it....Same with the memory verse below.

Today, I am thankful for my family: They always make me smile and they know when something is wrong with me and give me a call or send me and email to find out (Thank you sis)

Church Family: We are building a new church building and we have been having so many good conversations while we work (well while the men work and we do what we can which most of the time is watching kids and getting water refills.) We are almost to the point where we can move in and have services there...

My husbands family (even though I consider them as part of my family) THey are so sweet and caring. My mother in law checks in on me at least once a week if not more. She always calls after the kids doctors appointments to make sure they are okay and she watches the kids for me sometimes so I can get away. I hate to even ask them because they are retired and supposed to be enjoying life and they are not in the greatest health and I know how tiring my kids can be. My sister in law is always having everyone over for dinner and my brother in law does so much computer work for us. We wouldnt know how to do most stuff if it wasnt for him.

My husband: He knows when he hears my voice whether or not I am having a good day or if I need a little lift. He works two jobs now so tha the can eventually just work the one easier one and hopefully it will happen before long. He is such a good dad to my kids. He loves them so much and is so good with them. Plus, he helps with the house work when he isnt working two jobs and I get a little behind on it.

My kids: When I read stories of people who have lost their babies early or not gt to hold them alive at all, It makes me more grateful that I have my three semi healthy kids and the most we have to worry about is allergies right now. My sister had several miscarriages before getting to hold one of her own. That makes me grateful that mine are alive and well. They have their days when I just want to scream and run but most days, they are really good and do things to make me laugh and smile. Jason, you cant get mad at him....he is just a baby and a happy one at that...he smiles all the time. Kylie, loves pretty glittery stuff and big pretty dresses..(and tinker bell boots we found at Wal-Mart last night..maybe an early Christmas present if I can find tennis shoes at a yard sale...i cant afford both.) Alaina....even though she is my whiny one, she still has her special times...she is just so irresistable.

I am also thankful for my house and my cars and my animals and the country that I live in because it allows me to worship how I want to and to raise my kids believing in God and to be a stay at home homeschooling mom. I love it....

Memory Verse

Matthew 12:34For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.

I know this post has been long and if you are still here I appreciate you reading it. Please keep Gerald and Jason and Baby Micah and family in your prayers.

Love and Prayers
Crystal

My Blog Header

I got a new Blog Header......Malisa over at My Little Corner of the World sent this to me.

I love it! I think it is so cute. THANK YOU MALISA!

Love and Prayers
Crystal

Gonna be a Bear

My mother in law sent me this email a little while ago. So cute!

Gonna Be A Bear

In this life I am a woman. In my next life, I'd like to come back as a bear. When you're a bear, you get to hibernate. You do nothing but sleep for six months. I could deal with that.
Before you hibernate, you're supposed to eat yourself stupid. I could deal with that too.
When you're a girl bear, you birth your children (who are the size of walnuts) while you're sleeping and wake to partially grown cute, cuddly cubs. I could definitely deal with that.
If you're a mama bear, everyone knows you mean business. You swat anyone who bothers your cubs. If your cubs get out of line, you swat them too. I could deal with that.
If you're a bear, your mate expects you to wake up growling. He expects that you will have hairy legs and excess body fat.
Yep, gonna be a bear!
�
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Update on Gerald and ......A NEW BABY!

I have an update on Gerald...last night, he was doing good and they were probably going to let him come home today. They had a heart monitor on him and had done some test to check for blockages and stuff.


NEW BABY!


Mike and Melissa, (members at my old home church and really good friends) had their second child last night. A LITTLE BOY! I do not know any details yet but they said they are doing good. Michayla is going to be such a good big sister! They waited a long time on kids and now to be blessed with two.....Oh how wonderous God is.

Congratulations!!!!!!!!! Cant wait to see him! Love yall!

Love and Prayers
Crystal

Long Weekend

Sorry I havent posted before now...I found out some bad news this morning and emailed my sister to let her know and then my internet crashed.

The bad news....My kids "Papa Gerald" and my second Dad (he seems like it) had a stroke last night. He is somewhat better and is supposed to be able to come home tonight maybe....Please pray for this family. They lost their Mom (Geralds wife Wilma) almost three years ago....She was a very wonderful Christian and is missed very much.. We are not ready to lose our other Dad yet.

Also, Yesterday paul was sick all day but still worked on the Church Building. So after a very long tiring day, we came home and I started feeling bad and was cranky all evening. We went to bed hoping for some sleep but the kids tossed and turned all night and was up three or four times. I got about 2 hours of sleep and then woke up this morning to the news of my "Dad"

So. I will try to post something later on this week if all goes well tonight and tommorow. I have to take Jason Wednesday to see if he needs tubes in his ears. I will definately post about that.

Please pray that all will be well.

Love and Prayers
Crystal

Not Today.....

I was going to post on my Bible reading and the book that I am reading but I woke up last night with a Migraine so I will not be doing that much today. I will try to post on it as soon as I feel better....

Love and Prayers
Crystal

Update on Reas.

I found out today that Reas and his family will be moving to DC...He will be getting prosthetics and going to culinary school. So...Keep praying that everything turns out okay and that his spirit stays strong. Right now he is really up beat and in really good spirits about everything. He is not allowing this to get him down.

Please keep praying though.

Love and Prayers
Crystal

Jason

Just an update on Jason...I got a phone call a little while ago and Jason has to go for a consultation with a specialist for his ears to see if he needs tubes....So.. I have to make an appointment.

yippeee... :(

Pray Please...I dont want my son to hurt but I really dont want tubes either.

Love and Prayers
Crystal

Shelter of the Spirit

I am taking advantage of kids not feeling good to catch up on some post today. We are all snuggled up on the couch watching movies and enjoying ...so I am posting.


This book...Shelter for the Spirit is wonderful. I posted about it awhile back and said I would post notes on it if I liked it. Well I am on my third time through...(Thank You Mom) my mother in law loaned it to me and I really need to get it back to her.

In the first sentence of the first Chapter, she says "A house can reveal te extent of your assets, but a home reveals the expanse of your heart." This is so true. We can have the prettiest house on the block or the fanciest house down that road (if you live in the country, it is the fanciest house that is visible from the road...) and that shows how much money we have or how much we are in debt. But the home part of that house is what shows who we are. It shows our heart and soul. She goes on in this chapter to explain how she has made her house a home with her daughter (she lost her husband years ago). She explains the foundations of a home.

This got me to thinking what my house says. Does it say "Home" or House. I started looking at the outside of my house. It is a double wide trailer. Definately doesnt scream money. I havent had time to plant flowers or anything like that or the money to do it. There is an old freezer sitting on my porch because I havent had the money to pay someone to haul it off and I dont know where to take it. So the outside of my house says it is lived in but it doesnt exactly convey that homey feeling....that when someone pulls up they can say that it is a home...it is just a house....now the backyard is a different story. the toys speak for theirselves...

So I need to work on that, I need for my house to say home when I pull up and look at it and to me that means I need flowers in my flower bed and a wreath on my door...maybe one my kids help me make....

Now the inside......It says home to me. It is lived in, It has special memories everywhere and it is very messy sometimes. Now my husband is a different story. To him, a home is a place where you can come and relax...relaxing to him is not having to step over laundry or having to clear dishes out of the sink and not having to look for clean clothes...Now my house is not always like this but some days it is and on those days it is a day of stress for my husband...he cant come home and relax, he comes home and feels closed in.

So I have started trying to make my house more of a home for my husband....I have started trying to keep the laundry put up and the dishes done and keep the clutter picked up...now the toys dont bother him so much and the kids dont bother hime so...they are fine.

Also, Homemade meals make the house more of a home to me and him so we are working on more homemade from scratch stuff and less boxed convenience food.

Home to me is also decorations for the holidays and keepsakes setting around so I am working on the kids making some decorations....

What is home to you...Is your house a home or just a house......What can you do to make it a home.....and Shelter your Spirit?

Love and Prayers
Crystal

Baby Ethan

I came across this on Julies blog...It is a sad story and he really needs our prayers. So please when you say your prayers today, please say one for him. He has Leukimia.

Baby Ethan

Love and Prayers

Crystal

Philippians 4:8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Sarah is hosting this. It has helped me so much. I hope you will join. Have a wonderful day.

Love and Prayers

Crystal

My Bible Reading.

In the past, I have never read all the way through the Bible. Isnt that bad of me. I have never read the whole thing from cover to cover. I have read alot of it at different times, but never the whole thing.

I have a Bible REading guide in the front of my Bible. It is a Zondervan KJV Bible. It has three diferent reading tracts to guide you to reading your bible. I have started on the first tract and if you read it everyday, it should take you six weeks to get through it. It has three different parts. I am doing this mostly because I cannot read the same book of the Bible for very long at a time.. It has to do with my manic mind,,,I get bored. Yes I know I am not supposed to get bored with the Bible but I do.

So to share a little of what I have been reading with you, I will list the scriptures that I have read so far and say what they say about it.

Part 1 Tract 1
Two weeks on the life and teachings of Jesus.

Luke 1: Preparing for Jesus arrival.
Luke 2: The story of Jesus Birth
Mark 1: The beginning of Jesus Ministry
Mark 9: A day in the life of Jesus
Matthew 5: Jesus teaches the sermon on the mount.

Tommorow I will read....Matthew 6: Jesus teaches the sermon on the mount.

I will try to post what I am reading every day and when I begin tract two I will let you know...

Relaxation

You know I always thought that people were crazy when they said they meditated..Now I dont think they are so nuts.

I actually tried it this morning. I sat in my livingroom floor before the kids got up and I just did the deep breathing and clear your mind kind of thing...I felt so much better. It was like I could feel the tension leave me and i could just relax.

I think in the morning i am going to try it outside. You know early in the morning, you can still hear the crickets and the night sounds. I love that time of day. So relaxing in its self but add meditation to it. Even if I have to get up before Paul I think I will do it. I can always take a nap with the girls right?

I will try to post some more stuff tonight. Right now I need to go switch the never ending pile of laundry and put up crayons so we can eat lunch.

Love and Prayers
Crystal

two year old knowledge...

You want to know how technical this day and age is? My two year old knows what email is when she looks at the computer screen..

Paul came home tonight (late) and was checking his real estate email, Alaina was snuggled up beside him and looks at the computer and says "You check your email Daddy?"

Just thought this was funny....her vocabulary has just exploded the last week or so...she is getting so vocal and so knowledgeable...(is that a word?)

Love and Prayers
Crystal

Kids Doctors appointments

Well, we had a good checkup today except for Jason. Kylie got a clean bill of health and got three shots and did not even cry...so she gets to go get ice cream with Daddy one day next week.

Jason is growing as usual. He does have alot of fluid behind both his ears so they are thinking about sending him to a specialist. We are going to be giving him his allergy medicine everyday now instead of as needed. It is a kind that they really arent supposed to take until they are 6mths old but he was on it as needed because he has such bad allergies. If that doesnt clear the fluid up then he will go to a specialists to see about tubes in his ears.

Alaina did not have to see the doctor yet....she is not feeling good and has some more lymph nodes swollen but nothing is wrong as far as we can tell. So if she starts feeling worse or runs fever this week then I will have to take her in.

Anyway, I promised them we would go outside for a little while so we need to get out there before it gets dark on us. I need to finish mowing the yard I just really dont want to tonight...

Love and Prayers
Crystal

Weekly Happenings and Menu

I am hoping to get back to posting this week on a daily basis. I hope to do more of the stuff that I have been wanting to participate in like Thankful Thursdays and stuff. But that will require me to get a good nights sleep so I can get up earlier in the morning because I will only be posting first thing in the morning unless something just happens that I cant resist posting about throughout the days.

I have to take Kylie for her four year checkup and Jason for his six month checkup Monday. The rest of the week, I am going to try and stay home and keep our schedule going.. They have been doing okay except for at night since Paul has been working late, they have been staying up waiting on daddy to get home so they havent been getting much sleep.

We have been working on the inside of our new church building the past two sundays...they now have the floor down and are going to start wiring and plumbing it next week. The next few sundays until we get it done will be spent there so we will be having sandwiches most sundays.

My menu planning usually runs two weeks because we get paid every two weeks. I am going to try to stick to it as much as I can but some days may get switched around due to whatever happens in out house. The list is backwards though.. the sunday that is at the top of my list is actually the sunday after next (in two weeks) I didnt feel like switching it back around tonight I am tired after today and I didnt even do that much, I mostly sat around and held Jason and watched kids play while the men worked.

I am hoping to also put up some notes on some books that I have been reading and some the Bible Reading tract that I am following. I may or may not get that done though.

I need to go get some laundry started and get my dishes in the dishwasher and get baths before bedtime so....I will try to post something in the morning.

Love and Prayers
Crystal

Mom my ride.....

Christine had this posted on her blog....You have to watch....so hilarious...but if anyone ever did that to me I would be......ohhhhhhhhh dont ask...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEFE3B0Rje0


Love And Prayers
Crystal

UPDATE ON REAS

I have been updated on Reas's condition. He is now in DC. He is awake, and in good spirits. He has told the doctors tha the is ready to get going. So that is a good sign.

Please continue to pray for them as this is a long road ahead of them in the healing process.

Prayers
Crystal

Pouring Rain ?

Have you ever had that feeling when it rains it pours....not blessings this week.

I was going to start blogging again regularly next week and was doing real good until yesterday. See, Paul had what we thought was a sinus infection because he gets those regularly, but turns out it was a cold or a virus or something because yesterday, I was cleaning and organizing right on schedule and WHAM!!! All of a sudden I didnt have any energy, I had a little fever, my head hurt, and I could not keep my eyes open...all of his symptoms..so I immediately took some medicine, put the girls on the couch watching a movie, and laid down to rest (Jason was safely in his playpen playing).

Today, I am feeling a little better, still not alot of energy but okay. Had to go pay bills and get groceries anyway (we were literaly out of food) and order Angel Food. Got home tired, ready to fix lunch and sit down and relax only to find that our fridge is going out and we are going to have to get a new one....so now I am hoping that it doesnt go completely out before hubby gets home and we can go get a new one tonight ( I love Home Depot for staying open later).

But because hubby is coming home early to go get a fridge, means he has to work tommorow to get stuff done that has a deadline.

He has been working late for two weeks straight and I mean until 9 or 10 at night....he leaves at 6 in the morning.

But anyway, what I am thankful for...I missed Thankful Thursday but will try to do it next week.

I am thankful that I have a house, two cars (so hubby can go to work and I can do my errands without and exausted husband), my kids (they always do something to make momma want to scream at the same time I just want to sit down and laugh.) my husband (he works so hard to provide us a living and to pay off debt that we have aquired (mostly my fault) my health.. (needs to get better) my family (pauls family is my family too.) God (he gave up his son so that I could have a chance of life eternal with him) Jesus (he gave his life for me and you) America (i have to freedom to worship, choose, and live ) my puppy elmer....our beagle...he is so cute and has some of the cutest expressions...i could just hold him and play all day. My sister Julie, she has been lifting me up alot here lately and I really need that.. Our Church family....they are great...so understanding and there for us....our new Church building. Friends (not many, but I have a few) My crockpot, it is cooking supper right now (chicken and dumplings) I am thankful that my stove, dishwasher (on its last leg though) and freezer still work and my wahser and dryer. I am thankful that I have one more day to be my little kids mom and my husbands wife and the best christian i can be...

Love and Prayers
Crystal
I will try to get back to regular post next week...

Fall Again....

I know I posted on fall before but......

Fall is definately here. It has been in the low to mid 50's at night and yesterday it only got up to like 73. I love it. I love the cool crispness of the air, I love the smells....I wish my camera was working, I would post pictures of all my lovely candles that I have sitting around.

Last night, the girls and I cut up some apples that my inlaws had given to me...(thank you) and cooked them with cinamon and sugar. I was going to make them for a pie, but I think we will have themas dessert tonight. Ummmmm.....

Also, It is time to start digging out the camo....Yes I hunt. I bowhunt and it starts Oct. 1st. I cant wait. I have not killed anything with my bow yet. I have seen plenty and had a few shots but was not ready to make it yet. I am this year, I am ready to put meat in the freezer. I did kill one a couple of years ago with my new rifle my sweet hubby bought me. I was pregnant with Alaina. Our kids usually go with us unless granny watches them. They love it. We love it. It is quality time with our kids teaching them about Gods wonderful creation. Nature.

I was going to plant som mums in my flower beds but I think I will just plant some bulbs for spring and wait on the mums till next year...I have a round flower bed in my front yard and it has a caved in part in the middle...perfect for landscaping.

I cannot wait for time to carve pumpkins and put scarecrows out..(not the really scary kind...I get the ones from the dollar store that are really cute.) And get out the jackets and bundle up. I think I am going to go through the girls closet today and get it cleaned out.....

Ohhh What fun the next three months will be.

Blessings

Crystal

Note to Julie: You used my pictures I was going to use...lol . That is okay though I love you anyway and if my camera worked I wouldnt have to worry about it, i would just take my own pictures....ugghhhh i want my camer back..

Where were you?

Now that the day is almost over, I would like to ask a question. Just something that I have been curious about over the years.

Where were you? What were you doing when the towers were hit?

I was getting ready for Government Class...ironic huh? I was back living at home with my parents and Dad always watched the news in the morning. I had gotten up about 7:00 and ate a little breakfast and took my shower. I was in my bedroom combing my hair when I heard Daddy say "My God they flew a plane into that building...idiots.." He did not know it was terrorist.

I came out of the bedroom to see what he was talking about and seen the Towers on the screen...as Dad and I were watching in shock, they discovered that it had been a plane...We actually seen the second plane fly through the air and circle around the buildings and hit the second building ....it was live....I will never forget the shock...never...I wasnt in New York, I was in my own living room watching it live on TV....

I finished getting ready for class, and as I was walking out the door, they announced that one had hit the pentagon. I went to class, 45 minutes away from home only to discover that my pshycotic depressed history teacher had canceled class and locked himself in his office watching the stuff. So, I went back home and watched news all day with daddy.

It was very upsetting and Dad was very emotional. See, he is a Vietnam vet and for him to sit back and watch someone attack our country that he had been drafted too fight for was very disturbing. I watched his face go from pale shock to red anger back to pale shock. I do not know how many cigarettes he went through that morning and I cant remember how many times he bowed his head and said "My God"

When we talked about it later, he said he couldnt believe that someone would attack a country that had proved they would help anybody. He said they had fought for how many countries when they didnt have to and then someone attacks them (US) He went through alot that day. I know I wasnt in New York but I will never forget that day. You see. I was allowed to see a part of that mind that I wonder so much about and for a day, I was allowed to see some of the pain that hides deep in there.

No I am not thanking the terrorist, I would never do that. I would never promote something so horrible. I am thanking God that I was able to be there that day. That my government class was canceled and that I went back home instead of to my boyfriends house. I am thanking God because now I understand a little part of my Daddy a little better. And I am thanking God that my Daddy came home from Vietnam. Some kids Daddys never come home.

God Bless.

Thank You God

9-11

Remember 9-11 ?

Today they are playing live feed on CNN.com. I do not have TV so I have been listening to this and watching parts of it while I am cleaning house, mostly playing with my babies. I cant watch it too much because it is too sad. There are grown sometimes big strong looking men on there crying because of friends they lost. There are kids walking down the rows with pictures of men or women and you have to guess that they are now living without that parent. Some of them dont look much older than 6 or 7 which means they were either born not too long before or not too long after it happened. How sad....

I am sitting here thinking how our AMERICA has changed. we are no longer the free country we used to be. Everyday now is a worry about whether someone else is going to attack us. I have to raise my kids up with this. I have to explain to them how something like that could happen. And the question everyone always ask when something like this happens is "How could God allow this to happen?" I know someday my kids are going to ask that...How do I answer it?
Edited: Happy Momma pointed out in her comment that not everyone has to worry about whether someone else is going to attack us. I did not mean that everyone has to worry about it. I know that it is in the back of my mind alot but not a constant worry. I also dont believe that we are no longer free, just not free to a point. I mean we now have restrictions on us that we didnt before. If you are a person who travels alot, then you know. I am sorry if I came across as someone who worries about it constantly, I dont. Just about the people I know over in the east who are fighting this war now. And I am learning everyday to turn it over to God and let him handle it. He can take care of them if they will just let him. I cant worry about them, I can pray for them.

SAD...

Reas,Sarah, Kyra,Drake....I m thinking about you today....
Cathena, I know your husband is over there...
Holly, I hope Ryan comes home safe.
Trent, if you are back over there, I pray for you.
And My cousin Bradley, I dont know if you are still over there, I know you have been and I hope you are home safe by now.


And to all the others I know but cant think of th names right now...God Bless You and Go With You, I pray for you everyday that you may come home alive. I pray that you will still have some sanity and that you come home healthy. I cant imagine what you go through everyday but I am glad someone has the courage to do it.

I know that I wasnt going to post for a while but I hd to post today...

Break

I am going to take a blogging break for a while..I am very busy right now and even though I usually only blog during early morning or nap time, I just feel like I am spending too much time on here.

I will be back though Just dont know when.

Love and Prayers
Crystal

Memory Verse

Proverb 4:23

Above all else, guard your heart,for it is the wellspring of life.

I had a friend email this to me. I thought it was very sweet and true.



JUST FOR THE MOMS

This is long, but absolutely beautiful and I've never seen it before. To all you wonderful mom's, step-mom's, and just-like-a-mom's.
I'm invisible.
It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, "Can't you see I'm on the phone?" Obviously not. No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this? Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, "What time is it?" I'm a satellite guide to answer, "What number is the Disney Channel?" I'm a car to order, "Right around 5:30, please." I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going - she's going - she's gone! One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England . Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could find that was clean. My unwashed hair was pulled up in a banana clip and I was afraid I could actually smell peanut butter in it. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, "I brought you this." It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe . I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: "To Charlotte , with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees." In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: * No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. * They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything. A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, "Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it." And the workman replied, "Because God sees." I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become." At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree. When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table." That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, "You're gonna love it there." As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Oh how true. God sees what we do every day whether we want him to or not. And everyday that we dont feel like anyone is noticing all that we did, God noticed. He is always watching. Watching us raise our Godly children in a Godly Christian home. I hope I am doing good enough for God not someone else.

Love and Prayers
Crystal

Fall

I Love Fall....I am so ready for the leaves to start falling and the Pumpkins and the smell of bakeing apples in the air. I am ready for sweatshirts and flannel PJs. I am ready for it to be dark earlier and for the cozy feeling of snuggling up with my babies and reading a good book under a blanket or two..



Crazy sounding huh...But I love it. I love winter. I absolutely cringe at the thought of summer. I like spring because it is the start of things new but I cannot stand summer.



I have been seeing the fall flowers out at Wal-Mart and the Pumpkins (not real the decorative ones) and all the good smelling candles. I really have to stop myself because I could spend way too much money in there right now. I love to decorate.



I also love fall because it symbolizes the start of hunting season. YES I HUNT!!!!! I love it. I dont know how much I will get to go this year because paul has to work so much and we take turns watching kids and hunting so if he is working, then neither of us will get to go. He says I get to go before he does but I think he should go and relax because he is working so much. Who knows. Maybe we will both get a deer this year though...I hope we get two or three because we have our freezer and another to fill.



Anyway, I think I am going to go ahead and start decorating for fall. I have never been able to decorate that much before and although I have to watch my spending this year, I think I can decorate on a budget.



Love and Prayers and Happy Decorating

Crystal

My Little Boy !

I havent posted on Jason in a while. I cant believe he is six months old. He is growing so fast and is learning everyday. He hasnt mastered the art of crawling yet but he is rolling everywhere and getting into everything. He doesnt yet grasp onto things hanging down like tablecloths and blankets but he loves his sisters toys and books if they leave them in the floor.

He loves to say DA DA and he actually has said Sister a couple of times although it doesnt sound exactly right. He loves to pull hair and grab my glasses. He hates it when his Daddy comes home and doesnt say hi to him right away, he will start screaming at the top of his lungs. He also knows when Daddy leaves in the morning. He starts fussing around right after Paul leaves for work and he doesnt go back to sleep. He will wake up about 15 min later hollering Da Da.

He also has the biggest smile. He lights up my day with that smile. I mean, the girls are always doing something funny or they will tell me something or say something that makes me laugh but Jason is in that stage where he can melt hearts with his grin. and he laughs all the time...if he isnt laughing, he is smiling and if he isnt doing one of those then he is crying cause he is hungry or sleepy.

I Love You Jason!

I dont have a picture right now. My camera is broken.