Sarah

Sarah is battling illness again. She has been struggling with her breathing for the last 6 months. We thought she was about to outgrow her asthma, until this fall and winter. Most of the time we can manage it at home with medicine, etc. However, for the last month, she has really been struggling. I just didn't understand why her meds were not working. Everything we tried just did not ease the pain in her chest. After several doctor visits and several rounds of antibiotics and steriods (translate: her climbing the walls), we ended up in the ER Thursday night. She had to be admitted to the hospital and stayed until Saturday. They diagnosed her with costochondritis. Basically the tissue between her ribs and her breastbone is inflamed. Any movement (breathing) becomes so incredibly painful. Her chest basically would not move enough to allow her lungs to breathe. The worst part is that there is no cause or treatment. We have to keep her on high doses of ibuprofen (1800 mg daily) and encourage her to be still until it runs it's course. The average length of the pain is 4 weeks. (sigh) On the up side, we have been fighting this for a few weeks, without any progress. I was fearing that she would not be able to go to China. Maybe now we can get it all under control.

Rain

It's raining today. Actually it rained all night. It makes it harder to do things. Harder to go outside. Harder to run errands. Harder to drive. Harder to babysit. But at the same time, it is so peaceful. I have the lights off. The TVs off. All I hear is the sound of the rain that God is sending me. Rain is necessary in order for things to grow. Without rain, there would be no green. It would just be dirt. Without the rain, we would not have the beauty of this home away from home. Without rain, we would die. Hmm. Rain is sad yet peaceful. Melancholy. I believe that is the word. The sound of it is melancholy. I think that word describes me. I have always been a bit melancholy. I don't know why. Maybe because of my past. Maybe because of my poor decisions. Or maybe because God made me that way. I am where I am because God chose it. He made me who I am. He made me feel what I feel. He made me see what I see. He made today what it is. It's raining today.

Ashlyn's Homecoming

During my break from blogging, Ashlyn was elected as a homecoming candidate. She is only a freshman this year, and the candidates are chosen by the whole high school student body. I was so surprised that she made it! So what else is there to do but shop for dresses. My mom, Aunt Susan, Hannah, and Sarah went with us on one of the worst weather days so far this winter. It was snowing and sleeting horribly. But there was shopping to be done! It was so fun to try on all the beautifull dresses. But it was also so hard to pick just one! She found one that was perfect for her. The color matched her coloring just beautifully. It was also very modest, which was important to her (thank you Jesus!). We had these cute little satin flip flops dyed to match the dress. And then there was the jewelry. We tried on so many necklaces and finally found just the one. Last night was the coronation. It is held at one of our home basketball games. All the candidates are escorted by a basketball player. Ashlyn marched with DeAndre. He is one of the boys in my youth group and I absolutely love this boy!!!! He has such a good heart for God and is so kind to everyone! He is developing an absolutly awesome testimony! Anyway, after her basketball practice, we went to a classroom and started primping!! I fixed her hair and our cousin April (DeAndre's mom) did her makeup. It was so fun. As she has gotten older, Ashlyn does her own hair, of course. So it was so great for me to be able to play with her hair again. Now I know that she is mine and I may be a bit biased, but that girl looked absolutely gorgeous. She just took my breath away. And then when she put her dress on, it was all I could do not to start bawling all over the place (she would have killed me). Anyway, she marched out and met De and smiled so sweetly for the cameras. I choked back tears. She made it up to the stage and I breathed a wonderful sigh of releif. It was over and she hadn't fell or walked on her dress or anything! I was so relieved that we had made it through it all. The other candidates marched out after her (because she is a Freshman), including Kristan, who is in my small group and I absolutely love! And then they announced who the student body had selected as 2008 Homecoming Queen.........Ashlyn!!!!!! I just about fell out of my seat. Seriously, on the video, all you see is shaking and then the gym floor. She won! It never entered my mind that she would win because she is a FRESHMAN! Holy cow. She was crowned and then sat down and De leaned down and gave her the traditional kiss on the cheek. Again, I choked back buckets of tears. It was an awesome night that the pictures cannot give justice to. The best part of if was afterwards, when I talked to her teachers and friends. Every single one of them said the same thing: "She won because she is a good person" or "She won because she has such a good heart" or "She won because she treats everyone so kindly". I was so proud of her that I could have just.....well, cried.

Thankful Thursday

I have seen alot of other bloggers do this post. Since I am really needing to focus on the positive right now, I am gonna start it too.

This week I am thankful for my sweet man! He is so good to me. He has stood by me for almost 17 years. He is positively my soul mate!!! I love everything about him, even the things that make me crazy. I know that God brought Wayne to me and created us to be together. I love you, baby!

Here she is.....

Here is our sweet girl. She is so beautiful. I cannot wait hold her. I want to cuddle her and rock her. I want to dress her up. I want to rock her to sleep. I want to wrap her up in a warm blanket. I want to tickle her. I want to hear her laugh. I want to see her personality develope. I want so many things for her. I cannot wait.

May God Bless You in 2008!