Please Pray for Operation Ethan

My sister, Michelle, surprised us with Operation Ethan shirts this week!  I have one, too, but I figured you probably didn't care whether or not I was in a picture!  =0)  They didn't have them small enough for Wesley, but Michelle sent him a little matching camouflage shirt... sorry no picture of him in his shirt!  He wore it the day he received it, and it hasn't been washed yet.  =0)  

More importantly, we are wearing our shirts today because TODAY is OPERATION ETHAN in Cross Plains, TN.  Unfortunately, we will not be there; however, we are participating in our small way by wearing our shirts today, praying, and spreading the word.  You can find out more about Ethan by checking out his site at Caring Bridge:  http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/bibb

Ethan is the 8 year old son of mine & Dano's friend, Farris, from High School and Youth Group.  He has a severe form of cancer that developed quickly and was just discovered recently.  We are praying for miracles.  Please join us!  

Love,

Melinda  =0)  

Slideshow of Virginia

These are some pix of Virginia I took in the last few days.  She's a big smiley and she loves to talk (imagine that), but it is hard to get these on camera!  (She kind of stares deadpan when I get the camera out.)  Here are the pictures... some good and some bad (but funny) of me trying to get one of those expressions I'm looking for on camera! 

I've also got some pictures of her on her floor gym.  In some you can see Derek holding a little plastic hat on her head.  He and Olivia thought this was a riot.  There are also some of her on her tummy.  She loves to hold her head & chest up high!  Although in some of these pictures she's about to cry because I waited too long to take the pictures and she's getting tired.  

The last pictures in the slideshow are from Sunday just before we left for church.  She was 10 1/2 weeks (about 2 1/2 months) old.  See the cute bow?  Fun.     

I keep thinking she doesn't look quite as chubby... until I take her picture!  She's got some chins and cheeks!  I can't remember if I put it on here or not, but one day Emma was watching me change Virginia's diaper and she asked, "Where's her neck?"  I got a big laugh out of this!  I thought it was a perfect 4 year old question!  Then just the other day, Derek our 6 year old, asked the same thing!  =0)  Too funny.  

Enjoy the pictures!  Hope this slideshow works for you.  It is the first time I've done it this way.

BTW, have you noticed the major amount of hair loss?  boo hoo  I know it will come back... I wonder what color it will be???

Blessings,

Melinda  =0)  

My Sweet Emma

Pictures of my sweet Emma!  They are hard to come by with a great smile & her looking at the camera.  I am especially loving that she is FINALLY, after FOUR years of life, having enough hair to pull back in a bow!  PLUS the fact that she will LEAVE IT IN when I do!  Yea, Emma... you are becoming such a fine little lady.  God has lots in store for you, sweetheart.  I look forward to discovering His plans for you with you!  Mommy loves you very much!  

I took these pictures just before we left for church (just before Emma got her socks & shoes on).  This is probably why we were a little late for church (again), but hey, we actually made it to the 9 am service this morning!  

Have a blessed week!  

BTW, aren't hand me downs great?!  My sister, Marcia, for the most part, keeps my children clothed in nice clothes from her children.  We are trying to return the favor now & send the clothes back for Samuel.  Yeah, after being worn by 3 boys (her oldest, then my two), the pickins are much slimmer for Samuel!  

Blessings,

Melinda  =0)  

Olivia's Big Catch (and Derek's, too)

Okay, here are a lot of pix of Olivia & Derek fishing at "our" pond.  Dano took them back to the pond after lunch today.  They had a great time.  Olivia caught 8 fish... yes, EIGHT.  Dano took a picture of each one.  He just had them fishing for brim (not bass).  Derek caught 3 before he decided it took too long.  He just played around after that, but Olivia was quite the fisherwoman according to Dano.  He was really proud of her the way she would pay attention to the bobber and wait and hook the fish.  She was really proud of herself and all the fish she caught.  She was especially proud of herself for putting a worm on the hook by herself.  This all brings back fun memories of me fishing with my Daddy.  I'm so glad Dano takes the time to enjoy his kids and teach them fun things.  He could have taken this time to fish by himself and catch some "real" fish, but instead he invested the time in his children.  What a wonderful father... and husband.  

Enjoy the pix.

Have a great day!

Blessings,

Melinda  =0)  

PS  Of course Dano took all the pictures.  I didn't even ask him to take the camera... he did it on his own!  =0)  

Eczema or Eggs Emma?

Our two year old, Wesley, has eczema. =0(   His worst hot spot is on his ankle. He calls it a boo boo. But recently he has "learned" to say eczema... but it sounds more like "eggs Emma," two things he's very familiar with... his favorite breakfast food and his sister! I tried to capture him saying this on camera! Enjoy a wild snapshot from our family!

The scream in the background is Emma hitting her teeth on Derek's head!  I don't sound too compassionate, do I?  =0(  

While this video is cute (at least we think it is), his eczema is not. Will you continue to pray with us for his complete healing?  We have a "regimen" that if we follow it daily and religiously, it HELPS tremendously.  However, the reality is that life often interrupts, and we are not as disciplined as we should be.  Thanks for praying for our discipline AND his healing!!  

Blessings,

Melinda  =0)  

My Friend, Karol

I have a friend, Karol, who I've known since I moved to Jacksonville, Florida in 1992.  She has been an amazing blessing in my life.  We've had ups and downs in our relationship, but she seems to be a friend God has blessed me with regardless of my faults and weaknesses.  I just love her.  She loves me unconditionally!  It is easy to love her.  (Gosh, that's just like God's love, isn't it... I love Him because He first loved me....)

Karol is an incredible artist.  I don't mean she can just paint or just draw or just sew... she can do it all... and I mean, she can do anything!  God has given her an amazing talent... or I should say talentsssss!  I have many things in my home that were made by Karol.  She can even create art on the computer making website wallpaper & things like that.  Recently (well kind of recently), she has started drawing with color pencils again.  You should check out her work at her website.  I think you will be amazed with her artwork!  If you have a building you want her to draw, you should ask her about it!  If you are one of my aunts or uncles, you should have her draw the old farm house!

Well, the last thing I want to tell you about Karol is her love for the Lord.  Although she is an amazing artist, what I always think about when I think about Karol is her passion for the lost!  I mean those without a relationship with Christ.  From what I remember, Karol was a fairly new Christian when we met.  She was on fire for Christ and wanted to share Him with her coworkers.  And she did!  Many people she worked with came to Christ!  It was so awesome the way she shared His love so unashamedly with others.  It has always given me more courage when I needed it!  Thanks, Karol, for being bold for Christ.  Thank you for being my friend!  I love ya & pray for you!

May we all be a friend (and have a friend) like Karol!  

Have a great day!  

Blessings,

Melinda  =0)   

Olivia's Scarf Pix

Olivia finished her scarf!  She's made it for a friend for her birthday!  I am so proud of her!!  This is the first thing she ever knitted.  I have taken close up pictures below.  One is the beginning... it looks like a beginning.  Then there is a middle picture.  Then there is a picture of the end.  I think you can really see her progress.  We're going to add some fringe at both ends.  =0)  

How did she learn, you might ask???  I didn't teach her.  I don't know how to knit.  My friend gave her a "how to knit" book so then Olivia was dieing to knit.  We (Olivia & I) couldn't figure it out by the book.  So a 12 yo girl who comes to our house as a Mother's Helper almost every Tuesday, got her started since she knew how.  Then my friend who gave her the book continued to help her.  Then our Mother's Helper helped her some more.  After the third "help" she had it all figured out & never needed anymore help til she came to the end and was ready to "cast off."  Oh, I did help her once when she had a "dropped stitch" thanks to a video on You Tube that I found.  

In the end, the first 8 inches where it looks a little "rough" is where she was getting help & still trying to figure it out.  After that, she took off and did it all!  She completed it in a week!  She was able to work on it while I read aloud to them as part of school.  She also worked on it whenever we drove anywhere!  

She is very proud of herself, too.  I think it is neat that she wants to give it to a friend.  So sweet.  She has such a generous spirit.  She's already ready to start another and knows who it is for!  She also plans to continue to make them for some friends to take on a mission trip to Russia!  

Okay, I'm sure you've had enough boasting.  I hope to post something else about this scarf later... something I heard the Lord teaching me as I was looking at her scarf.

Have a great day!

Blessings,

Melinda  =0)  

modeling the scarf:

middle section:
The end before casting off:
The "rough" beginning:
A duplicate of the first picture... I think blogger has made changes because I can't do some things I used to be able to do.  I'm confused... and headed to bed.  =0)