raw(e) smiles

This week's RAW(e) photo challenge over at Sailor & Company is
SMILES & LAUGHTER

Introducing...

Miss Mischief.

I have discovered something about Ava.

She is FULL of mischief.

Even at 11 months, she gets that glimmer in her eye

and I know that some naughtiness is about to happen.

You can almost hear the "MUAHAHAHAHA"

running through her little head.

She is so completely different from Sam in that respect.

He was my calm, totally compliant baby/toddler.

If we told him not to do something, he didn't.

No questions asked.

I actually thought for awhile it was because of our fabulous parenting skills.

HA!

Now I know that it was just his laid-back personality.

But not his sister!

Oh me, Oh my!

She is proving to be a little handful.

And this is just the beginning...

i wonder

I had my first OB appointment a couple of days ago

and it got me wondering...

...why you wait for an hour and a half to be seen for 30 mins?

...why they can't come up with a better name than "Advanced Maternal Age"

to describe those of us that are over 35 and pregnant?

...why all the cute maternity clothes in the pregnancy magazines cost over $100...I mean really, for a t-shirt?

...why the office scale always says I weigh 4 lbs. more than my scale at home does?

...why "the cup" is the size of a thimble?

...why the paper on the exam table induces butt-sweat?

Any answers?

raw(e) snacks

I had to laugh at this week's RAW(e) photo challenge over at Sailor & Company.

 Since I've been pregnant, the only thing that consistantly sounds good to me

and settles my yucky stomach is

Cheez-Its.

And what is the theme this week?

Snacks!

So, here are my beloved Cheez-its.

Preserved for all eternity as a testimony to my pregnancy craving with babe #3.

you know you're a CF mom if...

...your entire meal is dominated by the sentence, "Please keep eating!"

...conversations about the frequency, density and color of poop are a normal part of life.

...your entire day is scheduled around breathing treatments.

...you secretly rejoice when your offspring asks for additional food.

...you feel weird giving your non-CF child food without enzymes.

...the words "negative culture" are music to your ears.

... you never thought you'd have such a dislike for the words "crackles" and "wheezing."

...you feel especially blessed that the Lord has entrusted this precious life into your hands.

the beauty of homeschooling

Unlike most families,

we are finishing up our school year this month.

Why, you ask?

Well, for several reasons.

1. "Fall" in southwest Florida (aka October,November, December)
is undoubtedly the nicest time of the year weather-wise.

We like to capitalize on that
and be free to enjoy the fleeting moments of nice weather while we have them.

Long walks, bike rides, mornings at the park...fabulous.

Summer, on the other hand, is brutal.

When the thermometer hits 90 degrees before 9am,

there's usually not a lot of incentive to be outside for very long.

And, in light of the fact that Sam gets dehydrated faster than you can say "hot and humid,"

we practically have to strap a water cooler to his back to keep him hydrated in that kind of heat!

2. This time of year, November and December especially, are stuffed with holiday activities!

Parties and Fall Festivals, excursions to the pumpkin patch and live nativities.

Instead of trying to cram school in there too, we will use the time to do some community outreach, bake some goodies and maybe create a lap book or two.

3. Because we can!
One of the most appealing aspects of homeschooling, to me, is the flexibility that it affords.
I love that we can study at 9am or 7pm,
in the sunshine or under a tent made of sheets and chairs.

That, my friends, is the beauty of homeschooling.
  

parched

I stretch out my hands to You;

My soul longs for You, as a parched land.

Psalm 143:6

 

 

For several months now my soul has been parched.

 

Dry.

Thirsty.

Dehydrated.

Withered.

I've been wandering around like I was in the desert

when water was easily available to me at every turn.

But I was too busy,

too tired,

too nauseous,

too distracted.

Until last night.

Last night at church, the Lord broke through

and started to rain on my parched soul.

It softened the hard, dry places

and the tears began to flow.

Tears of gratitude and repentance,

unworthiness and hope.

And I was swept away in the flood,

the deluge,

the down pour,

the torrent of His love.

Kim Hill says it best in her song "Rain of Your Mercy"

I see the clouds out on the horizon

I feel the wind blowin' in my face

I hear the sound of a rollin' thunder

I know a storm is about to break

It's the rain of Your mercy

It's the rain of Your mercy

Now I've always heard about Your greatness

How showers of life flow from Your heart

Your death on the cross proves how much You love me

But I'm still surprised at how good You are

In the depths of my sin

Your mercy comes in

And shows me the depths of Your love

And it humbles my heart, tears me apart

Moves me to thank You my friend

For the rain of Your mercy

The rain of Your mercy

Is fallin' again

(Is comin' again)

I'm bein' washed in the water from heaven

Sweet tears of joy pourin' down on me

I lift up my head, drink Your forgiveness

Your spirit is here to set me free

 

If you find yourself parched right now,

let the Rain of His Mercy fall on you today

and be refreshed.

cupcake heaven

Have I mentioned that Marko likes to bake?

Well, he does.

And he's really good at it.

Cakes,

muffins,

spiced breads,

and, as of this weekend,

cupcakes.

Delicious cupcakes.

This weekend we had a surprise 60th birthday party for Marko's dad

and Marko made 120 cupcakes.

Chocolate Mocha cupcakes with Cinnamon Mocha frosting.

Blueberry Pancake cupcakes with Maple frosting (don't knock it til you've tried it!).

Cream-filled Chocolate cupcakes with Cookies 'n Cream frosting.

Peanutbutter cupcakes with Nutella and Whipped Cream frosting.

And my favorite...

Cream-filled Key Lime cupcakes with Cocoanut Meringue.

Oh yum!

The picture doesn't even do them justice.

They. Are. So. Good.

Excuse me, while I go eat the rest of them.

just to make you smile

Ok GO video set to TobyMac's "Hey Devil".