Thankful Thursday and Prayer request updates..

This Thankful Thursday I am thankful

~ that my kids have tomorrow off from school. I am looking forward to spending time together and just having fun.

~ that tomorrow is Good Friday. How could I not be thankful that Jesus willingly died on the cross for ME. What totally blows me away is the thought that if I was the only person on earth that He would have still gone to the cross for ME.

~ that Easter is on Sunday. Christ's gift to us didn't end on the cross because 3 days later He rose again. My Saviour Lives, My Saviour Loves, My Saviour's always there for me!

~ that I had a great birthday on Saturday! I'll try to post some pictures later. Let's just say I was surprised with a cake and a pink boa!

~ that my brother-in-law, Dale, is out of the hospital. He did have an infection in his pancreas. They discovered it was the same infection that infected his foot; so it was a systemic infection not just isolated to his foot. He may have to go back to Omaha for 6 weeks of hyperbaric chamber treatment. I guess the high oxygen treatments will help his foot heal. He is still being worked up for a kidney transplant. Omaha is about 4 hours away from where he lives so he most likely won't be able to drive back in forth but instead stay in Omaha for the 6 weeks.

~ that Gary's brother and wife (who live in Georgia) are in Nebraska helping care for Marcia. Marcia is still in the hospital with breathing problems. She is going to have a tracheotomy put in tomorrow. She has to have a breathing machine at night because she stops breathing. Well, she has been fighting it and pulling it off and at the same time pulling out her feeding tube. Hopefully, the trach will help. Marcia is very weak and has a hard time speaking but she knows what is going on and has been very weepy and distraught. Gary and I will probably be going to Nebraska in the next couple of weeks to go help with Marcia and to give Gary's parents a break. Just 2 weeks ago she was up and walking around and had been moved to rehab so her condition has definitely gotten worse. Hopefully, this is just be a small bump in the road and she will be on the road to recovery soon.

~ that I have friends around the country that will lift up my family in their prayers.

I almost didn't do a Thankful Thursday post today. I was just going to post prayer request updates instead but I got to thinking that I still have things that I am thankful for despite the fact that my heart is heavy with concern for Marcia and Dale. I think it is important to remember God's provision especially when your heart is heavy. What are you thankful for today?

Oh, no she didn't...

This post is titled Oh, no she didn't because I am going to share stories of some of Claire's antics and you will find yourself saying "Oh, no she didn't" but alas oh, yes she did!

First, I will start with what happened last night. Claire and Hunter went to bed at 9:00 last night and all was quiet. We thought "wow, she was really tired, we didn't hear a peep out of her". Well, imagine our surprise when we went up to bed at 11:00 and found her laying in her bed playing Hunter's Nintendo DS. She has never played with it before but she had it on and was using the stylus and everything. I know, oh, no she didn't but oh, yes she did. I wish I would have taken a picture of her guilty face but I was so shocked that she was still awake and I wasn't thinking photo op!

This is what her guilty/mad face looks like..

The next story happened a few weeks ago. Claire loves to sing and found the microphone that we have for the Wii for the High School Musical game. She would carry it around the house and sing for us. Well, I guess one day she figured that the microphones on TV don't have a cord so this one shouldn't either. That's right, oh, no she didn't but oh, yes she did. We now don't have a microphone for the Wii but Claire has a handy cordless microphone to carry around the house!

Here, Claire is singing before she took the scissors to the cord..(I'm not sure about the bowl on her head)

The final story is about a sweet little girl that has captured her momma's heart and brings her momma such joy oh, no she didn't but oh, yes she did. However, you already know that story don't you! :)

Here, Claire says "oh, no she didn't! I can't believe that my mom shared those stories with you!" but oh, yes she did!

Thankful Thursday..

Today I am thankful for my paternal grandparents, George and Maxine, who are celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary. That's right, 70 years!

I am thankful that as a child I was surrounded by grandparents with strong, Christ filled marriages. What a blessing! I have fond memories of my grandma Maxine reading to me from her very worn Bible every day we were at her house and doing devotions each morning during breakfast.

I am also thankful that my maternal grandparents celebrated 65 years together before they passed away. These days it is unusual to see marriages that last and I have had the honor of seeing my maternal grandparents celebrate 65 years and now my paternal grandparents celebrating 70 years! I would be delighted to share that many years with my ever-lovin'!

My grandparents at our wedding in 1991.

George and Maxine & Doc and Joyce

Grandma Maxine with the kids at Christmastime

Grandma Maxine and Me (she is out of the hospital now)
Happy Anniversary, Grandpa and Grandma! I love you! Thank you for your example!

Would you please pray?

I am asking all of my bloggy friends to please pray for my brother-in-law, Dale. He is currently being transported to a hospital in Omaha, Nebraska. The doctors are unsure what is going on but they think he has an infection some where. He is running a fever and is in a lot of pain. Several years ago, he had a pancreas transplant that cured him of his diabetes. Thankfully, he is no longer a diabetic. However, he still has to deal with the damage the diabetes had already done. About a month ago, he was hospitalized with an infection in his foot. At this time, it was determined that he needed to start kidney dialysis. He has been on dialysis ever since. He needs a kidney transplant. He has several people who have volunteered to give him a kidney but the doctors can't even proceed with working him up for a transplant until they figure out what is going on right now. Will you please pray for Dale, the doctors, and for my sister, Pam. They have 2 young girls and this is putting a strain on all of them.

Claire with her Uncle Dale

My sister, Pam and her family

Will you remember Gary's sister, Marcia, as well. She is still in the hospital. She has been in the hospital for about 6 weeks now. It looked like she was improving and then all of a sudden she started running a fever and started having breathing problems again. She also has a very hard time eating. She was very discouraged with this set back. Pray that she can get on her feet again and go home soon.

Marcia and her husband Andrew with the kiddos

Thanks for praying. It has been a rough start to 2009 for my extended family. A lot of illness and hospitalizations. I am thankful that I don't have to rely on my own strength and understanding but can rest in God's care.

Celebrating..

Today was a day of celebration at our house. Today was the day that we went to the county courthouse and officially readopted Claire in the state of Texas. She is now an official Texan and will be getting her Texas birth certificate very soon! We took the kids out of school early and invited our "adopted" grandparents from church to come to the courthouse with us. Our lawyer was wonderful and so was the judge. The judge had all of us raise our right hand and he swore us in. He then asked each of us one at a time if we wanted Claire to be in our family forever. All of the kids said definitely YES and they had big smiles on their faces! We took a lot of pictures and I don't think we will soon forget this day. I'm not sure Claire understood what was going on but someday she will be able to look back on the pictures and we can remind her about her special day! We celebrated after with lunch and ice cream!

The 4 kids before the court hearing - Brianna thought it was cool to highlight Claire

The judge's desk in the court room..

Please raise your right hand.. Do you promise to tell the truth..

Claire with Judge Sol Casseb III

The whole family with the judge..

The entire gang with the judge..

All of us posing in the hall of the courthouse

The door leading into the court room...

The family with our lawyer, Ms. Baker..

The boys outside the courthouse..the boys are too cool for court!

Claire showing that she can be cool too..

Like this mom, does this look cool?

Claire says " I would like to introduce the newest Texan! Yep, it's me!"

Thankful Thursday..

Today, I am thankful for restful naps! Little Miss hasn't been sleeping through the night and this morning she was up WAY to early. I am thankful that she is sleeping peacefully now because Momma is tired! Plus, this should help her to be in a good mood this evening for our small group bible study. I am thankful too that we live in a country where we can meet together to study the bible whenever we want without fear or reservation.

Eight Months together!!

I can't believe that it has been 8 months since our Gotcha Day! It seems like we waited forever to finally meet our precious girl and bam it's already been 8 months! She was definitely worth the wait!

She has come a long way since we first met her.

Her referral picture with the sad eyes..

To the little girl that insisted that she hold up 2 fingers for each picture!

To the little girl still with the 2 fingers but with different eyes..

To the little girl that poses for pictures and wants mom to take more, more..

And the little girl so full of life and love..

Happy 8 months with us, Claire. We love you! Thanks for all of the love and laughter you bring to our house!