We are still alive! Thought some may be wondering with my great way of keeping up with our blog! :) My sister and I made a pact that we would post today -- to end the year off right. It's not much, Sis, but here it is! :) I have so much I want to write about -- countless blessings and stories of happenings these past few months, but it won't happen tonight! :) My mind is running pretty slow these days ( I know I left myself wide open! :D ) and I am waiting until it's clearer to write much. Let me just say that God is good. So good. All the time! Looking forward to posting -- a REAL post -- soon.

Have a wonderful day tomorrow. Happy 2010!



Thanks for taking the time to read and pray,

Family Sickness, Family Pictures & Answers to ?'s.

Well, we definitely weren't on the mend like I had thought in the middle of last week....silly me!! It ended up being the eye of the storm. Paul got much worse and by Saturday morning was MISERABLE!! I felt so bad....so hard to see him hurting. Always want it to be me when my husband or children are in pain. I'm sure you wives & mothers know where I'm coming from. So often with my lupus I have thanked God that He gave it to ME and not another member of my family. If my husband had it, how would he have continued to Pastor the people we love with all our hearts?!? God is soooooo very good to us!! As Saturday evening drew near my husband was really praying he would be able to do the services. At this point he was barely swallowing at all and I had a look at his throat.........won't go into detail, but let's just say we were very close to going to the ER and we knew for sure that our people (love us though they do) would NOT want him coming into church and sharing what he had with them!! :D He called our new WONDERFUL assistant pastor and asked him to take care of the services the next day. Our asst. pastor and his wife (Bro. Richard and Lee-Ann Paasch) have only been with us a few weeks and wanted to get busy right away. Well my husband was hoping to ease into things a little more, but the Lord had other plans! Praise the Lord for His timing that He allowed Paul to get sick after they came. Although he had a rough time missing Sunday, he was so thankful for the man of God the Lord sent our way to help. We had a talk with our doctor in Indiana today and we were taking all the natural products to get rid of the strep plus other problems, just needed to up the dosages A LOT. Paul is seeing a bit of improvement tonight and we're praying he's back in full swing by Wednesday. He has so much to do, it's not been fun for him to be down. I certainly have enjoyed having him around though -- sickness or not!

I'm so thankful that during the "eye of our storm" that Jen and her family were able to be here for a day and a half! She took some great pics of their time here and hopefully both her and I will post some soon. Especially since my husband helped her get connected to her blog again on their laptop. (Hint, hint, Jen! :D )

My parents and Uncle and Aunt were here the week before for a day and we had a GREAT time with them. We had our family pics done on the day they were here and I'll post some of them in a minute. The day they were here I finished a 14 day fast. The salad I ate that night while they had their lasagna was amazing!! Greens never tasted so good!! :D I had done several 7 - 8 day fasts this year as part of my treatments with my lupus, but had not done 14 days before. I had taken several steps back the weeks proceeding and felt drastic steps needed to be taken as I was getting a little scared at how bad the pain was getting again. What a difference it made and what bountiful blessings that came from it! I would like to post sometime some of what I learned from it and what a help it was for me. It was a little difficult at times, but so worth it.
Also the day my parents were here we had a couple over for dinner from our church that my mom had won the wife to the Lord on one of her visits here. What a nice time we had with John & Christine! After dinner we worked together on a calendar for Christmas to put up after Thanksgiving. Thought I had pictures of us working on it, but apparently I haven't downloaded them yet. So much to do.... :)

I do have our recent family pics downloaded and here are a few-






My life is made so rich and full by being married to this man. Only God could love him more!










A girl could not have possibly been blessed with a better mother than I have. We didn't plan to have the opposite with our black & red, but I like how it turned out!




Love having my parents in this one!





Stacey had some done by herself as we had missed her birthday pics in August. She turned 4 and is growing up much too fast!














These 2 are so close...






I also wanted to answer a few questions that have been left in my comment section.


Rose, the Mommy Moolas information can be found on my sister's blog here. Just go to her side bar and she has a heading for it and all the info for them is there. I love her ideas!!


Amy, yes Paul & I have both lost some weight. I have joked with a few ladies in my church that the Lord saw I wasn't having the character to get the weight off on my own and decided to "help" me out a bit! :D The last time we weighed a few weeks ago, I had lost 55 lbs. and Paul had lost 58 lbs. He's always ahead! :) I still have a ways to go to be where I want to be, but am enjoying the journey. Thanks for asking.

Mandy, you just go right ahead and enjoy those scooters at Walmart! You can have them!!

Sarah Berry, it was so good to hear from you! Thank you for taking the time to not only stop by, but leave a comment to let me know you were here.

Julia & Missy, I'll get to the eating changes and life style differences soon. I want to take pics to post of some of the supplements we're using and that is what is holding me up. Thank you for caring and being interested!


Paul & I redid our bedroom a few weeks back and I'm excited to post pics of it soon also.

School is going well. Am loving teaching my children!!

Was supposed to have a ladies meeting tonight/secret pal reveal night and we had to cancel. It wasn't the time to be bringing them into our home. I was very disappointed as I thoroughly enjoy any and all time I get with our ladies. God knows though and allowed this time, so He'll take care of us getting together soon!



Thanks for taking the time to read and pray.

If you do stop by, please leave a comment and let me know you were here. It is extremely encouraging to hear from you and I pray for each one that "visits".

Quick Post

So much going on and so little time to blog!! :) Jen and her family are here for a day and a half as they travel home from a conference. Our day tomorrow will be filled with taking care of 9 little ones and 2 big ones!! Such fun...

I picked up our family pics today we had done last week. So happy to have these done for Christmas. I put one of them on my header and will post more of them soon.

I'm going to try and take pics tomorrow of our wonderful family time. Everyone in my family has been sick off and on these past few weeks (as just about every family has!!) but I think we're all on the mend. Praise the Lord!!

Can't stay awake ;)

Will post soon (bet you've heard that one before!!) :D



Thanks for taking the time to read and pray,

It was only 5 weeks this time!

Well, it's been only 5 weeks since my last post instead of 6 -- I'm getting better! :)

Such busy days they have been, as for everyone I'm sure. We made yet another unexpected trip to Indiana this past week to be with family who are going through a very difficult time. During this trip I was able to see my doctor a few times. We (the doctor, my husband & I ) are definitely encouraged by the results we've seen these last 7 months with my lupus, although I've had some setbacks these past few weeks. We are "going back to the basics" and doing everything we know to do in the next 2 weeks to see what God will do. Please pray that He will choose to do some mighty things. However, whatever He chooses to do is good. This involves another lengthy fast, some nasty (no better way to describe it!) drinks, 4 visits with 3 different doctors to check for blood clots and an organ that is giving me increasing difficulty. Plus several other daily things to do. I'm still trying to put a post together to answer the kind questions of what has changed for us with our food and the supplements and all that goes into the direction the Lord has led us. Also, just to answer all the ?'s that have been left in my comments. Please forgive me for the delay in answering. Hopefully it will be in the next few weeks. I appreciate your patience!

I have been keeping up with the other blogs I follow.

Of course, Jen, yours is the one I check first -- can't get enough pics of my nephews and niece!!

Amy, I so have enjoyed all your posts and pics!! Thank you for keeping us updated on the prayer requests!!

Missy, I missed you when you didn't post for a few weeks! Glad you're back!! :) Still waiting to see the pic of you and Angie from your last trip to Maine. -- No pressure or anything!! :)

Amy A., so thankful your new little one arrived safely and that you all are home! What an answer to prayer!!

Mandy, have a wonderful time in Maine!! Can't wait to see pics. Take LOTS, please!!

I won't keep going as there are several I like to keep track of and pray for.

I haven't taken many pics these past weeks, but here is one of Paul with his new potato gun that a man in our church made for him. I think I'm happy for him! :D




He was shooting it off the back deck of our house into the lake. Couldn't believe how loud it was!! Since we have a policeman living right next door, he only shot it a few times! :D

We celebrated his 33rd birthday on Sunday. It was a quiet day for him, but the Lord blessed and we were able to purchase a few suits for him on clearance at Penneys. He desperately needs clothes that aren't hanging off him and the Lord was so good to let us find some!! We also had cake ($12 homemade all organic...tasted great!! )and ice cream with my parents last week and they spoiled him with filet mignon grilled out for his lunch.

I had a ladies meeting with "my" church ladies a few weeks ago. What a sweet time it always is with them and already I'm looking forward to our next meeting on the 19th. One of these days I'll take a pic of them to share with you all.

On Monday my husband is taking a group of our young people to Connecticut for a 1 day preaching conference. They are excited to go. Would love to be with them, but I'll definitely be praying here at home!!

I was hoping to see several friends at Ladies Spec next week in Hammond, but with our last recent trip and my setback, we decided I'd better stick close to home. At this point Paul won't let me travel without him. "What could possibly happen?" I ask him. You don't want to know his reply!! :D He did say he would order the DVD's for me and I'll watch as much as I can online. My husband had something planned to do for a few days originally while I would have been gone. Although I won't be at Ladies Spec, I'll get some extra time with Paul -- it doesn't get any better than that!

I know I'm rambling, so I'll close. Just writing things as they come into my mind with no prior organization. If I waited to oraganize my thoughts to post -- who knows when I'd post again!

I have been praying for many of you, some on a daily basis. Thank you for your kind words and encouragement.

Thanks for taking the time to read and pray,

First Day of School

We had our first day of school today. It went wonderfully and I have a "few" pics of our day, but first a few captions from this past week.

This is the kids in their over sized Curtis Corner Baptist Church shirts. They love them and look adorable! :D







This past week was again a bit more difficult with the lupus and Saturday was especially hard. When my husband came home that late afternoon from soulwinning, all I had towards dinner was a pot of chicken boiling. Paul very graciously took over, ordered me to the recliner (whom am I to disobey? :D ), and proceeded to make the most incredible homemade chicken soup I think I have ever had. He used no store bought broth, but did all his own seasonings and chopped up all the vegetables. He is a "Jack of all trades" and in the kitchen he is no less. It was amazing!!

Can't you almost taste it?!?



Thank you, Babe!





As the week was hard, I didn't expect to be able to go on Sunday, but the Lord woke me up at 4:30 and I decided to slowly get ready and see how far I could get. This happens often (not the getting up at 4:30, but the getting ready and seeing how far I can get. :D ), but this time I actually got to go!! Paul has been doing all the kids baths since Christmas, and I knew if I attempted to do them, I definitely would not be going anywhere. Soooooooooo, long story made long :), I washed Stacey's hair for the first time in the kitchen sink early on Sunday morning. She thought it was a great adventure! She's my brave one, usually ready to try about anything.







It was a great Sunday morning. What a BLESSING to be there!


Now onto today. (This is mostly for my mom and sister, so if the rest of you get bored, that's fine. Skim as much as you'd like! :D )

I have been preparing for weeks for this great day for our 2 oldest. They were so excited and had a harder time sleeping last night than they do on Christmas Eve!


We don't have a school room, but are using our dining room table to do their schoolwork. This is Paul's chair by the orange pencil box and I sit directly across from him.



Stacey sits right by me.




My seat!





My Mommy Moolas are in the small white plastic container. Thanks, Jen , for such a terrific idea!!!!!! I teased Paul that I wanted to call them Daddy Doolas, but he was having NONE of that!!







This is the beginning of our store for their moolas...





No school is complete w/o a candy bowl (although they get very little of it these days!) and here are a few books I am using with the kids during story time.






We are Lord willing getting a cabinet built to place under the counter soon to store our school items in after we finish each day, but for now I am using a card table and storage bin.







These are the smiles they started school with.




They were so glad Daddy could be here--











Putting her first Mommy moola in her envelope.






Paul immediately wanted to know what he could buy with his dollar! :)





Whenever Paul can be here, he is going to do the Bible time of school with them. This does not take the place of our family devotions.






Kate watching school from her pac 'n play...






Stacey & Paul's first page in their first PACE. Didn't they do great?!!!!?







Adding more & more toys to keep her busy!!







After their first fun day was finished, they had lunchables and capri suns for lunch -- another unusual treat for them!






They all took their naps (and so did I) and this evening Paul took us all out for the start of our annual go out in the evening of the first day of school. We love family traditions!








First he took them (us) for ice cream -- not only was it a major treat for them, but he did it daddy style and had them eat their dessert first! :)








Back in the car on the way to the ocean. (It's 5 minutes from our house, but we stay away in the summer! It was a cooler evening, so people had their sweatshirts on! :) )




Paul & Kate leading music as we were singing in the car.




Just a few quick pics (times like these, wish I knew more about photography!) at the water. We didn't get out here, I wasn't able to do much walking, but enjoyed the sights and smells!








The last stop he took us to was the park. We did get out this time ! :D








He was acting like he had to work so hard to get across the bars! :D

I TRULY LOVE THIS MAN!!!!
















Well, that was our day. So full and rich of blessings.



Thanks for taking the time to read and pray,