My Simple Delights...

Not the week for Apples

During the span of one week, our iMac died, taking all of my pictures from the last several months with it. Dave's iPod and GPS were stolen from his car at the gas station. That is sad enough, but it was also the only back-up of our photos. Then Connor's cell phone and iPod were stolen from his gym locker. It is hard to look for the blessing in it all. I suppose it is a reminder not to place too much importance on things, and focus on what really matters, and that of course  
 can never be taken away.

The only hope we have is that the person who stole Connor's iPod will use the Bible app Connor had downloaded and discover a relationship with Jesus he is currently lacking. 

So, for now, Jacob is the only "kool" one in our house with a cell phone or an iPod.

 And just to prove how cool he is, he lets his big brother borrow his iPod and phone once in a while.

Now that is simply delightful!

Hand-Me-Downs

I've always loved hand-me-downs. 

Being on the giving or receiving end is wonderful. 

As the recipient, there is the benefit of saving money. There have been many occasions when times were hard that my family was blessed with much needed items.

And to be able to help out someone else with provisions God has blessed us with, but no longer need... that is a privilege I am equally grateful for. 

Recently, a dear friend blessed me with a hand-me-down.

Isn't it pretty?

I think I'm in love. 

The kids think they are in love too.
I have enjoyed my new-to-me mixer. 

I didn't realize how hard my old mixer was working. The new-to-me mixer whipped up the batch of cookies without hesitation. It didn't even break a sweat. 

How Delightful!   

 

House full of Cooties

It seems that just about everyone has gotten sick over the last several days. Yucky cold... nasty cough... tired to the bone... achy...

Emilia started it, followed by Dave, then me, followed by Lauren, and now Jacob. 

Connor is the only one who has escaped so far. 

 There are piles of tissues everywhere.

I must be feeling better because yesterday I didn't even notice (or care).

Hopefully the cooties are on their way out the door!

Stitches are Out!

Today Emilia returned to the surgeon's office to have her stitches removed.

We made sure to use lots of the "magic cream" to numb the area as much as possible. We wrapped saran wrap over the entire side and back of her head and topped it all off with one of Emilia's favorite hats.

I was not quite sure what to expect as a bit of scabbing had formed over some of the stitches.

I had emailed this picture to the nurses earlier in the week to see if we needed to be more aggressive with things. I was greatly relieved when they said to stop using Aquaphor and just rinse with soap and water. We would see what more was needed at our appointment. 

Emilia hopped right up on the table ready to go.

The nurses got started right away.

We asked if the doctor keeps track of how many stitches he puts in. They laughed and said his response always is "Enough to get the job done."

Emilia's expression quickly changed when the nurses began using hydrogen peroxide and tweezers to remove the scabs. It was quite time consuming and not particularly comfortable.. 

This was really an answer to prayer though. I was dreading doing this myself, as we've done so many times in the past. To have the nurses be "the bad guys" was a HUGE gift for me.

   And this is what it looked like when they finished. 

We will need to continue using wet to dry dressings, changing them three times a day.

But can you believe how far she has come in just two short weeks? It blows my mind!

Lauren's Plan

Every year at Awana, the kids participate in the Adopt-a-Club program. They raise/donate money to help support another Awana club in Africa. This year there was a new twist.

Last week at Awana's, Lauren was given an envelope with $5 in it. 

The kids were each challenged to take that $5 and find a way to grow it into something more. 

Lauren has taken this idea to heart and has been very insistent about getting started with her project. She wanted to make bracelets and then sell them. This afternoon, we got out my box of jewelry beads (which she paid the $5 to be able to use) and got busy.

All afternoon was spent beading beautiful bracelets.

She has decided to sell them for $2 a piece or 3 for $5.

Lauren already sold a set of three blue bracelets so she has already covered her initial investment. She has big dreams of how many bracelets she can make and how much money she can raise to help support Awana Clubs around the world.

Seeing kids want to make a difference and get involved supporting a cause they believe in is such a joy.  

Debut of the H.U.G.

This Friday night we attended an "Un-Talent" Show at the Village Church of Bartlett.

Connor and a few of his friends formed a band and this was to be their debut.

Rachel Lawrence and the H.U.G.

This is Rachel the vocalist.

Jamie on guitar. 

There is a funny story about Jamie's last minute wardrobe change!

He had stopped by with Connor on the way to the show. Our dog (Ollie) was so excited to see Jamie, that when Jamie picked him up to play, Ollie peed on his shirt. Not so sure Jamie was feeling the love.

 

Matt on drums. 

Gotta love his shirt!

And Connor on bass.

You should have seen the blisters on this poor kid's fingers when he and Jamie stopped by on the way to the show. I have never seen such large nasty blisters. Dave popped each one. There were actually blisters on top of blisters. After they were all drained, a little bit of crazy glue was put over each finger in hopes that Connor wouldn't be too uncomfortable during the show.

Connor of course was a tough man and said he didn't even feel a thing.

They did a really great job, as did all 22 of the acts who preformed.

The show was originally planned as a way for this high school youth group to sponsor children at their sister church in Haiti so that they could go to school. The events of the past week intensified their cause. They had received word from their sister church that although the quake was felt, and there was damage within the community, no one there had lost their life. Praise God! 

The kids goal to sponsor 10 children was far surpassed and they were also able to contribute to a disaster relief fund. 

   Because of heightened awareness this week, there was an ABC7 news truck at the talent show. They were doing stories on how people are getting involved and trying to help the Haitian people. Connor was interviewed and actually made it in the broadcast that night. So neat!

The entire evening really was amazing. We were taken aback by the amount of talent displayed at this show. A wide range of acts, each one a beautiful gift. To see God reflected in these young adults was such a delight!

And if you're curious what H.U.G. stands for, be sure to ask Connor!

Shoes

Normally the sight of shoes piled up by the front door is a source of frustration.

They get kicked off and simply left where ever they land.

It never occurs to anyone to actually pick them up and put them away (at least not without a lot of nagging from Mom).

Today was different.

Today's pile of shoes was larger than normal.

Today's pile of shoes blocked the door hindering anyone trying to come or go.

Today's pile of shoes however put a smile on my face.

A group of Connor's friends came over today after finals. These were kids I know for the most part. Kids I have seen grow and mature into amazing young people. Kids I am thankful my son has chosen as his friends.

What a delightful sight this pile of shoes is!

A Beautiful Sight

Today we took Emilia in to have her bandages removed and drain tubes pulled. 

We waited a while in the reception area. Emilia enjoyed reading books. She certainly can recognize her sight words! She was even attempting to sound out a few of the other words.

 Once we were back in a treatment room, the nurse asked if Emilia wanted to sit on the table or Mom's lap.

She hopped right up on the table. 

The nurses thought her hair bow on top of the dressings was a great idea. Emilia of course soaked up all the compliments.

Her enthusiasm faded as the nurse began cutting the dressings. Some very sticky tape didn't help matters either.

There was a few tears and a bit of crying (really more like screaming) but soon the bandages were off.

Would you look at that ear! We haven't seen the back of that ear since Emilia was about four months old.

And did you notice that hairline? No more baldie spot on the side of Emilia's head. If I think I'm missing it, all I have to do is remember... its not gone, it now covers the back of that sweet little ear.

Now to take a bath and finally wash that hair! She wants to be fresh and beautiful when the kids get home from school to show off the new look.

    

Fun with Family and Friends

Heading into the weekend, our schedule looked fairly empty. 

Not much going on.

Looked like we would just be spending some quiet time together (and taking down the Christmas decorations of course). Not exactly fun and exciting, but peaceful and calm can be nice once in a while too.

The nice thing about having an open schedule is that we were free to make some last minute plans. On Saturday Grammy and Da came over with Zach and Ty. We had salad and pizza. Everyone had soda in their cups except Ty. Grammy gave him milk. He was perfectly happy with his milk until he accidently picked up Zach's cup. Ty was in love. The sippy cup of soda could not be pried from his fingers. He didn't set that cup down again until every last drop was consumed. Needless to say, Zach had to get a new cup of his own.

All evening the kids played downstairs. Ty with the play kitchen and baby dolls...

and Zach with the PS3. He LOVED Lego Batman. I now know what I am getting him for his birthday!

It was so sweet. Connor and Jacob took turns playing with him. Zach was convinced that he was the one controlling Connor or Jacob's character. He was really good at that game!

Sunday morning I quickly put together some chicken soup in the crock-pot so that lunch would be ready when we returned home. It is so nice to walk through the door and have the main part of the meal ready to go! As we were getting ready for church, Jacob informed me that a friend had invited him over to play games after church. I agreed, so he made sure to pack up all his pieces to bring along. 

Connor was to have band practice after church, but said that he would have lunch at home first. There was plenty of soup cooking so I suggested that he extend an invitation to his fellow band members. I wasn't so sure if teenagers would enjoy soup and salad, but I was pleasantly surprised when Connor said that everyone was coming, even our Youth Pastor Ian.

It was a lot of fun to simply observe everyone interacting. Lauren and her friend Alyssa quickly returned to the basement to play American Girls. Emilia however enjoyed the extra attention from the older kids. She challenged Ian to a staring contest and also brought out her yellow tambourine to play for everyone.

After lunch Dave called Mr. Matt to find out if he and his family would like to stay for dinner. I was making stuffed shells, so there would be plenty. We were delighted to hear that they would be able to stay and that Miss Arleene would make a dessert. 

As we were sitting down for dinner Connor called saying that Ian would be bringing him home from practice in just a few minutes. An invitation was extended to Ian to stay for dinner. One more chair and one more plate. Dinner was good and the company was wonderful. 

The adults were kind of full, but the kids had plenty of room for dessert.

 

The next time I see an empty calendar instead of seeing an uneventful and quiet day, I think I'll see it as a delightful opportunity waiting to happen!

Finally Saying Goodbye to Christmas

Most years the decorations in our house are taken down the day after Christmas. There have even been occasions that the decorations began to be packed up on Christmas day. This year required a deviation from the usual plan. We returned home from Grammy's house to three inches of standing water in the basement on Christmas, so the priorities shifted. 

After much needed sump pump repairs (thanks honey)... After pulling out wet smelly carpeting (thanks boys for your hard work)... After bleaching everything in sight (thanks again honey)... After installing new flooring and carpeting (thank you kids for playing so well together and not destroying the house while Mom and Dad spent two entire days in the basement)... After getting through surgery and recovering from nasty viruses... the Christmas decorations are down!

I absolutely love putting the decorations up in November. The entire house looks so festive and cozy. By the time Christmas is over though, everything just feels cramped and cluttered. Today though, my house is back to normal (or at least our version of normal). It feels so good to say goodbye till next season!

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