Ava's "Winter Program" "The BIG CHILL"

OMG, Ava's Winter Program was a HOOT!  She did a great job, as did all the other 1st graders.  This has to be one of thee best school programs I have ever been to and with 8 kids, I have been to a few.  Ava LOVES performing, that is for sure!  I am so proud of her.  I have known for a long time that she loves to sing, dance, be the center of attention, but WOW, she WOWED me tonight with her wonderful smile, her love of life, the stage and making people smile and laugh just watching her.  It was so good to have a little alone time with her as well and it was so good to just have a few moments to just saviour the moment, to saviour her silly laugh and to just love this little girl who God has blessed our lives with.  Some of the photos are blurry, I do not have a very good camera, nor do I have a steady hand, but I did try and I did get a little video as well, so will post both when I figure out how.  I could not believe how well she did honestly, she knew all the words to the songs AND all the hand motions and she did so well.  Did I tell you already how proud I am of her?
One very blessed mom!  

Steve reading the story of Christmas to the girls last year on Christmas Eve

Yesterday:  Went to a doctors appt. here to get established as a patient, they took FIVE vials of blood for labwork!  Yes, Five.  Crazy!  Talk about being light headed when I was ready to head back to the car with a 3 year old in tow and you would think that with my brood, I would have a cracker or something in the car?  Nope, all stash was gone.  I am suppose to go for some x-rays today, (was suppose to go yesterday), but can't fig. out how to take a 3 year old, onry little boy with me for that one.  Steve has mtgs. most of the day, so there goes dropping him off there while I get the x-rays done.  Tonight, Ava has her Christmas program at school, so there won't be time to go after school either.  Oh well, it is a walk in appt., so will try to fit it into the schedule sometime in the next week.  Nothing serious going on, just my fibromyalgia acting up again and they just want to rule out everything else, like arthritis and other stuff.  Doctors office just called and the test for Rheumatoid arthritis is negative, YEAH, so the x-rays will show if it is Osteoarthritis or just my fibromyalgia getting worse.  Boy, getting old is the pits,  I keep telling myself that the kids will keep us young, someone please tell my body that.  The other labs are all within normal limits as well, only 2 tests not back yet!  So maybe my body is not in as bad of shape after all.  Just wish the fibro pain would allow me to workout more, as the meds for that make me GAIN WT.  Talked to the doctor about changing that medicine to something else and she said that unfortunately, that is the side effect for all of the meds that help with fibromyalgia pain.  Missing the swimming pool at the other house, more than ever.  Maybe I will have to join a Y or something like that here, so I can at least swim and Isaiah can too!  


Steve just called and one meeting was cancelled, so I can get this over with today, after all.  Only problem for Steve will be, NAPTIME!  Pray Isaiah behaves himself during the worse time of his day.  Really, Isaiah is a JOY, but naptimes he is a bear, he is just 3 and he is all boy.  


I am determined to get some of the Christmas packages wrapped today.  Also, going to see about taking a few items back, or putting them away for the next round of birthdays in February (Ava & Grace).  The kids are not getting that much, clothes and a couple of smaller things that they have asked Santa for.  We have the tree up and Marissa's purple tree, but not many ornaments, as most of them are still in KS in the barn at the other house, that is still for sale of course.  They did show the house yesterday though, so that is at least some, good news.  Guess what I want for Christmas?  


The girls have their "Holiday" parties at school tomorrow and get out at 11:15!  Hoping to get all the gift wrapping done before they are all 5 underfoot for the next 2-3 weeks.  It will be nice to have them home to do some holiday baking with and I can't wait to do some crafts with them after they open their presents on Christmas!  I got Grace and Jade some really neat Knitting kits to learn how to knit and I know they will love them.  Grace loves Origami, but I get tired of picking up her paper mess all over the house, so am secretly hoping she will pick up knitting and sewing instead.  At least we can keep all of that mess in one place, right?  I am sure Grace will be able to figure out how to do these, as she is very good with things like crafts, art etc.  Jade is too, but she would usually rather have her nose in a good book.  The girl LOVES to read.  Justin always loved to read as well and he still does.  I hope she will always have a love for reading.  "IF" Santa gets brave enough, Isaiah will be getting a drum set, so he can bang on that instead of everything else around the house and I am "secretly" hoping to instill a love of music in him, to channel all his energy and help to calm him down.  He is too bright for his own good sometimes....& being so darn cute AND knowing it, does not help either.  


My wish is for peace, joy, & love in our house, & more "Family Time", for our house to sell in KS and for us to find one here that is closer to the church I went to last weekend and for the kids to be able to go to the school there somehow.  We just need to work out the financial part of that.  Private school is very expensive here and we simply cannot afford it with our large family and with the cost of housing here, but somehow it has to work out.  I cannot keep the two older girls in the school they are currently in.  They have to be safe.  I have to feel ok about them being there.  I have even prayed about homeschooling IF we have to.  Hoping for a Christmas miracle so that they will not even have to return to the current school after the break.  Also, praying for our older boys this Christmas, God knows their needs for Christmas and my prayers for them.  Justin will be out of the Marines at the end of March and I am so thankful that his days of active duty are soon coming to an end.  Secretly hoping that Alex will move to TN to pursue his love for music, sooner, rather than later.  Maybe Justin will find a school here as well, when he gets out of the service and the boys can find a place together?  That would be GREAT! 
Justin loves to work on cars and he LOVES to cook, one thing he got from me.... the love to cook, not the working on cars.....He even built a grill when he was in Iraq so he could BBQ for everyone.  The kid can grill!  He makes me hungry just talking about the dishes he comes up with on his own.  He will miss the FRESH seafood from NC I'm sure, as well as surfing.  I can see him living somewhere near the ocean someday.  He likes to be close to the water, like Steve and I do, we just don't surf.  


Having lost a child to cancer, I know I am way over protective, but I can't help it and I will not apologize for wanting them to be close, happy, safe and for them to be doing something with their passions and for us to be able to watch them grow into wonderful, loving, productive adults.  


This year my goals are to be more patient, to find the time to begin writing Marissa's story, so SEE God in everything around me more, to be more thankful, to spend more time with each one of our children and with my husband and maybe just maybe we can really take a family vacation some time this next year.  


Well, if I am going to get anything done before going into Franklin for the x-rays, I better sign off for now.  


May God Bless and keep you in the palm of his hands each and every day.  


Blessings, Kim 


PS Jalin lost her first tooth last night!  The tooth fairy brought her $5   She was so excited to find that in the cup on the counter this morning and wanted to know where the tooth was.  I will try to post a picture today or tomorrow.  BTW the TF only brings that much for the 1st tooth they lose.  

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If anyone knows how to shrink my photo on the heading of my page, please let me know.  I would really appreciate it.  thanks and blessings, Kim

Introduction: Welcome to my blog, or attempt at a blog:

Dear Lord, give me the strength to write this blog well, to touch someone else with my daily writings, ramblings & photos. Let this blog be my strength to finally find the courage to write Marissa's story when YOU say I am ready to tell her story, our story. In the meantime, I pray that this blog will move others to want to make a difference in the life of a child.

I believe in living by these words: With GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE

Without Faith and Hope, there is nothing to live for.

With 8 children some days are more blessed than others, I am far from perfect, but I love my children and would do anything for them. I believe that they are all unique and should never be treated like cookie cutters. They all have strengths and weaknesses, don't we all, but they are all worth it!

Current Book I am reading: What Happens When Women Say Yes to God, by Lysa Terkeurst

You can read Lysa's Blog and more about her at: http://www.Proverbs31.org

Favorite Quotes & Sayings:

Live, Love, Laugh, Smile

Let my heart be broken with the things that break the heart of God-- Bob Pierce

I would add: Let my heart be MOVED by what breaks it, to make a difference in this world.

We can do no great things, only small things with great love--Mother Theresa

Never wake up angry, never go to sleep angry

Live with J.O.Y. always present in your mind: Jesus, Others, Yourself......

May God Bless & Keep you always in His loving hands.....