SNOW!

Finally some snow down here. It is still snowing as I type and we already have about 5 or 6 inches on the ground. The govenor has declared a state of emergency (Ha!). They have so many accidents on the road right now that the police can't keep up. They are encouraging everyone to just stay home. The kids have already played outside for about an hour. Esther cried because her hands hurt when they started to warm up. A couple of neighborhood kids had some sleds and in our backyard is a great hill. It ends in a stream at the bottom so mean mom made Carl stand at the bottom to catch fast sledders from landing in the water. I stayed inside and cooked up a lunch of cinnamon rolls and pancakes. Carl made some scrambled eggs with veggies and we had hot chocolate to drink. The kids are now playing the WII we got for Christmas and enjoying a day of daddy not going to work. Although he does have one crazy coworker who went in to work and keeps calling him with questions. Carl took a bunch of videos and some will make you laugh. Here are my favorite.

We Are Supposed to Get Snow!

The weather this year in NC has been weird. Cold one week and then warm the next. This past week it has been freezing, and I do mean the coldest weather that NC has seen in ten years. We have had flurries already for several days but nothing has stayed. Tomorrow we are expecting 2 to 4 inches. That is big deal down here. Everyone is freaking out. The grocery stores are packed and so are the gas stations. The last snow we had was a surprise storm that came in the middle of the day. Schools freaked and let kids out. Buses got stranded on the road because no one knew how to drive in snow or ice. There were abandoned cars on the side of the road for a week. People were trapped at work and the some kids were trapped at school. Everyone is being very cuatious this time around. Luckily the storm is suppopsed to come overnight so the schools should be okay. I need to go out and buy hats and gloves for the kids. It is not something we use a lot down here. I know I have some but I can't find them. The kids have probably outgrown them anyway. Last night Carl and Alex stood back to back and Alex comes up almost to Carl's shoulder. Wow! Time flies. Just wanted to let you all know about our white forecast. I will take pictures for everyone if it really does snow.

Cd I Highly Recommend

I bought this CD at the home school fair this past May. I like to listen to it every couple months because it is just so good. It is Doug Philips A Wise Woman's Guide to Blessing Her Husbands Vision. Talk about a kick in the pants. It is absolutely fabulous and very convicting. One of the things that struck me this time I was listening to it was the fact about the bricks. He said that our husbands have bricks on them from their jobs, church, family, other people and circumstances around them. It is our job as wives to try and ease some of the pressure from these bricks. The one thing that he said that really made me think was that as wives we sometimes add more bricks to his pile without even realizing that we are doing it. It could be just a passing comment to our husbands but in their mind it is another brick added to their pile. Wow! How many bricks have I unintentionally put on Carl? I decided that I am really going to try to not add any more bricks to Carl. I am going to put a note on my bathroom mirror that simply says NO MORE BRICKS. I hope that it serves as a reminder to build up my husband and not tear him down. I highly recommend buying the CD or trying to get a copy from someone else. If you have it already, listen to it again.

Praise

My mom just called and said they got back the results from his bone marrow biopsy. He is in COMPLETE REMISSION. Praise the Lord. I have spent the whole morning crying out of happiness and a little pregancny homrones mixed in. It has been a rough 9 months but he is finally done and ready just to play with his grandkids again. Thank you all for praying for my family throughout all of this.

Prayer Requests

My mom called today with an update about my dad. He had his bone marrow biopsy today to determine if the leukemia is in remission. They will have the results next Wednesday. We are all walking around on pins and needles until the results get back. He was already told that if the results are not good that he may have to have the treatment all over again. I don't think his body can take it. Also be in prayer for my mom. She was told today that her lungs are working at 50% capacity. She was diagnosed with Respiratory Obstruction. Because of her lupus they can't put her on the normal medication for it. She may have to go on mega doses of steroids which is not fun. Be in prayer for my sister also. Her doctors want to wean her off her beta blockers. She has been on them for 16 years. It is the medication that stabilizes her blood pressure and keeps her from passing out. Pray her body adjusts well and she can come off them without any side effects. Wow! My family sure is weird. But at least they are all saved and we know we will all meet up in heaven one day. It definitely makes life interesting and causes reliance on God and lots of prayer. Love all of you guys and can't wait to see everyone in a couple weeks.

Thankful

This time of year always makes me feel like crying. I guess it must those pregnancy hormones kicking into high gear this year. I am just so overwhelmed at all the things the Lord has blessed me with this year. This year has been filled with ups and downs. When my dad was diagnosed in March with Leukemia I felt like I had the wind knocked out of me. My mom and I just kept saying to each other that God is never surprised by the things in our lives. That has been my theme for this year. God is never surprised. Last night as I sat through our praise and worship service at church I just kept thinking of all the things I have been blessed with.
I am thankful for
*the doctors catching my dad's leukemia in the very early stages
*my dad's last chemotherapy treatment was last Friday (120 sessions and 9 months)
*a wonderful husband who treats me like a clean especially when I am throwing up
*wonderful parents and in-laws who love the Lord
*the job Carl has that provides for our family
*the awesome privilege to home school our six blessings
*paper to draw on and all the pictures I get that say "I love you mommy"
*a new life to be born this year
*six beautiful children who teach me patience everyday of my life
*the Word of God that we can freely read from
*a great church where I can fellowship with others without fear of persecution *soldiers who are willing to leave their families on holidays so I can live in a free country
*a house that we can afford
*gas prices going down
*Walmart and Aldi's
*books to read to my little ones
*Alex finally being convinced that "Yes, I can read"
*Nathan finally being able to hold a pencil and form letters and numbers
*William and his sensitive heart (his hugs warm my heart)
*Esther and her desire to be just like mommy
*Daniel and I dancing together in the kitchen
*Sam and his smiles and cuddles and giggle
*11 years with Carl

Oh, the list could go on and on. We are so blessed. I am just overwhelmed at how the Lord always provides and then blesses us above and beyond what we deserves(which is nothing). Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow. That says it all.

More Harvest Fest Pictures

Here are some more awesome pictures of my guys enjoying the Harvest Fest.