PRAY, PRAY, PRAY

We are in some desperate need for two very precious girls and their precious newborns from our area.  It's so hard to see God's plan in everything and in everything give praise.  I've linked to their blogs on here before but tonight it seems that things have turned a corner.  I believe in the power of prayer.  I believe in miracles.  My family has been on the receiving end of some pretty serious things, but we have also been on the receiving end of a miracle straight from God; not once, but a few times.  If you know my family, then you know what I'm talking about.  If not, perhaps I'll tell the story on my blog one day. 

Please, please lift up Baby Harper and new Mama Kelly.  You can check out her site HERE. 

Please, please lift up Baby Brayden and new Mama Jenna.  You can check out her site HERE.

Jordan and I are fervently praying and crying out to God tonight to please, please be with these babies and these families. 

I believe in miracles....the question is:  DO YOU?

Super Mom, Sort of

Yesterday we woke up to snow!  As any good southern girl does, I freaked out and just HAD to run to the store for a few groceries!  The problem was that we did not have any dog food for Jack or turkey for my daily turkey sammich with sun chips, and we just couldn't let Jackson go hungry while it snowed, now could we?!  I dressed John Michael up in his blue snow suit and packed he and Jack up in the car and headed to the grocery store.  We made it down the steep driveway since the snow was just fluffy! I prayed the whole way down.  I was so proud of myself for driving in the snow!

Look how THRILLED he is to be in 10 degree snow!

After we got home from the grocery store I was motivated to CLEAN!  I swept the kitchen, then swiffered it for good measure, then mopped!  I also vacuumed the den, John Michael's room, and cleaned the hardwoods.  I did the dishes and some laundry!  I had so much energy to get lots of things done.  It could have been from the oatmeal cream pie that I ate for breakfast?!

To continue my day as super mom, I popped some chicken in the crockpot around 4 and I didn't have to lift another pretty little finger for dinner.  I made this recipe from a blog that I read.  I messed up a little though with my BBQ sauce, so I'm sure next time it will be better.  It was so easy and very good!  I'm slowly making good on my New Year's resolution to cook more in my crock pot so that I have more time with Jordan and John Michael at night.  I love when things are easy breezy.

We basically just stayed in out of the cold and played and napped yesterday!  John Michael is really wanting to crawl but he also likes to be up on his legs so that he can practice walking while holding onto us!  Perhaps today we will venture out since it's warming up a little bit.

[caption id="attachment_399" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="JM loves his Fisher Price activity table that he got for Christmas!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_400" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="He wants to crawl so badly!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_401" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="Daddy can show you how!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_402" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="You can do it!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_406" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="Whhhhheeeeeee!"][/caption]

If you get a chance today, please say a prayer for Baby Brayden and also Kelly.  Baby Brayden is a newborn who is having trouble with his lungs.  He has been diagnosed with Primary Pulmonary Hypertension and is on a vent in Little Rock.  Keep this family in your prayers as mommy recovers from a C-section and they struggle with watching their little one struggle.  I cannot imagine what they are going through right now.  Also, Kelly is having her baby today and we just pray for a safe, healthy delivery and a healthy baby and mama!  The blogging world is just waiting for Harper to arrive!

P.S.  OK, so I'm not super mom or anywhere close to that.  I didn't even know that JM threw up EVERYWHERE during his nap.  I had his video monitor beside me the whole time, but I didn't really notice.  Eh, this is just one more new-mom hurdle that I'm learning to jump with grace!  We've been to the doctor and I think his bug is just hanging around for a while.  He's lost a little weight; that's a first!  Hopefully he will be back to normal soon!

Verse O' the Day:

Since my youth, O God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds. Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come.

Psalm 71:17-18

Dogs, Decorating, and Fun

The ole stomach bug is still hanging around, but not too bad.  Just a few little problems left.  Hopefully all will be back to normal in a day or so.  JM has been napping and sleeping great (except last night).  I made Jordan go move him at about 4:45 am because he was sideways at the top of the crib and his head was smashed against the rails and he kept hitting it on his Ocean Wonders Aquarium.  It was all downhill from there and he was basically awake before 7!  That never happens!  I had a hard time functioning this morning.

As you can tell by the next pictures, we once again have our same face issues back again.  I'm kinda unsure of what to do with it!  I'm thinking we may have to go to a dermatologist.  The red dry patches are back along with little red dots that look like they are open and crusting over.  Poor guy!!

Today we played inside while we wait for the stomach bug to get over!  The weather is pretty cold and windy and I think tomorrow will be worse.  It's supposed to be wind chill in the negatives!!  I want to live in Florida!  I don't want to go anywhere in this cold!  You can definitely tell that I'm from the deep south.  I'm basically just miserable until April.  I like my warm, comfy house.

Playing the day away!

[caption id="attachment_392" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="He played with this spin top ALL day long!"][/caption]

Update on vomit dog:  Our grooming appointment was supposed to be today, but JM took a two and a half hour nap and then our car would not start, so Jack did NOT get cleaned.  That's bad for us because we have to put up with the smell for one more night.  Poor dog!

Decorating Help Needed!!!

I have this open space to the left of the refrigerator and I don't know what to do with it.  I had part of my snow village there for Christmas and before that I had my Kitchen-Aid mixer there.  Now, I want to do something a little more decorative, but what????  What do you do with a tiny space in the kitchen?  Any ideas?

Verse O' the Day:

Let me hear Your loving kindness in the morning; for I trust in You; teach me the way in which I should walk; for to You I lift up my soul.

Psalm 143:8

My New Best Friend

I'm learning so much just by watching Little Einsteins.  That show is awesome and the theme song is catchy!  JM likes it a lot but it's seriously educational.  Like, for example, I learned that the theme from 90's TV show Wings was actually a classical music piece, not just a theme song.  I love that show and I DVR it every morning on USA now!  Learning things that should be well-known fact reminds me of a few years ago when I learned that Hall & Oats the singers were NOT, in fact, HAULING OATS.  Jordan still doesn't let me forget that one.  I guess we didn't learn such things in AP classes in high school or through ALL five years of college.

Anyway, my new best friend is.....................

The Germ Guardian!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wish that I had gotten this months ago.  It's the Germ Guardian and it kills 99% of germs in 30 minutes.  What's great about it is that you can put pacifiers, bottle stuff, toys, and breast pump pieces in it!  It says it uses dry heat to sanitize, which is safer than harmful chemicals.  It's perfect for right now with the stomach bug going around and colds and stuff!  What I like about it is that I can put plush toys in it since I'm never really sure they're clean.  I'm not crazy-sanitary-mom, just come by our house anytime and you'll see, but I really love this product.  Their website says it kills: Staph, RSV, Coronavirus, E. Coli, and salmonella.  Now, it's a little loud, kind of like your exhaust fan above the stove.  It runs for 30 minutes and shuts off when it's done!  I ordered ours from Babies R Us but you can find out more information, here.

Jackson is STILL smelling so bad.  We had to crate him last night because we could not take the smell!  The groomer is closed today so I have to wait until tomorrow to call.  He's so matted and he really, really needs a BIG haircut or we would attempt to bathe him ourselves!

John Michael slept ALL night again!  I can't believe it.  I thought for sure we would have a really rough night since he has the stomach bug.  I was so worried all night long that he might throw up and I wouldn't know, but he did not.  I also wrestled with wondering if I should mess with this precious, precious sleep and wake him up to feed him.  I was worried about him not getting enough fluid.  He did throw up his first morning feeding, so still no food for him!  His diaper wasn't as full, but he had decent output.  His diapers still should be a little more wet, but I know a little dehydration goes along with this.  It's funny the problems that you face as a new mom: should you wake up the baby during the night to feed him even though he's just started sleeping through the night without eating, what if he runs a fever and you don't know, what if he throws up and you don't know that, either, should you sleep back there in case he throws up and on and on and on. 

JM asleep on Daddy at Target

Hopefully, the rest of the day will go well.  John Michael is sleeping very well right now so I'm hoping we have a great day!  Hope you have one too!

Verse O the Day:

Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.

Revelation 3:20

My Dog Smells Like Throw Up

It's true.  When John Michael came down with the stomach bug today, he hurled on our poor, unsuspecting bichon frise.  Unfortunately, Jackson loves any kind of baby throw up or spit up so he immediately began licking ALL over the place.  Not a pretty sight.  Even after a min-wash Jackson smells REALLY bad.  SInce he's so fluffy and curly we can't just wash him like normal.  He HAS to be taken to the groomer.  We can't get within a four foot radius of him.  Hopefully the groomer can squeeze us in in the next day or two.  I think I'm going to cancel our vet appointment tomorrow since JM is sick.  Besides, I wasn't sure how I was going to handle Jack with JM on my hip. 

I know one more child from playgroup-church who has the stomach bug.  I surely hope no more will get it!  I am hoping that he will all better by tomorrow.  I'm not sure how tonight will go.  Good News:  JM slept until 8 and 7am this weekend.  I'm not sure why he did, but I don't want this sickness to mess with this great sleep!  You would think that more sleep would make me feel better but for some reason it makes me feel worse to be able to get solid sleep for a few nights.  My body is not used to it!

Besides all this, we had a pretty fun weekend.  We went to Fayetteville and got my rings cleaned, went to Rick's Bakery, spent some of JM's Christmas money and used a gift certificate at the mall!

Hola from Rick's Bakery

We Match!

Mama and JM

Rick's Bakery...we were so bad!

Next we went to Target to get JM a toy storage rack.  It has several shelves with plastic tubs of different sizes.  It has helped us with all the toys that we got for Christmas.  They are now nicely stored away!  I thought it would fit in the closet, but it doesn't quite fit.  It's in his room for now!

We are officially on baby-watch over at Kelly's Korner!  Kelly is due tomorrow, but who knows when Baby Harper will show up!  We are praying for a safe, healthy delivery.  We hope Harper comes soon!

Verse O' the Day:

But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. 1 Thessalonians 2:4