A PRAYER SENT TO ME BY MY COUSIN, SHARON

~Dear God,

The lady reading this is beautiful, classy & strong and I love her.
Help her live her life to the fullest.
Please promote her and cause her to excel above expectations.
Help her to shine in darkest places and love where it is impossible to love. Protect her at all times, lift her up when she needs you the most and let her know that when she walks with you; she will always be safe.



Send to all the ladies you love.



I just did. ~





Now I'm Sending It To You.





Peace.

CHINA, BABY! Raffle

Rebecca and family(China, Baby!) are raising funds to help bring Mr. Owen home.

Hop on Over, donate $3 , and you could win this beautiful handmade set.

Check It Out.

Peace.

Zoo Trip for the Wild Bunch

Thursday we took a trip to the zoo.


There was a cool breeze, the sun was shining and there were no crowds.


The little girls were able to run and play.


The big kids enjoyed teaching the little kids about the animals
they were seeing.



We got there at feeding time, so the animals were lively.



Ben checking out the tiger.


She was a very big girl!


Rachel thought the tigress was a very BIG girl
and that she was very close to the fence.


We loved all of the bamboo.
We have decided to plant some in the back yard.


Mary- " LOOK! It's a ZeeVRa!"


We decided that we wanted Peacocks,too.


Mary enjoying the view.


Rachel modeling for Mom.


The Wild Bunch!




Mary and Ben thought this Totem was Cool.


Looking for the Gators.


Found them!


Hissing Female!
She was loud. The kids knew what was going on.
Thank you , Crocodile Hunter!


The male was hiding in the bush.
He was a Big one.

Zoo Trip (Part 2)

Mary and her 1st Coke Icee!


They were a big hit!




We decided that we wanted the rain forest exhibit in our backyard,too.


If you look closely, you can see the jaguar behind Caleb.



Riding the Carousel.






Waiting for the train.


"I see it!"


Rachel loved the train.


My right-hand man.


Sweet Babies.


No trip would be complete without dinner at Cracker Barrel.


We Love.....

Love.......

Love.......

The Cracker Barrel.

It was a good day.

Peace.

STARTS FRIDAY!

You have PLENTY of time to get a babysitter!

Peace.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

We're Home--All Five of Us!
Hi All, We are home.

She did well on the trip home.

We started out with a 3-hour drive over to Hong Kong, a 3-hour wait in the airport which included God moving yet another mountain with her oxygen on the long flight, a 14-hour flight to Chicago, and another flight on a very small private plane to our hometown.We have our BOYS back with us.

They have been well cared for, but even they are glad to be home.

We are all tired.

All 3 kids are asleep and we are not far behind. I wanted to update you all.

I am sorry I did not give more detail before we left China about our travel home but we just wanted to be safe.

Sometime later this week I want to do a recap post--when my head is not spinning.

Please do pray for us in the morning as we take her in for a cardiology appointment. We are trying to prepare ourselves for possibility that her doctor will admit her.

Though she is doing well, her oxygen stats are low and her pulse is fairly high.

We appreciate all of your concern and prayers over the last week.

It is so good to be home!
Posted by

LESLIE

Can Anyone Help Me Find.................

THIS!

We watch a lot of classic movies with snow scenes in them.

Meet Me in St. Louis, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Disney's
Snowball Express- just to name a few.

The kids ALWAYS comment on the snow and remind us of how sad it is that they never get to play in the snow, because we live in the South.

Last February, Stacy & I made the mistake of telling our children
(and our nieces) that we would take them to REAL SNOW.


We went skiing in 99'.
Caleb is the only one who remembers anything about it-
but he will tell you that Snow Mass was not his kind of place...too
tourist-y.


I am sure that some of you (who live in snow) are thinking
that we are insane,but snow is the one thing that Southern kids long for
.......and only get about once every 10 years.

The kids have told us that they do not want to ski.
They want to ride on sleds , snow boards, build snowmen,
wear ice skates, and ride in a sleigh-"like the one Almanzo uses
to drive Laura around in Little Town on the Prairie".

Rachel wants Hot Cocoa everyday and Riley wants me to make Chili.

They have it all figured out.

They do not want to go anywhere like Aspen or Sun Valley...too many people. They said that they want "the people (in the town) to be friendly and smile", and they want little cafe's that serve" home~cooking and pie".

AND they would really like to get there by train,"because you can see lots of stuff & trains are cool".

So if you live in a place like this, if you've visited a place like this, OR if you know of a place like this....PLEASE let me know.

Really....I'm not kidding.....

These kids will be forever in your debt.

Peace

GOD OF WONDERS!

GUESS WHO HAD A "GOTCHA DAY"?!



FOR THE WHOLE STORY IN ALL ITS GLORY


HOP OVER TO SUSANNAH'S SITE!

Don't forget the Kleenex! It's a 2-box'er!

Peace.