WOK ON!!!

Yesterday afternoon we gathered with new friends to celebrate Chinese New Year. We started off at the library for crafts, music, ribbon dancing, fan dancing and one big monster Dragon Dance!! It was great fun and the kido's all had a blast.

After our fun times there, we all decended on a local Chinese restaurant for some delicious food and fellowship. (...and yes, they knew we were coming...we didn't just show up!) and finally we ended with fireworks in the parking lot (also know as popping bubble wrap!) It was a hoot!

There were about 50 people in attendance and to see all those beautiful little girls and boys in their adorable traditional Chinese dress was indeed a sight!

Here are some pictures for you to enjoy!!!

Lili made a little Dragon

Aly working on her Dragon

My little Chinese jumping bean...a two year old in motion!!!

Here is Lili just looking beautiful and showing off her Dragon Tatoo

Daddy and Aly decorate a Kite.

Two precious little hands

Lili and her Poppy!

Aly and her friend Betsy

Not sure what the look on Aly's face is, but it is about the best picture I got of the two of them. At least they are both looking at the camera!!

Oh my...there just are no words. I am overwhelmed by this child!!

The Dragon Dance. Notice the big dragon head on the right behind the lady in red?

Here is Aly under the back of the Dragon as it made it's way through the room.

Chinese New Year - 2008

...Calm and New Beginnings...

Happy 2008 to you all!!! I must admit that I have been really looking forward to saying goodbye to the year 2007. As the holidays got closer all I could remember was hearing my mother. About a week before she died, we were talking about so many things and she said, "Shelley, do you think I will be here for Christmas this year?" I told her that we just didn't know, but deep down I think we both knew that she wouldn't. I began to steel myself up for the next few months in anticipation of just getting through the holidays. We made it okay ...that is until yesterday. Yesterday was New Years Eve and my 41st birthday. I had a rough day. It was much worse than Christmas day. David had a rough day too. We both just wanted to talk to our Moms. I just moped all day and did a good bit of crying. I was trying to stay busy, but it was just no use. I was miserable thinking about how much I missed my Mommy. Aly kept coming up to me, hugging me and singing Happy Birthday and...well...to tell you the truth, that was about all that kept my head above water.
We went out to dinner for my birthday and Dad was, well...very grumpy and quiet. It was akward to say the least. We did try to enjoy my birthday dinner and then came home and David, the girls and I just hung out in our bedroom and had some fun playing. Some good friends called about 9pm and said they were on their way over with some Champagne and so the day did end good...about about 12:30am!! :-)
I was talking with David as we were trying to figure out why today hit us both so hard, I think I figured out that we were prepared for Thanksgiving and Christmas to be hard and were mentally prepared a bit. But I wasn't expecting it to hit me for my birthday or the New Year and so we got kind of blindsided.
I have so many expectations of this new year. I am praying for a more peaceful year for our family. I am praying for a repreive from the spiritual testing for us all. But, then I remember that my most important prayer is for God's will to be accomplished through our family...whatever that brings!! A year ago I couldn't imagine it getting worse...but it certainly did. We have survived...a few scars, but God has been here with us through it all.
I was watching a Halmark channel movie the other day and a quote really stuck out at me..."The truth of God's love is not in that He allows bad things to happen, but it is His promise that He'll be there with us when they do." You know, I have had the discussion so many times about God allowing bad things to happen to decent people and I realized with this statement that it doesn't really matter and it isn't the point anyway. The point is that he is with us when they do. God has been with me for so long now. But, especially through all the chaos of this last 18 months or so in our family. I can't imagine how people get through struggles like these without the love of God to carry you! I can't imagine getting through any of the big things in life without the Love of God to carry you!! There have been so many times where I physically felt Him walking (Physically and spiritually) for me when I couldn't.
So, now we have moved into the next year of our lives. I have no idea what God has in store for us. I am excited to see how he will use us in the year 2008. I am thankful that somehow, through all of our failures, God still sees fit to use us at all!!!!
My hopes are for a bit more simplicity (good heavens...have you seen our house???) and for some time to heal and renew as a family and as a woman/wife/mother. I want to focus on my children more this year instead of dragging them through it like they did this past year. Thank you God that my children are so flexible!! :-) I want to focus on my husband and my relationship more this year...we have definately gotten lost in the shuffle.
So, if you want to do something for us this year, please remember to pray for us. Pray for God to direct us and heal us, strengthen us and guide us and set our steps exactly as HE wants them for 2008.
I will pray the same for you!!
Please leave me a comment if there is any way that I can pray for you or anything I can do for you!!
God Bless you as you start into this year!! May God richly bless you in all the ways that He sees fit for you. May He guide you in all the ways that will bring Glory to Him. May you be used of HIM in MIGHTY Ways over these next 12 months!!!
In HIS Mighty Grip~

Still waiting ...still trusting...

Hi everyone. First of all let me say that I am overwhelmed by the emails and phone calls of support and love that we have received. I am truly blessed!!
Mom has now been moved to a nursing home. I don't understand Insurance companies...oh, I guess they think you can die cheaper in a nursing home than you can in a hospital!! They made us move her yesterday. She was so very depressed as we were getting her settled...it nearly broke my heart.
Let me back up to David's last post. Mom had the reaction to the Morphine and she never really came out of it. She ended up with high levels of CO2 in her system. Because of her size and also her sleep apnea and the fact that she is flat on her back in the bed, she is unable to get rid of the CO2, so her O2 levels are continuing to drop and the CO2 levels are continuing to rise. She sleeps a lot and when she is awake she is very confused and talking out of her head. Sometimes she knows she isn't making sense and sometimes she gets very angry at me for thinking that she isn't making any sense...is any of this making any sense???? Anyway, they are telling us that this will continue and eventually the CO2 levels with get high enough that she will go to sleep and just not wake up. Praise God...then she will be free from the terribly broken body that she is in and she will be resting in her Heavenly Father's arm forever!!!!!!!!!!!!
She is in a lot of pain, so my Dad has authorized them to give her however much Morphine she needs to be pain free. We know that this will cause her CO2 levels to rise because it effects her respiratory system and thus expidite her passing, but we know that it will also be a painless way to go!!! So we spend our days and nights (someone is with her 24/7) by her bedside explaining everything to her over and over and trying to comfort her as she talks crazy stuff.
I have prayed that God will be merciful and not let her suffer or linger a second longer than HIS will would dictate. I don't want her to go, but I don't want her to suffer even more!
My Dad is really limping along through all of this. It is really taking a huge toll on him..I just don't know how much more he can take. I am asking for many prayers for him. For strength, for courage, for peace and sweet sleep when he comes home and tries to rest. He isn't sleeping well and is so very tired. That David and I will have the right words to comfort him, that he will seek God through it all and draw closer to him!!
Obviously the Dr.'s don't know how much longer Mom has with us, but they say that it most likely will be days. So we are still waiting...still trusting in our Father's love to get us through it all...

Continue to pray for us...please

Here is Carolyn with her "rubber ducky". Ready for her sponge bath. This picture was taken a few days before the current hardship she is in.



Poppy and his girls are enjoying some fresh boiled peanuts.



Here is Lili trying to escape before Aly gets to her and swings her around like that sock monkey.





Greetings Dear Friends and Family.
I am posting today instead of Shelley because she is worn out emotionally and somewhat physically and she asked me to do it. I don't mind as I just like so many of you find it cathartic and somewhat healing to share thoughts and needs with others via the internet. So let me take the opportunity to give thanks to our Heavenly Father for giving us this medium in which to share.

Having said all that, I am posting once again and asking for your continued prayers. Shelley's Mom has taken an unexpected and quick turn for the worse and it has shaken her tremendously. We expected that Carolyn might be around for the next few months at least and that during that time Shelley would have the opportunity to spend time and learn and love and grow as much as she could from her relationship with her mother.

Carolyn did not respond too well to some pain medication and it caused her to go "loopy" and begin to be incoherent. This kept on for some hours and her breathing began to be affected so If Shelley had not made the medical staff pay closer attention her mother may not have made it through the night. She was in a nonresponsive condition this morning at 8:00 am and they were going to move her into ICU. Shelley called me very distraught and was so scared that her mother's time was at hand. "I'm not ready for her to go". I can remember those words going around and round in my own mind not too long ago. I don't know if I would have ever been truly ready. So you can see the heartache we are all experienceing and need for your prayers and support.

Her mother came back a little today and although she has responded more this is just a short glimmer of light as her light will continue to grow steadily dimmer. We know the light of the world and although His light is truly all we ever need we none the less will miss our loved ones and espesially or mother's.

Sorry that maybe this post hasn't been completely coherent because of lack of good sleep and a thousand other things running through my brain (and around our living room). We are in need of direction as to what to do after Carolyn goes to be with Jesus. We have several options but we want to make sure that we are hearing and obeying GOD's will for our family.

Thank you and God bless all of you for your love, prayers and support. Call us for updates on Carolyn and our family if you like. A friendly voice is such a healing balm at times like these.
Shelley's cell phone (615) 574-9222, and mine is 9060.



Just a small smile brightens our lives.

Love to you all.
We continue to be as we will ALWAYS be
In HIS MIGHTY GRIP
David, Shelley, Aly, Lili and Bailey.