A Mother's Heart...

is aching for my daughter

RACHIE RUE

(a.k.a. Rachel)

who was diagnosed this afternoon with

MONO.

On Monday I received a call from the school nurse letting me know that

after taking her temperature and finding it to be 101 degrees...

that I would need to come get her.

Since I was OUT playing for the day with my parents,

I asked my wonderful neighbor to

pick her up.

By the time I got home she was sound asleep.

 I thought

with some sleep and rest should

would be well by morning.

But then she slept, 

and slept, and slept...

then she cried...

then she slept some more.

My normally vivacious, active, full of energy and laughter, 

fun-loving daughter could barely get out of bed.

My Mother's heart is aching for ALL my children tonight...

for in some way or another

they are all 

facing heartache, challenges or trials.

My heart is also aching for my 

SWEET HUBBY

who is facing a challenge of his own this year.

 

After spending 7 weeks of the most amazing, unlimited time together while he was

off work from shoulder surgery...

he has gone back to work...

to a new store...

a new boss...

and a much more difficult situation.

Gone is my happy, carefree husband that I got to enjoy over the

holidays...

and my wife's heart hurts to think that we must endure yet

another trial...

when so many we've already faced still feel so fresh

and the scars are still so visible.

But we will endure all these trials,

because we have each other...

and because we have

GOD!

 

My LITTLE guy...

My baby just turned

TEN.

 He is my handsome, lovable, intelligent, funny, baseball loving boy and I love being his mommy!

I LOVE all my children the same,

but I think this little guy LOVES me more than anyone but my sweet hubby!

Whenever people tell him they LOVE him...

he always grabs onto me

instead

and says, I only LOVE my mommy!

It is endearing...

and frustrating too!

I want him to know that MANY people can come into his life and love him and that it is a wonderful thing!

But until he believes me...

I will take his LOVE and squeeze him like crazy!

Jacob played on a football team once...

but it wasn't his sport.

He has never shown too much interest in any other sport...

so I was surprised when the kids this fall began playing baseball at the park every day after school...

that he would enjoy it so much that it became his passion.

He talks about

BASEBALL

all the time and told me tonight that when he gets older he is going to play for the 

PITTSBURGH PIRATES.

Between Christmas and his birthday...

every present he has received has revolved around

something to do with BASEBALL

so I was not surprised when he choose a baseball themed party for his 10th birthday!

We began with a trip to the

BATTING CAGES.

 Getting instructions and the rules to follow.

Jacob received a free T-shirt and baseball necklace...

just because he was such a 

handsome birthday boy!

Tyler's dad played for the Los Angeles Dodgers as a 

PITCHER.

When Tyler went to the pitching mound to throw some pitches...

WOW...this kid showed us he had some serious skills.

Jacob says he wants to concentrate on 

SECOND BASE.

His face pretty much explains why!

But what they REALLY, REALLY wanted to do was play a game of

BASEBALL.

Run...

Jacob run...

 and don't ever give up on your dreams!

Happy 10th Birthday buddy!

Mission Accomplished-Part 1

This last weekend I had the opportunity

to spend 

time with my 2nd family!

My little church family...I call the Laurel class.

It is NEVER easy to get all of us in ONE place at the SAME time

especially with our busy lives.

Even more impressive,

we managed to leave on time...

at least sort of!

 One of our sweet girls was locked out of her home and couldn't retrieve the items for our trip.
Not wanting anyone to miss out on this amazing experience we drove to her mother's work so she could get the key
for her house.
After retrieving her items we learned that another one of our
cute girls who was not going to be able to make it 
had just arrived home.
So we took off to her house
and "dragged" her into the car so we could all be together.
Upon reflection I realized that 
IF
we had left when we wanted too...
then one girl would have been left behind,

I learned then that sometimes when we try to do 
things on "our" time,
what we really need to do...
is do things on the "Lord's" time.
As amazing as it sounds...
even though we left an hour later than planned...
we left EXACTLY on time!

I'm so grateful that even though we
 had to CRAM everyone in my car...
that we were all able to go and spend this weekend together because
 I really LOVE all these amazing people!

Once we arrived...
we began our FUN with a game of Charades!

 I think these pictures capture the craziness and fun of it all!

 Double CHIN...anyone!?!

 
Even with unseasonably warm temperatures...
including up NORTH where it is usually colder...
we still had to have a good Hot Chocolate Bar,
Pazookie's and Peach Cobbler!

Oh yea...it was as good as it LOOKED!
We followed it up with an amazing FIRESIDE.

  One of our amazing Young Men's leader...
Brother Church
told his story of conversion to the gospel
of Jesus Christ.

 This picture and the many others I took show his personality...
so animated and full of energy.
He shared so many amazing things about his life and many of us left
INSPIRED by his message.

We played ping pong, pool, air hockey and a game of 
MURDER in the DARK
until almost 1:30 in the morning.

I know this last picture is blurry but it shows how much I love these girls
and how when we
feel the love we all have for one another,
and feel God's love for us...
it is

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED...
even if they did keep me up until 4 in the morning!
 
P.S. I will post our second day of fun soon.