i need thee every hour...

i have had this song by selah on repeat on my ipod this week. i keep thinking to the day i got back from california. the next day i had a few appointments, and i decided to stop in to see gram that wednesday. she couldn't speak, except to say "water" and "cold water"... i knew she was bad. i hated seeing her like that, and i left not knowing that she would pass from this life to the next 4 days later.

this video is not what i would have preferred, but it will have to do i suppose.

seriously?

BABY ADAH! come out already!!!!!! 24 hours in and still no princess adah. your mom and dad aren't THAT bad that you need to be THIS scared to meet them! in fact, they're pretty amazing. so, whadadya say? cut your mommy a break here and pop out already so they can meet you, precious!!





ps: i hope to one day sing this song for you with your mommy in our "old lady voices". :)

nothing of interest

i guess i don't lead a very exciting life. i haven't done much since returning from arizona. i did participate in the march for babies... i didn't have the chance to actually walk; but i did exceed my goal of $200 by $35!!! very exciting!

the following week i participated in a 3.5 mile walk that benefited lawrence and memorial hospital - the same hospital where i was born! 2 ladies from church joined me along with a student from the youth group. we had a great time just walking and talking. the 3.5 miles went by so quickly! of course i forgot my camera, so i have no proof of these festivities. :)

as far as my year of "transformation"... God has definitely been teaching me a lot this year. again i'm leaning on Him regarding my job... i got my letter of non-renewal (along with 69 other teachers in new london) and my future as a music teacher in the district is unknown. my gramma (my only living grandparent) went into the hospital while i was in arizona and is currently in the nursing home down the road... not sure if she'll ever come out. i have friends in serious financial trouble. friends with addictions. friends with health problems. lately, i ve had a very, very heavy heart.

i've had this song on repeat on my ipod for the past week. it reminds me to keep my eyes focused on God, and my praise on Him - through the sunshine and the storms.



a BIG shout out to amanda who is currently in the hospital about to make me an honorary auntie!!!! i'm hoping this post entertains her bored self for 3-5 minutes (depending if she watches the video and how fast she reads) love you amanda! praying your delivery is easy, quick, and pain free!! speaking of my honorary niece, adah... i'll be holding her in less than 2 months!!! :o)

i need your help!

i have raised $85 towards my goal of $200 for the march for babies NEXT SUNDAY! please consider donating -in any amount- via the link on my blog. one day, ALL babies will be born healthy!!!

i never made it to a good friday service today. my sister's church didn't offer one, and when i asked the secretary for any recommendations of churches in the area that did offer one, she said she didn't have that information. AND my niece and nephew had a half day of school today! on good friday?! so wrong.

i love Christmas, but Good Friday and Easter are what our faith is all about. the birth of Jesus is great, but without his crucifixion and resurrection, we wouldn't have our faith, and the relationship with our Heavenly Father that we have. every year i am more and more moved at the thought of Jesus hanging on the cross for me. it is something that i am unable to express my gratitude for in words... praise God for the sacrifice of his son!

today was spent shopping with mom, my sister and my 3 year old niece, natalya. we took a nap this afternoon, and ran to the store to get ingredients to make homemade pizza! so yummy! tonight i played uno! with my niece, becca.

off to try to sleep... this time difference has me all messed up! i'm trying my best to stay on east coast time... but... so far it's not going so well.

i'll leave you with a picture of natalya. here's the gorgeous face i woke up to this morning:

unredeemed

if you haven't already, you need to go to angie smith's blog. tomorrow she will mark the 1 year anniversary of giving birth to her daughter, audrey caroline, who only lived for about an hour outside the womb. she has used her blog to share audrey's story, and she has been such an incredible example of a woman after God's own heart for not only myself, but hundreds of thousands of people.

angie's husband todd sings for the group selah, and they have an album coming out soon. for 3 days only (and now probably just for today and tomorrow) they have the song "unredeemed" available for listening on angie's blog. i encourage you to go listen. (make sure you mute the music at the bottom of her blog page.) just a few lines in i felt the tears fall from my eyes. the song is amazing.

it's holy week, and i'll be posting some thoughts later in the week (i hope - lots to do before leaving thursday!)

be blessed!

not me! monday

by inspiration of mckmama, i'm going to give a shot at the "not me! monday" post. you post all of the things that you "didn't do" throughout the week. here goes nothing:

I did not say I was going to go to the gym every day until I leave for vacation in arizona and come up with a "valid" excuse not to go every day except for one!

Also, I did not press the unlock button for my car this morning on my way out, thinking that it would unlock the door to the garage. Nope, not me!

I didn't secretly hope that my coworker would be out sick today so i wouldn't have to play therapist.

Oh... and I didn't decide to eat brunch for lunch at school instead of my healthy choice frozen meal.

I didn't decide against the gym today because by the time i left school it was almost 4 o'clock and i didn't rationalize it by telling myself i'll go first thing tomorrow morning. No way. Not me.

I also didn't go to the cheesecake factory on friday night in spite of wanting to lose 6 pounds before leaving for vacation next week.

And there is NO WAY I went tanning despite warnings from my mother and a close family friend who recently had surgery for skin cancer.

Oh and I definitely didn't text my way through choir practice.

I didn't add Stellan's picture to the background of my phone because I think he is absolutely gorgeous (I actually did did this in order to pray for him every time I look at my phone... which is nearly constantly).

And finally, I definitely did not have iced coffee for breakfast every day last week, in spite of the healing ulcer in my stomach.

- - - - - -

So that's it! My first not me! monday post!

get on your knees

it's midnight... i'm trying to fall asleep but it's not happening.



I follow MckMama's blog. Her infant son, Stellan, was not expected to live when he was born due to a heart defect. To the surprise of everyone except for the Great Physician, he was born healthy with no trace of any heart problems.

Stellan has been in the hospital since Saturday night with a rapid heartbeat. We're talking 300 beats per minute with little reprieve. You can get the details and medical mumbo jumbo at MckMama's blog...

One thing you may not know about me, is that I pray for people's children as if they were my own. I haven't been blessed with a husband or kids, so I take my friend's kids and pray for them as I would my own. MckMama isn't a "friend" per say, but I know enough about her and her children that I feel as if I know them.

Tonight, I found myself weeping at the prospect of this amazing Woman of God losing her beautiful, seemingly healthy son. I know that none of this comes as a surprise to God, and He's got the outcome under control... but I can't help but wonder...

I'm pleading with God to heal this boy. And I ask that whoever comes across this hole-in-the-wall blog to get on your knees tonight and ask for healing for baby Stellan.

love this verse

"The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.". ~ Zephaniah 3:17