Friday, September 11, 2009

So glad this week is over! + Pictures

We had the visitation on Monday and it turned our really nice. A lot of people showed up and almost every person in our church family, which meant so much. I can't begin to tell you how much I love our church family.... they are amazing. At the end of visitation, Our Pastor lead prayer and then he invited anyone who wanted to speak to jump in. Talk about a room full of tears... there were SO many wonderful, heart touching stories... it's amazing how many lives he touched. It was a hard day for D. :( After visitation we all went back to Susans (D's sister) for dinner and to visit.

Tuesday was the funeral. Hard, hard day. I was up most the night, finshing up the hand out/bulletin. I designed a pretty big hand out for the funeral, which included 3 pages of photos and also personal stories that my FIL had written to all of us and to his kids- sharing how God has always had his hand in his life. I'm happy to share these stories with anyone interested... they are really good, I have them in email form, so just ask. :) Chelcey also put together a really nice powerpoint presensation of photos of his life which was displayed on the big projector screen during the funeral service- she did a really nice job. Courtney sang a solo of "Amazing Grace" for the funeral and she did an outstanding job, I was so proud of her and it really meant a lot to her to be able to do that. D had a (really) tough time.... :( After the graveside service, we went back to our church where our church family put together an amazing buffet luncheon for everyone... they really outdid themselves, we were so grateful!

I kept the girls home from school on Weds., "just because" so they could have an extra day to just do whatever they needed/wanted to do. That, and well... D and I didn't sleep at ALL that entire week, so when the alarm went off Weds. morning we both just said forget about it. We all slept in until after 10am, so that was REALLY nice.

D started back to work on Weds. (half day), but said it was good to get back to normalacy. They (his company) had a big GM meeting Thursday & Friday so he's had a (really) long week, bless his heart. He's doing okay... has his moments, he's just (really, really) tierd. :( He's not sleeping at night (which of corse, causes me not to sleep at night)... he's been sleeping on the couch since 4:30pm, so hopefully he can get caught up over the weekend by just relaxing.

Chelc, Court, and I did a little impulse shopping after school today. D stayed with the little ones while I took Chelcey up to get her check from work, then they talked me into going to Von Maur (Chelcey has been looking for some Sperry High Tops for school. That's always a bad idea, the 3 of us in a department store. :) Needless to say, we left with 2 BIG bags full of clothes (sooooo bad!!!!), but we got some really cute fall stuff that was needed (esp. Courtney) but man oh man, just don't tell the husband. :) He was asleep when we came in (still is... lol), so we managed to put it all away without waking him up. Hey, relax... it's not called being sneaky- if he asks, I'll tell. If he doesn't ask, well... he doesn't ask. :)

Aspen has a birthday party tommorow at 10am. I am still wondering why on earth, on a Saturday, would you have a birthday party so early? It's our only day to sleep in for crying out loud. Oh well, welcome to parenthood I guess. You guys know what I bought her friend... the same gift I buy ALL of their friends that cute little monogrammed cookie from Hallmark store (lol) and a webkinz. I'm SOoOOOOoo orginal, I know.. I just can't help it. :)

I'm (finally) getting this 'ole hair colored on Tuesday and man I can't wait. It's needing some attention BIG time. My regrowth has taken over the top of my head, joined by the lovely grey hairs in front as well. Can you say hottie central? Um, yeah.... RIGHT! So, I'm excited to get in and get it done.

Courtney and I went to the video store, rented some Wii games for the girls and a few movies. We're getting ready to watch Open Season 2 right now... we loved the first one, so I hope part 2 is just as cute. :)

The little girls are suppose to spend the night with Susan tommorow night... they are excited. Tonight is her first night to have the house to herself. :( I hope she does okay. She's so use to having her Dad there.. I know she's 42, but I worry about her... I just do. I stayed up pretty late last night, working on Adoption stuff for her. In case I haven't shared, she's being lead to adopt and the story I will share tommorow about how God started pulling ME into adoption to help HER, will truly give you the hibby-jibbies. God is SO GOOD and when he leads, you know. Before I had the relationship with God that I do now, I would hear random people say they felt "lead" by God to do something. I never "got it", and always just thought it was people just "saying" that, you know how you think. I've had God in my life for about 11 years now and felt the pressence of The Holy Spirit since the night I gave my life to Christ.. however I wasn't "lead" by the Spirit whereas now, I am. It's a "growth" process that happens and I would love to share it with all of you. But to keep this short (is that possible coming from me? LOL).. God started opening my eyes to Orphans and the needs of these children about 1.5mo. before MOthers Day. He kept tugging my heart, opening my eyes to orphans & adoption. I will share the entire story with you in the next few days (it's amazing and SO God, you have no idea).. but long story short, I knew God was doing something in me.. I just didn't know what. I knew he was pulling me into Orphan Care Ministy-- I have such a passion for it, I knew there was no other explaination. But the adoption aspect (all the websites that just "fell into my lap" about adoption, the connections, etc. etc.) was still puzzling. I told D what was happening and to have an open mind, we honestly might be being called into adoption. I thought it was crazy, not because I would never do it personally (you know my heart and my love for children, esp. those in need) but I kept telling God that he must be mistaken because our lives are chaotic enough.. was He really pulling us into adoption? I truly feel that the adoption seed was planted. I still think about it... taking in a child with no parents and giving them LIFE, but... the timing, not so right, ya know? :) However, who am I to question God? It was SO apparent that he was trying to lead me... (when I share everything that was happening during this process it will blow your socks off. I was, still am, totally-utterly amazed at God's work and direction in my life. It's amazing when you're obiedient and you trust in Him, what He will do.. I say that with all of my heart). Anyways, I researched SO much on adoption (if you ever consider adoption, look me up.. I'm your girl with information- I'm LOADED! :)).. well, Mother's Day at church we had alter call. Susan went down front, I of corse, went down to pray over those who were asking for prayer. Prayer was SO INTENSE. I was bent all the way over, I could barely stand the pressence of God was so intense. I was bawling my eyes out, and just this amazing- all mighty power- was over us. For those of you who don't understand the "pressence" of God, I will GLADLY share this in another post.. very very soon. A lot of people who havn't expierenced it doesen't understand it and sometimes thinks it's "crazy". I use to be one of those people, before expierncing it myself. GOD IS REAL. His pressence is SO amazing, once you reach out and he reaches back... you will never, ever doubt His existence again. ANYWAYS.. that's a whole, other post :).. prayer was SUPER intence. After prayer Susan hugged me and said "There is so much more to this, Chrystal.. come over for brunch after church and I'll let you know what happened last night". So, we went to her house for brunch.

We were all sitting around the table, I told her to spill the beans... what happened because prayer was SO intense. She then started telling us how she was up ALL night in prayer, how amazingly strong the pressense of The Holy Spirit was and was sharing what happened (always so amazing!!!!).. but how she's been being pulled to adoption and how she knows she has a little girl out there, she thinks in China. I started crying right then and there and told her that it ALL made sense now! "God has been using ME to help YOU!".. I told her what had been happening to me over the last almost 2 months, how it was all so confusing but SO apparent what God was doing to my heart.. all the tugging, all the leading, etc. how I understood the orphan care ministry part of it all, but the adoption part really had me confused because really, ME adopt a child right now? We started sharing stories back and forth and my goodness, when God has a plan, HE HAS A PLAN, people. Everything made sense, it was ALL in perfect place.... and all I can say is "WOW!". I'm leaving out alot of the details now (and see, this is my SHORT version.. lol), but Susan had been holding off on the Home study (part 1 of the adoption process) because of her Dad. She's been ready to go full-fledge ahead with this long process (adoption) to get to her little girl, and I've been her "cheerleader on the side", armed with all the information and what she needs to do to getting her butt in gear. :) It has been so amazing how God has been working through me to help her- we have all the information we need to "do this thing!", and we're both SO excited you have no idea. I signed us up for an adoption siminar next month which will be a HUGE step. We have several agencies in mind to interview, but the siminar next month will have over 15 agencies "on site" which will be nice. I say "we" because we are in this together. She's wanted a child for so long, and it just makes me smile from the inside out just thinking about how absoutely wonderful this is going to be.. for not only HER, but for that special child who gets to call her "mommy". She's an amazing person, who has always done for OTHERS, now God is making a way for her to continue to do so- but she will get to expierence the greatest thing on this earth... being a Mommy. So, when you hear me talking about the adoption process, you will now know what's going on. If I could save every last orphaned child out there, I would. :( If I shared even a little bit of stats with you (which, I will.. soon. :))... you would see this world in a different light. It's heartwrenching. And you know me, I will enlighten you with it all very soon. It's something I'm REALLY passionant about.

Okay, better bolt. This turned out much longer than I anticipated. I will post more tommorow & will hopefully post some new pictures of the girls- I've been meaning to for awhile now, just haven't got around to it. Let me see if I can find some now in case this mind of mine forgets :)

These two pictures of Savannah were taken by Aspen, when dear 'ole Mommy wasn't around. *little punks*... :)





I love Courtney's eyes. They use to be blue, like mine.. and now they have changed to hazel. They are more green these days than anything else.. really pretty.


Isn't she soooo cool? All in her 3rd grade glory.. lol




This is the outfit that Aspen picked out herself. She *insisted* on the hat.. :) this was ALL her doing.. she came home, tried the outfit on for Dad and just kept smiling at herself in the mirror. She fell in love with the hat. :) It made me smile because of how much she is growing up--- finding her own "style", ya know? :) But still not grown up "enough" to ditch 'ole Chewie.. I think this dog is here to stay :) LOL








Read Addi's shirt.. sooo true! :)




Okay, NEED to scram.... I have lots of new pictures on my camera that I will dump tommorow. Until then... have a great night!

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