Blog Party!

Lynnette Kraft is hosting a Blog Party this week so that we bloggers can get to know one another better. Link over to her site and join the fun. Make some friends and answer some fun questions. The more, the merrier!

How would people describe your personality? (If they could only use ONE word.) Are they right?

Fun... I think, at least. I think they would be right. I rarely do something without having as much fun as I can possibly muster up out of the situation.

What celebrity/celebrities would create a “Star-Struck” feeling if you saw them in real life?

Oh, I hate to admit this one. It would probably have to be Matthew McConaughey. Yeah, he's cute, but that's not it. I love the accent. Just love it. My more "Sunday School Answer" would have to be Steven Curtis Chapman. I've always been a big fan of his music, but I've grown to realize that he's an amazing husband and dad as well, which is far more important. I'd love to meet him and his beautiful bride, Mary Beth.

Who is your favorite blogger? Why?

Ann Voskamp. Hands down. I love her blog, A Holy Experience. Each day, she helps me refocus my heart on the things of God, rather than on myself. She has an amazing way with words that just brings a smile to my face. She is real and honest in her journey.

What is your comfort food/drink?

Cow Dabs... or as you probably know them, No Bake Cookies. I grew up calling them Cow Dabs and, gross as it sounds, I always will. Love them. They make the worst of days better :)

Do you have a strong desire to do something you’ve never done? What is it?

I have a strong desire to do almost everything I've never done. I used to do new things EVERY chance I got, then I would say, "That's one less thing I've never done." I like to try it all :) I would LOVE to fly in a hot air balloon. That's kinda random, but there ya go.

Movies: Action, Drama, Romantic Comedy, Documentary, Comedy? What are your favorite genres?

I'm a Romantic Comedy girl. I pretend that I'm not, but I am... shhhh, don't tell anyone. I do like a little Action and Drama as well though.

Music: Funk, Rock, Country, Jazz, Classical, Film Score, Blues, Classic Rock, Crooner, Alternative, Heavy Metal, Techno? What are your favorite types?

I like Contemporary Christian. That's what I mostly listen to, however, if I happen to be around the right people, my love of Country sneaks up on me :) I also like Classical when it comes time to quite the family down for rest time.

If you inherited a million dollars, what is the first thing you would do with your money?

I'd pay off all my debt... yeah, that's right, I have debt. Student loans up to my ears. I'd buy our house, instead of renting it. I'd install a mud-room-type of locker system much like these. I would donate a significant amount to the International Mission Board. I'd invest a lot of it... very strategically. I'd give to support many people who I know that want desperately to add to their family through adoption, but the financial part scares the daylights out of them. I'd probably do most of this through ShowHOPE.

Name one weakness of yours (confession is good for the soul).

I'm a great starter, but I'm terrible with followthrough. I never finish anything. I have a ton of great ideas and plans, and I get them started, but get bored or distracted and move on to my next big idea.

If you could live anywhere at all (and take all your loved ones with you), where would you go?

I'd head back to Mombasa, Kenya. I loved living there, not that it was perfect, but it's the place my heart most often longs to see again.

What is one of your favorite things to catch a whiff of?

Ha, ha, ha... don't laugh. I love, love, love, love walking into a tire store or a shoe store. I just LOVE the smell of those places. Yeah, I know... I'm weird.

When you leave a social gathering, do you wish: You would have talked more or You would have talked less?

I used to be EXTREMELY social. In college, my freshman year, I won the "Social Butterfly" award. Now, not so much. My personality has changed a lot since I had a hysterectomy when I was 26 and went through instant menopause. I'm a much more quiet, reserved person that I used to be. So, that being said... I would say that I normally wish that I would have talked more.

If money wasn’t a factor, what stores would you shop in?

Health food stores. Michaels. JoAnns. Archivers. Target... I like Target :) Oh, and IKEA... I'd go nuts at IKEA... and the Container Store. I guess I'd go shopping crazy if money weren't an option.

What is your greatest fear or strange phobia?

I hate snakes. I mean, madly, passionately, with all my heart, hate snakes.

What is your greatest accomplishment?

My babies. We are in the process of adopting all five of our little ones from the Foster Care System. They give me the biggest headaches, and the biggest smiles :)

What are your favorite animals?

Wildabeast is my favorite animal to eat. Horses are my favorite to ride. Dogs are my favorites to cuddle up and sleep with.

Are you a hopeless romantic?

No, I'm in to romance and all, but I wouldn't say "hopeless"

I Heart Faces Entry

I absolutely love the I Heart Faces website!! Hours of entertainment.... not that I have hours laying around that need to be entertained. If I did, though, I know where I would go. This week's photo challenge is "Cell Phones." Here is a pic I took of Baby Girl on her first birthday. She's so stink'n cute!!

Click here to check out other awesome pics :)

Moving day!!

We've been really blessed to live in this house for the past year. It was perfect for us when we moved in, but then a few months later, our family size nearly doubled. At the moment, we are 7 loud, rambunctiousness people trying not to (quite literally) step on one another's toes in a 900+ sq ft house.

God has graciously seen fit to move us to a larger home. And I am OH-SO grateful! I know it won't solve all of our problems, but I am determined that it will solve some of them. We begin moving Thursday, with most of the heavy labor done on Friday. If you read this between now and then, please be praying for my dear Jason. He and his brother will be doing most of the work. Two better men couldn't have been chosen for the job. One of the greatest things they learned from their father was how to work hard... very hard. I have no doubt that we will be moved before they call it a day.

Anyhow, I have a lot more packing to do before bed, and it's well past midnight. G'night all.

Blessing upon blessing

62. The abundance of friends who sought out to help us while we're looking for a home.

63. That my mom doesn't say, "I told you so!" when I finally decide that 900 sq ft is not big enough for a family of 7.

64. Great ideas to help Protector learn the letter Bb :)

65. Narnia.

66. My YMCA blesses me with childcare while I work myself until I can't breath.

67. Pain killers to bless me after I leave the YMCA.

68. Hot, hot, hot showers.

69. My hot, hot, hot hubby :)

70. The Father working in mysterious ways.

Join me and others as we give thanks:

Confessions....

I discovered a new blog today, In The Name Of Love, that I thoroughly enjoyed. While cruising through some posts, I noticed that one of them was titled "confessions..." Always interesting.... Bianca was spilling her guts and asked others to do the same. Some were humerous, some serious, but all confessions, just the same. Confession is good for the soul.

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

- James 5:16

So, in the spirit of healing.... here is some dirty laundry that needs to be aired...

- I love eating icing straight out of the container

- I drink milk from the jug.... in front of my kids

- I love to give away money, but have done so to the detriment of my family at times

- I don't think I've ever finished a thing in my life. I love to start things, but I just don't have an ounce of "follow through" in me

- If I throw gum out the window of the car (*GASP*) I'm always a little worried that there will be a murder nearby and CSI will find my DNA on the gum and accuse me of murder.

- I love the smell of markers, rubber cement, and paint. Yeah, I'm the reason there's a warning label...

There... I feel better :)

Anything you need to share?

So many gifts...

52. The strength to go on.

53. Homeschool conventions :)

54. A new camera bag to keep my goodies safe.

55. A new doctor for my kiddos.

56. Lots of good medicine to make my baby feel better.

57. Bedtime laughter.

58. The simple love of a child.

59. Bread pudding... yeah, I know... I'm not supposed to like it.

60. Rubber cement and lapbooks.

61. A hubby who will dig through the shed for hours for the one little folder I want.

I'm spoiled by a Great God!

Join me and others as we give thanks:

Seeing Dr. V.

I hate going to the doctor. Really, I do. It's not because I'm afraid of shots, or that I don't like their attitude, or don't approve of their poking and prodding. It's just that every time I go, something new is wrong with me. Do you know what that does to a persons psyche? For those of you who don't know, I'm diabetic.... VERY diabetic. My last A1C was 11.5. I'm taking my insulin, my pills, exercising... I just can't kick the sugar habit. I like carbs... a lot. In any form, really. Candy. Bread. Potatoes. Fruit. I can do good for a few days, but then I get mad because everyone else can enjoy potato soup, chocolate, etc, and I just can't seem to stop. It's so frustrating. So, even though there is no one out there reading this blog as often as I update it, I will pretend that there is, and will try to update on this site, my daily levels.... we'll see how that goes. Feel free to admonish me as needed :)