see ya

going away for a few days,

will write later with lots of good family pics!

mel

Home School?

Mike and I have been considering a preschool program for Caeden in the fall.

It would only be for 2 1/2 days a week, and it is a great program....Does he really need it? He will be 3 1/2 in the fall and  loves interaction with other children.  After listening to this video. Home schooling sounds more appealing.  I want my children to excel at whatever they have a passion for and not to be stifled creatively because he doesn't fit into the "traditional mold."  Did i say home school? I don't have the discipline or the patience for that.  We will be praying about this decision a lot!

Red Letters

When I left my girls group this morning, I felt Inspired and Empowered!!  I hear alot about Women's Empowerment and it usually is referred to Women having "control" or "power" over someone or something else, "ownership".  But, my empowerment came when discussing with other women, how we can give of ourselves and be a blessing to the less fortunate.  By helping to offer a hope and a future to a child with no parents, or a woman with no food, by being able to offer Christ to the poor, orphaned, or widowed, That is where Christ Empowers Us. It is beyond ourselves, where we need to live.  The Book Red Letters, has really made me want to look at life differently.  It makes the statement about Matthew 25 and how " God closely identifies himself with the poor." The author says "He (Christ) is the poor."  It makes me take off my "sunday school" eyes of me being the Christ to someone else, and instead, allows me to see Christ in others and prods me to ask myself, how I can serve Christ in that person.  The author quoted Richard Rohr from the book From Wild Man to Wise Man...."I would say that if you only think about Jesus, "believe" Jesus and believe things about Jesus, not much new is going to happen.  It is the risk of "acting" like Jesus acted that reconfigures your soul.  we are converted by new circumstances much more than by new ideas.  Or as I like to say, we do not think ourselves into new ways of living, we live ourselves into new ways of thinking."

WOW

I pray, Lord, that you will let me not choose safety anymore, but be a risk taker for your Kingdom, and pursue your heart found in Matt 25: 41-45.  "Whenever you failed to do one of these things to someone who was being overlooked or ignored, that was me-- you failed to do it to me."  Not to us, Oh Lord, but to you be all the Glory.

I live in a ZOO!

I had to post these pictures, because it is what life is all about.   I remember when i was young and how much i LOVED playing make-believe.  Now that the kids are getting to that age, i am brought back to my favorite past-time.  I want to encourage the creativity and be present in each and every moment with my kids.  Owen and I were the photographers and guests at the ZOO and Caeden as you can see portrayed los animales.  The above Zebra is eating hay.  All the animals were behind a cage, so they couldn't "get us"!  The masks were found at PBKids.  There was a Hippo sucking his thumb in the water too, but i couldn't get the picture uploaded.  Hope you enjoy living in a ZOO as much as I do!!

Here is the Growl of the TIGER!!

We captured this Giraffe eating leaves off a very tall Tree!

AND still more tags

Here is my mom's:

I am: hungry

I think: a lot

I know: everything

I want: nothing

I wish: I could be with everybody all the time

I hate: goodbyes

I miss: hellos

I fear: nothing

I feel: happy

I hear: slightly

I smell: too much

I crave: coffee

I search: below

I regret: nothing

I love: everybody

I ache: often

I care: too much

I always: breathe

I am not: mad

I believe: in Jesus

I sing: loudly

I cry: hard

I fight: not enough

I write: not enough

I win: always

I lose: never

I never: am right

I confuse: everybody

I listen: for quiet

I can usually be found:  reading

I am scared: never

I need: Harry

I am happy about: life

I hope: Melanie Reads this

AND here is my Dad's:

I am: IS God

I think: sometimes

I know: a little

I want: a lot

I wish: the best

I hate: evil

I miss: my family

I fear: God

I feel: inadequate

I hear: little

I smell...no I don't, I had a shower

I crave: Skip One

I search: for God

I regret: that I haven't had a closer walk with God

I love: Carol

I ache: my foot

I care: about my family

I always: kiss

I am not: CRANKY!

I believe: in God

I sing...Davy Crockett

I cry: a little

I fight: with Amber

I write: not much

I win: at cards

I lose: at cards

I never: burp

I confuse: languages

I listen: most of the time

I can usually be found:  getting quotes

I am scared: sometimes

I need: warmth

I am happy about: most things

I hope: so

More tags

Amber filled out her survey too and since my parents are visiting them in Italy, she asked Sam and my Parents to give their answers as well.. Thanks for whoever started this. 

First is Ambers:

I am: Amber

I think: a whole whole lot

I know: Italian

I want: a cappuccino

I wish: I spoke French better

I hate: that I bite my nails

I miss: my sisters

I fear: getting fat J

I feel: good

I hear: Sam in the bathroom

I smell: a candle

I crave: chocolate

I search: hi and lo

I regret: not being more disciplined

I love: Sam

I ache: after running

I care: too much

I always: laugh

I am not: tall

I believe: in myself

I sing: in the shower

I cry: often

I fight: but I don’t like to

I write: on the computer

I win: at monopoly

I lose: badly

I never: read enough

I confuse: my words

I listen: to Feist

I can usually be found:  with Sam

I am scared: of losing family

I need: help

I am happy about: life

I hope: to become more disciplined

Here is Sam's:

I am: Sam

I think: so

I know: that

I want: to go

I wish: I could

I hate: Mike Connell

I miss: Brad Ives

I fear: Todd Henderson

I feel: pretty happy

I hear: the bells ringing

I smell: feet

I crave: cheese

I search: for meaning

I regret: not going

I love: Amber

I ache: for Amber

I care: too much

I always: forget to

I am not: obnoxious

I believe: in cheese

I sing: for you

I cry: for you

I fight: for love

I write: to live

I win: never

I lose: never

I never: win or lose

I confuse: most

I listen: too much

I can usually be found:  sitting down

I am scared: of John’s gun

I need: to keep

I am happy about: pizza

I hope: nope

hidden tag

I decided to ask Mike to take the survey too and here are his answers....

I am: yours

I think: My life is great

I know: Nothing

I want: Everything

I wish: I wish i had a Land Cruiser

I hate: Global Warming

I miss: Basketball

I fear: a break in of our house

I feel: Very Good

I hear: Dead People

I smell: My dog's gas

I crave: time alone with Mel

I search: The internet

I regret: blowing my knee out

I love: Spending time with my Family

I ache: Everywhere

I care: About Lost People

I always: Fidget

I am not: A quitter

I believe: In Justice

I sing: In the car

I cry: twice a yr.

I fight: professionally

I write: like a 3rd grader

I win: at whatever I do

I lose: never

I never: lose

I confuse: People with no sense of Humor

I listen: selectively

I can usually be found:  With my family

I am scared: of death

I need: my wife

I am happy about: my Relationship with Christ

I hope: I win the Lotto

You tagged me?

I am:  tired

I think: i might take a nap
I know: my kids will wake up as soon as i fall asleep
I want: to get in shape
I wish: it was easier to do what i want. (get in shape)
I hate: injustice
I miss: amber
I fear: too much, and don't trust enough
I feel: bloated
I hear: God telling me to listen  and stop interrupting
I smell: better than Mike. (meaning his nose is always clogged)
I crave: my mom's homemade choc chip cookies
I search: for truth and knowledge 
I regret: not sharing the TRUTH with other people
I love: Jesus, my husband, sons, and family
I ache: because my feet hurt all the time
I care: not enough
I always: say I LOVE YOU to my husband and kids
I am not: tired any more
I believe: that God is changing my heart
I sing: breathy according to Hope
I cry: when i am exhausted and overwhelmed
I fight: with myself alone
I write: on my blog
I win: never
I lose: all the time
I never: clean my house enough
I confuse: myself easily
I listen: to my kids
I can usually be found: with my best friends, Mike, Caeden, and Owen
I am scared: of drowning
I need: to be done with this thing
I am happy about: my new little nephew, Sean
I hope: to be a great MOM
I am tagging: Amber who has to do this on my blog>>>