He's Growing Up

So here's my little man! He was chilling in the living room tonight when he tells us that his tooth hurts...lo and behold he has his first loose tooth! He's not a baby anymore!

You know your a mom when...

you start singing weird songs at weird moments.

you finish your kids food for them.

you eat alot of the same foods over and over and over since your children refuse to eat anything else.

you roll out of bed and find a child snuck in during the middle of the night

you can just tell when a child is about to puke!

you can do seventeen things at the same time but then stop in the middle of said activities to kiss a boo-boo or kill a spider.

your washer and dryer sigh when you walk in the room

your husband starts kissing your forehead like he does to the kids and you don't care.

you aren't put off by dirty diapers or spit up!

a hug or a kiss at just the right moment makes your day so much brighter!

Working 9-5

Well not really 9-5 but certainly more than an hour or so! I found out today that I start at the school I interviewed at 1 month ago on MONDAY!!!! HOOORAY!!!! Praise God for His Provision!

I'm Bored~!

Yes, I am bored! I need something to do besides read, watch TV and clean house....any suggestions on how I can stay busy until I get a job....

They can be helpful!

Janea is determined to be more organized, on top of everything, helpful girl this year. Here's some steps she is taking to make her life more organized: She created a daily chart or checklist of things she needs to do...One page is enough for 5 weeks!

Here's a closer look at the chart...
Her chore for today was to clean and vacumm the living room...Not bad! I think I could get used to this...we are still working on getting the remaining boxes unpacked but she did a great job on the floor!

Jaron's into playing with odd things... yesterday he was playing with the case of bottled water...and today I found them all in a circle without the labels!

Their experiments were over before I got out the camera and they didn't work the way they had planned...oh well! They had fun creating things! I love my busy bees!

Creativity in Action

The kids are working on inventions....I don't know what they are going to be good for but they sure are working together to create stuff! I will post pictures tomorrow when we perform our experiments! I love the way they work together, help each other and bounce ideas back and forth! Right now we have used plastic, cardboard, paper, tape and I think water will be added to these inventions!

Silly Song...

Jaron has been singing the following song...

The B say's Buh, The B says Buh every letter makes a sound the B says buh...

over and over and over and over and over....

So now at weird random moments I find myself singing the same song under my breath! On the one hand I am glad he is learning his letters but I am tired of this dang song!

Stormy Skies

It's been raining here for a few days and let me tell you since we have moved my panic level during rainstorms has gone down. Since the flood we get more nervous when it rains but we know that God is in control and is taking care of us so we get through it. I'm also alot calmer now that we are no longer living on the banks of a creek!

Last night the kiddos were watching tv and the National Weather Service kept breaking in to inform us of Tornado watches, warnings and flashflood warnings. We are in a flood watch currently and have gotten quite a bit of rain. Jaron was getting very upset by the thought of severe weather and had trouble being calm. Tornados make him nervous and there were about 11 in the Kansas City Metro area. We were never in harms way and I was watching the weather very closely to see if we need to seek shelter in a basement. Jaron would come and watch with me and then would leave and come back. I kept reminding him that God would take care of us and at one point he asked to Pray. It was very sweet to see him trusting in God to take care of our family.

Today it's still cloudy, I am thankful that we are not directly in the path of IKE but we might get a little rain from him later tonight. We are going to focus on house cleaning and grocery shopping and getting ready for next week.

Remembering

I am reminded that today is Patriot Day! Today I am praying for all the families who lost someone in New York and Washington D.C. on that day 7 years ago. I am also praying for all the men and women who are serving our country overseas to help keep us safe. To all the people left at home, wondering if your family member is safe, I am thinking of you as well. We need to be supportive of all the members of our society who's job it is to help us stay safe! Thank you to our police officers, firefighters and emergeny response personnel!

God is in Control

I have been reminded of this truth this week. I am not in control of what happens in our life. It is out of my hands....and you know what that's okay. I know that God has plans for us and that His ways are better than ours! It's a hard lesson to learn and not one that I do well but I do accept and realize that God is bigger than our stresses, that He is stronger than our problems and that He wants the best for us. So I continue to trust that what He has in store for us will be more than sufficient for our life at this point. He has brought us to a new place to live, given us a vehicle to drive and will provide the jobs that we need to make our bills and glorify HIM. I am thankful for where we are now and the feeling of contentness that He has given us. I can't always say that I am content but right now I truly feel content! Thank you God for all that you do for us!

One question

Why is it that when I spend time cleaning a room and then work on something else when I come back to the room the kids have messed it up?

I don't need an answer I just need them to clean up!

News!

A new month...yeah for September!

A new vehicle...my dad helped us finance a new old vehicle for us! It has a lot of miles, but it runs and will get us where we need to go!

A new Awana club for both kids...Janea is starting Truth and Training and Jaron is joining me in Sparks this year....

A new job??? I don't know it looks good and I have a meeting tomorrow with the school! I am hopeful!

Weekend Fun!

So we spent our weekend enjoying the beautiful weather, spending time together as a family and finding cool new toys online to put pictures into! A great way to end the month of August!

Make a Smilebox postcard

A Day in the Life...

My life is so different than what it was a year ago and I like it. Last year I was working, had just moved into a new house with Dan's family and was adjusting to a new school year and situation.
This year, I am looking for a new job, living in a new house with just the 4 of us and adjusting to being at home without the kiddos. It's weird yet productive.

I have gotten more organized! I am getting more organized! I will be more organized...my new mantra! I have decided that since I have extra time I can devote more time to making this year of Sparks be the best it can be! I didn't have a great year last year and I am determined to do better! It's nice to have the time to do that!

My dad is my hero again...came and jumped the truck for me and got it going which Dan and I tried to do but couldn't! YEAH DAD!

I did hear back from the school and they requested my transcripts and seemed super positive so I am optimistic...still need official word but I am feeling pretty good about it!

So I am off to tidy the living room and then off to bed for me! The school bus comes early round these parts!

So Glad its the Weekend

It's been a long week at the Jonathan's! School started this week and we have been dealing with getting up earlier, getting dressed and getting out the front door. The bus stop is just across the street from the house and so it's not a hardship to get to but getting the kiddos out the door can be a hassle.

Jaron had a good week until Friday...then he got sent to the safe seat and buddy room. So we got a note home and he has homework, so that is something to do this weekend. Dan and I went to the grocery store and bought him a surprise but since he hadn't had a good day, we have delayed in giving it too him...hopefully he will earn it next week!

Janea is enjoying being back at school. Her school work looks way to easy for her but hopefully she will continue to enjoy it and not become a problem either!

I am still adjusting to being home all by myself during the day...and then at night with just the kids. I still haven't heard from the school I interviewed at and I am getting anxious. This weekend I will continue to work on finding a new job.

Dan is thinking he may need to find a day job since he is missing the kids and the challenges that go along with them not being at the same school as me!

So life is busy but good. I am thankful for my family and looking forward to everything this school year has ahead of us.

First Day of School

So my kids started school this year. It was hard on me since I don't currently have a job and so I wasn't familar with having them go to school without me. Both came home saying that they had a good day and were looking forward to going back! I also received no calls so that was a blessing too. Hopefully it will be a great year!

Snazzy new Haircut!

I took Janea to get her haircut yesterday. She wanted a shorter more manageable look for starting 3rd grade! So here she was before...

Long, tangly, and a hassle!

And here's the result after:

She reallly liked it...just caught her frowning...

I think it looks fabulous! Really frames her face! She is so ready for school to start next week!

Waiting

So my interview went really well yesterday and I left with a really good feeling and they told me they would call me in the next couple of days. I don't do well waiting...I keep checking my phone to see if they have called and I'm going crazy! So I think I will take Janea to get her hair cut and try and stay busy to keep from going nuts!

Acting Weird

Okay...this has to be a boy thing! Jaron lately is refusing to wear a shirt in the house! If we go out he'll wear one but at home it's nothing but underwear and shorts! I put a shirt on him and about 15 minutes later its off again! Boys!

Interview

So Wednesday the 13th I have an interview at 10:30 for a possible preschool position. I would love to know what I will doing this year, and have a position but at the same time there could be quite a few questions that need to be answered. So I am praying for peace, a good interview, a positive response from the school and wisdom to face any challenges that come with a new position.

Countdown to School

Only a week to go and the kids will be back in school...I can't wait! Usually at this time of year I am stressed because I am working on getting my classroom ready...well since I don't have a classroom this year I am going crazy because my kids are on my last nerve! I am ready for school to be in session and us to be on a regular schedule.

Super Wifey to the Rescue...

Yesterday: Dan noticed that our tags were 2 months expired! (Oops, not like we have been dealing with anything else this summer) So I got on the phone yesterday, took care of our Personal Property Taxes, our 2008 assessment, and made an appointment to have the car inspected.

Today: Erin and the kiddos took in the car to be inspected...went to FedEx to print something...we gotta get a new printer! Then we went to the DMV where they issued us new plates, not just stickers! So when I got home I replaced the old with the new...all by myself!

Super Wifey to the Rescue!

Prayer Request

Please pray that I get called for an interview this week. I have several applications out for jobs that I feel would be a good fit for me. I need to find a job and I would love to be on a similar school schedule as my kiddos. Please Pray that I can get a job in their school district! I am trusting in God's Timing but I am also a little anxious.

New Toy

Dan had bought this to help him get exercise on the weekends! So far Janea likes using it more than her Daddy!

Another One Bites the Dust

I am feeling a little stressed. I found out today for sure that KCC is not hiring me. I wasn't too surprised nor that disappointed. I would have liked to have a job for fall but since God is in control I will continue to trust that His Timing is better than mine. Plus it would have been a long commute! God is Faithful and I will continue to trust HIS plan for us.

Drowning in Cardboard

I have another reason that I hate moving! It's a pain to pack boxes, to sort through your junk and throw stuff away. It's also a pain to unpack the boxes and try to find places for all your stuff. We have the room and everything just need to get it all put away! Plus, when your done you have to collapse all the boxes and put them somewhere.

We are overwhelmed with cardboard. Boxes and new shelving that we have bought that comes in cardboard boxes...it's crazy! I'll post pictures of our place once I have the cardboard sea under control!

Things to be Thankful for

I am thankful for a new place to live

I am thankful for my two great kids

I am thankful for my loving family

I am thankful for my sweet husband

I am thankful for my wonderful church

I am thankful for my Loving God

I am thankful for my Salvation

I am thankful that God is meeting our needs

How to Take Apart a Couch

First you have to find the beams, springs and such and remove excess stuffing.
Use a Power saw to cut the wood!
Work on Breaking it
Make sure all the springs are cut using Bolt Cutters!
One of two pieces of our old couch!

So this weekend Dan cut apart our old couch since we don't have room for it in our new house since we had gotten a new living room set. He had to cut it apart so it would fit in the 2nd dumpster we have to help with flood damages.

One load at a Time....

It's slow going, this moving process. I am trying to get it all done and just be moved in but with Dan's crazy work schedule and two crazy kids it's still not done. So basically I go to the old house pack up enough stuff to fill up the truck and then I come back to the new place and unpack it all. It's also in the 90's right now here in good old Missouri so it's extremely hot at the old place and I only have the energy for one load at a time...since it's just me! Hopefully this weekend Dan and I will get the rest of the stuff here so we can just totally move in. I'll be glad to be completely done!

I have pictures of some of our craziness but I packed the camera cord and I forgot which box I put it in so I have to find that soon.

Busy, Busy, Busy...

So we signed our lease on Tuesday and now we are working on packing up our stuff and moving it over to the new place!

So if I don't update for a little while that will be why!

We're Moving...

Yeah...we have a new place to live!

We sign our lease tomorrow and start the moving process!

No more SIL and crazy relatives!

Blitz Mode...

That's what Dan calls us working for 2 hours...hardcore work...yucky work...hot work!

We are working on getting all the remainder of our trash from the flood into the dumpster. It's yucky and I hate it...I hope we get done soon...

Friday!

It's been a week! A long week, a fun week, but definitely a week!

I can't get into a lot of detail right now but I think that some positives will be coming in the next few days...

This week the kiddos and I have enjoyed getting to swim, hang out, and just enjoying being a family.

Tomorrow we tackle more of the mayhem as we go about fill the 2nd dumpster! Fun time!

Ding..Dong...

Today we had a visit from FEMA. Now this would usually make me feel good but since this is the SIL's house if any money is given she gets it all..we lose everything downstairs and she gets the monetary benefit...I don't feel like that would be fair...no guarantees that money will be given but still the thought of it makes my blood boil!

Good and Gooder...

that's how Jaron would classify stuff! Today was a good day and I am hopeful for a good week!

Janea was most agreeable and helpful today...she did a great job of following directions at the park at volleyball tonight and played very well with her brother!

Jaron was cooperative and happy too! He listened great and had fun playing at the park!

Mom accomplished lots of chores today and then played decent volleyball this evening!

A Great Day!

Happy Fourth of July!

Every year we do some mini fireworks as a family...here's some pictures of our early evening fireworks..

Janea holding some cool spider streamers that float down from the sky!

Lighting Smokebombs---with plenty of grown up supervision!

Jaron holding the spider streamer that he caught!

More smoke bomb lighting!

Watching Daddy light firecrackers...I don't like these too noisy!

How Sweet!

I guess Dan felt bad about the whole bed thing too yesterday. He stopped by the store last night on his way home from work and picked up some foods that he likes but he also got me some ice cream. The last 2 times we have gone to the store I have been the bigger person and not gotten flavors that I like in order for the kids to have what they like...total martyr I know but sometimes you just have to be practical! Well, he had felt bad for me and so he got me Vanilla and Caramel Drumstick cones and a tub of some other decadent ice cream that has chocolate and caramel in it...my two favorites!

I guess he really does love me!

To make or not to make...

the bed that is the question.

It's been an issue for the whole of our marriage...9 years and counting! You would think that we would have it figured out by now but no.

It's all because we both feel that the other is a blanket hog...so we compromised and bought 2 comforters. So that has worked well for a while...well now the man needs 2 comforters all to himself....he used to use mine but since I am in the bed more now that it is summer and I can sleep past 5:45 in the morning he now has 2 huge comforters on our bed! It's frustrating! It's not like we are both in the bed that much at the same time anyway since he works till 3:00 in the morning and doesn't get home till 4:30 and then doesn't even come to bed until 5:00ish

Plus, now he's complaining about all the pillows too. I just don't understand the man at times.

Marriage can be a whole big challenge!

I may be sore tomorrow...

I played Volleyball tonight...played pretty well too. My team was scheduled for back to back matches, and then I helped out another team from my church. So in all I played volleyball for over 2 and half hours. My hand is bruised. I had hammered the ball and hit it in such a way that under my thumb area there is a large purple coloration and boy does it hurt! Hopefully it's just a temporary pain!

So we lost all our games tonight....pooey! We played well just couldn't get the points that we needed when we needed them.. The games went back and forth and back and forth! Fun playing though...winning isn't everything!

The kids were filthy and needed baths when we got home and they used up all the hot water so I took a short...enough to wash off residual sand...shower. I will have to take a full shower tomorrow.

And the Winner is...

Jaron completed this game last night! He is over the moon excited for having completed his first game completely!

Dinner, a movie and fireworks

Today being Family Night at Home at church...ie no service the last Sunday night of the month so you can do things as a family we decided to do something as a family but not at home.!

We went and took the kiddos out for a family fun nite. We went and had Chipotle for dinner(YUM!) then we went to see the new Pixar movie Wall-E! It is very cute! The kids enjoyed it, Dan and I enjoyed it...rates right up there with a fun movie as a family! We love Pixar movies and this one is worth the money to go and see! Good news for us though...I had a gift card to AMC theaters so we just had to pay for dinner!

After the movie we headed for home! On the way Dan decides we need to pick up some fireworks. So we got a few cones and things to set off when we got home. The kids are too funny...they like trying to catch the smoke rather than just enjoying the fireworks!

All in all a fun "Family Night at Home"

Weird? Yeah...

It's been a weird week in the Jonathan household! I love summer and getting to be home with my kids and doing stuff for them but they are acting really weird.

Case in point: Janea is on this huge Pokemon kick...everyday she asks to get on the computer and check out stuff online...don't worry, there are only certain sites she is allowed to go to and if she want to look for something I have to be right there with her. Anyway, lately she has been getting on this Pokemon website and she sits with the headphones on and sings these dumb songs about stupid things. Plus she now has her brother playing too, they talk about who they would capture, why they like different ones the whole gambit. True it isn't quite as mind numbing as Barbie but still...

Jaron is addicted to the Playstation 2. He has this Ben 10 game and a Crash game that he has been playing. I don't mind the Crash game, it's kinda fun, but the Ben 10 game is going to drive me insane! Jaron can fight the monsters but he gets to excited that he can't push the right shapes on the controller in time to defeat the main level monsters so that he can advance. So he drags me into his room and then throws me the controlller so he can advance. Now I can't always do it the first time and he freaks out totally at me and is like "MOMMMMY" It's nuts!

Dan is wanting to move tomorrow. I am working on getting a mortgage and finding reasonable priced property. He wants everything done now...I understand his frustration I want to move as soon as possible too. However, these things take a while.

Me...I'm holding it together...it's weird, I am a little attached to this house we are living in since I have put a lot of my time into it...but it's caused me nothing but stress. I am also a little frustrated with things that from my point of view are unfair or unreasonable. So I go and play volleyball and hit the ball and imagine it's the people in my life who are driving me crazy...it's very theraputic to see someone's head flying over a net!

My children are doing it again...Janea just came in and told me we have a rollercoaster in the Great Room....gotta love their imaginations!

Well, that's about all she wrote...

Wow!

Today is my wedding anniversary! Dan and I have been married for 9 years! That's a long time...we have been a couple for 10 years now!

As I think back to that Summer day 9 years ago I am overwhelmed by all the ways that God has changed the crazy plans we had made.

We didn't plan on having kids right away...I wanted to wait 3-5 years...well we got pregnant during the first 3 months...Janea was actually born 18 days before our first anniversary! Then after having one you might as well have them close together so along came Jaron!

I was going to be done with school, teaching and having gotten tenure...well I am still working on my schooling...my school is closed and I don't have a job currently...still looking!

We thought we would be living a small middle class existence instead of being in limbo once again...stability never seems to be our luck!

Well, through it all we are a team...we are working together and trying to be supportive of one another. We are still in love and love our kiddos. It's been a good nine years and I look forward to the years ahead.!

Too tired

Don't you just love when you are so tired and you lay down to go to sleep and then you can't sleep for like the next 4 hours....why does this happen? Shouldn't you just fall right to sleep...I mean really, I worked hard today, I cooked, I cleaned, I ran errands, I played with my children, I worked on the computer and everything and now when I should be sleeping I can't fall asleep...so I gave up and now I am going to try again....I just want to sleep for like a year....no interupptions, no little feet in the small of my back from little bed hogs... no snoring husband...he can be sleeping just not snoring:)

Happy Birthday Janea

So my baby's birthday is actually the 8th of June...but with the flood and all the stress of our lives we didn't really start celebrating until this past weekend.

Saturday the grandparents took the kiddos to see "Kung-fu Panda" and then we went to Grandma's house for cake and ice cream....very yummy!

I can't believe that my baby is eight years old already! The pictures are on my mom's computer so the next time I'm over I will download a few!

I needed to go...

to the bathroom. We were on our way to Belton after having spent the afternoon in Greenwood looking at different things...(more about that later.) The kiddos are in the back seat and they decided they needed to sing the song "Funkytown" at the top of their lungs...neither could really remember how the song goes so they are just basically singing"FUUUUNNNKKKYYTOOOWWNN" in this weird chord pattern over and over and over again. Dan is sitting next to me saying things like..."where do you want to go to eat?, which way do you want to go?, what should we do?" and the whole time my head is pounding, my stomach is hurting and I just want to find a bathroom....I can't concentrate between the feeling in my body and the noise coming from the backseat...so just as we are pulling into the restaurant my phone rings, it's my mom and she needs to know something and oh my word! So much stimulation.

We get in the restaurant, I don't even sit down but immediately go to the bathroom and wow do I feel better...until I go to sit down and then Dan has to go and he wants me to order for him and the kids and I don't know what I want and it's again all too much....we have been dealing with so much stuff from the flood and having to make some big choices about our life so little choices have become overwhelming....it's been a challenge. Fortunately, our waitress realized I needed some more time and came back a few minutes later and life was good again.

So last night I watched TV....spent time with my hubby and just chilled....we will stress more later today but for the time being it was good to just hang out!

Tired Momma

I don't usually like to post picturs of myself on here...unless it's a group shot or something...anyway...here's me after dealing with the flood for the past 2 weeks.

A day off...

from the chaos, from the disaster, from the abnormal area of my life.

I took a trip to the Zoo today...my friend Tracie from church decided I needed to play hooky. She has a zoo membership so we all got in for free...it was a nice break. We had a very good time.

Dan and I are working on our next step in life...making decisions, choices and trying to figure it out....

A Taste of Summer

So do you like the new look? I was needing a summery change! Hope it helps to boost my mood!

Monday Mishaps

It's been a crazy day! I feel terrible today...just cranky, tired, sore, and having an all around bad day. The kids are being crazy maniacs. And I messed up Dan's eye appointment. He had an appointment, at a different place then where we went. He got seen at a place that didn't have an appointment for him and it was crazy!

On an upside...volleyball was a lot of fun tonight and I played better than normal!

Happy Father's Day to My Dad

This is my Dad...He's a fun guy and I love him very much! He is a great father, a loving grandfather and a man that I admire very much...so to my dear sweet dad...I love you!
I just love this one!

Semblence of Normal

So today this evening we are getting things slightly back to normal.

We took the kiddos shopping for some new clothes...Janea was in need of tops and bottoms and Jaron was in need of just tops

Went out for a nice dinner of Mexican Food. Yummy!

Took the kiddos to the park and played on the tennis courts for awhile. Just had fun as a family!

I'm glad that we're getting a little bit past the flood!

The 10 day Window

I was reading an article on dealing with disaster. It's crazy how true it was...

It said that if you are in the process of throwing stuff away on day 10 you give up, you just starting chucking it because it's not worth it anymore. Today is day 10 and Dan and I were cleaning up the yard and started literally chucking things at random because we are just ready for the yard to be clear!

A bad attitude

I'm really struggling with my attitude at the moment. I am very frustrated by the SIL. Today was a prime example of how it bothers me...

Today I had a dumpster dropped off..it arrived around 9:30 this morning.

The heating and cooling guy came and informed us that we need a new furnace. He jerry-rigged it to work so that our air conditioner works now...well Sharon doesn't like air-conditioning...at all. She says that it makes her sick...which could be the truth...personally I think that if it is hot then she has an excuse to further not do anything. Well currently the humidity level is around 80% in the basement. It's really damp and we need to run the dehumidifier and the air conditioner to get the basement drier...well she is going on and on about how it's no big deal, we won't have mold, that the air-conditioner doesn't need to be run...all the while the heating/cooling guy and I are talking needing it on...

So it's been crazy, and she keeps saying things without thinking that are quite hurtful...so my attitude is lousy and I could use the prayers that I stay positive and have a good attitude.

Flood Pictures

Here are just a few pictures of our ordeal....

This is Janea's Room

Missouri Mud is thick and nasty!

The aftermath of the flood

5 feet and 9 inches of water were in our basement. My baby had to swim out of her own bedroom through a swimming pool of water! I am still in shock that she is here...God truly protected her that night! He allowed her to wake up, to realize that she needed to get out and calmness in her panic to make it out of the basement by floating on a suitcase and a box and dog paddling her way to the stairs.

It's now day 6...6 long days!

Wednesday and Thursday Dan and I were on our own for cleaning. Our church had offered help if we wanted it but we weren't at the point of desperation yet. So we worked together and got a lot down but only a fraction of what needed to be done.

Friday: A woman from our church called and told me that she had 3 kids at home with nothing to do and would we like them to come and help us out...boy did I want them too! So they came for a few hours that afternoon and we got all of Janea's room emptied and mopped and most of Ambers room done! It was such a blessing to have extra hands!

Saturday: I go downstairs to start the process and to help out the plumber who was reinstalling our water heater! Another praise: Didn't need a new one, the old one works and we have hot water! It also cost less than $150.00! So around noon I get a call from a friend and he says that he and his wife would like to come and help! Then I called a deacon in my church and he also wanted to help and he rallied a cleaning crew. So from like 1:30-8:30 we had help in getting all the remaining stuff from the house onto the yard, we got all the laundry prewashed, we got the floors inside all mopped and pressure washed, we got the garage door up and cleaned out and found out that our riding mower is probably salvageable! It was an amazing blessing to have friends come and help us finish the inside of the house! The deacons also have allowed us to borrow the heavy duty fans from the church to help everything dry out! They even were able to move my flooded vehicle out of the way!

Sunday: Church breakfast, people asking how things are and everything I even got to cut in line! During our Missions Moment one of the deacons from the church got up and told the church about our predicament and how he had come to help and encourage us but that we had been an encouragement to him! Our church has been so supportive through all of this! I am so thankful for the encouragement that has been shown to us, the love that they give us and just the fellowship of the believers!

Monday: Today I am feeling depressed over the amount of stuff that was lost! I lost so many books and things that really just make me sick at heart, I know it's not important or anything but it still makes my heart hurt! I have pictures but I haven't downloaded them yet! I'll post some soon!

Just when you think that your life is getting back to normal....

You are hit with another dose of craziness! So I get home from a great trip to California...notice that the relatives haven't done everything I liked but oh well, I get the laundry started, wash some dishes and just try to adjust to being home and the heat! That night it happens...disaster strikes again!

Tuesday night at Midnight Janea comes upstairs and tells me that there is water in the basement...I think okay there are probably some puddles or something, then I touch her shoulder, she is soaking wet! She was trapped in a flooded basement and had to swim out! The water was up higher than my head! I looked out the window and notice that our house is basically in the middle of a giant lake...aka..the backyard! My car is not visable it's completely underwater! I rush to my phone and call Dan and let him know what is going on and he tells me he will be coming home...I start to panic since the water is up to the street, I am freaking out...it's bad, really bad...

Dan gets home as the water is starting to recede yet he is unable to reach the house, I feel better but then as I am standing in the house, ringing my hands in a tizzy, I smell something...propane gas...I try to call the propane company and my phone is out of minutes, so I use my sister in laws and they tell me they can't do anything but to call the fire department, we get the kids out of bed and get ready to go to grandmas house just in case the house may explode, and then the man from the propane company comes and turn off our leaking propane tank...disaster from fire is temporarily adverted. Dan goes to the basement, the water has receded but it's still knee high, its bad, really bad, nasty bad! He is still hearing rushing water and starts to investigate, hollering for me to come and hold the flashlight, so he can shut off the intake valve to the water heater which is spewing additional gallons of water all over the basement!

All in all a trying evening...followed by little sleep and then we begin to clean up...I will post pictures of the damage soon! Please pray that we can get the mess cleaned up in a timely fashion! Some major blessings...our washer and dryer are working! Our Daughter is fine and has a great story to tell about surviving the flood! I'll have her dicate her story soon as well! All in all, we are grateful that we have beds to sleep in and that it was only the lower level of our house that was affected! Please pray that we will get the insurance stuff all straightened out as well!

Day at Disney

A brief sampling of the pictures that we took during our day at Disney!

The mad Hatter's Tea Party

Jaron meets Buzz Lightyear!

My Aunt Debbie and me...true Royalty!

Getting Ready for Toon Town!

The walk to Start our Adventure...my momma, Jaron, my Aunt Debbie, Janea and Wendy!

Meeting Mickey Mouse!

We're Having so Much Fun!

Aunt Wendy, Janea and Auntie Debbie on the Tea Cups!

The Kiddos first California Adventure!