Joy in My Heart

It's a beautiful day today in gool ole Texas. The sun is shining, or should I say the "son" is shining His blessings on me today. Even though some things this week have been difficult, God still brings about joy just in the simple beauty of a day.

My work is going good, my kids are healthy and the things that are not so good right now have just fallen to the way side. I worried about those "things" this morning, but now I have great faith that God will pull us through this one and we will come out stronger spiritually on the other side!

I've always known God has HIS perfect plan for our lives and He will continue to provide!

Our past weekend was totally fun, we had a great visit with my family and with our friends in Midland. It was encouraging to be around family and friends.

I will journal about the weekend and post pictures later.

Faithfully ~ Chrissy

Parker and Preston turn FIVE!

We started the day off, well, with a little bit of fighting as mom tried to get ready to go. We have a little problem with name calling... I guess it is a boy thing! However, we ended up having a wonderful day!

We started off about 9:45 am to head to IHOP and along the way they actually turned five while we drove there. We all had a big breakfast, pancakes, eggs, bacon, juice, coke and ice tea! The boys had the five silver dollar pancake special and ate it all. They were hungry! Shawn and I ate ours up too... like we needed it.

Then we headed to the Allen skate park for a little bike riding on their new bikes. I was amazed at how fast they go and how excellent they ride in the skate bowls... I mean the skater bowls... where skate board dudes ride. Parker went up the hills and rode around like a pro... maybe we can get some commercials or something ... sponsorship???? Preston did good too, a little hesitant, but he is so brave!

Then we headed to Toys R Us to spend birthday money. They got new cartridges for their leapsters! We also took some pictures in the store... will upload soon.

Then to the Mall for lunch and rode the horses! We had so much fun in a fun packed day.

Tonight we went to church for F/X service. It was really good... the virtue is "Conviction" doing what you know is right, even when no one else does right. So important to learn for anyone. I wish more people would follow this virtue and stand up for what is right!

What a way to end the day!

Happy Birthday my little boys!

***Much, much, much LOVE today!***

Almost FIVE - 12 hours to go!

I know, I am obsessing, counting down till they turn FIVE. I know it is just another number, another age, another chapter, but I just can't believe it! Five years have passed all too fast and I can't believe it.

I even took the day off... it's probably the last time they will have a birthday before school starts (unless we ever homeschool)! We plan to go eat at the International House of Pancakes (IHOP) for some yummy pancakes! Then it's off to the bike track for some energy burning moves on their new bikes! Then we don't know yet!

I'll go to work Thursday and then head to Abilene after work for a fun time with more family on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Saturday we plan to go visit friends in Midland to see Jeff's new church and visit for a while.

I'll be sure to post pictures later.

~~~Chrissy~~~

Easter Eve

We had a wonderful day getting ready for church for tomorrow and celebrating the boys five year birthday with Granny and Popo. We went to eat at Pasados Mexican Restaurant in Plano, then headed to Granny's for cake and ice cream and oh, the big reveal of their bikes.

They were, of course, surprised and excited. They rode those bikes down the street for about 30 minutes and we took pics... will upload and add to this post soon.

We also had yummy cake and ice cream and a good visit with Shawn's parents. Good times!

It's the night before we reflect on what Christ did for us at Calvary. We pray that many will walk through those doors tomorrow and hear about Christ for the first time and realize what He did for us that amazing day! The love that He has for us is so much more than we could ever imagine. We owe so much to Him for what He did for us.

So many go about their daily lives doing what "they want" to do, not realizing the great sacrifice that happened so that they might be saved. It amazes me too, how many people who claim to be Christ followers, attend church on Sunday and live so differently the rest of the week. I always remember the saying from when I was younger, that Jesus goes everywhere you go and remember, He is right there with you when you are doing the things that are not pleasing to Him. That has always helped me to stay focused on what I know is right and wrong and try to live that type of life, yes, I failed daily, but His love and forgiveness covers me through it all.

My boys are getting closer in age to understanding the great scarifice Jesus made for us and I hope and pray that we are a living example to them, a witness of our life, that will be a great influence on the decisions they make to follow Jesus in salvation. I pray too that if one makes the decision, the other doesn't follow just out of pressure or wanting to be like brother, but rather to make their own decision and truely understand what they are doing.

I hope that those seeds we plant will continue to grow in their little minds and that tomorrow more will be planted as we celebrate the most important day of history... when Jesus arose from the grave, just as He said he would so that all could be saved and all will believe.

Well, time for bed and Happy Resurrection Day!

***LOVE***

Sickness Invades Again!

My CT scan results came back the same day and I was thrilled. It is a lipoma and nothing else going on. So the next step is to figure out when to schedule this surgery to remove the tumor and have it tested. Most of these are non-cancerous, so that is a huge relief.

My day at work was unfortunately uncomfortable. The Barium Sulfate Suspension you drink made me sickly feeling all day. My stomach did a lot of talking, no throwing up though. Thats always good.

Parker woke up around 4 am with tummy hurting. He ended up in our bed as I was getting ready for work. He was sick. Poor little guy. I called home almost every 2 hours, "how is Parker?" Shawn would say he just threw up, playing or a sleep.... always good when asleep, cause you know they are getting that much needed rest.

I came home to more fun... Parker had just thrown up on the bathroom floor and was standing in the tub cause he pooped his pants too... total accident, or just didn't make it to the potty in time. He was upset about it, of course, and Shawn and I began undressing, gagging and getting him cleaned up. We threw away those undies!

Preston then threw up too all over his bedding... it was a pile (sorry to be so graphic, I'm just that way sometimes). I cleaned it up and washed his bedding. He has been sick ever since. He so small to, so I worry about him dehydrating. Parker did that last year and it was no fun at all! We spent time in the ER... we've been there many times!

Shawn had to head to church tonight, so I made the boys hunker down on the couch for some much needed quiet time. I could tell they had been playing all day, cause the house was a wreck. So they rested, threw up a little, ate some crackers, threw up a little and now they are both sleeping, very sound. Preston has a wet rag on his head. I looked at him from the chair and told him... "I love you" and he uttered back in a sad little voice "I love you too mommy" awe, melts the heart away. God is so good how he blesses us with such amazing kids! I love those little boys and it breaks my heart tonight knowing I have to go to work tomorrow and can't stay home with them to be "mommy" to them all day.

That's the struggle I get with working full time. I pray and hope to God we can pay off our debts and be in a better place to give more to our children and even others in need. I know God has a perfect plan for our lives, it's just waiting and wondering what He will do next that leaves you in suspence all the time. I have a huge problem sometimes with contentment and I know God constantly moves in my life to put me at ease in this area. He is always teaching me a great lesson in life... to just live it for Him, my family and those who need me.

Well, I very tired, worn and need to go to sleep, so I will begin to head that direction.

Nighty, night and God Bless!

Night before CT Scan

Tomorrow is my CT scan at 7:30 am. It's my normal arrival time for work, so no big deal getting up that early. I plan to try to get there earlier to finish the contrast drink... I don't want to drink and drive! It has to be done by 7:15 am... so maybe if I drink half then drink the rest when I get there, so I don't throw up on the George Bush Turnpike! Good plan. I'm not to nervous and feel confident all will go fine.

I'm off to bed for a good nights rest so I will be alert and ready to go tomorrow. Hey, Thursday I get my hair done, so that is something great to look forward to!

Oh, we celebrate the boys 5 year b-day this weekend... I will for sure post pictures.

I love this blog thing, I think it's my new hobby, even if no one reads it... I wrote it and got it off my chest!

Nighty Night!

A Visit with the Surgeon

I recently found a lump on my side that has been there for about four or five months. I first went to the family practitoner and she was for sure it was a pulled muscle and gave me pain meds and told me to come back in a month.

Well a month went by and it was time for my annual Ob/Gyn visit with my favorite doctor, Courtney Trylovich... she is so awesome. I went ahead and asked her what she thought about it since she deals somewhat in that area and might know. She said she thought is might be a hernia and suggested I go to a surgeon. She said to get it taken care of soon, cause you don't want to have hernia problems. So as obedient as I am, I made the appointment.

It was today....

The doctor, Dr. Cribbins, first could not find it and I began to think he might think I am crazy. I told him sometimes it sticks out more and sometimes you can barely feel it. He began to press harder in that area and felt the spot. He told me he thought it was a Lipoma. "What's that I asked right away!" He said it was a fatty benign tumor! All I heard was tumor. It was the feeling I had when I was put on bed rest... a flood of emotions and I almost cried today... but caught myself (I did cry when it was the problem with the twins).

I immediately began to ask questions, like is this something I should be scared about and he said no. He told me that most of these are non-cancerous. He said he wanted to do a scan, can't remember if it is a CT scan or a CAT scan to get a better look at the inside of it to make sure this is the actual problem. Then if it is a Lipoma, we will schedule surgery to remove it and then test it! So he left me with that one glimpse of a problem... but assured me it was benign.

So as I left, I made my phone calls and began my drive home when the horrible thoughts began to flood my mind and bounce around in it like a bouncy ball. An old friend who past away from cancer popped in my mind... her little boy was 4 when she was diagnosed and she died when he was 6 from cervical cancer.

I know God is totally in control and I just need to yeild to His grace and love to get me through this ordeal. It is probably nothing! Nothing! Nothing. But let me tell you... having active twin boys, working full time and trying to be the best support to my husband in ministry can all be all consuming at times... and now this!

Well, it helps to journal how I feel and know that God will get me through this one!

***Chrissy***

My Boys are Almost FIVE!

I’m in total amazement that my boys are turning FIVE (5) 1,2,3,4 AND 5 in just 14 days! How can this be happening to me! It seems like just yesterday I was on bed rest and relieved to be this far along in my pregnancy and that they could just come any day now! I was finally at the 33 week mark, a long awaited goal my doctors had set for me.

Now they are turning the big FIVE! All this time has gone by and so many wonderful memories have been made along the way. Two wonderful little boys fill our lives each day and I thank God for the blessings they are to us. I’m amazed at how much they have learned and grown. We will start a new chapter in our lives as they start kindergarten this fall and they are getting excited about it. I actually think I am excited too for them. At least I know they will be in a learning environment at an excellent school.

Right now the things that matter most to them is their toys, their doggies (Belle, Benz and Lexy), grandparents and of course mom and dad. The things that make them laugh hysterically are words like butt, boodie and potty talk! Of course, they get in trouble all the time for using these words and I call it potty talk, which makes them laugh and giggle even more.

We are so happy to be celebrating this time of year. They have made their request know, they both want a bike.

Parker wants this one!

Preston wants this one!

*Chrissy*