Praising God And Doing The Happy Dance!!!

God is wonderful and has answered the prayers of so many hearts this morning for Kristy and baby girl. I hope she won't mind me posting here but I can't contain my JOY for one more minute. BABY GIRL BOLTE IS PERFECT!!! Yes, you read that right my friends, PERFECT!! And yes, I am shouting it out here in caps:) I am beyond thankful, I am doing the Happy Dance here and can't get the goosebumps to go down:)

"I called to the Lord in my distress, and I cried to my God for help. From His temple He heard my voice, and my cry to Him reached His ears." Psalms 16:6

"Along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them." Isaiah 42:16

What a blessing and a privilege to pray for others as if our life depended on it. In many ways it does. Prayer comes back full circle and I don't know who gets the bigger blessing out of it. It is just a Full Circle God Thing. Thank you all for praying with me. My spirit is floating this morning, light and fluffy and thankful.

Love and Hugs, Laurie

Urgent Prayers Needed

my charming kids

Stellan is in desperate need of our prayers. He is in the hospital and fighting for his life as he is in V Tach. He is only four months old and is so precious. Most of you know him from MCKMama's blog as he has become quite popular. Please pray for him and his family.

Another prayer request is for my dear friend Kristy who is expecting a precious baby girl after losing Isaac and Asher. The ultrasound was not as positive as Kristy would have liked it to be and she is so scared for the unknown. Most of you know her too but for those of you who don't, would you please pray for her heart to be calm as she waits to find out more. Kristy needs Gods assurance and hope that this baby girl will be alright. My heart aches for her and I wish there was more I could do for her.

I haven't been able to think of anything else the past two days except these two families and the prayers they need from us to lift them up. I would appreciate if you would join with me tonight in serious prayers.

Love and Hugs, Laurie

Gorgeous Monday Morning

After a cloudy and drizzly weekend, the sun is out this morning in all it's beauty. It will be in the low 70's all week and it really feels like Spring has come. Hannah is here and happy as can be. Isaac will be here after preschool. Both are feeling so much better and that makes me happy. Corky took a much needed week off work so it will be fun for the kids to have him home too. Fun for me too:)

Spring holds so much new life this year. Emily just had a perfect ultrasound and Abigail looks perfect and is perfect and will be here anytime.

Kristy has her ultrasound this afternoon and I am praying it all goes perfect for baby girl as I feel in my heart that it will. Soon this little girl will bless them face to face.

Karen has a baby boy blessing their family for the 4th time and praying for her next ultrasound to be perfect too.

And then Kim's baby should be blessing their family soon too! Baby Faith Claire is keeping Kenzie busy these days with much joy, and Baby Dante is basking at home in Chrissy's arms. Angie is blessed with Adrienne each and every day and Yvette is loving having Torrey to love in their family. What a difference one year has made from Spring last year to Spring this year. So much reflection and healing in between and continues to this day. God has taken and He is giving. I don't understand Him so much of the time but I know He is good all the time.

Zoe celebrated her one year birthday over the weekend, a day this little T-18 girl was not supposed to see. What a blessing she is. Annabel turned 4 and Mallorie is 2. Three very special little girls in my heart. Surviving and Thriving!! Not always easy but I see Gods hands on each little girl.

Baby Stellan at Mc Mamma's needs our prayers. He is back in the hospital with his little heart racing and needs healing. Praying for his family too. His condition is so very serious.

Many other families are now walking in the winter of their Spring, beginning the journey of grief that is so new and heartbreaking. Too many to list but all have my thoughts and prayers this Spring. I am always amazed how life goes on, the ups and downs for each of these families, the sorrows and joys. Watching God work in these lives with His grace and mercies. I continue learning in these journeys.

Lots of yardwork to do in the gardens this week and the weather is perfect for it. As I work, I will have all of you on my mind and talk to God about you. It serves two purposes at one time. I hope everyone of you have a wonderful Monday and find blessings all around you. You are blessings to me:)

Love and Hugs, Laurie

Something Sweet For Mermaid Hannah

Look at what I found online at www.palmtreeprincess.com. I am pretty sure that it was my sweet friend Pam who bought a skirt for her niece in Michigan and when I saw it, I had to go check out this place. Thanks Pam!! I ordered it and it came in the mail yesterday. It is a size 2T so will be big for her right now but when I adjust it to fit her, I will take pictures. Such an indulgence to have a girly girl in the family after only boys!!

Love and Hugs, Laurie

Oh So Thankful Thursday

First of all this morning, I want to thank you for your prayers yesterday. God heard them and started turning things around almost immediately. I may just have to ask for prayer more often before things get so crazy.:) I am beginning to see how this all works in a much clearer light that giving and receiving is a "full circle" flow of God's blessings. Corky and my son Eric had a meeting after work yesterday and it really eased a lot of pressure as far as their job security was concerned. They were excited as we talked last night and I had to tell them that my "blog girlfriends" were praying. Corky got a huge smile on his face and told me to tell you that "You Rock.!" He says he understands what I do here online a little bit better:)

The grandkids were here yesterday and came back last night for 3 hours. Grandpa was in heaven just rolling around on the floor with them and feeling his day melt away. It is as much therapy for him as it is for me.

The hole in the bathroom floor is starting to be filled in this morning and progress
is being made:) Corky took a week off work and is going up north tomorrow to deliver a piece of furniture to our friends in the redwoods. I won't be going this time around because I have the kids tomorrow and I need to be here for the workers, so I am asking if you would pray for safe travel for him, it is a 10 hour drive one way and he will be by himself. He will spend the night up there and come back home on Saturday.

I just want to thank you girls again for praying for us, it means so much to me. The results were almost instant and I hope that when I pray for you, God answers as quickly for you. It is not perfect sailing from here on out at all, but He has lifted the heavy cloud that was blocking the hope from shining in. I appreciate each and every one of you with all my heart and I love our heart to heart connection in Him. Have a wonderful day today. And if you need prayer, let me know here and I will be on it.

Love and Hugs, Laurie

This Is Me Tonight!!

Trying To Get Back On Track Here

Boy, have I been in a funk for the past week or two. Nothing urgent going on but lots of little things all adding up to a funky place to be in. I have been in my head a lot and it is non productive this time around. My husband and two sons are feeling the job stresses of the economy and I worry for them in between praying. Why is it so much easier for me to encourage others and fall so short on myself? It feels as if I don't practice what I preach at times. I guess I need a little encouragement from time to time myself, ya think?

I can't stand to watch the news anymore. It is too depressing or too stupid, depending on the subject. Economy or movie stars. Ten babies that I have prayed for this year have all died in the past two weeks. Six were in one family, their first pregnancy. How does anyone's heart handle this kind of heartbreak and devastation? I can't wrap my mind around it. At the same time, all I hear about here in California is the "Octumom" everywhere I go and since she lives only an hour away, it is local news. I am tired of her and I know she needs help big time. I feel sorry for her kids, all 14 of them.

Isaac has bronchitis and Hannah has had a sinus infection for the past week and I feel so bad for them. They are getting better now and I am thankful for this. We have been able to have a good time and be happy inspite of it. They are little troopers for sure. Just bundle them up and play outside where the germs can blow away.

Still working on the plumbing but everything is up and running. The cavern running under the house needs to be filled back in now and I feel sorry for the guys having to lug all that dirt back in and crawl under the house to pack it all back in before they can cement the huge hole and lay the new floor down. Isaac said he could make a suction blower machine to blow the dirt back in with a huge hose from the backyard where all the dirt is in mountain sized piles. If only he were older:) I just love that little guy to pieces. He is sunshine to my cloudy heart!!

A very dear friend of ours who has supplied us with collies for the past ten years died this month and her husband is just lost without her. They were married 10 years longer than Corky and me. She was a great lady and will be missed so much.


I don't have anything to really complain about so why am I complaining and letting the little things get to me? I guess it boils down to feeling very vulnerable with all that is going on around me. I don't question God and I never really have questioned Him. So I guess I question myself when these things happen and I sure don't have any answers to the things of this world. I know I could use a little encouragement to kick my sorry butt back into gear here soon and pull myself out of the "funk pit". I am looking forward to the grandkids coming tomorrow. The weather is supposed to be great all week and I am thankful for that. They LOVE playing outside and I love watching:) That's my plan for tomorrow.

If anyone reads this grumbling and still loves me inspite of it, thank you!!!

Love and Hugs, Laurie

**~SPRING AHEAD TONIGHT~**

It is only 3:00pm right now but I am starting to turn clocks ahead as I have 31 of them in the house. Yes, that's right, 31. I have collected them over the years too, most of them coke ones and they are all up and running. By 8:00pm they will all be an hour ahead except for the one over the TV and the one that always gets forgotten somewhere. There are also five in the back yard garden and patio I will get to tomorrow. I like clocks:) I have never worn a watch in my life. But I do like to be able to look around wherever I am doing stuff during the day and keep track of time.

Today was beautiful. Sunny, in the 60's and a little bit breezy. Just enough breeze to get all the windchimes going and sounding so pretty and the smell of jasmine drifting all over the yards. All signs of Spring coming.

Yesterday was a great day with the kids. We made "Jello Jigglers" (I love this name that Lisa calls them). Isaac mixed it all together in the bowl and got excited when he added the "cement", the name he has for the Knox gelatin. Poured it in a huge roasting pan and let it set up in the fridge. We went outside and played for a few hours while it set up. It is so much fun to watch them use their imaginations outside and be so happy. And I don't have to do anything but watch and hold conversations with them. Isaac was blown away cutting up the jello into worms, shapes, and dicing tiny pieces, eating it as he went along. Such harmless fun. His birthday is in May and I told his mom that whatever theme he decided on, I would make a stained glass jello centerpiece to go along with it. What 4 year old wouldn't enjoy that? I can make all the jello colors ahead of time and have it ready to assemble in no time. And the best part of it all, I won't cut myself while I am doing it.:)

Well, I am rambling here so I think I will get back to the laundry and setting clocks ahead now. I hope you all are having a wonderful weekend and find some treasures along the way. They are out there, you just need to look for them.

Love and Hugs, Laurie

Friday Flashback--Good bye "60" And Hello "61"

Sixty One years ago today, I was born in a hospital in Los Angeles, Ca. I spent the first five years of my life in a small bungalow house on East 61st street in an area now known as Watts. Back in the day, the neighborhood was very diversified. My grandma lived in a little cottage three doors down, my Aunt Mary lived across the street. We had an Asian family across the street, Mexican family next door who made fresh tortillas every afternoon and invited me over to eat them fresh off the hot plate. Probably because I stood there drooling from the smell:) A Chinese family lived across the street and a Black family three doors down. I remember it being a lovely mix of people all living together on one small block of this world. I was free to walk in and out of each of these families houses and feel totally safe. I was exposed to so many different races and cultures and I am so thankful that to this day, I grew up knowing that all people are equal in Gods eyes. I was an independent and bold little toddler. I lived in my own little world of make believe and I liked everybody. I picked up stray kittens constantly, wanting to keep them all. I lived with a secret that no one knew and was liked by everyone. I climbed the big fig tree and got up on our roof with my older brother many times. The view from up there was great. Getting down was not as easy as getting up there.:) My ignorance of all things dangerous was bliss for me. So much changed as I grew older and yet, somehow, I am here this morning writing and thinking how grateful I am to have spent all of these years learning who I am in Him. And what He has given me in my life I would not trade for anything.

My grandkids will be here this morning in a few hours and we are going to make "finger jello". I was talking to Isaac about it when he was here Wednesday. He was telling me that his mom made jello and they tried to cut shapes out of it and it kept falling apart. Then, I remembered "finger jello". I made it for my boys all the time when they were his age. It's all about the Knox Gelatin!! I found the recipe in the back of my recipe box, thank God, because Isaac insisted we make it. So today, this is what we will be doing. He loves to help me bake and cook and he will be so stoked to see what we can do with it. It doesn't melt and feels just like gummy worms. It will be a fun day and it looks like the sun will be out today too. It's all good.

Have a wonderful day and a wonderful weekend. I plan to.:)

Love and Hugs, Laurie

I Love The Month Of March

I don't really have much to say tonight except that I love that this is the first day of March, 2009. It was such a beautiful spring-like day today; sunny, warm in the 80's and I just feel so full of Hope. I am coming out of hibernation and I can feel it! Next Saturday night we turn the clocks ahead and I just love it. I love to have more daylight at the end of my day. Spring is right around the corner and will be here on the 20th. So many of my blogfriends are anxiously waiting for Spring and I know how they feel. There is just something about this season that renews my hope for myself and for others. New beginnings, new life, new dreams, and contentment. I am content in my life and I can truly say that I have more than I need. God has taught me that contentment is a condition of my heart. I have worked with His gentle leading on this for most of my life and I intend to continue until the day He calls me home. I have lived long enough to realize that every valley was a blessing and lessons learned in these valleys are my treasures. I did not like being in the valleys and drug my feet along the paths, but I am so grateful that He knew I needed to go through them. He knew I needed to learn how to hope without fear of something bad being right around the bend. Balance, He is teaching me balance. I still fear at times, but I am going to open my heart even wider this Spring and push past the fears of the unknown. The Lord has planted more hope in my heart for Spring and all that is to come. And Easter is coming too. What a blessing Easter is to all of us who love the Lord and put our trust in Him.

What are your hopes for Spring and what do you love about this season? I'd love to hear your thoughts. And if you have anything that needs prayer, let me know this too. I love you and hope you have a wonderful night.

Love and Hugs, Laurie