Things don't always turn out as planned..

Well, most of my week did not turn out how I had planned, but plans are made to be broken or is that rules....
I kept my nephew yesterday like I always do. No big issues maybe just a little sharing and a little pushing. But they have their days. No big fights or injuries so all is well. We did keep some friends of ours little boy overnight so they could go on a date. Elizabeth and Thomas love him. Thomas followed him around all night and Elizabeth wanted him to take a bath with them and she wanted to sleep with him. All went well and this morning his parents, Elizabeth, Thomas & I went to Chik-fil-A. After they watched E & T so I could go to Lowe's and buy paint. I bought some paint for the kids furniture and got one side of E new footboard painted. I think it is going to look real nice.
Tonight a girlfriend and I are going to take our kids to Sesame Street live. We went last year minus Thomas, he wouldn't have understood or lasted that long. But Thomas loves Elmo and all the Sesame Street characters so I think he will have a blast. It was so funny last year because the kids didn't understand why we had to wait for Elmo to come out so I said that he was taking a shower to get ready for the show. Then they had an intermission and the kids were crying and wondering where Elmo was so I said that he had to go potty.
I can't wait to see what happens tonight. Not much else this weekend except I am going to try and finish painting furniture and sometime go visit my great uncle who is in the hospital following surgery to remove cancer from his colon. His son is in town and we don't get to see him ever so I am looking forward to that. I missed his wife though, she had to fly back home. They are both really sweet people.
Well, off to wait for napping children to arise and hold them off until it's time to go to the show.

Today is another story

Okay, Today is Tuesday. Ladies Bible Class. That is how I describe my day. Well, needless to say all I wanted to get done yesterday did not happen. However, today is another story. The water guy came and got it all set up. He hasn't put my new faucet in yet, that should be tomorrow. And I got the kids rooms and playroom all organized now.
My next project is to paint Elizabeth's new bed (Thomas' old convertible bed) and Thomas' new bed (Elizabeth's old bed - it looks more masculine) and put them in their new places. Then my next project.....paint...every room in the house.
Next week I get my new dinning room table and chairs. I am very excited about that.
Eventually, I am going to make this house my home instead of the house we live in with it's old owners style.
We had a good lesson in class today. We are discussing how to tell others about Jesus. I had a revelation a couple of years back that I am going to share. I wonder have you thought why are we here....God create us to fellowship with. He created us for the same reason we have children. Now the problem is because of sin and us being set apart from God our spirits yearn for that fellowship (the reason we were created) so people look to fill that void with other things...drugs, alcholol, sex, other gods. Did you ever think about that. That is why those who don't know Christ are not happy...they haven't found out why they are here. There was also another point made as to how to approach someone who absolutely feels that their sins are far too great for God to forgive. First, that is pride! Are they bigger than God? Is what they have done more impactful than what Jesus did? Ask them those questions and let them think on that..then tell them what Jesus did do, what it means, and how great it is.
Okay, sermon over....love ya!!

My Babies

Here are my precious gifts. Elizabeth turned 3 in January and Thomas turned 2 this month.
Pure joy!!!

Party!

Well, Thomas finally had his 2nd birthday party on Saturday and I think it went really well. All adults seemed happy and all the children played & laughed hard (no fights broke out). So I would say it was a success.
You know when I first had kids I had thought that just milestone birthdays we would have family and friends and all others just family. But when you get into parenting you just see that it really can't be that way, especially if you have a lot of friends and you get invited to their birthday parties. The kids really enjoy having and getting to go to these parties. It is like their time and their chance to get to "hang out" with their friends where they aren't in school or church where they don't really get to talk, visit and play. So my views have changed and I think for the better.
I have to brag on my friends and family for a minute. I have the best!!! My family is always there for us. The grandparents are always volunteering to babysit, which is so nice and we are so lucky that both sets of parents live in the same town as us. We are luckier than most. Next, mine & my husbands brother and sisters are such great aunts and uncle. They are always here for us and them and I appreciate and love them so much. And my grandmother is the queen of all queen's when it comes to grandmothers. My maternal grandmother went to live with Jesus when I was a senior in high school and my paternal grandmother always makes sure that her family is taken care of. She spoils me and my kids!!
Our friends, they are so good. I have the sweetest, kindest friends. We enjoy playing with each others children, visiting, and fellowshipping with each other. I will tell you what, friends are friends but when you have friends that you can fellowship with - talk about, praise about and have true discussions of faith in the Lord, those are true friends that you will have forever. And I am soooo blessed!!
Okay, I tried to put new pics of the kids up but it didn't go. So I will post this and then just try and post the pics by themselves.

Spring is here and it is snowing...

I have had a pretty busy week. We are getting a new water softening system and r/o water. We were renting from Culligan but found this new system at the Home & Garden Show. So he put in our new r/o water system and we got this fancy spout, so....we had to get a new faucet. This new one has the vegetable sprayer on the faucet spout. It is real pretty. We have had some people come and give estimates for new counter tops in the kitchen. We will probably wait awhile for that...it is quite expensive. But definitely one day...especially if we ever decide to move...that would be a big plus when selling it.
The kids are good. They loved the snow last night. It has been in the 80's and now it is in the 30's with snow. But we got lots of rain which we needed, so praise God for that. But we could use some more. The lakes and water areas are really low.
Well, Saturday is Thomas' rescheduled birthday party...I just need a few more things to pick up.
I have to say I just love fellowship. I really enjoy when I get to talk with my friends about the Lord and all He does for us. It really blesses me. It gets my spirit worked up, which is what we are supposed to be. We are supposed to be excited about the Lord. He is awesome and I have always been blessed in my life when I have followed Him. I notice that whenever bad things have happened in my life I was not following the Lord the way I should have been. But He always leads me back to the path He has for me. I praise God and thank Jesus everyday for the wonderful life I have because of them.
Sermons over...love you all.
It is on my heart to say this. If you need prayers...for anything and maybe you don't know who to turn to...please feel free to ask for them. I will pray for you. Remember too that the Lord listens to EVERYONE's prayers...He is no respecter of persons He loves us ALL!

It Comes In Waves

I believe the last time I wrote it was Tuesday and Elizabeth was sick. Well, Wednesday went well. She acted like her old self. Thomas was good. I was good. Cody was good. Thursday morning I woke up just slightly ,like on the very lower reaches of my stomach, nauseated. Elizabeth was slightly clingy, Thomas playful Thomas who was now 2. At about 10:30 Elizabeth wanted me to hold her and she fell asleep (she slept until 2). Thomas wanted to play. I was getting more nauseauous (sp) as the day progressed. I took some phenergen and it made me sleepy, not less naseaous though. By the time Elizabeth woke up I didn't think I could handle it. I would rather throw up than be nauseaous. My mother was working and was having back problems so she couldn't help, my mother-in-law was at the doctor and my father-in-law went to play golf (I could have told him I needed his help but he doesn't get to play golf very often and especially not with his other son Bryce) so I called Cody and just asked if he could come straight home from work. Well, my sweet loving husband took off and came home. He took the kids to the park. I went to bed at 4. I woke up periodically thinking I would get up but would fall back asleep. At 10 I heard Thomas just threw up. I tried but my body would not respond. I finally woke up Friday morning to Thomas crying and grabbing at his throat. He proceeded to try and throw up (it was just phlem). So, Birthday party cancelled. Poor Thomas hasn't got to enjoy his birthday yet. But as the day progressed all was well at the Dye home. Again the power of prayer at work. Instead of having a bug that stayed with us it was gone in about 24 hrs. Laugh if you must but the Word is true. It may not be instantaneous but prayers are answered.
This morning the kids are eating waffles and drinking their juice watching the Backyardigans. I actually like that show too.

Crazy Days

Well, I had planned to get the kids and go to Chik-fil-A and meet other young mothers from our Ladies Bible Class to eat and play, however, at 3:30 this morning Elizabeth ran in our room crying and wanted me to hold her. She was kind of acting like she hurt so I asked her if her throat her because she was grabbing at it, she said yes and wanted a drink, she then proceeded to throw up. Isn't it amazing how fast mother's hands are. Needless to say she threw up 2 more times early this morning and the last time at about 7. So, I did not get to go enjoy a chicken biscuit sandwich with the ladies.
I did, however, have a sweet friend come over and bring me one when she found out I wasn't going to be able to join the ladies. Wasn't that so sweet. I have such really sweet and caring friends.
The rest of my day was uneventful. Elizabeth would be clingy and want to be held and then she would want to go to the playroom and watch Diego (she love the "rescue pack" song). Thomas would love on Elizabeth and just play. He is so easy going. I did have to wrestle with him to keep him from going into her room when she laid down for a nap.
By bedtime, everyone was in good spirits and happy.
Speaking of bedtime....

The Calm After the Storm

I have to say today is more pleasant than yesterday was. Let's just say it was windy and brown. The morning started off good then after church the wind picked up and the dirt started to blow. We had to get out to go buy Thomas' birthday presents for his party on Saturday and it was nasty.
Today the kids have been a little antsy. They have settled down from this morning when they were chasing each other, really just picking at one another. Don't you just love those days?...
Usually on Tuesdays (tomorrow) I go to a Ladies Bible Class but since it is Spring Break here we aren't having it, so a few of us young mothers are getting together at Chick-fil-A to eat, visit and watch the kids play. I will probably pick up the party favors after that. Thomas will be 2, it is so hard to imagine how quickly they grow up.

I am blessed!

So far my weekend is going well. Cody & I went to the Home & Garden Show. I really enjoy going to it. I have become an avid watcher of HGTV, which worries Cody, so I am always looking at paint, tile...really anything to give me ideas. I love my house, but after 2 yrs have yet to make it a home. It has remnants (wall paper, paint, tile, etc) of the previous owners....so I want to make it mine. The last time I did that we moved within a couple of months..but hey, it helped with the resale value.
I have to laugh at my children. They can just be so funny. We have a new nephew (he is about 3 months old) and Elizabeth & Thomas both talk babytalk to him and coo at him and Thomas just about has a spaz attack, he wants to touch him so bad...but that goes for any babies they see. No we are not having anymore!!! But they are just so cute how they pick up what adults do.
Thomas is definately becoming a little boy...he loves to run around the room in cirlces making noises. Jumping and throwing himself to the ground. He is so passive and sweet most of the time but if you make him mad...you will see the biggest fit ever displayed...there is kicking and screaming involved. Needless to say that does go over well with me or daddy and it doesn't last long...thankfully they are few and far between. Thomas changed his first "baby" diaper this afternoon. He will be such a good daddy.
Elizabeth is growing so much...playing mommy and taking care of Thomas' needs. It is so funny because every once in awhile she will put her baby in her room and shut the door, then comes back and tells me her baby is in trouble for not minding. Elizabeth doesn't get mad, she gets her feelings hurt and becomes a big drama queen. Which doesn't go over well with daddy and me either. Again, thankfully they are few and far between.
But no matter what happens through out the day or night hugs and kisses are always abundant and that makes everything worth while.
I love being a mom. And I have to say, that when God answered my prayer for my husband he gave me more than I even thought possible. I have a Christian man who loves and takes care of his family. He helps with the kids, if I need help around the house, he is my best friend and I am so blessed.
That for sure I know above all else my God is with me all day, everyday and He answers my prayers.

Here are some pictures of all of us. I couldn't get them to post before so I hope they do now. Let me tell you these kids are "hams" when it comes to cameras. They see one and they start saying "cheese". It is pretty funny. I have a busy day today. Lots and lots of laundry. Thursday's I take care of my nephew Reid and today I am also watching his baby brother Holt while my mother-in-law, Shirley gets her hair done. They all get along so well and they all love the baby so it shouldn't be too bad. I can actually even get them all to take a nap at the same time. Yeah!!!

Well, it is Wednesday afternoon. Thomas is down for the count and Elizabeth is everywhere but where she is supposed to be.
Praise God, Thomas does not need tubes and his ears look good and the wax is minimal. The Power of Prayer - I love it!!
We had lunch at McD's today, it was too windy to go to the park. Thomas got stuck on the second level in the indoor playground and I had to go get him. Elizabeth hit her nose when she fell off of a stair on the playground and I had to go up and get her too. I'm glad they don't make them extra small or I would be in trouble.
Cody is off today and it is his birthday. After this weekend, not much excitement on his 30th. We got him a gift card for Best Buy-his favorite store. Now when the new season of Seinfeld comes out he can go get it.
Have a great day everyone and God Bless!!

Well, everyone else I seem to know is doing this so I thought what the heck.
It is March 7th, 2006. I just got home from Ladies Bible Class and put Thomas to bed and Elizabeth is watching a Dora & Diego video.
Tomorrow is Cody's 30th birthday. I gave him 2 surprise parties this weekend, one with family and the other with close friends. He seemed to enjoy both.
Tomorrow we take Thomas to the ENT doctor to see if he will need tubes. I have had tubes and know so many who have, and the fact that I am not a worrier, I know that everything will be okay, one way or another.
I am hoping to use this tool to keep family and friends up to date on what we are up to besides the family newsletter I send out 2 x a year.
Well, not much going on here, it is time to put Elizabeth down for her nap.
Thanks for reading.