Praise God from whom all good things come!

Do not fear, O land, rejoice and be glad, For the LORD has done great things. - Joel 2:21

I am filled with thanksgiving and praise for our Savior, Jesus Christ, this morning. We serve an awesome God and I am honored to be surrounded by his amazing servants....YOU!

I received an email from Peg, my friend who's story I shared with you. I asked for prayers to help her children out of what seemed like a desperate situation. We all prayed and the Lord has answered! (If you missed Jennifer & Jerry's story, you can click HERE.)

Her email told me that an elderly family member called Jerry and Jennifer this week to ask how the walk-aides worked. Jerry told her the whole story. This family member, who "finds it very difficult to part with her money because of her age (81) and her fear of having to depend on someone else" offered to lend Jerry & Jennifer the money, interest free!!! Jerry already has a call in to Neurotronics and hopefully this will all be in place next week! This is truly a miracle and a result of how loving and merciful our Lord is when His people pray. Thank you all that have lifted this family up in your prayers. May God bless you ten-fold!

I humbly ask that you continue to keep Jerry and all persons with disabilities in your prayers. Their struggles are many even in their everyday lives.

As a parting note, I am elated to leave you with an absolutely beautiful picture! Miss Serafina Therese in utero at approximately 28 weeks. I can just envision her Daddy standing by her Mama's side as she makes her entrance into the world. PRAISE YOU, LORD!!!!!!

P.S. Check out what appeared in this morning's news! BRAIN IN A BOX

It's All About Me!

Barbie at Moments.Memories.Milestones did this and I thought I would give it a try. At first, I thought it would be tough coming up with a hundred things about me, but after I got started, it was a lot of fun! Thanks, Barbie. Please leave me a comment if anyone does it on their blog. I love reading them!

So, without further ado, for anyone curious, and for my own entertainment, here are 100 things about me.

1. I am known for crying at the simplest things.
2. Starting at 11 years old, I volunteered after school every day in a classroom of blind and deaf kids (ages 3-10). I did this for 4 years and also learned sign language in the process.
3. One of the 4 yr. olds in that class passed away from a tumor during that time. It was my first devastating experience with death.
4. After having been there at least 50 times in my life, I still get chills (and sometimes cry) during the parade at the Magic Kingdom in Disney.
5. I hate my hair.
6. I very rarely wear sneakers.
7. I often think people don't like me.
8. I'm not a big chocolate fan.
9. I believe the "right way" of showering is always washing the hair first, then the body.
10. I wished my parents weren't divorced.
11. I'm relieved that my parents are divorced.
12. I am proud to be Cuban.
13. I truly wished my children would all live on the same block as I do, wherever I live.
14. I often cry when I pray.
15. Jesus is first and foremost, then my marriage, then my children.
16. I could not leave a room without closing a drawer that I see is not pushed in all the way.
17. I love all things Kiefer (Sutherland).
18. I almost always order sweet tea when we eat out.
19. If we had the money, (and Scott agreed, of course) I would definitely adopt another SNs child again.
20. I hate long car trips.
21. I research everything (adoption, diseases, ailments, vacation spots, hobbies, etc.)
22. I never remove my wedding rings and I sleep with my watch on.
23. I can't drink soda without ice in it. (very tough for me while in China).
24. I love emails! (I just wish I weren't so bad at responding, especially lately). Sorry!
25. I don't like and am not good at math.
26. I often get told I look much younger than I am.
27. If I won the lottery, most of it would go to St. Jude's Hospital and the orphans in China.
28. I was always a good student in school.
29. I hate making lists. I try and remember everything.
30. I am afraid of dying and leaving my children for someone else to raise.
31. I never, ever let my kids sit on a potty seat without paper covering it, even at people's houses.
32. My middle name is Caridad (meaning Charity).
33. I am allergic to cats and ferrets.
34. I love to watch Scott do things around the house (and no, not always in the supervisor capacity).
35. I so wish I were a size 7.
36. I am totally in love with China, and more so with Chinese children.
37. I have kept every card Scott has ever given me.
38. I love sharing about our adoptions.
39. I love sharing my faith.
40. I adored my grandmother and I miss her so much.
41. I wish I had a "girlfriend" nearby to hang out with that also had little ones.
42. I don't have any very close friends. I have many acquaintances.
43. I had morning sickness for about 7 months with each of my pregnancies.
44. My husband can make me laugh more than anyone I know.
45. My 3rd grade teacher taught me my love for reading. It started with James & the Giant Peach.
46. We almost lost my oldest son at 15 years old, in an accident. I was out of the country.
47. I wish Scott's family were as close to him as my family is to me.
48. I wish I could have a close relationship with my stepdaughter.
49. I can't stand watching people make fun of other people.
50. I rarely put on makeup to go to run errands or take the kids to school.
51. When I go on short getaways with Scott, we usually stay at a B & B.
52. I wish we could someday be completely debt free.
53. I absolutely love anything eucalyptus smelling (i.e. Vicks!)
54. I wish Scott spoke Spanish.
55. I love my husband for many things, but one of his best qualities is that he always folds, hangs and puts away all the laundry for me.
56. I regret tying my tubes 13 years ago.
57. I don't regret tying my tubes, otherwise I wouldn't have the 3 angels born in my heart.
58. As a kid, I hated playing outside.
59. As an adult, I hate sunbathing.
60. I love the beach.
61. My husband is my absolute best friend, my sister is next.
62. I am a control freak.
63. I'm horrible at baking.
64. I'm a good cook.
65. I someday want to go back to school and be a registered nurse.
66. I get motion sick easily.
67. When I was little, I'd always say I was going to go to school to learn to be a maid.
68. I hate cleaning.
69. I hate having a dirty house.
70. I once had a cleaning lady, but we let her go because I always felt the house needed to be clean before she arrived.
71. I don't like hot or cold cereals.
72. I have a beautiful antique piano.
73. I took piano lessons when I was a kid and hated them.
74. I would love to take piano lessons now.
75. My Mom is also named Ohilda, and she is the only other person I know with this name.
76. I can swim, but have never been comfortable in deep water.
77. I love wooden roller coasters.
78. I love watching my kids laugh.
79. I once had to leave a restaurant because I was claustrophobic.
80. I can keep a secret forever, if asked to.
81. I rarely cook with recipes, yet try new dishes often.
82. I break out in hives when I am outside in the cold without proper attire, yet I can't wait to leave Florida.
83. Oxtail stew and pigs feet stew are two of my favorite meals.
84. I must sleep with a night light.
85. Sometimes I wish I were 12 again.
86. Sometimes I wish I had met my husband in school, but then think that if I had, I wouldn't have my amazing children.
87. I was married the first time at 16 years old (and yes, I was a virgin).
88. My first marriage was annulled.
89. My favorite occupation is to be a Mom.
90. Thanksgivings are always held at our house. I am the only cook for over 20 guests.
91. I love taking naps.
92. I'm a pro-life Republican.
93. I hate exercising.
94. I love seeing on the caller ID that it's Scott on the other end.
95. I would love to join a women's bible study.
96. I love to travel.
97. I believe that the Holocaust was very real and often get teary-eyed that those atrocities happened.
98. I was 18 when I was blessed with my first child and I was 43 when I was blessed with my last child.
99. I often wish I would not be so anal and allow my kids to make big messes, get dirty and just let them run free.
100. My biggest desire is that all of my children get to know our Lord intimately and that He be the greatest love in their lives.
     

She eat him?

When I take Kai to school in the mornings, the routine is normally to wait until all the preschoolers arrive and then they all hold hands and walk off to the classroom with their teacher aide.

Since this sometimes takes about 15 minutes, instead of having them run I usually grab a kid's book from the school office shelf and read to AJ, Anna Grace and Kai while we wait.

Last Friday, I asked him to grab the book and come back to where we were seated. He came back all excited with a book and said, "Jesus Mommy". When I look at the book it was titled "The real Christmas story".

We've discussed Mary being Jesus' Mommy a bit, but never really getting into much detail. Anyways, I begin the reading the story, changing the words into ones that they could understand and which fit into what the pictures show.

About the 2nd or 3rd page, there is a picture of Mary sitting atop of a donkey and Joseph pulling her along. So, I said to them that they were looking for a place to stay but that the town was so full that they had to sleep in a stable.

Kai looks at me and asks, "Where's baby Jesus?" I responded with, "Kai, he's not born yet. Jesus is in His Mama's tummy." Then he gave me a completely bewildered look and said, "She eat him?" heh!!! I thought that was so cute!

Just then the bell rang, but I wanted to make sure that he didn't leave to class thinking Mary was a cannibal. So, I said, "No, she did not eat him. Before babies are born they are in their Mommy's tummies." Still confused, he said, "Kai in Mama's tummy?" That totally threw me for a loop, since that was a whole other subject. One that I am still not sure how to answer without hurting him, but yet wanting to be 100% honest. So, I said, "No baby, Kai was not in Mama's tummy."

Seconds later, the second bell rang and they had to line up to go to class. I believe I was truly "saved by the bell" that time.