the magic of cyberspace

As you all know, bloggie friends can be so special. I have made some pretty wonderful friendships throughout the years online, and even met my Prince Charming through a little screen on a monitor almost 13 years ago!

Well, this past week our family had the pleasure of meeting one of the most wonderful families I've met through my blog, The Tardiff family!

I love how Tracey and I first met!

Tracey, author of Life With 4 Sons, gathered her courage and came out of of de-lurkment on January 29, 2008, when I wrote THIS post. She sent me a very sweet email after writing the following comment:

mom2-4boys said...

You touch my life on a daily basis.I have de-lurked but, I am not sure I said I was from Mass not Tyngsboro but the next town over.I laugh and cry right along with you!!!

Tracey and the boys in MA

We've been friends every since. (I sure am glad Al Gore invented the internet! ::wink::)

We have lots in common since this family is not only from Scott's old stompin' grounds, yep, Patriots, Red Sox and big Bruins fans from Massachusetts, but they have 4 boys...like we do!

When I heard that they were coming to Florida for a vacation, I just knew that we had to meet them. Tracey kindly offered to drive the 2.5 hours from where they were staying to spend the afternoon chillin' with our crazy crew! I was so excited!

The day finally arrived and her clan, including hubby and the 4 very sweet, respectful and handsome sons arrived. We had a great time eating, chit-chatting, and watching the kids wrestle in the pool and on land.

What was even neater was that Tracey, whom I thought had been following our journey after Anna Grace came home, 'fessed up that she's been following our family since before Kai and AJ arrived! She has an amazing heart for children and is genuinely, well....amazing!

We were indeed blessed to meet the Tardiffs' and hope that they squeeze in a little Bombardier time in their annual trips to Florida from now on. We sure would love it! For more great pictures and Tracey's version of our visit, head over to her blog by clicking HERE.

Tracey and I with our treasures (2 of mine are missing)!


Sweet boys, Nevin and Kai.


The hubbies!


Jayme who kindly made sure to remind AJ to make a "bubble face" before tossing him in the water! AJ loved it!


Hangin' with new friends and eating watermelon after lunch.



Even Anna Grace got into the testosterone action while the boys wrestled!


Taking a breather after that serious wrestling match.

rise up, body of Christ!

At some point in our lives, we have all been touched by the horrific ripples of cancer. Whether it's through a family member, a friend, or a story that has touched our lives, cancer is a word that makes the strongest of people cringe.

But there is one special lady who has faced this battle head on. Her most powerful tool? The armor of God.

Meet Cindy, an amazing wife of 31 years and a homeschooling Mama to ten (many adopted) beautiful children. Cindy is in the midst of a fierce battle with cancer that has spread.

Click HERE to read a moving post that Cindy titled, It's A Hundred Little Things. This post is filled with Cindy's thoughts and fears about dying as she thinks about her children, her husband and her unending love for our Savior. (Be prepared to have the tears flow!)

Fellow adoptive Mama and lover of Christ, Linny, came up with the idea of a "Blog Fast" for Cindy. You can read, in depth, Linny's beautiful words HERE requesting that we join her.

The bottom line is this:

WE ARE THE BODY OF CHRIST.


Would you join me/us?

The Fast: Monday, July 27th

Fast: Breakfast or Lunch or Dinner or All Three

Please, please, please spread the word!

Ask your blog friends to join together with us. Post it on your Facebooks and link it to your Twitter Accounts. Let's flood the Heavens with our prayers.

Please ask your prayer chains, your Bible studies....your prayer groups....your family......all of them....and let's see what God will do!

"A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean." Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured." - Mark 1:40

MAY IT BE HIS WILL! NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD!

he did "GOD-MAZINGLY" well!

I arrived, in PJ's, at the hospital at about 8:00 p.m. (I thought it was kinda silly going out in PJ's!)

While Mama and I waited to be called in, Mama told me that nothing soothes the nerves better than a playroom. She was right!




It started with a little sensor here...




and a little sensor there.




During the scary parts, I'd close my eyes.



Pretty soon, I was all hooked up.

Well, almost all hooked up. They wrapped my head with some blue stuff...



then put some tube I didn't like inside my nose and some more wires on my fingers.




Finally,the man said we could say our prayers and it was time to go to sleep.




Mama was so proud of me! She told me that I was so brave because Jesus and His Mama and angels were there with me. I asked her why and she said because she had asked lots of friends to pray for me to be brave and for everything to be okay.

It worked! Thank you to all of Mama's friends for praying for me. It did the job!

I was really, really a big, brave boy!

Love,

Kai