this man

I'm pretty sure y'all know by now who this man is

Sweet hubby

He's an awesome husband.

A great father to many:

And a child of God who gently guides and leads his children down that narrow path, daily.

He's also a wonderful, hard working provider for his family.


That's why he did something so incredibly uncharacteristic of himself, that I believe only God could have initiated, for His glory.

This man quit his job.   

No reserve job in the wings.  

No plans for the future.  Just up and quit.

The only thing he had with him when he made this decision was my support, and the reassurance that the awesome God he serves was in the midst of it and has a plan for our lives..

He didn't walk out of a job.  He walked out of darkness and into the truth.  Sometimes, we have to do just that.   Walk by faith, and not by sight.   (2 Cor.5:7)


I'm not really going to go into details as to all the whys, but we've been in prayer for a while for God to shut doors where he wanted them shut, and open doors he wanted to open when it came to his job.

Work became increasingly difficult and circumstances put him in a position to have to decide between his beliefs, integrity and principles, or bowing down to the world and caving into the possibility that he would not be able to provide for his family if he didn't.  In other words, doing the right thing, or not trusting or believing that EVERY. SINGLE. THING. we have, comes from God, Himself.

He chose to be the man he is.   A man of character   A man of rectitude and a man of righteousness.   But most importantly, he chose to turn away from the ugliness the world was throwing at him. and instead to trust God, completely and without reservation.

Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. 

- Galatians 1:10

I'm not a man.  But, I do know that being a provider and taking care of the family, especially for a man who family means everything to, ranks pretty high up there, hence the reason I say it is so uncharacteristic for him.  It was not a decision he made lightly.  I could not be prouder of this man I am blessed to call my husband.

So, we are once again, another statistic for a nation with the highest unemployment record in decades, albeit not due to the economy this time.

But please, no condolences, because we are sharing this with blessed joy.  

Seriously. Blessed. Joy.

It's been a few days now.  We've loved waking up together and delving into God's Word over coffee, or sitting on the rockers out our front door and just taking in the beauty only God could create.  God has, every second of the day, reminded us that not only is He in control, but He has given us an unexpected and undefinable sense that something great is heading our way.

He has affirmed two scriptures, over and over.  These are Romans 8:28 and 1 Thessalonians 5:18.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, 

who have been called according to his purpose."

and

"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."

So, as always, to God be the glory for this next twist in our roller coaster lives.  I can't wait to see where He leads us.

 

The Greatest Gift

Do you remember the lyrics to that old hymn, "When we all get to Heaven?"

Those words are flowing through my mind and I am singing them loud and proud.  ♪ ♫ "What a day of rejoicing it will be!"  ♫ ♪

This is probably one of the happiest days of my life. Not because it happens to be Father's Day, but because today, God answered a prayer that every Christian Mama prays for their children.  

Mine has been prayed over and over for many years. 

My youngest big boy, Adam, at the age of 29, stood before the congregation at his church on this Father's Day, and gave his testimony. He has accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of his life.  In two weeks, he will be baptized! : 

 Here are some excerpts from his testimony: 

"I knew nothing about Jesus or what he could do for me. I knew I was a sinner, but I attended church on Sundays, believed in God and was a good kid. So I thought when I died I would go to heaven. I was wrong." 

In reference to his cousin and her family, whom he moved in with several months after we had moved to NC, and who invited him on a mission trip to Jamaica: 

Adam giving his testimony at Pines Baptist Church.

"Four people helped change my life forever. Cristina, D.j. Madison, and Landyn accepted me and allowed me to live in their home. I asked, “Where will I stay?” They said, “Don’t worry, we’ll make room.” I don’t have a job or income. They said “Don’t worry, we’ll take care of you until you do”. A quick seven days later I was on a plane with 23 other soon to be friends headed to Jamaica" "After that trip, my eyes were opened as to how Jesus can make a difference. Seeing what little possessions they owned and the conditions they lived in would be miserable here in the states, but they were still happy and full of life with God by their side." 

 "Over these past seven months I have seen a huge change in my life for Jesus. I see myself wanting to participate at church, going to mission trips, volunteering for events without any hesitation. I actually look forward to these things, not because I hang out with cool people, but because I see the power of God at work. To see the smile on a child’s face or talk about the Word to an elder who is a complete stranger is one of the best conversations I can have throughout my day." 

 "I can’t pin point the exact day or moment when Jesus was filled in my heart. I know around January or February I started to really see a change in myself" 

 "I have grown in my servitude toward sharing the gospel so much more than I could have ever imagined." 

 "I find myself turning down activities that I would have done in the past, to instead attend a church function or even stay at home, because I know it’s just not something I should do."

 "In conclusion, this is my testimony. With God as my Lord and Savior I truly know and believe in my heart that when my day is called I know I will go to Heaven. I don’t know what the future will hold for me, but I know as long as I keep my faith strong and walk with the Lord, all will be well." 

To God be the glory for his salvation!

::tears streaming down this Mama's face: 

THANK YOU, JESUS! To You be the glory! 

 Adam, 

Words can't describe how happy and proud I am of you!  Welcome into God's family, my precious son. I love you more than ever, and as I told you before, take that beacon of light shining in You and be a disciple for the One who created You.  Proclaim the Good News to all you meet.     

Thanking Him (and DJ and his family) for leading you onto that narrow path. How I wish I could have been there to support you, but you know our hearts were there in Spirit. 

I miss you and love you as much as the whole wide world, and back again! 

 Mom 

 XXXOOO 

Special thank you-s to my Mom and sister for taking pictures and being there to support my sweet boy!

 

Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?

I remember my year in 5th grade quite well. Mr. Whitley was my teacher. He was one of three male teachers in the school, but the only African-American. I remember he was pretty darn ‘fly’ with a big ole' Afro and bell bottom pants.

As for me, I wasn't  an outcast by any means, but in my mind, I certainly stood out, and not in a good way. I was a shy, lanky, tall girl, a head taller than the other girls in my class.  Even worse, I was so skinny that my knees looked like door knobs halfway down my legs. Ironic, isn't it?  Little did I know THAT wouldn't be a problem 40 years down the road. Heh.

I was always so self-conscience of how I looked. I studied hard to try to make up for it. I wasn't very social, and although I was never picked on, I was never part of the cliques formed by the cool girls.

Now that I have yet another daughter going into 4th grade, I think about the peer pressures and how at times, she reminds me a lot of me.

Me. Now.

Me, the adult.

Hmm.  If peer pressure gets to me now, at this age, that makes me so not ‘smarter than a fifth grader’.

For a few months now, especially since I began working outside of the home, I've been struggling with and wondering what people around me think of me, what they think of what I wear, how I talk, what I eat.   Maybe I'm being presumptuous, and no one thinks anything at all, but the thoughts are there.

The funny thing is, that it doesn't really matter. I know that. I’m very comfortable with ‘me’.  I'm a pretty well-rounded, confident woman.  Yet, the nagging thought remains.

I think sometimes people unintentionally make one feel that way. But it’s not something I can blame on someone else. As adults, self esteem is created by one’s SELF, not by those feeding it. Or it should be anyway.  I digress.

Even as that skinny, little 5th grade girl, I never enjoyed being part of the cliques. I thought they were self-centered and looked down upon people. It was mean. Almost 40 years later, I still feel the same way. It's a milder form of bullying, even through silence.

Not long ago, my sweet girl excitedly wore a new pair of shoes to school that were given to her by someone, She came home and told me that she was laughed at and told they were ‘boy shoes’. She said she didn't care, and it didn’t bother her. I know it did.

One of my boys went to school with a haircut that he wanted. A few kids laughed at him. He said he shrugged it off, that it didn’t matter. I know it did.

You see, we hide behind the ‘It doesn't matter”, yet it does. It shouldn't. But, it does.

Why is the opinion of others so important to us in this world?  We all know kids can be cruel, and adults can be even crueler sometimes.

It makes me sad. This type of peer pressure that pushes so hard to get the approval of others, for the smallest of things, is unhealthy. It is unhealthy to the body, to the heart, but mostly, to the soul.

Seeking the approval of others, quickly turns into seeking acceptance. They go hand in hand. And when we don’t receive that acceptance, we feel rejected and shaken. 

”Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you.” - Isaiah 54:10 

There is and will never be a love like the love we receive from Jesus. When we seek His acceptance, He reaches out to us and shows us that we don’t need to seek approval. We need to seek Him. He’s already accepted us. Fat, skinny, mean, nice, ugly, pretty, popular or an outcast. He doesn’t care. He wants our hearts. Yet, during times of trials, it is so easy to turn away from Him, when we should be RUNNING TOWARDS Him.

It’s interesting how often my blog posts sway so far from what I had in mind when I first sit down to write. This was to be a funny, make-fun-of-myself-to-make-me-feel-better kinda post, and God turned it into a “you need me and no one else” type of deal.

He often slaps me in the face with truth!

Dang! I hate it when He does that.  But, I am so glad He does.

As for my babies, this Mama is gonna make sure she does everything possible for her kids to see their self worth, not according to what the world thinks, but according to what God thinks about them.

In His eyes, they are a masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10), 

Oh, and in this Mama's eyes, they are also!

Be blessed, friends.

 

We're Going Green, Baby!

Well, as much as many of you would like to think that I've turned into a tree-hugging, whale-saving, environmentalist, that's not the 'green' I'm talking about.  

When, I say, "We're Going, Green!"  I mean really green.  Green as in a big ole green circle.

LIKE THIS!

And, we're celebrating it!  We're celebrating the green....and the boy who has made it happen.   

None other than our rambunctious, non-stop talking, energy-filled, A.J. 

For weeks now, he's been struggling at school.  He's a straight "A" kid, so academics is not his issue.  It's those darn tickets.  His classroom has a green, yellow, red set-up for behavior.

Green is good.  It's a make-Mama-smile, kinda good.  Yellow is Meh.  A warning.  Treading thin ice.  Then, there's the infamous RED.  That's a dark place.  Thankfully, we've never gone there.

However, that yellow ticket...oh, how that boy seems to bask in the glow of that yellow ticket. 

Man, how I adore that little face!

We've talked, cried, and lost many a privilege over that yellow ticket. Thankfully, things have been improving.  Slowly.  Two steps forward.  One step back. For a while, we had 2 or 3 yellow tickets coming home every week. Then, they began to wither down to maybe 1 or 2 a week.

But, this Friday, before he stepped out of the car to go to class,  I gave him the final day of the week "RAH...RAH....You can do this!" speech.

In the afternoon, I waited with baited breath as I saw him walking towards the car.  He walked slowly, with measured strides.  Head hanging.  Eyes staring at the ground.  

Then, he arduously hopped in the van and made his way to the back, where he plopped down his book bag and pensively looked out the window, without uttering a single word.  

My heart sank.  I said nothing at first.  I began driving away from the pick up line, and then found the courage to muster the words he so often hears. "AJ, how'd you do today?  Did you get a green?", I asked.  He looked down at his feet, contemplating what he would say to me, when all of a sudden, he looked up again! A huge grin had broken out across his adorable little face, and he blurted out, "YES!!!!  I did it! I got a green today!  I got a green every day this week!  I did it!"

We all clapped and cheered and rejoiced.  

Oh, it's the little things in life that sometimes are the biggest, and this was big, indeed!

Just had to throw in some more cuteness for ya!

Congratulations, beautiful boy.  We knew you could do it!

Keep it up!  Go green, baby!  Go green!  Mama and Daddy are proud of ya!  

The Toughest Job....Ever!

I'm sure bankers on Wall Street, CEO's of huge multi-billion dollar corporations and even neuro-brain surgeons all have very tough jobs. I'm sure they worry and pace, and hopefully probably even pray before taking that next huge step.  

But, this Mama knows the facts, the truth.  There is NO job on the face of the earth that is harder, than being a Mama.  Nothing.  Hands downs. I'm thinking God knew Adam wouldn't have the necessary grit and tenacity to become a Mama, not in the physical sense, but in the emotional sense, that's why he sent him off to work.

Gosh, how I love this silly boy!

It's been quite a while since I've updated on our precious China man, Kai.

We've not quite experienced anything like we did during THIS time period. But, we did have a bit of a scare with his apnea issues last year, where he had to be taken into emergency surgery to open his airways, after he stopped breathing in a previous surgery two days before, getting new tubes in his ears.

Our new doctor in Charlotte is world renown and came highly recommended.  We feel we are in good hands.

Since we arrived in the Promised Land, Kai has been seeing his doctors, and the orthodontists have been working diligently with him to expand his jaw, all in preparation for the the highlight of every child born with a cleft palate, the scary and extremely painful  ALVEOLAR BONE GRAFT surgery. 

My heart aches for my boy.

  

Let me back up a bit.  

It amazes me how "in-tune" I am to this child. I knew he wasn't hearing well again.  I took him to the ENT and sure enough, tubes are out and new ones need to be put in.  His eardrums are flat against the bone because they have no ventilation.  Only problem with this 'routine' surgery is that the last time, his left eardrum was perforated.  It was repaired with a paper patch, as they call it.  The patch held.  The perforation occurred  because of the many sets of tubes he's had put in.  It's worn down the lining of the drum and it is thin and fragile.  The only remedy to revert his hearing again to normal is.....another set of tubes, and the risk of yet another perforated eardrum.  If that happens, we may not get so lucky that a patch will hold and it be repaired.  I'm leaving it to God. 

Have I mentioned that my heart aches for my boy?   Just checking.

God's precious child!

The ENT wanted me to check with his surgeon to make sure he didn't need any other surgeries at this time, so he wouldn't be put under twice.

That brings us to today.   We went to visit his surgeon.   I explained what the ENT had said, and also mentioned that the orthodontists (who had already faxed him their opinions) felt his jaw had been widened enough for the bone graft.  After a thorough examination.  He agreed.

So, we head for our 13th and 14th surgical procedure, his 9th myringtomy (tubes in ears) and the infamous Alveolar bone graft.  

Now here is where I once again claim that being a Mama is the world's toughest job.

I asked the doctor to tell me the procedures and recovery for the bone graft.  

He said that bone for the graft could be accessed from three sources:

• Allograft - cadaveric "living" bone obtained from a bone bank with added stem cells

• Autologous - bone harvested from his own body which could come from either the hip (iliac crest), or the skull (if the hole that needed to be filled is very large).

I asked what the differences and pros and cons would be.

He said pros were the obvious, which is to provide support for the lip and nose, improve symmetry (although his nose will be another surgery in the future), and form a continuous upper gum ridge for adult teeth to adhere to and grow from.

He said the cadaver graft would obviously not have the pain as harvesting a bone from his own body, but he only uses cadaver bone when it is not a large hole he needs to fill.  In addition, doing the cadaver graft he would only need to remain in the hospital one night, if there were no complications.

Then, I asked about the cons and how he would determine which graft he would use for Kai.

He said he would not know until he was in surgery, and looked inside to see the depths and width of the cleft, how much bone or what type of graft he would use.

Number 1 con for the hip or skull, "Pain!"   I asked how long would the pain last, and held my breath hoping to hear, "a day or two".   He responded with, "Two to three weeks."   The surgery would last approximately 5 to 6 hours, and his hospital stay would be 3 or 4 nights, possibly longer, depending on how he does.  He would then be out of school for another week after that and be on liquid/soft foods for 6 weeks. 

He also mentioned that he would need at least two more surgeries to correct his deviated septum and move facial muscles around that will allow for easier breathing, since his palate deformity was pretty severe.

Bless his sweet heart, Kai loathes missing school because of the makeup work.  I told him we'd deal with it.  Honestly, I think we have bigger fish to fry at this time so I'm not gonna stress over it, not to mention that he has amazing teachers that will no doubt, work with us.  

After being told about the autologous grafts, I really almost felt like asking nothing else when he emphasized the pain from the hip.  I felt like I had been punched in the gut.  

I then went to check out and asked when someone would contact me about the surgery.  They told me, of course, that they had to speak to the insurance company (which is a whole other story since we are thousands away from meeting our insane deductible), and then coordinate with the ENT a surgical date.  But, she was clear to say that we are not to expect anything for at least TWO MONTHS.  I said, "Months?  TWO MONTHS?"  The girl said, "Yes, we have approximately 45 children waiting to be put on the schedule for surgery."   ::sigh::   

So, we are looking at the end of April, possibly May before all this occurs.  I remain steadfast on the fact that God's timing is perfect, so I didn't question it, or try to push for an earlier date. Besides, I was still numb, thinking about my skinny, little guy who will be crying in pain.  I have seen that sweet face beg me to stop the hurt after a surgery, and have felt completely helpless. But, I have also seen God perform miracles right before my eyes, when I begged Him to take the pain away.

It's hard to explain, unless you've been through it, how difficult it is to see your child go through surgery after surgery, and yet....we are SO blessed.  God has taken such incredible care of us.  He has never, ever failed us.  It took me driving home, shedding a few tears, hugging my husband and claiming over and over how I wish I could be the donor, for me to realize that yes, while this is another surgery for a little boy that has been through more than any child should go through, HE IS HEALTHY!

I thank God from the depths of my soul, that I could say those words.  I have friends with children that have terminal diseases, with children going through their second rounds of chemo, with children in wheelchairs that will never know the joys of running through a field or racing down the street.  I. WILL. NOT. COMPLAIN.  

My heart hurts for my boy.   Yes, it does.  It tears me up that he is going through yet another painful surgery, but he is tough!  He is resilient!  He has a great surgeon that knows what he's doing and truly cares for the children he treats.  

But most importantly, my precious little Kai has a Savior that loves him and that will never forsake him.  A Savior that is indeed the Great Physician.  A Savior who has guided every surgeon's hands that have ever been placed on this little boy, and a Savior who knows what is best for all of us and we could blindly trust.

So, while I may have the toughest job on the face of the earth, I will do it daily.  Gladly.  Joyfully, for no monetary reward.  The smiles and joy in the faces of those precious babes God entrusted me to care for, is worth every single tear and pang of pain in my heart.  My greatest gifts came in the form of six little bundles.  

Isn't he the sweetest?

We covet your prayers for both his ears, and the easiest, less painful and successful bone graft possible. 

This Mama thanks you from the bottom of her heart.

 

Tell Me Again, Mama!

"Tell me again, Mama!"

Those four words are not uncommon around our household.  We've been hearing them for a few years now.

Apparently, there's been much talk lately, as there has been in the past, about the rights and wrongs, of what the story behind our children's life, before they came into our families, is.

I believe each family should find the words that work for them.  Our family has found that the truth is the answer, especially with our Chinese children.  But, it relates to all three.  As a matter of fact, it relates to all six of my precious babes.  

TRUTH.   There is such power in that word.

I've heard people tell their children from China that their Mamas loved them so much, that they were left in a place where they could be found, and that they tried to care for them, but they weren't able to.  That all may be true, but we have no 'real' proof'.  We may believe in our hearts the information we were given, because it seems like the logical explanation when a child is left in a very public place such as a hospital, train station or orphanage steps, but that still isn't enough truth for me.  I wanted proof of their story.  I wanted it to be true, not just what I wished or hoped it was.

So, when in doubt, I do what I always do.  I pray.  I search for God.  I seek His answer.

When we decided to adopt, I knew these were questions we'd someday face.  "Why didn't my Mom keep me?", "Did my Mom love me?", etc.  So, my praying began long before I saw their precious faces.

I skirted around a bit with the above suggestions, but something just didn't feel right.  That proof, that truth wasn't there.  I wanted to be able to look them in the eyes and with all my heart know that what I was telling them was solid, not just the desires of my heart to ease their loss.  

Then, one day while reading God's Word,  He clearly spoke the truth to me.  I had my answer!  A perfect answer.  A truthful answer that could not be unproven or denied because it had come from His infallible Word.

“All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before 

one of them came to be."  ~ Psalms 139:16 

That's where their story began.  It didn't begin the day their birth Mamas realized they were carrying a child in their womb.  It didn't begin the day that they gasped their first breath of air.  It began before time began.  It began before they were even a thought in the minds of any human. It began in the mind of God.  That's how special they are!  They were chosen.  Not chosen by us, but chosen by their Almighty Father and Creator.

The story pretty much goes like this:

Once upon a time, way before time began, God decided he would make a beautiful and perfect baby. A baby He knew would bring Him glory.  But first, He needed a very special lady to bring this baby into the world.  So, He searched and searched for someone special enough that He knew would say, "Yes!  I will bring this baby into the world."  

Then, He planted the seed in that special lady's belly that formed the baby and the baby began to grow.  Oh, how quickly that beautiful baby grew and grew!  Just as God had planned.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made, your works are wonderful.  Psalm 139:13-14

But God, who of course knows everything, knew that this baby would not stay with that special lady, because He had other plans for him.  Plans that were as special as the baby He had chosen.  

He didn't stop at just making the baby. God wasn't done yet.. That was only a small part of His plan.  As that baby grew and grew, God had more planting of seeds to do. This time, He planted seeds in hearts.  Two hearts in particular.  He planted seeds in the hearts of a Mama and Daddy.  He knew that the two people He has chosen loved Him very, very much.  So, one day He whispered into their hearts, "I have a beautiful and perfect baby for you." God smiled because He knew this family would do what He asked, and they really, really wanted this beautiful and perfect baby.  But most importantly, God knew this family would teach this baby about Him and His amazing love.  God also knew that the baby would love Him so much, that even as a small child learning about Him, this child would begin to share Him with the world. The child would speak to others about Him in places most grownups don't go to share Him, like schools and playgrounds. 

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." Jeremiah 1:5 

Time went by and finally, this baby was born into the world.  Because God had already placed in the birth Mama's heart that she wasn't keeping this baby, she followed through with another plan.  She chose for him to be adopted.  Yes, the same way that Jesus adopted us, His children..

The baby was watched over and protected by God until the perfect family He had chosen for him, was able to bring that baby home.  Boy, did it seem to take forever!  Although they were a little impatient, especially the Mama, they knew that sometimes God's timing does seem like forever to arrive.  So, they waited....and they waited,. and they waited, all the while trusting God.

The Mama and Daddy knew time was getting closer.  Every day they woke up wondering if this would be the day.  Then one day, there was a phone call!  The phone call they had waited such a long time for.  Their baby was ready and waiting for them to bring him home!  Oh, that Mama and Daddy cried lots and lots of happy tears, They also thanked God, over and over, for His miracle and His goodness, because they knew that God always keeps His promises.

Not long after, they saw that beautiful baby for the first time ever.   The moment they held him, they knew....it was perfect.  All of it.  God's plan.  The baby.  Their family.  God smiled from Heaven when the family was finally together, because He knew that indeed, it was perfect. (Of course, everything He does is perfect!)

"God saw all that he had made, and it was very good". - Genesis 1:31

At last, they all went home as a family.  The baby joined his brothers and sister and lots and lots of other family members.  He was loved and he loved back with all his heart, because he knew that God loved him so very much, that He made a special plan just for him.  A plan that He makes for all of His children that ask Him into their hearts.

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11

The best part of the story is that the baby grew up knowing the truth.  The real truth.  The truth that said that he was so loved by God, that He handpicked him and chose him, out of all the millions and millions of children in the world, to fulfill His purpose, and bring Him glory.  Wow!  Can you imagine what an honor is it to be chosen by God for something like that?!!

This truth filled the entire family with joy, and they all lived happily ever after.

The End.    
©Ohilda Bombardier    


Shortly after sharing their story with the kiddos, I hear those words, "Tell me again, Mama!"   What joy it brings into our  hearts that our children realize, not only that they are treasured and adored, but they know, that they know, that they know,,,,who they belong to, their real Father, Jesus Christ.  While the world may want to add all the messiness about their beginnings, how they were found, where they were found and even trying to guess the 'why' of it all, into the equation, the fact remains that their days were ordained for them, even before time began.!

So friends, that is our story.  No, not just the baby's story, but all of us who are blessed and honored to have been adopted and chosen into the family of God.

If you're not sure if you belong to that family, please don't hesitate to ask me.  I'd love to share i it  with you, and Jesus would love to call YOU His child.   Email me HERE.

 

♪ ♫ Playing in a Winter Wonderland ♫ ♪

What a beautiful day out in the country! For those of you that haven't been keeping up, we left the city life we led in Florida, and now live out in the country....in a whole other state!  A state we call, The Promised Land.   (You can read the details HERE if you want.)

So, here we are!  

Last night we had our first real snowfall of the season, the Big Winter Storm of 2014.   This morning, the kiddos couldn't get up fast enough to throw on their snow boots, thermals, coats, gloves, ear muffs...(well, you get the picture), and get outside to play in the powdery, white stuff.  Boy, was it beautiful, not to mention fun!

Our snowy wonderland!

Anyone want to ice skate in the pool?

Or maybe ice skate on the road?   Notice the tire marks. That was a car rolling backwards.

My sweet babies having fun!

Oh, yeah!  Let the snowball fights begin!

Smart boy!  Plenty of snow and a place to duck for cover!  

Okay, I know I'm biased.  But aren't they cute? 
I am one blessed Mama!  :)

I love this crazy kid!!

Even sweet hubby got in on the fun!

  

Little Missy holding her own as she gets ready to plow 
her brothers with snowballs!

This girl blesses my heart!

Yes, they did argue about who would wipe the slide with their bottoms.  Kai won.

We tried convincing Fred he was a snow bunny.  Didn't work.  He found no fun in what everyone was laughing about, and quickly headed back inside to lay by the warm fire.  
(Yes, I know.  He is dire need of grooming.  It's on the list of things to do!)

So, after all was said and done, the general consensus was:

Hurray for snow days!!!

As always, thank you, Jesus, for providing an awesome day of family fun!

Ooooh....and lest not forget.  I have one more thing I am very thankful for....

...my toasty warm, Bear Paw® boots!  They rock!

Stay warm, safe and be blessed, friends.