It's a wonderful world!

What A Wonderful World

by: Louis Armstrong

I see trees of green,

red roses too

I see them bloom, for me and you

And I think to myself

What a wonderful world

I see skies of blue,

and clouds of white

The bright blessed day,

dark sacred night

And I think to myself

What a wonderful world

The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky

Are also on the faces,

of people going by

I see friends shaking hands,

sayin', "How do you do?"

They're really sayin', "I love you."

I hear babies cryin',

I watch them grow

They'll learn much more, than I'll ever know

And I think to myself

WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD!

Craft Closet is Complete

While I was organizing, shifting through things, throwing things out, doing all of the things required to clean up this mess of a closet I had created...Tim said, "Lydia is going to love this closet someday." It occurred to me that she absolutely will. When she gets older, there will be rainy days (or sunny ones) that we can run to the craft closet and find something creative to do. My inspiration shifted from the Better Homes and Gardens Craft Closet to Nick Jr.'s Guide to Creating a Craft Closet. Wow, it is interesting what having a child will do to your inspiration. The craft closet has gone from chaotic to not only crafty but also "child friendly".

From Chaotic to Crafty

Guess what I am doing today... I am turning this very disorganized closet into a Creative Craft Closet. The only problem is that I am procrastinating right now. So to help me get the task done...I am going to put on some of Danny Gokey's songs (so sad about his elimination) and not blog or get on the computer again until the task is done.

My inspiration!

This crafty closet from Better Homes and Gardens.

Oh...it is the simple things...

Lydia Grace is much more interested in the bar holding the toys up...

than the toys themselves.

Rainy Day Craft!

Martha Stewart has a whole line of craft kits at Wal-Mart now. I got this particular kit weeks ago, and this rainy Friday seemed like the perfect time to pull it out and have some fun. It had everything we needed to make zoo animal puppets. When I say we...I mean Lydia and I!

Lydia was very interested in doing this craft.

She was even more interested in the finished product though.

The cost of this kit at Wally World: $11.97. The look on Lydia Grace's face: PRICELESS!

Playing can really wear a girl out!

Oh Happy Day!

For those of you that need an update...we were still left with some concerns after Lydia got out of the hospital on Good Friday. To make a long, stressful story short...Lydia's white blood cell count was still at 20,000 (normal: 5,000-15,000), and her platelet count was 900,000 (normal: 150,000-400,000). An X-ray revealed that calcified stool was present in her intestines. Her old doctors threw around words like: concerned, not good, blood disorder, no spleen, bone marrow disorder... They wanted to start testing her weekly. In other words they wanted to stick her with needles on a weekly basis after Lydia's grand total of being stuck with needles is already well over 60 times, and she is only 10 weeks old. May I add that one of these "sticks" was a spinal tap.

Anyways...back to the story since I promised to make it short. We switched doctors for several reasons that I won't get into. We are now with an amazing doctor that has thrown out words like: she looks healthy, perfect, thriving, I'll figure these high numbers out, don't want to stick her anymore than necessary, I treat children and not numbers... Tim and I left that appointment feeling like a million pounds had been lifted off our shoulders. He told us he would call when he had some time to look through her file.

He called today after looking through doctors' reports, hospital reports, and our own notes. He says that he thinks it is just her body's response to the previous sickness that she was hospitalized for. It is his professional opinion that the numbers will come down and wants to proceed with another blood test and begin the immunizations that have been delayed up to this point.

We are thrilled with this news. We are praying that the next blood test comes back normal. Let us hope for words like: CBC looks great, no problems, everything looks wonderful, no more sticks or tests... That will truly be a happy day!

So this is what it feels like to be a mom?!

How is it possible to love someone this much?

I just celebrated my first Mother's Day!

A couple of years ago, my mother gave me this book. Nancy Swan Drew, the author has put together "a pearly collection of love and 'take good care' notes only a mother knows by heart". The back of the book contains a blank section with the words "More Loving Pearls From Your Mother!" Beyond this title are the life lessons, scriptures, and useful pieces of advice--serious and funny--that my own mother has taught me. I haven't quite built up my own arsenal of quips to tell my daughter, but I know a good place to start--the things my own mother has told me for years.

Never forget those wonderful words of Pastor Garmon... Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be bent out of shape...This is a wise truth indeed!

Take one day at a time!

More from Pastor Garmon... Make sure as you climb the ladder of success that your ladder is leaning against the right wall... My words...or make sure the ladder is leaning against Jesus the Rock...

Never let your guests go home hungry!

Hide HIS words in you heart...and when you don't know what to do...HE will... Hide HIS word... Memorize it...Depend on it. It's the only thing that will stand!

He will NEVER fail you... Psalm 37:23-26 Psalm 25... He is your hope.

Hold fast to Psalm 139... It will take you through any bad time-as well as the good.

When you come home from the store, always wash your hands...you've been out amongst heathen.

Be faithful in paying your tithes and GOD will bless you! Malachi 3:10-12

Praise Him in bad times as well as the good times. Habakkuk 3:17-19

Take time out to hear the birds sing, smell the flowers, bask in the glory of His creation...

Never be too busy to pray and read your bible.

Never go to bed with makeup on!

It will save money on beauty products in the long run.

A teacher can touch a lot of lives.

You can't beat Peter Pan peanut butter.

Always be punctual.

Wait on the Lord. Psalm 27

Though I've not always been a perfect mother... There are things I'd have done better... I know I gave you the most important thing... I gave you Jesus Christ! That is my legacy to you that I can be most proud of... That you know of his great love and carry him with you! Pass it on too. Jesus is Lord!

At the end of life's road...it doesn't matter how much money you made, how many places you traveled to, how many books you read...but is your name written in God's book... That is what matters... That the blood of Jesus has washed you for eternal life! What a day that will be!

You can choose your friends but not family. Choose wisely... Love your family...They love and accept you no matter WHAT!

Courage is not the absence of fear...but going on in spite of the fear.

Your mother is always praying for you!

Your mother is always right!

Don't sweat the small stuff. In the grand scheme of everything...it's not the end of the world.

On some ordinary day like today... Jesus will return to earth to take us home...to his home. Always be alert...

God knows your address.

You'll never get too old to

 learn new pearls of wisdom.

Bumblebee, Bumblebee, What Do You See?

I recently read the beloved book Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? to Lydia. She loved it so much, we decided to write our own version.
Bumblebee,
Bumblebee,
What do you see?




I see a baby looking at me.






Baby,
Baby,
What do you see?




I see a bumblebee looking at me.

The original is a lovely book by Bill Martin, Jr. and Eric Carle. A great idea for parents or teachers is to take a story favorite, use your pictures or child's drawings, and create your own version of the story with the child. It is a great way to build and nourish a love for books!