Have you ever heard of swine flu?

Most of the world hadn't until the past week when Mexico announced that they have a serious outbreak of the virus. Notice which country is having the problems? Mexico. If you don't know why that is important to me, check out Magdalena here we come. I know this is a selfish prayer request, considering all kinds of people are getting sick, but please pray that God keeps this thing at bay so we can still go to Magdalena. I'm so excited about going and about WHY we are going - it is so awesome to see God working in the hearts of my kids. I know it won't be the end of the world if we can't go, but it will hurt. Thanks for your prayers and stay healthy!

The crazy side of a bunch of spring babies

I really loved having spring babies....but there are some down sides to having 4 children born between March 10 & April 19. Yep, our house has been birthday central for the past month. We still have some cake left over from the last birthday and I'm glad the kids are enjoying it because I'm done.

Here are some pics :
Alyssa was beyond excited to "help" frost the cake - and thrilled to be such a big number! 4 after all, is nearly grown up :) .

Lucas is 6
Kayla has decided that 8 pretty much feels like 7.


Timothy's birthday was a special one this year because he got to have a party with his Sunday School class and some homeschool and basketball friends. We let our kids have "friend parties" every 5 years (when they turn 5, 10 and 15 or 16). Timothy really wanted to have a football party at a nearby park.

Let's just say I was glued to weather.com all week looking to see if we needed to jump to plan B for the party and rent something. But hey, all week long it looked like Saturday would be a rain-free day (a marvelous thing in Illinois during the month of April). Then suddenly, Saturday morning weather.com was telling me that we were going to have rain from noon until the next day and my house was going to be full of 10 yr old boys (+ my 3 other kids + my 5 nieces and nephews who spent the night with us). I STRESSED OUT. I seriously started praying for good weather so Timothy could have the kind of birthday party he wanted and I didn't have to figure out what to do with all those kids for 2 1/2 hrs!! Well, did anyone notice that around 11:30 am, there was a green blob all around us, but it wasn't raining here? Not only that, but the rain slowed WAY down and didn't get to us until 6 or so. I'm convinced that 'the fervent prayers of a righteous woman availeth much!' :) . In all seriousness, I am so thankful God provided a gorgeous day - and I didn't have to resort to 'rock-paper-scissors' to keep ~20 kids occupied :).

Please PRAY

I'm at a bit of a loss for words, so please bear with me...

This morning I got the phone call that Andrew's brother Nathan and his wife Michelle lost their preborn baby, Cassandra Mae, she was 20 weeks along (due in August). This was their first baby and they were so excited. Please pray for their hearts to be filled with Jesus' peace - a peace that passes all understanding.

Magdalena...here we come!

Remember how I posted about praying for orphans? Well, here's the conversation that happened after we had learned a bit more and spent time praying for orphans one day:

Lucas, with $21 dollars in hand (all his spending money that he had been saving up for something big - almost 1 year's worth), "Mom, I want to give this to the ophans." (Yes, he's six and still has issues with his "r's" - it drives this speech path mom nuts, but I digress....)

"Oh sweetheart, that is so wonderful! Grandma Mott has a cousin (Gary Ringger) who works to help orphans and I know he would be happy to give your money to help orphans!"

"No, mom. I want to give the money to the ophans."

"Well, honey, there aren't really orphanages around here, but I know Grandma's cousin could get the money to orphans."

"Mom, can't we just go to anothew state? I want to go to a ophanage and give the money to the ophans myself."

Ever the realist I replied - "Sweetheart, the closest orphanage is probably in Mexico or somewhere and it would cost more than $21 in gas money for us to get there, but I would be happy to take you to Grandma's cousin."

At this point my little man walked away. Looking back on it, I'm so frustrated with myself, but fortunately the conversation did not end there :) .

About 20 minutes later, Lucas reappeared with the $21 still in his hands.

"Mom, I have it all figuwed out. You and me and Daddy awe going to dwive. I'm going to pack my backpack with food so we don't have to stop at westauwants, cause westauwants awe expensive. And then we'll just dwive. When we get tiwed we can stop at a pawking lot o something and sleep, cause hotels awe expensive. Then we'll keep dwiving until we get to Mexico. And mom, you have $21 dollaws, wight?"

"Yes."

"Then you can pay fo gas."

I smiled a HUGE smile, got down next to his little 6 yr old self full of God-sized dreams and said,"I guess you're right. How 'bout if I talk to Daddy when he gets home and we'll figure something out."

He walked away very happy and I started praying, Lord how in the world are we going to swing this? Then God whispered in my ear, "Magdalena."

That afternoon, after the kids went to their rooms for quiet time, I got online and started reading about the orphanage our church supports in Magdalena, Mexico. As soon as Andrew got home, I told him the story and asked, "What would you think about going there?" He immediately jumped on it and said, "Let's e-mail Bill & Joan Schick and ask them what they think!"

It's been a couple weeks now and we've had a few e-mails back and forth. And we're going! Not only did they not think we would just be in the way with our 4 young children, but they truly seem pleased to have us visit. We are going to be there for 3 days next month and I am so excited!

So is Lucas. He's saving up his quarters.