FRIDAY, Whew!!

IT'S FRIDAY!!!! Yeah!!! I'm so glad it is the weekend. Not that we will get much rest this weekend, but just the fact that we will be with family and friends is awesome. We have a very busy weekend that will start at 4:30 today. Brayden is coming home from camp! Yeah!!! We missed him so much. Brayden is such a wonderful child. He is so loving, caring, and enthusiastic. It has been very quiet in our house since he has been gone. Both Brayden and us needed the time away from each other. It just makes us appreciate our time together more. After picking Brayden up this afternoon, then it's a mad dash home to change clothes, grab kids, and head up to the church to help set up for the garage sale tomorrow. Then at 6:30 in the morning (you heard me 6:30!!) I have to be back up at the church for the grand opening of the garage sale. After I spend the entire day there (6:30 am to ???), do you think I will get to rest? I'm afraid not, it's just on to the next event. Sunday is normally our day of rest. Well, let me fill you in people, not this Sunday. We have to attend both services at church and then Sunday evening we are participating in a focus group for the children's ministry at church. I guess there's no rest for the weary. Whew, I'm already tired and it hasn't even begun.

Dear Parents......

Well things have been crazy at the Brown's house. If you read my previous post, and have seen us in public you know why. With 5 kids at home, it has been an absolute zoo. We have toys everywhere, people everywhere, clothes everywhere, bottles everywhere.... I'm sure you are getting the picture. It's been wild. We really need to get some order to our house soon. Tyler is really struggling with our situation right now. He wrote us a note and it started out like this, "Dear Parents." Well, it wasn't Dear Mom and Dad, Dear Loved Ones, nope it was Dear Parents. He basically told us he was stressed out and frustrated with how our lives have changed over the past week. Quentin and I are really focusing on teaching the kids that we all have to sacrifice to take care of these 2 precious boys. We have stressed that this is what families do for each other. We step up and we help out. It has been a challenge, but we have really enjoyed having our nephews in our house. I pray for Tyler to find peace and comfort during this tough time. I pray that he sees that family is so important and that we need to take care of these children as if they were our own. I pray that each of my kids sees that the bond of family is so strong that we will open our lives up to help each other out.

5 Boys.....

Well, my sister is going through some major issues in her life right now. We are keeping Shena's two boys until she is able to come and take care of them. She is really struggling and needing lots of prayers. Several of you know her story and I just ask that you cover all of us with prayer right now. This is going to be a huge adjustment for each of us. I am so glad that God has opened the door for us to be able help with the boys. I know that Shena will be working hard to get things going in the right direction so that she can come and get her boys. Thanks to the Blackwell's for making the long trip to NM and back in one night with us. We wouldn't have been able to stay awake without you guys. Thanks to Renay and Kathy for the prayers all the way there and home. We had a safe trip and now we are trying to get everyone settled. 5 boys in one house is a little scary to me, but I know that God will provide for us.

Wow!

I have been personally struggling lately with how much everything has gone up. (I know I'm not the only one out there!) I was recently visiting with a family member and she told me that I needed to think of this in a different way. I was sitting there thinking, "Different way??? How can I look at this in a different way?"

She said, "What are you doing as a result of not being able to afford gas?"

My reply, "We have to stay home all of the time (except going to work), and we only leave to go to Church."

She replied, "Exactly!" She said, "You are being made to spend time with your family and only going out to worship God."

I have to admit I sat there for a minute and let it soak in. Maybe this is what God is wanting all of us to do. We have all gotten to a point where we just run and do whatever we want. We are losing that connection with our family and with our church family. We need to refocus, and maybe this is God's way of telling us to do that. I know that we are all going to continue to complain about gas prices, grocery prices, and just the cost of living. Maybe we should also rejoice in the knowledge that we are getting this special time with our families and we are being shown that we also need our church families.

I hope this blesses each of you as it has me. Love you all!

VBS

I just want to thank each one of you that helped with VBS this week. My kids have had a wonderful week and have been blessed so much by the love you have given them. Thank you so much for sharing the love of Christ with them. I remember going to VBS as a child and how much I loved it. Thank you. I know you will receive a special blessing.

Hong Kong Flu???

I'm sure most of you know by now that the Hong Kong Flu has swept thru our house. Well maybe it's really not the Hong Kong Flu but it's the stomach flu. We have really had a tough time getting over the stomach flu. It has not been good!!!! We started out with Tyler being sick. He was sick for 2 days, in bed, not really responding to the outside world. Then there was my baby Sean. Poor child woke up just fine. Then he tells me that his bottom was hurting. Then he says that he needed to go potty. So we ran to the bathroom and wow he was very sick. So he was down for the count for 3 days. It has now moved on to Quentin. He has been down and out for a day and a half. Let's just say that when Quentin is sick, EVERYONE knows it. I think everyone is starting to feel better. Thank goodness. I think that we have also passed this on to several of our close friends (and you know who you are). Sorry guys!!! I don't know if we gave it to them or if they gave it to us. Who knows!?! I'm praying for healthy days ahead.

Back to work, Friends and Fun

Well, it was back to work for me this past week. I guess I was somewhat ready to go back. However I had such a great time being at home with my kids and husband. I really have struggled this time with going back and knowing that I'm where God wants me. Please pray that I get some direction of where and what God wants me to do.

We spent an awesome weekend with our friends. We had the whole gang at our house this weekend and we had such a great time. From the girls hanging out in the house, to the guys working outside on the car, and the kids playing in the water, we had such a good time. We are so blessed to have such great friends. Thanks guys for coming out and spending the weekend with us.

Randall started a new series this week. I have to say that it was really good today. I love to hear Randall preach. He has such a God given gift and it's great to see God use him to reach the rest of us. Thank you Lord for putting him in our lives.

Well it's getting late and I have to go back to work tomorrow! Blessings!