What Do I Think?

Recently, I have been asked by several people what I think about what is happening at my alma mater. At first I really didn't understand what I was being asked. I knew that the president had stepped down for "personal" reasons, and while I was somewhat puzzled as to what those reasons were, I realized that it didn't really involve me personally and so I put it out of my mind. Yesterday and today I have come to realize what a huge thing is happening there and all around the nation regarding this incident. My first instinct was to dig for more information. I realized that I was not in possession of all the facts and could not make a real decision. I believe that I was given some very good information from Godly friends whose only goal is to serve Christ and see good come of this situation. I also feel that I received some very shocking information from the internet. After several hours of digging and sorting through this information and becoming more and more distressed over what I have been reading, I have come to this conclusion:

• God's Word is the only source of Truth in this world.
• God is not ignorant of this situation and was not surprised by it.
• My prayer and hope is that all parties involved would seek to give God glory. (Glory is defined as "giving the right opinion of God")
• The bottom line: I am not a part of this problem, nor do I believe that God would have me be a part of the solution. Therefore, with the exception of praying that glory is given to God through this situation, I'm out of it. Period. There are more important things (and that does not mean that it isn't important to those who are genuinely involved in the problem and the solution) that God wants me to accomplish today. Like laundry. Ugggh.

So, there you have it folks, my official thoughts on the matter.

Road Trip?

Is anyone interested in going up to Detroit for Ed's memorial service? I'm sure that it's going to be a very touching service. If you think you might want to go, leave a comment. I haven't made any final decisions yet, I'm just curious if anyone else is thinking of going.

This World Is Not My Home

Praise God these bodies are only temporary. Ed has been completely healed and given a new body as he looks upon our Savior face to face! Please pray for Kelley for sweet rest and comfort. The weight of grief is such a physical thing and she has already been going non-stop for months now. Pray that God will allow her to be carried on the strength of her Lord and her family.

Prayer

Please pray for my friend, Ed Horn, as today will most likely be his last day on this earth. I won't go into all the details, but if you have the time and want to receive a huge blessing, look at this website for Ed. He has been battling cancer for some time now, and it looks as though his body has so aggressively rejected the bone marrow transplant that he received just a short time ago that he will quickly pass into eternity. He leaves behind his young wife, Kelley, and their two children, Aiden and Kya. Throughout this trial they have modeled Christ in just about every way possible. They are friends of mine from college and although we have not actively communicated with each other in over a decade, I have read this website every day now for several months. I feel a great sense of grief for his loss, and for the pain that his family must be going through. Like them, I pray to Ed's heavenly Father to please take him quickly. Please pray with me that His will is done.

Face to face with Christ my Savior
Face to face--how can it be?
When with rapture I behold Him--Jesus Christ! Who died for me!
Face to face I shall behold Him
Far beyond the starry sky
Face to face in all His Glory
I shall see Him by and by

When my life work has ended, and I cross the swelling tide
And the bright and glorious morning I shall see
I shall know my Redeemer when I reach the other side
For His smile will be the first to welcome me
I shall know Him--I shall know Him
And redeemed by His side I shall stand
I shall know Him--I shall known Him
By the print of the nails in His hands

The Gray Family - New And Improved

I hesitate to put these up because there is something wrong with our scanner, but these turned out so well that I couldn't wait to share them. We love our little family. We miss Sissy and Bubba greatly and are counting the minutes until we can see them again. In the meantime, little Jack is doing his best to make us laugh and keep us busy. Thank you, God, for your incredible blessings!

The Tooth Has Arrived!

Tonight I was feeding Jack a little bit of peanut butter on the end of my finger and I felt it! It's really there! No wonder he was a little TURKEY all day yesterday and today. Sundays are hard on Jack with church coming right in the middle of his morning nap and lunchtime, but today he was especially cranky and cried alot. It wasn't until this evening that I realized the problem! The good news is that it is finally in--the bad news is that we have a whole mouthful to go! Now I'm freaking out about feeding him peanut butter. What was I thinking? What if he is allergic to peanuts? Can I get him to the ER in time? I don't even have any Benedryl in the house. Good grief. So far he is doing fine. But I keep watching for signs of blotchiness and tongue swelling. Hard to tell in an already drooling, mouth contorting baby, but I'm watching nevertheless.

I tried to get a picture but he wasn't cooperating with me. By the way, he is also sitting up and doing the army crawl across the floor! He'll be 8 months old in a few days.

Yo Ho! Pirate Bry Bry

Here is Bryan (or "Bubba, Bubby or Bu" as Jack calls him) striking his best pirate pose. Both Sissy and Bubby went to VBS this summer and the last night was Pirate night. Check out the cool tattoo!

Busy Boy

Our little boy is coming out of his skin! It is no longer acceptable that he is unable to crawl, walk or run. He is frustrated ALL the time because he can't reach anything. His arm is always out, reaching toward something. Today we put him in the walker and his little feet were running before they even hit the ground. He has also figured out how to open the kitchen cabinets, and that if he gets real close to the stove there is another little boy in a walker just like his, staring back at him. I have a feeling that my life will never be the same. And I haven't even adjusted to this "normal" yet!

First For Everything

My son gave me a bloody nose. My infant son. You might have thought that the 11 year-old would be more likely, but no, it was the 7 month old. He has been very irritated today. He's been "yelling" at me very loudly, crying alot, not interested in his ba ba, and generally pretty cantankerous. I was holding him and trying to calm him down some when he reared back his head and just head-butted me right in the nose. I had the sense to put him down on the floor before I sank down beside him, holding my injured member, fighting back tears, and feeling rather dizzy. After my mother-in-law wheeled into the living room to find me on my hands and knees, I wiped my nose with a kleenex and observed bright red blood! Wow, it hurt. Jack just kept fussing as if nothing had happened. It's the first nosebleed I've ever had.

Project #2 on the list of things to do.

My brother in law sent me this video and I just couldn't resist posting it here. Maybe I will have my version completed by the time Jack has his drivers license. If only I could hook a mower up to the back!

Random pictures

Poor sick baby--still has a smile!

Happy Father's Day!

The pictures say it all! I have had these two finish nailers in hiding for a couple of months now. I have been so fearful that he would somehow find out--but he didn't. It was a total surprise and he LOVES them! Yippppeeee for me! And Happy Father's Day to Jeff! You're the best and you deserve your special surprise!

Nice Milky Latte

Just a word on the "milky latte" video clip. It is one of Jeff's favorites, and since he was loading videos for me, he included this one. I think that Jack may have been a week old. Aunt Gigi had called to say that she was coming over and bringing me Starbucks. I was so excited! I had been laying off the Starbucks since I was breastfeeding, but I was determined to drink this one. Obviously I was so excited that I talked to Jack about it upstairs. Unknown to me, the baby monitor was on and Jeff caught it on tape. It's a sweet reminder of his early days, breastfeeding and his sweet newborn baby cry. Sigh. Oh well, now I drink all the Starbucks I want!

Jack saying DaDa

Six Months

The last few weeks have been full ones, to be sure! Not only have there been changes in Jack, but there have been many changes in our house as well. The biggest change, of course, is the fact that Anne and Bryan are home! When they come home our little lives get a boost of energy and the house practically cannot hold us. We worked incredibly hard getting their rooms ready for them--new drywall and texturing, paint, new furniture, some decorating touches. They were finally done and the kids helped move their furniture in the day they came home! There are a few little finishing touches here and there that need to be done, but it was exciting to see them come in and rummage around in the attic for little treasures that they used to have in their rooms and had to leave behind when they moved to Florida. It has been a great challenge having two 11 year-old children around full-time, but it has also been extremely gratifying and rewarding. We are working on the Four Rules of Communication (yea verily, a fifth has been added). In case you don't know what they are, they are as follows:
1. Be Honest
2. Keep Current
3. Act, Don't React
4. Attack the Problem, Not the Person
(5. When in doubt, just shut up)

Anne and Bryan are absolutely each others' best friend. They are also each others' worst enemy. The fued over rooms, property, who said what and when, etc., are ENDLESS, but we are trying to teach them problem-solving skills that they can apply to ANY situation to end the problem without screaming, slamming doors or punching inanimate objects! So far they have done well. It was hard at first, but I can't tell you the feeling of pride in them that I have when I see them knocking heads over something, and then sitting down in the floor to discuss the problem and possible solutions to the problem. We are also learning the difference between "I'm sorry" and "please forgive me". We pray that they will continue this wonderful process of biblical communication even after they return home and we are no longer there to referee.

The changes in Jack are too numerous to count! He absolutely ADORES his brother and sister. We call them Bubba and Sissy. Bryan can be standing beside him and make a noise and Jack will just burst in to a fit of laughter. Anne has a special touch with Jack and takes extremely good care of him. She is able to rock him to sleep when I am unable to and he sit entranced when she sings to him. When Bry and Anne wrestle around in the floor he watches them and squeals as if he is just waiting to jump in there with them. He can roll over each way now and even gets up on hands and knees and scoots around. He is no longer left on the bed because he could be off the edge before I have time to turn around! He says "Da Da", "La La", and "Blah Blah" quite distinctly. No "Ma Ma" yet, but that's ok. At first we weren't sure that he was really saying "Da Da" and meaning Jeff, but now we are positive that he is asking for or talking about his Daddy. He will sit in his little walker and if Jeff is not looking at him he will say, "da da da da da da" with increasing intensity until Da Da finally looks at him!

Right now he is very sick. I had to take him to urgent care yesterday before he had a fever and there was gunk coming out of his eyes and nose. I was worried that he was getting an ear infection, but the doc said his ears were clear. They gave me some baby decongestant and some eye drops, so we're hoping that he gets better soon. He is pretty miserable right now, as you will see from the pictures I took yesterday and this morning. However, he is smiling this morning and although he is sticky, he is still very sweet. We love him so much.

He had his 6 month check up last week. The doctor has proclaimed him perfect! He is ahead of the game in many areas. He weight 17 lbs, 4 oz, and he is 27 1/2 inches long! What a big boy! I hope to have another post up today with some video footage for Father's Day.

Well, that kind of brings us up to speed. Our days are busy and the kids start VBS next week, so it's going to be crazy, but I'll try to do better with posting. Anne is a little computer bug too, so I am in competition for my desk!

Love to all!

PS. I'll have to try the pictures later since there is something wrong with Blogger and they will not upload!!!

When Girls Come To Play

This morning a bunch of mommy's friends came to visit. This is what happens when a bunch of girls get around a baby. Soon Jack-Jack was surrounded with ALL of his little stuffed animals. Is Jack really in this picture? Can you see him? There he is!

Happy Half Birthday!

Jack is 6 months old today! We celebrated by taking some pictures outside and with Grandma Poo.

Busy Days

This is going to have to be quick--it's late, I'm tired, and I've got to get up early! We have been going non-stop for a couple of weeks now. Here are some updates:

Sharon is doing great! She is getting around great with her walker and wheelchair. She still needs my help with a few things, but she's becoming quite self-sufficient. Jeff has teased her that we will have to hide her car keys in case she tries to run away. She has a doctor's appointment tomorrow to get the staples removed, so please pray for her. Pray that I can get her in the car and down to Indy and back without trauma. Aunt Laurie has graciously agreed to take Jack, so he's going to have fun, fun, fun!

My grandmother is not doing very well. Her kidneys are failing, she has fluid around her heart and lungs, and her blood pressure keeps rising. On Sunday, Jeff, Jack and I made the trip down to Henderson to see her. I kissed her little mouth that was all droopy and paralyzed and told her that I love her. It was Mother's Day. I don't think that I've ever spent Mother's Day with my grandmother. I doubt that I ever will again. Please pray for her and also for my Bampy. This is absolutely heartbreaking for him.

My sister is coming on Tuesday of next week. She decided to make the trip all the way from Temuco, Chile. She is praying that she makes it in time to see Mamaw alive. It is hard for her to be so far away. It costs close to $2,500 for her and my 2 year-old nephew, Joshua to fly to the states.

My brother Jason had his back surgery today. Everything went well and he is recovering. Pray for my mother as she cares for him. Pray that she doesn't smother him with a pillow in his sleep (hee hee), and vice versa as soon as Jason is strong enough to move around!

Pray for me because Jeff is leaving tomorrow and will be gone for four days. He is helping his cousin Nick build a bathroom in their home near Chicago. It will be the longest that we've ever been away from each other. I am afraid that Mamaw will die while he is gone and I will have to go alone to the funeral. I know, Philippians 4:8. Trust me, I'm trying to think right about it. Why borrow trouble, right? It's just there in the back of my mind, you know.

Jack is doing great. He is SO growing up. He just moves around and laughs big belly laughs and plays with toys and is just the cutest thing that I've ever seen. I love him so much.

Good night, friends! Pray for our little family!

House Guest

Jeff's mom is home from the hospital and is staying with us indefinitely. Please keep praying for her, as this has been quite an adjustment. She is a very active lady and an expert in her field of nursing. Her hospital will no doubt feel her loss, and she is already missing her busy life with patients, co-workers and new learning opportunities. She has also had to put her masters' program on hold since she will be unable to travel to Indy several times a week to attend classes. She is doing great and being a trooper, but it is hard for her. I am hoping that her friends and co-workers visit her often, and any of them that might be reading this blog (as I know that some of you do) please consider this an open invitation to visit her anytime.

On another note, please also pray for my grandmother, Boots Cummings. She had a stroke this last week and is in the hospital. She is paralyzed on her right side and unable to communicate very clearly. It appears that she will need to go to a nursing home, and since my grandfather is blind and relies on her greatly, he too will have to go the nursing home. My mother and her sisters have been making arrangements for them to be together. My grandfather is very upset and extremely emotional. My grandparents are the greatest example of two people who have been in love with each their whole lives, and it is especially sad to think that there might have to be a time when one lives without the other. As hard as it may seem for the rest of the family to lose them both at the same time, I hope that when God calls them home that He takes them both together.

For now, God has definitely increased my ministry to others and I am thrilled to be able to take on this new role of caring for such an incredibly caring and loving lady!

Happy Birthday To Me

Today is my 36th birthday. I never really liked to do "big" birthdays, but I had a friend who was excellent at making my birthday a "big deal", and I kinda got used to it. I've been thinking that a person as old as me probably shouldn't have "big" birthdays (too many over-the-hill gag gifts, the increasing fire hazard, and now, the difficulty of finding a babysitter) but my husband thinks differently. He made my birthday so special. It lasted for 2 1/2 days! It started the night before last when he took the baby from me and gave him a bath and put him to bed so that I could go and take a nap or just lay on my bed and watch TV. The next morning he made a special trip into town to buy me a bottle of my favorite coffee fru fru, and then he made me coffee. We spent the day working together around the house. At 3:30 p.m. we got all dolled up and went to town. First we went to a bird store where Jeff bought me the mother of all bird feeders and a bird book to go with it. We have a lot of birds out here on our property, and I'm getting excited about learning their names and songs. Then we took a quick trip to Home Depot since it was close by and Jeff just couldn't resist. Then we went to dinner at Mountain Jacks. YUM. It was great and romantic (Aunt Gi Gi was at home with Jack) and totally tasty. THEN.....we saw Mission Impossible III. Awesome! We loved it! I think it's the best one yet. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. Definitely a fun flick. We got home and were in bed by 11:00 p.m. And that was the end of the day before my birthday! Today is actually my birthday, but we had church this morning and Jeff's mom came home from the hospital this afternoon, so we planned most of our fun for yesterday. I did get a nice lunch out with the Gray side of the family and the choir sang a very goofy rendition of Happy Birthday to me during practice. Gaylene made me a rockin' Margarita cheesecake that was yummmy yum yum. Of course, any day that I can wake up next to the most wonderful man of my dreams and go in the next room to see my smiling, lovely baby boy is a spectacularly special day! Thanks everyone, for making this birthday wonderful!