Back to school 2008

Well the school year of 08/09 is in full swing! The kids are adjusting well already with going to bed early and getting up early.

Matthew got up early on the first day of school, got dressed, ate, and left before I even got up! I didn't even get a picture! He did not want me to take one nor did he want me to take him to school. He rode his bike! I guess he's too big for mom now.

The girls on the other hand still need and want me. Ashlee had a rough night before school. She gets a nervous/excited stomach ache when something is going to happen the next day, so she tossed and turned all night! I know that because I had her sleep with me and she kept me up late too. The next morning she had a stomach ache and I had to give her some medicine to help and she was fine after that.

The girls were ready to go by 8 am, so Marvin and I took some pictures and then drove them to school.

After we dropped them off, we went to breakfast together and had good time. He says I've come along way because I don't cry anymore! There was a time where I cried so hard I couldn't even talk on the phone! Those days are gone now!

Here are a few pictures from the day minus Matthew.


The girls are ready(Ashlee not feeling good yet)


At school (Ashlee's better, can you tell?)

Lined up ready to go in (Lyndsey)

Lauren

Ashlee happy and ready!

Kensington 2008

Today, Marvin had the day off and we took the kids to Kensington Metropark and spent the day. We first did some fishing but didn't catch much:( Then we walked a trail and saw a few things that the kids were excited about. I think chipmunks are the cutest things! The were all over the nature center. I took a few pictures of the quick little things! It has been a tradition of ours since Matthew was a little guy that we stop at Dairy Queen on the way out of the park. It's right at the entrance so it's hard not to stop there. So we finished up our day having an ice cream. I have a ice- cream layout page so the pictures will be perfect.

The kids start back to school next week and I am really looking forward to it. When they go back, I'm getting my butt to the gym and I am getting into shape. I know the summer is almost over but if I can make it through the winter getting thinner, I'll be ready for next summer!

I am looking forward to a better week. Last week was terrible! But, I know that Christ is in control and I am happy where I am in my walk with Him.

What a week

This has been a tough week for me emotionally, spiritually and just plain hard. But I have a Christ that is stronger than I am and He is what I needed most this week. I have never prayed and talked to God more than I have in the last few days and I prayed and asked Him for clarity and He sure did give it to me.

I realized this week that I need to seek Him more than anyone else and He will have the answers that I need. I can't put my faith and trust completely in anyone else but Him. I told my kids this week that whenever they have questions in their lives that the only answer is in the Bible and that they need to follow whatever it's says because it is the truth. We cannot be of this world because this world will lead us in the wrong direction. Satan is alive and well and is ready to destroy lives and friendships that have been built for many years. I WILL stand for Christ and I WILL NOT be ashamed either.

I pray that I can just stand firm with the full armor of God on me and that he would protect me and that His glory would be evident to all. I pray for miracles that I know only He can deliver. Thank You Christ for dying for me that I might live and that You live through me.

Big Changes are a comin....

There are a lot of changes going on at our house. My Mom and Sister got their own apartment and are moving out AGAIN this weekend. It's a good change and I am happy for both of them to have their own place.

We have a bungalow and since the girls were smaller, Marvin and I gave them our room upstairs so they could all fit and have room to play. Now that we have 2 rooms available, Ashlee is moving to the basement in Kelsey's room next to Matthew, Lauren is getting my Mom's room, Lyndsey is getting mine and Marvin's room, and Marvin and I are going back upstairs to our original room! WHEW!!! The bad part about all that is that I messed up my back last week and I am still on the mend. I could hardly walk across the room let alone move things around, so that hampers everything a bit. There is so much to do that it's a bit overwhelming, but everyone is pitching in so hopefully it will all go smoothly!

There is also a lot going on at Marvin's work and we are not sure yet what is going to happen. The worse thing is that he may lose his job and the best thing is that we may relocate out of Michigan. PLEASE pray that God's will be done...not OURS!

Next week, Lyndsey starts the procedures for braces. She is in phase one, which is an expander for 6 months. She's excited and Lauren is not, because she also needs braces but I can only afford one kid at a time.

Plus, we are gearing up for the new school year which begins in a little over a month. I have to save up for the school supplies, which get bigger every year times 4!! What happened to the days where you went to school with paper and pencils?!!!

So, that's about it for now. Hope everyone is well and having a good week.

The fun of being a kid

My girls were across the street last week playing in the slip-in-slide with the neighborhood kids. I watched them play from my front porch. I couldn't help but watch with awe at something I loved to do when I was a kid. When I was watching them I couldn't help but think of how fun it would be to be a kid again and not have any of the worries that we as parents have today. I wanted to run through that slide and just be that kid again. After watching how much fun they were having, I decide to go over there and take some pictures. You decide if you want to be those kids again? I sure would!

Sabrina

Ashlee

Lyndsey

Zachary

21 years ago today...

Today is the 21st anniversary of my Neice, Amber Nicole's, death. She died of crib death when she was 4 weeks old. I cannot believe she has been gone that long. I always wonder what she would have looked like and what she would have become. She was a beautiful baby when she was born. She was so cute and tiny. I called her peanut because she was so little. I don't like to think of this day very much. It was such a difficult time. I will never forget what it was like and I cannot even begin to imagine what it was like for my brother. He was so young to go through something like that.

But, the comfort I get is knowing that I will see Amber again when I get to heaven. I hope that when I get to heaven and see Jesus face to face that he has Amber in His arms like I have dreamed so many times.

I miss you Amber, and I always think about you. You would have been a good Neice and I know you would have brought all of us joy and happiness. I love you.

My latest pages

I have been busy in my scrap booking room the last few days. I made a page honoring my husband. I also did a page for my girls and a photo collage of when the girls were small.





Okay, so this year I decide to plant some flowers. I have NO green thumb whatsoever, but the girls asked me to, so I did. We went to the store and I bought 2 small hedges and some pink lilies and I planted them on one side of the front of the house. After about a week, the lilies started to bloom. They were so pretty and the smelled awesome. I would sit on the porch and the wind would blow and I would get a whiff of them. I was so excited.


Then, the storm hit and we got pelted with hail and the stinkin hail KILLED my beautiful lilies...this is what was left...


I think my green thumb will be washed and I will hang it up, because I can't handle the pressure!

Colorado

Well, Matthew survived 9 days out of Michigan without me! From the little bit of information I got out of him, he had a great time. He loved going up in the mountains where he was having a snowball fight and the breathing was different then he was used to. He learned to defend himself from the "older" students, and held his own. It's hard to believe he is officially part of the youth group and will be doing things now that he is a part. I know that the Lord is going to use him and that he will grow into a man of God. He might even be the next youth minister! Or the worship leader! He plays a mean drum!

This was the top of a tree in Utah, where the flooding was. They had to go 170 miles around to get pass the flooding.

This was a baseball field in Utah, completely underwater!



I am so glad he got to see another part of the country. I missed him very much and was so happy that he got home safe and that he had a good time.

If your over thirty...

Got this in an email and had to post it. The writing is not mine so if the language offends..sorry. Enjoy!

If you are 30 or older you will think this is hilarious!!!!

When I was a kid, adults used to bore me to tears with their
tedious diatribes about how hard things were when they were growing
up;
what, with walking twenty-five miles to school every morning ....
uphill
BOTH ways yadda, yadda, yadda!

And I remember promising myself that when I grew up, there was no way
in hell I was going to lay a bunch of crap like that on kids about how
hard I had it and how easy they've got it!

But now that... I'm over the ripe old age of thirty, I can't help
but look around and notice the youth of today. You've got it so
e asy! I mean, compared to my childhood, you live in a damn
Utopia!

And I hate to say it but you kids today you don't know how good you've
got it!

I mean, when I was a kid we didn't have The Internet. If we
wanted to know something, we had to go to the damn library and look it
up ourselves, in the card catalog!!

There was no email! We had to actually write somebody a letter...with
a
pen! Then you had to walk all the way across the street and put it in
the mailbox and it would take like a week to get there!

There were no MP3's or Napsters! You wanted to steal music, you had to
hitchhike to the damn record store and shoplift it yourself!
Or you had to wait around all day to tape it off the radio and the
DJ'd
usually talk over the beginning and @#*% it all up!

We didn't have fancy crap like Call Waiting! If you were on the
phone and somebody else called they got a busy signal, that's it! And
we didn't have fancy Caller ID Boxes either! When the phone rang, you
had no idea who it was! It could be your school, your mom, your boss,
your bookie, your drug dealer, a collections agent, you just didn't
know!!! You had to pick it up and take your chances mister!

We didn't have any fancy Sony Playstation video games with
high-resolution 3-D graphics! We had the Atari 2600! With games like
'Space Invaders' and 'asteroids' and the graphics sucked! Your guy was
a
little square! You actually had to use your imagination! And there
were
no multiple levels or screens, it was just one screen forever! And you
could never win. The game just kept getting harder and harder and
faster
and faster until you died! Just like LIFE!

When you went to the movie theater there no such thing as stadium
seating! All the seats were the same height! If a tall guy or some old
broad with a hat sat in front of you and you couldn't see, you were
just
screwed!

Sure, we had cable television, but back then that was only like
15 channels and there was no onscreen menu and no remote control! You
had to use a little book called a TV Guide to find out what was on!
You were screwed when it came to channel surfing! You had to get off
your ass and walk over to the TV to change the channel and there was
no
Cartoon Network either! You could only get cartoons on Saturday
morning.
Do you hear what I'm saying!?! We had to wait ALL WEEK for cartoons,
you
spoiled little bastards!

And we didn't have microwaves, if we wanted to heat something up we
had
to use the stove or go build a frigging fire .... imagine that!
If we wanted popcorn, we had to use that stupid Jiffy Pop thing and
shake it over the stove forever like an idiot.

That's exactly what I'm talking about! You kids today have got it too
easy. You're spoiled!!!!!!!!!

You guys wouldn't have lasted five minutes back in 1980!
Oh yea, and a seatbelt was Mom throwing her arm across your chest
every
time she hit the brakes.
Regards,

The over 30 Crowd

Blogging

For the past few days, I have been reading random blogs that I have come across and I have found some of the saddest and heart wrenching things from people, mostly moms, who have gone through difficult times with their children. I continue to read Angie Smith's blog and I am always so touched by the things that she writes about. She has a gift of writing and I enjoy reading her thoughts and admire her strength.

When I was in high school, English was my favorite subject and I really got into writing in my freshman year. I could write stories after stories using my imagination and I loved it. I hoped that it would continue long after school was over, but I got out of the habit. I'm going to try to get back in it. I have, maybe thirty journals that I have started and never got through. I would write daily for a couple of weeks then that would be it. I have yet to complete a full journal!

So, after being inspired to write my thoughts and dreams and goals from the blogs that I read, I am going to start back up my journals. When my kids are older I would like to leave them to them to read so they know all about me and the things that I have gone through. Who knows, maybe they will be writers and journalers too!

Family

This past weekend, Ken and Robin and the kids came up from Tennessee. It was so good to see them! They have only been gone a short time and the kids have changed so much already. They are great kids and Ken and Robin are doing a wonderful job with them. They have such good manners and are so polite. We got together with them at Vivian and Kevin's house and had a BBQ. All the kids played outside and just had a good time. One of the best things to do in life is to be with your family! I love to be with mine. If you don't have family, you don't have much. I enjoy every minute I spend with Marvin's side of the family. They are so fun to be with. When you get Marvin, Vivian, and Kenneth in the same room, it's always fun.


Ryan turns 4


Candle blowing



Funny face cousins


The Metcalf Family

Today was the last day of school for the summer! I am glad it's over. I'm tired of the driving, homework, lunch money, and getting up early! It will be nice just to relax and not have to rush in the morning and get to bed early. The kids are glad too!

I'm getting Matthew ready to go to Colorado on Friday. This is the first time he will leave MI without me:( It's going to be a Loooong 9 days! I know he will be fine and that he will have a good time.

Please pray for a friend of mine. Her BIL is having a feeding tube put it because he had part of his stomach removed because of cancer. His name is Jason, also pray for his 7 yr. old daughter, Sammi. She had an MRI and they found a mass in her brain. They are doing more tests to find out what it is.

GRADUATION 2008

My Nephew, Rian Marshall Hegedus, graduated from Melvindale High on Wednesday June 4, 2008. He graduated 20 years to the day that I graduated! We are so proud of him. His ceremony was outside and the rain held off and we were glad. He plans to go to college for criminal justice! I was so excited when he said that's what he wanted to study.

I can't believe how time goes by so fast. He seems like he was just a little boy, and now he is a young man! Congrats Rian!


Brett, Rian, and Brandon


This is going to be a fun weekend. Robin and Ken and the children are going to be here tomorrow and we are getting together with them at Vivian's house. I can't wait to see the kids and to see pictures of their new house. Ryan will be turning 4, and we will celebrate his birthday while he is here.

Well, I hope everyone has a fun and happy weekend! Enjoy the weather!

SELAH-more sad news

A few posts ago, I wrote a blog about Todd and Angie Smith and the loss of their baby, Audrey, after she was born. Well, today, I read her blog and Todd's sister, Nicol Spongberg,who sang with Selah, lost her 2 month old son, Luke. No details were given but that she went to check on him and he wasn't breathing. My immediate thought was "crib death". Please be praying for that family and beyond. According to the blog, they are all traveling to Georgia to be with Nicol and her family.

There has been alot of tragedy with Christian artists this week. Tragedy strikes everyone at some point. It doesn't matter if your "christian" or not. I cannot even imagine losing a baby or a child. My Niece, Amber, died of crib death and that was hard enough!

On a lighter note, school is almost over, and I am actually glad this time. I'm tired of going back and forth, especially at $4 a gallon! It will be nice to sleep in and not have to rush around every morning! I wish Marvin, could have the summer off too! We hope to go to Tennessee this summer to see Ken and Robin, and the kids in their new home. Other than that, we are sticking close to home this summer. We bought a used pop-up that we are hoping to use this year too and do some camping.

Matthew is going to Colorado when school is out for 10 days, to do missions work with the youth. It's the first time he is leaving the state without me and it freaks me out. I am already praying for safety and that he will be okay with the "older" youth. He is one of the youngest youth going and the others like to use that for their advantage!(Just horsing around w/ him) I hope he uses this time away with church that he grows spiritually.

Well, that's it for now. Remember to pray for the Smith family and Nicol Spongberg during this difficult time.

PRAYER!! Steven Curtis Chapman's family

Here is an article posted on his website:


MARIA SUE CHAPMAN, DAUGHTER OF STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN, DIES IN ACCIDENT AT FAMILY HOME

NASHVILLE, TN...5/21/08... At approximately 5pm on the afternoon of Wednesday May 21st, Maria Sue Chapman, 5 years old and the youngest daughter to Steven and Mary Beth Chapman was struck in the driveway of the Chapman home in Franklin, TN. Maria was rushed to Vanderbilt Childrens Hospital in Nashville, transported by LifeFlight, but died of her injuries there. Maria is one of the close knit family’s six children and one of their three adopted daughters.

More than five years ago, Chapman and his wife MaryBeth founded The Shaohannah’s Hope Ministry after bringing their first adopted daughter, Shaohannah, home from China. The ministry’s goal is to help families reduce the financial barrier of adoption, and has provided grants to over 1700 families wishing to adopt orphans from around the world. Chapman is a five-time GRAMMY ® winner and 54-time Dove Award winning artist who has sold over 10 million albums and garnered 44 No. 1 singles.
The Chapman family is so grateful for the incredible outpouring of love and support at this difficult time.

If you’d like to meet Maria and express your condolences click here

By mail, send to PO Box 150156 Nashville, TN 37215.

In lieu of flowers, the Chapmans request any gifts be directed to Shaohannah’s Hope.

Also, due to tragedy of Wednesday, Steven will not appear at the May 24th show, Artist appearing in his absence to be announced shortly.



______________________________

Dale Adams

I just found out today, that a dear friend of mine has gone to be with the Lord. Dale was one of the sweetest, kindest, lovingest, men I have ever known. He was a huge part of FBC and it is a great loss to the church and to all of us. He loved his Lord so much and he radiated God's love to everyone he met. In the hospital at the sickest times of his life he still shared Christ with the doctors and nurses that took care of him.

In 1998, after the death of a friend of mine,Donnie Heim, my heart was shattered and I prayed that God would put a man like Donnie in my life, a week later, I met Dale and his sweet wife,Pat. They became my Sunday School teachers and I knew that they were special. And they were. He was always smiling and telling all the ladies of the church how lovely, sweet, charming, dignified, and well versed they are. He said that every week. He also told everyone how much they were loved. He is truly going to be missed and I am going to miss him even more.

One of the things that stood out most to me about Dale, was that He was a Detroit Police officer. He was a good one too! He retired awhile ago, but once a cop, always a cop. I loved to hear stories about his time as an officer and I will miss that too! When he became a Christian, he shared Christ with his fellow officers too.

Rest in peace, my friend. It won't be the same without you and my life has been blessed knowing you were a part of it. Enjoy walking with Jesus, you deserve it. I love you very much and I'll miss you everyday. See you later.