over the hills & thru the woods to Gramma's house we go...

We recently took a trip up to see my parents house in a small town on the out skirts of Fresno, CA. It was lovely. They have about 26 acres of land that it is cuddled next to the Sierra National Forest. So I got to go hiking around their property. There are a couple of cool things. For instance can you see the natural hidden picture in this rock that my brother showed me?



It is a happy face! Isn't that so cool. And it is totally there by nature. There is also this hidden picture that is a lot easier to spot in the side of manzanita tree. It also was created by nature.



I did make this out of a manzanita tree. But rest assure they were fallen branches that I picked up from the ground. I didn't cut down any of these beautiful trees.

Of course, here are some adorable pictures of the kiddos while on our trip.








It was also really nice to spend time with my family while we were up there. My brother has been living up there to help on the upgrades that my parents are making to the place. I really enjoy having my kids know personally all the close members in the family. I'm trying to think about all the fun things we did, because we did have fun. But I think it was more just hanging out and enjoying each others company. Plus it was the first family trip we have taken since Austyn was born. I think the family clan is back to our traveling selves after this trip.

Happy Valentine Day!

Wishing everyone a wonderful Valentine Day!

round here

Austyn has been rolling over and finding his hands and all sorts of stuff. He started sleeping through the night about a month ago (right before the women's retreat). Meaning he was sleeping from 9-10 pm till 4-6 am. But that stopped a week or so ago. I think it had something to do with him staying in our room in the bassinet. Russell likes to have non-stuffy air, that means that it's freezing. We have a space heater in Nelly's room. So with 2 out of 3 nights in his own crib he slept through the night again. Yay! One time he even slept till 6:30 am from 9:30 pm. Below is a couple of pictures of him that I got from him rolling over.







Nelly's showing how she can roll over too!




the princess and the frog. : ) Nelly is one of her princess dresses and Austyn is in an outfit that says "MOM's prince" and has a little frog on it.

Russell and I are contemplating what to do for Valentine Day. When discussing it he asked what I really wanted to do. I said I wanted to drop off the kids and get a hotel and sleep. He had this wide-eyed look and replied, "Can we do that?". For your information, we can't. So we're still debating what to do. LOL.

Insane?

Am I insane? probably. Why am I asking? Well,.... At this moment I have recently added to my family with our precious baby boy, potty training our sweet daughter, started becoming a big stickler about her eating more variety in foods, am in a Beth Moore bible study, doing daily reading with our church (which I can say are both awesome), creative activities leader at MOPS, and I'm sure a lot of other stuff that I can't remember. (That is part of my problem I don't remember the other stuff I got to do sometime, LOL.)

But in any case, I started another blog. This one is more where I write down some of the things that make me happy. So maybe it's a good outlet. Who knows. I titled it "These are a few of my favorite things". I'm posting some things I like to do like cooking (by trying new recipes), reading (mostly anything I can get my hands on), traveling (if I ever get a chance again with kiddos), crafts (the random stuff I do because I don't have enough to do), art (looking, doing, it's just soft on the eyes), music (oh, my favorite past time), and of course Jesus. Basically a little bit of everything. Hope you enjoy.

ahh,....they grow up so fast

Our little boy is growing so big and strong. We defiantly make tall kids. At his 2 month check-up he was 12 lbs 7 oz (about 60-70%), his height 25 1/2 inches was off the charts. Yep we make tall kids. Still praying for a tall husband for Nelly. Thankful to Russell he started getting some hair at the top of his head. Below is a picture compared to here. He had some hair around his head but not on top when he was born. Now that his hair has come in it stands straight up and looks like a flat top. So cute! It's hard to get in the picture.




He is getting really strong with sitting for his belly time. Sometimes he lifts himself up a little. Here are pictures with him on a boppy because he looks more comfortable then him on his tummy on the floor. Yes he is tilting his head to the side because he wants to watch sports with Daddy and Mama and her camera is getting in his way.





We signed Nelly up for dance classes (Tap and Tumble). She absolutely loves them! She's attending the dance factory which is local for me. Below are some pictures of her at her class.

Penelope's pee-pee, poo-poo, potty chart

We started potty training Nelly Thursday (the 21st) and it has been an experience to say anything. I have gone from feeling this potty training is going good to "what in the world am I thinking, trying to do this with a 2 month old, geeze." But yes she is making progress. My attitude at the beginning has changed. I was trying to do it really hard core, get it over with and in a week tops we will have it down pack. Ya that didn't happen. As time went on I became more loose about how we approached it.

Basically I have been doing "potty training orientation" for about 6 months. When she hit 2 years old, I realized that she had no signs that she was ready to start potty training and was scared even to sit on the potty. So she started getting chocolates to just sit on the potty. It actually took a while but she started being more and more okay with it. She also started becoming more and more aware the more we talked about it. A couple of weeks before we potty trained we talked about it and talked about it. I told her if she went potty like a big girl she would get princess underwear. Let I remind you up until this point I have not caught a single pee-pee or poo-poo in the potty. Despite trying all...the....time.

When the day finally came I just put her straight in underwear and kept asking her every 5 minutes if she had to go potty. Occasionally she would say yes and we'd put her on the potty but nothing would happen. So then she would go play and 10 minutes later and she would pee. Thank God she did not like the feeling of peeing outside of her diaper. The second day I tried putting her on the potty because she obviously had to go and she was holding it. I got her to go poo-poo because with her they are pretty easy to see when she needs to go and she doesn't have the strength to hold it as long. But for pee-pee it was a different story. We sat there for about 6 hours as she cried that she had to go potty but would not go. We finally took a break for nap and she woke up with a clean pull-up so again we tried to put her on the potty. She held it ALL DAY LONG. Finally around 5-6 pm we gave up, figured it was a good start, and tried to put her pull-up on her to relax before bedtime. But she was too traumatized or something and would not go. So we gave her a bath that helped her calm down and put her to bed.

Finally on the 3rd day of potty training I was able to get her to pee-pee in the potty. She just wasn't able to hold it all day like she had done before. So with screaming and more screaming she was able to finally loose control and go potty. Whew. I kept waiting for a light bulb to click on and for her to say, "oh that's not so bad. I can do it." But no that didn't happen. This morning was the first morning that we've been able to put her on the potty and she hasn't screamed at the top of her lungs like we are going to kill her. Yes screamed at the top of her lungs like we were going to kill her. *rubs temples*

Right now she has gotten more in the potty then out. I have a record on the right side column of my blog. It's been there since day 2 just to make me feel better. I have all stops out. We are rewarding her with chocolates, stickers, and prizes if she does it several times. So I figure we are making progress. I believe I will be able to successfully potty train her and don't have to quit because it's not working or she's just not ready. It just might take a while, defiantly longer than a week. (What was I thinking?)

Yes we were pretty hard on her at the beginning but I don't know if we would have figured out what the problem was of her holding it unless we tried that. So in retrospect it all worked out. I'll let you know how it's going in a month.

a steady hand

Everything that has been happening in Haiti is so sad. And for anyone who is over there I sure hope you feel our prayers. Our church supports an orphanage over there called Child Hope International. And I also had an instructor I was very close with in College who was born and raised in Haiti and has her whole family over there at the North Haiti Christian University. If you want to do more please contact either one of these resources. But sometimes I know that you feel like it just isn't enough. That whatever you pray or do is not enough. That is NOT true. I have seen God come through. Don't give up people!

Here are some quotes from the Child Hope Orphanage. I hope the Bill and Sue don't mind me taking pieces of your posts to show God's mighty hand in the praise reports. Don't forget to pray people!

We have been blessed with steady flow of nurses, local doctors and others that have assisted us. And, of course, Brooke and Ashley have been working very hard. Also, many of the MDL kids are putting in a lot of time to care for the injured. But, praise God, no injuries to the kids have occured outside of Daphne who had a wall fall on her and is currently in traction awaiting treatment by a pediatric surgeon due to a broken leg.

I am crying as I type this because we have been so blessed to have everyone here during this time. God is good, always, and His ways are perfect even when we don't have all of the answers.

We also have our dear brothers and sisters from Mission Viejo Christian Church. They have been so phenomenal and supportive. They've jumped right in to help where there is need-no questions asked. A zillion thanks to them and to the people back home that helped send them to us.

We were blessed with a great doctor who showed up to help. He is an orthopedic surgeon. He and his wife lost their home when it collapsed. He lives in our neighborhood and he drove by and saw what was going on at our place and jumped right in. He will be casting little Daph's leg today, Lord willing.

Everyone has pulled together so amazingly well, working endlessly. It is truly Jesus Himself, sustaining us.

Three people accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior last night. Praise Jesus!

The Mission Viejo team has been remarkable and an unbelievable Godsend.

The MDL kids are doing remarkably well

We closed the clinic and said we were unable to help any new people. Someone told me the CNN wanted an interview. We thought if we could get the word out, maybe one of the relief organizations here might hear about our dilemma and find a way to get us supplies. i waited on hold for about 30-45minutes with CNN and they ended up postponing the interview. By the time i made it back to the clinic our doors were open and they were receiving new patients. When i asked what happened, they said an SUV full of Haitian doctors and nurses arrived with supplies. i guess God wants us to stay open -- at least for another day or two (which is how long the supplies may last). Praise God!!!

We got an influx of Haitian doctors and nurses show up to help us. Much needed meds arrived yesterday (right after we'd officially closed the doors to dozens of people waiting outside). We were running out, and then the supplies arrived. Amazing timing, as always.

Daphne finally got her cast yesterday.

People are praying-everywhere.

I haven't seen people pull together like this, EVER. I have been blessed to see what I've seen.

We want to say a very special thank you to those of you in the States helping us coordinate in a way we could never do from here. People like Lucas and Alicia Simmons, the Beck Family, the Bohlingers and so many others that are blogging, Facebooking, Tweeting and whatever else is necessary to help the efforts out hear. Most importantly, thanks for those that are praying and staying on their needs. Haiti was shaken up, not just physically but spiritually. And we need to continually pray that hearts and souls will find Christ through all this.

Our faithful God continues to sustain us and keep us moving forward. Please make it a point to pray daily for all of us here – especially those on the front lines in the triage. We thank you beyond words for all your love, encouragement and prayers. God bless.

All our staff has been amazing. I cannot begin to name all the dedicated missionaries, employees and MDL kids that are sacrificing under such duress to help. I am humbled be their dedication and hearts.

The Haitian people are incredible. They have been very strong, peaceful and completely cooperative with us under a very difficult situation.

Praise God, no patients have passed away.

Friends from the DR have been driving in food shipments of whatever they can find.

Thank you, Jesus, that we can still chuckle in light of such overwhelming circumstances. The joy of the Lord is truly our strength!

UN structural engineers came and inspected all our buildings and gave thumbs to the kids returning to live in the homes.

This has been an absolute blessing and so has been our med team that has faithfully manned the unit since hour one. Hundreds came through. Many lives were saved. All left alive. Amputations occurred. Bones were set. Wounds stitched. God sent doctors, nurses and others to keep this going non-stop 24/7 since Tuesday.

Many have selflessly volunteered to come. Over one hundred. Thank you. We are in the process of filtering through your emails and compiling teams based on priorities.

1:30pm Hurray! The American's are here! Army of L.A. Search and Rescue fireman showed up at our front door.

Right as I was writing “Still no supplies” an army of Los Angeles Search and Rescue Firemen showed up at my front door. Brian Wells, the chief of the team goes to my sending church – King’s Harbor. He just wanted to make sure we were alright and to let us know that we are not forgotten.

Thank you, Lord, that your hand was upon our little make-shift clinic -- that lives were saved and that no one died in our care. Thank you for sending doctors, nurses and others to help make it happen. You are a great and awesome God!

We are relocating our community clinic to the new home and will start-up regular hours again soon.

Today, we received our first rain since the earthquake. It came after we closed our outdoor clinic and after most of the kids’ mattresses were moved indoors. Again, God shows His presence.

A group of our boys who had, just a few days before the quake, went on a prayer and fasting up in the mountains shared that they had just prayed for the safety and well-being of the kids at the orphanage and for God to demonstrate His presence. Wow! Was that prayer ever answered! Their faith humbles me.

Great news – Marval was able to purchase 100 gallons of diesel today. What a miracle! Now we are on the hunt for food. Fritz purchased one large sack of beans and 7 small bags of rice. Praise the Lord! We feel like we have this little village where we send out our best hunters and wait. When they return with their prize we all celebrate! .


With my professor that had her family in Haiti. I know most of her family but one niece was accounted for. I haven't heard recently if they have found her. But it is amazing that God kept the people safe that are known to be safe.

If you need to know what to pray for look here: for recent updates. But the latest please pray for protection for the Orphanage and everyone that works there.

Here are some painting I have of Haiti from a missions trip I took.