Ecclectic Annalina

We all get a kick out of Annalina's unique sense of style. She has crazy outfits frequently. Here are just a few. The top one I call her Peruvian Angel look since the hat is from Grandpa Johnson when he was in Peru. The other pictures her Grandma Lysne thought she looked like Cindy Lopper. She is a character no doubt.

Annalina's Special Dress from Uncle Ben!

Uncle Ben came up with the idea for this dress and then paid someone to make it. Annalina loves it!!!

Sweetness

Early in the morning and everyone was still sleeping I heard Annalina get up and go to the bathroom and on her way back to her room she opened my door and peeked her head in and I asked what she was doing and she said "I just wanted to tell you I love you" and she closed the door and went back to bed. She prays that way too. All of a sudden with nothing she breaks into prayer. She is a sweet blessing.

The kids and I went for our morning doughnut run and on the way past the hospital I said "There is where Ross was born" which I say from time to time on our way past. Ross replied in a cheerful voice "Ahhhh, THANK YOU Mommy!!!" He has actually replied that way when I have said that before. How interesting and sweet.

Days ago Gabriel told me "you are the double best Mommy in all the world".

Encouragement, I need it and getting it from my own children means all the more. Big things are happening in the next few weeks with Gabriel's surgery and decisions as to Annalina's schooling.

Mental Preparation for the Surgery

Gabriel's surgery has been scheduled for this Monday. We have to be there at 6:30am. Florence is coming late the night before to help get Annalina off to school and take care of Ross. Her help is a huge relief and blessing. Gabriel had been terrified of this but yesterday we got to talking and come to find out he seemed to think he was going to be awake AND be able to feel what was happening! No wonder he was terrified! I told him he would not know what was happening and not be able to feel anything and that if someone hit him in the stomach he wouldn't be able to feel it and he thought that was neat. I told him that he would go to La, La Land and he and Annalina both found that funny. He was also encouraged that he would miss school AND Babe and I decided to surprise him and we ordered him the 1970's cartoon Hong Kong Phooey which he had been wanting. He can come home and relax watching a completely funny cartoon that he loves!!! He was encouraged by all this. He is still not thrilled about Monday but seems much more comfortable. Praise the Lord!!! I am glad he doesn't think he is to be tortured anymore!!! Some people have raised concerns to me about the procedure but I went over the reasoning again with my Dad and this is the right thing. We simply have to proceed and rest in the Lord.

The Message in the Music

The other night at devotions a song came to my mind. I sang it and the kids LOVED it. It must have been a God given idea. I sang the song "The joy of the Lord is my Strength, the joy of the Lord is my strength, the joy of the Lord is my strength oh the joy of the Lord is my strength. He fills my heart with gladness Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, He fills my heart with gladness Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. He fills my heart with gladness Ha, ha, ha, ha oh the joy of the Lord is my strength.  After I sang the song Gabriel asked what it meant by strength and he said it can't mean muscle strength and I said your right it means inner strength and Gabriel said "to do the right thing". EXACTLY!! That was great!!!

I also sang the hymn At the Cross which they had heard before but for some reason a phrase of it stuck out to Gabriel this time. He wanted to know about what burdens are because in the song it says they are rolled away. "And the burdens of my heart rolled away". I talked about sin being a burden, etc. He thought that was GREAT!!! So then I sang the song "My burdens were lifted at Calvary, Calvary, Calvary my burdens were lifted at Calvary . . ." Then he was not familiar with the word Calvary (he know all about what happened AT Calvary but was not familiar with that word). We talked more!!! How interesting he was so tunned into the words of the songs. They were a devotional in and of themselves!!!

Other neat songs are "Be a Missionary" and "Stop and let me tell you".

Gabriel is such a theologian and thinker. I like that. He is sensitive and cares about doing what is right.

My Ways are not HIS Ways . . .

Over Christmas I found a lump behind Gabriel's ear. It has been scary for him and me. He has been referred to a surgeon to have it removed and I am waiting on the referral to schedule the appt. It has been hard. Not only was the situation hard but watching Gabriel be so bothered by it tore me up. I not only pray for the lump to go away but also for a strengthing of Gabriel's relationship with his God and I believe I have seen that. He was so uneasy and understandibly so!!!! We had devotions one night on Esther and how sometimes God puts us in scary situations but He has a plan for our life. He seems to have relaxed and be at more peace lately. I am proud of him he tries so hard to do the right thing. He is quite the 6 year old. I know I didn't handle the situation appropriately at first it just made me feel numb and scared but thankfully the Lord has given me strength and more peace. Not that I never start to worry but I have made definite strides. God's ways are not my ways which is a good thing but sometimes makes it hard to understand things. But He doesn't call us to understanding but to Faith and Faithfulness.

Sing "At the Cross"

Tonight I was rocking and singing to Ross before I put him to bed and he said "sing At the Cross" and I thought Wow, a 2 year old is asking me to sing "At the Cross"!!!!!!

Then I sang him "Nothing but the Blood of Jesus" and he asked for it again "sing washes sins away". I sang it AT LEAST 3 times!!

A short time ago we were in the van and my mom was with us and he said "my home is at Mommy's house". I found that quite touching.

Annalina over Christmas break would just stop fold her hands and Thank God for Christmas. It was very interesting to watch because there was nothing leading up to it it was like she was so overcome with joy that she just had to stop and thank God. I liked it it showed a thankful heart.