More stories I want to remember

I had been having a lot of problems with Annalina's attitude of late and even though I knew it may be a byproduct of stress that is not an excuss.  I had talked with her and prayed with her. She seemed hesitant to want to pray about it. In fact, last Sunday we had a had a big episode with her and when I was dealing with her and it was her turn to pray she mumbled so I could hear her. I told her she needed to speak louder. She said "No, I don't need to" I was curious as to her reasoning so I asked why and she said "God can still hear me". I told her she was exactly right but that I wanted to hear her too!! Finially, I few nights ago on her own at bedtime prayer she asked God on her own to help her be good. The next morning she was cheerful, she started to get ready for school without being asked, etc. That shows character. She was trying hard to do the right thing. 

One of the times I was talking to Annalina about her attitude Gabriel was listening too and encouraging with agreeing that Annalina brings joy to others when she is happy I was also trying to explain how she could not be good on her own she needed God's help and she needed to pray for help. Gabriel broke into this excellent illustration of how Satan is like a lion and God is our Fortress if we pray and ask for help we are put into that fortress and Satan can scrap on the walls but can't get in!! Perfect illustration, he learned it at church and what a perfect time to share it!

The day after we all thought I had lost the baby and had the scare of so much bleeding. Annalina wanted to be right with me. She sat and colored and watched cartoons. She heard me talking on the phone to someone about my situation the night before . . . Annalina interupted and said "I want to pray RIGHT NOW!" I stopped my conversation and she prayed "Please keep baby Sprout alive and help me to feel good. In Jesus name Amen." Amen to that. Faith.

At breakfast a day or so ago Ross had his finger up pretending to shoot Gabriel and then say "you're dead" and Gabriel acted like he died and thought it was funny but then he turned to Annalina who did not find it as humerous! She said "I have a shield, God is my shield!" I thought that was a pretty good thought!! I am glad she thinks about her Heavenly Father that is what delights me. Shortly, after that I played some Christmas music for the kids and one of the songs talked about Heaven and Annalina in a very serious almost dreamy way said "I can't wait to go to Heaven". It took me off guard, of course, I want her to wait a long time to see heaven! but at the same time it touched me to see her faith.

Last night she made me a necklace with various things she had collected whole punched and threaded on a string it was for mommy. Grandma had shown her the word Joy beautifully typed out in a catalog and thought it would be nice for Annalina for her scrapbooking. Annalina used it on my necklace. I read the word to her and she said "I enJOY you!" What a nut she is.

Out of the mouths of Babes . . . comes cute stuff!

This morning (which is the morning after the day I got put on bedrest)t I was combing Annalina's hair. The night before Grandma had given her a bath and one thing led to another and her hair never got combed out with the comb detangler or sprayed with the detangler spray after bathtime. Which could have meant a tougher time in the morning. This is one of the least favorite parts of the morning process is combing her long hair! She hates tangles and having them combed. Anyway, when I went to comb her hair I commented to her that her hair was not bad this morning. This was interesting considering we did nothing with it the night before! Annalina said to me "did God do it?" I started laughing and said "maybe He did!!" He certainly knew it was a stressful part of the morning process and I had had plenty of stress the day before! Who knows but I thought Annalina's response was cute!!

Yesterday Gabriel came home from school and was telling me about how he learned about Veteran's Day. He had worked on a book for Veteran's Day. He told me that his teacher told the class that if anyone in their family was in the Navy that they should go home and give them a hug. Gabriel started tearing up and fighting back the tears and covered his face, embarassed that he was emotional and I heard him say "I want to hug Daddy". I told him to come to me and I put my arms around him and said "Your Daddy wants to hug you." Then in true Gabriel spirit he got a big smile on his face and said "Maybe I should give him a hug when he gets back." I told him that was a good idea. What a sweet kid.

Yesterday my mom was messing with a flower kit (Amarillis) she had purchased for the kids to watch grow. Ross walked into the kitchen and mom said something to him about it being a flower and he said "Flower? Winter?" What a smarty pants! He doesn't have a hard time putting 2 and 2 together!!!

Needs to remember what is really is of value . . .

Songs:

"You are the strength when I am weak you are the treasure that I seek you are my all in all. When I fall down you pick me up when I am dry you fill my cup. You are my all in all. Jesus Lamb of God worthy is your name."

"Lord, you are my precious than diamonds. Lord, you are more costly than gold. Lord, you are more beautiful than rubies (?) and all I desire is in you."

Wow, its been a rough day to say the least. Emotionally draining really. So many things pulling my emotions. But when I went and surprisingly showed up at Annalina's field trip she PROUDLY and LOUDLY announced "This is my Mommy!" and "This is my baby brother" and kissed Ross on the cheek. Then in the afternoon the dog got to someTHING I really valued. It was really something to look at and say I am going to get to do that hobby in the future and take on the challenge of something I've given up and want to do again. The dog chewed it and ruined it. I was VERY sad and upset. Annalina came to me with the shadow box she had made a short time before and said "This is for you. I want to make you happy." Here is a mother devastated over the loss of a THING. Pretty bad. I am human though and made with emotions I just need to make sure I am focused correctly.

Chugga Choo!! As Ross would say!!!

Ross LOVES the train table his daddy made him for his 2nd birthday! He sits on the top and plays and stands and plays!!! When Gabriel saw what Daddy had made he said to him "Your the Best Daddy!" Babe worked hard to get this done before he deployed.

Another Annalina the Advocate Story

Each day that daddy is deployed we take down one link from the paper chains I made so the kids can see the length of time until daddy comes home! Gabriel started mimmicking what I would say after the link came down "Another day without daddy done!" (another words it's another day we won't have to live without daddy). Anyway, Gabriel said that the other day and then I said "Isn't that nice?"Again meaning that another day was done. Annalina got quite upset and said "NO, it is not nice!" I thought it was funny and explained what I meant and then she understood that I wasn't praising another day without daddy!!! I'm not going to get upset with with being a strong supporter of her daddy.

Ross is Standing on the Promises!

In devotions at night we have been singing the song "Standing on the Promises". Last week during the song Ross would smile real big and say "Ross a singing" and he would! When we held a word long enough for him to repeat then he stood up in bed and said "Standing on Pomises". The best one happened last night after I put the kids in bed and I went to my room I could hear Ross sing the phrase OVER and OVER  . . . "Standing on Pomises God", "Standing on Pomises God". It was too cute!!!

Our Energizer Bunny!!!

Ross is jumping towards 2 years old!! September 19th!!! Ross has long lasting batteries!!