Blog Break Up

I am breaking up with blogging.
For a while..not sure how long yet?
I'll just wait and see.
I do love to write, even though I have not written much lately.
And I've loved getting to know a lot of new friends and reconnecting with old ones because of this blog.

I am just trying to find more order and balance in my life and sometimes I'd rather be online than parenting:)
And I only get one chance at parenting.
So, I am taking a long break....
To focus on my family and my health.
I've had a lot of health issues lately that have been rather discouraging so I really need to devote my time to that and taking care of my favorite people in the world.
I will miss all of you!
I'll probably still read blogs, but not as much as I have in the past...so forgive me if I'm not up to speed on things.

Blessings to everyone!
It's been fun!
Much love,
Liz
(I'm not sure how long I will leave my blog online...it might disappear one day, just fyi)

Lists, Lists, Lists...

I'm slowly recovering from the worst case of the flu, ever.
I'm not much for flu shots, but this bout I've had all week will definitely make me reconsider for next year.

And since the week starts fresh tomorrow I've been thinking about all the things I need to do this week. Some of these things keep getting added to every list I write, because they never get done.
I so annoy myself sometimes.
But I love to make lists.
Because, in theory, I'm a really organized person.
At least in the little world in my head, I am.

To Do:

-Make dentist appointments for myself and kids
-Call a plumber
-Call an electrician
-Buy a sponge for the hermit crabs (yes, we have hermit crabs. Some people have dogs. We have crabs:) Best pets ever.
-Clip kid's finger and toenails (it's sad that I forget to do this, isn't it?)
-Make meal plan for week
-Find Eliana cute white tennis shoes (slip-on or mary jane style)
-Buy a camera! (if we have money)
-Take all our old video camera tapes and upload to computer, burn to Cd's (Rob, are you reading this?) :)
-Clean out all the kids toys and clothes, rearrange boy's rooms
-Find new bedding for Eliana's bed....figure out art for walls
-Visit my Nana
-Boy's haircuts
-Find touch up paint cans in garage...if they even still exist?
-Make Rob's to do list
-Plan our family spring break trip (in Texas...somewhere not crowded!)
-Eat mexican food:)

What's on your list for the week?

Don't Catch It

I didn't really want to post a blog about being sick...that's no fun.
But I am sick. With the flu.
And apparently a bad strain of it that is more resistant to flu medicines, says the doctor.
Yay for me!
I am really missing being able to kiss and hug my kids and (my husband:)

Ezra came home from being gone last night with Daddy and when he saw me, our eyes connected and he said "can i just touch your hair mommy?"
Sad. So sad. We usually snuggle all day when we can.
He is such a lover boy. (I did let him touch my hair, btw. I figured hair isn't such a germ magnet:)

I am quarantined to the bedroom.
The upside is that I can sit in bed all day if I want to and play on facebook and the internet.
Which is something mom's NEVER get to do, unless they are really sick.

My sweet friend Bethany has the kids this afternoon while Rob is leading music at yet another friend's funeral. And my very thoughtful sis in law, Tara, brought me homemade soup.

I love having people take care of us, I just wish I could enjoy it more...like breathing through my nose is a gift I will never take for granted again.
I miss tasting and smelling.

We are doing everything we can to keep the rest of the crew from getting this bug.
I've been spraying everything I touch with Lysol...like a true germophobe.

Thanks for reading this absolutely boring and uneventful post.
I need Rob to rent us a movie tonight...something funny or fairly lighthearted would be good.
Any suggestions?

A Different Valentine's

Normally I send out a Valentine's card to all our friends and family.
We usually anticipate eating all kinds of goodies and sweets, dressing the kids in red, taking a picture, making a great romantic meal, exchanging love notes, the whole deal.
But this year was different...mostly because our friend passed away the day before and I think Rob and I both were feeling rather melancholy.
Neither of us had much expectation for the day.
And I can honestly say I didn't care much if he got me anything.
And he didn't.
And I didn't get him one thing either.
And it was so fine with both of us.

It was just different this year. And we still had a great day!
We did have a sitter lined up for that morning, so we left the kids behind and shared a nice lunch together.
And that always ends up in mexican food.
Always.
We are ridiculous.
But even weirder was we ate mexican food at the Cheesecake Factory.
Who knew?
It was awesome. Avocado. Spring. Rolls. Yum.
And then we shared the chicken tacos.

We tried to get my favorite cupcakes on the way home at the the most fabulous bakery Crave.
But the line was way out the door.
Apparently everyone else in the city was thinking the same thing on V-day.
So we opted for Starbucks.....me a London Fog tea, Rob a Cafe Mocha with 1/2 the chocolate.

And the rest of the day was spent cuddling, napping and sharing an Italian dinner with the kids.
Ezra was the entertainment. As always:)
Then I took the most adorable picture of our kids in their red shirts so we could remember the day.










What? You don't see it?
Hmmm....

I still do NOT have a camera. (my old one is broken)
So, use your imagination and envision 3 cute and crazy kids in red shirts:)

Hope you and yours had a lovely weekend and that you took great pictures!

P.S.
Pray for Rob these next two days as he travels to NC to lead worship in a special service for Kristi's family and for the celebration of life service. He is heavy hearted and I'm praying he will do a good job and be able to be strong for Chuck.

Death and Hope

This morning our dear friend Kristi went to be with Jesus.
Our hearts are very sad that she is gone, that she won't see her 3 little boys grow up, or live a long life with her husband and best friend, Chuck.
But when I've thought of her today...my mind also goes quickly to the celebration that she is having in heaven.
No more sadness, no more meds, no more hospitals, no more pain.
She gets to meet Jesus face-to-face!
Everything she knew and believed about Jesus is more real to her today than it has ever been.

I long for that day.
As much as I enjoy life here on earth and how deeply I love my friends and family, I am glad this is not my home.
I feel torn sometimes because scripture tells us to not hold on to this life and the things in it....
I forget that and become so engaged in the day to day struggle of life that I miss the big picture.
Life is so busy, and the days so often long and exhausting that it's easy to forget that this is just temporary.
We were made for something more beautiful, something holy and perfect; eternal.
Can you even fathom a time when we will have no more sin, pain, sadness, fear, sickness, and death?
It is all we have known for so long that it is hard to wrap my brain around it sometimes.
But I know it's God's promise of heaven to us if we believe in and love Him.
And oh how Kristi loved Him.
It was evident in every facet of her life.

May we all be like Kristi.
Faithful to the end.
Loving life desperately but not holding onto it so tightly that she missed the main event...eternal life with her Savior.

Kristi, We know you are home. But we miss you so! We can't wait to see you again in heaven. We promise to take care of and pray for Chuck, Mason, Cade and Zane while we are here.
We are coming soon and we'll have one huge party together!

Sunday Love

I am sitting on the couch, feeling a little sick, but happy because my littlest love is curled up next to me watching cartoons and playing with my hair.
He loves to play with hair, and if you're a girl of any age and you have spent any amount of time with him, you have likely found Ezra sitting next to you twirling your hair.
He probably twirls his big sister's hair the most, and she lets him.

It is the sweetest thing. I hope he never outgrows it.
(Although I guess he should outgrow it before junior high...that might get a little awkward.)

I found a few pictures that I have taken that document his love affair with hair....

Ezra playing with his cousin Hanna's hair while watching a movie.
(poor hanna, thanks for tolerating him!)

I forgot to mention that he loves to twirl his own hair just as much.

Playing with sister's hair.

And my favorite picture.
We found him in the kitchen with the nozzle head to the water hose doing something to Eliana's doll in the chair??

We weren't sure if he was making shooting noises or hair-drying noises, but either way...it was hilarious!
(pants are optional in this house, btw:)

Sometimes I think God gave us Ezra for laughter's sake.
He is always doing or saying something remarkably smart or funny for his age or entertaining us all at the dinner table.

I am not feeling very well and I have a massive headache that I can't seem to get rid of today, but life has been good lately and I wanted to let you know that I am present...I am alive.

We have been working on some projects around the house lately that I think turned out so cute.
We still have some work to do, but it has been good to do some updates and replace old carpet.
It is amazing what we (the kids) did to our carpet in 4 years! I was so glad to see it go.
I hope to post pictures when I either fix my old camera or buy a new one!
I've been so frustrated without a camera.

I am thinking we need to have Chuy's for dinner.
(If you don't know what Chuy's is....I am so very sorry. I mourn that for you.
Seriously, I think creamy jalapeno dip can cure my headache:)

I'll be back soon.
Hopefully with some photos and a new blog design!

You Have to See....

...what we are so excited about!
(Click here for the story and photos)

Our newest niece and nephew are in the states now with their new family!
They spent their first night in America in NYC.
Can you imagine?
We are dying to meet them.
My kids have been praying for them every night for months now.
It will be so cool this summer when we all get together to do our Seay family beach vacation and the cousins (17 kids, under the age 11) get to play together for a week straight!
We had a blast last year at the beach and I know this year will be even more incredible with Sosy and Yeneneh!

Please pray for these precious kids as they adjust to life here.
And for Brian, Amy, Olivia, Phillip, Natalie and Nathaniel as they recover from an amazing, but exhausting trip to Ethiopia.
This family can use our prayers and blessings, so lift them up, will you?
Thanks!