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This isnt as bad as I thought.....LOL

OK THIS IS A WONDERFUL WAY TO START MY SATURDAY!!! I have not gotten a cute award before so this is a special one.... Thanks so much Elisabeth!!!

"These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find friends and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships will be propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly- written text into the body of their award."

This is a lovely FRIEND award! Here are my 8(why do i pick only 8?LOL) online friends who I am so thankful to have "met" through the www and I feel like I know them in person from following their blogs. So ladies copy and paste this award and spread the "online friend award" with your friends....lets share the love! You all are really special to me!

1. Shelley at Embracing life as Household 6
2. Leigh at Graham shenanigans
3. Allison at Spud Farmers
4. SUSAN at Apple juice wishes and cheerios dreams
5. Holly at Dressel Familia
6. Stacy at Kotila Kids
7. Jenn at The More the Murrayer
8. Allison at Life of the Baldomeros


SO here ya go...I could have at least another 8.....

Have a great day!!!

PRAISE BE TO OUR LORD!!!!

Here is a message I got today from a online friend who just happens to be a CHAPLAIN at FT. Jackson for the bootcamp...(Well he knows Pastor Chuck and the chaplain sent me a message on FB and we have talked for the last week about Lyndsey) here it is:

"Well, your prayers are answered. God, in his Presbyterian sovereignty, even anticipated them. CH Bryan, her BN chaplain, called me about 2 hours ago. He had just seen Lyndsey, had talked with her a while, and reported that she was fine. He even talked with Lyndsey's "battle buddy," who said the same thing. BTC is about at its hardest now, and ... Read MoreI doubt these days are the easiest of her life. (She has probably been out in the rain most of the day.) But CH Bryan said she was fine, and the BN chaplains can usually tell. He said she seemed like quite a durable young lady. She certainly is pretty!!"

So Our ARMY PRINCESS seems to be doing good...
PLEASE if you want to send her a short letter of encouragement please email
me for her address.

Well William is now gone to his school in SC....we made it through the first night and first morning off to school...that is great! The bus was 30 min late, so i thought we had some how missed it....she said that a light had gone out....

I am so ready for the weather to warm up.....my girls just cant get better!! Bella has snot everywhere...Gabby has a nasty cough again...and hmmm...I bet Giovanna will get something soon!!! PLEASE pray that we can GET OVER the sickness QUICK!


Mynew treadmil come in on Friday, William didnt get a chance to put it together so Michael, his friend and I worked on it yesterday afternoon....its all done, and today I get to program it all....Im so excited!

WE GOT 2 LETTERS FROM LYNDSEY!!!!

She is not feeling well right now, she thinks she has the flu or something...she said she feels like her chest and head are about to explode...PLEASE pray for her. She said she is tired at the end of the day and just wants to sleep, but they keep getting in trouble because some of the girls wont be quiet and go to sleep, so EVERYONE gets slammed...and her not feeling well makes it worse! She said she hasnt broke down and cried any but sometimes feels like she should. She said she is having fun with some of the activities and she was excited to say she gets to eat 3 meals a day and can eat as much as they want....she said as much as she eats, you think she would gain weight...but knows that all the work out she gets she isnt. She said the girls in her area are I N S A N E !!!! Her exact words.

Pray for our baby girl (well my oldest Baby girl) as this is a HUGE step for her...she wants to master this and be mentally ready for her future!

More updates later...oh i have her address if any of my blog readers want to send her some ENCOURAGEMENT! Just leave me a comment or email me at rlba272@hotmail.com

Yesterday I took Isabella for a cardiologist appointment....

She had a small hole in the heart and a small pin sized hole in one of the blood vessels going to the heart....well praise the Lord....the hole in the heart has closed!!!! the very very small hole in the blood vessel is still there but Dr. Colvin said she is fine. WE will watch it and go back to the Dr. in 4-5 yrs....YES you read that right.....4-5 YEARS! He said she is doing wonderful....

I was so very happy to hear the news because the original plan was to go in through a small incision in her lower hip to correct the heart....so that is what he was looking for.....BUT our God is a great God and she is healed! Isabella is growing like a weed....she now weighs 36 pounds and is 36 in tall. She loves to eat, color, talk, play with her baby dolls, play with her sisters in the play kitchen, go to preschool and just hang out at home.....We are so blessed to have her in our lives! THank you Girlie!

Lily went with us to the Dr and she was such a good girl. I rewarded them with ice cream and their favorite McDonald's french fries. William come home early to get G & G off the bus...they were thrilled to have their Daddy to themselves for a few hours!!!!

Michael is home for the weekend and check back tonight to see his big surprise!!!!! Video is coming!

William gave me the dreaded news the other night...he is going away to a school for 2 weeks in none other than FT. JACKSON...He leaves Sun and is hoping to talk to the drill sergeants to see if he can have just a few minutes with Lyndsey while he is on the same post as her....Pray that they will. i think it will be a HUGE uplifting time for her!!

Pray for me while william is gone...I always have such a hard time emotionally while he is gone...My anxiety takes control.....Pray for peace and patience for me PLEASE!

Sometimes Miracles Hide
by: Bruce Carroll


LYRICS
They were so excited it was coming to be
Two people so in love...now soon there would be three
For many years they'd planned it
Now it would soon be true
She was picking out the pink clothes
He was looking at the blue

The call came unexpected
The doctor had bad news
Some tests came back and things weren't right
He said, "You're going to have to choose
I'll wait a week for your decision"
Then the words cut like a knife:
"I'm sure everyone will understand
If you want to end it's life"

Though they were badly shaken
They just had no choice
They knew God creates no accidents
And they were sure they had His voice saying

Sometimes miracles hide
God will wrap some blessings in disguise
You may have to wait this lifetime
To see the reasons with your eyes
'Cause sometimes miracles hide

It seemed before they knew it
The appointed day arrived
With eager apprehension
They could barely hold inside
The first time they laid eyes on her
Confirmed the doctor's fears
But they held on to God's promises
'Cause they were sure they both could hear

Though she was not like the other girls
They thought she was the best
And through all the years of struggle
Neither whispered one regret
On the first day that she started school
And took her first bus ride
They remembered the words that God had spoke
And they both broke down and cried

See, to them it did not matter
Why some things in life take place
They just knew the joy they felt
When they looked into her face
They learned

Sometimes miracles hide
They say, "God has wrapped our blessing in disguise
We may have to wait this lifetime
To see the reasons with our eyes
But we know sometimes miracles hide"

TURN OFF THE MUSIC ON THE SIDE BAR!

Oh my this is too funny....

Here's something to make you laugh for 7 minutes. I hope I have spunk like this at 88 yrs old!!!

This morning I sent both Gabby and Giovanna to school...and guess what i forgot to do....take Bella to all her School therapies.....I dont know if they would have wanted me or not..having strep...she called at 8 am and wanted to know where we were....I felt terrible for forgetting!!!!!

Anyway, I am slowly feeling back to normal, yesterday i cleaned out and organized my hall closet for 2 hours...YES it took that long to go through all the junk that had accumilated...opened shampoo, hair gel, candles etc....towels, you name it it was there...i have 3 boxes of stuff i posted on freecycle that should be picked up today....YEAH!!!!

This morning i have already steam cleaned my living room carpets, and now im heading upstairs to lyndsey's room.... WE are moving all the 4 little ones beds up there and making that totally a sleeping and dressing room for them... we will move the twin with trundle downstairs to their old room and make it totally a playroom....so wish me luck!!!

We finally heard from Lyndsey today....we had like 3 minutes and then she had to go...
she said it is cold there!
She is NOT a morning person and they have been woken up at 2:45 a few mornings JUST BECAUSE! They have had to do push ups, there first PT work out, she was issued all her uniforms and she got her weapon today. She said that the girls in her area are not getting along at all and there has already been some close calls on some fights! She has been in charge a few times and one girl just didnt like being told what to do by her and was all up in her face.....she said "i handled it well and the girl got in trouble...." William told her it will only take a few more weeks for alot of them to realize that this is all team work and the quicker they learn that the better off they will be.

She will be mailing us her address tomorrow (so if you would like it just post a comment here for me and i will get it to you) if you wish to send her some good wishes.

Well thats about it for our first phone call. She sounded good but tired, Her first words were "Mom its cold and its hard!" I pray that each day will bring a new adventure and will get better each and everyday. This is going to be the hardest part...her schooling will be difficult but she can handle the "Brain" side of things.

Keep praying for our girl.

Well we finally heard from Lyndsey..

HERE IS SOMETHING THAT MADE ME SMILE THIS MORNING....
THIS LITTLE MAN IS PREACHING THE WORD OF JESUS.....IN HIS OWN WORDS...
I LOVE IT!!!

REMEMBER TO TURN OFF THE MUSIC ON THE RIGHT OF THE BLOG...

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR HOUSE.....WILLIAM AND I BOTH NOW HAVE THE STREP!! WE SPENT ALL MORNING IN PRI MED WITH ALL 4 LITTLE ONES IN TOW....BOTH GOT SHOTS AND ANTIBIOTICS.....

OH THIS IS MISERABLE.

Remember to turn music off on the right of the blog

This video was taken the day lyndsey left. William got to do her first and official swearing in...but since she didnt ship out that day, she had to do it again the day she left....so for your viewing pleasure....here is one of the newest members to the US ARMY! Our daughter

Remember to turn the music off of the right of the blog.

This video is of Lyndsey loading the bus and leaving on her way to FT Jackson! WE will miss you our sweet girl....
WE love you! Mom and Dad

The one thing Lyndsey didnt want to be was in charge....well here is the specialist giving her and her two assistance the large packages to hand deliver to Ft Jackson. Lyndsey became the BUS CAPTAIN!
















These pictures were taken the day Lyndsey left for bootcamp. She let her balloons go and wrote "Im Ft. Jackson bound" on them and the one is the red shirt was just after her briefing standing in parade rest.....they were getting ready to swear in before they headed out. She was laughing!!!

The one with the orange bag is her standing in the line to head outside to get on the bus...she was waiting for her name to be called.

Well sickness has once again struck our house.... Giovanna has been home sick from school Thurs and Fri...I got into the Dr's on Friday and the news is.....strep throat and upper respiratory infection. Poor babies face is so raw and her mouth looks like polka dot heaven...

Folks dont believe me when i say she catches EVERYTHING under the sun and gets nasty sick in the winter....well here ya go.....second round of antibiotics in 2 weeks. Its Jan 17th and has already been on 2 different meds....UGH!

we got a text this morning from daughter who left yesterday for basic training. She is now in the ARMY. She had a fun ride up to FT Jackson and got there around 10pm last night. All she said in her text was "got 15 min of shut eye...Im tired! Got up at 445" So either they worked her last night or she was too scared to sleep and only got 15 min of rest. I pray it was just the nerves...tonight maybe she will get some good solid rest. PLEASE if you think of it today....say a special prayer for my little big girl! This will be a test of her attitude, endurance and patience!

Lyndsey and I yesterday morning while we ate breakfast at Chick Fil A with William and Michael. This was our last breakfast together with the 2 big kiddos. Michael had to leave for FL again and Lyndsey was finishing up so we could take her to the hotel to get ready for MEPS.

Well its offical....our daughter has gone to basic training for the US ARMY....
Here she is on Friday night with her cake from her party!

She left around 145 on the bus. William and I were at the MEPS with her all morning (well from 10:30) and she got all her paperwork in order. She will be going in as an E3 so that made her alittle more excited. She passed her PT test and the Knowledge test (meaning she knows all the ARMY information, ranks alphabet, time etc). By doing this it just puts her more ahead in basic training. The one thing she said she hoped wouldnt happen for a while was for her to be put into any type leadership/in charge role....because it would make her nervous... Well what happens as they are loading up on the bus....they hand her a LARGE envelope containing everyone's files and said she was going to be the bus captain..She is to make sure everyone is to be back on the bus when they stop for dinner and to deliver all the documents to the right person when they get to Ft. Jackson... She was like man, I havent even made it there yet and I already have a job...LOL

WE prayed for her last night and off she went. I know she is excited but scared at the same time. I'm proud of you my baby girl.... you are going to make one fine American Army Soldier! Keep your head up and shoulders back, and stay focused..you will do just fine!


For all you blog watchers out there....please leave her a comment in the comment section. I will post them at the end of the week. She will have access to the computer I believe untl the weekend...while she is in the processing center....so please leave them and I will make one large post of encouragement for her....

Hey
Tonight we are having a going away party for our Lyndsey. She is going into the ARMY and will leave for Boot camp on Monday. I cant believe the time has come for her to leave. She is excited but scared. She has had about 20 of her friends over. WE fed them pizza, hot wings, chicken tenders, pop corn chicken, chips & dip,cake and ice cream. They are all hanging out playing PS3 and talking.... man oh man to be 19 - 20 again.

The girls all went down so good tonight.....they wanted to hang out with all the teens, but went to bed gracefully. Bella joined in on the party though....she took a nap at preschool so going to be at 7pm was not on her agenda...lol

i will post some pics later.

I will type up a longer post later, but did want to let everyone know we are ok.

The girls are all back in school and feeling better...PTL! Bella and Lily went today and had a great day. I ate lunch with my two favorite big kids and that was nice.....

Lyndsey and Michael went to Atlanta together on Monday and spent the night. They had fun shopping and sight seeing together. I know they will miss the time together when Lyndsey leaves. Speaking of leaving, she will go to the hotel for the military on Sunday night and they will take her to the MEPS on Monday. William and I will go to MEPS on Monday once I get the girls all dropped off at school. I cant believe that it is time. She is nervous but also excited for the new journey to begin.

I will update some pictures soon.

Well Facebook has finally drawn me in....LOL
My husband and older kids have been on there for some time and now I have finally joined them. ITs been fun finding old friends...dont you all wanna join in on the Facebook fun??

Awesome MySpace Comments & Myspace Layouts