Sometimes it's Laugh or Cry

Our family has had one of "those weeks". Our doctor has renamed waiting room #3 the "Burrell Suite". For starters Lauryn was in for a routine check up and her immunizations, then Kailey was in for a check up for her JRA and they were concerned with how her red blood cells were forming. They sat us down and told us they were going to need to do some further testing to rule out Leukemia. I lost it at that point! Then Chris tells me he has been struggling with his own health issues and lastly the doctors think that I am probably developing RA since basically all my joints are swollen and I am in a lot of pain. Ugghhh... not a fun week. Last night I took stock. Hmm...lets see, we now have a very irritable baby, a toddler who is facing serious health issues and has no clue why she feels so horrible, a daddy who is sick , and a mommy who, by the way, is not allowed to be sick, is dealing with possible Rheumatoid Arthritis. All in a days work-for the guy in the black hood, that is. For a moment I wished I had the gumption of some of my friends to shout aloud, "Go to h-e- double hockey sticks, you devil!" And I guess I did in my own way. I have put the "punk of darkness" on notice that my family belongs to the Light of the World. And I have spent more time praying to that effect. I have a friend who has always been a optimistic producer in my life and i thought, how would she handle all of this? So I called her! She told me that the enemy may have his foot on your throat right now, but he doesn't know that a bad guy can't keep a good woman down for long and that your family will eventually find healing, hope, and victory in Jesus. She is right! And I am claiming that everyday! And it is already working, we got word yesterday evening(of course they make you wait all day long!) that Kailey DOES NOT have Leukemia!!!!!! Praise the Lord!
So,if any of you fellow bloggers are facing heartache or have had one of "those weeks", don't despair. When the time is right, God will restore your ability to laugh with others again and with Him. And, if your heart is full of blessings God has rained on you lately, revel in this season of joy, and let your laughter reverberate the heavens!

"A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." Prov. 17:22

Happy Birthday Lauryn

Lauryn turned ONE year old on Saturday. As you can see she wasn't real thrilled about her party. Apparently she didn't like the way we decorated her cake.

It didn't take her long to figure out how to have fun with her cake! She makes such a cute mess!
After the party we hit the tub. She kept trying to drink the water, it was too cute!

Happy Birthday Lauryn! We love you so much!!!!!!

I love monday nights

monday nights have turned into sort of a haven for me. the girls go to bed and then chris meets with his accountability group. so you guessed it...quiet, alone time for me!!! that doesn't happen often. so i am loving it! the only problem is that there is so much I want to do during this time but i get sooo relaxed and usually end up falling asleep with my nose in a book. oh well, that is definately part of the beauty of monday nights. so, short post but i am going to enjoy some more of my time!

Twenty Reasons

twenty good reasons to worship god from psalm 103...

1. he forgives
2. he heals all my diseases
3. he redeems my life from destruction
4. he crowns me with loving kindness
5. he satisfies my mouth with good things
6. he executes righteousness and justices for the oppressed
7. he makes his ways known
8. he is merciful
9. he is gracious
10. he is slow to anger
11. he will not strive with us
12. he will not keep his anger forever
13. he does not punish us according to our iniquities
14. he shows great mercy to those that fear him
15. he removes our transgressions from us
16. he has pity on us
17. he remembers we are dust
18. his mercy is everlasting
19. he blesses our children who obey him
20. he rules over all and his throne is established

i have really struggled this week with some things but god is always faithful to remind me that he is lord and that i need to make a decision to praise him no matter what the circumstance is. I am reading the book, The Power of a Praying Woman and this is listed in there. good book, i will share some other things that speak to me as i read them.

In His Steps

My baby started walking this week! My life is changing right before my eyes. She walks around following Kailey wherever she goes. She wants to do and be right next to her. It is so sweet. It has made me think about how a couple of years ago I read a book called In His Steps. It was the story of a man who for a period of time attempted to walk in the steps of Jesus. Everything he said, everywhere he went, all decesions he made were as if he were Jesus. As you can imagine, it was just about impossible. However, the experience changed this man's life forever.

We are not Jesus-nor will we ever be. Yet Jesus left us with His example of how life should be lived. As we walk through life on earth we will experience daily situations that will reveal our character. Jesus gave us an example of kindness and gentleness. He was full of sympathy and affection, and always loved with mercy.

Jesus said, beloved, I understand your pain, your grief, the tragedy of friends who betray you. I know you live in a world where there is sickness and sin you can do nothing about. I care, and i can help you. As the Lord lives in us , He will form us into the beautiful, marvelous imagesof God according to our own uniqueness.

No, we will never be Jesus. But we can develop a teachable spirit everyday. We can love Him and desire Him in our hearts with all our soul, mind, and strength. We will then find ourselves transformed into a giving, loving spirit with the joy of Jesus in our hearts. Our character will then reveal the likeness of Jesus.

I have been thinking about this alot this week. I keep asking myself, are the qualities of Jesus evident in my life? I want them to be. I want to be like Him. The deepest part of my heart and soul aches for His wisdom and to be able to walk through this life being that example to my girls.

Nitro Babies

I will warn you all ahead of time that I am writing after a very sleep deprived night. So bear with me but I have been thinking... Urban legend says that the great Houdini, was trained by a mother of tiny tots. After all who else could hold open a three hundred pound glass door with her big toe, force a double stroller through the opening, balance a screaming toddler on her hip, and still retrieve her car keys from her bag with her teeth? Yet if the truth were told, some of a womans best contortion maneuvers come in at naptime. In quest for the elusive nap, most moms that I know have gone through the equivalent of 12 verses of "You are my sunshine", half a gallon of milk. We repeatedly nod off into oblivion, while that wide, eyed, charge is, well...still charged. Then much later we would have dreamed (and oh, how I long to dream), we feel that tiny body give in and go limp. Victory at last! But victory is short lived because there is still that task from the glider to the crib. I have mentioned before that my husband is a big fan of westerns and that task reminds me of one I saw once in which a cowboy transports hundreds of vials of highly explosive nitroglycerin in a horse drawn wagon. The sweaty steed goes bumpity bump over miles of rugged terrain and inevitably encounters a rattlesnake. The camera zooms in on the horses terror-filled eyes as it rears up. Perspiration beads up on the cowboys face while the rattlesnake almost cooks his goose. Now so close to victory, we Sleep Seekers feel much like that nitro driver. We move like old women, not breathing, sweating profusely, slowly rising from the seat of the glider. Whew! So far, so good! We mentally pat ourselves on the back as we glide carefully to the crib. Then with the slow motion precision of a construction crane, we hoist the sleeping bundle over the rail and into position on the mattress. Now, if I can just get my arm out from under her head, I am home free, We coach ourselves. As we prepare to let go of baby, we face a technique choice: my husband and I call them the band aid removal method(extract your arm at lightning speed) or the Bomb squad removal method(extract your arm in painstaking half-inch increments). Regardless of which method we choose, we spy the binky lying nearby and make a mental not to grab it in the event of a waking emergency. Once our arm is free we cover them up and silently back away. Mission Accomplished!! And then we run to our own blissful bed. Suddenly- Squeak! We've planted a foot firmly on an unlucky toy ducky lying like a vial of nitro on the floor. We frantically leap for the binky, and near tears, softly sing the 13th verse of "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy..." Now to wrap it up and give this silly though process some meaning, often some of life challenges are like dealing with an insomniac baby. We go through all kinds of uncomfortable internal and external contortions trying to bring peace and rest to situations that wear us thin. Then despite our best efforts to get things under control, we step on a squeaking duck, or worse yet, on a "vial of nitro". The pitfalls of life are unavoidable. Yet if we become as a little child and call out to God, He will gather us into His arms and still our souls.

Psalm 131:2 "Surely I have composed and quieted my soul; like a weaned child rests against his mother, my soul is like a weaned child within me".

Family Fun

We had an amazing day today! Chris took us shopping at Towne Center Plaza today and we had a great time. The weather was beautiful, the girls were on there best behavior, lunch was great, and did I mention that the weather was beautiful. I even found some great sales! What more could a girl ask for?! Here are a few pictures during lunch. We went to one of our favorite places...On the Border. We needed to kind of get away together and today was perfect for that. I wish everyday could be like this. Chris had a good time too! He kept saying he felt like he was on vacation he was having such a good time. That alone makes me happy! Well all the shopping wore me out. I am off to lala land to get some much needed rest. Sweet Dreams!!

Catching Up...

Kailey was able to spend some real quality time with grama in the kitchen. This is how to make a cherry pie!?!? Looks good, tasted good!!!

I have attempted to catch up on my blog several times since we have been home from Wichita. We spent a week there celebrating Christmas with Chris's family. We had a great time! Here are some pictures of Christmas day with the girls. They had so much fun! Kailey woke up that morning and yelled PRESENTS!!!! It was too cute!