- new date's been set -

we found out today, that dustin's new court date's been set for january 15 @ 3:15pm [the date's set in pen, but the time's still in pencil, so i'll post on here as soon as we've the exact time] - again, thanks to all who've been praying, emailing with encouraging words & phoning...it means a lot

- the good, the bad & the ugly -

well, yesterday was sunday...god's day...a day with our entire family...a day of rest, etc...so here goes!

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the good...we got to church at the designated time we needed to be there & wasn't late!

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the good...praise the lord, 1 block from our church, we found gas for $1.35/gallon, so we filled up the van for only $27!! [whoa]

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the bad...the clock i'd been looking at all morning long at home, was wrong [by exactly 1 hour], so we arrived at church an hour early...yes, with a 6y, 5y, 4y & 4m old, one of which has ad/hd & has been having a hard time these past few days since schedules have been off, routines have been off, etc.!!! [ugh...fun times]

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the bad...i purchased one of the 'insert' seats that people use for their little ones when they ride in shopping carts, etc., so they don't get germs - well, the picture on it, showed it can be used for high chairs as well, so when we went to cracker barrel for lunch after church, i decided to try it out & oh my goodness!! - it ended up working, but i was so concerned that we were making a scene [don't ask me why i care about that as we're 2 white parents, 2 white children & 4 brown children...sure, we make a scene wherever we go!!] - i get more concerned about this when dustin's with us as i know it frustrates him, which i don't like doing, but anyhow, it's a free meal for him, so i guess he can handle it! - it ended up working great, but i should've practiced somewhere 'less full', than on a sunday for lunch when the place was packed!!

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the ugly...i'd gotten up extra early as brit was to work the nursery & had to be at church much earlier than normal - i got up, got all the little ones ready, got myself ready & we were ready to leave...on time [which for those that really 'know' us, 'on time' isn't usually in the same sentence with 'spike & lori'] - we were feeling really good about getting coats on & loading the van...on time - just as i shuffled the last little one out the door on the way to the van, i picked u ahniér, tossed her up over my right shoulder to hear a horrible sound - yes, that sound was her puking all down the front of my shirt - now, what do i do?? - do i take the time to change my clothing & make us late?? - or do i just wipe all the puke off since it's a black shirt & probably won't show?? - yep, you guessed it...wipe it off [so as to not be late!] - spike dropped the girls & i off at the door as he went to park the van - brit went on to the nursery & i had to take everyone to go potty, drop coats off in the coat area, etc. & then head to the sanctuary to get seats - i got all my 'jobs' completed & things were going along quite nicely when just as i was walking into the sanctuary with ahniér up over my left shoulder, i heard the same noise i'd heard early in my kitchen - yes, that sound was her puking all down the back of my shirt - luckily there was an elderly woman right behind me [didn't know her] & she said, "honey, if you've got something like a rag, i'll help you get yourself cleaned up" - to that i replied, "thanks, but if you'll just wipe it off, it'll then match the front of my shirt!" - she just smiled as if to say, "this poor dear has no clue what she's doing"

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the ugly...well, i'd gotten ahniér some new shoes the other day - they're the same size that she's been wearing, but a bit more room in them, which's what she needed - all day long, everytime i looked down, a shoe was missing - i hate to see a child dressed in cute clothes without shoes on!!

- look at those ears -

i've not blogged about this yet, but about 3 weeks ago, i took ahniér in & had her ears pierced - they look adorable & she did great! - here's a couple pics to show the finished product - isn't she a cutie :)

- i've been tagged -

for my friend debra, i'll do this...
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8 tv shows that i watch
1. jon & kate plus 8
2. 17 & counting [& baby makes 18]
3. i love lucy
4. andy griffith
5. nanny 911
6. wife swap
7. meet your new mommy
8. little house on the prairie
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8 favorite restaurants
1. sapporos [japanese steakhouse]
2. benihana [japanese steakhouse]
3. pepe's
4. visa lodge [in haiti]
5. olive garden
6. on the border
7. arts pizza [the sloppier the better!]
8. panera bread
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8 things that happened to me today
1. was able to sleep in [thank you spike!]
2. received pictures from the girls that they colored for me
3. rocked ahniér a million times as she's not feeling up to par
4. witnessed ahniér roll over for the first time [didn't 'see' it, but i looked & she was on her back!]
5. watched a movie with the girls & spike [- brit as she's at madisyn's]
6. talked to dustin for about a nano-second, as he's too busy to talk to his mom [teasing]
7. made manwich for dinner
8. stayed home all day
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8 things i look forward to
1. christmas with all our family
2. taking the kids to see santa
3. taking the kids to see christmas lights
4. going to haiti again soon
5. ringing in another new year & anticipating all it has to offer our family
6. when ahniér starts sleeping through the night *wink*
7. seeing all that god's got planned for not only our kids, but our entire family
8. working to get more children 'home' from haiti to their new families
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8 things i wish for
1. to go to haiti soon
2. for our kids to see jesus in me
3. that we'd find out what kiara's scratching's all about
4. ruby's ci would be found
5. all whining would cease in our home! [by everyone]
6. us, as a family to learn more sign language
7. spike & i to continue to grow closer as each year passes
8. to grow old with spike
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8 people i tag
1. dad/mom
2. brit
3. angela
4. tanya
5. courtney
6. jamie
7. aaron
8. heather

- when you thought i wasn't looking -

a message every adult should read because children are watching you & doing as you do, not as you say & that goes for children with special needs too!!!

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when you thought i wasn't looking, i saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator & i immediately wanted to paint another one

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when you thought i wasn't looking, i saw you feed a stray cat & i learned that it was good to be kind to animals

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when you thought i wasn't looking, i saw you make my favorite cake for me & i learned that the little things can be the special things in life

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when you thought i wasn't looking i heard you say a prayer & i knew that there's a god i could always talk to & i learned to trust in him

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when you thought i wasn't looking, i saw you make a meal & take it to a friend who was sick & i learned that we all have to help take care of each other

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when you thought i wasn't looking, i saw you give of your time & money to help people who'd nothing & i learned that those who have something should give to those who don't

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when you thought i wasn't looking, i saw you take care of our house & everyone in it & i learned we've to take care of what we're given

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when you thought i wasn't looking, i saw how you handle your responsibilities, even when you didn't feel good & i learned that i'd have to be responsible when i grow up

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when you thought i wasn't looking, i saw tears come from your eyes & i learned that sometimes things hurt, but it's all right to cry

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when you thought i wasn't looking, i saw that you cared & i wanted to be everything that i could be

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when you thought i wasn't looking, i learned most of life's lessons that i need to know to be a good & productive person when i grow up

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when you thought i wasn't looking, i looked at you & wanted to say, "thanks for all the things i saw when you thought i wasn't looking."

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i'm sending this to all the people i know who do so much for others, but think that no one ever sees...little eyes see a lot - each of us (parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, teacher, friend, etc.) influences the life of a child - how will you touch the life of someone today? - just by sending this to someone else, you'll probably make them at least think about their influence on others - live simply - love generously - care deeply - speak kindly - leave the rest to god - that's why we've to make sure our children are seeing all the good things we do, because they're watching - children learn what they live

- this evening -

this evening i was running errands [just ahniér & i] & stopped by dad/mom's house to drop some things off - when i walk in the door, it's never, "hey lori, how are you?" or "lori's here!" or anything that even sounds like that - here's what i hear when i walk in [carrying not only a car seat full of a chubby baby, but also a walmart sack full of stuff, a large box with christmas ornaments in it & also 2 of the large candles you set outside for christmas] - madisyn says, "mom, ahniér's here!", mom says, "awww, where's that little angel?", etc. - here's a few pictures i took while i was there

- conversations from today -

preface: we'd a guy over all day today installing a water softener/conditioning system, etc. - he was here for about 6 hours & although he was kind, he'd no personality at all - kiara & karleigh were upstairs playing in the room next to where he was working [he was in the laundry room for most of that time] - i could hear them up there talking to him as i stood at the bottom of the stairs - here's a conversation that i overheard between he/karleigh

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karleigh: hi, i'm karleigh

the guy: [couldn't hear what he said]

karleigh: are you my papaws brother?

the guy: [couldn't hear what he said]

karleigh: are you sure you're not my papaws brother?

the guy: [couldn't hear what he said]

karleigh: well, i think you're wrong...i do think you're my papaws brother & you just don't know it!

guess she thought they looked alike & to me, outside of them both having grey hair, they looked nothing alike!

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preface: my mother in law hates the song, "who let the dogs out" & says that it's about the worst song she's ever heard in her life & it really drives her nuts to even hear it - my nephew shane takes it upon himself to have that song played 'for her' any chance he gets, when we're together as a family [ie: skating parties, bday parties, bowling parties, etc.] - here's a conversation i heard between he/kiara

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kiara: what's your name?

the guy: [couldn't hear what he said]

kiara: do you have kids?

the guy: [couldn't hear what he said]

kiara: do you know this song? [as she proceeded to sing loudly, 'who let the dogs out'...she heard it today on the bus radio she said]

the guy: [couldn't hear what he said]

kiara: well, my grandma shepler loves that song & she always asks my cousin shane to play it for her when we're all together & you know what??? - i think she dances to it when no body's lookin' :)

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tonight i was preparing dinner & the girls were upstairs playing dress up - kiara comes down & says, "mommy, i know a suggestion for dinner" - i said, "well kiara, i've already got dinner about finished & we're having chili" - she said, "well, i have a suggestion for dinner" - i repeated & explained dinner was done - she said, "no, i'm not talking about that, i've got another suggestion - can we, just for tonight, all eat dinner with no clothes on... huh...please?" - it was at this time that brit literally choked on whatever it was she was drinking as she i think, got a visual - i said, "no kiara, we're not eating without clothing on, where did that come from?" - she said, "oh, i just wondered", then she smiled & walked away

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memories... at least no one can ever say my days are boring!

- merry christmas from our family -

[as always, click on the individual pages & they'll enlarge]

- cancelled! -

what??? - yep, that's right, it was cancelled!

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this morning cheryl & jenna bartoo made an hour+ drive to my house in order to watch all 4 of our little ones - the group going with dustin [about 30+ of us] then met at a local restaurant for lunch, afterwards, we ran back to the house for dustin to change clothes - we arrived at the courthouse [tissues in hand] at 3pm as it was scheduled to start at 3:30 - dustin went to check in & they said that his attorney had called not 5 minutes before & cancelled it, due to him getting sick! - we all just stared at each other for awhile, almost in disbelief...like we were waiting for someone to run out & say, "nawww, we'll go ahead & let you in"

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we then left there & went to perkins for coffee & to reflect on what had gone on today - after coffee/fellowship, we headed back home to relieve cheryl & jenna of the nonsense i'm sure they were dealing with - everyone went home & we'll now wait for another day to do this all again

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thank you to everyone that came...we love you all - also, a huge thanks to cheryl & jenna for watching the girls - most of all, thank you to all those that said prayers today for our entire family...they were very heartfelt

- tears...blogged tonight by brit -

brit blogged this tonight on her blog & i thought i'd share it as she's got such a way with words

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My family is going through a particularly difficult time right now. And one of my family members said the most endearing, deepest thing I've heard in a long time. She said, "My eyes aren't crying, but my heart is." These words were said by the same six year old little girl who still cries when she has to go to bed; who still believes in Santa Clause, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy; the same six year old little girl who intuitively knows when someone is sad. As I watch Kiara go through the day, she surprises me so much. I think that most people believe wise sayings come from skilled, educated, and legendary figures, and I used to be one of them. But, as I hear my little sister say these things, and watch her try to comfort her family, even though she doesn't understand our pain, I find myself abandoning my earlier belief. I guess some of the greatest ideas can come from the least of mankind. A six year old little girl.

- not looking forward to wednesday...at all -

well, we're down to 'the week' & we're not looking forward to wedensday at all - that's the day that dustin's to be sentenced & although i've known it's coming, i'm starting to really feel the 'knot in my stomach' & the 'can't seem to concentrate on anything' feeling & it's not a good feeling at all

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we had his open house this past saturday & it was very nice - there was a ton of people that showed up & spent most of the day with us - he really enjoyed seeing everyone & i know he was touched - he was with us all weekend & at church everyone prayed over him that he'd be able to handle what was coming his way [no matter what it is] & that he'd begin a new day from here on out - they prayed for as light of a sentence as possible & for dustin to have learned from this mistake & move beyond it - we then went to olive garden for lunch [his fav], as last thursday [the 4th] was his 23rd birthday & had a great time

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he's coming to our house tomorrow night to stay over & i can't help but think [with tears now streaming again]...'will this be the last time i can physically tell him good night before going to bed?' [not that i see him every night as he doesn't live here, but i can call him if i so choose] - i also think,' was yesterday the last time i'll be able to worship with him in church?'

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i do alright for awhile, but then i get to thinking & it tears me up - our little ones don't even know he's done anything wrong or what he's possibly facing...what will i tell them?? - when will i tell them?? - they love their brother so much & it kills me to think of him possibly being sent away & them not seeing him for a long time - ahniér's only 3 months old & if he goes anywhere, she won't even remember him

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well, this post is going no where [understandably so] & so i'm closing up shop for tonight - i don't know how much i'll post over the next couple days, but i will post on wednesday night [might be short] to let you know what the outcome was - please continue to be praying for this entire family as we're all so broken right now - there's to be about 30 family members with him on wednesday, so pray for us to stay upright [especially me] - thanks ahead of time