Drum Roll Please.................

Go HERE for the surprise!

Lucy!

Lucy: bringer of light

I would like to introduce to you the smallest and newest member of the clan. Isn't she just perfect? She is a very good and smart little pup. Cayle-Hannah says about a 110 times a day "I love lucy, mom!" Cracks me up. Also, the kids have made her poop in the house twice now, because they laugh and get so excited when they play with her! The accidents have been very minimal..she has already learned to go to the front door is she needs to go out!

HAPPY ST. PATRICKS DAY

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through the belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.

I arise today
Through the strength of Christ's birth with his baptism,
Through the strength of his crucifixion with his burial,
Through the strength of his resurrection with his ascension,
Through the strength of his descent for the judgment of Doom.

I arise today
Through the strength of the love of Cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In prayers of patriarchs,
In predictions of prophets,
In preaching of apostles,
In faith of confessors,
In innocence of holy virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven:
Light of sun,
Radiance of moon,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of wind,
Depth of sea,
Stability of earth,
Firmness of rock.

I arise today
Through God's strength to pilot me:
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's host to save me
From snares of devils,
From temptations of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone and in multitude.

I summon today all these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel merciless power that may oppose my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul.

Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me abundance of reward.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness,
Of the Creator of Creation.

I found this amazing prayer HERE

In search of the perfect name...

Well, life has been pretty normal around here. We had our token"Flu Bug" of the season, thankfully the only one we've had, as we have been pretty healthy most of the winter!!
Yesterday we got a very big taste of spring- it was 74 degrees here yesterday! The Kiddos and I spent the whole day outside, sloshing in the wet grass and mud, overturning rocks to search for the "hiding bugs". They were also ecstatic to play in the leftover patches of snow that hadn't melted! It was a fantastically gorgeous day, and it was just what we needed after our 10 day stint stuck inside.
This past Saturday, Troy decided to bid on a puppy in an auction at the gun club. We are now the proud parents of a chocolate lab bitch. The kids are so excited! We have been discussing for quite some time now about the possibility of a pup. We go to pick her up tonight. So it is her perfect name we are trying to decide on! If you have a great name, let me know! I am off to spend a small fortune on puppy stuff! Ta-ta!
p.s. I am having a lousy time with uploading images to blogger, so go to flickr to see our fun day outside!

You want to know more about me!

I saw this going around recently again and decided I needed a post....

Some things you might not know about me which may or may not be weird

1. I am an orange juice snob. I will only drink the 'not-from-concentrate' kind.

2. I never sleep with socks on. I cannot sleep nekkid.

3. I HATE to smell like cigarette smoke. If I smell like it, I must take a shower as soon as I get home. I will also wash any type of clothing that smells like it immediately.

4. My husband likes to move furniture just to see how it looks. I do not. I am a creature of habit. The only time I like furniture moved is if it was MY idea. (control freak?)

5. The births of my four kids, were all completely different. Aidan was born at home, assisted by a midwife, Brennan was stillborn in the hospital (he was a planned home birth, too) Cayle-Hannah was a micro-preemie born at 25 weeks by emergency c-section,which I was under general anesthetic for, Evan was born by planned c-section, which I was awake for. Aidan and Evan are the only two of my kiddos I got to hear cry when they were born.

Now, I want to learn more about you! Leave me a comment or a link to your list, PLEASE!!

Leave him to Me

This blurb below was one of the daily encouragements I get by email everyday. This struck me to my core. This is exactly what we are going through and exactly what I needed to hear from God. My inner heart was so affected by this, so touched, I have barely stopped meditating on it since. Last night, we had a conversation that was a significant turning point in our marriage. God is faithful, awesome, and this gives me renewed hope. Hope that will not be taken from me because of doubt or fear. For a long time, I have been afraid of truly hoping because my hopes had been crushed so many times. I will not allow that anymore.

"This hope we hold as the utterly reliable anchor for our souls, fixed in the very certainty of God himself in Heaven, where Jesus has already entered on our behalf, having become, as we have seen..." Hebrews 6:19

When there is deep misunderstanding which has led to the erection of barriers between two who once were close, every day brings the strengthening of those barriers if they are not, by God's grace, breached. One prays and finds no way at all to break through. Love seems to "backfire" every time. Explanations become impossible. New accusations arise, it seems, from nowhere (though it is well to recall who is named the Accuser of the brethren). The situation becomes ever more complex and insoluble, and the mind goes round and round, seeking the place where things went wrong, brooding over the words which were like daggers, regretting the failures and mistakes, wondering (most painfully) how it could have been different. Much spiritual and emotional energy is drained in this way--but the Lord wants to teach us to commit, trust, and rest.

"Leave him to me this afternoon," is what his word is. "There is nothing else that I am asking of you this afternoon but that: leave him to Me. You cannot fathom all that is taking place. You don't need to. I am at work--in you, in him. Leave him to Me. Some day it will come clear--trust Me."

"Humble yourselves under God's mighty hand, and he will lift you up in due time. Cast all your cares on Him, for you [and the other] are his charge" (l Pt 5:7).

Spring Cleaning

Alright, so I know that it is definitely not spring yet (I just have to look at the 3 feet of snow outside to remind me) BUT I decided that it was time for a few changes around the blog. What do you think? My house as been getting a good overhaul, too. I have also been organizing drawers and "clutter spots" in my house and changing furniture around. I will post pics of the progress later.
In other news, Troy has been in Las Vegas for the past week taking training courses for his job. This will be the last batch of courses!!! Now he has a broader range of qualifications, which means more job options. He will be starting a job this Monday, working 12 hours a day for 6 days! This means, we can get caught up financially and we won't have to be in each others hair all day long!
My girlfriends and I are planning a trip for sometime this year. We are all turning 30 this year and we want to take a relaxing and memorable vacation to celebrate. I need some suggestions, so let me have 'em.
What have you been up to?

A new addition...

Nope, I am not knocked up, but my blog has all kinds of new baby smell right over there>>>> make me happy and visit them!