What a week

We have had quite a week here at our house. It is overwhelming actually. If you have been keeping up with Teddy's Story you know that it has been somewhat of a roller coaster although we are pleased with the direction it is heading. He has a tough road ahead of him and Jared is headed out west to be with them this week. Jared also had a root canal yesterday and we continue to just deal with the average and not-so-average stresses and strains of life. Yesterday was dark and gloomy much like most Michigan winter days and we were feeling the weight of the week behind and the week ahead. Needless to say our children always lighten the mood and they did yesterday.

Jared and I both love music and love having it on in our home. We have a play list that is all praise and worship and God uses it to lift our spirits on a regular basis and He has not failed us in this most recent crisis. Last night however I had it on after dinner and Jared was on the phone with family when I told Eli to come here so I could wash his hands. He responded with these words: "hands up, playin' my song.....(couldn't understand the rest)". I started cracking up when I realized that he was singing "Party in the USA". Mommy laughed until she cried. He has heard this song 3 times at the most and he decided to bust it out right when Mommy needed a laugh. I of course headed right to the computer and we had a little Miley dance party in the kitchen. Seriously, it is hard to stay in any kind of funk in this house. So if you are having a bad day "yeah, yeah, yeah, Party in the USA" it may just help! :)

I am going to put a pic in the side bar that you can click on to continue to be updated on Teddy. Thanks again for all the prayers. They now have a plan for how they will be treating him and it is written in detail on the caring bridge site.

Thanks for praying with us.

Update: 1/15 Teddy's surgery went quite well. It is the first hurdle and we are all happy that he cleared it. Keep checking out the link below for the most updated information. Thank you again for all the support.

Update: Below is a link with an accurate picture of what will be going on with Teddy in the next few hours. His surgery is scheduled for 6:30 our time. Please keep him in your prayers and click on this link for details. Thanks again for all the support! We are currently deciding when it would be best for Jared to go to Colorado and be there for his brother and our family. I know God will lead us.

Jared and I would greatly appreciate your prayers for our nephew, Teddy. He is 10 years old and was diagnosed with a brain tumor yesterday. Apparently it is also in his spinal column. We are thankful that the pain he is in is now diagnosed and can be treated aggressively but obviously we are greatly concerned. Steve and Laurel (Jared's brother/SIL and Teddy's parents) are at the hospital with him in Colorado which is several hours from their home and their other 2 children Allie and Nathaniel. They all need your prayers. We are feeling pretty powerless being this far away from them but I know their is power in prayer so we will be doing lots of praying for each of them. Please join us.

Semi-Resolution Post

Last year I did a resolution post. I managed to accomplish some and some of my goals remain undone and still need to be pressed towards. One of the things I am participating in this year is the "500 in 2010". It is a challenge by a fellow blogger to walk/run/bike 500 miles in 2010. It averages out to appx 10 miles /week. I though this would be just the motivation that I need to stick to an exercise routine. If anyone is interested I think you can still join in. We are only one week into it. I did 15 miles my first week and am pretty excited about it although many of the runners will kick my butt. I am trying to keep the ultimate goal in mind. Here is the link.

As far as other resolutions our Pastor kicked off a series last week called "Live Like You Were Dying" by Gary Smalley and it has already been a challenge. One of the premises is to love God with EVERYTHING and love other as yourself. Just those two things could take a lifetime. There is a ton more to it but I already see it changing mine and Jared's walk a bit and that is exciting. It is giving me new "goals" each week and some are quite challenging.

I have yet to sit down and write out some things I would like to accomplish this year that are just small doable things like read certain books, upload a ridiculous amount of pictures and have them developed (gee, that one sounds familiar), spend more time with friends, sew a few things (maybe even a quilt *yikes), date my husband more, etc. etc., etc., I really do love a new year but what I love even more is that God gives me a new day every morning. Trust me I need that! :)

A "Real" Snow

We got our first "real" snow storm of the year today. It is calm, pure, peaceful. I can say that because I am in my warm house watching it! :) I will NOT feel this way come February and by March we can get pretty cranky around here. Seriously though, there is something almost magical about everything being covered with a blanket of white. Add to it the excitement of all the school aged kids in the neighborhood running and sliding about with or without their sleds. They are also already crossing their fingers for a snow day. My 8 year old neighbor informed me while I was shoveling that she planned to wear her pajamas inside out and backwards and sleep with a spoon under her pillow with 3 white crayons. YIKES! She definitely has a system. Where were all of these tips when I was a kid and how did I grow up in Michigan and not have this pertinent information? The good new is Jared teaches and if there were, in fact, a snow day I would get to have him home. I wonder if he would join me in sleeping with our pajamas inside out??? I doubt it! Ah well, I'm off to watch it snow!

Leftovers from 2009 (part 2)

This is the first year we have taken the boys out to play in the snow. You know full snow gear: snow pants, jackets, gloves, hats, yada, yada. I plan to show you their responses in pictures.

People ask parents of twins on a regular basis: "Do they have the same personalities?"

Here is my answer.....

Not so much. :)

I knew we were in a bit of trouble when they both balked at putting on the snow pants. Next battle was the gloves. Alex hated the gloves but when he took them off outside he realized that he hated the alternative too. Some things you just have to learn I guess.

We probably lasted about 10 minutes. Jared pulled them on the sled and we made snow angels. Jared and I may have gotten into a bit of a snow ball fight. I thought I'd be funny and throw one at his back but due to the many years that I have spent off the softball field since High School I hit him right on the neck causing the snow to go right down into his jacket. Yeah, it was ON after that. :)

Eli had fun "swimming" in the snow (aka making snow angels) and still asks to go out and swim. Too cute. We have also gone sledding since and they both enjoyed that AND the snow gear wasn't such a big hassle. They are definitely getting more used to it. Little do they know they don't get much of a choice. They are Michiganders!

Leftovers Part One

I don't know about you but after every holiday Jared and I tend to enjoy the leftovers. We are the ones who always like to leave with a doggy bag or more accurately some gladware filled with some goodies from the feast we just had. Anyways, in the midst of the craziness that was Christmas break we had a lot of fun days and so I would like to share our leftovers of 2009.

One of our goals was to go to the lego exhibit at the museum and we did however so did everyone else in the tri-city area so we didn't spend a ton of time in that particular exhibit. Instead I actually acted like a tourist in a place that the boys and I go to at least monthly. It was fun for me and I knew Jared was watching the boys so I didn't have to use those eyes that I have in the back of my head since becoming a mother.

I think I have a messed up sense of humor but the boys love to push these train bell and whistle buttons at the museum and as any mom of two year old knows if it will keep them still for more than 2 seconds I am fine with it. I always find it hysterical though how the other patrons respond to the annoyance. I happened to video the experience this time. Every one was quite patient this time which I guess was good but I was hoping to catch some annoyed looks with my camera.

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