"I BELIEVE IN LOVE"

I Believe In Love - Barlow Girl

How long will my prayers seem unanswered?
Is there still faith in me to reach the end?
I'm feeling doubt I'm losing faith
But giving up would cost me everything
So I'll stand in the pain and silence
And I'll speak to the dark night

I believe in the sun even when it's not shining
I believe in love even when I don't feel it
And I believe in God even when He is silent
And I, I believe

Though I can't see my stories ending
That doesn't mean the dark night has no end
It's only here that I find faith
And learn to trust the one who writes my days
So I'll stand in the pain and silence
And I'll speak to the dark night

I believe in the sun even when it's not shining
I believe in love even when I don't feel it
And I believe in God even when He is silent
And I, I believe
No dark can consume Light
No death greater than this life
We are not forgotten
Hope is found when we say
Even when He is silent

I believe in the sun even when it's not shining
I believe in love even when I don't feel it
And I believe in God even when He is silent
And I, I believe.


I heard this song for the first time yesterday on Air 1. I haven't been abel to get it out of my mind. This morning I found the video on God Tube. It is so beautifully done.

My Run In With A Stop Sign

Today after church, I left in the Tahoe with the kids and headed home. I got one block down the road when I saw a car slide right through the stop sign in front of me. For those of you who read my blog and don't live in my town, it was snowy and the roads were not treated and very slick. I just nearly missed T-boning this small sedan. In an attempt to miss her I tried to stir the Tahoe out of her way. Low and behold, I drove up on the corner house lawn and slammed into the stop sign. By the grace of God I missed the parked car in front of the house but I did take down the stop sign. It Broke clear in half and toppled the opposite direction of the car. I managed to drive away from my first accident without a single scratch on the car and most importantly no one was hurt.

Michael left the church just after me and found the children and I standing outside the Tahoe in this yard. Just before he got there, I was trying to flag down the lady who ran the stop sign because she was not going to stop and check out the situation. I got her to stop but somehow did not get any of her information. I wasn't persistent enough and she didn't see the need to give it out. Well, it all worked out and all is well.

This weekend with Joshy's finger and this near accident has made me stop and think about how I react to difficult situations. I know I definitely panic and freak out. I couldn't tell you why I do this but according to most of my friends I reacted in a normal way. It only makes sense to panic when your baby is bleeding all over the place and you see a finger that is almost completely severed. I hope that if it was a life or death situation I would arise to the occasion,panic less and make wiser decisions. I do know that my first response to this accident, when I missed the car and the other car parked was to praise God for keeping everyone safe. I am just so glad that I didn't rattle off a whole bunch of bad words that my kids would have heard. Some situations allow us enough time to stop and think of the best response, but other times we don't have time to stop and think but just go with pure instinct, or our gut reaction.

Tomorrow is a new day and the start of a new week. I am looking forward to getting back to normal life...whatever that looks like! I just hope that it doesn't involve blood or downed stop signs. I hope you all have a normal, wonderful week too.

Praying For Harper

I have had a few blogger friends ask me who Harper was. I follow a blog called "Bring the Rain". One day when reading this blog I read about a baby that was just born but had a lot of problems. I followed this story on another blog called "Kelly's Korner". I don't know these people at all but had a real burden to pray and follow their story. My sister's baby was born with heart problems and was in the NICU for the first month or so of her life. She too was struggling to live just like Harper. I have been so touched by the strength and complete reliance on God that my sister and husband and also Harper's parents have during such trying times.

I'd like to encourage you to check out their blog and read Harper's story. Then go to "Bring the Rain's" blog and read Audrey's story. It is a sad but inspiring story. Whether through life or death, God is sovereign and in control. I have such a hard time understanding why these things happen, but God is a loving God and can use the worst, most horrible times for His glory.

Congratulations Jeffrey!!!

Friday Jeffrey was in a spelling bee at his school. There were six 5th graders competing together to see who would go onto the next round in the Christian schools division which will be held next month. After many days of studying a long list of hard words, his studying paid off. He ended up taking first place in his class. I was amazed that he was spelling words that I couldn't, but then again that is why he was in the spelling bee and I wasn't!

Here were some of the words that he spelled: eulogy, appendicitis, badminton (which by the way is popularly mispronounced badmitton)and his winning word was notorious. Now I have to use my spell checker to see if I spelled them correctly.

I was very proud of my son. Yes, for winning the spelling bee, but more importantly how hard he studied for it. All of his hard work paid off. The next bee will be using the same list of words. He is continuing to study hard for it.

Way to go Jeff!

My Sleeping Beauty!

Here lies my very beautiful baby boy who had a very traumatic evening. Michael, Mandi and Josh got home from the hospital around 11:15. His little pinkie is sewn back together and all will be ok. The very first thing we did was carefully take off the crimsoned stained white flower girl dress that Mandi once wore in my sisters wedding. I must admit that with his pretty long eyelashes he could easily be mistaken for a girl, and a very pretty one I might add. Ask Michael, I wanted so badly to sneak a picture of this event but restrained myself. I did however, sneak one after he fell asleep. I am so glad that he is resting now and not screaming in pain. Oh, what a night!

Sleep well, my sleeping beauty...



The dress Josh was wearing when he got hurt.


Read earlier post to get the full story.

Please Pray!

This will be short, but I need my blogging buddies to pray for my youngest, Josh. Tonight, about an hour ago, Joshy slammed his finger in the bedroom door. This actually cut the pinkie finger off just below the fingernail. I have to say that I cracked under pressure and did not handle the situation like I thought I would in an emergency. The finger was bleeding greatly and when I looked at it I fell apart. Michael was at band rehearsal and I am thankful that he was on his way home when I called him. Within minutes he was home to help me deal with the situation. Actually, the calm force in the house before Michael got home was Mandi. She seemed to calmly step in as I was falling apart. I am thankful that she has recently taken first aid and CPR and had a clearer mind to figure out what to do.

Right now Michael, Mandi and Joshy are at the ER. Michael called and said that they are going to sew the finger back together and take X-rays. The doctor is expecting 100% recovery.

Please pray for Joshy's pain, I imagine he will be very sore.

Pray also for little Emma, she feels so horrible for shutting the door on his finger. They were playing and having fun and it was an accident. Oh, I have to mention that when this happened, Emma had just gotten done giving Josh a beautiful makeover. Imagine this- Josh wearing a beautiful, white, flower girl dress with black, thin strapped,heeled shoes and his hair was done up in several ponytails. He looked like a girl! This is how Michael had to take him to the emergency room! What will the doctors think of me? Now the pretty white dress is covered in blood. I can see him now sitting on the ER table with this dress on. Taking picture of this event would have been totally inappropriate but I will FOREVER have this picture of my precious Josh in my head- Him screaming, in a white dress, with blood dripping all over the place. It was like something out of a horror flick.

Well, I need to get off and focus on Joshy's homecoming. First, I would like to thank Amanda, my dear friend who so lovingly calmed me down over the phone. Her sweet husband quickly left for the ER to make sure Michael was doing great and she reassured me over and over that I was a good mommy. They went through a similar situation with their son.

Thanks also to my mom and sister for calmly talking to me. I am so glad they picked up the phone.

Lastly, thank you Jesus for being in control of the situation. You knew that I needed my husband home earlier tonight from rehearsal and brought him just in the nick of time. Thank you also for giving Mandi the calmness to take over when I was falling apart.

I'll update later on how little Josh is doing.

A recap of my weekend

It is late at night and I most definitely should not be blogging. I need my beauty sleep in the worst way but I had to blog about my very busy, but wonderfully full weekend.

It all started on Friday when Mom and Dad Kuhlman arrived for the weekend. As soon as they got in we sat down to a yummy spaghetti dinner. I know it was yummy, not because I enjoyed it but because everyone else did. They ate and ate and ate. I, myself couldn't enjoy my own dinner because I have cut out flour and sugar from my diet. So far I have been mostly successful for almost 20 days. Now I just need to see the results in the way I look!

Saturday, I enjoyed a fun, quick, one day trip to Portland with a dear friend who let me accompany her to her sister's sweet and simple marriage ceremony. After the ceremony we conquered a very fun, but overwhelming store, IKEA. It was my first time there and what a treat it was to see it in person. I could have easily spent much more money than I did, but I managed to leave the store with only spending $14.00. Do you think that is a record? I bought a $1.49 butter dish and a very cool cheese grater. Oh, and a couple other little things that will make my life a little easier!

We had a delicious dinner at Olive Garden and got caught in a very windy, wind storm. I didn't know what else to call it. You should have seen us- we could barely walk into Olive Garden it was so windy. Then back to home we drove in the dark. We laughed and talked all the way home and definitely managed to get our 1300 words in. I didn't even have to talk to Michael that night I was so talked out.

Sunday, was busy too. Church, Sunday lunch and then to Sisters to window shop with my girls and mother in law. Oh yeah, Joshy came too and kind of wished he stayed home until he got candy. I was a good wife and didn't spend any money. I wanted to, but promised Michael I would just window shop. It kind of helps to leave all forms of payment at home. After looking in the shops, Michael drove to Sisters and met me there for a fun date night. Mom took the kids home so we could go out. We went to the cute movie house there and saw "Wedding Wars". This wasn't Michael's first choice but being the loving hubby he is, he let me choose. We also had appetizers at Three Creeks Pub. Yummy, bad for me sweet potato fries and spicy chicken wings were what we ordered. Hey, no flour or sugar in those.... I think! Ok, I kind of splurged on the weekend a little. Today was a new week and I am back on the wagon, after falling off the wagon. The good news is that in 20 days I have lost nine pounds.

Today, we puttered around the house until Mandi's basketball practice and I rearranged furniture. This turned out to be a bigger job than I expected. I don't think Michael or the kids like the look as much but it will have to do for now because I am done with it. Way too exhausting! The small turkey that we got from the church during Thanksgiving time was cooking in the crock pot all day and I just finished deboning it and putting the meat in baggies. It is the most tender, juicy turkey I have ever had. My mother in law is to be thanked for stuffing it in the crock pot. She had to cut off a wing so it would fit. Now I have lunch meat and soup and a few other turkey meals to make.

I am done with recap and heading to bed. Tomorrow is school fo the kids and a very busy day: babysitting, basketball games and another apointment at the chiroprators Most likely I have typed way too long and my dear, sweet hubby is fast asleep. EEKS, it is late, nearly midnight. So....so long, fair well....have a goodnight sleep and a happy Tuesday!

Here are a few I took of the beautiful frost we got over the weekend. I have never seen the trees look so pretty or my girls!