Haiti

I am lying in bed, the sun has set, and the stars have taken their post for the night. The windows are open, yet I am protected from the outdoors by screens. I feel the cool breeze dance across my face. There is no humidity. My sweet, gentle, loving husband is quietly slumbering, preparing to work hard for our family again tomorrow. My children are tucked into their soft and cozy beds. And then I feel it. I feel him. The little being inside my womb that God has so carefully created and sustained thus far. First it is just a little kick, and then all kinds of different sensations take place. Was that an elbow or forearm? Wow! Maybe he is dancing the Konpa in there! A smile comes across my face as I place my hand on the skin that separates me from my child.
Lying there in pure bliss, my mind quickly drifts to a world not far away, but so different from mine. I can see and smell all that is going on, as if I am there. There is a young woman, lying in her bed. The bed is only a thin mat placed on the floor. The stars blaze bright in the sky above. She too feels a breeze come through, but it is warm and sticky and smells of burning trash. There is humidity and heat so thick that it is suffocating. As the sweat runs down her face, this woman lies there alone, no husband by her side. Her three other children are sleeping restlessly on a mat across the room; their bellies ache from hunger. And then she feels it too. She feels the kick, an attention-grabbing jolt in her womb. Her eyes want to fill with tears, but she has cried them all away in the months leading up to tonight. She places her hand on her stomach as well, and her heart is broken.
We have just passed the 8 month anniversary of the earthquake in Haiti. The 12th of each month comes and I seem to be taken back to the first 12th that mattered. January 12th, 2010. It is often easier to connect with someone who has similar circumstances as we do, and maybe that is why my mind has drifted to the pregnant women on Haiti so often.
You see, time has reached an interesting milestone. We are at a point where the babies who are born will be the last of the pre-earthquake conceived batch. Next month, babies who are born will have been conceived after the earthquake. Perhaps that doesn’t seem like a big deal, but to me it is.
I think of the women who are about the give birth. They are all different, and they all have different life stories. Yet my heart breaks for them all.
I can’t help but think about the woman who had a loving husband, one who cared gently for her and respected her. He was a man who kicked the cultural standard, and treated his wife as the Bible called him to. He worked hard whenever he could to provide for his family. He led them to church each week. Perhaps in early January they conceived a child. Then on the 12th, he was killed. His wife is now about to give birth to their child. My mind races with the emotions she must be feeling. This is the last of what was left of her life before everything crumbled. The little face that will soon gaze at her will be the last tangible thing she has to remember her husband by. With the threat of death during childbirth so real for her, I wonder if she is scared. She might worry about her child dying and God taking this last bit of her dream from her. When she feels that precious child kick, as she lays lonely on her mat, I wonder if she reaches out for her husbands hand for him to feel, forgetting for a split second that he is gone. What memories of him will she quietly whisper to her new baby once it is born? Or will it be too overwhelming for her to even mention his name at first? Then her thoughts must go back to reality. She will now have four children to feed with no way to make the money needed to buy the food. She has no house and is living in a tent. Her heart aches and she in unable to drift to sleep.
I also think about another girl. She had no husband prior to the earthquake, and has no one still. She is young. She lost everything, of the little that she had, when the earth shook. Early on the morning of January 1st she was trying to rest as many in her neighborhood were celebrating the New Year and the Independence. She was curled up in a corner near a tall cement wall. As the men passed by her, she grew tense. She knew all too well the dangers of sleeping on the street. Just as she had dozed off she was awoken by a rough man; he smelled and was dirty. She closed her eyes and began to kick him; she knew what was coming. Not nearly as soon as it had started, it was over with. The man was gone, but he left scars on her that would not heal. While the pain from the man was still so real to her, this girl was now on the side of the street as the buildings started to shake. Dust arose, she saw her closest friend dead beneath cement blocks. Her world was shattered again. And now here she is. The sky is dark and there is no breeze. The mosquitoes and other bugs have free reign at her. Her belly stretching further than she ever thought was possible. That evil man had left more behind than he knew at the time. As she lies on the muddy dirt she thinks of her life. She is numb to most of it. And now, she too feels a faint movement in her belly. Her mind travels quickly back to that night. With every movement of the baby she is reminded of what happened to her. Is she mad? Does she cry? Is she scared? She wishes that there was no movement inside her and that she had died with her friend beneath the cement blocks. She is so worn out, weary, and tried that she quickly drifts asleep.
I can imagine that there are a thousand more stories like these two. Each woman having different emotions as they prepare to give birth to their child. Yet they all have something in common. They have a baby that will soon be born into a world that is much different then the one they were conceived in. Yes, it has been 8 months, but not a lot has changed, much is worse. I am so thankful for the blessing of life that God has given me. Every time I feel my son moving, my heart is quickly filled with joy and excitement, yet at the same time, deep inside my heart, I mourn for the women in Haiti who are feeling the same tiny kick that I am.

Stay-cation

We spent this last week hanging out as a family. Tony took 5 days off work. It was magnificent! I love that man so much, and being able to enjoy him for so many days in a row was a real blessing. We went up to Seattle one day and took the kids to see the Space Needle and Pike's Place Market. We ate dinner at the Crab Pot (as seen on TV). My favorite part was actually waking up before my husband in the mornings and hearing him snore. He has to get up so early for work that it is really hard for him to sleep in. I was overjoyed to see him "life-less" at 9 in the morning.
Little Diva had her 6th birthday. We celebrated by going to see Toy Story 3. That is kind of a creepy movie, but I was crying at the end, so I guess it was good. She had a butterfly cake and had tacos for dinner.
The same day as her birthday was the anniversary of the day that God brought the kids into the US. This year marks 5 years together. It has been a long road, with all kinds of potholes and speed bumps, but every once and awhile we see a lovely sight along the side of the road. We pray for more pretty sights and less pot holes as we go onto to this next year.
Well, it is a Monday. Mondays are my least favorite day of the week. I miss my man terribly when he goes back to work, and today is extra hard since I got him for a whole week. So, the only answer is to curl up on the couch and watch baby shows on TLC.

Spring in the great Northwest

I am loving spring here. It is cool and quiet. They say it has been more rainy here than normal for a spring and we set a record for the longest time without hitting 75 degrees (still waiting on that one). But I love it! I love the dark clouds in the afternoon that beg you to curl up with a book or take a quick nap. I love the gently breezes going through the soaring pine trees out back. I even love the rain.
I am so very thankful that God has placed us here for this time. It has been a welcomed break.
My children, however, are not so fond of this weather. My son spoke the most horrific words the other day. He said, "well, maybe Texas wasn't so bad, at least we could go swimming sometimes!" I politely reminded him that kind of talk was not permitted in our household.
Our dog much prefers drier Idaho to what we have here. He sits at the glass door and whines nonstop for hours wanting to go out and play "just like at Grandpa's house". (Yes, he once told me "just like at Grandpa's house.")
But all the complaints are okay with me. They can whine all they want to because the relaxing sound of the rain pounding down on the roof drowns out most of it!

Thoughts for the day

JUST WAIT

Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried.
Quietly, patiently, lovingly God replied.
I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate,
And the Master so gently said, “Child, you must wait!”

“Wait?, you say, wait!”, my indignant reply.
“Lord, I need answers, I need to know why!
Is your hand shortened, Or have you not heard?
By FAITH I have asked and am claiming Your Word.

”My future and all to which I can relate
Hangs in the balance, and you tell me to WAIT?
I’m needing a ‘yes’, a go-ahead sign,
Or even a ‘no’, to which I can resign.

“And Lord, You promised that if we believe
We need but to ask, and we shall receive.
And Lord, I’ve been asking, and this is my cry:
I’m weary of asking! I need a reply!”

Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate
As my Master replied once again, “You must wait.”
So, I slumped in my chair, defeated and taut
And grumbled to God, “So, I’m waiting…for what?”

He seemed then to kneel and His eyes wept with mine,
And He tenderly said, “I could give you a sign.
I could shake the heavens, and darken the sun.
I could raise the dead, and cause the mountains to run.
All you seek, I could give, and pleased you would be.
You would have what you want – but, you wouldn’t know ME.

“You’d not know the depth of my love for each saint;
You’d not know the power that I give to the faint;
You’d not learn to see through the clouds of despair;
You’d not learn to trust just by knowing I’m there;
You’d not know the joy of resting in me
When darkness and silence were all you could see.

“You’d never experience that fullness of love
As the peace of My Spirit descends like a dove;
You’d know that I give and I save… (for a start),
But you’d not know the depth of the beat of My heart.

“The glow of My comfort late into the night.
The faith that I give when you walk without sight,
The depth that’s beyond getting just what you asked
Of an infinite God, Who makes what you have LAST.

“You’d never know, should your pain quickly flee,
What it means that “My grace is sufficient for thee.’
Yes, your dreams for your loved ones overnight would come true,
But, oh, the loss! If I lost what I’m doing in you!

“So, be silent, my child, and in time you will see
THAT THE GREATEST OF GIFTS IS TO GET TO KNOW ME.
And though oft may My answers seem terribly late,
My wisest of answers is still but to WAIT.”

Author Unknown

Life

Sometimes it is healing to write what is on your mind, but I have found that at those times it may also be hard to write long, flowing comprehensible essays. So today you will get bits and pieces of life. They aren't all related. It might not all make sense. But, I am here and writing, so that is a first step.
Earthquake. Devastation to Haiti, to children, to peoples lives, to those living the daily struggles of Haiti, to people who don't live in Haiti, to those who love Haiti with all their hearts, to those who are forced to sit back and watch helplessly. Webster says that devastation means 1 : to bring to ruin or desolation by violent action 2 : to reduce to chaos, disorder, or helplessness. How could a place already chaotic, disordered and helpless suffer devastation? Well....it did. January 12th it did.
Why did it bother me so much? Why do I care about Haiti so much. Haiti and its people have played a key role in hurt, pain, broken heartedness, fear, daily struggle, depression, and suffering in my life. So it makes absolutely no sense that I would still feel overwhelmingly drawn to this country and her people. Most people who have seriously bad things happen to them tend to avoid the situation that caused the problem. People in plane crashes don't want to fly again. People who nearly drowned don't want to swim. Am I stupid? I go back and forth on this one. In the end, I think that I believe that my desire to go there and to be with those people and mostly the children is that it is something God created within my heart. He placed that desire there. He gave me the chance to live out His dreams for me. All the negative things came into my life because of sin and bad choices on my part. Now I am left with the fallout. A heart that still desires the things that God wanted for me, but a life that can have no part in it because of the stupid things I did. It is a rough place to be. It hurts. A lot. Deep down inside.
Back to the earthquake. I got a phone call from my mom a few minutes after the EQ had happened. She told me to turn on CNN. I was shocked and couldn't move for awhile. I just stared at the TV with tears pouring down my face. Once that initial moment of shock was over, my mind started racing. What about the babies, crowded three to a bed, who couldn't run to get out of the orphanage? What about the ones who did make it, who are scared beyond imagine without anyone to comfort them? What about those people who I love, who are still there? What about the kids I taught and their families?
My next several days were filled with lots of yucky feelings. More than anything I wanted to be there to hold a child or to give support to friends. But instead all I could do was sit in my house and watch the hours and hours of news coverage. I recognized so many of the places they were showing. The store that I did much of my shopping at was leveled.
The days got better and I was able to resume normal daily events. I think that is because I just blocked it out. I didn't accept that I can't go help. I didn't feel good and at peace about that; I just placed it in a deep dark compartment of my heart that is full of "stuff" that I can not yet deal with.
Yes, a lot of what I just wrote about was completely selfish and no I didn't address the true and horrible suffering going on by millions even as I type this, but I needed a few moments to be selfish.
Infertility. Webster again: : not fertile or productive , incapable of or unsuccessful in achieving pregnancy. Another source of deep anguish in my life. The doctors don't really know why. Sometimes I wonder if they even really care why. Maybe because I have PCOS and my hormones don't work they way they should. Maybe because I am just too fat. Maybe because of some other still unknown reason. End point being that it is very hard for me to get pregnant and the 2 times that I have been blessed with conception, they have ended in miscarriages. More pain and hurt. It is rough. Why do I want this so much? Why do I long for the day to feel labor contractions that will be more painful than even my worst headache? Why do I long for the day that my husband will cry tears of joy because he is holding his child? Well, the really short answer is because I love my husband. Having a child is something that he has looked forward to his whole life. Some people dream of going to space my husband pushes on each day so that one day he might have a child. He is his mom's only child. She wants a grandchild too. I want to be the transporter of that dream. I want that goal of his to be realized. But, as of right now, I can't do that for him. Talk about heavy. But I will keep trying as long as God allows for it.
RAD aka reactive attachment disorder. RAD engulfs my life and pesters every moment of my days and nights. RAD is developed when a baby is not properly cared for as an infant and because of that the brain does not develop correctly. The baby learns to trust no one. I have a child with RAD. It plays itself out in many different ways. Some aren't so bad to deal with. Some are annoying. Some are dangerous. Some just hurt me really badly inside my heart. It is what it is. I do the very best that I can to create an environment that will cause the RAD to manifest in less severe and less disruptive ways. It is what it is. I have dreams for my child. I have expectations for my child. But life with RAD is hard. It hurts. As a mother my heart and mind tell me that if I do x, y, and z for a child and that if I love that child then the child will love me back. That the child will be happy to see me. That the child will say "I love you too mommy." But, not with RAD. Nope. I still haven't been able to completely condition my heart and mind to block out all those normals parts of being a mommy.

Dreams. Things I look forward to happening in my life. Things that, when I was younger, I thought my life would involve. Some are here, most are not. I will just keep dreaming, and praying.... a lot.....praying a lot. I can only do what I can. I am a passenger. God drives this boat. I just have to believe that He isn't done yet.

So these are just a few things that occupy my days and my nights. Yes life is hard. No it isn't all bad. It is just hard. I normally write about happy things on here. I will go back to doing that again. I just needed to be "real" for a moment.

All I want for Christmas is.......

........my ONE front tooth!

Christmas is in the air

We are loving Washington! The clouds are incredible! Really! One thing that I can not get enough of is Mt. Rainier. It is so majestic. The pine trees are everywhere and there are mountains in the distance. This place is just gorgeous!
It is quite chilly here tonight, in the low 20's. We had snow flurries the other night, but nothing stuck. I can't wait until it does. It will be so fun to have the kids and Chester out there.
We did our Christmas baking this last week. The house smelled so great.
We have our tree up and decorations as well.
The best part.....we have our Tony home this year!

Hello

Well, it has been a little too long I suppose. Life just got hectic and my priorities changed. But, here I am again.
Well, 0 seconds until I see my husband again. Yep, he is home!!!!! The build up and excitement was almost too much to handle. I didn't tell the kids until about 2 days before because I didn't want them to be let down at all. His trip home was uneventful. He got to stop in an unexpected place and enjoy some nasty coffee. We got a call at about 5 AM saying that they would be in EARLIER than we thought! That was an awesome phone call. I had tried to prepare myself for a later arrival, but never dreamed of an early one!
All three of us were ready and at the meeting place early. The place was full of energy....people couldn't sit still waiting. It was electric. Finally the buses pulled up and out the soldiers ran! I bawled like a baby when I saw the buses. After some speeches by some important people, the soldiers were released and TOny came over to us. The kids both jumped up in his arms at once! It was great to finally see him and hug him. We were a family once again!
The days that followed were hard. I will be real with you. The transition was not smooth. It was not like R&R. It was really hard. We just didn't flow like we always have in the past.
Tony went back to NC to see his family the next week. That was very hard too.
However, since he has been back from NC, things have been 1000X better! We are coasting along a smooth road now. I am so thankful for that. We are back to us!
This past weekend he was able to get off work on Friday and Monday. God blessed us with RAINY CLOUDY days for 4 days!!!!! It was amazing. I don't think has happened since I have lived here. I mean, it just kept raining! A town nearby got 13 inches of rain in one day!!!! We loved it. We relaxed and watched football a lot. Tony BBQ'ed. The kids did great.
We are now prepping for our move. We have dates lined up for the movers to come! We will be out of here by the first of October!!!! YIPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.....sorry, did you hear me yell for joy......I can't help it.
Now comes the daunting task of preparing the house for the packers. Yikes.
So, I better get off this computer and back to working.
Thanks for supporting us and loving us.
:)

Update

GO BRONCOS!!!!!

Summer Fun In Idaho

What else do you do on a 100 + degree day?

Matching dressses from Grandma and Grandpa

Just hangin out!

Chester

We got our long awaited puppy! His official name is Winchester Freki, but we call him Chester. He is an amazing blessing and such a smart dog. He will be trained as our service dog. We are so excited to see the ways that God is going to bless us with Chester and his service and skills. God is so faithful!

Denaiza's B-day

She is 5 years old now! She had a grat time. It was Princess themed and she had two cakes.....a princess cake and a princess castle cake. A geat time was had by all. (Even princess Grandpa!)Thank you for sending cards! The dollars were a BIG hit!!!!

We have WAY too much fun in this house!! I love my Mom and Dad!!!

Trying to be silly too! Yikes!

July 15, 2009
Dear Friends,
Close your eyes and imagine being in the mountains of Colorado - the fresh air, the sounds of birds and streams, the bright blue skies with puffy white clouds. It is almost paradise for some. Keep that vision and then pretend you are on a mountain bike, sucking in the high altitude air, your muscles are burning, the sweat is dripping down into your eyes, and your shins are covered in blood and mud. This is also paradise for some -specifically Brady Adams. Brady is an 18-year-old from Boise, Idaho. He loves mountain biking! Brady is going to be racing in a grueling 100-mile race called the Breckenridge 100. This incredible course climbs 13,719 feet over its 100 miles, taking 11 to 12 hours to complete. Yes, you read that right, 100 miles! This is Colorado’s premier off-road endurance race.
Although this will be an amazing and unimaginable challenge for Brady, we realize that there are things much more challenging and difficult in life. Things like starving children, abandoned orphans, mothers dying in childbirth, corruption, disease, physical pain, and people living lives centered around evil. These issues are common place, everyday occurrences in the lives of Byron and Shelley Tlucek. They are a missionary couple who live in Port au Prince, Haiti with their children. Although their jobs and responsibilities are varied and numerous, their main goal is to be an extension of God’s hands here on earth, specifically in Haiti, and to bring glory to Him.
The Tlucek family is currently serving with Heartline Minisitries. The family’s main focus is the children living in the children’s homes that Heartline Ministries supports and runs. They do various activities to prepare the children to be adopted and live successful live in the families that adopt them. One example of this is taking the children and nannies to church with the family each Sunday. This is such a key element in their ministry. Sharing the gospel with the children and nannies is the one thing that will truly make a difference in eternity! Right now they are transporting children and nannies from the children’s homes, people from the short term mission teams, along with their own family to church each Sunday in a small SUV. That is at least 32 people each week that rely on this family to transport them to a place where they can hear the word of God and learn His truth.
As mentioned above, the Tluceks also minister to mission teams from the U.S. that go down to Haiti to serve the Haitian people. The teams can range from 5 to over 30 people. When these teams are in town, which is quite often, the Tluceks provide meals, transportation, and support to these people. The teams bring with them energy, fresh ideas, and A LOT of supplies. So, not only do the teams need transportation, but there is also a need for transportation of all the luggage and supplies that are brought in.
What can we do to help the Tlucek family? Their undertakings are so huge and their responsibilities are so great! We need to do something to assist them in their mission!It is obvious, after reading about the activities that are going on with the Tlucek family, a major need for Byron and Shelley right now is a second vehicle. Their desire is to purchase a 15-passenger van in Haiti. They will also install a luggage rack on top of the vehicle. This vehicle would be so much more than a motor and four wheels. This will be a “God mobile” allowing people to share and hear the word of God. Take a glimpse of all this van would do… it would transport children to church, children to Christian school, women to the hospital to deliver their babies safely, food for the orphans, supplies from the airport and all the other things that God brings their way.The van will cost approximately $35,000US. Praise God, a total of $15,000 has already been collected for this purchase! We need to allow God to use us to collect the rest of this money.
The beginning of this letter talked about Colorado, mountain biking, and a young man named Brady. God has given Brady a heart to serve, just like He gave the Tlucek family. That is where the connection became clear. Brady is going to ride in this 100 mile race, honoring God, and raising money for the Tlucek family to purchase that new van! However, you and I can have a part in this too. We can raise money for the van by sponsoring Brady for each mile he rides.
Please pray about this opportunity for you or your family. This is an incredible way to make a difference in the lives of people in Haiti, who need the Lord desperately, without leaving your home town. You can sponsor each mile for as little or as much as God leads. Even 10 cents per mile can make a difference! Your willingness to prayerfully consider this opportunity is appreciated more than words can express.

May God Bless You!

Brittanny J. Liles

Please send your donations to:
Tlucek Family
c/o Brittanny Liles
6222 S. Snapdragon Pl.
Boise, Idaho 83716

Please make any checks out to:
Heartline Ministries with a note in the memo line that the indicates the money is for the “Tlucek Van Fund”

**Your donation is tax-deductible and you will receive a receipt to use for tax purposes.**

Seconds.....

Well, God has brought us through over 28 million seconds in this deployment. That is alot. I have around 3 to 4 million left.....I think I can make it.

This summer has been so busy! The kids had swimming lessons for 2 weeks. Dimitri had football camp for 1 week. They had 1 day of golf......long story. They also just finished 1 week of basketball. Next week is free....thankfully! The wek after that they will have soccer. I am tired just thinking about all that. They have completley enjoyed it though.

We got a puppy!!!!!!!!!!!! He is precious. His name is Winchester Freki, but we call him Chester. He is in training to be our service dog! God is so good and all-knowing. He provided the perfect dog and situation for us. We believe that Chester is going to be used by God in mighty ways to help with some of the problems we have been dealing with. To say that I am excited about this edition would be a severe understatement.

Tony came home for R&R and we had a wonderful time. We went up to Tammarack and rented a cabin for a few days. Grandpa and Grandma were saints and kept the kids. Tony and I felt like we were on a 2nd honeymoon! It was so relaxing. The area was maginificent. God did such a great and perfect job creating Idaho!

My 10 year class reunion is this weekend. The kids and I had a fun time at the BBQ tonight. They looked darling and behaved very well. I enjoyed talking to old friends. Good times......good times.....

Exciting news.....both kids can FINALLY ride their bikes (with the training wheels). I tried for months in Texas to teach them without any success. We came to Idaho and Uncle Brady had they riding like pros in days! Thanks Brady! You are great! If you are this great and teaching everything I might have you try teaching them to wipe their bottoms......cause I am a bit tired of that job! :)

That is all for now. I will try to get some pictures of all the adventures on here soon.

So much to say....so little time to type

We are in Idaho and we are having a wonderful time. Well, actually wonderful doesn't really do justice to our experience here so far. Every time I am out driving I can't help myself but thank God for all the beauty He has created around here. I just can't get enough of looking at the foothills.
The nice dry (humidity-free) weather has been so enjoyable. Not getting lost when I drive has been relaxing. The friendly smiles and kind words from strangers warm my heart.
There are so many blessings that have been given to us that I can't hardly focus my thoughts.
The kids are LOVING being here. The swim in the hot tub nearly everyday. It calms my heart to be able to say, "Go play in the backyard." I don't have to worry about crazy things happening to them. They have been so tired by the end of the day that they can hardly even disobey! Wear them out and they become perfect angels....who would have thought? (Now that I think about it, maybe that is why my mom and dad always had us kids in so many activities!)
I love being with my mom. We laugh alot, which feels so good. I enjoy looking at the clock to see how soon Dad will be home. I even enjoy hearing Brady's music float....I mean bounce....down the hallway. I love my family, and I really really missed them.
I have so many more things to tell you all about. Be back soon!

My Awesome Purse!!!!

Here are some pictures of my amazing purse that my mom made. The different patches on it are from the different units that Tony has been in over the years. We used the fabric from one of his old uniforms. So, I feel close to him when I carry it; it is almost as if his sweat still lingers and reaches out to touch my arm. Romantic huh? We used an Army belt for the strap and the zipper from his uniform top for the zipper on the purse.

The purse is just neat!

Isabelle

Many of you reading this know my good friend Shelley in Haiti. Her youngest daughter, Isabelle, is pretty sick. They think they have the problem figured out now, after a couple days of Haitian frustration. Please pray for wisdom for the doctors, for strength for Shelley and her husband, and of course for Isabelle's quick and full recovery.
Thanks!

Back to Grandma

So back I go to Grandma's visit. It was such a huge blessing to have her here. We had a blast laughing together and hanging out. Some of the highlights that I haven't mentioned yet were:

-locking my keys in the car at the fabric store

-going to my first Texas garage sale

-a trip to the the outlet mall

-Mom's first trip to IKEA

-french toast and pancakes for the kids for breaksfast

-homemade pizza pockets

Also, she made me the most awesome purse. I will tell more about that tomorrow and I will put pictures up too.

For now, here are some pictures of the kids enjoying Grandma.

R&R

Only 2.6 million seconds until I get to see my dear husband! We are 88% done!!!! Good stuff people, good stuff!

Easter Sunday

We started off the morning with the kids eating cinnamon rolls while I got ready for church. Then I got them in their outfits. We headed to church and received God's word. In the sermon I was reminded that God's hand is in everything in life, even the hard and evil things.

After church we came home and the kids took a nap. When they woke up from their nap we had a mini easter egg hunt and they got a little gift for Easter. Denaiza got a swimming Barbie and Dimitri got a "Woody" doll from the movie TOy Story. He was thrilled and played with Woody and Buzz the rest of the day!

Here are some pictures.