A Call to Action from Nancy

If any of you have talked to me for more the 10 minutes you have probably heard the words..."Well, my friend Nancy...".  I have heard the phrase is often repeated in reverse..."Well, my friend Heather...".  We are very close.  We have similar views on life and child rearing, etc.  When her husband Ryan was hit by an IED in Iraq, November 29, 2005 we were totally devastated.  Ryan has since made an amazing recovery.  One of the things that helped Nancy get through the long days in the hospital was her "Caring Bridge" site.  Yesterday Nancy and I went round and round about which site would be more effective for getting information out about Rob, Blogger vs. Caring Bridge.  We finally decided a blogspot would be extremely useful and Nancy set about creating the site.  I wanted to post her take on commenting on other people's blogs in these types of situations.  

Aside from the prayer, (I know this may seem simple) but pass on this website, visit it, and COMMENT on her entries!  I CANNOT explain how much it meant to me to hear from perfect strangers that they were praying for my husband.  You might feel odd signing the blog of someone you do not know, but I PROMISE you that she will appreciate it.  The Yllescas family needs to feel the whole world loving on them and praying for them.  PLEASE.  If you have your own blog, consider posting a link to his website (as well as my encouragement for comments!) 

Let's make them feel all of our support today, tomorrow and in months from now.  This is a long journey they are on...  it will be more than a year that Rob is doing rehab for his injuries, and it will be the rest of his life that he struggles with his 'new normal'.   Check in on them, and check in often.  I know it seems like a small thing, but I can tell you personally that it makes a difference.  If you don't quite know what to say, go with something simple- "Our family in Mesa, Arizona is keeping you in our thoughts".

Take care,

Nancy

If you haven't already go comment on their site.  It's like voting...early and often people, early and often!  Thank you to Erika and Beth who have already commented so far!

Rob's site

Rob is still in Germany.  The doctors are working hard to get him ready to transport to either Bethesda or Walter Reed.  A blog was created so that everyone can keep up with Rob's progress.  Please go check it out and leave a comment.  Even if you don't know Rob and Dena your comments will be cherished!  

www.yllescasfamily.blogspot.com

Keep praying, miracles can and do happen!

Update on Rob

I know a lot of you are praying!  Thank you.  Rob is still in very critical condition.  They will be transporting him out of Afghanistan tonight.  In order to stabilize him they did have to take both of his legs.  While this is a horrible thing we (army families) know a lot of people who do amazing things on prosthetics.  Nancy (a fellow Army wife and the wife of an amputee) and I are anxious for them to get here so we can love all over them.  The best we could do last night was "make them dinner" by having four piping hot pizzas delivered which is driving us crazy that we can't actually make food for them ourselves.  (Army wives love to feed people).  Continue to pray for him as things are still not totally stable and their is a very long road ahead of them.  If Dena (his wife) starts a Caring Bridge site I will be sure to post the address so that everyone can pray specifically for their needs.  

Praying for Rob

Rob is the handsome stud on the left.  He is an amazing man, father and soldier.  Rob was Greg's XO in Iraq.  We have a special place in our hearts for Rob.  About 24 hours ago Rob stepped on a land mine in Afghanistan and is clinging to life.  Thinking about it makes my teeth chatter and my body shake.  Please pray for Rob, for his wife Dena, and their two little girls. God is big, he is the Great Physician.  Moments before I found out about Rob the boys and I were singing this song:

I am a wounded soldier, but I will not leave the fight, 

Because the great physician is healing me

So I'm standing in the battle in the armor of his might

Because his mighty power is real in me

I am loved, I am accepted

By the Savior of my Soul

I am loved, I am accepted

And my wounds will be made whole.

Kind of ironic, huh...Pray any time you think of it, I know because of this studly soldier face on the right...

...that prayers do work and that even the most impossible injuries can be recovered from.  Greg and I are off to drown the day in chocolate...

Reading Rainbow

I have a few hobbies. I love being a wife and mother, I love watching TV, I love being crafty, and I love to read! This summer I was so pumped to join our churches book club. I was not as excited when I found out that we would be reading biographies. BLEH! Until this year I thought I could only read fiction, boy was I wrong.

Our book club is the brain child of a wonderful friend, Anne Marie. She has a similar passion to mine and I was overjoyed to find out that she loved reading the Shopaholic books just like I do! Since we both enjoyed similar silly fiction I figured I could trust her choices in nonfiction and dove into the selections.

The first book we read was "The Hiding Place" by Corrie Ten Boom. I will never grow weary of reading this book (this was my second time). This is an amazing story of God's sovereignty even in the midst of Nazi occupied Holland. I will be brief in my synopsis but "The Hiding Place" chronicles the Ten Boom family as they hide Jews in their home and then as they go to concentration camps for their "crimes". Their faith in the Lord in the midst of their trials and their willingness to forgive is amazing. My favorite part in the book is when Corrie and her father see German soldiers herding Dutch Jews into a truck:

"Father! Those poor people!" I cried...
"Those poor people," Father echoed. But to my surprise I saw that he was looking at the soldiers now forming into ranks to march away. "I pity the poor Germans, Corrie. They have touched the apple of God's eye"...


It gives me goosebumps just typing it. What an amazing book. I can't wait to share it with my boys.

The book we read for July was "A Thousand Resurrections" by Maria Garriott. This book was about a white husband and wife who move to inner city Baltimore to be missionaries and to raise their family. The book goes through the last two decades of their lives, through poverty, through jobs, through racism and scares. Many people in our club felt the book was unpolished and not well written but I actually enjoyed the rawness of it. Maria and her husband have a passion for bringing Jesus to places in America where most people don't want to go, I applaud them for that. This book really opened my eyes to the despair that goes on in our country mere miles from our doorsteps!

Our final book this summer was "Elizabeth Prentiss: More Love to Thee" by Sharon James. I thought for sure this book was going to get me. Not only was I not a huge fan of non-fiction books I was really opposed to reading non-fiction about people a century or two ago. This book totally changed my mind. Elizabeth Prentiss (1818-1878) was a Presbyterian pastor's wife, mother, and author, well known for her hymn "More Love to Thee, O Christ" and the didactic story "Stepping Heavenward" (1869)(more on that book to come). The first couple chapters of this book were great, I will admit the middle dragged, but the end picked back up again. Am I the only one who feels as though their trials are brand new to mankind or to God? This book slapped me in the face with the truth that people have been suffering the same problems due to the fall of man since the beginning of time. As soon as I finished her biography I picked up her book "Stepping Heavenward", I haven't finished it yet (I have a bad habit of reading about 5 books at once) but when I do you will hear about it!

{yes that is Elizabeth on the cover, not her hubby...I too was shocked}
[information about Elizabeth taken from Wikipedia]

On the last day of book club Anne Marie challenged us with a few other books from her repertoire. One of those books was "Shopping for Time: How to Do It All and Not Be Overwhelmed" by Carolyn Mahaney, Nicole Whitacre, Kristin Chesemore, and Janelle Bradshaw.
I think a lot of people look at me and think "how does she do it all", well let me tell you A LOT DOESN'T GET DONE! That's why I needed this book. I have a confession to make...my house is not spotless in fact it is often rather cluttered. I struggle with getting it ALL done and having time for my family. Here is what I took away from this book:

• Time management is like shopping. Women shop for the best deals in clothing, food, etc. Why not shop for the best deals on our time. Ephesians 5:15-16 says "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil". I want to be a better time shopper but I want to do it the way the Lord wants me to. I'm weary from not discovering and doing God's purpose in my day to day life.
• The first tip in the book is Rising Early. WHAT?! I can't get up early...yes you can. If I can anyone can. I've joined the 6AM club...which often becomes the 6:15-6:30AM club but I'm working at it and it's working. I get up early, I shower and get dressed and make-uped. I make the bed, surf the Internet briefly and then have a quiet time with the Lord. If your not a Christian maybe you can use this time to make a to-do list and read something inspirational. For me having a quiet time means reading my Bible and a short devotion and then typing my prayers. I kept trying to pray just by closing my eyes but kept falling back asleep, so typing works well.
• Another tip in the book is Sitting and Planning. This tip is going to take awhile for me to institute. They suggest taking a personal retreat and planning out your year and which of their seven suggested priorities need to take precedence during the particular season in your life. I do know that right now for me that "Loving my family" is huge in my life. With a lot of young children at home it has to be one of my top priorities. I'm okay with that and know their will be other seasons where they won't need me as much and I will be able to focus on other priorities.
  
• I was also encouraged by this book to make more friends. I have a tendency to hide out in my house and clean and do laundry and not work on friendships. I need to do better in this area.
  
• Lastly I was encouraged by a quote in the book by C.J. Mahaney: "Only God gets his to-do list done each day. We are not God. We are finite creatures with serious limitations." "Only God accomplishes everything he needs to do in exactly the way he intends, in precisely the right amount of time. Only God!" That's comforting!
• Along with this book I have been failling miserably at doing "Fly Lady". Does anyone else use this system of housekeeping? I know it can work!
  

Well, I hope you have enjoyed today's version of Reading Rainbow. I have really wanted to share what I have been reading and hope you will be encouraged to pick up some of these books as well!  What's your favorite book?

I'm Sorry I just had to post this...this is for you Dad!!

Tim Gunn...where are you when I need you!

**Since no one wants to insult me by commenting...I've added a new survey!  Answer away anonymously in the comfort of your home.**

I used to consider myself fairly trendy. Recently I have been watching the high schoolers walk home from school and quickly learned that I am no longer even remotely trendy.

On Monday I went to Nordstram's Rack (which I LOVE) and purchased these:

They are super comfy, they are "Privo" which I guess is an off shoot of Clarks. I only paid $40 which I think is a great deal but here is my question...are they cool? Would you wear them? I must say the picture doesn't totally do them justice but after four children, 8 years of marriage and basically being locked in my house all day long I have totally lost my sense of coolness. I really have wanted to get a pair of oh so trendy flats but I can't find any I really like and I am really concerend about having cold tootsies. I hate cold feet. I need some advice PLEASE HELP!!

Rock the Vote

I'm sure most of you are not shocked that I will be voting for McCain...so it is no surprise that we jumped on the opportunity to go to his rally this weekend.

We showed up to this:
There was no way we were standing in a line five to six people deep and at least a mile long. It was cool to show the kids a little bit of history (It reminded me of the time my Nana grabbed her kids and ran them down to the airport to shake {I believe} Truman's hand, my Dad still remembers it and he was a wee little thing at the time.)

When we stopped to take this picture we could hear the crowd chanting "Sarah, Sarah, Sarah". I hear she wasn't actually there (she was preparing for SNL!) but it was still cool to hear!

Of course the road to the rally had a few Obama supporters along the way. These signs were kind of clever even if I don't agree with them:
There was another guy next to him also claiming to be a plumber.

Lastly this car was in front of us as we were driving home:

People put crazy stuff on their cars....all though if you know who get into office I might be printing some of these myself ;0)

Enough....about politics....but either way go VOTE!

P.S. Go read my last post about my new nephew!!

Levi Michael Akin

Here are those pictures I promised. My favorite so far is the one in the car seat. I so wish I could grab him and kiss him and love all over him.

Can you see the familial resemblance? Up top is Levi, below is Joel. My boys have Spencer hair but those little faces look awfully similar!

Congrats Nina and Tim!!!

These are Days....to remember...

Ahh...I love Natalie Merchant/10,000 maniacs....

Okay, there are so many things I want to blog about and so little time.  

First my baby sister just had her first baby!!  Welcome Levi Michael Akin!  He's pretty cute...I'll post a picture soon.

Second, am I the only one on the planet who just found out that Vera Bradley makes furniture/pictures, home decor, etc.  OH MY GOODNESS, they are so stinkin' cute and I now know where I will be spending my coveted furniture budget.

Three, I have been reading some great books that I want to share with everyone!

Four, I never finished that vacay list...sheesh, I'm further behind then I thought.

Five, I want to post some pictures from Sesame Street Live and our Pumpkin Patch!

Stay tuned...I'll be back as soon as I can reattach my head...I'm running around here like a...oh you know!

Where Did These Children Come From?!

My children are NUTS. I had to post some pics of them hamming it up. Ethan is quite the camera poser these days!

Joel's cute little bootie in the background cracks me up!

They LOVE playing barber in the bathtub. They comb each others hair in all kinds of crazy ways!
Check out that grin! He even says CHEESE now when he sees the camera!

Finally a true grin from the Gabers. I have found having him say "PICKLES" actually kind of works in inducing happy eyes and happy smile.

Joel doing his best Cousin Eddie impersonation. Joel has had cradle cap for MONTHS. I have tried everything. Selsen Blue dries out his scalp so last night I thought I would try Baby Oil which my neighbor swore would work. I'm fairly certain it didn't work but we did get some funny pics of his greasy hair. I had to wash his hair SIX times, the last four times with Dawn Dish Soap, to get all of the oil out.

Once again Ethan being silly for the camera. His eyes were closed on purpose.

Who is this kid?! He's crazy!!

I am so glad it's Friday. It's been another LONG week.

FIERCE

I LOVE Project Runway.  I have fond memories of watching reruns of the first season all snuggled up in my bed with my Mom and sister in Kansas.  It is COLD in Kansas so what better way to spend Christmas vacay then with the girls watching some fashion!

I must admit this years show was not as spectacular as years past.  I felt most of the designers were rookies at best, while other years they gave some of the greats a run for their money!  I will send out a huge Congrats to Leigh Anne.  Her collection was beautiful!  

Okay, getting to the point....As all fellow Project Runway watchers know, last season's, Christian Siriano, coined the term FIERCE so I when I saw this headline this morning on Fox News:

Omar Strengthens Into Fierce Category 3 Hurricane

I couldn't help but think of a really fabulous Hurricane with great style and an awesome pair of shoes...what could be so bad about being hit by that?!  I know, I know I have a very odd sense of humor...humor me!

Do I need one of these?

It's a rice cooker in case you are wondering...they had one on clearance at Target.  It was $30 off making it $30 which makes me think that no I do not need one but I've heard they are handy, plus with four boys I figure I will be making A LOT of rice!!  Any thoughts?

P.S.  I'm adding a survey on the side bar!  Be sure and answer!

Never, Never, Never

*UPDATE*  The pie was SO NOT GOOD!  The apples were terribly bitter and I could barely taste the Caramel Sauce.  I worked for HOURS on that thing...if you have the September Southern Living, do not bother making the pie on pg. 120...all day for nothing...I will have to post my ol' stand by recipe soon...there is a reason why Emiril named it the "Apple Pie of His Eye"!

Drop one of these:

I used to have this scale....or at-least one very similar to it...until this afternoon.  

Greg and I were supposed to go to dinner tonight at Greg's new bosses house.  I thought I would make a new apple pie recipe I had as a nice "thanks for having us over" gift.  I had just finished the (homemade) caramel sauce that goes over the top of the pie when I went to to put away my measuring cups.  Somehow I managed to knock my scale off it's shelf which promptly landed on my granite counter tops and then exploded into a million pieces.

Thankfully the glass was tempered...also thankfully my children had just gone in the other room.  There was glass everywhere!!  All over my feet, my counter, my stove top, my floor EVERYWHERE, including my caramel sauce!  I seriously considered just fishing out the two large pieces I could see but would have felt really guilty had we all ended up with throats cut up from little shards of glass in my sauce.  I currently have a sliced finger from one wayward piece of glass as well as several little slivers in my feet...not to mention the chunk the scale took out of my granite...Greg's exact quote was "Baby you heal...but there's a chunk out of our granite?!"  I see where I stand in all of this ;0)

So I finally get back from the bus stop and finish my completely homemade apple pie which has now become a thorn in my flesh, only to have my baby crawl over and barf at me feet.  What a day, what a day.  Let's just say we won't be going to Greg's bosses house and this pie better taste like a slice of heaven!   

P.S.  How in the world do you spell bosses as in boss possesive....Joel is screaming at my feet and Ethan is yelling at me from outside...I have no brain cells left...is it boss's...boss'....bosses...oh who cares!

Neighborhoods

One of the reasons we chose the neighborhood we bought our house in is the amazing community it's in. We are about two miles from our church, grocery stores, post office, gymnastic, libraries, pools, parks, etc. It seems the grounds crews are always beautifying something.

Yesterday I thought I would try to be super Mom and take the boys to our HUGE park. We had a ton of fun, why haven't I done this more often!! By the time we got home there was no energy to run in the house, thank goodness!

My little thumb sucker with his favorite blankie. The two are becoming rather inseparable (good thing we have two!).

I love, love, love those cheeks. And that face....classic Joel checking out his brothers!

Why are all my children in "I'm going to smile like a weirdo" phases?!

Lovin' the swing!

"See this rock Mommy, it's the perfect one for me to eat!"

Pretty cool park, huh?!

Okay I did get at least a couple good smiles!

Violet Beauregarde

"Mommy...don't do my jammies like that. I look like a giant blueberry"

Can you tell we've been watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?!

If you wanna be a grump that's okay....

As you know from yesterday, Gabe was a little sickly. He had diarrhea all day but by dinner it seemed to be firming up (I know WAY too much information, this post is only going to get worse...if you have a weak stomach you may want to stop reading now!). At dinner I let him have a banana and dry lucky charms.

When I went to bed at 10:30, everyone was snug in their beds, the house was picked up and I was ready to get a good nights sleep. At 11:15 Gabe busted in my bedroom covered head to toe in pink vomit (courtesy of the PowerAid he had had at 3:oopm). I got him in the shower and then dared to enter the sick room. OH it was one of the worst ever. There was vomit EVERYWHERE. I don't think anything that he ate from lunch on had even begun to digest. Thankfully I have this:

I love, love this washer/dryer. We agonized for weeks over what kind to get but I love my LG's. I do laundry in literally half the time. Anywho...I shoved all those pukey blankets...yes still covered...straight into that washer. My girlfriend Connie once told me..."Just put everything in there, it's a whole lot easier to pick out chunks after you know they are clean". Boy is she ever right and often there is nothing left to actually "pick out" after a good thorough was and extra rinse cycle. I need to go see where I stand with those sheets today...I have a good mind to just wash them again before I even try to see the "damage".

Okay are you about to ralph?! Time to change the subject...

Since I didn't really get to sleep until 1 AM, I didn't stumble out of bed until 7:30. This meant no shower, I look rather rough. I feel sorry for my poor neighbors at the bus stop! In honor of today and the inevitable grumpiness I thought I would post one of my favorite kid songs. ENJOY:



Here are my handsome boys giving me their best grumpy face:




Here's hoping for a better day today!