Skin Like a Baby's

So, the mister has severe eczema. And yesterday, I thought that he was having a good day. His back was pretty red...his face just a little red...and although he had scratches healing and quite a bit of cradle cap, his head looked pretty good. He went to his well baby check up and had a different doctor than usual. He was sitting in my lap in just his diaper when the doctor walked into the exam room. The first thing out of his mouth was, "Wow...that baby needs some cream." I told him that I agreed and that what we had been given for him so far had not worked. I also mentioned that the mister was having a good skin day.

So the doctor told me that he wanted the mister to see the dermatologist right away.....within the hour, if possible. He got dermatology on the phone and he was approved for a walk in appointment. One nice thing about having appointments on base is that everything is right there. So dermatology was a hop, skip, jump away.

I was given a HUGE tub of a steroid cream to use for 5 days. The use of steroids does scare me, but I was assured that it would be okay and that it is only used for these 5 days. We also use it in the future during flare ups. He was also given a medication, in cream form, to use after the steroids, to keep control of it and keep his skin looking good. I was then ordered to lather him in the steroid cream in the morning and evening. Throughout the day I was to put vaseline all over exposed areas like his face, head and neck.

So, I did as I was told. Today, after just one application of steroid cream and several vaseline applications, our mister looks AMAZING. His skin is so clear and soft. I promised GG some pictures. So, here he is. Click them to view hem larger.

Yes, there is some food on the side of his mouth, but ignore that. Instead, look...look..do you see his tooth???!?!?!?!?!?



He's a bit greasy from all of the vaseline.

Invisible Children Screening

So as my faithful readers know, I have been working on trying to set up a screening out here to show the film, Invisible Children. I was also trying to do it in conjunction with the IC tour team that will be out in our state in April. That way they take charge of showing the film, answering questions and providing some fun goodies.

So, I had been emailing a gal at one of the event centers out here on using their conference room / theater that holds 200 people. NOrmally it would cost almost $400 to have it there, but I just received an email informing me that they will allow us use of their facility free of charge.

So, I am excited. Now, it's time to start working on promoting it. WOO HOO!

Sewing Seeds

Wow, have I blogged a lot today, or what? So, in regards to the post below, I am not beating myself up for not going to Africa right now. I guess I was just trying to share how strongly it is on my heart right now. And lately, the kids in Africa seem to come up all the time. The organization I have been sponsoring a child through had problems with the orphanage they were helping to support. It was an issue with one of the children molesting other children. Through lots of prayer, they decided to work with a different orphanage and have focused their attention on one out in Northern Uganda. So, crazy..how I get to now sponsor a child in Northern Uganda. Anyway, that's just one example.

So, I know that right now I am not supposed to go to Uganda. I do have that tug to help...A STORNG TUG. But God has also given me something else to devote my time to right now, and that is my young children. I DO KNOW, or at least think I know...that I will go to Uganda someday and help one on one with the kids....but until then, there are so many other things I can do to help.

I was just surfing blogs this afternoon, and I came across a site with a great cause. Randi's daughter is headed to Kenya this June on a Missions trip to an orphanage. Randi wanted to help and has decided to take on a project enlisting people to help her to sew skirts for the little girls in the orphanage. The skirt itself looks like it would be pretty easy. And I have 2 friends who may be able to teach me how to make it. Plus, I have ALWAYS wanted to learn how to sew and now I have a great project nudging me. So, I am highly considering taking part in it. And how blessed I will be to know that some little girl in Kenya will be receiving my skirt...smiling over it...wearing it...dancing in it...singing in it. So, yes, it's things like this that I can do to help.

The picture posted below, will take you to Randi's site. And if you are interested in making a skirt, all the information you need can be found there.

A Whirlwind of Thoughts

During nap time, I put in a dvd documentary that Christian singer, Sara Groves, made. It shows her bringing a van and trailer load of diapers to a town in Louisiana after Katrina hit. It also shows her on a trip to Rwanda.

Whenever I watch something where someone is out there on the field helping...I burn to be doing the same. I had signed up last year to go on a missions trip to Uganda, but I didn't raise the money that I needed and so I shrugged it off as something I'll try to do again someday. But, how can you forget about something when it is so sooooooooooooo heavy on your heart? I have a lot of praying to do. I know it's too late to go on the same trip I was going to go on, because the money for the plane tickets was already needed to be turned in. But, I am sure there are more trips out there.

Steve gets his bonus in March and it is definitely enough to pay for myself to go on a trip to Uganda. But we were going to try to save that money and then use our tax money to take a trip to Disneyland with the kids and buy a few items.

And it's like...I almost feel selfish in a way that THAT is what I am choosing to do with the money. So, I have some deep thinking to do.

And I know that we DO need to save. So then I was thinking back to my fundraising efforts. Did I try hard enough??? No, I didn't. So, what if I found another trip and fundraised again...and really, REALLY fundraised, would it make a difference? What if I only needed to use $700 of our bonus that we get....because I raise almost enough? I dunno. It's so hard to explain this to someone who may not have the same yearning in their heart as I have. I mean, really and truly...it is beyond tugging at me. It is pulling me with such force!!!

Anyway, Sara Groves said a few things in her documentary that I wanted to write down. And I would like to share them with you.

She quoted Gary Haugen From International Justice Mission who said...
"In times of great trial and when disaster strikes I used to ask, where is God? But now my plea has changed. Instead of asking, where's God? I ask, where are God's people?"

And Sara was talking about how she used to want to shelter her kids from seeing so much of the world's evil. She felt as if she were hugging a wall. But now she feels like she doesn't want her kids seeing her hugging a wall. She wants them to see her with her head back, running!

She said..."I want the wick to be gone. I want the wax to be gone. I want to have burned down to the ground when my story is over."

Another thing that got me thinking during the film, was a part where she was talking to a gal in Rwanda about the music in Rwanda. The kids would sing songs and dance. Now this is Rwanda folks, they have been through genocide and its affects. Their music is about life, family, children and play. She then asked Sara what her music is about? Of course being a Christian artist her music is about similar things. But what it got me thinking about was mainstream secular music. l mean look at Rwanda...look at all they've been through and what they sing about. Then you have America, the land of opportunity. We have so much and what is the majority of our music about?????? Money, sex, partying, drinking, affairs, loneliness, depression.
Really makes you think!!!!!!!

V is for Volcano

So, the day care kiddos are learning about the letter V this week. So of course we HAD to make a volcano. I used the directions I found online to make an Erupting Playdough Volcano.

They LOVED it and kept asking to see it again and again. I promised them we'd make another one on Friday, because I was getting tired of having vinegar all over the place it was time to move on to something else.

Anyway, I tired to get some pics of the miss when she first reacted to the eruption, but it was hard...since I had to go from pouring to shooting.

When we first began, she was a little apprehensive.


But soon she was giggling and asking to see it again and again.




But she never did let go of that finger, did she?

Why I blog

So, Iris tagged me with a meme to list off 5 reasons why I blog. So, here goes:

1. I originally started somewhat blogging three years ago. My hubby was sent to Korea for a year and I added a blog to my daughter's website. It was mainly used to show daddy pictures of how his little girl was growing.
When my hubby came back from Korea, we moved away from our family and closest friends, so I continued using the paid tripod site to post pictures of the little miss and write updates for all those we moved away from.
But then a friend of mine began to use blogger, so I jumped on the bandwagon. My blog was still used primarily for family, but I soon discovered blog rings, like Christian Women Online.
I began visiting other blogs out there and realized that I could do more with my blog than just journal day to day activities and post pictures. Although, this is still a primary goal of my blog, since it is used to keep family and far away friends caught up on my life. I reliazed that I could also blog about my walk with God. And maybe inspire others the way I was being inspired by so many blogs I visited.

2. The second main reason I blog, is because I express myself through writing. I do like to talk, but when it comes to really sharing myself, I do that best non-verbally. I am not a phone person, I am an emailer. And I open up best through the written word. So, a blog is wonderful for me.

3. As I touched upon in number 1, I like how blogging gives me an opportunity to talk about my faith, especially to those readers I have who I know aren't saved. I also am awed when someone tells me a post touched them. I think that's great! I know I am touched daily by many blogs that I visit.

4. I stay home all day long with the kiddos and run a day care out of my home, so this little blogdom gives me a link to the outside world. Plus, I learn so much from other SAHM, WAHM blogs that I read. Some of you are INCREDIBLE women.

5. Finally, I blog because it's fun. I look forward to posting and I must admit, I am quite addicted to it.

So, there you go. Now, I am supposed to tag you all..So.....I tag Dana, Janean, Jen, Barbara H and Yolanda

Psalms Sunday - Psalm 8

New King James Version (NKJV)

Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.


Psalm 8

To the Chief Musician. On the instrument of Gath.[a] A Psalm of David.
 1 O LORD, our Lord,
         How excellent is Your name in all the earth,
         Who have set Your glory above the heavens!
         
 2 Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants
         You have ordained strength,
         Because of Your enemies,
         That You may silence the enemy and the avenger.
         
 3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
         The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
 4 What is man that You are mindful of him,
         And the son of man that You visit him?
 5 For You have made him a little lower than the angels,[b]
         And You have crowned him with glory and honor.
         
 6 You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;
         You have put all things under his feet,
 7 All sheep and oxen—
         Even the beasts of the field,
 8 The birds of the air,
         And the fish of the sea
         That pass through the paths of the seas.
         
 9 O LORD, our Lord,
         How excellent is Your name in all the earth!

How magnificent is our God!!!!! I am sure we have all had those moments where we are just truly in awe of His creation. The evening sky where I live is breathtaking. You can see so many stars. My daughter loves when we leave the house at night and she can look up at the moon and the stars. There was one time when I was rushing her into the car and she informed me that she needed a minute. "I am looking at the moon and stars mommy." I looked over at her and she was standing so still...neck back...eyes wide open...staring.

I love how this Psalm has us focus for a moment on just how amazing God is. And I love how it brings us to that realization that He chose to create us, to be with us, to love us, to send His son to die for us. And who are we compared to God? And why oh why do we try to be our own God?

With all He has done for us. With all He has provided for us. Why do we not give Him every moment, every breath? He has given us dominion. It is a gift. Are we using it properly?

Let us be reminded to focus on God, to praise God always for all He has given us and for His amazing and breathtaking creation. Praise Him for the morning's painted sky. Praise Him for the freshly fallen dew. Praise Him for each unique snowflake lining the window pane. Praise Him for the bright full moon and the starry night sky.

And then look at your own life. Look at how you spend your time. Look at how you give for Him. How are you choosing to use your gift?