Thank you Kimmy

We have been to Mentor Ohio Church of God for several years! We alway stay with the Zinni Family, they treat us like family and we love them dearly! The girls got a special blessing this week with trip to the Disney store! I love it when others love on my girls like they are their own!

Christmas at Tree Tops

So we made it.  It was an extra long drive because of the weather! 

This christmas we wanted to go away as a family.  I was blessed and given this 5 bedroom condo for the week!  There was plenty of rooms for all 10 of us!  There’s nothing better than the gift of great memories. 

This is at Tree Tops Ski Resort.  We went tubbing!  

My Mom brought up her little Christmas tree for the kids to decorate.  Will Santa know where we are? (Remember, we know who the real Santa is.)

Yup!  Santa Eat all the cookies!

and Mrs. Clause delivered all the gift!

Our girls get, something they want, something they need, and a surprise. 

(depending on the gift and price sometimes there are more that 1 item in the box)

This is the girls Grandad and Granny Runt

Fancy Nancy, this is Lillies favorite!

The girls stockings! Stuffed with everything down to underwear, socks and a tooth brush!

Every year the girls get christmas PJ's

Grandad and Grany Runt brought us silk pj's from Cambodia... so cozy!

Paul and Uncle Brian had to dig out a slope to sled down outside at the condo.  The snow was at least 2 feet deep and some drifts up to 3 feet deep.  It was at least 100 yard long!  We flew!

What goes down, must come up!

We played lots of games and eat lots of food.  I think we all gained about 10 pounds!  Sorry for the photo overload!  For more great photos of our family getaway you can go here.

Thank you Jesus for this awesome opportunity to spend time with family and make great memories!

Last Post until December 29th

What a week and it's not even over!  I've just finished packing and I'm off to bed.  Were on our way up to Tree Tops in the morning.   We've been Blessed!  I'm so thankful for this opportunity. We've been given this Condo of 5 Bedroom for the week!  My mom and dad are coming, along with my brother and his wife and 2 boys.  Were spending Christmas up there and we'll be taking advantage of this crazy snow!  Putting in lots of snow tubing with the kids.  Pray that Grandad and Granny Grunt don't break a leg! LOL!  Not sure if i'll be skiing. . . it's been years! (High School)

All the gifts have been rapped.  Something you need, something you want and a Suprise! (more to come on this!)  All the stockings have been stuffed!  All the clothes have been packed!  Now, if I can just go to sleep!  I'm like a kids at Christmas...  I just can't wait!

Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night!

Snow Day Blessing!

The girls were blessed with this new table and chairs!  And a white one to match their room! Perfect!  It was going to be given the day before Christmas.  (Were going up North to stay in a Condo with my parents and my brother and his kids on Christmas Eve until ?)  However, today... being a snow day.  We were getting kinda of restless this morning.  So I went and dug through all the snow to get it out of the car.  We all sat on the floor in the living room and put it together.  They've been sitting at this table and chairs for 2 hours so far!  It's a perfect size.  It fits Autumn and gives Lou lot of room to grow.   Thanks for the Blessing!

Paul snapped this picture of me going out into the garage to get a ham out of the freezer. Tomorrow we go up north for the Dietzel Christmas.  This is a major drift on our deck, it's about 24" the deck has stair that go into the garage.  It was a great perspective.

Blessing Alert!

I sure do love it when the Lord provides not only for my family but just for my girls.  Some of you know that I was blessed with a great seasonal job.  I know the the Lord gave me this job 8 years ago, He knew that this job would provide for us during our slow time in ministry.   We however didn't know way back than that we would go full time into ministry totally relaying on God to make ends meet. (not relaying on the church)  Saying that...

Yesterday I was given $300 dollars in Limited Too cash to go shopping for Autumn for Christmas, and Lillie was give several sooooo cute outfits for Gymboree.

Blessing like this have happen on several occasions and God always amazes me! 

I've been singing this kids song for the last 2 weeks!

The LORD God is a sun and shield: He give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee. Psalms 84: 11-12

I thank you Lord for your many blessing on my family and your faithfulness to provide.  To walk by faith is truly a blessing!

Our Christmas Tree

I just wanted to show my mom my tree,  my parents won't be coming over this way for the holidays.  We are all meeting up North this Christmas. (More to come on this blessing later!) Anyhow, it looks like you all get to see my tree.   Enjoy!

I'm so excited this year!  This is the prettiest tree I've ever had.  The Lady that I work seasonally gave me the extra ornaments that she bought last year.  This was a huge blessing to me.  I could never afford these great finds.  She find the cutest things!
Everything is Red, White and Silver and it has Snowmen and Santa's.

I didn't have a tree topper this year to match, so it got Santa's Hat.  I think it works.  I know the top needs a little work.  

In our house we don't do Santa.  Autumn knows that Santa is Mom.  We play games, and dad says it's him,  he he.  We tease back and forth.  But in our house Santa is Mom and Dad. ( More to come on our traditions. )

So Mom are you excited to work on your Grinch Tree!  They've got lots of the bright Green stuff out this year!  It's gonna be soooooo cute!

HO HO HO

The Day I almost lost my Husband...

This photo was taken on the day that Paul was released from the hospital.  

There were tears of joy!

It's been 1  year since Doctors told me my husband had a 30% change of Living, or a 70% chance of dying. However you want to look at it,  we needed a miracle. To this day, there is not a week that goes by that I don't think about our 16 day stay in the hospital.  

Thanks to all who supported  Pastor Paul and our family during this time.  We love you and think of you all.

For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about I'm going to copy and paste the post I made last year around this time.  My friend Lacey had introduced me to blogging while Paul was in the hospital. (My mom and dad stayed with me for a week to keep the girls while I went to the hospital, then my friend Lacey came the rest of the time) I wish I would have know enough to document all of the stories through my blog. God was so faithful.  I look back and wish I would have keep a journal during this experience.

This post was made just after Paul got out of the hospital.

I had to call Paul's mom and tell her what was wrong with him.  This is what the doctor told me to tell her...

"Paul is a very sick man, he has a Skin Infection and he will be here in the hospital for at least 4-5 day. "

Well, we started out the trip to the ER we thought that Paul had a hernia.  Since that day Paul had to stay in this hospital for 16 days. He was in ICU for 7 days. It was a Holiday that we'll never forget. Doctors would come into the room and tell me they had no idea what was wrong with Him. He is so healthy they would say.  After several bood cultures and test, he had a Strep A infection, Staph Infection and Fascitis.  He was on several antibiotics & different pain meds that did'nt like him.  This caused him to go a little loopy. Ok  a lot. He had to be put on a ventilator for two night.  This finally made him get much needed rest. They gave him a 30% chance of living, or a 70% chance of dying. However you want to look at it, it wasn't good. Through much love and prayers, Thanks be to Jesus Christ we moved out of ICU!  

He put on 40 pounds of fluid from the infections and antibiotics weighting his heaviest at 286 pounds. They gave him a shot to help him pee of the weight. He lost 7-8 pounds during the night. (that more than 1 gal. of milk)  By the time he left the hospital he had lost 62 pound.  He lost the 40 pounds plus some. He said this winter he wanted to loose 20 pounds.  Now he's one skinny man!   

We cried when the doctor finally came in to tell us we could go home.  It had been a long 16 day.

From all the info and e-mails I received, I figure there were at least 22 churches that I know for sure praying for Paul that Sunday.  People from coast to coast. Not counting friends & family around home.

Our family was blessed beyond measure during this time of trial.  I know that God has great plans for our family, he's not finished with my husband yet! :-)

ipod Blessing

Autumns loves her ipod,  She listens to it every night while she goes to sleep. She got it for Christmas 2 years ago.  She and Lillie take turns with listening to songs in the car.  Sometimes it results in fighting.  Not any more!
What a blessing for our family to receive a brand new ipod nano.  It's just like Autumns but silver.  The Car was a peacefully place on Sunday as we rode to church as each girl listening to their own music.

I know that some of you have not added  yourself to my side button that says follow me.  And I know that  your out there friends & family.  Its easy.  You don't have to have a blog.   Come on all you relatives!  Click here to follow me!

First day of 3rd grade

The First day of school went great! She loves her class and loves her teacher.  Little Lou looked for her all day.  She was so excited when we picked her up from school.

I pick up Autumn some school clothes several months ago, so Autumn didn't get to shop for her own school clothes.  She's still at an age where I can do this.  However last week she did pick out her new school shoes. Cute little Sketchers.

Today when Autumn got home from school she received a huge blessing.  In the mail was a back pack stuffed with Limited Too clothes and a small white box with a key (She was so geeked about the box).  She also received several hundred dollars to go school shopping at Limited Too.  "Her new favorite store" 

She pick out 9 outfits and 3 pairs of shoes.  As you can see by her face she loved every minute of her shopping spree.  I must say mom enjoyed it just as much.  It was a great time for just the two of us.  Thanks for the blessing!!! 

Paul found this... showed it to me... We got a good giggle... Though you might to!

Sorry there is 1 swear word.

Can't out give God!

We were at church tonight.  A special offering was being taken.  Paul wrote a check for $200... After church someone gave him 2 $100 bills!   God is so cool!  I'm so thankful my husband was obedient!

Our baby turns 8 Today!

This year Autumn settled for not having a party to have something she really wanted!  Can you tell by the expression how bad she wanted this? Our friends, the Taylor's came over for dinner. We had and great little party, with a great big surprise.  Autumn was blessed on her special day!

It Happened to Our Family

You know those story’s where you say I wish that would happen to me.  

     

Paul and I have down sized our housing situation.  We will be living in a two bedroom house while we build a house on our 3.5 archers.   The girls will be sharing a room.  I only had about $300 to spend on bunk-beds!  I wanted something pretty, girly.  Something that Lillie would be able to use when we move into our house for her bedroom.  I was coming up dry, and everything on Craig’s list was boy looking wood or metal.  I have only 1 week left.

Delivered to my door was this perfect, girly furniture.   They are cottage white bunk-beds with a trundle, mattress and all.  A 7 drawer dresser with mirror and a 5 drawer chester.    It was perfect! 

But wait...just when I thought GOD YOU ARE MY PROVIDER.  There was the bedding!  It’s called Emilie from Pottery barn Kids.  The only words I have to describe it is “precious”.   Not only did my girls get the comforters and shams, but 3 sets of sheets and extra pillow cases.

But wait...Just when I thought GOD YOU ARE SO FAITHFUL.  I received 3 more sets of pink sheets, 3 pink twin blankets and 3 mattress pads.

I’m am speechless.  It is amazing how God used someone to be a blessing to our family.  I’m so glad this individual was sensitive to the Holy Spirits leading.  It is amazing when we listen to the Holy Spirit and obey him.  Just think what would happen if we all were so giving.  We may not be able to give big, but we can all give.