A few days a go I came across this really neat site called

Save the Dolls
.  I can’t stand to see dilapidated dolls and I think this gals website is great….do you think these dolls below could be “saved”???  One has obviously had something similar to a lobotomy and the other has a major skin condition called “magic markitis”.

Of course, it will be hard for my dear husband Pete to let these jewels go because they show him such attention! lol!!

Look who I caught……

drinking out of the milk jug!  I was taking a nap this afternoon and Isabelle came in to ask a question (of course) and I guess have herself a little sip of milk! lol!!  She didn’t realize that I had the camera beside me…so I caught her!!  WooHoo!!!  I think her oldest brother, Nik, has taught her this.  So gross!

This is Gus riding like a big boy on one of the flights to the transplant center in Pittsburgh.

Shout To The Lord Lyrics

My Jesus, my Saviour, Lord, there is none like You;
All of my days I want to praise the wonders of Your mighty love.
My comfort, my shelter, tower of refuge and strength;
Let ev’ry breath, all that I am, never cease to worship You.

Chorus
Shout to the Lord, all the earth, let us sing
Power and Majesty, praise to the King;
Mountains bow down and the seas will roar
At the sound of Your name.
I sing for joy at the work of your hands,
Forever I’ll love You, forever I’ll stand
Nothing compares to the promise I have in You.

repeat

Shout to the Lord, all the earth, let us sing
Power and Majesty, praise to the King;
Mountains bow down and the seas will roar
At the sound of Your name.
I sing for joy at the work of your hands,
Forever I’ll love You, forever I’ll stand
Nothing compares to the promise I have in You

I just heard this song and it reminded me of when Pete and I sang to Gus the first time we thought he was going to die. I played his little life back in my mind…first bottle, riding in the NICU wagon, watching the NICU tv on Pete’s lap, sitting in Isabelle’s lap for the first time, first car ride, pulling grass up, riding in the jeep with his head bobbing, physical therapy with Courtney, scooting across the floor to get to the tv, grinning really big, flirting to get your attention, crying to get he nurses to pick him up when we weren’t in his room, touring the house in Isabelle’s stroller, watching Doodle Bops, playing with his toys, sleeping with nasty dog, smiling around his vent tube, the peace of God on his face, and then bouncing on Jesus’ knee, bouncing Sam on his knee and playing on the red ride-on while I’m talking to Jesus. My heart aches…but my heart rejoices!! How I long for all of us to be together again.

You would think that I would have a lot of customers at my Free Yard Sale…but nooooooo.  No takers!  Do you think it may have been because there were three kooky kids dancing around in the driveway yelling “Free Stuff, Free Stuff…come and get it!”??  I probably would not have stopped either!!  I did post on Freecycle but I got responses AFTER I took the stuff to Goodwill.  Oh well, I’ve always wanted to do the free thing..now I’ll know just to load everything up and haul it away!! lol!!  I know some of you are wondering why I didn’t have a regular yard sale…way too hot!!  Besides, we have been given so much over the past 16 months (through Gus’ illness) that I just wanted to give back.  I’m still cleaning out the house so maybe I’ll chuck some more stuff out tomorrow.

I’m thrilled that we’ve started our “Family Reading Time” again!!  We had really gotten away from this when we were in Knoxville at the Ronald McDonald House.  I really wish Gus could share this time with us but I bet there will be “reading time” in Heaven so I’ll be patient and wait!!

Here’s what we are reading:

Huguenot Garden is a children’s story of the daily and adventurous episodes in the lives of Renee and Albret Martineau, young twin sisters in a seventeenth-century, French Protestant family.  The episodes follow the twins and the rest of the Martineau family as they work, worship, commune, and suffer persecution together.  The story aims to portray the ideas and historical details common to Huguenot life in La Rochelle, France, 1685, a tragic year whose final quarter brought the full wrath of Louis XIV. For children five and up.

Douglas Jones is the managing editor of Credenda/Agenda magazine and a fellow of philosophy at New St. Andrews College, Moscow, Idaho. Huguenot Garden is his first children’s book, and received a C.S. Lewis Noteworthy Children’s Book Honor

http://www.canonpress.org/shop/item.asp?itemid=404

We believe that Pete’s ancestors were French Huguenots.  We’ll have to do some more research on that.

and starting to settle in.  For those of you who do not know…our son, Gus, died on May 31st.  Gus was awaiting a liver/small bowel transplant but he became too sick too quick and was not able to hold out for organs.  We miss him terribly but we also have great relief and joy knowing that he is with the Lord and that he is healed!  Pete and I have started a little ministry called “Gus’ Gang”…we will be encouraging families with chronically ill children.  I’ve started a blog for this ministry…. www.homeschoolblogger.com/gdoriot

The blog has just been started so there’s not much there yet….but I do encourage you to visit and see who were are encouraging right now!