Who is Madeline Claire?

Story of Miracle Madi

My niece Ashlee had just found out the baby she was carrying had hydrocephalus ( meaning: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrocephalus ) Madi's momma would have bad dreams and feelings and told the doctor she knew something was wrong. Doctor telling her everything is probably fine. Ashlee demanding for a ultrasound and finding out news that her daughter has this and may die. Getting rechecked several times they also discovered baby Madi had also had stage 3 strokes in her mothers womb. This picture taken above was taken as Ashlee had just found out, she wanted pictures just in case for her memory. The bracelet had the inscription "little angel" on it. We were all scared and from there started praying for a miracle.

Ashlee and James (Madi's dad) agreed to go to our church we were attending to be prayed over. The whole church went up front and prayed and tears were streaming. A person in the church came by to Ashlee's house and said the Lord asked him to pray specifically over Ashlee while touching her belly. We all prayed more. We were not sure if Madi would live or be born early. Ashlee faced fear of the unknown. She even had a doctor offer to do an abortion while delivering Madi almost full term. Ashlee refused and stood ground for her daughters life. Ashlee being counseled for the worst case scenario's of what to expect or not to expect. 

Madi would soon be born...

Madi was very small and fighting for her little life. She would soon proved to the the doctors she was determined to live. No swelling in her brain her whole stay in the hospital, she was sent home with her momma  when she was ready not when they expected. We would soon discover Madi was a miracle that God was going to use for His glory. All medical field was in awe at the miracle right in front of them. Many people reading about Madi on facebook and off of would soon discover this little girl was determined to touch lives, showing God in everything she did. Each growth, each noise, each movement Madi would reach lives and still is today. Madi's mom would soon discover Madi also got cerebral palsy because of the strokes she had in her momma's womb, but that does not stop this little girl. Because of the Hydrocephalus Madi would need a shunt put in her head to help the fluid drain so her brain does not swell. Madi has had over 6 brain surgeries.

Madi continues to fight for her life. Madi started to walk this last year and gets everywhere. She talks, is starting some sign language and more. Her brother James thinks the world of his sister.

He guards her and snuggles with her. God gave him a special gift just for him and I believe he knows it. Madi is a miracle. She is a girl determined to live against all odds. Today she is headed back to Portland to the childrens hospital to possibly receive another brain surgery. She will have to have these for as long as she lives and our family prays that is for many, many years until she is old and is ready to be in Jesus arms. 

Madi touches all of our lives. She has made me personally look at life differently. She runs to my arms and is hugging me so tight I just crumble with joy and laughter. She brings happiness to the lives of everyone she is around. Madi is a miracle our family is fortunate enough to behold in our lives. We can't think God enough for bringing her into our lives. Every moment she is on this earth is proof of God and the miracles He does.  When you see her smile and watch her brother coo over her you thank God right there for what He has done in your own life. Madi is a special little girl you cannot deny is a miracle. 

This is the short of her story...We love our miracle Madi. Please pray for Madi that God protects/heals her and that God would touch peoples lives by her testimony of her life.

This is our Miracle Madi.... keep praying for God's hand of protection over her life.

CT and MO trip

Brian and I went on a 10 day trip together. It was a much needed trip. Some business and some play. Here are a few pictures from the trip. We went all out enjoying one another's company. We ate steak and was served as if we were royalty. We recommend Flemings Steak House:  http://www.flemingssteakhouse.com/  it is a 5 star place you will not want to miss. The steaks are AMAZING! We also visited the Cheese Factory, delish!! http://www.thecheesecakefactory.com/ to die for! The food is top of the line as well as the cheesecake! We had a great time going downtown, seeing the HUGE courthouse. There were so many war memorials there is no way to see it all in a few short days. Plus we went to Mystic, CT where we got to see the place Julia Roberts played in the movie Mystic Pizza. Good eats! Beaches that have shells everywhere. Oregon's coasts are so rough plus so many pickers you do not see shells like we did there. The houses in CT were huge and many of them were historical homes. Just beautiful! Then we left CT and went to MO. Brian got to see much of his family there. Sean and Laura welcomed us with open arms. How I missed them. Seeing Seans son for the first time since he was a young boy was a pleasure. He is a sweetheart. I really enjoyed his company. Seans daughter Samantha was a delight to be around. I hope to see that lady in the near future!
We visited my husbands father's clinic and it was neat to see how much it looks like a home. A country style clinic that his wife designed. Karen if you ever see this, you did fabulous! It was nice to see Brian's dad doing so good. We also visited with much of the family birthday party and Brian's visiting his family get together. Nice to see so many friendly faces. I missed seeing them again. Brian's uncle and aunt Bob and Gail welcomed us as they always do with open arms and hearts. We also got to see them at their home as Brian is always invited when he visits and this always means everything to him as does me. We also got to see Brian's grandma (grannie) it was so nice to see her again. For me it had been since 2000. I got to show her pictures of the kids on my cell. Sandy and Pete Brians aunt and uncle were so kind and they also let us stay at their motel. Thank you all for that means allot to us. And seeing Brians cousin Amy and Leroy and their sons was wonderful. Amy always has such a warm smile and heart of gold. Miss seeing her and hope to in the near future. Brian also got to see his sister Heather and her husband Scott and their kids. They all seem like they are doing well. Good to see! We also got to see Brians grandpa Rex, I missed him. It was hard to be there and not see Brians grandma Noi. She was a feisty woman I adored. We miss her so very much! We also got to see good friends. A man who is like a father to me growing up. His amazing wife. I miss and love you both!

Will add family pictures we took onto my facebook.

Judgement...

My last post was a post that has caused strife and a wave of emotion for posting such pain on a public forum. When someones life feels like its falling apart by betrayal of one you love your emotions run in ways you would not expect unless you are walking in thier shoes.

There are many things I have regretted in my life. Many actions I have asked the Lord Jesus to forgive and He, the Father, has. Sometimes life has a way of grabbing us and making our rawest emotions come out in ways we are not proud of. I am guilty, guilty as charged. The people that know me, truly know me, and know I am someone who would give the clothes off my back for anyone who needed it. Anyone who knows, me truly knows me does not question my integrity or lack of. I do not mean to write these things on here to hurt others. I write on my blog to have a place to go to; to vent, to share my life, my walk, my testimony. Ye,s sometimes life brings up painful things. I have always been an open book and am not afraid to share my thoughts, my feelings, my testimony and sometimes even my pain, hurt, regret, anger, and frustrations. I am guilty of doing those things. Anyone who truly knows me, knows I do share my hurts, happiness ,compassion, fire in my belly and even tears.
My husband did do something very hurtful. Do I hide it? Bury it deep inside and never feel? Do I cry alone at home? Do I never share that part of my life because it makes others feel uncomfortable? I ask if Christ were suffering alone on the cross, and died on it with out anyone to witness, how would it be a witness of His death for our sins? I am not comparing my pain to his; of course not. But Christ knew there is a purpose of sharing. I have had so many people write me privately because I did make my hurt an open book (with my husband reading and knowing what I was doing and him agreeing with me with what I posted)  and many have written to me and told me that working our marriage out has been a huge testimony to them and how they were willing to work out theirs, as they had seen in us that there was light in a very dark place. Do I regret it? Maybe some of what I said. But if it helped touch others lives, then no I do not, not at all. I believe that when someone hides things that we feel deep in our souls, eventually darkness overshadows what God can do in it for His glory. I believe bringing the light into the depth of our souls allows God to heal us. Darkness, bitterness, pain and hurt fill in those places if we do not give it to Christ.
Through all of this my husband asked Christ into his heart and life. I have never seen a man do such a 180 degree turn in his life and in his actions as I have seen my husband do because of what he allowed to happen to our marriage.
Yes I did mention my feelings, of what I felt when I was a young fiance/bride and of the judgement I felt. I had a reason to say what I did. During my younger years I was naive, and had just gotten out of a severely abusive relationship. When we are young, we are not with knowledge (wisdom) as we are when we are with age and life experience. The journey of life is long and puts much wear on our spiritual "shoes" We cannot possibly know things with out wearing in our shoes, which requires living and experiencing life. I was very poor. I was a young mom and had been on my own (literally) from when I was 16 years old. I started with a hard hand dealt to me. Yes, it was because of my own actions and sin many times, which by the way God has used to touch lives. So do I regret my mistakes, my sin? I do, but I do not regret what happened as a result of my sins, as God gets glory and it touches peoples lives. I probably should have explained myself in my prior post. I wrote it because I genuinely felt that way. I felt that way because at one point, in a heated argument, things were said that led me to feel the judgement or state of mind that I spoke of in my last post. The comment about "being a lawyer"  was because I was called " trailer park trash".  I had never before even heard of such words and I was hurt by it. Though we were young and truly my life had moved on, like I said previously, we all say things we regret. But with the pain and hurt I was going through I guess I could say I was not sure who to trust or not trust. So in this case maybe I was unjustified, but maybe I wasn't. Noone ever apologized for saying such painful things to my face. If no apology were ever offered, would you not assume that the feelings might still be lurking inside? I ask you,"what would you feel like or think if my shoes were on your feet and people you reached out to and trusted chose a 'friend" to support over family?
My kids and myself were devastated and were just clinging onto our faith and ourselves, trying to pull something out of the wreckage of our marriage and our lives. I made my marital life public on Facebook. I regretted it at first, until later because as I mentioned earlier, of the feedback of lives being touched through our sharing of our trials. Needing to move forward in my marriage, I later removed the posts. I do have regrets of posting it where my kids could read it and were hurt, but they also saw that God is helping us work things through and that God is big enough to carry us during that time.
One has to ask themselves, "can I walk in their shoes?"  "Can I really throw the first stone?" Are you sinless and able to sit in judgement of others?
Has there ever been a time you regretted doing or saying something? Maybe things you have done wrong to others you wish you could take back?  I have many, many regrets and I have many reasons why Christ bore stripes for me, I am definitely far from perfect and could never throw stones at anyone.
One regret I have is reaching out to some people through all of this, that would never understand. I have come to realize through this that sometimes some people just won't be there for you during the darkest times in your life. They will choose to do things you don't understand. They will choose to place judgement in place of compassion, grace and mercy. People are made of all sorts, some shock you and hurt you, while others will love you and are there for you. moments like this will reveal which ones are which.

My posting this is not directed towards anyone in particular. It is a post of feelings, thoughts and vents.
I have come to realize through this life changing experience that we learn who cares, who has mercy and compassion. We learn many things about others. I did not act perfect through my heartache. But one must ask themselves, to turn the tables and imagine 20 years of marriage with someone you love deeply, to suddenly find out they are literally seeing some "other person" and would have possibly left you for them. Imagine now a sister or brother picking and supporting that "other person" over you? Turn the tables will you. Would you be in pain, feel betrayed? Though I would never wish that upon anyone, I do know to watch how we judge because life has a way of coming back to us and humbling us. Follow the path of righteousness in Christ, not self righteousness in oneself. Don't put judgement on others unless you are free of sin yourself. One never REALLY knows what they would do when faced with devastation or betrayal. We all hope we act just like Christ obviously, but sometimes we don't always act right all the time in every situation in our lives. We learn from our mistakes, and our sin. We pick ourselves up after repentance and prayer and we reach out and hold God's hand and ask Him to lead our way as sometimes we all turn our eyes off of God and do things in and for ourselves. But God is awesome! He sits and waits for us to come back to him; never leaving us during our trials and tribulations. When we come home God celebrates our return. I admit I was angry during much of my husbands betrayal in our marriage, but God is patient with us and turns that anger and hurt into love and more understanding and compassion for others. How can we ever reach out and truly be there for someone if we have never experienced it ourselves? With all things God can use our experiences and touch others with even more compassion then someone who has never been there.
I am not sorry for who I am, where I have come from. I am not sorry for who I am as a mother, wife, sister, or daughter. Sure I wish I was better at all those things, and each day I strive to do and be better. But I also know failure comes growth. Many people live in this little world showing "a fake front' and would never display their failures or share hurts in public, like with church members etc. to keep a happy face in front of others. I ask how many people have been moved by your testimony if you never share or show your real side? I have had a hard life, watching my mom get her face beaten in right in front of us. Watching a dog get beat with a hammer and killed right in front of me. Sexual abuse through much of my younger childhood and being raped on my 16th birthday led to a life of sex and the pain of allowing men to hurt me. Do I put myself in victim mode? You don't know me at all if you say yes. I share my story and how God has changed me. I share with others with no shame how God saw me through it all, how I was able to even forgive the man who took my innocence as a child and spoke at his funeral with a pure heart of forgiveness. God is awesome and can take all that hurt and pain and turn it into something beautiful and glorified. I do have regrets for sinning by using unpleasant words in a post on Facebook about the marriage problems I was facing. But I say to you, I bet something will come into your life where you will do or say something you can never take back. Remember and look back if you go through it yourself if you ever sin even in private that everything we feel in our heart is as bad as doing it in God's eyes.
 I made my hurts public, so what? I would say I made a mistake, but I cannot. As said, my kids were suffering as I was through this affair.
I talked to them about what happened and had been the entire time. Though I do not regret sharing, as many still come to me and ask for advice.

Family, Betrayal and forgiveness.....

Family what is the meaning of family? 

My dictionary says: Family; fam-i-ly :
1. parents and their children, considered as a group, whether dwelling together or not, 2. the spouse and their children of one person or one couple collectively. 3 the spouse and their children of one person. (just to name a few out of many meanings.

What the bible says about family: 

 GEN 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse Him that curseth thee: And in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

GEN 28: 14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth and thou shalt spread abroud to the west, and to the east and to the north and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

Leviticus 25:10: And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: It shall be a jubile unto you; And ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family.

Deuteronomy 28:19: Cursed shall thou be when thou comest in and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out.

There are several more verses on family. The bible also talks about a husband making his wife and his children family above his own flesh and that he should cling to his wife and basically cut the cord to his family and make them family.

Many people in my life when I first met my husband have put a judgement on me before ever getting to know who I am. I was 19 years old when they met me. I was very poor and did not come from a wealthy family far as status.  I am 38 years old now. I have grown as a woman, self educating myself, I walk the walk, talk the talk. All of us grow up and all of us have made mistakes along the way. Life brings hardships, trials and tribulations that help grow us, mold us and shape us. 

I love my husband with all of my heart, I have shared deep personal things with him as every husband and wife do or have done. If he had a career I followed, if he wanted to move I followed. I have supported him and loved him no matter what. I have forgiven him for things many marriages would break over. My love for him says to fight for him and for my family unit. 

Going through trials you are forced to either stand for what you believe in or let everything fall and I am not willing to do that. Anyone who knows me truly knows me, knows once I pick myself up out of grief or hurt knows I dig my heals in and will fight harder for what she believes in. I will sacrifice my life for what I believe in period no questions asked. 

Still after all the growth I am still judged for things of my younger years, and to be honest I am not even sure what it is I have done. I have never been given the opportunity to make it right if I did do something. Its then I realize it isn't about what I ever did, said or acted like. It was my status that wasn't perfect in their eyes, I think misconceptions they have told themselves to justify hate or judgement towards me has blinded the real truths. (And with age I realize I don't really care anymore if I am liked or not, does not matter to me anymore.) 

If I had walked in with the background of being a lawyers daughter, or such I would have been automatically accepted into the unit. Matter of fact I know I would have. 

I then realized I am rich, I am rich in my faith, in God. He created me which makes me royalty as God is the King of Kings and I am a child of God.

My husband is clinging to his wife and children and it is not until recently that He is doing this. 19 years of marriage he is doing things with out me asking or telling he is standing up and saying "my wife is important to me and I will fight for her and my children". When our unit is threatened you are threatening him as well.

I was put out there in gossip in their unit as controlling, and bossy and made him do all the things he has done, making what they call wrong choices. When the truth is, much of the judgement is not based on facts at all. It was actually the opposite. I followed him, including out of state (which now is a blessing) and I followed his job decisions. I encouraged him to move ahead, take the classes and such..but that is not seen as I am private and have never told anyone. 

I have always believed in him, and have always been proud of him no matter the status, the income etc.. 

My frustration has always been that he let people walk on him.

I find myself recently under attack. My whole family unit attacked in a deep way. God has been taking this hurt and is growing an even stronger relationship, growing a stronger man, loving, honest and caring man. Most of my marriage has been with lack of honesty and communication from his part. Hardly ever words spoken. I used to cry and beg and pray hoping one day my husband would want to talk to me, care enough about me to not lie to me. But it wasn't until recently that God broke him. He brought my husband to his knees and a man is growing out of a beast. I mean I cannot begin to explain the difference. It is very real and very moving. You can feel the Holy Spirit so powerful in him its as if his face is changing. Many years of our marriage has been hard, I prayed on my knees for him, when everything was falling apart I found myself carrying the burdens and much hurt. Many tears, many many tears. Most people around me do not know things I have faced and the struggles. I am not saying I have been the perfect wife. But I have always honored my husband.

HONOR:  Honesty, fairness, or integrity in one's beliefs and actions. Also: High respect, as for worth, merit, or rank. 

(fighting for my marriage and how I feel towards the one my husband betrayed our marriage with)

One become like a grizzly when she is faced with something that hurts or threatens to destroy her family. I did not go through all the love, pain and joy of 19 years with my husband to let anyone or anything take him or hurt our unit. When one comes to enter in and do such a thing I see it as a knife to my kids throats and to our marriage, our unit. If my kids/husband get hurt I as any parent/wife that hurts their kids/husband will be hunted  down to the ends of the earth, I will then only see an eye for an eyes type vision and will do anything to protect my own. 

Marriage is important to God as family is and messing with a marriage is a woe from God himself. Marriage is a unity God created that should not be broken. 

I have forgiven my husband for many hurts I have silently carried. And it is worth it to me. We have way to much to fight for. He is worth it!

I will not be cornered I will fight like a momma bear.

My husbands father told me once. "You know its love when you cannot think about life with out them in it" and this is very true. Life with out my family simply isn't worth living.

Just talking....

A miracle....and what I have been up to lately.

My miracle for me was finding my brother after years of searching for him. I am so thankful for the internet and facebook! I looked so many times and nothing. I was so scared that something terrible happened and I would never hear from him again. What a miracle! Thank you Lord for this miracle!!


Onto other things. So we had a fantastic 4th of July. Celebrating our countries independence is always awesome!
Here are a few firework photo's I took for you!

We had a wonderful time with my mom and my sister Lori. Her and her boy friend and Lori's daughter Shania came to visit. We had a barbecue. My hubby made a brisket. It was fantastic!
We have been working around our home, my hubby created a "bird vegas" its a huge place built with logs so bird feeders can be hung on it. A place for birds to gather!

We had 10 kittens to find homes for. They all went fairly quickly! Glad they got good homes. Here is one of them snuggled in my shoe. So darned cute!

Well that is about it for now!!

Since Dec 2010 I am behind at posting!! (sorry all)

To my surprise I heard from a reader of my motorhome life blog: http://motorhomelife.blogspot.com/ I did not know people were still reading that blog. I left it going but assumed that  know one really reads it or even see's it. I am so thankful the Lord still uses that part of my journey to witness to others. The Lord has ways of truly touch lives by working through us. Not because we ourselves are anything. But God uses our hurts or sins, our pain and turns it around for His glory! I love that the Lord has grace and is so forgiving.
Being so long since I have posted there has been many things happen in my life.

3 of my kids are older since posting last My daughter Julionna is now 13 years old. My son Gabe is now 12 and my oldest Justen is 20 will be 21 in December. Justen is natural at art and in college is getting a 4.0. He did this one painting I must share with you

This painting is called 'Kristallnacht" Night of Broken Glass. Learn more about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristallnacht it is an oil painting that really moves me personally. I am a avid reader of WWII and the survivors of the Holocaust. He does have it for sale, as a mom of course I want to keep it myself I have to admit. But want him to be successful so will let him sell it :) I am pretty proud of Justen. He made it to the college deans list and was approached by beta phi (will add right one later hahaha my memory is not working today)
I have been homeschooling my youngest kids. I can tell you it is harder then I ever thought it would be. Getting your own kids to keep focus and listen is so hard. They know my weaknesses and take total advantage of it! I know its best for me to teach my kids, but I am struggling badly this year! Lord help me.

Then my photography is so slow I am not sure if I will ever have my own studio. I have been practicing on other things because I am stuck at home and never see anyone to do anything. Those ways it feels like my whole life is on hold. Has to be that others are either sacrificing raising up their kids or I am just not doing something right!  In some ways it feels like a dream that will never happen. But to share here are a few things I have taken since 2010

 

Plus I am doing Project 52 (1 photo a week for 52 weeks)

There are more I did not add I had done

Anyway that is slowly but surely going..(but have been studying and learning)

Hubby and I had a wonderful time on our 18 year anniversary in March. We visited the Oregon Coast aquarium

 Since posting last I also purchased a nicer pro camera. Will be ready when its time!

Well this Sat is my 38th birthday. Nothing planned. My my plan is to have my kids around me is all I could hope for.

I have been seeing a heart doctor however, doing stress tests and such. My heart has been feeling like it is stopping. The heart doctor says it is beating extra beats. But we are still checking it all out.
Well this is about it for now..will post more often I hope!

Forever since posting.....

I have really slacked on this particular blog. What have I been up to lately? Hum where to begin.

I have been working on the homeschooling with kids. Learning new things and ways to teach. I am working to not be weak when my kids fuss because they don't want to do something. Trying to keep up the house so it all don't fall apart around me while I am doing this. And as weird as it is, its been easier in that way.

Then there has been good and bad things going on in my life. Good is how amazing my kids and hubby are, HAIN volunteers doing a really sweet thing for me as a "random acts of kindness" gifts. Our whole family was so blessed by their gifts. I do not deserve such wonderful and kindness such as them. They are a true God sent.
My mom she has been just pouring her love on us and this has been a hard year for her. But God is really giving us a peace in Christmas this year. I decided this year I was going to celebrate even if we have nothing. We have one another and that is all that matters! Period. Besides we do have much more then many people in countries I can't complain.

Bad is not worth mentioning and getting myself all worked up over!


In schooling I have been reading some out of a book every school day. The first book was good. I caught myself weeping in front of the kids "Summer of Monkeys". The last book was "I am Rosemarie" it was about a girl who survived the Holocaust. And this new book is "Kavik" the wolf dog. All are good reads. My kids have really enjoyed reading time.

Brian had taken thanksgiving off/ And that week he had off there was a beautiful snow that came down!

Animals were thrilled by that as you can see in picture.
We also decorated our tree and put up the manger scene and Christmas village

We even strung popcorn for the tree. We made allot of homemade Christmas ornaments.

Our tree def has character

That's about it for now.

Oh yeah we also found a nice home for our goats. They were starting to ruin the neighbors property we are using
The family who got them are amazing and doing great. They are a FHA family. So that worked out great!

Family

Family is so important. With out family there is nothing. Family is a word that doesn't seem to have the glue that kept you together. Seems the family unit is falling apart piece by piece. When I think of my own family, my close family I think of the laughter, the fun times, the risky times and the all out love we have for one another. I hate seeing my family struggle, I hate seeing struggles I can't fix. Honestly it breaks my heart when there is strife. It makes me sad when there is any kind of fight or disagreement. I never want to take sides. Always want to love and get along. Families sometimes do fight however and many times the bond grows even stronger in the end.
My mom always said to us growing up "treat one another as if it was your last day on earth because you never know your time and how short it is" and boy that was hard to grasp onto when you couldn't stand the other ones face (laugh out loud). But its so true what mom said so many times, so many years ago. What if something terrible were to happen and we were to never see that person again? Would the little things we fight about matter while seeing them in their casket? Would those hurtful words, or evil stares, or delete option buttons be what you would want to be between you if that was the last thing you had between you and that loved one lay in his/her casket? Think about your answer for just a minute with your heart.
I have personally had some heartbreaking things happen in my life with my own family. But I walked away with one thing and that is give it to God, pray for them and look at them how God sees them (as His child) because that is how God see's us.
Each of us are guilty, each one at fault. I am at fault and guilty. The Lord is working on my every day that I breath. I never want anyone to look at me lay in my casket and would rather never see me alive. I want to leave a legacy, a blessing behind. I want to know when its my time that I left a legacy of love, compassion and laughter. A legacy of love for family and God (not in that order).
Family is most important!!

Weddings...

This past week-end I went to a beautiful wedding of a cousin of mine. She was a beautiful bride! Anyway we pull up to a home that looked like a golf coarse. Matter of fact when we pulled up I thought we were going to a gulf course. They had a beautiful pond with lights all around it and floating lamps in the water. They had a wonderful DJ and lots of laughs and good times. The family always treats us with the kindest and most loving of any family I have ever seen. We are honored to be apart of this wonderful celebration! Congrats to a beautiful couple!

Home schooling and moral choice

Brian and I decided to home school our kids. There are many, many reasons we made the decision to do so. It has been heavy on my heart for along time.
The moral in the school system is getting further and further away, to a point its sickening. I see obvious agenda's being taught to our children little by little. One decision is when I found they are talking about taking the constitution out of our history books. Our country was built on God's foundation and slowly but surely our country is being robbed of our rights to worship and religious beliefs. While other religions can practice what they believe and somehow it is accepted. This is no news, but I am responsible for me children and their upbringing.
I have heard many arguments where people say "yeah but that is not the real world what are they going to do when faced with reality" I say seriously so if the reality is that every man was a child molester shall I say well kids, you need to live in the real world cuz one day you will face it? Maybe so but what is wrong with keeping my kids innocent for as long as I can?
Not saying that parents are bad for putting their kids in a public school. Its their choice as this is mine. Parents have choices for their own family and this one is mine and what I feel is best for my children.

Where we live is known for Meth and some of the kids coming out of the schools makes me sad for them. I see so many children that have not only been taught there is no hope but live like there is non. Yes we are suppose to reach those kids, I agree. But if my kids are not learning about hope and being a light in the darkness how are they suppose to be the light by being taught the darkness of some of the curriculum of today?
I am not trying to completely shelter my kids or keep the anti social. I am actually planning on teaching them how to give, love, have compassion, sincerity etc...

I think every parent just wants best for their kids, and that is all I feel like I am doing!

I am excited to get this venture going...ordering stuff tomorrow to make it happen!

Things kids say...

Paul almost 2 yrs ago

  

So recently I decided to start listening to my dramatized audio bible (has Jim Caviezel) anyway the other day my son Paul tells me its like being tortured because he doesn't understand what they are saying. So I tell him he can play but needed to be in the living room (something on my heart I felt I needed to do) so anyway he finally does and as I thought he relaxes. (he is a hyper child) so the next day (yesterday) I decided to put the audio bible in again (there are 20 cd's we had only listened to a couple) as we were listening to it about an hour later the electric goes out (tree had fell on power lines) and all of a sudden Paul says " man I was just getting into that" he seemed upset. That evening while we were praying Paul wanted to out loud pray for the first time. So we were praying and its Paul's turn. He starts talking about the audio bible saying "Jesus was healing people" and as a matter of factual says "and he made a bunch of stuff come out of a man and gave it to the pigs, I hope know one ate those pigs" now if you know Paul you would laugh your bottom off.

I now realize that listening to these my kids listen and are learning and understand so much easier then trying to learn it by reading it. Paul is 8 almost 9 and for him this has been so calming to him. But he now thinks Jesus is pretty darn cool!

Visiting the Coast

Our family does not very often go on a family vacation. But this year we finally did. We spent 3 days and 2 nights in Manzeneda, OR  right on the coast. it was beautiful!! We had a blast. We got to witness a beautiful sunset (as seen in the 3rd picture) I literally took over 500 images. There are so many pretty images. God's creation is magnificent! Brian and I took a stroll around town, there was music and on the porch of one of the houses down town was a family playing music together. It was AWESOME. The town had lots of character. Small touristy little town but adorable all in its own little cozy area. Had such a neat feel about it. The beach line was nice too. On the way back we got to witness some beautiful scenic too. Lots of old barns and buildings which I love. I think our family is going to make this a tradition and plan for something each year. My kids were so happy and it showed in the glowing in their eyes. It was wonderful to see them so happy!
Hubby chipped his tooth and cracked another one on the bottom of a pool at the motel we were staying at. Poor guy. But he was a trooper and insisted on a good time!

Hiking and time with kids

Spending time with kids hiking and having a picnic was fun! We had a wonderful time sitting in the beautiful mountains and eating snacks and then getting back up and huffing and puffing lol The view is to die for and the sweating is worth it. God made a beautiful country.

The kids were happy to get out too. Got lots of pictures of some beautiful nature. Hope to get out this summer more often with the kids and have a summer to remember.

Busy time in my life

We have been having babies born left and right, sadly we are still having problems with varmints and so many of our babies are no longer. The above is a picture I took of our baby ducks that hatched. What is silly is this momma duck also hatched some baby chicks (Chickens), my animals always give me beautiful opportunities to take pictures.  I have been working on my photography here is my facebook fan page:  Mary Mae Photography . I am loving it. I am building a portfolio right now. I have been  learning so much this past year.  I am so grateful for all the families who have in trusted me taking their pictures.
This is one of these tiny mushrooms  I took

There were some beautiful images shot that day. Here is one my hubby loves

This one was a challenge to take. My hubby had to hold me up for balance. He pointed this image out to me, so he really deserves the credit for it.
 I recently attended another Tea Party. I went with my mom

and on the way home this was showing and I had to have a picture of it

I darkened the closer up so to bring out the snowy peaks. This is the three sisters mountains. (Oregon)

My passion however is to capture people living where they live, doing what they do. Little like national geographic images of people living. Though I never limit how God uses me to capture beauty in all things.

I have also been working on family images and more. I am working on building a website and blog.  Of course HAIN will always be more important. I am also trying to work on bringing my family closer together as well. They have sacrificed so much because of HAIN being a bigger part of my life, meaning less time for them, no regrets just reality. This year is my goal to make them priority over things and dull out and slowly release the responsibility to who God puts into place to take on the responsibilities. HAIN will ALWAYS be my heart.
My other big goal is to have God  # 1 in my life. Though God never leaves me, nor forsakes me. I catch myself busy and forget to include God in my decisions etc. This I will be working on as well.

Lord I give you my life, my family, my heart my passions and desires. With-out you God then life is not worth anything. Lord thank you for being my Father. Thank you Lord for blessing me with my husband, children and family. Amen