Update on Preston Loyd (Day 68)

Preston has been going through physical therapy and has been able to sit up. He continues to make improvements, but there is still concern over his vision. The family has asked for the following prayers:

~Return of perfect vision and visual clarity. "This will stay on the list until my precious boy looks at me and says, "Daddy, I see you”

~Continued miraculous healing of internal injuries.

~Continued healing of all plastic surgery related wounds.

~Great progress in Preston’s therapies. He is making great strides. Pray he is able to stand the work and press on to full activity again.

~Wisdom of doctors in determining when they should go home. They want to be home as soon as possible, but also want to be where Preston can make the most improvements quickly.

~Continued prayer for the entire family. They are still so in need of prayer.

Frugal Friday - Unclaimed Money

Do You Have Unclaimed Money?

There is an organization called the National Association of Unclaimed Money Administrators and you may actually have money waiting for you to claim.

In 2006 it was projected that a total of at least $32.877 billion is currently being safeguarded by state treasurers and other agencies for 117 million accounts. So, maybe some of that cash is yours!

Unfortunately, neither me or my hubby had any money to claim. But, remember when you search use your current name, maiden name or any variation of your name (nickname) you have used in the past because some of the money has been sitting for over 20 years or more.

Go to Unclaimed.org click on the state or states that you or your family have lived and it will take you to the Treasurers department for that state. All you have to do is then enter your name into the database to see if there are funds waiting for you.

I hope you find something!

2 Boys, 1 Mom and Thomas the Train

Yesterday I took my son and one of his buddies to see the Thomas Live Show. Being a girl, I really can't understand the fascination over Thomas the Train and all the other characters. But, I was enlightened through the day as the boys taught me all the characters names and what number they each were. I learned quickly that this is serious business to any little boy who loves trains!
I thought it would be fun to let the boys ride a train to the show, so we hopped on the light rail and rode uptown.

My little one had to wear his train conductor's cap
and a Thomas t-shirt, of course.

Here's his buddy Jack. All smiles!

And, finally the long awaited Thomas the Tank Engine and friends.

Thanks boys for teaching this mom a thing or two
about Thomas the Train!

Why Did God Make Daddy?

This Father's Day I thought it would be fun to see just what our 3 year old thinks about his daddy. So, I asked him a few questions:

~Why did God make daddy? "Because He loves him!"

~How did God make daddy? "With all His soul, all His mind. I don't know, nobody knows."

~Why did daddy marry mommy? " Because you are a princess." (This one was my favorite answer of course, I always wanted to be a princess!)

~Who's the boss in our house? "Daddy, because he says funny words."

~What's the difference between daddy and mommy? "I am, I'm in the middle."

~Why did God give you your daddy and not someone else's daddy? "So my daddy could go to work and come home to buy us groceries!"

~What ingredients is daddy made of? "Of Jesus."

These are some of my favorite pictures of Rhett and his daddy. When I would dream of what it would be like for my husband to be a daddy to a boy these are the images I would imagine. A boy, his dad and a football what more could you ask for?

Thank you Reggie for being a Godly father and loving our son like only a daddy can. I love you and Happy Father's Day!

Frugal Friday: A Frugal Father's Day

Frugal Father's Day Ideas

*Breakfast in Bed - This is always a treat and when the kids get up early to help it makes the day so much more special!

*Homemade Cards and Gifts - Kids love making homemade cards/gifts for special occasions and dad is sure to keep them for years to come.

*Coupon Book - These are always so fun to receive. You can use the this template from Family Fun or create your own.

*Artwork- Each year I have had our son paint or finger paint onto a plain white canvas (8 x10) so Reggie can hang his artwork up at his office at work. It is so fun to see how far his artistic skills have come!

*Photo Gifts - Dads always want to show off their little ones. You could create a photo collage or photo book through a photo website like Shutterfly.

*Dad's Dream Fund - Is there something that dad has always wanted but can't afford? Start him a dream fund jar. You can decorate the jar and have your kids be part of the saving fun.

*Freebies! - There are some fun freebies that dads can cash in on this weekend. Here are some I have found:

Chic-fil-A - is giving away free milkshakes tomorrow (Saturday only)to all fathers if you bring your child in with you.

Outback Steakhouse - you can receive a $10 voucher towards your purchase at Outback Steakhouse if you make a purchase at World Market (this started today and will last as long as the vouchers do)I got one today!. So, buy something really inexpensive and you have a great deal. On top of that you will get another $10 voucher for dining on Father's Day.

TCBY - free cup or cone for dad on Father's Day.

Borders - free 12 oz Seattle's Best beverage. My hubby redeemed a couple this week for this and he was able to get a yummy frozen coffee drink!

*Hugs and Kisses - the ultimate free gift that every daddy will love!

Surprise by Design (Sort of!)

Last night we had fun when one of our friends came over to help make my design idea for a playroom bulletin board come alive. I love these projects , but every once in awhile I get stuck and need some help from the experts. The expert last night came with lots of experience and tons of talent. Have you ever heard of the Surprise by Design tv show? The one where the homeowner goes to work and their loved one has planned for the show to come in and redo a room in their house and then when they arrive home from work they are surprised with a new room design. Well, our friend was the carpenter/foreman for the 2004 season of the show.

I learned so much about the behind the scenes realities of the show. You wouldn't believe what really happens to get it all finished in less than 24 hours and how some homeowners flip. I was surprised to hear that there are tons and I mean tons of workers helping to make it all happen even though we only see the hosts, designer and one carpenter on the show. I feel so much better about how long it takes me to complete some projects, don't you?

Getting Started:

To make the bulletin board I had cork, MDF and peg board pieces cut into 12X12 squares. You can do this at Home Depot or Lowe's. Then, I made a design of how I wanted the squares to be placed, mixing up the different material types. I pulled the 3 main colors from his playroom that I wanted to highlight and started painting the boards. On the MDF squares I used magnet paint to create a fun way to hang his artwork.

I wanted the board to have a finished look so I had crown moulding cut to fit dimensions of the entire board.

Making it Happen:

Don't Make Me Count to Three!

I have never really talked about parenting on my blog, but as I struggle through some of the 'terrible threes' stages what better time to be real. I know it is much more fun to read blog posts where we are all smiles, but I realized that wouldn't be giving you the whole picture of our lives.

When it comes to children they are all so different. Some are compliant and some are well, strong willed. I have watched many of my friends with their compliant children in total amazement. "How did you that?" I would often ask. And, now after being a parent for 3 1/2 years I know sometimes it's just the God-given disposition of that child. Yes, parenting does play a huge roll in many areas of how our children act and react, but we are all born with a certain disposition. I know all about the strong willed disposition seeing that I was a strong willed child and now have one of my own.

Lately I am beginning to think that God is shaping and molding me as my son's parent much more than I could ever help shape and mold him. I never thought I could experience almost every emotion all at once, but being a parent has proved that wrong. I can get so upset over disobedience and in the very next moment feel overwhelming joy when my three year old looks at me and asks for forgiveness. So, I guess I am in one of the "hard" stages of parenting and will rest in the encouragement so many of my friends have given me that it will improve!

After reading many books and studying the Bible about how to parent I must say I still have a few questions:

1) Who ever said that it is the 'terrible twos'? They must not have raised a three year old!

2) When your mother made jokes about having your own child would be payback did you ever think it would be true? I know I didn't!

3) Will I ever make it through the 'terrible threes' meltdowns without total public humiliation? I think my son should go for an Emmy Award after some of his performances!

4) Does my child have a radar device to alert him when I get on the phone? This one still baffles me. And, I know it not just me who goes through this because almost every friend I ever get on the phone with has the same issue on her end of the phone.

5)Why does my child think 10 minutes of sleep in the car on the way home is a nap? Isn't it amazing how they can be so tired that you can't keep them awake until you get home and then they fall asleep for 10 minutes and are wide awake for the rest of the day.

6) Why is there always only one toy in a room full of toys that every child in the room wants? This is amazing to watch.

7) How can everyone say your child is such an angel and the moment you walk in the door they loose it? This has been one of those things I will never understand.

**Disclaimer: I realize that most of you reading this probably have absolutely perfect children and you may be thinking I have no idea what she is talking about. But, for the few that do know what I am talking about I have found a great resource to go along with the Bible to help us through our parenting challenges.

The book is called "Don't Make Me Count to Three" by Ginger Plowman. I told a friend just the other day I have read it three times and I am still learning. I must be going through a few challenges because as I looked through the book today I realized I had either underlined or highlighted almost every other paragraph!

All this said I love, love, love my little boy more than words could ever describe and I know that all the little bumps along the way are well worth it and I am truly blessed.

Trip to the Beach

Okay, so I know these are a few weeks late but to make myself download the pictures off the camera I thought I would show you the fun we had on our beach trip.

Rhett had a ball running back and forth from the ocean to the beach with his sand bucket. In fact, it was the first time in his life his begged for a nap when we got back to the beach condo! Can I get a beach in my back yard please??!!!

As we sat on the beach and watched people go by we wondered why they would smile and laugh as they saw Rhett. Well, I think we figured it out! Too funny and only a little one could get away with this and it be funny.

Rhett and I buried Reggie. I think daddy actually liked it and got a little rest while being in all that sand.

A little pool action.

Rhett got to roast a few marshmellows and we were suppose to make smores, but the marshmellows never made it long enough to make the smores. Hmm, I wonder where they could all be?

We also got to take Rhett fishing for the first time. First, mommy's style fishing - always make sure to wear your best wedge heeled sandals!

Then, daddy's style fishing.

Finally, a fish! A sweet fellow vacationer helped Rhett catch his very first fish.

We had a great time together and made some special memories!

Update on Preston Loyd (Day 47)

Preston was moved to the rehabilitation floor today! The Loyd family is asking for the specific areas of prayer below.

Items for prayer:

~Pray for his vision and focus to continue its return to normal.
~Pray for his cognition to continue its return to normal.
~Pray for his internal injuries and repairs to continue to perfection.
~Pray for his elbow to heal properly, so he may have full range of motion upon final healing.
~Pray for the couple wounds on his head to continue their healing to completion.
~Pray for one another. We have a long way to go.
~Continue to pray for our family as we weather this storm together.

Please keep this family in constant prayer. It has been a long month and a half and the road to recovery may be a long one.

Frugal Friday - Summer Activities

Free or Low Cost Fun Summer Activities

So school is out and the kiddos are home. Each year I try to compile a list to help get us out of the house, but without a lot out of pocket. Here are a few ideas to get your summer fun started:

*Free Movies - Regal Movie Theatres are hosting Free Family Film Festival. Each Tuesday and Wednesday(some areas also Thursday) at 10 am this summer starting next week you can choose from 2 movies for absolutely free!

*Free Bowling - Kids can bowl 2 free games of bowling each day this summer. Check out Kids Bowl Free.

* Free Apple Camp - If you have kids aged 8 or above this is an awesome idea. Apple Camp is offering movie, photo, presentation and music workshops to teach kids how use their computer and be creative.

*Vacation Bible School -What summer would be complete without VBS. Check with your church or a local church for a schedule.

*Public Library/Book Stores - The library is a great place to take little ones for story time, crafts, etc and it's all free. Book stores like Barnes and Noble also have fun summer activities for kids.

*Pool - If you are fortunate to have a pool in your neighborhood this makes for a fun in the sun. You can also check with your county for the nearest public pool or the local YMCA.

*Parks - Local parks are a great place to take a nature hike, ride bikes, picnic, ride paddle boats. etc. They also have lots of programs to teach kids about nature and a host of other subjects.

*Museums - Lots of times your local museum will offer free admission day. I like to take advantage of these because if our 3 year "melts down" I haven't spent any money out of pocket.

*Zoo - The zoo is always a family favorite. They also have special days during the summer for reduced admission prices or even free admission.

*Local Fire and Police Department - Time for a field trip! The kiddos will love a tour of the fire department or police station. Call ahead to set a tour and ask if they offer any learning materials for the kids.

I hope this list helps get your summer activities off to a fun start!

Bitter Sweet News

This past week has been filled with all kinds of emotions for our family. We recently found out that I was pregnant. Yes, I said pregnant! When doctors have told us this would not be possible without the help of fertility treatments and maybe not even then, we were reminded that God is in control.

The first few days were spent excited and a little scared of what our lives would be like with two babies really in close in age. We prayed from the moment we found out we were pregnant about our adoption and still felt God had a special child for us to bring into our family forever. "Wow, not one but two babies!", I thought.

The pregnancy started as normal and I had the usual symptoms. I called my doctor and she asked if I would come in as soon as possible. After doing a few tests and some blood work we were told that I was probably experiencing a miscarriage. After more testing my hormone levels began to drop drastically and the doctors did not feel they could save the baby with hormone replacement or medication.

I walked this road before less than a year ago when we lost our baby around 20 weeks into the pregnancy and I desperately did not want to feel that hurt again. I cried out to God and asked him to save our baby and allow this pregnancy, which was such a miracle, to end with a healthy baby in our arms.

Over the weekend we lost our precious baby. "Why God?" we asked. And, I've come to understand that His will was not for our baby to die even though we asked Him to save our baby. Yes, He heard our prayers and the prayers of all our friends and family who prayed along side of us. It would be easy to blame God and say it was His fault, but I know this is not true.

Through each of our pregnancy losses I have read a book called I'll Hold You In Heaven by Jack Hayford. Along with the Bible it has been a source of comfort and true understanding. In this book the author says, " It's possible that coping with the loss of your child has led you down a path of bitterness and anger. But, your loss wasn't God's fault. We live in a broken, imperfect world, and we are members of a fallen race. The residual fallout of the Fall continually appears around us in the form of sickness, sin, natural disaster, tragedy and death. If, however, you make God the focus of your frustration, you not only fail to receive the comfort He can give, but you also are wasting emotional energy by aiming your anger at the wrong target." How true these words really are!

What I am about to write is my main reason for posting our story because I know if others who experience a similar loss would hold onto this truth God can do wonderful things through even the most painful experiences. The scripture Romans 8:28 is a very often quoted scripture, but sometimes it gets misquoted. Instead of the true wording it gets quoted like this: "All things work together for good." When you think about this way looking at the scripture you almost feel as if all you can do is hope for the best. But now look at the full scripture, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." What this says to me is that God can take pain or circumstance and redeem it to use it for our good.

Sometimes you see God perform a miracle and save a baby's life or heal the sick, but sometimes His plan doesn't include these things. He chose to give us a miracle as we became pregnant and now He will use our pain and grief for even bigger purposes than we can see. I know there are so many others who have or will feel the pain we have in our hearts and I pray that during these time you cry out to God and allow Him to be your comforter.

We thank all those who have prayed for us, written us encouraging notes, called us and loved us. It has meant so much to us and helped in our time of need. A sweet friend gave me this poem yesterday and I wanted to share it with all of you.

ALWAYS REMEMBER

Always remember,

when God made you

He did so with a

purpose and a plan.

He saw all your days before

you lived one of them

and placed over

you the covering

of His protective love.

He has allowed nothing

to come into your life

that has not first been

screened through that love.

His hand has remained

upon you to this very day.

He calls you by name.

You are His beloved child...

the apple of His eye...

the delight of His heart.

Today you are in the exact

place He wants you to be,

and tomorrow He

will be with you

as He has always been _

in goodness, in kindness,

in faithfulness.

by Roy Lessin

Update on Preston Loyd (Day 40)

Preston is now out of ICU and making wonderful improvement!!

Unfortunately, there were some inappropriate emails sent to the Loyd family through the CaringBridge account and they have had to change the security settings to protect their family. Please pray that they will be safe from hurtful words. Below are the specific prayer requests at this time.


Items for prayer:
*Continued healing for Preston’s cognition. He has made miraculous strides already. We realize this will be a matter of time, and covet your continue prayers.

*Continued healing for Preston’s focus and vision. We are still not sure exactly what he can see and process. We claim God’s perfect healing.

*Continued healing for Preston’s external wounds, including his left side, his surgery incision on his belly, his elbow and shoulder, return of tone to his muscles and healing of the wound on the back of his head.

*Cinamon and I (especially me) will maintain the strength and perseverance we need to be the best support for our sweet Preston.

*Continued prayer for the doctors and nurses. They will continue to have perfect insight to diagnose and treat, so Preston can achieve his perfect healing.

*Pray for one another. This is still a long road and we need to lift up one another.