Words to Think About...

> 'To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did.' When God takes something from your grasp, He's not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better...........

Adios Papa ....

My parents drove their R. V. with Nikki ( their fun - loving poodle) to spend the winter with us.. Gabi , Bella, Neyvada and Teya enjoyed every day they had with their grandparents. We sure miss them the rest of the year.. but we love having them here for the winter months. We had birthday celebrations together, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Papa and Ga were able to see Gabi belt test in Martial Arts, have lots of dinners together, watch movies, go bike riding, lots of swimming and just hanging out... The winter is over and it is time for them to go back home.. Ga had to leave a few weeks early and flew back, so Papa's good friend Charlie drove back with him.. We love and miss you....

Helping Guatemalan Families....

> Spring is a Time for New Beginnings > > In celebration of the season, please consider making a donation to the chicken program through Mayan Families. For only $3.50, you can donate a chick to a needy family in Guatemala. Mayan Families distributes 10 per family and includes a supply of feed. Chickens provide a sustainable diet of protein from eggs and meat, as well as a supplemental income from the selling of extra eggs and chickens at markets. The gift of baby chicks is a life-sustaining gift that keeps on giving!..... For those of you attending the Semana Santa celebration on March 28th, the Giving Back Committee will be collecting cash donations and checks made payable to Mayan Families. Please watch for extra details about the committee's promotion of this project in your confirmation e-mail.> > If you are unable to attend, you can donate directly through the Mayan Families website at http://www.mayanfamilies.org/DonateOnline or by mailing a check made payable to Mayan Families. > MAYAN FAMILIES > 2609 Hartford St. > San Diego, California U.S.A. 92110-2315> > It would be nice to see how many chickens we donate as a membership. > If you participate in this giving back opportunity, please take a > moment to send an e-mail to givingback@... so we can track > participation. Thanks!> > For more information about Mayan Families and the Chicken Program, > please see their website (www.mayanfamilies.org). Mayan Families is > a 501(c)(3) organization which works with indigenous Mayan > communities in the Lake Atitlan area of Guatemala.

Happiness~~~

Happiness can not be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude................. Denis Waitley

Feliz Cupleanos Matteya!!!!

Today... March 20th is Matteya's Birthday...Happy 3rd. Birthday to the baby...., who is not a baby anymore. Teya came forever home from Guatemala at 8 months old on Thanksgiving Day. I can not believe she is 3 years old already. She has changed so much. She is is a blessing to this family . Teya is so super sweet and loves to smile . Teya had a birthday party at Mcdonalds with her sisters, grandfather and her friends. Today is her birthday but we celebrated last friday, because her grandfather was still in here. She had lots of fun at her party, everyone had happy meals and cake.. We love you Teya!!

Cheers .. to Travel Therapy....

Congratulations to my friend Karen who published her first book..."Travel Therapy :where do you need to go?" Her new book features more than 100 cool destinations based on what you're going through in life! (Here is the link to her amazing book with a $6.00 discount http://www.amazon.com/Travel-Therapy-Where-You-Need/dp/158005269X?&camp=212361&linkCode=wey&tag=travther-20&creative=380733 Karen left her home a year ago and moved to New York to pursue her dream... truly amazing to make that happen in just a year.. Congratulations Karen , I am very proud of you!! She came back for a quick visit , and i enjoyed having my friend back for a few days , catching up on each others lives and celebrating her success. Thanks Karen for the awesome 2 days ....

The Mayonaise Jar and the Golf Balls........

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember this story.............. A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up every open space left. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous 'yes.' The professor then produced two Beers from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed. 'Now,' said the professor as the laughter subsided, 'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things---your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions---and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car. The sand is everything else---the small stuff. 'If you put the sand into the jar first,' he continued, 'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you. 'Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Spend time with your children. Spend time with your parents. Visit with grandparents. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first---the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand. ' One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the Beer represented. The professor smiled and said, 'I'm glad you asked.' The Beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of beers with a friend........!

Operation Princess.....

Operation Princess
Ever want to do something to make a difference? Ever wanted to know that you were a part of something bigger, something grander, something sweeter than you could have ever dreamed? Ever wanted to swoop in and make someone feel like a princess? Well, here is your chance!! ~Sarah lives in India with her husband and three kids. They run India Christian Ministries, and Sarah "adopts" children from government institutions and places them in various homes that she's set up in her area. We're not talking healthy, robust children here. Sarah has a heart for those who are left behind... those with severe mental retardation, autism, cerebral palsy, birth defects - those who were never adopted from an orphanage and "aged out" and were put into institutional care.There's Rachel - who's leg was in a cast for so long - who was never taken of - and who now needs an amputation.There's little Noah, who has scoliosis, whose hip is out of joint and who has bilateral microphthalmia.There's Promise - sweet Promise - who most likely laid on her back on a bare floor for the last 14 years. She is blind and has so many health problems that I wouldn't know where to begin. Was she ever held? Did anyone ever wipe her tears and tell her she was beautiful? That she is loved?Sarah does just that. She takes these kids and see them how Jesus sees them. And she doesn't just put them in homes - she takes care of them. She makes sure that they have access to the best possible resources - OT, PT, Speech Therapy, Special Education - and all the operations they need to help them have a full life.She fights for them.Loves them.Grieves for them.Cares for them.42 of them. All wonderfully made in the eyes of the Lord.Today, Sarah started Operation Princess. Her latest three posts are about this new endeavor. You can find Sarah's full blog HERE .Please read about Operation Princess.If anyone has a dress to donate, please contact Leslie at lesliebucknerthomas@yahoo.comLeslie is hoping to collect as many dresses as possible to send toSarah so that these wonderful, beautiful girls can feel pretty and special. Because they ARE.And while you're at it, please look through Sarah's entire blog. It is truly an act of God. You will be amazed.Please feel free to put this on your blog and get the word out and let's help these precious little ones not only look beautiful but feel the love!!! :0)

Bed Time Polka Dots..

Gabi and Bella still love their footie P.J.'s:o)...

Matteya's Swim lessons...

Matteya will be 3 in a few weeks and she started swim lessons last week. Teya did really well and did not cry:o). She actually got a head start in our pool last summer and can swim in her own little way by herself across the pool, so she is on her way to being pool safe!

Neyvada.. at Asha's Tea Party

Thank you so much for inviting me to your super fun Princess Tea Party.....you are a beautiful princess Asha !!!

4 Sisters & Mountain Climbing...

Sister, please hold my hand....As we journey
through this land. Together we stand, together we will fall No matter what, God will keep us together. That will be the best of all Sister, please hold my hand because without you I can't stand. For we were put on this earth for a reason ,to go through every good and bad season sister, please hold my hand as our strength, together, builds each other to become strong.So that our love for each other will last long. (a.u.)

It is so amazing to watch their sister bond , friendship and love grow every day between Gabriela, Anabella, Neyvada and Matteya......They do fight every day about something and there are days they have eachother in tears.. but they stick up for one another the other days and no doubt truely love eachother and i hope and pray they will be there for eachother always... My sister Renee past away over 20 years ago , so i know and feel the loss of not having a sister to grow , love and share everyday life moments with.....