Warning... Long Post Ahead!!

These are a couple of cards that I made a few nights ago while playing with a color combo!

Hope everyone had a great Friday! Mine was somewhat calmer today.... the boy is just worn out I think from testing me all this week! :) He still did his fair share but I think both of our attitudes were better today!

Our heat did go out today... well... actually I think yesterday! I tried to turn it up to take the chill off the house this morning and it wouldn't come on. I called Michael to tell him about it and he immediately said when he answered the phone, "I am at the shop getting the bus fixed, can I call you back?". I said... well... I was just calling to tell you that our heat is out. He then proceeded to tell me that one of the leaders had taken one of the teenage girls to the ER because she fell off a ladder and hurt her ankle! So... the devil was hard at work first thing this morning... trying his best to mess with us.

See... Michael is on mission trip with 90 something teenagers and adults (mostly teenagers) in New Orleans. Since Katrina... he has taken a group there 1 or 2 times a year. The past few years... it has been 2 times. They go for a week and work on peoples homes that STILL need help rebuilding. Last year and this year... they have even gotten to work at a few area schools doing recreation and just loving on some kids.

Let me tell you a little story that Michael told me yesterday. I will try to keep it brief.

Every night they have a share/worship time after dinner and before bed. One of the senior girls (who has been going to New Orleans since she was a freshman) wanted to talk but she was so emotional that she couldn't share. A little later she tried again and told the group that she met a Kindergarten boy last year while working in the schools that always looked like he hated the world (and he was just a kindergartner). She never saw him smile and he would never participate in the games, etc. Her goal this trip was to see this kid and get him to smile. She saw him for the first time on Wednesday. She asked his teacher what his name was. She walked over to the boy, who still had the same 'I hate the world' look on his face and who was still not participating, and she called him by his name. She said the boy smiled from ear to ear. The next words out of her mouth were... "All I had to do was call him by his name!" !!! WOW!! I am in tears just typing this!

I miss my husband every time he leaves. This trip has been the hardest for me so far because of Carver being 3.. 3 and a boy! :) But... I wouldn't change it for the world. I am so proud of my husband for loving God and for the work that he does with these kids. I am proud of all of them for the work they are doing for God in New Orleans!

Anyway.... seriously.... SOMETHING happens every time Michael goes on a mission trip! I tend to exaggerate... but I am not right now! I actually even thought yesterday (as I was starting to think that something might be wrong with the heat) that the devil had left us alone this trip! So... it is really kind of funny all of the trouble we both had the next morning! :) But.... God has got my back so... in the words of Matt Redman... "Whom then shall I fear?"!!

Oh... and our heat is already back on. As soon as I called Michael, he made a call to one of our church friends who does work on heating and air units. He dropped what he was doing and came right out. He went to go get the new parts and came right back and had it up and running in no time! We have great church friends/family who take care of us! God takes care of us!

Well... I hadn't really intended to make this a long post. Guess I need to change the post title so I can warn you ahead of time! :)

Peace and Love!

Oh... and I posted some cute pics... from yesterday... of my little man right under here so make sure to scroll down and check them out! :)

Supplies: Marvelous
Stamps - High Heels (Hero Arts)
Paper - Sahara Sand and Crushed Curry (SU)
Ink - Brilliant Blue and Crushed Curry (SU), Violette (Superior)
Other - SU Corner Rounder, Kaiser Rhinestone

Supplies: I {heart} you
Stamps - Sassy Alphabet (Me and My Big Ideas)
Paper - Sahara Sand and Crushed Curry (SU)
Ink - Brilliant Blue, Sahara Sand, Crushed Curry (SU), Violette (Superior)
Other - SU Corner Rounder, EK Success heart punch, Kaiser Rhinestone, SU Dimensionals, Sizzix Tween Lattice Texturz Plate, Big Shot