Getting up there...

I know I have been waaaay out of touch lately...between nasty sinus cold and equally nasty morning all day sickness...it has been a rough month or 2. Thankfully, at 14 weeks today, I think I/we are on the mend. It's so good to feel good! :)

Ok, now I am going to admit it...It's my birthday. And here you thought it was just Columbus Day. My mom says that Columbus discovered America and that when I was born I discovered a new world of my own, too. Corny, I know. That's how we roll in my family. :)

Anyway, don't worry if you didn't know/remember...I am not offended...honest. {lol}

Laying all seriousness aside, I am not digging for compliments or birthday wishes. I have actually been very pleasantly overwhelmed with them today and am feeling very content and blessed as I sit here enjoying these precious moments of quiet. {Happy sigh} Peace and reflection...it does one good, don't you agree?!

Anyways, I was thinking back over my {28...sssshhhhhh!} years of life. My, but the Lord has surely been good to me. Sounds cliche, but it's so true. The older I get the more I understand this and the more I have to be thankful for.

So, here's my birthday thankful list--in no particular order and by no means complete either.

• Parents that first, love the Lord and each other enough to stick together and provide me with a wonderful, stable Christian home to grow up in--40 years and counting!!
• A loving church family that cared about a little 5 year old girl and other kids like me enough to have VBS and lead me to my Saviour
• An amazing husband that takes care of me and our babies and treats me waaaaaaay better than I deserve {after all, just putting up with me is a chore!}
• All my family and friends across the globe that sent me birthday greetings and have made me feel so loved and special today
• The joys of being a mother and watching the world through my littles' eyes
• Hugs, squeezes, pats, "uga-mugas", kissies, and lots of "Happy Birtdays" from my darlings ♥
• A gorgeous bouquet of fall-colored flowers that presently graces my table                                          {I told ya he spoils me! ♥}
• Having my health and energy back {well, it's getting there, anyways}
• The beautiful unborn child that grows within me, whom I already love and can't wait to me ♥
• Rain drops on the roof, and not in my house ;)
• The privilege of being a missionary here in Argentina and witnessing his never-failing hand of grace and mercy in my life....there's just something about living thousands of miles away from your continent, country, family, language, etc., etc., that gives you a new outlook on life and dependence on the Lord in the so many things that you used to take for granted
• God's protection on me and my family, both here and afar
• Opportunities to grow and serve in my church here and a wonderful group of ladies who are such a blessing and help to me
• 28 years of LIFE, may I live everyday to the fullest for HIM!!

The list is endless, my heart is full...good night, dear friends!

I just love it when a plan comes together {Smile}

Today was a simply lovely fall day in Argentina. It reached a sunny high of 73*, complete with blue sky and crunchy leaves.

I spent a good part of the morning getting my hair colored ...umm...er...I mean done! But, I didn't have to wait and was done relatively quickly--something I am always most thankful for. Plus, it's good when it actually comes out the nice, rich brown that it is supposed to and not some funky burgundy color (or worse). I don't take that for granted either. So, no hair disasters today. Then I got to take a nice walk home and enjoy the solitude and sunshine for a few minutes. Aaahhh! It felt good!

While I was detained trying to make myself beautiful {or at least presentable}, sweet hubby took the kids to the park. As I mentioned it was GoRgEoUs today, and they had fun romping and playing together. It's so fun to see Ethan as he is getting big{ger} and is able to do more things! He truly LO♥ES to be outside and watch the breeze rustle the leaves in the trees, etc. He is all BOY and I am enjoying watching every stage.

Watching the leaves blow

Later this afternoon we headed to Pilar, a town about 45 minutes from us, to go to the hospital and have an X-ray done on Bubs' head and see the neurologist, again! You see, when Ethan was very small we noticed that the back of his head was not perfectly round, but rather kind of had a lumpy/bumpiness on one side. She really felt like it was nothing abnormal, but  just to make sure that it was not serious our pediatrician recommended that we have an X-ray done.

Ok, no big deal, right?! WRONG!! You know that saying about "making a mountain out of a mole hill"?! That about sums it up. We had the X-ray done, but it was very poorly done and you couldn't see anything on it.

Instead of an X-ray, we will do a full CT Scan and then we will know for sure. That didn't go so well either. First, we had to put my poor baby under anesthesia to do it (because he had to lie perfectly still for 10 min., a 10 month old, riiiiiggghhhhtt!), and then the results were no better than the 1st X-ray. The doc. still could not say with complete confidence that everything was fine and normal with my baby's head!

So, he ordered another X-ray. But, of course, when we got there today, there had to be a catch. There was no order under Ethan's name of any kind. How strange! Turns out the doc. didn't look carefully when placing the order and put it under hubby's name instead. Easy enough to do especially when Ethan's middle name is hubby's first name, Matthew. Anyways, UGH!! One thing after another. We waited around for nearly an hour before getting word that they had gotten a hold of the doc. and had the order changed. Wheew! At least we didn't make the trip for nothing and we can still get this done!

Next stop was the doc.'s office and he had an emergency surgery so we almost didn't get to see him, but he squeezed us in long enough to tell us the good news--This X-ray was very clear and he could tell at a glance that Ethan's head was perfectly normal!! YAY!!!! I wanted to jump up and down and shout from the roof tops, not only could I now rest easy knowing that my son is well and whole, but also this going around in circles for months and months was finally over. We have a definitive answer and don't have to wonder and live with "what ifs" anymore. What a blessing and relief!

Totin' his milk around

And what a cute little head he has!!

I'm singin'~~

"Ain't God good?!!!! 

He gives me so many blessings, 

undeserving, that's what I am. 

I ought to thank Him, 

love and praise Him,

a little bit today, 

and a whole lot more tomorrow!!!"

Happy, healthy kiddos! ♥

All in all, a very good day--we got some things accomplished {in a foreign country that's HARD to do some days}, got wonderful news, have 2 healthy children, and enjoyed the day and the outdoors together!! For these things, and many, many more--I am thankful!!

The Simple Things...

My, but I sure have a lot to catch up on, don't I?! {Sheepish grin}

Just wanted to let you know that we did make it {ALL THE WAY} out to Mendoza and back, safe and sound.
Promise to share lots more about our trip with you, very soon.

But for now, I just wanted to let you know what I did on this pleasant afternoon.

How does this sound to you?

1. My favorite cup, a gift from one of my dearest friends, filled with creamy Hot Chocolate.

2. A good, thought-provoking book (May have to share some tidbits with you)

3. A delightfully warm sunbeam just for ME!

This is what I enjoyed during our down time today {aka. Kids' nap time, the only quiet time of the day!}

I don't know what it sounds like to you, but for me--

a little piece of Heaven!

Sure felt good to "Stop and Smell the Roses" er...Taste the Hot Cocoa, in my case!

Aaahhhh...the simple, sweet "little" things...that make life DiViNe!!

{I'm SO Blessed! Sigh of Contentment}