Please Help Bring Misha Home!

James 1:27  Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

You may have noticed a new button in my right sidebar.  This is Misha.  He is an orphan in the Ukraine who desperately needs a home.

If you click on the button, you will be taken to the page of a sweet friend of mine.  She and her family have four children; two are adopted, two are biological.  They want to adopt Misha, desperately!

As far as Jan and her husband are concerned, Misha is already their son.  Here's the problem: It costs a lot of money to get Misha here and adopted into Jan's family.  They are doing all they can to raise the money, but they need YOUR help!

Misha was able to come visit during Christmas break and it was heartbreaking for Jan's family to have to send him back to the Ukraine when his visiting time was up.

 If you feel like you could or that God is leading you to do so, please do anything you can to help this family bring their fifth child HOME!

Click on the button to the right and you will be taken to Jan's blog.  In her right sidebar is a DONATE button.

I urge you to consider giving and helping to bring this sweet, loving, boy home to his family!  

Showered with Blessings and Love!

You were probably expecting a 30-week update.  Don't worry, it's coming.  I just thought I would wait until after our doctor's appointment tomorrow so I would have updated information for you!  


Instead, I thought I would post about our first two baby showers for the twins.  We have been so overwhelmed with kindness, gifts, love and support.  We are so very grateful!  


So, I was supposed to have my first baby shower February 5th in Austin, but the week before I was put on strict work and travel restriction by my doctor, so we had to make a tough decision and postpone it until after the babies are here.  I'm okay with that, truly, because then people who might not otherwise will get to meet them!  


So, our first baby shower we actually got to go to was a couple's shower, hosted by four sweet couple friends of ours: the Steeds, the Pipers, the Chisums, and the Blackburns.  We had such a great time!  Because it was February 12th and it was a couple's shower, it was Valentine themed.  So cute and creative!  Despite the fact that many couldn't be there because C-town had/has been invaded with the flu, stomach bug, mono and strep, we still had a good turn out and had a great time visiting.

Oh, and I can't believe I somehow didn't get a picture of the gift table.  The hostesses asked that the gifts not be wrapped, and included a cute tag with the invites so each of the guests could write something on it and attach it to their gifts.  This way, no one had to sit around and watch McH and me open presents; we spent our time visiting and eating instead!  They also had thank you notes on the table, and each guest who brought a gift addressed an envelope so all I had to do later was write the note and put it in the mail!  How awesome of an idea is that?!  

Here are some pics...

Cute banner Alana made.

Glass jars filled with Valentine candy...

Even the mantle was decorated.

The spread of food...yummy!  It included a to-die-for artichoke dip in a bread bowl, chocolate covered strawberries, and everything in between.  Heaven!

Some of the ladies (and Chad), having an animated conversation!

Sweet friends!  Isn't Paige's house beautiful?  

McH (far right), chatting with the boys.  

 Me...um, yeah, I'm the big, pregnant, swollen-faced one...I know you were wondering...with all of the hostesses, minus Alana who had sick kids and had to leave early. 

The second shower was given by church and school people.  It was in our church parlor and again, we were blessed beyond any expectation!  It was last Sunday afternoon.

Visiting after we first got there.

Me, with 7 of the 15 hostesses and the table set up...so pretty.  

McHotterson's mom (Nonni) and my mom (Sita)

Amazingly precious cookies made by C-town's Cookie Queen!  Aren't they cute?  

Opening gifts, I was so touched by all of the handmade items.  This is one of two quilts made by the Pleasing Stitches group from our church.  I had to hold it up in front of my face because I started getting weepy. 

Richard's sweet cousin, Jessica came to the shower all the way from Midland!  She brought her mom, Rich's aunt Frankie, and her sweet daughter, Rylee.  I was so happy they made it!  

Again, couldn't hold it together.  These New Testament Bibles were gifts from my sweet friend (and our high school librarian), Faith Self.  When I saw their names engraved on them, I couldn't hold it together!  See mom's face...amused at the tears!  Ha!  

This is sweet Ayana Brown.  Her parents are in our Sunday school class and she brought me gifts to open as I sat in my chair.  She was so sweet and such a great helper!  

I know this is blurry, but I had to include it.  Miss Jennifer walked in to my shower even though she was already 3 cm dilated and 75% effaced with her 3rd baby (a girl after two boys)!  When she walked in, I said, "What are you DOING here?"  She's a trooper and I was honored she came!  

This is our jogger stroller, the hostess gift from this shower!  I was blown away!  What a blessing!  I can't wait to use it with Reese and Truett. 

The gift table...and this wasn't even everything!  You should see our dining room, office and nursery!  HA! 

These were the hostess gifts I put together.  I got 15 different patterned and colored kitchen towels from Crate and Barrel.  I had some personalized thank you notes made at TinyPrints.com, with Reese and Truett's names on them, and I wrote, "Thank You!  Love, The Jenkins family" on the card, punched a hole in it and tied one around each towel with natural and green raffia.  I put them in a big basket and let each of the hostesses choose whichever they wanted before they left the shower.  It was easy and pretty inexpensive considering there were 15 hostesses. 

Tonight's Festivities Include...

...a little trip Southwest to see these guys in Lubbock!  

I'm so looking forward to a night with good friends and my sweet hubby.  We need a little getaway, time to rest my mind and just relax.  I've been spending all morning listening to some songs so I can sing along as much as possible tonight!   

Snapshot Roulette

I've had a hard time finding something to post about the last two weeks.  I'm just feeling uninspired, probably partly due to my chronic state of fatigue lately.

I was determined to post today so I tried to think of a sort of game I could play.  This is what I came up with:  Snapshot Roulette.  I know I've seen similar things like this on blogs before, so I won't take any credit for being completely brilliant! 

Here's how it works:  Go into your picture program and, while closing your eyes, randomly move your mouse up and down and all around.  When you stop (I did so after every five moves of my mouse) use whichever picture you land on, in your post.  Do this five times so you end up with 5 pictures.  Then, write a little caption for or description of the photo if you want to.

Here goes:

#1: July 12, 2008

Here are four very happy girls, (Corrie, me, Alicia, my SIL, Amy).  We were in Austin on a girls' trip that was a surprise for Alicia and me from Amy!

#2: July 24, 2008

This is the bloom of what my mom has deemed the "Charla plant."  It was given to her when I was born and she still has it, almost 31 years later!  Isn't that amazing?  It has survived 2 moves, 2 children, numerous animals and several freezes.  I love it!

#3: July 25, 2008

This is a shower I helped host for one of my sweet, dear friends, Sami (left) , who was pregnant at the time with her daughter, Payton.  I am putting together the hostess gift, a jogger stroller, for Sami.

#4: August 16, 2008

This is my dad, lover of babies, holding my SIL's niece, Hannah.  We were in Dallas at Rice Ranch.  

#5: April 26, 2008

This is a picture of one of my good friends, Tania and her husband (fiance at the time), Matt.  This was at one of their engagement parties, and we had such a good time this night!  

Now, it's your turn!  This was actually really fun...going through my pictures brought back lots of fun memories!

And by the looks of things, 2008 was apparently full of Kodak moments !

If you participate, leave a comment here so I can come over and see!

The Mantle Makeover

Gosh, my days are just seeming to fly by recently.  I look up and realize it's been days since I've last posted!

I've been so busy with many things going on, including, but certainly not limited to: McHotterson's new business (he is making a round trip to Oklahoma and Kansas to look at spray rigs tomorrow...if you think of it, say a little prayer for safe travels, if you don't mind...and no, he is NOT quitting his job...he will still be a TXDOT engineer, so no worries there), the dreaded TAKS test which is FINALLY over, my weekly Spanish classes, Bible study, writing, reading, teaching, and the list goes on and on.

This weekend we were able to travel to Oklahoma City and Guthrie, OK for the Timed Events Finals.  I really enjoy going to these rodeo events because I didn't grow up around the rodeo scene but McHotterson really loves it.  So, I like learning about it because of him.

Another something that is keeping us busy, or at least keeping our minds and hearts busy, is the possibility of selling our house.  It is a LONG story to get into right now as I'm exhausted and just realized it is 10:01 p.m. and I need some sleep.  But I will tell you there is a chance we MIGHT be moving out of our house sometime soon, and that STRESSES ME OUT!  I'm really trying to stay calm, but it's not easy!!

And speaking of our house, I mentioned in a previous post I would be showing you the makeover on my mantle.  Well, here it is and can I just say I LOVE IT?  I'm not an IN YOUR FACE Western decorator.  I like Mexican country and especially love the bright, splashes of color.  I like a little bit of funky, a lot of traditional and whatever else I find.  I like black thrown in with dark browns, and I tend to lean towards the colors of Fall in my house over others.

I was in a total funk when it came to our living room.  Our house is small, and our living room just wasn't doing it for me.  So, I hit the 50%-80% sale at Hobby Lobby, took my SIL and MIL with me, and boy did I hit the jackpot!

BEFORE:

(You can't see the mantle very well here, but this is the only pic I could find)

AFTER:

(I fell in LOVE with these hanging metal boots when I saw them at HL...I bought the jug to the left at 80% off because one of the handles is broken off of it, but who would know when it's turned to the back...the SIMPLIFY sign, little lamp, picture frame, and the grass and things in the jug were all 50-80% off...and the little birdie I really wanted, but it wasn't on sale, so at the last minute my sweet Mother-in-Law bought it for me...thanks, RETA!...I already had the little cross, and the garland, and I just printed a picture of McH and the pups and me to use in the picture frame).  

I love the reds and greens and how they pop off the wall.  

Thanks to my sister-in-law, Dawn, and my mother-in-law, for helping me put all of this together! 

Ice Storm 2010, etc...

Obviously the weather prediction in my previous post was right on.  We've been out of school the last two days and I have to say, even though I know we will have to use a bad weather day to make it up, I needed a four-day weekend!  So, I've loved it!  I've relaxed, built a fire, cuddled with the pups (and McHotterson while he's not doing his TXDOT engineer duties and saving the lives of stranded strangers in a single bound).  I finally cut up a bunch of veggies and fruit I've had in the fridge and put them in the new Rubbermaid Lock-Its (they're way cool), I bought at Wally World the other day.

I've also been on Facebook, reading blogs, and sleeping.  Told ya I needed the day(s) off.

Here are some pics from Ice Storm 2010:

The temperature gauge about 3:00 p.m.; it feels colder. 

The backyard...so sad...and it looks even worse now.  The ice is just too heavy for the limbs and every once in a while you'll hear a "SNAP" and there's another branch down.

Branches heavy with ice. 

ABOVE:  The tree that normally hangs over our driveway a bit was so heavy with ice yesterday it was touching the ground.  Mid-afternoon I heard a huge POP and went out to find the tree had completely broken off and is now in our driveway, blocking my exit from the garage.  

BELOW:  My view from the couch.  Rough, huh?  

And these shaggy girls aren't sure what to do with all the ice, but they sure are cute, aren't they? 

Sadie girl looking pretty.  She's turning into such a great dog!

ABOVE:  We had to get on to Sadie the other night for chewing on my running shoe.  A few minutes later we looked everywhere for her.  When we finally found her, she had made a bed out of the toy basket and was sulking.  Too funny.  I finally bought her a new bed so she has a place to lay other than on top of all the dog toys.  

 

ETC...

I've already posted about this, so I won't say much about it.  Here are some pics from our trip to Dallas last weekend.  Somehow I got no pictures of myself with Sally or with McH.  Darn it. 

 Playing shuffleboard

My BFF, Sally (L) and Amanda.  

Dinner Saturday night was DELICIOUS!  Chicken wings and brats, tossed salad...

fresh asparagus...

 

satueed mushrooms...

And here's the full spread...