Halloween Pictures Have Finally Arrived!!

Here they are, the long awaited Halloween pictures. I know, I know it's like a whole month past, but I figured better than never right?

We've Got a....

New Son!!!!
You read it right if you think you didn't. We got another son.

Almost seven years ago Barry met this 13 year old boy named Wesley at CIU. Wesley's mom was in school there and they lived over in The Village (married housing for CIU). Any ways Barry had just moved to Columbia and everyday at school he would see this young boy skateboarding around the parking lot. One day Barry decided to chill with him, and well from there their relationship grew from a friendship to more of a father son role. Also during that time Barry found out that Wesley's mom was going thru treatments for breast cancer. It wasn't her first time but going thru treatments for cancer is never easy no matter how many times you have to experience it. Also during that he found out that Ms. Jeanne (Wes' mom) was a single mother. Wes' dad had died five years earlier in a car accident. From those days in early 2002 Wes and Barry have grown very close. And we've always told Wes that if we ever needed to, we would claim him as our own.

Well back in 2004 or maybe 2005, Ms. Jeanne found out that her cancer had come back in her liver. She began doing treatments and everyone started praying. And God cleared her up for the time being. But once again this past spring, I think, she found out that the cancer was progressing and that treatments would become more intense/frequent. Then shortly after we had Eli, Barry came home to tell me that her cancer was spreading fast and that there was really nothing the doctor's could do. The only way would be for God to heal her completely. We have faith and so we started praying. At that point I honestly never took it that seriously. So many times docs say that there isn't much time and then there ends up being years. Well we weren't so lucky in this situation. On November 4th our pastor and his sectary came to Barry with bad news, Ms. Jeanne wasn't doing too hot and well actually the doctors had pretty much said there was nothing else they could do. Her liver was shutting down quickly. Kevin (pastor) and Greta (sectary) asked Barry what he thought they should do about Wesley. Well Barry knew exactly what to do, we needed to fly Wesley home. Longer story here, but Wesley IS an amazing skateboarder and was actually on tour with Boarders For Christ. You can check out his blog http://www.wesluke.vox.com/. Okay so the church flew him home on November 5th. Well the next few days Ms. Jeanne really perked up. But she had opted not to continue the draining of her abdomen (it was holding fluid because of the liver and stuff). So we all knew time would tell. But we also knew God is an amazing God and he could perform a miracle. We knew he could heal her here on earth with us or in heaven with Him. We just weren't sure which would happen.

During the past couple of weeks we moved Wes into our house actually into Isaac's room and moved Isaac to Eli's room. I wanted and still want Wes to feel at home. We did a lot of changes and well last Thursday, November 20th, Jesus called Ms. Jeanne home to Him. So He healed her in His time and place. It's been rough, but we're all getting thru it. But mostly during this time I've received a new son. One that I cherish like he is my own. Wes has impacted me so much the past couple of weeks and made me see and appreciate him and his faith.

Any ways keep checking back because there is alot of great things happening during this hard time. And also check his blog that I listed above. He IS an AMAZING writer and really describes his story well. Also he is heading to Cairo, Egypt on Sunday for eight days! Follow him there thru his blog.

Also, Wes if you read this, we are extremely proud of you and are so excited to have gained a new son, friend, and brother.

We love you bud!

My Two Boys- Eli at 6 Months & Isaac at 3 yrs.

Who would've ever thought I'd be able to create two beautiful, cute, handsome...whatever....children. Not me?

The Isaac Russell Monster Song

UPDATE: TO LISTEN TO THE SONG CLICK ON THE TITLE OF THIS POST AND THEN FOLLOW THE STEPS. YOU MIGHT HAVE TO BECOME A MEMBER, BUT IT'S FREE. CHECK IT OUT.
I was driving to pick up the little girl Brandi that I watch and Isaac started singing some monster song. I quietly turned off my radio to listen and see what he was singing. At that moment I realized I have the next Jonas Brother in my family!! He had written his own song about a monster getting him...how cute! Listen for yourself.

Barry to Belize

UPDATE: BARRY IS CURRENTLY IN BELIZE AND HAVING AN AWESOME TIME. IF YOU'D LIKE TO FOLLOW THEM THEN CHECK OUT www.elccbelizeteam.blogspot.com THEY ARE KEEPING AT BLOG OF THE TRIP. ALSO BE SURE AND CHECK OUR UPDATES BELOW.

Just wanted to let you all know that Barry leaves Saturday November 22 at 5:30AM to go to Belize with our church for a mission trip. He will be gone for one week and so his Thanksgiving Holiday will be spent there. Please be praying for us during this time. Specific prayer requests are the following:

1.Finances- Barry still needs about $125 (UPDATE- BARRY GOT ALL THE EXTRA MONEY HE NEEDED!)
2.Health- He has Crohn's Disease and any trip out of the country can be risky for him. He also choose not to take the Malaria pills because of the side effects they have caused him in the past. So pray for safety with this HUGE risk. (UPDATE- BARRY FRACTURED HIS LEFT FOOT WEDNESDAY 11/19)
3.Safety- Everyone in the trip is safe. Their travel is safe to and from and while they are there.
4.People- for the people to be receptive of them and for relationships to be built that will last.
5.Me- To Depend on God as I worry about him leaving with health and safety. Also for me to not stress about the last bit of money he needs and where it will come from. And also for me and the boys as we travel to Ohio to see family.

Well that is about all for that. Please, please be praying for those things. And I will hopefully be able to put some pictures up from the trip after he gets back

Life is Out of Control

Just wanted to let you all know that I will be posting Halloween Pictures from our excursion to FL. And then Isaac's three year old picture and Eli's six month picture. Our life have been really crazy lately with a new family member moving in and rooms being rearranged, but I'll get into all that later. Just keep checking back to see all of our pictures and updates.