Busy Being Blessed

please say a quick prayer for our family.
our business (http://www.blessedmama.com) is at a stand-still. i can’t tell you the last time we’ve had an order, and it was ONE order. we are working on changing and updating right now but until those changes are made, we probably won’t see any new customers, and we will probably miss Mother’s Day customers (which should be a big boom for us).
i have been living with the fact that my business just might not be good enough, or maybe it’s not going to be blessed by God, for whatever reason. my husband works two jobs, so this was just going to help take some of the weight off his burdened shoulders. i plan to keep it open, just in case something happens to change, but i’m no longer optimistic like i once was.
today i checked the bank online, and we are overdrawn for the first time in months (we have been borrowing from my mother, and my husband has put his foot down saying we will not borrow any more). i am so upset because it is MY fault. i didn’t check before i paid an online bill. it was one that SHOULD NOT be late and my husband made it very clear it was the top priority. but i still shouldn’t pay with money i don’t have!
please pray for us. money has never flowed over here and we are just really really struggling.
i know that it is our fault because of lack of planning, lack of wisdom in purchases and just overall bad judgement in handling our finances. honestly, without frivolous spending, we are BARELY making enough money to squeak by with all our payments!
you’d think that by now i’d learn.

thankfully my mom is going to help us out once again but i don’t know when we will be able to pay her back and that makes me feel so horrible.
thanks for your time, thanks for your friendship, and thanks for your prayers. i appreciate it more than i can express.

ok i’m getting really annoyed with trying to make a new theme! GRRRRRRR. you’ll have to do with just the new header. cute huh? yeah, i don’t like it. it’s boring. but oh well.

it has been very silent here for days. not sure if it’s because people are expecting a notification from my non-working notification script, or if i’ve scared everyone away once and for all. who knows. but it’s time for me to copy becca and do a roll-call.

please copy and paste the following and replace with your answers. it would mean so much to me!!!! thanks!!!

My name is (insert name) and I have been reading your blog since (insert guessed amount of time). I first found you (insert something if you remember). My most favorite food is (insert food here) and my least favorite food is (insert here). Right now my top five favorite tv shows are (insert here). I (am/am not) married and I (have/don’t have) children (if so, names and ages). (I have a blog and would love for you to leave me a comment!)

don’t believe me???

http://www.usanetwork.com/series/nashvillestar/interactive/musicvideo/index.php?id=0F9BD479-88BF-65D8-109C-72C6D9920018

….goes to….me!

well, actually i have to say i’m not THE worst mother. reading about poor maria and the thought of her parents who are supposed to LOVE her (update at end of this post!)…

the other day my mommies group was having a picnic brunch and easter egg hunt at the park. i really didn’t want to go without jerry but jerry needed to sleep still. so i thought i’d try it, because i know jeremiah was really looking forward to hunting for eggs.

things were fine for a while, but jeremiah REALLY wanted to be at the playground area. which would have been fine, but josiah is quite a heavy bundle to tote around, and when i have him i can’t really help jeremiah like i want to. anyway, he kept wandering back over the the play area, and i’d keep a distant eye on him from where i was on the benches. when my friend amanda went over there, i was like, oh she’s there – he’ll be fine. (my error here was not mentioning to her to please keep an eye on him! so she wasn’t to know what he was up to.) then she came back to us and after a few minutes my friend courtney went over. i was like oh i’m not going out quite yet because court’s out there (note my error REPEATED). finally, i got josiah changed into a new outfit and headed out to play with my big boy. i didn’t see him anywhere. i looked quickly, no jeremiah. i asked courtney where he was and when she said ‘i haven’t seen him, jenn,’ my heart DROPPED into my stomach. i KNEW. if she hadn’t seen him, he wasn’t there. i started calling him, then ran up to the rest of the group and said ‘i need help! jeremiah’s GONE!’ someone took josiah from me and i ran frantically looking. thankfully almost everyone was helping me. a lady started coming up the hill and i thought – oh no something happened, she found him and he’s hurt! she said, ‘is someone missing a kid?’ OH MY GOODNESS! i yelled, ‘i am!!!!’ and rachel said, ‘we are!!!’ and she called down and another woman came up with my baby. he had followed a group of kids down to their school (right next door from the park). i picked him up and he just kept saying ‘thank you, mama, thank you, mama’ and let me kiss all over him and hug on him. everyone was surprised when i didn’t cry. but i couldn’t cry. i felt like i was going to throw up. i felt like i was going to pass out. i felt like i was going to die. i still can’t believe i let it happen.

/end sadness. he is fine. he is safe. he is loved. and i know to never assume someone will look out for him. i will ask to be sure they can watch him or i will not let him leave my side. i am SOOOOO thankful to the Lord for having His protective hand on him that day. something could have happened to him, but it didn’t and i’m so very thankful for that.
i have a story from yesterday. we needed to go the the store and had dilly-dallied most of the day. we finally got into the van but jeremiah was obviously hungry because he was eating his hand. i told jerry we should stop to eat before we shop and he said ‘how about mcdonald’s for a hamburger?’ jeremiah had mentioned wanting a hamburger earlier in the day, so we agreed. well, we decided to go in instead of drive-thru. jeremiah started talking about a barn. when he got out he started walking away from mcdonald’s, pointing to the strip of buildings across the street. i tried to figure out what he wanted, but he kept saying ‘barn’, so i took his hand and led him into mcdonald’s amid his protests.

we finally turned around and went back out because he was so upset and perplexed. jerry and i were totally confused and didn’t know what he wanted. when i snapped him in his carseat, he was still upset. he said ‘mama go to farm and see barn!!!’ very insistently. it was then it hit me what the poor guy was trying to get at. he thought we were going to old mcdonald’s farm!! i couldn’t believe i didn’t get it before, and jerry felt the same way. we were both chuckling and nearly in tears with the cuteness. then we tried to explain that mcdonald’s was not the same as old macdonald’s farm. you could see it in his eyes that he understood, because he looked sooo disappointed! poor guy. we are now looking for a farm to visit.

jeremiah is 27 months today. SIGH. he is so big and so smart and so wonderful i don’t know what to say. he and josiah are doing so well sleeping in the same room. honestly, it’s scary. last night, it took 4 minutes for them to fall asleep and be asleep! josiah started crying at about 11, i went in and jeremiah was awake but he didn’t cry. i rocked josiah for a while, then put him back in bed. (he didn’t wake up again until 530. woohoo! and then he slept with mama. ) tonight, i was nursing josiah and told jeremiah i would come in and give him one last kiss when i put josiah in bed. josiah was being rather stubborn and wiggly during nursing, so it took me longer than i’d thought. jeremiah was totally quiet so i assumed he’d fallen asleep. well, when i entered the room, he was sitting on his bed waiting for me! he said, ‘mama, jojo seeping?’ and i said ‘yes, baby’ then gave him a big hug and kiss. he smiled and sighed, laid his head on his pillow, and went right to sleep. isn’t he just the sweetest and cutest thing?

oh naptimes are another story. we have been going round and round. but jerry and i are insistent that he nap – he is a bear when he doesn’t!! still not trying the both napping in the same room together thing yet either. was going to try it today but it didn’t work out. josiah would have fallen asleep but with jerry or me having to go in so often to tell jeremiah to get back in bed and give him a few swats…well it ruined it for josiah!

well this is turning out to be a pretty long post. i’m so sorry i haven’t been posting again, and i’m sorry i haven’t been visiting again. i waste so much time online and don’t just do what i need to do!! UGH! i love you guys! HUGS! now maria’s update, as promised:

an update was sent today!!!! i am so thrilled i have tears in my eyes. PRAISE THE LORD!!! thanks so much to everyone who prayed and please continue!
(referring to post http://www.blessedmama.net/blog/?p=903)

[quote]

Dear Family and Friends,

In response to the email I sent about baby Maria on Friday, I am not sure there has been a comparable outpouring of emails and prayers in our ministry.Â? I want all of you to know how profoundly impacted we have been by your words and prayers for this situation.Â? There is no other word for what has happened but MIRACLE.

On Friday night, Maria took a turn for the worse with a fever that spiked and fluid that kept building on her stomach.� The doctor moved her to ICU and they put her on oxygen and immediately began to extract the fluid.� Her bowels and urinary tract shut down from the swelling and Maria’s condition became critical.� They did an ultrasound of the abdomen on Saturday morning and found she had received a severe blow to the stomach.� The doctors suspect she was most likely kicked.� (Hang on, it gets better after this point.)

When I called Alina on Saturday and found out, I told her of all the emails I had received and that I knew God was going to respond to the brokenness everyone prayed in for Maria.� Alina told me JUST A FEW HOURS AFTER WE TALKED THAT MARIA’S SWELLING WENT DOWN.� Not a few days, a few hours!� I do not care where anyone else stands on the issue theologically because I KNOW Jesus stills does miracles through those of us that are His children.� I have seen it time and time again with my own eyes and this just further proves it.

By Sunday, Alina said Maria actually SMILED for the first time!Â? Her bodily functions started back again normally and the doctor allowed her to be given milk for the first time.Â? When I saw her yesterday, I cringed for a different reason.Â? After the swelling subsided, it was clear she was extremely malnourished compared to last November when she left.Â? Alina gave her the allowed portion of milk and she screamed uncontrollably for 30 minutes begging for more.Â? It ripped my heart out to watch her do this yesterday.Â? Alina warned me but there is absolutely nothing like hearing a starving child beg for more food.

Today, they increased the amount of milk again and she is much happier after eating but still cries some when it is empty.� We do not doubt that she was hungry the entire five months her parents had her in their home.� When I walked in the room today, Alina had dressed her in a lavender body suit with a matching lacy headband in her hair.� I was so sorry I didn’t have my camera with me!� Alina has successfully treated the horrific amount of head lice and there are no more signs.� Although her skin is still very bruised and scarred, Maria is definitely showing she is a fighter!

Alina has barely left Maria’s side since Friday except to sleep and shower but she told me this Sunday.� “I know people are praying for me to have energy and strength because I feel it.� I am not one bit tired and I feel like I could just keep going and going.� I see and feel what The Lord is doing through prayer and I am so very thankful to everyone who is praying for us.”� I can only add “Amen” to her statement.

I ask for you to pray specifically for a possible opportunity for me to present before the European Union Parliamentarians next week.� After my email went out last Friday, our friends in Texas forwarded me the email of a family on their way to Brussels to discuss the insanity of Romania’s moratorium on international adoptions.� Through that email, I got connected with the family who are in meetings today and then asked if I would be willing to testify and present Maria’s case along with a few others.� Please pray for The Lord to give me this opportunity if it is His will.� This could be a major opportunity to impact changes in the legislation here.

I found out the mother will not be jailed because she is pregnant (they refuse to jail pregnant women here) but we are waiting to hear if they jailed the father.Â? Please pray for the other children in the home.Â? I am afraid of what will be found.

I am tremendously humbled by your prayers and support.Â? I hope to soon send you a much happier photo of baby Maria!Â? My Redeemer lives!

Basking In The Son,

Michelle

Michelle Kelly Sims, MSW

Founder and Executive Director

Children In The Son, Inc.

www.ChildrenInTheSon.com

email:Â? michelle@childrenintheson.com

Mark 10:45 “For even the son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” [/quote]

please pray for my friend rob.

he is having some pains in his stomach and is just feeling very ‘off’. he has a dr’s appointment on wednesday to see what is up, and he’s VERY nervous about it. please keep him in your prayers.

thanks you!!

guess who is sleeping in the boys’ room tonight?

THE BOYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

it’s been almost 2 hours and they are both (still) asleep!!!!!!!!!

—

almost two hours later, at about midnight, the silence was broken. jeremiah woke up crying, waking josiah up, who began screaming. jeremiah was consolable. josiah was not.

in the end, i brought josiah to bed with me AGAIN. jerry and i got very little sleep.

looking forward to naptime. no, really, it should be SO MUCH FUN.

i know, it seems this is almost all i post anymore, doesn’t it?!?!? i wanted to post about how i won the worst mother of the year award yesterday, but this is more important.

very dear friends of jerry’s and mine live in romania. their names are daniel and michelle. daniel was jerry’s roommate for years in college, and he was our best man in our wedding. he and michelle met online, when she was in romania working in a infant shelter that she started. they fell in love, and he followed her there. over the years they have sent us prayer request for general things. romania is a totally EVIL country.
anyway i got an email yesterday that is just HEARTbreaking. i waited until she said i could pass it along (you never know with security issues). i am also including the link to their ministry site, in case anyone wants to donate to their organization. thanks so much and please please pray.
Dear Family and Friends,

All of us at our ministry in Romania ask for your fervent prayers today. To begin this story, Alina, our Romanian employee for our “Arms of Mercy” project has been working in the Children’s hospital for three years now. She has become profoundly attached to several children over the years and, praise The Lord, most left the hospital and had happy endings. Last November, Alina was told that the parents of her favorite baby, Maria, would be coming to take her home. (Let me preface this by telling you that her mother gave birth, left Maria at the hospital and never visited her again until the day she took her home.) Maria was walking, talking, smiling, laughing, singing and dancing when she left the hospital and so bonded to Alina. Alina was very upset the local Child Protection officials were allowing this to happen but we were told the new laws give the parents the right to “reclaim” their child at any time. The Child Protection is supposed to do a home study and follow-up with the family. They did not.

Two days ago, Maria was found on the side of the road ironically enough by an ambulance driver. He couldn’t imagine that he was seeing a child lying helpless on the side of the road but he stopped and took her vital signs and found she was barely alive. He rushed her to the Children’s Hospital were she lay alone for two days because no one wanted to upset Alina. When Alina found out this morning, she hurried to the section and promptly fell apart at what she saw. Maria was beaten and bruised from the top of her head to her tiny, swollen toes. She has open wounds and scars all over her once flawless skin. There is not one part of her little body without injury. She has signs of cigarette burns all over her body including this one near her ear.

When Daniel and I got the call this afternoon from Alina, we immediately went to the hospital and were devastated by our initial visit. All of the light and life in Maria’s beautiful eyes are gone. She shrieks from the pain and from sheer fear that someone strange will hurt her again. The dual black eyes on such a precious little face are haunting but not nearly as haunting as her screams of terror when someone other than Alina gets close.

Here are photos of her bruised face and feet:

My soul is rocked to the inner most core and I go back and forth between crying and outrage. I really feel like I must do something so the world will know the new laws Romania has for child welfare are anything but focused on the child’s true welfare. All of this so Romania can enter the European Union. Plus, no one wants to be bothered with gypsy children so they are more than happy to return them to parents rather than having to feed another gypsy mouth. Heaven forbid if those same precious gypsy children are allowed to be adopted internationally! What a crime that would be! (Sarcasm most definitely intended.) I talked with our board chairman this afternoon and we will work on some ideas of how to approach this.

Alina went with Maria today to the forensic doctor who immediately filed a criminal report and got the local Child Protection involved. The Child Protection official promised Alina that Maria’s parents would be jailed and their rights terminated. Maria’s biological mother is pregnant with her 10th child and another child approximately 6 months old abandoned in the hospital. The six other children at home are at risk and I hope they will be removed promptly and placed in homes but they will likely be placed in orphanages.

Please pray for Alina especially as she cares for Maria and tries to re-establishing the bond between them. Alina, without additional pay, has volunteered to stay with Maria all day every day. Pray for her strength and patience as they have stuck her in a room with six other abandoned toddlers.

Here is Alina cuddling Maria and assuring her she is going to be fine:

And pray the stripes Jesus bore for us as He suffered on the cross would be the Power to bring healing to Maria’s tiny body. Seeing this innocent child so battered and bruised today was a grim reminder of the Innocent Lamb slain so that I may have eternal life. I praise Jesus for what He did for me and I praise Him in advance for what He will do for Maria.

We wish a Happy Easter to all of you celebrating this weekend. Daniel and I have decided to celebrate Easter next weekend since most of Romanians celebrate the Eastern Orthodox Easter. We hope it will be a time of focus on the resurrection of Jesus from the dead which separates our religion from all others in the world. Allow His name to bring forth power and life to you!

Basking In The Son,

Michelle

Michelle Kelly Sims, MSW

Founder and Executive Director

Children In The Son, Inc.

http://www.ChildrenInTheSon.com

[/quote]

we just got back from the indianapolis zoo!!!
what an adventure!
first of all, we left an hour after we’d planned to leave (we can never leave on time it seems!)
the ride there was fine, but as SOON as we pulled in to pay for parking, jeremiah threw up all over!! he had been chewing on a shoestring and the end had come off in his mouth, so he was gagging on it. i guess he inherited his mama’s gag reflex, so he kept gagging and vomiting. UGH. it got all over his pants and his jacket.
thankfully i’d packed that extra outfit, BUT it was shorts, and it was still very chilly out. so the poor boy wore a purple sweatshirt of my mom’s for the first hour or so!!
we got to see many of his favorite animals – elephants, dolphins, giraffes, zebras, seals, walruses, barely saw tigers (they were hiding!). the lions were hiding really well so we didn’t see anything but the backside of one lying in the sun.
we didn’t see the hippos or pandas – need to find out if they even have them there.

josiah also enjoyed it, though he slept much of the time.

my mom bought a year membership for us, so we WILL be returning. it was lots of fun. next time maybe we can stay longer, but who knew going to the zoo with two little ones could be so exhausting???

when we got home, jeremiah requested to see his favorite video – filming of the san diego zoo. so i guess he’s not tired of animals yet!

in case anyone is wondering, my dear husband is on vacation from the nursing home this week! can you see me dancing, doing the happy happy dance of joy??? how well you know me, then! he still works fedex but you wouldn’t believe the difference of having him home during the day!!!!!!! such relief, fun and joy. his boys (and his wife!) sure love him.

please pray that the rest of his vacation can be fun and rewarding to us all. we are on a tight budget, but still want to spend time together that isn’t in front of the tv.

pictures will follow soon, i promise!!!

ETA: pics are uploading right now! i added new april ones as well. i know, february and march need to be filled, don’t they!? eek! direct link to the zoo pics: http://www.blessedmama.net/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=6696&g2_navId=x866a8ba6

ETA!!! i have all the zoo pics up now – i had to go to bed before they were all uploaded last night.

sniffle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!