How They Really Are

The looks in this picture are perfect! They are all showing their personality. I can't wait until about 10-12 years from now......12, 13 and 15 year old girls.

Why Not the Fourth Too?

We went four for four on this one....Today, String Bean had her tubes put in and adenoids removed. I tried to convince them to take her tonsils too, but her age and size of her tonsils did not permit it. This is the fifth time Dr. Newton Duncan has operated on our four children. It's old hat for us it seems. His office and business efficiency is one I wish more doctors would emulate. Even he was surprised that all four have had to do this. I'm not sure how all of the sinus - ear infections thing really works, but I know our four have it down pat. The older three have responded beautifully and this surgery made all the difference for them. I am just thrilled we finally got it done for String Bean. The days of hearing loss and 30 straight days of antibiotics are hopefully behind us.

String Bean and I arrived at the surgery center just after 8:00 and we were on our way home at 10am. She did wonderful. When we arrived in the pre-op room, there were two of her favorite things..........rocking chairs. She got hers and I got mine. She played with the doctors and stickers and rocked away. Just before they took her back, I kissed her on the head and the wonderful anesthesiologist picked her up and off they went. She insisted on taking her feet braces with her and only cried once I was out of sight. It really wasn't so bad. I had a twinge of 'wishing I could go with her' feelings and then it was off to the waiting room.

I barely had time to get out my reading material before Dr. Duncan came to get me. She was done! Under 30 minutes. Very routine. She did not think it was so routine when she woke up. It was all my fault. I forgot - actually never even crossed my mind, that her 'pacifier' is her left hand. Unfortunately, her IV was in her left hand and there was no way to get it in her mouth. She pulled at it, cried at me and was basically unhappy until it came out. Poor thing. I felt terrible.

We had a nice quiet day at home with one sister in Dallas visiting cousins, the older two at school and Nana here to help. The anesthesia wore off without complications and she took a great nap. It was nice to have a day at home without a lot of rushing around. String Bean ate and ate and ate - everything except for the Sonic slush. I still don't understand who could not like one of those, but she clearly doesn't. She did not really feel like eating when we ventured out to one of our favorites - Chuy's.

Other than a little bit of 'cranky' and pitiful our day went very well. I am so thankful for the Lord's provision for String Bean......a wonderful doctor and his available schedule, Nana who could come help, adaptable older children, excellent medical care at the center, a flawless procedure and an easy-going patient. She even had me and the nurses rolling with laughter in recovery with her sad cries for help with IV. I love this girl!!

My Apologies

I have no idea how it happened............but there was a post and an email that seems to have originated from my blog that was clearly spam. I have reset all of my passwords and run all the virus scans. Please accept my apologies for the annoying inconvenience.

Local Ladies Only

I have to blog just because I want this information to be in the hands of the NEHBC ladies and the women they know and love. Who knows when I may blog again, but ladies, please look over this list and see if God is calling you to one of these studies.

We are very excited about the Spring Women’s Bible Studies at NEHBC! Please consider joining us for one of these studies as you walk along your busy life journey. There are 5 studies this semester that are being held in different places at different times.

Sign up by contacting Nicole Lino. 281.804-3466 or nrlino@nehbc.com

Freedom for Mothers

Tuesdays 6:45pm at the home of Michelle Dickerson

$15 - begins January 25

Journey into God’s Word to discover the fullness and freedom you can experience as a woman and as a mother. You will find the source to fill your “love bucket,” recognize common mothering traps and deal decisively with self-defeating habits. Based on John 15.

The Book of James

Tuesdays 7:00pm at the home of Gail Black

Free - begins January 25

A systematic walk through the book of James allows you to discover the deep truths for biblical living.

The Book of James

Wednesdays 9:30am at NEHBC, led by Pam Bentley

Free - begins January 19

A systematic walk through the book of James allows you to discover the deep truths for biblical living.

Wisdom for Mothers

Wednesdays 10am at the home of Nicole Lino

$15 -  begins January 26

Biblical answers to your important questions about marriage, children and work. In addition to the Bible study, you will learn to improve your mothering skills and will find helpful mothering tips designed for moms of all ages at the end of each lesson. Based on Proverbs 31.

David, Seeking a Heart Like His (Beth Moore)

Thursdays 10am at NEHBC, led by Debra Polk

$15 - begins January 27

He was a man loved and annointed by God, and his life serves as an example-both good and bad-for Christians in every time and place. In this in-depth look at the life of David, Beth Moore draws spiritual insight and understanding from a man who slayed a giant and saved a kingdom.

Thank You Grandpa

Grandpa arrived early this morning with this little treasure.........

Who knows how long he will last in our backyard, but the kids are thinking of names.

Recovery and Reality

The time difference is only 8 hours. I didn't have any kids with me. How hard could it be? Eeeesssshhhh. We had some long days thrown into our 10 day trip to Greece and then 25 hours of traveling home that was very rushed and not in the least bit relaxing. I expected an onslaught of 'mommy, guess what', 'mommy, come here', 'mommy, I (fill in the blank)' upon my arrival and was not disappointed. What I was not prepared for was for those sweet voices to become overly whiny and cranky in a matter of hours of my arrival. To their credit, they were absolutely wonderful while I was away. I think they were just saving it up for me. The combination of what they saved for me and my own crankiness has made the transition back into the world of Six Linos reality very interesting. My sweet husband did finally tell me to go to bed because I was the one that was cranky.

Well, I have slept.........done laundry, cooked dinner, tended to four kids, gone to Bible study, made a big grocery run, cleaned house and volunteered at the school. I would like to say that all is good now, but I think it will take us a few more days to get into our 'you really have to do what mommy says on the first try' routine. Amidst my crankiness and bad attitude, the Lord gave me a dose of reality. He reminded me of an alternative to my stable, joyful, fairly predictable existence.

A friend from high school facing cancer in her 6 year old's body does not have such a predictable, stable life.............

At first, Round 2 seemed easier than the first go -- the drugs were familiar, the place itself was familiar.  But I have to admit that it's all beginning to unravel.  The newness has worn off.  Hospital living is not fun.  Cancer stinks.  Our life has been turned upside down and shaken around and feels like it is still lying in shambles.  We have not even begun to pick up the pieces, really.  Today I told Jason, "It just feels like we are on pause, like we are not really living life.  How are we supposed to live this life?"

I hate the way I sound when I complain like this....I beat myself up for complaining, and stuff it all in and put on my strong face...but then I find myself sobbing all the way to the airport to see my sister off, and snapping at Adah, and wanting to do anything but face this whole thing.  There are shining moments, and many blessings we can give thanks for.  Adah herself was pointing them out last night.  "If I hadn't gotten sick, I would never have met...(here she listed several people who have become dear to us, most prominent among them, Dr. Ami)."  She is right. 

But it's still hard, and I am kicking against the goads right now in my spirit.  Longing for something resembling normalcy, for mornings at home and home-cooked food and walks outside and snuggling with both girls and no IVs, for baths and routine and uninterrupted sleep, homeschool, anything.  And yet I know that as comforting as those things are, in God alone is true rest, contentment, and peace.  He is our home.  There is a table spread for us in this valley...but sometimes I feel like I am just groping along picking up scraps.

How pitiful must I look before the sovereign God who sustains and gives life abundantly to me? Not only does my family suffer through this bad attitude of mine, but more importantly, I have failed miserably to bring glory to Him alone. I am ashamed to think of the opportunities I have missed over the past two days to disciple my children (instead of sending them upstairs to play) or worse yet, share my story of life change with people I encounter.

Sleep won't fix this. Only my time with the Lord and a spirit of humility and willingness for my life to not be about me will make the days ahead a pleasing sight unto the Lord - or anyone around me for that matter.

I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Psalm 108:3-4

A Glimpse of Greece

This is a slideshow of a good number of the photos I took on my recent trip to Greece. It is nothing compared to the over 2000 pictures one of my teammates took! Most of the pictures won't mean much to you without some explanation, but they will give you an idea of what happened over 10 days. Friends that are going to Greece in a few days...........your hotel in Thess is pictured (think small and orange blankets) and your hotel in Athens is not the one that we stayed in so ignore the Holiday Inn. In some of the ruins pictures you can see the old city roads with grooves where chariots drove, the bema where Paul was chained before Roman authorities and so much more. I will pick out specific pictures to post later with explanations.