as suggested by THIS blog, asked us to share this photo to aid in the Church publicity department, if you too want to help, all you do is share this photo on your blog! pretty easy huh?
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Salt Lake Temple
as suggested by THIS blog, asked us to share this photo to aid in the Church publicity department, if you too want to help, all you do is share this photo on your blog! pretty easy huh?
Monday, September 27, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
Bobby McFerrin - Don't Worry Be Happy
Our family has been working on attitudes and stress, so we have adopted these two songs to remind us!
Family, isn't it about Time?
Family, isn't it about Time?
Thursday, September 16, 2010
The adoption Journey We are opening our hearts and home and would love YOUR support!
Dear Family and Friends,
We want to share our exciting news with you!
We have decided to expand our family through adoption and are busily getting
ready to welcome our new child!
For us, the difficult part of this process - other than the waiting - is the expense. As some of you may know, adoption expenses include agency fees, legal fees, document preparation costs, travel expenses and more.
We have been saving for some time, but are still seeking ways to raise more funds for our wonderful venture.
We recently learned of a program through OneCause and the National Adoption Foundation that we think will help us make
our adoption dream come true.
OneCause is a nontraditional fundraising program that will help us earn the funds we need through everyday opportunities, such as shopping at hundreds of name-brand merchants online or in stores and catalogs, through purchasing gift certificates, by using the OneCause credit card, or through a variety of other easy programs.
We're really excited about this program and wanted to let you know that you can participate and help us build our family by becoming a member of OneCause.
There's absolutely no cost or hassle to you - just do what you do everyday and we will earn credit toward our adoption costs!
Here's How You Can Help
1. Become a registered member of OneCause. Simply go to www.onecause.com and register as a OneCause member. This only takes a minute and you'll be on your way to helping us out.
2. Once you have registered, find the "Dues Crediting" field at the bottom of the online registration screen. You will see a field called "Benefiting." Enter our registered email address and your contributions will automatically begin to benefit us. Our Registered Email address is: deannaggg@yahoo.com
3. Begin shopping at hundreds of OneCause merchants online, in stores, and through catalogs. You'll earn a merchant contribution on each purchase, a percentage of which will go toward our adoption credit. Remember to begin all of your online shopping at OneCause so we earn credit!
4. Consider signing up for and using the OneCause Visa card for all of your purchases. On every purchase you make with the card - no matter where you make it - the National Adoption Foundation earns a 1% contribution, part of which goes toward our adoption. To sign up, go to visa.onecause.com or call 1-800-297-1286 and use code 28B8. Once your card arrives, be sure to activate, register your card, and start shopping!
5. Ask us about other OneCause opportunities to help us earn adoption credit!
That's all there is to it!
Please call or email us with any questions you may have regarding our situation. We are always excited and happy to talk about this wonderful adventure.
When our child arrives home to us, we will contact you with our happy news.
Thank you so much for helping us bring our child home.
Register with OneCause and help us build our family! www.onecause.com
Abigel Arvina turns 12!
My Spitfire turned 12 today, she is such a fun kid, and draws so much light and happiness towards her. She is without malice, and guile, she is all sweetheart.
So much fun,
she also puts her needs aside to ensure that others are being taken care of.
When she was in preschool, and won a prize or got a treat (package of smarties) she would hold the candy in her sweaty little hands until we got home just so she could share with sister and daddy.
Always she loves and endures s much for us. We are so grateful for her!
I took her to get a haircut and we enjoyed lunch with daddy, I have to say, it took some convincing to get the stylist to cut it short enough in back, but WE LOVE IT!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Principals in Parenting I learned from the scriptures
Scripture study on Teaching our children
Who are we? Deut. 14: 1
Ye are the children of the Lord your God:
Ps. 82: 6 I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.
Rom. 8: 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
What should we be doing?
1 Tim. 3: 4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
Definition of : subjection a : to bring under control or dominion : subjugate b : to make (as oneself) amenable to the discipline and control of a superior
Definition of : Gravity a : dignity or sobriety of bearing b : importance, significance; especially : seriousness c : a serious situation or problem
What our households should look like
1 Tim. 5: 4 But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.
Definition of PIETY: a: fidelity to natural obligations (as to parents) b : dutifulness in religion : devoutness
Definitions of requite: to make suitable return to for a benefit or service
What we do when we love our Father in Heaven
1 Jn. 5: 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
After reading and explaining these scriptures we have come to understand better our roles as Heavenly Fathers children, we understand he expects us as Parents to Love the children (easy…right?) he expects us to guide them teach them to respect us, teach them to anticipate the return of service, you can decipher that to mean whatever you would like but The way I see it: If you are grateful for a service rendered, you will reciprocate that service, you will have a desire to improve the lives of those around you in any way you are capable, including but not limited to, obeying, cheerfully doing your obligations , seeking out opportunities to please those that have served you.
Imagine your children learning this principle, and applying it through their entire lives: as an employee, or student, neighbor, friend, they show their gratitude for employment or the time of a teacher who engages the in studies by :following through with their studies, or doing a job well, and then seeking out additional ways to exemplify this principal, going the extra mile. Imagine how much farther our kids will progress if they could master this skill.
We applied this principal in our studies to our family environment, as the Mommy I agree and commit to being loving, kind and nurturing the children, in return the children agree to serve, respect and obey the Mommy.
If you wonder how those with large families can cope and manage, it is by applying this principal, by leaving the duties to Mom which are divinely ordained and allowing her to embody the Christ-Like love towards her children, she is not worn thin by doing too much, and she is fulfilled by being served.
I think they call this a Win-Win situation in the work force!
If you would like a better explanation feel free to contact me, and I will do my best to clarify.
But remember : if this principal is hard to swallow (it was for me at first!) you may need to spend some time in prayer and scripture study to understand a LOVING way to approach this change in your family.
Who are we? Deut. 14: 1
Ye are the children of the Lord your God:
Ps. 82: 6 I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.
Rom. 8: 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
What should we be doing?
1 Tim. 3: 4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
Definition of : subjection a : to bring under control or dominion : subjugate b : to make (as oneself) amenable to the discipline and control of a superior
Definition of : Gravity a : dignity or sobriety of bearing b : importance, significance; especially : seriousness c : a serious situation or problem
What our households should look like
1 Tim. 5: 4 But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.
Definition of PIETY: a: fidelity to natural obligations (as to parents) b : dutifulness in religion : devoutness
Definitions of requite: to make suitable return to for a benefit or service
What we do when we love our Father in Heaven
1 Jn. 5: 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
After reading and explaining these scriptures we have come to understand better our roles as Heavenly Fathers children, we understand he expects us as Parents to Love the children (easy…right?) he expects us to guide them teach them to respect us, teach them to anticipate the return of service, you can decipher that to mean whatever you would like but The way I see it: If you are grateful for a service rendered, you will reciprocate that service, you will have a desire to improve the lives of those around you in any way you are capable, including but not limited to, obeying, cheerfully doing your obligations , seeking out opportunities to please those that have served you.
Imagine your children learning this principle, and applying it through their entire lives: as an employee, or student, neighbor, friend, they show their gratitude for employment or the time of a teacher who engages the in studies by :following through with their studies, or doing a job well, and then seeking out additional ways to exemplify this principal, going the extra mile. Imagine how much farther our kids will progress if they could master this skill.
We applied this principal in our studies to our family environment, as the Mommy I agree and commit to being loving, kind and nurturing the children, in return the children agree to serve, respect and obey the Mommy.
If you wonder how those with large families can cope and manage, it is by applying this principal, by leaving the duties to Mom which are divinely ordained and allowing her to embody the Christ-Like love towards her children, she is not worn thin by doing too much, and she is fulfilled by being served.
I think they call this a Win-Win situation in the work force!
If you would like a better explanation feel free to contact me, and I will do my best to clarify.
But remember : if this principal is hard to swallow (it was for me at first!) you may need to spend some time in prayer and scripture study to understand a LOVING way to approach this change in your family.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Friday, September 03, 2010
Zeke my Buddy turns 4!!
My little man is growing up, he is such a FUN KID! wherever we go everyone falls in love him (just like his dad)
We got back into town just in time to have this little get together for his Birthday.
I love that no matter what my kids get (whether it be one toy or a dozen) they are THRILLED with a gift.
He had SO much fun.
Wednesday, September 01, 2010
Hannibal, MO Mark Twain caves
As our last Huzzah before we got home we stopped at the Mark Twain caves, Madi guided me right into the camping spot (after we drove over a power box & created a HUGE spark/explosion)
My first and only casualty,
we lounged, did some laundry and took the cave tour (Over priced but interesting)
Then got up bright and early to hit the road home, it was a grueling 3 hour drive, and it went too fast. As we crossed the Mississippi I had an overwhelming and depressing feeling that my traveling days were over.
The freedom of driving away from the town you had just visited, the setting sites on a new unexplored location , and the exciting ever changing movement, we never stood still for our trips, we just kept on plugging along, it was fantastic!
But then we came home, settled into the same old routine and now I still fight the urge to cry each day I wake up in the same place.
Don't get me wrong, I love Missouri, it is beautiful, it is welcoming, it's not the location that breaks my heart, its the fact that every day is ground-hog day.... the same things
over
and
over
never changing,
My first and only casualty,
we lounged, did some laundry and took the cave tour (Over priced but interesting)
Then got up bright and early to hit the road home, it was a grueling 3 hour drive, and it went too fast. As we crossed the Mississippi I had an overwhelming and depressing feeling that my traveling days were over.
The freedom of driving away from the town you had just visited, the setting sites on a new unexplored location , and the exciting ever changing movement, we never stood still for our trips, we just kept on plugging along, it was fantastic!
But then we came home, settled into the same old routine and now I still fight the urge to cry each day I wake up in the same place.
Don't get me wrong, I love Missouri, it is beautiful, it is welcoming, it's not the location that breaks my heart, its the fact that every day is ground-hog day.... the same things
over
and
over
never changing,
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