New babies

Two of my good friends have had new babies in the past couple weeks and I've enjoyed getting to meet both of them.

First, my good friend and physician mentor, Amy, had her third baby, William David "Will" on April 29. Her now 20-month-old twins , Grace and Faith, are the sweetest girls ever and are great big sisters to Baby Will.

Then my friend Robyn had her third baby, sweet Ellie Grace, on May 6. Ellie already has two great big sisters, Keira (3) and Claire (19 months).

Signs! (Foto Friday)

This one is from California Adventure (no I didn't take it this week)

I love this street sign because one of my kittens is named Butterscotch, and I call her Scotch or Scotchly for short. :)

To see more SIGNS, visit Rebecca's blog!

Red! (Foto Friday)

I haven't been feeling too creative or had much extra time lately, so this is the best I could do for red. :)

To participate in Foto Friday or see others' representations of RED, visit Rebecca's blog!

Blue! (Foto Friday)

Kittens on their bunkbed

Story-bookish house

To participate in Foto Friday, visit Rebecca's blog.

Lots of Lines (Foto Friday)

This week's photo challenge was "Lines". To participate in this week's Foto Friday and see others' photos of lines, visit Rebecca's blog!

Seize the Day

My hands were busy through the day
I didn't have much time to play
The little games you asked me to,
I didn't have much time for you.
I'd wash your clothes, I'd sew and cook,
But when you'd bring your picture book
And asked me please to share your fun,
I'd say,"A little later, Son."
I'd tuck you in all safe at night
And hear your prayers, turn out the light,
Then tiptoe softly to the door...
I wish I'd stayed a minute more.

For life is short, the years rush past...
A little boy grows up so fast.
No longer is he at your side,
His precious secrets to confide.
The picture books are put away,
There are no longer games to play,
No good-night kiss, no prayers to hear,
That all belongs to yesteryear.
My hands, once busy, now are still.
The days are long and hard to fill.
I wish I could go back and do
The little things you asked me to!

Random Survey

1. What time did you get up this morning? 5:30ish maybe? I couldn't sleep.

2. How do you like your steak? Very well done if I eat it at all.

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? New Moon maybe? I don't see a lot of theatre movies.

4. What is your favorite TV show? Grey's Anatomy. Or Bones.

5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? Here (Colton/Loma Linda). I don't like change.

6. What did you have for breakfast? Oatmeal. Plain.

7. What is your favorite cuisine? Honestly? American. But I do like Thai, Mexican, and Chinese.

8. What foods do you dislike? Any seafood/fish other than canned tuna and fish sticks

9. Favorite Place to Eat? I'm not sure...I'm always so indecisive.

10. Favorite dressing? Italian or ranch.

11.What kind of vehicle do you drive? 1999 Green Ford Escort and I love it.

12. What are your favorite clothes? Jeans and tennis shoes. Although sometimes I do like dressing up.

13. Where would you visit if you had the chance? Canada, Europe, Hawaii

14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? The cup usually isn't even half empty...it's completely empty!

15. Where would you want to retire? Here I guess. But I don't really feel like retiring right now.

16. Favorite time of day? Nap time?

17. Where were you born? At Stanford Hospital in Palo Alto, California.

18. What is your favorite sport to watch? Baseball.

19. Bird watcher? What? No, not except when I was taking a zoology class.

20. Are you a morning person or a night person? Neither.

21. Do you have any pets? Two cats and a fish.

22. What did you want to be when you were little? A mom.

23. What is your best childhood memory? Going fun places with my family and playing with my siblings.

24. Are you a cat or dog person? Cat.

25. Are you married? No.

26. Always wear your seat belt? Yes...me and anyone else who's in my car.

27. Been in a car accident? A few, but none of them were very major or my fault.

28. Any pet peeves? Spelling and grammatical errors. People who smoke.

29. Favorite Pizza Toppings? Cheese.

30. Favorite Flower? Anything pretty.

31. Favorite ice cream? Chocolate Chip

32. Favorite fast food restaurant? Subway

33. How many times did you fail your driver's test? Zero

34. From whom did you get your last email? Petsmart or facebook...

35. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? The idea of maxing out my credit card at any store is not very appealing.

36. Do anything spontaneous lately? I'm really more of a planner.

37. Like your job? Working with autistic kids? Yes, it's challenging but very rewarding. Babysitting? Of course, all I've ever wanted is a baby of my own.

38. Broccoli? Sure, if someone else fixes it for me.

39. What was your favorite vacation? Going to Yosemite with my family

40. Last person you went out to dinner with? The young adult group at my church

41. What are you listening to right now? Marvelous Light by Charlie Hall

42. What is your favorite color? Green

43. How many tattoos do you have? None

Loving (Foto Friday)

This week's photo challenge was "Loving". And what more perfect form of love is there than Christ's death on the cross for us! To participate in this and other Foto Fridays (and see some others' cool representations of "Loving"), check out Rebecca's blog.

Emma

2 Timothy 4:6-8
"For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing."

A week ago sweet Emma finished her race and entered the presence of her Heavenly Father. She is whole and perfect and basking in the presence of Jesus Christ. Please pray for her family - while we rejoice for Emma, we grieve for those left behind to miss her.

God knows

All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Psalm 139:16
I came across this verse today, and it just encouraged me to think of how God knows everything that has and will happen in my life...nothing in my life surprises him. He has a perfect plan for my life and knows exactly what is best for me.

Paul Wesley Green

Please pray for this little guy and his family during this difficult time!

35 comments for $35

I may or may not make it back on here today for Foto Friday, but meanwhile, this blogger is donating $35 to World Vision to provide needed medicines to children in poor countries for every 35 comments she receives on this post! Head over and leave a comment sometime today to help her reach her goal and you'll also be entered in a fun giveaway!

Little Feet (Foto Friday)

Kitten Feet

Baby Feet (Footprints)

Big feet (slightly sunburned from wearing flip flops)


Visit Rebecca's blog to see lots more little feet!

"Oh I Want To Know You More" (Steve Green)

Oh Lord, let this be the constant prayer of my heart

I pray for life

Water (Foto Friday)

Visit Rebecca's Blog to see other pictures of water from this week's Foto Friday, or for details on how to participate in next week's challenge!

Black and White (Foto Friday)

Visit Rebecca's blog to see other "Black and White" pictures from this week's challenge or to participate in next week's Foto Friday!

A Slight Breeze (Foto Friday)

I am a novice photographer, and was hard-pressed to find wind with the 100+ degree temperatures we've been having, but did manage to to catch a little breeze. :)

To participate in Foto Friday, visit Rebecca at Renaissance.

Take My Life and Let It Be

We sang this song at church a few weeks ago, and the first part really struck me...
"Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee. Take my moments and my days, let them flow in ceaseless praise."
As I sang these words, I really started to think...what would my moments and days truly look like if they were flowing in ceaseless praise to my Savior and King? Yes, I do try to live my life for Christ, but I don't think I am really that conscious of how I am living my life moment by moment. In the little decisions I make throughout my day, is my life honoring Christ?
"In everything I say and do, let my life honor you, here I am living for your glory"

Rain

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy mother's day to all the mothers out there!

Happy Easter!

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.' " Then they remembered his words.
-Luke 24:1-8

And the winner is...

Using this random interger generator, I selected a winner for my baby hat giveaway. And the winner is...
Result: 4
Beth!!!
Congratulations Beth, please contact me at anb1122@live.com and let me know what hat you would like!

Baby Hat giveaway!

I make knit baby hats, and am giving one away as a prize through 5 Minutes for Mom's Ultimate Blog Party. The hat is prize number 124, but there are a bunch of other great prizes, so be sure to check it out! If I win a prize, I'd love to win (in order) number 19, 21, 22, 58, 7, or 118, or, in no particular order, number 27, 26, 13, 5, 1, 23, 102, 51, 52, 45, or 77. But really, I think it would be fun to win any prize! I will also be giving away a baby hat separately from the blog party, so leave a comment below stating why you would like to win one, and I'll choose a winner on March 28.

Prayers for a little baby

A childhood friend of mine had her second baby, Mia Amore, on February 4. And this precious baby girl has been in the NICU struggling to breathe on her own and fighting for her life ever since. Please pray for baby Mia, and visit her family's website to learn more about her and see the latest prayer requests.

It's a good thing...

...he wasn't president when he was born, or he just might not have been!

I have never...

Or rather, I have done the things in bold below:

Started your own blog (more than one, actually)

Slept under the stars

Played in a band

Visited Hawaii

Watched a meteor shower

Given more than you can afford to charity

Been to Disneyland/world

Climbed a mountain

Held a praying mantis

Sang a solo

Bungee jumped

Visited Paris

Watched a lightning storm at sea

Taught yourself an art from scratch

Adopted a child

Had food poisoning (probably)

Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

Seen the Mona Lisa in France

Slept on an overnight train

Had a pillow fight

Hitchhiked

Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

Built a snow fort

Held a lamb (in Peru)

Gone skinny dipping (does it count if I had my suit on?)

Been to a Broadway show in NY

Ran a Marathon

Been in three states at once

Ridden in a gondola in Venice

Seen a total eclipse

Watched a sunrise or sunset

Hit a home run

Been on a Cruise

Seen Niagra Falls in Person

Visited the birthplace of your Ancestors (I wouldn't know where that is, but I have been to Bristow, Oklahoma)

Seen an Amish community

Taught yourself a new language

Had enough money to be truly satisfied (if only money would truly satisfy...)

Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

Gone rock climbing

Seen Michelangelo’s David

Sung karaoke

Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

Visited Africa

Walked on a beach by moonlight (sort of...we didn't walk far)

Been transported in an ambulance

Had your portrait painted

Gone deep sea fishing

Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

Gone scuba diving or snorkeling (and I was so terrified I almost wouldn't get out of the boat!)

Kissed in the rain

Played in the mud (my favorite childhood pastime!)

Been to Grace Kelley’s grave in Monaco

Gone to a drive-in theater

Been in a movie

Visited the Great Wall of China

Started a business

Taken a martial arts class

Swam in the Mediterranean Sea

Visited Russia

Served at a soup kitchen (homeless shelter?)

Sold Girl Scout cookies (I've bought them)

Gone whale watching

Gotten flowers for no reason

Donated blood, platelets or plasma (I do it every 8 weeks)

Gone sky diving

Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

Bounced a check

Saved a favorite childhood toy (I saved nearly all of them, actually)

Visited the Lincoln Memorial

Eaten Caviar

Pieced a quilt

Stood in Times Square

Toured the Everglades

Been fired from a job

Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

Broken a bone (my 2nd toe)

Been on a speeding motorcycle

Seen the Grand Canyon in person

Published a book

Visited the Vatican

Bought a brand new car

Walked in Jerusalem

Had your picture in the newspaper

Read the entire Bible

Visited the White House

Killed and prepared my own meat

Had chickenpox

Saved someone’s life

Sat on a jury

Met someone famous

Joined a book club

Lost a loved one

Had a baby

Seen the Alamo in person

Swam in the Great Salt Lake

Been involved in a law suit

Owned a cell phone

Been stung by a bee

What is this country coming to???

My older sister lives in LA. So on Friday, she's driving her car, and a lady runs a stop sign, causing my sister to hit the lady's car. Now, the lady doesn't speak any English (my sister speaks fluent Spanish, however, so they can still converse) and doesn't even have a driver's license. She also has no auto insurance. My sister calls the police, but when they arrive, they refuse to make an accident report. So basically, they do nothing, when this lady is here illegally, driving without a license, and has no car insurance?!?! At the very least they should have written her a ticket and impounded the car. Or at least made an accident report! Now that is jacked up!!!

a word of life

"God is higher than anything and anyone,
outshining everything you can see in the skies.
Who can compare with God, our God,
so majestically enthroned,
Surveying his magnificent
heavens and earth?
He picks up the poor from out of the dirt,
rescues the wretched who've been thrown out with the trash,
Seats them among the honored guests,
a place of honor among the brightest and best.
He gives childless couples a family,
gives them joy as the parents of children.
Hallelujah!"
(Psalm 113:4-9, The Message)

Haha

The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), the FBI, and the CIA want to see who is best at catching perps. So a rabbit is released into the forest, and each of them has to catch it.
The CIA goes in. They place animal informants throughout the forest. They question all plant and mineral witnesses. After months of extensive investigation, they conclude that rabbits do not exist.
The FBI goes in. After two weeks with no leads, they burn the forest, killing everything in it, including the rabbit.
The LAPD goes in. They come out two hours later, dragging a bruised mountain lion behind them. The mountain lion is yelling, "Okay! Okay! I'm a rabbit! I'm a rabbit!"

Joy to the World