And The Award Goes To...

...OK. I know that I have been a really bad blogger and probably don't deserve an award, but Amber over at Striving for 31 seemed to think I do, so I will gladly accept. Thanks, Amber. You are always so sweet to think of me, Sister. xoxo




There are some rules with this award and here they are. I am supposed to answer the questions below with only one word. Then I am supposed to nominate 6 other bloggers to receive this darling little award. They must also play along and answer the questions on their blog and pass along the award to their 6 faves. It is so hard to choose just six, but I won't be predictable this time and choose my family (Although they are all my favorites, DUH.) I will throw you all off and choose non-related-to-me-blogs that totally bless my flip flops off! Anyway, here are my answers first...and if you know me, you know that just choosing one word takes a lot of skill, because I sure do love to talk.



1. Where is your cell phone? Charger

2. Your hair? Clean (Just got out of the shower)

3. Your mother? Phenomenal

4. Your father? Affectionate

5. Your favorite food? Sushi

6. Your dream last night? Forgettable

7. Your favorite drink? Lemonade

8. Your dream/goal? Heaven

9. What room are you in? Playroom

10. Your hobby? Packing (We are in the process of moving...this is the only hobby I have time for.)

11. Your fear? Neighbors (After living out in the middle of nowhere, having to deal with neighbors again is a bit unsettling.)

12. Where do you want to be in six years? Closer (To my Heavenly Father. I always want to strive to be closer and closer to HIM than the day before.)

13. Where were you last night? Date

14. Something that you aren't? Lonely (Come on, how could I be with 6 kids!)

15. Muffins? Always

16. Wish list item? Grass (I so want grass at our new place.)

17. Where did you grow up? Cali

18. Last thing you did? Breastfeed

19. What are you wearing? Breastpads

20. Your TV? HUGE

21. Your pets? Karizma's

22. Friends? Constant

23. Your life? Blessed

24. Your mood? Relaxed

25. Missing someone? Yes

26. Vehicle? Mom-mobile

27. Something you're not wearing? Lipstick

28. Your favorite store? Target

29. Your favorite color? Rainbow

30. When was the last time you laughed? Earlier

31. Last time you cried? Tonight

32. Your best friend? Pregnant

33. One place that I could go over and over? Cabin

34. One person who emails you regularly? Sister-in-law

35. Favorite place to eat? Home


Now for my nominations ......

1. Chris over at Joyful Mother

2. L.H. over at Virtuous Living Rocks

3. Dani Joy over at Gospel to Gijon

4. Ohilda over at Bouquet of Blessings

5. Jen over at Very full quiver

6. Jen over at William's Bunch


Thanks to each of the above blogs for always being supportive of me, writing great posts that keep me entertained, and Loving the Lord because it is a godly example to me. Now go check them out, too, and be blessed.

XOXO,
Veronica

I Gotta Feeling That This Year's Gonna Be A Good Year!

Forgive me for not posting sooner. I am so thankful to those of you that have prayed for Tim and his surgery to be a success. Your selflessness to take time and invest in our family by lifting us up in prayer means so much to us.

Tim's surgery was about 2 hours long. As we, his Mom and me, sat in the waiting room on New Year's Eve I was filled with hope. We had a nice time getting in our girl talk. I don't get his Mom to myself often and it is such a treat! (Mom, you make me laugh!!!) When the doctors came out to give us the update when the surgery was over, Mom and I held our breaths. They were smiling, so it had to be good news. All went well.

When he was up in his recovery room, Mom and I were a bit hesitant to enter the room. You see, when he had surgery 2.5 years ago, he was in sooo much pain, that I think we were afraid to possibly be revisiting that kind of episode all over again. However, it was the most pleasant surprise. He was sitting up and looking, well, refreshed. Can you believe it? Refreshed after surgery? I mean, his skin looked so clear and relaxed like he had just had the most luxurious day at the spa! He was in a good mood and so calm. It was a bit shocking for us.

He came home the next day and already I could see a change in his step and in his demeanor. The surgery has to be a success, right? Well, unfortunately, we won't be sure of that until he is weaned off the extra medications he is taking for the incision pain and some of the medications he was on before surgery. However, he did say he can see a difference and the clencher is that ALL of us can see a difference, too!

It has been a long road. One with many tears and prescription bottles and doctors visits. However, God used it mightily in our lives. We have grown so much spiritually during this time. We have learned to be humbled before our God. It has taught our children and myself the importance of kindness and having a servant's heart towards others. It has brought us to our knees in prayer, crying out on Tim's behalf. It has brought many others to their knees on Tim's behalf.

He did take a week off of work, but is already back in the swing of things since yesterday. He said he was even able to not take all the medications he usually takes yesterday, so he has started his weaning process. And, he just walked in the room from waking up this morning and is all smiles. I gotta tell you, mornings were the hardest, and to see that smile in the A.M. is already a sign of success for me.

Thank you, Lord, for answered prayer!!!!!

New Year, New Hope

2010.
Wow, I remember as a little girl just thinking about what I would be like once the year 2000 came and thinking that being 28 years old at that time would make me sooo old. Man, now 28 sounds mighty nice.

2010.
I am so hopeful. I am hoping for big things this coming year. But, the one thing I am most hopeful for is that Tim's back surgery be successful. If you recall back in May he did a trial of the neurostimulator and it went so well, we decided to go ahead and have it implanted. So, the surgery is set to happen tomorrow morning. Here we are over 3.5 years since the accident and hoping that this is the light at the end of this very long and dark tunnel.

Tim will be immobile after the surgery for 4 days or so. They need to do an incision long enough to implant the device and it will be done directly down the middle of his back. Then, during recovery he is to not lift anything over 5 pounds, which means pretty much nothing. So, as little as he holds the baby now, he will not be able to hold her through the next 3 months of her life. It breaks my heart to think of it, but if it means that he will be able to hold her from then on after... well, it is worth the small sacrifice, right?

Please, keep our family in prayer because it will be quite an adjustment and it will take a lot of patience and love and sensitivity towards Tim. We are hopeful that by this time next year he will be off all his medications, holding his children, and basking in the joy of being pain free.

Thanks to you all for your continued support through this time. I started my blog because of his first surgery back in May of 2007. And I recall when we first talked to a doctor about the neurostimulator, we decided it wasn't worth it back then. However, God's plans usually going to differ from ours. We just have to be willing to trust HIM. And trust in Him we will! Please, join us!

Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.


Goodbye, cane!
Goodbye, little-run everyone over in the grocery store-cart!
Goodbye, PAIN!

10 Reasons That Make Me A Mountain Mama

Mountain Mama... just another way of saying, and put a bit more nicely, that I am a little bit hillbilly. This coming from a girl that just 2 years ago would still go to Costco in her high heeled boots. A girl that didn't like to even go grab a gallon of milk from the grocery store without make-up on. A girl that thought dirt was intended only to be on the soles of your feet. Things changed when I came to the mountain. And when yesterday, my Dad came to tell us the well was running very low, and that it may dry up soon, and we need to conserve water, (We get all our water from a well on the property. Drinking water, bathing water, cleaning water, etc.) my head went to a funny place about what to do to conserve and I realized that I am a little bit hillbilly, a lot mountain mama... and yes, I know this is a run-on sentence, but that is not a Mountain Mama characteristic, it is just something I rather enjoy doing, so there.

1. You know you are a Mountain Mama when... you hear "Conserve water" and you think to yourself, "Have the boys water the trees instead of using the bathroom, to conserve water... GREAT IDEA!" (If you don't know what I mean by having the boys water the trees... then you are not at all hillbilly. I know my good friend and fellow Mountain Mama, Tara, FULLY understands.)

2. You know you are a Mountain Mama when... you find the fuzzy Ugg like slippers at Target and do your very best to convince everyone around you that they are in fact SHOES, not slippers, even though your family has made it a point to show you that the tag that came on the shoes, YES SHOES, said 'slippers'.

3. You know you are a Mountain Mama when... the floor of your minivan is littered with gravel, pebbles, dirt clusters and you learn to accept that is just part of your mountain mama vehicle's appeal.

4. You know you are a Mountain Mama when... your suburban mom minivan has transformed into an all terrain vehicle and drives like a 4X4.

5. You know you are a Mountain Mama when... your 3 year old has been missing for 1/2 an hour, you don't notice, your mom at the bottom of the mountain points it out to you because he showed up on her doorstep, and you don't even seem to mind that you didn't notice to begin with. (How'd you like that run on???)

6. You know you are a Mountain Mama when... you consider water from the well, in a tall glass, the most amazing drink (an aphrodisiac, if you will.) IN THE WORLD!

7. You know you are (The husband of..) a Mountain Mama when... you can wear your nice, classy leather jacket around the house on a laid back Sunday and no one asks if you are going somewhere because they know it is just because it is so stinkin' cold up on the mountain!

8. You know you are a Mountain Mama when... when you bake a birthday cake and have to use the high altitude recipe on side of the box to make sure it comes out right.

9. You know you are a Mountain Mama when...your grocery list reads something like this: milk, eggs, bread, 3 pairs of sweat pants, juice, bananas. (My boys go through sweat pants like they are going out of style up here, and on the mountain, sweat pants are always, and I mean always, in style.)

10. You know you are a Mountain Mama when... your child comes into the house with blood pouring down the side of his face and stop to take a picture so you can post it on your blog. Being a mountain mama means you get used to lots of cuts, bruises, blood, and injuries.

OH, how I am going to miss this mountain! We are moving back down into town, so my parents can have their house back. So, with this list I also want to add just 10 of the MANY things I will miss about this place:

1. ...the fresh air.

2. ...the freedom of my children being able to run around freely-sometimes in the nude when they think I haven't noticed-without worry of danger lurking near by, unless you worry about coyotes and snakes and that sort of thing.

3. ...the feeling of being one with God because all you see around you is HIS creation.

4. ...the absolute quietness. On this mountain, you can definitely be still and know HE is God. Except during football season, on Charger Sundays.

5. ...the lack of neighbors to my left, right, front, back.

6. ...the ability to walk 100 feet down the mountain and see my mom, anytime of the day.

7. ...the ease of having the best tasting water in the world at my fingertips, day or night.

8. ...the smell of rain on the mountain dirt. There is no smell like it on earth.

9. ...the smiles on my children's faces as they climb trees, scale rocks, and slide down the dirt trail on their bottoms.

10....the best landlords a girl could ever ask for... my parents. (Although they did tie for first with our last landlord's.. Tim's parents...kiss up, you say?? Not at all. They are both wonderful sets of parents, people, Godly examples. We are abundantly blessed.)


I thought you could take the girl out of the city, but not the city out of the girl, BUT I have found it is more like this:

YOU CAN TAKE THE GIRL OFF THE MOUNTAIN, BUT YOU CAN'T TAKE THE MOUNTAIN OUT OF THE GIRL.

xoxo,
Veronica...err, Mountain Mama

My Discovery On Christmas Eve

ME: (Looking in the mirror as I get ready for bed. I spot what looks like a grey hair.) Tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiim!!!!!

TIM: What's wrong? (He comes to the bathroom to check me out.)

ME: Look what I found? (I point to the top of my head.)

TIM: What? I don't see anything.

ME: There, the grey hair!

TIM: That's not a grey hair. It's a blonde one.




I didn't know whether to laugh, cry, or do both.
Well, they say that blondes do have more fun....
Merry Christmas.

On The First Day Of Christmas...

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
a savior to set my soul free.

On the 2nd day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
2 pretty daughters,
and a savior to set my soul free.

On the 3rd day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
3 pets to love on (2 turtles and a Basset Hound),
2 pretty daughters,
and a savior to set my soul free.

On the 4th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
4 sons, so handsome,
3 pets to love on (2 turtles and a Basset Hound),
2 pretty daughters,
and a savior to set my soul free.

On the 5th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
5 days a weeeeeeeek (to homeschool),
4 sons, so handsome,
3 pets to love on (2 turtles and a Basset Hound),
2 pretty daughters,
and a savior to set my soul free.

On the 6th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
6 children playing,
5 days a weeeeeeeek (to homeschool),
4 sons, so handsome,
3 pets to love on (2 turtles and a Basset Hound),
2 pretty daughters,
and a savior to set my soul free.

On the 7th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
7 days to praise him,
6 children playing,
5 days a weeeeeeeek (to homeschool),
4 sons, so handsome,
3 pets to love on (2 turtles and a Basset Hound),
2 pretty daughters,
and a savior to set my soul free.

On the 8th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
8 times a nursing,
7 days to praise him,
6 children playing,
5 days a weeeeeeeek (to homeschool),
4 sons, so handsome,
3 pets (2 turtles and a Basset Hound),
2 pretty daughters,
and a savior to set my soul free.

On the 9th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
9
8 times a nursing,
7 days to praise him,
6 children playing,
5 days a weeeeeeeek (to homeschool),
4 sons, so handsome,
3 pets (2 turtles and a Basset Hound),
2 pretty daughters,
and a savior to set my soul free.

On the 10th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
10 nieces/nephews,
9 hours sleeping (not..),
8 times a nursing,
7 days to praise him,
6 children playing,
5 days a weeeeeeeek (to homeschool),
4 sons, so handsome,
3 pets (2 turtles and a Basset Hound),
2 pretty daughters,
and a savior to set my soul free.

On the 11th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
11 fingers typing (10 of mine, 1 of Isabella's),
10 nieces/nephews,
9 hours sleeping (not..),
8 times a nursing,
7 days to praise him,
6 children playing,
5 days a weeeeeeeek (to homeschool),
4 sons, so handsome,
3 pets (2 turtles and a Basset Hound),
2 pretty daughters,
and a savior to set my soul free.

On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
12 months to thank him (for my wonderful husband),
11 fingers typing (10 of mine, 1 of Isabella's),
10 nieces/nephews,
9 hours sleeping (not..),
8 times a nursing,
7 days to praise him,
6 children playing,
5 days a weeeeeeeek (to homeschool),
4 sons, so handsome,
3 pets (2 turtles and a Basset Hound),
2 pretty daughters,
and a savior to set my soul free.


MERRY CHRISTMAS TO MY LOYAL BLOGGY FRIENDS. MAY YOU ALWAYS MAKE CHRIST THE CENTER OF YOUR LIFE.

XOXO,
Veronica and her quiverful of arrows

Birthday Girl, Birthday Boy

Our sweet, lovely, and amazing daughter turned 15 last month. What happened to my loud, dramatic, rollin' in the dirt little girl? The one that could not go anywhere without her 'lucky'? The one that expected to be carried everywhere? The one that cried if Miguel was not at her side every second of the day? She is a beautiful, Godly, young lady now. One that her parents are so proud of and thankful for. Your smile can light up any dark place and your heart is even brighter. We love you Kari-Calamari!











































































Zack turned 3! What a year it will be! We knew from day one that he would make us laugh and keep us on our toes. You are such a comedian and it can be so hard to discipline a little boy that makes the most interesting faces at you when he knows what is coming. We love you, Zackadee, Mommy's little Boozie. (Below: 1 month old and already a comic- "I'm with stupid.")






Thank you, Lord, for the arrows you have blessed me with!