One happy boy and Two muddy kids!

I wish you all could have heard the extreme excitement in Jonathan’s voice as he discovered that I was taking him to ride in the tractor with Daddy...in his incessant banter he said, "Jonny go…G-pa tractor…Daddy drive?” “Yes, Jonny, you are going to go ride the tractor with Daddy.” “Jonny go…where Daddy?” “Daddy’s in the field, Mommy’s taking you to Daddy in the field.” “Daddy field, Jonny field, ride tractor Daddy?” “ Yes, Jonny, you get to ride the tractor with Daddy.” (And then repeat that about a zillion times!)

When we got to the field, he jumped from the van and slowly peaked around the door to wait for Daddy to stop the tractor and let him up. He was so excited he went running and fell down at least three times before he realized he needed to slow down and watch his steps. He was SO excited! Marion said he was just as excited for the first hour but then he started to tire of it because Marion wouldn’t let him actually DRIVE the tractor!

While Jonny was thus engaged in his delight…the other two older kids decided it was too hot to play outside in the sun and wanted to come in. I thought they needed more time to run and play so I decided to let them play with the water hydrant! They were ecstatic! They found a bucket (we actually have a bucket thief amongst us as all our buckets have seemed to disappear) and filled it over and over and over. They found their water guns that I bought them last year and I had to strictly inform them they were not to shoot the dog or the chickens, to which they responded they were hunting coyotes and pheasants. I told them I didn’t care; they had to quit that, so they turned their efforts to washing the Jeep. I got a picture of that…

As you can imagine by the time they got done, they were covered in mud and sopping wet, but very happy! Now we are awaiting a thunderstorm to come through. I haven’t decided if they get to play in the rain since they have changed their clothes already! What a great day!

E-mail Addresses

The recovery process of the computer is coming along nicely however we lost everything to do with e-mails...

Therefore...if you would kindly send me an e-mail at mmschlatter@ruraltel.net I'll add your address back into my files. If you don't hear from me, it's because I don't have your e-mail!

I find it highly humerous that I can't e-mail anyone cuz I don't have their addresses and I can't get some of the addresses I need because I can't e-mail them! (there are several contacts I previously had where e-mail was the ony thing I had!)

Anyway, for those of you who read my blog and facebook...you will at least know that if you want me to be able to e-mail you...I need your address again! Thanks!

Commissioning Statement from Beth Moore

Saturday was a live simulcast event with Beth Moore. At the end of the simulcast (with over 300, 000 women reported to be attending in over 869 locations) she gave this commisioning statement and I think it ROCKS...so I thought I'd share it with all of you.

My Dear Sister, If Christ is Your Savior You are the dwelling place Of His own Spirit

You have it IN YOU to be secure. Every day of your life You have a choice to make

You can live in your old defeat Or you can turn from your unbelief And choose life

Make up your mind To put off the old you And put on the new you.

Never, ever, ever forget That the Lord is your security.

He will keep your foot From being caught in a trap.

He will take care of you To your very last breath.

Now, leave this place And go out into the world And act like a person

Who knows she’s dearly loved.

You were born to be exceptional.

So, Girlfriend, go forth And walk worthy of your calling.

You are clothed in strength and dignity!

Now unto Him Who can keep you from falling Be glory and majesty

Power and authority Through Jesus Christ our Lord Now and forever more

Amen.

Please take encouragement from the fact that God adores you and you are HIS! God is doing some wonderful things...are you open to receive them? Are you willing to walk in the calling God has for you...because He has called every single one of us! God is renewing my life...will you let Him renew and transform you too?!

FW: It's back...It's back...FINALLY...It's back!

We finally have our computer back…they were able to save some of the stuff but it was only what was on the back up hard drive and it appears at this moment that it does not include Ethan’s pictures…but I will continue to look around and we will see what we come up with!!! 

 

I am excited to start with a clean slate and yet at the same time, really liked the way I had my computer set up…for anyone out there who hasn’t backed up their stuff yet…DO IT NOW…trust me…it is so worth it!  I know that backing up doesn’t save settings and all that but man would it save a lot of time!  I have already decided on an ulterior method of photo saving so I won’t have the issue of loosing non-backed up pics again! 

 

Well, I better get back at rearranging my ‘new’ computer!  Talk to you soon!

Playing

Out checking wheat...kids having fun!

Circus

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures to show you, but Abi and Nate got their first experience with a live circus! Apparentely there is a yearly circus that comes to Salina and this year Marion's brother Mark invited all the cousins to come! Grandma and Grandpa Schlatter were able to go along with Marion and the kids to see the circus and spend the day with the other cousins. (I had a previous commitment so Ethan and I didn't go). The circus is several hours long so Aunt Karla stayed home with Jonny and cousin C while the others all went to see the various circus acts. For days afterward the kids were doing tricks and playing circus. Abi said her favorite part was the acrobat girl who rode horses around the rings and Nathan's favorite part was the tigers!

Still no computer

Well, it has been nearly two weeks now and we still don't have the computer back yet. Last we heard the hard drive was on back order and we were waiting to get those. He thought they would be in early this week but we still haven't heard anything.

Ethan is getting better...we found out from the doctor's office that he doesn't have RSV or Influenza which we are so thankful for and his temperature has seem to level off! He seems to still have quite a bit of congestion but the saline drops really help with that. We've also been doing the zantac for reflex and it seems to be helping, we haven't had any major spit ups for two days!!

The other kids are all doing well. Yesterday it rained off an on all day and the kids had a great time playing in the rain. WE also had our first grill out for the 2010 year!

I am sure there are lots of things to actually update on but sitting in the library with the kids running around behind me I can't think of anything else to add so I better get going and get the kids home!

Just a few miscellaneous pictures...

This first picture is of Abigail after she gathered the eggs...she loved to put the eggs in all of her pockets and though you can't see them she is very loaded down...the front pocket..the side pockets...the coat pockets.  

This next two pictures was a 'craft' the kids did...they made egg carton goggles!  They divided an egg carton into 6 sections, cut holes in the bottom for holes and then they decorated the outsides and attached chenille sticks that had been cut in half.  Aren't they cute!

At the park

With the kids ... Van fixed ... Computer not ... Maybe next week!

April showers....

I am praying that April showers bring May flowers as I sit at my mother-in-law's computer waiting for the van to cool down so I can open the radiator and add some water so we can go home!!!

Today was Ethan's 2 week check up and my follow up: Ethan did great...his jaundice is gone and he gained nearly one whole pound weighing in at 7 lbs 10 oz! YAY...no more worrying about his gaining weight! ;0) My blood pressure was still a bit high but nothing alarming and since it did come down some the doctor is willing to let it go and continue to wait and watch! My cough and sinus issues are still hanging in there but have eased up enough that he wants to wait and watch there too...I still have cough medicine at home to help but I've finished the antibiotic round! The doctor also wanted to check some of my blood numbers to make sure I wasn't anemic and a few other things...but praise God they came back normal and there is nothing else we have to be treated for!!! Oh...and the best news is that at two weeks out I am officially 4 lbs below my pre-pregnancy weight!!! YAY!

For the other news that you are probably wondering about...our computer had a double hard drive failure yesterday morning! (which is why I am taking advantage of the computer opportunity while I wait for the van to cool down :0) We took it to the computer place in Smith Center and I pray it is just an array raid error and not actually the hard drives but we will have to wait and see what their diagnosis is...probably sometime next week. Until we either get our old computer fixed OR get a new one...I'm not going to be able to do much online!

I do have to say that even though Marion is giving me a hard time about my computer 'addiction'...he is the one who came in yesterday, opened the newspaper, and started flipping pages and tapping the table trying to get his internet fix for the day :0)

Well, I better go check on the kiddos...Jonny should be waking from his nap soon and I need to check the van again! Have a great day and we will see you all when I get my computer back lol!