Prepare the way for Christ's Birth

So, Dave has been casted as "Joesph" in school's Kindergarten Program. Mind you, he has no lines but it is a pretty important roll. He sits in the manger looking at "Jesus" with loving eyes. Dave has been practicing often and loves to wear his costume around the house while saying, "It's not easy raising the Son of God." I am just glad that when we went to get Chinese the other night, he took off his tunic and head piece.

Laughing About the Little Things

Besides the fact that Dave is laid up and unable to even hold his son... we are doing well. I have to smile about the small but funny things or the stress of this last week will break me! Let me tell you some of the funny things that has happened since Dave's surgery:

• Dave only remembers Eric and Joanne visiting in the hospital because Eric is growing a goatee
• Dave told me that I needed to go and get more meds cause he only had one more left. Then I looked in the container and there were several. He said that he must of dreamt it. What a nightmare!
• We were watching a television show and something was so funny that I slapped Dave while laughing... right on Dave's side... whoops! I felt terrible but now it's funny
• I am forced to watch Lord of the Rings Extended Version... yes... all of them! Wait, I am not sure if that is very humorous.
• Ethan can now out crawl Dave. Now that's funny.

We Miss Dave!

Dave had his surgery and is in the hospital. Can you believe that his lung collapsed again the night before surgery?! We couldn't believe it ourselves. My poor husband had two garden hoses (chest tubes) coming out of him, a drainage tube, and two large areas stapled where they went into his lung to staple the top and bottom of it. He will for sure have several war wounds after this is all over. It is hard to have Dave in the hospital while we are at home. Becca and Josh took us yesterday to see Dave and Josh took me today while Becca watched Ethan. Sometimes I am able to call him and talk while Ethan is in bed. It brings us to our dating days when we would talk on the phone late at night just to hear each other's voice... I will be glad to have my prince safe, home, and better again.

What an Amazing Week!

Have you ever been at that point, during a trial in your life, where you just plead with God, "Where are you?" Monday I was there. Our mortgage was due, bills needed to be paid, and Dave found out that he has to have the lung surgery at the end of this month. So... a month and a half out of work is a little frightening. Dave's family blessed us with our mortgage payment... I am so thankful for a family that cares whether we live under a bridge or not. :)

Monday night Dave gets a call from a friend at work. There are guys working overtime for Dave! Just the thought of it brought tears to my eyes. Dave obviously means a lot to these guys. Dave's friend said, "Dave, just get the surgery. Don't worry about money. Your family needs you. Don't put the surgery off." What a testimony.

Then five minutes after that phone call, we get another from our good friends Paul and Lynn. They own the Preschool and Kindergarten at our church. They knew that we needed help and so they offered me a job at the preschool as a head teacher. Not only that but they want me to direct the Preschool so that Lynn can just focus the Kindergarten. The touching part of it is... Lynn is giving me 2/3 of her salary to do it. If I stay on, next year I can make full wage, which is more than I have made teaching - ever - let alone only three days a week for only 6 hours a day!

But there's more! Wednesday, someone pulled up to our church and found a member walking inside. They asked her, "Do you know Dave Evans?" She said that she did. Then, they handed her an envelope and said, "Can you give this to him for me?" She asked him if he wanted to tell her his name so Dave would know who it was from and they said no and ran off. They parked around the back of the church so that no one could tell who it was. Inside was a money order for $500. Praise God!

You know... sometimes we do feel like we are walking through the fiery furnace (Daniel 3)wondering when God will show up to take off our bonds. He does. We just need to trust that he will...

Stamp Fever!

So... Lynn asked me to help her make the invitations to her First Annual Christmas Dinner Theatre for her Kindergarten class. While I was at Craft Warehouse yesterday I came across this stamp! Too cute! I had to let you see the progress of the card. I was ok with deciding to make these since Lynn only needs 10 cards!

I couldn't imagine stamping, coloring with watercolor pencils, adding water with a water brush to blend the color, cutting, adding the glitter, inking, and placing each design on the card with adhesive for more than 10! It was fun though... the holidays always gets me stampin'!

My Birthday!

Look what Ethan gave me for my birthday! It is a turquoise and brown Bible!

Hey, They Say It's Your Birthday...

Well, Dave threw me my first surprise party! Both Becca and I started the day by going off to the scrapbook store and Craft Warehouse. Josh helped keep us "busy" while my house filled with friends and family.

Our five year old friend, Alyssa, helped us blow out our birthday cake (made special by my mother-in-law). My favorite birthday present would have to be from my father-in-law. It was an RC (his favorite soda - I tend to get one when I am over when I need a little caffeine only cause he likes me. They are like gold at his house) and Mentos (which is his favorite candy that he carries with him in his car. I like to get a few whenever he takes me out).
Even though Ethan was sick, he wasn't going to go to bed! He had a blast with everyone over! After everyone went home, Becca and I went back to the Open House at Craft Warehouse! I got some goodies as did Becca. We really had a blast!

My New Teeth Help Me Eat!

He Did It!

So Ethan has conquered the stairs! There's only three, but as you can tell, it's a big accomplishment for him! I give him two weeks before he tears this place up!

Look at Our New Tree!

Look at our new tree! The church blessed us with a Japanese Maple "Coral Bark." The leaves are green in spring and summer and turn bright yellow during the fall. Then during the winter the bark is a brilliant coral red. It is so awesome!

Dave's parents got me these flowers and the cute bench for our porch for my
birthday. They gave it early so that I could enjoy the blooms. Normally I don't get plants for my birthday because of the season, so it was great to enjoy them early!

In the picture of the tree you can see the old
sidewalk broken up... my plan is to have a garden and fence in it's place. When the
guys came from the church to plant the tree, they saw the concrete and told me that they would come back for it soon! Also, they are going to rototille the places that I am going to make for a new garden.

Then on Saturday, while we were out, Gary and Carolyn called and said that they had dirt for us! They are going to bring more so that our yard will be level with the driveway put in last year. It is so awesome to have friends and family that continue to bless us! It brings a smile especially with the news last week that Dave will have to have surgery on his lung in a couple of weeks.