Who Are You??

I've been frustrated with myself lately; feeling like I'm not a very fun mom. There's a reason why I feel that way. "Do something fun with the kids" wasn't on my to-do list. Those of you who know me personally are laughing knowingly. I love lists! I love schedules! I love order and structure! But mostly I love being productive. If I can check things off a list, then I've been productive. I've accomplished something- there's no better feeling in the world (in my opinion). This tendency is partly due to my being a firstborn, and largely due to my personality. I'm a Choleric Melancholy type. If you aren't familiar, here's the breakdown:

Choleric - born leader, organized, opinionated, enjoys controversy
Sanguine - outgoing, fun-loving, life of the party, disorganized
Melancholy - analytical, practical, perfectionist, rule follower
Phlegmatic - peaceful, easy-going, patient, indecisive

I found this quick personality test very accurate and quite detailed. It gives the strengths and weaknesses of each, as well as explaining how that personality acts at work, in relationships, and as a parent. Seeing in print that I'm an impatient parent both saddened and relieved me. I know what I need to work on. I've noticed that I am the most patient when I'm homeschooling. That doesn't make sense to you does it? The reason is because I'm accomplishing something. I could read books to my kids all day, but please don't ask me to sit down and mold play-doh with them. That will never be worthy of a check mark in my analytical mind.
My mother-in-law is also choleric, but she'll deny it till the day she dies. Most any Choleric will actually. Choleric is the one personality no one wants to admit to having. Especially women.
My best friends are also Cholerics. I think that's because we're the only ones who understand (or can stand) each other. Everyone else thinks we're bossy or overly opinionated. Don't be silly! We're just right. All the time.

My Elena

This is what I found when I went upstairs to go to bed last night. Elena loves to sleep in our bed, even for a little while (as we almost never let her stay the whole night - she looks peaceful here, but she kicks hard when she's comatose). So I told her she could go to sleep in our bed and instead of moving her to her own bed right away, I just stood and stared at her for a long while. This girl is so precious to me. She's my Elena Glory, my firstborn, and she has made me so proud the way she has adjusted to no longer being the oldest. Psychologists warn against adopting out of birth order, but the Lord never gives those warnings in His exhortations to care for widows and orphans. Elena has had her fleshly side revealed to her and she didn't like it. She realized that she was sinful and selfish indeed, and she has grown and matured so much as a result. There were many times in the first few months when Elena would cry on my shoulder: "I hate how mean I am sometimes!" She has sought and learned how to be a blessing even though it isn't easy. I am so immensely proud of her.
Tomorrow Elena turns 8. Per her wishes, she will be spending the day with her Daddy. He's taking her for a donut breakfast in the morning, then he, Pedro, and Elena will go to pick out her birthday gift (from Pedro) - a bike, then Kyle will take her to dinner and a movie for their "date". She's been giddy all day, talking about it.
You can email a birthday wish to Elena at: theclarkkids@gmail.com.

Our Christmas Blessing

A couple in our church decided that they wanted to bless our family in a special way this Christmas. Much to our amazement, they purchased a brand new Compaq Presario computer, oversized monitor with built-in speakers and an HP printer!! They invited us all over after church on Sunday and told us that the Lord had spoken to them about our family and they wanted to do something special for us. After reading Jeremiah 29:11, sharing his story with us, and praying over us, he then presented the kids with a couple BIG gifts to unwrap. They felt that with so many kids, we would need another computer. We were blown away by their generosity. The kids have had so much fun on their very own pc. Their typing skills are improving rapidly!

Just For Fun: Don't Try This at Home

At the very least, your kids will really enjoy this!

The Christmas Parade Incident

Earlier this month, we joined my sister and her family for a trip downtown for the big Christmas Parade. It was a blast for all the kids and Kyle and I really enjoyed seeing it all through their eyes. Lydia and Daniel were so bug-eyed by the whole thing. They really were in awe at all the floats and giant balloons. Pedro was holding down a balloon for Starbucks, so it was fun waiting to spot him. Of course, in true Pedro style, he ran across the street over to us, screaming wildly, making quite a scene. You had to be there, it was hilarious!

Spiderman made an appearance and that made Isaac and Max's day (my nephew), but Kyle and I enjoyed the Hulk more - he had a plumber's crack when he turned around!

So, here's the incident. I hope you find it as entertaining as we do now:

Shortly after arriving and setting up our seats, I took 3 kids across the street to McD's to go to the bathroom.
L O N G line - we waited over 1/2 an hour!
Anyway, there's a black lady in front of me (her race relates to the story). At one point, she turned around and zeroed in on Isaac. Starts talking to him in a weird, overly friendly grandma type voice. "How are you doing?, Are you having fun today?, What do you think of all this?, And where is your Mother???"
I say: I'm his mother.
"Oh" then she starts touching and looking at his scalp. Inspecting his scalp to make sure I'm taking good care of it.
I was SHOCKED!
So I say: "These two (pointing to Elena and Chloe) are mine too, would you like to inspect them too??"
SO SHE DOES!!!!
She starts to finger thru their hair like an ape cleaning bugs out of his mate's hair.
I abrubtly say: "Can you please take your hands off my kids."
She informs me that she's a nurse. (I wanted to say: So what!?)
I tell her: "You're not MY nurse; you're not HIS nurse!"
She seems confused and says: "You told me to inspect them."

I said, " I was being SARCASTIC. I didn't really expect you to put your hands all over my kids."

"Oh." and she turns around.

ACK!!!

Christmas Traditions

This will be the triplets' first Christmas in America, so we wanted to make it really special for them. To avoid the "Is it Christmas yet??" questions, we decided to make an advent chain. We had all the kids write their names on a few links and then each day, that child got the honor of cutting a link.For the third year running, we attended the local Christmas Village - a bunch of little gingerbread-style houses with activities and treats for kids. It's set up right behind our local library, so the kids were seeing it each week as it was being set up and they could hardly wait. The night we went it had been in the mid-70s all day, so we were thinking it was the perfect time to go. When we arrived, the weather had dropped to a very windy 40 degrees, which was quite chilly for this Southern gal. The kids had a great time and lots of memories were made in the 30 minutes that we stayed.

For Your Enjoyment

Yesterday, I heard Kyle's and my favorite Christmas song on the radio ~ a rare treat!

On A More Serious Note (pun intended)

I can't get enough of this powerful song:



How Many Kings

Follow the star to a place unexpected
Would you believe, after all we've projected,
A child in a manger?
Lowly and small, the weakest of all
Unlikeliest hero, wrapped in his mother's shawl -
Just a child -
Is this who we've waited for? 'cause...

How many kings step down from their thrones?
How many lords have abandoned their homes?
How many greats have become the least for me?
And how many gods have poured out their hearts
To romance a world that is torn all apart
How many fathers gave up their sons for me?

Bringing our gifts for the newborn Savior
All that we have, whether costly or meek
Because we believe.
Gold for his honor, and frankincense for his pleasure
And myrrh for the cross he will suffer
Do you believe?
Is this who we've waited for?

All for me...
All for you...

From the CD "Bethlehem Skyline" by downhere.

Merry Christmas from the Clarks

From the triplets' first week home to their first Christmas in America - we have been blessed beyond measure this year!

A Homeschool Family

Just for fun, a video to inform and/or entertain you:

My Birthday Wish for Pedro

Pedro turned 20 this past Friday. This one and only baby picture we have of him evokes strong emotions in me, which led to this poem I wrote for him on his birthday:


I wish I could have been there
When you came into the world
I wish I could have cared for you
Met your needs and soothed your fears

I wish I could have been there
To teach you how to talk,
How to crawl, how to walk
To hold your hand and protect you.

I wish I could have been there
As you grew up and changed
To teach you what you needed to know
And all you wanted to hear.

I wish I could have been there
When you were afraid at night
When other children laughed at you
When life was confusing and strange

I wish I could have been there
I would have loved you
I would have cared for you
The way I do now. The way I always will.

Receiving Our New Names

I just had to share this email I got from my friend, Jenny. She's mommy to 10 blessings: 5 biological and 5 adopted from Liberia. This precious note from one of her sons led to a spiritual revelation:

Solomon wrote Brad and I a note that read, "Dear Dad and Mom, God
never showed me this before, but I see that I am a new creation in
Christ and the old things are passed away. So from now on I have a
new name. I am calling myself Jedidiah and you can call me that
now. Love, Jedidiah. (I took the liberty of correcting the spelling
errors here, otherwise it may be indecipherable to those not familiar
with children's phonetic spelling)

I then thought about the new name we have been given in Christ when we were adopted in love. That name is "accepted and chosen." I was
doing the Beth Moore bible study on the fruit of the Spirit and
learned that in Isaiah 53:3 when it describes Christ as "rejected by
"men" part of that word "rejected" means "vacant." I remember when we first brought Adriana home from Liberiathat is the word that
described the look in her eyes: vacant. Abandoned, leaving an
empty space that longed to be filled. Even as a baby that spirit of
rejection was on her, and she was badly in need of the spirit of
adoption. She is now a laughing, smiling, much less fearful little
toddler who makes eye contact glory to GOD! Does that mean she (or
any of us) is 100% free of rejection and totally embraces what it
means to be chosen in love and adopted into the family of God?
Doubtful.

There is something of our old nature that tilts toward the negative
and finds it easier to dwell on the rejection of others rather than
embrace our new status as "chosen and accepted" in our Beloved
Jesus. But my prayer for all my children is that whatever rejection
they experience from others will only drive them closer to the
unfailing love of the Father, who sent His Son for them. Jesus
Christ knows what it is to be rejected by His own, but He was chosen
by God to reconcile us to Himself, to make us a chosen people where
before we were orphans and foreigners but now we are members of God's household with full rights as sons and daughters of the most High God.

Wanted!

My dad made these up tonight after seeing the kids today. He's such a great grandpa!

Praiseworthy Christmas Book

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey is one of our family favorites for the season. A young boy works with a master wood carver as he makes a nativity set for their family. It's a precious story. (FYI: I just noticed CBD also sells a dvd of the story.)

What are your favorites? Please share!

Then and Now

Two year old Chloe

Six year old Chloe

Chloe is growing so fast! She just lost her two top teeth, just in time for their Christmas performance at church. I'm really enjoying her new lisp. The day she pulled her top tooth, Pedro kept asking her to say: "She sells seashells by the seashore." She gave him a really funny confused look as she attempted (but failed) to say it.

Elena Made Me Cry

This morning Elena was asking if her birthday fell on a Saturday this year. When Kyle said yes, she said that she didn't want a birthday party with friends this year. For her birthday, she wants to spend the day with her Daddy. She said they could go for donuts in the morning, then have a picnic and go out to dinner. Kyle suggested that they go on a date that night. He wants to take her out to dinner and possibly a movie.

I cried. So sweet!

This afternoon, it was Elena's turn to run errands with me. While we were out, I was asking her about her date with Daddy. I asked where she wanted to go out to eat. Quick answer: "Luby's!" Funny!

That led to a discussion about proper dating etiquette. I told her that Daddy would be opening the door for her and she needed to stay in the car until he came around and opened her door. Big smile - this is all making her feel really special. I'm hoping for many more years when Daddy will be her Prince Charming.

Learning the Herbal Basics

In response to questions re: this post, here are my book recommendations for herbal basics:

If I could only get one though, I'd get The How to Herb Book. It's my favorite.

Cowgirl in the Making

My aunt just gave me these boots for one of the girls. Since they fit Elena best, she was proudly stomping around the house in them all morning! She is so happy with her new "cowgirl boots".
Thank you, Aunt Jeanne! Elena says they're the best boots she ever had. (They're also the only boots she's ever had!)

Where Have All the Little Girls Gone?

I found this article interesting. I'd love your feedback. What's your opinion?

Over 12,000 fans screamed in ecstasy this last week as rocker Miley Cyrus, aka Hannah Montana, strutted her stuff on stage at the CenturyTel Center outside Shreveport, Louisiana. Most of the fans were little girls between the ages of 6-12. Outside the arena before the concert, thousands of little girls gathered in anticipation as speakers blared their favorite star's biggest hits. Swinging their hips and mouthing the words to the hit, these girls could easily have been years older in their behavior and dress. One anxious fan, still missing her front teeth, lisped to a reporter how she was preparing to “go nuts” when she saw her beloved rock star. Huge earrings and eye shadow were the norm among these small girls. Their entire world had obviously been shaped and molded by the media-created sensation of Hannah Montana. As I watched the news video of the event, I was struck with sadness at what has become of the world of young girls today. The word “tragedy” comes to mind.

Faye Weldon wrote a column in London's Times Online this week that describes the impact of the female rock group, the Spice Girls. Even mainstream media columnists are observing that something has gone terribly wrong with girlhood. Ten years ago, the Spice Girl hit, Wannabe, became the best-selling song recorded by females in recording history. Girls were finally unleashed to prove that they could be as vulgar, sexually predatory, and immoral as any of the guys. “Girl power” apparently meant you could toss newborn babies in dumpsters or give birth in toilets and walk away. Abortion on demand (particularly in the UK) is now viewed as a form of birth control. There has been a huge increase in sexually transmitted diseases as girls prove that guys aren't the only ones who can initiate a “hook up.” Binge drinking and alcoholism is at an all time high among girls in the West, proving that females can drink themselves under the table, too. Looking at the countless ruined lives of young women today, it it should be evident that “girl power”, as expressed by the five vulgarian Spice Girls, was a bad idea. Actually, ten years after their peak stardom, the fast-aging five are hitting their Botox vials and preparing to leave their children behind for yet another world tour. There's more money to be made off young girls.

Read the rest of the article here.

More is Better

I had an opportunity to encourage a fellow mom the other night. (I just LOVE doing that!) We were at a Women's Ornament Exchange at church. This friend of mine has a 2 year old daughter and just found out that SURPRISE she's expecting, and by the way it's twins. I could tell that she was a bit freaked out by the news, but doing the socially appropriate thing and not expressing her panic.
We are the biggest family in our church so far, and it is quite common for me to hear: "I don't know how you do it! I have a hard enough time with just my one!" Without fail, it is always the mother of a toddler who says this. In fact, nine times out of 10, their one child is a 2 year old. I always point this out to them: "But your one is only two. I have lots of helpers! You have one dependent child. It gets easier!"
I remember when Elena and Chloe were little (they're 18 mos. apart), I kept saying that it was going to be great when they were 4 and 5. I had a really hard time when they were little. And when they were 4 and 5, it DID get easier! Much easier, in fact.
I recently had someone comment that she could never home school; her kids need too much socializing, they'd get too bored. Honestly, since we adopted the triplets, none of my kids have ever complained of boredom. I shared this with my pregnant friend.
The women at my church frequently comment how amazed they are that I make it to church on time, and even look decent. They don't know how easy I have it. On Sunday mornings, all the kids get up and dress themselves. Isaac gets Daniel ready; Maya gets Lydia ready. I get myself ready. That's it. More kids is easier, not exponentially harder like people assume.

Master Cleanse Update

I finished a 14 day Master Cleanse. I felt terrific during the cleanse and I'm doing great now as well. I realized that I had given the wrong recipe to someone earlier. Here's the correct recipe for the lemonade:

1 oz. fresh-squeezed lemon or lime juice

1 oz. grade C maple syrup

8 oz. filtered water

1/10 tsp. cayenne pepper

I really like the juice. It tastes like a spicy lemonade and I never got hungry, although food started looking really desirable by Day 8. You're supposed to drink 6-12 glasses/day, and I noticed that I needed 8 glasses to feel satisfied throughout the day. I highly recommend this cleanse.

Tiny Hiney

I don't know if these pictures do him justice, but when I put these new pj's on Daniel, I couldn't stop staring at his tiny body. He's so SKINNY! I really need to measure his waist, because it can't possibly be much more than 12 inches. One day that Buddha belly will spread into the rest of him, but for now he looks like a round ball of dough with toothpicks for arms and legs. So cute!

Herb of the Week - Cod Liver Oil

Chloe and I both take CLO for our skin, but it has so many other great benefits that I've come to realize that we all need to be taking it for our health. Cod Liver Oil is one of the most reliable and concentrated food sources of four nutrients that are essential to your health: DHA, EPA, vitamin A, and vitamin D. These four nutrients are needed for:

• Healthy skin


• Strong bones and teeth


• Healthy joints


• A healthy cardiovascular system


• A healthy nervous system and prevention of depression and other mood disorders


• A healthy lining for your digestive tract
  

DHA is a fatty acid that is essential to the health of your nervous system and eyes. EPA is a fatty acid that promotes a healthy cardiovascular system and decreases inflammation throughout your body. Vitamin A is necessary for proper vision, healthy skin, and strong mucosal linings, including the lining of your digestive tract. Vitamin D is essential to maintaining strong bones and teeth. It enhances the strength and efficiency of your immune system.

I have heard many personal testimonies from friends who say that CLO cured their dry skin and/or eczema. Dry skin is a particular problem for my little Africans. They need skin lotion at least daily to avoid becoming ashy. I have just started them on the CLO as well, after hearing from so many friends who were able to cure their dry skin from the inside out with CLO.

Big Loss

Losing teeth is so exciting around here! Kyle and I get just as pumped about it as the kids. Kyle's been begging Chloe to let him pull her loose tooth and she kept saying it wasn't ready. She was wrong, of course, but we let her take the lead since it's her tooth and all.

When a Clark tooth falls out, the child's guardian angel comes during the night, leaves a sweet note and a bit of cash. Unfortunately, their guardian angels are somewhat inconsistent. They have a habit of being forgetful at times. When Isaac lost a tooth a few weeks ago, he woke with a great disappointment. It was a sad day for all. The next night he received an apology note from his guardian angel along with his monetary treasure. She explained in the note that due to all the Halloween candy, kids were losing teeth right and left so she was very busy. (I'm paraphrasing.)

Hopefully, Chloe's angel will be on-time. We all have our fingers crossed.

Herbal Tutorial

I've gotten a lot of questions lately about how to use herbs. Here's a basic tutorial: the most common types of herbs that you will find are leaves or roots, powdered herbs, and bark.

Most of the herbs I use are leaves or roots, which I infuse to make tea. My kids drink Alfalfa Peppermint tea which I make in a large tea press (which is the same thing as a coffee press). Alfalfa is a super herb; it's a great blood purifier and is good for preventing or treating tooth decay. Peppermint gives it flavor, but is also great for indigestion. I use a teaspoon of leaves for each cup.

I've mentioned mixing powdered herbs with raw honey for my kids. I do this for black walnut hull powder and bee pollen. For myself, I would put it in a capsule (except for the bee pollen, because it tastes great!) You can buy a manual capsule filler for really cheap here. Of course, you can also buy capsules of any herb at your health food store.

Currently, Lydia is on a Bentonite cleanse. Her diapers were getting really toxic, which tells me she's got some junk inside her that will eventually make her sick. Prevention is always preferrable to treatment, so I wanted to nip it in the bud. I put a teaspoon of Bentonite Clay in a cup of diluted apple juice. She thinks it great! So there's another way to use powdered herbs. This is pretty easy so far, right?

For bark herbs, I make a decoction by simmering a palmful of bark in a 4 or 5 quart saucepan of water. I'll simmer it for about 20 minutes on low heat. Isaac and Lydia both have a cold and cough right now, so they are both drinking Wild Cherry Bark tea. I strain the bark out and sweeten the warm tea with a little raw honey. They both enjoy it.

Tinctures are another easy way to take herbs, but I'm going to save that post for later, as I haven't yet experimented with making tinctures myself. I've researched it though, so I'll do that soon. You can buy tinctures at the health food store, of course. (I don't buy what I can easily make, you may have picked up on that pattern!) Tinctures are stronger than infusions (teas) so they are more powerful (meaning: a little bit goes a long way), and also quite a bit more expensive.

I learn about and buy my herbs here:

Brag on My Husband

Kyle, the problem solver, just finished making this handy-dandy bike rack for our gazillion toys with wheels (two bikes and a scooter are missing from the picture). He made it out of PVC pipe and then spray painted it metallic silver. He's so smart!

Funny Kids

Elena has been asking for a "man doll" for her Barbie. Now, I am not a fan of Barbie. May I be blunt? She's dresses like a slut. But our girls love playing with these type of dolls, so we've bought a couple of modest, breastless Barbie-ish dolls for the girls to play with. (Check out the Madeline collection.)
Well, today Elena was telling me that she really needed to go to the store and buy a husband for her mommy doll, who she tells me is named Ginger. HA! Apparently, Ginger really wants to adopt Clara, Elena's favorite Kelly doll. (Kelly is the little sister of Barbie - always modest and thankfully undeveloped.) Elena explained that Ginger can't sign the adoption papers until she gets married, so she needs to hurry up and get a husband so Clara can be adopted.
Pedro, reading over my shoulder, just explained that she got this whole concept from the Shirley Temple movie, "Stowaway". The kids play adoption and family a lot together; in fact earlier today Isaac was the dad, Chloe was the mom and they were adopting Daniel and Lydia. But Elena's knowledge about the adoption process caught me off guard. If I was watching the movie with my kids like a good mommy, instead of cleaning the kitchen while they were watching it, I would have known this.
Shortly after Elena's groveling for a trip to Dollar General, Chloe came into the kitchen pulling her suitcase behind her, in her own pretend play. She said, "Excuse me, Ma'am, is this the ((thinking pause, confused look))? Where is that place where Daddy goes a lot?" Me: "Work?!"

"Yes. Is this work? Can you show me where my desk is?"

Funny kids.

“COME TO THE TABLE!”
From Psalm 128

“Come to the table, supper’s ready to eat.”
All the children come running to find their seat,
At the head of the table father takes his place
And with all gathered round he says the grace.

He’s planned to be home from his busy work,
From his place at the table he will not shirk,
He affirms his commitment to his family and wife
And his presence at the table diminishes strife.

Mother has taken time to prepare the meal,
Full of nutrition, not a pre-packaged deal,
She delights to cook for her growing brood,
She knows it’s a sacred task to prepare their food.

The table looks inviting – a clean tablecloth too,
The plates nicely set, perhaps a candle or two.
The children get involved and do their part
To make the table look creative and very smart.

What joy to be together at the end of the day,
To laugh, and communicate, and each have a say,
To share the day’s happenings with one another
And tell what they’ve learned to father and mother.

The plates are now empty, tummies full to the top!
Is it time to leave the table? No! Stop, stop!
We’ve fed only the body and the soul so far,
The best part’s to come and it’s not out of a jar.

It’s time for devotions; we must feed the spirit,
Of the blessing from this, there is no limit.
Father opens the Bible and to his family he reads
Sowing into their hearts God’s eternal seeds.

Now it’s time to pray, each one takes a turn,
They pray for needs as God’s will they discern,
They give thanks for blessings with a grateful heart
And develop a spirit of gratitude right from the start.

God’s blessing is on this family we know
As around the table their “olive plants” grow
God’s smile is upon them as they follow His way
And establish this principle for now and always.

Nancy Campbell

Encouragment for Mommies

. . . the Gospel makes little sense to the human mind. Christ didn't come to be served. He didn't come to demand recognition. He came to be the least and last and lay down His life for His sheep. You want to be equal with God? Die [to self]. Why is God's role for women so important? Because God says when we reject it, we blaspheme His Word (Titus 2:5).
At it's heart, homemaking is about accepting God's Word and laying down our lives for the brethren. It is about keeping our eyes firmly fixed upon Christ, who calls us to serve Him in the seemingly insignificant tasks of everyday living, training the next generation. . . and living for Christ's "well done" rather than for the praise and recognition of others.
And that's the secret to a happy and blessed life. Die to live.

Passionate Housewives Desperate for God, pg. 97-98

We Have A Winner!!

Amanda Easton is the winner of the book contest!

Congratulations, Amanda!!! You will receive your book shortly. Happy reading.

Here I Go Again!

I've hesitated to post this, for fear of judgment, but I'm back on the wagon. I'm doing the Master Cleanse again. The MC is intended for a minimum of 10 days, according to Dr. Burroughs, the Naturopath who created it. Well, previously I did the cleanse for exactly 10 days and experienced cold symptoms the last three days. I was feeling a little better on Day 10, so I went ahead and broke the cleanse. I had read about these symptoms - they are an indication of detoxification and a good sign that the cleanse is doing its work. Therefore, it is strongly encouraged that you not end the MC while still experiencing symptoms. Whoopsie daisy!

Since I got off the cleanse, my allergies, asthma, and eczema had all gotten MUCH worse. I am convinced that my health issues stem from all the vaccines and antibiotics I took as a child. Back then, we didn't have the wealth of information we have now about what antibiotics do to the body (gradually train it to stop doing its job), what vaccines are made of (formaldehyde, aluminum, mercury, among other toxins), or how vaccines are made. Loving mothers did what they were told without asking questions. A whole host of diseases have now been linked to vaccines, including allergies, asthma, eczema, and ADD (all of which I have). But I digress. . .

I am now on Day 6 of the Master Cleanse and I feel so much better already. My eczema is almost healed already. One week ago, I was waking in the middle of the night, clawing at my hands. I'm determined not to quit the cleanse until I am symptom-free. (Kyle says 30 days is his limit for me, but I'm hopeful it won't take that long!) I desperately want to be healed of all this mess.

I appreciate your prayers.

Belt Testing

Isaac and Maya had belt testing for Tae Kwon Do today and they did fabulous, I must say! The whole testing progress was very long. We were in the gym from 1:00-almost 4:00 this afternoon, but all the kids did very well sitting still and being patient.

Kyle, Pedro, and Grandpa showed up to see them test, so this was a very special day for them! After Maya's first rotation of skills, the instructor stopped to tell Maya he loved her hair. Funny. Threw off her concentration totally! But she did manage to do all the correct moves while grinning ear to ear.

I'm so proud of Isaac for getting his orange belt (3rd level) and Maya for achieving her yellow belt (2nd level). Any complimentary comments will be read to them. Hint, hint.

Don't Forget the Point

Royalty

Joe Cool showed up in our kitchen this morning and took over the meal preparations. She said her name was Miss Leah Elizabeth and she spoke with a British accent. She explained that she was named after the hotel. How intriguing! I asked her which hotel she was named for; she said "the first one." Impressive! She walked with ladylike poise and grace.

After I thanked her profusely for humbling herself to serve in our kitchen, she explained that she was only showing the servants how to do it properly. She then went to each of her servants and gave them a job. Even the youngest were employed in filling the cooking pots.

When her majesty walked upstairs to change her attire, her loyal help rebelled!

One lone worker remained faithful to the task.

Maya, the ever-loyal Onion Lady