Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Molly Got Me

I've been tagged.


The Game of Tag about your MAN:

1. Who is your man? Matthew Lee
2. How long have you been together? 8 years married, 10 years total
3. How long dated? 2 years
4. How old is your man? 33
5. Who eats more? Him.
6. Who said "I love you" first? He did :)
7. Who is taller? Matt, by far.
8. Who sings better? Matt is actually a very good singer. He even had a solo in a high school youth musical..."I can't talk to my dad...sure wish I could..." But if you asked him who sings better, he'd say....he does :) Just kidding...he'd say I do.
9. Who is smarter? I got the better grades but he has an amazing mind. He comprehends ideas in a manner that I have a hard time understanding. And he articulates it so well!
10. Whose temper is worse? Easy, me.
11. Who does the laundry? I do most of the time...but he is way better at it. There was a point in our marriage where I would have had to say Matt does the laundry. I'm so bad at chores.
12. Who takes out the garbage? Mostly Matt.
13. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? From what vantage point??? If you're looking at the bed, I sleep on the right side. Hasn't always been this way. I started sleeping on the right side when we moved into our current home.
14. Who pays the bills? I do.
15. Who is better with the computer? I'm better at the keyboard but I think we're about equal besides that.
16. Who mows the lawn? Matt most of the time. I have mowed a few times.
17. Who cooks dinner? I do...occasionally...Palio and Rosa do a lot of cooking for us too.
18. Who drives when you are together? Matt...unless he's got business to do on the phone.
19. Who pays when you go out? I do because I keep the budget...we work on a cash system.
20. Who is most stubborn? Honestly, he is.
21. Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? We're both pretty equal on this. I think he's better at it though.
22. Whose parents do you see the most? Mine because they live less than a mile from us. Although, we do usually have Sunday lunch with his parents :)
23. Who kissed who first? He kissed me...while he washed my hair in my parents' kitchen sink.
24. Who asked who out? He did.
25. Who proposed? Matt.
26. Who is more sensitive? Toss up.
27. Who has more friends? Not really sure. I probably do. We're both homebodies though.
28. Who has more siblings? Matt...he's the middle child.
29. Who wears the pants in the family? Matt...absolutely. He is an amazing leader and protector. I love that he wears the pants :)

Okay, I think I have to tag 5 people: Natalie, Sarah, Kristyn, Stacy & Gina.

Sunday, September 23, 2007

Don't Have Much to Say...

But I felt like blogging anyway. I understand this post might be exceptionally frivolous. I apologize in advance.

Some things I'm looking forward to this week:



"Heroes" starts again. Matt and I got hooked on this t.v. action/drama last season. Our curiosity got the best of us. We kept trying to figure out how all the pieces would fit. We're suckers for cliffhangers.



Two words. The. Office. Yay!! Who else thinks September 27th is WAY too late to start a new season????? I'm dying here!!

*on a side note: I'm really sad that my favorite "Office"-watcher will be out of town :( ...again...Matt just can't stay home long enough! We'll experience the first episode thousands of miles apart :( I told him to just look at Dwight's bobblehead and know that I'm looking at it too. *sigh*

And, I'm done.

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

So Glad to Feel "Normal" Again

Thank you to all who have been praying for us, sending us text messages and emails, and offering to help in any way possible. You have blessed us immeasurably. As of right now, Tuesday afternoon, we are well. Fatigued, but well. We look forward to feeling more "normal" each day.

I hope to be posting some non-illness-related posts soon!!

Saturday, September 15, 2007

Don't Come Within 20 Paces of Our House or You'll Regret It

Matt and I are BOTH sick. Yuck. Double Yuck.

Two days before Matt was scheduled to come home, I started feeling under the weather. I would find out a few days later that I have a pretty bad kidney infection and a cold virus.

Matt is suffering from a severe sinus infection. We're both on ridiculous amounts of med and are limping around the house, laying down and napping whenever we get the chance. At this moment, I'm feeling the best I've felt in 5 days. Still not great though. Please keep our pathetic little family in your prayers!!

I'm clinging to the verse in Psalm 103..."He forgives all our sin and heals all our diseases." Yes, Lord!!

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Thank You

Thank you for praying for us! I am overwhelmed by God's goodness and affection towards us...that He would use the arms of His Body to embrace us in prayer. Thank you! Matt saw an English-speaking doctor in the city in which he was staying. They gave him a shot of steroids and antibiotics. They also loaded him up with more steriods and antibiotics to take for his trip back home. He is in a van right now, headed to the airport. He has an overnight layover in a major metropolitan city. The miracle of crossing the Date Line...he will leave Thursday afternoon at 4 and land in the States Thursday afternoon at 4:40. Perhaps the longest 40 minutes EVER!

Please continue to pray for him. I can't imagine having a horrendous sinus infection and being subjected to a pressurized cabin. Yuck. I can't imagine being 6'5" and cramming my knees into the back of the chair in front of me. Poor thing. Also, being sick and previously dehydrated, there are other inherent risks with flying. I won't go into detail because I don't want to alarm anyone. However, pray :)

Seriously, how good is our God??

Here's a glimpse:

Today, as Mom and I were straightening the house, preparing for Matt's arrival on Thursday evening, we were lamenting the jungle that used to be our yard. In the midst of asking for prayer for Matt and keeping everyone updated on his health and simply taking care of our family, I forgot to hire someone to mow our yard. Mom and I tried, in vain, to hire someone last minute. Thankfully, the embodiment of answered prayer quietly walked up to our driveway with his mower in tow and began mowing the yard. Our sweet neighbor had seen the need and served us (and ultimately the Lord). May the Lord bless him with more of Him.

You are too good, Lord.

Monday, September 10, 2007

Please Keep Praying for Matt

I talked to my brother-in-law this morning (late evening for them) and they are planning to take Matt to an English doctor in the morning. His symptoms have gotten worse. If the English doctor doesn't have any answers for them, they will take him to an international hospital in a larger city.

I wish I was bearing better news. All I know is God is good. He has a plan in all this. I am "perplexed but not driven to despair." I will yet hope in my God.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

2 Corinthians 4:7 - 11

Sunday, September 9, 2007

Update on Matt and Our Weekend in Pictures!

Thank you to all who have been praying for Matt! He started feeling better 24 hours ago. He's not completely healthy but he was able to get outside for the first time he's been there (about 6 days in). Please continue to pray for his full restoration! Thank you!

The kids and I had a full weekend. It started Friday night at FM 360...a gathering of children 4 years to 5th grade and their parents full of worship and fun. We sang, we danced, we did exaggerated movements to every word of every song, we saw a skit about superheroes on the search for someone with a hero's heart (not necessarily a hero's exterior) and we discussed God's appointing Samuel to anoint King David (a little boy with a hero's heart).

Then, Audrey, my mom and I headed to my hometown to see great-grandparents and to celebrate my friend from high school's impending birth.

As I promised, the weekend in pictures...













Who's the beautiful singer in the fourth picture???

Thursday, September 6, 2007

One More Thing

I know this will certainly not be the last time I ask for prayer...but I didn't realize I would petition intercessors more than once in a week! Thank you to all who are praying for Caden and his family and for our family while Matt is gone.

Please continue to pray specifically for Matt. He is feeling incredibly sick...fever for four days, fever blisters, cough, congestion...you name it, he feels it. And, my poor sister-in-law (his little sister) is taking care of him along with her two children (a 3-year-old and a 6-month-old). Pray for strength and sanity for her!

We covet your prayers!

Kids' First Day of School...Mom's First Day Out!

Today was the kids' first day of Mother's Day Out. They had a blast! Reid literally ran into the classroom, ready to play. Audrey had a great time as well. Her favorite part, when asked, was playing with her friend Harper (who was in her class last year).

Mom got to play with her friends too...Barkley and Donna. We enjoyed a peaceful "date" at Starbucks. Thank you, Lord, for Mother's Day Out!






Wednesday, September 5, 2007

The Prayers of the Righteous...

accomplish much...

**UPDATE: the link to Caden's website should work now!**

Would you please take some time today to stop by Caden Ledbetter's website and lift up a prayer for him?

Here's a bit of his story...

On July 26, 2007, a week before Caden's 2nd birthday, our lives changed in a way we would never have imagined. A typical little boy "knot" on our Caden's head, that was discovered on July 5th, was suddenly being diagnosed as Eosineophilic Granuloma (AKA:a bone tumor.) This type of tumor can be benign or malignant and could only be confirmed by a series of test.

We had hoped that further testing would reveal a benign tumor that could be easily removed. We never expected to hear what we were told. Our little boy, not yet 2 yrs. old, was diagnosed with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma*. Tumors were located in his left adrenal gland, abdomen, liver, lumbar spine, sternum, bone marrow, and 2 in his skull.

* * *

This hits especially close to home. Caden and his family attend our church. We will be having a blood drive on Caden's behalf on the 17th at our church. I can't help but imagine my almost two-year-old son, Reid, suffering in this way. Will you pray with me?

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Finally a Day at the Spray Park

Audrey and her sweet friend Emma were simply devastated when Audrey had to leave Emma's 4th Birthday Party before they played at the neighborhood spray park. That was in June. Ever since, Emma's mommy, Keri, and I have been trying to schedule a make-up day at the spray park. It finally happened!

Thanks, Keri for the yummy food and great fun! Audrey wished she could have stayed ALL DAY! She even thought it would be fun for our families to all just become one. Maybe a weird twist on the Brady Bunch???




Monday, September 3, 2007

A Heavy Heart

At 4:30 this morning, when I would normally roll over, sink deeper into our pillow-top mattress and fall back asleep to the rhythm of my sweet husband's soft breathing, I kissed my sweet husband good-bye. As of now...7:25 p.m....he's probably somewhere over Siberia. I won't touch his handsome face until the 13th. So, my heart is heavy.

I never realize how tightly clenched my fist can be over the things I love until those things are even slightly threatened. Though I know God is good and worthy of my trust. And, though I know He is better than my husband, better than my children, better than my life. It's still hard. It still aches.

Lord, I trust You, for You are good.

Saturday, September 1, 2007

Two Splendid Nights!

First Night...

With one of our favorite couples ever...The Bleeckers. Yay for Cafe Italia!


Michael & Faith


Matt & me

Second Night:

Dinner with my parents and our friend Dustin (who is on staff at The Village...does a fantastic job with media) at Rudy's in Denton.


Reid's loving the turkey and cream corn!


Audrey's not really my "eater"...she's just happy to be there!




Matt & Dustin


Audrey & me

A stop by the Hughes' new home. SO CUTE! For more on this sweet family click here



Then...on to downtown Denton to one of our favorite ice cream shops...Beth Marie's!




Cupcake ice cream...so good!






Notice the ice cream dripping from my lips...that was residue of the big, ice-creamy kiss Reid had just given me!

Like I said, Two Splendid Nights!