MRI

I stepped away from the bed and this was her reaction!

SERIOUSLY! Can she get any cuter!?

Still asleep!

Up and playing around about 2 hours after her MRI!
(Thank you Benjamin's family for the sweet outfit!)

Most of you know Chavalah's MRI went through well! No glitches! So thankful! These small things make me "uneasy." We go back to the Neurologist on October 15 for our results, but I have a feeling we'll not see much, just as our doctor has predicted, but we shall see! If she isn't able to see the damage, that's not to say it didn't happen. That's just to say it got covered over by the brain cells that are multiplying by leaps and bounds right now to help REPAIR that damage! Which we would be grateful for also! :) She'll still need everything she's getting right now!

Here are a few pictures from that day!

A little piece of "home."

I AM HOME................................SICK! WOW! Miss the weather, miss the people, miss the state, and miss my babies! However, every once in awhile, out here in AZ, we get a small piece of "home" presented to us and for these moments, I am forever grateful.

We participate in a local produce coop, have for almost two years now, and LOVE IT! Every other week we contribute $15 and get an entire laundry basket FULL of a variety of both fruits and vegetables. And SOMETIMES, they have different offerings seasonally of different produce by the "case." I usually participate in the raspberries, strawberries, HONEYCRISP apples (which are happening right now for 75 CENTS a pound), and corn! LOVE IT! Here you are looking at our case of corn processing! :)

Daddy and Laine did most of the husking and shucking, and little Erza was our delivery boy! Funny thing is is that he'd manage to take a bite out of nearly every cob before reaching ME inside the kitchen boiling and preparing everything. Looked like we had our own pet worm! :) It was so precious! And his face was all sticky and starchy! TOO CUTE! Didn't get a picture of either the cob or the mustache, wish now I had! I guess this will have to do! :)

Kids & Sports

We've tried our hand at another few sports lately with the boys! And I am having SO MUCH FUN! Not sure who is having more fun, me or the boys! :) Laine is in Karate! Best thing we could have done for the boy! HE LOVES IT! And is JUST SO PROUD! And so is mommy! Pictures are hard to capture, but here are a few!

And, little Ezra! He may look little, but let me tell you something! THAT BOY IS SOLID! Seriously! Unbelievable! I think he weighs about 28 pounds now and is ALL MUSCLE! We started this little man in Gymnastics and he is ELATED! LOVED it! Unfortunately, I only signed him up for a three week "Tiny Tots" class through the city not knowing how a two year old would do with "listening" "doing" and all that stuff in Gymnastics! HE BLEW ME AWAY! He was the only kid in his entire class that walked around with a GRIN from ear to ear doing exactly what the teacher asked him to do, and doing it WELL! As though he had practiced a million times already! UNREAL! He was AMAZING on the rings! That boy has it in him! I'm hoping to continue him in weekly lessons. I think I've found his "niche." LOVE it! So here are a few pictures of that as well! ENJOY!

Kate McRae

So, many have heard me talk about, ask for prayer, update on a dear friend of mine's daughter, Kate McRae! MY HEART IS HEAVY! And has been since the day I heard the news. I went to school with Kate's mother, Holly, at Walnut Ridge, and have had the PRIVILEGE of briefly reconnecting with she and her husband as he is one of the pastors on staff at our church in Chandler! TALK ABOUT A SMALL WORLD! Anyway, they keep a blog for Kate at www.prayforkate.com if you'd be so kind as to go visit the blog and read and PRAY OVER HER for COMPLETE healing, and NEW LIFE! I am a believer in MIRACLES! To this day, I still believe our daughter, Grace Priscilla's life of TWELVE DAYS at only 10 ounces (no pounds here) was nothing short of MIRACULOUS! And I am BELIEVING that God is going to bring Kate through this battle. Some days, I'm weary, and just can't pray another day further, and there are days where I am on my knees MUCH of the day BEGGING and PLEADING with God for a miracle here.

Back in July (July 4 if you want to read the exact entry by Holly), Holly wrote how after surgery, the surgeon performing her surgery was so careful to cut and make the incision close to her bang line so that the scar wouldn't show too much as Kate was concerned how people would look at her or talk about her or laugh at her (this is from memory, but this is sort of what I remember). FROM THAT DAY FORWARD, I felt very convicted in my heart about DONATING a good portion of my very own very healthy and long hair to an organization most are familiar with, "LOCKS OF LOVE" IN HONOR of Kate McRae. Though she is not the actual recipient of my own hair, she is why I chose to donate my hair.

I DID IT, yesterday. My dearest cousin, Andra Good, helped me accomplish this task! SHE IS AMAZING! Absolutely LOVE her passion for what she does, and the amazing job she does with her talent and gift that God has so richly blessed her with! Andra knows Kate as well and also has the same praying spirit on her behalf. So it made it extra special!

Please continue to pray for this family and for Kate!

Before

Measuring

YIKES! No turning back now! :)

I will admit, I was quite nervous about this!

YAY! I did it! I'm in shock!

Cutting my new style!

I LOVE IT!

My dear partner in crime! Andra Good!

Sent that off in the mail today! HOW REWARDING!
And YES! I'd do it again!

Wow.........Oh.............Wow!

Alright, so things have been happening! :)

Chavalah's MRI went well. We meet with her Neurologist again on October 15, so we'll find out the results on that date!

Also, just yesterday, we were given the "go ahead" to contact our attorney to file our Petition To Adopt! YAY! Sound familiar!? :) Almost exactly ONE YEAR AGO we were doing this very same thing in hopes to complete Ezra's adoption! WOW! How things go fast! Seems like we've had Ezra forever, in yet he's only officially been "Ezra Baltzly" for less than a year! God is SO GOOD!

I, of course, within 5 minutes of receiving the e-mail to contact our attorney was ON THE PHONE with our attorney! :) YAY! She told us they are completing these within about 30 days, so should be another October adoption! Yippee! I'll of course update the blog with the new date info, and we will also be having another HAPPY CELEBRATION in her honor for those close to celebrate with us! We hope you all can make it! I will get things set once I get a date on our hearing, then let everyone know!

Thanks for checking in! I really need to get some pics up here! Sorry! :( Everyone is under the weather right now, so not much picture taking going on! :)

Shew!!!

Can anyone tell me, please, where September has already gone!?!? I'm absolutely amazed!

So, it's been a VERY busy month! :)

Posting a few pictures first from our first Good News Club!!!! :) We are grateful for even just ONE! We got THREE!!! :) PRAISE THE LORD!!!!! Our next one meets already this coming week! Can't believe it's been two weeks already! Enjoy! And thanks for PRAYING and thanks for CONTINUING to pray!!!! May the LORD be glorified!!!!

Good News Club

Well, we are starting a new adventure tomorrow that I can hardly wait for! We are going to be starting a Good News Club! How many of you all grew up with GNC!? I know for sure Benjamin and I both did! I did for YEARS! For as long as I can remember!

For those of you not as familiar with it, it is where neighborhood kids meet for an hour to enjoy a snack, Bible Story, singing, and learning a Bible verse!

Anyway, we have been preparing for the last few weeks and we can hardly wait to see what God's going to do with it! We've left it totally in His tender hands, and we are going to sit back and watch things happen!

My dear mama, is going to be teaching the lessons with the good 'ol flannel graph. She has been preparing hard for the first lesson. Last night, Laine & I knocked on doors to hand out and personally invite the kids to club! We'll see how many come tomorrow and how it grows! I will keep you all posted with the numbers. I will try and post some pictures too from club tomorrow!

Please be praying for open hearts in learning about God! Club will be on Thursdays (selected dates) from 3:15-4:15.