Suzanne Griffin

Last night Gabby, Wyatt and I headed to Wal-Mart. While we were there it was rather uneventful other than Wyatt filling his diaper quite loudly to full capacity. However, before we made it inside and on the trip home gave me my Gabbyfix. When we got out of the van, I noticed she had several spots of something on the front of her skirt. After I got Wyatt out of the van I turned to see her using her fingers to "wash" off the spots. I figured it was probably spit. I discovered I was wrong, as she squatted down and dipped her hand into the puddle of water aka...oil, grime, uck...in the parking lot. and started washing her skirt again. This is when she spotted a butterfly. It was beautiful and in amazingly good condition for being dead. It must of fallen off someone's car grill. From the instant I saw it, I knew that it was just a matter of time before Gabby would find this treasure. Adead butterfly is much better than the dead crow of last week. Gabby picked up the

Ok, both Makensie and Gabby are putting together their books they have written for a homeschool project. We are just finishing up the illustrations. On the inside cover we are going to put a couple of quotes / reviews from people and what they say about the book...just like the real ones. So here is Gabby's. If you want to share a comment please do so! One morning mamma took Gabby to the Zoo. They walked a lot that day, but it was worth it because they got to see so many different animals. They saw the giraffe and zebra, they were right next to each other. Then they saw a rhinoceros. He was really big. When they got tired from all the walking they decided to take a train ride around the zoo. While they were on the train they saw some bears. One was black and one was brown. When the train ride ended, the first thing that Gabby saw was the beautiful flamingos. Gabby and momma both love flamingos. When they saw the tiger, he was eating his lunch of meat. Momma’s favorite animal

Ok, both Makensie and Gabby are putting together their books they have written for a homeschool project. We are just finishing up the illustrations. On the inside cover we are going to put a couple of quotes for review from people...just like the real ones. So here is Makensie's. If you want to share a comment please do so! Once upon a time there was a little mamma mouse named Callie. She lived in a little hole in the wall in a big old house. She had two baby girl mice named Sarah and Sally. Momma mouse was pregnant and hoping for a baby boy mouse. On Monday, Sarah and Sally snuck out into the big house after the people had breakfast and gathered up little pieces of toast, cheese and scrambled eggs that had fallen on the floor. They also found some grapes rolling around. On Tuesday it was time for momma to go to the mouse hospital. Momma mouse was blessed with another baby girl mouse. They named her Makensie. On Wednesday, momma got to rest at the hospital and enjoy her new

One of my sister's is a CPA, very sweet, professional, easily embarrassed,. She went to the bathroom today at work. When she flushed the toilet, it overflowed. I'm sure she seriously concerned resigning and moving out of state, poor girl. Years back, a college friend of mine went to the bathroom while we were at work and sad to say he wasn't feeling well, and he had ate corn the night before. When he flushed, the toilet overflowed. Gross. And when I was working in a insurance office in KC I had went to the restroom and the walls were paperthin, I was sure I was going to pass gas, so as not to embarrass myself, I turned on the sink and sat down to pee. I was also working at a bar at night til almost 3am most nights so I was tired. I somehow managed to fall asleep on the toilet. I wake up and the sink was overflowing. The puddle had already reached the hallway and even went under the walls. Since there was carpet it took almost a week for the slooshing to be gone.

I caught part of a cooking show yesterday and the goal of the show was to make a 30- minute , healthy, tasty meal. I have to be honest that if I do make a 30 minute meal it isn't always healthy. I haven't really taken the time to study new recipes and ways of cooking so that I can familiarize myself with healthier recipes that are quick. It is much the same way with our spiritual life. If we have not taken the time to study the Word of God and know Him, how do we know when we are off track? The last couple of days, it has been easy to be tempted by the carrot cake with raisins, coconut and pineapple covered with 2 coats of that beautifully smooth cream cheese frosting that just melts in your mouth, which is sitting on my counter top . I have carrots cut up and ready for snacking in the refrigerator and I know that between the 2 option, I should choose to eat the raw carrots. I know they are good for me, low in calories, good for my eyes and they will make me hop faster. But my

over the past year I often found myself complain of all my body's aches and pains while I was carrying one of the blessings from God Himself. Throughout the last year I had an EColi infection, an inner ear infection, high blood pressure, low iron, sciatic nerve problems, UTI infections, flu. All together I probably lived a total of 2 months sick or in pain. 2 months?! Yet there are those among us that would have been thankful to have 2 months free of pain and suffering. It is comforting to know that God keeps record of each minute of our afflictions and cares for us. Some day our bodies will all be whole and healthy. It was hard for me to be patient at times with my growing uncomfortableness towards the final days of my pregnancy. I pray that I will long remember my not so perfect health and find compassion on those around us who are facing illness and pains. Christ sent angels to stir the water in the pool of Bethesda. A man crippled of 38 years was singled out and then

Some friends had us over for some wonderful BBQ brisket and Merlot. Gabby and Brian found a dead crow and wanted to keep it as a pet because it was sooo soft. Gabby chatted on the phone with some twins she met in public school before we pulled her our to homeschool. She sounded so grown up...even when she was telling them that she was covered with bruising from head to toe. Their mom hasn't called me back to get together. Ran errands and Brian insisted on wearing his cowboy boots, cowboy belt, his blue hard plastic police helmet and the blue swimming goggles. The goggles didn't really fit right so his lower eyelids were pulled out away from his eye. I'm sure people thought I had a "special" child. Wyatt has gained almost 2 lbs and grown 2 inches. Makensie and Gabby are writing books for homeschool...our Christian Homeschool group. Makensie starts narrating her story to me "There were a boy and girl parked in a car in a field and they heard something scra

After our family devotions last night I told the kids that I'd really like to go around the room and pray tonight rather than just Brian. Usually just the child who's day it is closes us in prayer. I asked Brian if he would go ahead and lead us in prayer. "Sure" he said as he slid off the couch, clasped his little hands together and started his prayer and started walking around the furniture. After he had circled the recliner and couch 3 times, praying softly, and trying his best to keep his eyes shut without stumbling into everything, he closed, "Amen." I looked up confused at Allen and told Brian thank you. Then I asked why he decided to walk around the room. He told me, "You said you wanted us to go around the room and pray." How precious!

I'm sure that most of you have seen the email about the mom that hesitated saying she was just a mom/housewife because of the little value that often times comes from the perception of that. I can clearly remember saying to a friend in college that when I got married that I wanted to stay home, especially if we had kids, although I didn't think kids were in my future. She was shocked and asked what I would do all day long, said how boring it would be. Now that I'm staying home daily with our four little ones, age 6 and under it has long since past that I have ever said that I was bored with nothing to do. There is a never ending to do list, baby to be fed, pumping, meals to make, dishes to do, laundry to wash, floors to sweep, boo boos to kiss and bandage, scabbles to settle, bills to pay, errands to run, groceries that need put away, friends to talk with, husband to love on...and dozens of things on a wish list for what sometimes seems like a far off future. Although I nev

We have a sticker reward chart and in order to get a sticker for the jobs the kids complete they must do their chores with a happy heart the 1st time they are asked. This morning Brian wasn't exactly happy to be doing his silverware and asked in not so kind words why we had to do dishes EVERYDAY?! He is only 4 so I just mentioned again that in order to eat we have to have clean dishes and as a family we all help each other. After he finished putting away the silverware I praised him on a job well done and reminded him to get a sticker. But there he stood and said, "But I complained, so I don't get a sticker." Wow. Thank you Lord for a glimpse of hope that they are learning! He did get 2 stickers for his honesty.

Our lives have changed drastically and been blessed more than we can verbalize in the last 2 weeks with our new addition to our household. Wyatt Cole was born Feb 16 th at 6:04 pm. He weighed in at 7lbs 6 ozs and was 19 inches long. He is so adorable and handsome. He's my little sweet potato . Although he isn't willing to nurse, which means extra time pumping and cleaning items, it is all worth it. I can hardly lay him down, I just want to hold and kiss on him. What is it about babies? When Allen and I were dating I tried to break up with him at one point because his desire to have children. I felt like that wasn't something I wanted in my future and didn't want to take that away from him. However, here we are 4 little ones later. As soon as the nurse laid him on my chest, I cried and thanked the Lord for another precious gift. What have I done to deserve such a blessing? There are days I don't know why God ever thought I would make a good parent, day