Tuesday, April 29, 2008

I have been tagged( back in Feb)

I have been tagged….a while ago…..I’m not good at these things but here it goes.
This is how it works….. I am supposed to tell you 7 things that you might not know about me…

1. I was married before Aaron and before I became a Christian…It was the typical infatuation, I cannot live without you, no one else can have you type of love. My mom begged me not to get married. I told her I would make it work…boy was I wrong. I even told my dad before he walked me down the isle that I thought I was making a mistake. He said it was just nerves….Dad’s if your daughter tells you that she thinks that she is making a mistake please do not tell her that it is just her nerves. Let her have a few minutes to really process what is taking place so that she does not make the biggest mistake of her life. That marriage ended in divorce because of physical abuse.

2. I met Aaron a year after my divorce and then a month later my Aunt led me to the Lord, I was 23 yrs old. Do not ever give up on someone coming to know Christ because of his or her age, what they believe, or their background. Aaron and I were married 2 months later. People thought it was too soon but Aaron and I knew that the Lord had put us together for a reason!! We did have our ups and downs but who doesn’t! Through all of those circumstances, we were able to witness and encourage so many people along the way.


3. I love to horseback ride. I use to do this as a child at TLC. That was the day care that I went to while my mom worked to support me and my sister and brother. I use to go trail riding, barrel racing and I even did some bronco riding. I got 1st place for that. Horses seem to make everything that is going on my mind disappear. The experience of riding them calms what is going on inside of me. They help me to think about nothing else but the wind rushing through my hair and on my face. Its hard to capture in words the freeness of how being on a horse makes me feel.

4. In 1999, after I had Chandler, I went to my 6-week check-up and they were concerned that my thyroid had not gone back down to normal. To make a long story short, they tested me for all kinds of things. The results were CANCER. I was devastated. How could I at 26 yrs old have cancer? They aspirated it and did a test and the test results were benign. Praise the Lord! A few months later it started to hurt me, so they said that I could have it removed. In Sept. I went in to have it removed and the technician came in and said that the Dr. was not going to do the surgery that day because he was woke up at 3AM with something telling him that if he did the surgery he would loose me. I know that it was God waking him and allowing him to realize that. He gave me iodine drops (which I am allergic to topically) to ingest for a month to kill the cancer cells. A month later, I had the surgery. They removed the whole thyroid and 2 other cancerous tumors (they were also benign) that they did not know about. One was around my ephosogus and the other was around one of my vocal chords. They actually had to cut the vocal chord to get the tumor off. I could not speak for 3 months after the surgery. That was tough! Not because I talk much but because I had a husband and 2 children that I needed to speak to. I remember writing notes to people. I could lean over into your ear and you could hear me but not very well at all. God has really done an amazing work in my life.

5. When we lived in Florida, we were in an accident. Aaron was driving and Samuel and Chandler were in the back seat. I do not remember if I was pregnant with Lanie yet or not. I do not believe so. Anyways, We were traveling East bound back to FL from AL when a car that was heading West bound crossed the median and hit the car directly in front of us head on. The car in front of us veered to the right and the other car slid on top the overpass and landed across the bridge. No cars could get through. We did not hit anything….there was debris that flew around us and that we ran over but we did not impact either car! Amazing! When I looked up and opened my eyes, I instantly asked Aaron in a terrified voice saying, “Why aren’t we dead, why didn’t we hit that car?” The only explanation is that it was God that literally guided our car through the wreckage. Aaron pulled over and went to help the woman of the car that was hit in front of us and she could not be helped she was already gone. Sorry to be graphic but I want you all to realize how bad this accident really was. She was decapitated. Her friend in the passenger seat had to be life lighted to a nearby hospital. She was very bad off. Then Aaron went to see if he could help the people in the other car. The driver was thrown out and seemed fine but when Aaron got up to him, he told the boys friends that there was nothing anyone could do that he was gone. They begged him to help more but he couldn’t. His girlfriend that was traveling in the passenger seat had only a few cuts and bruises. Through this experience, it made me realize that we are not promised tomorrow so, if you do not have a relationship with the Savior I beg of you to find it so that you will spend eternity in Heaven instead of Hell.

6. I love to fly anywhere…I love the experience of flying, (I don’t know how to fly the plane but I sure know how to ride in one) looking out the window, the anticipation of taking off and landing, flying through the clouds. It is all such a rush for me.

7. I started work when I was 12 yrs old working at an arcade beside a water slide. That was the coolest job! Lots of cute guys! We had a place in there where you could buy snow cones. I was the snow cone queen! The line wrapped around the building to get a snow cone! I had that job because my mom was a single mom and if I WANTED anything then I had to pay for it myself. After holding that job for 3 summers, I decided that I needed to get something during the year so that I could get a car. At the age of 15, I started working at Little Caesars. At the age of 17, I was testing for Assistant Manger and I was robbed by gunpoint. That was not fun at all. I was terrified!!! By the age of 21, I was a floating Manager. That means that I went around to the different restaurants until they could give me my own close to where I lived. I worked there until I was 24. It was at that time that Aaron my late husband told me that either I quit my job and find a different one or he wasn’t going to marry me. Needless to say, I did exactly what he wanted me to do. The hours were long and exhausting and he did not like that. He hated seeing me tired.


I think you all have read just about enough of the Christina drama….
Always looking up!! ~ Christina~

Monday, April 28, 2008

Samuels birthday

I have not been writing on here in a while because we are actually getting things back on track! Samuel's birthday is today and he turned 11. He has gotten so big, as you see from the pictures that I posted. I remember the day that he was born very vividly!! His Daddy and I were so very excited for his arrival. Samuel has turned into a very moral young man. He sees everything as black and white, there are no shades of grey with him. He will always point out what is right and what is wrong. He is very inquisitive and soaks everything up like a sponge. You might think that he is not listening but don't let that fool you, he is all ears!!
He had 4 of his close friends over on Friday night for a slumber party. They played guitar hero on the Wii, then we went bowling.....they wanted me to bowl with them and I told them that I didn't want to beat them to bad so I would sit out. Samuel begged me so I played and what do you know he beat me by 2 points. I couldn't believe that he was so good. After bowling we went and rented a movie and got me a Starbucks so I could hang with the boys. Lights were out at midnight and they were up by 7 am. they played guitar hero some more int he morning before they had to leave. They were very good and respectful. I had no problems out of them what-so-ever!! Would do it again next year!

new pictures

I hope that you all enjoy these pictures!! We had so much fun taking them!! Thanks to my friend Kristen who did these for me. If you would like her to do some for you let me know and I can give her your info, she is doing this as a source of income.






































Wednesday, April 16, 2008

update

I wanted to let every one know that me and the kids are fine!! I have been in the middle of a project and once they are done you all will understand why I have not been updating you like I had been.
Please continue to pray for Samuel. He is having a hard time still with worrying about something happening to me. The other kids are wonderful....Chandler got straight A's last 9 weeks and is doing very well in school. Lanie is growing in to a little girl and boy is she ever a girly girl and is very particular on what she wants to wear!! WOW! Bennett is learning a whole bunch!! Pray for him....at night he is scared to sleep by himself now. I'm not sure why because he has never had a problem going to bed before but he is now crying hysterically unless someone lays down with him. Chandler has taken on this role!
As for me I am coping....the routine has begun to creep back into our lives and sometimes I feel that is good and other times I don't because it is then that the hustle and bustle of life starts to take over! I have to tell my self to slow down and smell the roses.

Monday, April 7, 2008

second, third and many more chances

This past week has been a very interesting week!! Tuesdays and Thursdays I take the 2 little kids to Mom's day out so that I can have at least 4-5 hours to run around and do my errands with out the kids. Last Tuesday I attempted to go and get my hair cut, done..what ever you call it, and they didn't have any apointments available. Now what do I do? I get in my car and go to the stop light and wait for it to tum green. Not sure why I just sat there a sec and then I looked left and saw a car approaching so I just stayed put to see if he was going to slow down. He didn't seem to be doing that at all. It seemed as though he had sped up. Well what ya know he blew right through that red light like it was invisible. I would have been T-boned on my side of the car.( I was driving a little car, not my huge tank) I am so thankful that I didn't go when the light was green but took a look to make sure that it was really clear for me to go.
In my life I have had several close calls where it could have been the last breath that I would take, but for some apparent reason the 3rd time I was spared again. (one day I will share the other events that God has shown me where he has spared my life) Was it because I wasn't ready? No not at all!!! It was because the Lord was not ready to take me home just yet. He has mighty things in store for my life and I ask him for guidance, direction and insight on what that is!
I really didn't think of the impact last Tuesday has had on me until I went to the Women of Faith conference this past weekend(if it comes anywhere remotely close to any of you I highly recommend you go!). There was a speaker there named Sheila that had lost her dad when she was 5. I cried the whole time she spoke. I wanted to speak with her and ask her all kinds of questions but when I was able to all I could do was tell her about Aaron and that I have a 4 year old daughter, and 3 boys. She proceeded to tell me that I needed to be praying that the Lord would keep me here on this earth until all four of my children come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. It hit me right then.....He spared my life last Tuesday so that I can train up my children in the ways of the Lord and to see them accept HIM.
I have been dealing with alot in my life these past 2 or 3 weeks...that is why there haven't been as many entries lately. I hope that I will be able to post more often soon! I just want to let everyone know we are doing very well! God Bless you all......

~always looking up~ Christina

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Pictures I promised...a few days late...sorry!

All of these pictures are the pictures form Spring Break down in Fort Walton Beach, Navarre and Destin, Florida. We miss it so much. Can't wait to go back in July for a while!!


Samuel being silly!!
Bennett climbing on the outside wall of the lighthouse
Chandler crawling into the lighthouse through the window.
Lanie and the friend she made while playing!
My kids with the little boy that we met in Navarre Beach while picking up shells off of the beach.
The kids all playing in the surf
Bennett
Lanie and Bennett making "sand angels"
Bennett couldn't get in the water he would just get close enough to get his feet wet and then run back up to shore to dry off.

Titus and Chandler
Rayna and I thought they were so cute in their matching jeans and no shirts
Me and my oldest boy....I can't believe he will be 11 soon!!
Lanie making more "sand angels"
She wouldn't get near the water at all
Bennett and I buried Samuel.....I had never done that to anyone before..that was so much fun!!
The pictures were here a minute ago but I guess I deleted them...oops

Chandler feeding the seagulls
Uncle Rod holding out a piece of bread for the birds to take out of his hand...and they did!!

me with the kids at FWB landing Feeding the seagulls
My pretty girl



Lanie finally started hunting(picking up) eggs at the egg hunt. She was petrified of the Easter Bunny so she had to make sure the coast was clear.
The kids and Aunt Debbie looking to see if any of them got a special egg.
My kids with my cousins kids
Me with the kids...obviously I love this picture!!




I took the kids to a hibachi restaurant on afternoon. We met rayna with her kids there and my friend Leslie with her kids there. Lanie was petrified of course & Bennett was ok.





Lanie wouldn't get in the picture here oh well
My blessings that God has entrusted me with!!
Bennett loves to play the guitar...he can actually make it sound ok
Samuel and his cheesy smile
Lanie loves to color




Samuel riding Cheree's horse


Chandlers turn
Bennett loved riding...he didn't want to get off. When it came turn for Lanie to ride she didn't want to so Bennett said that he would take her turn. I even trotted and cantered with him on there and he loved it. He laughed the whole time.

Bennett and Cheree giving the horse a treat
Ok we finally got Lanie on but it wasn't easy she was kicking and screaming


Our former neighbor JH with the kids on his mower. They always loved to mow the grass on the mower with him




Chandler and Bennett in the rec room at the 4th(the gunship squadron that Aaron formally flew with). We got a personal tour of the aircraft and met with the commander( which was a friend of mine and Aaron's) they treated us like royalty Here Samuel is in the bubble...the bubble is in the very back of the plane. This is where the Loadmaster would look out for any missile threats. This is what Aaron would do during the missions.




Rayna with her son Colton
The water was so cold but it dosen't stop the kids


Rayna, me and Karley...my cousins which are sisters
Every time Bennett got out of the water he had to come and dry off


Lanie and Abagail in the tree playhouse(its more like a cabin on stilts)
Samuel on the zip line
All the kids eating ice cream
Lanie the Hamm
Bennett was pretending to shoot me