Trials

Since the last time I posted something, another month has successfully passed us by! The time sure does go by much more quickly now that I am older. We have been renting my cousin's house from him since last Aug. and we have been trying to do some small things to fix it up and make it feel "more like home". One of those things included painting the walls in the living room, kitchen and dining room. Ben spent about a week painting the walls and giving the house a make-over. We were very pleased with the results, only to find out a week later that we aren't really going to get to enjoy the fruit of that labor. God has other plans for us, and for my cousin's family, because they will be the ones to enjoy it (or change it). We are having to move in the next 6 weeks, so we have made some steps to see where it is that God is going to move us. Of course, I have my own ideas about where I think it should be, but I have lived long enough following God to know that my ideas are never as awesome as His, so instead of telling Him what I think He should do, I am asking Him to show us what He has for us. I know that God has something wonderful in store for my family, even if I am pretty stressed out about the whole thing---hey, I am still human, and a mom with three kids' educations to consider! We have spoken with the mortgage lady and everything is looking good so far-of course dependent on how much of a down payment we can come up with--but we are hoping to look at some houses today. YAY!!!

Two days after we found out we are having to move, we found out Annalisa has an abcessed tooth and 3 cavities to boot! WOW! She had been complaining intermittently about her cheek hurting, and I figured she had just bitten it. Then on a Sunday morning she woke up screaming, "It's not my cheek, it's my tooth!" So, I took a look and it seems that part of her tooth is missing. She must have gotten some food stuck in there and it got infected, thus leading to her mouth being so swollen by that night that she looked like she was playing Chubby Bunny--and was winning--with about 15 marshmallows stuffed in her mouth!!! She was in serious pain, so we doped her up with Motrin and Orajel until we could get her in to the dentist Monday morning. The dentist gave me the fatal news---the tooth must go to the tooth fairy. This, of course, was a bit exciting for Annalisa who hasn't had any teeth go to the tooth fairy yet....so she sees $$$$. She will be fitted for a spacer (it is a jaw tooth on the bottom) so that she will be less likely to need braces later. There is another jaw tooth on the other bottom side that will get a Princess Crown--wow, this dentist was really talking it up to Annalisa--and she will have to breath "bubble gum air" for the procedure. Annalisa went in terrified and came out smiling, telling Ben "and I will feel like I am walking on clouds!" (kicking her leg in the air for effect). This will not be cheap mind you, so all I am thinking is, "Why is my 5 year old's mouth going to cost more than my flat screen TV?" We go in this Monday (May 5) to start the whole process, so I took the day off of work! I always like days off!!
The last thing is--apparently Spring in Colorado is NOT the same as Spring in Texas!! May 1 it snowed 7 hours non-stop! At least the sun is out again today and warming things up again--I LOVE the sun!!! In the words of Sheryl Crow "I wanna soak up the sun".....but lately I am changing that to be "I wanna soak up the SON"!