It is Well With My Soul - Brian Doerksen

How Sweet and Unexpected!

I was so surprised and excited to receive the "The Stylish and Trendy Blog Award" from a my sweet blogging friend Janet over @ Janet and Marvins Life.  I just adore her blog-she is so filled with the love of Jesus and she just down to earth and so kind. She always leaves the sweetest comments on my blog.  I always enjoy reading her blog and hearing from her on mine-she would be one I would nominate as well (but I didn't think she would want to do this all over again-(smile).)
Now, I really don't think my blog is that stylish or trendy (sometimes I can barely figure out what I am doing on here) but she was kind enough to nominate me and I was thrilled.

These are the Rules for accepting this award

1. Link back to the person who gave you this award.

2. Share 7 things about yourself.

3. Pass it along to 7 other stylishly and trendy bloggers.

4. Contact those bloggers and tell them about their award.

Here are 7 things about myself.

1.  I am blessed to be the mom of 4 beautiful kids.

2.  I was born and raised in New York and now live in Texas!

3.  I was a live in nanny when I was 18-21 in Philadelphia. 

4.  I became a Christian at the age of 15 even though I was always raised in the church-praise God that He allowed me to see the difference in knowing who God is and KNOWING God as very personal Savior.

5.  I love Dr. Pepper-Dislike Peas immensely and could live on nothing but Chocolate.   

6.  I love reading Karen Kingsbury or Francine Rivers Novels. 

7.  One dream I always wanted was to be a Christian Singer-oh well, you can't have them all-I always wanted to be a wife and mom first and God gave me both of those.

The 7 bloggers that I pass this award on to are listed below in no particular order.  Each one of these women have greatly impacted my life with their friendships.  They all have wonderful blogs that make me want to seek to be a better Christian-to grow in my faith and to love my Lord with all my heart.  I thank each one of them for their BLOGS full of encouragement, inspiration and blessings and their comments, prayers, and friendships since I have been blogging.   

Congratulations! 

#1

Janette @ Janette's Sage

#2

Kelly @ Loving lifes little moments

#3

Karen @ my 3 clucklings

#4

Barbie @ my freshly brewed life

#5

Courtney @ storing up treasures

#6

Stacy @ His way not mine

#7

Bethany @ Confessions of a chosen one

Please stop over and see how you can be blessed by these ladies.

On this Pathway-

Jill

Josiah's Tribute Video

This video is of a precious little angel  (one of my best grade school and high school friends married into this sweet family) their precious Josiah went home to be with Jesus a year ago today-please keep them in your prayers today as they are still learning what a new normal is for their family. Days like today bring back a flood of memories.  He was born with some very rare heart issues and was in the hospital for almost the first year of his life-he was able to come home for a three days-got ill and had to go back to the hospital.  He never got to come home again.
Thank you for praying for them.
On this Pathway-
Jill

A photo a day-a little behind 1-11-11-1-15-11

 Our Texas State Flag-flying high in the air with the sunset behind it-we were at the top of a ferris wheel at Six Flags when I shot this.

 Just a sweet shot of my kitty-he looked like I felt that day-worn out-wish I could have joined him in hanging over the edge of my bed asleep!

 Silly squirrel-this is a stuffed animal of our dogs that is in the back yard for them to play with-it was bigger than the squirrel-but he grabbed a hold of it and drug it up the tree in our back yard. LOL

 My sweet baby girl- modge podging the letter "A" for Analeigh all by herself, for her bedroom to hang her coat on.

A saying I really like that I saw somewhere that I decided to paint on one of the walls in my office in our house.

Analeigh with a mustache and beard- lol  Girl after my own heart-she really enjoyed this bowl of ice cream with chocolate syrup on it.

A Giveaway over at She Looketh Well-you don't want to miss it!

Michele over at She Looketh Well is having a great giveaway-you must stop over there and check it out-join up to follow her and let her know you stopped by-and repost on your blog to be entered.
Great new book by Ann Voskamp-not even out yet.  You must go see-you will be touched by her blog too.
I know I was.
Thanks-
Jill

My Business Website-It Is Finally Official-Open For Business

Yeah-I am really excited this morning-after working for about 4 days (in between homeschooling, being a mom, going to Curves, cooking meals, washing clothes, cleaning the house, running errands, getting the boys from school, taking Alyssa to dance twice a week, church on Sundays and Wednesdays, lets see what else-lol) I have finally finished and published my website for "Simple Delights!" I am really excited and can't wait for you all to stop bye and see it some time soon.

I must say I have a new appreciation for people who design websites for a living-now, not knowing what I am really doing at all and having a husband who is a college professor and has started back to school from Christmas break so he wasn't around to help(even though he is a graphic designer-how he got out of this one I am not sure) might have a lot to do with it but it was a lot of work!!!  I have been working on it for about 4 days now-downloading photos and writing up descriptions and trying to fit everything in on 6 pages, because I didn't want to pay more for more pages at this point-took some time to figure it out and how to lay it all out.
Whew!  I may go back and change things up a little and add things and change things for each season and holiday but for now it is published and I am excited to finally have a website to put on my business cards and a place where people can go to purchase my lotion bars and lip balms, or special order items like my hymn pieces, children's skirts, washer necklaces, and bibs and silkies.
So, if you get a chance I would love for you to stop by"Simple Delights" and tell me what you think-and buy something if you want too. (smile)

On this Pathway-
Jill

Advertise on your blog and earn money doing it.

I just recently signed up to advertise for a company called Chunky Bling on my blog. You can  click here to check them out. You can see in my side bar that I have a button where their add is running.   They give one of the highest commissions I have ever seen for advertising on your blog and their products are really cute. 
They are looking for other blogs to advertise on. So this is your chance.... if you want to make a little money by advertising for a great company off of your blog...click here- you need to use the link provided to get started. 
I get a little something for referring you and then you will get something when you refer people too. 
Thanks!
Check out there new Mother's Bracelets-great for mom or grandma or aunt or sister or anyone else you might now that loves jewelry-they are on sale right now for $15.00 up to six birthstone pearls and they will do a total up to 12 birthstone charms ($2.00 for each extra pearl after 6.)  I love it and plan on ordering one soon.


Check it out-lots of fun things on there.
Thanks
Jill

Interesting thoughts on "Blogging Cliques"

I follow a blog http://www.firefliesandhummingbirds.net that had an interesting topic today-Do you think the blogging world has cliques too? She listed her thoughts comments and some from other bloggers on why she thought maybe this was true.

I found it interesting-mostly because if I am truthful there are times when I log on that I wish I had comments and I don't and I read other blogs I follow and see all the followers they have and all the comments and I wonder why I can't or don't I.

So yes if there is a blogging "clique" I know I am not in it, but the friends I have met from blogging are wonderful-the ones that have responded to my posts and have left the sweetest comments and heartfelt prayers- I am so blessed that I have met each of you, to call you my friends.
I started my blog as a way to journal my thoughts, our activities as a family, photos, daily things like that-mostly as a way for me to keep a scrapbook like journal for my our family and friends that live all over the the US that we have never lived near since we were have been married and had kids.  So they were  able to get on and read what we were up to and see how the kids have grown but also for making new friendships and seeing glimpses into other people's lives and know how they live and what they are like(has always been interesting to me.)  So, I am thankful for the few followers I have and the friendships that I have made from them-there are so many of you I wish I could meet in person and someday maybe we will.
For now I will keep on blogging for me and for anyone else who might be interested in reading my blog.

PS-So glad to be out of Jr. High!

On this Pathway-
Jill

More photos to share 1-8-11-1-10-11

Just the last few days in the life of the Joneses. 

1-8-2011

I always say it is a zoo at our house-this proves it-lol!  Our sweet Analeigh as my favorite animal a giraffe.

1-9-2011

Max loves to get on top of the TV in the living room and bat at things like he can get them-he does this to the arrow on the computer screen when ever I am on it too-He was loving the shade rolling up and down on Elmo-too much fun!

1-10-2011

I was so excited about this one-after Christmas I always try to get one really great deal on something that I would really like but that I won't pay the normal full price for since we have so many little ones to buy for at Christmas.  So last year it was my snowmen plates-ceramic dinner plates with a snowman in the middle of them (which I collect) buy the time I got them they were like 95% off and I was able to get the 6 we needed for our table for 10 cents a plate!!!!

This was my bargain this year.  I love nativities too and this one even has a light in the area where Mary and Joseph are being covered by and angel.  I loved it-the simplicity of it-it is just really pretty-any guesses on the price?  Well I will tell you cause I was so excited $4.99!! So I had to take a picture to show you my great deal for the day.

That's all there is-there isn't anymore (for today)

On this Pathway-

Jill

Photo a day 1-3-2011-1-7-2011

As I was getting ready to do this post on my photo a day project-I realized I had a theme going this week with our pets I guess-they are pretty funny and pretty cute too and they stay still when I want to take their photos so maybe that is why. hehe

January 2-2011-yummy cookies that I made form a recipe from this site: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/the-chewy-recipe/index.html really worth trying!

January 4, 2011 My sweet kitty Max-so relaxed in my office on the futon. Wish I could sleep this hard and this relaxed!

January 5, 2011-My sweet, adorable Derek holding our super soft, cuddly Max-love this boy and the kitty is pretty cute too. (smile)

January 6, 2011 Another kitty one-both of our kitties Max and Angel peacefully existing together for a few minutes-of course on my futon-in my office-it's the hang out spot.

January 7, 2011 A new hymn piece I made today with one of my favorite hymns
"Because He Lives"
What is your favorite hymn and why?

A glimpse at some of my week through the lens of my camera-don't what that says about my life with all these cat photos-lol!

On this Pathway-

Jill

One of my top favorite blogs to follow is http://www.storinguptreasures.com. Courtney is so honest and funny and had a deep love for her family and families adopting sweet children into their homes like they themselves have.  
She is just down to earth, and open and very honest but in such a loving way.  I have just really learned a lot from her blog and wish she lived closer so I could actually sit down and drink coffee with her and chat or go to the playground with our kids and let them run wild or go get our toe nails painted or something like that-when you read her blog you can picture getting together with her for a day to do just those sort of things.  She is a great writer and from that I feel like I have known her and her family for years.  She is just the kind of friend you are thankful to find and if you ever needed her she would be there-that kind of gal-you'll feel like you have always known her from the first time log on to you meet her.  


Right now she is doing a neat thing for people who follow too- she is going to promote different blogs that she follows once a month.  So, if you would like to meet some other bloggers, have some more followers, or simply like to have your blog featured on her blog- hop over there and check her blog out-I promise you won't be disappointed.

(I copied the following from her blog)
Since I know there are so many GREAT blogs out there just waiting to be discovered, I thought I would start a little promotion. And it is very simple.

I am going to start a page on my linkbar above called "Blogs of note". There I will list YOUR blogs. Then once a month I will choose a blog from the list to promote that I think is really deserving of some recognition. I will place your button on my sidebar for that month and write a post about why I think your blog is so great. 

All you have to do to get on the list is become a follower of this blog if you are not already, then place one of my buttons below on your sidebar OR the Blogs of Note button. Then write a blog post on your own blog about "Blogs of note" directing other bloggers to come on over and get on the list. Last, leave me a comment with your blog address and you will be added. 

It is simple and easy and as a result, YOUR blog will gain many new followers!!  

And I am really looking forward to getting to know you all better through your writing!


Hope you enjoy her blog as much as I do!!


On this Pathway-
Jill

Our trip to the Dr. did not go as planned

Our trip to the Dr. at Cooks did not go as planned-we went got our x-rays and were in and out quickly.  That part was good-the not so good part is one of the areas where the cyst has been removed is growing another cyst and this one has is not a solid mass it has little finger like veins in it (the only way I can described it) so the option of going in and having a steroid shot put into his hip is still open to us but we were told by both the Dr. at Cooks that we have and our Dr. here that I met with this morning that the there isn't a great chance of killing or stopping the growth of the cyst with this method at this point because it is almost impossible to have the steroid reach all the vein like things in it so that it wouldn't kill it all-it would continue to grow.
So since this isn't out patient-he would go in and be put under and have a day like surgery we are opting to wait the 2 months like she suggested and our Dr. here agrees to see if it won't resolve on it's own or if it continues to grow that we will need to do another option.  Surgery to open up the area-remove this cyst and graft again isn't an option right now since if they went in where they did the first time they couldn't reach it because of the rod in there now-so they would have to remove it (a really terrible option) or go above it (another not great option either) because they have to go through muscle, and things that could then kill the blood flow to the bone-really bad-dead bone=a hip replacement-not what we want to do on a 7 year old.
So after talking to our wonderful pediatric Dr., Dr. Wiley here (someone we respect and value his opinion-physically and spiritually) he feels like the report she wrote(and he is speaking to her today as well)that is what she would like to wait two months and his opinion it to wait the two months and see what happens.
At that point we will know more as well-they don't believe it is cancer again PTL and since the rod is in place and stable and there is no fracture currently we need to wait and see what it will do.  The Dr. wrote in her report that quite often the will resolve on their own.  The bad part is it is new the growth plate so it could cause issues but right now it isn't so waiting two months will give us a better idea of what it might be doing or going to do.  If we were to do the shot now-there is a slight chance it might stop the growth or kill it, but it is very slight.  Putting him through that and if it grows anyways and we are having to look at removal and grafting again anyways-it just isn't worth putting him through all that with a very poor success rate and then maybe surgery after all.
So with much prayer and just as many tears we are choosing to wait the two months to see what happens.  He isn't in pain and has no limping at this point either so they would rather wait.  The hard part is making this decision and not looking back.  If it gets worse we can't second guess what he are deciding is the right thing to do today based on all the information we have and our prayers.
I have to trust what we choice we are making today is the right one for the knowledge we have and the advice from two very good Dr.'s.
Please pray for me-I am very weary and for awhile I think I may second guess this-worry we have made the wrong choice.  The funny thing is the Dr. yesterday said "You know he is still the same boy leaving here as he was coming in here-we just have the knowledge now that the cyst is back and it hasn't changed him in anyway-he is not hurting or limping so had we not had this appointment today we wouldn't be doing anything different."  That is true-so we are waiting and praying and I am trusting that my God is bigger than this and He can if it is His plan stop this tumor from growing even make it go away, not even be on the next x-ray.  I am claiming healing for him today-please pray that as well.
The hardest part for me has been making sure he is ok with it all-he was one sad little boy yesterday hearing he is still restricted from any activity-it has been a long 9 months already and then when she started talking about the option  of day surgery and doing the shots in his hip, he lost it and just broke down and cried.  My heart broke for him at the point.  Please pray for his little heart and spirit-he is really sad today-I don't know what quite to do.
Thank you for lifting us up in prayer again.  I was not expecting our appointment to go that way at all yesterday-I was worried about still being restricted and what that would mean for him (which we still are) but not thinking they would say one of the cysts had come back. So we are still in shock a little and processing it all and what it might mean for him in the future.
Weary yet thankful I serve a God that is bigger than all of this!

Jill

IF YOU THINK OF IT-PRAY

Hey my dear blogging friends if you think of it during your prayer time tomorrow (1-5-11) pray for my Brandon.   We will be on our way-(just he and I) to Cook's Children's Hospital for a follow up on his hip since his surgery.
He is really hoping and praying to get some good news-like that he can run and jump and act like a 7 year old boy normally does.  He has been on restricted activity since his surgery back in April ( almost 9 months now-I mean nothing but walking and bike riding (that was just the last two months) and he is about to go crazy.  I really think that is part of us just driving each other a little crazy lately too-besides the fact we both can be pretty bull headed and have to have the last word (a lot a like this one and I) and so I feel like all we have done the last few moths is argue with each other.  It has made me shed many a tear at bed time-we both are very passionate people as well-we love and dislike things with a great passion and so at times it makes our relationship a difficult one.

So, if you think of it, please keep us in your prayers-traveling mercies and a quick easy visit (I teach 3rd grade choir at church on Wednesday nights and it starts back up tomorrow and I really need to be back in time) and for good news for this little boy to at least be able to do a few more things.  Lots of vent up boy energy waiting to escape this little body! lol
Thanks-
Love you all and am so thankful that I can ask for pray and know we will be covered-it means a great deal to this mama's heart.
On this Pathway-
Jill

365 days of Photos-DAY 2

Max-our Russian Blue kitty-6 months old we think-we have now had him 4 months today and they thought he was between 6-8 weeks when we got him so that makes him close to 6 months now.
Happy 6 month b-day our Maxi (as Analeigh calls him-smile)

Just a litte peak into the past- the next three photos are from the first day we got Max Sept.2nd.

He was so little and cute.  Still cute but much bigger and he now has green eyes instead of blue.

365 days of Photos! Day 1

I love to take pictures (over 7000 just in the last 6 months on my computer right now that I need to back up now!)-mostly of my children because they change so much daily and I don't want to miss a thing-I want to remember it all and every stage of their lives, but I also love rainbows, and animals, and sunsets and sunrises and unique bridges or buildings or whatever! I wish at times that I would have taken more photography classes in High School or College (I may at HSU-where my hubby teaches-matter-a-fact-the photography classes are in the art dept. where he is the head of the department) so I may try to fit that into my schedule at some point when I have nothing to do-ha!  Will I still be able to hold up the camera at 90?! lol
Anyways, I started the 365 pictures-a year in photo thing last year because I love to take photos and I thought it would be fun to do but things  life happened and I didn't get to it for days on end (when Brandon had his surgery or all 4 were sick with the flu) and so I kind of gave up on it.  So, I decided I was going to try and do it again this year since I tend to post photos with my blogs a lot of the time anyways that maybe this was a good way to do it.
So I am starting with January 1st of course.
The 3 T's Teddy Bears-Tea Parties, and TuTu's-My Sweet Analeigh playing in her bedroom on New Year's Day.

Happy New Year!
On this Pathway-hoping to capture this next year one photo at a time!
Jill