A Little of This, A Little of That...And Then Some of Those

In my last post I lamented the fact that it is so very difficult to get Yummy's smiles caught on camera. Well looky here:






Little Bit got her giggling, and I grabbed my cell phone (my camera is AWOL) and snapped this. I love to hear babies laugh, and my Yummy is especially giggly. Doncha' love it???


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If anyone out there lives near Waco, there was a puppy mill shut down this week in the Waco area. Mostly rat terriers, but there were also some Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (like WonderDog!). No decision has been made as of this writing as to what will happen to these dogs, but if you are interested in helping out, whether financially, donating supplies to care for them, or fostering a dog or two in your home for a time, contact Sheila Simmons of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club Rescue USA, Inc. to find out more (www.cavalierrescueusa.org).

This is amazing to me, that people could be so beastly to those who can't defend themselves. Who says mankind is inherently good? "As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one..." (Romans 3:10)

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I love my sweet friend Flowerpot. She always has a smile on her face and a good word to share. She is one of the most beautiful people I've ever met, inside and out. Our girls have been in different classes this year, plus she's been working full-time and I've been so busy with Yummy, so I don't get to see her happy smile much. Since our schedules haven't matched up well this year, I like to go check out her blog to see what she and her precious family have been up to. (I like to do that anyway, but especially since we haven't seen each other much this year.) One of my "favorite" posts that she has written was back in February called "Worship Check". It's a very convicting post. She talks about how and where we spend our time and our money, and what that reveals about us. Ouch. For me, it wasn't pretty. This particular post been rolling around in my brain's very packed file cabinet, just lurking for the right time to be used. Well, God's timing is always perfect, and He brought it out of its "file drawer" and is using it in our lives to honor Him and help others. The Hoffer and I recently made a commitment to be better givers, to give to God His 10% first, even if it's difficult. (And believe me, with our economy the way it is right now, IT'S ALL DIFFICULT!) We decided to give more not just to our church, but also when we see a need. And God was faithful to give us opportunities to give RIGHT AWAY. The Hoffer was able to share with some who really needed it. I got an email from our church about a new crisis pregnancy center opening up, and we are donating a sofa/love seat combo to help get things set up. I hope I don't sound like I'm patting myself on the back...I am just so OVERJOYED at the opportunities the LORD is giving to us! How generous of HIM to give us yet another second chance to honor Him. Here are some verses He used to reiterate to me that we are to give generously:

Psalm 37:21, 25-26:

The wicked borrow and do not repay,
but the righteous give generously;
I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread.
They are always generous and lend freely;
their children will be blessed.

I love it when God gives me confirmation that I am on the right track...His track. :-) Thanks for the post, Flowerpot! Another jewel in your crown!!!

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Little Bit has had a rough afternoon. She has two BFFs (best friends forever, if you've never heard the term) that she has known for some time and loves dearly. One of these BFFs has been very unkind to the other one, and Little Bit was defending the wrong one. It was just too difficult for her to comprehend that someone she loves so much could do something wrong. Many tears were shed, but she is coming around. We are praying for a peaceful resolution. I love that God uses difficult situations in our lives to help others in need, and I was able to tell her about similar situations from my growing-up years and how I dealt with those situations. It's a comfort to her to know that she's not the only one to go through this situation and that I can give her some advice on how to handle things. Just goes to show you that God doesn't waste anything. :-)


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Finally, we have only TWO WEEKS OF SCHOOL LEFT!!! Bring on summer! I'm ready!!! And Happy Mother's Day to all you mommies and soon-to-be mommies out there!

So....It's been awhile since I checked my mailbox...

You can see by this picture that our postal carrier is a VEEEERRRRRYYYYY understanding woman!!!!

If you have sent us something recently but haven't heard a reply from us, rest assured that it's not for a lack of gratitude, but rather a lack of sleep. I take every opportunity I get to take a much-needed nap. My email inbox looks very similar to this stack of "snail mail". If you'll bear with me for just a bit, I promise you'll hear from me soon! Know that we feel so very blessed by all of you. I am so humbled that so many are rejoicing with us over our new family member. You have all been so very generous with your lovely gifts, not just for Baby Bit but Little Bit as well!!! And the meals being brought in...I LOVE IT WHEN SOMEONE ELSE COOKS!!! (The HOFFER just appreciates THAT someone cooks...PERIOD!)

So until I am back to my "normal" self, here are some pictures to keep you occupied. Enjoy, and once again, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

New Baby Picture

Thanks, everyone, for indulging me in my continuous baby conversation. I hope to give you a bit of a break soon and talk about some books I've been reading since Christmas, but first I have to show you a new baby picture.







Isn't he an absolute LOVE?????

The HOFFER and Little Bit have been begging to get a dog for months, but I have had some pretty strong reservations. First, I'm allergic to dogs; on a scale of 1-4, I'm a 3. It's usually a delayed reaction, but nevertheless, I am allergic to dogs. Second, most of the dogs we have previously owned weren't a good match for me. Bunker was awesome...he was an older white lab that was just about as sweet as they come. Sandy was a jealous mixed-breed that was so strong, had she been human, could've played in the NFL. She was always butting in between us and Bunker, and poor Bunker rarely got any attention. Eddie was a hoot. He was a toy fox terrier with a personality that wouldn't quit. He was so fast and spastic that he could out-run Emmitt Smith. (Not that Emmitt Smith is spastic...just fast.) But he was a bit much for me. Buddy was a stray that ate everything--and I mean EVERYTHING--in our garage. The other dogs didn't like him, so we didn't keep him long. All that to say that dogs and I haven't had the greatest history. I'm actually a cat person, but The HOFFER is SEVERELY allergic to cats, so no cats. And finally, with the baby coming in September, I had to figure out the right time to get a dog.

That was when The HOFFER found Arthur.

He's a Cavalier King Charles spaniel. He's hypoallergenic, doesn't shed much, is very low-key, very sweet, and will be no bigger than about 12 pounds. How perfect can a dog get???? Arthur is the name the breeder gave him, but we are probably going to change that.

So we went to pick him up today, and he has made himself right at home in our laps and our hearts. I knew God would bring us just the right dog. Didn't He do a fabulous job???