Blessings in everyday life!

Yesterday was a day of blessings, so many blessings and the first hand witness of the power of prayer. My beautiful friend, Hannah bailed me out of a pickle barrel I found myself in. You see our mutual friends just had a baby two weeks ago.'Baby Girl' was 6 weeks early. She's in the NICU. I had promised this family this week that I would bring them dinner and come visit with them and their tiny gift from God. When I offered my superior cooking skills I failed to evaluate my situation: working, golf camp, and meetings every night! Hannah swooped in cooked dinner, got dessert and showed up on time to pick me up. All I had to do was get home from work and change clothes! Have I mentioned I love Hannah?!

So that was one huge blessing yesterday! Here's the next...

So we arrive at the hospital, eat dinner with this beautiful family and head upstairs to see 'Baby Girl'. We soon discover only two can sit and visit with her at one time. So I go in first. I wanted to honestly cry. She's perfect in every way possible. Her color, her smile, 10 perfect toes and fingers. She held my finger and wiggled. I'm instantly in love. Her mom and I talk a bit and I'm just reminding her over and over that God has big plans for you little one and Mama you did a beautiful job. She's doing great... stand strong. I step out and in comes Hannah to love on this little one.

Mama was sharing that 'Baby Girl' has a tiny little hole in her heart (happens a lot in preemies and often times heals on it's own) and that she is struggling w/ constipation. Moments pass and Hannah says let me pray for her. She does our super cool chat time with God prayer and says "Lord, we know you even care about the little things. Father "Baby Girl" needs a bowel movement." In that moment, 'Baby Girl' passes gas (like every good and strong daughter of a Marine), opens her eyes looks and Hannah and Mama and smiles! A big ole smile, takes her hand and covers her nose as if it say 'ewe that was a stinky one!"

God answers our prayers, He hears our hearts and is concerned and has compassion and love for all things in our lives. Thank you Lord for bringing 'Baby A' into this world. She's a miracle baby and beautiful blessing to her Mama and Daddy.

(For the safety and concern of the family their personal information was not revealed in this posting! I would love to show you pictures of this sweet girl, and her amazing mom and dad, but I cannot. Please understand and continue to pray for this family. Hence the reason for no photos and the name "Baby Girl"... I promise she has a super sweet name, unique and special just like her!)

What have I done?

Yesterday you would have thought I just gave my kids a $1 million each! Nope, just cell phones. For a while I've bucked the system, I dug my feet in and I refused to give in to the idea my kids 'need' cell phones.  For those of you who think I caved, I didn't. I now have 3 very active and involved middle schoolers who are going in different directions all the time! I want to be able to check up on them. To easily let them know when plans change. Okay okay okay... I want a leash on them!

 So we jumped in feet first and got ... prepaid phones! We also were blessed with free phones. K80's BFF moved to Jacksonville NC and her family left us their phones. I also discovered that it only costs 300yen a month for unlimited texting. (for you Americans reading this that translates to $3.75 per month!...with no montly contract) Now, using the phone to actually talk to someone is entirely another story, that is 100yen a minute (or $1.25 per minute). However, they can receive calls for FREE. So, if my sweet baboos need mama to call they just text me and tell me to call them. If they call their friends, and they won't, I hope or they will be sent to the gallows! They have already been severely warned about that!

So here you go, TheFrancis5 are running full tilt into the modern digital age!

I think I failed to mention that we only get cell service in our laundry room with the phones sitting on the shelf. So they will not be sitting round the house texting 24/7, it's impossible. They can actually go outside in the 107 degree heat with mind blowing humidity to text their friends. That won't be happening, I'll bet on that. So if you need us, call, text or stop by...the kids will all be crammed in the laundry room playing on their cell phones!