Mrs. Bentley

smile.ly—Be Heard. Be Happy.

2010-01-17T22:11:00.000-06:00

Emma's Photo Shoot

2009-08-16T19:12:00.004-05:00

This was Emma's first photo shoot that she planned! She took her own change of clothes and chose most of her poses. I thought they turned out beautifully. She was an easy subject, but the rain was not!

Recent pics of Mills

2009-07-06T21:29:00.003-05:00

These are some pictures I had fun re-touching

4th of July at the lake

2009-07-06T21:18:00.005-05:00

Ha Ha Tonka State Park

Emma & Amber looking over the rail at the lake

The Spring dumps into the lake

My 3 babes

It was raining when we arrived, but Millie loved it!

Although it is hard to tell, this is Emma sliding across the top of Amber when they wrecked on the tube. Amber lost her swimsuit bottoms in the lake...we never found them ;)

Tyler & Jeremy tubing...Regan was trying hard to throw them off, but they hung on tight!

Sweet little buns

Mills in dad's hat

The kids are getting more brave every year!

Tyler got the hang of it after a couple of tries

Mills passed out on the ride home

It started to rain, so the kids took cover under their towels

Emma swam all day, she was so tired

The Bentley family pork-out session

Lightning in the sky on the 4th of July

California Visit

2009-06-24T11:33:00.013-05:00

The start to our long trip! The kids were amazing on the ride out there, they didn't even watch the movies I had rented them! they enjoyed the scenery and even more, they enjoyed texting one another on their new cell phones!

Regan was being a dork! I think he looks like an alien! Those sunglasses got lost at Disneyland :(

Beautiful waterfalls outside of Vail, CO

Just crossing over into Utah...absolutely beautiful!

Jonathan & Sandy surprised us with a wonderful hotel stay at the Comfort Inn in Cedar City, UT. We were so tired and cranky by the time we got there! We had been in the car for 18hrs straight! It was a much needed, restful nights sleep...THANK YOU!!

We were always sending Emma to the back of the truck to get something out of the bags!

Vegas - we stopped so the kids could see the awesome architecture, but ended up making them close their eyes half the time!

The pool at Gary & Joyce's apartment. It was never crowded. The kids & Regan would go 1st thing in the morning for a dip to get the day started.

Our 1st night there, we met Jonathan & Sandy and all went to dinner

My sweet friends, well one of them anyway! Ha! That night Jonathan threw my pillow out the door of the apartment & it landed in the neighbors patio area...Emma had to climb their wall to get it!

I never get enough time with Sandy :( But so enjoyed the time we got to be together!

Hollywood Walk of Stars...Tyler thought he was the tour guide, I guess!

Oh Gary, you are a star!!

Emma is almost as tall as Jonathan!

The boys hitchin' up their britches

If you look closely, you can see the Hollywood sign in the back

My beautiful family

Tyler wanted this picture so bad, but these 2 guys ended up being big jerks. There was almost a good ol' Missouri brawl on the Hollywood Walk of Stars that day!

Our 1st day at the beach....the kids 1st time ever seeing the ocean!

They ran and ran! They couldn't get enough of it!

This is right down from the Santa Monica Pier

These guys were actually hitchhiking, so Tyler decided to join in!

Such a good brother - Emma took up the backseat most of the time

My little girl

I didn't do very good boogie boarding the 1st day

Emma & Gary had so much fun - He taught us how to boogie board

Tyler was a pro

Lots of relaxation & good chats with my girlfriends

Buried Alive

Tyler loved it - but got eaten by sand fleas

Yuck!!

Disney's California Adventure

Ah, our favorite ride

Eating at Bubba Gump's on the Santa Monica Pier - delicious

Tyler's 1st roller coaster - I wish I could zoom this picture so you could see the look on his face!

The Santa Monica Pier

Names in the sand

Regan's best friend & his girlfriend - they actually live in Ranch Cucamonga right next door to where we stayed! We went to dinner with them on Mt. Baldy.

It was so beautiful up there! Best of both worlds - mountains & ocean

Our favorite beach - Del Mar. We got a parking ticket here cause we were having so much fun and forgot to pay our meter!!

Emma helping Tyler change his clothes on the beach!

It was chilly, but this was my favorite day! We saw a seal, which Emma thought was a dog, and we saw a ton of manta rays!

Disneyland

Watching a 3-D movie

Age progression - Ewww!!! My sister says I look like I belong on Star Trek!

The infamous teacups - these were around when I was a kid!

Tyler and his churro

Regan and his "man purse"

I have beautiful children!

The tension was thick towards the end!!

This was our favorite ride at Disneyland

On our way home, we ran into a big storm in Flagstaff, AZ that was beautiful

I was delirious on the way home from driving. We drove straight through without stopping, but for food. At one point, Regan & I could have sworn we saw a UFO, but it was only a really bright star.

At least the kids didn't miss out on any sleep!

We finally made it home after 24hrs on the road!

It was a wonderful trip - THANK YOU COLLINS FAMILY!!

Terry's 30th

2009-05-16T20:37:00.004-05:00

Terry was so suprised! Kacy did good!

Jeff & Melea - What a great picture!

Terry & Kacy

Terry got a new wedding ring!

Best Friends

Me being goofy

Mother's Day

2009-05-16T20:24:00.005-05:00

The boys cooked fish for our dinner

The gang getting ready for the game

Swing Emma

Our Pitcher

Mom & Emma

Mama swinging

Run, mama, run!

Batter, batter, swing

What's so funny sissy?

My future NBL player

Good hit! The girls lost though :(

Mom & dad showing some love

Good pitch daddy!

Regan must have been throwing them too high!

Passed out tired from a day's worth of activity

Mother's Day Gift

2009-05-16T20:17:00.004-05:00

All the Cousins

The Gant Family

I love this picture

The Bentley Family

My favorite sissy

Sister's Bday

2009-05-16T20:13:00.003-05:00

Singing Mustang Sally

The "Famous" pose

April's girlfriends

April turned 34 and we celebrated at Jerry's Bait Shop. It was a blast!

Millie & Zina

2009-05-16T20:05:00.002-05:00

One of Mills' favorite thing to do is to feed Emma's horse grass

Long Jumper

2009-04-16T18:46:00.002-05:00

Starting the 100m dash

Look at those long legs ;)

Getting ready to jump...

Jumping...

Graceful landing!

Millie & Mac

2009-04-04T11:12:00.002-05:00

Potty Training

2009-04-04T11:10:00.002-05:00

Old Pics

2009-03-14T10:45:00.008-05:00

I found these old pictures the other day and wanted to share them...they are so funny!

This must be my pensive stare! This is at church camp.

Regan and Emma down at the lake..she looks so little!

My sister & I...this icky picture still hangs on my parents wall :(

Mom & I...I must have just gotten my nails done.

I loved cheerleading! This was 7th grade. I was always trying to roll my skirt to make it shorter!

My two best friends, Kacy & Katie

My best friends, Katie (we have been b.f.'s since 6th grade), at her wedding rehearsal dinner...she is married to my other best friend, Kacy's, brother...small world!

One of my famous apron's...this was my very 1st one!

This was taken outside of my sister's wedding, don't even ask, because I don't have an answer, but man, my hair was cute!

In my mom's wedding gown

Kacy & I on St. Patrick's Day

I loved those cowboy boots!

The day I got my braces

Katie & I goofing around

My little love muffins

R.I.P. golf cart

Beaver Lake

Katie, Leigh Anne & I on a mission trip in Arizona

Kacy, Heidi, Emma & I at Joyce's

We were so wild in our younger days, geez, this picture brings back some good memories!

Katie, Johnna and I at church

New Way of Life

2009-03-14T10:36:00.004-05:00

After much discussion about my family's eating habits with a good friend of mine, she has convinced me to start eating foods that are healthy - no chemicals, no hormones, raw & fresh. So, this begins a new chapter! So far, so good. We have been keeping with the healthier lifestyle for a week now. Millie & I went to Costco the other day and bought loads of fresh veggies & fruit. Their selection is amazing! Today, Regan and I are going to till up a garden and start planting. I am so excited! Here is a picture of Millie helping me make a broccoli salad...

Millie's funny faces

2009-02-23T11:00:00.005-06:00

We love those little bunny teeth & dimples!

Grandma made this hat & she couldn't wait to get it off!!

Her ears look enormous in this picture!

Pickin' a winner!

In mom's cowboy boots...she loves to wear other people's shoes

Mmm, cheese!

Emma put her hair in pig tails...it was adorable

January on the farm

2009-02-23T10:39:00.006-06:00

One of our favorite things to do is exploring the land around my parents place. It is full of ponds, streams, wild animals and trees. Whenever the weather is nice, that is where you'll find us!

Although this is a dead weed, it had beautiful flowers when you looked up close

My parents big, red barn

The waterfall I cracked my head on

Emma showing me the right way to go down

Millie driving us home. Notice Regan isn't touching the wheel at all! And Millie can't see where she is going!

Bass Pro Shop Pictures

2009-01-10T11:49:00.004-06:00

These are pictures of my niece I took for her senior photos. We climbed up the waterfall at Bass Pro..it was freezing cold, but I thought they turned out beautifully!

I set up the tripod inside by the fireplace & took these of the family. I have the green jacket around my waist because when I got out of the car, I bent down & my pants split clean down the back...ugh! So embarassing!!

Regan & I being weird

2009-01-10T11:45:00.002-06:00

I set up the tripod in front of the tree & we took these fun pictures. We laughed so hard when we were "posing" for them!

Tyler Wrestling

2009-01-10T11:40:00.001-06:00

This is the 1st year Tyler has joined a sport. He is loving wrestling.

Christmas 2008

2009-01-10T11:34:00.003-06:00

The Whole Gang

Millie loves her shopping cart

Guitar Hero was a big success!

She was sucking on her baby's binky

Feeding the baby a bottle

Lead rope for her horse

Mechanical Pencils...her #1 Christmas request!!

Millie's crazy hairdo

My little guy...so excited about his new game

Surprise!!

Christmas & The Emergency Room

2008-12-25T21:30:00.003-06:00

Our Christmas afternoon was spent in the Emergency Room after Emma jumped off a table in the basement & hit her head on an eye beam. Thank goodness that all is well - no concussion, just a big fat bump!

Plaza Lights

2008-12-04T08:56:00.003-06:00

The Lights

Our trusty driver

Millie trying to eat her socks away...she hates things on her feet

My 3 favorite kids

We all packed in the Jeep last night & headed down to see the Plaza Lights. We had a great time as a family singing Christmas songs, talking, laughing, drinking hot chocolate & looking at the beautiful decorations.

Emma & Her Horse

2008-11-26T09:17:00.004-06:00

Just a few more shots of Emma riding Zina...

Zina: Warrior Princess

2008-11-07T20:48:00.004-06:00

Zina is the newest addition to our ever-growing family! Back in April, I had decided that I would like to buy Emma a horse. I didn't expect them to be soooo expensive! My mom decided that she was going to devote some of her prayer time to praying for not only a horse for Emma, but a free horse. So, when my dad came home last week with news of a free horse, we knew it was our answer! A co-worker of his has this beautiful horse that he can't afford to take care of anymore and was willing to give her to my Emma. She has been trained, she used to be a 4-H horse and is very used to teenage girls and she is everything we could have ever dreamed! So, moral of the story is:

Matthew 21:22 "And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."

What is up with all the spiders?

2008-10-02T10:21:00.002-05:00

I hate spiders!! I was walking inside the garage the other day and this HUGE spider came out of nowhere and jumped (not walked) into the garage. I let out a blood curdling scream and Regan came running. We were able to find it and kill it. Regan said it is a small tarantula. I have to tell ya, he does have very long fangs and he was extremely hairy. You know the saying, "Where there is one, there is always another." YUCK!!

Walking

2008-10-02T10:14:00.006-05:00

As of a few weeks ago, Millie is officially walking full-time! It is so adorable. When she gets really tired, she puts her binky in, holds her blanky and wanders aimlessly around the house, falls down, gets up and repeats it like a zombie! I love these days!

Fall Garage Sale

2008-09-14T14:52:00.003-05:00

It rained all weekend, but that didn't stop us women from having a garage sale!! It was actually a lot of fun and we sold quite a few of our things. My mother-in-law, Darlene, headed it up and we had things from both of my sister-in-laws, their kids, my kids, my junk, etc.... It made for a full garage! I am not sure my hubby was prepared for the 2 day event, but he managed with a smile most of the time and even grilled hot dogs on Saturday for the kids to sell. It was chaotic with us having only 1 bathroom in our home and that decided to go out on the 1st day of the garage sale. Then we had tornado warnings, buckets of rain, the kids closet ceiling strated leaking, and on and on!! It was so much fun though having everyone there though!!

The doors were open at 8am and closed at 5pm

Millie & Aunt Christina drinking their coffee

Dustie joined in the fun too! She brought Millie some puppy slippers.

Millie couldn't get enough of baby Daniel. She really wanted his binky!!

Bird On A Wire

2008-09-14T14:45:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago we noticed that there was a hummingbird caught in our breezeway. Regan tried to shoo him out the window, but with no luck. He flew right into the garage and was a mess. I don't know how this happened, but he got stuck on the garage door rope. He was just hanging there dead silent. I think he had resigned himself to the fact that he was never coming down. Regan rescued him shortly after & he flew off...

Millie Turns 1!!!

2008-09-08T19:43:00.003-05:00

We had such a great turn out at Millie's Birthday party!

Everyone singing Happy Birthday

She was so dainty when she ate her cake

We finally had to tear into it for her

She was so funny when she would see the cards...she would hug them & smile & laugh

Her new 4-wheeler that Grandma & Grandpa got for her. She is already trying to stand up on the seat...she takes after her father!!

We actually got a puppy that same night. Her name is Lucy. She fits our family so wonderfully!!

New pics

2008-08-28T11:15:00.002-05:00

Poor Emma and Tyler. They never get a picture in!!

My Flowers

2008-08-16T16:17:00.002-05:00

I really hate looking at pictures of flowers, but these ones I have taken are beautiful - at least to me they are!! Some of them are in my flower garden and the others are at my parents farm in the woods...Enjoy!!

Day at the Trails

2008-08-06T18:00:00.006-05:00

Catching Craw-dad's

Sami & IEmma & I
The Girls
I love this crooked treeMom & the grand-daughters
My beaner
Emma & Sami
The girls hopping over rocks
My Ty Man Who knew this lake was here??
Two of a kind - Jake & Tyler
The older grandkids
My mama & I
My two beautiful babes

My new favorite picture

2008-08-04T15:59:00.002-05:00

Millie & the Hose

2008-08-04T15:56:00.003-05:00

These are so cute! She loves the water and the hose! Even though she kept getting choked, she still wanted to suck on the end of it!!

Beaver Lake

2008-07-30T21:26:00.007-05:00

2 Words: Out-Of-Control Parents

Beaver Lake, Arkansas

8 Couples - No Kids

The Jet Boat & The Boys

This "rooster tail" got us into A LOT of trouble this weekend!!

April on the Rope Swing

Tim on the Rope Swing

Jeff on the Rope Swing

Liz relaxing at Hog Scalled Hollow

Lynda being happy

Liz's Perfect Cannon Ball

April doing the splits

Jeff & Regan hanging out

Melea tanning on the dock

Tim & April

The Shack

2008-06-27T11:35:00.005-05:00

Probably one of the best books that I have ever read. Although it has been very controversial, I love this book. I must warn you that it is a totally different view of God than what you are expecting...hold on tight!!

It is a story about a man whose daughter is kidnapped and God sends him a letter telling him that He will meet him at the shack where they found his daughter's bloody dress. When he finally makes it to the shack, God is waiting for him and you won't believe who else is there!!

We don't skinny dip...We chunky dunk!!

2008-06-27T11:33:00.002-05:00

On the Boat

2008-06-27T11:27:00.004-05:00

We were finally able to get the boat out for the 1st time in 2 years!! It was Millie's very 1st time being on the boat and she loved it!! She was not too crazy about her life jacket though...it ate her face up!! She was content to climb around the inside and scavenge for things on the floor to put in her mouth.

The Fun Has Just Begun

2008-06-10T19:59:00.006-05:00

At the Pool with Dusty

Millie with her hair blowing

Baby Dusty (my sisters little girl)

Playing with the cousins

The huge mud puddle across from my parents farm

Summer is upon us and the fun is just begining!! Here are a few pics I have snapped of the kids enjoying their first few weeks out of school!!

SCHOOL IS OUT!!!!

2008-06-01T15:49:00.003-05:00

My favorite time of year has come...school is out and summer is on!!! There isn't a better time of the year than when the kids are out, the pool is open and the boat is hooked up! Regan and I went out on the boat Friday to Blue Springs Lake. I skiied but now wish that I hadn't because I can't move anything on my body!! The water felt great though and the sun was warm...what more could you ask for?? Except money to pay for gas...it is almost $5.00/gln on the water - EEK!!

Welcome Baby Daniel

2008-05-19T20:57:00.005-05:00

As most of you know, I am very close to my family. When Regan and I got married, I gained more family!! The more - the better!! I have become especially close to my sisters-in-law. We have had so much fun this past year. We have really bonded as family - and our children have bonded as well. They have accepted my family as a whole - not just part of us. Something I am not used to from previous relationships. I was always looked at like the black sheep - unwed & with 2 children. It is nice to be recognized as a family with no separations, none of this "and these are Liz's two children" or "Regan, Liz & Millie and Liz's kids, Emma & Tyler." I can't tell you how infuriating that is!! Not only for me, but for my children as well. We are finally one family - the way it should be!! I am especially blessed to have a husband that sees my children as his children. Most men would look at or feel differently about kids that he did not biologically father, but not my husband. I have never questioned his feelings once in the 5 years that we have been together. That says a lot about his character. He is the best!!

My sister-in-law, Dee Dee is a new grandma!! Regan's and my niece, Laura, gave birth to Daniel Joseph on May 6th. He was 6lbs and 20" long. I have not been able to see him because I have had pink eye for the past two weeks. It is killing me that I haven't been able to hold him!! He is the cutest, tiniest little thing ever from the pictures!! I can't wait to get my hands on him and snuggle his little face!! Laura and I have formed a special relationship through her pregnancy. She and I were the same age when we got pregnant for the 1st time. I have enjoyed being able to share with her things about my pregnancy and compare notes with her. I must say that she was a heck of a lot calmer with hers than I was with mine!! She is such a special young woman and I know she will be an incredible mommy. God has given her such a beautiful gift - he is perfect from head to toe!!

Congratulations Laura and Joe on becoming parents!! Congratulations Dee and Chad on becoming grandparents!! Regan and I wish you the best and love you!!

The "I"

2008-05-06T16:26:00.004-05:00

I have been stricken with the goopy, seeping, burning, itching, watering wonder of pink eye. My eye was three times the size this morning when I awakened. I woke to my eye completely crusted shut and when I was finally able to pry it open, my husband was staring at me with this horrified look on his face. Then the taunting began..."Oh babe, you look like someone punched you in the eye, no maybe like you've been stung by a wasp, no definately a car accident, etc...etc... I can't wait til tomorrow morning!!

More pics of my beautiful kids!!

2008-04-22T09:28:00.011-05:00

Goats Again!!

2008-04-18T21:01:00.003-05:00

If you have never heard a goat cry, it is the saddest noise in the world. Watch this video to the END...it is so cute!!

Goats, Goats & Miniature Horses

2008-04-18T20:29:00.009-05:00

We went to Farm Night at a local Equestrian Center last night. The kids had a blast. They milked a fake cow, churned their own butter and played with the barnyard animals. They had two baby goats and a miniature horse...not a pony!! I was quickly corrected when I called her a pony! Miniature horses have feeling too, I guess!!

Got a new camera!!

2008-04-09T11:02:00.012-05:00

Millie brushing her two new teeth!

Tyler and his weird faces!!

Love this one of my two girls!

Making faces!

Striking a pose!

Beautiful blue eyes

Zoned out on the video games - look at those pupils!

Smiley

Deep in thought

This is Emma's irritated face - she is mad that Tyler turned off her movie!

Emma's Swim Meet

2008-04-04T10:59:00.006-05:00

Emma joined the swim team this Spring and is really doing a great job!! I was so amazed the very first time I went to one of her meets. I knew that she was a good swimmer, but to watch her compete against other girls just floored me! She was fast and has fantastic form. I felt that overwhelming urge to cry and scream all at the same time when I watched her. I felt my chest start to swell and it was all I could do to keep it in. I am so proud of her. Here are some photos from her last meet.

Diving In

She is the one with the pink googles

She is the first one!

23 Minutes In Hell

2008-03-23T21:33:00.004-05:00

I just finished reading the book "23 Minutes In Hell". At first I was a bit skeptical, but after reading the book and doing some research about this man, I know it is a VERY TRUE account of how God took this man to hell for 23 minutes so that his story could be told.

After reading this book I feel that everyone needs to be reminded that Hell is a real place. I am not perfect by any means, so please don't feel as though I am preaching or being "holier than thou". This man, Bill, was taken there and his story is one of incredible discomfort. Most people put the idea of hell in the back of their mind as if it is not a real place or that it is a place reserved for those like Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer and the worst of the worst. But people are dying everyday and going to hell - it is a REAL place. In this book, Bill talks about being in a prison cell with two enormous, grotesque demons that are ripping his flesh from his body and literally killing him, but there is no death to save him. He also talks about the putrid, horrific, death smell and the ear-deafening screams of people being engulfed in flames. He recalls no human contact or conversation, no light at all-but a complete and evil darkness, no remembrance at all of Jesus Christ, a thirst so insatiable that he said he should have been dead from dehydration and lack of oxygen and the worst part of it was there was no end to it and no final death.

When I was reading this book to Regan, he asked me why God would create such a horrible place for people...my answer to him was that we have the MOST LOVING GOD and He wants only the most perfect for each of us. God didn't create Hell for us, but for the devil and his angels. It was never God's intention for us - who were created in Christ's image - to spend an eternity away from the One who made us. BUT...God gives us a choice to follow Him or not to follow Him and hell is the ultimate destination for those who choose not to.

I am hoping that ALL of the people that I know who read my blog have accepted God's free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ and have a flourishing relationship with Him, but if not, I beg you to please contact me and let me share with you. Love to each of you!!

Easter 2008

2008-03-23T21:22:00.005-05:00

What a wonderful Easter! We all got up, went to church and then went to mom and dad's for an egg hunt and a HUGE breakfast feast. This year we hid eggs with money in them because the bigger kids thought that an egg hunt for candy was too childish for them...smart kids!!

I've Been Tagged....

2008-03-11T20:04:00.002-05:00

Thanks to Ashlee Leighow, I have been tagged to do this!!

10 years ago: I was pregnant (or almost) with my little guy, Tyler. When haven't I been pregnant? I feel like all my life!!

Things on my to do list today: Laundry, Dishes, Vacuuming, Dustings, Working for my realtors, Cooking dinner, etc...

What would I do if I suddenly became a Billionaire? Hire a maid!! And a nanny!! Buy land with a log cabin, set the kids up financially for life, buy my mom and dad & bro and sis anything they wanted, well, almost anything!!

Three of my bad habits: 1.)Smoking...need to quit 2.) Not eating right...need to start 3.) Being LOUD...need to shush

Five jobs I have had: 1.) Telemarketer for a Lawn Company 2.) Telemarketer for an allergy control duct system company 3.) Clinique Salesgirl 4.) Receptionist for real estate company 5.)Realtor

Updates

2008-02-16T20:35:00.010-06:00

We have moved the computer to the basement, so I rarely find the time to sit and update my blog. I have some free time tonight, so here it goes...we will start with the oldest and move our way down!

Regan: God has given me such a gift. I am married to the most understanding, compassionate man. After getting a very good job and much deserved, the stress that Regan has had about work has mostly gone. The only bad thing is that he is working the night shift. He isn't able to be with us in the evenings or for dinner. That is killing him. He loves the job, but hates the hours. Please pray that God will open up a door somewhere to allow him to be home with us in the evenings. The kids and I need his company.

Liz: I have been trying to keep up with kids and work. The real estate market has been slow for everyone but me!! My work that I do for these agents has really been picking up the past couple of months...very unusual for this time of year! I have enjoyed my time off of working the 9-5 job and being able to be a stay-at-home mom. I don't know how I ever did it before with kids and a steady job! It seems now that I am dropping one kid off and picking up another and trying to feed one all at the same time! I don't know how I ever fit anything else in. A routine is finally forming though! Thank God!!

Emma: I thought for sure that God was paying me back for everything rotten I had put my parents through when He gave me Emma. She was such a sassy little toddler with attitude and BIG mouth. BUT...I have been blessed beyond measure with her!! She has grown into this wonderful pre-teen who is so laid-back and incredibly generous and she is all the time teaching ME lessons in patience and humility. She is enduring her first year in middle school. It hasn't been easy. Parents are raising a different breed of child these days. She has had to face things with some of these little girls that I have never had to face as an adult. Nasty voice messages on her phone cussing her out, kids making fun of her for not "going out" with other boys, etc, etc... I am the first to tell her that I will beat all of them up for her or start nasty rumors at her school about them, but she always just smiles and says, "It's ok, it doesn't bother me, Mom." I don't understand how one little girl can have such meekness and grace. God is going to do something amazing with my baby girl. I can't wait to see what it is. He is getting her ready for awesomeness!! Lord, I thank you for this precious gift that You have given me with Emma. You knew what You were doing when you placed her in my womb when I was only 17. You knew how she would enrich my life then and now. Thank you.

Tyler: Bucktooth Billy is his new name around here!! He has his mama's teeth (before braces)!! It is so stinkin' cute though! He has had some trouble this year in his new school. He has been hangin' with the BAD kids!! That is so funny to say about Tyler, because he is so not a bad kid. Anyways, he had to eat lunch in the principal's office a time or two. He is taking after his mom:( I was always getting swats in my school! Imagine that!! Regan has been trying to get him ready to be the "man of the house" when he is gone to work in the evenings, but he is mostly interested in his video games! He is such a sweet boy and always wanting to hold Millie or help me out with her. He also loves to ride his bike...he talks to himself or sings the whole time he is riding. I will watch him from the window and you can see his mouth moving non-stop! He has the most sensitive and loving spirit about him. I feel like I could cuddle him in my lap for hours if he would let me. He brings so much laughter into our lives. God has something very special planned for my little man...

Millie: She is my payback!! What a firecracker!! We all have had the most fun watching her grow and move through the stages of early life. She is doing something different every day. We went and looked at puppies yesterday at the pound and there was this one dog that barked at her and she thought it was the funniest thing she had ever seen. She laughed so hard. She gets most of her enjoyment from watching the kids. She loves them. Even if she has 10 toys in front of her, if Emma and Tyler are in the room, she has her eyes on them. She has brought so much joy to our lives. I prayed over her every night that she was in my stomach that God would prepare her for greatness. I still pray that He would call her to do amazing things for His kingdom. I believe that He will.

Millie's Changing Face & Hair

2008-01-20T13:10:00.001-06:00

Tyler's 9th Birthday

2008-01-20T13:02:00.002-06:00

I cannot believe my baby boy is turning 9. We spent all day Thursday and all day Friday at the Great Wolf Lodge. We all had a blast...even Millie who was fantastic! She sucked her thumb and looked around the whole time without making a peep. Thank you Lord!!

This is a huge treehouse with water slides and other fun stuff

This huge bucket would dunp every 5 minutes

Jolie loved these water slides. Tyler and I took her down the BIG one and she cried for 5 minutes afterward!!

Didn't get a pic of Millie in her tiny bathing suit, but it was so cute!

They all were so worn out on the way home. Dad and I were too :)

So much to catch up on...

2008-01-01T15:19:00.000-06:00

New Years Eve 2007-2008

with my best friends - except my sister :(

Walking down the aisle to my man...

I am truly blessed

What a beautiful daughter & bridesmaid

Dad and Regan being goofy

Mr, & Mrs. Regan Bentley

The makeout session was about to be on!!

What a fun reception!

Great picture!

My family at Unity Village

This tree was so beautiful!

Best Friends for life!

The happy couple

We had so much fun taking these!

The other best friends for life!!

These are taken on the property behind my parents house. By the time we made it back to the house, we were covered in mud!

Reflecting :)

Push Him, Push him!!!

My surrogate daughter....Jolie

Making memories together

What good kids

Curly Sue in the tub! Her hair would not mohawk with the shampoo, it kept going to straight curls!

Huh???

So happy!!

They had so much fun in these leaves!

Someone is going to end up getting injured!!

My blessing

God is so good to me

Having fun with makeup! How beautiful is she?

Sledding

2007-12-17T09:16:00.000-06:00

We have had a crazy amount of ice and snow in the past week, so we decided to take full advantage! We found the best sledding hill behind Emma's middle school and tore it up! We laughed so hard and little Miss Millie cooperated very well. Regan did the snowboard thing and I even got on it and let him teach me a few things. Obviously we have no pictures or video of that for a reason!!

Fall Days Are Gone

2007-12-04T08:35:00.000-06:00

We had so much fun with the falling leaves...

Concert 2007

2007-11-13T19:20:00.001-06:00

Emma and Tyler put on their very first concert for Regan, Millie and I this evening. It was very good :) I thought I would share a little tid-bit from each of their performances....

Halloween 2007

2007-11-01T12:42:00.000-05:00

Hayride 2007

2007-10-31T09:27:00.001-05:00

Saturday night was our 6th Annual hayride and bonfire at my sister's house. This year was kinda low key compared to the other years, but we had alot of fun!!

Devil's Den, Arkansas

2007-10-31T09:04:00.000-05:00

Last weekend was Miss Millie's first trip to Granny's house in Arkansas. The whole Bartshe family was there. We had such a great time. On Saturday, we went to Devil's Den and hiked. It is such a beautiful place. Emma and Regan had the most fun exploring the caves and climbing the big rocks. I had Millie, so my activities were limited, but I had a blast just watching the other two have so much fun together. Halfway up the trail, Millie decided to poop her pants!! Me, being the mother-of-the-year, forgot her diaper bag. Regan had to go all the way back to the car and get the diapers!! What a man!

On Sunday, Regan and Emma got up before sunrise and drove to Moxley to hear the elk bugle. Then they went to the Buffalo River and waded in the water and took in all the beautiful scenery. They had a great time together, but were very tired!

I am so fortunate to have such a wonderful husband. He is definitely a gift from God.

Need Your Help

2007-10-11T09:24:00.000-05:00

Please pray for Emma. She has encountered some very nasty little girls at school that are starting to bully her. One of the little girls has been calling her some horrific names that an eleven year old should NEVER be called. It breaks my heart to know that she is having to deal with this. I know that God has a purpose for her changing schools this year, sometimes I just have a hard time finding that purpose when this kind of junk is going on. Emma has an incredible attitude that amazes me every day. She says it doesn't bother her to have these girls say such horrible things and she says she just doesn't listen to them, but I know it has to affect her on some level. So, please pray with me that God would shut the mouths of these girls and continue to give Emma strength and a positive attitude. And while we are at it, let's THANK THE LORD that Emma doesn't have my mouth...because then we would be in BIG trouble!!

The infamous barrette

2007-10-10T08:37:00.000-05:00

First day with the new barrettes! I pushed too hard on her head trying to get them to clip and it made her so mad!

BUSTED

2007-09-23T10:19:00.000-05:00

We caught her sucking her thumb vigorously yesterday! It was the cutest thing ever!

One Week Old

2007-09-12T17:55:00.000-05:00

PROUD PARENTS

2007-09-08T15:05:00.000-05:00

SCARY!! This is me dilated to a four... Baby Millie right after birth...she looks like she is straight from China!!
Proud brother and sister
Proud Daddy

Cousins

Mommy and Me

Me and my dimples

MILLIE CATHERINE BENTLEY

BORN ON SEPTEMBER 4, 2007 AT 6:31PM

WEIGHT 7LBS, 100Z.

HEIGHT 19 INCHES

WOW!!

2007-09-01T17:21:00.000-05:00

Everyone needs to see this...it looks a little weird & hokey at first, but keep watching...

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=ee73e63418003b47d7d5

Crown Center Fountains

2007-08-27T11:19:00.001-05:00

Baby Dusty snoozing on her mama
Jolie turned 5 today

Three crazy kids

Tyler being funny

Emma Loo

Goofy Kids

2007-08-27T11:17:00.001-05:00

Loved this picture of my two hillbilly's!

Regan turns 32

2007-08-27T11:14:00.000-05:00

We celebrated Regan's birthday on the 20th of August. As you can see, he is not a happy camper that he turned 32! He did get some good presents though!

SCHOOL...YUCK...

2007-08-16T07:21:00.000-05:00

This time of year is my least favorite. I hate it when my kids have to go back to school. I have been blessed to be able to stay at home with my children this summer and we have had the best time together swimming, shopping, eating out, cooking , etc... And now, it all has to come to an end and summer is officially over. Now the days of getting up early, homework - especially Math :( and all of that mess starts. I am definately not a good school advocate.

I made a MAJOR decision this year to take the kids out of Grain Valley schools and put them in Independence schools. This year was the first year that you had to prove residency in the Grain Valley school district. I was prepared to lie about it and even had the forms in my hand to get notarized stating that I lived in Grain Valley at my parents house. Then that little nagging feeling started...at first, it was just a tug that soon

turned into a full blown yanking!!

A few weeks ago I awakened early in the morning and couldn't fall back to sleep so I started praying. I was immediatley convicted for this lie I was getting ready to knowingly follow through with. So, I started arguing with God about how I knew it was wrong, but He just had to see my side of it and know that I was lying about it for the sake of my children. I pleaded with Him about how they were never going to forgive me, how they were never going to make any friends, blah, blah, blah. Let's just say that it is IMPOSSIBLE to argue with the Creator of Life and win!! After I calmed down and stopped rambling, I listened. Yes, I, Liz Bentley, actually shut my mouth in an argument and listened!! It wasn't an easy thing to do, but I am so glad that I did. Because, when I finally became quiet, I heard Him saying..."I am taking care of this-not you, but me. You have to trust me." Talk about blow me away. For the first time I realized that if I followed through with sending the kids back to Grain Valley and lying about where I lived that I would be stealing a HUGE blessing that God has in store for them all because of my disobedience. I wasn't willing to do that.

Many tears later, here we go!!

So, as school begins on Monday, please be praying for my precious little ones as the enter unchartered territory. I know God is going to bless them beyond their wildest dreams!!

Baby Shower

2007-08-13T16:46:00.001-05:00

The baby shower was fantastic. I received so many wonderful gifts, we ate awesome food and had a great time playing games and talking. Here are a few photos from that day...

Almost finished!!

2007-07-22T11:16:00.000-05:00

I AM ALMOST DONE!

THANK GOODNESS!!

Cool Crest

2007-07-16T10:38:00.001-05:00

I have to admit, I have not been to Cool Crest or miniature golfing since I was a teenager. So, taking the kids brought back so many memories! We had such a great time together. Regan and I though Emma was going to beat us all...she kept getting a hole in one and she wasn't even trying!! Ended up with Regan winning, Emma second, me third and Tyler last...Tyler is a BIG cheater!! After we got done playing, Regam took the kids go-kart racing. Emma actually drove one all by herself. She was very nervous, but did great, except for the fact that Tyler and Regan kept lapping her and running her into the guard. I am so thankful for my family!!

Dustin Cate Gant

2007-07-13T18:47:00.000-05:00

My beautiful niece was born on July 12, 2007 at 8:21pm. She weighs 5lbs 11oz and was 19.5" long. She is perfect and healthy. I love to hold her. Although after watching the birth, I am very nervous now. I couldn't even stand next to my sister...I had to stand behind this curtain and peer out with one eye!! I couldn't handle being right there, it made me too nervous. Give me a day or two and I will forget. Isn't that always the case? Regan even started getting scared when the nurses started pushing all of the carts with instruments and baby warmer into the room. His face went a little white and then I didn't see him for a while. He stood outside the door the whole time sis was delivering and got to hear the first cries....which are always music to the ears!! It makes these 9 months so worth it!

Almost 30 weeks!!

2007-06-22T13:29:00.000-05:00

It's almost over!! I know I will regret it once it is, but I am so ready for it to be over with! Although, I have so much to be thankful for. I could be on bed rest (like my sis) or I could be overly gigantic and sweaty :) I have been feeling good. We have been spending alot of time at the pool and on our little battery powered paddle boat at the lake. I am sure people don't know what to think when they see me come strutting down in my bikini, pregnant-ness hanging out and belly button popped! I love it! This 1st picture is me at 26 weeks with belly button popped. The 2nd is at 29 weeks and I took it because I was so amazed that my belly button was staying in. It had to be the way she was laying. Not much longer...

1 Year Anniversary!!

2007-06-03T13:44:00.000-05:00

We made it through the 1st year with many joys and a few heartaches...we have so enjoyed being married to each other and are so thankful that God has blessed us with such a wonderful life.

We sent the kids to my parents house for the weekend and spent all day Saturday doing the things we each enjoy together. We started the morning by hitting some golf balls (which I was suprisingly good at!) and then we drove around Longview Lake. We then went to Unity Village and I set up the camera and took photos of us. After that, we came home, got dressed and went to the Plaza and had an awesome seafood dinner. Regan had shark and it was really good!! A quick stop by the Cheescake Factory to get a slice of strawberry cheesecake wrapped it up for us. What a wonderful day! It's not too often that we get to spend the day totally by ourselves, no cell phone interuptions, no work interuptions...just the two of us. We need more of those times, but with Millie on the way, we better hurry!! Here are a few photos I took of us at Unity...

The Lake

2007-05-23T16:51:00.000-05:00

Regan, Emma and I enjoyed a great weekend at Tim and April's lake house. We grilled, swam (well, April didn't), boated and Emma became quite the crazy jet ski rider!

My sis and I laid out most of the time and cooked our buns...with all of that sun they ought to be good and done!

Whoomp...There it is!

2007-05-11T15:54:00.000-05:00

What can I say? I am getting bigger:)

Trip to Cali

2007-05-06T10:30:00.000-05:00

Finally I was able to get our trip photos off of my dad's computer and on to mine...so here are a few! Green River, Utah
Vegas, Baby Santa Monica Sunset

Santa Monica Pier

Doh!

Hollywood Walk of Fame I'm too sexy for my wig... Arches National Park in Utah

Large & In Charge

2007-05-01T09:35:00.000-05:00

Not sure what happened...one day I was not that big and the next morning...wham! It is shaped so odd...maybe it is an alien?! I think we have decided on a name: Millie Catherine Bentley.

20 weeks

2007-04-19T21:14:00.000-05:00

Thought I would give you viewers a new perspective on how I see things. Don't be alarmed because my feet are so red...my circulation is still good! I spent some time in the sun today and my feet got most of it. It has been so beautiful here the past few days. This is my favorite time of year...the lawns are being mowed, flower beds are being filled and the birds are singing while they are preparing their homes for their babies. I was sitting out at my parents farm today and got so wrapped up in the sounds of spring. The trees were blowing, the birds were singing, their wings were flapping...it was so peaceful.

Jamaica

2007-04-14T22:05:00.000-05:00

I never had the chance to load any of our honeymoon pictures, but finally I have my own computer and this one is by far my favorite!

See Jonathan...you don't have to go to Tiajuana to find funny pictures! Regan takes them for free right here!

Dualing Bellies

2007-04-08T16:13:00.000-05:00

My sister and I are in the running for whoses stomach and butt can grow the largest! Just kidding... It is so much fun to have someone to go through this with.

I am on the left and April is on the right. She is 4 weeks ahead of me. My belly button is different and looks like it is getting ready to blow!

IT'S A GIRL!

2007-04-05T20:35:00.000-05:00

None of us can believe it! We all thought I was having a boy. Regan, Emma, Tyler and I took a vote this morning on the way to the doctor and we all four voted boy. Not the case after all. I was stunned! Regan and I hadn't even considered the thought of a girl. We had boy names already picked out and all. Now we are going to have to re-think our strategy!! We do have three girl names picked out...Lola, Millie or Zoe...the middle name will be Catherine (my mom's middle name). Ya'll will have to let us know which one you like best. Anywho...the baby looks healthy, has all fingers and toes and was bouncing and kicking all over the place...she even sucked her thumb for us! It was totally cool!

Regan and I just got back from a road trip to California. Not such a good idea to travel in a truck carrying 18,000lbs on a trailer for 22 hours while pregnant! I was a trooper and made it the whole way. I even peed in a coffee thermos to avoid stops (too much information...sorry)! I did consider staying at Regan's aunt and uncles in Colorado when we were passing through. I am glad I didn't bcause I would have missed the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen...in Utah! Regan and I toured through Moab, stopped in Vegas (which we all thought was total filth and a huge let down), we played around in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills and Hollywood and on our way home we endured the most horrible snow storm I have ever driven through in my lifetime. I had one pillow tucked in between my stomach and seatbelt and one in front of my face so I could not see the road. At one point it became a total white out and we couldn't see anything but snow...I was so sick! We pushed on and made it through and are so glad we did because they ended up getting hammered later that evening...we would have been stuck for days! Finally making it home was great! Thank you to Gary and Joyce Collins who put us up in Santa Clarita at the Hyatt one evening...it was beautiful and much needed...Motel 6 only cuts it for a little while!

14 weeks

2007-03-09T10:50:00.000-06:00

Still have only gained about 5lbs. and I have yet to feel the baby move but am hoping to feel it soon. My sister just called and said they were having a girl. Exciting! I can't wait to find out!

Tyler James

2007-03-06T12:49:00.000-06:00

I have been praying for a while now that God would begin tenderizing my son's heart for the things of Him. I have also been praying that God would speak to me and let me know when it was the right time to talk to Tyler about salvation. Well, last night was the night! I was in my bedroom praying and Tyler came in and said "Mom, what are you doing in here?" I said I was praying and asked him to join me. He got up on the bed and we began talking about Jesus dying for us and how He rose from the dead and then I read him the scripture in Luke where Jesus appears to His disciples after He has risen and they think He is a ghost (cause Tyler's first questions was if He was a ghost...he is really big into talking about ghosts). We then talked about sin and I had him give me several examples of sin. I wanted to make sure he really understood what he was doing. I asked him if he would like to ask Jesus to come and live in him and he said "Yes." So, we prayed together and it was SOOOO COOOL!!! Please begin praying with me that his dad would allow him to start going to church with us.

Baby Bentley

2007-03-02T09:46:00.000-06:00

Here is Baby Bentley! If you can't tell what is what...this is a pic of his head and body and two hands. He looks like he is looking right at us! Regan says I am going to "jinx" us by saying this but we think we saw a little pee-pee on the sono screen. Regan and I were seeing it at first and I finally asked if that is what I thought it was and she paused the screen on it and said that is what it is supposed to look like. So, she kinda sorta confirmed it, but it still is to early to be definite. Everything looked good and healthy and the heart rate was 137bmp. The baby was jumping all over the place and opening and closing his mouth and waving his hands around. It is amazing he is so active and I can't feel any of it yet!! My next sono will tell us for sure if it is a girl or boy...we can't wait!

"V" Day Shout Out

2007-02-14T11:57:00.000-06:00

I by no means have the "perfect" marriage, but I do have a wonderful husband who deserves a lot of credit. He has catered to me & the kids all weekend long. It all started with him making the kids bunk beds in one day. The kids were so excited and I was too because it gives them so much more room..yes, my kids still sleep in the same room and I don't need a lecture about how unhealthy that is or anything like that!

Then Saturday morning he got up and fixed all of us a great biscuits & gravy breakfast, did the dishes and all!!

And to top it all off, he then plowed our driveway and the neighbors driveway. HE is such a great man. We love you babe!!

10 Weeks

2007-02-06T13:26:00.000-06:00

This is ten weeks. I have just eaten lunch and I am very constipated. So I feel that my tummy is a little bigger than normal. Everything seems to be going well. I go to the doctor for my first visit on February 27th. That will be a fun one because Regan will get to hear the heartbeat for the first time!

9 Weeks

2007-01-31T11:46:00.000-06:00

Emma took this and it is a little blurry...but here you go!!

ALL IS GOOD!!

2007-01-26T12:36:00.000-06:00

I had an ultrasound done on Wednesday because of my cramping and all is good!! The baby looks good and looks to be growing right on target and the heartbeat is great (157 beats per minute!!). I have assessed that I am going to give birth to a sea horse because that is what it looked like!! You couldn't see much of anything - it basically looked like a gray blob, but you could see that little heart just pumping away! It was so cool!! It is amazing that at just 8 weeks pregnant, the baby is already developing its tongue, fingers & toes, cartilage & bone. It still amazes me that some people think that it is not a baby yet. Just for those of you out there who agree with the "It is still just an embryo" thinking...you are horribly mistaken. This is when most young girls have abortions - when the baby is between 6-12 weeks old. One of my missions is to change the thinking that Planned Parenthood and many doctors offices out there will tell our young girls. They need to know that it is a baby and it has a heartbeat and it has a brain and it has legs & arms. It might look like a sea horse or an alien life form, but it is real and it is ALIVE! Okay...that was my sermon for the week! Love to you all!!

Snow, Birthdays & Growth!

2007-01-23T10:27:00.000-06:00

Regan, my sister and I took Emma, Heather (Emma's friend) and Jolie sledding this weekend. We hooked up the sled to a ski rope and tied it to the back of the truck and hit the field! My sister and I were on the tailgate trying to hold on...we thought we were heading for the ground a couple of times! Regan took the girls over huge bumps and fishtailed them around til they fell off. They laughed, we laughed...it was such a great time! Until Regan got the truck stuck...he tried to go uphill in the snow and the truck went sideways and then slid backwards almost hitting a tree. My dad came down to help, but still couldn't get in unstuck. Finally, he got it out...I don't know how, but he managed to slide it to the side and drive out of it. The girls were frozen and my sister and I were exhausted. It was a blast!

We celebrated Tyler's eighth birthday this weekend. He had his very first sleepover...(and very last for a looong time)!! This picture of him is taken at Paradise Park. He hit the jackpot and won 120 tickets. He was so excited. You could hear him yelling all over the place! I was for sure that he and his friend were going to be worn slick...what was I thinking?! They were up talking until midnight and then bright eyed & bushy tailed the next morning at 6am! UGH!! Thank the Lord for my wonderful hubby who got up with them and let me sleep in! I can't believe Ty is 8!

This is my eight week picture. I look less bloated than the last one I uploaded (at least I think so, but maybe not). I have been having some cramping, but the doctor does not seem to be concerned. I think it is just my uterus growing. The nauseated feeling has begun this week. I was doing great and then it HIT. I don't feel like eating anything but fruit and my mood swings are out-of-control. I don't remember any of this from the first two. I hope that isn't a bad sign!! Regan is to blame if so!!

7 Days of Growth!!

2007-01-16T14:04:00.000-06:00

It is amazing in just a week's time how much my belly has grown. It might not look like it to you, but you aren't the ones who can't button your pants anymore!! This first picture was taken at 6 weeks and the second was taken at 7 weeks. I am feeling great and the blood work that I have done twice a week is coming back with fantastic results. Still not out-of-the-woods yet, so please continue to pray....

I have also quit smoking. Going on almost a full week!! It has taken a lot of prayer and even after that I still don't know how I am doing it!! It is totally a "God thing." I feel so much better though!!

Christmas 2006

2006-12-26T11:41:00.000-06:00

Another year is fading quickly. I cannot believe how fast time flies. Emma is 10 1/2 and Tyler will quickly be turning 8. They will be driving and then out the door before too long. We are expecting another one around the first of September! My best friends, Kacy and Melea, and my sister, April and I will all be due within a month or two of one another. We will all have newborns at Christmas next year! We are all so excited. God willing everything will go okay. Please be praying that God would rest His hand on my unborn child and make him/her healthy. Also, please pray that my pregnancy will go smoothly, no complications.

Christmas was fantastic. The kids got everything they wanted as did Regan and I. It was fun having my family over all day on Christmas. We also enjoyed our time with the Bentley's and the Nash families. We ate too much and laughed a lot! No matter how stressful the holidays are, it all seems to melt away when you are with family and friends.

We are hoping and praying that Regan will begin work soon. He has been told he has a position with the company that he worked for before his accident. He received his release from the doctor two months ago and has been trying to work odd jobs to make sure his strength is where it needs to be to go back to work full time. So far, so good! Neither of us can believe this day is finally here...after being out-of-work for three years, it is exciting and daunting all at the same time.

We were able to take the kids on our first family vacation this year. We drove to Colorado over the Thanksgiving break. We stayed with Regan's Aunt Kerrelyn and Uncle Chuck in their beautiful "casita". We did it all while we were there...Pike's Peak, Garden of the God's, Seven Falls, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Mining Towns, Bishop's Castle & Casa Bonita's to name a few!! It was so much fun! Regan's mom and step dad flew in as did Regan's Aunt Jo. We all were able to spend time walking, talking and eating. It was one of the best Thanksgiving's! The kids had a blast and are still talking about it...we have watched the home movie of it at least three times!!

Many wonderful and exciting things have happened this year. I married my best friend. A lot of people throw that phrase around about their husband or wife, but I truly mean it when I say it. He is my best friend. The one that understands me the best. I don't even have to speak and he knows what I am thinking and feeling. I have never met a man that is so in tune to my thoughts as Regan. Sometimes in life I think God truly blesses you by putting that perfect one in your path...not the "okay one" or the "one that will due", but the PERFECT one. That is Regan to me. We were able to go to Jamaica for our honeymoon. We were able to enjoy our summer with friends at the lake. We were able to take the boat out - Regan got up for the first time since his accident on a ski (he got up first try too)!! I was also able to master the kneeboard!! We got pregnant and went through the agony of losing...realizing that our relationship can withstand yet another storm. We took a family vacation. We were able to afford another Christmas (by the skin of our teeth!). And last, but not least, we were able to get pregnant again and feel that joyous feeling running through our veins. God is so good to us. I don't know how we could ever survive without Him. He never said it was going to be easy, and a lot of it hasn't been easy, but He is so good to pick up the pieces and mend our hearts.

I hope that throughout the holidays, we don't lose sight of what it is really about. I lost sight this holiday season and it hit me with full force. I was running around trying to get shopping done, stressing myself out, mad at the world and then it came out of left field...this feeling of total selfishness. For some reason my thoughts drifted to Mary (Jesus' mother) and I wondered what was running through her mind that December night. I wondered if she knew that the child she was about to give birth to would one day die an excruciating death. I wondered if she knew the agony she would feel being His mother. I wondered if she knew how many wonderful things her son would do and how many miracles he would perform in his lifetime. I wondered if she knew all of the ridicule her child would endure as a man. It immediately brought me to tears. I thought, here I am running around foolishly, trying to make everything perfect and I have completely lost sight of why Christmas is supposed to be important in the first place. With all of that said, please enjoy the rest of your holiday season and try not to forget the main reason we celebrate. Love to all of you reading this!

WHEW.....

2006-10-25T13:17:00.000-05:00

What a ride these past couple of months have been. Most of you already know that the pregnancy was an ectopic or tubal pregnancy. On Friday the 13th of this month I had to have Regan take me to the ER for some excruciating cramping and they ended up removing my tube all together. I can still have children, it might just take a little longer, but with the way I get pregnant that might not be such a bad thing!! I found out yesterday that my best friend and I would have only been a week apart if the pregnancy would have been complete. That was sad...

The Lord has been faithful to answer the prayer of Regan finding work. He has been working for the past couple of weeks on a soccer complex in Kansas City. The work has been strenuous, but I think he is enjoying getting up early and doing something. I don't know if he will have work after they complete the soccer complex, but Lord willing, he will!

Emma and Tyler are still alive and breathing although after what they did last night, I'm not sure either of them should be! They were finishing up a science experiment in my freshly cleaned kitchen and they were laughing and giggling non-stop. It was the kind of laugh that you start and can't stop even though nothing is particularly funny. I was getting irritated and told them both to finish up and go to bed. The giggling became soft whispers and muffled laughs and then a very quick sprint to the bedroom. I got up a little while later to check the mess in the kitchen and was suprised it was fairly clean except for a few dishes in the sink. I went to the sink and turned on the faucet and water came flying out of the spray nozzle and completely soaked my entire face, shirt & pants. They had taped the sprayer. I was so hysterical I could hardly even talk. I went in to their bedroom and they took one look at me and we all just died laughing. After that I went to bed and found that they had put water balloons in our pillows and in our sheets, luckily none of them burst!! If they are doing this now, I don't know what Regan and I have in store for us when they get older!!

Updates!

2006-09-27T12:22:00.000-05:00

THE KIDS
Emma and Tyler are crazy as ever. Emma is flunking math and Tyler hates school, but other than that...they are terrific! Tyler called me the other day and told me he was going to drop out of the second grade and go to work in construction! I just about died! Emma, I would have to say is just like her mother! The only reason she goes to school is to socialize and when it comes to learning...she tunes it all out. I am trying to work with her on that, but she is getting to the age where she tunes me out too! She is almost as tall as I am about 5" shy and she and I are already wearing the same size shoes. Our newest buy is our camo "Rocket Dog" tennis shoes that we love...thank you Grammy!! It is a different experience every day with these two and I love it!!
MY HUBBY
Regan is good and still in need of a job. He was interviewing for one with the company that he did work for previously, but they are being very unprofessional. they all but gave him the job and now they won't return any of his phone calls. Sometimes I would like to call up there and talk to the supervisor and say, "Hey, listen up....this is my husband and you won't treat him like this..." But Regan would die!! If anyone knows of anyone that needs hauling done or tree/landscape work...call us!! We are fine without him working and it is probably better right now so that his leg can heal longer, but with a hopeful upcoming birth in the family, it puts a strain on us. So, with all that said...please keep us in your prayers and you all are in ours!

2006-09-08T10:23:00.000-05:00

I know I haven't been sharing a whole lot lately on my blog account, but I have been so busy. I have had some very good friends in town and have gotten to spend some very precious time with them. Jonathan and Sandy Collins...you both are so incredible and we love you to the enth degree!!

Labor Day weekend was fun. Regan, Em, Jolie and I left on Thursday. On Thursday night we went to Regan's mom's and chatted with her and Brian. April and Tim didn't get down until Friday night around 8pm. By that time, all of us were done with Jolie! She was a crying mess! I think she missed her parents! The weather was crappy on Saturday and Sunday, but Monday was beautiful! Regan tried to teach Emma how to ski and she did awesome. Almost getting up on her second try! The following pics are from our weekend at Blue Springs Lake. Jolie finally overcame her fear of the water and now we can't keep her out of it! Also, my sister and I mastered the 360 on the kneeboard! Shortly after we took these pictures, I crashed on the kneeboard and swear that I broke my neck in like 5 places. It was enough that I haven't gotten back on it since. Next thing I will try is the Scurfer...a new little thing my brother-in-law came home with. It is a cross between and wakeboard and a surfboard. Looks fun!!

2006-08-11T09:43:00.000-05:00

2006-08-11T09:40:00.000-05:00