MORE TWINS PHOTOS!

This is a record for me. Me posting 3 times in one week! Boy, I must have a lot of time on my hands...NOT! I just came home from visiting the babies and they are sooooooo cute! Did I tell you that the twins are cute?? Let me share the photos I was able to take...

Mister Jack was so hungry he started sucking on his thumb.

Miss Eva was so relaxed she didn't want to wake up.

Joshua and Jack bonding for the first time.
He only wanted to hold the 'boy baby'.

Eva and Anna bonding.
Anna couldn't wait to hold the 'girl baby'.

Look at those cute scrawny legs.
Can you tell which baby is this one???

Last, but not least, me.
Do you know which baby I am holding???

THE TWINS HAVE ARRIVED!!!

Eva Linnea and Jack Joseph

I know I am posting twice in one day but I couldn't help sharing the gorgeous photos of the twins. Anna and Joshua have 2 new, beautiful cousins!! This is what the proud father, John had to say about them:

Hi all!

After much anticipation and a very long day on Friday, the twins finally arrived on Saturday morning.

Jack Joseph was born at 12:53 on March 15 and weighed 6 pounds 3 ounces and 18.5 inches long.

Eva Linnea was born at 12:54 on March 15th and weighed 6 pounds 6 ounces and 18.75 inches long.

Both babies are very happy and healthy!

Hope to see you and talk to all of you soon; thank you for all the well wishes so far!!

Love,
Carie & John

The proud father, John with his 2 blessings!!!

Linnea is taken from an aunt who recently passed away. As some of you know that I requested prayers for this very special member of our family. We called her, Aunt Maryann but her first name was Linnea. It is such a beautiful name. I know she is smiling upon us right now!

Joseph is Carie's fathers first name. So you can see the family name is being carried over to the next generation. What blessings.

HEARTS AT HOME 2008!!

WOW! What an inspirational 2 days!!

First, If you don't know what Hearts-at-Home is all about please check out their site http://www.hearts-at-home.org/. Last year my friend Becky and I went for the first time and loved it. We met her cousin Kay and her friend, Robyn (who flew in from Vermont). The four of us planned on meeting again this year. Well, our foursome turned into an eightsome and more friends were appearing out of the crowds.

This past weekend Becky picked me up at 4:15 am (YES, I was still sleeping; my eyes were just open). We picked up 2 more friends; Sara and Shelley. We were off at the crack of dawn to Normal, IL. Let me tell you, I don't believe we stopped talking those 2 days, unless we were sleeping or in the shower.

Our first workshop began at 8:30 am with song, praise, stories of brave women sharing their lives and how they came to Jesus. We shed tears, we laughed and we sang praises to our Father! Cheri Keaggy was our main entertainment and WOW was she exhilarating, breathtaking, that I am listening to her right now as I blog. Check her out at http://www.cherikeaggy.com/home/index.html. She shared her own stories and her son came out to play on the drums. She mentioned her son is single!

Here is Cheri and her band singing their praises to our Lord!

Debbie, Robyn and Kay can't enough!

Shelley and Sara with their bright smiling faces!
This is both their first time at Hearts-at-Home.

Becky and I (I am on the left) feeling right at home.

The 3 lovely ladies who flew in from Vermont!
Kay (Becky's cousin), Robyn and newcomer, Debbie!

My friend, Nicole (far right) with her friends.

Our eightsome!
Becky, our new friend, Patricia (joined us on Friday night for the 'moms night out' program), Me, Kay, Robyn, Debbie, Shelley and Sara.

Most of us had different schedules but we connected whenever we can. The workshops that I took were perfect for my season in life. My 2 favorite speakers were Kirk Weaver and Susie Larsen (you can google them if you wish). I enjoyed them so much that I took both of their classes. Karen Ehman (google her as well) was another one who spoke about organization! I learned a lot from her and already implemented her 'brain in a binder' system.

Karl usually benefits from me going away from the girls! I come home all excited to share all that I have learned. Off topic then I will get back on topic........Whenever I go away for 2 or more days he seems to always have to take LOADS and I mean LOADS of laundry to the laundromat to get cleaned. His way of helping me catch up with laundry. This time when I returned I asked if he took any laundry to the laundromat (there wasn't any laundry to take! Looking for praise.) He didn't even noticed that the laundry was all cleaned or should I say dirty? Its amazing that my husband only noticed the mess but not what was clean. A huge aha moment in my understanding of my husband.

I really didn't know where I was going with that but I thought I would share! If you have a chance to attend a Hearts-at-Home convention, I suggest that you do! It is inspirational, fulfilling, teaches you so much more than what you would expect.

I enjoyed spending time with my friends, making new friends and truly seeing our Lord at work!!

God Bless You All,
Lisa

Quality Time

CHOO, CHOO, CHOO...Do you hear the whistle blowing?

I do! I wanted to share what my husband and kids have been up to a few months back. My husband, Karl saved his train set from childhood (I don't remember what kind it is :( He thought it would be fun to make a 'town' together with the kids in the basement.

They began with the ground...Karl built a table then he and Joshua both painted the table green. Later to find the type of paint they used didn't come off!!! I believe it had an oil base. So, they were green for a while. Karl found a hobby store and bought some green grass to cover the green paint. Apparently we did not have enough green! He figured that it would look a little more authentic...and of course it did!

On one of his visits to the hobby shop, he brought home the first building of 'our town'. It was a church! A beautiful white church! He also brought home a 'bluegrass band'! Don't forget my husband plays in a band and he plays the banjo. So, what kind of town would we have if we didn't have a band??

As you can see for yourself our little 'town' is coming along. They will add a river, general store, and other items as time goes by.

Here is a short clip. I had another video but it was too long to put on the blog. Enjoy.

I wanted to share this with you because it was fun watching them work and learn together. Watching their love and friendship blossom before my eyes and God's eyes. This is why He created us the way we are; for His delight. God enjoys watching His children grow in love, faithe, in relationships, and spiritually. For parents to learn from their children and children to learn from their parents. Without the faith that we have as a family I truly believe that we (and Karl) wouldn't of truly taken the time (quality and patience) to build not just a town for the train but a relationship with the kids. God Bless you all as you take the time to spend 'quality time' with your family building those relationships. Not only with our children or yours but with your extended family and friends. Most of you know first hand that 'our time' here on earth is short! Love on those who are around you!! I love you all.