Memorial Day 2008

On this Memorial Day 2008 I ask that as you bar-b-que or swim or shop - however it is that you choose to celebrate please take a moment to observe what today really is. It is a day to honor the heroes of our country who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Say a prayer of thanksgiving for their service. Pray for their families. Pray for those who are currently serving at home and abroad. Remember we live in the home of the free because of the brave.

"Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifices."
President Harry S. Truman

My prayer: Thank you for the fallen heroes who we remember and honor today. Mostly thank you for the consolation of Your Word especially for their families. Thank you for the selfless men and women who have served and are serving our country. Please continue to watch over them and their families. Amen.

Beach Photos and I've been Tagged...

The kids loved swimming~Madzilla would not wear floaties (imagine that)



Jackson loved playing this game at LuLu's while we waited for a table.



Can you believe we got both kids looking at the camera and smiling at the same time!



My mom and Madeline



My sweet little man :)



We were able to get away for a few days to the beach with my mom. Wouldn't you know that we only had one day of sunshine...oh well that just gave me a chance at some retail therapy :) The kids had fun and enjoyed the sand. The water was freezing, but luckliy we had a heated pool to swim in (when it was not tornado weather) Now we are home and back to reality. I really missed Jason (especailly loading and unloading the car) No, seriously I missed him being there with us and watching his children build sandcastles and swim. But anyway...

I have been "TAGGED" by Aimee so here goes...

10 YEARS AGO ~ Lets see I was beginning my Junior year at USA (wow I cannot believe it has been that long ago) Jason and I were "boyfriend/girlfriend" Of course I was looking forward to the day we would be engaged (but that would come the next year). I was moving in to an apartment with the greatest roomies Emily and Heather. I had no worries. Just go to class then head to the beach when class was out...what a life!

5 THINGS ON MY TO DO LIST:
1. LAUNDRY
2. Grocery store
3. Mail Jason a care package
4. return phone calls
5. Tastefully Simple work

5 SNACKS I LOVE:
1. South beach bar with chai tea
2. chex mix
3. cubed cheese with crackers (this is new for me, not usually a cheese eater)
4. grapes
5. Fiesta Dip (Tastefully Simple product) with tortilla chips

IF I WERE A BILLIONAIRE:
I am so with Aimee on this one...I would go shopping without looking at the price tag. I would buy a beach house. Aimee, I would totally fly us to see the NKOTB (but not just one concert ALL of them and have a different airbrushed tee for each one!) I would pay off who ever I needed to so I could bring my husband home!

BAD HABITS I HAVE:
1. Procrastination
2. Always seem to run late (no matter how hard I try)
3. Don't keep in touch with my family and friends like I should)
4. Let my kids watch more tv than they should so I can finish waking up in the morning

5 JOBS I'VE HAD:
1. Victoria's Secret (college)
2. Worked with an autistic child (that was so rewarding)
3. Therapist at Mountain View Hospital
4. Substance Abuse Case Manager at Mental Health Center
5. MOMMY!!!

5 PLACES I'VE LIVED:
1. Weaver, AL
2. Saks
3. Mobile
4. Birmingham
5. White Plains

ok so there it is...now Alicia, Bethany and Katy you're Tagged :)

The Super Bug and Mother's Day...

This is what happens when the super bug hits..siblings get along :)



The sweet card my babies got me :)



The heart shaped necklace my little man picked out all by himself...the best!



The sweet tile charm from my friend Jamie...incredible!

It has been a messy week (literally) at the Crow House. We have been hit by the "super bug." It all started Tuesday when Miss Madeline got round 2 of the stomach virus. Then Wednesday Jackson started with his second round! Luckily Jackson's only lasted 24 hours. Unfortunately Madeline's did not. After 3 full days of not keeping anything down I took her to the doctor at which time the doctor admitted her to the hospital. Bless her heart she was so dehydrated that when she cried she did not even have tears. :( After SEVERAL unsuccessful sticks in the hand the nurse finally was able to get an IV in Madeline's foot. (poor baby) After 24 hours of continuous fluids Madeline finally started acting like my Madzilla :) She went from laying on me barely able to hold her head up to jumping in the steal monkey cage (aka hospital crib) The fluids helped her tremendously! I am so thankful that they worked. Being in the hospital all alone with a sick child was so hard! I missed having my supportive husband! I never realized what a strength he is for me until I am forced to do things without him. I know that it was so hard for him to be so far away and not able to be there. I am so grateful for my ever faithful Lord and Saviour who is giving me strength during this super bug, but also sustained me while we were in the hospital alone. Madeline was released (and not a moment too soon, I had about all I could take) So we are home now and Madeline is doing so much better. She is still having diarrhea so please pray with me for that to subside and my little girl to get her appetite back. (and pray that the super bug does not attack me...goodness knows I can not get sick)

Mother's Day has been so sweet. Jason was able to call several times so I really cherished that! My Jackson went shopping (courtesy of his Granna) and got me a sweet heart shaped necklace (that he picked out all by himself) He said "this make you happy mommy" (if that don't melt your heart I don't know what will) Since we are still in "quarantine mode" we missed church which was a bummer, but we had lunch brought to us (always nice when I don't have to think about my meals) ;) My sweet friend Jami brought me a beautiful tile charm with a picture of my family on it. I am so thankful for the wonderful friends and family God has placed in my life.

We are suppose to be heading to the beach to vacation with my mom and brother, but I am waiting to see how Madeline is doing before I go to far from home.

In closing I am going to leave you with this poem on Mother's. Enjoy!


This is for the mothers who have sat up

all night with sick toddlers in their arms,

wiping up barf laced with Oscar Mayer

wieners and cherry Kool-Aid saying,

'It's okay honey, Mommy's here.'


Who have sat in rocking chairs for hours on end

soothing crying babies who can't be comforted.


This is for all the mothers who show up at

work with spit-up in their hair and milk stains

on their blouses and diapers in their purse.


For all the mothers who run carpools and

make cookies and sew Halloween costumes.

And all the mothers who DON'T.


This is for the mothers who gave birth to

babies they'll never see. And the mothers

who took those babies and gave them homes.


This is for the mothers whose priceless art

collections are hanging on their refrigerator doors.


And for all the mothers who froze their buns

on metal bleachers at football or soccer games instead

of watching from the warmth of their cars.

And that when their kids asked, 'Did you see me, Mom?'

they could say, 'Of course, I wouldn't

have missed it for the world,' and mean it.


This is for all the mothers who yell at their kids

in the grocery store and swat them in despair when

they stomp their feet and scream for ice cream before dinner.

And for all the mothers who count to ten instead,

but realize how child abuse happens.


This is for all the mothers who sat down with

their children and explained all about making

babies. And for all the (grand)mothers who

wanted to, but just couldn't find the words.


This is for all the mothers who go

hungry, so their children can eat.


For all the mothers who read 'Goodnight,

Moon' twice a night for a year. And then

read it again, 'Just one more time.'


This is for all the mothers who taught

their children to tie their shoelaces before

they started school. And for all the mothers

who opted for Velcro instead.


This is for all the mothers who teach their sons

to cook and their daughters to sink a jump shot.


This is for every mother whose head turns

automatically when a little voice calls 'Mom?'

in a crowd, even though they know their

own offspring are at home -- or even away

at college -- or have their own families.


This is for all the mothers who sent their kids

to school with stomach aches, assuring them

they'd be just FINE once they got there, only

to get calls from the school nurse an hour later

asking them to please pick them up. Right away.


This is for mothers whose children have gone

astray, who can't find the words to reach them.

For all the mothers who bite their lips until they

bleed when their 14 year old dye their hair green.


For all the mothers of the victims of

recent school shootings, and the mothers

of those who did the shooting.


For the mothers of the survivors,

and the mothers who sat in front of their TVs

in horror, hugging their child

who just came home from school, safely.


This is for all the mothers who taught their

children to be peaceful, and now pray

they come home safely from a war.


What makes a good mother anyway?

Is it patience? Compassion? Broad hips?

The ability to nurse a baby, cook dinner, and

sew a button on a shirt, all at the same time?


Or is it in her heart?

Is it the ache she feels when she

watches her son or daughter disappear

down the street, walking to school alone

for the very first time?


The jolt that takes her from sleep to

dread, from bed to crib at 2 A.M. to put

her hand on the back of a sleeping baby?


The panic, years later, that comes again

at 2 A.M. when she just wants to hear

their key in the door and know they

are safe again in her home?


Or the need to flee from wherever she is

and hug her child when she hears news

of a fire, a car accident, a child dying?


The emotions of motherhood are

universal and so our thoughts are for

young mothers stumbling through diaper

changes and sleep deprivation....

And for mature mothers learning to let go.


For working mothers and stay-at-home mothers.


Single mothers and married mothers.


Mothers with money, mothers without.


This is for you all. For all of us...


Hang in there. In the end we can

only do the best we can. Tell them

every day that we love them. And pray

and never stop being a mother....

Re-Enlistment Pictures...

Jason after his re-enlistment


Jason during his re-enlistment ceremony



Jason and the group he is working with on a recent trip to the port.


Here are some pictures from Jason's recent re-enlistment. I can't believe it has already been 6 years since Jason completed basic training. So much has happened in 6 years...complete basic training/ait, 1st deployment, 2 kids, and now 2nd deployment. He signed up for 6 more years. Some of you may be thinking "why?" Yeah that was my first reaction too. But I respect his decision. Jason enjoys being in the reserves. He fills a duty to serve our country and to be honest that makes me so grateful and I admire him so much for it. I am thankful for the countless men and women out there who selflessly CHOOSE to serve our country because lets be honest here I certainly am not making that choice. So Jason, THANK YOU for serving our country and keeping our families safe! I love you and I love the man that you are!

Yard Sale and Such...

My sweet friends Aimee and Carlton are in the process of adopting a little girl from China. This is something they have both wanted and prayed about for a long time and are now getting close to the "finish line." Some of you may not realize this, but adoption is expensive. So to help with the costs I am helping with a yard sale to raise money for them. I firmly believe that Christ calls us to adopt orphans. The picture of adoption is so beautiful to me. After all as a believer I am adopted in Christ. I pray that one day Jason and I will be able to adopt. Until that time I want to help my friends raise money to bring their daughter (Lily) home.

So how can you help??? There are lots of ways:
1. There is still time to donate items for the yard sale. If you have any gentle used items that you would like to donate please email me at jessicacrow@bellsouth.net so we can arrange a time for them to be dropped off.
2. Come to the yard sale and BUY BUY BUY! :) There are a lot of great items (some of which I already have my eyes on) The sale will be this Friday and Saturday May 9 and 10th from 7 am - until. The sale is in our church fellowship hall so it is rain or shine.
3. Lily's big sister Hannah Grace will be selling lemonade. So come out and enjoy some yummy lemonade for Lily :)
4. I am an Independent Consultant for Tastefully Simple. One of the many joys about being an independent consultant is that I choose where the profit from each one of my sales goes. I am donating ALL profit from every sale to the Lily Weathers China Adoption Fund. Help me do this by hosting a home taste-testing party, a party to go, or a catalog party. For convenience Tastefully Simple allows shopping online and now catalog parties can be done online as well. Visit my website (link on the right) or email me for more information.


In closing I am going to leave you with some scriptures on Adoption.
He executes justice for the orphan"--Deuteronomy 10:18a

"A Father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families"--Psalm 68:5-6a

"Come near and rescue me."--Psalm 69:18

"Vindicate the weak and fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and destitute."--Psalm 82:3

"How blessed is he who considers the helpless."--Psalm 41:1

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans"--James 1:27

"Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the orphan..."--Isaiah 1:17

"I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you..."--John 14:18

"I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these, you did for me.."--Matt 25:40

"And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me..."--Matt 18:5

Most of the Time it is Not "OK"...

I have been avoiding an update blog for a while now mostly because I have basically been depressed. So as my usual self I don't say anything and continue with life (trying to be as "normal" as possible - whatever "normal" is) My new normal is loneliness. My new normal is thinking I am successful if I can get my kids and myself dressed. My new normal is replying "we're OK" when asked how things are. Some of the time this is true...we are just "OK", but there are times when we are not, but I say "OK" because I do not want to cry. It's so hard. Everything is a constant reminder. Take swimming lessons with Jackson as an example. Every kid in his class has their daddy there with them. Jackson notices. At the end of every lesson he says "Mommy I want to tell daddy what I did tonight" I find myself being angry about this. I think where is the fairness in this? Why does Jason have to watch his children grow up in pictures and web cams? But I really am grateful that he at least has these things.
I am trying to be cheerful as I face this part of the journey. But I realize that it is not cheerfulness I need when faced with difficult things, instead it is trust. In my moments of great need, I trust that God has a plan that will lead me to a place of safety...God is faithful! Faithful Lord=supply my daily needs. He does. He supplies just what I need to get through the day. I see it so clearly every night as I reflect on each day. That I am able to put one foot in front of the other, that I am able to care for my children, that I am able to function at all is because my Lord is faithful and He alone supplies me with everything that I need. And that is why I can take heart on the very worst of days. He has a plan and I trust Him alone.

"The Lord is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him." Nahum 1:7