Goodbye to Dolphin : (

When we first moved to Oklahoma we started feeding this stray cat. After a while he became very comfortable and made his way into our home and hearts. We named him Dolphin because of his coloring - he just looked like a dolphin. We had him 3 years and loved him. He started getting sick several months ago. He was losing a lot of weight, not eating well, vomiting, diarrhea, and was very weak. He was such a good cat not a very playful cat but always loving on someone and he was exceptionally great with the kids. Me and the kids took him to the vet today and they tested him for Feline Leukemia and it came back positive. He said there was a slim chance that with medicine, shots, and some fluids that he would get better but not cured. It is also a contagious disease and we have another cat, Hobbes. With broken hearts and many tears we decided that putting him down would be the best. It was not easy making that decision. We will miss him!

This picture was taken today. You can't tell a lot by this picture but he was skin and bones.

Got Mail

A couple weeks ago Nia & Ian got to write a letter to anyone of their choice. We had just celebrated the 4th and they got to be around lots of family. Nia chose to write David - my uncle "because I love him and I was around him a lot when I was at granny's" and Ian chose to write Great Granny "because her my willy bess frin and me love her". They wrote a letter, drew pictures, and sent pictures of themselves.
Well, today they received mail!!!
One from Great Granny and one from Uncle David. You would have thought they won the lottery. Ian was jumping up and down, running around and screaming. Nia immediately ripped open the envelope. David sent some fun sheets along with a very kid friendly letter and stickers (the stamp on the envelope). Great Granny sent a card for Ian, a letter and money. Ian told me that he wanted to get something to eat at the swimming pool with his money.
Thanks you two for making their day!!!! We love you!

God answers prayers!!

Romeo spent last week in Little Rock, Arkansas working. Me and the kids were trying to get the house picked up and clean before he got home Friday. Ian was doing what he wanted instead of obeying and Nia was not listening very well. I was frustrated and in a hurry and that doesn't usually produce a very patient mom. God convicted me a few years ago about my discipline approach. I would discipline out of anger and frustration instead of instruction and love. I still deal with that on a daily basis but God has brought me a long way. A few years ago, when I knew my ways had to change, I sat down with Nia (Ian was still little) and talked to her about my problem and how she could help. I told her that I needed her to pray for me when she saw that I was angry, frustrated or impatient. So she would, whether it be at the dinner table asking God to give momma patience or on the living room floor on her face. I am not sure the last time she did this but it had been a while, until Friday. I was yelling and had been for a while. I made my way into the living room where I was attempting to remove oobleck slime from my couch and pillows. At that moment, I sat down, looked at the slime and remembered that I am a mom and this is part of it. So... I called the kids into the living room and apologized to them for yelling. Immediately Nia spoke up and said, "I knew you were going to say that because I just prayed for you." I was amazed! I asked her when she prayed and she said she had just finished when I called them into the living room. GOD IS SO GOOD! Oh Lord, I pray that she always remembers that you heard her prayer that day! Thank you Jesus for giving me Nia. What would I do without her??
Psalm 116:1-2
I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.

Kid's College

Nia went to Kids College this past week and had a blast. It was 1 hour for each class for 5 days. The school she goes to really encourages this so they paid for her to take one course and we paid for the other. The two classes were "The Pet Set" and "Squish, Squeeze, and Squeal". The pet set focused on how to take care of animals and they had "specials guests" Tuesday through Friday including kittens, dogs, guinea pigs, and rabbits. She had a great time and learned some cool stuff. Friday night we were outside and our next door neighbor was outside with his dog and Nia went over to the dog and loved on him. She told the owner of the dog that she could train his dogs because she was a dog trainer. It was so cute. She LOVES animals. The Squish, squeeze & squeal class was about making oooey gooey gunk. They made oobleck - type of slime (of which ended up in the cushions of my couch, on my pillows, and on a shirt that is now in the trash), silly putty, edible playdoh, and flubber (separates into a hundred pieces of which my son figured out) . She loved that class. She has already said that next year she wants to take a cooking class (which I am all for), basketball, and tumbling. WE'LL SEE! I am attaching a picture of Nia on a horse. My aunt Joan is an animal lover and she sent me this picture.