"Don't hope to be. Choose"

The other day Bill's cousin Sarah wrote a blog about her wedding that is coming up very quickly. At the end of her blog she wrote the words "Don't hope to be happy. Choose." This statement has had me thinking for days. It so made an impact on me that I knew instantly I was going to blog about it very soon. With the help of Bill's other cousin Julie I was able to get some blogging questions answered and here we are.

Now back to the "Don't hope to be happy. Choose." statement. Isn't this statement the most basic of instructions for life. Isn't it so easy that we sometimes forget about it and find ourselves in the hope mode of life? I know I have at times. There's a song with the lyrics "Wishing and hoping" and the tune to the song is so easy you find yourself singing along. Don't get me wrong I love the song & it is in one of my favorite movies of all times (My Best Friend's Wedding) But life isn't about Wishing and hoping its about CHOOSING:

1. Choosing to love the Lord & accept His gift of salvation
2. Choosing to be obedient to the Lord
3. Choosing your mate & to fulfill your vows
4. Choosing your child's name ( you do hope here, hope they like it)
5. Choosing what type of toilet paper to buy ( threw this one in just for fun)
6. Choosing to be happy every day No matter what happens
7. Choosing to rely on the Lord because He promises are real and He will guide & direct us

For the past two months I've been following another blog CF Husband and it is here that I found out about Nate, his wife Tricia and their beautiful daughter Gwyneth Rose. Tricia is suffering from Cystic Fibrosis and is currently waiting for a double lung transplant. Their miracle baby girl was born very early due to complications from the CF. I will admit I am a bit ADDICTED to this blog. I check it at least once a day sometimes more. I've shared their story with Bill and he too checks the blog. We then began praying for this couple and their daughter daily. Their story is an amazing one of life, love, and CHOOSING. They have made the choice to be happy, to roll with whatever God throws at them, to go against the odds and face life head on. Their story is so inspirational that I cannot help but read it. Before Sarah posted her blog with the statement "Don't hope to be happy. Choose" I told my husband and mother-n-law that Nate & Tricia were choosing to be happy and that in turn was having an impact on me just by reading their blogs. Even though they are 3000+ miles away they inspire me every day.

They are truly an inspiration and living example of the statement "Don't hope to be happy. Choose" And when I find myself starting to hope about life and all it brings my way I will remember the "Don't hope to be happy. Choose" statement and I will CHOOSE to be happy and Thankful for all that the Lord has given me.

Mother of all blow outs

This sweet face had the mother of all blow outs today! Yeppers and I was out at Costco when it happened. I almost cried.

The day started so nicely. Ellia all dressed in her pretty little denim dress with red tights, red hairbow and black mary jane shoes. We were headed to have lunch with Auntie Susan at work and then onto Grandma & Grandpa's for a pre Valentine Day visit.

As I pulled into the Issaquah Costco to buy flowers for Auntie Susan I smelled a nice aroma. Now anyone reading this know's what I mean by "aroma". She was sound asleep and wasn't squacking so I figured it wasn't too bad and I would just change her in the bathroom when I was finished buying the flowers. Apparently that wasn't a good idea.

As I began to take her clothes off in the Costco bathroom she began to cry....cry...cry....cry and CRY. Which echoed off the walls of the bathroom all the way down the hallway to the cash registers. She had pooped out the sides of the diaper and up the front & back. Yes, that's right out of every single opening of her diaper. Her outfit was COVERED in a thick, pea green poop substance. (Want you to all get a good visual here) I had no choice to but to strip her down and give her a spit bath with baby wipes right there. All while she is screaming her head off. And then if it couldn't get an worse.................... She pee'd........Yes, she was so worked up that she pee'd right there on the changing table. Which you guessed it turned the thick, pea green poop into a nice runny, pea green substance. Any part of her body that I had just cleaned up was now dirty again. It was at this moment that I almost broke down into tears. I managed to keep my composure, clean her up and give her a nice cuddle & hug to calm her down.

We then walked over to visit Auntie Susan who was very understanding about my ordeal. I had to tell someone as Bill was at work and I was desperate to tell someone about our bathroom experience. The rest of the day went very well, but this blow out will live in the history books and in stories until Ellia is old & gray.

Latte Love

My Husband is the BEST!!!

Yesterday morning I awoke with a huge hunger for an apple fritter. Bill offered to go to the store and I wasn't about to say no to an apple fritter:O)

A little while later he came home with doughnuts, milk and a Starbucks Latte for me. But the best part was he also gave me a card. When I opened the card it read Lots of Latte Love - Happy Birthday. But he had crossed out the Happy Birthday and written "Happy I love you day".
It brought tears to my eyes.

I am married to the most sinceire, loving and wonderful man EVER! Everyday I am blessed to be Mrs. William Detlor.

Love Never Fails

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a sucker for old people. I think they are the cutest most adorable people in the world and I cannot wait to be a cute old, hat wearing lady.
So when I got this email today from my uncle about an old man I had to read it. And as I read it I was brought to tears. I dont know where he got it, but it read like this:

It was a busy morning, about 8:30 in the morning when a man in his 80's, arrived to have the stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9am.
I took his vitals and had him take a seat, know that it would be at least an hour before he would be seen. I saw him looking at his watch and decided since I wasn't busy with a patient that, I would evaluate his wound.
On exam, it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, and got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound.
While taking care of his wound I asked him if he had another doctors appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry. The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife.
I inquired about his wife's health. He told me she had been there for awhile and that she was a victim of Alzheimers Disease. As we talked, I asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late. He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now.
I was surprised, and asked him, "And you still go every morning, even though she dosen't know who you are?"

He smiled as he patted my hand and said, "She doesn't know me but I still know who she is"

What AMAZING Love this man has for his wife!! Isn't this how the Lord is with us? Even when we are busy with our families, friends, housework and just plain life he still know's who we are and where our hearts are. This email brought tears to my eyes and two gentle reminders....

1. The Lord loves me no matter what and is always there for me
2. My husband is like this man and will be like him even in old age & I can always count on him

It also reminded me of 1 Cor 13: 4-8
"Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;
does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
and the key here.......... LOVE NEVER FAILS

Growing like a weed

Ellia is 4 months old! I cannot believe that 4 months has flown by. Litterally it has flown by us.
She had her 4 month checkup today. She weighed in at 15.12 pounds and is 25 inches long. She is just growing, growing, growing. And I am still breastfeeding about 60 - 70% of the time.
Ellia loves to swing, play in her exersaucer, still getting used to the Bumbo seat (having toys like in the picture help her stay seated). She is cooing , laughing and smiling all the time. Bill loves to make her laugh by pretending to sneeze. Ellia thinks when you sneeze that is the funniest thing ever.
Having Ellia in our lives has made our family so complete. We thought we were so content, and we were. But adding her into our little family has made it more complete and us more content. It's hard to put it just right into words, but I am sure you will all understand my point here. We love her sooooooo very much and every day we thank God for blessing us with such a special little girl.