No more Sunshine

Gracie is the little whiter looking dog on the right.

Today is a very sad day in our household. Our little, old rescue chihuahua who was named Sunshine when we got her and whom we renamed Gracie passed away this morning. Gracie was rescued by our friend Stacy at" Get a Life Pet Rescue", she had spent her whole life in a cage in a puppy mill and she was a shaky little thing. She was loved in our family for a short time and hopefully that erased the hard life she lived for so long.

"For humans and animals both breathe the same air, and both die. So people have no real advantage over the animals. How Meaningless! Both go to the same place-the dust from which they came and to which they must return."

Ecclesiastes 3:19-20

“Rejoice in all the good things the Lord has given you and your household.” -Deuteronomy 26:11

Extremely good news today, our insurance company has finally approved my disability. Thank you all so very much for your caring, love, thoughts and prayers, waiting has never been one of my strong points it was very difficult for me and just added extra stress. I am very blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life. Thanks also for your continued love, email, calls (you know I won't answer, but you keep trying that's why I love you...) and prayers......Love To All, Lesa

PS. Ellen and Erin I don't deserve such friends (angels) in my life, but I'm glad your there.
PSS. Drew is just the best person in the whole world.....

Our Girls!

Katie after her day at Harbor Children's Foster Home

Drew-trying to steal Anna's soccer medal

Dad is so proud

What a good looking group

The goofy looking girls

Jia's life is complete-the pager buzzer went off!

Anna-kind of wishing she were sitting at a table with normal people

Jia eating her "doggie sundae"

Drew stealing Jia's "doggie sundae"

Jia's sisters join in on the conspiracy (Mom is innocent)

Yesterday was a day that made us even more proud of our big girls than we usually are. We have already mentioned that Anna was playing in her 8th All Star Soccer Game, well her team won and she played outstandingly well.

Meanwhile, Katie chose to spend helping the children at the Harbor Children's Foster Home. She came home glowing about the kids that she met and the things she got to do.

We told them we were going to take them out to eat and they chose Outback Steak House (actually Anna chose, Katie has salad wherever we go).

We took a lot of silly pictures, hope you enjoy them.

THIS NEWS JUST IN!!!!!

THE FOOT THAT SCORES MANY GOALS & ASSISTS

Good news and bad news tonight. Anna's team was beaten in the soccer finals, so her season is over. However, they came in first place in terms of games won, so she will still receive a first place trophy.

AND FOR THE 8TH YEAR IN A ROW ANNA HAS BEEN CHOSEN BY HER COACH AS AN ALL-STAR!!!!!!

This means she will play in another game and get yet another trophy (do you think I have a market for these things on Ebay?) As always, we are so proud.

NO, NO, NO It's the GATORS

I have never heard of a college recruiting high school freshman until now. Seems as though the University of Miami wants my little scholar athlete girl. Today she got her 4th letter from them AND they have already sent her an application. Nothing wrong with UM it is an excellent school, close to home but it is not a public university....

And...

We are Gators, those girls are born an bred gators. One of the first things they ever said was "we are going to Alligator College!" Even Jia knows the Gator chomp.

Needless to say, we are super proud of all of our girls. Today was report card day--Anna came home with a 4.297 and Katie with a 4.1667. Jia has a beautiful report card too, nothing below level on it, although we are all thinking about holding her back still.

Tonight we went to a food fundraiser for Jia's school. If you ate there the restaurant would donate a certain amount of the proceeds to the school. Then we hit the Payless BOGO, cant go wrong there!

Here is Katie!

Katie's pretty new outfit

Jia's hair is now officially long enough for pigtails, she wants hair as long as Anna's

My oldest an my youngest-beautiful!

Katie is such a hardworking student that when she asked me if she could stay home with me today I said sure. We had a lovely day together. We went to Old Navy, Barnes an Noble and Petsmart where Katie bought herself a blue betta fish. After that we picked up little Jia who demanded to have her own fish too so Daddy and Anna are back at Petsmart, cursing me under their breaths.

The Happiest Easter to You

Ready to go

My Easter Rabbits

Its every girl for herself!

Katie taking a good look around

After the frenzy

I think Katie is winning

Anna looking over the goodies

one happy little kid!

What a blessed day, but also, as you well know a frenzy of sugar and excitement for the little ones (and the not so little ones).

Jia started the day in "BIG TROUBLE" as she snuck downstairs to see what the Easter Rabbit (Jia doesn't call him the bunny) had left and to scope out where some of the hidden eggs were left.

I have been teasing the big girls that perhaps when they start dating their boyfriends would like to come over and help them look for eggs.

The big girls did help us play Easter Rabbit last night and there are pictures here of that.

We are spending a quiet day at home and will have turkey later (Drew wanted ham but we voted him down.

Enjoy the pictures! Happy Easter, much love....

A Blessed Easter To You

"When the Lord was finished talking with them, he was taken up into heaven and sat down in the place of honor at God's right hand. And the disciples went everywhere and preached, and the Lord worked with them, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs."

Mark 16:19-2o

Our Lord has risen!

Girl Fights...

You would think with the age difference between the girls there wouldn't be any squabbles....you would be wrong. This morning there was an argument going on between Anna and Jia, every time Jia would say something Anna would reply "I know you are, but what am I?" after about the 3-4 time of putting up with this Jia said "I don't know, but I'll find out." Too Funny....

HUGE AMOUNTS OF EASTER FUN!

Katie's blank canvas

Getting pointers from Katie

Is Mom laying these eggs?

This is hard work

Ready for some egg decorating

Next stop-the Hannah Montana Movie with Mom and Anna

Opening up the eggs to see if she won a grand prize-no luck this year

My pics are backwards, here is Jia's haul

Jia getting ready to roll

This was the field for the 4-6 year olds

8:30 a.m. and no Red Bull in sight

At the egg hunt--Anna and Katie are such good sports

Ahhhhh, this is the life!

She'll be swimming soon!

We have been having a very busy Spring Break, especially Jia. Beach, pool, coloring eggs, seeing the Hannah Montana movie, pictures with the Easter Bunny--what more could a 5 year old ask for? Enjoy the pictures!

South Florida = Beach, Right?

"FATHER, I ENTRUST MY SPIRIT INTO YOUR HANDS!.
-LUKE 23:46

When most people think of Florida they get visions of the beach. Something that couldn't be further from the truth for us. We live on reclaimed Everglades wetlands. If you drive 5 miles west from our house civilization stops and you are actually in protected Everglades land.

So... you can't really live in Florida and get further away from the beach than our house. It is about a 30-40 minute drive. However, today Anna felt the need to take Jia and Drew graciously agreed. Katie an I opted out for a trip to Barnes an Noble.

Fun was had by all.

God bless you all on this Good Friday.

PALM SUNDAY

"The next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city. A huge crowd of Passover visitors took palm branches and went down the road to meet him. They shouted,

"Praise God! Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hail to the King Of Israel!"
-John 12: 12-13

My Crazy Family

Spring Break, whooooo hoooooo! No big plans, which is the way I like it. The pool is warm enough to swim in, we have a pile of great library books and some movies to watch.

Anna's Okay!

"I told you to drink plenty of fluids"

Anna's sister the Asian "Dr. House" gives some TLC

Dehydration. She gets to run her mile and do 10 push-ups tomorrow. Lots of whining going on in the house tonight...

How can my little Gator not know she needs A LOT of Gatorade in the 90 degree weather??? (BTW, for those that don't know, Gatorade was indeed developed by scientists at the University of Florida). Just thought you ought to know....