To Each of You Out There

I have giggled my way through your 67 comments...

Thank you for the giggles!

And for the few who emailed me:

Shameless Rett, absolutely shameless!

Hezra, girlfriend, I laughed and laughed at your email.  

And you know the moral of the story?

Stop reading your phone in bed!!

Catherine & Hewett Happenings & Jill F.  - 

We sooo wish that was it.  

Morgan, I miss you and your sisters too!

Kelli - my Iowa friend - 

so thankful for the day we met!

Stacy - You even goggled it?  

*giggling uncontrollably*

Miss K Characters:  I wish we were too!

I love you all, you make my life so much fun!

bethr1081 and Kelly - 

We ARE expecting a new grandbaby.

But no, that's not it! 

Elizabethd - they are beautiful aren't they?

Dana - way to go on your upcoming news!

Luana - so you were even wondering as you ran errands?  

Fantastic guess!

BUT 

nope, that's not it either!

April, Alicia, Jean, Feona, Sara, Kathy, Small Town Joy

I sincerely hope you all were able to sleep!

If not....I owe you a coffee...wait!  

That will keep you awake too!

and lastly...

Amy & Sarah Dalton - can't believe it was the 
cliff hangar that 

brought you both out of lurkdom......

the giveaway couldn't even do it??

Secretly, 
I just want you both to know that

 I knew you guys were out there lurking away 

{cause of the web cam I have at your homes, 

so that's why I had to do the cliff hangar - 

to see if that would lure you out!  haha}

Okay, so here's the question?

Which should I do FIRST?

the giveaway drawing 

~ or ~

 tell the story behind the cliffhanger?

*Post your vote...


and the most votes....


I'll do next.*

And yes, I am grinning as I post this. 

I can't help myself.
  

Blame it all on post-menopausal madness....


 or being a mom of many....


 or sleep deprivation....


or just moving....


or.....

Suddenly, It's Almost Time....

Ever had to wait for something?

The fun stuff is a different wait then 

the wait for the not-so-fun stuff.

But none-the-less, 

both are a period of waiting...

Ever had to wait 

so long that you began to wonder if it was ever gonna' come?

Ya' know how it is...

I can remember when I was about thirteen waiting and waiting 

for our annual Grace Baptist Church youth group 

Christmas formal dinner....

and the night before we wouldn't sleep a wink...my friend and I whispering into the wee hours, wondering aloud if those two special boys we liked would be there and giggling at that thought of either of them being brave enough to talk to us

 {yeah, I know, times have changed, but that's how

 it was back in the old days - it was a big deal at fourteen

for the boy you liked to smile at you,

 and if he talked to you? Me-oh-my!}

and then it would finally be 'the night' filled with butterflies and nervous glances and suddenly what took f.o.r.e.v.e.r. to come without warning would be gone in what seemed like seconds,  leaving us all to gaze at our bedroom calendars in an effort to wish the days away till the following Grace Baptist Youth Group Christmas formal dinner the next year....

or

we can remember waiting for Tyler's referral 

from Korea a bazillion years ago....

and then all of a sudden he was in our arms and we glanced away in what seemed like only a few minutes and turned back around and he was standing at the bottom of the aisle waiting for his beautiful bride and our treasured daughter-in-love.....

or

that not-so-fun wait when Abi had cholic so bad that 

I wondered if she would ever outgrow it....

and in no time, without any warning Miss Abigail 

was cruisin' around the 

furniture bossin' me, I mean, the dog around..

then, I turned around and she was married and bringing home our first grandson, a treasure from Uganda......

All the times of waiting and waiting and waiting

and waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting some more...

{and an entire year - or even years pass by}

different kinds of waiting....

but the same feelings and often the 

same sorta-kinda' emotions:

When Will It Ever Happen?

Well that man of mine and I have been waiting....

waiting on something the Lord whispered to us....

something that for a year plus has had us on our knees in prayer, intercession and fasting so that we would hear Him accurately...

A dream only planted by Almighty God - 

after waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting

and 

suddenly, 

without really much warning 

it's time....

time to begin to share the news...

and I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight...

Giveaway....

I had thought I would do the drawing tonight.  

But Big Dave is not doing well.

Our hearts are weepy and heavy over here.

We continue to contend because we serve a miracle-working God.

Thank you so much for praying with us. 

We will do the drawing in a few days.

Standing in the Gap Together

On Thursday of last week a defender of 

orphan and widow, Big Dave, 

was leaving a bank in Port Au Prince, Haiti.

He had just withdrawn money to feed the orphans in his care.

  

 As he left, the car he was in was riddled with bullets, 

his money stolen and he was shot in the stomach. 

With strength that had to come from only the Lord, 

Big Dave ran to a nearby hospital.  

Two surgeries were performed.

But things got really bad and Dave needed to get to the States.  Trouble is that med-evac flights are pricey.  And Big Dave and his wife don't even have health insurance, let alone the money to pay for med-evac from Haiti to the States.  

So folks hearing of this horrific situation pitched in and in a matter of hours the money was raised for a med-evac flight.  They thought they would take Dave all the way to Columbus, Ohio, where he is from.  But his situation was deteriorating quickly.  Med-evac landed in Miami and he has been fighting for his life ever since.  

His wife, Nicolle is passionate about the orphan and Christ.  Here's what she wrote this on Dave's CaringBridge site:

Well, I have really good news!  For now, (and I emphasis for now because we are not out of the woods on his swelling) they are holding on the procedure. Which is absolutely a small miracle.  Which we are going to celebrate every small miracle that we get! Woo Hoo! Hallelujah! 

I want to clarify that if you don't want to know graphic details do not read the next paragraph. 

They had already told me that they were going to have to cut David's legs (on both sides) and his left arm to release the fluid.  This procedure is done to save the limbs. When they get so swollen that blood flow is restricted they will cut from the wrist all the way past the elbow and from the ankle past the knee on both sides.  Then they leave it open so that the fluids can escape the body and release the pressure, which is good.  However, It also provides another opportunity for infection. 

I hit a breaking point. I just didn't want him to go through one more thing.  Enough is enough!  God please!  We sent out the urgent prayer request and then it got worse.  They said they were going to have to do all four limbs.  

There was another group in the TICU waiting room.  Their pastor was shot while she was in her house sleeping in her bed. So, we all gathered and prayed and in the middle of that the doctors called me back and said that they are going to only do his left arm.  I was actually celebrating that.  Then they said they are going to hold for now.  Woo Hoo!  Hallelujah!

For so many reasons it is absolutely essential that the swelling in David's body start to decline! Please continue to pray.  Prayer changes things! 

And so here we are, bloggy friends gathered around 

the world in prayer {and fasting} asking Almighty God 

to move on Dave's behalf.  

Many of you have serious concerns too.  

We have concerns.

  

Please list your prayer concerns in the comments on this post 

and many of us will be praying through all the requests. 

No doubt, corporate prayer changes things!  

Standing together from Phoenix, Arizona...

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow....

Yesterday I went to Market on the Move again.  

We have gone every week since we joined.   

Remember me mentioning it a few weeks ago?  

It only cost a hundred dollars per year to join 

and then we can go every single week 

and pick up 60 lbs of produce for free!! 

Some of you asked that I post each week what we get.  

I probably won't be able to do that each week, 

but thought I would show you what we have gotten 

the last two weeks.  Three weeks ago Ruby 

was in the hospital 

{having just had her 5th brain surgery}.  

Dw went that week on his way to be with us in the hospital, 

but we did not think to get a picture.  

Anyway, here's last weeks:

The delightful news is that we all LOVE spaghetti squash!

Here was what Liberty and I went and got yesterday:

{that's even bags of romaine and spring mix lettuce and 22 lbs of teeny-tiny tomatoes

 and an entire case of vine-ripened tomatoes}

Even three bottles of fruit soda - which tickled Liberty, who enjoyed hers as she and I drove back from picking up all this stuff!

Wonderful, yummy, bountiful blessings from the Lord!!

We have been able to share with friends some of the time as well. My bloggy-friend-turned-real-life-friend, Eve, who "happens" to live around the corner from me calls me the Veggie Fairy {actually kind of like it}.  As long as she doesn't call me Bob or Larry, 

I'm okay.  

 Single moms we know are thrilled with our sharing!

Anyway, today was a wonderful blessing.  

Isaiah's best friend at church came over for 

dinner with his Nana.  Such a sweet visit and we all 

love, love, love our church. 

 The kids are all getting involved 

and we are connecting with folks - 

such a tremendous answer to prayer!

Lastly, I will, Lord willing, have an update on Big Dave soon.  This morning the update was that he had made a speck of progress in the right direction.  Thank you Jesus.

I will write a post right after midnight for you all to leave your prayer requests on.  Many of us, around the world, will be praying through each request.  

If you left a prayer request on yesterday's post,

 please leave your prayer request again

 on tomorrow's prayer and fasting post.  

Monday January 30, 2012

Things with Big Dave have been a roller coaster. 

 It reminds so much of Karl. I keep crying. 

About 2 hours ago Nicolle released a message that things were

 improving with baby steps {teeny-tiny baby steps, 

but none the less improvements}.  

Big Dave is in a drug-induced coma....

he has been truly fighting for his life.

Just a few minutes ago there was an emergency prayer request -

 urging people to pray that the pressure in Dave's body go down. 

 I'm not quite sure all that that means, but it is, 

undoubtedly, very, very serious. 

What would we do without the body of Christ praying for one another?  Thankfully the internet, twitter, blogs, CaringBridge, Facebook, etc., allow information and prayer requests to be passed along in record speed!

Personally, I couldn't sleep last night.  Dave and Nicolle were heavy on my heart.  I kept praying and checking for an update.  Miss Ruby didn't want to sleep either.  She talked a good portion of the night.  

So I'm wondering....

Many of you are struggling with things.  We need a group fast again.  Dave needs a mighty touch from the Lord.  How about a group day of fasting and prayer on Monday?

Monday

January 30, 2012

Many of you can attest to the power of prayer and fasting.  Many of you have written to me how fasting regularly has changed your life.  We need a miracle for Dave.  Many of you have mountains that need to be moved.  I will leave the comments so you can request prayer for specific things.

Would you be willing to join with us?

OUR Little Guy is FIVE...

Where in the world has the time gone?  

He is our quiet guy.  

The one who doesn't say much, 

but is always thinking and when he speaks - no doubt, we all listen.

He is very wise!  

He is extremely funny and loves to tease us all. 

He was named after the great prophet who was known as the prophet who "prayed earnestly".   If a med-flight is overhead he will quickly say, "Mom, mom!  Look!  It's a med-flight, we better pray!"  He is becoming a prayer warrior.

His middle name is after the great advocate of the orphan -

whose orphanages cared for 

10,024 orphans of Bristol, England

in the 1800's.   

He already loves the orphan.  

He remembers what it was like to be one. 

He told me that he remembers being at the orphanage and being so hungry that he would eat dirt.  He remembers big kids taking his portion of food too.  I told him how sad my heart is that I didn't have him from the day he was born.  

Our littlest boy-treasure.

Five years old now.

He was asked what he wanted for breakfast and had two requests:

Pizza 

and 

Ice Cream

Normally we do breakfast food, but he doesn't ever ask for much.  We couldn't resist {and yes, we have started a new phenomenon in our house - ooopsie.}

I intended to post his birthday yesterday....

so although his birthday is over, 

if you de-lurkers and friends would be so kind to wish our little man a very happy birthday, he will smile his shy little smile and grin with each birthday wish read. 

Happy Birthday 

Elijah Mueller

We are so thankful that God 

brought you home to our arms....

Cause we needed you so badly!

 We love you forever and ever and ever...

{If you haven't read Elijah's story, 

it's on the sidebar under Special Posts - 

Our Wild Adventure parts 1-7}

Update on Big Dave....

I am so thankful for so many of you adding to the prayers of so many others for Big Dave.

His wife, Nicolle, has set up a CaringBridge site for him, 

where we can all find updates regularly.  Click on Dave's name to enter his page on the CaringBridge site - Dave Bompart.

If you are not a member of CaringBridge, it's free and super easy.

Today Nicolle was interviewed {along with his surgeons} 

by a TV station in Miami.

This is the link to the TV interview. 

His situation is 'critical'.  Please continue to pray with us for complete healing.  You guys were amazing with Karl's accident and what a joy to see all that God has done!  

In Florida Right Now...

Dave and Nicolle Bompart regularly serve in Haiti.  In fact Dave has been in Haiti working on an orphanage.  Thursday {in Haiti} Dave was leaving a bank where he had picked up cash to work on the orphanage and buy food for the orphans, when someone apparently saw him, riddled the car he was riding in with bullets and robbed Dave.  He was shot in the stomach/chest.

Dave had two surgeries in Haiti, if I understand correctly, but suddenly was not doing well due to bleeding internally.  Money was raised to med-evac him back to his home in Columbus, Ohio for surgery.  But he was unable to tolerate the trip and was landed in Miami where he was rushed to yet another surgery.  His condition is not good and much prayer is needed.  

He is on a ventilator and fighting for his life.

Dave and Nicolle, true defenders of the orphan - needing our prayers.  Please join us in prayer for Dave, Nicolle, their two children, the surgeons and the medical professionals who care for Dave. 

News From the Boss-man

 After seeing and reading many of your comments

the boss-man made an announcement:

"Linny, you cannot possibly give away just one Memorial Box....

You have to give away a few...."

So there you have it.

He's forcing me to scour Phoenix for Memorial Boxes

and 

well,

I couldn't be happier.

So the hunt is on, praying already, as I go this week-end

I will choose the winners on Monday.

And can I just say, the smile has lingered as I have read through your comments....

Love that 

Jane - you de-lurked cause I asked so nicely.

{I had a hunch that gun-point thing wasn't gonna' work, so I'm glad I tried the nice approach.}

Alicia - Hold your hubby to that trackin' down thing....cause it sounds like fun!

Jolene - *HA* your comment truly made me laugh out loud.

GA Foster Mom - hoping to make it over to your neck of the woods this summer and so I'll be holding you to what you said!

PatientlyWaiting - so glad you two went with them...and look forward to the day you can see what the Lord has done in Ruby's life!  You will stand a.m.a.z.e.d!  Faithful God!

DeAnna - thankful the persistence paid off!  xo

Sarah {Megan's sister}- love your sissy so much, look forward to meeting you one day...Grandma's here, right? 

Michelle:  Sounds to me like you and Diane will both just have to 

mosey over for a visit with your sissy....

Rachel!  - Finally coming out of lurkdom and you are my 'neighbor'.  It is about time! what in the world have you been waiting for? =)

PAfarmgirlinCT - One day I will lead a team again - please come!

Abigail - I love your name and I love that you love white!

Deana - Thank you for serving our country.  Thank your husband as well.  So grateful for our military!  No one really gets the sacrifices they daily make unless they are 'up close' to one in service.

Jimena - your English is beautiful - you can't stay quiet girlfriend - so thankful you are out there - please talk to us!!

Mark & Melanie -A testimony to the power of prayer - 

2 treasures h.o.m.e.! 

 Yippee Jesus!

Amanda going to foster care classes: 

rock the world friend - rock the world!

Yes, steph, THAT WAS FOR YOU.  haha.

Tammy T. - one day I am so gonna' make you 

make good on your promise!  My mouth waters at the thought.

Cinnamon - I LOVE your name!

DeAnna - HIS promises never, ever fail.  He does make.....the joyful mother of children.  And I love your blog name!  So cute!

Ruby - love your name so very much!

Emily - your pink comment stuck with me and  I looked at my closet today as I was getting ready.  For as much as I love purple, I could not find one purple piece of clothing.  Now that's messed up!  I'm not a big shopper, but I will have to buy something purple someday to wear when I shop again.   With as much as I love it, you'd think I'd have a closet full!  Seriously, just never noticed before until you left your comment. 

and from beautiful and exotic lands:

Welcome:

Adriana from Germany

Sabine from Wiesbaden, Germany

Nat's from Johannesburg, South Africa

Donna from Brisbane, Australia

yellowgirl - missionary to the Philippines

Susan from the West Coast of Ireland

{Susan - did you see the movie 'Leap Year'? Sooooo cute! One of my all-time favorites!}

Off to make a birthday cake and make pizza for dinner.  It's a special birthday here....and so I'll be back later to ask for some birthday wishes for a really special birthday treasure!

I am sure that all you de-lurkers, realizing the extra special fun it is to 'talk' to us will want to leave a birthday comment!

I just know you will. 

haha 

Luring and Lurkdom

Okay.

So yesterday I wrote about the Memorial Box giveaway and 

kind of harassed a whole bunch of you quiet folks....

I honestly didn't mean to harass you out of the shadows.

Truly, I didn't.  

Well maybe I thought a couple of you would come moseying out!  

But I definitely did not expect just about a hundred

 of you to come out.

What was it actually that brought you out?

Was it the thought of winning?

Or the full disclosure statement that not one person who posted a comment had had some creeper show up on their doorstep.

Cause boy-oh-boy am I ever gonna' be in big trouble when you all read the news about that creeper who did come out after so-n-so posted a comment at PCS.    

Just Kidding.

Honestly though, I have smiled and giggled all day long.

You guys are just too fun!

And what a pleasant surprise you all have been!

I actually went to look at the blog just to see if Dw had posted something that would instigate the barrage of comments {he likes to make surprise guest appearances from time to time} but lo and behold he hadn't posted anything.  

Which made me laugh even more.

Anyway, I was over-the-moon excited by all of your comments!

I cannot help but mention some very honored guests over here at our Place Called Simplicity:

Maria from Tartu, Estonia 

Brittany from the Phillipines {missionaries}

Timothy in Malaysia {woohoo for brave men de-lurking!}

Kate Alice Ming's mama in Wales

Sylvia from Hobart, Tasmania {Australia}

Noberto & Julie from Paraguay {missionaries}

Now I just have to interject here:

I have seen on the Live Traffic Feed someone from Peru and have truly wondered who stops by for a visit from Peru?  Thank you Jimena for coming out of lurkdom and saying hello from Lima, Peru - so stinkin' tickled!!

and

JJ - always wondered who visited from 'that' city...thought it might be SP.  hahaha.  xo

Chris A. - I do look forward to hugging your neck one day {soon}.

Diane - when you come to visit your sister, I hope we can meet!

Peggy - keep changin' 'em and please remind others!!

Stacey in Frostburg - can I just say?  Please don't ever think that you comment too often.  It's the comments that keep me going.  When there are no more comments, this chica is checkin' out.  Truly.   

Derek & Joseph - love having you gentlemen comment {Heard that saying "real men wear pink"? - Well we say, "real men admit they stop by for a visit at our Place Called Simplicity 

every now and then!"  

Right Mr. Daddy and Kevin?}

stephanie - totally laughed at your CAPS message.  One day girlfriend.  One day. Promise. Maybe, just maybe, this summer... 

Jan J. - if you get that fire engine red dream - come take me for a ride in it!  I think that's about the year my old friend Dan used to drive {but his wasn't fire engine red}.

pinkserenity88 - I love the images you mentioned that are that color.  Totally could see it all and enjoy them so much too!

Charlene - totally agree - robin egg blue next to brown. 

Gorgeous.

Desiree girlfriend of MI, AL, VA & now OH -  that is a lot of places you've moved since stopping by here....whoooa.

And let's see.

Someone came out of the shadows and they mentioned that they live in a small city that an old beau of mine lives in.  Can you imagine?? He could be your neighbor!! haha.  Which one of you was it now?  Let me think.  

I can't remember.  whew.   

Okay wait, I just went through all the comments from today and found yours.  I was going to post your blogger profile name cause that would add to the suspense.  BUT I found that your profile name is very, very distinct.  So, a clue?  Ummm, your profile name is distinct and 

your favorite color is purple.  

*giggle*

Anyway, when should I have the drawing?

Hmmmm.

Any suggestions?

As for now, the giveaway is still open....just click here...And if a giveaway and these last two posts have not lured you 

out of the shadows...

probably nothing will.

*sigh*

Cause it's really, truly not too late.