She looks so at home and cozy with all her new friends...

So I'm taking these pictures and Grace decides she wants to dress her up....

She is less than enthused!!!!!!!!!!!!  ahahhahteehee... she looks about as happy as the grinch!
----END EDIT----

My poor husband has been working late every night.  He is juggling our finances because he has to pay for stuff for one job in order to do it and then get paid for it, but bills are due too and have to be paid which would leave us with no money to pay for the job.  Catch 22. 

So then last night he comes home and is busy in the office crunching numbers and trying to figure things out...the girls and I are doing the dishes.  I'm rinsing out a bowl and Val says , "It's leaking!"  I'm confused and look at the bowl - no leak, so I look at her, "What?"  Then she yells again , "It's LEAKING!!!!!" I"m like, "Where?"  - and she points down and from under the sink water is POURING  out onto the floor.  We scramble for towels... I sigh just thinking of going to have to tell Steve this....

Hello!  I hope everyone's doing good out in Xangaland...

November 7th, 2003

"Be still..." ~ still rings out in my ears, but I but I'm not sure
from what or why I need to be still and even if I did, I'm not sure I know how -- today seems so overwhelming to even
think about -- {name not mentioned} is in the ICU at the hospital and {name
not mentioned}'s nephew was airlifted to Pasadena after a terrible
snow boarding incident. "Be still~" "Oh how I need you Lord, You
are my only joy, You are my only friend - so I wait for you to come and rescue
me..." {from the song "You Are My Anchor"}... You are my only hope, Lord.  So I'll try to be still
and lay these things at Your feet trusting You for Your mercy and grace and
comfort on these families.  "Be still..."   - Help me to know how to do so, Lord.

June 6th, 2004

It's been quite a while since I stopped to journal - so much has happened since
last winter.  I'm now cancer free and boobless -er- should I say, in the
process of making new ones.  I was just reading over my last few entries in
November.  The Lord was bringing "Be still" to my head and I
didn't know how to be still or what being still really meant.  But with the
trials of Gracie's leg and my cancer, God graciously showed me what it meant.



"Be still": stop my mind, do not be anxious, trust that God knows
what He's doing, trust that God will give me just what I need when I need it,
rest, relax.



So what have I learned?  What am I to "be still" for? Because
in that still moment described above is when I receive God's grace, God's joy,
God's peace -- because "and know I am God" - a promise that He has a trustworthy character and will give me everything I need.

Trust - it's
all about my faith and trusting God.  Does He have my best interests at
heart?  Yes, always so therefore in the midst of my worst shaken up time I do what I am commanded "be still" and I am joyfully flooded with His
part "grace."

I was so grateful that I had written that last section down.  It's so good to write down what we learn so that when we are in the midst of the next trial, we read and remember His faithfulness.

Praise God I am 3 years out and still cancer free.  Praise God for His mercy and grace and faithfulness to me even when I was scared and overwhelmed and not so faithful to trust in Him.  Praise God for the closeness in relationship that this trial has brought me to Him.  Praise God that I can trust Him with my life whether that means that I'll stay cancer free or not.

Thank you all my friends that have stood by me and helped me and prayed for me and "lifted my arms" when I was unable to any longer.  You are all a blessing to me.

You can click the link in the left had module by the breast cancer ribbon to read my story.

CHRISTMAS THEN (2003)

CHRISTMAS NOW (2006)

~Di

Ok -- So I've uploaded all 5 videos (photos are in my previous post)... Let me tell you -- that took FOREVER!  I talkin' 2 hours per video to upload. You'd think I had a modem instead of DSL!

Anyways -- here they are.  Just click on the name and it will take you over to YouTube.  All the clips were taken during rehearsal on Thursday or Friday.

DIAMONDS
Julie's Tap

WHATS THIS
Elizabeth's and Valerie's Pointe number

WHATCHA WAITING FOR
Valerie's Contemorary Ballet

QUIET
Elizabeth's Solo

CRY LITTLE SISTER
Elizabeth's and Valerie's Contemorary Ballet number


~Di

Hi all!!!

The girls had their performance last night -- it went great!!! We are so proud of them all.

Julie -- She was in a tap number to the song "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend".

Elizabeth (above) and Valerie were in a pointe number to the music from the Nightmare Before Christmas "What's This?"

Valerie (above) and Elizabeth were in the finale with the ballet class they help teach.


Valerie was in a rag doll in a ballet number to the music
"Whatcha Waiting For?"


Elizabeth had her first solo.  It was a contemporary ballet number to the a Christian song.


These were their finale costumes.

Elizabeth and Valerie were also in another contemporary ballet number to the song "Cry Little Sister".  I didn't get any pictures of those costumes.  Valerie was carried on and off stage in that number.

I'm going to try to add some video later, but I have to cut it all up first.  I'll let you know when I've got it!

Have a good weekend!
~Di

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxHbyCyb1L8

I've got nothing.  I sit down to write and nothing comes.  I mean, lot of stuff come to mind, but it's all so trivial --

I
got the news of yet another autoimmune problem this week.  In general I
have been battling my immune system since I was in my early 20's:
reoccurring shingles, graves disease, fibromyalgia, breast cancer and
now, I found out this week, rheumatoid arthritis.  In it of itself, I
probably would not be grieving so -- in conjuction with fibromyalgia -
it really stinks.  I find it difficult to share about it because I'm just trying to figure it out myself.  People are quick with offering their version of it being all figured out.  I'm not ready for that.  I know peoples heart are in the right place when "trying " to be positive, but sometimes I just need help to bear my burden
-- my greif -- momentarily, not to try to fix it.

My good friend once was describing how she felt at a very painful time in her life -- like she had been "stabbed" (by circumstances that were happening) and she was bleeding all over the place -- "there must be a trail of blood -- it's all over; can't anyone see it?"  Too often we go about our day and overlook the one who's "bleeding" all over the place -- OR in the midst of their pain, we trivialize it and make is seem like nothing because *we* think we understand or *we* feel its not a that big of a deal or, and this one really gets me, our minds go quickly to their sin or their lack of dealing with a situation as we would deal with it.   We try to stick a bandaid on a cut artery in being too eager to give advice instead of just listen.  I think especially as women, because we are so relational, we tend to want to express and for someone to just listen -- not fix it, not give advice, to make light of it - just to grieve for a moment along with us.

I'm not talking here about letting people whine on and on or to let them wallow in a pity party - rather I write this as an encourgement to you all (and for a reminder to myself)
that we need to sensitive for those who are "bleeding all over the
place" and to take a moment and weep with them...

~Di