"Mama"

Today was glorious because Abi called me, "Mama!" This afternoon, while at our friends house (the Goen's), she and I were the only ones in the kitchen. She looked up at me and said, "Mama" and showed me the wipes she was holding. I said, "Abi? Did you just call me, "Mama?!" She smiled really big and my heart did flips!! I grabbed her and kept saying, "You just called me Mama!!" over and over! She smiled as I swung her around. All the while the Goen's and Bruce are smiling because they were close enough to see my great pleasure. Then we went to the area where Bella was playing and told her. She said, "Yay Abi! She's your Mama!" and gave her a huge hug. Seriously, could the day get any better?

I suppose, there's a reason for everything, right? Well, after that fabulous moment, we later came home to be reminded that our air conditioning has gone out. It went out last night but yesterday's weather allowed for it to remain cool in the house (all night). The kids went ahead and stayed with friends, last night, but Bruce, Abi and myself stayed home and did fine. Today's weather was another story. It got pretty hot. We came home to a house of 84 degrees. Thankfully, we have electricity so the fans were blowing on "high." I wanted to get cranky and felt it rising up in my heart. THEN...I was immediately reminded that we conquered the heat in Villavicencio, Colombia, SA and it was MUCH hotter there. Not only did we conquer the HEAT...there was also HUMIDITY, BUGS swarming, COLD WATER (we only needed a tad bit of warm water for a shower but there was none), STICKINESS from sweating, DIRT on the concrete floor, did I already say BUGS??? and all us girls in a full sized bed. Oh, I didn't mention the roosters that crowed at 2am, 6am, etc.

WE DID IT!!! WE LIVED! WE WERE STRETCHED AND WE GREW!

We could absolutely stay home tonight and make the most of the situation!

Side Note: Abi was moved a few nights ago to the laundry room. She now sleeps in her pack-n-play for night time sleep because she was waking Bella every night. I couldn't see having Bella on a pallet in our room when she has her own room and comfy bed. So we moved Abi to our laundry room. I know that must sound weird but it works. It's a pretty large room and it was set up as a play room/laundry room. Now the "play" stuff is organized neatly in Bella's room (the girl's room) and I put down a cute and playful rug for Abi's pack-n-play in the laundry room for night time sleep. It works for now. She sleeps through the night and seems to be happy. It HAS put a stop to my midnight laundry though...which Bruce is thankful for. ;)

So as of now, I'm sitting in our very, warm bedroom while typing but will soon go to the living area and lay under the breeze of the big fan! I'll pretend to be on the beach in a hammock. Bruce is already there (couch bed...you know the kind with the 1 inch mattress?!). Bella is on the love seat and Josh called the leather, recliner. It's a SLEEPOVER! Abi is in her crib (in the girl's room) in the center of the room, under the fan. We are glad we can wake to carpeted and clean floors, any temperature of water we desire, no bugs and a friend who will replace our air conditioner tomorrow!

We can do ALL things through Christ who gives us STRENGTH!

Love y'all!