Another Brandon Update

Okay, so my update the other day wasn't exactly true.  I realized yesterday that Brandon's leg is still bothering him quite a bit actually;  he just isn't complaining about it.  

So, I wanted to clarify.  Please pray for him.  

Thanks.  We love you guys. 

2 weeks...

Our closing date is in two weeks.  We are in the middle of disorganization as we get ready for a garage sale tomorrow morning.  

So we won't be posting much in the next few weeks.  

But, I did want to get out another update on Brandon's health.  He is doing really well.  The clot is not bothering him anymore, and he has to go to the doctor less frequently to check his blood thinness level.  We're still so grateful to the Lord for the diagnosis...and grateful He is doing better. 

The Global Food Crisis

As the cost of food has increased, the world's poor are the most affected.  The rise in the price of food due to gas prices, higher demand, etc., has caused a crisis among those living in poverty. Please check out Compassion's website for more information about what we can do to help ease the crisis...the first and foremost being prayer.   

"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?  Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter --when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?"

Isaiah 58:6-7

Happy Birthday, Hannah!

(Patrick, Hannah and Nerps at my parents' house over Thanksgiving)

So, technically it's not her birthday anymore, but I did want to say happy birthday to Hannah!  She is my brother Patrick's wife, and we are all crazy blessed to have her in our family...especially Patrick.  She is so great for him.  

Though we don't get to see them nearly as often as we would like, we're grateful for the opportunities we do get to see them. 

Happy Birthday, sweet Hannah!  We love you!

***edited to add***

  I guess my blog is on Pacific time because it marks this post on Sunday still.  Yay...guess I made it in time.  :-)

Never pay retail!

Brandon and I took a financial class in early '05 that has helped us immensely  (THANKS, Jeff and Julia).  :-)  It was Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University, and we have been so blessed by that class in so many ways.  In one of the lessons titled "Big, Big Bargains," he says to never pay retail price on anything.  Great advice. 

And while it's pretty impossible to avoid paying retail price on everything (i.e. groceries), we have learned to shop only sales and even go out of our way to get bargains.  I think we both like the hunt of it.  

Well, a week or so ago we were watching something on tv called ubid tv.  It was a local auction (like ebay) that was televised.  We ended up getting a nice Kenmore grill that retails at 179 for 50 dollars.  It had a rack missing but Brandon has fixed it to make it pretty close to perfect.  

This morning, we went to a going-out-of-business auction at a local furniture store.  We ended up leaving with a tv stand (entertainment center?), two wood bar stools for our new kitchen, a queen mattress and a box spring for 335.  We weren't planning on buying a mattress, but we have been wanting a new one for years.  So, it was too great a bargain to pass up.  

Thanks, Dave, for the advice.  I can't even begin to ponder how much money your advice has saved us over the years.  :-)

Anyone want to come visit?

Well, the temperature is 103 degrees, and that is cool compared to what it has been. Yesterday it was 106. And it's only going to get hotter as the week goes on.

On Father's Day, while Caleb and I were taking naps, Brandon went out and bought a swimming pool. He had it filled and ready for us when we woke up. Such a great husband/dad! Last year (see picture), we learned that it isn't a good idea to have an inflatable pool in the desert (with cacti and prickly things everywhere), and we had to trash our pool. This year, we are trying again with another inflatable pool...with the idea that our more midwesternish landscape in the new home will not be so fatal to our summer fun. :-)

I think that this pool will help keep us sane in the summer heat. Now...if we can just keep the bugs from cooling off in there too. Yuck!

Happy Father's Day!

Hope you had a great day!

A Few Random Updates

Brandon had an ultrasound last week, and we found out that his clot has hardened.  This is good because it means that it is much less likely to break off and cause an embolism.  Really good news.  We also found out that it is in a superficial vein and not a deep vein.  Also good news. Although our doctor had diagnosed it as a DVT, the technician thought that it was never in a deep vein.  Our doctor thinks it was and that it has just dissolved.  Either way, we are happy and still so thankful for the diagnosis. 

We are still moving ahead with the house but there isn't much that can be done over the weekend.  We are still very excited, and I spent too much time this weekend looking at decorating magazines.  :-)  

We finally went on our first hike with a walking little boy.  He loved it!  We went up and did a tiny hike in the Organs at La Cueva.  It is pretty slow paced, but we notice a lot of things that we wouldn't otherwise notice...due to our very observant child.  The first picture is from that trip and the second was Memorial Day weekend when we tried to have a cookout at a park with a lake.  Bad idea.  Caleb seems to have no fear of water.  Wish I could say the same for myself.

 

We found a house!

After much prayer and conversation, we have decided to move forward in purchasing our friends' home.  It is just way too great a deal to pass up!  The home is just a few blocks from campus, has a huge yard, and would be a great home for us.  So, assuming everything goes well from here on out, we will be moving sometime in the near future.  

Please be praying for us as we move forward in faith.  We are trusting that God will continue to lead us as we go through this process.  I get a little freaked out sometimes about the economy, but God is reminding me to "not worry about tomorrow" and seek Him first.  I don't know that I will ever be done learning that lesson. 

A Jam Session

This is just one of the many jam sessions we have daily in our home. 

Anything gets converted into a guitar. 

And they really get into it.  :-)

If you think this is funny, you should hear them in person.  I think this last picture might just become an all-time favorite.  :-) 

Only his parents could know...

So these are the watertowers (or water tanks?) of Las Cruces.  The picture is a post card that Hope and Barry, Brandon's parents, sent us when they were traveling through the state.  The one in the top right corner is just outside our neighborhood.  Its mural depicts either the wagon trains on the Santa Fe trail or the Camino Real.  I am not sure which. 

That water tank means a lot to our little boy. 

As Caleb's vocabulary is increasing, there are so many things that he says and does that only his parents would ever understand.  An example is that watertower.  It can be seen from quite a distance...and whenever Caleb sees it, he starts pointing and getting really excited...

"Miiiiiiiieeeeee!  Miiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!"

I respond, "Yes, sweetheart."

"Miiiiieeeee!"

"Yeah, little one, we are almost home.  We're going to see Millie!"

For Caleb, that watertower means Millie (our cat) which means home to him.  Mi-ee is Caleb's word for both our cat and our home.  No one else could ever understand what he is saying... 

We really are so blessed to have this little guy in our lives. 

 

Do you have this yet?????

Helping our friends Steph and Daneel move today, I found out that not everyone knows about this amazing product.  I have had a few favorite cleaning supplies, but this little piece of foam is truly a wonder.  It makes cleaning tubs and showers so much easier, and I know I will use it more and more now that my little man is getting better at drawing on things we don't want him drawing on. 

Just thought I would share.  :-)  Brandon was against me using my blog for advertising, but I think that everyone needs one.  

Have a happy Tuesday!  

p.s.  Steph and Daneel, we already miss you!  And Kyle and Chrissy, we hope to see you guys soon.  :-)

Longs Peak

When we were at our National Staff Conference in 2005, Brandon and I climbed Longs Peak.  I did some scrapbook pages tonight, and this was a fun one to do.  Almost all of the pages I have done so far are about Caleb, so it has been fun doing some of our pre-Caleb days lately.  

We are still house hunting.  We have found a few we like, but we do want to make a financially wise decision.  We would really appreciate prayer.  THANKS!

American Idol: The Toddler Edition

On Tuesday night, Brandon and I watched a little of the American Idol finale.  Caleb was fascinated.  

You see, our little boy is quite the musician...if you want to call it that.  In an earlier post I mentioned his obsession with guitars.  He loves them.  He pretends to strum when he hears music or whenever he sees someone playing.  He has grown more and more attached to his little guitar, and he always has to play for our friends when they come over. 

Lately, we have been blessed more frequently by his singing skills as well.  Just as I am not sure where he first saw someone playing guitar, I have no idea where he learned how to hold a microphone.  But all of the sudden, he has started singing into his fist.  It is really pretty hilarious. 

After a song or two on American Idol, Caleb had the moves down.  As we were putting him to bed, I took the photos below as he sang on his changing table.  He was really getting into it.  I told him that he could even be "the next American Idol."  I don't know if I will tell him, however, that he has just about the worst musical genes in the world.  At least the genes I gave him anyway.  Poor kid.  So, I guess we could see just how far pure practice and hard work can take you.  :-) 

Seriously, how can such a little person make us laugh so hard?

  

The photos above were taken as we were getting him ready for bed Tuesday night.  The photo below was taken this morning after he woke up.

There is never a dull day in the Pelton household. 

Our Little Ringbearer

Pierce and Holly were married on Saturday.  It was an incredibly beautiful outdoor wedding in Old Mesilla, and Holly was breathtaking.  

Our little boy did surprisingly well as the ring bearer. After falling asleep in Denise's car right before naptime, he never did take a real nap after that.  As a result, we had a very fussy, crying little boy for the two hours before we needed to be there.  We almost had to bail out of the wedding. 

It's always crazy to me how God cares about the things we care about.  After praying, Caleb soon calmed down and was able to participate in the wedding with no problems.  He fulfilled his job requirement and was super cute in his little tuxedo...which someone commented was the smallest tuxedo he had ever seen.  

Pierce and Holly are recent graduates of NMSU and will be joining our team as interns in the fall. 

Congratulations, Pierce and Holly!  WE LOVE YOU!

...and does anyone know how to spell ring bearer?  Is it two words or one?

House Hunting

We started looking at houses on Saturday, and it was fun...and funny.  The only house we were interested in is under contract, and so we will keep looking.  We believe God has a place for us, so please pray in this process.  

Tomorrow we are going to look at a house that some friends from church will be selling.  It is close to campus but probably out of our price range.   We'll see.  

Our Anniversary

Brandon and I were married 4 years ago today on top of a mountain in the Smokies.  It has been an incredible four years...and they have gone so fast.  

Friends

My second attempt at digital scrapbooking.  It is definitely a lot faster...and cleaner...than the real thing.  :-)

This picture of our staff women was taken in Saint Louis...directly under the arch.  I really liked the light, and they posed for me.  I am so grateful for these women. 

Good News

Brandon met with the hematologist today, and he had some good news for us. Although Brandon tested positive for a gene that makes him predisposed to DVTs, the doctor today made it clear that it is not the big deal it originally appeared to be. It is pretty common, actually, and it doesn't mean that he will be on blood thinners for the rest of his life...as our general practitioner thought he would be.

So, we were excited about that...and very grateful. Please continue to pray that his clot goes away uneventfully. They are still monitoring his blood clotting level and will continue to do so throughout the summer.

I love this face.

Have you noticed?