Flash Back Friday - Sonogram Bad News

(Well, it is technically Saturday morning, but this isn't going to be a traditional "Flash Back Friday" anyways. This one will be a little more serious.)

Today we flash back to the most recent Friday,...yesterday.

As I was driving to my pastors house to prepare for that evenings worship service, I got a text from my wife informing me of some news from our very close personal friends (I won't disclose their names) who are expecting a child. The news was simply,...

"They can't find the heartbeat."

"No,...no,...no,....O God No!", I said, as tears began to well up in my eyes all I could do is start crying out to God for them, "Lord please let that medical equipment be wrong, let that little baby inside her be healthy, with a heartbeat,...O GOD PLEASE!"

At that point, like a flood, all the emotions came back of all those sonograms we had when the doctors could only tell us that our twins Melody & Madison would not live.

Another text message from my wife,...

"She is waiting to have a sonogram."

Again, I relived so many emotions of times we would have a checkup, expecting this time for the news to get better in some way,...but every time the news from the doctors would get worse and worse. Woe upon woe. I remember the frustration and hopelessness that wanted to build up as time went on. I am thankful that is led to trust more and more in God, knowing that humans could do nothing to help, so I had to fully trust in God.

As I was practicing a worship song for that night, another text,...

"She had a miscarriage."

Devastated, I dropped my guitar, I thought of my close friends and what they must be feeling right now. I didn't know if I should call them and tell them I knew how they were feeling, or should I just leave them alone and let them mourn. I was afraid of saying anything stupid or wrong. Thankfully there was 3 other Christians with me, they stopped what they were doing and we each prayed for this couple, many times with tears and pain in our voice, then sang songs of worship to the God of all comfort, the God who works all things (even things like this) together for the good, for those that love God, and are called according to His purpose. A God who gives and takes away, and it all comes from His loving hand.

I was brought great comfort when we got to church last night and had worship. I picked songs that brought me great comfort during my trial, song that I needed to hear still as I was reliving so many emotions I thought I had been finished going through. Emotions I had from losing two children.

With all that was going on in my head, I had a very hard time focusing on my pastors message last night. But I remember him saying that we are just one moment away from a life changing event. How true this is,...and in light of this he encouraged us that need to be prepared for anything that might come our way,...especially tragedy.

Friends (this specific couple), I am so so so sorry for your loss, and am thankful that you are Christians who hope in God. I pray this trial, appointed by God, would cause you to cling closer to each other and closer to God. We weep and mourn with you,...with a living hope. Crying out together to our great God who is and will ultimately make all things right. He will wipe each tear away,...

Friends (blogging world), what is your hope in? What will you do when you are just going through your everyday life and you get a call, or a message that some life changing devastating event has happened? We are just one moment away from a life changing moment. We ourselves are just one moment away from death,...have you prepared for that? We are just one heartbeat away from standing face to face with the one true God, one moment away from judgment. How will you do on that day? Are you good enough to go to Heaven? Will you be found Innocent or guilty? What will you tell Him on that day?

Soundtrack for Suffering

It has been hard for me to talk openly about some things that brought me comfort during our last pregnancy when I was pretty much guaranteed by every doc that my twins would die. During most of the pregnancy I was very concerned for my wife and my family and spent alot of time making sure they were OK and that things were taken care of at home. This typically kept me busy enough to not dwell to much on the death of my twin girls.

But what about the moments when I was doing my hour long drive to work? Or at work? Or my drive back home from work? For my quiet time alone at home. It was during those times that I found more and more comfort from our great God. The primary way was through His Word, the Bible. Resting in His sovereignty, His providence, His care, ect,... but there were times I could not read the Bible, and I turned to songs that spoke of these great truths of the Bible that I had been studying.

One of the CDs I fell in love with during this time of difficult trial was "Come Weary Saints" by Sovereign Grace Music. It talked opening and bluntly about some of the hardest things in Scripture, and it brought me great comfort being daily reminded through song that God is indeed on the thrown,... in good and in bad.


My favorite song on that CD is currently being given away for free by the author of it. DOWNLOAD IT HERE! Below is a exert from his blog about this particular song:

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So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. And he took a piece of broken pottery with which to scrape himself while he sat in the ashes.

Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.” But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips. (Job 2.7-10)

It’s easy to praise God in prosperity. But what do we do when we’re suffering? Job shows us that we should trust God at all times, not just in good times. I recently tried to capture this in a song:

AS LONG AS YOU ARE GLORIFIED

SHALL I TAKE FROM YOUR HAND YOUR BLESSINGS
YET NOT WELCOME ANY PAIN?
SHALL I THANK YOU FOR DAYS OF SUNSHINE
YET GRUMBLE IN DAYS OF RAIN?
SHALL I LOVE YOU IN TIMES OF PLENTY
THEN LEAVE YOU IN DAYS OF DROUGHT?
SHALL I TRUST WHEN I REAP A HARVEST
BUT WHEN WINTER WINDS BLOW, THEN DOUBT?

O, LET YOUR WILL BE DONE IN ME
IN YOUR LOVE I WILL ABIDE
O, I LONG FOR NOTHING ELSE AS LONG
AS YOU ARE GLORIFIED

ARE YOU GOOD ONLY WHEN I PROSPER?
AND TRUE ONLY WHEN I’M FILLED?
ARE YOU KING ONLY WHEN I’M CAREFREE?
AND GOD ONLY WHEN I’M WELL?
YOU ARE GOOD WHEN I’M POOR AND NEEDY
YOU’RE TRUE WHEN I’M PARCHED AND DRY
YOU STILL REIGN IN THE DEEPEST VALLEY
YOU’RE STILL GOD IN THE DARKEST NIGHT

O, LET YOUR WILL BE DONE IN ME
IN YOUR LOVE I WILL ABIDE
O, I LONG FOR NOTHING ELSE AS LONG
AS YOU ARE GLORIFIED

SO QUIET MY RESTLESS HEART, QUIET MY RESTLESS HEART
QUIET MY RESTLESS HEART, IN YOU.

Isn’t it amazing how the gospel so changes us that what matters most is the glory of Jesus, and not our own comfort? Let us be a people who overflow with praise and thanks, not only when we receive blessing from his hand, but when we receive hardship from his hand, trusting that even then he is working for our good and his glory.

NOTE: Sovereign Grace Music has graciously agreed to let us give away this song for free. DOWNLOAD IT HERE.

(Lyrics from the CD “Come Weary Saints”, copyright Sovereign Grace Music)

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Also note for the rest of this month (Feb) Sovereign Grace is selling this CD for only $6 (as well as all their other worship CDs) I highly suggest takin advantage of this. Also, you can get another song off of this excellent CD for free from here.


Soli Deo Gloria!


jason d.

I Repent,...

Hello everyone it has been a while since I have really wrote a good post from the heart. After all this is my online journal. So here it goes,...I'm going to be brutality honest.

I LOVE the blogging world! I really mean that I truly love writing blogs, checking other peoples blogs, finding more blogs to check off of other peoples blogs, and then talking to my family about all the blogs I have been reading like they are real life. It's sick, really it is.

I have only recently come to realize that the blogging worlds has become a HUGE idle in my life. Let me explain what I mean by that. Instead of cleaning, praying, reading my Bible, spending time with my family,...I'm not! Instead I'm at the computer reading and writing blogs. Now don't get me wrong there is nothing wrong with the blogging world and being a part of that world, the problem for me is that it has become the number one spot in my life above my family and most importantly above God. Blogging in and of itself is not a sin but for me it has become VERY sinful. Not because of anything I'm writing or reading but because it is consuming ALL of my time and I love doing it more that ANYTHING else and I really mean that.

In Luke 10:27 Jesus says “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself." I truly have not been doing this. I have spent hours and hours and hours on the computer only to go to bed too tired to read my Bible. Or been on the computer so long that a whole day goes by where I don't even play with Kenya. I was reading a blog yesterday and Dee came and sat beside me instead of closing the computer and talking to her I pushed her away and told her I was almost done. When Jason comes home normally I am just finishing up reading or writing a blog and instead of closing the computer to tell my Hubby how much I love him and how much I missed him while he was at work I end up telling him I am almost done. I really didn't want to admit any of these things but I think it's good for you to all see how bad it has gotten so you understand me when I say enough is enough.

I REPENT I repent of spending all my time on the computer instead of loving my family and loving God above all else. I will no longer put the computer in front of my family I love them way to much to push them away for this blogging world that I enjoy so much. I will no longer put it in front of God either. He is number one in my life not this silly computer.

I will still write blogs and check blogs it will just not be my top priority anymore. I would love it if you all continued on this journey with my family. Checking in to see the latest, but I'm removing all the pressure I have put on myself to have "the most amazing blog ever". All I can do is be me and share my family with you.

I want to thank you all for being there to support us during my pregnancy and after the girls were born. I really have made a lot of friends through blogging. I want you all to know that I love you all very much. I will continue to pray for you and your families. We are so blessed!

Love,
Vanessa Delgado

Flash Back Friday - Kenya's 2nd Birthday

Well for today's Flash Back Friday we are going back to October 16, 2008. Kenya's 2nd birthday. (Ok, again, I know it wasn't that long ago but I haven't done it yet so here goes.)

Kenya was all into the Disney Princess' and Buzz Light Year so we decided to go the girly route and have a princess party.

She loved the bounce house.
Notice there are more adults than kids in there what does it all mean?

No party is complete with out a pinata. Kenya was a little scared if it so she didn't hit it but she enjoyed watching all the other kids hit it.

Kenya had so much fun opening all of her gifts. I think it took over an hour for her to open them because she did it by herself. I was fun for me to watch her! Look at that belly :)

Kenya loves this Buzz Light Year toy she got and she plays with it all the time!

Happy Second Birthday Kenya sorry it took 4 months to post about your birthday!

Love,
Mommy

What do YOU do with the kids all day? GIVEAWAY!

Congrats to Lauren, winner of the giveaway!
Email me your address and I will mail it ASAP.
Email me @ vkdelgado@hotmail.com

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To answer my sweet blogging friend noahandlylasmommi's question, "What do you do with the kids all day?" Here is the answer...
I would love to say that I keep them all on a schedule every day and do lot's of school work with the kids but that just isn't the case everyday. I will say that when I stick to a schedule and have things organized for the kids to do the kids and I have a much better and easier day because they are not just running around all day playing and fighting.

Here are a few ideas of things you can do with them:

1. Circle time is one of the kids favorite times of the day. They each get a baby blanket to sit on (baby blankets are just the right size) and they have to sit on that blanket the whole time. We start out by praying, then I read the Bible to them. I read them scripture from an adult Bible not a kids one, then explain to them what we just read. Kids are never too young to understand the truth of God's word.

2. For their school time I pick one letter, shape, color and number to review for the month. learningpage.com is a great website you can go to and get lots of free worksheets.
Get some posters, flash cards or just make your own with letters, numbers, shapes and colors on them. The kids love learning with them.

3. The kids love having dance parties I put on a CD turn the music up and they have a blast dancing and jumping all around. This is also great for bad weather days they get rid of a lot of energy. Our favorite kids CD to listen to is made by Sovereign Grace Music it's called Awesome God it's all worship songs for children. I love the CD because it's pure theology. If you click on the words Awesome God it will take you to the site where you can listen to the songs and buy the CD if you want (it is only $6, just for the rest of this month!)


I'm also giving one Awesome God CD away. All you have to do is leave a comment telling me your favorite activity to do with your kids, or your friends kids, or your families kids, or really just any fun idea you have to do with kids, and you will be entered to win. The winner will be chosen by random.org I will close the comments Friday morning. So check back Friday morning to see if you won.


4. They also like playing with all Kenya's different instruments. If you don have any you can make some. Two paper plates filled with dried beans makes a great shaker.

5. For their school time I pick one letter, shape, color and number to review for the month. learningpage.com is a great website you can go to and get lots of free worksheets.

Don't forget to leave your comment for a chance to win our giveaway!

Flash Back Friday

This picture was taken in the summer of 2007.
I know it wasn't that long ago but it's just so cute I had to share.
This is a picture of Kenya and Destinee watching Shamu after we had dinner with him.
Good thing we were not his dinner hahaha I crack myself up.
Thank you Papa T and Wita we had so much fun with you guys in California!
Have a great Friday.

Three months ago today

I can hardly believe that it was three months ago today that Melody and Madison were born. I want to share some of my favorite pictures with you guys. Several hours after the babies were born Destinee was able to help Violet (our nurse) give them a bath.

I love this picture our babies wrapped in their towel in the arms of Destinee I LOVE IT!

After their bath we put their bows on them.
I love these pictures,... the diapers and bows,... what could be more cute?



A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of birth. It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. Consider the work of God: who can make straight what he has made crooked? In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him.

Ecclesiastes 7: 1-4,13-14

p.s. Jason posted & commented on 60 of his favorite pictures from the day of the twins birth: http://tinyurl.com/crohw4

Tiny Treasures Tuesdays - Cowgirl Museum

Jason and I thought it would be fun to take Kenya and Levi to the Cowgirl Museum. We had so much fun that my Mom and I took Kenya, Gabye, Levi, Dilan and Blake the next week. Dilan and Blake are my nephews, my Mom watches them while my sister Brandi is at work. The pictures below are from both of those trips.

One of my favorite things in life is having my van full of kids in car seats! I couldn't believe we fit 5 car seats in our van, one was built in but still that is impressive!

The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History is temporally closed so they moved a lot of their exhibits over to the Cowgirl Museum. The kids had so much fun playing with all the different play areas.

Here they are buying food.

Gabye buying bread.

Here I am with Levi in the Ergo carrier (to answer my good friend Lindsey's question, you can use the ergo with smaller babies. Ergo sells an infant insert so you put the baby in just like you would a sling. Then your hands are free.)

Here is Dilan driving the train.

Levi chillin by the camp fire
Resting in the tepee Kenya riding the horse

Levi looks really excited to be on the horse with KenyaAt the museum they have this fake horse that you ride and it records a video of you riding the horse in a rodeo. When I say ride I really mean you just sit on it, the horse doesn't move unless you rock it back and forth. This is Levi sitting on the horse for his ride.

Here is the video of Levi's ride



Here is the video of Kenya's ride


I hope yall enjoyed Tiny Treasures Tuesday!
Have a great week.

Potty Training

I have watched kids since I was 15 and I have never had to potty train any of them. They were either already potty trained or too young to be potty trained. So I have avoided potty training Kenya because I really didn't know what to do.

Well a week ago on Friday I decided it was time. So I put her in panties and took her to the potty every 30 minutes the first day. It went really well and she only had one accident. We left for church Friday night and on the way she said, "I have to go potty." I told her to hold it and she said, "I can't hold it!" I don't think she understood what I was saying so I told her just don't go potty. We were in traffic on the highway and Destinee was driving just to add a little more stress to the whole experience. Well Dee was finally able to stop at Wendy's and guess what... Kenya held it and went on the potty at Wendy's! I was so proud. :)

A few days ago Kenya was sitting on the potty then she ran into the living room got her guitar and went back to the bathroom. In my head I said I would NEVER put pictures of Kenya on the potty but this picture is just way too cute. Just for the record Kenya doesn't know who Hannah Montana is. The guitar is Kenya's birthday gift from her Uncle Toe Toe.



So now that we are on the subject of potty training Kenya goes pee pee on the potty all day long but she will NOT poop on the potty,...
any ideas?

Vanessa

Please please start praying right now / CONTINUED

I just wanted to update everyone on baby Gracie. This is taken right from their blog written by Benji.

Gracie Butler Baker went home to be with Jesus last night around 6:00pm. The labor process proved to be too stressful and she was stillborn. So even though we didn’t get to meet our sweet little girl alive, we got to love and hold her for hours on end. She was absolutely precious and our time with her will never be forgotten. Thank you for you intercession of prayers on our behalf. We will blog later this evening about our time with her and we also will have some pictures to share.
In Him,
Benji and Rebekah

Please keep praying for this family as they get ready to walk through one of the hardest times of their lives.

“Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
Job 1:21

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Please please be praying for the Benjamite family. Benji and Rebekah are at the hospital right now getting ready to deliver their new baby Gracie who most likely has Trisomy. The doctors are saying if she is born alive they just don't know how long that she will live. Please go check out their blog http://thebenjamites.blogspot.com/ let them know that you are praying for them. Rebekah is in labor right know.
Thanks,
Vanessa Delgado

Flash Back Friday

Today's "Flash Back Friday" takes us way back to when Kenya was two months old. I know, I have done a few with her being two months old but she was just so cute.

Some of our very best friends Chris and Sara moved to California during the middle of my pregnancy (before they moved they lived with us for a while), we were so sad that they left, but when Kenya was two months old they came for a visit.

Chris and Sara, we love you guys so much and miss you more than words could express!

Introducing,...Tiny Treasures Tuesdays!

I love thinking of new blogs to write so Tuesdays will now be:
"Tiny Treasures Tuesdays"

Tiny Treasures is the name of my in home daycare. I will try to remember to post some pictures of the kids every week (lets see if I can remember). "Flash Back Friday" is becoming and every other week event, so we will see...


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Levi fell asleep about two minutes after I laid him down for Tummy Time.
Who knew Tummy Time could be so tiring?

Serious Life Magazine

Hello all,

We are going to be coming out in a blog directory in this months issue of Serious Life Magazine.



The magazine includes a lot of great content from bloggers, as well as great features, photos and other content. The magazine gives away a bunch of ads to charities and ministries. Besides great articles on interesting people, there is a lot about family, adoption, personal finance, spiritual life, humor… all sorts of “life” topics. We are on the bottom left hand corner of page 122:


The magazine is owned and published by Brent and Michelle Riggs, they have seven kids, three adopted. Be sure and check out their blog and be praying for their four year old daughter Abby, she is battling cancer.

So there you have it check out the Magazine and please please be praying for Abby.