You could have called her...

...Carol. You know like ABC."

"What are you talking about?" , I asked.

"Allison, Blake, and Carol. That would have been a lot easier!"

I couldn't help but laugh. Dave and I are forever calling Allie "Ashley" or Ashley "Allie" by mistake. Tonight Dave handed Allie an envelope to give to me to send out and Allie asked him why her name was on it. "It's not." he said. "Yes it is", Allie said. "No, I put Ashley's name on there. Didn't I?" "No, daddy you didn't." Hence the conversation about Carol.

I really love having this mixed up problem. Each time I see the two of them playing, giggling, and hanging out together it just blesses my heart. The Father has given us so very much and I am so grateful that our sweet Ashley Kate is here.

I realize that she looks as though she has been in a fight in this picture, but I assure you she did this damage to herself. These are a few of the results from the "rearranging of the bowel" disaster. Not only had she covered herself in blood, but she had scratched her own nose in the process and caused her eye to swell. She looks absolutely awful this week, but I love her anyway. Tonight while she and Allie were playing on the bed together I grabbed the camera to sneak in a few snapshots, but as soon as Ashley Kate heard the camera click on she began to smile and pose. We laughed and laughed at her because she smiled each and every time I held the camera up. I wasn't looking for a posed shot. I was trying to catch her off guard, but she just felt like smiling for the camera tonight. She is such a silly pickle.

Today I spent some time reading a couple of blogs and somewhere along the way I "stumbled" upon two very precious women. I say "stumbled", but I honestly believe that I was led to find them both. I have never met them and probably never will, but through my sweet Ashley's story I have learned that it doesn't matter. You can love and pray for people whom you have never met and they can touch your heart. I am asking each of you to please, please lift up these two young women who are battling cancer tonight. They are both mommy's. One to a little boy who is only 18mths old and the other to a 12 year old young man. They have very different kinds of cancer. One is just beginning her fight and the other looks as though her fight is coming to an end. One is searching for the Father and wondering if He loves her, and the other is clinging to Him knowing how very much He does. They both are hurting. Not only do their bodies hurt tonight, but their hearts are hurting as well. I will leave you with their first names only and I will trust that you will pray. You have stood in the gap for me so many times when I had no words to pray. You have brought our baby before the Lord in the early morning hours, in the middle of the day, and all through the night. I trust that you know what a difference your prayers have made in our life and I believe they could make a difference in the lives of these beautiful women too. Their names are Amy and Nicole. I don't know too much about either of them. I just feel led to ask for your prayers for each.

I bet you can't guess what I am listening to tonight. If Steve and Joe don't move out of our house soon then I believe they will be the end of my poor husband. He is so exhausted, but he can't tell that ornery gherkin no any more than I can. If only she was old enough to start the programs over all by herself. I'm telling you this is an addiction and we must find a way to make an intervention happen(SOON!). Good night my friends and I pray you rest well with no sounds of Blue, or Clues, or Handy Dandy Notebooks running through your heads. Take Care. Trish