The Value Of Money?!

At the ripe old age of 2, Zane has learned about money. Not necessarily that it is needed to buy things, but that you get to put it into an airplane bank. He only wants change also. He has gotten to asking Grammie (David's Mom) every time she comes over and will go up to Grandpa (David's Dad) and point to his pocket and then ask for money. He will even get up on the chair and look for David's spare change for his airplane bank.

This morning it took on a whole new life. David was putting his change into his pocket and Zane asked for the money. This is what ensued:

Yes, he tried to put his "pillow" over the camera, to keep the paparazzi from shooting him. And we DID NOT give him the money.

Sorry for those who want to see the new color of Zane's room. The paint on Lucy did not show up in this video.

Changes....

I have had the paint for Zane's room since May, but have not been motivated to do it. Well, that all has changed! On top of that, David and I have been wanting to do wood flooring for a while now. Let me just say, I was motivated. I have been very discouraged with house keeping lately. One reason, Zane follows behind and messes it back up. The other is after I vacuum it looks like I never have vacuumed. Very disheartening. So, seeing as how I am repainting Zane's room and I thought that it would make sense to pull up his carpet so I can paint the baseboards without having the part under the carpet unpainted. Well, this then turned into the WHOLE house no longer having carpet! It was disgusting! I will never do carpet again.



One thing that really bothers me is that there is nothing to do with the carpet, but put it into the landfills. There, it does not decompose and the chemicals that are in them, which we all know there are TONS of, is leached out and enters our ground water and our soil. NO FUN! In doing a search, I found a place here in Arizona that does recycle the carpet and carpet padding. The cool thing is that you can get paid $0.03 per pound for the carpet padding. It is then taken to a place where it is chopped up, sanitized and remade into more carpet padding. On the carpet, it is a little trickier. There is only recycling for nylon carpet, which we had! No payment for that, but I know that our carpet is not going into the landfills. The nylon carpet is also made into new carpet. From what I read, it is used for what they called carpet tile.



Here in Arizona, the place I found that takes carpet is A1 Planet Recycle. So, if you are getting ready to redo your carpets, it is definitely worth the trip.



Lets see how long it takes before our floors are done. David HATES the concrete, but DOES NOT want to paint it! And why not, would you want to move everything two more times before getting what you want.

Blast to the Past

I don't know how many remember the tweeny rap group Kriss Kross, but I think Zane would have fit in---Lets look

The only difference is that Zane does not know better yet, at least I don't think so?

I am getting ready to paint Zane's room also, and found some stuff that I had stashed away. Well, he did not want me to keep it stashed...soooo

Finally, in an earlier post, I showed how Zane was liking to be built into the house. Well, he also like to build Daddy into it also:

What can be done

I was reminded that so many people do not know what to do or say to those who have lost a child. Especially one that we never got to know. For lack of better words, it is such an elite and unwanted club and people just don't know what to do or say. After a note from a dear friend, watching the Chapman special and hearing what Mary Beth had to say, and then my continued healing, I feel like this will help give light of what can be done. Also check out the Larry King Live spot, God was glorified!

I did not come up with it myself, but Kathe Wunnenberg is the one who has come up with it. She is a wonderful, Godly woman who is helping walk me through my healing process in more ways than she will ever know.

10 Ways to encourage someone

who has lost an unborn or newly born child

• Fill her arms with something to hold. A stuffed animal or pillow with her child's name.
• Initiate communication. "How are you today?"
• Don't say "I know how you feel." (not many say this)
• LISTEN! Even if you've heard it before.
• Use the name of the child.
• When words fail, share silence or a hug.
• Remember Mother's Day, due date or other occasions with a card, note or gift.
• Invest in a cause in the child's name and tell the parents you did it
• Give your presence, patience and prayers.
• Give kleenex, a CD or a book.

These are simple, but truly helpful and make a difference. For those of us that have lost a child, we have to remember to forgive. I know that I have found myself needed to do this more than I realize because people just don't know when something they say has hurt me. Normally it is something very insignificant, but it is painful all the same. Even if it is just putting their name on a piece of paper, saying a prayer and then tearing it up (or as my husband would do BURN IT!)

Thank you for your prayers and support through all this.

INCREDIBLE!

That is what I have to say about the Phoenix Children's Museum! I am so glad we went and can't wait to go again. Zane LOVES it and it did the job in wearing him out. There is so much there and so much to do it is ....well....INCREDIBLE! It has just become one of those places that when we have visitors, it will be one of the places we go. If you are reading this and live in the area, it is well worth the cost. I can't wait to see the exhibits that are yet to come. Hope to get pictures the next time I go.

Must See TV

On Aug. 6 Good Morning America will be airing an interview with Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman. Then on Larry King Live on Aug 7 (CNN) they will be interview. God's word is getting out there through the tragedy that this wonderful family faced. Also, People Magazine will also have an interview with them in this weeks issue. He also had the new verse of Yours released on iTunes today. AWESOME-some of you have probably already heard it on K-Love.

Steven Curtis Chapman's music has been helping me through the last seven months. And with the death of his youngest in May, it has made some of the songs that much more significant now.

Building A House

Zane loves his blocks but gets frustrated because they don't always stay where he wants them to. Plus, he likes "big towers" as he says and they seem to fall. So we have started to build him into the blocks.

Ironically one of his favorite books right now is "The Three Little Rigs" which, yes is a knock off of The Three Little Pigs. So of course, after it is done:

Way too much fun. Then he insisted that Daddy be built in also!