One dog, one cat, two fish and....

no hamster!  :(

Bubba has been very inactive over the past few weeks.  But it's been ice cold and I thought maybe he was just sort of hybernating.  But this morning, I woke up and he was laying flat on the bare floor of his cage.  Stiff!  :(  Seriously, I teared up.  And I am not usually one to get too upset over rodents, but this was most definitely the sweetest hamster I have ever met.  He was so calm and tame ALL THE TIME.  He never bit anyone.  He never tried to squeeze away from us like most hamsters.  He was really an all around great and easy pet.

Funeral services for the departed will be held today, immediately after school.  Burial to follow in the local common area under the electric tower. In lieu of flowers, friends can give their own pets and extra treat.

I know that in the grand scheme of the world, this is a non-event, but for our house, pets are a major part so we've lost a fun little family member today.  RIP Bubba! Have fun with Jesus.  :)

On another note, Jack is trying to read the entire Bible.  That is a totally noble goal and I hope we can make it, although he'll probably be finishing high school by the time we complete it.  He is up to Chapter 19.... you know.... Lot and his daughters.  Law!  I am realizing how tantalizing and racy some parts of the Bible are when I'm reading it through the eyes of my 10 year old.  Wow, how in the world to you discuss that whole situation?  I mean, we've had "the talk" with him so he knows about sex, but I wasn't quite ready to start explaining that some people abuse sex and use it for ungodly purposes.  Of course, Brian was conveniently working at this time so I had to navigate that one on my own.  I should have stopped in my tracks and asked God to take over because I am sure I totally butchered that talk.  Should I be "censoring" the Bible readings?  What do you think?  I just started to realize how many examples of bad behavior I am going to have to talk through over the next little bit.

If you follow my blog, there's a 99.99% chance that you also read Gwen's blog.  But in case you don't, I'd like to ask for prayers for my sweet friend, Maggie Oatsvall.  Yesterday she had her second surgery to insert extenders under her scalp.  The first surgery ended with Maggie getting an infection and the extenders had to be removed, so she went through alot of pain for little gain.  This time, two extenders were inserted.  Over the next few weeks, the extenders will be inflated gradually to stretch the skin on her scalp.  You see, Maggie was in a Chinese orphanage and she was a burn victim while in China.  My friends, the Oatsvalls, adopted Maggie, scars and all, knowing that one day they would have to allow their daughter to go through the painful process of removing the scar tissue so that her physical wounds of orphan life could be healed.  It's such a beautiful example of how God loves us too, don't you think?  He allows the pain that carving out scars the world has left on us so that we can be closer to his vision for us.  Scott and Gwen would love Maggie if her head was bare with scars for the rest of her life.  God would love us too, no matter if we are willing to shed those scars.  But life can be so much sweeter without all those scars to carry around.  And so it is for Maggie too.  They don't allow this suffering for themselves, Maggie is gorgeous to those of us who know her.  They allow the suffering for her!

Please please get on your knees today for our sweet Maggie.  She is only a little girl.  She doesn't have the understanding of why or what is happening to her.  She just knows that her mama is there, loving her, and she's getting stuck alot of times.  She doesn't know that the scars have to be enlarged so that they can be removed safely from her head, she just knows that it's painful.  Will you please please pray for her peace and her comfort.  Pray for Gwen's "mama's heart" during this time as she has to watch her daughter go through something she cannot deliver her from.  Pray for all the other Oatsvall kids that they would weather the time without illness and injury.  And pray for their Nana who is caring for them until their mom can leave the hospital with Maggie.  And don't forget to pray that Maggie's story will touch the hearts of some of the hospital staff and perhaps stir their hearts toward adoption.  Particularly toward special needs adoption.

Thank you, friends!  I love you!  I really do!