Paige Barnes

     I had an epiphany a few weeks ago. It just hit me out of the blue while driving down the road. The  Kübler-Ross  stages of grief and the fact that if you have a child with a chronic illness you never complete the cycle. The theory behind the stages of grief is that a person will usually cycle through the stages during a time of intense grief, maybe even visiting some more than once, and eventually coming to the acceptance stage where the cycle will end. As a nurse, we are taught about the stages and how the normal human psyche responds in each stage. We are taught how to deal with patients and their families in each stage, how to help them cope and move through the stages until they reach the acceptance stage.  My nursing education did not prepare me for having a child with a chronic illness. I have found myself in all of the stages, over and over, for four years. Here are the stages: Denial - even now, when my son has many days in a row of almost perfect days my heart say

I am honored to guest post on my cousin's blog today! Check it out! Plans For You

Today is Monday. The start of a brand new week. We are rested up from the weekend and ready to tackle whatever comes our way. Today, I will share a few of my favorite resources to help you start your week out on the right foot. I like to say "work your day instead of your day working you". So here are few of my favorites to help you work your week instead of your week working you.  Enjoy! Your Walk One Place  Bible Gateway Your Marriage Praying for Your Husband - Inspired to Action Unveiled Wife - wonderful blog to encourage wives Your Children Impress Your Kids Raising Godly Children Your Organization Family Binder from iheartorganizing  - We use this daily! Chore Organizer  - I also use this routine. It helps make sure everything gets done! Your Health 100 Days of Real Food Dr. Oz 100 Weight Loss Tips

I have been reading Praying Circles Around Your Children by Mark Batterson . It is a phenomenal book, and a must read for all parents. Mark gives creative ways to pray for your child's heart. As parents, we MUST pray for our children. Mark says, "make sure the Father hears about your children daily". One of the ideas he suggests in the book is to pray certain words over your children. Today, my husband and I sat down and prayerfully listed 10 words for each of our children. We are going to print them up, frame them, and begin to pray them daily. I am so excited about these words. Many I have already been praying for our  children since they were born. And some that we purposefully felt we want God to shape in the heart of our children. I cannot wait to begin this journey of praying specific words for our children!

Tamene - Our Compassion Child in Ethiopia Thursdays are link up days over at The Mob Society . I so love being the mother of a boy. My boy is amazing. He has always had such a tender heart of compassion for others. For six years now we have sponsored a child through Compassion who is the same age as our Red. Tamene is from Ethiopia. For six years the boys have written letters and sent pictures back and forth. It has been such a blessing to us! Matthew has always wanted to adopt Tamene. I tell him Tamene has parents who love him and he does not need to be adopted! Still, Matthew has always wanted to bring a child into our home and make him a part of our family. For several years, we have prayed about this. I am not sure we have really submitted in prayer over this the way God would have us, because we have not heard specifically from God in this area. In fact, my husband doesn't feel the same way we feel. And yet, the desire still weighs heavy in the heart of myself and our son