So Much To Be Thankful For.....And Prayer For Another!

As I begin to write this post, I must tell you that I have tears streaming down my face.  Tears of thankfulness and tears of sorrow.  Funny how your prospective on life can change on a dime. 

Some of you know that I have a twitter account.  Twitter really is useless, but from time to time I actually learn stuff.  Recently, I began following Ryan Seacrest.  Mostly to keep up with behind the scenes of American Idol.  Little did I know that one of the things that he tweets about is a little girl that is in the fight of her life.  Yesterday I was curious as to who this little girl is, so I checked out her website.  A website that changed my perspective as a mother.

The tears of thankfulness that I shed are because I have two very beautiful and very healthy children.  Sometimes in the thick of total choas, I forget how lucky I am.  Yesterday I was reminded not to take all those moments, both the good and the chaotic, for granted.  Last night as I lay in bed I thanked the Lord for all of those moments and for giving me two wonderful children. 

You must be asking, "What was on that website", "Who is this little girl that Ryan Seacrest is tweeting about"?  Her name is Layla.  She is a sweet little two year old girl that within a few days will succumb to cancer.  She is absolutely a beautiful little girl.  In fact, I think what drew me to her was just how much she looks like my little Jackson.  Those great big blue eyes!!!!

Please pray for Layla!  Pray that the Lord will comfort her in her last hours of life.  Pray for peace for her family, especially her mother.  My heart goes out to her the most.  I can't imagine having to watch the life of my sweet child slip away.  Go to their website  laylagrace.org  Be thankful and greatful for what we have :)

Until next time..........

*The above pictures is of Layla and her father taken just a few days ago.

Follow me on Twitter: @JanaSpringer
Follow Layla on Twitter: @laylagrace

I Love You BERRY Much!!!!

I had one request from my husband and my daughter this Valentine's Day......CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRIES!!!!!  I must admit, I was so happy to oblige :)  Here is my recipe for these decadent little critters.

CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRIES

1 quart strawberries - washed and dried throughly

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

2/3 cup vanilla chocolate chips

2 tbsp. Crisco shortening, divided

wax paper

1 ziploc bag

-Wash and dry your strawberries throughly. 

-In a microwave safe bowl, melt 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1 tbsp. of shortening in the microwave (I melt mine in 1 minute incraments).

-Dip 2/3 of each strawberry in the chocolate and place on waxed paper

-Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until chocolate has set.

-In a seperate microwave safe bowl, melt 2/3 cups vanilla chocolate chips and 1 tbsp. shortening in the microwave.  Melt in 30 second incraments, white chocolate is more temperamental than regular chocolate.

- Pour chocolate mixture into the ziploc bag and snip a small hole in the corner of the bag.

-Squeeze chocolate on the strawberries in squiggly lines.

-Place back in refrigerator for another 30 minutes to allow chocolate to set.

After strawberries and chocolate have set, place them in a dry container with an air tight lid and place back in refrigerator.  ENJOY!!!!

I hope that each and every one of you had a magical Valentine's Day :)

Until next time...............

Where Have I Been?

I know it's been a very long time since my last post and I apologize for that.  Just to let you know.....It hasn't been on purpose.  My family has really had a very long and bumpy last few weeks. 

It all started with little Jackson about 3 weeks ago.  He started coughing one day and we all thought that he was being silly trying to get attention.  He sometimes will hear others cough and will cough himself thinking that he's funny.  We all laughed along until the next day when his silly little cough was followed with a fever.  We limped along for a few days and eventually he broke the fever and began acting more like himself again. 

Morgan all of a sudden began coughing and complaining that she too wasn't feeling well.  This was on a Sunday.  She went to school on Monday and Tuesday, not feeling great but good enough to go to class.  By Tuesday evening she begain running a temp. of 104.5.  Holy Mercury Batman!!!!  This kid just never gets sick.  The cough got worse and she missed 3 days of school.  Took her to the doctor on Thursday and found out that she had viral pneumonia!!!!  I was stunned!  Her fever finally broke and she began feeling better that weekend and was back at school on Monday.  As fast as she got sick, she got better just as quickly.  Amazing how kids can bounce back from a major illness.

Now we are going into week 3!  Saturday afternoon, I notice a funny feeling in my chest but I just ignore it.  Sunday, I wake up not feeling great but have way too much to do to let it get to me.  By Sunday evening, I was running a fever.  Only a slight one, but a fever non the less.  Monday morning, I wake up and feel like I'd been hit by a 747 still in flight!!!!  The cough was getting worse and the body aches were unbearable.  I began running a high fever of 103.5.  Tuesday morning I decided I had better get to a doctor because I didn't want to end up with pneumonia like Morgan.  Too late! A chest x-ray confirms that I too have fallen victim to viral pneumonia.  I ran a fever of 101-103 for 5 days straight.  But I'm here today to say that I survived and am on the mend!!!!!

With all of that said, I've missed y'all!!!  Before everyone began getting so sick, I had been trying out some new recipes that I can't wait to share with y'all.  I promise that I will be posting those here soon.  I have a return doctors appt. and few things that I have to tend too since I was in bed for a week.  As soon as I get things back in order and on track, I'll be back! 

As I leave this post today I have to give a shout out to the New Orleans Saints!!!!  May they win BIG TIME over the Indianapolis Colts this evening in the Super Bowl!!!   GEAUX WHO DAT NATION!!!

Until next time.........