Sweet Abundance

P365.2012.3&4

2012-01-28T21:24:00.000-05:00

I was out of town last week, so I have TWO weeks to show you ... aren't you just so lucky?!

Here we go:

Jan. 15 - girls in bed, feet up, hangin with my man! Bliss!

Jan. 16 - My sleepy head morning girls...

...one is silly ...

... then she's serious ...

... then the OTHER one gets silly ...

... and then it all falls apart!

Jan 17 - Water ... in my pretty new cup that my sweet man found. LOVE him!

Jan 18 - BOARDING PASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOO HOO!

Jan 19 - I'm leavin ... on a jet plane ...
Headed to Houston to see some good friends, get a good Word and eat some good Mexican food!

Jan 20 - The worship was AH-MA-ZING! Travis Cottrell knows how to bring me to my knees! GLORY!

Jan 21 - My pBFF Beth Moore giving us the "seal of approval"! She told us a story about her grandson Jackson and his kindergarten class. They clap and bark like seals when they approve!

I just need to say that the Word that this woman brought was almost more than I could handle - OH what a Blessing! SO proud to be a siesta!

Jan 22 - This guy made our guacamole right there at our table for us ... it was DIVINE!

Jan 23 - watching the sunrise from ABOVE the clouds on my way home from Houston!! (cell phone shot!)

Jan 24 - Eli ... practicing his big brother skills! (cell phone shot)

Jan 25 - It is NEVER too early to learn of the beauty that is The Sound Of Music!! Lots of singing and dancing along with that one. These girls are fans! (cell phone shots)

Jan 26 - Oh the fun to be had with a sink full of bubbles!

Jan 27 - The girls got these books for Christmas and then they kind of got swept away in the clean up. I found em the other day and decided it was time to start prayer journals with the girls, since they are always asking what I'm writing in mine. Hattie can write and she decided that she was thankful for Wilbur, Charlotte & Templeton (Charlotte's Web). She wrote their names and then drew pictures! LOVE IT!!!

Sophie was thankful for the Veggie Tales and their Jonah movie. I wrote the names and she traced the letters and drew some pictures too!

I LOVE that they are learning so early to be thankful! Praise Him!

Jan 28 - today's assignment was "light" ... this is my trusty ol $6 Coca-Cola lamp that I have had FOREVER!

Thanks Sara for hosting us, always such a fun adventure!

And ... how was YOUR week?!

P365.2012.2

2012-01-15T15:26:00.000-05:00

Week 2 - Can I just say that I love that the year started on a Sunday so it's all even ... is that strange? I dunno, but I love it. Also, I have actually set an alarm on my phone to go off every evening to remind me to take a picture if I haven't already. Yes, I am bound & determined to make it through the whole year this time!!!

OK, here we go....

January 8 - I was given a challenge that came with a photo assignment for every day of January. This day's was "My Sky". Well, the sky was clear blue, not a cloud in sight. I thought that might be boring so I put this sweet face into the picture as well. Love her!

January 9 - "Daily Routine" was the task ... waiting for the bus, bundled up for the cold, is part of our routine!

MERCY, she is just so cute!!!

January 10 - "Childhood" - Sophie + bubbles = happy!!!

January 11 - "Where I Sleep" ... I was already in bed when I remembered to take the pic ...

January 12 - "close up" My girls curls ... up close and personal!!!

January 13 - (this day's task was "What's In My Bag" ... and I did that. But when this when is ASKING to have her picture taken, I must jump at the chance!!!)

January 14 - "What I'm Reading": My Bible (chronologically in one year ... pray me through y'all!!!), a book written by my sweet friend Mary (review to come!!!) and my memory verses for 2011 (have to have em DOWN by next weekend!!!).

So.... how was YOUR week?!

(thanks Sara for hosting - stop by and see her for more!)

Hattie And The Big Blue

2012-01-09T09:23:00.000-05:00

Yesterday's photo assignment was "My Sky". But yesterday we had a clear blue sky, not a cloud in sight and, even though we live next to an air base, not even an airplane in sight!

(and, y'all, I am freakishly afraid of birds so there is NO way that was gonna happen!)

So I took my sweet girl outside and we had ourselves a little photoshoot!

First she balanced on my feet and played airplane (only this time she switched it to bird!). This has always been one of her favorite games, but it used to be sooooooooo much easier on my end!

Once my thighs started burning I had her stand up and I stayed on the ground and asked her to look up and see what she could see....

Because she has somehow inherited Steve Austin's bionic eye, she saw a plane that was, I am sure, closer to mars than it was to earth. Just sayin!

This is about the time she started to get cold and kept raising her arms up into the picture. The arm that refuses to lose the ugly super secret spy watch that she got for Christmas included ... but shhhhh, it's a super secret.

Duh.

And, come on now, we all know that sky's are so much better with pretty girls in front of them anyway!

Project 365 - Week 1

2012-01-08T06:47:00.000-05:00

(let's try this again, shall we?)

OK, here we go, first week of the new year.........

January 1, 1:37am - just coming in from our friends' New Years Eve party ... she survived an all nighter!! Opened her sweet eyes long enough to put her pj's on!!

January 3, 3:38pm - Signed up for a challenge to run 1,000 miles in 2012 ... these babies are about to get real busy!!!!! (I made need a new pair soon!)

January 3, 10:49am - five minutes later, it stopped. Five minutes after that the sun came out.

This was also her last day of Christmas break. That bed head, the pj's ... yeah, she is in for a rude awakening in the morning!!!

January 4, 3:01pm - Hanging (via internet stream) with about 44,000 18-25yr olds as they worship Jesus. Passion 2012 was ah-ma-zing!!!! These kids are gonna rock this world for HIM!

January 5, 11:22am - Big girls both at school and Alexis had her grandma day so it was just Eli and me ... he was lonely. No matter how I tried to entertain him, he just hung out at the window, either lookin for the bus...

... or askin for his mama and daddy (who were off on a babymoon before new bro or sis comes!!)

January 6, 9:25pm - I was told of another challenge for the year that actually gives you tasks of what to take pictures of. Thought I might try that .... today was things that make you smile! THESE sock monkey slippers make me smile...

This FACE makes me smile!

And the free fun to be had with a cardboard box makes me smile!!!!

January 7, 10:54pm - Today's task was my favorite. I was going to include pictures of my people but we had a full, fun day. So my FAVORITE kind of day is a day SO full that I forget to remember my camera!

Thank you Sara for hosting us! What a BLAST! (I will try to do better this year. Feel free to scream at me if I don't!!!)

So, how was YOUR week?!

Just One ... Just HIS

2012-01-03T10:43:00.001-05:00

Have you heard of this One Word thing?

You pick one word as your goal for the year (after much soul searching and, please oh please, prayerful consideration).

Last year my word was Purpose. And last year I read (or at least started) books that I felt would lead to purpose in my life. And last summer I (finally) jumped head first into Beth Moore's (my pBFF) study Breaking Free.

And, y'all ... y'all ...

No, really ... Y'ALL!

I have really tried to put the experience into words on this ol blog and I have just not been able to. But there is one thing that just keeps wrecking (in a good way) my heart. In the last session Beth talked about a verse in Isaiah:

One will say, ‘I belong to the LORD’; another will call himself by the name of Jacob;

still another will write on his hand, ‘The LORD’s’, and will take the name Israel.

Isaiah 44:5

To me, this verse talks about intentions and choices, yes - proclaiming that you belong to Him and taking His name!

It talks about Spiritual inheritance - we who have claimed Christ as Savior have become joint heirs. We may not have a genetic link to the people of Israel, but because we have been adopted by The Lord, we are children of the same promise!

And it talks about purpose. Living a life sold out to Him. And, I learned through this study that I am not set free for myself alone, but free to become captive to Him. And THAT captivity - a life sold out to HIM, is the best kind of freedom. It is a freedom to find joy - true joy. The ONLY true joy ... the one that comes with purpose.

So, when picking this years word I really searched my heart and prayed about what He wanted from me. And I kept hearing the word "mine" from Him and feeling the word "His" in MY heart.

And, so it is. My word for 2012 ...

(thanks Melanie for making the buttons ... go see her, get your own!!!)

I want to live my life for the sole purpose of doing HIS will, following HIS lead, listening to HIS Word, searching HIS heart, being HIS hands and HIS feet, worshiping at HIS feet, laying my life down for HIS and, most of all, Glorifying HIS name!

Oh LORD ... Let me glorify YOUR name in my life. Please, I pray, let it be!!

And so I start this year with that one goal in mind ... that I would be The Lord's.

That I would be

HIS

God is Real!

2011-12-25T10:35:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas!!

A Letter ...

2011-12-24T22:31:00.000-05:00

***This is a re-post from last Christmas Eve. It still rings true. MERRY CHRISTMAS!***

Dear Baby Jesus,

Just over two thousand years ago you came. You came to be one of us. To be like us. We were created in your image (though we had soiled and tarnished it beyond recognition) and now, you had taken on ours. And you came for us ... you did it all for us.

You left the throne of Heaven to be placed, on a cold dark night, into a manger. You stepped off of the streets of gold onto the sod of earth. You chose swaddling cloth over lily white, shining robes of splendor. You left the right hand of the Father to be placed into the young, inexperienced arms of a mama. You brought your perfection into our filth and your innocence into our pit of sin. You did it all for us.

On a still silent night (although, with a young girl in labor I seriously doubt it was all THAT silent) you took your first earthly breath and let out your first sweet cry. Joseph's were probably the first arms that held you. Joseph, who had listened to your angel and risked it all to stand beside Mary and claim you as his own. Joseph, who would go to great lengths to protect you. Joseph, who loved you and would let you call him daddy, knowing he was not your real Father. You probably wriggled into his arms and cried as the cold night air blew against the skin that had just been warm inside Mary's womb. And you cried a holy, human cry that flooded the night. And you did it all for us.

Then Joseph probably placed you in the arms of your mama. Mary ... sweet, YOUNG Mary. How old was she? Was she really just a young teenager? How much did she know? Did she know where your road would lead? If she had not studied the Scriptures BEFORE she conceived you, she most certainly did once she knew she was carrying the Messiah. Did she know that the child in her arms, the child she had just delivered, would be the deliverer of all who would believe? Did she know that you had been there since the beginning and had created HER long before she created you? Did she know that you did it all for us?

And the shepherds? They surely had no clue what was to come. They were just doing their job when their calm night was interrupted with a Holy light and a commanding presence of Heavenly Hosts. Angels, who were created to follow your every command, had come to announce your coming and bring your good news. They could have interrupted someone of royal blood in a warm castle and sent THEM to you, but they came to shepherds. Dirty shepherds, leading dirty sheep and caring for them ... and they were sent to YOU. The one who is the Good Shepherd. But, they followed the angels direction and brought their filth and noise and their worship to your birthplace. You came to the lowly and meek ... and you did it all for us.

You could have been born in a palace. You could have just come as a king. You could have commanded the world to fall at your feet and follow and believe. You had the power to give us no choice at all, but you had the LOVE to give us the choice anyway. You let us decide if we will follow you, believe in you, LOVE you. You knew that there would be some who chose the other. And yet, still, you did it all for us.

You came as a baby in a manger, fled that place for the safety of a foreign land as Joseph protected you, grew up in a small town, studied at the feet of those who studied the scriptures YOU had written, grew in stature and favor and became a man. A man who would take the good news as far and wide as his human frame would allow. A man who would heal the sick, give sight to the blind, voice to the mute, hearing to the deaf, legs to the lame, life to the dead and HOPE to the hopeless ... and, before you, weren't we ALL hopeless? You walked the dirty soil of our world, among the dirty souls of your people and you did all without sin or blame or guilt. And then ... then ... then you took the sin of which you were completely innocent and placed it on yourself like a worn, soiled garment and took it to the cross ... and you did it all for us.

You took our blame and our sin, the wages of which are death, and you proclaimed yourself guilty so that WE could be innocent. You died on a rugged wooden cross, they placed you in a dark cold tomb, the door to which was sealed and left you there to rot, thinking that it was the end. But, really, wasn't it just the beginning. Because then ... THEN ... then, three days later, when all hope had been lost, you burst through with the glorious light of day, breaking the greatest darkness the world had ever known and brought the greatest hope the world could ever imagine. You left behind the grave and the death it stood for and brought new life. And not just new life for YOU, you brought new life for US. For anyone who would believe, anyone who would place their trust in you, anyone who would lay their sin at your feet to be forgiven, anyone who would bring their broken lives and their certain death to you. And You would take it all ... you DID take it all ... and exchange it all for life. Life in You. Life everlasting. Life ... LIFE ... LIFE! And you did it all for us.

And so today, so many years later, we celebrate Your birthday. Some have made it a big commercial festival of lights and decorations and fat jolly men in ridiculous red suits being led around by a reindeer with an ever more ridiculous red nose - and that is all fun and good. But those that know ... those that know YOU ... know that it is so much more. Tomorrow we will open presents - but the real gift is YOU. We will spend time with the ones that we love - but the real love comes from YOU. We will eat a feast set at a beautiful table - but the bread of life is YOU. We will celebrate life - but our real life is in YOU. Tomorrow, somehow, we will make it all about us - when it should be all about YOU.

Tonight we will go to church, bow our heads, celebrate your birth and sing songs that exalt You. Tonight we will share the great joy that You bring with everyone we meet. Tonight we will feel that warmth in our heart that only comes on Christmas eve when we make it all about You. And we will do it all for You.

But, when I think of all that You have done for us, I wonder why we give you just one night. And I wonder what I can do to change that. How can I love better? How can I love more. How can I bring the hope of YOU to a lost and hurting world, so in need of all you came to give.

How can I do it all for You?

Teach me Lord Jesus, teach me how.

Let that be my birthday gift to you.

Happy Birthday Baby Jesus ... and thank You for the Gift.

Love,

The Face of Christmas

2011-12-21T11:07:00.001-05:00

Christmas is my absolute favorite time of the year. I love the magic and the meaning in all that we do to celebrate.

For me, Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ ... my Savior

But, there are many faces to Christmas.

Some come with a beard

Some come riding horses that rock

Faces made of snow

Some bring Glad Tidings ...

... For all people

Some bring stories that have been passed down through generations, faces hand made by those who have come before us

Yes, there are many faces of Christmas ...

... But, really, it all comes down to One, Holy and Perfect face ...

The Face of God

Mary...

2011-12-16T12:42:00.000-05:00

*This is a re-post from last year ... and probably even they year before that. I still wonder*

How many of us started our Christmas Letter in wonder at how quickly time passes by?

We look back on a year gone by and wonder how it went so FAST?

Children were born, cut teeth, turned three, started school, made the honor roll, got the lead in the school play and, eventually, graduated, got married and started families of their own.

And we were left to look back and wonder how it all happened so fast.

I wonder if is was like that for Mary.
That night, as she held her newborn son in a barn, did she - like so many of us - look forward to each passing milestone and promise to cherish each and every moment?

Like so many of us, did the normal every day start to creep in? Did the sleepless nights of life with a brand new baby turn into the craziness of toddler proofing the home? Did she one day look at her son and realize that he just was not a baby anymore?

I wonder what it was like watching her son grow up, knowing that He was also the Son of God.

I mean, she KNEW who he was - the angel had made that clear - so she HAD to know what was in store.

Were the passing moments stored and cherished or did she turn around one day and find a man where her boy had once stood?

I cannot imagine how it felt to see him getting older, stronger, wiser ... all the while knowing that each breath he took brought him closer to the road He was destined to walk...

... and the cross He was determined to bear.

She knew when He was born that His death was imminent.

That it was predetermined.

That it HAD to be.

So, when she held her son that night...

As she watched him learn to walk ...

While she taught him how to talk ...

As she raised HER son ...

Did she cherish each moment knowing that she was holding, watching, teaching and raising God?

Or, did time fly for Mary too?

How Great Thou Art

2011-12-02T11:29:00.000-05:00

This morning I have had O Holy Night on the brain. Like, cannot get it out of my head. So I went to You Tube in search of a good version of it.

Now, in all honesty, I am picky about O Holy Night. It has to be sung RIGHT. Don't do it if you aren't gonna do it well. I know there is a version out there somewhere with someone mocking the power voice necessity and it torks me off just a smidge. Do NOT go there y'all ... just don't!

I also don't like the mamby pamby versions where they stay at the same intesity through out ... no. Fall on your knees needs to BRING me to my knees. Bring it. Go big or go home.

Yeah ... I said I was picky.

Anyhoo ... I found a video of Carrie Underwood singing it ... and if she is doing it ya KNOW it is gonna be done well. Just sayin.

BUT, I could not find one of her doing the verse that was in my head:

Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His Gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother,
And in His name, all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of praise is grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His Holy Name.
Christ is the Lord, oh praise His name forever.
O night divine ... O night, when Christ was born.
O night divine ... O night ... O Holy Night.

But, what I DID find was this.....

And suddenly, there in my living room with babies playing underfoot, little girls attempting to be ballerinas, Barbie singing in the background and the craziness of daily life abounding, it all became still. I watched as some of the greatest names in country music, hands raised and tear filled eyes, jumped to their feet in praise. And not praise of Carrie Underwood, but praise of our Lord.

And it was in that moment that I went to church. Here in my living room, for 5 minutes and 12 seconds, it was just me and Him.

And it was beautiful.

Open Doors

2011-11-28T15:03:00.001-05:00

In our quest for a new home, we have seen some doozies. And I DO mean DOO-ZIES!

Remember the picture I posted asking for your ideas to help make it "pretty"? Well ... it woulda taken alot more than paint and landscaping. It seems that, on one whole side of the house, they kinda forgot the duct work for heating and air. And they may have even forgot the plumbing. If I had been able to get INTO that bathroom, I could tell you for sure, but since it was full of junk and there was no way to even enter it, it shall remain a mystery.

We've also seen serious water damage, sinking basements, buckling floors and entire walls falling down.

It has been scary. But such is the journey when you are looking at older homes and foreclosures.

So, imagine our surprise when we discovered a development of new homes - like "we will build it for you" new homes - in our price range!!! And, believe me, I know what you're thinking - "they're gonna getcha on all the ad on's", right? Not so much! The price includes granite countertops throughout, flooring of choice, sod in the yard, a sprinkler system and a FULL (including washer and dryer) appliance package. WHAT?!

Soooo, we went, we saw, we fell in love... (and, when I say WE fell in love, I mean ALL OF US. Hattie and Sophie picked their bedrooms, even told us what color they want them, and Soph claimed the jacuzzi tub (also included!!!) in the master bath as her own.

And now, here we are. We are sorting out the details, looking at our options, trying to secure financing (we are looking for a VA loan and they are harder to get on a construction loan) and praying. Praying for favor with both finances and timing and praying that we will follow and remain in God's will for our family.

We are praying that we would find open doors - possibly even some neon signs and arrows pointing us through - if it IS His will ... and tightly closed doors if it is not.

If you would be willing to JOIN us in these prayers, we would be honored.

Fun With Our Mini-Chef

2011-11-27T15:59:00.001-05:00

We were asked to bring a couple of deserts for Thanksgiving dinner and, since there were already a couple pies, we opted for cheesecakes.

Hello Happy ... cheesecake is one of my love languages, so I was a happy girl!

So, we got up bright and early on Thursday morning - mainly because Sophie does not understand the word holiday and was out of bed at her usual 6:45. This is something we are working on.

Knowing her love for the kitchen I decided to let her help me make the cheesecakes. She was EC.STA.TIC. Seriously, so very happy. And, because I have the strange little notion to pull a Julie and Julia kinda thing and blog my way through The Pioneer Woman's cookbook, I decided to practice food blogging with my favorite mini-chef.

So... here we go.

Classic Cheesecake

CRUST

(NOTE: We didn't make a crust, we used a store bought, pre-made kind, but here it is in case YOU want to)

1 1/4 cups Graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup Sugar

3 Tbsp Melted butter

Combine all ingredients together in a bowl. Mix well. Press against bottom and sides of prepared pan. Bake 10 minutes at 350. Place on wire rack to cool.

FILLING

2 (8oz) packages regular Cream cheese

1 (8oz) package fat free Cream cheese

1 1/4 cup Sugar (or Splenda *I use just a tiny bit more if using Splenda)

4 Eggs

1 1/2 Tbsp Lemon juice

pinch of salt

Place regular and fat free cream cheese together in large mixing bowl

Add sugar (or Splenda)

add salt

add lemon juice

Mix together until creamy - scraping bowl as needed

Add eggs one at a time

Beat until smooth and thoroughly mixed

Pour filling into pie crusts (we filled two regular pie crusts, if making your own crust you MAY be able to do it in one - put you would need something bigger than a standard pie pan)

Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes - until filling is slightly firm to the touch. Cool to room temperature, cover and chill for at least 8 hours.

*NOTE: ours only chilled for about 4 hours and it was fine, just not as firm as it maybe should have been.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

(This is Paula Deen's recipe and it is borrowed from the Food Network, y'all!)

3 (8oz) packages Cream cheese at room temperature

1 (15oz) can Pureed pumpkin

3 Eggs plus 1 Egg yolk

1/4 cup Sour cream

1 1/2 cup Sugar

1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp Ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp Ground cloves

2Tbsp All-purpose flour

1tsp vanilla extract

Beat cream cheese until creamy. Add pumpkin (our can was a 20oz-er so we measured out 15oz)

Add the spices

Add the flour

(flour is "spill-y" ... make sure you don't miss any! this made me giggle!!)

Add vanilla and eggs & yolk

Mix until smooth then pour filling into crusts (again, it took two standard pie crusts)

Pose for A-stinkin-dorable photo op. *NOTE - this may only work if you are as cute in your PJ's as our sweet mini-chef!!)

(seriously, I could eat HER with a spoon!!!)

Lick as many surfaces as possible!!

Bake for 1 hour at 350, until slightly firm to touch. Place on cooling rack for 15 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours.

So, OK, I have no pictures of the finished project ... or the fact that they were set outside in the 40 degree weather (yes, we are SOOOOOOOOOO Little House On The Prairie up in here!) to chill because there was no room in the fridge.

Have I have royally messed up my first venture into food blogging by not having a finished project? I promise it will never happen again ... please forgive me.

I can tell you they were pretty ... and pretty yummy.

Sophie really did do most of the work too. We did help her with the measuring and the placing in and removing from the over (duh), but she didn't need a whole lot of help. My girl has some baking skillz!!! And, she was SO proud of her sweet self! And that pride is mutual - we were proud of her too!

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T11:32:00.000-05:00

Of all I have to be thankful for ...

... nothing compares to the cross.

Have a Blessed day and be thankful!

I Dropped The Ball...

2011-11-23T21:20:00.000-05:00

... I was totally gonna food blog some of the recipes that we're making for Thanksgiving. And I already missed the one I really wanted to do. Cause my kitchen is just too dern messy to photograph at the moment. I will, however, give you the recipe....

It's a family recipe and has been passed down so often that I am not even sure anyone knows the name of it anymore. But I can tell you that it is, far and away, my favorite food on.the.stinkin.planet. And so I have named it appropriately ....

Cranberry Yum

Ingredients:

1 Package Cranberries (frozen)

1 Cup Crushed Pecans

1 Can (@ 20oz) Crushed Pineapple

1 Package Mini Marshmallows (optional)

1 1/2 Cup Sugar

1 Large Tub of Whipped Cream

(OR 1 Pint Whipping Cream & 1/2 Cup Sugar - whipped to whip cream consistency)

Grind FROZEN cranberries into VERY small pieces. Crush or grind pecans (NOTE: If you choose to crush the pecans yourself, put them in baggie, seal and crush with rolling pin ... do NOT attempt to beat them with a meat tenderizer hammer thingy - your bag will not survive and you will be picking pecans out of your socks for a very long time ... not that I have ever done that **ahem**). Drain pineapple (remove as much juice as possible - this keeps it from freezing rock hard later, making it easier to eat fresh out of the freezer, right out of the container with a big ol spoon. This I DO know from experience!!)

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Place in freezable container - I use one larger and a few smaller plastic containers - and place in freezer for a minimum of 2 hrs. Remove from freezer with enough time to spare for softening but NOT for complete thawing.

There ya have it. We will be making cheesecakes tomorrow morning and I will try to take pictures and post those recipes later.

So, tell me ... what are YOU making for Thanksgiving?! If you need any advice or ideas, head on over to the Living Proof Ministries (AKA Beth Moore) blog and take a look at the open forum on the subject. LOVE seeing the more seasoned veterans helping out the less experienced women. So fun!!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!

TWOGGin Tuesday

2011-11-22T19:35:00.000-05:00

Time for a little TWOGGin ... Bloggin twitter style. (140 characters or less ... try it, it's harder than it looks...)

*Well, hello again 4AM wake-up call ... can't say that I missed you. (but really, I think I might've)

*Hattie just spent 2 minutes and 37 seconds telling me how grumpy she is ... all while trying not to laugh. She makes ME laugh!

*Eli likes birds, judging from the "OOOOOH! Brrrrrrrrrds!" that just came squealing from my back seat.

*Apparently he likes busses too.

*Just dropped S off at school. I was handed a letter regarding the upcoming Christmas pageant. My baby is old enough for THAT?! I need coffee to deal.

*My mommy is more wonderful, comforting and amazing than YOUR mommy.

*Alexis is not a fan of the sock. Except perhaps the taste. But for purposes of covering the feet, she is over it. Over.It.

*If it's gonna be THIS cold, I'm gonna need some snow. It's only fair.

*Sophie just exited school wearing a pilgrim hat. I have fallen in love all over again.

*Two babies and one hungry 4yr old at Costco. I.Am.Brilliant.

*Also, the entire state of MI is here too. Along with THEIR hungry children. We are, by and large, a brilliant state.

*LOVE having friends that listen.

*Dear Jesus, please come soon, this world is an ugly place.

*Dear Fancy New Pan, non stick my eye. Not so much love, Me

*The Mayhem guy from those insurance commercials is stinkin hilarious. Watching my HUSBAND watch the ads, even funnier.

*jytffuyfgiygogihyikj;poihhygfjughhjpo

*CAUTION: never leave your laptop where little hands can reach.

*I can tell when my man has somethin up his sleeve ... I just can never tell what it is. It's at once aggravating and exciting. I love his heart~

*It's officially Thanksgiving break. I will now spend the next 5 days praying my kids don't kill each other. Join me, won't you?

*The Christmas cards have been printed. I feel the need to put an pair of reading glasses in every envelope. Oops... That's some tiny print!

*Sophie and Eli are running circles around the coffee table and squealing in tones only dogs can hear.

*Hallmark is already showing Christmas movies ... SO happy! My girls have fallen in love with Eloise at Christmas Time. YES!!!

*Sometimes losing what you THOUGHT you wanted so badly, turns out to be very freeing. AND it can open the door for something you never KNEW you really wanted.

*Yes, that was more than 140 characters ... that is what we call a "tweet longer" in the twitterverse.

*Julie Andrews is amazing. Like, really, really amazing.

*Hattie got in trouble today for not going to circle time - she ran when Mrs R tried to talk to her. I asked her why she didn't go and she...

*... looked at me and said "Mrs R wanted to play chase. I had to run! it was FUN!!!!" Nice spinnin Bill Clinton. (Note: work on honesty!)

*We have some big choices to make. Praying for God to open the door we should go through. And hang neon signs & arrows on it too.

*It's a good thing Bible study is cancelled for tonight cause the video is taking a sweet forever to download.

*So ... forgetting milk at Costco was not my best move. Cause now someone has to go to the grocery. On Tuesday before T-giving.

*Literally, seconds after I typed that hubbs texted me "getting gas at costco, do we need anything?" He reads my mind.

*Which means Hubbs is on his way home.

*Which means I better start dinner.

*Which means it's time to wrap up this edition if TWOGGin Tuesday!

*Try it, you'll like it!

Did I Tell You ...

2011-11-21T14:43:00.001-05:00

... that I started a photography site? No? Well I did ...

Morgan-Beverly, Abundant Image Photographer.

And I LOVE my new job!!!

Sorry for the assault on your corneas!!

Let me know if YOU need pictures - I make deals with friends!

Dreaming

2011-11-19T09:20:00.000-05:00

Today my little family and I are going to look at some houses ... again.

So far I have fallen in love with two homes, only to have them snatched off the market before we could jump. One of the dangers of looking too soon I suppose.

A few people have suggested we stop looking until we are closer to the end of our lease, but we press on. We know that there is a chance of the process taking a LONG time with so many bank owned and short sales in our area.

This afternoon we will be looking at two such properties ... in our desired neighborhood. One is prettier on the outside but smaller and would take more work. The other is NOT as pretty on the outside but bigger inside and a better yard. From the pictures online, the second house looks like it will need work cosmetically - but I aint skeered, as long as it is structurally sound!

Now, I know that this might NOT be our house, but you tell me - just for Saturday morning kicks - what YOU would do to make this house pretty...

Ready... set ... GO!

Conversations

2011-11-18T13:09:00.001-05:00

I love chatting with my girls ... and, y'all, please note that I DID say girlS ... as in plural. Cause Hattie is really starting to communicate. And, as in all things, she does it in her own way and on her own terms. Bless her!

A few days ago Hattie brought home a note telling me she had had a rough morning. In fact, it said that she had hit someone. So I asked HER what happened and told her to tell me why she had hit. I immediately recognized that she had something to say, but struggled for the words with which to say it. But, lately, she has found her OWN way to press through such situations, so I knew just what to do. I grabbed some scrap paper and a pen and asked her to show me. She jumped at the offer and set to work, drawing many stick figures, a few letters here and there and a whole lot of emotions.

Within about five minutes she came to me with her pictures and I asked her, again, to tell me what happened. She pointed at the first picture and told me the whole story. Just like she explained, using pictures, how she broker her collar bone, her day at the zoo, how Big Bird found himself in a cage ... and blue, and why she wanted to go to the park. She has learned to draw her emotions out and then use the pictures to tell us what she needs us to know.

Have I mentioned that this child is stinkin AMAZING?! I was discussing it with my sweet friend Dedra this morning (she has been my shoulder, prayer warrior and BFF in this autism walk. I LOVE her dearly!!) and told her that I used to be afraid I was not strong or wise enough to lead Hattie ... now I find myself wondering if I am worthy of sitting back, following and watching her sprout wings and fly. Cause I am certain that God has a plan for this one. Oh, how He will use her. IF she lets Him ... Lord, please let me lead her to You so she WILL let herself be used by You.

She is also pretty stinkin funny. She loves to pretend, make things up and change the stories she already knows to make us giggle. I have been told that imagination is rare with her diagnosis - they pretty much like the black, white and certain. Hattie likes adventure and the great unknown. Heaven HELP me!!!

Now, SOPHIE - girlie has NEVER been one to lack for a voice. She has been a "talker" since birth, pretty much. She, too, is funny and inventive and clever. And she cracks us up! All.the.time.

She also has NO problem telling us what she does and does not like. THIS can be not so much fun ... we need to work on her, shall we say, delivery. I have often picked her up from school and, when asked what she did today, has told me "I told my teachers no". Yeah ... ummm ... STOP THAT!

Sophie also likes to plan ahead. When we are on our way anywhere, she is already planning out conversations in her head. On the way to church she sits in her seat saying things like "I'm gonna ask Mrs Becky where Mrs Sue is" (she has only recently realized that the two ladies - who look NOTHING alike - are not the same person!), "I need to tell Mr Darcy to look at my pretty hair" (she crushes on Mr Darcy), "I'm gonna ask Mrs Mary 'where's Caleb and Cassie' ", "I want to ask Mr Andy what's his favorite color"...

When in an unfamiliar situation, her "go-to" conversation starters are "what's your name?" and "what's your favorite color?" They serve her well with cashiers, waiters/waitresses, random strangers and friends in a pinch.

She does love to talk.

One more instance in which my sweet girls prove just how polar opposite they truly are. We have our work cut out for us with these two ... but isn't God just so sweet to lead us on such an adventure?

But HOW?

2011-11-16T12:49:00.000-05:00

This is my absolute favorite time of year - the colors, the chill in the air (yes, sorry, the AZ girl LOVES the chill), the anticipation ... so much about fall becoming winter that makes my heart smile. And my heart rejoice. And my spirit wonder.

I LOVE that Thanksgiving comes before Christmas. Giving thanks before the Gift ... how many lessons we can learn from that. How many times have we lived it? We learn of a coming baby and we give thanks - long before we ever HOLD or SEE the baby we praise Him. Long before we breathe in that sweet baby breath we exalt Him for the life. Long before we get to lay finger on that soft flesh, we have planned out a life full of Him. Long before the gift, we offer thanks.

And, oh, when that baby comes - healthy and strong - we SURELY praise Him then! Or when we get the promotion, when we feel His protection, when we feel Him near ... we can thank Him then. Of course we can. It's easy, in these and other such instances, to give thanks for what we take from His hand and even for the not yet received. But that is not always the case. What about when life is hard? What about when life does NOT come? How do we give thanks THEN? Do we even try? We know we should ... but how?

When we receive a diagnosis, even the worst kind, we are called to praise Him ... but how?

Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:25-26

When we lose our income and the bills pile up, we are called to give thanks ... but how?

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. Philippians 4:12

When we feel alone and small we are called to exalt Him ... but how?

You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Psalm 32:7

When life is just stupid and hard and painful and disappointing and ... just ... blech, we are called to be thankful. Yes, even then ... but HOW?!

...Be still, and know that I am God... Psalm 46:10

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4)

When we face something which scares the life out of us, we are called to press on in faith and thanksgiving ... but how?

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still. Exodus 14:14 NIV
(the Message translation puts it this way: God will fight the battle for you. And you? You keep your mouths shut!)

I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. Psalm 18:32

And THAT is the key... not our strength, but HIS.

Not our provision, but HIS.

Not our promise ... oh, our promises are so futile ... but His.

Not our love, but His.

Not our life, but His.

We can give thanks when life is beginning. And all through the mucky middle. And even when it is ending ... because, in HIM, it IS just beginning. And, just like that brand new baby, a new life is reason for praise.

Especially life in HIM.

Gotta love....

2011-11-15T13:48:00.000-05:00

Friends that listen - even if it means reading between the lines in a text - and understand & encourage through life's junk. Thanks SuperModel!!!

The random text in the middle of the day that turns out to be JUST what you needed to hear ... read ... whatev! Today is was the PERFECT scripture for my next memory verse. Out of the blue. Just when I needed it. Thanks Mary!

That moment when you are at the limit and you tweet a distress signal threatening to DIVE into the Halloween candy and, literally, within seconds, there is a message telling you to grab some coffee, help (in the form of conversation with a real live adult!!!!) is on it's way. Thanks Hollie!!!!!

Knowing that God is present ... even in the midst of my junk ... and sometimes with skin on.

The Gift

2011-11-13T09:54:00.003-05:00

A few months ago I was given a gift. A book. I had heard so many good things about this book that I could not wait to dive in. But, life happens and it didn't quite happen that way. See, I was reading another book (one that took entirely too long to finish ... I used to be a fast reader, honest I did!) and was in the middle of an AMAZING Bible Study (Beth Moore's Breaking Free - the revised version!) - and I am STILL trying to process the words to tell you about that one, but let me just say GO! Do that study and do it NOW!

No, really. I'll wait.

Anyhoo ...

Where was I? Oh yes...

So, life got in the way and I did not get to read it right away. But the other day I picked it up and thought "I have a few days before the next study starts, I have time..." Little did I know.

The book is "One Thousand Gifts: A Dare To Live Fully Right Where You Are" by Ann Voskamp. Within the first few pages I realized that THIS is not the kind of book that one can just skim through. THIS is a book to be read slowly, intentionally and with great purpose. Every paragraph is a gift in and of itself. Her words lilt like music in a quiet room and take me to a place of complete worship in the presence of THE Gift. Truly, she is redefining the word "thankful" for me.

And y'all, I am only in chapter three!

And this is the chapter where she begins her list. A list of gifts ... a list of thanks. And so, I will begin mine.

But, this morning, as I sit in my pajamas missing church because me sweet Sophie has herself a little "Bieber" (that would be fever!), I have begun diving into the Word looking for and studying the instances of His gifts.

And, oh, what a giver of Gifts He is!

There's no comparison between that death-dealing sin and this generous, life-giving gift. The verdict on that one sin was the death sentence; the verdict on the many sins that followed was this wonderful life sentence. Romans 5:16 (Message)

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6:23 (NIV)

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Ephesians 2:8 (NLT)

And then I came to James and read this:

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. James 1:17 (ESV)

And I realize that THAT is the real gift. Not the things that we treasure here on earth - the things that wither and die, but the GIFT that does not change. You see, HE is not in the light where the shadows move and change and cloud and color our perception of what we think we know. No, He is not in the light ... He IS the light. And the light is never changing.

He was, He is and He shall ever be.

He is the I AM.

He is the answer to every need with a simple I AM ... you need a friend, He says I Am. You need provision, He says I Am. You need healing, he says I Am. You need love, OH, my friend, He says I Am. And you need saving (don't we all?), you need salvation ... he says I Am.

He says I Am.

And He is.

Oh, my friend, HE IS!

And, in those two words, in His I AM, we find the truest gift of all.

We find HIM!

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15 (NIV)

So, the very first gift on my list of one thousand (and maybe even more), is HIM ... the Great I AM!

Saturday Morning Happy Place

2011-11-12T12:47:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I was one day post migraine - and a double whammy migraine at that! I also had both babies AND an extra child for a couple hours AND Hattie was home all day. By the time everyone had left the house looked like it had imploded upon itself from the sheer weight of toys.

'Cause, oh sweet mercy, the toys they were a'plenty.

Add to that the fact that the kitchen had not gotten cleaned - really cleaned - all week and especially in the last few days.

And, can I just tell you, the load I had put in the washing machine on MONDAY, it was still in the washing machine. Still. And stinkin. (luckily it was white towels and the bleach, it will be flowing)

So, all that being said, when it came to the end of the day yesterday, hubby and I just looked at each other and said "forget it ... it'll be here tomorrow".

And, sadly, we were right.

I walked out of the bedroom this morning to a GINORMOUS mess.

Now, I am never one to tackle a huge task (or, ya know, a task of any size) first thing in the morning, so the girls and I had a lazy start while daddy slept in and we watched a movie. Through the movie I kept reminding them that we were going to have to do some big cleaning when it was over.

And, we did. We emptied out the toy box and all inner containers and started afresh. We sorted everything out, threw away some broken items and found a few things we had thought lost. We then vacuumed, dusted and swept. Hubbs joined the party by tidying up the kitchen and sorting things out there.

When it was all said and done - and the house resembled a HOUSE again - I started another movie for the girls. Meanwhile (before cleaning the kitchen floor), daddy decided to make use of the rest of our apple orchard apples and bake a pie. Sophie immediately abandoned us on the couch to help him.

Cause that girl is a fan of all things cooking.

a few minutes later I sat on the couch with Hattie and took in the moment:

Listening to Sophie baking with her daddy was like witnessing sunshine - her joy FILLED the room. Random giggles, thank you daddy's and her busting out in self applause found it's way across the room to my ears ... and my heart. The smells of cinnamon, nutmeg and apples exploding in flavor and yummy scent were icing on the cake.

Meanwhile, I sat on the comfy couch cuddled up with Hattie - who rested one hand in mine while her other arm encircled my shoulder with that hand caressing my face as we watched Barbie movies. Both as relaxed as we could be.

Now, as the sweet aroma of baking pie fills the house we are ALL FOUR piled up on the couch. Hubby holds remote in hand flipping back and forth between multiple football games as Hattie snuggles into the his side and moves his arm to hold her tighter. Sophie has curled up next to me and snuggled herself in so comfortably that she is now snoozing away, deep in slumber and snoring softly in my ear.

And, here, with the ones I love the most as close as can be, I have found my happy place.

If this particular moment in time never ends it will be more than OK with me.

11.11.11

2011-11-11T18:57:00.000-05:00

In honor of this once in a lifetime date (which totally cracks me up, cause ummmm, hello, 11.12.11 is only gonna happen once too, but where is everyone rushing to have their wedding and/or baby on THAT day?!), I thought I would tell you eleven things about me.

Oh ... wait ... three of you just left.

Totally understandable.

For the rest of you (HI MOMMY!!!), here we go!

1. I was a high school cheerleader ... when I was FOUR YEARS OLD! Yep. My babysitter's daughter was on the cheer squad and they decided they needed a mascot. I won! Went they all ran out on the basketball court between quarters to do their cartwheels and flips, I took a wee pillow out there and stood on my head. Kinda. Only one foot up in the air.

Y'all ... I was FULL of the cheerleading skill.

2. In school, when we did those presidential fitness exams and we had to do the laps around the football field, I PAYED people to walk with me so I a) would NOT have to run and b) would not be walking in last by myself.

And now, at the ripe old age of 43, I actually crave running. CRAVE it. Like, am lost without it.

3. I am slightly (read: out of my ever lovin MIND) excited about the new Muppet Movie! Cause, y'all, I am a Muppet FREAK! I have every one of their movies on DVD and the girls and I watch them all the time.

4. When I was little, we had the soundtrack of the original movie ... on 8 track. Yes we did!

'Cause how else were we supposed to listen to it ... on the BOAT?!

(yeah, you know you wanted to be as cool as we were with 8 track players in our house, our car AND our boat ... Mm Hm ... yesiree!)

5. When I was little I wanted to be Laura Ingalls. I made my mom make me a dress and bonnet so I could be her for Halloween.

6. A few years later it was Barbara Mandrell. Loved her then and still do - what an amazing Christian woman. My mom and I went to Nashville to see her very last concert ever. One of my very best memories ever. We had a blast!

7. I have been to Hawaii three times - once for my senior trip after high school (yes, I was that spoiled - but to be fair, I didn't get the lettermen's jacket or any of that junk, so....), once with an old room mate and once with my grandma - we went on a cruise around the islands. I learned to play the ukulele and to hula and I went para-sailing. EPIC!

8. I am obsessed with grape tootsie roll pops. I enjoy raspberry, cherry, chocolate and chocolate, but I am in LOVE with the grape. In.LOVE. To the point that when Hubby brought home the Halloween candy to pass out I was very tempted to have a hissy fit that it was not the tootsie roll mix. Also, I begged borrowed and stole (yes, I did - head hung low) to get a grand total of six this year.

Well, seven if you count the one that Amanda brought me on Monday.

Have I mentioned that Amanda is my favorite?

9. I have recently learned of the existence of a Christmas tootsie roll pop ... it's peppermint. I.must.find.this. Seriously. I need to try this ... especially if it, in any way, resembles the taste of peppermint mocha coffee.

10. Coffee is my friend.

for realz.

And it's your friend too if you need me to function too early in the morning.

for really, REALLY realz.

11. I am BEYOND proud to be an American and am sooooo thankful for every single person who has ever served our country.

Especially THIS one.

SO proud of my handsome veteran!

OK, your turn!

GO!

Thankful On A Thursday

2011-11-10T14:31:00.000-05:00

It's Thursday. I have a migraine. So, ya know, gonna make a list.

(but hey, I AM blogging ... 10 days straight. Feels good.)

So, continuing on with our 30 Days of Thanks theme, here are days 6-10)

6: I am thankful for technology. It may sound nerdy, but since I couldn't go to church on Sunday, I was VERY thankful that I could do church online and worship with my computer library! LOVE!

7: I am thankful for my health. Honestly, who would have EVER thought I would be running multiple miles a day ... in my ever lovin FORTIES?!?!?! Thank You LORD!

8: I am thankful for coffee. Do I need to say more? (cause that time change thang, it is harsh ... Benjamin Franklin is NOT on my happy list at the moment!)

9: I am thankful for allergy meds. Heaven only knows how bad my ears (and migraines) would be without them. Also thankful for them for Sophie - poor baby may never know a clear nasal passage. SO inspired by the way she is still the happiest, most joy filled person I know. LOVE that kid!

10 TODAY, I am thankful for praying friends. In particular the lovely women in my Thursday morning Bible study group who prayed me through THIS Thursday morning! LOVE these women!

So, tell me, what are YOU thankful for?!

Let's TWOG

2011-11-09T16:51:00.001-05:00

***Well - haven't I just been on my little soap box lately! I think it might be time to lighten things up around here!!!

So, today, I think I shall TWOG it ... that would be bloggin it twitter style!

Here we go!!!!!!***

Hubs was gonna clean the kitchen last night. The sink still overflows. As does my heart for this man. And so, I shall forgive him......

Y'all, that is some mad serious love.

Today I am thankful for allergy meds. Lord help my poor ears without it!

I admit I have already worn a Christmas T-shirt & watched Christmas movies. But the Christmas commercials are already gettin old. Too soon people, much too soon.

coffee ... air ... coffee ... air ... coffee ... air ... coffee ... air ...

I think society, as a whole, owes Lindsay Lohan an apology. I also think she needs a mama. Perhaps Mrs Duggar?

The Compassion Ecuador trip blog posts are wrecking me. WRECKING ME. Lord Jesus, come.

When, as one walks across the kitchen floor, one loses a sock in the sticky, it may be time for one to mop said floor. Or time for one to avoid that particular spot on said floor.

Veggie Tales: Rack, Shack & Benny ... yep. still good.

New House Requirement No. 432: must have spot for comfy chair in corner where I can leave my Bible open and ready at all times.

Just played the word "sith" in words with friends. This move brought to you by Anakin Skywalker. (also, I had to google how to spell Anakin)

I could watch Sophie Lee dance all.day.long. Girlfriend has some sweet moves. She is currently doing the worm. To the Veggie Tales. Sweet.

We know what we have learned applies to our life today, God has a lot to say in His Book....

Listening to the rain and REALLY wishing I had gotten up this morning to run. Stupid belly ache.

sending Hubby cryptic text messages using emoticons and pictures. Trying to imagine his face as he tries to figure out the message! FUN!

Someone needs to scare the pinterest website server ... it has the hiccups ... again.

Sophie (4) is trying to play hide and seek with Alexis (15months). Very entertaining for me. Very fun for Alexis. Very frustrating for Sophie.

There is one stubborn rose on my bush out front. Stubborn enough to survive the frost and cold and go from bud to bloom while the other buds froze to death.

I love that God gives gifts of beauty to teach us strength and fortitude.

hypothetical house shopping (like on House Hunters) is much more fun than ACTUAL house hunting - especially when time & money rule out the ones I love most.

HGTV and DIY are starting to make me think I can turn a dive into a castle. Hubby may have something to say about that. Since he will be doing the actual "turning into".

Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace. Love classics.

Whatever happened to Charro?

I googled her ... she's fine. Living in Hawaii. Or Vegas. Her website wasn't sure. And I have just revealed to the world wide web that yes, I AM a moron.

And "moron" is to be read in a Reba accent ... moe-RON. Say it right y'all! Say it right!

God is gonna rock my world with this James study ... I can already tell. Mercy, it's good. MERCY! It.Is.GOOD.

Naptime ... nuff said.

Shhhhh ... do you hear that? ME EITHER! Isn't it GREAT?!

Hubby just texted back a smiley face. I could judge, but hey .. HE TEXTED! Never thought I would say THAT!

MAN, he is one cute fella. I think I have a little crush on him. SHould I tell him?

Seriously y'all ... God is good. I really hope you KNOW that. REALLY!

rainy days should be mandatory nap days.

I'm a little angry with Kate Middleton for this whole pantyhose resurgence. Why Kate? WHY?!

(FYI - that one started quite the conversation on the actual Twitter ... one in which a total stranger told me I had no class and to call the "wah-mbulance". Cause, ya know, calling out a total stranger on THEIR class says SO much about your own!!! LOL!)

I need Mexican food. Yes, yes I did say NEED.

I am reading Ann Voskamp's "1000 Gifts" - it is TOTALLY redefining gratitude, grace and joy for me. SO good.

(OK, seriously, Candace Cameron Bure (DJ from Full House) just joined in the conversation about the pantyhose ... Y'all!!!! She re-tweeted my tweet. WHA?!?!?!?!?)

Why does watching Biggest Loser make me want to eat? It is all I can do to NOT head to the fridge right now!

SO thankful for good friends! So Blessed!

Also thankful for laughter - especially the spray water across the room, lost the ability to breathe, just cannot quit and , yes, even snort variety. Love it!

Soph woke up grumpy. Alexis did too. Hattie had a rough day at school. NO one here is happy right now. I may need chocolate. And possibly a margarita.

Net to the flix to the rescue. We may just survive the day.

Hubby just texted me a picture of flowers. Glad he loves me.

SOMEONE here needs to start dinner. Guess since I'm the only one who can reach the dials on the stove it's up to me. ***sigh***

Good worship music is the best pick me up EVER. God is so ... SO ... so faithful.

*** so, there ya go ... a day in the life. I kinda like to TWOG! Maybe we'll do it again sometime!***

Be Careful ....

2011-11-08T14:58:00.000-05:00

I have a friend who is hurting. Hurting in one of those senseless, needless CAREless kind of situations. The kind that could have ... and SHOULD have ... been avoided at all costs.

Someone made a choice - a choice to look. Then to look again.

That person made another choice - a choice to THINK. And to imagine. To go THERE in the mind.

Then he made the choice to act. And act again.

And these choices led to pain. To loss. To destruction. To brokenness ... not to brokenness of this person, but brokenness of dreams, lives, families (yes ... familIES! plural), careers and so much more.

Brokenness of hearts and trust and love and home.

And the thing is, it didn't just happen. It never just happens. It is a series of events, choices and changes.

You make a promise and draw a line. The intention is to never even veer toward that line. But it happened. They did. They were never (WE were never) meant to even look at or consider that line. But they did. And they certainly never set out to CROSS that line ... but it happened. They did.

One choice, one thought, one look, one tiny movement toward that line at a time. And before they knew it, they were on the other side.

I know we ALL would like to think that our marriages are solid and strong. And that the love will last. But it will not happen with out intention. Without choices. Without care.

Be CAREful ... it's a slippery slope. It happens gradually. Over time. And then, in a moment, there you are.

It's a slow fade...

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
Daddies never crumble in a day
Families never crumble in a day

It's a Slow Fade.

Be CARE-ful.

The Day She Got Broken

2011-11-07T14:41:00.001-05:00

I have always dreaded the phone calls from school. Really, ANY phone call from school in the middle of the day is never a good thing.

Hi Mrs B, this is Ms C - Hattie is sick. Come and get her.

Hey there, Hattie is having a rough day.

Hi ... ummm, did you forget Hattie's lunch today? (yes, sad to say I HAVE gotten that one!)

I hate to tell you this but Hattie missed the bus. (do not even get me started on this one!!!)

But the one I have dreaded the most is the "Hi Mrs. B ... Hattie is OK, but............"

Cause, really, she is either OK or there is a "but". Ya just cannot have it both ways. It don't work!

And, the weirdest part of the day it happened is that I didn't even GET the phone call. Because everyone thought she was fine. At least until the bus hit that bump.

But I digress, let's start at the beginning:

Hattie was at school and the day was normal. She had actually had a very good day. So, when time to leave approached and it was time to get ready for the bus, Hattie did so without issue. Now, in her program, not all of the children CAN get ready on their own. So, this day they put on a little video to make the process run a little smoother. Hattie was among the first ready so she sat on a chair to watch TV. But Hattie has a bad habit of tipping in her chair. And on this day, every warning she had ever been given about falling out of her chair, came to pass.

Her teachers ran to her aid, got her some ice and moved her to the bean bag (her usual cool down spot). But Hattie couldn't see the TV from the bean bag so she declared herself all better and moved back to the TV area with no other complaints.

But, somewhere between the classroom and our front door something went awry. She cried a little when they put her belt over her shoulder (the special needs bus comes with carseat like 5 point harness things - which they had been looking into moving her out of anyway because it was too tight). And she REALLY started crying when the bus hit a particularly big bump.

I watched the bus pull up outside and, as I opened the front door, I heard her crying. I knew immediately that it was an "I'm in pain" cry. When I got to the bus and saw her pale face and the fact that she refused to move her left arm, I knew we were in trouble. So, off we headed to the emergency room.

As it happens (by the Grace of God), the girls had watched a show just that morning in which a character had to be taken to the hospital and given an x-ray. By this point she was calm and had started to mover her arm slightly, but I could SEE a bump and knew that it was either broken or dislocated. After I all but BEGGED them to check it out, a nice young man came to escort us to the big machines. And Hattie happily marched down the hall declaring "I'm gonna get an x-ray! I'm gonna get an x-ray!" And, because they had portrayed it rather well on TV, she was not at all afraid of the machines and things went as smooth as silk! PRAISE HIM!

Once the break was confirmed and I managed to refrain myself from telling everyone in the place I TOLD YA SO!, we were given a sling and sent on our merry way. And now, two and a half weeks later, I can hardly keep her IN that sling and she seems stronger every day. The first week or so was rough - trying to keep her from certain activities, hugs gone wrong, forgetfully pushing herself up, etc ..., but we got through it all and seem to be well on our way to recovery.

Have I ever mentioned that the resiliency that this child is Blessed with amazes me every single day? She is incredible and I am so proud to be her mama and to witness the beauty that is her strength! I know that strength will serve her well ... because I KNOW that God has big plans for her.

I cannot wait to see her become who He created her to be.

Home

2011-11-06T16:06:00.000-05:00

The word "home" ... I think it may mean something a little bit different to every one of us. But, no matter what visions that it conjures up in your head, I can only imagine they are powerful. I mean, really, just think of the phrases that come to mind ...

Sweet Home Alabama (OK, fess up, who else just had Reese Witherspoon's face pop into your head? Yeah, me too.)

A man's home is his castle

Home is where the heart is

Home sweet home

Home for Christmas...

And, maybe that one, combined with our current circumstances as a family and the season that has begun to come around again, is why I am so desperate for "home" lately. Maybe I feel the need to put the Christmas tree in the same spot we do every year, hang the stockings in the same way (maybe even put up some PERMANENT hooks to hang them on EVERY year!), put up the nativity in the usual spot and be sure that the village is just the way it always is (until I convince Hubby to buy me just a few more pieces again this year). But here, in this house we rent - although we have done all we can to make it a home, we still strive for the tradition that comes with "home".

And, as anyone in my family can attest to, I am a girl bent on tradition.

Traditions ... they're just a natural consequence of home.

That last Christmas in the last place we called HOME was perfection. Sure, we had to dig out old forgotten toys and wrap them up for gifts (the kids had no idea - Sophie had never seen them and Hattie had only known them for a few weeks before the LAST time we had moved). Yes, we were in the midst of sorting through and packing up to move. And, no, we did not have ANY money for anything extra for mom & dad. But it was sweet - sweet, because the tree was decorated just the way I liked it, the village upon the mantle sparkled, the nativity outside lit up just right and the house - as always - still smelled of the birthday cake we had just baked for Baby Jesus.

Yes, it was HOME.

And this will be our third Christmas spent without a true sense of home.

But, this year we can see a light at the end of the tunnel. We have built our financial status back up, put our ducks back in their proverbial row and have learned that - at last - we can begin to make a home for ourselves again. And so the search is on for a house to make into a "home". There is a little bit more time left on our lease here so we have just been "feeling the market out" ... at least that was the plan. But, when you are desperate for a "home", that's easier said than done. And, every time we see one we like, only to watch it be filed under that label of "pending", home feels just a bit further away.

This unknown is not for the faint of heart.

But then, I suppose, that is where faith comes in. Because FAITH tells me that this world - this "unknown" - is not my home. FAITH teaches me that this world is just a vapor when placed against the promise of eternity. Just a blink of an eye - gone in a moment.

And, then, in that moment, we will truly be HOME. And that HOME - that place in eternity that we were created for - that HOME will never end.

So, I guess I could choose to let the lost feeling in the unknown pull me down and drag me under.

Or, I could cling to the safety that comes with the Promise of my true HOME.

So, as long as I am here in this unknown, I will cling to the glimpses of the promise that He has given to see me through...

My husband - as long as I have him I can make a home anywhere.

My children - oh, the promise that I see in them.

His provision - we DO have a house to live in, even if it is not ours to create a "home" in.

Hope - hope that we will have a house to call "home" someday soon.

HIM - and the True Promise of our True HOME.

And, in that Promise, there is rest and peace and comfort and love ... all the things that "home" should mean.

HE is my HOME.

Thankful

2011-11-05T20:05:00.000-04:00

I have noticed friends on facebook and twitter playing a game (not really a game, but you get me...) every November celebrating 30 Days of Thanks. I have always wanted to play along, but seeing as how I lack (sorely) in the follow through department, I never have actually, ya know, followed through.

But this year I AM going to play.

I've already started on the other social media ~~obsessions~~ sites, so now I shall start here on the ol blog!

Now, this is the 5th, so I have some catching up to do....

1. I am thankful for my husband. Lord only knows what that man sees in me, or why the Lord saw fit to Bless my life with someone so wonderfulm but I am NOT complaining! Blessed is what I am. Extremely Blessed!

2. I am thankful for my children. My boys (and sweet daughter in love) - brought to me through the gift of my marriage. And my girls - brought to me through the gift of adoption. All brought to US through the gift of Grace ... so Blessed!

3. I am thankful for my fRamily (yes, that IS how you spell it!!) - friends you love like family and family you would choose for friends. So many people have seen us through this life so well. We are Blessed indeed.

4. I am thankful for food to eat - yesterday I was watching Beth Moore on Life Today and, of course, taking notes (TOTAL note taker here!). As her portion of the show was ending and I was finishing writing stuff down, Sophie came into the room. They had moved on to show some of the children that their ministry strives to save - children literally dying of hunger and the diseases they are too weak to fight off, due to their hunger. I looked at my daughter - the one who loves food ... cooking, preparing, serving and eating it, LOVES food! - and saw that she was STARING at the television in awe and wonder at what she was seeing. She asked me what was wrong with those babies, so I told her that they do not have enough food to eat, they are very hungry and it is making them VERY sick. We talked about it for a few minutes - no honey, they don't HAVE grocery stores or McDonald's or even a wal mart. Nope. They just don't have food like we do. She looked up at me and told me that it made her heart want to cry. Later, when we were praying at breakfast she asked if she could pray for the sick babies on the tebelision. So we did. And I begged God in that moment to NEVER let her know that hunger ... but to PLEASE give her a heart that WANTS to understand. A heart that loves and wants to serve others. The hands and feet of Jesus. I pray she never forgets what she learned in our king sized bed in the warm, dry house where cabinets overflow with all that we need to survive.

5. Today I am thankful for my camera and the little bit of financial assistance that it affords our family. Those children of ours - Steven, Chris & Mindy, will NEVER know the dream that the Christmas gift sparked in me and how it is NOW a tool to help us all out while I am able to capture memories for OTHER families. As well as our own. BLESSED.

So ... what are YOU thankful for?

One of THOSE Days

2011-11-04T17:10:00.000-04:00

You know the one. The one that beats you down and attempts to leave you twistin in the wind.

(note: I have always wanted to use the expression "twistin in the wind" ... one slightly twisted advantage to THOSE days.)

I wish I could pin point where the day started heading south. I wish I could make that connection and pop something up in the bulletin board of my mind in big red letters:

WARNING: AVOID ______ AT ALL COSTS!!

Then I would know how to keep from having THOSE days.

But I don't know when it started. I can't tell you why it happens. And, I am not able to pin point and thus avoid the trigger. And that stinks.

But maybe I am not supposed to know.

MAYBE, I am not supposed to avoid those trigger points.

Because maybe, if I did know and could avoid and were able to stay happy all the time, maybe that would not be really living.

Maybe we are supposed to have THOSE days.

Maybe we are meant to be reminded that this is not what it is all about.

Reminded that I am not supposed to float through my day in some 50's sitcom bubble in which my house is clean, my hair is done, pearls adorn my neck and my legs look rockin between the perfect puffy skirt and the 4inch heels.

Reminded that SOME days the junk is supposed to pile high on the kitchen table. I am supposed to barely make it through my 4:20a.m. workout. I am meant to stay in the workout clothes all day long, thus smelling my not so fresh self all.day.long. And maybe I'm supposed to run my tongue across my teeth at 4:58pm and realize that I never even brushed my teeth today.

(note: you may now feel free to pray for my husband)

Maybe THOSE days exsist to remind us that this thing called life is NOT about us. We are not here to be comfy and cute and safe and ... well, SELFISH.

Maybe, just maybe, I am meant to be reminded that I need Him. That His mercies - the new every morning ones that we sing about on Sunday morning - are needed MORE than just every morning. Sometimes we need them every five minutes. Sometimes we find ourselves on our knees, calling out for those mercies from the depths of our souls all.day.long. Maybe that is just where He wants us and we just need to be reminded sometimes.

Yeah ... it's been one of THOSE days.

Thank You Lord. Let me use THIS day ... and all of THOSE days ... to Your great fame!

A Whole Lotta Random

2011-11-03T14:50:00.001-04:00

So, it's been a while since we chatted. How are ya internet?

(silence)

OK, I'll start... Let's talk about what we've been up to, shall we?

The girls are all settled in at school - Hattie is mainstreaming in the 1st grade! FIRST GRADE PEOPLE! What?! Yeah! She a couple hours at one school and is then transported to another school where she spends the rest of her day in her AI classroom. She is doing SO well and making us so proud! It is truly a miracle watching the way she just grows and grows. God is so good!

Sophie is in preschool and LOVING it. The only things she doesn't seem to like about it are the facts that she only goes twice a week and there is no bus to take her there. In fact, the preschool is housed in our church and I actually considered asking them if someone could just drive the church van on over to pick her up for school! She gets ornery when that bus takes Hattie away and she has to get in the car with her mama! Other than that, she is in bliss and thinks she is hot stuff!

Hubby is a busy man - busier that he has ever been. He has been working overtime and is still running the sound ministry at church. And, now, on top of all that he is now a Deacon. Given the fact that he has SUCH an amazing work ethic, he is really dedicating himself to all of these areas - as well as to his family. I am so proud of who he is. I have NO idea why in the world God ever decided I was worthy of a man like him, but I am NOT complaining! Boy howdy, I do love that feller!

As for me, I am just trying to keep schedules organized, people where they need to be and makin sure they have clean clothes on when they get there. I have also managed to get a wee little photography gig off and running too. This fall has been BUSY so far. The house is a MESS and things are crazy, but I wouldn't change a thing! I am having a ball and doing what I love!

I do have some stories to tell ... but that can wait.

See ya tomorrow!

A Princess, a Cat and Two Things ... Oh MY!

2011-11-02T17:07:00.000-04:00

For MONTHS Hattie has told me she wanted to be the Cat in The Hat. MOTNTHS - 11.5 months to be precise. If not 12. She may have even started telling me as we were removing that Tigger costume LAST Halloween. She was pretty set on it.

Sophie, on the other hand, has changed HER mind no less than 12 times, but always came back to a pirate (which is what she was last year). I searched high and low for a "acceptable" outfit. We had squeezed her into a toddler outfit last year and it was sweet. But, this year she was going to need a child's size.

And, y'all, let me tell you that child size girl pirate costumes are NOT for children.

I'm sorry, I wanted a pirate outfit ... not a pirate's HO! (sorry, it is what it is!)

I looked EVERYWHERE! And, aside from the Jack Black/Official Disney/Sorry Kid, But Ya Might Wanna Go To College Someday/Ridonculously Expensive costumes, there was just not much acceptable for an actual CHILD to wear! But I persevered people, I was one determined mama.

And then, there in the Christmas Tree Shoppe ... on the last picked through costume rack standing ... there it was. There was a boy in the costume on the package, but it could work for a girl and it was less than $10.

And the angels sang.

But as we made our way to the cashier, Soph dropped a bomb shell.

"Mama, I don't wanna be a pirate. I wanna be a princess. I think we need to find a REEEEAAALLLY pretty, sparkly dress. OK?!"

Ummmm, sweetie, we have eleventy seven pretty dresses at home, what's say we wear one of them?

(here is where my future years as a mother of teenage girls flashed before my eyes and I, once again, begged Jesus to return before that happens)

"UGH! Moooooooom! (eyes rolling, arms folding, attitude flinging) .... **long drawn out pause** ... welllll, OK, but it BETTER be sparkly!"

And on the way home she informed me that she did not want to be just ANY princess. NO, she wanted to be Rapunzel. Blonde hair and all.

My olive skinned, brunette, curly headed baby wanted to be the chic with the long, straight, blonde hair.

Well, allrighty then...

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you

A Princess, A Cat and Two Things!!!

Seriously, how different does she look as a blonde?!

Rapunzel dance - complete with singing at the top of her lungs in the front yard!

Cat dance ... notice arm in the sling ... yeah, she is broken!)

(Soph cracks herself up! LOL)

Snow White, in our story, will be played by the lovely Cassie Marie!

Jumping out of her skin as the hand in the bowl both moved and spoke as she reached in for her goodies!

No Cat would be complete without her Thing 1 & Thing 2 companions, would she?!

They are OFF!!!!!

This pic was taken on the way to trick or treating ... kinda spooky and totally appropriate for Halloween, is it not?!

See ya tomorrow!!!

It's a BLOG FEST Y'all!

2011-11-02T16:36:00.001-04:00

OK, gotta tell ya that I am just a wee bit (i.e. a hole bunch) ashamed of how long it's been since I last blogged ... but not anymore.

I am joining sweet Hollie and lovely Lindsee Lou and participating in the November Blog Fest!!

This means that I will vow to blog once a day for the month of November.

Ummm, that is a LOT of bloggin y'all.

Like, a LOT, a lot.

Mercy.

OK ... I already am a day short since I didn't know about this thang til today. oops! So, today I will post twice.

Stay tuned for some fun Halloween pics.

I know, you are on the edge of your seats ... all 2 of ya.

(i crack me up)

See ya soon!

Dear Food Network ...

2011-09-02T16:03:00.001-04:00

I would like to introduce you to the future winner of The Next Food Network Star ...

Her name is Sophie Lee and she has been an avid chef since the age of three (in other words, for the last few weeks). She loves to work with fruits and vegetables, but balances it out nicely with cheeses, meats and breads - she likes a well rounded meal. Her favorite Chefs are Giada, The Barefoot Countessa and Paula Deen. She has studied under them through her entire career.

Perhaps you would like to see her in action.

Welcome to Sophie - the Small Chef! Today we will be whipping up our famous all inclusive meal - this dish has EVERYTHING! And, I promise, you are going to LOVE it! Let's get started!

First we are going to peel a banana. Be careful of those strings - they are yuck!

Place your banana in a bowel - now I have already lined the bowl with some elegant crackers and the finest cheese (AKA all the ingredients of a Lunchable).

Now we are gonna add some grapes to the mix. I love the sweetness that grapes bring to a dish ... and I REALLY like the way they squirt! Especially if you chew them with your mouth open!

(what? Hello ... I'm THREE!!)

Plus, it is REALLY fun to pull them off the branches!

Oh ... wait ... I forgetted, We have to cut the banana up first. Please be safe and use a completely dull plastic knife ... especially if you are under the age of four.

Now, this is important ... NEVER forget to take a few bites while you are preparing your dish. (I learned that part from my mama!)

And ALWAYS share with your sister ... and try to ignore the fact that she is wearing a leotard that is approximately 12 sizes too small. Don't laugh, she thinks she looks bootiful!)

(HEY! YOU! Quiet on the set!!!)

**Mommy Editorial: Please also ignore the fact that she is in SERIOUS need of a haircut and that neither of them have had their hair combed - hair and makeup did NOT fit in the budget**

OK, now we are gonna chest the apple (TRANSLATION: Zest the apple). This adds flavor and color to our dish. It is the perfect completion of our preparations.

There ya go!

Try it! It's YUMMY!!!

Thanks for cooking with me ... see ya next time y'all!!! (I learned that part from Paula Deen!)

So Food Network - what do you think? Let me guess, you are just dying to sign her up and pay for her college education. Am I right? Well, that would just be swell! Thanks!

Easter 2011 - Lead Me To The Cross

2011-04-25T11:06:00.006-04:00

This year Easter hit me like a ton of bricks. I processed it in ways I never had before. I am still processing it and plan and putting some of those thoughts down on this blogisphere, but that will be another day.

For today, I just want to share how we celebrated the day. Because it was a GOOD day ...

We started off with baskets ...
... of COURSE!
They dug into that candy so fast my head spun!
Then the sugar kicked in and THEIR heads were spinning!
The bunny brought some bling this year!
Which was a hit.
Then we stepped outside to take some pictures in their Easter dresses.

Sophie, of course, hammed it up for the camera.
While Hattie, of course, tried to avoid it at all costs.

Then we headed off to church. But BEFORE we left, we had a mini-church session at home.

At breakfast, I was trying to explaing what Easter really means to the girls. I told that, while the bunny is fun and brings good loot, the real reason we celebrate Easter is because of Jesus. I explained how Jesus had gone to the cross and died so that we could be forgiven of our sins. And then, the following conversation took place at our kitchen table"

Mommy: THEN, on Easter, Jesus came back to life! He was alive again!

Sophie: Why?

Mommy: So that WE can live again after WE die. Jesus took away our sins so that WE can go to Heaven too.

Sophie: Heaven? Just like Auntie Paula?

Mommy: Yes, Honey, JUST like Auntie Paula!

Sophie: YAY! I want to go to Heaven TOO!!!

And, as my mommy heart grew elevnty-seven sizes, I wiped my tears and bowed my knees and asked God to give me whatever it would take to fan that tiny flame into the full blown wild fire of True Salvation.

My truest quest and greatest mission field in this life is right here in my home. I want my children - all four of them - to know Him and to find His salvation to be True. If I can live my life to beat a path for them to follow that leads to the Cross of Jesus, I will have done what I was born to do.

Lord Jesus, let it be. Let.It.BE.

As we were leaving church I remembered that the wall out front has a cross on it and I took the girls there to take pictures, so that I could remember the day and that sweet conversation. Sophie was hungry and tired and grumpy, so could barely be bothered to stand there long, but as I took this picture, I prayed a song that has become a sweet favorite of mine.

Lead me to the cross, where Your love poured out.
Bring me to my knees, Lord I lay me down.
Rid me of myself, I belong to You.
O lead me ...

Lead me to the Cross!

Project 365 - Week 16

2011-04-17T14:26:00.004-04:00

OK, I am just gonna save you the agony of havin to sit through over a month's worth of pictures (but, yes, I took them!!) and start with this last week. If you really want your eyeballs to bleed, the pics will be up on Facebook.

OK, here we go....
Sunday: This sweet face was my wake-up call. Gotta love an alarm clock like that!**

Monday: Hattie's first day of official Kindergarten. She was sooooo excited!

Tuesday: No babies today. And, with Hattie at school, it was just Sophie and me. So, we had ourselves a little date. Library, shopping and lunch! What a blast!**

Still Tuesday, but I LOVE this picture!!!**

**(Sunday and Tuesday's pics brought to you by my trusty cell phone!)

Wednesday: This is the kind of mommy I am. She hates writing ALMOST as much as I hate her hitting habit recently.
(So much change, so fast, with school seems to be a bit overwhelming for this sweet girl. This was only one of a FEW such notes she had to write this week. Poor thing.)

Thursday: Our Bible Study group had a celebration because one of our sweet girls finished her last round of weekly chemo this last week. And, we LOVE our Kim!!!

Friday: Slumber Party! Here they are dancing to one of the songs in the movie Despicable Me! They had a BALL!

Saturday: This sweet little girl's mommy and daddy are gettin married! And, I get the sweet job of photographing their big day. This was the day of the wedding shower, so we took a little practice run.

They are gonna be SO.MUCH.FUN. to photograph!

Thank you sweet Sara for hosting us ... LOVING this fun project!

So, how was YOUR week?

H and the Big K

2011-04-12T13:46:00.009-04:00

Yesterday was the day.

THE day.

The day my sweet little girl took a very large step.

She started Kindergarten.

And, to be truthful, I still cannot write that sentence without a lump in my throat.

It started off just a wee bit rocky, but even the "mix up" details were a Blessing for this mama's heart. See, she rides a bus, that has always been part of her routine and I am fine with that. But this was going to be a REAL bus, full of kids and just dropping her off in front of a big ol school. I gotta say, I was nervous. And I really struggled with whether or not to follow the bus and make sure she got where she was supposed to go - plus, I wanted pictures!

So, when, on the Friday before Spring Break, I still had not gotten any word on WHAT TIME that bus was going to pick her up, I called to inquire. The lady at the transportation office told me that the bus would be here by 9:25. But I KNEW that couldn't be right because Hubby and I had seen the class - in full swing - at 8:45 on our visit. I asked more questions, but she insisted that the class didn't start til 9:30. When I tried to call back to speak to a supervisor, they were closed for the break so I had to wait until yesterday. I finally got it straightened out (they had her scheduled for the wrong program and on the wrong bus ... hello! Make a mama nervous!), but it was too late for her to be picked up THAT day. Which means that I got to take her!

And I was just fine with that!!!!!

So, we loaded up the car and headed to the "big new school". You will have to take my word on this, because Hubby asked that I not publish pics of the front of the school, but it is H.U.G.E. Like, really HUGE! Two stories, ginormous cathedral ceiling in the lobby, kids EVERYWHERE, HUGE!

I have more pics than just these, but I didn't want to post pics of OTHER people's kids. I am sure you understand...

Here's how it went: We walked through the front doors with two bus loads of kids and both girls (Soph was along for the fun) just looked around in awe. Suddenly Sophie looked at me and said "MOM! I need a back pack! All the kids have a back pack!" And I realized that she thought that she was staying... uh oh.

But I wanted to focus on Hattie, so I asked her if she was OK and she smiled at me and said "this is fun!" Well, there ya go! We got to the class just as Mrs Pulk was opening the doors - perfect picture op!
Just wish I could've gotten them both to look at the camera at the same time! (Is that not the sweetest, happiest teacher face EVER?!?!?!)
She had been for a visit earlier, so she knew right where to go to find her desk and posed for a couple of pics for me. (Which, for her, is a big thing!) I thought she was starting to look a little nervous for a minute, but she composed herself and did great! When we left, we left a VERY happy girl behind.

Just wish I had taken a happy girl with me...
This is Sophie pouting because I would not let her stay.
(the jacket says it all!)

I am told she had a great day and did very well - only had one issue sitting still for reading. In her other class, they sit on chairs for stories, but in KINDERGARTEN, they sit on carpet squares!!! She will have to get used to that!

I am so stinkin proud of how far she has come - That girl is a trooper for sure!

(PS - this morning she was VERY excited to go to the new school.

And THAT tells me that she is gonna do just fine!)

Sophie's Turn

2011-03-28T15:13:00.006-04:00

I messed up ...

I'm not proud of that fact, but, tis true.

You see, as I was editing Hattie's seven year pictures and placing them in the appropriate folders, I realized that I had never done Sophie's THREE year portraits.

Ummm ... Sophie turned three is September.

SEPTEMBER!!!!! (i am ashamed)

So, I promptly dressed my girl up and remedied the situation...

While Sweet Alexis napped, the Sophster and I took a wee walk outside.

Now, it was not the most pleasant of atmospheres ...

... as we had just had a bit of rain.

But, in the frozen tundra in March, we will TAKE the rain!!!

My sweet girl, decked out in her "colka-dots" - all the way down to her rain boots - had.a.BALL!

She danced, twirled, splashed and strolled her way even further into my heart.

(as well as the hearts of any who may have been looking out their windows, I am sure)

Because, I ask you ...

... really ...

... who could not love this face?

No, seriously ... who?

Life Support

2011-03-25T14:34:00.002-04:00

Three and a half years ago I dressed Hattie up in her sweet little smocked dress and brown mary jane shoes and we walked her into a classroom for the very first time. She was a whopping three years old and SOOOO stinkin tiny. I watched from behind marveling at the fact that all I could see was a backpack and a pair of feet - that bag was bigger than she was. It all seemed like SO much to take in. Add to that the fact that this was also the day that Sophie was born and ... well, you get the pictures. I was a hot mess.

Two years later we finally received a diagnosis of autism and she was enrolled in the Autistic program - where she has thrived. Now she is reading, talking, communicating and doing things we wondered if she ever would. She has come so far. Some steps were agonizingly slow and painful. And yet some steps seemed to sneak up on us in leaps and bounds. As a parent I have cried tears of heartbreak watching her struggle, of pride watching her grow and of joy watching her succeed. I have said so often that she is the adventure that I never saw coming ... and it is true. I am afraid of the answer I would have given if they had asked me to adopt a special needs child in the beginning ... but, now I know that I would not trade a single moment of being her mommy for anything in this entire world. She has taught me infinitely more than I could ever begin to teach her. And I can only pray that she is half as Blessed to be a part of this family as we are to have her with us.

On Wednesday morning, my man and I walked into a new school to visit a kindergarten classroom. A classroom where, in just a couple weeks, Hattie will be taking a step toward mainstreaming into a traditional educational plan. I did not see the tears coming. I mean, the kid has been in school for three and a half years!!! They came out of nowhere. I cannot even explain to you WHY I cried. I just did. Big, huge, crocodile tears. My baby is going to school. REAL, traditional, school.

Wow.

And then this morning we walked into a conference room at that same school. I sat in that chair and looked around the room at whole slew of people. There were teachers, social workers, therapists, resource teachers ... you name it. A room full of people that were there for one purpose. To help my little girl succeed. A support system. LIFE support for my family.

Woah.

It was humbling. It was awe inspiring. It was ... well, there really are just not a lot of words for all that it meant to me. And so, of course, there were more tears. I listened to those that know her already talk to the ones who are just getting to know her. They told her what she likes, what she doesn't like, what works for her, what makes her tick and who she is. And I sat there thinking "they KNOW my child!"

Before this program, I was so very afraid of the autism diagnosis. Afraid that she would be lost in a program that serves so many children of various stages and severity of the spectrum. Afraid that she would be overlooked as the needs of the more severely affected children's needs were met. And, even more afraid that she would begin to mimic and take on the behaviors and symptoms of the other children. That she would regress farther away from us.

But, I was wrong. And I could not be happier to BE wrong.

You see, because Hattie is so high functioning, she has thrived in this program. And the teachers have all recognized her capacity to learn and have jumped right in to help her to go as far as she can. And their love and willingness to KNOW my child led us to that room this morning.

A room I never imagined myself in.

A room that I would never have signed up for.

A room full of people - some strangers to us - who have Blessed our lives in more ways than can ever be expressed.

A room that I would not trade for the world.

Hattie ... the adventure I never saw coming.

The adventure of a lifetime.

Oh, what joy.

Thank You Father, for every step on this path. Please teach me to help her through these changes and to take her where YOU have planned for her to go.

Thank You ... for the adventure.

The Seven Year Photo Shoot

2011-03-21T21:17:00.007-04:00

With Hattie turning seven a few weeks ago, it was time for some new pics of her. I wanted more than snapshots, but snapshots are usually as good as we can get with this one. She is NOT a fan of having her picture taken ... at all.

In fact, when the camera comes out, she can usually be found running for the hills.

But, on Sunday she was looking especially cute (in her FABULOUS shirt by Melissa at MCA Designs!!! PS: her models for the Easter shirts are impossibly cute ;-P), and was in a pretty good mood, so I decided to give it a try.

I knew the window of opportunity was small, so I just stood her in front of a brick wall and started snapping. We got a LOT of this ...

... and this ...

And then I just started teasing her and joking around with her and the REAL Hattie started to come out.

I LOVE these pictures

because they really show her personality

Her FUN side

Quirky nature

Sense of humor

Sweetness
And sense of fun
In short ...

... they show Hattie.

And THAT is simply lovely.

March 8 ... Full Circle

2011-03-08T12:31:00.009-05:00

This is a story of coming full circle ... a story that God has woven through generations of a family. A family created through blood lines and through the grace of adoption. A story of HIS love and faithfulness and timing.

His story ... that just happens to include us.

It begins on a small farm in Iowa. The land of my people :-)

On March 8, 1879 a baby girl was born. She was named Hattie May Horning. Hattie lived a long life - but a hard one. Farm life back in the day was tough. But she grew up there and then married a farmer - Charles Eli Straight. However, he was not in the best of health, so she did a good deal of the farming work, on top of bearing children, teaching school and running the house.

One of the children that she bore was Cecil Lee Straight ... known as Lee. Now, Lee grew up as a farmer and married a farmer's daughter too - Lois Alice Nickle. Lee and Lois eventually left the small Iowa farm town and moved to Colorado. And had three children in the process.

One of the children that Lois bore was Helen Jean ... known as Jeanie. Jeanie became the mother (both through birth and marriage) of six children and eventually landed in the great Southwest with her husband Alvin Harry.

One of the children that Jeanie bore was ... ME!

And, from childhood, all I ever dreamed of was becoming a wife and mama. These were the only positions that I aspired to. (Unless you count the years that I wanted to be a country music super star. but THAT is another story...) And, when I was in High School I took one of those classes where you "get married and have a family". It was then that I chose the name for my future daughter ... Hattie Grace. Grace from my daddy's mama and Hattie after my great grandmother ... that small town, Iowa farm girl, born clear back in 1879.

But marriage and motherhood were not to be ... at least not the way I planned it. I did NOT marry the boy I crushed on all through high school. I did not marry the guy that was my BFF through my Jr and Sr. years of school. And I did not meet a prince charming as I left my graduation ceremony. And, by the time I went to my ten year class reunion, I was bumming hard and it was all I could do to place my trust in His sovereignty. In fact, I hate to admit it, there were times that I doubted and was angry. But, for the most part - and more and more through the years - I believed that He would provide.

When I turned thirty years old I began to pray for Him to take the desire away ... IF it was not to be. I even told myself - and anyone who would listen - that I did NOT have the desire. I lied. And, eventually, because He did not take away that desire, I began to trust and claim the promise that I WOULD have my Hattie Grace. But, that was ALSO the time in which my health issues began. Issues that would determine whether or not I could bear a child. And, within two years, it became increasingly - and then undoubtedly - clear that I would NOT bear a child.

Please note that I did not say I wouldn't HAVE a child ... just that I would not BEAR a child. This is a GINORMOUS statement. One that I did not understand for quite a while myself.

So, I had a little chat with God and let Him know that I still trusted HIM for her.

At thirty two years old, the health issues had reached a climactic point and a choice was set before me. It had become evident that the various surgeries, procedures and medications that I had spent two years trying, in an attempt to save my ability to BEAR a child, had not been effective. And, not only were they ineffective in their intended purpose, but they had served to make the "issue" worse. Basically leaving me sick and tired and ... barren.

Ouch.

And, yet, that desire was still there.

And I had a little chat with God and told Him that I trusted HIM for her.

So, it was with great turmoil, and even greater trust, that I made the choice to have THE surgery. The one I had avoided for so long. The one that would make my dream MY way an absolute impossibility. I took that step knowing that HE was bigger than my broken "parts" and knowing that HE was faithful to fulfill every promise that He has EVER made.

Even mine.

At the age of thirty four, part one of my dream came true ... when I married the man of my dreams. And, together we began to work toward the dream of parenthood. He had two children from a previous marriage, and I DO love those boys as my own, but they were all but grown when I got here. And, well, Hubby wanted more kids and I wanted babies, so ...

We became foster parents in 2004. Now, I knew that children would be coming and going through our house. I also knew that I was still trusting God for my Hattie Grace. I did not just want to give the name away, I wanted to KNOW who to give the name to. I wanted to know who was MY daughter. And, so, I told God that HE would have to tell me when it was her.

And I trusted.

On August 16, 2004 we met with a family whose 16 year old daughter had run away - leaving her infant baby behind. They were looking for someone to adopt that baby. And, there in the mall food court they placed that baby in my arms. And, there in that mall food court, I heard the Spirit of God whisper into my heart "THIS is your Hattie Grace".

And I cried.

To make the story more interesting, legal issues came up and we had to walk away from that sweet baby girl. For a while. Nearly three months.

But God.

It was on an October afternoon that I got the call that Baby I (original birth name omitted) had been taken into state custody. Thus began a series of God orchestrated phone calls and circumstances in which people, who were not supposed to tell me a thing, basically spilled the whole story. And, within hours, we knew that she would be coming to live with US.

We had to wait through the weekend, but on Nov. 2, 2004 she came. A car pulled up in front of our house and that sweet, beautiful state worker handed us a baby girl ... THE baby girl. Our Hattie Grace.

Now, it was not easy - her mother came back into the picture, the family got ugly and threatening, and it took over 18months, but eventually, the state severed the rights of her biological family and the process of making her our child LEGALLY began.

We knew that the process could take a very long time. But there were circumstances - one of which was our oldest son preparing to join the National Guard - that led us to ask for the process to be expedited. And, so it happened that, what should have taken MONTHS, ended up happening in weeks and we were called one day with the our adoption date.

And that date was, to this war torn heart, a healing balm. And proof that He is faithful.

Faithful indeed. In all things.

And, on March 8, 2006 ... 127 years, to the day, after the birth of Hattie May Horning ... Baby I became Hattie Grace B.

And God brought the dreams and love of a family full circle.

Because He is Just.THAT.Good.

Amen.

Project 365 - Weeks 8, 9 and 10

2011-03-06T08:58:00.006-05:00

Yeah ... I have some catching up to do. So I'm just gonna jump on in here!!!

Thank you Sara for hosting!!!! You ROCK!

Monday - Sisters!

Tuesday - Daniel - We are doing the Beth Moore's study at church and it is rocking.my.world!

Wednesday - I was all ready for bed when I remembered to take a pic.

(SOMEONE needs a pedicure!!!)

Thursday - Migraine - Hubby gave me an AMAZING back massage with this little thing. I love that man!

Friday - LOTS of laundry! And, this is where I notice that the last few pictures have been taken with my comforter as the backdrop.

Note to self: take the camera OUT of the bedroom!

Saturday - The groundhog lied!!!

And, so did Al Gore.

Sunday - Bed time stories. I LOVE this time of day. (especially when Hubby adds his voices and commentary!)

Monday - Our Memory Verses!! Even my girls are learning some verses. I LOVE that!

Tuesday ... I got nothin. Oops.

Wednesday - Birthday Prep time! Little did we know ...

Thursday - ... she would wake up sick. Poor thing.

Friday - This was all she did all day long. Breaks my heart.

Saturday - Poor Ken. He must have had a rough day ... he needed a LOT of caffeine!

Sunday - PARTY!!! She felt good enough to celebrate ... so, we did!

Monday - 30 Day Shred ... ouch.

Tuesday - She let me braid her hair ... it was SOOOOO cute.

And, just in case you were wondering ...
... she's got her pants on backwards.

I have no words.

Wednesday - But I remembered to take a picture!!!

Thursday - She is an artist!

Friday - I heard her awake up there, but she never came down. So, I snuck up the stairs and found this. I LOVE that she is developing a love for books.

Saturday - started off warm-ish and rainy. Then it turned to snow.

Dear Spring, We are WAITING!!!!!!!!!!!!

So ... how was YOUR week?

Seven

2011-03-04T10:13:00.007-05:00

Last week my sweet Hattie Grace turned seven years old. I didn't get my usual birthday post out, because ... well ... it did not go as we had planned.

And ... well ... this mama was an emotional wreck over it all.

I don't know what it was about SEVEN that was so hard for me to take. I mean, it's a number, right? I expected five to be big. I mean, come on, that is a whole stinkin HAND!!! But, seven? What is so big about seven?

And, I think that that is EXACTLY what it was. Seven is big. Plain and simple. Seven is BIG. Which means that she is not a little girl anymore. She is a big girl.

See ... now, there I go again...

Anyway, this is how it went:

(I warn you, your eyeballs are about to be assailed with a whole slew of pictures. Continue at your own risk...)

She jumped in her bed a sweet six year old girl, pretending to be asleep.
But, when she realized that I had the camera out, she went into her Despicable Me, "look at me, I got the pyramid in my hands!!!" routine.

If you haven't seen this movie, you should! I had absolutely no desire to see it, but they got it for Christmas and we ALL love it!!!)
Then she shared a special bonding moment with Sophie. Although, I suspect it was more of a scheming moment, cause the next thing we knew they were doing this ...

... and we could not even get mad at em. They were having so much fun!!!

Once we calmed the party down and had our prayer time, she and daddy had some sweet time just snuggling. Well, snuggling and making shadow puppets on the wall.

Then, the Hubby and I began preparing for the big day. We decorated the place up right for our girl!!!

And I made cupcakes to take to school ...
... which overflowed and burned.

Lovely!

But then, when we went up to check on the girls before turning in, we found that Hattie had gotten sick in her bed.

On her birthday.

SO not fair.

This was all the celebrating that she had the energy to do on her day.

Break a mama's heart!
But She loved the flowers that Daddy brought her for her day.

And, on Sunday she was feeling well enough to party!!! So, I made her the requested Tangled cake!

She opened her gifts ...
... blew out her candles and had a GREAT day!!!!
And a good time was had by all.

Happy Birthday Hattie Grace!!! Enjoy seven, sweet girl, mama loves you!!!

Under Attack ... And LOVING It

2011-03-02T11:40:00.005-05:00

Years ago, when Hubby and I were foster parenting two sweet boys (just before Hattie joined our world), we started a game with the oldest boy. "Nuggy" was just under two years old and loved all things wrestle. Physical touch was this boy's love language in a HUGE way. I can remember Hubby would come home and immediately lay down on the floor and Nuggy (and, eventually, all the children) would come running to climb on Mount Daddy! The game we started, way back then, was called Kiss Attack.

And it continues to this day.
A random family member is caught ...
... pinned down ...
... and attacked from both sides with kisses!!!
No family member is immune from these attacks ...
... or the rolling laughter that comes with them.
... Even hubby and I come under attack at times!
The girls will climb on chairs and assail US with their precious ammo.
And, as their mama, I pray that THESE ...
... are the moments that they will long remember.

A Date With My Valentine

2011-02-14T09:56:00.007-05:00

Today is Valentine's Day ... but Hubby and I celebrated with a little "us" time yesterday!

The day started off at church, where we learned a little more about our ULTIMATE love - our Father - and His unrelenting pursuit of us. Pastor Andy gave an AMAZING message about the Lost and Found. He spoke of the sin that we get lost in and how we have a Father who continuously chases after us - not to condemn, but so we may be FOUND again ... in HIM! Oh, His mercy is good!

And, because He first loved us, we are able to love one another.

And there is NO ONE I love more than this guy!!
Here is a look at the day we spent together, celebrating our love ... and the top ten reasons that I LOVE being His date...

#1 - OK, I admit it, I just like the way he LOOKS!!!

Hubba Hubba!

#2 - He makes me laugh! My Funny Valentine!

(he is gonna HATE that I posted this, but it makes me smile!!!)

#3 - He knows my favorite places and he takes me there!

#4 - He ALWAYS orders iced tea - sometimes sweet tea, sometimes flavored, sometimes plain, but ALWAYS tea!

#5 - He holds my hand.

#6 - He has strong, caring hands that love me well!

#7 - He lets me appreciate simple things (like silly decorations) without making me FEEL simple!!

#8 - I love the way he looks at me ... like he KNOWS me, understands me and, yes, even likes me!

#9 - I love that he will relive our past with me! (we spent our first valentine's together here and he took me out walking on this frozen lake!!)

#10 - and I love that he is ALWAYS willing to take me on new adventures too ... even if it involves dollar stores (he loathes them, I love them!!).

But most of all, I just love HIM! I love to look at him, talk to him, be with him and spend my life with him.

I am ever more thankful that he chose me and that the One who chose us FIRST, saw fit to make a way to bring us together.

Happy Valentine's Farmboy!

I love you!
Buttercup

Project 365 - Week 6 and 7

2011-02-13T16:21:00.008-05:00

Once again, I have two weeks worth of pictures saved up for you. Cause it has been NUTS here and I have had no time to blog ... which I HATE! Sorry!

Anyway, here is a look at the last two weeks...

Sunday: The girls wanted to play in the snow out back, so hubby took the opportunity to light up the chiminea!! Our shredder broke a few months ago, so he took all the papers he had been saving up and set 'em ablaze!

I must say, junk mail, credit card applications and old bills make some nice kindling!

Monday: Alexis, a Boppy and a blow up ball ... pretty sweet combo!

Tuesday: Time for a new memory verse!!!

Wednesday: Lots and lots of snow.

Thursday: Buddies! Sophie can make Eli smile like no one else!

Friday: Yep ... that is my girl eating a turkey sandwich! And, if ya look close enough you can see her black eye. Poor baby!

Saturday: We had a date with Sophie's Mama Kim at McD's - Hattie loved the slide I loved what it did for her hair.

Static anyone?!

Sunday: Sophie - seriously, that face? Who could resist that?

Monday: I LOVE sweet friends who love my children well! These were notes and goodies sent to my girls to encourage them on some big steps that they have taken recently. LOVE that!

Tuesday: A package ready to go out for Joanne!

She is doing amazing things, by the way. SOOOO proud of her!

Wednesday: Icesicles ... they fascinate me!

Thursday: Alexis is NOT a fan of the rice cereal ... this is her giving me a dirty look. Think it's time to try something a little more fun!

Friday: Sophie is trying so hard to be a big girl like her sister ... even trying to write her name.

Saturday: A little lap top in the windowsill. Love this!

Sunday - a Valentine date with my love! One of our fave places to eat (with leftovers for later too!) ...

... and a little bit of reliving our past. For our first valentine's together, he brought me here to meet his family. We took a drive and ended up at the lake where we were able to walk out on the ice. So, today, we went back to that spot and remembered.

I do love that man!!!

So, there ya have it. A look at our lives! Thank you Sara for hosting us again! I LOVE this project!

So ... how was YOUR week?

Project 365 - Weeks 4 and 5

2011-01-30T14:54:00.006-05:00

OK, I missed last week, so I have two weeks worth of fun for ya today! But, before I get started, I just wanted to thank all of you who have been praying for my friend Joanne. She is doing great - more and more alert each day! As of yesterday, she has moved to a center where she will recieve intensive therapies to regain motion and motor skills. Please continue to pray for this, as well as for her family. Thanks so much!!!

So, now let's get started ...

Monday: My poor Hattie came down with the flu that Sophie had had the week before. Sophie had it for about 36 hours and vomited once. Hattie was a little worse off. She missed the entire week of school and did not keep ANYTHING down from Monday to Thursday.

Tuesday: If we have apples in the house, this is what I find in random locations through the kitchen & family areas. Sophie LOVES apples!

Wednesday: Three houses ago, we had a game room. It was decorated in Americana motif and this pillow sat on a small couch. When we moved from that house it was packed away and I had not seen it since. For some reason, it suddenly showed up about the same time as Joanne's stroke. Since that day I have found myself kneeling and/or face down on the floor in prayer more than I ever have before. And this pillow has become my official prayer pillow. Thankfully, I have also had many reasons to use it for PRAISE too.

He is FAITHFUL!

Thursday: This was the day that the bug hit me. Hubby stayed home from work and helped with the kids and I spent the day in bed. Sophie broke one of my favorite necklaces and, lucky for her, I was to sick to care.

Friday: Hubby had tried to do some cleaning while I was sick and found some scent beads. He thought he was replenishing what was already in this warmer, but A: he put in too many and it over flowed. And, B: he ended up mixing two different kinds of beads.

And, I LOVE him soooo much for trying, but pumpkin spice and pink lemon aide are NOT a good combo...

Saturday - I woke up to this BEAUTIFUL sunrise and just knew that God was up to something big.

A few hours later, as I walked the aisles of Target, looking for a laundry basket, I got the call that Joanne was opening her eyes. And, right there in the home goods section, I fell on my knees in praise and cried.

PRAISE HIM!!!!!!!!!!!

Sunday: Behold ... the laundry basket! I will never look at laundry the same way!

Monday: This is where Alexis has the most fun when she is here. She can get that ball FLYING too!

Tuesday: This is a TERRIBLE picture, she had just woke up and did NOT want her picture taken. But I had to, because this was the morning of the Epic Battle Of The Bedheads!!! It was between Sophie ...
... and Eli.

And, believe me when I say, NEITHER of these pictures do either bedhead justice.

Wednesday: Hattie lost another tooth!! And, I am sorry, but is this not the CUTEST toothless face you have ever seen? Oh, my heart...

Thursday: More and more was happening with Joanne and I was REALLY missing all of my Siestas. So, I pulled out the water bottle that I bought last April when we all went to Atlanta for So Long Insecurity. Somehow, it made me feel a bit closer to them all.

Friday: Eli took about 5 steps right before I took this picture. I wanted to capture him walking, but he was NOT in the mood to perform.

I HEART this boy!!!

Saturday: We got a few inches of snow overnight - FINALLY enough to make a good snowman ... or, in this case, a snowchick! Is she not adorable?!

Thank you Sara for hosting us!

Have a GREAT week!!

Project 365 - Week 3

2011-01-16T19:21:00.006-05:00

I am just gonna come right out and tell ya from the beginning that this has been a VERY hard week. In fact, the only reason I even have pictures to post - or am even bothering to post them at all - is for the sheer distraction. I am sorry to be a debbie downer, but as we go through the week, you will see why...

Monday: Sayin goodbye to the Christmas Dishes. I am a huge fan of these pretty plates and HATE puttin em away every year. But, I do love my every day dishes too ... and I get to look forward to next year, right?

Tuesday: This is where it all began to unravel... My sweet friend Joanne (The Simple Wife) was running her 38 year old, EXTREMELY healthy body on the treadmill on Tuesday morning when a blood clot caused her to have a massive stroke. She is a BEAUTIFUL mama of two sweet girls and the rest of the week was spent at the foot of the cross on her behalf.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE pray for my sweet friend, who, even now, fights for her life. This picture was taken as a visual reminder that she sits firmly in the palm of God's hand.

Wednesday: Joanne had told us on Monday that she had tried to do her quiet time & homeschooling by the fireplace ... but she had forgotten to open the flue. We all had a great laugh and she, of course, laughed the hardest of all. So, in her honor, on Wed. morning we all decided to do OUR quiet times - and fall on our knees at the Throne of Grace - in front of a nice fire.

I do not have a fire place, so this was the best that I could do...

Thursday: OK, I didn't take a picture on Thursday, so I decided to give you a picture of Sweet Joanne. (taken by her sweet sister Kristen at KHPhotography)

Please, PLEASE, PLEASE pray for my friend.

Friday: Joanne was supposed to host a luncheon for some fellow bloggers on Friday ... so, again, we had quiet/prayer time in her honor. We were supposed to have tea, but I cheated and had coffee. Her family had asked us to pray Psalm 46 over her. So that is what I have been doing. And I wrote her name in my Bible so I would never forget. Ever.

As if I ever could...

Saturday: Homemade chicken noodle soup ... even homemade noodles. It was good to have my whole family at my side. I spent the day watching my sweet girls play and could not help but think about and pray over Jo's sweet girls. Audrey is 12 and Emma is 9. Please pray for them, as well as her husband Toben, her daddy Chuck and mama Kay, her sister Kristen and their whole family. I cannot imagine.

Sunday - This morning my wonderful man was prayed over and ordained as a Deacon. I have never been so humbled and so proud all at the same time. I do so love my man. (mine is the one on the far right ... the one with no hair)

As we stand now, Joanne is still in a very desperate fight for her life. Her sweet, beautiful brain is still swelling. They have had to do a skullectomy on the right side (the stroke side) already, but as the swelling has continued, there is now pressure on the left side. If it does not cease swelling, more invasive measures will have to be taken.

I cannot even begin to tell you what a brilliant, beautiful woman of God Joanne is. I am BEGGING you to PLEASE pray for the swelling to go down and for her healing. I KNOW that my God is HUGE and miracles are His specialty, so I am BOLDLY asking for the BIG - the whole she-bang- the MIRACLE. I am asking that my friend be made well. And yet, I trust His will and His alone. He is not only huge, He is good. And I believe. I will ever believe.

Thank you Sara for hosting us. Have a great week - hug the ones you love, tell em that you do and count every Blessing. Because you just never know.

Project 365 - Week 2

2011-01-09T21:40:00.006-05:00

So, I know that it's "Week 2", but seein as how it's days 2-8 of the year, it just don't seem right! But, here we are...

It is 10 minutes til 10PM, so I am just gonna dive on in. Buckle up!

Sunday: We took the family to see Tangled - LOVED IT! But, of course the pic I took with my cell phone didn't turn out, so... THIS is what we get!

A sweet family from church have given us BAGS of clothes as their daughter, sweet Olivia, out grows them. This day's treats held a bike helmet. Sophie was too excited to get dressed once this little puppy came out.

(This pic is SERIOUSLY cropped cause the hubbs was NOT wantin his baby girl on the world wide web in her undies!)

Monday: Passion Live 2011 ... Rocked.My.World. I watched as much as I could online and was soooooo Blessed. Hubby ended up buying me the pass to download the messages. I cannot wait til they are available!!

In this moment Christy Nockles was singing a song that I bawled through. I REALLY cannot wait til the CD comes out. SO good!!

Tuesday: Eli ... love him. He wants to walk sooooo bad. And he is not even CLOSE to a year yet. Such a sweet thing!

Wednesday: It was just starting to snow - some big 'ol fat daddy flakes. I opened the back door to take a picture and this one slipped past me to get out there. This is her victory celebration dance combined with trying to catch some flakes on her tongue. I just REALLY wish you could see how BIG the flakes were. They were few and far between, but they were ginormous!

Thursday: Bedtime came and I realized I still had no picture for the day. So, THIS is daddy giving the manicures. It is his job, because he is faster - thus a LOT less screaming. Hattie HATES getting her fingers done. Toes are OK, cause there is the promise of a pretty pedicure, but hands are NOT fun!

Friday: Hattie ... eating cereal ... and drinkin OJ. NOT Sunny D, but REAL orange juice. And she is NOT complaining. If you know Hattie and her food issues, you know that this is huge. In fact, it was a huge WEEK food wise. She ate meatloaf one night and spaghetti another (she doesn't like either), both without a single complaint.

Praise HIM!!!

Saturday: Snow angels ... made by happy girls. Thank you Olivia for the snow suits and Grandma & Grandpa M. for the boots. They are treasured!!

Sunday: Snowflakes frozen to the window on the way to church. Taken by my NEW cell phone with a much better camera. I still have no internet access (we refuse to play the data fees), but it has a MUCH better camera, video capabilities and I got a SMOKIN deal on it! WooHoo!!

Well, that was our week in a nutshell!!

Thank you Sarah for hosing us. You are wonderful!

(Please, do not judge on the typos ... I am in a hurry ...)

How was YOUR week?

Project 365 - Week 1

2011-01-02T14:41:00.003-05:00

OK, I am gonna try this again ... and this time I am bound and determined to make it through the year. It is time for a fresh start and what better time than new year's?!

I have two pics for January 1 ...

Hattie lost her tooth. It was the third tooth to come out, but the first time that she was excited to have the tooth fairy come. Here is her tooth in the bag (gotta love Jewel Kade jewelry, love the necklace and the bag comes in handy too!!) just before it went beneath the pillow!

(in case you're wondering, the tooth fairy filled her bag with quarters! I asked her if she wanted to go to the store or put them in the piggy bank she got for Christmas and she chose the piggy bank and even shared a few of her coins with her sister!!)

My first memory verse of 2011! Two years ago my pBFF Beth Moore led a scripture memorization team on her blog. I started off to big (trying to do Psalm 150 ... ALL of Psalm 150 ... for my first verse) and I got overwhelmed and never finished the year. I HATE that, so I am determined to not let that happen again! This year she is presenting the challenge again - even creating these cute little spiral books for us! So twice a month (the 1st and 15th) we choose a verse and work on embedding it onto our hearts.

You're all I want in heaven!
You're all I want on earth!
When my skin
sags and my bones get brittle,
God is ROCK-FIRM and FAITHFUL
Psalm 73:25-26 (message)

I am excited for this year to begin. I really feel like God is stirring some new and exciting things in my life this year and I cannot wait! It is only Jan. 2 and between my devotional this morning, an AMAZING sermon and POWERFUL worship this morning and a challenging book I'm reading (Radical, by David Platt - I will share more on this later), God is already kickin my tail ... and I am LOVING IT!

Thank you Sarah for hosting this again this year! You are awesome ... I promise to do better this time around. We have no plans to move this year, so I may actually get through it!

Dear Baby Jesus,

2010-12-24T10:19:00.002-05:00

Just over two thousand years ago you came. You came to be one of us. To be like us. We were created in your image (though we had soiled and tarnished it beyond recognition) and now, you had taken on ours. And you came for us ... you did it all for us.

You left the throne of Heaven to be placed, on a cold dark night, into a manger. You stepped off of the streets of gold onto the sod of earth. You chose swaddling cloth over lily white, shining robes of splendor. You left the right hand of the Father to be placed into the young, inexperienced arms of a mama. You brought your perfection into our filth and your innocence into our pit of sin. You did it all for us.

On a still silent night (although, with a young girl in labor I seriously doubt it was all THAT silent) you took your first earthly breath and let out your first sweet cry. Joseph's were probably the first arms that held you. Joseph, who had listened to your angel and risked it all to stand beside Mary and claim you as his own. Joseph, who would go to great lengths to protect you. Joseph, who loved you and would let you call him daddy, knowing he was not your real Father. You probably wriggled into his arms and cried as the cold night air blew against the skin that had just been warm inside Mary's womb. And you cried a holy, human cry that flooded the night. And you did it all for us.

Then Joseph probably placed you in the arms of your mama. Mary ... sweet, YOUNG Mary. How old was she? Was she really just a young teenager? How much did she know? Did she know where your road would lead? If she had not studied the Scriptures BEFORE she conceived you, she most certainly did once she knew she was carrying the Messiah. Did she know that the child in her arms, the child she had just delivered, would be the deliverer of all who would believe? Did she know that you had been there since the beginning and had created HER long before she created you? Did she know that you did it all for us?

And the shepherds? They surely had no clue what was to come. They were just doing their job when their calm night was interrupted with a Holy light and a commanding presence of Heavenly Hosts. Angels, who were created to follow your every command, had come to announce your coming and bring your good news. They could have interrupted someone of royal blood in a warm castle and sent THEM to you, but they came to shepherds. Dirty shepherds, leading dirty sheep and caring for them ... and they were sent to YOU. The one who is the Good Shepherd. But, they followed the angels direction and brought their filth and noise and their worship to your birthplace. You came to the lowly and meek ... and you did it all for us.

You could have been born in a palace. You could have just come as a king. You could have commanded the world to fall at your feet and follow and believe. You had the power to give us no choice at all, but you had the LOVE to give us the choice anyway. You let us decide if we will follow you, believe in you, LOVE you. You knew that there would be some who chose the other. And yet, still, you did it all for us.

You came as a baby in a manger, fled that place for the safety of a foreign land as Joseph protected you, grew up in a small town, studied at the feet of those who studied the scriptures YOU had written, grew in stature and favor and became a man. A man who would take the good news as far and wide as his human frame would allow. A man who would heal the sick, give sight to the blind, voice to the mute, hearing to the deaf, legs to the lame, life to the dead and HOPE to the hopeless ... and, before you, weren't we ALL hopeless? You walked the dirty soil of our world, among the dirty souls of your people and you did all without sin or blame or guilt. And then ... then ... then you took the sin of which you were completely innocent and placed it on yourself like a worn, soiled garment and took it to the cross ... and you did it all for us.

You took our blame and our sin, the wages of which are death, and you proclaimed yourself guilty so that WE could be innocent. You died on a rugged wooden cross, they placed you in a dark cold tomb, the door to which was sealed and left you there to rot, thinking that it was the end. But, really, wasn't it just the beginning. Because then ... THEN ... then, three days later, when all hope had been lost, you burst through with the glorious light of day, breaking the greatest darkness the world had ever known and brought the greatest hope the world could ever imagine. You left behind the grave and the death it stood for and brought new life. And not just new life for YOU, you brought new life for US. For anyone who would believe, anyone who would place their trust in you, anyone who would lay their sin at your feet to be forgiven, anyone who would bring their broken lives and their certain death to you. And You would take it all ... you DID take it all ... and exchange it all for life. Life in You. Life everlasting. Life ... LIFE ... LIFE! And you did it all for us.

And so today, so many years later, we celebrate Your birthday. Some have made it a big commercial festival of lights and decorations and fat jolly men in ridiculous red suits being led around by a reindeer with an ever more ridiculous red nose - and that is all fun and good. But those that know ... those that know YOU ... know that it is so much more. Tomorrow we will open presents - but the real gift is YOU. We will spend time with the ones that we love - but the real love comes from YOU. We will eat a feast set at a beautiful table - but the bread of life is YOU. We will celebrate life - but our real life is in YOU. Tomorrow, somehow, we will make it all about us - when it should be all about YOU.

Tonight we will go to church, bow our heads, celebrate your birth and sing songs that exalt You. Tonight we will share the great joy that You bring with everyone we meet. Tonight we will feel that warmth in our heart that only comes on Christmas eve when we make it all about You. And we will do it all for You.

But, when I think of all that You have done for us, I wonder why we give you just one night. And I wonder what I can do to change that. How can I love better? How can I love more. How can I bring the hope of YOU to a lost and hurting world, so in need of all you came to give.

How can I do it all for You?

Teach me Lord Jesus, teach me how.

Let that be my birthday gift to you.

Happy Birthday Baby Jesus ... and thank You for the Gift.

Love,

GO! Tell It On The Mountain!

2010-12-23T11:57:00.001-05:00

Jesus Christ is born!

And, really, there is no greater news in all the world than that.

Merry Christmas from our house to yours!

Treasured Up

2010-12-21T22:10:00.002-05:00

** A few weeks ago I attended Deeper Still, a conference with Kay Arthur, Priscilla Shirer and Beth Moore. Beth began her lesson by reading the Christmas story in Luke 2. She read it from the Message translation (GO ... READ IT. It is some good stuff!) And then talked about what "treasured up in her heart" really means. To protect, guard, keep safe, defend. I am still processing all I learned that weekend, but as I was pondering the REAL meaning of CHRISTmas this morning, I remembered wondering, last year at this time, what it must have been like for Mary. I wrote this post then, and it still holds true today. I will have MANY questions for Mary when I get to Heaven, but the first ones may be the following ...

How many of us started our Christmas Letter in wonder at how quickly time passes by?

We look back on a year gone by and wonder how it went so FAST?

Children were born, cut teeth, turned three, started school, made the honor roll, got the lead in the school play and, eventually, graduated, got married and started families of their own.

And we were left to look back and wonder how it all happened so fast.

I wonder if is was like that for Mary.
That night, as she held her newborn son in a barn, did she - like so many of us - look forward to each passing milestone and promise to cherish each and every moment?

Like so many of us, did the normal every day start to creep in? Did the sleepless nights of life with a brand new baby turn into the craziness of toddler proofing the home? Did she one day look at her son and realize that he just was not a baby anymore?

I wonder what it was like watching her son grow up, knowing that He was also the Son of God.

I mean, she KNEW who he was - the angel had made that clear - so she HAD to know what was in store.

Were the passing moments stored and cherished or did she turn around one day and find a man where her boy had once stood?

I cannot imagine how it felt to see him getting older, stronger, wiser ... all the while knowing that each breath he took brought him closer to the road He was destined to walk...

... and the cross He was determined to bear.

She knew when He was born that His death was imminent.

That it was predetermined.

That it HAD to be.

So, when she held her son that night...

As she watched him learn to walk ...

While she taught him how to talk ...

As she raised HER son ...

Did she cherish each moment knowing that she was holding, watching, teaching and raising God?

Or, did time fly for Mary too?

iheartfaces - Scenic B&W

2010-11-30T11:52:00.006-05:00

This week over at iheartfaces the theme is "Scenic B&W". When I read that this photo shoot immediately came to my mind. It was one of my first official shoots, but it has stood out in my mind as one of my very favorites ever since.

There were three shots in this particular session that I thought of for this theme, but this one has been my favorite all along. The representation, in the railroad tracks running off into the distance ahead of them, of the world - and a happy marriage - before them is perfect for a couple starting a new life together ... the (future) bride and groom loved it too!!!

Head on over to iheartfaces to see more ... or enter one yourself! It's FUN!!

I Blame The Twitter ...

2010-11-16T10:48:00.005-05:00

So, lots has been happening lately and I wanna share ... really, I do. But, because of the business, sitting and writing a serious, informational and stimulatingly interesting post seems a daunting task. Which, explains why the ol blog has been ignored as of late.

Also, there is the fact that Facebook and Twitter and texting - which consist of limited space capacity, therefor requiring short, concise and to the point bullet point type statements - is just faster and easier. So, being less daunting than, ya know, paragraphs and junk, it gets more of my attention.

SO, in an effort to revive the bloggy bug, I have decided to declare today "Blog Like You're Tweetin Day"! So, the following is a day in the life of me, in Facebook/Twitter/text-like style.

(AKA: a list of the random)

Enjoy!!!!!!

**Nuthin beats waking up, stepping outta bed and landing in cat puke. NUTHIN!

**Dear Cali-Cat ... I'ma need you to CHEW your food. Work on that, will ya?

**COFFEE!!!!!!!!!!! Where is the coffee? Seriously? There must be some in this house somewhere!!!

**It's 32 degrees outside and Hattie picks today to dress like a girl. SO thankful for tights!

**Sophie is watching Monsters, Inc - mainly cause H is not here to scream and hide under the coffee table. Wee bit of a scaredy cat, that one is.

**Meanwhile, there is a road crew at work outside my front window causing my La-Z-Boy to randomly shake. It's like a roller coaster without the thrills!

**Barbie is dancing around my living room with some kinda squirrel like creature ... Note to self: GET THE KID BOY DOLLS!

**CORRECTION - it was NOT a squirrel, it was the Chick-Fil-A cow ... Note to self: GET GLASSES CHECKED!

**Will the person that created Peppermint Mocha coffee creamer please stand up? Let's all give him/her a hand, shall we?

**If I could bottle and hand out the sound of Sophie's laughter, I am fairly certain the world would be a happier place and there would be peace throughout the land.

**If I could bottle and hand out the sound of Sophie's tantrums ... well, let's just say it would not be near as pretty.

**Trying to teach a 3yr old with X.A.D. (X-treme Attitude Disorder) to live with the consequences of her own choices is heartachingly painful.

**Would not trade said 3yr old for all the coffee in the world - even if it DID come with Peppermint Mocha creamer.

**SEVENTEEN DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (that is for my twitter friends, who I will see in SEVENTEEN DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

**Dear Kitchen Fairy - I need you to step up your game. Cause when Barbie goes swimmin in the greasy water filled crockpot basin that you have yet to clean, it aint pretty. Thank You.

**I am in desperate need of the following: GRACE!!! A pedicure. MERCY!!! An eyebrow wax. FORGIVENESS!!! Guess 3 outta 5 aint too shabby. And, ya know, HE is all I really need!!!!

**But, I really do need an eyebrow wax ... (Erica Jean Kirk) ...

**Sophie went up stairs for a few minutes and came back down nekked. This happens with stunning frequency, which begs the question ... WHAT exactly goes on up there?

**Lead Me To The Cross, where Your love poured out. Bring me to my knees, Lord I lay me down. Rid me of myself, I belong to You. Oh lead me ... Lead Me To The Cross.

**Planning out the placement of outdoor Christmas decorations ... and yes, I'm drawing pictures and a map. Cause I am just that nuts.

**I've said it before and I'll say it again. Chocolate is good. All Glory to Him.

**Has anyone seen the attachments to my vacuum cleaner? The corners are startin to look a little funk-a-delic around here.

**Is it just me, or is Dora just a really loud little kid? I mean, should her mama y papa be concerned? How do you say "get that girl a hearing test already" in spanish? Anyone?

**Sophie walked away from Nick Jr and came back with the Mamma Mia DVD ... that's my girl!!!

**This peaceful moment brought to you by nap time ... Aaaahhhhh...

**Laundry ... I blame Eve.

**Celery & peanut butter for lunch. Is it wrong that I pretend it's CHOCOLATE and peanut butter? Cause, if pretending that is wrong, I don't wanna be right.

**Turnin the (faux)pod on and jumpin into Genesis. Beth Moore is ROCKIN my world with the Patriarchs right now. What the world intended for evil, God has redeemed. OH! He is so faithful!

**Watchin last week's Biggest Loser, this show makes me cry. So does laundry, but not for the same reason.

**One of my fave times of the day is watching Sophie stare out the window looking for Hattie's bus to come down the road. She can hardly stand the wait.

**Looking through the Black Friday ads ... and thanking God that I live with a forgiving man. He's gonna be gettin up EARLY that day!

**Sophie has a friend (sweet Evy) over for a playdate ... she is NOT a very gracious hostess ... gonna need to work on that one. (hanging head in shame)

**Little girls in princess dresses, spinning through my living room, singing out of tune and giggling till they fall down. This is my life and it is good.

**I am NOT a fan of the bus being late on rainy days ... my mind goes all kinds of places. More Spirit please!

**Hattie came home in clean clothes (unHEARD of this school year) and immediately spilled juice down her front. Love it.

**I asked Hattie what she did at school today ... and she answered me. She read stories. I asked if it was fun ... and she answered. She said yes. That right there, THAT is a conversation. Praise HIM!

**One girl is sleeping (baby A), two girls are watching Toy Story 2 and one girl is hiding under the coffee table. Three guesses as to which is which.

**There is a large hole in the street outside my front window. The sun has gone down. This could get ugly. I may turn out the lights, make popcorn and watch.

**Phone calls from far away friends at just the right time are just about the sweetest thing there is. So thankful for the AMAZING people He has brought to me. BLESSED!

**Hattie is now GLUED to the TV watching Toy Story 2. Go figure.

**OK, the laundry is caught up ... but then I walked in the kitchen. A VICIOUS circle is what this housework thing is.

**Do you ever go to fix dinner and, after staring blankly into every cabinet and the fridge, wonder to yourself WHY chocolate is not a food group? Wouldn't life be so much easier if it was?

Lessons Learned

2010-11-08T10:02:00.002-05:00

Mornings here in B Manor can tend to get away from us if we let them.

The routine I LIKE to follow has me up at about 5:45, while the house is quiet and still. This is the time I spend with my Father. Just He and I while the house sleeps. Then, as Hubby stumbles out of bed, I set off on my morning run where I spend MORE time with HIM. (Trust me, MANY prayers are sent up - especially on the really cold or really hot mornings!!) My MP3 player (it's a fauxPod) pumps a steady supply of praise music (and a little soundtrack magic - Mamma Mia, Glee, Grease - don't judge!) to keep my pace up and my spirits high. Then, I come home to happy people just rising from their slumber and peacefully getting ready for the day...

(this is where the needle scratches across the record and awakes me from my daydream)

Yeah, that is the routine I LIKE to follow ... and actually have a time or two.

But, most mornings involve a wee bit more chaos than that.

THIS morning was one of THOSE mornings.

I did get my quiet time and my run in (MIRACLE!) and the people were happy when I returned. But the people were NOT dressed and ready to go as they should have been by that time (Yeah, I got up late and threw everything off).

And, so it began, the rushing and the prodding to GET DRESSED! WHERE ARE YOUR SHOES? NO - NOT SHORTS! EAT YOUR BREAKFAST! BRUSH YOUR TEETH! WELL, FIND YOUR JACKET THEN! You understand? Right?

(crickets chirping)

(TELL me I am not alone!)

And, because I had to spend so much time getting Hattie ready for school, I had less time to spend getting Sophie ready to send Hattie off to school. There is the whole process of shoes, jackets and hat so that she can go out to the bus, say hello to her BFF, Bus Driver Bonnie and sweet Joseph who is always in the very front seat (though, not always awake!) and read the words printed on the stairs ... "Watch Your Step". It's a routine she cherishes.

However, Sophie is having a few attitude issues of late. Seems her favorite phrases are "no mommy, I not" or "I caaaannnn't" (read: WHINEY voice) when asked to do something. So, in an effort to help her learn to be more cooperative, we are letting her live with the consequences of NOT doing what she is asked. This is a hard process for ALL of us...

This morning was a prime example of HOW hard it is.

While we were getting ready for the bus Sophie repeatedly ignored our suggestions to put on her boots and coat. We set her up for success - placing the boots at her feet and the jacket by her side. We even warned her that it was VERY cold outside and if she did not get dressed she was NOT going out. But she chose to play instead. She drew happy faces on the frosty window ...
... which we opened to show her JUST how cold it was outside. But, even though the bus was 10 minutes late, giving her plenty of time, she did NOT get dressed.

And then the bus came. She attempted to make her way out the door, but I would not let her. Hattie and I went to the bus without her. She stood at the door screaming for me. Breaking my heart. But I stood my ground.

Then it happened, she tried to come out anyway. I had my back to the door and didn't see her there. But Bus Driver Bonnie did. And SHE yelled at Sophie to get back inside. Breaking her sweet little heart.

And, as I walked back in the house I could not help but think of the lessons my baby girl was (hopefully) learning. And how similar I am to her.

God sets me up for success - places all the tools I need in front of me. His Word, His people, His Truth ... HIMSELF. All I need to do is grasp a hold of it ... to HIM. But, instead I stand around making smiley faces in frosty windows, trying to pretend that I have it all together and am ready for the journey.

And then my surroundings cave in around me, leaving me unprotected in the cold air all alone ...

But I am NOT alone. I am NEVER alone.

HE is with me. His hand prints on my life reminding me ...
... even in the frosty glass moments of my life, that He is here. He reminds me of all He's placed before me - all I need for this journey called life. And He gives me a second chance ... and a third ... and a fourth ... all the chances I need to succeed. New chances, new MERCIES, every morning - and some days, every five minutes.

But not because MY participation in the journey is so vital.

But because, He is just that good.

And, with HIM, I can pull up my boots, cover myself in the warmth of His love and peace and make it through the harshest winter.

Because, in HIM, I have all I need.

Well ... I Had Fun Anyway

2010-10-31T20:27:00.004-04:00

Every year about this time, we set out to get our Christmas pictures taken.

And, every year, my husband cringes ... but goes along.

And, every year, Hattie somehow manages to let everyone within a 5 mile radius know that she is NOT a fan of the picture posin.

And, MOST years, Sophie poses happily and makes my job that much easier.

This year, the only difference was Sophie.

Now I have NOBODY in my house who likes to have their picture taken.

But, being the determined mama that I am, we ventured out anyway.

But THIS year, I had a ball. Because this year, I did not weather the storm alone. This year we did a joint photo session with my sweet friend Amanda (AKA SuperModel) and her family! She took OUR pictures and I took theirs.

My family was MUCH more cooperative with someone else behind the camera.

Here are a few shots that did NOT make the Christmas Card Cut ... (you didn't think I was gonna give the BEST shots away just yet, did ya?)
I need to get some brownie points for showin you this one ... HELLO MUFFIN TOP!

This one was actually my favorite, composition wise, but Sophie is not making the most pleasant of faces!

Sweet Hattie

Lovin Sophie's curls here

Aside from a few snapshots, this was the first time that my man and I have been able to take some good pictures of just us since our wedding!

I love the way he makes me laugh!

The way he makes my heart smile!

The way he loves me!

This is my life ... and it is good!

HE

2010-10-13T10:42:00.001-04:00

The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save.

He will take great delight in you.

He will quiet you with His love,

He will rejoice over you with singing. (Zephania 3:17)

Life has been busy here in B Manor lately. Hattie is back in full swing at school. Sophie turned three - and has the attitude to prove it. And I am now watching two sweet babies through the week - Eli is almost 7 months old and Alexis is about 3 months old. And, on top of all of that, my photography dream is coming into fruition. I have been busily taking and editing pictures for engagements, newborns, Christmas cards and birthdays, as well as family reunions and the average family photo.

So, yeah, like I said, life has been busy.

But life has been good too.

Because HE is good ... ALWAYS good.

Last month we started our fall Bible study at church. We are about halfway through Beth Moore's study on the Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac & Jacob) and it is sooooooo good. And between that and the sermon series on the 10 Commandments at church, God is rocking my world.

Last week's video touched on the Inheritance that is passed down through the spiritual children of Abraham. Beth (yeah, we are on a first name basis - she is my Pbff, after all!) was discussing how the land was split twelve ways. I always thought twelve sons, twelve tribes, twelve portions, right? Nope. Joseph's portion (because he was the "favorite" son) was doubled - split between his sons - taking up two portions. And the Levites received no portion of the land because they were set apart as Holy priests over ALL of the land and were scattered amongst the other tribes to live.

But, before you think that the Levites were robbed, just think about that for a minute. No, they did not receive a portion of the land ... because GOD was their portion. GOD was the spiritual Inheritance bestowed upon the Levites. WOW!

And what is even better than that? WE, not being physical descendants of Abraham but spiritual descendants THROUGH Christ, also receive a portion. A Spiritual portion.

OUR portion, like the Levites, is God Himself.

And ... here is the kicker ... WE are HIS.

He loves us. We are created for love. Created for communion. Fellowship with HIM. We are His portion.

So, while that was blowing me away, God was preparing more...

Last year I was trying to memorize two verses a month ... I did not do very well at all. So, earlier this year, I decided that I needed to get serious about storing God's word in my heart. And I began to start over. The first verse I chose was Zephania 3:17. And I thought I had it down. But last week when I was trying to go over my verses, that was the one that I could not recall so I decided to pick it apart line by line and really study it.

And, oh.my.WORD. How He has been speaking to my heart in these words in the last week.

The Lord your God is with you ... WITH me, yes. And IN me. Because of Christ's sacrifice, I carry the Holy Spirit in me - HE is with me.

He is mighty to save ... YES! He has saved me - from my sin, from my enemies and, even - no, ESPECIALLY - from myself. Praise Him!

He will take great delight in you ... Remember, WE are His portion. He has CHOSEN us. He loves us. He saves us. PRAISE HIM!

He will quiet you with His love ... Oh, the peace to be found in Him. The joy. The love. Oh how He both stirs and quiets my soul. Oh, the privilege it is to simply rest in His love.

He will rejoice over you with singing ... THIS is the part that brought me to my knees. HE will sing over me! My very favorite part of a worship service is the singing. I LOVE to lift my voice in praise to Him. To sing of His power, might, tenderness, love and glory - oh, it is soooo powerful to me. And then to even begin to comprehend that HE chooses to sing over me. To rejoice over me. Lord, let it be. You are so good and faithful.

So, I was talking about this on Sunday and our worship pastor Aron commented that he loves this verse too. And how he loves when he (aron) sings songs over his children (Belle, 4 and Judah, 1) and they dance in joy and just LOVE it. But then he talked about how when his son is upset, he can almost always calm him with a simple song.

And THAT is how God loves us. He rejoices over us with songs that make us dance with joy, but when our souls are in turmoil, He quites us with his love ... maybe even a love song sung into our hearts and souls. I LOVE the word picture of the King of Kings cradling me in His arms singing softly "Jesus loves me, this I know ... ". Reminding me that He is, indeed, mighty to save.

Oh, He is good.

Lord, let me rest in those arms, listen for the whisper of Your song and rejoice over you as YOU rejoice over me. Let me always remember that YOU are my portion ...

... and I am Yours.

Yes, YOU are good.

Remember

2010-09-11T09:00:00.003-04:00

September 11, 2001

We will always remember.

Back to School

2010-09-10T09:02:00.007-04:00

This is back to school week for Miss Hattie Grace! She is not a fan of summer breaks, so she was oh so happy to be going back. I am so proud of how well she is doing with all of her therapies AND she is even learning to read! WOW! We are hoping that this will be the year that she gets to mainstream into a traditional classroom. The plan is to start that process in Oct. or early Nov. She will be heading into Kindergarten - my mama heart is busting with pride!

On Tuesday, after a wild and crazy weekend celebrating Sophie's 3rd birthday (THAT post is coming soon!), we headed out to meet the teacher. She is in a new class within the program that she is currently in and hubby had not met that teacher yet, plus we all wanted to see her new classroom in working order!

Hattie was SO excited to be back at school!

Her new desk was ready to go and fully stocked.

We took some get-to-know-you-time with Ms Donna (she is sweet, but we are going to miss Ms Christine!)

We even checked out her very own personal locker!!

Then we came home - Hattie really wanted to stay. It was not easy to get her out of there, but a promise of tomorrow ... and a milkshake did the trick ... yeah, we bribed her.

(hanging my head in shame now...)

Finally the day came - the back pack sat packed and ready to go.

The girls ate their breakfast. Hattie's choice - poptarts (no judgment, please!)

Hattie was so happy to be going to school, she did not even mind a strikin a pose!

Sophie was gonna miss her big sis, so Hattie gave a little love!

They waited (not so) patiently for the bus to arrive. Which seemed to take forever to two anxious girls!

Finally we decided to wait outside. SOMEONE was a wee bit excited.

But someone else just saw an escape route and took off running!

My girl can rock the All Stars!

We waited so long we got a little silly ... 'Sup?!

We even fit a few posed shots in! Lovin on her daddy!

And her mama ... yeah, that's me, rockin the bed head ... I am so not proud!

Sophie just wasn't feelin the love.

Finally, the bus arrived.

She could not wait to climb aboard!

Sophie wants soooo badly to get on that bus too ...

...but she had to settle for waving through the window.

(this pic seriously melts my heart!)

And then she was gone.

How long til she gets home?

Dear Sophie ...

2010-09-05T22:20:00.004-04:00

My Darling Girl,

Today you are three ... and your mama's heart both soars and breaks at the same time. You are no longer a baby. Not even a toddler. Today, you are officially a preschooler.

I am over come with pride at the girl you are becoming each and every day, but that sweet baby that slept in my arms is further and further behind with each tick of the clock. I think, because you are my last baby, there will always be a part of me that wants you to remain a baby. But I know you must grow, so I guess I better get used to it.

Yesterday morning you came down the stairs and crawled into bed with daddy and me. You snuggled in close and put your little hand on my cheek and said "good morning mommy. I like your face". I giggled and said "I like YOUR face ... and today is the last day your face will be two." And then I cried all.day.long.

And, right before you went to bed, I took the very last pictures of you as a two year old baby...

(by the way, thank you for making my hair so pretty for these pictures!!)

But, today I was strong.

Strong as I put you in a new big girl car seat (a booster seat - you are SO proud!). Strong as I watched you walk into Sunday school, closing the door behind you - not even worrying about where I was. Strong as you hemmed and hawed while making the very difficult choice of where we would eat for your birthday lunch. And strong as I watched you chit chat with your friends and family at church, at someone else's birthday party (don't worry, yours is tomorrow) and at Aunt Weezer's house! And strong as I watched you CLIMB into the tree I that I had to hold you in for your ONE year old picture.

Oh my, how you have grown.

So, this morning, I took the very FIRST picture of you as a THREE year old!

And, then I set an alarm for 3:02pm ...
...so I could take pictures of you at the very MOMENT you officially turned three years old.

I just pointed my camera at you and started shooting.

I didn't want to pose you this time ...

...I wanted to just capture YOU ...

...being you.

Because YOU are the sweetest three year old girl I know.

Three years ago tonight, as I watched you sleep in my arms, I knew that what I had prayed for had been given. I knew that I would love you immensely. I knew that you would hold my heart in your hand and wrap me around your sweet little finger. And I knew that I would LOVE being your mommy.

But, my sweet, beautiful, funny, loving, precious, precious girl, I could never have imagined what a wild, wonderful ride life with you would be. You keep me on my toes, that is for sure. You have more energy than ANYONE I have ever known. You talk nonstop - even in your sleep! You dance like nobody's business. You sing at the top of your lungs. You hug harder and longer than I deserve. You say I love you of your own free will - often stopping what you are doing to come over and wrap your arms around my neck to tell me. You tease your sister without shame, but love her more than anything. And you UNDERSTAND her better than anyone else. You LOVE your little friends - especially Evy and Max. You have a fun and fabulous imagination. And you are so very fun to be around.

In short, my beautiful girl, you are one of my greatest joys.

Being your mommy has changed me in ways I could NEVER have imagined. YOU are my adventure.

I love you my little Bug. So, so, so much!

Happy birthday Baby Girl (can I still call you that?), thank you for being mine!
Love,
Your Mama

How Can It Be?

2010-09-01T14:06:00.007-04:00

Three years ago I was planning.

Hattie had moved into her big girl bedroom and the nursery sat waiting. The bedding was freshly washed, diaper bins stocked, bottles cleaned, car seat installed and hearts expectant.

It was only a matter of days before the world changed forever.

And I had absolutely NO idea how much it was about to change.

On September 5, 2007, This little bundle of Heaven was placed in my waiting arms and my heart ... well my heart was no longer my own. It no longer belonged to JUST Hubby, Hattie, Steven and Chris. There was a new owner. And from the moment she looked up at me from the isolette where the nurse was cleaning her off, she knew just how to wrap me around her finger.

And now, here we are, mere days - hours, really - left of her toddlerhood.

How can it be that this ...

has so very quickly become this ...

My heart has never - and will never - be the same.

And I would not have it any other way.

Dear Time ... STOP ALREADY

2010-08-23T10:10:00.005-04:00

Three years ago we were decorating a nursery for a tiny bundle of joy that was on her way. We were picking out names, stocking up on diapers, choosing a tiny homecoming outfit and looking at sonogram pics, listening to a heartbeat and dreaming.

Today that sweet bundle of joy is oh so very close to turning three ... only a couple weeks left. So, the time has come to put the crib away and move on up to a big girl bed.

A few months ago some sweet friends Blessed us with a bedroom set. It's a queen size bed, but we figured it could sub for a guest room if the need arose. Hattie has a big bed too, so we are set if any of you outta towners wanna stop by.

(that was a hint, by the way!!)

So, this weekend we pushed the crib aside and daddy set to work putting that big bed together.

Sophie kept her eye on him (she was very excited) ...

... and then she got an idea ...

... she decided that daddy needed a little help!

At one point I got a little teary and told Sophie that mama was just a little sad that she was getting so big. She just looked me right in the eye, held her hands out wide, did a little dance and proclaimed...

... "Well, Sophie's HAPPY!!!!!"

well, allrighty then.

Once the bed was put together and made up - with the bedding that she chose herself ("colka dots", just like her big sis!!), we loaded it up with all of her old crib buddies, Big Bear, Little Bear, Brown Bear, Purple Pillow Pal and Minnie Mouse.

(Hmmm, maybe THAT is why she was runnin out of room in the crib)

The nightstand held signs of days gone by ... ya know, back when she was a baby.

But the new bed tells a new story ... of a big girl whose toddler days are numbered.

A very proud girl.

A very EXCITED girl!

Once the time came to actually SLEEP in the big bed, she got just a tiny bit nervous.

But, for the most part, she was proud.

And very, very big.

(now, please excuse me while I go have a big ol mama cry in the corner)

Fahion Statements

2010-08-03T09:38:00.004-04:00

This morning I decided to try a little experiment. I decided to see if Sophie, at nearly 3 years old, could do the dressing process by herself. I KNOW she can dress herself, but I mean the entire opening drawers, assembling an outfit and putting it on her person process. I knew I would quite possibly get an "interesting" ensemble, but decided that I would be brave enough to let her wear whatever she picked ... within reason. (I mean, come on, we DO have to hit the voting booth today, so...)

I listened as she headed up the stairs, heard drawers opening and closing and then it got quiet.

Too quiet.

A few moments later she came down the stairs in ...

... a fluffy pink tu-tu ...
... and nothing else ...
... at all.
(I may have to alter this one ever so slightly before we leave the house)

It's not easy being a diva ... or her mommy.

But I cannot imagine a better thing to be right now.