Family Picture Out-Takes...

Emma Grace was the perfect little lady and there really weren't funny or bad pictures of her. Hope you enjoy!

Captions are really not necessary,
it's more fun to make your own...

And Ollie really isn't the golden child, he was just more funny at the studio. When the picture girls started calling his name and playing with him, he began running to them to give them hugs and kisses and chaos ensued.

For More...
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=38711&l=a7209&id=760093361

Family Pictures...

For our family - hope you enjoy the pictures that you will get in the mail Friday --- for our Rock Hill family --- grandmas and grandpas and uncle and aunt --- we were going to bring your pictures to you Friday when we came up, so everyone in the family will get a picture before you do! I'm so sorry! Ollie is still pretty pitiful and we'll probably all have an U-R-I by this weekend! But, I promise once your pictures get overnighted, yours will be bigger and better than everyone else. WE LOVE YOU and will miss being with you this weekend so much.

A few quotables in Memoriam

Let us therefore animate and encourage each other, and show the whole world that a Freeman, contending for liberty on his own ground, is superior to any slavish mercenary on earth.

GEORGE WASHINGTON, general orders, Jul. 2, 1776

I now make it my earnest prayer, that God would have you, and the State over which you preside, in his holy protection, that he would incline the hearts of the Citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to Government, to entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another, for their fellow Citizens of the United States at large, and particularly for their brethren who have served in the Field, and finally, that he would most graciously be pleased to dispose us all, to do Justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that Charity, humility and pacific temper of mind, which were the Characteristicks of the Divine Author of our blessed Religion, and without an humble imitation of whose example in these things, we can never hope to be a happy Nation.

GEORGE WASHINGTON, circular to the states, Jun. 8, 1783

Nothing is a greater stranger to my breast, or a sin that my soul more abhors, than that black and detestable one, ingratitude.

GEORGE WASHINGTON, letter to Governor Dinwiddie, May 29, 1754

May you and yours celebrate together your freedoms today;

individually, spiritually, eternally as my pastor pointed out to our congregation Sunday morning;

And be grateful for those who have gone before you and who will go ahead of you to defend that freedom.

Belated Wishes!

I feel so bad! I realized this morning that I did not give my dear friend, Jen, a birthday shout out - so, friend Happy Birthday - even if it is a day late and a dollar short! I love you.

Memorial Day

As everyone celebrates this national holiday - not to mention 3 day weekend, take a moment to remember the "why" of this holiday. Memorial day should be a day to honor those service men and women who gave their lives for our freedom whether valiantly in heated battle or silently in thankless service. Our culture often times, sadly, makes their service thankless and meaningless as we run off to celebrate ourselves on national holidays of honor. As a mom, a Marine's grand daughter, a friend, an American, it breaks my heart, but I usually don't speak up.

So, take a moment out of your 3 day weekend to teach your children what Memorial Day stands for, to observe flags flying at half staff until noon on Monday, to applaud boy and girl scouts and VFW's making efforts to sell red poppies and honor gravesides, to take a moment of silence locally at 3 PM to honor these lives, take the opportunity to pray for widows and orphans, or what's more do something to help. As Americans we are blessed with so much, undeservedly so. Thank God He never requires us to be deserving.

God bless America. May God bless us all.

Here are a few links that you may find helpful as you celebrate your freedom...

Focus on the Family

US Memorial Day

Thoughtful Thursday

So, I've been reading about the reign of King Solomon and reading the Proverbs -- and oddly enough, the youth leaders here have been talking to the high schoolers about wisdom and making good decisions using Proverbs. I couldn't help but thank God that I had His Word already in my heart and mind -- and think about it -- God called King David a man after His own heart - yet David screwed up so many times like we all do - I know I feel like I do my fair share of messing up what God has given me, entrusted to me! After all, Solomon, his son - the wisest King - was a child of his marriage to Bathsheba - which we all know that story!!! (If not look up Uriah, the Hittite in 2 Samuel 11 and see who his wife was before he was killed.) So, it blows me away that when God spoke to Solomon in his dreams that He told Solomon to ask Him for anything and it would be his --- and Solomon chose wisdom - and so God gave him wisdom and everything else! Do you think his father David had an impact on that decision? David was called by God, a man after his own heart, but he always followed his heart even to his own detriment, but God loved him so in spite of his mess ups because he always repented and was broken when he had done wrong. King David was passionate about life and everything in it and God. And Solomon must have watched how his dad lived his life that he chose wisdom of everything God could give him. Isn't that awesome? Shouldn't we all want wisdom? Proverbs chapter 4, verse 7, says, "Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding." (Thanks for sharing Jimmy and Mel!) Your kids, kids in your life, they are watching, Do you choose wisdom? I want to so desperately --- not being wise in my own eyes - that's folly --- but really having wisdom sent down from God - Thank you, Lord...

Today, I'm thankful...

For God's Word living and breathing...
For mommies that share their newborn's love with others...
For young people that like to laugh...
For new friends from an awesome God...
For new awe in my life everyday from God's hand...
For little boys that like to play in toilets...
For little girls that hug so tight you can't breathe...
For hubbys that don't mind staying home with the kids...
For family...

Thanks for all your support and prayers for my mom - after a couple of tough weeks, she is getting better and better. Watch out Walmart and the Dollar Store. She goes for chemo every Friday, but goes again for triple dose chemo next Friday, so be praying her through. Last time the triple knocked her down - pray for God to be lifting her up beyond it all! Pray and pray. We love you all! God is good - His mercies are new each day!

Sunday pics

Ahhh, Sunday mornin' - Rise and Shine and give God the glory, glory!

Look, Ollie, look...

Jesus, you're the light in my life...

...and Emma Grace is, too. =D

God's on the move...

so, hop on the bus, God's on the move, there's a seat for me, there's a set for you, it don't matter, what you've done, if you believe in His Son, and what He's done and what He'll do...
God's on the move

Final Act...

Good night.

Pics from today - getting ready

Mommy and Emma Grace backstage after the "Perfect Princess Tea" ballet

The amazing cake lady made us an amazing cake to celebrate the Belle-ness of it all.

We had a really nice day and we missed you, Grandma Barbie and Grampy Ta.

First of many pics to share kinda blogs...

Everyone posed for mommy on mother's day!

today ollie put on his own show at lunch...

it's called sandwich balancing. =)

Thankful that there is a time for everything...

Ecclesiastes 3

A Time for Everything

1For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
2a time to be born, and a time to die;a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; 3a time to kill, and a time to heal;a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4a time to weep, and a time to laugh;a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6a time to seek, and a time to lose;a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7a time to tear, and a time to sew;a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8a time to love, and a time to hate;a time for war, and a time for peace.

The God-Given Task

9What gain has the worker from his toil? 10I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 11He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. 12I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; 13also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man.

14I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. 15That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away.

Pray for my mom; today was a bad day.

Thursday should be thankful...

Do you ever just feel like Thursday, really? Most of us push for the weekend, so we're really looking forward to Friday and on Thursday we are recovering from overtired kids that we tagged along with to church on Wednesday night - not to mention everything else that the earlier part of the week brought. I usually just take Thursday for granted - griping that it's not yet Friday, tired from Wednesday - and today I just thought, "yeah, i should stop and be thankful for today, for Thursday." It's almost like another day of rest if I take advantage of it, so I think I will, and I'll mention what I am thankful for, too!

I'm thankful...

for a four year old who understands the story of Jonah and the whale, yet cannot quite apply the life lesson of obedience.

for a one year old who will smile when he cries and snots and slobbers on me.

for a hubby who always wants to be with me even when I don't particularly want to be with me.

for a mom who is resilient and brave and great to hug.

for a dad whose hands are worn, but still great to hold.

for my kids to have a great grandmother turning 80 next month.

for a mom-in-law who calls to just see how I am.

for a dad-in-law who really does have a special place in his heart for girls.

for a bro-in-law who I can always talk to.

for my kids to have an aunt that would do anything for them.

for a nephew who couldn't be cuter if he was my own.

for our families - the good, the bad, and the crazy! Right now, I'm pretty sure I have the market cornered on crazy!

Happy Tornado...OH, I mean Happy Mother's Day!

Yikes! I was either waiting for Mary Poppins to drop in with her trusty umbrella and spoon full of sugar or for ruby slippered feet to be sticking out from under my front door this morning when we arose. It was awful last night - I thought I had started praying more as of late - then last night, I really started praying more! All's well and no tornadoes got us - pray for all the folks that lost loved ones last night and this morning, that lost homes, that lost - thank you Jesus, the storms here were all between where we live and downtown ATL - but way too close for my comfort and not how I had quite envisioned my first mother's day in GA to be!

However, happy mommy's day to all you ladies out there...
grandmas, moms, mommies-yet-to-be.

We love you! Thank you for loving us so much!

2 Timothy 3 (NLT)

14 But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. 15 You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

Somebody's Praying Me Through...

and all of us. I just talked to my mom and today was long. But she did pretty well. She felt tired - super duper like you just worked a 12 hour day, then went home to clean the whole house from top to bottom and even under neath. She's glad now that daddy made "driver" arrangements because she's pretty sure she wouldn't be able to drive home from Charlotte. Daddy already has 13 people lined up to help drive for the appointments where she gets all 3 power drugs.

Keep praying - we'll all be on this journey together and come next Mother's Day - we'll have to celebrate what the Lord has done over this year - celebrate today what He's doing now! I was reading my Bible this afternoon (Chris is working from home, we missed the Mother's day brunch at EG's school, EG went to the ped, the kids and I have runny noses and coughs and sore throats, but I am grateful, still.) I am still reading Psalms and below are the last lines of today's reading from Psalm 27, you should read the whole Psalm, all the Psalms, the whole Bible while you're at it. =)

13 I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.

14 Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.

We are waiting for you, Lord, we are waiting.

Bed bugs

We had a bad day at the Nuthouse -
sick, runny, grumpy kids,
hubby around the perimeter somewhere,
mommy's tummy hurts,
and now there's a tornado watch
(of which I am severely paranoid!)

This has been therapy, tracking down all our pics and getting them on the laptop to share with our friends and family. Couldn't be that I'm trying to distract my mind??? Hmmm. So, I'm going to think of lovely things and true things.

Like how innocently a child loves his/her mom,
Like how unconditionally a mom loves them back,
Like how God blesses us with good friends and great parents,
Like how God is God.

Enjoy my bed bugs...I'm remembering that I need to, too.

Belly buddies

While the Wades were here, Mavvy and Ollie got the chance to "play" together downstairs while the big kids were upstairs or outside...

This is Ollie's 'arrrgggh' face - I mean first I have to "share" everything with sissy and now these crazy boys are "sharing" with me, too. A boy can only take so much!

Mr. Mav had had enough - Where's my mommy?

These were too cute not to share! I'm glad Chris caught the littlest boys on film and Jen caught the older two!

Please pray...

My mom will be starting chemotherapy tomorrow, Friday.

Life is hard, God alone is good.

Pics found, pics lost

So, I was going through pics from our SC trip and realized that I needed to add a few! I also cannot find some others that I know exist - they must still be on cameras - so they will be my next target. I know I've been "radio silent" for over a week - it's been a long week. The kids finally seemed to be adjusting back to life in GA with G-ma, then Chris went to Mississippi last week and when he came home, our friends came into town for an overnight pit stop on their way to the airport, then Sunday was church, then by Monday we started getting an allergy/summer cold thing...on top of trying to recover from traveling, unpacking, washing, and just plain dealing with two tots under 5! How do women do this and make it look easy? I'd love to know the secret! Right now, I'm running low on concealer, band aids and bravado! Nonetheless, some pics for you to enjoy until I'm up and running again!

This was the Friday we spent in Rock Hill after we went to a party for the Wades' birthdays. Both kids were tired, but EG gave out in the car ride home from Fort Mill.

After her nap and bath, though, she was getting spoiled in Grampy Ta's lap and perfectly charged for the next round of shenanigans.

At some point, Ollie started carrying around EG's night gown, so Chris tied it around his neck.

It's not quite Super man cape style being pink and all, but he could have cared less!