Monday, April 13, 2009
Switzerland
Friday, December 26, 2008
God with us...
(we made our own hats)
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Three!
Sunday, October 5, 2008
I love the Fall!
Mimi took Ava and my niece Skylar through the maze. They are just 8 weeks a part. So fun!
Ahh.. the picture we planned this entire event around. :)
oh..don't you think we look alike?
The cool crisp air, pumpkin butter, delicious smelling candles and the pumpkin patch are just a few of the reasons that I love the Fall. Yesterday our family went to the Hillshire Farms in Youngsville for the best-ever trip to the pumpkin patch.
When we arrived, we were greeted by loads and loads of pumkins in a nearby field, all sorts of farm animals, a pond, hay mazes, and a Tee-pee! The "Chuckwagon Grill" was cooking up all sorts of yummy things to eat and gave us the feeling that we were just stepping back in time to a more simple day. The girls loved it. They were squeeling from the minute we arrived and continued laughing and smiling all day. My parents "Mimi" and "Papa" came, as well as my sister, brother in law and their 3 kiddos. We had a wonderful day. Enjoy the pics!
ps. the pumpkin butter comment is because someone in my community group gave all of us pumpkin butter from Williams Sonoma. It is so delicious! I added it to a cake and some frosting the other day to make what could have been an average dessert... very Fall-like. :)
Monday, September 29, 2008
Beautiful mountain weekend
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
updates
Friday, August 15, 2008
My Song
My little Ava Sophia went to an Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor this morning to have her frenulum clipped (under your tongue) and while we were all geared up with my Mom in tow, the Lord had other plans. I read this verse before we left and just asked the Lord for His peace, because as any of you mothers know, you'd much rather have something/anything happen to you than your babies.
She'll have outpatient surgery in the next couple of weeks to have it done "gently" and without trauma. Thank you Lord for a sweet physician who cared about how my Ava would respond to this!!
Wednesday morning I was up early. Took a walk before my girls got up.. I thought the morning was off to a great start. But then, I burned my ear and broke my coffee pot.. all before7:30am. While leaving in a hurry, I backed into my husband's car in the driveway.. real nice. So after apologizing and feeling just horrible, I got back into my car (now running late) and turned on the radio. I heard the best song by Natalie Grant. The words went like this.. "On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.. I will not be moved!" I thought.. this is my song! It was the encouragement I needed at that moment to refocus on my sweet Lord as I took off for the day. I could just sense that He was slowing me down and telling me to look at Him. It ended up being a wonderful day of talking with a friend who is growing in her new relationship with Christ and getting a lot of errands done.. just more slowly this time. :)
So, you could say that God is putting new songs in my heart.. sweet, isn't it?
See this song at Natalie's myspace link.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Can somebody give God Praise??
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
TKO
During this week, I've had friends living out Acts 2 in the sweetest ways. Pregnant friends coming over to care for my babies, friends folding my laundry and cleaning my bathroom!!, coming at 7am on Sunday morning to stay with us during church so that my husband can go preach, taking me back and forth every day to the chiropractor, providing meals so that my family doesn't starve in my absense, and loving on us every which way. It's been amazing.
I feel like I could just cry even typing this. I have had the thought over and over this week of how lavish God is. When He does something... He really does it. And He places in our hearts ideas and ways that we can serve one another and these friends really responded.
I can't tell you how many times this week I've heard, "this is such a blessing for us".. and you know, I actually believe it. The joy that I see on my friends faces as they lovingly help us is for REAL. All I can say is... Thank you! In fact, tonight after a friend dropped off some groceries knowing that I hadn't been to the store) he had bought "My little Pony" cupcakes for Ella. As she prayed tonight, she thanked God for her "pony cupcakes". I am so grateful that at such a young age my babies can experience Christ's love from our sweet friends.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Baby girl turned One!!!
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
The Zoo!!
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Pure Fashion
Lisa Rice was the keynote speaker from "For young ladies only" and the other more famous books in the series like "For Women Only" which many of you have probably already read.
Nate Sallie was the artist for the event and was great!
I immediately thought of all you Dallas girls, because I think a program like this would go over so well there and it's now a National program. I imagine many of us who have little girls standing in their closets someday or shopping at the mall and the conversations we'll have about taking a stand to dress modestly. What an encouragement for a young mom to know that programs that are "cool" exist for our girls!
Watch this clip of it if you'd like to see what this is all about:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=UH_xAdq5UFw&feature=related
Thursday, April 17, 2008
We're back from Hawaii!!!
Monday, March 24, 2008
Easter
Friday, March 7, 2008
Hawaii????
Friday, January 11, 2008
Box of Blessings
Yesterday was my 30th birthday. Since being an adult I haven't always enjoyed my birthday, except for last year when I found out that I was having a little baby girl, who we've named Ava Sophia and now, I can add yesterday to the list of really great birthdays!
I had visits from a few friends and phone calls from family, but as the day went on it became apparent to me that blessings were all around me. We found out that some dear friends in our community group who've we've been praying very specific prayers of provision for are now staying in Raleigh as God provided exactly what they were needing in relation to his job. Then, I found out that a baby that our community group has been supporting at Duke (even set up a Foundation for a surgery that she needs to have) has been given almost half of the amount that is necessary to be raised in order for her to have the surgery that she needs to save her life!! After dinner with my family, we "stopped by" some friends' house so "they could wish me a happy birthday", only to find my entire community group and family there to surprise me and have a serious chocolate fest!! It was so much fun!!
But, then it got better... they sat me in a chair and all came around me and prayed blessings on me and then presented me with a "blessings box" in which they had all written kind notes, verses, and prayers of blessing for me. As I layed in bed reading them last night, I was truly touched by the people God has brought into my life! I am not only having so much fun with them, but I am spiritually encouraged every time I leave them.
As I think through where God wants to use me right now, I realize that it's so much with my special girls as I pour into them all that I know about Christ and His love for them, but He is so kind to give me others as well. It might be counseling a lady from church or spending time with a friend or sharing Jesus with the girl who cuts my hair. I resonate with a song by Britt Nicole that says, "I want to set the world on fire" ... being used by God to ignite something great in this world! That's where I'm at and I'm thrilled to think of what He will use me to do.
May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great, you may never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
Ephesians 3:19
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Christmas 2007
Wow! It's over... all the hustle and bustle, the parties, the gift exchanges, the decorating, the fancy dresses, the presents, Christmas cookies, family dinners, family pictures, surprises, and even the turkey!! But, I must say, I'm a little relieved this morning. What a busy holiday season this was!! With a move literally as the season was beginning and just the normal busyness that Christmas brings, I'm very thankful this morning that it's all pretty much over. Don't get me wrong, we enjoyed all of these things, but I found myself sick for about a week and just fatigued. I tried very hard to just savour the moments with my girls and my husband and to love each get together as though it were the first. My oldest sister and her husband were with us, which was a treat. It was the first year in about 3 that he had joined us. We did have to miss out on our youngest sister, which was very disappointing, but her choice.
We made sure at every possible opportunity to thank the Lord for sending Baby Jesus to the earth in such a simple yet beautiful way so that we could have the precious relationship with Him that we do. It was so special this year to be able to share the joy of that story with our little Ella, who seemed to hang on every word. I can't tell you how many times she would take something, like a soap dish or a book that she thought looked like a "manger" and she would look at us and say in her silly voice, "oooh, Baby Jesus". It's amazing how she is so drawn to Him at such a young age and how she talked about Him so often. It reminds me of a quote by St. Augustine, Thou has formed us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless til they find their rest in thee.
I read that quote some years ago in a Bible study that I was doing with some friends in Texas and it struck me so, that I just can't forget it. It's so true. I hope that you find rest in Him today!