Just a quick note.......

One of my absolute FAVORITE things about working at school with my kids is that I feel like I am "part of their world still." I love being able to see them throughout the day.

Today I walked into Brother's classroom and he broke out into a huge grin when he saw me. I even was able to steal a quick kiss....of course when no one was looking!! ;)

My heart melted a little when I walked into my office and saw this note from Dada. She had been in checking her sugar. She really is growing up fast and I am so proud of all she CAN do in dealing her her diabetes. (I am proud of her!)



I'm going to enjoy all these little moments while I can!!

The 1st day of school... and more

Yesterday we were able to visit my Dad's church. It was a lovely time spent with my family. The church hosted a dinner with an early afternoon service which was a good old fashion singsperation.




The church body wanted my family( mom and sisters) to get up and sing a special. What they haven't found out about us, is that my mom is really the only person in my family that can sing!! ;) But thankfully we were able to convince them that, no, we REALLY can't sing, and they took our word for it.

Everyone commented about how much Dada looks just like me and ACTS just like me. She is definitely not shy!! But I just kept telling everyone that she is just like her Dad....but for some reason, they just didn't believe me!

But they did want the kids to sing a special, and we were more then happy to oblige.....well, maybe not Brother. But he survived. Dada had a bad case of the giggles!! Erica, remember when we used to sing specials in church and we couldn't contain our laughter throughout the whole thing??



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Today marked the 1st day of school for the kids. Thankfully they were able to get a good nights rest last night and they were more then ready for their day today.




Notice something missing on Brother? Bella ate his glasses yesterday afternoon!!! Ei Yi YI!!





Yes, yes....I was THAT mother taking pictures and totally embarrassing my kids to death. Brother wouldn't even look at me here!!


Do you think he will forgive me?? ;)



Dada was quite the different story! She couldn't get enough of the camera!




I think we had an all around great day. I know that my day in the kitchen was so good. It went so smooth. I am so glad to have the 1st year behind me and now I have more of an idea as to what I am doing and when it needs to be done.


These 1st 4-5 months will be harder as Hunny's schedule is so funny. I really pray for God's strength and patience.

I will say that I really.....REALLY missed my dear, dear friend Reitha. She retired last year and I knew that I would be sad not seeing her this year. I already miss her poking her head in to say hello or to lend a hand when she was able. She was always good at that. She will be sorely missed.




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On another note, I thought I would give an update.

Gail is doing well. Thank you for your prayers. She had some surgery and she is waiting to heal and then she will start her radiation. They did find some cancer in some tissue they removed, which they weren't expecting. But they are still confident they will kill any remaining during radiation. Right now she is resting and healing.


Lori, is also doing well. She has started her chemo. She has decided to come back to school on the days that she is able to teach. There is a retired teacher who offered to help Lori on the days she isn't up to being there. What a blessing she is to Lori!!




Lori is such the picture of God's grace. I was able to take Lori to a doctor's appointment last week, and she never ceases to amaze me. What strength and peace she has, and she always gives God the credit. She knows who holds the future. And her future looks so bright!!


I tried to be a blessing to her, but she was more for me that day then I could ever have dreamed of. Love yah lots Lori!!


Please also keep my friend Lorrie and her family in your prayers. They have recently found out that their son has Duchenne muscular dystrophy.



Please pray that the Lord will give them wisdom, guidance, grace and patience.

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I have been talking with God and have asked him to aWe me. There have been some needs in our home that only he could meet. He has done more then aWe me. He flat out flabbergasted me. He met those needs this week. What a load off our hearts to see it.

I will say this........I heard recently this statement........that if your needs aren't being met by God then it means that you are out of fellowship with him. That there is something standing between you and God.

I really disagree with that. I find it kinda offensive that someone would try and tell me why God isn't meeting this need or that need. Maybe sometimes, he just wants to grow our faith, or he wants someone to see how we are going respond during times of trials.

You never know why God is allowing hardships to come. But I think the only thing you need to worry about is what God is telling you and not what man is telling you. You will never be lead astray that way.

There have things that I have learned ONLY b/c we are where we are. Although I could wish that life could be "easier," I don't know if I can, b/c what sweet fellowship I have had with God during this time. He has seen my tears and heard my cry.

aWeD by God

I have been thinking about this post for a while now, and what I would write about it.

Most people don't know the details of our life right now. And that's ok. I like it that way. But this past weekend has been hard for me. For a couple different reasons. None of which I want to go into at least not right now.

As many of you know, Dada has completely fallen in love with the theatre. She was in her 1st play....Annie, last spring, and has been so looking forward to the next production....Alice in Wonderland.

Saturday, started out the audition process for Alice.

Hunny and I decided with heavy hearts that Dada wouldn't be able to participate in the play this time. It was a decision that we knew we had to make, but we didn't want to make it.

I was so worried about telling Dada. I knew that she would be upset about missing out on the play. And I just didn't want to do that to her. But when I told her, I was so so so proud of my little girl. She didn't cry, or whine. I could tell that she was disappointed, but she just accepted it.

My friend Tancy was babysitting the kids Sat. night so we could go to our picnic, and Tancy had mentioned that Dada had made a statement to her about not being able to do the play. She was sad, but wasn't angry about it.

Well, I had emailed the lady in charge of the play and told her that Dada wouldn't be there this
time but to look for her the next time.

The lady emailed me back with a time to audition and a way for us to make it happen.

I really feel like the Lord just worked the whole thing out for his precious little child.

I relished in the LoVe of God and how he works out even the smallest of details. Something that we had given over to him, he made happen.

I was aWeD by God.

You should have seen her when I told her the news. She ran through the house yelling....YES YES YES!!!!



So here she is at her audition for Alice in Wonderland.

She was so nervous for the dance part of the audition.She was a little unprepared since she missed the 3 hour workshop on Saturday. But the dance instructor said that she picked it up quick and that she did a good job.

I was the proud peacock of a Mommy standing back there watching my little girl.



So we will see what part she gets next week.

The annual Sunday School Picnic

Saturday night Al and Esther hosted our adult S.S. picnic at their house.



I thing I have learned from Al and Esther is hospitality. They are always opening their home and having people over to their house. It doesn't matter who you are, you are invited. I have heard Esther say, what better way to get to know someone then opening your home for them. And I think that is so true! Esther is always walking around the church greeting the church people and making new visitors feel welcome.


(yes, I realized I spelled Bananagrams wrong on the picture, I did that to annoy Tancy!! )

It seems like no matter where I go, I can't get away from the dreaded game of Bananagrams!! :)

But some of the Ladies really enjoyed it!! More power to them I say!!



There were also botchy (sp?) ball games and bag toss games going on.

(Pastor and Jared were very proud that they won bag toss!!)

But I think the best game played, the game I love the most......

SPOONS!!!



Jared, Melissa, Hunny and I all played spoons.

Fun times,

even though SOMEONE ended up ON the table trying to duke it out for the spoon. I will NOT say who that dignified person was!! ;)






This was taken right before the final game..... when Jared and Jeremy were still friends!!

Thankfully, Melissa and I are still friends as well!! ;)



I had such a lovely time at the picnic!

Things I kNoW about GOD

God keeps his promises.

The Bible is jam packed with examples of God's promises he has kept to his people. Some of my all time favorite examples come from the Israelites.

God saw their need when they were an oppressed people living among the Egyptians. He knew of there need and he placed Moses in charge of leading them to freedom. To a land flowing with milk and honey.

7The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt."

Moses questioned God's call on his life. He doubted his ability to complete the task. But in the end Moses obeyed God and left Midian for Egypt.

You know the rest of the story.....

God led the Israelites through the wilderness. Through dry land, through hunger. He gave them light by night and cloud by day.

God keeps his promises.

Maybe not in our time frame. But always in God's.

I know that there are things in life that seem so crucial. Things that need to be taken care of RIGHT NOW. And we cry out to God saying....can't you see us? Can't you see what we are going through? We so often question God, question if he is here and why he is allowing these things to happen.

Some of my favorite verses that I go to:

Isaiah 43:1-5a
1 But now, this is what the LORD says—
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
3 For I am the LORD, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
Cush and Seba in your stead.
4 Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
and because I love you,
I will give men in exchange for you,
and people in exchange for your life.
5a. Do not be afraid, for I am with you;

Isaiah 43: 18-19
18 "Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
19 See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert
and streams in the wasteland.

Isaiah 43:10-13

10 "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD,
"and my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may know and believe me
and understand that I am he
. Before me no god was formed,
nor will there be one after me.
11 I, even I, am the LORD,
and apart from me there is no savior.
12 I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—
I, and not some foreign god among you.
You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "that I am God.
13 Yes, and from ancient days I am he.
No one can deliver out of my hand.
When I act, who can reverse it?"


My desire is to know and believe God.

I believe that God keeps his promises to me.

And I am loving getting to KNOW my GOD.

I can't wait to see the new thing that God has for our life. The way in the dessert, and his stream in our wasteland.

You are mine you are precious in my sight.

A prayer request

Last week Hunny's Mom found out that she has breast cancer.



Thankfully they caught it very early and her survival rate is 100%.

She has to have a little bit of surgery and then radiation which will be daily for 6 weeks. Which will make her tired, but no other side affects.

We are very thankful for that.



Please keep her in your prayers during this time.

Things I LoVe

My friend Sarah introduced me to Italian Sweet Cream Coffee Creamer last week. It is remarkably good!

It will make my friend Lori glad that I don't have to add ANY sugar to my coffee now!!! ;)



I think I have had more coffee this past week then I have had all summer!! And....oh it's soooo good!!

I also love Friends who come and share it with you. Beth came down on Friday night and kept me company during the girls bday party. Lorrie came too, but I forgot to take a picture of her!! :0



It was so good to catch up with each other!!

Our family hasn't had a baby in a couple years (at least on this side of the country!!) and it was very exciting to learn that Hunny's cousin Lindsie had her baby early this morning.




The Bakers got this shirt for Aaron. I think it suits him just fine!!






Dada and I went to the hospital this afternoon and met little Brooklynn.

She definitely looks like Hunny's side of the family. I think personally she looks like little Eli when he was a baby.



Grandpa Kelvin couldn't have been prouder. He got emotional in church this morning as he was telling the congregation about his newest grandchild. You could tell he was so very proud. I absolutely LoVe this picture of them together.



I think little Brooklynn picked a very fine day to be born!!

HaPpY BiRtHdAy BrOoKlYnN!!

Today is our 12 year anniversary.


I am more in love with today, then the day I married him.



I love our little life together, and I wouldn't ask for anything more.

Well....maybe a money tree. ;)



He is my forever.

Happy 9th Birthday!!

Dada's bday party finally arrived! And celebrate we did! I am actually sitting here right now enjoying the quiet! Something I haven't gotten a whole lot of in the past 24 hours!!

Aaron and Lorrie were kind enough to let us ship Brother off to their house during the slumber party. He kept asking me where he was going. I think he did NOT want to be around with a bunch of girls, so I am thankful that he was able to spend some time with Gus.



We had 5 girls stay with us. 6 rowdy, hyper, happy girls.



While they were running around....I mean playing, the movie Ice Princess was on. Needless to say by the end of the day they were doing triple sow cows and double lutzes.



They were very hard to get to actual sleep.



Even though I was exhausted, I really tried to enjoy there giggling and "whispers."

But by 1 I was ready for bed! ;) Thankfully Hunny just had to tell them once to settle down, and I didn't hear much else from them!!





Morning came and some of the girls BEGGED me for coffee!! I couldn't believe it. But I let them. Sorry Moms!! :)



Daddy entertained the girls during lunch. Kids are so drawn to him!!



Then we went swimming! The part they were most looking forward to!!

I love this picture of DADA.



The girls found another frog.



I like the girls faces in this next picture as the frog was trying to jump out of the bucket!!



I think I have bragging rights.....Kayla told me I was her favorite Aunt, and I didn't have to bribe her with cake like I have to with Eli!! ;)



My 9 year old!! I can't believe it.....



With all the heat and humidity, the icing I made just didn't turn out tonight. But Dada didn't notice. She thought maybe it was just the candle that melted the icing. She told me she better blow the candle out quick since the icing was melting!! :)

This is also her favorite cake these days. She really likes strawberries sliced and put in the icing. It is actually really good. This is the cake that was gone tonight!



Present time!!!



Safe and secure in the arms of Grandma's!!






Tonight was a very different bday party for me. Hunny was called into work and wasn't able to be at the party. He was really missed. But I am thankful for his job and the ability to work.

I have to brag on Hunny.....while I was taking the girls swimming and when he was supposed to be resting, he picked up the house from the slumber party. He took such a load off of my shoulders and made my evening so much smoother! He is so good to me!!

I hope Dada had a great bday. She is so special to us and we couldn't be more proud of her.