Heidi & Brian

My cousin, Brian, and his sweet wife, Heidi, have spent the past three days with us....we've had a blast! Heidi is a hoot, just like her husband. She fits right into the family. We've gone to the springs to swim with Angela and her kids, eaten, rented movies, eaten some more, and spent good quality family time together. Family is the best.

Sweet smiles

I love capturing their smile. Joy is written all over their face. O, what abundant gladness it brings to my own heart....I'm smiling, too.

Oh my goodness...can he be more adorable?!?!?!?

Yes, that's my baby!

He loves the camera!

5:53 a.m.

It's 5:53 a.m. as I begin typing this. No, I'm not up this early to read my Bible, although that is exactly what I need at this moment. The reason I'm up is because Luke is up. He's been up for four hours so I've been up for four hours. I think it's due to teething but he relaxes and falls asleep in my arms when I go into his room to calm him but starts screaming the minute I put him down. I've tried everything....ambasol on the gums, singing, nursing, rocking, walking around....he's fine when in my arms but doesn't want to go to sleep. He's mad at me now....I can hear his angry cry from his room next door. He shares a room with Andrew so I asked Mitch to put Andrew in our bed (since I'm obviously not occupying the space) so Luke could scream and not bother Andrew's sleep. So, I am really typing this post to take up some time and allow me to vent. I need something to do between calming sessions! In the meantime, here are a few pictures of the boys over the past few days (awake and happy)

Andrew loves to practice the breaststroke in the tub. He had so much fun in the deep water!



Luke is going to be a good student one day. He loves his little library of books.

Back home

I'm back home from my weekend in Atlanta. The conference was refreshing but I'm pooped! I took Luke with me and glad I did...he cut his first tooth and began crawling all within a matter of three days. He didn't feel so well the first night of the conference and I asked my brother, Stuart, to come be with me while the others in my group carried on. Luke pretty much lost his appetite and....well, let's just say that I barely brought enough diapers for the weekend! I saw MANY friends at the conference whom I hadn't seen in a while, like April and Christi (pictured). Wish I had taken a picture of the others, like Becky, Shannon, Susan, Suzie, Thalia, Rebecca, Christy, and Diane. I can't wait to go back next year!

Out-of-town

I'm leaving to go out of town today....heading to Atlanta for a three day women's conference. Yeah! The blogging will be light; probably nothing at all until I return. Pray for the boys!

Feeling better

This is my gum chewing, flip flop wearing, juicy cup drinking little guy. He's feeling better, thanks to the stinky antibiotics that we have to endure for another nine days. He's already back in school, being that he's no longer contagious. What a cute fellow!

Again

Andrew has strep throat....again! This is the second time this year. I'm just glad it's not allergies. At least this time there's no vomiting....just coughing and a rash. Antibiotics are wonderful, although they smell.

Mary's reception & water balloons

We went to Atlanta this past weekend to celebrate the new marriage of my college roommate, Mary, and husband Darien. It also seemed like a mini college alumni reunion. Pictured here are many of my close friends from my college days. Now we're all married and carry the title of Mommy. Boy, we're old!



While we were in Atlanta, we decided to save the money by not staying in a hotel but rather stayed overnight with our sweet friends, Amy and Sam and their five kiddos. We had such fun chatting about football, crafts, kids, and theology until 2:00 in the morning (I hope I don't fall asleep during Mitch's sermon tomorrow!). Today we went out in their front yard and enjoyed the weather by throwing water balloons at each other. Mallary and Samuel are teaching the art of the overhand throw to Andrew in this picture. In the bottom picture you can see Andrew getting ready to use his overhand to soak his daddy!

Close & In Your Face!

I couldn't resist.....I love taking pics from weird angles of funny faces.

Sin...ugh

I hate my sin. My sin was never REAL to me until about ten years ago. That sounds weird, I know. Something happened in my walk with Christ. It deepened and I saw how dirty I was. I also saw, and still see, how redeemed I am. Sin is ugly. Nothing about sin is pretty. Everything about Jesus is. I feel empty because my time is filled with other things rather than meeting with Christ. Yet, He delights in me. He rejoices over me. Zephaniah 3:17:

"The LORD your God is in your midst,
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing."

I shake my head in disbelief. How could I sin against the Father? Why am I not consumed with Him like He is with me? Why am I so eager to please myself and others moreso than pleasing Him? The Gospel is true. I need reminding of it everyday. I need to repeat the questions/answers in my head like I do with my son: "Who made you? GOD! Why did God make you? For HIS glory!". Oh, thank you for the cross, Jesus. Prone to wander, Lord I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love. I cling to your cross.

I'm glad He exposes my dirt. I'm desperate for a Savior. Good news...there is one and His name is Jesus.

Missing Dad

Today marks six years. It's been six years since my father passed away. He was young; only 59. Each time a huge event happens in the world, I relate it in time to my father's death: the shuttle returning to earth and burning up, September 11, the birth of my children, and so forth. Every detail of THAT horrible day stands out in my mind. I remember the phone call at 1:00 a.m. I remember all the emotions; screaming, crying, pounding the bed, hugging my husband. I remember being surrounded by family that week. Time can take away some of the pain and freshness of losing him but there are still so many things about him that will never be forgotten.

* Daddy's voice was low. I loved listening to him sing in those deep bass tones.
* When a little girl, he would sometimes wake me up in the mornings by rubbing his prickly whisker-face on my cheeks.
* He loved to listen to the "old men" of music, as I referred to them: Elvis, Sinatra, Glen Campbell, and more.
* I remember his pale white skin.....reminds me of my own! He would burn in the sun just like me.
* I remember his laugh. He smoked a good bit of his life so he had a raspy laugh. He quit smoking later in life but the raspiness stayed with him.
* I remember his love for sports...sometimes his love kept him in his recliner so I would often serve him his supper on a UGA dinner tray.
* He loved being a salesman. THE DEALMAKER - #1!
* He LOVED the Georgia Bulldogs. He had several coke bottles commemorating the UGA 1980 football championship sitting around the house. Sic 'em Dawgs! I enjoyed listening to him tease his brother, Uncle David, during football season since because, for some odd reason, David turned out to be a Gator fan - despite having grown up in South Carolina and Georgia. What a weirdo! Just teasing, Uncle David!

The list goes on.....I think I'll stop here and thank God for the 25 years I was able to enjoy with my father.

Labor Day

We've had a fun Labor Day! MeMe and Pop came over for lunch and stayed for a while afterwards so we could enjoy each other's company. After naps, we all went to the park to play tennis, feed the ducks, take a walk, play on the playground (our first merry-go-round experience...they loved it!) and later see a weird mural on the park wall. Hope you had a good time today as well.

I can't believe....

I can't believe he's dead.

Box Tops

Do you ever wonder why that little picture is on a lot of the products/items you purchase at the grocery store? It looks like this:



Well, that little picture (called a BOX TOP) is worth $.10. Registered
schools can mail as many box tops back to General Mills so they will, in turn, mail a check directly back to your school. We, Westminster Christian, participate in this program and are trying to raise cash through the box top program so we can purchase specific items for our playground, art program, and more. So, if you would like to help our school out, and you don't mind cutting box tops off of particpating products, you can mail them to me and I'll make sure they are bundled and turned in for the cash (I'm the coordinator). Go look in your pantry now...you might be surprised to find you already have many participating items with box tops on them.

You may email me for my mailing address. For my email address, just click on my name in the right hand margin and then you'll see the link for my email address. I just don't want to put my mailing address on the Internet for all the world to see. Thanks!

Fish and rainboots

Andrew got two new things yesterday. One was a fish that he named DIRT. Go figure....he's a boy. The other was a pair of rainboots passed down to him from the son of one of my college friends, Amy. He loves them. They were perfect for dancing in the puddles this afternoon after the storm passed. Luke enjoyed sitting outside today on Dad's favorite blanket (although it's upside down, you can still make out GEORGIA TECH).

Andr`ee Seu, writer

This article has spoken such truth to me. It rings true to my heart. Silly how someone else's burden can bring another to tears but it's my burden as well. The author of this essay/article, Andr`ee Seu, is one of my favorite writers. She writes for World Magazine, another favorite of mine. The Lord speaks through her and I always walk away from her articles with new knowledge and insight. In fact, I hope to purchase her new book which is a collection of some of her past essays. You'll probably enjoy reading her work as well. Justin Taylor (see link on right) shares some of Andr`ee's background on his blog. Click here to read his words. She is making an impact on the world for the sake of the gospel.

Happen to me? No, it couldn't.....

You think that it will never happen to you. Better yet, you think that you'll NEVER be the one to blame. You go along in life never worrying that it might even be a possibility. Yep, you know it.....I recorded over valuable home video on accident. In fact, not just a little bit but an entire year's worth; plus the hospital recording of my child's birth, etc. I'm sick to my stomach...ugh.

Favorite things

Andrew's favorite thing to do is explore. He found the lotion (I usually hide it well) and twisted the top off. In this picture, he's realized that he can make the lotion pop up by squeezing it hard. A few minutes after this picture was taken there was lotion everywhere so off to the laundry his clothes and blue cover went!



Another favorite is my friend Claire. She's a faithful friend. If she's within driving distance, she will come visit. She was in town overnight with her family and she brought her sister and brother with her to church this morning. It was so good to see her face. Love ya, Claire!

Lazy Saturday

I love Saturdays...at least this one. Sometimes they are full of "things to do" but this one was restful and fun. We slept late, ate cereal, watched Dad mow the yard, went to a birthday party, took naps, played in the crib, visited with friends, set up the swingset (thanks to the Wilcox family for giving it to us!), and just finished eating BBQ sandwiches for dinner. Luke is in bed for the night and Mitch and Andrew are at Lowe's picking up some nails. I am sitting here alone in the dark computer room....ahhhhhhh.

Playing in the crib


Watching Dad mow the yard


Caught Luke standing for the first time in his crib. He did it all by himself!