March 2011

March is always a time of great excitement and anticipation at our house. First, comes Sarah Ryann's birthday- literally, her birthday is March 1.

This year, I had the pleasure of hosting the 2nd annual sleepover party comprised of 10 9-10 year old little girls. Dan took the boys to my parents for the night (Thanks for the help Grandad!), and my mom, Mimi, came over to spend the night and "help" me. In reality, she did most of the work while I took tons and tons of pictures, refilled drinks, and made popcorn.  She got to deal with the mess made by the cupcake decorating adventure.

A BIG "Thank you" to Mimi for making both chocolate and vanilla cupcakes, and the buttercream icing, and providing the sprinkles, the dragees, and all the other great stuff! 

The girls had a ball. They danced until they couldn't stand, they played games, sang songs, and had a GREAT time together. It was a great party, we are so blessed that Sarah Ryann has such great friends.

 

And then there was Spring Break! We stayed at home this year and caught up on some much needed "house time". We did take a break one day for a trip to the Buffalo Park. We had a blast!

 

Thankfulness

The mercy and grace of our God amazes me on a very regular basis. More so now than at any other time in my life, and even more in recent years, months, weeks and days as I see His work in my life and the lives of those around me, and more so as I examine His works with a consciousness previously missing. I am constantly reminded that my life, my being, my existence, is for His Glory, only, and my highest calling is to serve  and exalt Him in everything that I do, and to do so not only because He commands it, but because He is worthy and I am not. That's a hard, hard concept for someone like me. Yet, here I am, put here by Him, for His Grace, for His Glory and by His Mercy, to do that one, tiny thing. And I fail, and fail, and fail. And by His Grace I am forgiven- over and over and over. My unfaithfulness is forgiven, my impatience is forgiven, my mistaken and illogical attempts to control my circumstances are forgiven, and I am gently reminded by Him, through others, that His plan is perfect, and mine is destined to fail. Thank you Lord for the gentle reminders, for the gentle pushes in the right direction, for the decisions that you made so long ago, and for the Mercy that you continue to show me. Thank you for the wonderful leaders that you place in my life, thank you for the wonderful examples of men and women who place their unwavering trust in You. "Thankful" is such a small word to express such an enormity of feeling.

Welcome 2011!

I can't believe so much has happened. We have celebrated Christmas, my Mom's birthday, Finn's birthday, Nemi's birthday, and the SNOW- more snow than I have ever seen in Mississippi. We built snowmen and had snowball fights. Precious memories.

Our holidays this year were wonderful, and different. We awoke to a white Christmas! The first in my memory.  It was a wonderful surprise.

Matt, Leigh and Cameron came to Tupelo on Christmas day, and we had a great time seeing them and learning of the newest addition to the family-

baby Morgan

due in August!

Unfortunately our time with them was short as Cameron woke up with a stomach bug the next day and Mom woke up with terrible bronchitis. Needless to say Matt, Leigh and Cameron packed up and moved on back to GA pretty early on Sunday, but our time was fun while it lasted.

We celebrated with Tim and Anna the day after Christmas, their trip to Tupelo Christmas morning having been cancelled due to the SNOW.  After that came January and yet more SNOW!

January also brought basketball season. Sarah Ryann is playing on the 3rd-6th grade girls team for TCPS, and is having a BALL, quite literally.

I knew that this was going to be a great experience when I heard the Coach ask the girls as they came off the court during half-time of the first game,
"Are you having fun?"

A resounding "YES" was the answer, and is still the answer for each of them.

GO EAGLES!

Then came the January birthdays- Finn on the 12th, Jacq Fortner on the 30th and Norman on the 31st.  We didn't get to celebrate, yet, with Jacq, but we sure did celebrate with Finn and Nemi!

BRING IT ON 2011- IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT YEAR!

Birthdays

So, tomorrow is my Mom's Birthday.  Yes, December 24, Christmas Eve... I know! Poor mamma. She gets short changed every single year. I don't know what it was like when she was growing up. I have heard stories from my Granny, about making sure she had birthday separate from Christmas, and all, but really, how is is that possible? I mean, when you put the tree up weeks before, wrap the presents, put them under the tree and know that the next day is the celebration of Christmas, how is it possible to separate the two?  When I was growing up my Dad always made a big deal about having a separate Birthday present for her, and my brother and I understood from an early age, and we still make a BIG deal about her birthday. Well, we usually make a big deal about it. This year, my Mom has decided that she doesn't want to celebrate her birthday so much. She said she wanted to wait until my brother comes home, which I can understand, but goodness... she celebrates a birthday with such a special person, how can that wait, really?  Mmmm, it cant. I decided.  I LOVE MY MOM!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BEST MOM IN THE WORLD!  Did you know that my sweet Mom made every single basketball game (until she was thrown out for disagreeing with the referee), soccer game, ballet recital, t-ball game, and every other kind of sport, social gathering, etc., that my brother and I could have imagined? Did you know that she cooked dinner for us, homemade dinner, almost every night when we were growing up? Did you know that she can make the most delicious food, and tie the most beautiful bows, and decorate the most beautiful house in all the world? This, is from whence I came... This is my mother... quite something to live up to... I can't even imagine trying.  Did you know that when I came home to Tupelo that she kept my child every day, without question, while I worked, and worked, and worked... Without her I would definitely not be who I am today. In case I haven't said it recently, THANK YOU MOM!

AND-  THANK YOU GRANNY for giving birth to my sweet mother. I love you both.

Christmas, Christmas Time is Here....

It's Christmas Time! This Season has been filled with so much fun- Gingerbread cookie making, and decorating, Christmas tree ornament making, Christmas tree decorating, Advent calendar surprises, SNOW!,  Lawndale children's Christmas program, Jesus' Birthday celebration at TCPS, daily decrees from Mac that he want "Sanda Caws" to bring him presents, and so many more things. I am so thankful for all of my family and the special joy that each of them brings to my life. I am also thankful for the birth of Jesus and the redemption that He alone can bring. As these last few days before Christmas come to a close I am looking forward to spending some much needed time with my precious family. All the gifts are wrapped, the house is cleaned, and the cooking is finished... time to play! I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas.

The Ponkin Pats....



Pumpkin Patch Farms 2007

 This weekend we went on an adventure to Blue Mountain, MS to Pumpkin Patch Farms, a/k/a  "the ponkin pats". I could not believe that has been three years since we've been. Two years ago we went to the "patch" at the Buffalo Park, which was also fun, but we love, love, love Pumpkin Patch Farms. It was an amazing day... picnic on the grounds, fun in the jumpy things, train ride, and lots and lots of pumpkins to choose from.  We all FINALLY found the perfect pumpkins to accompany us home, and by the end of the day everyone was tired but very happy. Did I mention I LOVE this season?


Pumpkin Patch Farms 2010







Fall Fever



Sarah Ryann, Finn and Mac 2008



 With the first hint of the cool Fall air approaching I donned my favorite hoodie and sat outside in the darkness with a cup of tea enjoying the quiet of the night. I LOVE Fall. I love everything about this glorious season- the weather, the colors, the light, the leaves fading and finally falling, the kids playing in the leaves and dressing up in various costumes. Perhaps most of all I love the still, quiet place the Fall night becomes after those long Summer nights filled with heat, bugs, movement and sound fade away. I know that I am not alone in my love for this season, and I know that some of you would add "football" to the list of loves, and although I do not "love" football I am looking forward to enjoying as much of this fleeting season as possible, including a few well placed football games. I hope each of you takes a moment to stop and smell the rain, the leaves, the crispness of the air. After all, it won't last forever.  Here are few pictures from Fall that I love.

Fall 2008

Sarah Ryann 2004

Sarah Ryann and Finn 2007

Sarah Ryann, Finn and Mac 2008

Sarah Ryann and Finn 2005