Happy New Year!!

I cannot believe that today is the last day of 2007! We have had a busy year! We did some remodeling and redecorating on our house (finishing a week before Blaine was born), celebrated Brenden turning 2, the birth of Blaine, helping my sister and family move, taking on the Preschool Director position at church, Team Impact, and Barry was baptized. He was saved in 2006, but did not feel led to be baptized until Feb. of 07. I could not be more blessed, excited , and proud of him for laying himself down and following God. I still cannot believe how God answered that prayer. It is only by a miracle that God yanked us up from the pit the way He did. As I look back I cannot believe the way we lived. I know I cannot go back to every person and apologize, that is why I am so thankful that I am forgiven my the Almighty. We were also blessed and got to witness God work in two of our friends lives and watch them be saved and one baptized. What an awesome year it has been. Yes we have had some valley experiences too, but the mountains far out way the valleys. We talked about what our goal in life is yesterday at church. That is an important question that is sometimes hard to have one answer for. Whatever our answer is, is it in God's will? Is it what God wants for us? Does it match what His Word says we should live for, worry about, focus our energy on? It is hard to stay on task and live that way everyday. We sometimes want to go and do what pleases us, with out thinking if it is what God wants for us or if it is going to mess up our witness. People do look at the way I act, live, and talk whether I think they are or not. I do sometimes make huge mistakes that I realize after and sometimes stick my foot in my mouth. That happens more often that I would like to admit. I know that I am forgiven for that and I try to correct it when I have the guts! Sometimes I feel as though I should just leave it alone and in time if God leads me to that moment He will correct it with out me messing things up again. I think that should be one of our goals in life. To allow God to be the muscle, the one in control, instead of us trying to handle every problem, worry, or mistake in our lives. That I must say is a hard one. I find myself wanting it to be okay right now not when God wants it to be fixed and how He wants me to go about fixing it or leaving it alone. Some of the journeys He has lead me on I have had to eat some humble pie and I just don't like it!! I know that I am growing and learning and I do have A LOT left in store for me to learn. My goal for my life is to allow myself to be God's child sometimes I ignore what I know He is leading me do. To allow Him to work through me, to be the follower. I cannot live this life without Him being in charge. I am not happy, fulfilled, or loved unless I am filled up with the Spirit of God. I know the journey is hard and bumpy at times, but the blessing are worth it. I also know I will make many mistakes along the way. That keeps me real and grounded. And those are also worth it. Because through each one I will have learned and leaned upon My God. I truly hope you have a wonderful 2008. If you ever need someone to be praying with you I would love too.

Our niece from North Carolina has been visiting for the past couple of weeks. Brenden and Jada had fun today riding the 4 wheeler and jumping in the blow up jumpoline. I think Brenden is going to be my little dare devil. He looks to be having a little too much fun scarring Jada.

Yes that is Brenden jumping on the bed!!

Caught in the act.

I hope you had a good Christmas. We had a great time with family. Brenden and Noah were two peas in a pod. They hung out and played Playstation. And Blaine kept the girls busy being little moms. We also went to our church Christmas Eve service which I love going too, and we decorated Christmas cookies which is a tradition my sisters and I started when we were young. Barry was off all of last week and part of this week so we enjoyed family time and did our Christmas early so we could play before we had more to open. Grandma went crazy this year and did not do one practical thing! Here are a few pictures from our week.

She loved the present we gave her. Can you tell. Thanks mom and dad for helping with it!!

This time of year can be hard. You start to remember the ones that are not with us anymore. I know I have some friends and family who have passed that held our extended family close and sadly they are the ones that always brought us together. Now that they are gone we hardly make time to visit. These verses give joy, hope, peace, and excitement as we wait upon our Lord.


1 Thessalonians 4:16
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
4:17
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Only a mom gets this excited!

Blaine got his first tooth today!! Only a mom gets this excited about a child's first tooth. It is sad though. A chapter has closed, but a new one is opening. I love watching my kids grow up. They do it way too fast! I am so thankful that I have been able to see every moment as a stay at home mom. My husband and I both felt that is what God wanted us to do and don't get me wrong we could use the money and some days I would love some freedom, but I love almost every moment of everyday with these boys. There is not a job in the world that is more difficult and more rewarding. It cracks me up to watch the battle of working moms and stay at home moms on some of the news shows. They want someone to justify their decision. Guess what! No one can justify your decision for your child other than yourself. So why are you arguing about who is right or wrong unless in the back of your mind you have doubt about your decision. So get on your knees and pray. Yes, God does care about this decision, and about all of the other everyday decisions you make. So pray, then wait. He will answer that prayer. You may even be so bold to give Him a time limit and if He has not answered you by then than it is no. Then be even bolder and ask Him to confirm it. And He will. Even if it is not the answer you thought you wanted you asked and you better follow. There are blessings and lessons at the end of every journey God gives us. I don't want to miss a single one. Especially my blessings. Beth Moore used an illustration in one of her studies, we each have a box in heaven that is unopened. Inside is blessings that God had ready and waiting that we never bothered to ask for. Don't miss yours!! ASK!
Wow! I never intended to start preaching. I guess I was supposed to remind myself of this since the last couple of weeks being a stay at home mom has not felt like such a blessing with sick children. I never said getting your blessing was always fun or easy.

We have been extremely busy these days!! We were better for a week then last week sick again and better this week. We had a birthday party for Jesus at church Sunday that I organized. It turned out great. We had a good turn out and my biggest fear of not enough food was all okay! Now on to planning an Easter fellowship. Well just wanted to touch base with you. It has been a while. The picture below was Sunday afternoon. We were worn out!!