Obviously, I am not being very consistent in blogging, but then again, the blog is about what you have done in your life.
SO, does the fact that I am not blogging much reveal that I am super busy having fun with my kids or that I am not doing anything worthy to write about?
Maybe a little of both!
I am planning on doing some posts about our last few weeks this weekend!
For now, I leave you with this……
Last weekend, my precious aunt passed away and I traveled to Mississippi for the funeral. My dad and mom have been making at LEAST monthly trips to help take care of her, stay with her in the hospital and move her into a nursing home since last summer. Needless to say, it has been a trying time for them, but I have been blessed watching my parents, especially my dad, SERVE his sister. Even though they were exhausted, living out of suitcases, not at home, and mostly dealing with hospital stays, they served her WELL.
My sweet, godly Aunt Bobbie, was a jewel. She was one of the most godly women I have ever known. She was fiery, passionate, kindhearted and a woman of the WORD. You couldn’t be in her presence and not hear about Jesus. She absolutely ADORED Him and His church. She was simple, yet steadfast. She worked hard and even though she never had any children, she was everyone’s Aunt Bobbie! But, she was mine, for real! She was so ready, at 80 to be with Jesus in Eternity. She was ready to go home. She lived life well and I learned so much from her. But, to know that she is with the LOVE of her life, worshipping Him, fills me with such joy because I have no doubt that she is right where she wants to be.
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Colossians 3:17
This is the verse that is the foundation for our student camp, Camp Whatever. This is the sixth year, we have taken students to Horns Creek camp in Ocoee, Tennessee. To see how it has grown, how adults who love teenagers will take a week away from work and family, and to see how students have deepened their walks each year, is one of the greatest joys I have been apart of in my walk with Lord.
It had been a couple of years since I had gone and this year, I went as the girls counselor. For a few months, I have been available to do counseling for girls on Wednesday night. To say that girls these days have a lot to deal with, is an understatement. At camp, I was able to do the same. Once you separate a student from the world, wear them out, and have adults continually focusing them towards Christ, it is amazing to see the barriers come down. Not only are they open to hear from the Word, the also are more open to share the hurts that so many deal with on a daily basis. In some cases, they address sin in their life, and in some cases, the sin that has been done to them. To see students who are far from Christ, come to salvation, leaves you breathless. And, then to see a student commit to chase hard after him, without shame and in complete abandonment, leaves you challenged.
I was both this past week.
How are you pouring into the next generation?
A couple of weeks ago, I was able to have a fun day with Ms. Emery.
Bradley tagged along too, but when you have multiple children, you can still do fun things that focuses on just one child. We are in the midst of “it’s not fair” and “she gets to, so why can’t I” phase at our house. I am sure you hear it, too! We want our kids to know that a bad day for them, is a heaven sent day for most children in this world. And I am okay telling them that life isn’t about fairness, it is about Jesus, His grace and mercy…..more importantly about giving those things when you don’t feel like it!
My dad had signed Emery up for a golf camp where he is a member. He was going to take her each day and have fun with Poppy. Sadly, Poppy had to go to Mississippi to be with my precious aunt who was in the hospital. So, Mom and I took Emery to golf camp. She was a little apprehensive, but she quickly got in the groove. Parker is also in a golf program, called the First Tee.
The First Tee is a program designed to get kids interested in golf and teaches, not only skills in playing golf, but also values such as honesty, courtesy, and perseverance. She goes twice a week for an hour and so far, is enjoying it. Emery has taken to golf easily and is loving it! Jason and I are all for the girls playing golf and are hoping this is something we can do as a family as all the kids get older.
Emery with her golf visor she received at registration….She can rock the visor I must say!
Imagine I am talking in a low whisper….Emery Stewart lines the ball up. She has studied it from every angle, will she make it to win the tournament….
And she hit the line beautifully, and she bottoms it!!
This is what Bradley did for an HOUR while we waited. He is a lefty but swings his club/bat right handed. We figure we will let him get comfortable and good with his right hand and then,
turn him around to the left, that way he can switch hit! Or, he may play the piano, who knows!
After lunch, we headed to get Emery’s ears pierced. She has been BEGGING for about a year and we told her she could on her birthday. She was playing soccer so we waited until she was able to keep them in for the full six weeks. We got the store and she was NERVOUS! She ended up bailing and we went to Target to get a few things. She had decided to wait until the weekend when two people were working. After Target, she asked to go back, so after assurring me she was ready, we went back. Sure enough, she was ready to go.
She was still a little freaked! Can you see the tension in her face??
Two minutes later….
How precious are these little earrings?
Emery you absolutely light up our days with your amazing grin! I love seeing you excited over the small things. You are a beautiful girl and I pray that you always celebrate those special things that are apart of being a girl! May your love for Jesus always draw people to Him!
Last week we had our VBS style emphasis at our church, Lifepoint. I helped coordinate all of our preschool workers and student volunteers. This year we opened up Pre-K to the community and had a great turnout! I got to love on some babies and toddlers, which was good. I am content in being able to love on them in doses and hand them back to mommy or daddy! We had around 800 kids on our two campuses and raised around $3800 for Haiti relief.
I love that our church focuses on children and students. I love that our kids worship with music that speaks to them, their age and their generation. The message is not watered down, which many often confuse with a hipper style of music or the use of lights and motions. Our kids are learning to worship in spirit and truth and that following Jesus is about giving Him your life, not just a moment, a prayer or an acknowledgment. They are learning what it means to follow Christ. Last week they learned about Heroes in Scripture and their example. I am doubly excited to see our middle and highschoolers serving. This week is possible because they sacrifice time at the pool, with friends, or hanging out in front of the tv for time spent investing in the lives of preschoolers and students. They are growing because they are serving Him. Such a blessing to watch them grow in their journey with Jesus by being His hands and feet.
Emery was on the praise team again this year and she did a great job! It is so cute to watch her and we know that she is learning that leading others in worship is a privilege and that her role is to simply point others to Him. No focus on self or on being the center of attention….at least that is our prayer. Bradley was able to be in worship this year. He came home singing some of the songs and talking about what he was learning, as well. He told us all about, “the woaves and the fish.” The girls were also able to invest in our neighbors this week. We don’t have many kids in our neighborhood, which is very evident in the summer. Our neighbors had their nieces visiting and they came for two days. The girls were so excited to be able to invite them. We are praying that they get to continue to see these sweet girls in the weeks to come!
Our good pal, Ryan, has become quite the photographer and took some pics of the fam this past weekend. We met up at Miller’s Grocery and had a little photo shoot followed by some good eats! It was blazing hot, but we persevered and captured our family, in what I think, are some amazing shots.
Thanks, Ryan, Marty, Peyton and Mason for a fun evening, your great friendship and for capturing our family…..we are blessed.
Sunday, Parker and Emery had their good friend, Peyton, over for the afternoon. They played and hung out in Parker’s room and spent sometime outside. Jason and I were talking in our office and watching them play. We noticed that they had gathered their bench, two plastic bins, which they covered with a paint tarp and set it up at the end of our driveway. I thought, “how cute, they are playing restaurant!”
Little did I know….
We walked outside and I heard them talk about having customers…..again, I am thinking RESTAURANT. Jason and I wander back inside and Parker comes in and shows us her sign that they had been showing passing cars.
It read….
Will Dance or Sing for Money
I wish I could adequately describe Jason’s face…he was truly at a loss for words! He informed Parker that “we didn’t, we don’t, umm….that’s not really appropriate.” I later found their list of songs they had written. They had a secular and a Christian set list.
Secular included: You are my Sunshine
Christian: Every move I make
So you be the judge: Innovative, Entrepreneurial or 8 year olds gone wild?
This was our house when we bought it in September 2008. Definitely not going to win any curb appeal awards.
This is during the phase of the addition where our neighbors, most of whom have never stopped to meet us, asked
“Do you know that your brick doesn’t match?”
Seriously…..we liked keeping them in suspense.
Next, came the removal of all landscaping and our love affair with
30 gallons of LaFonda Sagebrush began.
Ahhh, the mystery of the mismatched brick is solved.
This was the house and porch after digging 3000 (maybe less) holes to plant new landscaping and
the porch was autumned up, as well as the front door painted.
Look at that baby shrubbery….it will take another 10 years for you to mature.
Also, for some strange reason, our sidewalk does not go all the way to the driveway….why, not sure.
So, we killed the grass with good intentions of adding some stones and fancying it up, but that has not happened yet.
This is our house June 2010.
I am lurving me some black mulch, daylilies abloom, black painted wicker with pops of red and
everything springing up to life!
We are far from finished but are really pleased with the fruits of our labor.
Right before school got out last week, LuLu called to see if we wanted to skip the last half day and meet her at Myrtle Beach.
We didn’t have to think twice.
We took off after school on Wednesday and headed east. We drove to Columbia and got there about 1:30 am.
We were a little tired, but sooo ready to see the beach!
We had a great long weekend and stayed through Memorial Day. We went to the same place we went to three years ago and had a great time visiting with “The cousins” which are LuLu’s amazing cousins. They are such precious people who love all over my kiddos and are just a pure joy to be around. You can see pictures from our last trip with them here.
We also got to spend some amazing time with our dear friends, the Swaffords. April called me on last Monday and said, “Guess where I am? The beach!” I said, “Which one?” and she replies, “Myrtle” to which I say, “SHUT UP, we are going to be there Thursday!!!!” I have no doubt God was all over this one in allowing our families much needed time together! We were phone tagging each other to figure out when we could do a weekend together this summer and low and behold….He already had it worked out! April wrote about our time together, as well!
My precious girls. I am so proud of all they accomplished this past year. They are now a 3rd and 2nd grader!
Also, as my public service announcement, Landsend tugless bathing suits are AMAZING for girls! Modest, cute and no tugging!
Suits have been very hard to fit my girls and these worked great!
Bradley did a lot of this….
and this…
and he refuses to be left out of this….
I did a lot of this…..
Emery did a lot of this…..
and this….
and of course, this…
but, she really loves to do this….
Parker spent a lot of time doing this….
she also enjoys this….
and just being able to do this….
and this….
And, together they really love to…..
kid around…..
We were able to take some cleaned up beach pictures….
and I even got one with my man…..with whom I share a love of the beach…
I had big plans for Emery’s birthday party. We had talked through a Carnival theme or a Sweet Shoppe theme party. She decided on the carnival but wanted a candy bar.
Works for me.
After Easter, I bought a TON of candy on clearance, in preparation of the festive day.
The closer it got, she decided she wanted to have a few friends over for a sleepover…..
Works for me.
She chose three of her great buds, Delana, Charlie and Natalie.
Our first stop was at a Bowling Alley/Bumper Cars/Arcade place.
They decided to play some video games and ride the bumper cars.
They had such fun….for five minutes, at least, but fun was had by all!
Afterwards, we dropped Parker and Bradley at my parents, so Emery didn’t have to worry about including her siblings.
It’s her birthday and sometimes, you just need to have one kid be the center of attention! She was perfectly fine with ditching her brother and sister.
Our next stop was the Japanese Steakhouse.
For the record, the last time we went to the cook in front of you type restaurant, it didn’t go so well.
Actually, it is the stuff of legends…
Emery was crying while they took our drink orders, scared out of her mind.
Bradley was crawling up me trying to get away from the table.
Parker was not sure what to do.
After the big swoosh of fire…it went downhill.
At one point, Emery was in the corner behind our table, in the fetal position, Bradley was screaming at the top of his lungs.
and Parker was declaring she wasn’t eating anything…..I kid you not.
They ended up watching a movie in the van and we stopped at McDonald’s on the way home.
Not our shining parental moment, that is fo shore.
So to say I was a little apprehensive, would be putting it mildly.
Everyone needs their picture in front of a shiny gold lady in their life.
Our sweet chef, at least I think, I didn’t understand anything he said accept, “happy Birthday,” which he said no less 240 times.
Sweet girls, they were precious. They got soo much food and seriously ate four bites.
We had 6 to go boxes.
Check out all of our rice…
After dinner, we headed home.
I had set up the candy bar since I had $40 worth of 75% off candy and I apparently think candy, sleepover and 7 year old girls is a good mix.
When I was getting ready for the party, I passed this
oh, and popcorn, we also ate popcorn….
