Fall Fun

Tonight we had a Halloween party at church. We had so much fun with the kids, we had a lot of great things planned. We started the night with a hot dog roast. Thanks to Ryan Gaar for building our fire for us. Mrs. Stringer helped Reese roast his hot dog and get all the fixings he wanted! What a great school we are at to have so many adminstrators and teacher serving and loving our kids at church! =)

Ms. Judy, Ms. Casondra, and Ms. Bonnie all cooked and served the kiddos. Gigi was there to help serve and watch Reese have lots of fun. We had spider cupcakes, Mrs. Flowers yummy Halloween cookies, hot dogs, chilli, Halloween cheese, and Mrs. Stringer's special Eye Ball Punch....top the night off with smores and pumpkin making.

Hot Dog with Cat Cheese

Making my pumpkin!

Spider cupcakes...Yum!

Smores from the chocolate fountain!

This is good Mom!

Eye Ball Punch...SCARED US!

But, it sure was good!

Ended the night with a fun game of simon says!

Too cute not to share..Reese and Ashton

What a great night at church, it was so relaxing to enjoy time with the kids and just get away from all the stress at school and fall festival. We are so blessed to have the church family that we do, the women's ministry helped us with the kids tonight, and would help with us with anything we needed...no questions asked. I am very thankful for these wonderful ladies, they are great role models for me. It is also so nice to have my sister there with me!

Friends

We are so blessed to have such good friends in our lives. Friends are so good for you and these people would do anything for any of us. Thank you to all my friends for always being there. I love you!

"I got a feeling..."

What a fun weekend! We spent the weekend celebrating with Danny and Kelly. We got to spend time with our family and closest friends - make some new friends of CT - what a blessed time. Mom, Katie, and I gave a brunch to the bridesmaids at Heather's house it was really special. I was thankful to Heather for not only letting us use her house for the brunch, but letting Chris, Reese and I stay the weekend with her. From the moment we left on Friday afternoon to leaving this morning we had constant smiles on our faces. Well, I will have to say the last 30 minutes of the reception I was tired I might not have had a smile on face, but I was smiling on the inside. Here a few pictures and videos of the fun we had.

Rehearsal Dinner

Reese and Nathan at the Wedding Ceremony - they were poses for the camera!

I had so much fun with Heather this weekend. It was so good to spend time with her!

Had to put of a picture of me with my favorite little man!

Reese dancing with Holli - he was the star of the dance floor and the center of attention a lot!

I didn't get a picture of my family =( that really made me sad, I wanted one of us all dressed up. It was a great weekend, so nice to get away and a much needed stress reliever.

Perfect Peace

"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you." Isaiah 26:3

One my friends, Jenna, gave me this verse to help me through the "hardships" of life. You can ready my "hardships" post below. Thank you Jenna - this verse has been in mind and on my heart since the day you gave it to me.

I want "perfect peace," but as I look at my world, my life, my future, it is hard to imagine that I can have "perfect peace." I know God promises me a future full of hope and blessing, but it doesn't just happen automatically. There are things I must do, one of them is to pray (Jeremiah 29:11-13). Another is to obey God.

Everytime I pray and obey, I am investing in my future. Although I live in a world that can change in an instant, a world that is uncertain. God is unchanging.

Although I may not know the specific details of my future, I can trust the God knows. He will get me safely where I need to go. In fact, the way to get to the future God has for me is to walk closey with Him today.

Cooking for Daddy

Reese had another week of perfect conduct! After we did our homework it was time to head home for something really fun, but first we had to stop at the store and get an Icee - nothing like an Icee on a cold day!

Then Reese wanted to make a special dessert for Daddy tonight. The kind with his name on it and chocolate and peanut butter, "those are very tasty." Reese said it was really simple - it had four steps and ingredients. We did break this up into 8 steps, but he read on the box that is was only 4 steps.  Hope you enjoy.

1. Stir chocolate and butter together

2. Press in pan

3. Stir peanut butter, filling mix, and butter

4. Press in pan

5. Squeeze out the chocolate

6. Spread it out

7. Of course you must lick the spatula

8. Smile because,"Daddy is going to love it!"

 

We had so much fun. I love cooking with Reese and he loves to help. He can do so much by himself. I can't wait for him to take over dinner making. =)

Hardships

hardship: noun a condition that is difficult to endure; suffering; deprivation; oppression; lack of comfort; life of hardship

What is a hardship? What makes something difficult to endure? What causes suffering, oppresion, deprivation? What brings a lack of comfort? Is there a connection between hardship and attitude, hardship and your heart?

My mind is so cluttered and cloudy at the moment. I have this overwhelming sense of hardship...why? What causes us as humans to go through these times where everything and everyone seems too difficult to bear?

I know there is a connection between my heart and those things which seem as a hardship...the connection has to be because of my lack of faith...right? If I had the right attitude the right focus in my heart would I really see these things as hardship? I was reading a blog today (Carlile Crew: see the link on the left to read) that was talking about looking in the mirror and seeing ourselves and others as God sees us. He loves and created us all...even those we sometimes feel are hard to love. Two songs from Brandon Heath keep playing over and over in my head the past few days. (I'm linking them below) When I have these overwhelming feelings or I am "down in the dumps" as some might say I try to count my blessing. I am going to try that now:
1. I'm Forgiven

I think that covers it all - doesn't it? I'm loved, I'm forgiven, I'll recieve mercy, no matter what happens. Can't I take comfort in that, shouldn't that make hardships easy to endure? Yes it should - but why doesn't it always work - why do I have that sinful nature? If you have any words of wisdom please share - any scripture I can memorize to go back to on days/weeks like these.

Give Me Your Eyes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OihvG607W-c

He's Not Finished with Me Yet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_i52FtpO4gI

IC =)

I don't think I ever posted the results from my doctor's visit last week. It is my IC acting up, my bladder was "very inflamed and extremely tender" last Tuesday. I can't take the medicine that helps rebuild the lining and relieve some of the pain because I want to become pregnant. Pretty much the doctor tells me, I will hurt until I take the medicine and get rid of my "female organs." He understands and supports my desire for another baby so we are doing what we can to keep me feeling as healthy as I can be until that happens. Basically, I can't eat anything! Or anything that I love - following the IC diet can be difficult, but it does seem to help. I also have to drink half my body weight in water each day to help flush out the toxins in my bladder. That is a lot of water - even if I have lost 24 pounds. I thought about sharing a picture of what an IC bladder looks like, but I'll spare you that one. Anyway, I was so thankful it was just the IC, I can handle a little pain and I'm praising my God that it wasn't the endometriosis.

I thank you for praying for me, please continue to ask God to give me a baby, or change my desire to match His will. He is faithful, and He answers prayer - we have been reminded of that through precious Madelyn.

I leave you with some pictures of my favorite little boy. He is the reason I can go through anything that comes my way. He keeps me smiling, he keeps me laughing, he keeps me praying, and he keeps me loving. That one goofy smile - the fake cheese he always does is just precious - it is a sign of the REAL love my Father has for me. My wonderful husband keeps me going too - I don' t want to overlook how important he is to me. He loves me unconditionally another sign of my Father's love for me. Man, I'm sappy today!

Hope you all have a fabulous week, and enjoy your families. Don't forget me in your prayers, and please praise God for bringing Madelyn home today. What an amazing testimony she has been!

One more note, then I promise to quit - say a prayer for my sister Katie - her blood pressure has been too low today and she almost passed out in atheltics.