50th Anniversary

On August 2nd we celebrated our parent’s 50th wedding anniversary.  It was low key, intimate and lots of fun.  What a legacy my parents are leaving for their kids and for their grand kids.  Rocket Man and I married late, had a handful of kids and wonder if anyone will marry young so that we’ll see grand kids.


Aren’t they a handsome couple?  50 years.
Wow.
I wonder if they know what a wonderful example they are of God’s unfailing love for us?
They’ve stuck together through the good times, the fun times, they somehow managed to raise us and we turned out ok.  Having four of my own I know what an accomplishment that is.  I don’t know how my mom did it with my dad traveling as he did for a while.  They’ve survived poor times, wealthy times, sick times, healthy times, skinny times, no-so-skinny times, active times, and sedentary times.

They’ve survived.
By the grace of God and the will of them both they have survived.
They’ve survived life.
With all it’s hard knocks, it’s ups and downs.  They’ve survived.

I hope my husband and I can be the same kind example to our kids.   That we won’t screw them up too badly.  That God will fill in all the gaping holes.  That he will love and call each one to Himself.  And that my kids will know Him as a loving and compassionate God that loves the whole.  The sin, the good, the bad, that makes up each one of us.

Here are the flowers dad gave mom:

Here are the kids Ipod-ing it before dinner…

The dinner:

The Gang minus me (behind camera) and my brother and sister in law who live very far away right now.  WE missed you guys!!

The other half of the table:

The cake (compliments of my sister)

Look at all that chocolate!!!!!  I could have bathed in it.

Happy 50 years mom and dad!!!
I hope you have 50 more!
Love…….


A new day…

Today I got up before the kids which has been different than my normal summer routine.  I’ve caught up on a lot of sleep this summer.  Since the surgery on my foot I’ve routinely slept until 9am or so.  One day I actually slept until 11am.  I haven’t done that since I was a teenager.  It was strange waking up when it was almost noon.

Today, as I awoke to foggy windows and a quiet house I walked into the kitchen to punch the coffee button.  My husband has gotten into the routine of leaving me sweet sticky notes on my coffee cup each morning.  It’s been a wonderful way to know he’s talking to me even tho he’s already at work.

I’m reminded of the many seasons we go through in life.  Some are quiet, some loud, some active, some sleepy, some hard, some easier.
And I’m so thankful that in the quietness is when I can feel the Father’s love the most.  I feel his “good morning” in the cup of coffee waiting for me, the sticky note my Rocket Man leaves, in the cat waiting to come in for a treat, in the fact that I live in a nice house, my husband has a job and that I have the privilege for praying for others who do not.  And I am reminded of that in the way my Father takes care of me.

What season are you in?  Is your life hard right now?  I pray that you find the Father’s arms wide open and his care for you constant.  I still worry about money from time to time especially with all the doctor bills rolling in from three surgeries.  And He knows it’s an area where I struggle.  So I’m constantly taking that to Him, laying it as His feet and asking him to take care of his arm, his foot and his bills.

After all, I am His girl.  And we are His family.
He put us together.
He made us one.
He brought my children into the world.
He is the KING.
And I love reminding my children of who they are…..
Children of the King!!!

Go forward today as a Child of the King.


Go and Get It!!

Surprise Tamron Lens Giveaway!

The World’s First and Only 15X Zoom Lens!
(Value $629)

For Canon or Nikon DSLR users.

If you use a different camera, Tamron will substitute an appropriate prize.
Must have a U.S. mailing address to win.

Wouldn’t you love to have this kind of zoom???

The perfect all-in-one lens, Tamron’s 15X zoom lens features VC, a proprietary anti-shake mechanism that gives you a 4-stop shutter speed advantage for blur-free hand-held shots. Shoot confidently from wide to ultra-tele with Canon and Nikon APS-C DSLRs.

To enter:
  • Visit Tamron’s web site and look around, then come back here let us know what caught your eye and why you want to win this lens! {You must visit their site to be entered to win}
Contest Ends THIS Friday, August 7th at 8 pm (Pacific) / 11 pm (Eastern)
Winner will be chosen at random and be announced on Saturday the 8th.


I wish we were still here…



We’re doing something different with school this year.  I’m excited and a little nervous.  We’re participating in Classical Conversations this year.  But I’m also super excited that my sister is homeschooling her youngest (who really isn’t young and can drive for pete’s sake)!

But my heart is still longing for the beach!!!!


Yippee!

My ever so sweet brother in law just gave me CS3 and I’m really dying to learn how to use it.  I’ve been playing around but have no idea what I’m doing.  It’s so different from Elements.
But here’s my first attempt at Actions (Ree’s of course).

Before:

After

So, what do you think????


I HEART faces at the beach entry


Click here to join in the fun


We were walking down the boardwalk in Beaufort NC when Luke stopped for a drink of water. 
I just love this picture of him. 


My baby girl

She isn’t a baby anymore.
She’s growing up.  She fights with her brothers.  She wants to wear her hair in a pony tail if I’m wearing a pony tail.  She wants her sunglasses if I have mine.  She broke her arm.  I broke my foot.  My mom and dad say she’s the spitting image of me at that age.

She’s opinionated.  She knows what she wants.
She very much like me.

God gave us Danielle because Daniel was a prophet in the Bible.  She is named after him.
While I was pregnant with My third born son God told me my daughter would sing for him.  So I naturally thought I was carrying a girl.  Silly me. 

She came last.  She is the 4th born in our family.
But she sings all the time and she loves Jesus.  Her prayers will hush the loudest of rooms.

She’s not a baby anymore but she’s still my baby girl and I love her.


Where do summers go?

Oh I can’t stand the thought of thinking about lesson plans, starting school and all that jazz.
I’m thinking I’d rather be here…




God, can summer last a little longer this year???


Much to do about nothing…

…so you know we’re not at the lake.

But we’ve had lots of fun there this summer.  Two days at the lake are enough to make me want two days at home to recover, sleep in my own bed, not deal with sand and not have as many stinky dirty clothes to wash.

Big news at our house this week…..Baby girl got a new (handed down) bike with training wheels and she’s riding away.  I’ve not taken any pictures of her yet.  The heat outside has been horrible and they usually ride in the evenings when my broken foot has begun to throb.

The older boys have begun a few short non-practices as they call them.  I think it’s just an excuse to get together and throw the football.  But before long I’ll be sweating while I watch them play.  Come Fall Come!

What began as beautiful spring grass that needed to be cut almost every other day has turned into nongrass with brown spot.  It happens every year.

The crepe myrtles haven’t bloomed yet.  We have late bloomers.

My stitches are out.  I’m still wearing what we call my Darth Vader boot.  Two more weeks of that and then back for another xray.  My foot still swells a lot and there is no walking without the boot.  Sometimes on my heel a bit but that won’t carry me far.

God continues to bless our family as we have been able to take advantage of one part of the economic stimulus package……a 35% Cobra payment.  Yippee!!  All the rest is scary but I’ll take what I can.

More later from the sunny and hot south.


Well hello…

It seems so long since I’ve blogged.  We’ve been busy enjoying the summer.  We spend a few days at home and then a few days at the lake.  I don’t get to do very much except keep off my foot but I’ve enjoyed watching the children play, jet ski, and ride the tube behind the boat or jet skis.  We have wonderful friends who camp all summer and we love spending time with them at the lake.  Our sweet little pop up remains under our carport where the boys sleep in in several times a week.  It just hasn’t made it to the lake yet this year.

I think everyone has caught a fish except for my poor Rocket Man.  He’s tried so hard but nothing!!!
Baby girls’s fish…..

Big Brother’s fish…

Lots of horseplay….

And lots of swimming….

My sweet friend Tonya driving and posing crazy!

Even Sparky got to go for a swim.  She’s not much for water.


Gymnastics…..


The boys love the tube!!!


I also wanted to share some photos I took of the girls at the beach.  I was able to take some great photos and I think I’ve been meaning to post them but never did.

My cousins are beautiful and of course my sweet “not a baby any more” baby girl is precious.



My baby girl loves her cousin Kensley.

Kensley showing off her RunWay look

All the girls….

One of my favorites of Kensley

One of my favorites of Korey

I like this one too.


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