New Book

Gift From the Heart was a very good book. I laughed and I cried. Once Chris looked at me while I was reading it and saw me crying and said "Is it worth it?" I said yes in between my tears!! Of course, please remember my "condition" if you read this and think I am crazy for crying. Anyway, this is just another Love Inspired book that I do recommend. I seem to recommend them all. They are such good books.

Before I read the next one in this Love Inspired series I am now going to Little Earthquakes by Jennifer Weiner. It is about pregnant women. Yipppppeeeeeee!! I am very excited about it. I have gotten to about page 50 and think it is great so far. My Aunt Wendy recommended it as she recommends all of Jennifer Weiner's books. I have read In Her Shoes and Goodnight Nobody so this will be my third of hers I have read. So far they are all great! (They seem to normally be about girls..... not necessarily love stories - just about women. I like that!)

Our Sunday Pictures

Look a that froggie collar!!

Thank You Grandmom and Grandpop for the cute Sunday dress for Hannah's birthday.

Unfortunately, this is all we got this week. We all woke up a little late and didn't have time for a lot of posing from Hannah (which is always lots of fun)!

Vacation Day Five

Our last day.
Very Sad.

Hannah thought that the little purple pool was good until she discovered the "big" blue pool. Now that was where she wanted to be. Neither Chris nor I wanted anyone to see any of the pictures with us in it so this is all you get.... All the others had one of us in it.

After Hannah got out of the pool she got some cuddle time with Nannah. She loved it. This is one of my favorite pictures. I love how Hannah is looking at Nannah instead of me. It was so cute.

Vacation Day Four

AKA Our Sunday Pictures
Hannah posed all on her own in this one.

Now, this is a little more lady like.

After worship and nap we were able to go outside for a little while and play in the little pool that Nannah and Papa Joe had.

Happy Birthday

I have to interrupt the Vacation pictures (because I can not finish them tonight - I have to go to bed!) to wish the most wonderful person in the world a Happy Birthday!!

This is truly a day to celebrate.
Without this day... Without You.... I wouldn't know what to do!

I Love You, Chris!

Happy Happy Birthday!

Vacation Day Three

We went to the park and fed some ducks.

Hannah was not completely sure about it at first but she got the hang of it and loved it. She thought "talking" to the ducks was especially fun.
"Quack Quack"

Then Hannah and Landon got to play on the play ground. This is a familiar one. It was the one that they got to play on together last visit. They had a blast!

(I think this was the face Maw Maw was making at them to try to get them to smile. Don't we all love it when our brilliant plans backfire on us!)

We had to say bye to Maw Maw and Poppa Bob.
We then said hello to Nannah and Papa Joe.
Hannah was very excited about helping Papa Joe with his garden. She obviously knew all there was to know about gardening and corrected Papa Joe a few times on it. She was clearly correct when she told him his tomatoes were orange instead of red!!

Vacation Day Two

Thank You, Maw Maw, for our matching shirts!

Thank you to everyone for our birthday celebration!

Thank You, Aunt Linda, for our Aquadoodles that we HAD to play with RIGHT AWAY!!

Vacation Day One

I was able to french braid Hannah's hair. I was so excited and couldn't believe she sat still long enough!

Lots of good Hannah/ Landon time was had!

Hannah imitated Jesus and drew in the sand. We are very proud.

Poppa Bob was the Hero of the night because he brought the kids these light saber things. They just loved them. I think Hannah may have had the most fun getting Uncle Brian with hers!

Hannah could have done without the fireworks. They were pretty and I am so glad I got to see them but I must admit, I do agree with Hannah - They are Loud and after a while They Stink!

For some reason these two pictures crack me up of Chris and his sister, Melissa. They both look so serious and thoughtful. I don't think there is any denying here that they are related!

Thoughts from the Road

I was in the car yesterday for about 12 hours. (Don't worry, I did as the doc said and stopped every 2 hours and walked and drank lots of water. To Chris' dismay the water made me have to stop a little more than every 2 hours... ) It is amazing all the things that come up in your head in that time and all the things you see and learn. Here are just a few..

Hannah loves stickers. I got this idea from a wonderful friend who said she bought dollar stickers regularly when she went out and so then she gave her little girl a little blank book and let her put the stickers in. Chris and I have done that and it has made many a worship services and many a car rides bearable and not so boring for Hannah. We always let her do whatever she wants with the stickers as long as it is on the book.

Well, we just bought Hannah a new book and we bought her some of those gel stickers at the Target One Spot. The gel stickers are a little raised up and so she likes them alot. As I was giving them to her she was putting them on the back of the book, which is within the rules but I just thought it would be nice if she would put them inside the book actually on the paper. I kept asking her if she wanted to put them inside the book and she kept looking at me, considering my suggestion, and then putting them on the back. It was afterwards when I started looking at it that I realized what she was doing. She was matching them up. See in this picture if you can tell. All the nemos are on top of each other, all the turtles are on top of each other, and all the baby turtle ones are on top each other. How smart. No wonder my suggestion sounded a little crazy in her mind.

Next, have you ever had a smell remind you of the past? For some reason to me that is one of the weirdest and most extraordinary things ever. Your nose brings back memories. Anyway, this bathroom in a Chick Fil A last night totally smelled just like our cabins at Carolina Bible Camp that I went to for years and years when I was younger. (It was where Chris and I met!) I think I actually stayed in there for an extra minute just because of that. Weird - I know.

Then I look back and I see Hannah. I had to get my camera quick for everyone that reads my blog. Because if you saw how she was sleeping during a Cedarmont Kids Video earlier in the week, I wanted to be sure you saw how she normally looks during a Cedarmont Kids video. I really try to get her to close her mouth but the video is obviously not as enjoyable without her mouth open a little.


Finally, Chris and I are listening to a seminar on CD that my parents attended at their congregation. It is Marriage Matters with Jerry and Lynn...... hummm.... What is their last name? Anyway, one of the things that they say often has really hit me. I have never thought about things in this way before...

God is the Creator. God's creations are Good! Satan does not Create!
So, what Satan does is take God's creations and turn them into something bad and sinful.
Boy that Satan is sneaky isn't he?


I am sure in 12 hours I thought of more than just that...... Oh well, that is all I can remember.

Unchanging

Sunday we sang a song that I have not sung in a while and the words really hit me. I think this may be one of my new personal favorites.

Hold to God's Unchanging Hand
Words by Jennie Wilson

Time is filled with swift transition
Naught of earth unmoved can stand
Build you hopes on things eternal
Hold to God's unchanging hand.

Hold to God's unchanging hand!
Hold to God's unchanging hand!
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God's unchanging hand.

Trust in Him who will not leave you,
Whatsoever years may bring,
If by earthly friends forsaken,
Still more closely to Him cling.

Hold to God's unchanging hand!
Hold to God's unchanging hand!
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God's unchanging hand.

When your journey is completed,
If to God you have been true,
Fair and bright the home in glory
Your enraptured soul will view.

Hold to God's unchanging hand!
Hold to God's unchanging hand!
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God's unchanging hand.

Hebrews 13:6 The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
Web definition of unchanging: Remaining the same; Showing or undergoing no change; Remaining constantly unchanged