tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79730163938454596732024-03-12T18:46:59.620-05:00Life with the LoughrysA Now-and-Then Look Into Our Life - As Seen Through Jamie's EyesJamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311659524915957665noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973016393845459673.post-38289761462425174492011-10-21T20:31:00.000-05:002011-10-21T20:31:51.076-05:00Blessings<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img align="middle" alt="" border="1" class="th vidthumb1" height="240" id="vidthumb1" src="data:image/jpeg;base64,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" style="margin: 0px;" width="320" /></div><br />
So, I am the world's worst blogger this year. I have thought about "shutting this blog down" but I love seeing what other people have going on and, if we ever get a camera or a phone from this century, I will post pictures. :)<br />
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I have just felt extra blessed this week with something that happened and wanted to share our blessings with others. (If anyone even looks at this page anymore...ha!)<br />
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On Monday night around 6:00, Olivia was laying on her belly in the living room doing her math homework. She called me in for help. When I leaned down to show her something on her paper, she put her head down and eye straight into the pencil sticking straight up from her hand. The pencil got stuck in her eyeball! She screamed and jerked her head back so quickly while still holding the pencil, that the pencil came out. I hadn't know it before, but, yes, eyeballs can bleed. I called our eye doctor and he and I decided she could wait til morning to come in. Where are the blessings, you may wonder? BLESSING #1, the pencil poked the white part of her eye. One centimeter closer and there would have been permanent vision loss. BLESSING #2, the eye doctor gave us his cell phone and told us to call at anytime if we needed to that night.<br />
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Olivia calmed down and slept well. We got up Tuesday morning to a very bloody (in the eye) spot. The eye doctor dilated her eye, took pictures of the retina and said that besides a scratch and some graphite dust, things looked okay. BLESSING #3, no permanent damage! BLESSING #4, the eye doctor has a third grade son and related so well with Olivia. He gave her drops, cleaned up the eye a bit and sent us on our way. Liv returned to school with 2 different sized pupils due to the dilation but feeling fine.<br />
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All was well until Wednesday night. We were in the van on the way to church and Liv said, "Mom, I can't see well. Things are blurry. My eye feels big again. Can I have the mirror?" Sure enough, her pupil was huge again! We got into church and started to set up for the night but it just didn't change. I tried with a flashlight to see if her pupil would respond to light - nope. BLESSING #5, the kids' pediatrician goes to our church. Dr. Hayes tried again with the light in Liv's eye and called the ER to let them know we would be coming. BLESSING #6, Dr. Hayes called 3 ERs to find out which one had an opthamologist available and told them to expect us. They did! When we arrive at Children's Medical ER (the biggest children's hospital in Dallas) they knew just who we were. BLESSING #7, we waited for less than 30 minutes before we were in our own ER room watching a movie. BLESSING #8, every single person that dealt with Liv was so dear to her. The nurse was even a Steeler's fan! BLESSING #9, since we had been at church, we were with friends. Boston was able to stay with a friend at church and then go home with him to sleep. He felt happy to be with a friend and went easily to sleep there. BLESSING #10, two sweet girls from our small group showed up (after they took over my church responsibilities that night) to hang out with Liv and I for the last hour and make sure we got to our car safely. They came just as my phone died. Donny was out of town during all this so their being there allowed me to use their phone so I could keep Donny updated. BLESSING 11, I had the cell phone number of our eye dr so the ER docs just called him and they worked together to help Liv. After about 4 hours, Liv's eye began to react to light and her pupil shrunk a bit. It was decided that the hole in her eye, caused by the pencil, had acted like a well and collected some of the dilation medicine from the day before. Something made it come out of the "well" and therefore her eye dilated. BLESSING #12, nothing was seriously wrong with her eye.<br />
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I could go on and on counting all the ways that God worked things out that night in His perfect timing and ways. In the scheme of life, the past 3 days will just be a little smudge on our family's life canvas, but they seemed big while going through them. I wanted to glorify God by sharing all the ways He chose to care for us. It was with great thanksgiving that the 4 of us prayed before we left the ER knowing that things could've turned out so differently.<br />
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Olivia will be fine and within a month her eye will be all healed up. Praise the Lord!</div>Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311659524915957665noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973016393845459673.post-44790877143631329452011-07-02T13:54:00.000-05:002011-07-02T13:54:59.175-05:00Hungry Swimmers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Bos and Liv swim about 5+ hours each day. No joke! Therefore, they are hungry all day long. I need some new healthy snack ideas! The are getting tired of being told they can have fruit or string cheese. :) What ideas do you all have???</div>Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311659524915957665noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973016393845459673.post-4527890519624661232011-06-28T21:25:00.002-05:002011-06-28T21:25:31.378-05:00What a GREAT Week!!We had the privilege of having bit of our "Old Kentucky Home" here at our new Texas home last week. Andi and Palmer got to come for a visit. Watching my girl hug her friend as she got off the plane made this mommy's heart swell with joy. <br />
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It makes me teary to tell you how it blesses us to have family and friends sacrifice their time, activities, and finances to come see us. Thank you to all of you who have been able to do that!<br />
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The kids and I used this week as our "stay-cation" doing many things here in town that we have wanted to do.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Having fun at Bounce U!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tight friends Dylan and Boston</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Such pure sweetness. Heading to Hawaiian Ice.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roller skating! She's so brave!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bos FLIES around the rink! The only problem is...he doesn't know how to stop! :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimm2io9VoCUyGAOE9PP_C_sZuXftkXWFSYG1SvuXGsoM2f5N5BeDCWk2r5zg8F6yGc5EyExuU6zU6hyphenhyphenA6ky3QQR2THI_Cfm4L-qVX01rEVM3qFLZ99EdRs3C7QgQl-wCbgNr0eMlzF0AOT/s1600/Photo06241126.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimm2io9VoCUyGAOE9PP_C_sZuXftkXWFSYG1SvuXGsoM2f5N5BeDCWk2r5zg8F6yGc5EyExuU6zU6hyphenhyphenA6ky3QQR2THI_Cfm4L-qVX01rEVM3qFLZ99EdRs3C7QgQl-wCbgNr0eMlzF0AOT/s320/Photo06241126.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bos adores Jonah and we couldn't be happier with his choice of who to look up to!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soaking up sun at the splash park.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ZpiVmvO1rgUGTAMxCy4CqZpD0T_j3J0PvdcVowRoe-M3Hv5ON5XRBdbZQKDrYb-KiPKchFThWXFCRpkzinhG8LIGokn0wbyFatJ0gdQJdraRoQM2y7baItjWI1sB2h5YRDi6okdwyEVp/s1600/Photo06241242.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ZpiVmvO1rgUGTAMxCy4CqZpD0T_j3J0PvdcVowRoe-M3Hv5ON5XRBdbZQKDrYb-KiPKchFThWXFCRpkzinhG8LIGokn0wbyFatJ0gdQJdraRoQM2y7baItjWI1sB2h5YRDi6okdwyEVp/s320/Photo06241242.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Working as a team to create a book of Toy Story characters. <br />
Notice their matching dresses. It was so fun to watch them try to wear similar outfits and hairstyles for the week.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU8MfpWGPYHX-LXJTQy3Dj9sCpINYTT8dFQwTaevNQo4cqDBANM5k4nPoVLkDBaCp3DJOA3zblRSJ6EyK_mgHnEWyzuZzRegfDu9xIVghRxCipIV9LB3nI3VbNMcdxppYt0yVwo6bthPIA/s1600/Photo06241508.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU8MfpWGPYHX-LXJTQy3Dj9sCpINYTT8dFQwTaevNQo4cqDBANM5k4nPoVLkDBaCp3DJOA3zblRSJ6EyK_mgHnEWyzuZzRegfDu9xIVghRxCipIV9LB3nI3VbNMcdxppYt0yVwo6bthPIA/s320/Photo06241508.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kit, Palmer, Liv, and Kit at the Dallas American Girl Store.<br />
This was such a fun day! <br />
We all traveled from KY to Atlanta a few years back to the AGD store there. This brought back great memories.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBFSmm2YiYi_2fCEbS_leE9Nybmz6VFrXSH43z3Tzw8pkcba2b0nU0UB2NRcPg8FwZyOD6ziRv7yXdiTQLADTmHOpL0sXKhnHyQX5_o1CGzVM1_lijgC6lFDvKgKeZ2E1NoCqfzP5CqWjU/s1600/Photo06241905.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBFSmm2YiYi_2fCEbS_leE9Nybmz6VFrXSH43z3Tzw8pkcba2b0nU0UB2NRcPg8FwZyOD6ziRv7yXdiTQLADTmHOpL0sXKhnHyQX5_o1CGzVM1_lijgC6lFDvKgKeZ2E1NoCqfzP5CqWjU/s320/Photo06241905.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bos was so excited to get his own flippers, snorkel, and mask...just like his hero Jonah.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saying goodbye (for now) at DFW.<br />
I'm so proud of these girls. Neither thought they would "survive" without the other at school with them. However, they both had successful 2nd grade years. And, even 1,000 miles apart, they maintained a sweet, lasting friendship</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311659524915957665noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973016393845459673.post-11848524191691531722011-06-17T00:00:00.000-05:002011-06-17T00:00:31.693-05:00There are No Words...<div style="text-align: center;"><em>I finally got our pictures onto the computer so this is my 3rd post of the evening. Hey, I have to make up for lost time!! Be sure to click on the other 2 since they have great updates on our sweet kiddos</em>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">June 3-5 I had the absolute privilege of going on a Service Trip with our church to Joplin, Missouri. I'm sure you have seen pictures and heard stories of the tragic tornado that hit Joplin a month ago. I had too. However, no words can describe what I saw and experienced while we visited with the victims of the deadly tornado. I was overcome with tears several times during our weekend but more often than not, I was speechless, dry-eyed, and in awe of the power that God created in nature. To see the utter devastation of a tornado that was 1 mile wide and 14 miles long is something I will never forget.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">After praying with my family and a few friends, I decided that I would join our church's team and head to Joplin. Our kids were so supportive even though it meant having to change plans or give up some activities. Donny encouraged me to go even though it meant he had to miss his Friday Bible study and parent "alone" for a few days. So on a Thursday afternoon, I met the rest of our team, 28 in all, and we drove to Joplin. I knew only a handful of people going on the trip. God planned it that way. He has given me so many opportunities in the past year to have no one but Him to lean on and to have to "step out".</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The trip took about 7 hours and gave our team time to get to know each other and share some of our lives. When we arrived in Joplin, Joe (who has family there), drove us through the center of town, explaining what used to be where. It was dark and after the newly set curfew. The National Guard was everywhere. I thought that the damage we saw looked bad and was overcome with what the families had gone through. I hadn't experienced anything yet.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">We stayed the night at Ozark Bible College and were up and ready to begin our day at 7. We dressed in jeans, boots, and new work gloves, got our tetanus shots, and signed the FEMA paperwork...our attitudes were positive and I think most of us felt as though we were going to make a big difference in someone's life that day. Little did we know that our lives would forever be changed.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">We started off with the direction of helping at a home on Arizona Street. The drive there was quieting as we saw the damage in daylight. Second stories were missing, cars were crushed, mattresses were in trees. I think the image that stands out most in my mind are the spray painted X on each house and car. You all, teams had to search EVERY home and vehicle for bodies. Can you imagine that job? 139 people were killed that week. Others are still dying due to injury. The quadrants of the X were for different things - name of the team that checked, # of bodies found, etc. It was just humbling and horrifying to see that. Also spray painted somewhere on the house, car, tree, or ground - whatever was standing - was a house number. That is how destroyed things were...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Anyhow, we began on Arizona Street moving debris from the back of a home to the sidewalk. It was tough to see a dollhouse and toddler bed in the front yard. 70% of the children in Joplin were affected by the tornado. Almost 7,000 places of dwelling were destroyed. Do you get how many people that is??? About half of those people didn't have homeowners insurance.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">As we worked, we were told that there were people a few streets over that needed help. We worked a bit more and headed to the next street. That street was just an utter loss. I can't even describe it. We broke up into teams - cutting trees up, picking up insulation, cleaning rotten food from open refrigerators, carrying debris, etc. The smell was rotten and the temperature hit about 100 degrees.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> At one home, outside of a window, I found an empty jewelry box. I spent a while picking up earrings, bracelets, and necklaces and then set them in a broken window. Who knows if that family will ever return to find their jewelry but I'll tell you, scratching through the dirt to find someone's personal jewelry sure made me move from seeing devastation to praying for the people.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4iqX5JFdHw5KDERG2nJWgQ-1j2WfbSexntUM2LHCOSiMQoLqBJR5WBwx81MDUk-2AAUrqrjlbciySGl5D0isbc_tXxto9rt4Mm7ZzkVsVL0R4GSOVo7AiqU0w10nLsFlifsmSS23Y8GJR/s1600/Photo06030902.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4iqX5JFdHw5KDERG2nJWgQ-1j2WfbSexntUM2LHCOSiMQoLqBJR5WBwx81MDUk-2AAUrqrjlbciySGl5D0isbc_tXxto9rt4Mm7ZzkVsVL0R4GSOVo7AiqU0w10nLsFlifsmSS23Y8GJR/s320/Photo06030902.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joplin's Home Depot. Every person in here was killed. There was a dad, newly home from Afghanistan shopping with his 2 young children. He called his wife to tell her a storm was coming and they were going to wait it out in Home Depot. His wife never heard from him again. He was found, with his body covering his children. All 3 died. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6saD6x0a0xyUJ12Fd0cLqfwdHsCtlKn732PuvaXtoE2Jog4acHh3MPzeyT0FeKO1qf_AJ7vkl_FOhId7Opvog6_TAVRJ7jB8VbzUjhPPXID4nTssAykFmu21YYD_hzuDohCyimYlL1l7A/s1600/Photo06030903_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6saD6x0a0xyUJ12Fd0cLqfwdHsCtlKn732PuvaXtoE2Jog4acHh3MPzeyT0FeKO1qf_AJ7vkl_FOhId7Opvog6_TAVRJ7jB8VbzUjhPPXID4nTssAykFmu21YYD_hzuDohCyimYlL1l7A/s320/Photo06030903_2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reminds me of pictures of wildfires. Nothing standing but a few trees. You all, this was a neighborhood. Homes are supposed to be standing here.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR4puVjR5D5K4I-LzCXuqVjlbzP2Ybvvov8rqdFltLZZ539e2jg__OF2nw7JWIvSI_JfP6yjOoGUanBrmlIyUQl0Za2H2XeuTJnnaDsojzi4LVDRRmbEoDPyGZhvk9ud8YAfqMfIrZE-PT/s1600/Photo06031018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR4puVjR5D5K4I-LzCXuqVjlbzP2Ybvvov8rqdFltLZZ539e2jg__OF2nw7JWIvSI_JfP6yjOoGUanBrmlIyUQl0Za2H2XeuTJnnaDsojzi4LVDRRmbEoDPyGZhvk9ud8YAfqMfIrZE-PT/s320/Photo06031018.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was amazed at how few "recognizable" items there were. Everything was just splintered to pieces, covered in glass, dirt, and mold. Very little was salvageable. But you know what, most people didn't want their things. They learned what most of us don't fully live out. Material things don't matter. At all. Period. I hope that I live my life that way but I'm not sure I can really say I 100% do.</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq2BcUiPiOixBViYN0mPX8qXvayfdWST0d3HrXfp03XFO1kJ-uGeRTOkDQ3WFVRSZyW8N9voAmDr92A9aMymlwfBnDgY0BRmbUWjB8_38h9x_0SBbqd13n95xKqXxnavtxv9sDad_BerjW/s1600/Photo06031142.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq2BcUiPiOixBViYN0mPX8qXvayfdWST0d3HrXfp03XFO1kJ-uGeRTOkDQ3WFVRSZyW8N9voAmDr92A9aMymlwfBnDgY0BRmbUWjB8_38h9x_0SBbqd13n95xKqXxnavtxv9sDad_BerjW/s320/Photo06031142.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMt-PJMXmirEwbv6knJOdJxQOH7ytVM0nQCtTwaJhiPXuFKPAzR4Iy4EuTysOUAFN6-vQf7ATR5U7c3uF3JHY_ZYBej5RFDMl_PZEUQHDdWib5SrTlz37DtE940AMTB2_a1JJZDi9VJ5fd/s1600/Photo06031448.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMt-PJMXmirEwbv6knJOdJxQOH7ytVM0nQCtTwaJhiPXuFKPAzR4Iy4EuTysOUAFN6-vQf7ATR5U7c3uF3JHY_ZYBej5RFDMl_PZEUQHDdWib5SrTlz37DtE940AMTB2_a1JJZDi9VJ5fd/s320/Photo06031448.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what is left of Pastor Robert's home. He was a Navy chaplain for 20 years. He and his wife have adopted their 3 grandchildren and have another daughter and her 2 year old living with them as well. Pastor Robert put his 6 family members in this tub, placed a mattress on top of them, and laid his body on the mattress. This tub and wall were all that were left of his home. All 7 of them survived. I had to privilege of meeting Robert and his daughter. You know what they spoke most of as I worked alongside them for several hours? Helping others. They needed to leave by 6 so they could go help others a few streets down. What an example.</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTDX5L41CoBBc_hoXD91NVqb97Zxvx6Hq3ZczXvGyOzEknJstlEoiLuCtex0qgmzRIOajVrQ1lXe5lAHbZl8UvN0TwMfLxAZ-sbvCoeuNqnTB-ySp62WSOnSqdw0qOzgTTZ4ZgInJwHEU4/s1600/Photo06040921.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTDX5L41CoBBc_hoXD91NVqb97Zxvx6Hq3ZczXvGyOzEknJstlEoiLuCtex0qgmzRIOajVrQ1lXe5lAHbZl8UvN0TwMfLxAZ-sbvCoeuNqnTB-ySp62WSOnSqdw0qOzgTTZ4ZgInJwHEU4/s320/Photo06040921.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riley and his wife, laid in the hallway with pillows on them. The entire roof was peeled off except for the small bit above them. Their neighbors losr everything as well and will be living in a fire station - all 4 sharing a twin mattress - indefinitely.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I spent some time sitting with Kelly's family as they watched some Amish volunteers bulldoze their home. That house was her husband's parents home. The memories there were inumerable. The memories stayed, the house was flattened. The family was together, they had nothing left but each other.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_bsxQg_YngtcRY1ymEW8gyJy_ZU9Nem7f1GRH7zQlnWtpFWE2iAlraUxLPm3u3r4UAxm9Pt2V236Iyl5n2hpEZNHDFu0EVpEZi03N15q3XETrAZ6RFNnOKHM8TpPtIVoSyneULuDUFhD6/s1600/Photo06041441.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_bsxQg_YngtcRY1ymEW8gyJy_ZU9Nem7f1GRH7zQlnWtpFWE2iAlraUxLPm3u3r4UAxm9Pt2V236Iyl5n2hpEZNHDFu0EVpEZi03N15q3XETrAZ6RFNnOKHM8TpPtIVoSyneULuDUFhD6/s320/Photo06041441.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruthann, Me, and Jenny. </td></tr>
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I don't have the words to describe what we saw or what I still feel. However, I ask you to pray for those we met - Robert and his family, Kelly and her family, Riley and his wife, and Vicki. Vicki was in the Pizza Hut during the storm. 22 people, including her husband, went with her into the restaurant's cooler. Only Vicki (with 2 broken wrists, 2 broken ankles, a severed ear, a 7 inch head wound, and a 5 inch x 8 inch leg wound that will probably lead to amputation) and 2 others survived. The other 19, including her husband, were sucked out by the 250 mile/hr winds. The last words her husband said to her were, "I'm not going to make it. I love you. Remember Psalm 91." So, I ask you, and I ask myself, what words would you have to say in the last minute? Would you, would I, leave a lasting impact? A few men on our team built a ramp for Vicki. She was thankful but do you know what the only thing she asked for was? A Bible.Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311659524915957665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973016393845459673.post-55656446356284785072011-06-16T22:36:00.000-05:002011-06-16T22:36:11.327-05:00Beautiful Inside and Out...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Liv is already calling herself a 3rd grader. She had a better school year than Donny and I could have ever hoped for. She made friends galore, worked so very hard at her schoolwork, and settled into Texas in a way that only could be God's handiwork.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She was thrilled to attend her first Daddy-Daughter Dance in February. She and Donny danced, made a craft, and enjoyed being together.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">EVERY quarter, Olivia was on the A Honor Roll and received recognition for getting homework done. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQj5GBTm-pnU7Gp2rXX4ShZAm5j7577Eq1yKGDi4LLjAkSK7ZfarEFcSNjmtMrWjVkrX_RE-L7-VBkE6vZaCUvO9ohE2RxXlk4Zr5nXSvUFXgZHm3c6OtV343BJ1f3fDK_bZWniFeDEIib/s1600/Photo01171058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQj5GBTm-pnU7Gp2rXX4ShZAm5j7577Eq1yKGDi4LLjAkSK7ZfarEFcSNjmtMrWjVkrX_RE-L7-VBkE6vZaCUvO9ohE2RxXlk4Zr5nXSvUFXgZHm3c6OtV343BJ1f3fDK_bZWniFeDEIib/s320/Photo01171058.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Liv still loves her American Girl Doll, Kit. She takes such good care of her and has made Kit a part of our family. For a year now, Liv has saved money from lost teeth, chores, and holidays to buy Julie, another American Girl Doll. Tonight, however, on her own, she chose to give a substancial amount of her "Julie Money" to an offering for an orphanage in India. What a blessing to a Mommy's and Daddy's hearts. I can't imagine how big her Heavenly Father is smiling.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXyQGDut2ylm2Ge4SgpA7sk-TkzQDXaRs5ARen3FJZvfrhcrA6fGqJqANgoaGVMQE2aGC5C9he7sKlisQbNR0Isi5AWwwLJIui_wk9ShYSvvHx76CHsYlB-pV3tf_kZqVQzZfgHbFODz73/s1600/Photo04010856.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXyQGDut2ylm2Ge4SgpA7sk-TkzQDXaRs5ARen3FJZvfrhcrA6fGqJqANgoaGVMQE2aGC5C9he7sKlisQbNR0Isi5AWwwLJIui_wk9ShYSvvHx76CHsYlB-pV3tf_kZqVQzZfgHbFODz73/s320/Photo04010856.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The school awards keep coming...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY95CwXdhirj8upws82N3S-_BM4yh0iX_LQGAt_N_rF0VPRIoIgo2ktdzhmXk1qdfdLl6tNrixbLeSlqNm7KroQI7VppW_Q78NNRcdPbRfKTyviy2Re6iuNfPM4UMPfcZ9WzBhR-rb2Ij-/s1600/Photo04141722.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY95CwXdhirj8upws82N3S-_BM4yh0iX_LQGAt_N_rF0VPRIoIgo2ktdzhmXk1qdfdLl6tNrixbLeSlqNm7KroQI7VppW_Q78NNRcdPbRfKTyviy2Re6iuNfPM4UMPfcZ9WzBhR-rb2Ij-/s320/Photo04141722.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Olivia is the one out of the four of us who has the most "pool endurance." She would sleep in there if we let her! She, too, is snorkeling, swimming under water, doing handstands, and creating water games for us to play.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1BxUDzOhyCCfrfHLarbvsaQRFOZdfF1tGanEs1SNTs4-qHMZa8kQIuJ_vRiJS0smXXRsYi3-7mQDy4SwDqn4-N-TPfz9CSS_NtPWObNtAM6jzEIdofZKCzxsB6VEjeyNO2MTJI1OZm2uD/s1600/Photo04231031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1BxUDzOhyCCfrfHLarbvsaQRFOZdfF1tGanEs1SNTs4-qHMZa8kQIuJ_vRiJS0smXXRsYi3-7mQDy4SwDqn4-N-TPfz9CSS_NtPWObNtAM6jzEIdofZKCzxsB6VEjeyNO2MTJI1OZm2uD/s320/Photo04231031.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morgan, Olivia, and Victoria at our church Easter Eggstravaganza. <br />
Olivia adores going to church and seeing her small group friends there.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzmd8alpu2tvlOrhC9yhU0JvZvEri3nhYyqFxnsJbKd8kiaD-vA1yJsfIGhZoB2KJj9ENOqujsCHL8oLQDb3Iu9JDpohFLXRPfNSCg2m4DPO_8Y3B6ZFDzcCLbiE_5IzSGUrBfAdGXKkCy/s1600/Photo05201058_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzmd8alpu2tvlOrhC9yhU0JvZvEri3nhYyqFxnsJbKd8kiaD-vA1yJsfIGhZoB2KJj9ENOqujsCHL8oLQDb3Iu9JDpohFLXRPfNSCg2m4DPO_8Y3B6ZFDzcCLbiE_5IzSGUrBfAdGXKkCy/s320/Photo05201058_1.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Liv and I went on a field trip to Dallas World Aquarium with her class. What a special day!<br />
Olivia, Gilly, Avery, and Teri.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNue0UwJfALH4TPTFfFRptwlgo7CZtKmS3rqwGRfBLV0R95enAxq7aYnUy7qWk0fDdurLmc4hwXzTcH0XiRHxL_nPoAfpWYYPUVbOW4nJOp2mZnmCswl1-x8hTsLF5qIdURUsuXVf-46nL/s1600/Photo05201223_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNue0UwJfALH4TPTFfFRptwlgo7CZtKmS3rqwGRfBLV0R95enAxq7aYnUy7qWk0fDdurLmc4hwXzTcH0XiRHxL_nPoAfpWYYPUVbOW4nJOp2mZnmCswl1-x8hTsLF5qIdURUsuXVf-46nL/s320/Photo05201223_1.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More aquarium smiles...<br />
Lilly, Gilly, Alana, and Liv</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkGpziIy2zeUmmt1NTlH6jsFhPWTGQcQcDMp33ZZgIPqUK3lYK2sk4RInEIGKVoFA-LBp3BAeY7djKH8p1QsPjRh5izJDr8PApSq4pyz0f-genzjCitZuDo6BzajVmf1KqYa3TLx2aTdwt/s1600/Photo06020857_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkGpziIy2zeUmmt1NTlH6jsFhPWTGQcQcDMp33ZZgIPqUK3lYK2sk4RInEIGKVoFA-LBp3BAeY7djKH8p1QsPjRh5izJDr8PApSq4pyz0f-genzjCitZuDo6BzajVmf1KqYa3TLx2aTdwt/s320/Photo06020857_1.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The night before Olivia was to start 2nd grade, Donny and I spent a long time praying for her new teacher, Mrs. Petros. God answered our prayers above and beyond...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmMTx366RA6_ByCINiGXV5LWaVDzwQ8y-kYrzdA8AJW-qNFcke-2lsDI4kkZV4gHZIPpUPr-DfVaft_hA9An-tM29wEbWHgMQf4ThhxhipQp9Q5uGmFc46kjnhLnP9Rw_cYjoBVswTQqT8/s1600/Photo06020858.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmMTx366RA6_ByCINiGXV5LWaVDzwQ8y-kYrzdA8AJW-qNFcke-2lsDI4kkZV4gHZIPpUPr-DfVaft_hA9An-tM29wEbWHgMQf4ThhxhipQp9Q5uGmFc46kjnhLnP9Rw_cYjoBVswTQqT8/s320/Photo06020858.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The last day of 2nd grade at Rosemeade Elementary.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihk5ds-V6FELmAHMNjfGDkdp6g-e-7GCz-VFIKdDgnwqgADYPa2oe8YlNa723KdPwL9gi6J8rtHcjwcnKU7lAquW50B-MOFhvtMMWrNVndC0o_I9MmeMf3CazozcHSfwK9rmVUw6D0qnRO/s1600/Photo06160917.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihk5ds-V6FELmAHMNjfGDkdp6g-e-7GCz-VFIKdDgnwqgADYPa2oe8YlNa723KdPwL9gi6J8rtHcjwcnKU7lAquW50B-MOFhvtMMWrNVndC0o_I9MmeMf3CazozcHSfwK9rmVUw6D0qnRO/s320/Photo06160917.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Liv is the best big sister that has ever been. She teaches Boston, helps him build things, answers his endless questions, and makes him sweet little crafts on a daily basis.<br />
<br />
If you were here in Dallas with us just for a day, you would first notice Olivia's beautiful blue eyes, her tanned skin, and missing front teeth. However, if you were able to stay a few more hours, your attention would quickly leave the outer beauty and be captivated by her inner beauty. She spent time this year telling her friends about Jesus, making us laugh with her jokes, learning about fractions and friction, memorizing Scripture, perfecting her jump roping, learning Origami, writing love-filled acrostic poems, and growing into a girl that makes us so proud. We are so thankful that God is sharing His girl with us!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311659524915957665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973016393845459673.post-30006210250123059792011-06-16T22:03:00.000-05:002011-06-16T22:03:40.781-05:00Wish You Could Watch Him Grow...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Boston has had an absolutely amazing year! He is eagerly awaiting kindergarten but fully enjoying his summer - usually falling asleep the minute his head hits the pillow.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlLlbhU-HNQWwT07cM76b0IIHxYaU7JDbHqYpM8a6a9tpFFaPbkdzd_CbpUXEnUGhSG5g5lgXaskMVIp7ti5aIocidphMiV10ofVo0mMJmJJAtGbmWvBGPkMOPxUB5WmLe0ANdqDnUVF2M/s1600/Bos+1st+day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlLlbhU-HNQWwT07cM76b0IIHxYaU7JDbHqYpM8a6a9tpFFaPbkdzd_CbpUXEnUGhSG5g5lgXaskMVIp7ti5aIocidphMiV10ofVo0mMJmJJAtGbmWvBGPkMOPxUB5WmLe0ANdqDnUVF2M/s320/Bos+1st+day.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mrs. Seaton was an answer to our prayers. Boston loved every minute of preschool and is one smart boy!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgea6jJQk3dGpWoVWbg8iRxz16GVDcg25dRa3vxsUp9xMvQBRI7pqb6JTa7cKcKMMD7ivmKzedOgfklbqJA9no02qtQcq19j6-EzkfSIcQbx1q7gpsjxwUfrkQ1LwRCjKdQL0lThowTmZJS/s1600/Photo04141719.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgea6jJQk3dGpWoVWbg8iRxz16GVDcg25dRa3vxsUp9xMvQBRI7pqb6JTa7cKcKMMD7ivmKzedOgfklbqJA9no02qtQcq19j6-EzkfSIcQbx1q7gpsjxwUfrkQ1LwRCjKdQL0lThowTmZJS/s320/Photo04141719.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bos LOVES to swim and does so HOURS a day! He dives, snorkels, does handstands & flips, and is currently working on swimming on his back.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDfMPHQ6MRA4p7ZVXtMVsJN-Xci0P5Vg96rJDRgzVxSTm4QN6C1Hn40rrORJF6QGqOBjgwolD4qKkXe0Vxsz3SON6IJht8J_bAZbpyL2haM1jdmajJGngUq3Mp-6DZ0nfSL31RoEtvUpGZ/s1600/Bos+princess+game.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDfMPHQ6MRA4p7ZVXtMVsJN-Xci0P5Vg96rJDRgzVxSTm4QN6C1Hn40rrORJF6QGqOBjgwolD4qKkXe0Vxsz3SON6IJht8J_bAZbpyL2haM1jdmajJGngUq3Mp-6DZ0nfSL31RoEtvUpGZ/s320/Bos+princess+game.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boston's sense of humor can be seen and heard all day long. He keeps us in stitches!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB2NXHDfPQ3gW__9hH660hlHNOQ9m0ohy4-wALva3DgunEthZFferKf1biK-12nZMfwddtv7e9FTMznmsr-TGWAjy75GtvjHlWnp_CqSY2cKJxTSIz5YSxp83QuABEQVVfyAhsresMSQ5e/s1600/Photo02151218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB2NXHDfPQ3gW__9hH660hlHNOQ9m0ohy4-wALva3DgunEthZFferKf1biK-12nZMfwddtv7e9FTMznmsr-TGWAjy75GtvjHlWnp_CqSY2cKJxTSIz5YSxp83QuABEQVVfyAhsresMSQ5e/s320/Photo02151218.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What could be better for a boy...turning 5 and having a Valentine's Day Party at school!!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisxkNiSfSBD8MlqN3K80CyWRlYVz1mJHcutioIwY0_33Yu8OZUE_1hxU6djpATt-PYErJMY2Ak32W6KvMOeRu9NAfafl2bDQvPYHLT2RdqsIB4RK1kJKDb8sS1MkOpGsnKglB-5oSXQwqa/s1600/Photo04091403.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisxkNiSfSBD8MlqN3K80CyWRlYVz1mJHcutioIwY0_33Yu8OZUE_1hxU6djpATt-PYErJMY2Ak32W6KvMOeRu9NAfafl2bDQvPYHLT2RdqsIB4RK1kJKDb8sS1MkOpGsnKglB-5oSXQwqa/s320/Photo04091403.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The A's were a fun t-ball team to watch! Boston is a great player and worked so hard at every practice and game.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYW46bSiRPzswrAmRYp0iN6uWkN-pqWQQfJEcVd5trHjOdm6UwM1j1quD46gtNHhZQnrSE6GoUdj9erJs3CeOWDs1G2oaMJfLA8XP6YtxL53kJPnuHwNSbsCRUv-JY-bQU3cHsng27Ae5b/s1600/Photo05190841.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYW46bSiRPzswrAmRYp0iN6uWkN-pqWQQfJEcVd5trHjOdm6UwM1j1quD46gtNHhZQnrSE6GoUdj9erJs3CeOWDs1G2oaMJfLA8XP6YtxL53kJPnuHwNSbsCRUv-JY-bQU3cHsng27Ae5b/s320/Photo05190841.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The last day of preschool.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZTM3L0Awz6FUVY9Lr6iR3QcrYEnF7okrhHs0yKN0wKOK9sIAUmNYYkJj-V82q4XfNJIX683pRqk1l0KjEOqBt7BaTEjjVFiiuU_jkbiZyLAyNxu4lKVdabS4ixdGFJH4-VWuHxvwqWs9Z/s1600/Photo06102109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZTM3L0Awz6FUVY9Lr6iR3QcrYEnF7okrhHs0yKN0wKOK9sIAUmNYYkJj-V82q4XfNJIX683pRqk1l0KjEOqBt7BaTEjjVFiiuU_jkbiZyLAyNxu4lKVdabS4ixdGFJH4-VWuHxvwqWs9Z/s320/Photo06102109.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coach Vince, Boston, and the treasured trophy.<br />
As parents, we were so proud of Boston when Coach said he would like to have 12 Bostons on his team. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7sctTbefofYekNDLJX8hhYEDH-ITAE8HREVDw3cjSCCLt6wdoqPndW2tc-5Rr2VqU8HZGNOSP1BXEQhaJmtXHaJenF_FdpzwpsbbKYOqX3XppgewkMuPUwLeidbMG6bfghqL56QecpKzL/s1600/Photo11161738.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7sctTbefofYekNDLJX8hhYEDH-ITAE8HREVDw3cjSCCLt6wdoqPndW2tc-5Rr2VqU8HZGNOSP1BXEQhaJmtXHaJenF_FdpzwpsbbKYOqX3XppgewkMuPUwLeidbMG6bfghqL56QecpKzL/s320/Photo11161738.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Both kids are hard workers at school work but Bos is still in the "I love homework" phase. Liv has smartened up a bit. Ha!<br />
<br />
It is a pleasure to be Boston's Momma. He is working hard to be a gentleman - running to hold open doors for people, carrying in groceries without being asked, and getting out Liv's breakfast things before she wakes up. He has an extremely developed vocabulary saying things like, "I didn't mean literally," "at one point," and "as a matter of fact". We love to watch him play sports as he tries so hard to learn and get better. One of his new favorite activities is doing his devotion book. It is his first "write in" devotion book for boys and he feels so grown up filling in the blanks. He eats more fruit snacks than anyone I know and burns them off 5 minutes after throwing the package away. He really likes to sing and did an amazing job learning all the songs and motions for his school program. I wish all of you could watch him grow on a daily basis like we have the privilege of doing. God has a divine plan for Boston's life and it is amazing to see it beginning to play out - even at age 5!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311659524915957665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973016393845459673.post-73934130793853761812011-03-17T08:13:00.000-05:002011-03-17T08:13:04.409-05:00In Sweet Memory<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNYAq_4SjwNXpe8cMQjVAhz9LHATxIggP0sQV18_wxzH8Pfr_331i_2w_YCUsBM4jvd4ByjCWl4uD2QhW1W1xzrQiBmKkuWN_q_OEsAui-aSl7h_H_ikZYoWoxGogfozWiXFaDd8TDFV5c/s1600/IMG_3899.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="234" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNYAq_4SjwNXpe8cMQjVAhz9LHATxIggP0sQV18_wxzH8Pfr_331i_2w_YCUsBM4jvd4ByjCWl4uD2QhW1W1xzrQiBmKkuWN_q_OEsAui-aSl7h_H_ikZYoWoxGogfozWiXFaDd8TDFV5c/s320/IMG_3899.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">4 generations</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Olivia, Jamie, Mom, Grandma</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(taken at my brother's wedding)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">On Tuesday, our family had the sweet, sweet chance to honor my Grandma Nevison. Just over a year ago, Grandma passed away. As we have found such purpose in being here in Dallas to care for and love on my Grandpa Nevison we have wanted to keep the memories of Grandma "alive." My grandma had such a <span style="color: lime;">green thumb</span><span style="color: black;">. I remember visiting her in TX when I was young and playing in her garden, eating veggies that she had grown, and hearing her tell others what they needed to do to make their gardens grow.</span></div><br />
We planted a "Belle of Georgia" peach tree in our yard on Tuesday. This tree will bloom each March and produce white peaches each August. What a special way to remember Grandma. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDJZBwRDcmgM5OayxfabCfL5n2-_u3947-sJ-ZWaVMwzlCbgglX7HqDD6-i8QeVQcJqswUV2OqRKUXtfpAf7ngn3f4lgl7L5Ix-m8dn1bMJPLp5WxZlr-Nq4fxKVsjm31mMXryRJdvaI4r/s1600/IMG_3897.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDJZBwRDcmgM5OayxfabCfL5n2-_u3947-sJ-ZWaVMwzlCbgglX7HqDD6-i8QeVQcJqswUV2OqRKUXtfpAf7ngn3f4lgl7L5Ix-m8dn1bMJPLp5WxZlr-Nq4fxKVsjm31mMXryRJdvaI4r/s320/IMG_3897.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Grandpa Nevison in front of Grandma's tree. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Here is the story of Grandma Nevison as I shared at her funeral last March...<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"Good morning, I am Jamie Loughry, Doris Nevison's only granddaughter. Thank you for being here to honor my grandma. When my friends in Kentucky found out that Grandma had passed away, they sadly asked, "Was this the grandma that is in all your stories?" You see, my grandma will forever be the most famous grandma around. How could she not be? What other grandma sends her granddaughter silverware as a gift for making the college dean's list? What other grandma sews faster than famous designers and creates vests that literally light up? What other grandma gives her teenage granddaughter a red, felt, pleated skirt "because every girl needs one" or makes Little House on the Prairie bonnets? What other grandma could make elephants out of folded sea stars and dogs from clam shells? What other grandma wraps Christmas presents in tube socks and has so much joy for life that she calls everything 'fabulous'? I could go on, but I'm sure that by now you understand why people in so many states and countries, who have never even met my grandma, are saddened by our loss. Matt and I were blessed with a one-of-a-kind grandma. A grandma who honored God by growing lucious gardens and caring for His creation. A grandma who stayed true to her husband for over 66 years. A grandma that stood out not because she tried to but because she used the gifts she was given to make a difference. Grandma was the perfect match for grandpa. She was the teacher who passed on so many talents and strengths to my mom. She was the traveler and go-getter that often caused my brother and I to smile and declare, " that's how we want to grow old." She was the eclectic dresser that now inspires her great-granddaughter to dress in purple from head-to-toe. She was the amazing gardener whose love for dirt lives on as her great-grandson is continiously covered in mud while digging holes in the backyard. Grandma will be sorely missed but you can be guaranteed that the story she wrote with the life God gave her will never be forgotten."</span>Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311659524915957665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973016393845459673.post-29154117409471346222011-03-08T18:29:00.000-06:002011-03-08T18:29:21.976-06:00Take A Look!<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I just cleaned off my camera and realized I had never shared these pictures. Enjoy!!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYNqFlL25-N3zYFu6qARGsb4COTPHlWvbZBymMPnteLii6N6-Rzda1FDOH7D3mSj4BlYsYh7D0QqRra1tJRcGX_rzaW_FCdb_ui7k8Y3ij7GUqQ0Y3S1Vv3LU7U5ITkW6qW1gHgb5mDgSY/s1600/IMG_3812.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYNqFlL25-N3zYFu6qARGsb4COTPHlWvbZBymMPnteLii6N6-Rzda1FDOH7D3mSj4BlYsYh7D0QqRra1tJRcGX_rzaW_FCdb_ui7k8Y3ij7GUqQ0Y3S1Vv3LU7U5ITkW6qW1gHgb5mDgSY/s320/IMG_3812.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Christmas at Nana & Poppy's House with the cousins!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbzGVnflVJPXm14INxzcl0xE-BPY4chC1j60_T6j6F2emEb3kPWRIqEbr2vRjmolD0DoWJ2bJ5K44lDUHsPXM21ua-l0kD2qs2dv-tZu2bOIkQZwtbv26kGSkk69tvybA86JEKU1etrmCx/s1600/IMG_3814.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbzGVnflVJPXm14INxzcl0xE-BPY4chC1j60_T6j6F2emEb3kPWRIqEbr2vRjmolD0DoWJ2bJ5K44lDUHsPXM21ua-l0kD2qs2dv-tZu2bOIkQZwtbv26kGSkk69tvybA86JEKU1etrmCx/s320/IMG_3814.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Liv on the 4-wheeler with Poppy and Bos on the inner tube having the time of his life!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie9b-72UNyJMs-D3063aMWiblAk2P-c0ztORrzozx7galyu00YvlxTGAgbL81iWFJyzBTBwRbTYpfvFnx42JxE4g6ZqD8d8GOPnFZhAcbHYVZAOQGBuNs1ABaNOqNG9qBciSl48Ehg5baG/s1600/IMG_3816.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie9b-72UNyJMs-D3063aMWiblAk2P-c0ztORrzozx7galyu00YvlxTGAgbL81iWFJyzBTBwRbTYpfvFnx42JxE4g6ZqD8d8GOPnFZhAcbHYVZAOQGBuNs1ABaNOqNG9qBciSl48Ehg5baG/s320/IMG_3816.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bos would have done this for HOURS if we let him!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRrgrwG7iLg0K9HTP6dDIrYtKJnN6YEE5JxnPOHFbcIIXYSF43EVEa0cK3e8tBFQIxE6cht712vqqHI5Uhs8CiWBDLySsZwMSSS66DZ0nVkOlSvGdAd7e0Nx4Owsb19TYyDgs09HrgqGym/s1600/IMG_3822.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRrgrwG7iLg0K9HTP6dDIrYtKJnN6YEE5JxnPOHFbcIIXYSF43EVEa0cK3e8tBFQIxE6cht712vqqHI5Uhs8CiWBDLySsZwMSSS66DZ0nVkOlSvGdAd7e0Nx4Owsb19TYyDgs09HrgqGym/s320/IMG_3822.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The first year she didn't cry while talking with Santa! Isn't she beautiful?!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNcVifH9BOaQ6wtrXjKXA90SF-QmaFSzIe9rKH8eknUUIjKD-gReeJPoNrxyknx04VWjzpZAtlTN126kuLUoGVMpP3_U8D4XpVhqJXIuZarybcnd888Atsevjfzdrvtilqg3a_iNAIBOgM/s1600/IMG_3832.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNcVifH9BOaQ6wtrXjKXA90SF-QmaFSzIe9rKH8eknUUIjKD-gReeJPoNrxyknx04VWjzpZAtlTN126kuLUoGVMpP3_U8D4XpVhqJXIuZarybcnd888Atsevjfzdrvtilqg3a_iNAIBOgM/s320/IMG_3832.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Christmas Eve jammies</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUv0MFSzfArFaBfMMWMSl7c83-CKASmXkx1aVV28NlBIZd9_tjGhDQ0DIp158OumR9I5v2BfeD0kH89k1LNtuEzuGc121NLvtrcERRkCUAybqoa59TEOD9D5qaL9kEFHKPh0jTNrflijrd/s1600/IMG_3841.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUv0MFSzfArFaBfMMWMSl7c83-CKASmXkx1aVV28NlBIZd9_tjGhDQ0DIp158OumR9I5v2BfeD0kH89k1LNtuEzuGc121NLvtrcERRkCUAybqoa59TEOD9D5qaL9kEFHKPh0jTNrflijrd/s320/IMG_3841.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Look what Nana made Liv and Kit! Adorable!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxOQ_WkRd4P7W1zYA6puoqUgbCmSbHMGGs0h0ifOwAnc9FTgf8X9LQpM3j1-DYsrHl5_vyvlCtTUjAOvhD1ZKh3A92m2pXP_uxDe58IV_bwmKy0vxS8sBfBzvlWKfwo2qb5SuyiOAdEyAS/s1600/IMG_3842.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxOQ_WkRd4P7W1zYA6puoqUgbCmSbHMGGs0h0ifOwAnc9FTgf8X9LQpM3j1-DYsrHl5_vyvlCtTUjAOvhD1ZKh3A92m2pXP_uxDe58IV_bwmKy0vxS8sBfBzvlWKfwo2qb5SuyiOAdEyAS/s320/IMG_3842.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Boston's present from Daddy</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMjkMDSssmhqXOTmEA4QzqfeyjKjUebi09BVLMKBu-xZ5mWL6R5PnslDVpBZfjK6T8uhMoc3-BokXh44cWqzt3l6IY8SnP0YefxTosc_RCwC9_T1dqwoJWHiEDLNmZts4Crm83s-KdIJEb/s1600/IMG_3853.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMjkMDSssmhqXOTmEA4QzqfeyjKjUebi09BVLMKBu-xZ5mWL6R5PnslDVpBZfjK6T8uhMoc3-BokXh44cWqzt3l6IY8SnP0YefxTosc_RCwC9_T1dqwoJWHiEDLNmZts4Crm83s-KdIJEb/s320/IMG_3853.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Daddy Daughter Dance</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB5n4kCHViVLNcwq1ryBadIKfIBUPST7uv1-p2BD28bqFBMYUkX4LiPckjsSFLrmPEqABJrrYylB6xtEO2Fmuz9c7T0ULr1EFldKM_ngQpqO5VsVfjYZa5Yd_Fx1drtp6cqjRXeHArocYU/s1600/IMG_3857.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB5n4kCHViVLNcwq1ryBadIKfIBUPST7uv1-p2BD28bqFBMYUkX4LiPckjsSFLrmPEqABJrrYylB6xtEO2Fmuz9c7T0ULr1EFldKM_ngQpqO5VsVfjYZa5Yd_Fx1drtp6cqjRXeHArocYU/s320/IMG_3857.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Absolutely gorgeous! (Her daddy looked good too but I didn't get that picture...)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLTjRBYyRSix7YMx1xAEpxYauFeSP1fN6BFU3tNEIwpCpIW8M32n9SH632wQzWWRUrlXOGGmcHnh38CxwV313MnDHGmZWcjFmTsPNJY-KXM8qYRrX_pxB8rq_0kjEHm5xcMFU-3YuBGHjP/s1600/IMG_3871.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLTjRBYyRSix7YMx1xAEpxYauFeSP1fN6BFU3tNEIwpCpIW8M32n9SH632wQzWWRUrlXOGGmcHnh38CxwV313MnDHGmZWcjFmTsPNJY-KXM8qYRrX_pxB8rq_0kjEHm5xcMFU-3YuBGHjP/s320/IMG_3871.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"I'm FIVE!"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Boston's party with us at home.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz_wz4AI05ftU4FXM8EBC45B5bBsEfdxXeU9LeRyeId_va4lY78C-4iggim9umC5GtsqClNF70FRkt_GQ5CvjxV10wVbC3MSFVPZxwE8EzaLVsK8SdwAlgMdst9BDSnWGQy3H6ZtUyUC1A/s1600/IMG_3884.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz_wz4AI05ftU4FXM8EBC45B5bBsEfdxXeU9LeRyeId_va4lY78C-4iggim9umC5GtsqClNF70FRkt_GQ5CvjxV10wVbC3MSFVPZxwE8EzaLVsK8SdwAlgMdst9BDSnWGQy3H6ZtUyUC1A/s320/IMG_3884.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Friend party at Chuck-E-Cheese's</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bos ADORES skee-ball...however, sometimes the ball goes a bit wild!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAN0z_ChtTHdTQRKH6Adwb4xFlMZjVl2RMsjWTsbYEnrS3P65k2zjtmhyphenhyphen8HAEZoKxW9Q8SESyfcz39Wn8zt8nCdtz2wD9BQpOikjh4ucQUVUqqsqyZxV3lVsTtoJokNXa4Eha1GdTwFw0S/s1600/IMG_3882.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAN0z_ChtTHdTQRKH6Adwb4xFlMZjVl2RMsjWTsbYEnrS3P65k2zjtmhyphenhyphen8HAEZoKxW9Q8SESyfcz39Wn8zt8nCdtz2wD9BQpOikjh4ucQUVUqqsqyZxV3lVsTtoJokNXa4Eha1GdTwFw0S/s320/IMG_3882.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Cake for party with friends...It's out of this world!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPIHOR8f6mDtS6ukAlea53g0-wAo6s8anBdYocNmNlomeerVWuanwRyHY2oGAbtj-osDIMz-vroBe5-opGLq7-ADHvqzWUDDZR2_J0ly58un3esTvO-CcQtLZxkBwkvy1k6rWhk1pj3fiY/s1600/IMG_3890.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPIHOR8f6mDtS6ukAlea53g0-wAo6s8anBdYocNmNlomeerVWuanwRyHY2oGAbtj-osDIMz-vroBe5-opGLq7-ADHvqzWUDDZR2_J0ly58un3esTvO-CcQtLZxkBwkvy1k6rWhk1pj3fiY/s320/IMG_3890.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I LOVE this picture! His little tongue sticking out and that mischievous look on his face! That's Boston, through and through!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6foSUd9FQ8MkkOVzEDuKGLsIb9WksgEPGatlbA5h3sv6nDhwifuCVoVCofO_d1bernTxUOY5t3eLQU5zfjpaSjcFK3cYo4eF3cXy-zRTBncBu-VOWfbzOZ0T-8dFLr2h5IAUy_r4PJq3K/s1600/IMG_3889.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6foSUd9FQ8MkkOVzEDuKGLsIb9WksgEPGatlbA5h3sv6nDhwifuCVoVCofO_d1bernTxUOY5t3eLQU5zfjpaSjcFK3cYo4eF3cXy-zRTBncBu-VOWfbzOZ0T-8dFLr2h5IAUy_r4PJq3K/s320/IMG_3889.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">God has blessed our kiddos with sweet friends here in TX. We are blessed! Truly.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311659524915957665noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973016393845459673.post-21860599556255332392011-02-02T08:39:00.000-06:002011-02-02T08:39:58.785-06:00We ARE Still Here!<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Has it really been over a <span style="color: red;">month <span style="color: black;">since</span> </span>I've added a post? I don't know where time has gone! I guess since I used to post at least once a day this summer and now I am not, it must mean that we have found other things to keep us busy... Guess that means we are settling in here as Texans?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I wonder what it will have to take to make this really seem like home... I always feel accomplished when we can get from one place to another without the gps and I was excited to be able to give successful directions to someone the other day. However, there are still things that are always "new" to us here and the chances of us seeing someone we know when we are out and about are about nil! God truly has blessed us here though and given us much to be thankful for.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Donny's job continues to go well. He is challenged but learning so much! He really likes what he is doing. He has also been working hard on the landscaping in our yard. He's pruning, raking, chopping, planting, building, etc. I can't wait for true Spring to arrive to see how it all looks! Besides stuff around home, Donny also volunteers on the Creative Arts team at church to build the sets and works down in KidzView with me running tech some Sundays. It's fun to be able to volunteer together.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Olivia's year in second grade has been fantastic! I am more impressed by her teacher each day and am so proud of all Liv is learning. She is quite a "thinker" and problem solver. Se just had to make a land form map out of salt dough and then orally present the definition of each land form. We were so proud with her 99% score!! Out of all of us, Liv has the most endurance on our new trampoline and jumps for HOURS daily. She does flips and fancy jumps as well as make up new games for us to play on the trampoline. She is also just about ready to lose BOTH front top teeth!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Boston has mastered bike riding without training wheels and spends a lot of time riding up and down the sidewalk by our house. He has scared me a few times with bike wrecks but so far...no broken bones! He is carefully planning out his 5th birthday party and wants a cake covered with "Star Wars guys." He continues to love preschool and spend lots of time at home writing and drawing notes for his family and friends. We go through a lot of envelopes here! He also enjoys the trampoline and has some pretty tricky flips up his sleeve too! (He also just asked me to tell you he likes to ride his four-wheeler while we go on walks together.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I am doing pretty well, too. Working in KidzView at church is keeping me busy. I am still writing the lessons for 3 classes a week, getting all the supplies together, and coordinating our volunteers. Doing a new Bible Study with ladies at church written by P. Shirer, B. Moore, and K. Arthur is also keeping me busy. I highly recommend it! In our small group, Donny and I are reading (for the second time) Crazy Love, by Francis Chan. I am thankful for all the ways God is challenging me to continue to know Him better so I can help my kids learn to love Him better.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">We are getting ready to host a gathering for Sunday's BIG GAME! We, of course, will be decked out in our Steelers' garb and already have the Terrible Towels ready to wave. It is fun to have the Super Bowl here in Dallas.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Well, we are on DAY TWO of no school due to ICE. The roads continue to be sheer ice and the wind chill is -5 degrees. This is the coldest Dallas has been in 8 years...so glad we are here to experience it. On Saturday it was nearly 80 degrees and now this... :0 The kids and I are getting ready to make cinnamon buns and Donny is heading into work a bit late, hoping all the crazy drivers are off the roads by now. I think I heard that Dallas police had over 100 accident calls yesterday. It's pretty nasty out...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">We miss you all BUNCHES and look forward to time of having you HERE ;) and visiting you there. </span>Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311659524915957665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973016393845459673.post-72038536217646694522010-12-23T17:07:00.000-06:002010-12-23T17:07:24.263-06:00What a Month!!<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">It's been quite a busy month for the Loughrys, as I am sure it has been for you and your family too. I hope that you all have had time to<strong> remember why we celebrate Christmas</strong>...that God gave us the <span style="color: red;"><em>biggest gift ever</em></span> and that without Jesus' birth everything else wouldn't matter. His birth led to our <span style="color: red;">salvation</span>, our <span style="color: lime;">hope</span>, and our <span style="color: blue;">reason for living</span>. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #4c1130; font-size: x-large;">Merry Christmas!</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPdGYb-n3dSqOU2yWmqVI04A6S3VBzhmeNEv3fkwVHbYnKoCg9TAMiiXQsRS35Uxo410w2gnDpe8-zBkJomUyOfRQw23zoitCQ_zoFcwRwWoqYZMqh3UBsJ9TTDoqjt_rQPjQR8PiHjh-n/s1600/IMG_3803.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPdGYb-n3dSqOU2yWmqVI04A6S3VBzhmeNEv3fkwVHbYnKoCg9TAMiiXQsRS35Uxo410w2gnDpe8-zBkJomUyOfRQw23zoitCQ_zoFcwRwWoqYZMqh3UBsJ9TTDoqjt_rQPjQR8PiHjh-n/s320/IMG_3803.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">We spent 2 quick nights in KY on our way from TX to WV. We got to have breakfast and open gifts with Matt and Rachel...</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMjMdWNbuxKc_91n261hMFGHwUANjNtFt2mrrRy4VrWYGlzXLx3iQniDyxlUKpJoXIiacsH2A1y21oBgee9NEzLp76svbUQLdpXDzoYjRe77UTClEJnf2zb7jb2ITDMO-hhp3A_rp3pH2W/s1600/IMG_3799.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMjMdWNbuxKc_91n261hMFGHwUANjNtFt2mrrRy4VrWYGlzXLx3iQniDyxlUKpJoXIiacsH2A1y21oBgee9NEzLp76svbUQLdpXDzoYjRe77UTClEJnf2zb7jb2ITDMO-hhp3A_rp3pH2W/s320/IMG_3799.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">...spend a bit of time with forever friends Riley (pictured) and his family...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-sOwXhWLf72Bc06hlpb2_Xd8XpKzeMcNu6CIkMUHoLluyhSW7AunkcFW-V-KNqP7yMMWURd71o2uJKkGaD944BpB6qBF72F5ODWKDEtOg6Dbk92VFz2wqg2d_QpxfNKWtEQnl0zXrqvuW/s1600/IMG_3804.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-sOwXhWLf72Bc06hlpb2_Xd8XpKzeMcNu6CIkMUHoLluyhSW7AunkcFW-V-KNqP7yMMWURd71o2uJKkGaD944BpB6qBF72F5ODWKDEtOg6Dbk92VFz2wqg2d_QpxfNKWtEQnl0zXrqvuW/s320/IMG_3804.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> ...Palmer and her family...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrKBKaHx1xXjzlPAF_9-zxDAjBrcg3iEd7DUYRfL-iB8sF-XvQVJAB3pKa45aQZajngDAqeY2CGHFdgmrg4PMB-kiKGQFEkNcWKl7GnkM-gcmHI7K3cRdaHyUgWg9Ul0nP2fhDIRpVnkF0/s1600/IMG_3801.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrKBKaHx1xXjzlPAF_9-zxDAjBrcg3iEd7DUYRfL-iB8sF-XvQVJAB3pKa45aQZajngDAqeY2CGHFdgmrg4PMB-kiKGQFEkNcWKl7GnkM-gcmHI7K3cRdaHyUgWg9Ul0nP2fhDIRpVnkF0/s320/IMG_3801.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">...Lauren (pictured) and her family...and MANY more!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRFIDBlPXWTrfzZjER5oo5arnEA6P6n_GFYiDMoYBJJGzQvjx6V1HDWly6GyuiRD-wBGW-V8RPb8pmtF7wlmUN52dpFQKNfik9eh51zNz99RDoDLedbUHbiFDkPE1j-AzjMBQtATLL5jT5/s1600/IMG_3808.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRFIDBlPXWTrfzZjER5oo5arnEA6P6n_GFYiDMoYBJJGzQvjx6V1HDWly6GyuiRD-wBGW-V8RPb8pmtF7wlmUN52dpFQKNfik9eh51zNz99RDoDLedbUHbiFDkPE1j-AzjMBQtATLL5jT5/s320/IMG_3808.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> After 20 hours of driving, we ended up in snowy West Virginia.</div><div style="text-align: center;">We have had fun playing games, wrapping last minute presents, going to CandyLand, and playing in the snow!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2tvihiQvj__Fs4THhXOKjz4GdSTFtq8m7bPmqoqnqPdKfNKqz08WU9zoyRFkIW78UA7lWQBnRfSdfBWal75ALwtarG5_SCqYt1z9-lV0duoXwBvQs-78F5kigm9FWsJGwtDiPq9pwVpsd/s1600/IMG_3758.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2tvihiQvj__Fs4THhXOKjz4GdSTFtq8m7bPmqoqnqPdKfNKqz08WU9zoyRFkIW78UA7lWQBnRfSdfBWal75ALwtarG5_SCqYt1z9-lV0duoXwBvQs-78F5kigm9FWsJGwtDiPq9pwVpsd/s320/IMG_3758.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Before we left for WV, Donny and I went to his company Christmas party. We enjoyed our first date out since Donny left in May, dancing, eating yummy food, and winning $75 in gift cards! :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimw7Ij9SGQt9y8wok6CImU2XkI9f2GCrJGF-rUqB-g2yKPtb6uSHaLm8VEk49X22a7a578xwB2XMjkmYYUS2Rh_KwvEaxjJX_xdZD1QmTqu7NaCNE0ZsRpWVpgMgjoDK_MAbAXScupMKJ0/s1600/IMG_3760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimw7Ij9SGQt9y8wok6CImU2XkI9f2GCrJGF-rUqB-g2yKPtb6uSHaLm8VEk49X22a7a578xwB2XMjkmYYUS2Rh_KwvEaxjJX_xdZD1QmTqu7NaCNE0ZsRpWVpgMgjoDK_MAbAXScupMKJ0/s320/IMG_3760.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> We also had fun decorating our new house (our first mantle ever!) and putting up a new tree, in 80 degree weather!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA8Z3wk6vzkTafGgb1-DtwAmPc9jvOLMGSq5S0R55COzYOsRzXNY0d5T9Km-CRT_1nnC7Mgw-ZiRBtra-xtumWq2Ac2HdDP55tbLAWpYKRjg79kaO_01fHR19pbQBoEy31AGdduwsa6Iiy/s1600/IMG_3761.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA8Z3wk6vzkTafGgb1-DtwAmPc9jvOLMGSq5S0R55COzYOsRzXNY0d5T9Km-CRT_1nnC7Mgw-ZiRBtra-xtumWq2Ac2HdDP55tbLAWpYKRjg79kaO_01fHR19pbQBoEy31AGdduwsa6Iiy/s320/IMG_3761.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> We baked and decorated gluten-free sugar cookies and reindeer brownies with our g-free friends Gillian and Luke. All the kids loved that everyone could eat all the cookies!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGWfV8Wu-jQZVVuveU0gEjfKDkhJozOcfbJhE_9dYTArN43yLX6g5ZQysJAlT2QYKtDZQ8Oo2DyD-zkw2T2Flf5RBauuUVS5Fv5wBUgBlVkfErlfANB7evvG-Gqgt0A0ZtY1DjuZywMM_T/s1600/IMG_3773.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGWfV8Wu-jQZVVuveU0gEjfKDkhJozOcfbJhE_9dYTArN43yLX6g5ZQysJAlT2QYKtDZQ8Oo2DyD-zkw2T2Flf5RBauuUVS5Fv5wBUgBlVkfErlfANB7evvG-Gqgt0A0ZtY1DjuZywMM_T/s320/IMG_3773.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> I spent time this month reading Mary Beth Chapman's book C<u>hoosing to See</u>. It has been an amazing and tough read about the loss of their precious Maria. It is a story of grief, tragedy, and hope. When I finished reading her account of her daughter's death, I was just had to go and pray over our the kids and take their pictures as they slept. I know our kids are God's and we have dedicated them to Him but the thought of really sending them to Heaven before we go is tough.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc5mjKsv2YDvnIK65tTrXdOKPu4HuVCdGwSLDlnfIvOH4nmodApKKALahGepp3e9lyHaw1NOfKzlWCUxmXh65qMswanNVRsFYmf57yWqhE5K3HTxNraJSD-navpGQT3nNjqgtpWUDhJnWc/s1600/IMG_3770.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc5mjKsv2YDvnIK65tTrXdOKPu4HuVCdGwSLDlnfIvOH4nmodApKKALahGepp3e9lyHaw1NOfKzlWCUxmXh65qMswanNVRsFYmf57yWqhE5K3HTxNraJSD-navpGQT3nNjqgtpWUDhJnWc/s320/IMG_3770.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp7BWXSNEfdibxZi5C9gATuNJYdFexKUjcezC2bhes_BqFYRx-2a-w39YYk7TR7z4dcEj0BB3oV7sxGOnWfrj4fiWuq0GHBFIWTzfWDUBYkUWiO9fSQgP618-JBkf8GvzJ4Arl8avMJkrn/s1600/IMG_3795.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp7BWXSNEfdibxZi5C9gATuNJYdFexKUjcezC2bhes_BqFYRx-2a-w39YYk7TR7z4dcEj0BB3oV7sxGOnWfrj4fiWuq0GHBFIWTzfWDUBYkUWiO9fSQgP618-JBkf8GvzJ4Arl8avMJkrn/s320/IMG_3795.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"> Oliva had a Literacy Night at her school last week. The kids all wore their pajamas, had milk and cookies with Santa (the art teacher) and Mrs. Claus (the gym teacher), read books with flashlights in the darkened library, played a memory game, and listened to Mrs. Miller, Liv's principal, read a book. (Boston refused to have his picture with Santa...)</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN4kc7uyI4pxpNYvsqiGxTNeaLUjKipB9Dso7vJ0zyP_5bckkZunZcJAdhpMWX0lDGl5ho8W-KRIldGnFtCx5iYMjdvQwUveeQwsWA_8D2ylayMMyjHVNRrGkGoa5BP0z_d9CBiLA7efLy/s1600/IMG_3794.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN4kc7uyI4pxpNYvsqiGxTNeaLUjKipB9Dso7vJ0zyP_5bckkZunZcJAdhpMWX0lDGl5ho8W-KRIldGnFtCx5iYMjdvQwUveeQwsWA_8D2ylayMMyjHVNRrGkGoa5BP0z_d9CBiLA7efLy/s320/IMG_3794.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">It's been a great month spending time with new and forever friends, having Donny and the kids on vacation, and seeing family. We hope that you all have a very Merry Christmas and wish we could have seen ALL of you this month!</span></div>Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311659524915957665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973016393845459673.post-88935706883517940922010-12-15T20:31:00.000-06:002010-12-15T20:31:08.449-06:00Miscellaneous JunkWell, I've been mulling around that phrase "miscellaneous junk" for over a week now. You see, last week during Bible study at church, I saw a box at the front of the room labeled "MISC JUNK." I leaned over to Ruthann and asked, "Did you see that box? Why are they keeping miscellaneous junk??!!" The idea seemed ludicrous. <br />
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At the top of my Bible study, I wrote, "MISC JUNK-Why keep it?" and have spent this week "blogging in my head" about how we all keep things that we just don't need - college textbooks that we barely even opened while we were IN college, a single sock just in case we ever find the other, broken items that we plan to fix "some day", empty cardboard boxes in case we ever have something to fill them with, fifty of the same pictures our kids drew-when one would suffice, junk mail that we "may go back to sometime"... You get it, the list can go on and on. I didn't even include all the "extras" that we keep around that we don't really need that could benefit others. I, like my mom, am a "thrower/giver awayer." I like neat and orderly spaces, shelves that are not too cluttered, and empty space on the closet floors. Junk stresses me out.<br />
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I don't think that Jesus intends for us to keep miscellaneous junk either. I'm sure he doesn't want us to hoard when we could be offering our "extras" to others. However, I also think he doesn't want us to carry around all the miscellaneous emotional junk that burdens us either - what someone years ago said about how you dress, how someone yelled at you and put you down, our regrets from the far past or even yesterday. He wants to clean us and carry our burdens. Why do we insist on carrying all our junk around instead of just laying it at his feet?<br />
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You know what? I think we like it. In a distorted and somewhat sick way, I think we like having some "pity me" things to fall back on. Things that we can use as excuses for not finishing a job or for saying/treating others unkindly or to reason our way out of serving others. Is that too harsh? I don't think so. Stop and think about it. What junk are you carrying around that you should have "donated to Jesus" a long time ago? Is your junk harming someone else? Could Jesus use you more if you weren't carrying around such a load? Probably so.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">All that said, however, something happened on Sunday that made me think about miscellaneous junk again...in a different way.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Sunday after church we went to my grandpa's to celebrate Christmas with him since we won't be here on the 25th. We brought lunch, a filled stocking, baked good, and a few presents. As we prepared to give him our gifts he said we needed to wait a minute and then shuffled down his hall to his room. He came back with wrapped gifts for each of us.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Now, I need to stop for a minute here and explain. If you haven't had the chance to hear about past Christmases involving my TX grandparents, you may have missed what I just wrote. He had WRAPPED gifts. While growing up, my grandma would send gifts either unwrapped and we would try to guess who they were for or wrapped in paper towels and tube socks. No joke! So, to see the crude way that my grandpa had wrapped these gifts in red and green paper, just made me choke up.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">After he made it to "his chair" we gave him our gifts, excited that he was happy and really seemed to like or need each one. Then he proceeded to give us our gifts. I couldn't believe he had taken time, energy or emotion to think through gifts for each of us. He gave Donny a worn fleece and a used screwdriver. He wrapped up a blanket he was given on his recent DC trip and an apron that was given to my grandma years ago to me. He gave Boston a train set that he had purchased at his friend's estate sale 20 years ago. Boston ran and hugged grandpa - another site to make me tear up - and was overjoyed. Grandpa was just thrilled at Boston's reaction. For Olivia, he had a Dream Catcher and a small white bunny that he bought from Goodwill years ago to use in a magic show. She was all smiles and immediately named Hunny Bunny and told grandpa bunnies were her favorite animal. Again, on grandpa's was the image of pure satisfaction.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">What does this have to do with miscellaneous junk? Well, all of his gifts to us were things he just found in his house. For many of us, most of those items would be packed up and given to Goodwill or stored in the corner of an attic. However, on Sunday, Grandpa's miscellaneous junk turned into treasured gifts for our family of four. The picture of him slowly moving through his home to find each of us the "perfect" gift and then struggling to cut and tape the wrapping paper around our gifts is priceless...a Christmas to hold dear.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Do you think that when the shepherds approached to the old "barn" that Jesus was born in, they wondered if they had made a mistake? If they had just followed a star leading to miscellaneous junk? I sure am glad they took the time to go inside and investigate. What they found in that dirty manger was the most amazing, priceless, generous gift that anyone has ever been given.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Thank you, Jesus, for taking the miscellaneous junk we carry around and giving us new life and hope in you.</div>Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311659524915957665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973016393845459673.post-5104948464899309292010-12-01T11:03:00.000-06:002010-12-01T11:03:29.596-06:00JOY. Do You Have It?I was working on the lesson for KidzView (our church's kids' program) last night and came across this "blurb" in the materials. [It's not mine, it is from 252Basics.]<br />
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<em>When you think of God’s character, does joyful come to mind? We may think of a powerful God, a stern God, even a loving God, but joyful? (1) Joy can be defined as finding a way to be happy, even when things don’t go your way. (2) Have you ever thought about what makes God joyful? His creation? (See Genesis 1:31.) Our regard and respect for Him? (Read Psalm 147:11.) Someone—just one person!—turning away from sin? (Check out Luke 15:10.) God, the Creator of joy, (3) wants us to have joy, even when times are tough: “Let us hold firmly to the hope we claim to have.” Why? Because “the One who promised us is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23, NIrV). In other words, we can expect God to keep His promises. In a sense, that’s what the birth of John was all about: God keeping His promises. (4) When you have joy in the middle of your struggles, people will notice. They’ll wonder why you’re happy, and you can tell them it’s because God keeps His promises. This week, help kids realize that even though waiting can be hard, like it was for Elizabeth and Zechariah, the perfection of God’s plan is always worth the wait. </em><br />
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So, do YOU have that kind of joy? Do I? Made me stop and think. I seem to have more joy in times of true, tough trial and then in the everyday humdrum of life I get caught up in trying to "fix things" or questioning "why." Waiting is tough. Whether we are waiting for the work week to end or for chores to be finished or for a cake to bake or for prayers to be answered--waiting is not fun. But did you read what the above passage said? <em>"We can expect God to keep His promises!"</em> Let's have joy DURING the waiting and EXPECT God to do what He has promised. Joy and expectation during the waiting...let's strive for that.Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311659524915957665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973016393845459673.post-62452339676529350862010-11-25T17:41:00.000-06:002010-11-25T17:41:48.935-06:00We are Thankful For...We just finished a delicious (if I do say so myself!) Thanksgiving dinner here in TX. Donny and Grandpa are watching the Cowboys play, the kids are watching "Snow Paws", and I am here blogging with you before I finish mapping out my shopping plan for tomorrow! (I actually just posted another one too so be sure to scroll down!) <br />
We wanted to let you know that we are so thankful for YOU, among other things. The kids made little place cards for the kitchen table this morning and then we each took time to tell what we were thankful for.<br />
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Here's a little snippet of our thankfulness...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1b1QSsrxnsWofaJ-AZ3g10QuA3dcb4jAIoh-KdLkqkQ4GNuOsonyzCjZzXpr9mKwD-uI2bJHvRM0a0sXTXdOjv1vXWobOi7qNZOhY1-jp5KM95XXSbAen1TERiWxRzADcbI2IT4PlORXV/s1600/IMG_3725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1b1QSsrxnsWofaJ-AZ3g10QuA3dcb4jAIoh-KdLkqkQ4GNuOsonyzCjZzXpr9mKwD-uI2bJHvRM0a0sXTXdOjv1vXWobOi7qNZOhY1-jp5KM95XXSbAen1TERiWxRzADcbI2IT4PlORXV/s320/IMG_3725.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Olivia Jade, 7 1/2</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4G1wKVMWeuu92Nc0PFeKm2VF5oQ95RDhs6N3JO96f_9VApRGxKpj_8YkFmAW0irxZdCgjaKuRZ352c7gg8-kOzNdH7XzjUcHemgnD9W-LvyQ98S4DDPU_-IGBXFVZ_sK064BbC9WSKFks/s1600/IMG_3737.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4G1wKVMWeuu92Nc0PFeKm2VF5oQ95RDhs6N3JO96f_9VApRGxKpj_8YkFmAW0irxZdCgjaKuRZ352c7gg8-kOzNdH7XzjUcHemgnD9W-LvyQ98S4DDPU_-IGBXFVZ_sK064BbC9WSKFks/s320/IMG_3737.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> "I am thankful for fishes, you guys, and so many other things." </div><div style="text-align: center;">(Not sure where the 'fishes' came from?!)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipL-fV44Ku4wCgxEJJJm97ArWqMaPX8lmGdfs9fzCYo09C0ifV2LCCgRwN-f3UhyHJRQ0Vsx-miu375su8SPWWllMTB-JF2rVR9qPPUeCd9xEfNBPsjOH7x0Neqh8f3eV6CWG6935fih9v/s1600/IMG_3740.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipL-fV44Ku4wCgxEJJJm97ArWqMaPX8lmGdfs9fzCYo09C0ifV2LCCgRwN-f3UhyHJRQ0Vsx-miu375su8SPWWllMTB-JF2rVR9qPPUeCd9xEfNBPsjOH7x0Neqh8f3eV6CWG6935fih9v/s320/IMG_3740.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Boston Franklin, 4 1/2</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK2FvMM6vuoFrydfbzLPKBwWxDOx8reJzQG3NYvnr_0wv54pLbl9Vwkwzj1JBGL5N38B0sTmk9MdMXUQdBu107iSedWPMyW_6b8m3SU2NPD9-6zNnr4PtOS2j1Oz1EWvqk4LKn32RH_OzJ/s1600/IMG_3736.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK2FvMM6vuoFrydfbzLPKBwWxDOx8reJzQG3NYvnr_0wv54pLbl9Vwkwzj1JBGL5N38B0sTmk9MdMXUQdBu107iSedWPMyW_6b8m3SU2NPD9-6zNnr4PtOS2j1Oz1EWvqk4LKn32RH_OzJ/s320/IMG_3736.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> "I'm thankful for my monster truck, Olivia, and my toys."</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPdpV8l4OXZCyUPmqXU-FYprAD07ITe4vPkDG6swb4bfYrrPhB1tPxncI_AiGigVIYFAASsplH_VZie_Kkg2V6QAxXnsu2B7bhgCsLzBsE-0iAsoZx8dixG-ivpVcPOBhExUacrKFl6fWb/s1600/IMG_3726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPdpV8l4OXZCyUPmqXU-FYprAD07ITe4vPkDG6swb4bfYrrPhB1tPxncI_AiGigVIYFAASsplH_VZie_Kkg2V6QAxXnsu2B7bhgCsLzBsE-0iAsoZx8dixG-ivpVcPOBhExUacrKFl6fWb/s320/IMG_3726.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Jamie</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY-FsrdE2LjnccUD53ojL1QDeQX4utNKB9RqWG80ELEBX41_hNrN0AvRX_MauZ0RBG4VzIzuN-gEDckIzlQE-PGKl1rtLl3fr4XYvb2882frwkR_IUTKD_PZIj7yygsE6DLlGXNuTdo7f3/s1600/IMG_3739.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY-FsrdE2LjnccUD53ojL1QDeQX4utNKB9RqWG80ELEBX41_hNrN0AvRX_MauZ0RBG4VzIzuN-gEDckIzlQE-PGKl1rtLl3fr4XYvb2882frwkR_IUTKD_PZIj7yygsE6DLlGXNuTdo7f3/s320/IMG_3739.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> "I am so thankful for all the blessings that God has given us."</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22Gzy-Qr81z5OL47PibgRgrYbqM2hM0UeZJF2phFZXrACC3MSz78SdO_y1B6MY3BHiSMtfmZM-rwfvc64SGQlOYLjWbZrQXX9qlMI_PxqohMOcT2nXa0vr2rvXoKc1ILzjchidvD2_zxq/s1600/IMG_3741.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22Gzy-Qr81z5OL47PibgRgrYbqM2hM0UeZJF2phFZXrACC3MSz78SdO_y1B6MY3BHiSMtfmZM-rwfvc64SGQlOYLjWbZrQXX9qlMI_PxqohMOcT2nXa0vr2rvXoKc1ILzjchidvD2_zxq/s320/IMG_3741.JPG" width="244" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Donny</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfe1RTMXMjNyVS4ZaRPLGHsb0k6Os0mBc5oyxArR9TN6yCLPn8mqr6H3TPnCXCxtGDMPAp5xL7dUmuiVX0Ih0FLxCIh0QTiU7Lee0ntG1JGDn0ftFT53DxQdfH3_d8eHze_TcfAVjfcHpq/s1600/IMG_3738.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfe1RTMXMjNyVS4ZaRPLGHsb0k6Os0mBc5oyxArR9TN6yCLPn8mqr6H3TPnCXCxtGDMPAp5xL7dUmuiVX0Ih0FLxCIh0QTiU7Lee0ntG1JGDn0ftFT53DxQdfH3_d8eHze_TcfAVjfcHpq/s320/IMG_3738.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> "I am thankful for the health of family, a good job, making new friends and keeping old friends, a good house, a fun family, and Mommy." </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5-_-AYzUzs8cnVfvyMZ59LnsiydWqk8ewC6awq_b2LbVGLsc6uG38gEt42JKphRoyz84WA-PyroWrPO7Gabr_7EBOArNVWQ_ORqfj_nVN1iYezkeWk9Z2rHHqElXMWrMqeouvOcPw-Afg/s1600/IMG_3742.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5-_-AYzUzs8cnVfvyMZ59LnsiydWqk8ewC6awq_b2LbVGLsc6uG38gEt42JKphRoyz84WA-PyroWrPO7Gabr_7EBOArNVWQ_ORqfj_nVN1iYezkeWk9Z2rHHqElXMWrMqeouvOcPw-Afg/s320/IMG_3742.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Grandpa, 90</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRFlnisGtdXbywS3qTXHWbRxeCjpNMhwl3SZxERWk0zgOmMEUDNdAULgtzpekFm8fRrVBJ9GhCRma_vuRo8pBJe55_p4Qyxfs61pdALzKLN-Vnqwg-IToVcbyg7YFsLoyLhBnIzo6Ryzrx/s1600/IMG_3735.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRFlnisGtdXbywS3qTXHWbRxeCjpNMhwl3SZxERWk0zgOmMEUDNdAULgtzpekFm8fRrVBJ9GhCRma_vuRo8pBJe55_p4Qyxfs61pdALzKLN-Vnqwg-IToVcbyg7YFsLoyLhBnIzo6Ryzrx/s320/IMG_3735.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> "I am most thankful for family in Texas and for good neighbors. I have so many more things to be thankful for. I have relatively good health too."</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB7a-ZEVJq7pS7aHvSKwOxuI8FXYRv5T69Aex4fHAacQI4icvQuz9udLy6M0naA2KyYJyKtf7rTWaOMp_O9ngg2yGKWt2UbZ0Qs8Iivlv8o4VeJOnOvdGnFVDGfgN-jVe3OvbjeE4oSx_q/s1600/IMG_3734.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB7a-ZEVJq7pS7aHvSKwOxuI8FXYRv5T69Aex4fHAacQI4icvQuz9udLy6M0naA2KyYJyKtf7rTWaOMp_O9ngg2yGKWt2UbZ0Qs8Iivlv8o4VeJOnOvdGnFVDGfgN-jVe3OvbjeE4oSx_q/s320/IMG_3734.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">"HAPPY THANKSGIVING!"</div><div style="text-align: center;">(Don't let that little angel look on the left fool you...you just can't see his tail feathers that make him a little turkey!)</div>Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311659524915957665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973016393845459673.post-47264849171087060562010-11-25T16:05:00.000-06:002010-11-25T16:05:38.812-06:00Thanksgiving Feast!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Boston was so excited last week to have me attend his Thanksgiving Feast at his school. The three 4-year old classes sang songs, told the "Thanksgiving Story", and sat with their guests for a small feast. Boston was a complete ham for the video camera I brought. He was so proud of his first "on stage performance!"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTMt-mh98MjjPStPSD0NCq1PJA33fVdJC_cH6oKpmX4g22Th_ix4n_EPqTIux0LKG3x0u7JB2PyHbPVf9NqfsH_FcXbL4BYKU7MnzLr9D9MonOgjctXs8tnCPg-bRDeLRv4Xm4xXyxzp8y/s1600/IMG_3718.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTMt-mh98MjjPStPSD0NCq1PJA33fVdJC_cH6oKpmX4g22Th_ix4n_EPqTIux0LKG3x0u7JB2PyHbPVf9NqfsH_FcXbL4BYKU7MnzLr9D9MonOgjctXs8tnCPg-bRDeLRv4Xm4xXyxzp8y/s320/IMG_3718.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmQ9B_BvAqAmpHKtgr68s1Nqdcxh7_Ykm7RD6M2AlSuAErkF0mPNT0yO42T8BoxGcP90IwfmpopJso_FcBbETwSpWyfhig-L3IseJxt2eJ9k5_4Gw9mkMzj5Gho52rcJqqU2pvCPwNxcpk/s1600/IMG_3719.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmQ9B_BvAqAmpHKtgr68s1Nqdcxh7_Ykm7RD6M2AlSuAErkF0mPNT0yO42T8BoxGcP90IwfmpopJso_FcBbETwSpWyfhig-L3IseJxt2eJ9k5_4Gw9mkMzj5Gho52rcJqqU2pvCPwNxcpk/s320/IMG_3719.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8afGOIxKbuZ-hN5CJDGJ_4NHqvbhVTWMv7Sol9ssiZycv0RXVTHiW4S8HcVc5DDQgsVKt7dAH-iAPdyTy44AS33KyVQM45nBbr6UJzG8skBAPL-X3mPoUcRhzqEHdfuSHO1nSXwc81bKG/s1600/IMG_3724.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8afGOIxKbuZ-hN5CJDGJ_4NHqvbhVTWMv7Sol9ssiZycv0RXVTHiW4S8HcVc5DDQgsVKt7dAH-iAPdyTy44AS33KyVQM45nBbr6UJzG8skBAPL-X3mPoUcRhzqEHdfuSHO1nSXwc81bKG/s320/IMG_3724.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">All of the parents were made "head dresses." I was so lucky to be able to wear such a lovely construction paper Pilgrim bonnet while eating with my little Indian. :)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Thp6UEVMEgfN5Wrxyesk5U2aFaGSIVjRWDc2Ghkh-1dd3SHQqXpZyruEH3qKqLwXNKIgfuSFCUXU63rl0NvmMBHiqgpMmNcP5dSCgU05_sUJGOUFGrbedDUm6ZNLQiaIeGUYOjIcAmNN/s1600/IMG_3723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Thp6UEVMEgfN5Wrxyesk5U2aFaGSIVjRWDc2Ghkh-1dd3SHQqXpZyruEH3qKqLwXNKIgfuSFCUXU63rl0NvmMBHiqgpMmNcP5dSCgU05_sUJGOUFGrbedDUm6ZNLQiaIeGUYOjIcAmNN/s320/IMG_3723.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Boston made this cute little turkey and that morning before school, we made g-free apple pancakes, mini pumpkin muffins, and popcorn to bring so that he could have the same feast food as his peers. He loved it all!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">To wrap us a sweet Mommy & Son Day, Boston's dinner prayer brought me to tears. He said, "Dear Jesus, thank you for this food and thank you that Mommy could come to my feast. Amen." For a mama who has always wanted to do the things that "stay-at-home-moms" get to do, that prayer was another confirmation that we are so blessed and are in God's palm.</div>Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311659524915957665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973016393845459673.post-2018243345530813792010-11-09T17:09:00.003-06:002010-11-09T17:28:14.181-06:00A Terrbile Injustice...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTNP_fi9o_gIQKnYE0oAlB7Xv0mUvBiweUbHy8YMGL3Tbz7dn9H7pzcXoTWf75aFMXs94lyDklQ9VNbJtzvG2N5MjqazHssifgMJHE2ErZBemoPMBJpIs73Ka6Y-bmD1wlW7GjrIAyFR_H/s1600/bball.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 275px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 183px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537691873561212866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTNP_fi9o_gIQKnYE0oAlB7Xv0mUvBiweUbHy8YMGL3Tbz7dn9H7pzcXoTWf75aFMXs94lyDklQ9VNbJtzvG2N5MjqazHssifgMJHE2ErZBemoPMBJpIs73Ka6Y-bmD1wlW7GjrIAyFR_H/s320/bball.jpg" /></a> I'm ashamed to say it. Donny and I have committed a terrible injustice when it comes to our children. I was unaware of it until I took them outback today to play a bit of baseball. Olivia has been playing kickball at school so I thought, "Oh there are similarities, this should be easy." WRONG! I laughed so hard for an hour that I almost...well, you get the picture. :)
Now, mind you, both our kids have gloves, and we have bats, and balls. We have played catch and had them practice hitting for years. I guess, however, that we have never really tried to play an actual game. Probably because it's hard to play with just 4 people. Even harder with just 3, let me now tell you from this afternoon's experience. Especially when only one of those players understands the rules!
At the beginning, Boston was up to bat, Liv was in the field, and I was the pitcher. I had the where-with-all the have them hit AWAY from the pool but that was where my wisdom stopped. As the "game" went on: Bos was calling "Stripe one, Stripe two,...", Liv was running the bases carrying the bat, Boston carried first base with him as he ran, Liv hit the ball (an awesome hit) HARD right into my gut, Bos had his glove on upside down, Liv was standing at home plate in a ballet stance as she tried to hit, Bos was running around "the outfield" showing off his new Cars underpants, Liv was pitching to me so high that I felt as though she thought I was a giraffe, Boston was "relieving himself" in right field, the ball knocked a branch off a banana tree and a light bulb off a solar light in the garden, Liv "tagged Boston out" while <strong><em>I</em></strong> was holding the ball...you get the picture!!!
All that said though, there was never one argument, one time of drama or tears, one moment of throwing something in frustration, one unkind word muttered or yelled. It was an absolutely perfect afternoon! And to top it off?? It was sunny and almost 80 degrees out!
So, yes, the kids need work on how the game of baseball is played, but overall, I see the afternoon as a total success. We had fun, we laughed with each other, we came in with dirty hands and knees, and we can't wait to play again another afternoon. Who cares if we don't really know how to play? I bet we had more fun in an hour than many of those "professional" teams do in an entire season. PLAY BALL!Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311659524915957665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973016393845459673.post-81558891636575916352010-10-21T10:56:00.004-05:002010-10-21T11:29:01.516-05:00Lots Going On!!!<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji4kleS2YQEDZi4JwfwflXv5Dw2m19pbHpDjQn2rGfELuRBsio_OdG9zLIHwHu2MCSX0BtJq5JgVa9PquwoCNslpkhZ1r7X2VcCAvAQawEvnALwywmgBLOd7DcwzLdh4Z2G9AG1wa6GXXd/s1600/IMG_3695.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530531328147325170" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji4kleS2YQEDZi4JwfwflXv5Dw2m19pbHpDjQn2rGfELuRBsio_OdG9zLIHwHu2MCSX0BtJq5JgVa9PquwoCNslpkhZ1r7X2VcCAvAQawEvnALwywmgBLOd7DcwzLdh4Z2G9AG1wa6GXXd/s320/IMG_3695.JPG" /></a> Olivia sculpted all of us out of Play Dough! She absolutely LOVES art, in any form!!</div><div align="center">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimoihLiLA-VEVxSpRa1CXhbbX_KEOmCs97Ald8sPzECXw7kT-iwqrF-rImhU6gDTkNnat_yn-VMk0O1G4THEMGFvmjfTavdraSLTHSM_0sixbwhzwNS-YdqHdXmofqyKnv9p3ooMw6uShn/s1600/IMG_3692.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530531322775479794" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimoihLiLA-VEVxSpRa1CXhbbX_KEOmCs97Ald8sPzECXw7kT-iwqrF-rImhU6gDTkNnat_yn-VMk0O1G4THEMGFvmjfTavdraSLTHSM_0sixbwhzwNS-YdqHdXmofqyKnv9p3ooMw6uShn/s320/IMG_3692.JPG" /></a>Gillian and Olivia at the 2nd grade Square Dance Performance. They did great!
<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdE8I2QErtHgLD7NjoBMlNWE-auwRiU-z9Vw2PUfiU6MrRPIDTQtZbpWZBsbzmOoK78foOM3riEuhLaITETzjsRe8KXZw_-9FG3KSuAmvGZBsL1T5eRTL01Oar6QCr4dMwxAYZok93X0rN/s1600/IMG_3682.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530531319266034898" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdE8I2QErtHgLD7NjoBMlNWE-auwRiU-z9Vw2PUfiU6MrRPIDTQtZbpWZBsbzmOoK78foOM3riEuhLaITETzjsRe8KXZw_-9FG3KSuAmvGZBsL1T5eRTL01Oar6QCr4dMwxAYZok93X0rN/s320/IMG_3682.JPG" /></a>
Olivia, the square dancer. She was so talented! Seriously! She and her partner, Jeremy, were great! They did three dances for the "parent audience."
<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXTYtqmjuuwnM118kG_DqbISJOW7pM5usMRyTDT-1NatedMg7g5p3fkKf0vBn0Gn7bferKpD89K0yhqsSaBjpbAsjAF6jk2S-peN8sxs9z4BxkRv4ExsCh4RoBWwxMy0e25PtD_CiVFG6H/s1600/IMG_3680.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530530274936065234" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXTYtqmjuuwnM118kG_DqbISJOW7pM5usMRyTDT-1NatedMg7g5p3fkKf0vBn0Gn7bferKpD89K0yhqsSaBjpbAsjAF6jk2S-peN8sxs9z4BxkRv4ExsCh4RoBWwxMy0e25PtD_CiVFG6H/s320/IMG_3680.JPG" /></a>
This is far away but it gives you a picture of her gym and her gym teacher, Ms. Hartwell, there on the right.
<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHGmrFZRvVhY4tJM4Hdwh3oG4nSfPSC8oS64C-iwrFHg1j3bifMdV_r9IplqMwYNs1Nri1oo1HCITjPUyd-iAKFimVYBBaWlNSKnNeDnjg9wWE5YFMjv-CZdBtKGADMU-zp_ZkNr81YIv1/s1600/IMG_3673.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530530264994930866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHGmrFZRvVhY4tJM4Hdwh3oG4nSfPSC8oS64C-iwrFHg1j3bifMdV_r9IplqMwYNs1Nri1oo1HCITjPUyd-iAKFimVYBBaWlNSKnNeDnjg9wWE5YFMjv-CZdBtKGADMU-zp_ZkNr81YIv1/s320/IMG_3673.JPG" /></a> I thought you may like to see a bit (I didn't put on the entire thing) of Olivia's first "published" book. You will have to come to TX to read the rest! :)
<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwS3GCjiMAQQnu-syDIC0x4e9LgR2rZCgpj6uHUEdNDIATEGzcuhGcajKXpSzJEsSjjCtVhWmYVKPwoGdHfsoHde9-47LbPJh-6zATkTuDNOQgF6zd6DWHjw12ax_P5c-_41KYwk7fL14-/s1600/IMG_3674.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530530259729908370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwS3GCjiMAQQnu-syDIC0x4e9LgR2rZCgpj6uHUEdNDIATEGzcuhGcajKXpSzJEsSjjCtVhWmYVKPwoGdHfsoHde9-47LbPJh-6zATkTuDNOQgF6zd6DWHjw12ax_P5c-_41KYwk7fL14-/s320/IMG_3674.JPG" /></a>
<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8a4Y3rDeUeTkeo5GW-IKBbwFxoovW8RQF0gSF1xwChyZ93Uw731Bn6aPVCAP_4-DDuqazluxYUsBNEkr-u_tNseIeKNJX96w-wgbMjqacmyTfKTXnQJmIStSdAp2_Yq5Ndl3u9rqr7d1H/s1600/IMG_3675.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530530248067825666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8a4Y3rDeUeTkeo5GW-IKBbwFxoovW8RQF0gSF1xwChyZ93Uw731Bn6aPVCAP_4-DDuqazluxYUsBNEkr-u_tNseIeKNJX96w-wgbMjqacmyTfKTXnQJmIStSdAp2_Yq5Ndl3u9rqr7d1H/s320/IMG_3675.JPG" /></a>
<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbYj_N0GD85SpunH5vIivLx9Vm_zp522SyD0CQc7e-VtdWtFwokFFyAqKvPneNF0xPi1mwVGSj28XM6oTRjWs8XD9QCAXgSHgsjYENzLZOU78xNMxKU8gHWpMmf47Oxc788oQ8CiTHkCm_/s1600/IMG_3676.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530530245273367186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbYj_N0GD85SpunH5vIivLx9Vm_zp522SyD0CQc7e-VtdWtFwokFFyAqKvPneNF0xPi1mwVGSj28XM6oTRjWs8XD9QCAXgSHgsjYENzLZOU78xNMxKU8gHWpMmf47Oxc788oQ8CiTHkCm_/s320/IMG_3676.JPG" /></a>
(When I took the pictures of her book, she hadn't finished illustrating yet, but I wanted you to see this sentence about the brother! Hillarious!)
<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2HLD5tf-VoaC_QuXebvWyaeSPqd5sBxoF5BYAyZzHDlONi14FsyBGBNQRVOgW-1dZvFGSEDM60hY48OUC7Hy0njs81b8Oqr3nYmdbbKnADVvJJx5pIW2faTWyYeOvVKDHzcjprqk9-Sfv/s1600/IMG_3671.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530529741598875250" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2HLD5tf-VoaC_QuXebvWyaeSPqd5sBxoF5BYAyZzHDlONi14FsyBGBNQRVOgW-1dZvFGSEDM60hY48OUC7Hy0njs81b8Oqr3nYmdbbKnADVvJJx5pIW2faTWyYeOvVKDHzcjprqk9-Sfv/s320/IMG_3671.JPG" /></a>Boston is also growing as an artist and writer. He worked hard on these pictures to send to his former babysitter's three children. Since Halloween is close, he taped a piece of candy on each one too! :) This is a picture of Shelby.
<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVQlpdYB75tNFaZZ20V9a-hOoOp8NKmHivkfsOYb3ZAtmQXAGlFEqmCxF6WwAGVG5aAJM6yZWnLJRxbj6ss0UmvLdBmjvHgLih3c3G_u8r1O7KLQ6AxZyigGFYkz7xMCTwX1bWP0xEyyec/s1600/IMG_3670.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530529731726295378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVQlpdYB75tNFaZZ20V9a-hOoOp8NKmHivkfsOYb3ZAtmQXAGlFEqmCxF6WwAGVG5aAJM6yZWnLJRxbj6ss0UmvLdBmjvHgLih3c3G_u8r1O7KLQ6AxZyigGFYkz7xMCTwX1bWP0xEyyec/s320/IMG_3670.JPG" /></a>For Natalie he drew flowers...and I guess the one for Trey of an RV didn't make it on here! Ooopps!
<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH3vqlOtftsFARPqbyfLGbfxyPG9MZyZ5NZY2W06wDEmD4u_6wzbUF-Tiwi-pSXclsCGKuFv2sIY7ACYUuSlSQBVfqjV5HJq2R7mmCwQ7YwS0e1XYNq9-FxV7J3xkIepdFoSUV-CacrcJO/s1600/IMG_3668.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530529723442985650" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH3vqlOtftsFARPqbyfLGbfxyPG9MZyZ5NZY2W06wDEmD4u_6wzbUF-Tiwi-pSXclsCGKuFv2sIY7ACYUuSlSQBVfqjV5HJq2R7mmCwQ7YwS0e1XYNq9-FxV7J3xkIepdFoSUV-CacrcJO/s320/IMG_3668.JPG" /></a> We went to the Santa Fe Festival to see the Native Americans who live in Santa Fe, Texas dance and craft. It was amazing. The kids made teepees, tasted some foods, and were amazed by the large head dresses worn!
<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ92zhNWham0QZDJKMezxCqSZuAvvXZQP9GZDT1nks9tV6WsErNn9X3-S4eVpfm7Ts9-TiclsT17FvBrVoZKDRbhKs2JJoT-WRieI7sh8tRVKBjpfy4J8D06Eavb1boueZaMQ-fbBN2Sb-/s1600/IMG_3669.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530529720472248434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ92zhNWham0QZDJKMezxCqSZuAvvXZQP9GZDT1nks9tV6WsErNn9X3-S4eVpfm7Ts9-TiclsT17FvBrVoZKDRbhKs2JJoT-WRieI7sh8tRVKBjpfy4J8D06Eavb1boueZaMQ-fbBN2Sb-/s320/IMG_3669.JPG" /></a> This is a picture of some of the men doing a tribal dance. I couldn't take time to get a better one because Olivia was too nervous with the chanting and drumming so we had to "move on."
<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNQg2i8__fs6DrYrbd-M0CHO3n0CzPLJO3ZW3N6OHXYpyIg3DentgKxurJF6ZSEuDzC0RFSEiZo8rsQr9gXxuLWotih7FsI3oQC31h1FH9s0Quzniy8TNBTW8euMpnwDja5EHJCsxk1b8B/s1600/IMG_3709.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530529699880494370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNQg2i8__fs6DrYrbd-M0CHO3n0CzPLJO3ZW3N6OHXYpyIg3DentgKxurJF6ZSEuDzC0RFSEiZo8rsQr9gXxuLWotih7FsI3oQC31h1FH9s0Quzniy8TNBTW8euMpnwDja5EHJCsxk1b8B/s320/IMG_3709.JPG" /></a>And last but not least...Today at Boston's school is Texas Day!! Is he the cutest cowpoke you've ever seen or what? :) This morning he kept touching the brim of his hat, looking at me, and saying, "Hi there, litle lady!" :)</div><div> </div><div>So there you have it...a bit of an update from TX. Our friend, Melanie, comes to visit from KY today and I'm not sure who is most excited to have her arrive. The kids want her to be the one to wake them up in the morning! So sweet! We are anxiously awaiting the arrivial of the rest of you down here too! =)
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</div>Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311659524915957665noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973016393845459673.post-14069607107618346342010-10-08T17:38:00.006-05:002010-10-08T18:18:39.217-05:00Picture UpdateWe have been unpacking boxes like crazy and I think that the Carrollton Public Works Department carried off the last of our cardboard boxes and packing paper today! Yahoo! We still need to hang things on the walls, get a kitchen table and chairs, and a dining room set, and many other things here and there but it is coming along nicely. For someone who doesn't know how to decorate and, for years, has relied on her friends to "set up house" things are looking pretty good. I will take pictures of the house this weekend but first wanted to fill you in on some things we have been doing in the past two weeks...
We watched Zoe, Boston's friend from preschool, and her brother, Titus, for the afternoon. The kids got a kick out of dressing poor little Titus up!
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSq1X3F1tTx_w21r7Ms7ZpQkHW8xlD0SX_XsQeYrs9DYeDN51MOh2uPVfsYP2EsVH3mo5adfrzNsmCcwek2xj84I-Ys548dk0vhI9Z2JV7yWHcFY24yS3FLxRYBthAJDwyTTMDxnSFioFk/s1600/IMG_3666.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525814171177409154" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSq1X3F1tTx_w21r7Ms7ZpQkHW8xlD0SX_XsQeYrs9DYeDN51MOh2uPVfsYP2EsVH3mo5adfrzNsmCcwek2xj84I-Ys548dk0vhI9Z2JV7yWHcFY24yS3FLxRYBthAJDwyTTMDxnSFioFk/s320/IMG_3666.JPG" /></a>
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<div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>Wednesday, October 6, apparently is National Walk to School Day. The weather was perfect for it - about 58 in the morning and 90 in the afternoon. We met "Walking School Bus B" (really just a mom holding a poster shaped like a bus) at a corner near our house and walked Liv to school about .8 miles one way. The kids were all given blinking reflectors, had Carrollton police officers on motorcycles as their crossing guards, and were given bananas and bottled water when they got to school. Liv's favorite part was that all the walking students got to sign a banner that is now hung in the cafeteria.</div><div> </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGrmMPiVn2bT2fUIDtzvjMIYgeDaBjnlRRXj7aXeYRUlQDekwsR0CS_UeFGkdnL8ZtE_Dc8BIH26fgfXvHcD9wvAmCp8bs3tVK_jYITvcet94qLQtlLQhNSabInqdRJcwOrRgvrd3U1-ta/s1600/IMG_3660.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525814166126019970" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGrmMPiVn2bT2fUIDtzvjMIYgeDaBjnlRRXj7aXeYRUlQDekwsR0CS_UeFGkdnL8ZtE_Dc8BIH26fgfXvHcD9wvAmCp8bs3tVK_jYITvcet94qLQtlLQhNSabInqdRJcwOrRgvrd3U1-ta/s320/IMG_3660.JPG" /></a></div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> <div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_yLrjt7bX3jjBojV_McH7G1VFuu51wUAbwrWR1-flGcfgpNa091w4pBQjX1qwOoKgXBCY2Y-ilx5u-m4q8spH5oBdRZd0MRS6EM9-stmMt4oRnFuqNrMAc4t9bJJSfmOD28FusnGlzGLD/s1600/IMG_3658.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525813787493243090" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_yLrjt7bX3jjBojV_McH7G1VFuu51wUAbwrWR1-flGcfgpNa091w4pBQjX1qwOoKgXBCY2Y-ilx5u-m4q8spH5oBdRZd0MRS6EM9-stmMt4oRnFuqNrMAc4t9bJJSfmOD28FusnGlzGLD/s320/IMG_3658.JPG" /></a>
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</div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>We have unpacked TONS of boxes! Poor Boston has felt the brunt of this since he is home most of the time. However, he has enjoyed climbing in the boxes and drawing on them.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh9aCF1BQWCXKyR2fFMEmH2UDy-1iFnQpMdGzhpCNJlQOW2vU5wpQyjws0YcrYZB4MT-mEUPpLavVbKQwNQ8JrGlURXT0-8d95DPHtIMpPsNT__OfOYmQfuDSXWDVIph1K8_BzUuX-hISU/s1600/IMG_3630.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525813787327019234" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh9aCF1BQWCXKyR2fFMEmH2UDy-1iFnQpMdGzhpCNJlQOW2vU5wpQyjws0YcrYZB4MT-mEUPpLavVbKQwNQ8JrGlURXT0-8d95DPHtIMpPsNT__OfOYmQfuDSXWDVIph1K8_BzUuX-hISU/s320/IMG_3630.JPG" /></a></div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>We have been swimming. The kids love to come home and swim after school. The water is a bit cold (75 degrees) now for my liking since the nights are cooler, but they are still jumping in almost every afternoon! (Yes! Those are banana trees and palm trees in our backyard! We are researching how to care for them...)</div><div> </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc6v2CVUK0BK0t_9MkYolbrBIhFUwIdwKu0BEthdKImTTFA3eXRvsHvmBUIZCUzoiMh86rZWlcAURUU1F_HyUt4VzjoKLToIiETsDKCrO1XRsVAcP5MPojZjHpUf4zes0W1JBHERp33Rka/s1600/IMG_3628.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525813200528867794" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc6v2CVUK0BK0t_9MkYolbrBIhFUwIdwKu0BEthdKImTTFA3eXRvsHvmBUIZCUzoiMh86rZWlcAURUU1F_HyUt4VzjoKLToIiETsDKCrO1XRsVAcP5MPojZjHpUf4zes0W1JBHERp33Rka/s320/IMG_3628.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipD7BTR3dzemlwhVUWCr7mRra8SFGxtSJ6jwvBB9ibP1zQSjGyddkzI2Hg_QykUHzKAKjCFcXdgqOcEJV3povTq4WhjcIsz5tAI0FHiQU7-Fva0JpfucUkCMnz8Urcb5jPsZTY-rdBbLyo/s1600/IMG_3629.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525813193536900450" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipD7BTR3dzemlwhVUWCr7mRra8SFGxtSJ6jwvBB9ibP1zQSjGyddkzI2Hg_QykUHzKAKjCFcXdgqOcEJV3povTq4WhjcIsz5tAI0FHiQU7-Fva0JpfucUkCMnz8Urcb5jPsZTY-rdBbLyo/s320/IMG_3629.JPG" /></a>
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</div><div>The kids have helped Donny head "out to the field." Are they not TOO CUTE??!!</div><div> </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIOGT2n0VPIGvn5oi-9E46g-iSfXvCzVx-tUMvurhMHUjaFGvFyzdd9G5uIChyq7fj2oDg_A750BvW0mARnDOcAtDJe1uV-ryHnnPPsL__qo-uTiunMbfTKig42lcPbad_oMTdn8ByQOzC/s1600/IMG_3622.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525813190857070898" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIOGT2n0VPIGvn5oi-9E46g-iSfXvCzVx-tUMvurhMHUjaFGvFyzdd9G5uIChyq7fj2oDg_A750BvW0mARnDOcAtDJe1uV-ryHnnPPsL__qo-uTiunMbfTKig42lcPbad_oMTdn8ByQOzC/s320/IMG_3622.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisTYhDzNX4r7Vd1lTkM8zz9cE0Td4NyHK3Q4ic-dVQiDhLySJMU4W32LskTUbl3TBjFU4r2HPsLJrkvt1BAtt_-mg4jbhQWR1-c5Oan_oFAb3Ygt3Nv5CFcLIoKLIEpvhEjsU5qsbGI7YT/s1600/IMG_3620.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525813182542441490" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisTYhDzNX4r7Vd1lTkM8zz9cE0Td4NyHK3Q4ic-dVQiDhLySJMU4W32LskTUbl3TBjFU4r2HPsLJrkvt1BAtt_-mg4jbhQWR1-c5Oan_oFAb3Ygt3Nv5CFcLIoKLIEpvhEjsU5qsbGI7YT/s320/IMG_3620.JPG" /></a>
<div></div><div align="left"> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311659524915957665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973016393845459673.post-91959303203074036932010-09-27T20:50:00.005-05:002010-09-27T21:24:04.106-05:00Busy as Bees!!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Bmiqy8t5oeDGBu9pyNZRHUSBzaAyXZe_arfhDKgZLkTdZQfbq1fayboqkYmiIFwGa3IhaCf4DZ3gKmfhWdK63AVJq6oEPsaQAQfVonK4Nqky_tNp_XDG2UAwryt7TR4blrrVb8e5zR6x/s1600/busy-bee.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521777033721836290" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Bmiqy8t5oeDGBu9pyNZRHUSBzaAyXZe_arfhDKgZLkTdZQfbq1fayboqkYmiIFwGa3IhaCf4DZ3gKmfhWdK63AVJq6oEPsaQAQfVonK4Nqky_tNp_XDG2UAwryt7TR4blrrVb8e5zR6x/s320/busy-bee.jpg" /></a>
<div>I know it's been a while since I sat down and told you what was going on! Actually, I sat down last night and posted a few pictures and wrote a beautiful narrative =) about what each person in our family has been doing. However, when I pushed the "publish post" button...all was lost! Ugh!</div><div> </div><div>Tonight, there is a lot of laundry to be folded so I will have to make it shorter but wanted to give a quick update! (I will put house pictures up soon.)</div><div> </div><div>We are still unpacking boxes but we are seeing more floor so that is a good sign! Donny worked so hard on the garage this weekend and by week's end we will be parking in the garage! We have gone through every box with a fine tooth comb and have trashed, donated, reunited lost parts, and organized. Once everything is finally unpacked, it will feel so good to have "purged" and be rid of junk! (You know I love to get rid of things that we don't use...sometimes to a fault...)</div><div> </div><div>We are getting quickly involved in our church, Valley View Christian Church, and also getting to know people better. I am writing and planning curriculum and lessons for the K-5 classes on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights. It is the perfect balance of getting my "fix" of teaching and writing lessons without having to be gone from my family full time. God is good! Donny has been helping on the Creative Arts team which works on the stage and prepares for each new sermon series. The kids are getting used to their classes and are making friends. MANY of the kids at church are <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">home schooled</span> which makes it a bit harder for them to relate to Liv and vice <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">versa</span>. Here's the reason why----The kids are all in the same co-op so "breaking in" is tricky but Liv is awesome (!) and I am so proud of how she continues to go and nurture friendships.</div><div> </div><div>Both kids love school and I am working hard to provide <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">play dates</span> at least once a week for each of them with kids from their school. It helps me get to know the mamas and the friends they are making. Having a pool has been such an easy way to invite people over. Until we moved here, and had to "step out of our comfort zones" we had not really talked to our 7 year old and 4 year old about being witnesses but that has become a daily conversation now. It is so different here. Schools are different. People are different. We are no longer wrapped <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">snugly</span> in our protective group of friends like we were in KY. We are being challenged to really think about and explain our faith, daily. I can't wait to see how God is going to use our family, our children, here in Dallas. I think we are all growing deeper with Jesus through this. Our after-dinner devotion and before-bed conversations with the kids have been in depth and eye opening. Their questions are amazing and challenging. Donny and I are so glad to have our kids talk to us and want to start NOW with open communication.</div><div> </div><div>Shoo...I can get long-winded! All that to say, we are doing <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">ok</span>. We miss KY. Boy, do we miss it and talk of it and our "peeps" there daily but we are looking with wide-eyes at the present and to the future to see what God has in store for us...</div><div> </div><div>We'll keep you posted! (hehee!)</div>Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311659524915957665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973016393845459673.post-86288103866203473312010-09-12T20:45:00.002-05:002010-09-12T21:20:04.153-05:00Stealing My Thunder...My plan on Friday was to share my new appliances (after prompting by Mel), however, that DISGUSTING lizard stole my thunder...
So, today, when Mel <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">texted</span> again asking for pics of my new little "workers" I thought, tonight I will post those appliance pictures that I took on Friday on the blog.
However, (yep, there's that word again - <em>however...</em>) as I was shutting Liv's door tonight after saying goodnight to her, I saw it...ANOTHER LIZARD!!!!!!! On her floor! Feet away from her bed!!! (Which right now, for all of us, is just a mattress <em>on the </em>floor!) Come on!!! This is our HOME not the zoo! So, this time, since the safety of my child was at stake =), I bravely said, "Liv hold on just a minute." I walked to my room, found my sturdiest pair of flip flops and smacked it with all of my Mommy Might. It wriggled, wiggled, and tried to get away, but I conquered it-all while trying to swallow back that "mouth throw up" that comes when you are grossed out. I know that is vivid, but I know you know what I am talking about! Liv asked what I was doing and I said, "Oh, I just had to get a bug." (I know it was a lie, but...I was trying to protect her and her night's sleep!!!) Of course, she is just like her daddy though, and asks way too many questions. She asked, "Was it a lizard?" I timidly admitted the truth and then SHE ASKED TO SEE IT! Again, I put on my brave mommy smile and said, "See, isn't it so cute. Riley sure would be jealous that you have a lizard in a Wendy's cup." She took a close look and then crawled into bed and went to sleep. Bless her sweet, i<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">nnocent</span>, brave heart!
So, you see why I say these creatures are stealing my thunder???!!! I have been here for 5 days and have seen 2 lizards!! You can bet that I will be calling some sort of "lizard exterminator" tomorrow! There has GOT to be an answer to this - at least to slow this down. I mean, if I have SEEN two, how many more are lurking in the corners, under my sheets, or in my shoes???
I talked to my mother-in-law before this latest incident and she tried to help assure me that Friday's incident would be a one time thing. I tried to hopefully agree. We both knew we were just trying to be positive. I just didn't know this would happen 30 minutes after getting off the phone with her!
ANYWAY...Mel, here is what you've been waiting for! =)
We are blessed to have a new dryer and washer. I've never had these new <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">fangled</span> front loading things! All four of us took turns watching the clothes tumble and twist and spin! (This picture is taken from our half bath looking into the laundry room which is attached to the game room.)
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHHdAAyo3z3EyOGjlAD80o47EH5C2nU_7TpTEOh25lUd3Ks41efLxJEPO0CKL2w3BPMqtDAe0DIv8GCse190nQQrTItj6ozl8sLTexEQOW-HkYFc_32IgRK5t3pRio-KecZ6uE_3bG8Ag0/s1600/IMG_3619.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516209483552777650" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHHdAAyo3z3EyOGjlAD80o47EH5C2nU_7TpTEOh25lUd3Ks41efLxJEPO0CKL2w3BPMqtDAe0DIv8GCse190nQQrTItj6ozl8sLTexEQOW-HkYFc_32IgRK5t3pRio-KecZ6uE_3bG8Ag0/s400/IMG_3619.JPG" /></a>We also are blessed to have this great new fridge. After just a few days living here without water or a fridge/freezer, I feel even more appreciative. (This picture is taken from the dining room looking into the kitchen.)
<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUgFIV2jh-cyU5goETqjEaSWx-Ev68fHD9dV0kHKHmcpRr9OX-Sc2U9IKnRyBtocTkmsjFkcCtRi6knTKYLJk2ShVg0tBCpaa4tfc4GzAV66e0DLV952mOxs8KlDymfK6z3f0Bci3bwxWb/s1600/IMG_3618.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516208985988427410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUgFIV2jh-cyU5goETqjEaSWx-Ev68fHD9dV0kHKHmcpRr9OX-Sc2U9IKnRyBtocTkmsjFkcCtRi6knTKYLJk2ShVg0tBCpaa4tfc4GzAV66e0DLV952mOxs8KlDymfK6z3f0Bci3bwxWb/s400/IMG_3618.JPG" /></a>
<div></div></div>Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311659524915957665noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973016393845459673.post-36061086066390175492010-09-10T21:24:00.003-05:002010-09-10T22:05:40.247-05:00In the Linen Closet...So, we closed on our Texas house on Tuesday and on our Kentucky house on Wednesday. Did you get that? ONE DAY APART! Once again, God has made it powerfully clear that we are following HIS plan by moving to Texas. There is so much to tell but Bos and I are both fighting off colds so I am heading to bed since I am sure I will be up with him sooner than later. <div> </div><div align="center">***</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="left">There is one story, or spine chilling incident, as I see it, that has to be told before bed, though. Today, I was on my hands and knees cleaning the base boards in the linen closet. I saw something "scurry" and quickly grabbed my shoe to kill it. Upon further (quick!) investigation, I realized it was not a bug but a LIZARD in my CLOSET!!! I did what any smart woman would do: I slammed the door shut and called for help!</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">I first tried Ruthann and Joe since they live nearby. No answer. Then I tried Donny because I knew since he was just a mere 1,000 miles away he could surely help me. =) No answer. I then called Mel because she catches lizards with her boys at the beach and figured she would have some pointed. No answer. So, I made a poor choice. I called Jennifer. (I can only say that because I already told her that over the phone and she agreed! hehe!) She and I just freaked each other out and thought through every possible way to handle the situation and ended up with the bright plan to stuff and towel under the door and wait for someone to rescue me. She advised that Boston and I leave immediately until the lizard was done away with. I did stuff the towel under the door but there was too much to do here, so I went into "denial mode" and continued cleaning. Around lunchtime, Joe and Ruthann came and saved us. Come to find out, these little lizards like to make themselves at home in people's homes around here <strong>all the time</strong>. <em>(I just shivered after typing that!)</em> Joe killed it with a shoe and I, of course, had to take a picture for you all! =)</div><div align="left"> </div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515482316553254562" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia5iXcKYglhdTccjZXePPKWmCoKTmCCiNBGma4CV5dKOp7r3_FLqCSHQNwclBpw-JQ977uDIPRftIBegzTo1hkAMrIzMYMoFSRfrbayShdPoTxJxbEYeqqvjN64vTBYV3npj_HkHt26PG5/s400/IMG_3617.JPG" /></div><div>You may notice he (she?) is missing his tail... Joe warned me that the next time (gulp!) <strong>I</strong> kill one (does that mean I am not allowed to call him any more??) the lizard's tail will come off and continue to wiggle for a while even after the lizard is dead. Hence the missing tail. Guess it is still somewhere in the closet. Not sure. Haven't opened the closet yet. May never again.</div><div> </div><div>So, with that said, who is going to be our first house guest? Ha! Our moving truck should arrive around Tuesday with our KY belongings-so come on down! We could use some help getting things set up here!</div><div> </div><div>By the way, in case you didn't get the email (it was "acting up") our new email address is <a href="mailto:loughryfam@yahoo.com">loughryfam@yahoo.com</a> If you need our new address, let me know. Our cell numbers are the same.</div><div> </div><div>Night. Notice I left out the "good" in front of night. I am already itching and am sure I will be shaking out all my covers and pillow cases before getting in bed and dreaming about lizards...</div>Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311659524915957665noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973016393845459673.post-9471835576035340522010-09-02T21:07:00.005-05:002010-09-02T21:36:07.237-05:00Boston is a Schoolboy!Boston has been going to a sitter while I taught school since he was 12 weeks old, but there was something different about sending him to "school" today. It isn't even called preschool here. Nope, to make a mommy's heart plunge even deeper knowing her baby is growing up, they call it <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Pre</span>-kindergarten! :)
When <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Bos</span> and I went to Open House on Tuesday to meet Mrs. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Seaton</span> (that picture is on my phone and I don't know how to get it off!!!) he fell in love with school. He was ready to pack his lunch, buy a backpack, and head off on his own. He even said he would "drive himself" and "just walk right in."
Excitement filled the air in our apartment last night as we laid out his clothes, packed his dinosaur lunch box, and put his extra change of clothes for those "just in case times" in his new Iron Man backpack. (He knows his hero Riley has Iron Man <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">band aids</span> so he figured he needed an Iron Man backpack! Love it! If he is going to have people to look up to, I'm glad it is his friend Riley!)
In order to prep him and calm me, we ate lunch with Olivia at her school earlier that day and had him practice wiping the table down, laying out his <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">paper towel</span>, and then putting his food out. He is SO responsible!! (For those of you <em>Frasier</em> fans, Donny said we are raising him to be like Niles Crane!) We labeled all his food g-free, got a copy of this month's snacks and bought g-free versions of them all, and made a cake so he could take a piece today <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">because</span> one of his classmates was bringing in a birthday treat and we didn't want him to be left out of the celebration.
He went to bed pretty easily with Olivia telling him all about what school would be like. Mind you, she never attended preschool! Ha!
<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggNdwRn94i_DUu71hehRfpanTucHRi51TOs1lLYuUUUI0y8ZModgUQnhD26Sw4efJngKz3jLGYyVA7h3frV5XccMzHD_prg3LmqEKXPoEQ4d6fRdjlczxznT4hM12wYt19IcilxFpU_E6Z/s1600/IMG_3602.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512504025082671970" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggNdwRn94i_DUu71hehRfpanTucHRi51TOs1lLYuUUUI0y8ZModgUQnhD26Sw4efJngKz3jLGYyVA7h3frV5XccMzHD_prg3LmqEKXPoEQ4d6fRdjlczxznT4hM12wYt19IcilxFpU_E6Z/s320/IMG_3602.JPG" /></a></div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> I just couldn't resist taking a picture of him the night before the big day! (He is <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">already</span> changing...he NEVER sleeps on his back...always been a belly sleeper!)</div><div align="center">
</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXvg-vQgR5ZeAypmg4qXurvfSgnYY3niH2BbjFCLB2qhNtXBg013ZKv6fSHsJW-3CvjYWLQ4sBucPrI3vDY1i-o6pJPJyfBZ66Uq10mCoLJLYJiFb6uwPmJsruelIaUKqAOor5xb2_CTuT/s1600/IMG_3604.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512504018163428530" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXvg-vQgR5ZeAypmg4qXurvfSgnYY3niH2BbjFCLB2qhNtXBg013ZKv6fSHsJW-3CvjYWLQ4sBucPrI3vDY1i-o6pJPJyfBZ66Uq10mCoLJLYJiFb6uwPmJsruelIaUKqAOor5xb2_CTuT/s320/IMG_3604.JPG" /></a> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">Bos</span> woke up at 5:30 this morning ready to get dressed and go! (Is he not THE cutest thing you have laid eyes on???) You'll notice he is wearing flip-flops--a big no-no at schools here. He tried to put on his tennis shoes that I bought him in JULY and they were too small! We had to run to Target on the way to school and buy him a new pair...SIZE ONE!!! He has grown 3 inches and gained 3 pounds since his fourth birthday, just 6 months ago. Everyone things he looks like a first grader...ugh!
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig1kc4hX4PrQEYyxlxPKXjsd_ziNAf9GaELbTzh6KIEfWRbZsEXU0FQGStrvCKhZUee4gYhDYVsD83nu42xBDYEzE3v_Ynnlb0XIHjvdWkoEjEOuKRyYurfT5VUjCB7-xoFocscKr_H_6J/s1600/IMG_3603.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512503740807713058" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig1kc4hX4PrQEYyxlxPKXjsd_ziNAf9GaELbTzh6KIEfWRbZsEXU0FQGStrvCKhZUee4gYhDYVsD83nu42xBDYEzE3v_Ynnlb0XIHjvdWkoEjEOuKRyYurfT5VUjCB7-xoFocscKr_H_6J/s320/IMG_3603.JPG" /></a> Riley, this pic is for you! He wanted you to see his new backpack! =)
<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVvi54sPAUHJ_37BZNBq8Dgc-oAVWXSnuL5R1QgBm0mEUZAUt4O6kkb_Mm-L4YJ57QkSFVFuIE_E2lZDfsbZPBUZNZrArmhV36WgalY58M3usrPuVnXyvTPfjSY0PWgR81BGETPSNySX1/s1600/IMG_3605.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512503737106031970" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVvi54sPAUHJ_37BZNBq8Dgc-oAVWXSnuL5R1QgBm0mEUZAUt4O6kkb_Mm-L4YJ57QkSFVFuIE_E2lZDfsbZPBUZNZrArmhV36WgalY58M3usrPuVnXyvTPfjSY0PWgR81BGETPSNySX1/s320/IMG_3605.JPG" /></a> Our two schoolkids ready to head off for a great day!</div><div> </div><div align="left">Boston held my hand all the way into school. When he got to his classroom he let me take his picture with Mrs. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">Seaton</span> and then just headed in to hang up his backpack. That was it. No big deal for him. However, I have to admit when I was driving away I may have at least had the <em>thought</em> of getting a bit choked up...both kids are just growing up so quickly and are adjusting like champs to all of this newness. I'm so proud of them!</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">When I picked Boston up from school he was all smiles. He liked music class best, got to play in the gym twice (it was rainy today), and said there was a girl who cried too loud so he couldn't hear the story! [He also said he copied he to try to get her to stop. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ooops</span>...had to talk about that with him.]
You know Liv wanted cake for her <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">first</span> day of school treat. What did Boston have? An ice cream cone! Why is that such a big deal? BECAUSE IT IS HIS FIRST ONE!!!!!!!! They now make g-free cones and they are quite tasty! He was running around so excited as I opened the box and just watched in awe as I put the ice cream in. It was so fun to see it through his eyes!</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo74EZCpLl1uHlsq48tp9fLbWSi7pH878LMwqrFmF9dGCpiRMDcee05_Tu99aVg5rX9aUwzc96ETmS0YgiWeeQgEE2H_ESY4lJ-lVg_Wk62sDnl9vJ2YA2qcuQ5FvuSdcwwTQlK1JHeB0v/s1600/IMG_3608.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 294px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512503731506153570" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo74EZCpLl1uHlsq48tp9fLbWSi7pH878LMwqrFmF9dGCpiRMDcee05_Tu99aVg5rX9aUwzc96ETmS0YgiWeeQgEE2H_ESY4lJ-lVg_Wk62sDnl9vJ2YA2qcuQ5FvuSdcwwTQlK1JHeB0v/s320/IMG_3608.JPG" /></a>
Two sweet Boston stories...</div><div align="left">1-Instead of "upside down" he says "<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">upsLide</span> down." Too cute!</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">2-On the way to Liv's school yesterday we were in traffic for about 20 minutes because of a bad wreck on our turnpike. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">Bos</span> started to get impatient and I said we needed to be thankful that we were <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">ok</span> and just be patient. He said, "Mom, while we are waiting we could pray for those people in the accident you know." We did. I love when I see Jesus in my kids!</div>
</div>Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311659524915957665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973016393845459673.post-15912329820810001202010-08-28T08:23:00.004-05:002010-08-28T08:46:22.757-05:00Odds-n-EndsOlivia made it through her first week of school here with flying colors! She is excited about a gym unit that includes square dancing (guess she takes after my parents!) that will end in a "show!" She came home every day from school knowing more friends and so happy. We are so thankful for God's blessings and for the kind teachers and students who have made her feel so welcomed and "at home."
<div align="center">****</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="left">Boston is excited for his "school week" to begin next week. He will go to a preschool at First Baptist of Carrollton on Tuesdays and Thursday. He and I went yesterday to sign up. Donny and I think that he will do well attending a structured time of learning. He is SO smart, unbelievable at times, but not so much in the "booksmart" way! Ha! He can write his name and knows numbers and letters (most of them) but like most boys his age (or so I hear) he doesn't want much to do with that kind of thing. This was evident when he was most excited about the THREE PLAYGROUNDS at his school rather than anything else we saw! Ha! His teacher's name is Mrs. Seaton and he will just be there with her for about 4.5 hours twice a week. We will go on Tuesday to meet his teacher and attend Open House. We also will need to talk to her about Celiac Disease. We are so blessed that Boston is so aware of what he can and can't do and is so responsible about it. He NEVER complains or gets upset when he can't have something that has gluten in it. I think we all can take a lesson from him! There are so many different preschools options but I just couldn't bear to give him up any longer than this. =) He is a big part of the reason that I am so excited to stay home! We've had a great week together. He is a sweetheart and one-on-one time with him is so special! In fact, every day after we dropped Liv off this week, he would say, "Mom, it's going to be a special day, isn't it?"</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="center">****</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="left">We went to dinner last night with a guy Donny works with and his wife. I had met them once before at the 4th of July picnic. We had a good time talking with them and getting to know them. (I do have to mention that the kids were SO well behaved!!!!) Through the course of our conversation, we found out that they were in the same Sunday School Class at Southland that Donny and I went to just 2-3 times when we first got married...AND....her brother was roommates with one of our good friends in life group!!!! Can you believe that? What a small world! They have since been to UT and have now been here in TX at Pioneer for about a year.</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="center">****</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="left">Donny is working so hard to finalize his presentation for Wednesday. He is not considered an intern anymore but is still working on his intern project which he will present at 3:00 on Wednesday. (You can pray for him!) He has an amazing Power Point with slides that go beyond anything I can comprehend and that are absolutely amazing and detailed. Once he finishes and presents, he will move down to his permanent team.</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="center">****</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="left">We close on our TX house at 11:00 on September 7. The countdown is on and moving so slowly! =) We also have an offer on our KY house. PTL! The inspection should take place this week. We are praying that it goes well and that the sale can go through smoothly. We never imagined that we would get to sell our house so quickly but God's plans are sometimes much bigger that we can even imagine, aren't they.</div>Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311659524915957665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973016393845459673.post-89740816271748096072010-08-23T20:46:00.004-05:002010-08-23T21:19:53.527-05:00SO VERY P*R*O*U*D!Olivia Jade was the very image of a seven-year old girl who knew that Jesus would be with her all day today in a new school, in a new state, with a new teacher, in a new classroom, filled with new friends.
Donny and I prayed for her last night (as we have been doing for a long while now about a new school) but Donny put it exactly right when he said that God had done a complete transformation of Liv's heart in the past two weeks. She has gone from, "I don't want to go to a new school" and "Texas will never be my home" to "When will Monday come?" and "I can't wait for school to start!" Only God could perform such a change. We continue to see His hand in each step of this process.
<div align="center"><strong><span style="color:#993399;">Olivia planned out DAY ONE of SECOND GRADE with absolute preciseness.... </span></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ffcccc;"></span></strong><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ffcccc;"> </div></span></strong><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtem4TUOHaoBQ7P4etvGEnts5_dyIQUkSvLaqWKVvwnigqrUwiwXEp1RQvxF626J5OXAlS-Z1VHQt662x2y6P8oMJijms9RilxsgER18Ik9RZ6X6ye_j6LWngMrLw7_Z8g_lwfDmxuZ-z7/s1600/IMG_3580.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508788725664439426" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtem4TUOHaoBQ7P4etvGEnts5_dyIQUkSvLaqWKVvwnigqrUwiwXEp1RQvxF626J5OXAlS-Z1VHQt662x2y6P8oMJijms9RilxsgER18Ik9RZ6X6ye_j6LWngMrLw7_Z8g_lwfDmxuZ-z7/s320/IMG_3580.JPG" /></a> <span style="color:#993399;">Her nails were to be PURPLE just like Mrs. McNeal's (her Wilmore principal) were for her 1st day of school this year at WES...</span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfYi7Yk5hTxVU2shLJfOx4ivCL3hyphenhyphen-JLY3pdZpFeJGcspuVy3J3S-wAZBpPAqdUo2Er-0AH4odmNZLTktjlr0cqUvSKXijB8spRhJusff3tNir9HH4-lBaexmPeiWpM8XDxP8lT_cwGVzy/s1600/IMG_3578.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508788495143846514" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfYi7Yk5hTxVU2shLJfOx4ivCL3hyphenhyphen-JLY3pdZpFeJGcspuVy3J3S-wAZBpPAqdUo2Er-0AH4odmNZLTktjlr0cqUvSKXijB8spRhJusff3tNir9HH4-lBaexmPeiWpM8XDxP8lT_cwGVzy/s320/IMG_3578.JPG" /></a> <span style="color:#993399;">She should try on her outfit the night before (and get a picture in case we didn't have time this morning)...</span>
<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjecoUzsn3fslstW8YWQUIIVqiMmYCYbAG58eQlA0OiB1_9JjrS8UGyxtBHPAwLsp8kfXtkzaRJEYqZugx_pvRyOZoYok8sGG9E6O3lTU3mXlZ6mKZVkUctrjGl3Anfi3FUYabfW8ThfFE6/s1600/IMG_3584.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508788491398891458" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjecoUzsn3fslstW8YWQUIIVqiMmYCYbAG58eQlA0OiB1_9JjrS8UGyxtBHPAwLsp8kfXtkzaRJEYqZugx_pvRyOZoYok8sGG9E6O3lTU3mXlZ6mKZVkUctrjGl3Anfi3FUYabfW8ThfFE6/s320/IMG_3584.JPG" /></a> <span style="color:#993399;">She thought she should have a picture with her brother... (It was Boston's idea that they put their arms around each other. He woke her up this morning with a kiss and was so excited for her! A moment of pure sweetness!)</span>
<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyUFWp2IDmCGjK_6-VOxr1LBIabLZ8P4UbxRYeymUXdqlitXPhQWtRyEh00sHewdsoHD0zPkE3R7jy6qbLfNLAME1VDxHpfxZFu_ZhWebcEIYpjqmfNZoNeLiVlIbqC8iKoygCYuLIUlZf/s1600/IMG_3581.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508788488852540402" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyUFWp2IDmCGjK_6-VOxr1LBIabLZ8P4UbxRYeymUXdqlitXPhQWtRyEh00sHewdsoHD0zPkE3R7jy6qbLfNLAME1VDxHpfxZFu_ZhWebcEIYpjqmfNZoNeLiVlIbqC8iKoygCYuLIUlZf/s320/IMG_3581.JPG" /></a> <span style="color:#993399;">She also said she should have a picture with Mommy since that is what we do every year...(although this year Mommy isn't in her 'first day of school' attire)</span></div><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div> </div><div><span style="color:#993399;">...and she should have a picture with Daddy...(however, he was not quite ready for pictures when the time came, still buttoning and zipping...ha!)</span>
</div><div> </div><div>The drive to school seemed LONG to me but the three of us talked about the day and said a prayer as we headed there. God worked things out beautifully as He had a little girl sit by Liv in the cafeteria (where all students go in the morning) that was also new to Rosemeade and who was in Mrs. Petros class!!!! The girls walked with Bos and I down to their room and as we were walking, sweet precious Gloria said, "She's my friend." Praise the Lord! </div><div> </div><div>In the car, Liv had said THIS MORNING, "Will you help me find a friend before you leave, Mom?" </div><div> </div><div>You all, typing this gives me chill bumps and tears. Are you getting how powerful God is??? How He sees to EVERY LITTLE DETAIL???
</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNetBOqaVnaTEKJ5ybgC3-U9ax8lqME4S2KDTXx2NAgsZJPuIdJ4oOR0ME8fbW4zyIbVK5t2x63zNy6_31u2MrNcHy_rPTfWeI1h0vEoT4Nv26FRcwKTDVwAoEpsSs4Vk39Vs99HhaAb6b/s1600/IMG_3585.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508788484890858370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNetBOqaVnaTEKJ5ybgC3-U9ax8lqME4S2KDTXx2NAgsZJPuIdJ4oOR0ME8fbW4zyIbVK5t2x63zNy6_31u2MrNcHy_rPTfWeI1h0vEoT4Nv26FRcwKTDVwAoEpsSs4Vk39Vs99HhaAb6b/s320/IMG_3585.JPG" /></a> <span style="color:#993399;">Olivia and Gloria in their classroom. They even got to sit by each other with two other girls at their table. Guess what? At the end of the day, when I picked Liv up, she wanted me to come meet the other two and she said, "Mom, guess what?! Gillian is gluten-free too!" Just another way God made her feel included today...</span>
<div><span style="color:#993399;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpMyZXHl86rR5YDI3QcpZEhiPRSNoib9pJ4ZIqPx0KdrkpqNsl2v6OKoh_Ci56we0eHcJfIGPD4C_p36PVagdQ-3qLMosgP03thaaUs-Q8-UCBnuV8EVitKsX7N-xZJzeAN5ippX7VF-X1/s1600/IMG_3586.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508788481125309650" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpMyZXHl86rR5YDI3QcpZEhiPRSNoib9pJ4ZIqPx0KdrkpqNsl2v6OKoh_Ci56we0eHcJfIGPD4C_p36PVagdQ-3qLMosgP03thaaUs-Q8-UCBnuV8EVitKsX7N-xZJzeAN5ippX7VF-X1/s320/IMG_3586.JPG" /></a>
<span style="color:#993399;">Olivia with Mrs. Petros. When I got to the car line to pick Liv up, I spotted her giving Liv a hug goodbye. What a sweet thing for a mommy to see!</span></div><div> </div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508788727045819378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijHPX6zoKwcTjLo1qEIzDlph9IOpt2iiHY50Yd9U7arRhVWk_bPZelvmSpZpPJ_LUFmlLgfnRu3Tp62rvaelVc628hB0a2Zh-2FIo_m-41BKrD2tHqyhnvOvtrwRcFZzkL8zdHO7tI8vhY/s320/IMG_3587.JPG" /><span style="color:#993399;">Olivia eating her Book Cake. (I forgot to take a picture of it before Bos and I cut it...) Last year she wanted a pencil cake, the year before that was a school bus cake, this year...a book. Boston and I had fun making it together today!</span></div><span style="color:#993399;"></span></div><div> </div><div><div><span style="color:#9999ff;">Thank you, dear friends and family, for praying for our girl today. It is evident that God was in control and that she is in His hands. We so appreciate your phone calls and texts today checking on her (and me...). We miss you all so much!</span>
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</div>Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311659524915957665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973016393845459673.post-49838792608367784752010-08-21T10:13:00.002-05:002010-08-21T10:22:33.702-05:00Liv's New School!!<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYGbSt9V86Kzu068Pdsh270wVR29T5V_NZvyOvMFvQ6yi7P2GkcPkkkQNqEYg0jjZc-vyEOaExdzCQ-OVXFDB4qbvXcJs8JEUSnIhOmbcXT_vFaTMMfV2N1ZGauXAtT3ypXvyCv_2uW2p/s1600/IMG_3577.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507882259603199602" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYGbSt9V86Kzu068Pdsh270wVR29T5V_NZvyOvMFvQ6yi7P2GkcPkkkQNqEYg0jjZc-vyEOaExdzCQ-OVXFDB4qbvXcJs8JEUSnIhOmbcXT_vFaTMMfV2N1ZGauXAtT3ypXvyCv_2uW2p/s320/IMG_3577.JPG" /></a> Her teacher's name is Mrs. Petros. From what I can find out on the school website, Mrs. Petros taught 5th grade this past year and is Donny's age. She is a true Texan, growing up here and attending college here too. Her website seems kid friendly... We are excited to get to know her and see what she looks like! :) Liv wants to buy her a "first day of school gift" so we are on the lookout today!</div><div align="center">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigUV1nIHZv-seZpJlBuXOtX8D9EO7uXEnCK-K1YagwIR-Oi58NdGjUUp9G5aXvDYrEx0IfcuXfs3_OowtUAgLYb9oPqnuX4ylxuqg8pQnHDkYln-0qwkQOgIJzBdZ0sbpCtz3RBk_8APjb/s1600/IMG_3576.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507882253960226754" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigUV1nIHZv-seZpJlBuXOtX8D9EO7uXEnCK-K1YagwIR-Oi58NdGjUUp9G5aXvDYrEx0IfcuXfs3_OowtUAgLYb9oPqnuX4ylxuqg8pQnHDkYln-0qwkQOgIJzBdZ0sbpCtz3RBk_8APjb/s320/IMG_3576.JPG" /></a> Here she is...the soon to be Second Grader! Rosemeade Elementary is 25 years old but newly remodeled this year. Looks great inside, the bit we have seen...(When we went to register her, there were still "hard hat zones" so we couldn't walk around.) They don't do an Open House before school starts so yesterday we just got to go look on the door and see the class lists posted. Such a weird tradition if you ask me...but no one did! Ha!
Be watching for First Day of School Pics to come next week! =)
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</div>Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311659524915957665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973016393845459673.post-7118438782206005042010-08-20T11:39:00.003-05:002010-08-20T12:24:18.265-05:00Just Some Thoughts...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2mMXxt7VG5xuv9f3YopNQ6ei9jS9mbvQej3-7Yk7nBS-aJhYCeG7jF8tmVWIeGdvk4hM6SHtspy1dATG4OvDpOMqOLtxHjUIL2a1qcnyjwahidY7wl5Kb37LyU0Lg_tg64vw-e8v0zH_K/s1600/think%5B1%5D.gif"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 234px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507543489353711042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2mMXxt7VG5xuv9f3YopNQ6ei9jS9mbvQej3-7Yk7nBS-aJhYCeG7jF8tmVWIeGdvk4hM6SHtspy1dATG4OvDpOMqOLtxHjUIL2a1qcnyjwahidY7wl5Kb37LyU0Lg_tg64vw-e8v0zH_K/s320/think%5B1%5D.gif" /></a>
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<div>It's interesting how having so much "alone time" causes one to think. I mean I am always with the kids but without an adult to be conversing with throughout the day, I have lots of "thoughts" that just come and go. Poor Donny gets bombarded with conversation when he gets home from work each night! (He says women have a certain number of words they have to say each day. :) I may agree but I would need to add that those words may need to be in addition to the words spoken concerning Polly Pockets, Legos, poo-poo, trains, swimming, and why some men choose to have long hair and earrings!)</div>
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<div align="left">On Wednesday night we drove to my grandpa's house for dinner. It takes just under an hour to get there and on the way home it was dark and everyone was zonked. Donny fell asleep immediately (thank goodness <strong>I</strong> was driving! ha!) and the kids asked to listen to "Our God" by Chris Tomlin. If you haven't heard this song or really listened to it DO SO TODAY. It is song #1 on a CD that Mel made me and the kids have been listening to that CD for 3 months now, over and over and over again in the car. Well, I gladly put it on and we just rocked out in worship. All three of us sang at the top of our lungs and even got to drumming to the beat pretty well too. I was so thankful that my kids, at ages seven and four, know how to love Jesus through music and are unihibited. When I looked in the rearview mirror and saw my boy raising his hands in the air in worship, I got a bit choked up. It took me twentysome years to feel "okay" expressing my love for Jesus in such a way.</div>
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<div align="left">After the kids and I sang the song several more times, they crashed, both with their heads resting on their seatbelts and their mouths wide open. [See a post from earlier in the summer for a picture example of how they sleep in the car! :)] It was dark outside and quite in the car - something that is rare in our family. As I drove through downtown Dallas, seeing the skyline lit up, I again got choked up. God has been working on me in the past few weeks. He is giving me a heart for this city. I don't know how, or really why. I love Lexington. I love Nicholasville. I love Wilmore. Those places are HOME. However, the more I drive around, especially in Carrollton, where our new home is, where Olivia's school is, and where our church is, I am just feeling drawn to the people there. I, on my own, cannot make a difference there, but Jesus in me and in my family can. I don't know what that looks like but I have a feeling it is going to be big. And THAT is exciting. To be a part of what Jesus is doing is right where I want to be.</div>
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<div align="left">Now, saying that doesn't mean that any of this move has been particulary easy. It hasn't, for me, anyway. I am amazed at how our kids are adjusting, and doing so at such a rapid pace. Olivia can't wait for school to start on Monday and they both are embracing the new things around here. They were listing the TX friends they have and were delighted that the names filled up their white board! (Mind you, our entire family and the entire Weece family of 6 was on there but, hey, the BOARD WAS FILLED!) [*Side note: Only God could have set up the plan to have us and the Weece's (our KY pastor's brother and his family from OK) move <em>less than a mile apart </em>this summer! Another way He is showing that His hand is guiding us.*] Donny has adjusted to a new job, town, and group of coworkers like it is nothing. I am so proud of how he has jumped in and shown them what he is made of! Me, on the otherhand, I am the one who struggles. The one who feels lonely. The one who cried all the way to the city pool yesterday because in KY we always meet friends at the pool not go just the 3 of us. This doesn't mean that I am moping around at every moment and not willing to try anything new. It just means that I continuously have to "put on my big girl panties" (to quote a friend's mom), roll my sleeves up and step up to the challenge. I have no doubt that I will come out of this "valley" stronger and more in tune with Jesus than ever before.</div>
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<div align="left">I had made lots of KENTUCKY plans for our family - the friends who our kids would grow up with, the teachers they would have at Wilmore Elementary, the neighborhoods I would like to move into, the ways I would like to serve at church, etc. However, I am NOT the real maker of plans. I know that but it is my nature to plan and so, plan I do... </div>
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<div align="left">God, on the other hand, IS the plan maker. His plan for our family did not include staying in Kentucky forever. I know His plans are best and am so willing to follow it is just tricky. In fact, a few weeks ago when the kids and I were back in KY and I was sitting in the seats at church, I thought, "I always imagined Olivia getting baptized here." It was a passing thought. Just a few days after we returned to TX, Liv said, "Mom, I want to get baptized." !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She has always been so faith-filled and automatically turns to prayer when there is a problem but hasn't mentioned baptism much before because she was scared to go under water. :) She asked Jesus into her heart at age 5 and has such a sweet relationship with him. So...we've been talking daily and nightly about baptism and she has decided she wants to be baptized in our new pool. What better use for it? Donny was baptized in a lake and I in a river so why not a pool? She wants a celebration and we fully support that. What bigger decision will she make? Her eyes lit up when she said she was going to invite all of her family and her KY friends. My heart sank. Why would Jesus put this desire in her heart as soon as we moved far away from all of our family and friends??!! She also wants to invite her entire class (remember, she knows none of them yet...) and all of the people she has met here (they include the Jehovah Witness family, the Hindu Family, and others!). I pray that she stays this way and is never hindered or afraid to share her faith and love for her Savior. She is currently working on a little journal where she is writing each day reasons why she wants to be baptized or what being baptized means. Pure sweetness.</div>
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<div align="left">OK, enough randomness...good thing you are not <strong>forced</strong> to read all of this, or even worse, forced to be stuck in my head with all these thoughts! Ha!</div>Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311659524915957665noreply@blogger.com0