random

Yesterday was the perfect day for yard work.  That is what my family did all day long.  From the time they got home from camping and got everything unpacked, they cleaned up the yard.  We have a couple huge trees in our backyard, and in recent storms, some branches have fallen.  After they picked up all the sticks and debris (we have four boys), they edged, raked and Drew cut the grass twice.  (It was that high.)  Graham did the front yard.

They also cleaned up the deck that is attached to the back of our house.  It is so nice, looking out to see a nice, clean and cut backyard!  While they did their outside stuff, I puttered around inside and got the rest of my kitchen and pantry cleaned out and organized.

I found a couple images on the internet that I loved, and I thought I would share them with you.

I especially love this because it reminds me of the saying, "God is good, all the time.  All the time, God is good."

I am a firm believer in thinking/speaking/believing truth and life and always being positive.  Nobody ever gripes about a positive Patty.  (Think Debby Downer.)  When you give God glory, honor and praise for all He is, and all He has done, it's impossible to continue in a negative thought pattern.  He has been infinitely good to us!

I'm preaching to myself with this one.  If God cares for the birds of the air as much as He does, how much more does He care for you?  For me?  Read Matthew chapter six.

My family just left for church.  I'm staying home because I'm trying to get stuff done before this afternoon, when my fun day comes crashing to a halt.  Don't you just love surgery prep?!  I have tons of washing to do before then, so I thought I could get it all done while they're at church.

Speaking of surgery tomorrow, this is happening right now.

On the long list of things not to be consumed today, non-dairy creamer is one of them.  I usually put two tablespoons of sugar in my coffee and a tablespoon of cream, but not today!  It actually tastes really good.

Well.  I better get off here if I plan on tackling that list.  I probably won't write again for a while...surgery is at 7:30 in the morning, and I have to be there at 5:30.  I covet your prayers.  Thanks!  Love to all.

Friday

In preparation of my surgery on Monday, I started off yesterday cleaning.  And by cleaning, I don't really mean 'cleaning', but putting things in order at my house.  My sister Lisa is here packing up her house, because she's moving to Colorado.  She gave me tons of stuff the other day~spices, pantry food, refrigerated food, towels and blankets.  I got everything put away except for the pantry food and spices.  Those are the only two areas I haven't gotten organized yet, so that is what I'll be doing today.  Yesterday was the rest of the house.

Also on my to-do list today is to buy what I need for tomorrow, to prepare for surgery.  Blech.  Hopefully it won't be too terrible, but I don't plan on leaving my house at all the whole day.  I can eat, but only clear liquids~jello, broth, things like that.  I can even have coffee!  I'll survive, I'm sure.  ;)  I tell you this, so you can pray for me tomorrow, too!

After we got the house in order yesterday, my dad came over.  We haven't spent a Friday with him in a couple weeks, so it was nice to see him.  We went to lunch at Huey's, then we went to The Ville's town square.

This is just one of the many spots I love on our square.  We sat on a park bench across from this house and soaked up the vitamin D.  The boys walked to the Army surplus store, and when they came back, I noticed Jonah had something behind his back.  They presented my dad with a gift.

It was Jonah's idea, but they all chipped in with their money.  Isn't that sweet?  I thought that was good enough on its own, but then Graham told me that the young man who checked him out (with sleeves of tattoos and those ear lobe stretching earrings) asked him about his debit card.  Graham told him that he works at Chick Fil A and they wanted to honor his grandfather, who was in the Korean War, by giving him this Navy flag.

The young man was impressed and asked Graham what he wanted to do with his life after high school.  Graham told him that he felt called into ministry of some sort and the young man didn't know what that was, so Graham explained that he wanted to be a youth pastor, or something along those lines.  The young man told Graham that he was inspired by him, and Graham ended up inviting him to church.  When he came back and told me about it, we remembered that a few weeks ago, the youth pastor gave us these books to hand out to people who might not know the Lord.  They're a shortened and condensed version of the book of John.  So we came home to grab a couple and went back to the Army surplus store.  Graham gave it to the young man and left his phone number with him.  He said he would be at church tomorrow.

:)  Forgive the bragging, please.  But I am a proud mama!  Both for the fact that they gave my dad a gift, all of their own accord and with their own money, and for Graham being bold in his faith.  I told my dad I wish I had been that bold when I was that age.

The boys were really excited about their one night camping trip yesterday.  Todd came home early to load up all their gear, and about an hour later, I was waving goodbye to them.

He posted these pictures on Facebook for me a few hours later.

They camped at my dad's house.  His house sits on eleven acres, and they were at the back of his property.  Todd said that's the most perfect spot of grass, so that's where they set up camp.  They dug out a spot for a bonfire and roasted hot dogs and s'mores for dinner.  My dad said the next time they camp out there, he's going to stay with them.  :)

While they were camping, I met the ladies in my small group at Bible study on Thursday at Bangkok Alley.  It was so much fun being with them outside of Bible study.  We sat there for three hours and talked and laughed, until we noticed that they were closing.  Then we went outside and talked for another half hour.  They all prayed for me, then we parted ways.  It was a sweet time.

Love them!  After dinner, I came home to a quiet, empty house.  I'm glad Andy was here to keep me company.  I was worried I wouldn't be able to sleep, but I was fine and fell to sleep within ten minutes, until eight thirty this morning, when Andy woke me up telling me he needed to go outside and that he was hungry.  The family is all back home, now and unpacked.  I haven't started my day yet, but will in a bit, when I decide to get moving.  I've done laundry already, I just need to get dressed now.

Well, I hope you enjoy your day!  It's glorious outside.  Love to all!

almost summertime

I am so sad that today was our last day of the 2013/2014 school year at our homeschool group.  It's bittersweet because out of the five moms who regularly attend, only two are coming back next year.

I know, I already said all this last night, so I'll stop with that.

Today the stomp class that Graham took this year performed for us.  They are amazing!  I would love to share it with you, but it's not allowing me to do that right now.  They played a drum line with drumsticks and gallon sized paint buckets.  I love watching them!

I went ahead and registered all my boys for next year~Graham will be taking his chemistry class here, Drew is taking a home-economics type class and personal finance, Jonah and Noah are taking a science class and a cooking class.  Their Bible study hour will be spent in the book of first Timothy.  I'm excited for all of us!  I am also glad that the small group leaders will continue meeting all summer.  We're taking off May and June, but starting in July, we'll meet weekly to pray and study.

Before we left, all the moms gathered around my friend Rachel and me.  Rachel is having her gallbladder removed tomorrow, and since I'm having my surgery on Monday, they prayed for us.  Let's just say that it ended with both my friend Angela and me crying.  I wish I could tell you the way it feels to have a bunch of Jesus-loving women pray over you....but I cannot.  If you've experienced it, you know what I'm talking about, but if not, there are no words to describe.  It is precious and anointed.

As we wind down this school year, I wanted to share with you the sovereignty of God and His perfect timing.  I've been dealing with my issues ever since June of last summer.  I continually got worse and worse, until December, when I had an ablation.  Notice I said December~right before we took our break for Christmas, a time when it was acceptable for me to slow down and recover.  I was better for a while, then things started getting kinda bad again in March.  I saw doctor number four at the beginning of April and at the (almost) end of our school year, she's performing my surgery.

A few things about the timing of all this...God knew that I could not have done my job as a homeschool mom and recover from surgery.  He also knew that I would need tons of help getting from point A to point B, and only a month and a half after my oldest son turned fifteen, He saw fit that this would be the perfect timing for me to have this surgery.  Do you see how He worked out all those little details?  It's no accident that any of it happened this way.  It makes perfect sense that all this would play out only in His perfect timing.  Not mine.

So when people ask, "Don't you just wish you'd already gotten it all over with?", my answer would have to be no.  I don't wish that, because that timing would have been mine, not the Lord's.

Let me also encourage you with one last thing~if ever you doubt that the Lord hears every word we utter, do not doubt any longer.  I prayed very specifically about this surgery just a week ago today~I almost seemed to be getting better and I doubted the decision to go through with it.  Not two hours after I prayed about it, the Lord very clearly gave me an answer that I needed.  The answer was yes, I definitely needed surgery.  He's continually shown me that all this week, and for that, I am so thankful!

Keep praying, keeping seeking Him.  I love in Matthew chapter six, where we are told to seek FIRST His kingdom and His righteousness, then all these things will be added to us.  We don't seek the opinions of others, we don't seek approval from man, we seek FIRST His kingdom and His righteousness.  When we seek Him first, everything else falls into place.

Be encouraged today, my friends!  I know I am.  Love to all.

Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday

It's been a long and a fast week.  I know, that makes no sense, but when your week has been kinda rough and you're counting down until your surgery, it both flies and drags.  Flies because there's still a tiny part of me that is nervous.  And it drags because it's been a crappy week.  Just being honest.  Between not feeling great, counting down until Monday and the fact that tomorrow is our last day of our homeschool group for this school year, it's been just kinda blah.

Anyway, because of these statements, I haven't blogged.  I have taken a few pictures, though.  Wanna see?  I'll give you the rundown on our week as I post pictures.

:)  I was bored and I took a selfie.  I'm still playing around with the camera on my phone.  (I just wrote 'phone on my camera' and had to delete it.  That's more accurate.)

Sweet Noah reading me Colossians 3:12-15.  This was part of their work for the week.  Drew and Jonah went to work with Todd, so it was just Noah, Graham and me.  Noah went to the store with my mom and then to lunch, so for a while, it was just Graham and me.  I am thankful for any alone time my kids get~either with me or with Todd or a grandparent.

I'm standing on this promise this week. It's good to know that the Lord goes before me!

This man was my #mcm, or Man Crush Monday.  This was when we were in Iceland, on the ferry taking us from Reykjavik to Westman Island.  I was SO SICK on this ferry ride, and so were lots of other people, because the North Atlantic Ocean was rough that particular day.  Go figure, and I had to be on the boat that traveled on it!  He had to come to my rescue a few times.  :)

Sigh.  Where has time gone?!  This was when they were six years old.

My index cards for Scripture memorization.  :)  I love how bright they are.  So far I've memorized Psalm 119:11, Colossians 3:1-2 and Colossians 3:12-13.  (I'm seeing a theme here.)  I worked on these verses on Monday afternoon.

On Tuesday, we wrote to our Compassion child.  I pulled out this letter he wrote us to read while I wrote to him.  It made me feel more connected to him.  :)

I ran a bunch of errands, then we went to my in-love's for dinner.  After dinner, everyone left us.  I enjoyed the quietness and sitting under this blanket while my mom-in-love and I caught up over brownies and a cup of coffee.

Somebody else enjoyed the time there, as well.  He laid on Mimi's blanket while we chatted.

My sweet, beautiful friend and co-teacher gave me this little coaster and the nicest card.  I love her...and am so blessed by her friendship!

Today my kids came to this house to do yardwork for the lady who resides here.  She is a widow and she has cancer, and the boys' student council is taking care of things for her right now, at least in her yard.  I'm hoping they get to do some work on her house, as well.  There were some rotten boards laying in her yard, so they carried them out to the street and raked her backyard.

I am so bummed that tomorrow is the last day of our homeschool group!  And I'm even more bummed because only two ladies who regularly attend my small group are returning next year.  These ladies have become so precious to me, and I will be so sad to see tomorrow end.  :(  I am excited about the fact that we are having a girls' night out Friday night.  And hopefully, we'll keep it up throughout the summer and coming months.

Well, that's about all we've been up to.  Thanks for reading.  Thanks for praying for me.  Love to all.

Resurrection Sunday

I have a good thing to day about Facebook!  I loved seeing all the beautiful pictures everyone posted of their kids yesterday, and I loved seeing my news feed lit up with talk of my Jesus!  Seriously, words cannot describe how much I loved it.  I was struck with one thought, though, and I only thought of it when my friend posted it as her status: I did not take one single picture of my kids in their bright cuteness.  Seriously, I was so intent on getting us all out the door at nine o'clock, with our good moods intact, that I did not even think about taking a picture.

Can you believe it?  I'm shocked at myself.

I will also say that yesterday was not my finest day.  I haven't felt real swift since Saturday night, and let's just say that I am ready for my surgery!  I know people are praying for me not to be nervous and all, and I am thankful, but it's like in order for me to not be nervous, I am going to have a really long and not fun week.  I think I'm okay with that, though...if that's what it takes for me to be ready to get this surgery behind me, I will be thankful.

"Rejoice in the Lord always...", says Philippians 4:4.

Other things happened last night that I won't mention, but let's just say that my husband is a patient man.  I warned him that my emotions may be all over the map this week, so this might be the longest week of his life, too!  God love him...you might want to pray for him too!

Okay, well enough of all that kind of talk, and on to the fun day we had.  ;)  I do love church on Resurrection Sunday...I always love the music and seeing everyone in their Sunday best.  Our church has two services every year on this day, a nine fifteen and a ten forty-five service.  We always go to the earlier service.  There's a brunch in between, which we always go to as well.  We came home afterward and let the boys change, then we headed out to my mom's and step-dad's for lunch.

After a delicious (carb-filled) lunch, the boys hunted for eggs.

These are the eggs we dyed from Saturday.  Drew took this picture, so I borrowed it for the blog.  ;)  He likes when I draw attention to one of his hobbies.

There were bunches of eggs that Big Daddy hid!  I thought it was funny that when my sister Trish was here on Saturday, the boys sent her home with a huge amount of eggs to hide.  I guess you're never too old to hunt for eggs!

After all the eggs were found, Todd played Frisbee with the boys, while Noah counted all the change he found inside his eggs.  I think he went out and eventually played with them, but when I took this, he was pretty intent.

Two of my nephews were there, Tyler and Jaret, and when they left, the boys hitched a ride in the back of Tyler's truck.

It was a really great day.  We came home, and the boys gave the dogs a bath.  

They were playing some game that involved Drew squirting them with the water hose as they tried to make a basket in the goal.  Whatever it was that they were doing, they sure were having fun!  They were also thrilled to have their buddy Alex back.  He was gone all weekend.

I did end up taking the boys to a movie Saturday night~we went to see God's Not Dead, and a couple girls from church ended up going with us, one of which was Drew's friend-girl.  :)  It was an amazing movie!!  If you haven't seen it, GO!  And go before it leaves theaters~it's so important to see the wholesome movies in theaters, because it means they'll continue making quality movies that are similar.

Well.  Laundry is calling.  Enjoy your day!  Love to all.

Good Friday

My sweet Jesus died on the cross on this day, two thousand years ago.  I cannot imagine the scorn and the shame He endured, all in the name of love.  But it wasn't finished!  Death couldn't keep Him, the grave couldn't hold Him.  I get so overwhelmed at what He did for me...for you.  All so that we may live eternally with Him.  I don't understand why someone would want to live their life without knowing Him, this same sweet Jesus, the One who was pierced for all filth and sin.  To think that life is so much better with Him at the center is something I am so thankful for, and it baffles me why people wouldn't want this free gift of grace and mercy that He bestows to us.  I cannot imagine my life without Him and I don't ever want to know a minute without Him.  And I know that I won't, praise God!

Whew.  This weekend gets me, can you tell?  This is my favorite holiday of all, I believe.  It just holds this special place in my heart, for so many reasons, but first and foremost because of what Jesus did for us.  Another reason is that this time last year, Jonah, Noah and I got baptized by our beloved family/children's pastor.  I will never in a million years forget that day!  I later learned that a few people were there (on accident or to witness, I'm not sure!) that I would have never expected to be there.

This was not just a day off for us, needless to say.  I hate when people don't observe the real reason for a holiday, and because of that, when we take a day off, we celebrate it, we talk about it, we reverently observe it.  What better way to do all that, than to go love on a bunch of a inner-city kids, in the name of Jesus?  And not just love on them, but to share with them why it's a joy and a privilege to be able to do that.
We went to Brinkley Heights with the teenagers from our youth group today.  I got some really great pictures, and I'd love for you to see them all, but my phone is misbehaving and is going to have to have a factory reset.  I think it's a software problem.  I did, however, manage to find some of the ones that I took today.  We went to four different sites, the 50 teenagers that we took, and from there they branched out to different neighborhoods to pick up some sweet kiddos.  (And they even picked up the ones that aren't so sweet!)

I was at the Geurnsey site with Graham.  Jonah and Noah stayed with me.

 

We started off the day in prayer, then we sat up the site, then our teenagers walked to the surrounding neighborhoods to pick some kids up.  We had four stations~Easter egg-dying, recreation, snack and Bible story.  While the younger group went through all the stations, the older kids hunted for the hundreds of candy-stuffed eggs that Jonah, Noah and I hid.

After all of that, they were able to sit and enjoy a puppet show, put on by Force, our church's amazing puppet team.  :)  It was an amazing day, and it has me so excited for Street Reach, which I plan on going to this summer.  I'm not sure about all those details yet, but I know I'll figure it all out.

I'd love to say that the day ended there, but it felt like it was just beginning.  After Street Reach, Graham had to work from four to seven.  I took him as I headed home from Memphis, then picked him back up three hours later.  In between doing that, I took Drew to church for Secret Church, an event that lasts from six until midnight.  Graham went to this, after work.  And in the morning, he works again.  From eight to four.  It's going to be an exhausting weekend.  Tomorrow afternoon, we plan on dying Easter eggs, and tomorrow night we might (or might not) go to a movie.

Are you tired from reading all this yet?  I am.  I will be thankful for the week to come back, after a weekend like this!

I took some time to enjoy the glorious sunset tonight, on my way to get Graham.  It felt amazing outside, and I was enjoying the time of being alone, singing along to the radio at the top of my lungs and breathing in the fresh air.

My friend Kelly took this of Drew today.

And this would be Drew and his friend-girl.  :)  Could he be standing any further away and any more awkwardly?!?!  Makes me laugh.

It was an amazing day.  I thank the Lord for His goodness and that He is always with us.

I pray that you took the time to observe what this day off was all about.  If you have kids, I encourage you to share with them, the importance of why we take off on days like today.  Don't just let it be a "fun" day off.  It's so much more than that!  If there is one piece of parenting advice I ever give you, let it be this: remember that your kids will only have as much Jesus as you.  If you live your life in a way that they know you put Him before everything else, chances are they will mimic you someday.  If you don't live like that, if you put other things above Him, then know they will do the same thing.  Think about the way you want your kids to be, and start modeling that behavior.

Okay, I'm done with parental advice.  And believe it or not, at eleven oh six at night, I have laundry to do.  Sheets are in the dryer and Graham's uniform is in the wash.  Good heavens, a mom's day never ends.  ;)  I'm not complaining, though.  I wouldn't have it any other way.

Love to all!

middle of the week

It's been a pretty great, uneventful week.  I'm only posting because I hate letting the blog sit dormant for too long.  I don't know why, so please don't ask.  ;)

It was quite cool here yesterday.  We had some rain come through on Monday night, and with it came cooler temps.  I was particularly looking forward to my coffee when I woke up yesterday.  To celebrate, I used my most favorite of all of my favorite coffee mugs.

Isn't it precious?  Jonah bought me this with his very own money, all by himself, two years ago for Mother's Day.  I only use it on special occasions.

My favorite time is early in the morning...nothing but Jesus, me and a hot cup of coffee is the perfect way to start each day.

While the kids did school work yesterday, I cleaned the kitchen and dining room.  I also majorly cleaned out the dining room hutch, which was haunting me with all the junk that was cluttered up inside.  Now it looks all nice and pretty-ful!

The dishes you see were were the ones Toddley and I picked out eighteen years ago.  I still love them.  :)

I love this cross my mom-in-love bought me for Christmas.

I'm always reminds of Hillsong United's Lead Me To The Cross.  With it being resurrection week, the cross and its inhabitant has been on my mind almost constantly.  I've been reading about Him this week, in Matthew, and now in 1 Peter.

I'm going to stop here and invite you to church Sunday.  If you don't have a church home, will you come with me?  We have two services this week, one at nine fifteen and another at ten forty-five Sunday morning.  I would love to have you join us!  We will probably be at the early service.  If you do come, let me know so I can sit with you!

Today was warmer and sunshine-y.  We had our second weekly picnic date with Abbey, one of my favorite people of all time, from church.

It was even her day off, which was sweet of her to share with me.  :)

How has your week been?  I pray it's been fantabulous.  I've had some sweet phone conversations this week, with one of my favorite and dearest friends, Andrea.  We've laughed together this week, but a couple weeks ago, we cried together, as our Bible study teacher said kind words about her son, who is about to graduate.  I love friends like her, and hope you all have at least one of her in your life.  Everybody needs an Andrea who prances for you and who shares pics of her lovey pants.  :)  Enjoy what's left of your evening!  Love to all.

Mom's Night Out & A Contest

Want to enter in a contests for a trip for two to Hollywood for a movie premier?  If you do, then visit this website.

http://is.gd/RUyDdU

I don't know if you remember in early March when my mom-in-love and I got to go to the premier of this movie, Mom's Night Out, but if you don't remember that, you can read my blog post about it here.  

I'm not being paid (I wish!) to talk about this movie, but it is REALLY, REALLY good and really, really funny.  Go see it!  It opens on Friday May 9th (Mother's Day weekend).  It's so important to see wholesome movies like this one, and it's amazing to not have to worry about the type of language they use.  

Plan your night out with your hubby, or grab some of your girlfriends and go!  

That is all.  Love to all!

weekend

I was trying to find some pictures I had taken from this weekend, and would you believe that there were only three that I took??  I know...so unlike me.  But when you don't really do much over the span of a weekend, you don't really have tons of pictures to take.  ;)

Friday night found us helping my sister Trish move.  It went really, really fast with the crew we had moving.  It was one of those (many) times that I was thankful for two things: one, that I have lots of boys (plus a friend that night) and two, that they are not afraid to throw themselves into some hard work.

After all the moving and some unpacking was done, we were on our way home and spotted this from Byhalia:

It doesn't take much to excite my kids...and this sign made us all so happy!  What a great use of open space on a building.

Saturday found us all spread out...Graham went to work, Todd had a sheriff's department event, and the rest of us stayed home.  I might have watched tv all day long.  (Parenthood, of course.)

My sister came over Saturday night to eat with us, then we just hung out until we were both about ready to crash.

Sunday found us at church, then we went to upgrade our phones!

I'm in love with my new phone.  I went with a totally different one that I had planned, but I could not be any happier.

We got to see Todd's parents, whom I dearly love.

I love messing with this precious man.  Don't I look beautifully attractive?!  ;)

Yesterday we ate lunch at Zaxby's and the kids asked Papa for a dollar to play the claw game.  Noah won this little stuffed animal, which he gave to me so I could sleep with it each night.  His words.

Sigh.  My boys are precious and they do a good job of making me feel treasured.

Happy Monday to you!  Love to all.

flashback Friday

This was the last year this sweet thing was in elementary school.  I remember bawling my eyes out on his last day~I worked at this school for three years, and I dreaded the thought of him not smiling like this every time he saw me in the halls.

This was the year Drew was in third grade.  He ran to catch a pop-up (Is that the right word?) thrown by Graham and it met his face instead.  He adored this black eye.

Jonah was two.  Enough said.  But I could suck on those sweet little cheeks.

My favorite picture ever taken of Noah.  Climbing a tree with chocolate all over his face.  Typical.  This was taken by my favorite photography friend, Jerry.

Sweet summertime and baseball.

My most favorite picture of Drew.  Such joy.

Squishy cheeks.  :)

My somber little Noah.  I love the look on his face, and his big blue eyes and his gorgeous eyelashes.

Sigh.

Where has the time gone?  Seems like all this just happened yesterday...I can't be getting older, can I?!?!

I'm in a thoughtful mood today, I guess.  Love to all.