FIREPROOF your marriage!

We went to go see the new movie "Fireproof" tonight.  I cannot say enough good things about this movie!  It was incredible!  I think I wept through most of the movie.  I an praying God uses this movie to do great things in marriages.  The Lord is truly honored in this movie.  I love it when you can walk away from a movie challenged to love Christ more - and your spouse through that love!  INCREDIBLE!  INCREDIBLE!  INCREDIBLE!

"Arts in the Heart"

We went to "Arts in the Heart" (a local Arts festival) tonight and had a wonderful time.  I was actually surprised at what a great time we had.   They had so many wonderful hands on activities for children.  The girls both amaze me though at how much they love to look at art. They ask so many questions about it, so that makes it is really fun to go to things like this with them.  They both got to try making pottery on a potter's wheel and LOVED it!

Here is a pic of Addie Lane "throwing a pot".

and here is Lillie's turn.  she didn't love her hands getting dirty but she really liked trying to "make a bowl".

Here is her finished masterpiece!

Addie Lane also picked up her first piece of "real art" tonight.  This is by the infamous local artist "Jim Geensheer".  His work is amazing!  She was so excited when she got home, she asked me if I would take her picture with it so she could send it to Mr. Geensheer!  :-)

(watch out Jim, you may have started a fan club!)

and... Lillie's finished piece!

busy September Days

We have been busy the past few weeks with school and just getting out and enjoying this beautiful "fall weather" we are having.  

Last week one of my precious college roommates (Jenny Slade Boyd) came through town and we met her for lunch. This was the first time we got to meet her sweet new baby girl, Anna.  The girls just thought she was adorable and loved playing with her.  It is so sweet to watch sweet sisters in the Lord become Mommies!  Jenny, you are a wonderful mommy and it was so sweet to watch you "mother" sweet Anna!

On the 14th Lillie had her "3 1/2 year birthday".  She was very excited about this as she knew it meant she is half way to being four.  (Mommy wants to slow it down).  We went out for ice cream to celebrate!  We are so thankful for the blessing of you sweet Lillie!

Lillie got to go back to her little K-3 class at First Baptist this week (she goes on tuesdays and thursdays).  She has missed being there as she had to take 3 weeks off after getting her fixator removed.  She has a wonderful teacher that we just love (Addie Lane had her as well and we are so grateful for Lillie to be in her class.  she is truly amazing with the children).  They had pajama day at school on Thursday and Lillie was so excited about wearing her PJs to school.  She thought it was so funny she was going to play on the playground in her "pajamasas" as she calls them.  This was one of Addie Lane's favorite days of K-3 so it was fun to get to see Lillie be excited about it too.  When we got to the car Addie Lane started crying.  She said she wanted to stay and have pajama too with Mrs. Berry!  (instead we sat outside and "did school" and enjoyed the beautiful day.  I think she had fun with that too)  :-)

Then today... we had a busy day today!  Lillie had x-rays this morning so the doctor could determine how well her new bone is growing.  You can the rod in this x-ray.  It runs from the top of her femur, to the bottom right before her knee.  It looks horribly painful but she doesn't seem to mind it at all.  We have not heard back from the doctor yet (we emailed him the x-rays) but I pray that he thinks all is healing nicely!  If you look closely too you can see the tiny holes down in her tibia where the pins where!  amazing!

Then later today a therapist came from columbia who works for "dyna-splint".  She fitted Lillie with yet one more device she has to wear on her sweet baby leg.  She has to wear this splint to bed every night for the next 3 months.  It will alternate each night between flexion and extension (meaning it will hold her leg at a bend on night and then it will hold her leg completely straight the next night).  Her muscles are having a hard time "learning again" what they need to do and this is supposed to really help with that.  I just hated to see her have "one more thing" but she really had a great attitude about it and we are so proud of her.  I think somehow she understood that this really is there to help her leg.  I think she is just so grateful to have the fixator off, to her this seems like nothing! 

(in this pic she also has her "I'm a star" shirt she earned in PT up in Baltimore!  Sweet Girl, you sure are a "star" and we are so proud of you!)

Amazing grace that saved a wretch like me

incredible!

I was just so encouraged by this I had to share it!

I am so grateful for God's grace

what a comfort to know that His grace is greater than my sin!

I need to watch this every day and preach the Gospel to myself daily.

little aslan part 2

here was part 2 of the video, we got cut off!

(sorry for the undies shot, she wanted to show her long leg)  :-)

our little Aslan

the girls decided they wanted to be Lucy and Aslan for "fall festival" (we are not big on halloween at our house).  So they picked out their costumes last night at Target and Lillie has been wearing hers non stop.  we just had to MAKE her take it off for nap time.  I just thought she was so cute in it that I wanted to get some video.  (sorry the annoying noise in the background, you can hear Buddy chewing his ball, he has to be right next to the girls at all times).  :-)

the renewed mind is the key?

there are no words.....

I'm speechless!

don't forget

don't forget to pray for this dear family!

I am challenged by their hope in the gospel every time!

What an amazing hope that is within us!

the presidents!

We have been learning the presidents and Lillie has loved trying to learn them with us.  She was reciting the first 12 for Brad this morning at breakfast and we thought it was too cute.  Her attempt to try and say all their names is precious!  So I just had to record it and share it!  (number 8 sounds like one big jumble of sounds - she is trying to say "number 8 martin van buren).   :-)

keepers of the home

I have kept quiet on my opinions in the palin/McCain partnership (until now).

I know that I will probably upset some dear friends with this post (but I hope you will still love me anyway!)  :-)

can I just say.... I LOVE VODDIE BAUCHAM and what he stands for!

I just saw this interview on CNN and thought it was incredible.  

Let me say I by no means desire that Obama become president (please father no) but I feel

that so many are wanting so badly to "just not elect obama" that truth is getting overlooked.

I think Palin is an  amazing woman and there is a lot I respect about her.  My heart just hurts

as I think of those children who will not see their mother at the expense of her leadership in the nation.  Yes, what an incredible opportunity she has to influence the nation, but what an even greater opportunity she has in her home to raise up godly children to serve the Lord.  She will never get that time back.  My heart also hurts as I think of young girls who are watching Palin and are being encouraged to see being a keeper of her home as "not enough" but thinking "I can have it all".  How does it get any better than the amazing role of motherhood.  I have been shocked at how many sisters in the Lord have said back to me "well people don't say that if the man decides to run for office and leave the children at home with the mother".  Of course they (we) don't because God gave the man and woman different roles.  One is not better than the other, they are just different.  We have let the world influence our thinking on what seems most important! 

Voddie says it so much better, so I will let you listen to him.  also, if you are interested there is an incredible article by him at the link below the video.

Just wanted to share something for you to pray about and think about.  Its so easy to get caught up the "hype and excitement" and forget what God's word really says.  I pray that I can teach my girls that motherhood and being a keeper of their homes is an amazing role.  I want them to understand that they are more than qualified to do things out of the home but I pray they would never sacrifice that calling to pursue "the american dream".  

I loved a quote I read by Belle Phillips (with Vision Forum ministries) who said she was discussing this with her 7 year old daughter and then afterwards said "what you would you say if Mommy told you I really love you but I am not going to be home much anymore because I am going to go help lead the nation" and her daughter replied "I thought you just said you loved me".   Wow! 

no one can replace mother in a child's life.  what an honor we have been given, lets don't waste it!

Father give us wisdom as a nation!

http://www.voddiebaucham.org/vbm/Blog/Entries/2008/8/30_Did_McCain_Make_a_Pro-Family_Pick____.html

also, a dear sweet friend who shares them same beliefs as I on this matter had a challenging blog entry.  She says it so much better than I so I thought I would post her entry on this subject as well...

http://www.justhisbest.com/2008/09/rise-to-glory.html

little artist?

We did an "art lesson" with homeschool today and I was SHOCKED at the results.  It gave step by step instructions and broke the different strokes down into steps to follow.  Addie Lane wanted to draw a picture of her Daddy and this was the end result.  I could not believe how it all came together.  She did have a picture she was following from but Brad and I were both amazed at how good it turned out.  We were so proud we had to take a picture.  Addie Lane and her mama are both not very artistic so we have to document this moment!  :-)

"scary" prayers

this is so funny!  I just laughed so hard when I watched this!  I just found out about this guy (Tim Hawkins).

Some of his stuff is cheesy "church humor" but most of it is hilarious!

Maybe this is why Addie Lane is scared to go to bed at night!  (although we don't say this prayer... I am sure I may be guilty of "scary prayers" at times.  

(but without the voice of course!)  :-)  (and of course mute the music on the blog first!)