Celebrating 50 Years...

When we went home in July we were there to visit family, but a large part of why we went when we went was to celebrate my parent's 50th Wedding Anniversary.

50 years of marriage.  Isn't that amazing!!!

I can't even begin to tell you how thankful and blessed I feel to have parents that love each other and are committed to each other.  Talk about security and a great example!  

Their marriage has been such a godly example to me of God's design for marriage.  

One man.  

One woman.

Sacrificial.

Loving.

Faithful.

Committed.

Respectful.

Trusting.

So in celebration of this grand event we did what most red blooded Americans do and we threw a party!

Me with my parents, and siblings...

Cousins...

Tons of friends and family stopped my to celebrate the happy couple...

My sweet friend Lindsay- was so good to see her!...

Thank you Mom and Dad for allowing me to grow up in a home where I knew that my mom and dad loved each other and were committed to the vows that they made before God and one another. I'm sure there were times when it would have been easier to throw the towel in and call it quits, but instead you made a decision to remain committed and faithful.  Thank you for respecting the importance and the permanence of marriage.  

Marriage is magnificent and glorious and often mysterious, and I'm so thankful you showed me the importance of fighting for it and enjoying it as the special gift from our loving creator that it is.

Blessings,

The Lake...

While we were back home back in July we were able to go with Nolan's grandparents and that side of the family to the lake for the day.

It's always so much fun spending time with them.  They laugh, play games, tell stories... it's a blessing, and we are so thankful for each of them.

While at the lake we were able to swim (at least the kids did, because it was cold and rainy), ride jet skis, and ride behind the boat on tubes.  Here's our day in photos...

The Kane-man was a little bent out of shape that I made him wear a life jacket for swimming... sorry dude...

I think she gets cuter every day...

Ruthie...

She's so pretty- inside and out.

Grandpa Doyle and the Henry-man are big buddies...

Cousin Landry is tons of fun!  She loves our babies and I miss her loads.

These two on a jet ski together is scary I'm not going to lie.  They like to live on the edge... I do not.

She thought she was so big getting to ride a tube.
I thought she was to little to be riding a tube.

Obviously I was outvoted.

 

*insert eye roll...

My one request about riding the jet ski was to ride but not get wet.  We got too far out when a storm came up on us.  I was pretty sure we were going to get killed by lightening out on the water.  My life flashed before my eyes.

Ellie might as well be a professional cake decorator.  I mean who doesn't love all their sprinkles in one, giant, pile right in the middle of their cake?

We love us some family and had a blast hanging out.

We are blessed with so much family.  They all love us and bless us each in their own ways.  I wish we were able to see them more often, but now that we live away it's just not possible, but the time we do get to spend with them is all the more sweet and special.  God is good and he went above and beyond when he blessed us with family!

Our summer was busy, but oh so good!

We are almost done with our first week of school!  I can't even believe it!  Pictures of that to come!

Blessings,

Summer Endings, New Beginnings...

What a great summer we've had!

And of course having family come visit always ups the fun factor!

My brother and his family came into town for a couple days.  We took them to the pool, and cooked them a genuine southern breakfast with cheese grits and all (by request by my sweet niece who had been here once before).

We also celebrated another of my brother's kiddos birthday while they were here.  She turned 3.  So we got real festive and stuck a candle in here grits.  Surely on a southern scale that's like a 10.  She was excited to have a candle to blow out and we were excited to celebrate her sweet, little life.  So Yay!

Cousins are the best...

Henry-man loves the water...

Kane is by far Henry's favorite.  It has been so awesome to see Kane take on such a big role in taking care of and loving on our little guy.  I just know they will grow up with a special bond.  It's so neat to watch it forming.

Well, we start school tomorrow so summer is officially over.  Boo.

Lot's of things going on now that things are getting started though...

Children's choir
Swimming tryouts
Henry has an upcoming ear surgery (tubes)
Dentist appointments
Well child checkups
Nolan's starting up another semester of Seminary
Youth Bible study
I'm teaching 3rd and 4th grade Sunday School

It seems like the list goes on and on, but what a blessing to be a part of a big family with a great husband and five awesome kids that keep me busy!  I'll take it any day!

Praying and Hoping that everyone has an fabulous school year with lot's of wonderful opportunities to tell others about how unbelievably awesome Jesus is!

Blessings,

Chores...

I'm sure you've done the math.

We have a lot of kids.

Including our sweet foster babe...5 to be exact.

So in order for things to run like a well oiled machine (Ha, yeah right) we require that our children do chores.

Usually they have really great attitudes about helping.  Especially since we have started fostering they have gone above and beyond to help.  We've seen so much maturity and growth in that area.  What a blessing!

However, sometimes the chores are a little too big for my Ellie Jane and she isn't happy about it.  She wants to help- Bless her!

Sissy wouldn't let her help put up the silverware...

It's so hard being three...

We have chickens.  They poop on my deck and dig up my yard.  Lucky for them I like eggs.

While Nolan and Kane were out of town a few weeks ago Ruthie got chicken duty.  Let's just say there are some chores she doesn't mind and chicken duty isn't on that list...

Ellie's such a good helper...

Sometimes too many eggs are carried and an egg gets dropped.  Sometimes it gets messy.  

But it's ok.  

We just pick up the mess and move on knowing that despite the mess, lessons were learned.

Here's a horrible metaphor for you...

We're like that broken, mess of an egg.  

We have fallen.

We are broken...

Praise the Lord, he came to clean up the mess and to set things right again

Blessings,