THE WRITING ON THE WALLS

Sometimes, messages are found everywhere. This is just an example of one of the many I have run across lately.

If you need help, ask God. If you don't, thank God.

THIS SPEAKS VOLUMES TO ME

Don't watch the video, just listen to the words.

FIELD TRIP

This was a big day last Friday. I got to go to the orchard with Naomi's class. It was very educational and fun! I forgot to take my camera but am fortunate to have a camera on my phone. That meant that I didn't take as many pictures as I would like but I think this one is the best. The kids acted really well and made us proud.

THE SERVER

Today was a big day for Levi. It was his first day as an alter server at church. He was trained this summer but this was the first opportunity he had to do his duty. He was very nervous but did a good job. I was very proud of him!

MUSIC

We did a room swap recently with the boys. In the process, dug up some cool books. One of them was a book of music poems named, You Give Love a Bad Name after the Bon Jovi hit. The cover is red with a big heart on it. I bought it for Elijah about a year ago since he likes music so much. It was cool and cheap at the time, now it has lost its luster.

Until.... Naomi finds it! This is the new "it" book. She has brought it to school and we must read it every night, if I can sing the song, that only makes it better. Of course now that I am reading the poems over and over I am wondering if this stuff isn't a little advanced for my baby. It is amazing what we hear and never really understand.

Music has always had that effect on me. I may not understand the words but I know it moves me. I hope I don't scar Naomi out with this book. It was bought with good intentions but not necessarily for a 6 year old.

THE PAINTED LADIES

This is part of the summer group we have been hanging with. Their parents are a lot like us in the fact that not much bothers them as long as it is good for the kids. On a recent play date Naomi already had her face panted so the girls came in and got theirs painted too. They were looking through the book picking out the most elaborate faces for me to paint. Needless to say, I had my own creations in mind. The stickers were Naomi's ideal.

THE LATEST

Have you ever seen anyone as cute as this? He is so proud of his uniform and the fact that he is in the scouts. He has been out selling popcorn every night, and doing a mighty fine job of it I might add. Of course, never to be left out of anything on purpose, Naomi gets in the picture.

WEEKEND EXCITEMENT

Some of my family came for a long awaited visit. We had My sister-in-law, Mary Grace and her three kids since Friday night. We had a wonderful visit full of laughter, excitement, shopping and fun. Talbots had their "Big Sale" and we hit it just in time. Sad to say, I didn't get many pictures of this weekend (as you can tell) since Mary Grace was taking them but I don't have any to share.

Anyway, we scored again with the sale. Mary Grace got over $1200 worth clothing for just a fraction and I got a few things for myself. It always makes me feel good knowing that I got a really good piece of clothing that looks nice on. I am trying to really cut back on what I own and pick pieces that fit and are flattering and at that price I am able to. You get my point.

The kids were great, we had some friends over the first night so it was like a big party. They got to meet some of Naomi's friends and had a good time. Everyone thought they were so smart and cute. There is nothing like a group of kids having a good time playing that makes me feel any better.

I am thankful to have such a great family!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD

Today is the big day for Pop, he is 67! He has gone from a young man to being a husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. That is a lot for such a short time, but I'm sure it has been a lot of fun for him. These pictures show only a small portion but I think they tell a good story.He started as one but soon became two.
Quickly went to five.
Multiply by two.
Add ten, and you have Pop's family.

What! Did you think I would have a picture of Pop looking like this???

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, POP WE LOVE YOU!

Update-I have been informed that I aged Pop by a year. Sorry, I know how those years go. They go fast enough, we don't need to be adding them on before we have to.

UNCLE SAM

Uncle Sam came for a visit not long ago . It was wild as usual with the kids pulling him this way and that. Because he doesn't get to visit that often or for that long the kids really work him when he is around. (Maybe that's why he doesn't come very often, hmm. ) Anyway, we had a great visit just catching up on the small details of life. He lives in New York but spends his summers working on getting his master degree. I know this is hard on him and I admire his drive to get it done. It seems he is always worn out by the time he comes to Kentucky, but lives such an exciting life. For those of us that don't travel out of the country, we just hang on his every word. Not quite sure what look Naomi was going for. She was not going to be happy until they picked her up though.
The Boys!
We are all such posers!

BEAUTY

My cactus bloomed this year but only once and I missed it, we were on vacation. Once you have seen something this beautiful you want to see it again and again. Pictures never do it justice. Enjoy.

LOST AND FOUND

"We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power as no other nation has ever grown, but we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious had which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us. It behooves us, then, to humble ourselves before the offended power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness. "
"I still have the confidence that the Almighty, the Maker of the universe, will, through the instrumentality of this great and intelligent people, bring us through this as He has through all the other difficulties of our country."

------Abraham Lincoln, March 30, 1863

I wanted to put this out there for us. I was going through some old picture frames and switching pictures out and this was one of the papers behind the picture. At first I discarded it because I was in a hurry. Then, when I saw who the author was, I felt like I needed to take the time. Once I read it though, I thought, what's changed? I have faith. Let me know what you think about my sudden history lesson. I was a bit surprised but am glad I took the time to see what is in my home.