The Library

One thing that our family is in the habit of doing is going to the library! Shelby started going to storytime in LA when she was about 3 1/2. We had precious librarians that worked hard to teach the children how to care for books while they tried to instill a love for books in each child. Just a few months before we moved to TX, Grant was old enough to go to storytime! What a treat for us on Wednesday mornings! Once we moved to TX, it was over 6 months before we were settled in a home and ready to start exploring new places, like the library! But, we are now hooked! We are so blessed with a great children's section at our library here in Allen! While Grant is in storytime, there is plenty of time for us to look up books, do puzzles, explore on the computer, and watch the fish in the aquarium! If it weren't for the library and the books they provide, our educational experience would not be as exciting! Don't get me wrong, we own many books - but our love for books exceeds our monetary means! HA! Even with all the books they came with our first "school" curriculum, I can't keep enough for Shelby to read! It is amazing where reading can take us!
As you can see, the picture is of Grant holding his 1st library card! He is thrilled! He is only sounding short vowel words right now, but he is well on his way to be an excellent reader ... like his big sister!

5 Years Old!

I can not believe that my oldest son is 5 years old! It was just five years ago that the Lord awakened me with light contractions and three hours later we were holding our first son and the first grandson for our families! We had prayed for a son, in hopes of raising him in the way of the Lord! It is our prayer that he will become a godly young man that will raise a family for the Lord!
This picture was taken this morning as Grant and Daddy were heading out for breakfast! We try to make 5th birthdays special, so today Grant started with some"Daddy/Son time"! What a privilege it is to raise these precious children! I thank the Lord for loaning me this sweet and tender-hearted son!

The Horse Girl

Shelby was finally able to go on her "Horsemanship Day" with Daddy yesterday! We gave this to Shelby for her birthday! I asked her if it was as good as she expected, and she said, "BETTER!" God made some marvelous animals for us to enjoy! What a blessing! I pray she can do more with horses in the future. The Lord has given her a sweet desire for one of His creations!

Meet Him in the Morning

On Wednesday I cheated and read two days of Streams in the Desert, because I was sending our copy on a trip with my husband! The reading convicted me so and was such a great reminder that I wanted to share it ... and post it here as a reminder to me! This is the encouragement I needed to press on in training my children - by first focusing on my heart's priority each morning!


Title: Meet Him in the Morning
Author: Mrs. Charles E. Cowman
Source: Streams in the Desert by Mrs. Charles Cowman.
Web Page: http:www.backtothebible.org/devotions/printer.htm
"Be ready in the morning, and come u ...present thyself there to me in the top of the mount. And no man shall come up with thee" (Exod. 34:2-3).
The morning watch is essential. You must not face the day until you have faced God, nor look into the face of others until you have looked into His.
You cannot expect to be victorious, if the day begins only in your own strength. Face the work of every day with the influence of a few thoughtful, quiet moments with your heart and God. Do not meet other people, even those of your own home, until you have first met the great Guest and honored Companion of your life--Jesus Christ.
Meet Him alone. Meet Him regularly. Meet Him with His open Book of counsel before you; and face the regular and the irregular duties of each day with the influence of His personality definitely controlling your every act.
Begin the day with God!He is thy Sun and Day!His is the radiance of thy dawn;To Him address thy lay.
Sing a new song at morn!Join the glad woods and hills;Join the fresh winds and seas and plains,Join the bright flowers and rills.
Sing thy first song to God!Not to thy fellow men;Not to the creatures of His hand,But to the glorious One.
Take thy first walk with God!Let Him go forth with thee;By stream, or sea, or mountain path,Seek still His company.
Thy first transaction beWith God Himself above;So shall thy business prosper well,And all the day be love.--Horatius Bonar
The men who have done the most for God in this world have been early upon their knees.
Matthew Henry used to be in his study at four, and remain there till eight; then, after breakfast and family prayer, he used to be there again till noon; after dinner, he resumed his book or pen till four, and spent the rest of the day in visiting his friends.
Doddridge himself alludes to his "Family Expositor" as an example of the difference of rising between five and seven, which, in forty years, is nearly equivalent to ten years more of life.
Dr. Adam Clark's "Commentary" was chiefly prepared very early in the morning.
Barnes' popular and useful "Commentary" has been also the fruit of "early morning hours."
Simeon's "Sketches" were chiefly worked out between four and eight.

In February

Last month marked a year since we went on our 10th Anniversary Cruise! What a blessing it was for our family to keep our children so that we could take that time for us. We look forward to the day that we can do that again ... maybe in 10 more years! The Lord has blessed us with such a sweet relationship! I would not want to walk this road of life with any other man! Thank the Lord for my dear husband! I love you, John!

I am still here ...

I am still in the blog world ... a little ... ha! I have been reading a little, just not writing! Since my sweet husband was under the weather this weekend ... I am trying to come up for air! I have been working hard yesterday and today to get my WHOLE house cleaned (the dust was AWFUL) and get ready to pick my Mom up at the airport tonight! My Dad will drive in on Thursday! We also had a lunch date today with one of Shelby's old FaithKeeper friends, so I have a little more dusting to do before I head to the airport! On top of all of that I finished reading "Don't make me count to three!" by Ginger Plowman, and have been trying to step up the training in our home! Needless to say, my efforts have not been what I had hoped, but I am praying that the Lord give me the strength I need and the grace I need to press on! I have improved in one area - but have about 10 more that I am failing in! I have each new day to try to train my precious gifts better than the day before! Thank you, Lord for each new day you give me!

Trust in the LORD!

I have been wanting to write this post all month, but I haven't made the time. I can't take the chance of the month ending without expressing how thankful we are for our precious church family at First Baptist Parker! This month marks one year that we have been worshipping with this body of believers, and our family has been so blessed! Only the Lord knew what we would face in this first year at FBC - Parker, and we know that his sovereign plan has been shown through our lives! Prayerfully, the events of the last year have been for His glory and our good! Thank you to our God, for the grace He has given me each day. Thank you to a precious pastor and his wife that have sacrificed their own time and blessed us with prayer, education (on lessons I would rather not have had to learn), and shared wisdom beyond measure! Thanks to my sweet friends that have loved my children like their own, brought us meals (and cooked meals for our freezer), prayed for us, and encouraged me over the last few months! I have prayed so long for friends that are liked minded in the Lord ... He has provided in His time! Thank the Lord for providing this church for our family! We have received such encouragement from this body. I want to close with an encouraging quote and scripture that friends sent me a few months ago:
"I've learned to bless the wave that crushes me against the Rock of ages" ... I have no idea to whom to credit that quote, but it blessed me and pointed my thoughts toward heaven ... and continues to help me keep my focus!
Isaiah 26:3&4 "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal."

Delayed Valentine's Day!

Well ... I have a little more to say about last week before I proceed any further! John had a full week with lots of travel! He actually was able to see his brother, Kevin, on Thursday before he headed home from Baton Rouge! On Friday we stayed in from the cold and had PIZZA! YEAH!
Here's the best part ... John and I celebrated our "Valentine's Day" on Saturday evening when our "once a month" baby-sitters, Aunt Andrea and Uncle Chris, came to keep the children! Even Michael stayed with them this time! We wanted dinner and possibly dessert ... we finally decided on orange chicken from Panda Express and then we proceeded to MiMi's for dessert! BREAD PUDDING! We sat in a booth across the room from a cozy fire (the wind chill was around 17 outside) and enjoyed coffee, bread pudding, and some sweet conversation (memories and of course some of our "to-do" list! John gave me a sweet (funny) Valentine card, and our fortune cookies were quite interesting! We had a couple of hours of "mommy/daddy" time! We can't get too much of that these days! I hope your Valentine's day was a memorable one!

Full Week

This week has proven to be FULL! Granny Susan was here for two nights, John was in Austin on Tuesday and is heading to the airport now to fly to Baton Rouge - from there he will drive to New Orleans fo r the day! Yesterday we spent the afternoon at the library, after I had spent the morning doing school activities and being a travel agent!
John is excited about the work he is doing. I pray that it is a refreshing experience that leads him into something different that he would like to do for a career! Lord, please bless him!
More later on the details of my life - LOL!

Dancing at our Valentine's Party

Grant is getting after it!

YYYYYYYYYYY

You can only imagine!
YYYYYYYYYYY

Our God is so GOOD!

He doesn't have to be ... but HE is good. We have made it through another week, and we are pressing on in our Lord! It is kind of scary having four children sometimes and a husband pursuing a new career ... but I am here pressing on as a wife and mother. I am so thankful that the Lord sends encouragement my way when He knows I need it!
Yesterday we had a great time with our old FaithKeeper friends. We were invited to go to a Valentine party at Mrs. Cindy's house. The children had a great time playing outside (before our real cold front came through), hoola hooping, dancing, and of course eating cookies (Jack's favorite). What a blessing to have such sweet friends. I hope we can start a FaithKeeper group in our area ... when I think I can add that to my life! YIKES!
Well ... need to download those pics from yesterday and finish school! We have been quite productive this morning! Thank the Lord! We ARE learning! :) YYYY

Jack's Picture

"A good freight car from Thomas!" by Jack 2.5 years old

Yesterday, Jack drew his first "train." He has been drawing circles and things that aren't just scribbles, but yesterday was good! Take a look!

test

I can't view my blog test!

Our precious new little one! The source of my schedule at this point in life! :) He is our precious gift from the Lord ... just what we need to get us through this season!

Just another "Manic Monday" :)

For those of you who know my life ... that is a pretty funny title!!!! Actually today was good! We are all tired, but it was good! The children are all getting over their allergy/cold symptoms, and so is John.
On the "bummer" side, Shelbs can't go to her horse riding day on Saturday! The camp didn't have enough sign up, so she will go in March! She is a little bummed, but she took it well!
John got an encouraging call this evening! I will share more of that later!
Going to bed ... while I can! Good night!

Night Out

Well ... my first ladies' night out after baby #4! What fun, and the family hardly knew I was gone!
The Lord has blessed me with such sweet friends!

Happy Birthday, Julie!