Call me crazy!

I'm always hesitant to share so much of me with so many of you because well, who cares? Should I be putting it all out there???? Then, I get alone with God and am reminded of why I'm here and why things happen. For a reason! His reason! So, if you're the one who is in need of hearing this...here ya go!

I've always felt there are things you just don't talk about like the most intimate parts of your marriage, money, and (for me) by all means, try your hardest not to complain about your circumstances because it could be worse! There's always someone who is worse off than you. I took that last one to heart especially during the years of us longing to be parents! After we got the news we'd been longing to hear for so long, there were and sometimes still are people who have said, "You and Daniel are so strong and have set such a great example for others during your time of trial." I must confess that almost every time we found out someone else was pregnant before us, I had to have a come to Jesus meeting.  It was hard to hear of someone else getting their wish. So, I'd go in my bedroom and shout to the top of my lungs, "Satan, you do NOT have control over me or my life and I will NOT allow you to step in and make me sad about this!!!! We will be parents someday because Jesus said so!" I know, call me crazy, but just yelling to let out my frustration would make me feel so much better. Then I'd pray for strength and more patience and turn right around to shoot an email to the expecting parents to congratulate them! Because that's what you do! And that's what I wanted people to do for us. I wanted people to be excited for us. And I wasn't going to short change someone else of that happiness and excitement.
We've been very busy lately and haven't been to church regularly and it's killing us! We miss our peeps, but I tell ya today as I travel to Tuscaloosa to celebrate the arrival of our newest nephew,  I realize that sometimes it's refreshing to be out of the routine and just get by yourself with God. It's good to lift up your peeps in prayer and just lay it all out on the table. So, get by yourself and lay it all out there, and if you're like I was and having trouble dealing with infertility, get that out there too. Don't allow Satan a foothold at all in your life! Celebrate with others who are expecting and just remember; somehow someway, someday you'll be a parent!!!

Short and...honest!

I must be honest! I spent most of my last day of summer break cleaning. Okay! Okay! I spent most of my last day of summer break throwing myself a pity party. For whatever reason, I was not looking forward to summer being over. So much so that I called on one of my prayer warriors to shoot a few up on my behalf because let's face it, summer is over for teachers, and there's no turning back. Yesterday was better, but I was still dwelling on the fact that my summer is GONE! Did I do all I wanted to do with my girls? Did I make sure they had a fabulous and relaxing summer? Did I relax enough? Did I spend enough time with my family? My husband? Did we enjoy enough date nights? What is enough? Oh my!!!
It wasn't until this morning in church that it hit me! "Nothing compares to the promise I have in You..." These lyrics to "Shout to The Lord" don't have much to do with why I feel excited about the new school year now other than taking me back to the days when I first knew I'd be involved with teaching and education for a very long time- the days when we sang this song more than we do now and the days when all I wanted to do was share the word or teach a child about Jesus through my actions. As we sang, I could hear my Granny Pettey saying "Worry is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but gets you nowhere." Then the guest pastor began his sermon this morning with a few short stories and then, "Why worry when I can pray?"
Yep! Why am I worrying if I spent enough quality time with everyone when all I need to be doing is praying? Good gracious?!!!!! It's that simple. So, that's what I did!
We had sort of a busy early afternoon showing our house that's for sale (yep, that's a plug) and getting some stuff ready in my classroom but were home for a good portion of the rest of the day. The girls were playing inside while Daniel did a little bit of what I like to call "lawya clean up" work. I told him I was going outside to spray the weeds in our flower beds, but what I really intended to do while killing weeds was pray. I prayed for my attitude to be what it needs to be everyday for my students and their parents as well as for my co-workers. I prayed for my leadership. That's a hard job she does, and I'm thankful she does it. I prayed for my co-workers who are more like friends that their attitudes will be what they need to be. I prayed for my students to give their all and then I prayed for their parents to always keep in the back of their minds that I try my best to see their children as my children, their babies as my babies-like little Addisons and little Haydens. I'll love them and care for them, not the same way you do, but just as much as you do. I'll teach them everything I can, and I promise to give your babies my all!
 I prayed because that's what I'd asked someone to do for me, but hadn't actually stopped to do it  myself.

With all of this being said, bring on the new school year! I'm ready and prayed up!

On Independence Day

Nothing extraordinary. Just the usual. Gathering with family and friends for food and fireworks! It's the simple things in life like playing in the back yard,  making it through Moma's photo shoot, watching fireworks, and fishing that make it all the worth while.

 

 Madz is pointing to the baby she's carrying as we carry our babies...

One down and a lifetime to go

I just realized I never posted anything from Addison and Hayden's first birthday party! Go on and have that "Blogger of the Year" plaque done up for me. Whoops! Here are a few shots from the celebratory day! It was a blast and we're super thankful for all who were able to come(even in spirit)!!!

Quit your whining! Daddy didn't leave you.

Why would you ever complain, O Jacob, or, whine, Israel, saying, "God has lost track of me. He doesn't care what happens to me"? Don't you know anything? Haven't you been listening? God doesn't come and go. God lasts. He's Creator of all you can see or imagine. He doesn't get tired out, doesn't pause to catch his breath. And he knows everything, inside and out. He energizes those who get tired, gives fresh strength to dropouts. For even young people tire and drop out, young folk in their prime stumble and fall. But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, They run and don't get tired, they walk and don't lag behind. (Isaiah 40:27-31 MSG) 

Whooo wee!! Ain't it grand that God doesn't tire out?? Ain't it grand that He LASTS?!! Not what I had planned to read in tonight's quiet time, but it's not my plan either.

From needles to "needles"

I totally planned this post in my head from the moment I got a text from a dear friend that included the words of my title. I sent her a text last night as I was sitting on the couch and I knew she would be beginning her shot cycle for IVF soon. My text said: "A little funny while you are about to be poking yourself. I'm sitting on the couch right now with both girls asleep on me and both of my legs are asleep. This should be interesting." She responded with, "from needles to 'needles'."

Anyway, I was going to write about our sweet friendship that has just blossomed, but I'm feeling a different kind of needles this morning, and like I just told my friend Amy, you don't ignore that calling! "No, you don't," she said.

This morning on my way to take the girls to splash day at daycare, I noticed the sheriff's department had the ramp onto the interstate blocked off and traffic was beginning to back up tremendously in the other direction. With me being my father's daughter, I turned on the scanner app I have on my phone to see if I could figure out what was going on. No luck. So, I called Daniel and he quickly said there was a very bad accident involving multiple motorcycles. I had some errands to run and took the back way to get to the place I needed to go, but opted for taking the interstate back home thinking the accident would be mostly if not all cleared up. Nope! As I approached the scene, I felt those needles!! You know that feeling when you hear God whispering in your ear or tapping lightly on your shoulder? Well, He was pushing me out of my truck!!! Now, let me just give you a mental image... These are HUGE men with HUGE muscles and God is telling me to go pray with them???? No! I'm scared, God. PUSH! I pulled over on the side of the interstate, turned on my flashers, and put it in park. My heart was about to pound out of my chest as I'm walking up to these men. When I got there, I asked one of them if this was their family. Tears were streaming constantly down his face as he held a sweet little girl. He just shook his head yes that this was his family. I quietly asked if I could pray with them and it was at that time that this HUGE man with HUGE muscles melted in my arms as we knelt on the side of the interstate with another family member to pray. I had no idea what to say to these precious people so I kept saying how sorry I was for them. As I walked away, one man just kept yelling at me to please keep praying for them. In the words of Michelle from Full House, you got it dude! I broke down immediately as I got back in my truck and couldn't help but think of another dear friend who's brother was in a very similar accident several years ago when she and I first met. I prayed for her, her brother, and the rest of her family. I'm asking you all to stop what you're doing and pray for this family. Pray for their hurting hearts. Pray for their anger. Pray for their strength. Pray for their healing. Prayer is powerful!

Sometimes we are called to step outside the box. Go beyond what we are used to or comfortable with. Don't ignore that calling!!!

Whew wee!!!

I've realized I'm not as good as some at keeping up with my blog so I've decided to just add pictures with small captions. This is mainly so I can come back for a trip down memory lane from time to time. So, feel free to tag along! For now, I have a few prayer requests. First, please pray I make it this week without shedding tears. Linden was with us all week last week and it will be some kind of quiet at our house. I tell you, those three have so much fun together!!!! And secondly, Daniel and I have several friends we'd like you to lift up with us. These sweet friends are traveling down the same or very similar road that we traveled not so long ago. It's a bumpy road, y'all! Pray for strength, perseverance, and peace. One friend of ours has recently found out she and her husband are expecting twin girls (secretly I was hoping they'd both be girls). We are beyond thrilled for them!!!! And lastly, a dear, sweet friend who loves on our babies and steals kisses and hugs weekly has been diagnosed with breast cancer. We love her dearly. Thank y'all for listening and praying with us!!!