I am grounded.

Some of you may have noticed I am no longer on facebook. I am grounding myself temporarily and this is why... Since I moved to Montana my personal time praying and reading my Bible has been few and far between. At first, I blamed it on having that fifth baby. Then, I recently realized Charlie was three and a half and I was still finding excuses quite easily. YIKES!

I learned the importance of having time "with Him" when Bailee my third baby girl was born. I got to the very end of myself and realized how very much I needed to spend time with HIM daily. I desperately needed HIM to help me through each and everyday. I protected my quiet time with HIM fiercely and made it a major priority in my daily routine. I did this for about five years and HE carried me through homeschooling and having yet another baby and our big move to Montana and yes one more baby!!

Unfortunately, I have allowed too many things to eat up my time. I mean come on, there have been days when I spend more time plucking my eyebrows than on my knees. That is painful for me to admit! So, I have grounded myself from a few things and facebook is one of 'em. Don't get me wrong, I think facebook is sooo cool. I loved getting in touch with long lost friends, keeping up with my family down south and even getting to be bold about my beliefs! I don't think facebook is a bad thing but, I just need to re-prioritize my time and break some of my bad habits. I won't get back on until HE gets a tithing of my time. Keep me in YOUR prayers!

What If

What if I climbed that mountain, what if I swam to that shore
What if every battle was victorious then would you love me more

What if I were everyone's first choice, what if I went farther than before
What if I stood high above the rest than would you love me more

You say I belong to you apart from the things I do
You say I belong to you I'm in awe of why you do

What if I ignored the hand that fed me, what if I forgot to confess
What if I stumbled down that mountain then would you love me less
Lord would you love me less

What if I were everyone's last choice what if I mixed in with the rest
What if I failed what I passed before then would you love me less

You say I belong to you apart from the things I do
You say I belong to you I'm in awe of why you do

What have I done to deserve your son sent to die for me
What can I give I want to live give me eyes to see
In a world that keeps changin' there's one thing that I know is true
Your love is stayin' there's nothing else I'll hold onto

You say I belong to you apart from the things I do
You say I belong to you I'm in awe of why you do
Why you do

Song by Jason Lavik and my heart's cry this day.

Mama always says...

You get what you get and you don't throw a fit!
Careful, it's HOT!
Pretty is as pretty does.
Keep your expectations low and then you will be pleasantly surprised.
Clean as you go!
We all need Jesus.
Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without!
Whatever doesn't kills us will only make us stronger!
BE SWEET!
Don't say anything you wouldn't want said about yourself.
Be a peacemaker!
Pray about it.
Keep looking, it is around here somewhere.
Treat others the way you want to be treated. (the golden rule)
Get a Kleenex!
Wash your hands!
Wear socks or your feet will stink!
Maybe for Christmas or your birthday.
We give, don't take.
Time for a ten-minute tidy.
Thank you Lord!
Did you brush your teeth?
Is everyone buckled?
Did you know Jesus' first miracle was water into wine.
Let's Pray...

Bailee as Clara in the Nutcracker

She had the most lines to memorize and had them memorized in no time! She gets that from her daddy!

The Mouse Army, aren't they cute!
Phoebe and the Penny Whistlers.
Mouse King, The Aunt, Sugarplum Princess,Clara, Fritz (Clara's little bother)
*Side note about "Fritz:" Apparently one day on the playground there was a heated debate about Bailee's mama being fat!!! "Fritz" ended the debate by standing up for Bailee and said "She's actually skinny." I love that boy!!
ONSTAGE for the Curtain Call!

Daddy and I were very proud of our little 3rd grade Bailee. She really loves to be on stage (she gets that from her mommy). Last year in the school Christmas program she had a pretty big part singing and dancing as the gingerbread man. I told her not to count on getting Clara this year because it was someone else's turn to be in the spotlight. Needless to say she prayed about it!!! Love that little girl, too!!!

Stanley The Snowman!

The first two Decembers we were here in Montana I think God was taking it easy on us. We didn't even have a White Christmas! However, these past two Decembers have been more of what were expecting, temperatures in the negatives and wind chills down to -30s!!! When it is too cold the snow won't stick together to make a snowman or even a snowball!! So, when it warmed up to 30 degrees we all headed outside to play! I took Hallie, Bailee and Jay ice skating at our beautiful outdoor skating rink. When we got back we found Charlie and daddy rolling a big ball of snow around the yard. Once we got him dressed in his snowman kit that my sweet southern friend Mary sent us, Riley decided he looked like a Stanley. So, Stanley will probably be with us until March! Thankfully, our protective and not so bright Yorkies have stopped barking at him!!

Winter Formal

Corsages!

Dinner at our house.

Braving the cold! It was about zero! Tanner rented a car that matched Riley's dress. How cool!!?? In our town at Winter Formal and Prom the guy's only ask friends, even if they have a girlfriend they take a friend. I kinda like this strange tradition. So, this was Riley's first date!!! Knowing everyone was going as friends made it so much easier!

Giving Thanks for Kari!

I lost a sweet friend today but heaven gained a beautiful soul. Kari was in a Beth Moore Bible study that I was trying to lead in 07-08. That is how I met her. She has one of those beautiful memorable smiles, a great laugh and always sweet positive things to say. What drew us closer was her prayer request towards the end of our "Daniel" study . She and Tom, her husband, had been married for a few years and wanted children. "Tom and I have decided to go through the adoption process and we need your prayers." As the months passed and they jumped through the adoption hoops and filled out countless forms and were interviewed they finally got to start the waiting part. While she patiently waited Kari decided to help put together a calendar entitled the Naked Truth. She was the photographer taking modestly and creatively covered naked cancer survivors in our community. It was sold all over town and an article appeared in our paper showcasing the calendar the very week she was diagnosed with Leukemia. I talked to her on the phone and she told me she was hopeful about her treatment because it could possible cure her lupus as well. HER LUPUS!!!??? You mean I was in a Bible study with her for over a year, went to church with her, ate her husbands delicious oyster stew on Christmas Day and she never complained about having lupus once?!

Kari bought a ticket to go see Beth Moore with our Bible Study group of girls that fall. However, she was stuck in a hospital room on the oncology floor while we took turns going to see her smile after we'd been to the conference. (Beth Moore wrote her a beautiful letter wishing she could have seen Kari while she was in Billings. ) Her husband Tom was at her side every time Brady and I went to visit her. The strangest thing would happen when Brady and I would leave their room. We were there trying to encourage them and without fail, they would spiritualy encourage us!!! How is that possible except through Christ alone?

Tom and Kari kept a Caringbridge website to let people follow her long road. From the first entry on Oct. 16th, 2008 until the last entry this morning it has been a beautiful testimony of faith and perseverance. Most days giving me a scripture I needed and a hysterical little idiom to make you laugh. Tucked in those journal entries were Kari's accounts of the day with never a complaint. No drama, no exaggerations, and most of the time her plight was undershot. I can't even begin to imagine what she and Tom endured. Scary fevers, being poked and prodded thousands of times, bone marrow biopsies, nausea, vomiting, insensitive medical staff, isolation, seemingly unanswered prayers. And yet I never heard a complaint or a grumble. I have learned something very important from Kari as she lived and through her death. Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe. Philippians 2:14-15 In my world Kari shown like the North Star. If only I could apply this scripture to my very easy life as she did in the face of many difficult trials. If only I will count my blessings. Lord, please help me live this life bringing you glory and not bringing you complaints!