Creepy...

Love Me...

He cries in the corner where nobody sees
He's the kid with the story no one would believe
He prays every night, "Dear God won't you please
Could you send someone here who will love me?

Who will love me for me
Not for what I have done or what I will become
Who will love me for me
'Cause nobody has shown me what love
What love really means

Her office is shrinking a little each day
She's the woman whose husband has run away
She'll go to the gym after working today
Maybe if she was thinner
Then he would've stayed
And she says...

Who will love me for me?
Not for what I've done or what I will become
Who will love me for me?
'Cause nobody has shown me what love,
what love really means

He's waiting to die as he sits all alone
He's a man in a cell who regrets what he's done
He utters a cry from the depths of his soul
"Oh Lord, forgive me, I want to go home"
Then he heard a voice some where deep inside
And it said,

"I know you've murdered and I know you've lied
I have watched you suffer all of your life
And now that you'll listen I'll tell you that I..."

I will love you for you for you
Not for what you have done or what you will become
I will love you for you
I will give you the love
The love that you never knew
{JJ Heller}


I heard this song yesterday and it pricked my heart ~it was so precious and beautiful!! I was driving down the road balling my eyes out!! I know people thought I was crazy, but it just caught me off guard!! I sometimes feel like this and maybe you do too... I sometimes feel like I have to earn love... like it's based on what I look and act like... like it's conditional... like any minute it could be gone/ just disappear never to return again... sometimes I feel like I'm not worth it... sometimes I feel like if anyone knew the real me it would be over... sometimes I feel like there isn't enough love to fill up my heart and soul... like I am negative in that department... I'm just too needy... no one has THAT much love to give ~no one except one person ~JESUS!! Praise the Lord for Jesus!!! He's all I ever need ~He is perfect for me!! I have to continually pray that I would receive His love and forgiveness, instead of listening to the lies in my head!! Nothing I do will bring me more of His love, nothing I don't do will bring me more of His love -it's mine because He gives it to me!! I pray to rest in His amazing grace, His abundant mercy and His unfailing love!!

"For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our LORD." Romans 8:38-39

Fall Festivals!!

It's that time of year!! Yay!! :) Hay rides, bobbing for apples, moonwalks, candy, candy, candy, pony rides, and prizes!! It's Fall Festival time! This year both our school fall festival and our church fall festival fell on the same weekend!! It made for a very FUN weekend!! The kids loved it!! I am so glad God blessed us with such beautiful weather!!

SMCS Fall Festival Fun!! :) **I have a ton of pictures of Francie, but Will was running around with his buddies, he couldn't slow down long enough for me to take any pictures of him!!































We all wore our Alabama gear on Saturday afternoon!! Alabama was playing Tennessee that evening, so Francie wore her cheerleader outfit to the Fall Festival!! We had to represent!! :) RTR!! Francie got her hair sprayed pink with glitter and got a tattoo!! She went to all the booths and did the cake walk about 50 times~ we still didn't get any cake though! BOO!! Will ate candy all afternoon -he would play a booth and immediately eat the candy he got for a prize!! :) He enjoyed a hay ride and the bounce house -but I think his favorite was rolling down the hill by the gym!!



Altadena Valley Presbyterian Church Fall Festival!! **Again, Will was running around and I didn't really get a lot of pictures of him!! I'm a little bit sad about it!!



























Francie decided to wear her Little Mermaid costume to the church Fall Festival on Sunday afternoon!! Will didn't want to wear his so he just wore a football t-shirt!! Francie got her face painted and rode ponies and went on hay rides!! It was so much fun!! Will ate ice cream and spent most of the time in the bounce house -he did LOVE bobbing for apples and he finally ended up getting one!!

It really turned out to be such wonderful weekend!! We made special memories with the kids and I just wanted to soak up every second!! I am going to focus this holiday season more on enjoying my family and savoring each moment with them!!

Pumpkin Patch!!

Today was so beautiful and perfect!! The Kindergarten classes went on a field trip to Hargis Pumpkin Patch!! We had THE BEST time!! My class and their parents are the sweetest, most wonderfulest, ever!! I love them!! Everything went so smooth and we got to ride on a hay ride, visit a petting zoo, listen to a storyteller in a tepee, and roast weenies and marshmallows around a campfire!! It could not have been a better day!! Thank you Jesus for such a perfect day!!









"The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made." Psalm 145:9

My Sweet Girl...

Francie is FIVE!! I cannot believe it!! It seems like just yesterday I was wrapping her up in pink blankies and putting her in a baby bjorn!! I would put tiny pink bows in her baby hair and put little ruffle socks on tiny feet!! She was and still is the sweetest thing!! I can't believe I am blessed enough to be her mommy ~I am the luckiest!!

Five years ago....


















Today....























Francie at Five:
~loves to play school... she puts her friends in "time out" and they actually stay there! :)

~still sucks her thumb -what is she supposed to do? She doesn't have any binkies!! (I do though, a whole drawer of sweet girlie binkies!!)

~gets in my bed in the wee morning hours almost every day!! That's ok -because I get to snuggle with her and I adore the way she puts that little arm around me and hugs me and pats my back -it's the BEST way to wake up!!

~loves to wear my black high heel boots around the house!

~can be a little sassy at times!

~knows all her letters and sounds. She can count to 100 with help! :) She can write her name by herself -she makes her little "e" upside down!!

~makes up songs all day long!!

~loves her big brother so much!! She does everything exactly like him!!


****************************************************************


Heavenly Father,
Thank you so much for Francie and the joy she brings our family! I pray that you would draw her heart near to yourself! Bless her this year, make your face to shine on her, and be gracious to her, give her your peace! I pray you would rejoice over her with gladness, and quiet her with your love! In Jesus' name, Amen!




"This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

Pinkalicious!!

Girl parties are the BEST!! Today we had a very special girl's birthday party!! The theme was "Pinkalicous"! There were tutus, fairy wings, wands, and crowns! We ate strawberry birthday cake (from Edgar's) -my favorite!! Everything was PINK ~cake, balloons, flowers, cookies, and candy!! There was a lot of squealing and bedazzling -we also did manicures!! The best thing about the party though, was how excited and happy Francie was!! Her eyes were shining and her face was glowing ~I am so glad we had this party!! She has some of the sweetest litttle girls in the world as friends and it was kind of a reunion for all of these girls to get together!!
*Mommy and the Birthday Girl!! :)
















*Anna decorating her crown!!

















*Morgan decorating her crown!!



















*Beautiful Nails!
















*Making a Wish!!























*Fairy Cate!!
















*Fairy Mary!!


















*Fairy Friends!!
















*Fairy Family!!
















"Every good action and every perfect gift is from God. These good gifts come down from the Creator of the sun, moon, and stars, who does not change like their shifting shadows." James 1:17

Pepper Place

Right in the middle of all the stress of projects, report cards, and trying to plan a birthday party ~one of my friends from church invited me to spend a delicious afternoon with she and a few ladies from our small group!! It was an event at Pepper Place where restaurants from around Birmingham would let you sample food and drinks!! It was amazing!! I had never been to Pepper Place but now I want to go back every weekend!! There was live music and great weather -we laughed, ate and drank and drank, ate and laughed! It was exactly what I needed ~an answered prayer!! These ladies are the best ~there's nothing like "Girl Time" with friends ~my heart and soul felt peaceful ~it was like all of my stress just dissolved!! Thank you Carol for an awesome time!!

"Friends are kisses blown to us by angels." ~author unknown

Indian Project!!

Well, it seems that everytime I do a new post I'm saying "We've been sooo busy lately -let me just review our week"! But seriously October is a month that everything in our life collides!! We have field trips, Francie's birthday, school projects, about 5 fall festivals, football games, and report cards due!! I am usually stressed to the max the whole month!! The past week and a half has been grueling, but great!! I got to go on Will's first field trip to Moundville with him!! I was really dreading it (because it was right in the middle of trying to get my report cards done and it's really hard to get a sub -it's just easier to be at school)! But I am so glad I got to go!! We had a blast!! :) Will's teacher rode with us and she is just precious -I love her!! They have been studying Native American Tribes in school and this was a culmination of the unit!! We also, worked on an Indian Project!! Will did his on the Creek Indians!! He had to make a visual and give a 2-3 minute explanation of what he learned!! We made little note cards, a poster, and fry bread for the class to try!! It was actually fun and so sweet!! It turned out to be a very special time with him! He did a wonderful job!! I was very proud of him!! He is really growing up so fast!!







*In front of a mound!!!














*Playing a game of stick ball!!
















*A quick canoe ride!! Hehe ;)













*Best buds!! :)
















*Will's poster!!























*Making Fry Bread!!

Today's Blessings...

~ My Sweet Husband- he is my therapist, chef, yardman, maid and he is the shoulder I cry on, the hands that pick me up when I fall, my cheerleader, my coach, my biggest fan!!! I don't know what I would do without him -he's amazing!!

~ Health!! Yay! For right now we are all healthy! No stomach bugs, flu, strep, NOTHING!! PTL! I looked back at our October blog entries from last year and the kids were so sick around this time! I am praying for continued health for our family!!

~ Nice weather! I know I've posted about my need for sunshine -it has been absolutely beautiful!! It always helps my attitude and overall general mood -seeing as how I've been in the dumps lately, I couldn't imagine having to endure clouds and rain too!!

~ The sweet families of the children in my class!! This group of children and parents are just so dear to my heart!! I am extremely blessed to have them in my life!!

~ Friends -I am surrounded by some of the most beautiful women (inside and out) and I am very grateful for their hugs, thoughtfulness, generosity, wisdom, encouragement, laughter, acceptance, kindness, and transparency!! I know there are days I would NOT have made it through without them!!

~ Will and Francie!! They light up my life!! I am completely in awe of them~ they make me laugh, they make me cry, my heart has expanded about 3 sizes, they make me want to be a better person! I know this time is slipping by... (the pitter-patter of little feet, hearing them play football or play school) I can feel them getting further and further away from me... they are becoming so independent... they don't need me so much anymore and I want to make everyday with them count!! I am trying to make life fun and special... and soak them up!!

~ My Jesus, my Savior!! He's my perfect, spotless righteousness!! I am so thankful for His love, His sacrifice, His mercy, His strength, His grace... without these I would not last one second of one day!!