MY WORLD...

Footprints In The Sand...MY VERSION!

2010-08-13T23:10:00.000-07:00

I have been carrying some hurts and fears for some time now, and tonight we went to the beach and stayed until sunset as a way of just getting away with some of our family and having a nice, quiet and relaxing evening. Well, of course I had my camera with me. I took a picture of some footprints that were on the beach line, because I thought they looked like neat footprints.

The next picture I took was this picture...

Notice anything about the picture???

What I was trying to capture was the beautiful colors in the sunset...however, when I got home and loaded the pictures on my computer, I noticed that there outlined in the picture was HUGE footprints in the sand.

I think that I would have noticed something that big along the beach??? Here's what I heard the Lord speak to my heart as I looked at this picture. "Carol, as long as you carry all the hurts and fears and try to walk this road alone, you won't cover as much ground and go to the level that I want to take you to, and as fast as I want to take you...but if you let me carry those hurts and fears for you, and help you through them, I will take you to the places I intended for you to go...and much faster than you think. When you relenquish things to me and let me help carry you through, you will cover much more ground than when you go at it alone."

All I can say, is that HE sure knows how to speak to this hard head of mine! He knows my love for the beach and my love for photography, so he used two of my favorite things tonight to speak peace to my heart. How awesome is HE???

Leona Lewis - Footprints In The Sand

2010-08-08T06:48:00.000-07:00

Here's what's playing on repeat in my car...my hubby is so tired of this song, but I still love it. I first heard this song about two years ago and loved it because it spoke to my situation at the time. I found the cd again a few days ago just when I needed to hear it again. It's a beautiful reminder that HE is always there with me...no matter what's going on!

What I've Been Up To...

2010-08-03T21:32:00.000-07:00

Last week, I was able to go to my parents house and spend my birthday with my family. I couldn't have asked for a better gift than to be able to spend a week with my family. Landon and I had so much fun with my parents and siblings. My brother and I share a birthday, so it was neat to be with him on our birthday.

I came home last Friday because Landon had taken sick on Wednesday evening and by Thursday I had to take him to the ER because he was having febrile seizures. We found out that he had ear infections which were causing his fever to spike and the high fever was causing his seizures. So, since he was feeling a little better Friday morning, I brought him home so he could go see his doctor here. I just feel better if he sees his doctor who knows him and knows what's going on with him on a regular basis. All I can say, is Thank God for insurance. A few days after his ears were getting better he had severe allergies that were causing his eyes to swell and drain so we were back at the doctors office for another visit, and another round of medicine.

Today was our ladies prayer meeting and after prayer meeting, my in-laws said they were going to eat at a place here in town and we decided to go with them. Little did I know that I was being set up for a surprise party...since I was out of town on my birthday, the ladies decided to surprise me with a party today after prayer meeting.

When we pulled up, I said to my husband that I thought I recognized one of the ladies cars in our church that wouldn't normally go out to eat. He convinced me that it wasn't her car, and then insisted that we wait on his parents to get there before going in the restaurant. Being the OCD person that I am, I was determined to go ahead in and get us a table before the lunch crowd arrived. Little did I know that I was ruining their plan!

When I walked in the door and seen everyone sitting there and heard, "SURPRISE!" I understood just how much I had messed up their plans of me being the last one to walk in. I am a hard person to surprise, but they all succeeded today. Our ladies leader knows that I am a different person from the normal...I like things that are out of the ordinary and am not your typical female. So, she had ordered me a cookie cake, and they had decided to have a more relaxed lunch for my surprise. THANK YOU!!! It was awesome. It really made my day!

They gave me a basket of 'goodies' since I turned 40. I think there's something in that basket for every type of pain I'll have for the next forty years! And then they gave me an awesome box filled with money...lots of money! It just don't get any better. I put the money towards something special that I am saving for and planning on doing for myself sometime in the next few months...but that's gonna be another blog all it's own. I am working on the courage and getting the nerve up to do this one, so stay tuned... :)

Tonight, we had our National Night Out here in town, and Landon had a blast! Everything was free, all the food, drinks, goodies, and games. Here's a few shots from tonight...

Landon on the rock climbing wall

The fire department sprayed out soap for the kids to play in, and then had the ladder truck spraying a fine mist to wash them off. Since it was so HOT, this was popular with the kids!

Landon loved it...

Landon's favorite...Cotton Candy!

Anthony helped run the cotton candy machine for a bit...that stuff is WILD!

The hammer was heavier than Landon...but he wanted to try.

My husband was in the dunking booth from 7-8pm, and Landon was determined to dunk his daddy! DETERMINED! He kept going through the line time after time, until finally Bro. Jerry, a neighboring pastor in town, decided to help him out a little! He is Landon's new best friend!

Thankfully, Anthony is such a good sport about things because he got dunked 'illegally' quiet a few times tonight!

Busy, Busy, Busy,

2010-07-20T09:18:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy and fast weekend...but oh so much fun. My husband is singing in a group with two of his pastor friends, Triumphant Voices. They had a singing at our church on Friday night, then they sung at Strand Theatre in Jennings, La. on Saturday night.

This is the theatre outside...

I enjoyed meeting the people there at the theatre and enjoyed their singing.

Anthony doing his trumpet solo...

Alfred Gobson, Anthony Kennon and Elsye Mae Sonnier singing...

Triumphant Voices outside the theatre. I have some video of them singing that I need to download off my camera and post. I am not a huge fan of the old style Southern Gospel and Old Hymns but I do enjoy their style. And, I really like the short guy in the group! lol

Campmeeting Pictures

2010-07-16T08:34:00.000-07:00

Worship service...

Some of our Foreign Missionaries

Bishop T. F. Tenney

Back at Home...

2010-07-11T05:50:00.000-07:00

I'm a TEXAS kind of gal...I love just about everything about Texas. It's in my blood. However, there's just nothing like Louisiana Campmeeting! NOTHING like it!

We spent the week in Tioga and enjoyed every minute of campmeeting. Last year we were only able to attend the Friday night service, so my plans were to be able to stay all week this year. I loved the day services...and was so thankful that they had a wonderful Kid's Zone for Landon during the day. He had much more fun bouncing around and jumping around in Kid's Zone and learning about God on his level than he would have had sitting in the morning teachings with the adults. It was well worth the $7 a day. I would have gladly paid more! lol

My favorite service of all was Thursday night's World Missions Service. Anthony works with the Foreign Missions so we were able to host a missionary from Africa that was there for the campmeeting. We had lunch with all the missionaries on Thursday, and I cannot even began to explain how I felt after meeting them and hearing their stories. All I can say is that I walked away from that lunch and that service with 7 new heros.

The things they have faced and the stories they have to tell...WOW! And to think I complain sometimes about not having the right chips in the pantry, while they are just thankful to have food of any kind. The missionaries that we were hosting were trapped in their house for several weeks, and only survived by drinking the water from their waterbed...and never complained about it! They were just thankful that they had a waterbed and not a regular bed. Oh Lord, FORGIVE ME!

I'll post pictures of our services as soon as I have a little more time. I have a sick little boy that I need to awaken and get dressed for Sunday School. We had to take him to the ER yesterday to get a steroid shot because he got into ants and got over 100 bites on him. He sneakes food to his bed a lot, and mommy didn't catch the cookie he had left in his bed before the ants got to it. When we put him to bed Friday night, we didn't see the ants and they made their way to him before morning. The swelling has gone down, but he's had a reaction to the steroid shot and it's been a long night for him. LOTS of Aveeno oatmeal baths!!!

Needless to say, Mommy is just as tired as he is this morning. Hope everyone has a great Sunday!

My Landon...

2010-07-03T10:37:00.000-07:00

Statistics Don't Lie...

2010-07-03T10:32:00.000-07:00

Are you wondering how to stay safe in the world today? Have you ever asked yourself where IS the safest place? I just wanted to share some statistics that I found with you...

1. Avoid riding in automobiles - because they are responsible for 20% of all fatal accidents.

2. Do not stay home - 17% of all accidents occur in the home.

3. Avoid walking on streets or sidewalks - because 14% of all accidents occur to pedestrians.

4. Avoid traveling by air, rail, or water - because 16% of all accidents involve these forms of transportation.

5. Of the remaining 33%, 32% of all deaths occur in Hospitals - so, above all else, avoid hospitals.

But . . . you will be pleased to learn that only .001% of all deaths occur in worship services in church, and these are usually related to previous physical disorders.

Therefore, logic tells me that the safest place for you to be at any given point in time is at CHURCH!

Oh, and Bible study is safe too! The percentage of deaths during Bible study is even less.

So, attend church, and read your Bible. It just might save your life! And, for the record...if you're looking for a really great church, I happen to know of one! ;)

Sometimes...it's easier not knowing!

2010-06-25T22:56:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we wait for weeks to find out something and then, the moment you know, you wish you could just go back to the waiting.

That's where I'm at tonight. My heart is heavy, my mind is tired, my eyes are blurred, yet sleep won't come and overtake my tired body. I sit here wide awake, wishing I had the power to turn back time, or better yet, the power to change the future.

We have waited for the last two weeks on a doctor's report for a family member who had surgery. In the last two weeks, I have called mom a million times probably and asked for any news, I've prayed and tried my best to stay positive and hope for the best, yet tonight as my husband and I were on the way home from celebrating our 22 wedding anniversary, the phone call that I had been dreading came.

The doctors report is that they got all the tumor, but that the cancer is still present in another organ of the body, and there's not much the doctors can do. My next question was, "So, where do we go from here? What's next?"

Mom was silent on the other end of the phone, so I knew that she didn't have the answers I was looking for. What I do know is that I believe in miracles...and I'm waiting on one right now. The human side of me crys out "God, we can't stand to lose another family member to this disease. We can't take much more loss. We can't keep holding on strong under these circumstances. We can't just sit here and wait this one out."

What I do know is that God is in control...ultimately! He knows the why's and how's and where's and who's of our lives. I know that nothing takes God by surprise. It's only human of me to want to live a life without anymore heartaches or pain. But, it's life...and in life we get hurt, we go through things we don't want to go through. What I must remember is that I am one of God's own. He created me in His image. He does not expect me to pretend that the pain of the situation is not real. It's okay if I cry...

One thing I know is that tears are a language that God understands. So for tonight, I'm just gonna let HIM hold me while I cry. Tomorrows another day...I'll face it with more strength after I spend the night in the arms of a God who understands where I am.

He knows what's best for me...

2010-06-21T23:02:00.000-07:00

I just have to trust Him!

I know that God knows what's best for me and my life and that nothing happens without His knowledgement. I know that he sees my disappointment when things don't unfold in my life the way I had envisioned. Oh, if only I could life up my eyes to the heavens and see His hand moving with eternal purpose...then I could better understand. Then my questions wouldn't be so many.

I have to remind myself that my life here is just temporary or in other words...I'm not 'home' yet. So, for now, I must trust God with my disappointments, my hurts, my fears, and my questions and let Him lead the way. I can't and won't give UP, but rather GIVE IN! I must give in to His way and His plan for me, knowing that He only desires what is best for me and that He see's so much further down this road of life than I can.

Even when I don't understand...I trust you, Lord. I'll just hold on tighter to Your hand knowing that You will lead me in the right path.

Video of Landon's birthday party

2010-06-09T23:49:00.000-07:00

Landon's Birthday...

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Happy 5th Birthday

2010-06-09T22:06:00.000-07:00

Landon had an awesome party. The dump truck on his cake was one of the trucks in my grandfathers car collection that Landon got after my grandmother passed. I loved that he wanted to use it on his cake. I'm quite sure my grandparents were smiling about that too.

I loved that Landon told me he really didn't know what to wish for when he blew out his candles because he was already happy about everything. That really made my day!

My child asked for the oddest things for his birthday. He wanted betta fish, frogs, crickets (the kind of crickets you use as fishing bait), and knives for his knife collection.

He was pretty happy that he got a male and a female betta fish, and their tanks too.

And he was really thrilled with another knife.

He got $90 at his party, two betta fish and all their tanks and food and setups, two knives for his collection, math books (because he has an obession with math and numbers), several airplanes, helicopters, construction sets, slip n slide, new games, and so many other things. Then he got $50 in the mail today, and two other birthday gifts from some of my friends in Texas. When we went to church tonight, he collected 5 new knives for his collection, some gold coins that he's started collecting and $25. I would have to say he has had a great birthday celebration!

Thanks to all our friends who have made his birthday special this year. I asked him what he was going to buy with his money and he wants to go shopping for a small cabinet that locks to put his knife and coin collections in. The boy is serious about this collection stuff. He gets that honestly because I am a collector and my grandparents were both avid and serious collectors.

Mommy asked Landon if he was going to pay me and daddy back for the pool we bought him on Monday with his birthday money. (See, that was the deal when we went to look at the pools. We would go ahead and buy it because it was on sale and about to go off sale, and when he got his birthday money he could pay us back.) His answer to me was, "But mom...you already paid for that pool. It can just be another gift from you and daddy and I can keep my money."

I see how that works....I can assure you I am not paying for his cabinet he buys for his knives. Nope...he will pay for it with his own money. That way he knows he spent it! Gotta love kids and the way they think.

Happy Birthday, LANDON!

2010-06-07T22:59:00.000-07:00

This morning, when you wake up, I will not complain about you jumping in the middle of my bed and knocking the breath out of me...because I realize that one day soon, you won't be running to me first thing in the morning when you awaken.

This morning when you ask for your 'power cereal', I will not correct you and tell you that it's real name is Fruity Pebbles, and I won't even complain about you wanting to drink the milk from your straw bowl as I am pouring it into the cereal...because I realize that one day soon you won't be spending your breakfast time with just me and you.

This morning I will listen to your endless talk about rockets, and airplanes, and hydro-sonic and super-sonic speeds...because I realize that one day soon you won't be talking and sharing all your thoughts and dreams with me.

This morning I am going to leave the breakfast dishes in the sink and spend time with you putting those crazy alphabet and number puzzles together...yes, the ones that I really hate to see all over the floor...because I know that one day I'm gonna miss stepping on those puzzle pieces.

This afternoon when you tell me that you want McDonalds, I promise not to complain about their nasty food and tell you that we have eaten there every single day for the last week...because I know that one day I'm gonna pass McDonalds and cry my heart out knowing that you aren't in the backseat asking for me to stop.

Today when you take out my camera and want to take a picture of yourself a hundred times, I'm just gonna smile...because I know that one day that camera just won't mean as much to me without you running around getting into mischief and me trying to catch you in the act. I know that one day I'm gonna miss seeing all those pictures you took of your foot, your nose, your eye, your hand, the grass and all the other silly things you love to snap a picture of.

Today when you ask me to buy you yet another package of those silly plastic, worm, fishing baits, I'm gonna gladly pay $2 for them. What's two dollars when compared to the wonderful memories of the smile and joy on your face as you bring them home and put them in your little tackle box? See...I know that one day I'll walk past that aisle in Nichol's or Wal-Mart and wish I could have you walking beside me getting excited because you found a color of worms that you didn't have in your collection.

Today when you ask me to sit outside and watch you jump on the trampoline, I'm going to turn the computer off, and sit and enjoy that time with you...because one day you'll be too old to want me to sit and watch you do something so simple and silly as jumping on a trampoline.

This evening I am going to let you splash in my big tub and make all the mess you want...because I know that one day I'm gonna miss having to use three towels to clean up from your cannonball jumps. Oh, and I'm not even gonna complain about the amount of bubbles you put in your bath water...Oh, how I am gonna miss those bubbles one day.

Tonight when you ask me for one more hug and one more drink of water before you go to bed, I will not complain. I will gladly let you get another glass of water...even though I know you are stalling for time. I will give you two more hugs and even sneak in a kiss while I can...because too soon I'm gonna pass by that bedroom door of yours and it will be closed more than it's open. Too soon you will not be as free with sharing your space with me as you are now.

See, I've noticed that I can already look back on just the last five years and already I miss some of the little things I used to do for you. I miss holding you till you feel asleep in my arms, and laying you in your crib and trying to sneak out of your room without waking you up. I miss picking up those bottles all over the house and washing them each day. I miss changing those diapers. I miss that silly little ring seat in my tub. I miss so many things about your growing up.

I guess that's the normal thing that happens to a mom as her little boy grows up. I'm sure it's only natural to miss the little things that I complained about at one time. But today, son...I'm gonna soak up every little minute with you. I'm gonna store every smile that crosses your face, and I'm gonna listen and remember every word that you say because as I look back...I can't seem to understand just how five years crept up on me so fast. One thing I know for sure, today my world is going to slow down, and I'm going to store up as many precious memories I can. Today I'm going to spend time just enjoying being with you and watching you enjoy life.

Today...you turn five...or as you put it, A WHOLE HAND! Today, I am going to wrap your hand in mine and see the world through your eyes. You have brought me and daddy so much joy that it's impossible to even try and explain the love we have for you. All someone has to do is just mention your name and instantly a smile is on our faces. You are the joy of our lives. You have brought laughter to us...along with a few gray hairs. We lie in bed so many nights laughing and talking of the things you have said or done that day. We fall asleep so many nights talking of the things that you have done, or planning special things to do with you on our days off. If we've said it once, then we've said it a million times, "We don't know what we would do without you." See, you are our world...you are what makes us happy. You are what completes your dad and I.

Happy Birthday Landon...Happy 5th birthday! Without a doubt...you are our greatest accomplishment in this life. You are the most precious part of our lives...and the one thing that we can take with us to heaven. Everything else is just temporary...it will all pass away one day, or be left behind in eternity, but everything that we put into your life, and every effort we make to lead you in the direction of truth will not be in vain. Children are our heritage...and you have made your dad and I rich!

Love...Mom!

No more kisses for Mommy...

2010-06-05T09:23:00.000-07:00

Just three more days, and mommy gets no more kisses in public!

Landon is turning 5 on Tuesday and he informed me that when he turns 5, he cannot be giving his mommy kisses in public anymore. I asked why. His reply was, "Because he don't want the girls to see him kissing his mommy when he turns five!"

Gonna have to talk to this little boy! Those kisses are what make my day! Those kisses mean the world to me!

A New Journey

2010-05-27T21:31:00.000-07:00

Death is not the end...it's simply a completetion of one journey and the beginning of a much better one!

Farewell on your heavenly journey, Bro. Wayne! We'll miss you...but we'll met you in that sweet by and by! Thank you for the impact you made on our lives! You're gone from this present world...but NEVER forgotten by us!

Our hearts have been overwhelmed since the phone rang on Monday evening to tell us of your passing. We have cried many tears, and then laughed at many memories and times we shared with you. We have thought of all the wonderful times you encouraged me and my husband over the last 22 years,(and especially in the last year since we moved back to Louisiana!) and then found ourselves asking each other what we would do without your encouragement and smiles that you always gave to us so freely. There will be a void in our life...that's for sure. But we know that each time a rememberance of you is brought to our mind, a smile will follow!

Things just won't be the same without you...especially at church and on the platform. It will be hard for us to look over at the place you always sat and played your guitar. Your voice will be missed when we have special songs. We will have to find a new normal and learn to get through without you. But, one thing for sure...we will never forget you! We loved you too much!

Prayer Request

2010-05-25T12:18:00.000-07:00

We just got back home from Arkansas. We had just arrived and started unpacking when we received the call that a dear friend of ours and a member of our church had been taken to the hospital with a heart attack/stroke and died. Our hearts have been heavy and grieved since the call. Our focus was on coming home and being with this family that has been a dear friend to us for many, many years.

Please say a prayer for the Hyatt family and for our church family. Wayne Hyatt was a great asset to our congregation and our platform will not be the same without him there. My heart is heavy...my questions are many...

I can't help but smile at the conversation I had with Bro. Wayne Hyatt just this past Sunday morning before service started. I asked him, "How are you, Bro. Wayne?"
He answered in the usual response that he always had..."I was good...but now I'm better."

He LOVED to come to the house of the Lord and worship Him in praise and song. He loved the preached word of God. He simply was a joy to be around and you were going to laugh and smile if you were in his presence. It's just who he was.

I can't help but think that if I could ask him about now, "How are you, Bro. Wayne?" that his response would be even more so..."I was good...but now I'm better!"

You see, the view he has now is so much better than what we are left with here in this earthly body. The joy he has is so much greater than what we can experience here. The peace and rest that he's entered into is far beyond what one can find here on earth. Yes, I'd have to say that he was doing pretty good here...but now he's so much better!

VACATION!!!

2010-05-23T20:34:00.000-07:00

Ahhh...tomorrow morning starts our vacation. We're leaving about 5am to head out to Arkansas. My in-laws have been there for the past week and we are going to join them. I'm so ready for a vacation...so ready!

See you all in a week or so.

Early Birthday Present...

2010-05-20T07:38:00.000-07:00

Landon's birthday is in a couple weeks, but he's getting to enjoy his present a little early. Mainly because we let him pick out what he wanted, and he couldn't wait for us to put it up!

He's wanted a trampoline for a long time, but momma has been set against him having one because I didn't want to deal with all the injuries I hear about happening on a trampoline. Needless to say, Landon won out when he hugged me and kissed me in the store yesterday and told me that he 'loved me bigger than space'...I mean, really, it's not fair when he pulls those kind of stunts!

He jumped straight out of bed and went outside to see if the trampoline was set up this morning. My poor husband had been working since about 6:30 on it and was hoping to have it completed before Landon came outside. That didn't happen!

My apologies for the lack of clothing in this picture, but he didn't take time to get clothes on, and I wanted pictures of when he first seen it and got on it.

And of course, daddy is not as easy going as momma on the no clothes thing, so he sent him inside real fast to get some clothes on so momma could take decent pictures to post 'to show the world just what the Kennon family is up to because we wouldn't want the world to go a day without knowing what we're doing now, would we?' (He cracks me up with his annoyance with my blogging sometimes.)

Don't worry...we bought a safety enclosure net and padding for all the poles, but Landon wanted to jump on it while daddy is working on finishing it.

And, just so that the world knows everything that the Kennon family is up to, I thought I'd post these pictures. Because, you know...I want the whole truth out there, honey!

Now...that's enough playing...get finished with installing the safety enclosure, dear! Or, I'll have to tell the world on you!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-04-28T09:19:00.001-07:00

It's been a while since I have joined in on any of the games and such on here, so I decided to change that today and join Wordless Wednesdays with Tanya. Come join in on all the fun photos...

TEXAS Bound!!!!!!!!

2010-04-28T08:18:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited that Landon and I will be leaving in the morning to go spend a few days in Texas with my family. My sister and baby brother are going to meet us there also, so we'll all be at moms together once again.

Landon seen the specialist on Monday and he said his nose is healing really well, and the sinus cavity and nostrils are looking great. His only suggestion was that Landon not bump his nose in any way or rub it or pick it for the next four to six weeks. Hmmmm...yeah...that's gonna be hard to watch out for. He's four. Four-yr old's pick their nose. You can't stop them. And, they are going to run and probably fall at some point in a month. Especially if they are boys! But, we'll try.

My cousin is getting married on Saturday, and Landon is the ring bearer. I'm hoping, praying, crossing my fingers, and anything else I can think of that he just walks down the aisle, and stands like he's supposed to and does not make any scenes to embarrass me. He's all boy and does not like to stand still very long and becomes bored pretty fast. This ought to be fun...

PRICELESS!!!

2010-04-25T22:22:00.000-07:00

Going to church on Sunday...GOOD
Seeing God touch many lives in the service...BETTER
Watching your child reach out and pray to God...PRICELESS!

Landon praying at the pew in church on Sunday night...

Anthony praying with Landon at the altar...

Mommy and Daddy praying with their baby boy!

Landon and his friend, Logan praying at the altar...I love these two boys!

Update on Landon....

2010-04-23T14:48:00.000-07:00

Landon went to see the specialist again this morning and his sinus cavities are 30% unblocked and he's breathing so much better. I'm so thankful that the test results today showed that he has very little damage to the cartilage of his nose and that in time (about six weeks), all the cartilage will be well and the inflammation will be gone. All I know is he's a tough little guy. He has not taken his pain medication in two days and says that he can handle the pain cause he don't want to sleep. (Guess he figured out real fast that the pain medicine makes him sleepy.)

He has another appointment on Monday morning to see if we will have to do a small procedure at the hospital on Tuesday morning to drain his sinus cavity and nasal passages. I'm hoping and praying that they continue to drain on their own because my plans are to leave Wednesday morning to go to my parents house and spend a week or two. If he has to have the procedure done, he won't be able to ride that far because of the bleeding risk. SO...here's to much prayer and hope that all goes well!

I'm SOOOO ready to see all my family in Texas! And, all my church family in GP!

Another day...Another Doctor!

2010-04-20T20:36:00.001-07:00

Actually, it was TWO more doctors.

When we took Landon to the doctor this morning, he sent him straight over to see a new ENT specialist that only deals with children and mainly with the nose. He showed my husband and I just where the three fractures were and then told us that his main concern is that Landon has blood in his sinus cavities and his right nostril is 100% blocked by blood that has clotted and the left is 90% blocked with clotted blood. So, that fully explained why he has been having a difficult time breathing and has been having to breath through his mouth.

We really liked this new doctor and were very pleased with the way he explained everything to us. He is allowing us to wait until Monday to make the decision on whether or not we want to proceed with the surgical procedure that he would normally do for this type of fracture. The swelling must be down more and the blood must be drained before he can do anything else. We are praying that the blood loosens and begins to drain on it's own or we will have to do a procedure to drain it.

The ENT's main concern is Landon's age and his being able to handle the procedure and the pain involved. Since he can only be given a local anesthetic, he would feel a lot of the pain involved with going into the nose and packing it and putting a splint on the nose. He suggest that we wait and take it day by day and make our decisions as they need to be made. He's seen grown men and teenagers not be able to handle the procedure very well, so he is concerned that Landon would be too young for this to be a successful procedure.

Landon was not concerned...he said, "I'm tough. I've already had stitches."

He has NO CLUE! lol

He's been a trooper! He never complains unless his medicine has worn off and he's hurting a lot, or until he lays down to sleep and he can't breath well. He has to be propped up with lots of pillows to sleep but his favorite place to sleep has been in my arms in the rocking chair. He says he just feels better when I hold him that way. Honestly, I feel better too because I can check on him without getting up and I can know that he is breathing well. However...my arms HURT when I put them down to my side. I think they are beginning to shrink to that curved position.

For the next few days, Landon has to wear a mask when he's in public or anytime he's outside the house in order to try and keep all the allergens, pollen, and dirt and germs out of his inflamed nostrils. The last thing we need is to make this worse by an infection. He has a small infection now, but it's being treated with antibiotics. I hate the looks of this mask thingy, but he thinks it's super cool.

He feels like some kind of superhero in it! He even got out his Superman cape tonight and wore it around the house with his mask on. I just don't know about the boy...

Another battle scar...

2010-04-19T11:54:00.000-07:00

The ER doctors and nurses here are going to know us by name...actually they already know Landon's name. When we walked in the door Saturday evening after Landon fell at the church playing basketball, they said, "Hey, there's our brave little buddy."

After a CT they found that his nose was broke in three places, and that his sinus cavity and nose is filled with blood. So, he's going to see an ENT specialist tomorrow morning to see what they need to do from here. After he got over the pain part of it and the medication started working, he was pretty proud of his battle scar.

Waiting to see the doctor after we got the blood cleaned off.

On his way to get a CT. He told the man that he didn't know why they had a wheelchair for him, because he could still walk...he just broke his nose.

He was pretty amazed by the CT machine and had a TON of questions when it was all over.

My baby's pretty bruises on Sunday evening. At least most of the swelling is gone down. I cannot wait till this heals. It makes he hurt to look at it. Landon, on the other hand is proud of it. BOYS!

Fishing

2010-04-16T13:38:00.001-07:00

We took Landon to a friend's pond yesterday and let him fish a while. We've been running full speed ahead all week with the funeral services Monday night and Tuesday and then we had three individuals in the hospitals that we have been running back and forth to. We weren't able to take our normal days off on Monday and Thursday, so we had to stop the rush and spend some time with Landon. We decided to turn the cell phones off for a couple hours and just relax and spend the evening with a few of our friends fishing.

He's always a happy little boy when he has a hook in the water.

Landon took the next two pictures by himself. He wanted everyone to see his rubber boots and the view from his chair.

I was pretty impressed with this picture he took. He's getting pretty good at working my camera and the zoom lens too. Not bad for a four-yr. old! And you can see why he loved this fishing spot so much...he could watch the horse and fish.

Oh, and by the way...I caught the biggest fish.

Farewell to another hero...

2010-04-13T18:22:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful Home going service today for Pastor G. David Hennigan. When a man lives his life in a manner that his spirit speaks even after the life has gone from his body, there are no words to describe the loss you feel.

The service today was a beautiful tribute to a great man of God. I have never sat in a funeral and felt such a sweet and overwhelming presence of God like I did today. There were many tears, but they were tears of sadness that we had all lost a special friend, confidante, pastor, mentor, here in this life. There was sadness at the thought of not being able to see him here and go to him for his counsel or advice on the situations we face. Yet, in the midst of the sadness and tears was that beautiful sense of peace that flooded your soul and just put a smile on your face.

We will miss you, Pastor Henningan. Anthony and I will miss your touch on our lives, we will miss your guidance, we will miss that voice that spoke such words of wisdom to us. That voice that we have found much strength and much peace in, especially in this last year of our lives. But as much as we will miss you, we know that your view today is much better than anything here on this earth. We know that cancer only took the body...not the soul. The cancer has been defeated in death, but you have won the final victory. Heaven.

We bid farewell to a great man of God. You carried the gospel of Jesus Christ like no other man will ever be able to do. You were a giant of a man in our lives. Not just physically, but spiritually.

Rail Road Festival

2010-04-12T08:27:00.000-07:00

The town we live in is all about Rail Roads. Every year, on the second weekend in April, we have a RR Festival and it's a big thing for this small town.

Landon was super excited because he got to ride the fire truck in the parade on Friday. He was all about waving to everyone and throwing candy out the window.

He had that wave down...

Of course, when he seen me and my camera, he had to start with the goofy faces.

After the parade, it was time for the festival to open and all the fun to begin...

The bumper cars was one of his favorites.

My favorite time at the festival was at night, because it was so neat with all the lights from the booths and the rides.

I even got brave and let Anthony talk me into riding the Ferris wheel with him and Landon so I could get a picture of the whole festival and all the pretty lights at night, and pictures of the town.

On the way up to the top of the Ferris wheel, I got this picture of part of the town...

My next picture was supposed to be of the whole festival, but when I turned to look behind me, I got sick and felt light headed and decided to take a 'short nap'...OK, you can call it passing out if you want. WHATEVER!

I guess you and I will just have to take my husband's word for it that it was a beautiful sight since I have no pictures after that moment. Yep, he had to take me home. He says I was green by the time he got me home and on the couch. But, since we have no pictures of that either, I'm inclined to think maybe he was exaggerating a bit!

On Saturday, Landon was up and ready to head back to the festival again...

Oh, the fun we had Friday and Saturday...looking forward to doing it all again when the next one rolls into town.

Brave Soldier...Welcome Home!

2010-04-10T13:36:00.000-07:00

A neighboring pastor and our sectional presbyter, Rev. David Hennigan, took his flight to glory land this morning. No more cancer, no more pain, no more tears for him. For those of us who knew him and have been influenced by his life, the tears flow freely. My heart is so mixed up in emotions at this time, and so many questions are zooming in my head. One thing I know...HIS ways are higher than our ways, and HIS thoughts are higher than our thoughts. God has a plan. A master plan. At this time, we can't seem to understand the way His plan has worked out, but we trust Him.

I'm amazed at how Pastor Hennigan has walked this road with such amazing grace and strength. I watched him sit in a Sunday night service a couple of months ago when Anthony and I visited his church, weak from his treatments, yet enjoying the presence of God. He called my husband to the front to help pray for some individuals, and my husband walked out of the church that night and said to me, "If I'm ever overtaken by a disease, my prayer is that I walk through it with the grace and dignity that Pastor Hennigan is."

This photo is probably one of my favorites of Pastor Hennigan. We were attending the annual Fall ministers and wives banquet this past October when all the ministers from the section gathered together in prayer along with our District Superintend and prayed for Pastor Hennigan. There was such a strong and sweet presence of God in that room at that moment. I'll never forget that feeling.

I've heard the statement, 'He lost his battle with cancer' many times this day, but I have to beg to differ with that. HE WON. Big Time! When heaven is involved, there is no loosing. Cancer took the temporary...not the eternal. Cancer destroyed the body...not the soul! Our loss is great here on earth without him being present in body, but the promise of spending eternity with the One he served with his whole heart allows us to cry and grieve with hope of a brighter day that's coming.

My prayers and thoughts are with his wife, who has just been an awesome role model for myself, and his son and his church family. There are some hard days ahead for everyone. But, oh what a promise we have...Heaven...and eternity together again one day!

Easter Sunday

2010-04-05T13:39:00.000-07:00

My sweet boy on Easter Sunday...

Candy Rain time...

Landon's buddies that he stays with a lot when we have a funeral or something at church that he can't go to.

Handsome!

2010-03-19T16:50:00.000-07:00

I stopped on the way home from Landon's haircut today and took a couple more pics. I loved this one.

My Therapy...

2010-03-19T12:04:00.000-07:00

Grabbing my camera and heading out to take pictures of this little guy is the best therapy I've found! Not only am I outdoors in this beautiful weather, but we get to discover lots of new places. And, I get memories that will last a lifetime. Best kind of therapy I've found.

I love how serious he was in this one. Several people were passing and stopped to watch him so he put on a show for them. He done all kinds of serious poses for me!

Now, off to get his hair cut and then on to more therapy. It's a beautiful day here and I need some sunshine!!

If I wasn't so tired and stressed...

2010-03-15T21:14:00.000-07:00

I would have found it all very funny!

Actually, that's a lie...I found it funny anyway.

I was tending to my daily chores and such when Landon came running in and told me, "Mom, I really, really like that toddler paint and paint brush that you bought for me. It's the perfect size for my hands."

HUH??? I was confused, until he took me and showed me his creation.

WHITE PAINT was everywhere...all over my washer, dryer, my beautiful shelf, and yes, he had even painted on of my crystal vases for me.

Only...it. wasn't. paint.

It was...

Needless to say, we no longer have 'toddler paint' in our house. It's history. But, I did save the crystal vase he painted for me. I'm sure I will look back on it one day and smile and laugh...but not today. It was one of my favorite vases that I use to put fresh flowers in.

My two boys...

2010-03-13T10:11:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you just gotta let the house and all your duties go for a while and go outside for some fresh air!

YEP...the slide was wet! Of course I knew it was wet, but I wasn't going to tell him that and ruin a good picture moment!

Even Landon thought it was funny...

Once you're wet...you might as well go ahead and have a little fun...

Nothing like getting stuck on the slide...

Fun times...now we're headed out again to enjoy this beautiful weather for yet another day.

Back in the land of the living...

2010-03-08T16:38:00.000-08:00

We drove to the beach Saturday because the weather was perfect here and because my husband knew I so needed to get out of the house. I had spent most of the week indoors because I had been having problems with asthma and allergies and seizures. Trust me, those three are not a good combination. My husband had to leave church early with me Sunday night because I was so sick and passing out. When I get extremely exhausted I start having these spells and then the seizures start. I was in bed for a few days and just feeling better when the asthma started bothering me. I think I enjoyed the sunshine and warm weather much more than he and Landon did, because I had been indoors for so long.

Landon was in a posing little mood...and I took advantage of it! My husband said he knew I was sick because the battery on my camera was dead and I hadn't bothered to charge it until I knew we were going somewhere Saturday morning. The battery on my camera always stays charged and ready.

It felt so good to be outdoors! On our ride back home, we found a house that we thought we might be able to get pretty cheap. It needs a little work, but it's hard to find a house with a pond in the front yard.

We almost put a bid in on the house, but this guy that we found a little further down from it changed out mind!!! I just don't think he'd make a good neighbor.

Home again...

2010-03-01T16:38:00.000-08:00

We made it home late Saturday from Texas. My grandmothers funeral was simply beautiful. I had planned to stay with my mom and not come home till sometime this week, but decided to head back home around noon on Saturday. I will be going back next week to help go through some of my grandmothers things. What a collector she was! When we opened the doors to one of the storage buildings in her back yard, we got a surprise! Hundreds, and I mean HUNDREDS of porcelain dolls and thousands of S&P shakers were in there also. At this time we know that there are over 10,000 sets of S&P shakers. (No that's not a typo...I meant to type 10,000 sets.) We knew she was a collector, we had seen all the things she had in her home on a regular basis, but what we didn't know was that she never threw anything out! We knew there were collections in the three buildings in the back yard, we just didn't know how much.

I brought home a lot of the chef S&P shaker sets for my cabinet in my kitchen that has all my chef collections. I found several of them that my grandfather brought home from Germany when they first married 67 years ago. I also got their wedding china. I have looked at it a hundred times and cried and cried to think that I have something so precious. When my aunt Pam told me to pack up my grandmothers wedding china I couldn't stop crying or smiling. I never thought I'd get something as precious as that. I also got my great grandmothers china...it's missing a few pieces, but I wouldn't trade it for anything!

As if that wasn't enough, as I was walking out the door, my aunt handed me their family Bible. WOW...all the writings and memories and pictures that were inside! It now has a special home in a curio cabinet in my husbands office. The curio cabinet in my husbands office was hand made by his grandfather and given to him for his office when we moved here. These are some priceless items and we get to enjoy them every day since we spend so much time at the church and in the office. I can't help but smile when I look at that cabinet. I place several other items that were given to us of my grandparents and his in it, so we'd have some special memories.

I have been told that I can have anything in the house and storage buildings I want, because there is simply so much stuff that they just don't know what to do with it all. I told my husband that I now know where I get all my 'collecting' genes from. Actually, I knew it all along. I remember admiring all my grandmothers collections as a kid, and thinking someday that I would have collections too when I got married. I remember many times when she would come to my house for something, and her saying, "Carolyn, honey, you come by this collecting honestly. I love collecting stuff. You get this from me cause your momma sure don't have it in her."

Grandma...you would be proud of the way your collectibles look in my home...you'd be so proud! I'm running out of room to put them, but that's okay because we're about to move into a much bigger house, so I'll put them up till then and when I bring them out in the new place I'll be able to smile and reminisce about you yet again.

Oh, and that candy dish that I used to always sneak candy out of...yeah, I got it too! I know you'll be looking down and smiling the first time Landon sneaks a piece of candy from it.

Welcome to Heaven, Grandma!

2010-02-19T12:53:00.000-08:00

Heaven just welcomed one of the most beautiful angels they've ever seen. My grandmothers struggle with life just ended a few moments ago. To say I'm heartbroken would be an understatement. However, the silver lining to this cloud of death is that she is no longer a stranger in her own body. She's no longer struggling to feel better. She's at home. She's with her love once again.

My precious mother made sure she was looking beautiful before she went to meet my grandfather. Mom helped the nurse bathed her this morning, put a pretty gown on her, and fixed her hair and all so nice. Oh, if you could have seen her...the picture my mom sent with her hair fixed all pretty...oh...now to just process through all the hurts and tears that death leaves to those of us still here on earth.

As sad as I am, I wouldn't call her back for one moment. If I could see her now, I probably would wipe these tears away and be smiling. I have a sneeky feeling there will be some 'dancing' in heaven tonight. My heart tells me to smile because her and grandpa are finally together again. But, my eyes don't always listen to my heart. I just wished I could see them waltzing across the heavens while that band of angels played for them!

What a legacy she has left...Landon is the 137th grandchild (there are 5 generations) and he's not the last one. :-)

Say a prayer for my husband...my moms brothers and sisters have asked him to do the service. It's such an honor for him, yet his heart is as broken as ours. He's loved her like his own grandmother for the 21 years we've been married. She made the statement several times that he was just like her own.

My husband and Grandma last month when we went home for a few days to spend some time with her.

Myself, Landon, Anthony and Grandma

Grandma with my Uncle Carlos who was so much more than a son-n-law to her. This is my moms baby sister's husband. My grandmother lived with them since my grandfather passed and they took care of her so well! It was perfect for my grandmother because she lived three houses down from her own house, so she could still feel like she was close to home. Thanks, Uncle Carlos for always taking such good care of her!

We celebrated her 82nd birthday just a couple of weeks ago...and now she's received the best birthday gift...Heaven!

HMMMMM....

2010-02-18T22:03:00.000-08:00

I absolutely love the way my little boy's mind works. I just love it! We have started Children's Church on Wednesday nights at church and the kids are loving it. It's great to see them excited about the Bible being taught on their level. Landon always comes out of children's church bouncing up to me and telling me all about what he learned. Last night he was NOT happy at all about his lesson. I couldn't for the life of me understand why he was not jumping up and telling me all the things he learned and showing me his craft.

When we got in the car to come home, I asked him what his lesson was about and his reply was, "I just don't want to talk about it."

You can imagine the questions that went through my mind. I knew that the literature I had bought for them was taking a walk through the Ten Commandments. I also knew that the lady teaching the class is SUPER with her explanations and very good at getting the points across. So, being the ever questioning mom that I am, I done some digging and called his teacher and asked her what the lesson was on and if Landon had acted funny in class. I should have known everything was okay when she started laughing.

The lesson was on the commandment, Children Obey Your Parents. I was still a little confused at why Landon was not wanting to talk to me about it, so his dad and I sat down and talked to him today and asked him again, 'Landon, what was your lesson about last night?'

Again, he replied, "I just don't want to talk about that."

I asked him if it was on children obeying his parents, and I wish I would have had a camera rolling to catch his response. He looked at me really serious and asked, "You know about that one?" "Does dad know about it?"

I promise you, I almost lost it. We can only assume that he thought if we didn't know about it and if he didn't tell us about it, then it wasn't so and it wouldn't be enforced at home. I love that kid so much! I love his honesty, I love the way his mind thinks, I love that sad little look he got on his face when I told him 'YES' that his dad and I knew about that commandment and that he had to do what the Bible said and he had to obey us when we told him to do something.

And, I love his response to my answer! He looked at me with the saddest look on his face and simply walked away saying, "HMMMMMM..."

I love you Landon...you make your mommy smile! You have brought so much joy and laughter into our home...whatever would me and daddy do without you?? I never want to know.

He's a BIG BOY...

2010-02-15T23:36:00.000-08:00

Well, Landon survived his first trip to the ER to get stitches! We were having a Valentine's Dinner at our church Friday night and he was playing with some other children in the church nursery, when I heard a scream and cry saying, 'MOMMA! It hurts bad!'

I knew from the moment I looked at him that we were going to be taking a trip to the ER. When I took a rag and wiped his mouth to see the actual cut, my fears were confirmed. I could see where he had cut completely through his lip.

When we arrived at the hospital, my husband carried him in and the nurse gave us a bigger ice pack to put on Landon's mouth, and called a pediatrician in to stitch his lip. The cut is in the corner of his mouth where it's going to be hard to heal because you constantly move your mouth.

Before the doctor gave Landon the shot to deaden the area, he had my husband hold his hands down and me to hold his head and chin, while the nurse held his feet. Landon looked at the doctor and said, 'I'm not gonna cry or hit you, I'm a big boy and big boys don't cry.' I don't think the doctor trusted him, and told us to continue holding him. When he put the needle in and Landon didn't move a muscle, he smiled and asked him if he felt that. Landon told him he did feel it, and that it hurt a little, but he was a big boy and big boys don't cry when they get shots.

The doctor told us to let him go, and he continued to deaden the area and stitch him up. We stood and looked on amazed. My only fear is that he hasn't learned a lesson in all this because his words as we were leaving were..."If I have to come here again, I know it don't hurt too bad, Mom!"

The doctor told us that he wished he could say 'It was nice to meet you' but instead decided to say, 'See you guys later' because he had a feeling we'd be back with this one. Oh, the joys of raising a little boy...

Friends & Laughter

2010-02-11T08:36:00.000-08:00

I couldn't ask for better friends. I might could ask for more normal friends...but definitely not better friends than these girls!

We celebrated Tiffany's birthday by getting together and going to eat breakfast at Cracker Barrel, then off to the mall to shop. I'm not much of a shopper, but this wasn't your normal shopping trip so I was good.

Tiffany is a photographer who ROCKS at what she does. To say she's awesome at photography is an understatement! So, what do you buy someone like her? She has every piece of photography equipment you could imagine, but we found a few she didn't have.

We made our own version of Photography for Dummies...my friend who has amazing computer skills helped us out.

Here's a close up...

And I found an awesome camera...(PLASTIC! FROM DOLLAR TREE!) and we made it into a Nikon camera because she is a Nikon user.

And we couldn't forget a flash for her new camera! Yep...it was a book of matches with our own cover on it. Told you my friend has amazing computer skills!

Along with the camera and flash, we got her a 'picture cd'...not your normal kind that you store pictures on. Nope, ours was a cd with pictures of her friends taped to it. You just can't beat friends like us that know how to buy these kinds of gifts!

Then it was off to the mall for many more laughs. When you're with these nuts you just gotta have a camera ready. You never know what they are going to get into. That's just how they roll.

I love you guys! You're the greatest. I can't wait till our day out next month. Our husbands say they can't turn us loose in public together but once a month! It's a small town, and they can't handle all of us together that often.

Church In A Day...FINISHED!

2010-02-08T02:15:00.000-08:00

Well, the church is finished but I don't have pictures of the finished product. We had to leave early because my husband became very ill. I think it had a lot to do with working in the cold and wet conditions. He tried to stick it out till it was completed, but just couldn't. Several of the men were sick or not feeling well from being out in the weather.

Here's some pictures that I have of the church being finished on Saturday. I'll have pics of the finished and decorated inside in a few days since we're going to visit them in a couple of weeks. They did have a wonderful service in their new building Sunday at 2pm. We're so happy for our friends! I really love that the building process made the front page news...a WHOLE page dedicated to it, with full color pictures.

This particular 'Church In A Day' was special to us because it was for one of my husband's friends. They work together on Foreign and Home Missions for the Louisiana District.

Landon was there for a couple of hours Saturday...And OF COURSE, he found the mud to be exciting!

He wasn't the only one...all the kiddos found the mud to be the playground of choice.

As soon as we go see our friends and get some pictures of the finished building, I'll post some pictures. It's amazing that on Friday morning they started with a slab and by midnight Friday the structure was complete, and the inside work was being started. Then to be able to have their first service on Sunday in a completed building, fully decorated, (curtains and all!) just amazes me every time! I think this is one of the greatest things to be a part of that our organization does. I'm just thankful that we have almost eight months to rest before the next one is started.

Church In A Day...Part 2

2010-02-06T08:46:00.000-08:00

Well, here's a few pictures of the progress of the church as of about 10pm last night. My husband and the crew from our church stayed till almost 3am this morning because they were so far behind due to weather related conditions. Work resumed this morning at 7am, but we won't be going till noon. I'm excited about seeing the finished product, and I know that all the workers will be excited to see things finished.

When I tell you it was muddy, that's an understatement! We've had rain for the last week here in Louisiana, so you can imagine how bad it was.

Told you it was muddy...

So many workers doing so many different things at the same time!

The inside coming together...

One of my husband's preacher friends and I were in a camera war and just got shots of each other taking pictures of the other.

But...I caught him off guard and WON!!!

We called this our People Aquarium...I think the A/C guys were as amused by it as we were because they kept posing for us! LOL

This was the popular footwear for the day...

I love that our District Supertendent, Rev. Kevin Cox, even came to help!

There was quite a bit of fun mixed in with all the work...

But there was always someone with a bullhorn to get everyone back on track!

My husband, and a couple of the guys from our church were TIRED...they didn't stop working till almost 3am and are headed back to work till it's completed today.

So, hopefully when I get home this evening I'll have pictures of a completed and fully decorated church building. After the guys finish all their painting and carpet laying and finishing touches today, us ladies get to go in and make the place beautiful! To say I'm excited about the decorating part is an understatement. That's like the icing on a warm cake!

Church In A Day

2010-02-05T08:18:00.000-08:00

And the walls are going up...

Here's where we will be all day long today...in Grand Lake, Louisiana. We're helping build a church for Pastor Kelley and his congregation...IN ONE DAY! They will actually have service in the building Sunday morning! It's unbelievable to watch. This is such an awesome program and I'm so excited to be able to be a part of it. We have a group of workers from our church here helping. I'll have lots of good pictures when I get home and can download from my good camera. This mobile pic is blurry, but it's not necessarily because of it being a mobile picture...it has more to do with it being foggy, WET and chilly! Lots of rubber boots being worn around here today!

I Wrote A Note To The Devil...

2010-01-29T12:40:00.000-08:00

You can laugh if you want, but that's what I've done today. I've wrote him a note...and I've told him that I will overcome and I will win in this battle that's raging at the present. I've left the note in an unusual place. I left it on the bottom of my shoe...

Here's why...

And the God of peace shall bruise Satan UNDER your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen." Rom 16:20

See, I know he'll be able to read it from there!

I'm thankful that I know the God of PEACE! He alone can give peace in the midst of the storm.

WHY I need my camera...

2010-01-27T11:14:00.001-08:00

If I could tell the story in words, then I wouldn't need to lug my camera around everywhere I go.

I'm pretty sure I could never find the right words to tell you the story that this picture will tell you.

My mom is the most impatient person ever. Seriously, she just cannot stand to wait on someone...there are so many funny stories I could share about this subject, but I'd be up for adoption if I did! Yet, as impatient as she is with most people, I was moved to tears Sunday when I watched her sit like this for almost an hour feeding her mom. I watched her grind up chicken meat in the food processor so that it was like baby food so her mom could eat it easily. As I sit there and watched how she enjoyed every single minute of patiently feeding her mom, I had to get up and walk outside before the tears escaped to my cheeks.

I now understand the statement, "A picture is worth a thousand words"...I fully understand that statement.

I had just gained control of my tears and walked back inside when I heard my grandmother say to my mom, "Honey, that was good...whoever you are."

My heart broke in a million pieces as I listened to my mom say, once again, "You're welcome, MOM...I'm Elsie...your daughter. I'm glad you enjoyed it."

Oh the things that Alzheimer’s takes from you...

And here's another reason I carry my camera...

Landon was so interested in everything my grandmother said and done. He would just stand beside her and watch her.

The one thing that Alzheimer's disease cannot take from you is the love you have for the individual that you know is lost inside somewhere. Nothing can take that away!

The preciousness of TIME

2010-01-19T08:49:00.000-08:00

Have you ever made the statement, 'If I had known then what I know now'?

I know I've made that statement at least a million times. There are many situations that I know would have a different outcome if I had the chance to live them all over again. I've asked myself the questions over and over...

One of the things that causes me to recognize the preciousness of time is all the WASTE of time I experienced in my past.

Why did I spend years of my life wasting time trying to reconcile and make peace with someone who didn't care about me in the first place. Why did I spend so many years trying to please an individual who was putting more hurt than good into my life. Why did I react to that situation in the manner that I did? Why did I spend so much time and energy on such frivolous things that never amount to squat? Why? Why? Why?

By looking back, I realize now, that there were so many other opportunities knocking at my door then and I just didn't recognize them, I didn't see them for what they were. However...I can't change the past, so why dwell on it? Dwelling on all that I may have done wrong in the past won't make the future any better. No, all I can do is change the present so that my actions and reactions of today will make a difference in my tomorrows. What I can change is my MINDSET.

So, Lord, with the time that I have left, I am going to make every day count. I'm going to do what the Bible says and 'redeem the time'. I'm gonna make my latter days greater than my former days. I'm gonna spend my energy on things that will count for something.

There are some criticism's that I simply will not respond to, because I don't have time to spend the rest of my life, explaining my life and my choices to people who can't understand what God is doing in me and for me. There will be some enemies that I won't even try to resolve conflict with...they can go ahead and have a problem with me, I don't have the time to have a problem with them because I've got to preserve the time, maximize the moment, and move into my destiny!

I will lend my energy to the right things...not to foolishness and definitely not to wastefulness! I just don't have time...and frankly, I have a different mindset. My focus is on greater things that are yet to come. I've been called here for a purpose, my vision is great, my hands are ready for the work, my life has greater purpose than dealing with the pettiness and little issues that would only distract me from what God really wants to work through me.

I am going to redeem the time I have left! Greater things are yet to come, Greater things are still to be done...when and only when I let go of all things in the past, put my trust in HIM and let HIM lead me into a new dimension.

Family time...

2010-01-18T14:01:00.000-08:00

My in-laws had all four of their boys and their families at their house this weekend. I don't think I've seen either of them smile this much in a long time!
Maw Maw kept getting attacked by the younger grand kids every time she sat down, but I don't think she minded a bit...

I don't know if you're going to be able to handle all the happiness in this next picture, so I'll warn you ahead of time...the boys were so THRILLED and all smiles to take a snapshot with their daddy...I mean really excited about it. (They just weren't in the mood for pictures because they were relaxed and just having fun watching us girls be crazy. They didn't want to be bothered with a picture.)

I do not even want to see all the pictures that my sis-n-law caught on camera...there's really no telling what will show up on Facebook in the next few days!

We had dinner together on Saturday, and went to a church function that night, then we went to church Sunday morning and all had Sunday dinner together. I SO needed all the laughs that us girls had together this weekend! I have the greatest sister-n-laws ever, and we are more like sisters than anything else. We have a lot of mutual friends from the church so we all went out to eat with several of the couples in our church Sunday night after the church service and I laughed so much I hurt! It was just the medicine that I needed!

Since I didn't have my camera out much at the house...(You're shocked, I know!)...I'll share a couple of the pictures of Anthony's brother that preached for us Sunday night. They wanted me to take a few pictures of them together, so I'll share them.

Ricky and Nida (He's the only brother that does not live here in the same town as the rest. He pastors a church in Baycliff, Texas).

Their family...including the new little guy, Laingston, who is only three weeks old.

Have you ever tried to take a picture when you are laughing so hard you're shaking? I only wish my camera could have recorded all the conversations during these pictures...but I think the smiles tell most of the story.

It's been a fun weekend, and tomorrow's gonna be a quiet day around here when Ricky and Nida and the kids leave to go back home. But all the laughter and memories will carry us over till the next visit. Now we're off to Maw Maw's house to have another meal and visit before we all go our separate ways for the week.

Then it's home for me...I have a lot of packing to do. Me and Landon are headed to Texas. I can't wait to see all my family and friends there, and maybe even sneak in a visit to one of my favorite churches there...if I get to stay through the weekend.

Today's a special day...

2010-01-15T11:08:00.001-08:00

A long, long, LONG time ago...well not that long, but quite a while ago, one of the most beautiful ladies was born! MY MOTHER!

If you know my mother then you know that her beauty goes way deeper than the natural eye. She is beautiful in spirit and in deed. She is one of the most giving people I know, and has a heart that is full of love and kindness towards others.

I have seen my mother buy Christmas for people she had never met before, she'd only heard of them through friends that they were having a hard time, and she would make sure they had plenty. I've seen her take groceries to families who were in need, and not just any groceries. No, she'd make sure she bought the 'good stuff' that people enjoy eating. I asked her once why she thought she had to buy them snacks and cookies and chips and not just stick to things that made big meals and the staples. Her reply was simple..."Carol, the staples will feed their natural bodies, but all these extra goodies feed their soul and makes them feel better about what they are going through." I didn't ask any more questions, but just pulled out some money to help her pay for the 'good stuff'.

I've seen her rush to the store and buy people new clothes to wear to their loved ones funeral because she knew they didn't have dress clothes and knew they didn't have the money to buy them. She didn't want them to have to worry about such a simple thing and wanted them to feel as dressed up as possible on a day that it would mean a lot to them. I've watched her go the extra mile and even iron the clothes for them.

I've seen her stand strong in situations that I knew was breaking her heart, and be the strength that her family or friend needed. I've watched her be brave and stand at her father's bedside, with a smile on her face, until he passed from this life. I've watched her take care of all the details of her nephews funeral after he was murdered. I knew her heart was breaking and yet she made sure she took care of all the little details that her sister wanted yet couldn't bear to handle. I've always been amazed at how she never forgets to take flowers or wreaths to their graves on every single holiday and birthday...she hasn't forgot one date.

I've watched her care for her mother in these last stages of Alzheimer's Disease. I've watched her heart break in the silence and safety of her home, yet never one time does she wavier from the task at hand. I've watched her hold back tears when her mother asks her a dozen times what her name is and what she is doing at her house. I've watched her smile when she tells her mom over and over, "Momma, I'm Elsie...your daughter. You don't remember me right now, but that's okay. I love you Momma...we'll get you through this."

She's done all this with the grace of an angel and never one time with a complaint coming from her lips. I've made the remark to my mother and expressed anger and disappointment that some of the people who call her a friend and who have received so much from her in the past haven't been there for her during this time. She only corrects me and says, "Carol, I haven't asked them for help, so don't be so ugly and upset. If I call on my friends they will be there. I know they will, I'm just doing what I love to do and know to do."

Honestly, I don't know if I will ever have that kind of grace about me. I've complained and cried to mom many times this past week alone about how I hate what's happening and I've whined about this disease that's taking my grandmother from us over and over. Yet, I haven't heard one negative word from her...not a word. Matter of fact, when I talk to her on the phone, I can hear the smile in her voice when she speaks of what she has done with her mom that day.

So, now you know why I say today is a special day...today's the day that an angel was born and brought into this world not just for me and my family, but for many others also. Happy Birthday, Mom!

Oh, and it wasn't that LONG ago...only about 56 years ago. But I won't tell anyone how old you are, Mom. Your secret is safe with me!

I wish heaven had a telephone...

2010-01-13T22:15:00.000-08:00

I'd call tonight.

I'd just like to make sure that grandpa is ready and looking his best. I'd just like to tell him that his sweetheart is coming to see him soon.

We got the news today that my grandmother has a few months, at the most, to spend with us here in this life. Alzheimer's disease has taken it's toll. It's done just about as much damage as it can do to her here. But, Alzheimer's disease cannot follow her into heaven...for there's no pain or sorrow there.

As all the preparations are made, and Hospice begins to prepare to help us with this journey, I can't help but find comfort in the words my grandmother spoke today as my mom and aunt was bathing her and getting her dressed to eat dinner. She softly spoke, 'It won't be long, and I won't have to hurt like this anymore, and I won't have to be like this. I'll be okay.'

And, she will be okay...grandpa's waiting...probably with a smile on his face.

If I don't visit your blogs or post as often as normal, it's because I will be doing much traveling from Louisiana to Texas in the next several weeks. I don't want my mother to have to face all this without me being beside her as much as possible. I want to be there with her, and I want to spend as much more time as I can with my grandmother. Oh, how I miss not living just a couple of blocks from her right now!

Introducing...Laingston Glenn Kennon

2010-01-08T00:25:00.000-08:00

...my new nephew!

We drove to Baycliff, Texas today to meet our new nephew, who turned a week old today. It was well worth the three hour drive! Of course, while I was there, I had to take some pictures!

I tell you, he is precious...right down to his little feet!

Time to get outta the sandbox...

2010-01-05T14:02:00.000-08:00

My husband preached a message Sunday evening about stepping out into the greater things that God has for us in this new year, and about re-arranging our thinking to accept greater things He has for us. As I was sitting here today thinking about the message and all the things that we have dreams of doing this year, it was as if my eyes just opened up to a whole new understanding.

Now, you have to remember that I'm a mom...Landon's a toddler...just 4yrs old. Therefore, I think in simple terms and not like some do. Here's my understanding and explanation of my husband's message:

It's time to stop playing in the 'sandbox'...when God wants to take us to the 'beach'...you know, I like my way of saying it better.

So, I'm off to pack up all my toys, this sandbox is too small for the dreams I have for this year!

It's Officially over...

2010-01-04T21:13:00.001-08:00

I caught Landon eating the last Christmas decoration in our house tonight...so Christmas is officially over with now!

To be honest...we worked so hard on that crazy gingerbread house that I hated to see him destroy it like he did...

But his smile was so worth it!

2010-01-02T21:11:00.000-08:00

We spent a wonderful day with my brother and sister in law today. We took a picnic lunch to Sam Houston Jones State Park and just relaxed. My sister-n-law took some family pictures of us and then I took some of her and her family. Days like today are just too short. Here's some of the photos of our family...

Landon with his Uncle Ron...

Anthony, Landon and Ron...

Some days...

2009-12-30T21:43:00.000-08:00

Some days you're the cookie...some days you're the monster!

Today...well, I'm afraid I've been more of a monster than anything. I am so exhausted. Thankfully, my precious little guy has been so busy with all his Christmas toys that he's hardly even noticed that his mom is a grump today!

Such a small price...

2009-12-29T21:24:00.000-08:00

My mind is so full tonight, and has been most of the day. My husband called me early this afternoon to tell me that a lady in our church's dad had an accident and was killed early this morning. When he told me who it was, my heart slowed it's beating in my chest, and my mind took me back to a busy day about a month ago.

A little over a month ago, I was getting things ready to go out of town to see my mom and some friends in Texas. I had been busy packing and getting bills paid and things ready for the trip, so I just decided to swing through the drive-thru at McDonalds and grab Landon and I some lunch.

As I payed for our food, something just impressed me to pay for the gentleman's order behind me. For a moment I wondered where that thought came from since I could see him in my rear view mirror and clearly didn't know him. I was about to pull forward, when I felt it again...so I asked the cashier at the window if I could please pay for the gentleman's order behind me. She looked at me a bit funny and asked me if it was my dad...then she really looked at me funny when I told her it wasn't, and that I didn't have a clue who he was, that I just wanted to be kind to someone today.

After I payed for both orders I had to pull up and wait on part of our order. The man pulled up to where I was waiting and motioned for me to roll down my window. He asked me why I had payed for his order. I explained to him that I just felt like being nice to someone, and told him I hoped he had a wonderful day. He asked if I knew him, and I told him no. I then told him that he probably knew my father-n-law who has pastored one of the churches in town for over 32 years. When I told him my father-n-laws name he smiled and said, "My daughter goes to your church. I know who you are. You're Anthony's wife."

His next words will forever ring in my ears. He said, "Ma'am, you don't know what this done for me today. Thank you. You just made my day."

See, I didn't know the story or the history of how he had been hurt and had previous unpleasant dealings with church people. I didn't know that I was putting something positive where there had only been negative before. I wasn't aware of all the stories of how he had given to every single person he could and helped out so many people in his life. The wonderful stories I have heard about how he was so kind and helpful to everyone he met makes me wish I had done more than just pay for a little meal. It makes me wish I had gone an extra mile and filled his truck up with gas too. I assure you, if I had known how short his time left here was, I'd have made it a point to do much more for him.

I can't help but think about how we never know the real impact of the simple things we do for others. I say simple because the meal that day was only $5.86, such a small price for a memory. Oh, my prayer today is that I always be listening for that small voice, that nudge, to do something so simple for another because we just don't know where that individual is walking or for how long they are walking among us!

I have NO PICTURES...

2009-12-28T11:00:00.000-08:00

ZERO...ZILCH...NADA...NONE.

I was so sick with a virus Christmas day that I didn't even take my camera out of the car. To say I'm sad would be an understatement, because Landon was so happy the moment he seen all his gifts. Trust me, it's a Christmas that I won't forget...pictures or not. I think I'll always have that picture in my mind of how horrible I looked. When we got home that night and I looked at myself in the mirror, I didn't iron my clothes, brush my hair, nothing! I just went 'as is'. I have to admit, I'm glad no one had a camera to take a picture of me because they would never let me live that one down!

Hope everyone had a blessed, happy and WELL Christmas...now on to a New Year!

Add this to my Christmas list...

2009-12-22T22:57:00.001-08:00

Landon found one more thing he wanted to add to his Christmas list...

That's right...A BUNGEE SWING!

I finally gave in tonight when we were finishing up our Christmas shopping and let him ride the bungee swing. I have been telling him for the last six months that he didn't weigh enough to get on it. Tonight he changed his question. Instead of asking "Do I weigh enough now, Momma?" he decided to ask his daddy, "Daddy, how much do I weigh?" Daddy says, get on the scale son and we'll see. As luck would have it he met the weight requirements.

Honestly, my heart was in my throat when they started getting him strapped in the swing.

He was all smiles...

...and wanted to add one to his Christmas list.

When he was finished swinging, I asked him if he was scared. He replied, "No, not even a little. I love flying high like that mom...next I'm gonna jump out of an airplane."

Ummm...I don't think so, sweetheart!

He's Gone Country...

2009-12-20T22:22:00.000-08:00

We turned our backs for one minute and this is what we found...

The water was ICE COLD...but he didn't care! He said he just had to feel it on his feet one time.

Checking his minnow bucket...I told you he had gone country on us!

But he's happy as can be...and that's what matters!

I HATE FRUITCAKES...

2009-12-16T14:24:00.000-08:00

Thought I'd share a recipe I just received...

For the record...Frankly, I always *suspected* that this is how they made fruitcake ...

Ingredients Needed:
4 Oz. Fruit Bits
1 Railroad Tie
Wood Saw
Large Rubber Mallot
Safety Goggles

WEAR YOUR SAFETY GOGGLES. (Children: Get help from an adult!)
Cut a one-foot section from the middle of your railroad tie.
The resulting block of wood should be the size and shape of a loaf of bread.

Then, take some fruit bits and pound them into the block with your rubber mallet. Spread the colors around, or you might wind up with an ugly fruitcake. Don’t be afraid to throw some elbow grease into that mallet! Good fruit bits should be much harder than the railroad tie, so you can’t break anything.

For best result, you should pre-treat the fruit bits by setting them on top of your garage for a year (or by microwaving them on HIGH for 30 minutes).

Finally, cover it tightly in plastic wrap, and give your loved ones the timeless and enduring gift of fruitcake! Tis the season...to be receiving fruitcakes...from FRUITCAKES!

Ornament Exchange Party

2009-12-15T14:28:00.000-08:00

Last night was our ladies ornament exchange party. I love ornament exchanges. It's just a great time to sit and talk and relax and of course eat with all your friends.

This lady here; Norma, was Mrs. Claus last night. She brought a gift to every lady at the party. We all went home with the neatest Christmas socks. THANK YOU, Norma! She is one of the sweetest and most thoughtful ladies I have ever met!

The lady who was going to be giving our devotional last night was sick so I got a call early that morning asking if I'd do the devotional. They wanted me to give a devotional on something about ornaments since it was an ornament exchange. Ummm...yeah, I was stumped at first. How in the world can you get something religious out of ornaments? I had nothing...but prayer, and that was enough. I told my husband that I had done my part and prayed for God to guide me and give me words to say and studied and read some scriptures...the rest was His job. I'm just a mouthpiece.

I think my husband was getting a bit nervous when he seen me taking a nap a few hours before the party and all I had on the desk was a sheet of paper with Two scriptures on it. When I woke up, so many thoughts were coming to me that I could barely write fast enough. It's a little lengthy, but I'll share here what I shared with the ladies last night.

Galatians 5:22 The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is no law.

Matthew 7:19 "Every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."

Christmas is full of pretty trees, pretty packages, bows, etc. Christmas is a time when we can help but notice all the decorations and lights that are put up. We spend lots of time and money to decorate for the Christmas holiday. I couldn't help but wonder today, HOW IS MY LIFE DECORATED?

Is my life decorated the way God instructed it to be. Is it decorated with the ornaments of the fruits of the spirit?

LOVE: Do I have that true Godly love that the world is searching for? "By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, that you have love one to another?"

JOY: The world offers a fleeting joy. The joy one finds in the things of this world is allusive and like chasing a mirage. People spend years chasing after things that they think will bring joy to their lives only to find out that when that object is obtained, they are still left with that feeling of longing for more. Can others see the joy of God that I've found in my life?

PEACE: With all the chaos surrounding the world today, individuals are naturally drawn to someone who radiates a Godly peace. He is that peace that passes all understanding. Simply put, that means having a peace that does not make sense to you mentally. In times when you should be pulling your hair out and biting your nails, you have an overwhelming sense of peace in your spirit. Is my life decorated with that kind of peace?

LONGSUFFERING: I used to think this word meant to suffer-long. I was pretty sure my life had been decorated with this ornament. Then I read the meaning of the word. It means the 'willingness to stick with things'. Simply put I think it means that God will give me the ability to endure the trials and tribulations and tough times as I wait for my victory. Hmmm...so, am I gonna believe what I see in front of me, or what I know God is capable of doing? AM I going to believe the doctor's report, or am I going to trust in a God that has the power to heal? Definitely an ornament I need to work on.

GENTLENESS: We've been told since we were children to 'Do unto others as you'd have them do unto you', but gentleness goes further than just being nice. I'd always considered myself to be a nice person, until I was put to the test several years ago. When I stood at a crossroads and was asked to show mercy and kindness and forgiveness to a man who had trespassed against me many times, my first instinct was to hold on to the pain and the bitterness that he had caused. I was secretly happy to see him in the position that he was in, it made my heart smile to know that he was experiencing true pain in his life. I was set to turn and walk away without giving forgiveness until my husband took my hand and said, "Honey, you don't deserve the gentleness and kindness of a Holy God and His forgiveness...but you have freely received it...therefore you should give it! That's the day I truly experienced a spirit of gentleness...a feeling that went beyond just being nice. God help me to always remember to give gentleness because You have dealt with me with much gentleness!

GOODNESS: In all it's uses 'good' is a word that means a desirable quality, or something commendable and reliable, kind and noble, admirable, and very much welcomed. Goodness is excellence of character. Now, that's an ornament that we should all seek after.

FAITH: Faith is probably the hardest ornament for most of us to obtain. Mainly because there's only one way to grow faith, and that's by being tested. Faith is believing in something you don't see...long after you thought it would appear. I remember the time in my life that my faith pushed to the limit...the ultimate test for me. When my husband and I walked into my doctor's office after a sonogram had confirmed two weeks earlier that our first baby had no heartbeat and that I was carrying our child dead inside of me. If I ever had faith, it was on that day. I had faith that God was going to give me a miracle, faith that He was going to let this second sonogram prove that the one thing I wanted most in life was going to be a living miracle. When things turned out differently and I was admitted into the hospital that afternoon, I had gone from the highest point of faith to the lowest point of doubt. My ornament of faith had been shattered and I decided to place it in a box in the attic of my heart for a long time. But, I'll never forget that day I decided to unpack my faith and exercise it again and believe once more in a God who is faithful to His promises. I had to wait for 17 years to hold a child of my own, but that only made my oranment of faith all the more precious! I pray that this ornament is one that I leave out long after the Christmas tree is put away. I can always use a little faith in my life!

MEEKNESS: Humble in spirit and manner.
As women we have to bear up under many cares and burdens in a single day. We have husbands to please and take care of, children to nurture and train and teach, a home to maintain...just to name a few. My duty is not just to perform all these things and task but to do so in a way that brings glory to God. WOW...some of us are thinking that this is an ornament that just don't match our decor and colors. Just toss that one out or maybe put it in a box to use another time, another year. But that's not where it belongs. No, it belongs in my life, decorating my life...making me more like Him. I have to remember that if I am lacking the ornament of a meek and quite spirit then I will find myself in a constant irritation, being easily provoked daily. Lord, remind me to pick up the ornament of meekness daily and hang it upon the branch of my life.

TEMPERANCE: Having control over our tempers and emotions.
I know...you're probably thinking exactly what I thought. I DO NOT NEED THAT ORNAMENT! It just don't match, it's the wrong color, it's too big and weighs the branches down too much...let's just leave that one off...it's just too much to deal with! But then I read this scripture in James 1:19-20 "Wherefore my beloved brethern, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God."

Lord control my heart, my mind, my will, my emotions, and yes, Lord...even my tongue!
Lord, let me hang the ornament of temperance upon my tree and polish it daily.

Just as we cherish certain ornaments that we hang on the branches of our Christmas trees year after year and they become heirlooms tied to special memories, my prayer is that each of us would stop and take the time to decorate our lives with these ornaments of the spirit so that our lives would shine so much brighter than any Christmas tree ever put up. After all, our purpose in this life is to let HIS ways shine forth from us so that we can lead others to Him.

Out of the mouth of babes...

2009-12-13T21:37:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been a busy few days for me. We had our Ladies Christmas party/gift exchange in Beaumont, Texas on Thursday night and had a wonderful time. Then on Friday night we had a Redneck Christmas Party with our youth group that was about the funniest thing I have ever attended in my life! Definitely different and very entertaining. I'll have to do a post on that one with pictures later. Then on Saturday night we had our church Christmas banquet.

At the church Christmas banquet Saturday night, the church gave my husband and I and my in-laws our gifts. The church family decided that they wanted to give Landon his own special gift, so they bought him a really neat tent with tunnels and all that he was so excited about. He told his daddy that he wanted to tell everyone thank you again Sunday night, so we thought what harm could that do?

Let me tell you...It was HARMFUL!

After our service Sunday evening, my husband told Landon to come to the platform and stand by him, and then he asked me and my in-laws to come stand there also. My husband said, I think Landon will speak for all of us when he tells you thank you tonight. REALLY???

Well, Landon gets the mike and he tells the church these exact words...
"Thank you for my gift you gave me. I really like the tent. And, last night my daddy crawled in the tent with me and he was crawling in the tunnel part and he got stuck in it, and my mom wanted to get her camera and take a picture, but she couldn't because my daddy was in his pj's...ONLY MY DADDY'S PJ'S IS ACTUALLY JUST HIS UNDERWEAR!"

As you can imagine, my husband turned all shades of red, and went to the baptistery door and just sat there hiding...my father-n-law went to sit in his chair and just laughed his head off...I went to hide behind the piano and my mother-n-law followed me and sat down and just couldn't stop laughing. Meanwhile the church family is falling out of the pews laughing. It was one of those PRICELESS moments. One that I wish someone would have caught on video. I'm sure we could have entered that one and won something!

I had to laugh because my father-n-law made the statement that 'You're never too old to learn something'...and we just learned that Landon should never be given a microphone! Oh, the things kids decide to share with everyone.

Holiday Express

2009-12-08T23:46:00.000-08:00

The Holiday Express came to our little town this evening. Landon had so much fun touring the train and seeing all the cars decorated for the holiday.

There was someone special on this train...

And Landon was on a mission...

He has been asking for the last several days if santa was real or fake. UGH!!! I asked him what he thought, and he replied, "Well, you and daddy told me that Christmas is really about Jesus and his birthday most of all, and some santa's have more lines (that's what he calls wrinkles) than others, and the santa in the Christmas parade was not as fat as some of them are, so YOU tell me!"

I personally don't think it's fair when kids throw the questions back at the parent. It's just now playing fair!

Well, today he told us that when he seen santa he was going to ask him if he was a fake or if he was a real man that could walk. My husband and I are thinking it's going to be an interesting little visit with santa. So, Landon sits on santa's lap and pops the big question...

ONLY...It wasn't the question we thought he was going to ask! No! He changed the rules in the middle of the game...looked right at Santa and asked, "ARE YOU PENTECOSTAL?"

See, he's a little obsessed with knowing what religion or belief that everyone chooses. 'Just a little' is an understatement! He asks everyone...and even asks us when we have to go to a funeral if the person that has passed was Pentecostal. We have no clue where this has come from. We can only assume that it's because our church name is Pentecostal House of Praise and he hears that name and our church associated together a lot. We have assured him that just because someone does not wear the name Pentecostal don't mean they aren't going to heaven. I personally don't care what people call themselves, as long as an individual is obedient to the Bible and follows the plan of salvation. That's what matters!

Back to the subject...
Me and my husband were not worried at all because we knew the man that was playing santa. He is a friend of my husbands that works at the police station, and he also happens to be Pentecostal. The greatest part of the night was the look on Landon's face when santa bent down and whispered in his ear, "Yep...santa's Pentecostal AND he has the Holy Ghost."

Seriously, Landon was grinning from ear to ear and just nodding his head.

We get back in the car and here's our conversation...

Landon: Mom, I think I know now...santa is just some kid's dad playing dress-up.

Me: You think so, Landon?

Landon: Yep, and mom...I looked and he don't have ears behind that beard!

Dad: Landon what are you going to do if santa leaves you a present under our tree Christmas morning?

Landon: OPEN IT!

Oh, What a fun night we had tonight!

Weather...SNOW!

2009-12-05T07:26:00.000-08:00

We enjoyed the snow yesterday evening and last night...it was so beautiful! I'm excited that there's still snow on the rooftops and cars and ground for the Christmas Parade in town this morning. The only bad part of the weather is that our church is just outside town, and we have no electricity as of yet and we have a funeral scheduled at the church for 1pm. I'm taking Landon to the parade while my husband sits and waits at the church for the electric to come back on, so he can get the heat going hopefully in time for the funeral. I'll have pictures of the parade up later...Landon is so excited to see Santa in the parade!

Getting an early start on Christmas Parties...

2009-11-30T18:02:00.001-08:00

One of our Pastor friends wife, Madonna Massey,(who also happens to be one of the most awesome singers ever!) hosted our minister wives Christmas party today in her home. We had lunch together and then were treated to a personal concert of Christmas Carols by Madonna and then we had an ornament exchange via the ever so much fun game of Dirty Santa. I had to pinch myself a couple of times to make sure I wasn't dreaming. I've always enjoyed listening to her CD's but nothing compares to hearing her beautiful voice in the relaxed atmosphere of her living room while sipping on coffee punch! Awwww...it was awesome. I'll have to load the video clips I took and share them in another post.

Okay...isn't this just one of the most beautiful homes you've seen?

I seriously broke one of the ten commandments today! You know, the one about 'Thou shalt not covet'...Well, I am in need of forgiveness because I so wanted to move right in! Can you blame me?

And, here's the beautiful hostess herself...one of the kindest ladies you will ever meet.

We had so much fun with the ornament exchange and found that some of them could even be used as beautiful earrings. The beautiful lady modeling the ornaments is our district superintendent's wife, Delsia Cox. Beautiful inside and out!

To say that I'm excited about all the festivities we have planned for this year is an understatement! I love this time of the year...and today was a perfect way to start it off!

No disappointments here...

2009-11-29T21:31:00.000-08:00

Our Thanksgiving holiday proved to be even better than I had hoped. We left town early Tuesday and spent the evening relaxing with my in-laws at Sergent's Lake, which is an 80 acre lake with several hundred acres of land surrounding it. It's my father-n-laws family's home place, so all the boys lease it and spend as much time there as possible. It's one of the most peaceful places I've ever been to. No one around for miles and lots of things to do. Landon loves roaming the land.

This is where we spent most of the day Friday after Thanksgiving. We fished all over the lake, and Landon caught a catfish that he was really proud of and still talking about.

Landon loves to fish in the boat...

and to feel the water on the side of the boat.

There's nothing better than riding a four wheeler on wide open land...

Unless it's tormenting your husband and trying to run him over with a four wheeler! Just kidding...I only got close enough to scare him and make him jerk the camera away from his face.

I am starting to understand why men like to hunt...Anthony took me to several of the deer stands and we found fresh tracks and checked on the deer feeders. I can see how it gets into ones blood. Now I just have to find time to go to the gun range and learn how to shoot a gun. The city is slowly but surely coming out of me.

Here's my sis-n-law with the deer she shot Friday evening...if I hang around her much more, I will be in camouflage and in the woods with a gun.

And of course Landon had to have a picture with his uncle Ron and the deer.

On Wednesday Anthony took me to Natchez, Mississippi since we were only an hour away and we visited several of the old Plantation homes there. Landon loved the Mississippi River and all the river boats we seen. We spent this day as our family day and had so much fun.

The homes were unbelievable and the gardens we went to were breathtaking.

Anthony decided that we needed one of these hammocks in our backyard. I told him I was all for it if he was digging the pond to go with it!

This is the view when you are lying in the hammock...I just don't think it would be the same without the pond and the waterfall.

And, because I have always loved the picture my blogging friend, Tanya had of her son inside a tractor wheel, I had to capture this moment. I love these pictures...

Home...but not for long.

2009-11-24T07:11:00.000-08:00

I had the best time ever with my family in Texas this past week. My parents smiled more than I've seen them smiling in a long time because all four of their children and all their grandchildren were at the same place at the same time. Talk about some noise! It was great to be able to spend time with all my family and friends in Texas...I miss them all so much, but the greatest thing is that when we see each other we just pick up where we left off and it's like we've never been apart!

I came home early Monday morning and unpacked, done laundry, and now I'm repacked and ready to go to Harrisonburg and Manifest, Louisiana for Thanksgiving with my in-laws and all the family. We're staying on my in-laws lease land and fishing, hunting and riding four-wheelers, so Landon is bouncing off the walls at this point! He's so excited that he's going to get to go into the woods and getting to go out in the boat. I'm wondering how in the world he's gonna be able to sit still for a three hour drive!

Hope everyone has a blessed Thanksgiving Holiday!

My baby brother, Josh and his new puppy...who DID NOT like me much!

My oldest brother, Kenny and myself. Landon took a picture of us, so it's blurry. (My sister somehow kept avoiding the camera?)

My buddies at the Thanksgiving Feast. (Since I promised Monica I wouldn't post pics of her eating...wait, DID I PROMISE???)

Landon was excited he got to visit his favorite place...The Rain Forest Cafe in Grapevine, Texas

I did promise my mom that I wouldn't post ALL the pics I took of her learning to dance at the hotel me and my sister was at...so therefore I will only post ONE...not ALL of them. I try to keep my word! My niece, Kayla kept cracking up at my moms lack of rhythm. Oh, the fun we had and oh the pictures and videos I have for blackmail material! LOL

I'm outta here...

2009-11-17T18:38:00.000-08:00

I will be away from the blog land till for the next week. I'm going to Texas to spend some much needed time with my parents, my brothers and my sister, and all my nephews and niece. I'm so excited that we'll all be able to spend some time together. I'll be coming home before Thanksgiving so we plan on celebrating early.

I'll get to spend some time with my friends and our Pastor and his wife from Grand Prairie church on Sunday since they are having a Thanksgiving Feast Sunday evening. To say I'm excited about that is an understatement! I love Louisiana and all that we have going on here, but I so miss all the friendships that I left behind. So, this is definitely going to be one of the highlights of my trip.

Actually the only down side to this trip is that my husband won't be going with me and Landon. He has so much going on here with the church that he just can't pull away and stay as long as I could if I go alone. He has hospital visits to do on Wednesday, a wedding on Friday and a funeral on Saturday, so he'll be busy. I'm wondering if Landon and I are going to be able to stay away from him for a week without crying much. He's such a big part of our world that we just may have to spend lots of time on the phone with him. Thank God for modern technology so we can stay in touch through cell phones and internet.

I hope everyone has a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving holiday! See you all in a week...some of you sooner!

Thankful...

2009-11-16T18:47:00.000-08:00

So, this is where I was hiding out for most of last week...

My brother-n-law and I are building a new church website. We're both learning, mostly by mistakes, but we're learning just the same. We still have much work to do and many things we want to add, but I think it's looking pretty good.

We had a very fast paced weekend. Thursday evening I noticed Landon had what looked like a small bump or insect bite on his stomach, but really didn't think too much about it. When he woke up Friday morning, his stomach was swollen and the bite area was very red and looked like a boil the size of a tennis ball. I took him to a friend of ours in the church who was a nurse and she told us he needed medical attention immediately and to get him to the ER or a doctor immediately. The doctor took one look at Landon and told us that we had a problem on our hands. Landon was diagnosed with bad staph infection and he told us that it had already abscessed and that he would probably have to have surgery because he didn't think the medicine would work in this stage.

I done what most moms would do...I panicked! My in laws came to met us and my father-n-law remarked how that he just didn't like the way Landon's stomach looked and the way Landon was acting. He was very sick and would only lay in the back seat and cry. He rode home laying in the back seat because he couldn't sit up in his car seat.

The doctor told us that he was going to over medicate Landon because he felt it was necessary in this case. The medicine was sulphur based and smelled horrible and by the amount of gagging and vomiting occurring from myself, and my husband and Landon as we gave it to him, I could not imagine having to be the one taking it. Seriously, when the nurse told me that the medicine smelled like rotten eggs or worse, she wasn't exaggerating!

Well, on Friday night, my father-n-law was laying across the bed with Landon and praying for him, and very concerned about Landon because it seemed he was having a reaction to the medicine. His stomach was black and very red and irritated and still swelling. The most concern we had was that his stomach was becoming very hard and it hurt him if it was touched. I truly had had all I could take, and was ready to just take him back in. My father-n-law began to pray and ask God for a favor and to heal his baby, and asked him to take care of the infection and all the problems involved. Then what he done next left me speechless. He THANKED God for hearing him and thanked him for healing Landon and stood up, walked away to go home and said, "He's going to be all right."

That's it...he was done...finished. He left and went home, TRUSTING and BELIEVING that everything was going to be fine. I'm sure you know what I was doing. Yep, standing there with my mouth open and my eyes in a stare, thinking HUH?

I'm a mom and my job was to worry. My job was to find a way to fix what was wrong or to take Landon to those who could fix him. I gave my husband that look that says 'We have to do something else, something more, I can't just sit here and watch what's going on"...then I noticed how peaceful Landon was sleeping, how his fever was gone, how his breathing had leveled, and I noticed the swelling going down. I could suddenly feel that assurance that everything was going to be allright, that Landon was going to be fine.

To make a long story short, Landon woke up the next morning, pulled up his pajama shirt and said "Look mom, the bump is all gone." I thought someone was going to have to pick me up off the floor. There was still bruising around the area, but there was no redness and no swelling and no hardness on my baby's stomach! The bruising is something that will take a few days to clear up and it's nothing to worry about.

I am so THANKFUL that I serve a God who heals and answers prayers! I'm thankful that when I couldn't grasp hold of faith that I had someone around me that could believe for me. I was a very happy and thankful mother when I heard the doctor say today that the infection is clear, and that Landon will be fine. We have to finish that stinky medicine until its gone because it's an antibiotic, but that's nothing compared to what we were facing!

I have so much to be thankful for this week...so much!

Three Little Words...

2009-11-08T14:01:00.000-08:00

My husband found a phrase that is guaranteed to please an entire audience and make them sit up and come alive. It's such a simple little phrase...only three words.

"And in conclusion."

Only thing is, we all know that when a preacher says these three words, it really don't mean anything! Usually they are just getting their second wind.

My husband is one of THOSE ministers...

2009-11-06T11:45:00.000-08:00

WHO FORGETS TO TELL YOU TO SIT BACK DOWN!

I must admit it...he keeps the church in foot bondage a lot! Those lovely words, "You may be seated" NEVER enter into his thought process!

The congregation just stands and waits patiently, but nothing is ever said. Have you been in a church service where this happens? You haven't??? Oh, my...be prepared if you visit our church. I want you to be ready. I'll break it down for you. Here's what happens when you find yourself standing on your feet forever in the middle of our church service...

"Could we all stand?" (Come on...be a sport and stand up so you get the feeling of my frustration a little!)

1st minute
Awesome, we’re standing up. Time to get the blood flowing again and wake up. I really needed a break from sitting here on this pew. Then immediately I start to wonder if I'm gonna be asked to greet my neighbor, shake hands with a visitor, clap my hands, jump up and down, and wave my arms like I'm doing some new form of Pilates? Who knows...seriously, some strange things run through his brain when he first ask us to stand! It's like that moment of suspense in the worst horror story ever...we just never know what's about to be requested of us!

3rd minute
Surely the stand up part is officially over and everyone is standing...but maybe I’m wrong. Maybe we’re about to do something else that requires me to be up and out of my seat? I guess I need to stay standing? Well, I’ll give this another minute or two...

4th minute.
Oh, DEAR LORD, I think my sweetheart just launched into his sermon without letting us all know we can sit down now. Doesn’t he notice we are still standing? I mean, there surely are enough of us standing that he notices it. He sees that, right? Is he already in his sermon? Is it possible he wants us to stand the entire time? The whole HOUR??? No way, there is no way this is happening.”

5th minute.
I am seriusly thinking about just sitting down, but I don’t want to be the unruly, disrespectful, disobedient one who sits while everyone else remains standing. I am not willing to look like I love God or my husband 50% less than everyone else who is choosing to remain standing. I’m just not going to do that...UNLESS he continues on past another two minutes.

7th minute
Maybe, just maybe if I sit down slowly...would that be so bad? What if I just gently lowered myself to the pew over a period of 30 seconds? If I go too fast he might actually see me and call me out from the pulpit. That would stink. He’d probably say, ‘Can we not stand in the presence of God for just a few moments?’ And then I would have to die of embarassment.

8th minute
Seriously??? Eight minutes and we are still standing here...UNNOTICED by the pulpit??? By this time I am thnking, Would God strike me with a bolt of lightning if I pretended to be slain in the spirit so that I could just sit somewhere, somehow, someway?

10th minute
THANK YOU, JESUS!!! Sweet release! Some bold member just sat down and started a tidal wave of derrieres crashing into seats. That, my friend, is a true next generation leader!

DISCLAIMER: I'm not mad at my husband...not at all. I'm just being my usual crazy self. I secretly think he's the most awesome man on this earth.

Fall Fun

2009-11-04T06:58:00.000-08:00

We had a hayride, bonfire, wiener/marshmallow roast, as an alternative for Halloween at our church. We had a wonderful turnout, and loads of fun! Landon was so excited about going on a hayride! It was warm until the sun went down, but we didn't mind...it just seems right to have to bundle up for a hayride.

He got started on the rides early...every load of wood we wheeled over to the bonfire, he had to be a part of!

Landon played and played in the hay...the joys of childhood!

Loaded up and ready for our hayride...

Hayrides are fun...

But hay fights are even better!

A great bonfire is just what you need to warm back up after a 12 mile hayride! What makes it even better is toasting marshmallows over a bonfire! Seriously, where have I been all my life??? I am in love with toasted marshmallows.

One lesson I learned about hayrides here in the country...always be a part of the FIRST load and always...always sit towards the front. Why? Because when there's a hayfight, the hay flys towards the rear of the trailer! It took me two hair washings to get all the hay out! It could also be because I was attacked by a group of young people and smothered in hay when we returned to the church! What fun!

It's NOT your fault, McDonalds!

2009-11-01T20:48:00.000-08:00

I went to McDonalds today to grab some lunch. They were really busy and I had to wait several minutes before the lady was able to take my order. Once she was free, the lady turned to me and said, "I'm sorry about the weight."

I very kindly replied to her...

"Oh, it's not your fault, sweetie...I've always been this big!"

Sometimes we just need to laugh with each other! It makes life so much more fun!

Youth Trip

2009-11-01T14:46:00.000-08:00

We've been so busy since we got home last weekend from our youth trip to Kemah, that I'm just getting to post pics. We had a wonderful time! The weather was perfect, and everyone had so much fun!

Landon loved all the games and rides and rode everything that he met the height requirements for...

I wish there was a word bigger than THANKS!

2009-10-25T23:13:00.001-07:00

There are those times in life when words fail...tonight was one of those times! October is Pastor Appreciation month, so the church had a reception for my in-laws and my husband and I tonight after service. My jaw literally dropped when my mom-n-law came and got me to show me the cake and all the stuff they had for us. The food was great, the decorations beautiful, the cake gorgeous, and the gifts perfect! They even gave Landon a gift card so he could go pick him out a new toy. How sweet was that?

I couldn't help but laugh when I seen this...

let me explain...the young girl that was given this piece of cake said she hated to bite into my face! I laughed so hard...I told her to take advantage of it and go ahead and bite my head off for once!

I love these people so much!! They give me so many reason to smile and laugh. I am thankful that the road of life has taken me here to serve such wonderful people. THANK YOU, Pentecostal House of Praise for treating us so kindly tonight...and always. You are all so special to me and I love each of you so dearly. You are my family.

My in-laws...

Anthony, myself and Landon...

I am so used to being on the other end of this story...for many many years, I have been the one helping decorating, preparing and serving at these types of functions, so it's overwhelming for me to be on the receiving end. I know the hard work and preparations that go into something like this. I know all the planning it takes. I know how time consuming it is. Therefore, I so wished there was a word bigger than 'THANKS'...because I would surely use it to tell everyone here how much I appreciate all that was done for us tonight!

My buddy, who is an awesome photographer, took pictures of everything tonight, so when he brings me the CD of pictures, I'll have to share them, but for now these are all the pictures I have.

Fall is here...

2009-10-19T23:11:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love Fall...and all the festivities around the small towns here in Louisiana. We are enjoying all the pumpkin patches, and other activities. We have plans to go to a corn maze in another town this Friday afternoon. I simpy enjoy the crisp weather and being outdoors during the Fall!

Here's my favorite little pumpkin...

I enjoy spending time outdoors with these two guys, enjoying the fall weather!

Fall Banquets

2009-10-09T23:19:00.001-07:00

Our Fall Banquet for ministers and wives was Friday night. We had a record crowd...89 ministers/pastors and wives. All in one room. Eating, fellowshipping, catching up, and just enjoying being together. When I say that everything turned out beautiful...well, that's an understatement! It was the most relaxing evening I have had in a long time. Enjoy the pictures.

Anthony with some of our long time friends...We actually were with them at another banquet for a different section on Thursday night also, so we've had so much fun catching up!

Here's my own little slice of heaven for the night...It was wonderful!

I seriously hated to see the evening end...but all good things must come to an end.

Since Anthony is the Foreign Missions Director for Sections 4&5 we got to attend both banquets. Here's some pictures from the banquet we attended on Thursday night.

Two completely different styles of decorating, but two of the best evenings I have spent in my life! Now, since we've had to leave Landon for the past two nights, we are looking forward to a wonderful day with him tomorrow! It's all about him, mommy and daddy tomorrow! I have a feeling we're gonna have to step down a bit and eat at McDonalds tomorrow. And I don't mind that one bit!

Landon

2009-10-06T18:02:00.000-07:00

My camera lens found a beautiful subject this afternoon! Here's some of Landon's pictures I took today.

Everything but the kitchen sink...

2009-10-05T19:20:00.000-07:00

This post will have to have so many things thrown in, by the end you'll think I did include the kitchen sink.

The biggest news first...Landon has a new and HEALTHY puppy! He named him Boomer. We have no clue where that name came from. One of our good friends here is lovingly nicknamed Boom, so we can only hope that he didn't name a dog after him. Poor guy.

This picture cracks me up. I love the look on his face...WHO are you people and WHERE am I?

Landon is so happy that his new puppy is well and 'will not die'. That was his first question. Then all night long the first night he would hold him and check his breathing. To say that Friday night was a long night would be an understatement! The kid was up checking on the dog all night. I think the puppy became annoyed with being woke up!

Then on Saturday our youth group had a garage sale at the church. We arrived at the church early since the garage sale was starting at 7am. Since it was Anthony's birthday his parents and some of our friends beat us to the church and had breakfast made for us to enjoy. And, he was greeted by this sign when we pulled up.

It's the little things like this that makes you feel special and loved. Everyone here just pours so much love out on us that we feel like royalty. Oh, and I should mention that we made almost $450 on our youth garage sale! We were pleased! Our goal was $200. We now have a trip to Kemah completely paid for...tickets, eats, van rentals, and gas, everything! We will be going the third weekend this month. Our group of 25 youth who are going couldn't be happier!

On Saturday evening we rode with my in-laws to Lake Charles and I introduced Pops (my FIL) to Starbucks!!! Starbucks is a huge treat for us since we have to drive 25 miles to the closest one. Needless to say, I was in heaven. My father-n-law wasn't quite as hooked as we were. Actually I think he just couldn't ge over the fact that we could pay $4 for a cup of coffee and then ENJOY it! LOL
Don't worry...Landon had a children's hot chocolate. No coffee in his cup!

On Sunday night, the church surprised my husband with a birthday party after service. We had finger foods and cake and all sorts of desserts. I told you they are way too good to us here. They had a money tree for him instead of gifts.
Here's Anthony at his birthday party with one of our youth. Lauryn tells everyone she is our adoptive daughter. She helps us with Landon when we need a sitter or just some help keeping him occupied at church functions. We love her to pieces and Landon loves her too. Landon says she reminds him of his friend, Ellerie, from Texas.

Lauryn also surprised me Sunday when she let me read her school speech. She had to write and give a speech on leadership. I was honored that she choose to write about me and our friendship and how she looks up to me as a leader in her life. She is making me a copy of it and I will cherish it forever! It moved me to tears. We just never know how much we impact a young person's life when we take time to listen to them and work with them through all their problems and cares in life.

So, there's my wrap-up of our weekend. I told you there would be just about everything but the kitchen sink...Hope everyone had a great weekend!

PRICELESS!!!

2009-09-30T20:05:00.000-07:00

Some moments are just PRICELESS! Tonight at church was truly a priceless moment...At least for me and the rest of the congregation! My husband? Maybe not so priceless for him.

He was reading from the book of Acts, and meant to say, "It was noised abroad." What he said???

"It was noised TO A BROAD!"

Yep...I roared!!! So did several other. I probably wouldn't have laughed so hard if he hadn't put so much UMPH behind it. Funniest part is he said it TWICE. Nothing like making a point and driving it home! See what you miss if you don't attend church on Wednesday nights?

I still love ya, Honey!

Small Town Life

2009-09-28T20:54:00.000-07:00

I love the fact that we live in a town where everyone knows everyone...or at least they know one person in your family. I've learned that small towns take their high school football teams VERY seriously. Very seriously! Well, we have an awesome team...DeQuincy Tigers.

Friday was Homecoming. This was our first time to attend the Homecoming Parade. After all the people I seen lining the streets at the parade, I really am not so sure this is such a small town anymore. lol They were everywhere. Landon was a little overwhelmed with all the activities. He loved all the candy being thrown from the floats and the cars carrying the homecoming court. Here's a few pictures from our Homecoming Parade...

A certain little boy who kept posing and wanting his picture taken while we were waiting on the parade to start. I didn't mind...he's so cute, my camera just loves him!

The Senior Homecoming Court

Then there was many class reunions, some were celebrating their 10th, 25th, 30th, 40th and even their 50th class reunion. It was my husband's 25th class reunion, but since it was Landon's first time to attend a parade he stayed with us to enjoy the celebrations. Here's some of the class reunions and their floats.

This is Peggy, she attends our church, and Landon calls her 'Nana Peggy' because he says she treats him just like his nana did in Texas. We are blessed to have her in our lives. She is SO good to Landon!

This was Anthony's graduating class...1994, minus a couple of the guys. (I told you it was a small town.) Anthony wasn't on the float and our friend; Johnny, who is the fire chief wasn't able to ride with the class because he was driving the fire truck in the parade.

And our friend, Pat...who succeded in hitting me square in the forehead with a handfull of suckers that he was throwing to Landon. I happen to think it was on purpose.

Landon's favorite part...the fire trucks!

We had a great time. Now, we can't wait for the Christmas Parade. I hear it's an even bigger deal. Oh, my! One thing we did learn about the parades here...one sack is not enough for all the candy you'll pick up by the end of the parade! Here's Landon at the beginning of the parade and his bag was already getting heavy. Now I know why we seen so many kids with the large brown grocery sacks...NOW we know!

36 Hours

2009-09-26T17:20:00.000-07:00

Landon finally got to bring his puppy home on Thursday! He was SO excited.

Only problem was, he was bringing it home knowing that it probably wasn't going to live.

We got a call from our friends who gave Landon the puppy and he told us all but two of the litter of eight had died. All they knew at the time was that the mother's milk was bad and had made the puppies sick. The vet said that usually the whole litter will die when this happens and there's not much you can do. UGH! I assure you I wanted to protect Landon from heartache and just tell him that Gypsie wasn't going to be able to come home, but he insisted that he needed to go get her and pray for her and ask Jesus to make her stay alive. So, that's what we did.

When we picked Gypsie up, she was so weak and sick that she could not even stand on her back feet and could barely hold her head up. I had a little boy who did not care that she was sick...he only knew he loved her and that he was praying for God to heal her. He knew and understood how sick she was and that we were telling him she probably wouldn't live. We took the dog, got it some medicine and a shot to give it all the chance we could to survive. We waited and Landon prayed.

I was shocked when I was awaken on Friday morning by Landon's excited voice that Gypsie was walking around and had eaten some and drank some water. I figured we would wake up and find her dead. Landon looked at me and said, "Mom...I knew Jesus was going to let her live." Landon and Gypsie played most of the day Friday in the yard and he showed her so much love it made my heart smile!

They had the best day ever. When we got home from the Homecoming Parade Friday afternoon, (I'll post pics of that later. It was awesome!) we could tell Gypsie was very bad again. Landon helped daddy bath her and gave her some more of her medicine to make her comfortable and stop whining. Landon wrapped her up and held her and prayed again. That's when Landon looked at us and said, "Gypsie is going to die, I just know she is. Jesus is going to take her to dogie heaven."

We had a Rock-A-Thon for the youth from midnight till 8am Friday night, but around 3am this morning Landon wanted to come home and check on his dog. She was still alive but barely breathing, so Landon said his good-byes to her and came back to the church and told me that he was sad but happy that Jesus was taking care of Gypsie. He told us he gave Gypsie to Jesus because she would be well in dogie heaven. The kid amazed me and taught me so much about UNCONDITIONAL LOVE this last two days.

When we walked in around 8:30 this morning Landon went straight to Gypsie's bed and found her dead. He cried and held her and of course had a dozen questions that we didn't have the best answers for. He insisted on helping his daddy bury her and make a pretty marker for her. Well, I expected to have a very sad little boy for the rest of the day. It wasn't near as bad as I thought. He did cry himself to sleep and took about a three hour nap, but when he woke up he looked at me and said, "Mom, I miss Gypsie. I didn't want her to die, I loved her and wanted her to be my dog forever, but I'm glad I brought her home and had the bestest time with her yesterday. I think she was happy she died here with me."

What do you say??? What do you do??? When you look at it in that light, I'm glad we let him bring her home. She made him the happiest I've seen him. I know he's my son, and I'll sound like a bragging mother here, but just overlook that for a moment...I'm thankful that he has such a big heart. He has so much faith that it amazes me. He believed with all his heart that God was going to heal his dog, but when that didn't happen and when he knew she was going to die, he never got angry or mad. He just accepted it and even told us that he was "glad Jesus let him know Gypsie and met her."

I'm glad Gypsie became a part of our life too...even if it was only for 36 hours. But oh, what an impact she made on a little boy!

Duct Tape DOES NOT Fix Everything!

2009-09-24T18:16:00.000-07:00

So...I learned two things today.

Two VERY IMPORTANT THINGS...

1. Duct Tape DOES NOT fix everything!
2. Every MALE city employee here has Duct Tape hidden in their truck somewhere.

I had parked my car...yes, the one that I've only had for six days, at City Hall this morning and went in to pay a bill. As you know, we live in a small town where everyone knows everyone. I was talking to the lady inside about the pie contest my husband and I just had. We were laughing about the picture of my husband with pie on his face that was put in the DeQuincy Newspaper and just having a great visit when a gentleman came inside and said that he had bad news for me.

Well, he proceeds to tell us that when they were mowing something flew out of the lawnmower and shattered my drivers side window. We walk outside to see the damage. The mayor came out to let me know that they'd take care of me and have me fixed up by tomorrow morning. I later found out that I won't be driving the car until next Wednesday because it's a special type of glass that does not fall apart...it shatters and holds together so that it won't fall on passengers and cut them in an accident, therefore it has to be ordered and will be here Wednesday.

The guys wanted to put Duct Tape on my window so that when I shut the door it wouldn't cause the glass to crumble and go everywhere. Well that was a nice thought. I shut the door VERY SLOWLY AND LIGHTLY and you could hear glass falling all into the door. Seems Duct Tape don't fix everything??? But, hey it was worth a try guys! I wish you could have seen all the Duct Tape appearing. Duct Tape is obviously a staple and a necessity around this town.

The mayor told me that if the police stopped me on my way home because my 'tint' was too dark to just give him a call and he'd explain everything. Yep...always a jokester in the bunch! I had so much fun chatting and getting to know and meet everyone at City Hall but I assured them that next month when I came in to pay my bill, I would be parking across the street.

Oh...and when we went to the store this evening...I bought a roll of Duct Tape to put in my car. Next time something like this happens...I'LL BE PREPARED!

I love this new blog!!!

2009-09-22T16:39:00.000-07:00

This is a great website. Thank you Alexis for telling me about it! I love it! I decided to participate in the short answers game on this blog. Here's Landons answers...just as he said them.

What is your favorite thing about where you live?
Landon-playing hide and seek, fishing, hunting deer, and hunting rabbits.
Me- You've never hunted deer or rabbits here.
Landon-I pretended hunted them.

What do trains carry?
Landon-Cargo unless it's a passenger train and passenger trains carry people. Remember I tell you I wanted to ride a passenger train.

What does a Sherriff do?
Landon-attacks bad people and arrestes bad guys and he shoots bad guys. Sheriff's wear boots too.

Where does the gas station get the gas?
Landon-from the gas pump like we do.
Me-But where does the gas come from?
Landon-From inside the pump...you know like you pumped gas the other day, yeah, that's how they do it too at the gas station.

If you could do whatever you wanted for a whole day, what would you do?

Landon-go fishing at the beach and go find some ducks to feed too. Louisiana don't many ducks do they, mom? I miss the ducks in Texas.

Another lesson from a 4-yr old

2009-09-22T13:35:00.000-07:00

My husband and I were discussing something last night and Landon was sitting at the table eating popsicles. Someone had stolen our lawnmower and left an old rusty, nonworking one almost just like it in it's place. When Anthony went out to mow the front part of the yard that he does with a push mower, he noticed something just wasn't right...the main thing being that it wouldn't run and kept dying. He realized what had happened and put the mower back up and decided we'd have to mow it all with his dad's riding mower. We like to use a push mower on the front part of the yard because we can get those neat looking lines in it. We both have a love for those neatly mowed lines in the grass.

I was telling my husband how it just made me sick to think that someone would come on our property and steal something like a lawnmower and no one see it. I guess I thought living in a small town like we are now, nothing like that happened. I mean, goodness, I can't go to the store without thirty people knowing it, but someone can steal a lawnmower and no one see it? Especially with the land we live on being so open. I can only assume they took it through the small patch of trees and woods behind us.

Now, I'll have to be honest and admit that I was not really the kindest with my words about these 'thieves'...I kept saying how I was going to pray that the lawnmower broke on them, and I was going to pray they would have such a guilty conscience they'd have to bring it back, I was going to pray no one let them mow their yards if they stole it to make money, I was going to pray they get caught...when suddenly a little voice from the kitchen table stopped the words of my mouth!

Landon had taken the two sticks from the popsicles he had finished eating and formed them into a cross and said, "Mom, we need to pray for those bad guys who stole our lawnmower because they need Jesus who died on a cross like this."

My husband and I stopped and looked at each other, not quite sure what to say at first. Then I had to repent and realize that there really was something much more important than a little Wal-Mart lawnmower. There was someone out there who needed their life to be changed, probably someone who thought there was no better way of life for them but to steal. Someone who needed the power of the cross and the power of the One who died on that cross for all mankind to be of a positive effect on their life.

Oh the things I continue to learn from the pure and innocent heart of this precious little boy. God help me to learn to watch they words I say and to stop and take a second look until I can see things differently...and God help my husband to remember to lock up the new mower we are going to have to buy.

TOO much Fun!

2009-09-21T07:27:00.000-07:00

My husband and I were approached by the couple who takes care of all our youth fundraising a few weeks ago to see if we would be willing to participate in a little contest. It was called 'In Your Face'...whoever had the most money in their jar at the end of a month got to put a pie in the others face.

Well, Mr. Kennon was SO sure that everyone here loved him so much and he'd surely be the winner. He was ready to go. After all, he was raised here, he's the pastor's son, he's had bonds with these people here for 33 years! Hmmmm....really now???

I'll let the pictures tell the story for me.

Dad and Anthony talking after church...they just can't figure out HOW I won!!!

Actually, they were just talking about the service and all, but it was a funny picture.

Do I make them Thirsty???

2009-09-19T09:07:00.000-07:00

Matthew 5:13 (King James Version)
Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

I couldn't help but to think of this scripture last night. As some of us were cleaning up in the fellowship hall after our youth activity last night, my cell phone rang and the fire chief was calling to ask me about the wreck that had just happened in front of our church. Well, I was oblivious and had no clue what he was talking about. I knew my husband was not around, but I had figured he was on the phone or in his office. When I went outside and seen all the lights and vehicles, I was shocked. I told them I'd call them back...they were in a neighboring town running errands but had heard it on the scanner and knew it was our church and wanted to be sure it wasn't any of our youth involved.

First, let me tell you that it was a miracle these youth were not hurt very seriously or for that matter even killed. The four youth in one vehicle were turning into our church driveway to turn around when a young man who had been drinking did not see the vehicle's turn signal and tried to pass them, thus sending them airborn and into the large ditch in front of our church. Their car was slanting and barely on stable ground, almost rolling into the ditch. The officer told us that one to two inches over and the car would have flipped and probably killed them all. The other truck landed about three feet in front of our church sign, after going across the ditch. They all are very blessed to have missed the ditch, or things could have been very bad.

Anyway, the reason I thought of this scripture was because as we were standing there talking to the parents of these teens, one of the ladies looked at me and said, "There's something different about you guys. You're all so nice and kind to us here tonight. Not judgemental or preachy." I can't tell you the mixed emotions that went through me at that moment! First, I knew that she was referring to the fact that we all knew that the one young man had been drinking...the smell was horrible and so obvious...yet we had chosen not to point that fact out and ridicule him for his choices. We were there to help and to wait and to show them the Father's love!

Can I just go off on a soapbox for a moment here? Sometimes I think we forget about the 'God is Love' part of the Bible! Seriously, we can have everything in our life perfect, we can know the Bible from front to back, dress modestly like a christian, talk like a christain, BUT if we do all this without the LOVE part...People know the difference if you love them or not. They know if you truly care that they are not hurt. They know. You can't fool people on the love part!

Now, was I saddened by the fact that this young man had chosen to drink and drive...YES! But would it have helped the situation any at all by choosing to point that fact out and point out the obvious? I think not. I can tell you, because I was there that the alchol issue was something on the mind of all five of these teens involved! See, there is a huge problem in this small town with alchol and driving. We've lost too many youth to this issue just since we have been here! The young man had been drinking, BUT...the other four teens in the accident were headed to a bonfire party for homecoming...where drinking is known to happen!

I believe our job for the night was to put something positive into their lives. To show them a little love and that there is a better way to life. I can only hope that somewhere in the conversation and time we spent with them that we made them thirsty for something different. I can only hope that they felt the true love and concern and care about them. I can only hope that they could see the relief and thankfulness on my face that none of them were hurt tonight. I can only hope...and pray...that I sprinkled a little salt into a life tonight.

Salt makes the body thirsty. For water. Do I make people thirsty? For Living Water???

Gigantic Kraft Foods Giveaway

2009-09-17T09:40:00.000-07:00

You seriously have to go here and enter this giveaway! It's one of the greatest giveaway's ever. Not to mention that you'll love reading through this blog.

Here's what all is in the Gigantic Box giveaway
· Capri Sun 100% Juice
· Ritz Crackerfuls Classic Cheddar
· Ritz Crackerfuls Four Cheese
· Velveeta Shells & Cheese
· Oreo Fun Stix
· Golden DoubleStuf Oreos
· Golden Oreo Mini Cakesters 100 Calorie Packs
· Crystal Light Skin Essentials Pomegranate Lemonade
· Kraft Ranch Dressing
· Kraft Barbeque Sauce
· Chips Ahoy Fudge Bites
· LU Biscuits
· Maxwell House Vanilla Bean Latte, Mocha Latte, Vanilla Caramel Latte
· Wheat Things Flatbread and Reduced Fat
· Back to Nature Dark Chocolate & Oats Granola Cookies
· Planters Harvest Pistachio Grove Blend
· Planters Harvest Dark Chocolate Forest Blend
· Planters Harvest Almond Orchard Blend
· Planters Deluxe Mixed Nuts
· Planters Dry Roasted Peanuts
· Kraft Miracle Whip
· Food and Family Magazine and one free subscription
· Food and Family Magazine Spanish
· And a TON of FREE product coupons

Now, go enter...and wish me luck on winning!

HIP! HIP! HOORAY!

2009-09-15T21:05:00.000-07:00

So, if you could see me right now...you'd see that I have the biggest smile ever on my face! We just got in from Tioga, Louisiana where my husband and I attended classes, and went before the board so he could get his ministerial license with the state of Louisiana. He passed and will probably wear a path from our front door to the mailbox until the original license comes in.

I had a blast in all the classes they offered for the wives yesterday! While the men were busy taking their test, we had classes on subjects such as handling stress in the ministry, using our time on things that matter, counseling people, loving people, and on maintaining a balanced life and family lifestyle while helping others. I left with so much knowledge put into my head that I could not hardly sleep last night when we arrived at our aunt's house. My head was so full, that my mouth couldn't move fast enough to tell my husband all the things I had learned. He told me that I woke him up several times talking in my sleep. Guess I kept remembering things all night.

I sat amazed at some of the things that transpired yesterday and some of the stories I heard. We met so many new people and even met some we had known for years and not been able to see much. As tired as I was by the time we met the board around 7pm, I was so refreshed emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.

We had a young lady in our class that was from Bulgaria. As I sat across from her, and talked with her, she seemed as any other normal young lady...until she gave her story! She had moved here to the States to attend school, and met the man who is now her husband. He introduced her to church and to Jesus. She began to tell us how that her dad was a prince in her country and extremely wealthy. She told how when she was young, she had to have body guards everywhere she went to protect her. She became so tired of the lifestyle she had grown up with, her father had many women in his life because of his power, and he kept the children with him at his home, with servants and bodyguards to watch them. To make a long story short, when she came to the states, and learned of Jesus and how He had died for her, she began to go to church and was filled with the Holy Ghost. To hear her become so excited about the peace that God's spirit brought to her life made me ashamed at how sometimes I take Him and His love and His spirit for granted!

She described it in the greatest way. She said, "I've had the incredible riches, all the bodyguards, the finest clothes, jewels, and things money can afford...but nothing or NO THING can compare to the peace and joy I have now. I'd rather be broke and penniless or barely making it and know God's love and salvation that I feel today!"

I promise you there was not a dry eye in the room, and we all begin to take a moment to reflect on how great His love for us really is and how privileged we are to experience it! I don't think I'll ever forget Nadia!

Now, you know I had my camera in my purse...but believe it or not, I was so busy and so consumed with everything going on that I forgot to take pictures until we were all sitting around and milling around waiting for our turn to meet the board. I only have a few pics to post...

This one is of Anthony and a friend he met sitting in the coffee room chatting and waiting.

This is one of the rooms some of us will never forget! We made some very strong bonds in this room. It's amazing what six couples find to share and talk about when stressed and waiting for several hours! I'm just hoping that what was said and done in this room...STAYS in this room!

Anthony chatting with one of his and his family's long time minister friends, Rev. Hennigan, who happens to be one of the board members! ;-)

So, to say we had a great time would be an understatement. I cannot wait till we go before the board again in one year to get his next level of license! I'm looking forward to it.

And, if you're still reading this...This next picture is a picture of the car we test drove AND BOUGHT! today on the way home...and are heading back to Alexandria, Louisiana in two days to pick up. I'll be going to do all the insurance paper work tomorrow and smiling the whole way! I am so excited. It's a Chrysler Pacificia...fully loaded. And, it's MY car. Only problem is, I had to promise to keep it clean. Yeah, that might be a problem with me and the 4-yr old! I only promised to TRY and keep it clean. I feel a road trip coming on...

Heading west...I think.

2009-09-14T08:30:00.000-07:00

Actually, I am so bad with directions, we could be heading due north and I wouldn't know the difference, but you get the drift...we are going somewhere.

By the time this is scheduled to post, I will probably be sitting in my first of several seminars for the day. We are to be in Tioga, LA. this morning by 8:30. My husband is meeting the board of the UPCI (United Pentecostal Church International)to have his ministerial license's reinstated in the state of Louisiana. I'm excited about the classes they are offering the wives. I used to be quiet a bit more backward than I am at the present, and would almost buckle with fear at the thought of sitting with that many people in a room, but today I am only filled with excitement. After our classes and meetings, we both will meet the board at 6:00 tonight together.

The best part of all is that Landon is going to be spending the day with my husband's aunt who lives about 25 minutes from Tioga. He's going to her house and after our day is done, we'll go to spend the night and spend tomorrow with them. Anthony's grandparents are supposed to meet us this evening for supper and several other of his family members will be there also. I like the fact that Landon will be near us and still have a day full of memories with some of our family that he doesn't see very often. He knows his Aunt Dean Dean has a pond and several animals, and a tractor, so he's so excited that he won't miss us!

We are coming home sometime late Tuesday or early Wednesday morning. So, if you have a moment today, say a prayer for us as we travel. And say a prayer for my husband, as he is super nervous about this day. Which is very odd. Honestly, the man is so calm that most days I have to check for a pulse to know that he's alive.

WINNERS...

2009-09-13T10:01:00.000-07:00

I have used random.org to pick the numbers of the two winners of the Large Format Posters.com This was my first time to use this website to pick numbers for a giveaway, and I loved it. It was so easy. See a couple of my friends on here were in a little tug o war over who was going to win so I wanted to be way cautious and not get in the middle of that!

True Random Number Generator
Result:
4
Powered by RANDOM.ORG

True Random Number Generator
Result:
1
Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Which means Monica from Whatever Things and Tanya from Miller Racing Family are the winners. Congratulations to you both! You are two awesome ladies whom I enjoy reading your blogs.

All Blogger Appreciation prizes and Giveaway Prizes will be awarded by an automated e-mail on Friday September 18, 2009. The e-mail will contain a coupon code and directions on claiming your prize. So if you guys will send me your email I'll get it to them so you can claim your prizes.

Giveaway Time!!!

2009-09-10T00:27:00.001-07:00

Large Format Posters Print Giveaway

Yay! I have been seeing this particular giveaway around the blog world and I had hoped to be contacted by this company to participate. I was not disappointed!

Large Format Posters is sponsoring a great giveaway on my blog. They are offering TWO of my readers a 24”x 24” Wall Graphic. To make the deal even sweeter, I can request a 24”x24” print for myself. And you all know how much I love pictures!
You can go here to learn more about the company. Or here.

The hardest part for me is going to be deciding which photo I want to print. I know it's going to be one of the pictures from an airshow that I took. I'll probably go with this one:

Are you shocked that it's not a picture of my little guy??? Well, there's a reason I want to print this picture. My husband is an airplane/flying fanatic and this happens to be one of his favorite shots that I got at an airshow we went to. AND, he's so deserving a nice little surprise lately. On Monday morning he goes before the board here in Louisiana to get his ministerial license's with the state of Louisiana and I am SUPER PROUD of him and all he's accomplished in the last few months. This would seriously make his day!

Would you like 18x24" Digitally Printed Poster?

Enter to win one! It's easy... Here's how to enter:

Just a comment on your post describing what photo you would have printed.

For extra entries:
1)Blog about giveaway and link back to my blog.
2)Become a follower of my blog.
*Be sure to leave seperate comments for each entry!*
If you don't have a blog on blogspot, you can still enter...just be sure to leave me an email so I can email you if you are the winner.

Winners will be announced Sunday afternoon since I will be out of town Monday and Tuesday with my husband. I will get the post up before 5pm on Sunday.
This giveaway is Open to US & Canada Residents

There will be a $5 handling fee. Such a small price to pay for this type of quality!

One question...

2009-09-09T14:00:00.000-07:00

WHY???

Why did I just spend all that money on a Nintendo DS, and all the games I bought for it when an EMPTY BOX occupies him for hours???

"Missions Control" Yeah, it was a rocketship...

Ummm, the rocketship was making a funny noise so he had to float out and fix it real fast! How I love his imagination!

...then a race car!

For the record, I DID NOT dress him like this! He dressed himself! Yep, it's a pajama shirt that's too little for him and came out of the garage sale pile, with pants. But, he's happy as a lark and that's what matters!

I'm losing....

2009-09-08T11:09:00.000-07:00

I keep having to look at this face...

...begging for this!

He gone as far as cleaning up his own room! Really, I don't know how much longer I can say "NO" to him. He knows I think the puppy is ugly, so he's even offered to get the solid black one like "your doggie who died when I was a baby, mommy."

He's helped clean the back yard today and made a spot for his daddy to put the doggie. I knew things were serious when he brought out this...

Something tells me we are getting the dog...and soon!

Throw It Away!

2009-09-06T13:44:00.000-07:00

I Peter 5:7: 'Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.'

I must say this scripture has spoke volumes in my life this week! Here's what I've learned...
Casting means to literally throw upon or to place upon. So many times I have brought my burdens and cares and worries to God, but have I been casting them on Him? I think what I've more or less been doing is just bringing them to God's attention. What I mean is that I pray about them and tell Him what's going on, but when I leave my place of prayer, the cares of life go with me. I never really cast them, or throw them upon Him and walk away in confidence...knowing that He is going to take care of them.

As I sat in church this morning, I couldn't help but realize that God was asking me to just let go of my cares and worries and throw them upon Him. If I were to be real transparent and honest here, I'd admit that there was an immediate release of some sorts just by the 'act' of throwing my cares. Hey, we're human and sometimes we just get enough and feel like throwing something. It was an instant feel good moment to just take some of the cares and anxieties that I've been dealing with and throw them upon a God who's never disappointed me. I walk away from the cares of life today and leave them in the hands of a never-failing God who cares for me.

My cares are in the best hands...Are Yours?
Psalm 55:22 Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.

All By Ourselves...

2009-09-03T23:02:00.000-07:00

We had the day off today and decided to leave town and spend it all by ourselves...just the three of us...Daddy, Mommy and Landon! If I could freeze today, I would. The day was nothing short of being perfect!

We went to a new beach we found on the internet, Broussard Beach, and played with Landon for a while. We left Broussard Beach and went to another area of beach where my husband lived before we met. While we were there we met an older couple who were originally from Germany and have recently moved here to Louisiana. They were fishing and had three poles set up. It so happened that they were both pulling in fish and couldn't help each other with the net to pull them in, so they asked my husband if he'd mind helping them. He loved it, and Landon was really amazed at the large fish!

They asked me to take some pictures of them together fishing and email it to them, so I did. Since I didn't ask them permission to share their pictures with the world, I'll just show you pictures of the fish. They were the sweetest couple, and such a joy to met.

Of course now Landon is all about catching his own big fish!

Landon with Daddy

Landon wanted me to hold him and walk through the water. The things you do for your kid! He knows mommy won't normally get in the water, as I am terrified of water. I love to go to the beach and I love the sights and sounds of the water, but I seldom get wet or in the water. This is a fear I will have to conquer since my husband is getting a boat and just about all our friends have boats. They all keep telling me it's Louisiana...you can't live here and be afraid of water. I have come to understand why some of them are nicknamed and called "River Rats", and that's all I'd better say about that subject.

I noticed today as we were walking on the beach that the footprints were different than I'd seen before. Take a close look.

Instead of normal impressions or imprints it looked like they were embossed or raised footprints. It may not mean much to some, but when I took the pictures of mine and Landon's footprints, it was as if I heard that still small voice speak something special to my heart.

The last several days I have had a battle with depression symptons and have felt like I was once again sinking into that pit of despair that I had fallen into years ago. I have fought back hard, as I know where that path can and has taken me before. I simply refuse to walk that road again, and when these feelings come, I find a way to stay outdoors and be with my family as much as possible. As I looked at these footprints today, that still small voice said to me that my feet were not going to sink, that I would find my joy in the days to come...in days like today. As simple as the words might seem to some, it lifted my spirts and caused a smile to come on my face. The very comment I had made to my husband was that I felt like my feet were sinking into the sands of time and that I was slowly but surely falling lower and lower. I believe the Lord knows how much I love photography and how much I enjoy looking at pictures, and I can't help but believe that He knew these photographs would encourage me more than any words someone could have spoken to me. I'm thankful that He knows just where we are and sends help and hope our way in these times of life!

There was such peacefulness and such relaxation today and I felt like God had planned everything special just for me. I felt like He had chosen me, (out of all the millions of people in His care), to give special attention to. I'm thankful that God knows just what our hearts need and He sends us Hope just at the right time. Before I end this post, let me show you the special sunset He painted this evening...JUST FOR ME!

We should have known better...

2009-08-30T22:03:00.000-07:00

...than to give the child a microphone!

Since today was our 5Th Sunday service, our church had Sunday School services as normal and then we had dinner and fellowship and a singing afterwards. We dismissed the evening services so that our families could spend time together. We were at the end of the signing when Landon decided that he had a song he wanted to share with everyone. Of course everyone wanted to hear his song because they all know how funny the child is and how much he embarrasses his parents!

The first song was just great and I was all proud as his mommy. He sang an old Sunday School song, "The Devil Is A Sly Old Fox"...then he just had to sing another song. One of which we don't have a clue what he's really saying. He says it's a song he wrote. It's called, "Christ Yile O, Jesus" Don't ask me why the child loves this song so much or why he insist on singing it for everyone. It's beyond me. I can't help but laugh at the way my husband just walks away when he realizes Landon is going to sing this song. How can a song with only FOUR words be so long?
Oh, the joys of parenthood!

And here's how we spent our night with family...
MawMaw took Landon riding the four-wheeler

Everybody wanted to join in on the fun!

PawPaw, Daddy, and myself found it much more relaxing sitting on the porch swing with a glass of sweet tea watching everyone come and go. It was a perfect and relaxed family night...topped off by MawMaw's cooking. It just don't get any better than that!

Honestly, now...

2009-08-27T20:52:00.000-07:00

My blogfriend, Tanya, just tagged me with the Honest Scrap Award. After you're done reading my list you have to stop over Tanya's blog. You'll find yourself on her page for a while as she has some great crockpot recipes, among other things. Thanks, Tanya!
Here's the deal:

In accepting this award, I need to do the following:

1) Say thanks and give a link to the presenter of the award.
2) Share "ten honest things" about myself.
3) Present this award to 7 others whose blogs I find brilliant in content and/or design, or those who have encouraged me.
4) Tell those 7 people that they've been awarded HONEST SCRAP and inform them of these guidelines in receiving.

1. I have a lot of clothes in my closet that still has the tags on them. I just am not a clothes person and don't like to wear new clothes or shop for new clothes. It would suit me just fine if all adults had to wear uniforms.

2. Most everything I own in the clothes department was bought for me by my mother. (I pay her for them...she just does the shopping and brings them home for me to try on.) She's a shopper and is forever buying me new clothes. She knows I don't wear half of what she buys but she continues to buy me things. I think she doesn't want people to think I can't afford more than a few outfits. lol

3. Knowing fully well about #1 & #2, I was in the store Monday with a friend and bought myself a new jean skirt. Knowing good and well that I will probably never wear it! I don't know why I bought it other than it was one of those spur of the moment things. I liked the skirt, it was on sale, I bought it...then brought it home and hung it in the back of the closet with the tags still on it. I know, sometimes I don't even make sense to myself, so I don't expect you to understand that!

4. The clock in my bedroom is 24 minutes fast, the one in my living room is 5 minutes fast. I don't know why...they just are. It bugs me, but I've grown so accustomed to reminding myself that they are fast and adjusting the time in my head that if I fix them now, well...I'd be late for everything!

5. If I walk up or down stairs, I have to count them. I can tell you the number of stairs in all my friends houses that I visit often because I have counted them for years.

6. I take my own candles with me when we go out of town and have to stay in a motel because it makes me feel better. If you want me to be really honest...I even take my own towel!

7. I still have a hard time leaving my son with anyone. He's four yrs old and I cannot hardly stand to leave him at a sitters house and drive away. I get lightheaded and feel panic rising if he's not where I can see him. I'm getting better with it, because we have a great group of friends and older couples in our church whom he just adores and loves to stay with when we have to take care of things like funerals and such.

8. I like to make lists. FOR EVERYTHING! I just find that I get more done if I put it all on paper. And, I love crossing things off the list.

9. I cannot be still when I am trying to fall asleep. I have to shake my leg. It helps me fall asleep faster. It also annoys my husband to death!

10. I saved the most honest thing about myself for last. That is the fact that I am happier than I have ever been in my life! I was so against moving to Louisiana when the subject first came up, and lost much sleep over just the thought of it. Now that we are here and settled, I cannot imagine my life being any other way. I am in my element here. I get to give of my time and myself to others to help them develop their christian walk and being the best they can be. I love everything we do here. I love staying busy with the church and the community. I don't mind one bit when our plans get changed at a moments notice when one of our church members need us to come stand by their side in a situation, or just need to talk. It's what I was born to do and the joy and fulfillment that I have been searching for all my life. I enjoy working with my inlaws. (For those who don't know our situation, my husband is the assistant pastor at the church his dad pastors.) They are the greatest mentors, and teachers and are two of my best friends in life! I couldn't be happier...UNLESS my mother and dad would move here too! Then life would just be perfect!

These are the people I tag...I only have four of the seven, but HONESTLY I didn't know of anyone else who would want to play along. If you'd like to play along, fell free to do so.
Monica
Kim
Alexis
Parsley

NEVER send a man to the grocery store!!!

2009-08-26T16:25:00.000-07:00

My husband is a very smart man...on most accounts. However, when he walks into the grocery store something goes terribly wrong with his brain! Here's the list I gave him...

1) 1lb box of butter
2) Large bottle of Vanilla flavoring
3) Dozen eggs
4) large tub of shortening
5) 5lb bag of sugar
6) 5 lb bag of flour
7) six pack of 7-up (in 20 oz. bottles)

I was just wanting to make a 7-up pound cake for our church bake sale. It was a simple list...only problem was I NUMBERED the items. I noticed he was not in the best of moods when he started to carry the groceries in the house. I couldn't figure out where all the bags were coming for for just seven items. Then I realized what he had done. He read the list wrong. Here's what he came home with...

1 one pound box of butter...no problem. got that one right!
Two large bottles of vanilla flavoring...What? I only asked for one on the list!
Three dozen of eggs...yeah, we're gonna have egg sandwiches all week long!
Four large tubs of shortening...I could fry fish for everyone in DeQuincy with that much lard!
Five 5lb bags of sugar...where am I gonna store 25 pounds of sugar???
Six 5 lbs bags of flour...what did he think I was going to do with 30 pounds of flour???
About this time I just started laughing...why you ask? Because I knew that the last thing on the list was the six pack of 7 up...and I knew that he was about to bring in 42 bottles of 7-up. I just scooted all the other stuff over and made room for them! The man has an EDUCATION...just no COMMON SENSE! '
But I love him!

Outdoor Wednesday

2009-08-26T09:54:00.000-07:00

I'm joining Outdoor Wednesday for the first time today. I've always enjoyed reading many of the post there, but decided to join in on the fun today. Be sure to visit Susan at Southern Daydreamer for more Outdoor Wednesday posts.

These pictures are from our walk through the Botanical Gardens in Athens, Texas. There's only one thing I love more than flowers...it's flowers with insects on them.

The gardens were just beautiful...

Landon enjoyed playing on the slide and in all the little play houses.

Even Daddy had fun on the slide...

We plan on going back when we have the entire day to spend...we didn't have time to see all of the gardens and exhibts.

I have to include this picture because I thought it was too funny. We thought it was just an old empty outhouse exhibit and was showing it to Landon and when my husband opened the door, he cracked up laughing. I thought for sure that he had opened it door on someone using it. This is what he was laughing at...

Opening up...The Heart Remembers!

2009-08-24T22:34:00.000-07:00

After many years of silence, today I open up my heart before the world on a subject I thought I'd never write about. I cannot sleep tonight...I looked at the calendar several days ago, and I noticed that Aug. 25th was approaching. I wouldn't say that I dread that date, but I definately don't look forward to it.

August 25, 2002 was the due date of our first baby. As happy as I am being a mom to the best little boy in the world, and as much as I don't live with the day to day pain as I used to, my heart cannot help but feel heavy on this day every year. It's like a dull ache arrives and sits in my chest the whole day. Memories that are uninvited rush to my mind all day...feelings that are unexplained overwhelm me, tears that are unannounced fall, and I have learned that I am much better if I just sit and let my heart remember how the dream ended before it was given a chance to grow. I kept a journal during my pregnancy and after the time that we lost the baby to a miscarriage, and I sit and read it every year on Aug. 25th. Over the years, it has gotten easier, the tears still come, but they are not as heavy as they used to be, it's just that my heart needs those moments to remember the precious gift I lost.

Since we have recently moved, and are renting until we find the perfect place to buy and settle, so many of our things remained packed. My journal that I read each year on Aug. 25 is packed safely away...therefore I find myself coming here and releasing some of the emotions and memories tied to this day.

I was just entering my fourth month. I walked into the doctor's office that day with my video tape in hand and a camera nearby. My husband and I were so excited that after 14 years of marriage and waiting...and giving up...Today we would see our baby's heartbeat for the first time! After the video was inserted, and the nurse looked for a heartbeat to show us, there was silence. I tried to read the look on her face, knowing that something wasn't right when she never pressed the record button for the tape. I knew something was wrong. My husband knew something was wrong. She tried a little more, then stopped. She tried to reassure us that the doctor needed to take a look and that I should just wait for him to see what he thought. When my doctor came in, and he had the same expression as the nurse, our fears were confirmed. Where there should be a heartbeat, there was nothing. Where there should be the words "Record", I read "Pause". As my doctor began to talk to me, I remember turning my head and being the maddest I have ever been in my life. My husband feel to his knees on the floor and began crying, "No...this can't be happening."

My world stopped spinning for a moment, but then I remembered that I had a hope that some don't have. I had God...and He loved me and would take care of this for me. I just knew He would. After all, I had served Him and been faithful to church and had all my ducks in a row, so to speak. He wouldn't think of letting this happen to one of His own children.

After I was dressed, my husband and I were taken to the doctor's private office and were told that he wanted me to be admitted to the hospital and have a D&C immediately because I had signs of infection in my body. I stood up and walked out of his office and refused to accept anything I had just heard. I walked out in faith...knowing that God was going to prove that He was still in the miracle business and that He was going to use my situation to show His power.

I waited two weeks and carried my baby safely inside of me, waiting on that miracle. When I became so ill that I couldn't go on, my husband brought me to the doctor's office and they immediately set up the surgery for later that evening. I had extreme complications after the surgery due to the fact that there was so much infection in my body. To this day, I become very ill if I smell iodine and just the smell of it takes me back to that day of the surgery. It's amazing the little things your mind remembers. I guess my mind was trying so hard to block out the truth of what was happening and just choose to focus on other things around me. I still cannot stand to smell Bath&Body Works cucumber melon lotion, as I remember the nurse was wearing it.

I remember leaving the hospital after the surgery and having to literally make my mind shut off the fact that I had just handed over the most precious gift I'd ever known, to people who would not hold it the way I would have, or cared for it the way I would have. I wanted to just jump out of the wheelchair and run back inside and tell them one more time...it's not just tissue or matter...it's my baby, small as it may seem to you. Please don't treat it without respect. Please give it proper treatment. Please be kind. The hardest thing a mother can do is walk away...without knowing what is really being done behind the closed doors of where you just left your baby.

I can sit here tonight and even though the tears may fall quitely, I am a stronger person than I was before. Though my faith in God was tested, though I went through a season where I wouldn't talk to Him, though I questioned Him many, many times. I am thankful that I found the strength to run back to His arms and to trust Him again. I found that when my world had been turned upside down and inside out...HE was the One who understood my hurt better than anyone else. I found Him to be a faithful refugee again when we lost two other babies to miscarriages. Then, on June 8, 2005 I found Him to be faithful to His promise. I found HOPE in the eyes of a 6lb 12oz baby boy that God blessed me and my husband with. Landon has helped my heart to heal, he's given me so many reason to smile...but my heart can't help but remember that he's not my only child. There are three others who I love with all my heart and cannot wait to hold one day. And, on this day, my mind can't help but to wonder, and my heart can't help but to miss and think about 'what might have been'...

So, as I sit here tonight and even as I will go through the day today and remember and honor a precious life that forever changed me, I find a reason to be thankful.
See, the journey of losing three babies has left me a more compassionate person, a more sensitive person, a woman who's more aware of the hurt and needs of others who have experienced the same pain as I have. I can look back over my life and see that I am who I am today because of the love (and because of the loss) that I came to know of when I first became a mother many years ago...and though I had to wait till Landon was born to experience the joys of motherhood, I cannot overlook the fact that through these times of great loss, I gained so much of my character. I learned so much about who I really was and what kind of relationship I had with God.

So, here's to remembering a precious life...my dear little one...you have no idea how many times today my thoughts will turn to you. I'll cry. I know I will because I always do on this date, but my heart is always comforted because I know that Jesus has a rocking chair, and I know that He holds you with tender, loving care. I know that He took you from the safety of my womb for a reason...His ways are higher than my ways. I'll not question Him...I'll let the tears flow and let them wash my heart and soul...knowing that He understands my tears today!