Queenies Little Kingdom

This is one sweet chicky! She has a fabulous ministry to girls grades 3 through 12 called Starlite. If you click over to her blog and read up a bit, I’m sure you will find something that will bless your heart.

I’m always excited to find neat ministries out there that are beating the streets and making an impact on this world. This is one of those ministries. God bless her and that passion to follow You Lord wherever you lead. I am a person that someone did a little investing in during my formative years. I will forever be grateful to the one’s who obeyed Christ for my sake.

Go check out Ministry So Fabulous and Starlite. You’ll be glad you did. Oh and did I mention you can sign up to win a Starbucks giftcard? Uhuh! Oh yea, that’s right! Bring on the latte, baby!

Link up here for the contest!

Ally….needing a little red eye work!  So purty!

Lauren, Ally & Allison!  (Allison is Gavin’s girlfriend…..yes, I said GIRLFRIEND!)

Leah & Ally…..Look out on the roads, friends!

Laura & Ally….posing in straight hair!

 

Nobody can tell you how much you’ll love someone that you’ve given birth to.  I think it’s because there aren’t words to adequately describe it.  Your heart takes over and the love is like a raging storm.  It’s powerful!  My love for Ally is like that.  She’s so like me but then she’s so different.  I often say she is most similar to her dad in personality.  Both of them think the world hates them and feel everyone’s staring at them….cause they look dorky!  Crazy huh?

She came in the world two years and nine months after Gavin (March 17, 1993) and eighteen months before Gates and we couldn’t have been more excited.  Her dad was thrilled…..so much so, that he went out shopping for her.  He came back with pink stuff….binkies and clothes!  She had to have girl stuff.  He didn’t want any girl of his looking the slightest bit boyish.  She was a beautiful baby!  We fell in love with her…..and are so glad God picked us to be her mama & daddy.

I’m watching her grow up pretty fast these days.  She’s going and doing things that teenagers do.  Ballgames, girlfriends, shopping, church activities and giggling about boys.  Oh I remember those days.  The one’s where your parents were real goofy and weird….oh and not so smart either.  Oh yea, that’s where we are these days.  I wish I could tell her that someday she’ll look back and see things much differently.  I know I do.  She’ll see that the things that she worried about were not such big deals too.  But you can’t tell them that stuff….it just sounds so “parent-y”!

It’s tough being a teenager.  You’re stuck!  Not old enough to do your own thing and support yourself but too young to slide by without any responsibilities.  Those growing pains hurt too.  Friendships are vital!  Teenagers have the capacity to take little things way too seriously.  Like, friend drama and criticisms.  Both can be devastating to a teen.  Especially sensitive teens.  As a mom, I want to be a good listener and a trusted confidante to my kids.  I pray they know they can always come to me and hear wisdom that I’ve prayed over.  I hope to always guide them to the cross no matter what.

I don’t know why I blogged about Ally tonight.  She’s just who I was thinking of.  She moped through dinner and wouldn’t eat what I set out.  Did I mention her strong will?  She opted for brownies and chocolate icecream for her meal.  Mmm de-lish!  She is a chocoholic (another way we are alike) afterall.  I get it when you’re just out of sorts.  We girls are like that…..we just need to do our own thing.  So eating a meal of chocolate is cool.

So, to my sweet little middle child that’s growing up and turning into the sweetest young lady…..I love you!  I pray that you are growing into just who God designed you to be.  I thank Him for allowing me to be your mom!  I feel so blessed that you’re mine.  BIG KISS & BIG HUGS!

Matt. 7:7 “Keep asking and it will be given to you.  Keep searching and you will find.  Keep knocking and the door will be opened to you”.

This has been the fastest and busiest weekend I’ve had in a long time.  Friday night was filled with the football game and senior night.  Saturday morning began early with working in our yard and running errands (like picking up haybales and a thrift store find).  The afternoon was all about a special wedding an hour away.  Then it was off to shop for shoes for Sweetboy.  Oh and pick up food and items needed for tonight’s (Sunday) big deal!

We hosted the middle school youth at our house tonight for “Detour”.  Both youth groups have this event once a month.  Each time, they are guests at some brave family’s house.  The kids love this and have been blessed by many friends welcoming them into their homes.  When we were asked to take a date….we didn’t even have to think about it.  We love throwing a party!  Especially in the fall.  LOVE THIS WEATHER!

Our yard was covered with the fallen leaves….so hubby got down to business by blowing them down the hill.  We have a great place in our woods with a fire pit.  We know how much we love fire….so we thought that would be a great way to party tonight.  We surrounded the pit with haybales and plenty of hotdogs and smores….and we had a blast!  The kids did too!  Heehee.

We also had a fire pit on our back porch.  Some ventured up and cooked goodies there.  It was cool out (about 54 degrees) so it was even more fun being outside.  Once the kids had all eaten and poked enough fire….they came in for a game.  Their youth leader (Mark) had them play a charades game…..I think he called it, Sit Charades or Butt Charades???!  Not quite sure….but it was a scream (well, from where I was upstairs…cause they kept screaming!)  haha.

At 9:00pm they peel out and head back to church where anxious parents are waiting the arrival of their little darlin!  I’m glad they came and I pray they had a great time and want to come again.  It’s always fun to have people over (besides….your house gets extra cleaned then).  So much so, I’m having another party on Wednesday night!  This time it’s adults.  We are having a soup/chili dinner with our LLYWD group.  Can’t wait!  This group has been a blessing….and we want to show them some southern hospitality!  So there’ll be no spagetti noodles in our chili!  Haha!  Sorry Hoosiers!

It’s been so busy this weekend that I haven’t even gotten a  N A P !!  I really love my naps!  Oh well, I’ll have to catch up on them this week.  We only have 2 1/2 days of school, since it’s our fall break.  I can relax the rest of the week away.  Mostly, I can enjoy my family.  We’ll be hanging out and eating too much more than likely.  Ahh the sweet life!

I hope you had a great weekend and that God blessed you too.  His love is amazing and His blessings abound.  Just look around you and see.  All that is good…..comes from our Lord.  Thank you Jesus!

Youth kids getting serious about the game!

Psalm 116:12 “How can I repay the Lord all the good He has done for me?”

He said I would cry and get all mommed up emotional! Ughhhh No, I didn’t! Maybe that’s how I’ll be after the Christmas month comes and goes. Last night I felt great! Very proud and excited for him. He’s been a great kid and has put his whole heart into every activity he’s taken on. WAY TO GO GAV-MAN! You make me proud!

I’ve watched year after year from the stands parents and their senior teens walk across that field arm in arm. I had no idea that I would blink my eyes and be out there myself so soon. Time flies when you’re raising a family, working and trying to make it in this world. I have a great respect for the parents who’ve gone before me and let their kids go. I’ve been told it’s not easy. I’m learning a little more everyday.

It’s been so cool having Gavin around at school. When we moved here, he was in 6th grade and I was teaching 10th grade English and a Creative Writing class. I couldn’t see that far ahead….to the day he would be walking those same halls with me. Everytime I’ve run into him….my heart feels a spark. No one can describe to you how your heart will feel when you have a baby. Mine has been madly in love with my kids! They fill me up! Thank you God for sharing them with me.

Since Gavin is a lifter for cheerleading and in the band…..he was honored twice. We walked across before the game for cheerleading and at half-time with the band gang. Both were oddly awkward. From our view, you can’t tell if people are watching and celebrating with you or just going on about their business of finding seats and ordering food from concessions. Either way, we claimed our moment in JCHS history and celebrated our senior and his accomplishments in both activities. With SMILES on! 🙂

We’ll get to do this one more time during basketball season. I know it will be a little different then. The end of the school year will be fast upon us by that time. My tears may show up that night. I want to embrace every moment with him and cherish it. I’ve invested all of me into him (and his sisters). How could I not be a little boohoo-ey!? Letting go and trusting God with his life is something I’ve practiced everyday since God gave him to me. I’m growing up too, ya see?

So Sweetboy…..Happy “Seen Your” Night to you! I’ve seen your worse (not too much of that), I’ve seen your best (a whole heaping bunch of that) and I couldn’t be more proud of you! Thank you for honoring God with your life!  I LOVE YOU!!!  Mama!

Walking with our Sweetboy

Proud to stand beside him!

Being nosey….haha! Naaah, we’re happy for our neighbors!

Deut. 30:19b “Today I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, 20) love the LORD your God, obey Him, and remain faithful to Him. For He is your life”.

Remember hubby and the allergic reactions? Well, they are still going on. Not everyday, just here and there when you least expect it. Last night on our way out the door of the church….he hopped in the car and said….”Does this look normal?”. His bottom lip was beginning to swell and NO, IT DIDN’T LOOK NORMAL! It looked weird!

Beginning of reaction…
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By the time we arrived home… the top lip was swelling a little. Within 45 minutes he looked like this!! ALERT!! Not for the fainthearted…..look away if you gross out easily!

Notice the eye swelling as well. This is just crazy! We have gone through every. single. little. thing. trying to sort out WHAT it could be that’s doing this to him. There is nothing! Some days he is fine…then bam! he breaks out all over. One day it might be his tongue swelling or his body is covered in hives or his lips and eyes swell. He’s taken so much Benadryl that he’s permanently kooky from it.

I know what you’re going to say…. GO TO THE DOCTOR!!!!!!! I’ve tried that one! He says he will…then nothing happens for a few days and he thinks he’s okay. This has been happening since we had the hurricane Ike winds wreck our county. I’m wondering….if there’s a connection!?!

He’s been in bed most of today (pumped up on Benadryl as usual) and some of the swelling is down. But he’s still a big ole mess! Pray….friends….pray!

I want him to look like this again! Hey, why didn’t anyone tell me I had helmet hair?

Three simple words.

But not to everyone.

Is there someone you need to forgive?

What’s stopping you?

I’m on my last week of living on this earth (according to my bible study LLYWD) and I have to question my own heart. Who am I harboring unforgiveness against? Why? Do I really think it doesn’t matter? I know it matters. Look at the bitterness that rears it’s ugly head when I least expect it. Oh it matters! So I pray, “God pierce my heart…..do NOT let me rest until I get it right!” I don’t want to die with it in my heart. Or theirs.

I’ve learned some things in my 42 years here on earth. People are similar in many ways. Especially in the sin nature (no duh….we’re all sinners!) and we tend to follow the path of least resistance. We like to go where it’s easiest. So being vulnerable and saying, “I’m sorry” is not so easy for some people. Matter of fact, it can be nearly impossible. Our flesh struggles against being in a position of weakness. For some, saying those words makes them feel as if they are admitting they are weak. For other’s maybe it’s a hardened heart. Either way, we live trapped in it. Unforgiven and unforgiving!

If I put things into perspective, I can see that holding onto unforgiveness separates me from all that God has for me. His peace, His understanding, His mercy, His grace and maybe even from feeling His love. All because I can’t let go and forgive. It doesn’t sound worth it, does it? I don’t want to be separated….I want to be connected and for that connection to be rock solid tight.

What if? Tomorrow doesn’t come? Have I righted all my wrongs? Am I at peace with the junky stuff in my life? I can’t help but think of what my Lord has done for me. He’s offered me forgiveness for so much. I could never match it. I want to love like Him and see like Him. Mold me Lord and make me like you. Forgive me for not trusting you in ALL ways and trying to handle things in my own power. I’m sorry!

Now for the homework……Dr. Smalley challenged each of us to write out a list. Yes, a list! Anyone that has hurt or offended us…put them down. Pray and pray…..oh yea….and pray! Ask God to forgive you for whatever it is you are holding on to. You may have to do it repeatedly, some wounds are deep. Then begin forgiving them, go to them and get it right. Make peace one person at a time. Don’t run from it any longer. Live like you were dying!

I forgive you………………..

Romans 12:18 “If possible, on your part, live at peace with everyone.”