**snow** much fun

Old Man Winter was a little late this year, but he finally came!

Day ONE:  Build SnowMan SnowBall Fight

Our snowman building quickly gave way to a snowball fight.  Mama & Sam vs. Uppa.  I think Sam and I won.  (Oh, and when someone tells you to come smell the snow, there's a chance you'll end up with a face full of the stuff!  I'm sure you can figure out which one of us tricked poor, innocent Sam in this way....)

Day TWO: Do Some Sledding

When you have an old plastic swimming pool and some rope, you have just what you need for a sled.  And, if you have a dog that weighs more than a small child, she can pull the sled!  (A tad redneck...maybe, but I prefer to think of it as Southern Ingenuity.)

Day TWO, part 2:  Play Snow Baseball

After a few rounds on the tractor, Sam and Uppa played baseball.  Bonus:  when you're hitting a snowball, you don't have to worry about the pesky neighbor dog running off with your ball.  Sam had to put his tractor up after awhile because he didn't like the snow getting on his wheels!  He's awfully funny about his John Deere.

Day THREE:  Souped-Up Sledding

What happens when you hook your Southern-style sled to the back of the lawn-mower, when you go from man-powered to machine-powered?  Tons of fun, that's what!  (I admit that this is more than a tad redneck.  To some, this probably qualifies as good, 'ole Redneck Fun, but I'll stick with Southern Ingenuity.)

when God's love overflows

It took only a few weeks in an intro Nursing class to figure out that I was meant to stay far away from needles and blood.  I was made to teach, to enlighten young minds (too much??), while sending any who are sick to the school nurse.  It's just who I am, seen by the way I continuously take normal life happenings and make them "learning experiences" for Sam.  I can't help myself.  

To provide an outlet, other than Sam, for all my "teacherness" I get to help teach preschool Sunday School.  It is the best for many reasons...like when you ask them a question, and they always answer with "GOD!"  Do you know how they look at you when you tell them that's not the answer???  Like what do you mean GOD isn't the right answer?!?!

Teaching these little people is also the best because it keeps me from getting too full of myself, from thinking that I got it all figured out.  It's quite humbling when God uses a lesson written for 3 & 4 year olds to show you just how much you don't have figured out.

This week's lesson was on love, and God spoke loudly to me about loving those in my life who don't love back.  On my own, I do not/will not do this.  But, God gives me His love to do what I cannot.

From my first year teaching, I learned that visual demonstrations are always a plus, so in Sunday School, we got to witness what it looks like for God's love to erupt out of us and cover everyone around us.  Even the yucky people.

Another first year lesson was practice everything before getting in front of the class.  Who, of course, do I practice on but my favorite student :).

P.S.  According to 3&4 yr olds, "love is snuggling." Go snuggle someone you love ;).

sew many things

Starting in September, through all of December, I spent all of my free time with this old girl.  Like I a mad woman, I was trying to finish three quilts before Christmas.   At the end of the day, my weary fingers couldn't type a word....I know the faithful few have missed me and my ramblings (or at least that's what I tell myself ;).  This is for you, faithful few!

Halloween came during all of this, so of course, we hit pause on the quilts to make a light up robot costume!  {Sam is not big on costumes, dressing up, etc., so I made "robot clothes."}


 


What's a boy to do when his Mama can't play monster trucks because she's at the sewing machine for the millionth day in a row?  He pulls up a chair makes the best of it :0).

One of the quilts made from Donnie Paul's pearl snaps--it was an honor to make.  It was even more of an honor to have known and love(d) him.

give thanks

PK preached from Psalm 107 this morning, which is where this note was written nearly two years ago---after a long wait, the time had come to bring our boy home!  My heart was, and still is, overflowing with thanksgiving for the goodness of our God.

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.

Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for man.


{I am also thankful for the teaching that I sit under each week; PK challenges, exhorts, teaches, and shepherds the flock God has given him.  We, the sheep, are blessed because of it!}

lessons learned in the 3 and 4 year old class

I've spent the month of October being disappointed.  Disappointed that SAMFund isn't "off the ground" as quickly as I want it to be.  Disappointed that no one around here wants to play corn hole.  Disappointed that prayers offered for a young mom's physical healing from cancer have been answered with a no.  Disappointed that a routine surgery for our family's littlest member ended with an 11 day hospital stay.

Wallowing in disappoint has gotten me nothing but a bad mood.  However, teaching 3 and 4 year olds  in Sunday School about Abraham and God's promise has lightened my mood and filled my heart with joy....I'm so glad that God always keeps His promises!  I'm doubly glad that God never leaves us where we are and uses any and all things to draw us to Him, even a children's Bible lesson.

"Look up at the sky and count the stars--if indeed you can count them.  So shall your offspring be."  Genesis 15:5

I'm sure there were times when Abraham thought it looked impossible for God to fulfill the promise he had been given, but all he had to do was look at the stars and be reminded.  I can continue choosing disappointment, doubt, and worry.  Or, I can choose joy--joy that comes from knowing that God always keeps His promises.  I choose joy.  I choose to believe God.  And, when I need to be reminded, I think I'll take a look up at the dark, night sky :).

So long disappointment!

The little boy that colored this is a daily reminder of God's faithfulness and that He always keeps His promises!

"Do not be afraid Abram; I am your shield, your very great reward."  Genesis 15:1

is that you, success? i imagined you would look different.

Sam has discovered the meaning of winning and losing.  And, let's just say that he's like the rest of the world when it comes to losing--he wants no part of it.  If he loses a monster truck race to Uppa, his response is always, "I want to win!  How I win?"  The familiar refrain to his ears from our mouths: To win, you must try your best and work really hard.  But, sometimes in life even when you try your best, it doesn't always end up with you winning.  Whining won't change that.

I don't much like it when these life lessons come to rest at my feet, when I have to go from teaching them to experiencing them.........

After nearly two months of walking around with the constant presence of paint under my finger nails and modge podge stuck every where, I participated in a craft fair yesterday with the hope of making  money for SAMFund.  I had big expectations for how well it was going to go.  I mean, after all, a friend of mine and I had done our best crafting and worked our hardest.  And, I covered this thing in prayer!  Success was going to greet me at the end of the day; of this I was sure.

When all was said and done, I made 10% of the money that I wanted to make.  As a goal setter, that's a hard pill to swallow.  As someone who is in the same camp as Sam when it comes to winning, that looked an awful lot like losing.

Needless to say, success didn't come in the form that I expected yesterday.  It wasn't wrapped up in green bills that would make a great deposit.  Instead it came through conversation with those that stopped by booth 31C and chatted with me about adoption.  I was able to hear great stories, tell of my vision for SAMFund, and share my heart for ministering to families who are adopting.  It took me until this morning to see that all those prayers for the craft fair were not ignored.  He heard, and He answered.  Just not in the way I was expecting ;).

So, today I am thankful for a God who hears us when we call and who never fails to answer.

I'm also thankful for friends who transformed 31C from a spot on the pavement into a respectable craft fair booth, provided shelter from the rain, and didn't seem to mind being led all around the craft fair by a certain little black-haired boy who never sits still!


"Everything contributes to the publicity." Sessalee Hensley

finally fall

Forget what the calendar says; Fall has come early to our corner of the world!  We are leaving the craziness (and heat) of this summer behind behind and looking forward to our favorite time of the year.  Mums have been planted.  The first of many loaves of pumpkin bread has been baked.  Scarecrows and pumpkins adorn the fireplace.  Planning the perfect costume for the church Harvest Festival has begun.  And, anticipation for a certain little boy's birthday is building!

 Yes, fall is here, and it smells like pumpkin spice!

This has nothing to do with Fall, but it's funny.  Well, not to Roux.  He earned extra cat treats for this.