Saturday Snap Shots

I wanted to quickly share these photos before we left this morning. I came in to an empty play room and found Laci playing in the toy box! She was so happy and content, I snapped a few photos. Mitchell was the culprit responsible for her being inside the toy box!!
Have a great weekend everyone!!

Just Had To Share This...

Okay, most of you know that we, well okay, I am an "I Love Lucy" fan. My kids are also fans, and we are slowly winning Terry over to our side. It is funny because, really, I have lots "Lucy" moments. Anyway, we have all six seasons. Since we love the show, we spend hours (just kidding folks) teaching our children things like singing "Babalu" while pounding on a chair or table. Laci has mastered the technique of doing it on her belly! I just captured this on video and I had to share it with you. Hope you like it.

This next clip will be most appreciated by relatives, so non-relatives, feel free to skip this one! I just thought you would enjoy hearing some of Laci's new lingo.

The Best Part About Keeping a Blog is...

...posting photos of my kids on it! Here's a little photo-journal of the kids from this week.

Right before Lauren came blindly into the house, led by her brother's hand, I snapped this photo of Leslie. She had just fallen asleep on Mitch's bed "reading"!

Laci is my smiling girl. She also loves her baby! (I love mine, too!)

Off to play!

Here's a picture of Lauren's poor eye. I told her to make this face so I could see the eye better. Her pupil was dilated and you can see her red cheek (where the stick hit first) and red eye. The eye doctor said that her eye healed more than expected just overnight. That's the Lord! He's so good to us!

Through all the pain, my sweet girl kept smiling. She's a joy to us. She got saved in September of 2005. I believe she is saved because of her tender heart. When she does wrong, she comes to me and Terry in tears to apologize. She listens closely during Terry's preaching. She loves her younger brother and sisters. She's a hard worker in school. She has pledged some money -$1 a week - to missions. She doesn't even get an allowance, but we've seen God provide her missions money- and then some- for January and February. I'm so glad she is already getting to see God's love for her at age eight!

Psalm 127:3
Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

I am so blessed...

Teamwork, or Teamplay?

I couldn't resist sharing this little video I took today of the girls. It did my heart good to see them playing together so nicely! They are just starting to be able to do that! I loved their laughter! This made my day!

Warning: You may not care about this unless you're a relative!

I hope you enjoy it! Thank the Lord for cameras, video and the Internet!:o)

If I can just keep going...

Well, I am a testimony that no matter how faithful you are to church, Bible reading and prayer, you still battle the flesh! Won't Heaven be wonderful? No more sin, no pain, NO ALLERGIES!! I have had more trouble the last few days with my allergies than I've had in ages. I haven't taken a Benedryl since Laci's birth, but I broke down early this morning and took one. I couldn't stand it any longer - I've had itchy eyes, sneezing and my asthma has been acting up. It's been bad enough that I wake up in the night needing to blow my nose! I love living here. It's peaceful - it's a town, but a small one, so the pace is slow. Think of Burnet like the Mayberry of Texas. The climate is great! Winter lasts about two weeks...ok, just kidding, but winter is very mild here. After living in northern Kansas, where you go soulwinning in below zero weather, this climate is awesome! It's gets cold at night and 70ish in the day. The people are friendly, and it's TEXAS! What's not to like? :-) BUT, we do have things blooming year round because of our mild climate, and that causes unsuspecting, non-native Texans like myself to suffer the consequences. This is just another fleshly thing to deal with, and I'll be so glad when I'll be rid of this old flesh! Not just because of my allergies, but because of sin. I am so tired of battling the fleshly desire of covetousness, gossip and myriad other sins!
Gal. 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. Wow! That is my desire - to walk in the spirit. I would be a better mother, wife, friend, sister, daughter, everything- If I could just walk after the spirit, and not my old rotten flesh. The Bible says in Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. How true! The old saying, "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." is true for all of us. I know not to gossip, or lose my patience with my kids, but doing it is a whole lot harder!! I don't battle external sins - like alcohol, smoking, etc.- but sins of the heart, which are just as rotten in God's eyes.
With God as my helper, I'm going to get up and keep going. My goal is Gal.5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. That should keep me busy! And when the flesh seems to be fighting me, I'll remember Gal. 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for due season we shall reap, if we faint not. I want to sow the kind of crop that will be fun to reap - I want to sow to the spirit and not the flesh. I'm so glad that the Lord will never leave me or forsake me, even when the flesh wins occasionally. Through Him, I've already won the war!
In the meantime, I'll keep the Puffs handy, and keep on fighting this flesh of mine.

Whew!

Another week has come and gone! My how time flies! I managed to hold it all together while Terry was away at a preacher's fellowship meeting this past week. My initial reaction is to write about all the stress I experienced this week - you know, how the kids spilled things, right when the phone was ringing and then Leslie pushed over Laci at that same moment, etc. etc. But I fear that I would get myself in a negative mood, not to mention bore you to death, dear reader! So, I will not get into that frame of mind. I'll suffice it to say that I kept everyone fed, clothed and in his/her right mind this past week. I managed to keep the house reasonably clean and got Lauren and Mitch through another week of third grade and kindergarten. I even got to read to Leslie some! I was in bed by 10:30 each night - the first time since Laci arrived on the scene - an act of sheer survival, but one I wish I could do every night! But I found myself wearing down emotionally. The only adults I spoke to (other than a 30 min. call to my Mom each morning) were the ones I saw at church Wed. night. I couldn't converse with Terry very much because it was so difficult to get a signal on his cell phone while he was in WV. Therefore, I felt so alone and tired. People - relationships - are so important! I knew a lady one time who said often that people are more important than things. It's true! I can live without a TV or a pool, or a nice car, or whatever, but I would have a very hard time living without people! People are more valuable to God - He sent His Son for them. Not for a Mercedes, or an iPod, or a DVD, player, but people! Sometimes I forget that and I really... well, hate to admit it, but covet (I know, I'm the only one) things that others have. Now all of you know how you should pray for me! Pray that I'll keep my focus straight! That I'll remember that people are more important than things - than money!!
I want to share more about his trip to WV, but I'll have to do that on another post, so stay tuned!
Have a great day in church tomorrow!

Photos You Might Like...

Three little stair steps: (t-b) Lauren, Mitchell and Leslie

Lauren wearing a dress that her cousin Ashley in Florida gave her.

Lauren and Mitch showing their H.E.Buddy Reading certificates and T-shirts awarded by our local grocery store, HEB, during their summer reading club.

Laci,Leslie and Me