Inside ourselves

My great Aunt Becky died yesterday. She wasn't someone I was real close to but it was my Grandmother's sister. She had been sick for some time. She had just given up. When I spoke with my grandmother this evening she talked about how many people had shown up to pay their respects. She talked about how people kept calling and bringing food and stopping by all to say how much they loved Aunt Becky and what a lovely lady she was. "My sister would have just been touched to know that she had this many people who truly liked her." She spoke of one such woman who stopped by and gave Becky's daughter a "trinket" that made her think of Becky. I was just touched by the whole experience in a different way. I just wonder how many of us are so inside ourselves that we can't even see the few people who might feel this way about us. Are we so inside our own special place that we can't see how much we touch other's lives. What an incredible way for God to remind me that he has provided for me and that I so need to get over myself.

Family Pictures

We got our pictures taken the first week in August. Things have been so crazy I have not had a chance to even get with my friend Kristin to get them back until today. AND, I AM IN LOVE! She did a fantastic job. Here are just a few of my favorite from the 176 shots she gave me to choose from... How will I ever choose?

A lot has happened....

I need to "catch up" but I'm not going to.. I may come back one day and post a few of the pictures that I need to post and then again...I may not.

I just need to say I actually scrapbooked this evening and It was so GREAT!

Here is my layout. It sat on my scrap table for two weeks. I would go look at it and just couldn't decided on a title. During this time Charlie had her "surgery" to remove the butterfly. After that time every time I looked at this girls face I did not think about these pictures from a birthday party this summer. Instead I thought about what she said sitting on the "table" in her surgery room. Then when I was cleaning up after a prayer card meeting w/ some ladies from my church I threw a stack of bible verses on my table. Isaiah 41:10 landed on the layout and I knew I needed to use it. I kept the layout. Added the title Have courage, the bible verse, and some journaling that has nothing to do with these pictures and I LOVE how it turned out.

The journaling: I have been working on this page for days and each time I see it I do not see the little girl in a bathing suit at Gant's birthday party. Instead I see the little girl sitting on an operating table. I try to help you be brave and you say, "Mommy, remember God is with me. He gave me doctors to make everything better. He gave them the knowledge to make me better. He will be with me even when you and Daddy are not to make me brave."

Bug, you continue to show me each and every day how incredible my God truly is. Always have courage. God is always with you. love mommy

It blows me away how God uses my own words repeated by my four-year old to comfort both of us. At least I know she is listening.

Charlie

I walked into the living room this morning and found Charlie staring at a blank TV screen. I asked her what she was doing. Here is the conversation that followed.

"Oh, I am just dreaming."

"You are dreaming?"

"Yes, I am dreaming. I just closed my eyes and I thinked of it. I made the pictures in my head and I just imagined and it poofs into my head and I just imagined that I was playing with pink toys. And when I was playing with pink toys I got lost. It was okay though because God told me to be brave and I told the man that was a woman my name and she found my mommy for me."

"You are dreaming this in the living room."

"yes, cause you know I can't watch TV. I am grounded so I just imagined it with pictures in my head and I wasn't afraid because I had God."

She so keeps me on my toes. I love how it takes her forever to tell a story and the story is a complete run-on sentence. I have no idea where she might have gotten that from.

Back to school

I am going to have a great year this year. I have super wonderful kids who are already problem solving. I have a great assistant who is going to be fun. (This said, I really miss my friend from last year.) I have been blessed with great words of appreciation and encouragement from my parents this year. I've got a great bunch this year too. Off to another great year teaching

AP Pre-K, so I have been told. That always makes me laugh. I don't feel I teach AP Pre-K but we do have homework every night. I just justify mine by saying that every teacher gives the homework assignment of read 20 minutes every night. I can't wait to see what God teaches me this year with my kids and my kid being in Pre-K. It is going to be a GREAT year!

school shopping

I am still not ready for this one. I know that she will do fine but will I? She got five new outfits and three pair of shoes. Does she need any of this NOPE. But grandma insisted. We did have a fun time. And the clothes do look cute on her. Do you notice a pink theme? Yep, it is her favorite color.

trash anyone

See my trash can. Do you notice anything in there that does not belong. Yep, that's right. PLATES.
I have to check my trash can all the time to make sure that nothing got put in there that does not belong.

He loves to throw things away. I think it has something to do with the swinging lid.