Summer Rocks

Do you love summer as much as I love summer? 'Cause I LOVE summer! I believe I have done a good job keeping the boys busy when on the way to the beach for the 7th time in a week and a half, the boys say, "The BEACH! AGAIN?" ahhhh, I have worn them out. They are begging for a stay home and do nothing day! You got it boys! But I still heart summer!

Holden turning 3

I cannot believe my sweet "baby" is turning 3! He was determined to have a Woody cake... not Buzz, but Woody! So here it is!

Relax!

This past weekend I went to Wilmington for a little mother/daughter time. Wow! She was all about spoiling me rotten! She set up a massage, manicure, pedicure... I did not know what to do with all the pampering! I had to get over the fact that I worried so about my masseuse! Does she get pampered, does she get to enjoy being on the receiving side of her awesome work? I sure hope so! Once I became an official noodle, I was over feeling guilty... just relaxed! My fingernails look better than they have in years... not to mention my poor neglected... for oh so long... feet! I am quite sure Mylee (sp?) is THE BEST nail person in Wilmington!

The weekend was also filled with food, food, and more food! Indochine, Terazzos, and Smithfields. WoW! Lots of talk time with my mom, yummy food, and fun. It was a little weird being without my boys and Russ, but I am thankful for a family who loves me and wanted to give me a weekend off. It certainly does refresh the mind, body and spirit!
Blessed!!!

Praying for Zack

I have shared with anyone that will listen about the sweet boy Zack Mayo, who is from my hometown of Wilmington, NC, who is suffering from cancer. I follow his families CaringBridge site and our family prays for them. His mom is such a precious testimony for how God wants us to cry out to Him in our pain, so that He may give us comfort. This is a posting she had a week or so ago that really spoke to my heart.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011 10:26 PM, EST
Revival in Zack’s Room…The hospital is under “flu season watch”. This means if you are under the age of 14, they think you are a flu carrier and you are not allowed to enter the units. So Nick can’t be in Zack’s room which means we can’t all be together. Before “flu season watch” he had to have his temperature checked upon entering the unit. By the way, I think they should make adults get their temperature checked….I hear them hacking all over this hospital and nobody is freaking out about that. ( Am I the only one who ever notices that when adults are sick they say “it’s my allergies”. Hmmmmm?) Any way Mayo and I have to switch off. He was here all day and night yesterday. I have been here all day and will spend the night tonight. (Never fear – we have family on the way -arriving tomorrow to help as I type this).

Last night I had quite the pity party about Zack’s n/g tube which was not a good prelude to being here alone with him today. I got really nervous when the doctors started telling me various numbers, tests etc…..but I got really freaked out when I “googled” what they were talking about!! (Google is not always a good thing.) See – usually Mayo and I bounce off each other and remind each other how doctors always have to tell us the absolute worst case scenarios and how we have to stay positive, focused and trust God. But he wasn’t here to remind me all that and I didn’t do such a good job saying it to myself. As a result, for the first time in a while, I was really, really scared. I’m talking the kind of scared where your throat is dry and your stomach is knotted up but you know you can’t lose it because then your child will be scared so then you just get nauseous. So I did the only things I knew I could do to relieve my feeling of helplessness. First, I asked my momma to come to Cincinnati. Next, I sent out a prayer APB to my prayer warriors!! (Love me some technology!!!) Then, I prayed and I got in the Word and I spoke Word Out Loud – for a couple of hours!! I’m talking WOW – the kind of praying that makes you feel invincible! I put on the whole armor of God as this battle is still raging! I read so much scripture out loud praying over my child. Then I logged in and read your prayers out loud and your encouraging scriptures out loud! That’s right! We had a REVIVAL in Zack’s room – complete with some great music. (I even got an AMEN from the housekeeper) I’m sure the nurses think I’m a Jesus Freak and Zack thinks I’m a little crazy but when he’s all grown up and witnessing to people, he will be able to say “my momma prayed scripture over me daily and one day she got started and I didn’t think she would ever stop.” And I’ll be ok with that.

Have you ever prayed that way? If not – I highly recommend it! When I was done, I wasn’t scared anymore. And bonus – I feel closer to God than I have ever felt in my life. “Greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world”!!! ~ 1 John 4:4 He has overcome the world!! My family and I are so very thankful to be trusting God and to be God’s property. And by the way, I’m still wearing the armor. Thank you all for always lifting us up.


I LOVE IT!!! The faith and perseverance and the love and bravery.

Love Song

Last weekend I got to go visit my mom and Tim in Wilmington. It was filled with pampering and fun. However, on my way there and my way home, I had a lot of just "me" time. I enjoyed spending that "me" time with the Lord, and listening to podcasts and a rediscovered Third Day CD. One song on the Third Day really touched me, and when I found out the name of the song, it makes so much sense. 'Love Song' as in a love song from Jesus! WOW! I do not know about you, but back in the day when I would make a "mix tape" for that someone special, I think about how much thought and feeling went into me trying to express how truly, madly and deeply I felt about that person. This song spoke to me because it is exactly what Jesus did for me... loved me so much that he died for me. This love song is written for you too!

Show and Tell

I found this bible at Barnes and Noble before Christmas and immediately, it went on my wish list. Thank you to Russ's mom and dad for this gift! I love this family bible so much that I wanted to share it with everyone!

Every page to every other page has blue side bars. These sidebars have a scripture verse for you to read, and then questions for you to answer and discuss. There is then a short path or a long path for you to take to go to the next page.

We read this each night at the dinner table while the kids are finishing up eating. They look forward to it and really enjoy this discussion time. I love love love this family bible, and highly recommend it to everyone with kids ages 4 and up! Great family time coupled with great bible learning = BLESSED!