2012

It has been so long since I last blogged....  This is a surprise since it is something I love... going back to rediscover the path to growth for myself and my family is a very special thing for me.  Placing our path in writing allows me to do that.   I truly write these for myself so that when my days are hard I can look back and have a reminder that my Lord and Savior is right beside me all of the way! I always know that but sometimes it is nice to see it through the window of memories.  Life has been so busy over the past year I often do not know if I am coming or going and those times that I can just sit and hold my children, or talk with my husband are cherished.  So blogging fell by the wayside.. Esp since I always forget the path to get to this silly old blog.  But I will offer a summary of the past year.....  JESUS LOVES ME!   Yep... that is it pen down story ends! 

Just kidding. I could end there because that is all need to know.  It is through Him that I am strengthened... It is through Him that I find words, It is through Him that I carry on through each day and all the difficulties that it may bring.  Life is not easy my friends....  No matter what situation you are in But an unknown friend left some scripture and a helping hand on my door once when needed more than that friend could even know.   Isaiah 41:10.   Ever since   I know that He is there. 

Anyway,  we had a wonderful 2012 ups and downs of course so don't think I will just glorify it all into something not real. We had some major difficulties in my family to deal with last summer and God brought us through!  It was a very difficult time for us but with prayer and coming together we dealt with it.  Isn't t awesome how He does that.   Have you ever had a time when you weren't sure He was even big enough to handle something.   Maybe you knew He is but in the moment you feel so far from Him that you are not sure He can reach the situation.  That is what this was like   He never let go and He held us with His outstretched arms but it was hard.   We are still dealing with some parts of it but He has worked tremendously and continues to hold us through.  It is interesting though.. We ave some other things now as does every family but I have placed it at the cross and know the Lord is our guide. I am so thankful to be close to my Mom and Dad  they have been such an amazing help to me since moving here and it is s wonderful to see them with my chldren!   Daniel especially just adores his nana...  all of my children adore their nana and Papa and love all of the time they can spend wth them. 

My husband is a Pastor and that is not an easy career choice... many dont realize how much burden is carried by a Pastor for the people that he was called to serve and for those God places in his path.  Many do not understand his desire to push them to the next level in serving God but it is his calling and God leads his decisions through prayer and faith.  I love my husband so very much and  it is so hard sometimes not to go all protective.... But I know for certain that he is protected and was called by God.  So I try very hard to sit back and simply be his help meet.  I simply try to serve alongside without adding to his burden. Note I said try... haha!  He loves what he does and we are blessed to serve alongside some amazing people.  I have to say that though ministry can be exhausting sometimes.. when your job is what you love and are called to do it sometimes just feels like part of life more than a job!
God had a plan for us when He brought us here and we are  thankful and blessed to have an amazng and growing congregation... both in numbers and service to the Lord through faith in Jesus Christ!  I love our church family!

The kids are growing up so much.... Kaylee is 11 now and almost as tall as me.... her shoe size matches mine... oh my... that is part of being a mom isn't it... seeing your little girl grow up.... seeing her become a young lady is such a blessing. Her grades have strengthened and she is such a great help with her brothers!

My little drama queen loves to act and sing... but my prayer is that she will believe in herself the way I believe in her one day soon! I Love that girl!

Logan is 8 now and he is still the ball full of energy he has always been! He is doing well in school and thank goodness I do not hear about him having behavior problems in class this year! If there are any it must not be too bad anyway... He is such an athletic little guy and he loves to break dance! his own created style that is!  He played looking up football this year instead of city league.  He enjoyed both a lot but really learned a lot strategically this year.   am so proud of him and though he is full of energy he is just a good kid with a great big heart!   He an his sister both have huge hearts and just care genuinely about others!

Then there is Daniel. He is 2 and will be 3 this month.  Hard to believe three years have passed since that little angel of my life was born!  I love all of my children but when I found out we were having Daniel I was scared silly because of life situations... God worked everything out though.. Mostly thanks to wonderful friends that he worked through!  I digress... Daniel is a mess... He wants to be Logan so bad he can't stand it and he is absolutely n love with his Sissy!   well Bubby too!  his language is really picking up.. Now if we can get the potty training going but all in due time!!!!!  This is him with his friend playing...   He loves No No as he calls him...He is a whiz on the Kindle Fire HD.  flips from game to game... and does really well with out even needing help most of the time.  and He loves his puppies...



meet Jackie and Jill...  We also have daisy!   She is much bigger.  Milley ran away last year and Jazzmine went to the rainbow bridge... But now we have Jackie and Jill.   bark bark bark... but precious little puppies!  As you can see above his hair is cut and he is all grown up now....  but I hope to see those curls sneak back out!

There is so much I could tell from the wonderful Ladies bible studies we had last year. To the 2 awesome ladies trips my sisters in Christ and I enjoyed... One being where my 2 churches collided.... The one my Faith recommitted to Jesus and the one Jesus sent me and my husband to serve.  yes...  as you can see below... if I can serve it is all because God is leading me... haha

awesome VBS where we were able to plan to adopt two children through compassion international AND SOME OF US WERE ANOINTED WITH ICE CREAM TOPPINGS RATHER THAN OIL!  HAHA,

 seeing lifelong friends affected by the ministry God has placed us in, a youth group that I see growing leaps and bounds in their hearts for Jesus and learning to be true followers of Jesus

and our trip to Willow run, baptist children's homes and wintergreen!

Then the men in our church... amazing to see them being strengthened by God and growing closer to Him! We have so much to celebrate over the past year because God is the top of our triangle of life, marriage and ministry! 

I have taken on new areas of ministry and leaned on God completely to get through my fears.. singing and drama ministries ... I never thought I would find the confidence to lead a bible study much less sing in front of people but with God's help I have tried.  Sometimes better than others but I have tried.   It has been a wonderful experience of growth in taking on the various roles.   I am not saying that things are easy but God is bringing us through each day!    

The one thing missing is more time with more of our family!  That is something we plan to work on this year and hope we suceed.  Dathan's family is near Charlotte and my family or much of it is in Richmond and we do not have a lot of tme to travel and visit but we hope to find more time this year than we were able to last year!  We do miss them!

All in all a wonderful year filled with the Lord and His blessings! 

Thank you Jesus for saving me....  Thank you for taking my place!