Here are some random pictures taken over the last couple of months. I haven't had time to post any pictures before now and the girls are growing up so fast.

Christmas at Darrell and Sue's in Cincy.

Opening gifts at our house.

Katie was keeping her eye on those cookies. She is my sweet eater.

Katie turned three on December 26th. We had her a party. She wanted Dora. My friend Tiffany made her cake.

This picture was taken at Christmas with their great-grandma Neoma Wheatcraft. She was so excited to see them. We hadn't seen Grandma Wheatcraft for about two years.

We went to the Thanksgiving Banquet.
Me heading to the banquet.
The girls were so excited to go too.
Tricia after she "restyled" her hair...lol!!!
We are having a wonderful time with our little family. We are so blessed!! Tricia was on the A honor roll this quarter. We are so proud of her. She gets all her smarts from me...lol!!!

Believe it or not, we are still alive. Things have been really busy here in the gorgeous south. Camp has started and this weekend was the 50th anniversary for the college. Lot's of people are here right now. It's great to see lots of friends that only come around this time.

The girls are growing up and I'm sad over that. They will be out and gone before we know it. We are having a blast with them and are so thankful for God allowing us the privilege to raise them. Buddy is still here and the girls still love him. I'd find him a home if I could. The dog hair can be too much at times. But I persevere...lol!!!!

Hoping to see some of you this next week during camp. It's a great time to visit Florida.

Take care and remember that God is still in control. He has never failed us and we are trusting in Him. God bless!!!!

I'm thankful for...

Here's a couple of things I'm thankful for.

1. My family!!
2. God and the salvation He has provided for me!!
3. Rain!!!
4. My jobs. I didn't think work would ever pick up and now I'm swamped!!
5. Friends who love you in spite of your bad days.
6. Little girls with lots of laughter!!
7. Grandmas and Grandpa's who make you feel special.
8. Especially thankful for a wonderful husband who works so hard to take care of us!!
9. My church and the wonderful messages that feed my soul each week.
10. Last but not least, I'm thankful for the hope I have of heaven!!

Ok. How about you?? Are you thankful today?? Try this. You'll be surprised at how good it makes you feel. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you my friends.

God answers prayers we do not utter!!!

This is really so true. He knows the desires of our hearts and the needs in our lives before we even breath a prayer. So was the case this week. Here's my story of a miracle working God.

Tom and I bought a couch from our local thrift store during the summer. We were happy with the couch even though we saw a few tares and snags here and there. The nice thing about the couch was the sleeper bed in it that looked brand new. Tricia lives for Friday nights because that is the night she can pull out the sleeper bed and and camp out in the living room. It is great too when company comes. We had noticed that the rips and tares were getting worse but we figured it was because the girls are a little rough on it and Buddy (that bad dog) sleeps on it when we aren't home. He has been caught so many times but what do you do??? Anyway, we decided to move the furniture around the other day and upon inspection found that the couch was really in bad shape. The back of the couch was literally falling off.

So that night we sat down to talk and decided that another couch was going to have to be bought as this one was on it's last leg. The problem was, we didn't want to purchase a new one with Christmas just around the corner and we didn't want a new one because the girls are still small and accidents happen. We didn't see any reason to waste money on a new one that would get stained up with drinks and pee. So we decided it was time to do some more thrift store shopping for another couch.

Tom went over to the church to help with the tree and while working heard a dear lady from the church holler out, "Does anyone need a couch. I have one for sale." Tom told her that we were looking for one and could we come and see it. She said yes but that if we bought it we would have to move it that night as her new one was coming in the morning. Tom called me and we went to her house to see the couch. We were impressed!!! And it has a sleeper in it. The only draw back was money. We had some in the savings for a couch but this is such a beautiful couch we figured we couldn't afford it. When she told us the price, we were overjoyed. Then she told us her story.

Last week she had the couch for sale for a whole lot more money and the couch wasn't moving. She was selling the couch to donate the money to the school and desperately needed to sell it because of the new one coming. When we told her our story she looked at us in amazement. She said that last week God told her to lower the price on that couch. He even gave her a specific amount which just happened to fit our budget. She lowered it over half of the original price. When we told her our story we all exclaimed how good God is and how He knew what our need was even before we asked Him.

That night Tom moved out the old couch and moved in the "new" one. Here are a few pictures I took so you could see the couch God gave us.I've decided to post a warning sign "No drinks, food, dogs or peeing allowed!!"

HA!!!!

Dr. Gordeuk's message in a nutshell...lol!!

This past Wednesday night and tonight Dr. Gordeuk was the speaker. He is always so interesting because he is very knowledgeable about the political and religious issues in America today. His topic was concerning our families and are we sending them to "Egypt" to learn the heathen ways. Last Wed. he started a story about the yellow school bus that pulls up to the Israelite home with the words on the side "Egyptian Public Schools #666." Then Dr. Gordeuk began to speak about our Christian homes and have we sent our children to "Egypt" to be educated and trained. He said that next door to this Israelite family lived a family who sent their children to the Synagogue to study the Torah. These children grew up knowing the Bible but because of the "Egyptian" influences in their home strayed far from God and lost out.

He then made these points (I'm not sure I will get all of it)

We can send our children to church every time the door is open.
We can send them to a Christian School all of their lives.

But...if we do not teach them at home about God and His ways, then we as families are failing our children. They are in church only a few hours each week. The majority of the time they are in school and home. If we do not reiterate the teachings of the church/school while our children are at home, then we have failed. Then he pointed out the ways that "Egypt" has entered our home.

1. Through the media we allow our children to see. He commented on the VCR and are we controlling what is being viewed on it.

2. Through the literature that lies around that our children see. He brought out an interesting point here concerning boys in the home. He said that it doesn't have to be "bad" magazines to wet a boys appetite for the sexual things of life. Just lay around a mag of women mostly naked for them to see.

3. Through the attitudes and actions we show them.

He also talked about the story in the OT where the Children of Israel crossed the Jordan river and when then got to the other side they began to build a monument to God. This is where we were and this is where we are now. This is an obstacle I overcame and I'm placing this stone here to represent that I do not want to face that obstacle again. Reminders that our children can go to and ask "What is that for" and we can tell them it was victories we have won.

Then he cautioned parents about devotions in the home. I must admit, I don't do as well as I should. Dr. Gordeuk talked about the importance of reading and praying with our children and discussing the principles found in God's word. He called it "laying the foundation" for our children to build on.

I'm sure there was much more said and I can't remember everything but this is the basics. WOW!!!

I have to do better!!!

Women of Worth

Tonight was our very first WOW meeting for the season. It was a very special time with an emphasis on friendship. We had our table full of some very fine ladies and we had a wonderful time talking and laughing. The food was really good. Once again the cooks outdid themselves. After refreshments we had a game and then one of our ladies spoke on her best friend which was her mother. She gave her two gifts one of which was a crown. It was so sweet. Then we exchanged our Secret Pal papers and ended with a special time of prayer around each table. I think this WOW group is going to be a very special group this year.

Now for some pictures!!!

The refreshments were very good. This table had lifesavers all over it with little friendship quotes. Very cute!!

Some of the beautiful decorations.
The wonderful ladies that sat at our table.

God's protecting hands

Every morning before Tricia goes out the door for school, we get in a little huddle and have prayer. It's so cute because Katie wants to be right in the middle and while I'm praying I'll peek and see Tricia motion for Buddy to get in the huddle. I guess she thinks that Buddy needs a protecting prayer too...LOL!!

We never realize how important this little "ritual" can be. We pray every morning and nothing happens. No one get hurt and Tricia comes home from school still in one piece. Then one day the very thing you prayed about happens.

Yesterday Tricia was playing in the park during after school reading. When they get done with their work they can play. Tricia was playing with a boy who threw a rock and hit her in the face just below her eye. The boy didn't mean to do it and wasn't even aiming for her. She just happened to be in the way of the rock. Thank God for His protection. The rock didn't hit her eyeball and she just had some blood shot in that eye. This morning a little of the red was still there but nothing to worry about.

Then one day this week while playing ball at PE, the ball went out onto Gomez which is the main road past the school. People drive very fast on this road and children have been hit before. When the ball went into the road, who do you think went to rescue it??? Tricia!! She ran over to the road, stopped and looked behind her, not up and down the road, and then ran out to get the ball. Once again, God's protecting hand at work. She didn't get hit and very well could have. I talked very firmly to her that she was not to go into the road for any reason. Tell a grownup!!

Do I regret all the times we have "huddled" for prayer. Never!!! I know God's protecting hands are on my children and every single prayer is worth the time and effort. I believe we will continue to pray and trust our lives into HIS hands!!!