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Sunday, March 16, 2014

Spring Break Favorites...

We are in the final hours of our Spring Break and I will be sad to see it go! Not because we took a fabulous vacation {or any vacation for that matter} but because life was a slower pace for one week. And now I am officially declaring myself as getting old! While Koby complained about being bored and actually counted down the days until going back to school {or AKA Social Hour in Koby's world} I enjoyed a less structured week. If that makes me old then so be it!

Please don't be mistaken though. While there were all of 14 things I wanted to accomplish over a 10 day period I will openly confess to marking off only 2 things from my list. One of those was cleaning our bedroom which I accomplished Monday. It was desperately needed, complete with dusting and moving things around and it is good to know I can accomplish something. However, those other 12 things - not so much! Good thing I have never been too much of a high achiever, or an OCD person.

I thought I would share a few of my favorite things with y'all, which I discovered mostly over Spring Break.




These two snack items are now at the top of my list!!! I have enjoyed both of them over the last week and so has our family.

My sister got me a new book for Christmas from one of my favorite bloggers and I have finished the book over Spring Break!! If you have not read this please pick it up because it will truly make you laugh out loud.


I enjoy reading Melanie's blog and this book just had so many funny but true things for marriage. I also have been reading this book, which talks about evangelism.


It has really impacted me in looking at the way I see people around me and how I view the Great Commission. This book is straight forward in challenging you to share your faith through building relationships. I got it from our church library but I will be buying my own copy soon!

Speaking of the Great Commission, Koby's girlfriend spent Spring Break in Haiti...


....and can I just say how sweet this picture is?! It is definitely one of my favorites! Anna's family went with their church to work at a newly built compound in Haiti. She went knowing she would have no wifi and no hot water which are both huge sacrifices for a 16 year old {or me!}. Koby and I prayed for her trip the whole time she was gone and she came home telling us all kinds of stories and how the Lord worked. She was responsible to go with her translator each day and teach about 50 kids Bible stories and make crafts with them. She also brought something back for us, which is sure to be one of my new favorites...


...COFFEE from the Dominican Republic, which is where they flew in and out of. I can't wait to try it!

I also wanted to share my new favorite version of Jesus Loves Me, which we shared in our local mission project last Saturday. It's very catchy and the kids love keeping the beat!


For the record I am the one recording not the one singing!!

I came across this blog post by a new blogger and had to share it here because it was one of my favorites I read this week:

http://motherhoodandmuffintops.blogspot.com/2014/03/weve-been-so-busy-around-here-with-all.html

If you have two minutes click on it and read it! If you are a mother you will understand my deep appreciation for her post.

Here is what is NOT my favorite:


This is the parking ticket we got when we took Brendan to visit the Alabama campus Thursday. While we were most impressed with the campus and dorms and College of Engineering, I was not happy about getting this ticket. However, I think the fact that our van is covered with Texas ATM decals could possibly cause our van to stand out in a crowd of vehicles. Oh, and we also parked in the faculty parking lot!!

I also don't know about the time I spent with Kamdyn at the mall looking for a swimsuit. Shopping is fun! Shopping with your 15 year old daughter for a swim suit and new shorts is not so fun but that's for another blog post.

I do hope you enjoyed your Spring Break if you had one. God provided us with great weather for the most part and I was so thankful to spend some time outside! I hope you are finding some favorites in this new season...

Sunday, March 9, 2014

That time I was wrong....

In my last post I eluded to more stability in my future posts because basketball season was over. I may have mentioned I would have more time on my hands and how I couldn't wait to do some things around the house - like cooking for starters. In full disclosure, I did have the greatest of intentions! I also intended to be ready to run my first 5K this month but sadly that didn't work out either.

I could never have anticipated the flurry of activities that would soon surround us. While in my mind I pictured quiet, sunny afternoons with our family all together eating a supper that consisted of something other than nachos or chicken fingers I have decided the Lord had other plans. I have been involved with some committee meetings at church and some difficult days at school. We were a host home for our DNOW weekend, housing 8 girls and a college student. Koby had surgery, Brendan played his final game {for real this time} and Kamdyn started softball practice!

So here are a few snapshots of what we have been up to {which clearly will not include blogging!}...


We were a host home for DNOW at our church last weekend. Brian and I have opened our home for the past few years and we have had all ages. The last two years I have gotten wise and hosted the oldest group of girls. It has worked wonderfully because they don't want to stay up all night and they are passed the age of girl drama. I have decided they can be a bit messier than boys but tend to take home everything they bring unlike boys! I was thrilled to host this particular group of girls this year because I knew it would be their final DNOW and also because I knew I was going to have the BEST college leader, who was a former student of mine. It has been amazing to see how God has worked in her life and I was so glad to hear her be able to relate some of that to the girls we hosted.

Koby had surgery this past Wednesday to repair some torn cartilage in his shoulder. He actually hurt it last summer but toughed it out through football and basketball. We knew if he could survive both sport seasons he would have to have the surgery done as soon as possible.


So, we took this "selfie" before they wheeled him back Wednesday morning! The procedure itself took less than an hour and it was an outpatient surgery so we were home before noon. I think the first 24 hours were pretty rough but by Friday morning his humor was returning. He has stayed in the recliner since coming home and he has watched more movies than I care to admit. Finally, we got him up and outside for some fresh air...


It's not exactly spring break at the beach but close! I can't thank you enough for your prayers because I believe the Lord has answered them. Brian and I actually anticipated much worse and have been thankful that Koby has done so well. We will be going to the doctor Tuesday to have his stitches out and he can't wait! The other side of that will be starting therapy and I'm not so sure it will be that fun for any of us.

Brendan was selected as an All Star for the north half of the state in 1A schools. He was one of 12 on the north team and left for Jackson Wednesday to get checked in. He participated in the three point contest Thursday and came in 7th out of all 40 contestants for 1A-3A schools. I picked Ellie up in Birmingham Thursday night and she and Kamdyn and I drove down to Jackson Friday for the game. It was a little bittersweet watching him play because I knew this was in fact it. Everything he had worked on all those years in the drive way was rewarded in this All Star experience and we are all thankful he had the opportunity to compete.


 
 
 

Yesterday we served in our monthly mission project with the church. This is something that sometimes sneaks up quickly and this month was one of those times. However, I always leave our time spent there thankful, grateful and with a full heart. I think Kamdyn does too because I saw that she posted this picture on her Instagram...


She has the biggest heart to pick up any child and share love with them. The kids climb on her, fix her hair, chase her around and she still keeps smiling. To see her in action never fails to make me stop and say a prayer of thanksgiving for how the Lord will use her for the Kingdom!

So, that is about it from here. We did remember to spring forward and I realize at some point I will be grateful for the extra sun in the evening. However, it was not today because I really am trying to recover from lost sleep over the last week. We are officially on Spring Break and I am not sure what that means for us other than no school, which at this point is good enough for me! I hope to be checking in with you sooner rather than later but no promises this time...I've been known to be wrong before!

HAPPY SPRING BREAK!