And the Angels and All of Us Rejoice!

Glory! Hallelujah! I received the MOST precious phone call tonight. I heard my oldest nephew say, "Aunt Kiki....I want you to know....that I was saved tonight!" And then we both cried. I have been anticipating this phone call for a long time...and it was better than I could have imagined!

Oh, sweet nephew, this is the day we have all prayed for since the day that you were born. We are all so very proud of you and so thankful to God for your decision! This is the BEST decision of your life. Oh, there is nothing better than asking Jesus to be your Savior and your Lord! He loves you more than you can possibly imagine and He has great big things in store for you life! Thank you for sharing your exciting news with us!!!!

Glory! Thank you, Jesus! We rejoice in Your great salvation (Isaiah 25:9). The Bible says, "Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents" Luke 15:10. I don't know who is rejoicing more tonight: the angels or A's entire family!

What an absolutely, incredible Easter this will be!

My Camera has a What?

Oh, Ya'll! I am sooooooooo excited! I am taking an online photography class by Angie Seaman. You can check out her amazing blog here or her photography website here. I feel so blessed to be learning from Angie. She is Talented...with a capital T. If you are interested, I think another online class begins again in May.

Mr. Incredible blessed me with my Nikon D60 a year ago. I call it my big girl camera and I am so thankful to have it! I think last year I took nearly 3,000 photos with it. I thought they were pretty good...until this class.

I've been leaving my camera set to auto or if I'm feeling really fancy....no flash! Yes, ma'am, fancy photography! I read my manual first but it sounded more like French than English so I just stuck to using my BFF (best friend forever) auto/ no flash...until 2 weeks ago.

I like Angie, but she is s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g me to do better. I have learned that my camera has an aperture setting~Aperture what? I can also set my own white balance and I'm learning how to carry around a little white card to test my white balance before I shoot photos.

My family now runs and hides whenever I get my camera out. Ha! No, not really, they are really patient with me as I practice, practice, practice.

Today is a gorgeous day in our corner of Texas. I hear that cold weather is on its way early next week so I grabbed my "big girl" camera and headed outside. My Bradford pear tree is bursting with glorious blooms. Wanna see:

We are suppose to be practicing Aperture settings and white balance settings. This is a very low aperture setting which gives good bokah in the background:

And this is the same angle with a higher aperture setting to show more of the background:

This is so much fun! We are on spring break next week so I'll be practicing some more. Ya'll have a blessed weekend!

Run, Baby, Run!

Remember this picture from September? This is my baby girl running Cross-Country.

Tonight...she is running track and I get to watch her and be her biggest cheerleader....and I am so excited! She has already run in 2 track meets and I had to miss them because they were at the same time as Rachel's prom dress fittings and sadly I can't be two places at one time so I have been anxiously waiting getting to watch my girl run.

That last sentence makes me giggle, a little. One because it is a huge run-on sentence, which is funny since I'm talking about running (sorry-I was an English major) and two because we are not a family of runners.

I may have told you this before, but I played basketball and volleyball at Martin High School in Arlington, TX. In order to make the teams, I had to run an 8 minute mile. My parents helped me that summer and thankfully, I made the teams. Running has never been my favorite; I can walk fast but not run fast.

And since I played those sports I had to do something in track {sigh}. So, in high school I attempted to throw the shot put and discus...without messing up my hair or the bow in my hair. Ha! I was really there just to meet all of the cute track stars; my heart was not in throwing a heavy metal ball or a round, Frisbee-like thing.

Apparently, Mr. Incredible didn't like running either and he too threw the shot put and discus in his high school days (we didn't know each other then). When Rachel was able to play basketball, she also had to do something in track and she carried on the family tradition of throwing the discus and shot put...and occasionally they would make her run the 100 or 200 but she didn't really like running either.

And along comes Hannah! Tonight she will be throwing the discus, running the 800 m dash, 800 m relay, and the mile relay! Wow! She wants to add hurdles to the mix, but it has been too windy this week for her to practice and the coaches have put that off until the week after spring break. Whew!

Last week her 800 m relay team placed 2nd! My dad is so excited....He is the true track star in the family...and Hannah is quickly following in his footsteps. In fact, Hannah wants to run hurdles, just like Grandpa! Isn't that precious?! We just don't want her to hurt herself!

In practice this week, she caught her leg on one of the hurdles and got a gash on her leg. I picked her up from practice and she was bleeding. Yikes! I helped her clean it up and put a bandage on it, and then I asked her if it hurt. She replied that it hurt a little but now she knows what it feels like and she won't let fear stand in her way. I love this child of mine...and her outlook. With the Lord's help, she conquers anything that she sets her mind to....and that is a great lesson for all of us.

Did you see the cartoon Baby Blues this week? I'm loving this one:

Yes, that will be me tonight! Go, Hannah, go!!!!!

Busy Mom's Bible

About a month ago, I received an email from Zondervan asking if I would be interested in reviewing their latest Busy Mom's Bible (Who me? And how did you find my little blog in this massive blog land?). I realize that they contacted many other bloggers too but I was still overjoyed and excited.

Yesterday, this is what I received in the mail. It had a vibrant cover filled with typical busy mom things like to-do lists, recipes, school forms, etc:

And on the inside it said: Give yourself a time out. Take just a few minutes away from your to-do list, and enjoy this free copy of the Busy Mom's Bible, a gift from Zondervan.

And then I unwrapped this beautiful box:

I liked the box picture immediately, and couldn't wait to get my hands on my new Bible:

Isn't it beautiful? The outside of the Bible is a soft pink leather that fits perfectly in my hands. Here is what it looks like on the inside:

The Busy Mom's Bible is NIV and it also contains 52 "one-minute" devotions or "thought starters" as they call it to "let you dip into God's Word for a minute of refreshment. To go deeper, each of these Thought-Starters is followed by an option for a five-minute Reflect & Pray or a ten-minute Study to help you learn even more about what God's Word has to say to you today."

I think it is a wonderful Bible for Busy Mom's everywhere. I can remember feeling very guilty about not spending a lot of time in the Word when my girls were infants. There just isn't enough time in the day when your babies are infants and depending on you for everything. I remember my Mom gently encouraging me that this was the season the Lord planned for me to be in and to not feel guilty. She knew that I was praying....over everything as new mom's do....and trying to spend time with the Lord when I could.

Now, that my girls are teenagers (when did this happen!) I have more time to spend with the Lord in the morning. I try to get up early before my family and spend time with the Lord which gets me ready spiritually for the day. If you are a busy mom, like me, and you are struggling with finding time to dig into the Word, you might consider this Bible. The 52 one minute devotions may be just what you need!

Right now I am studying Annointed, Transformed, and Redeemed, by Priscilla Shirer, Beth Moore, and Kay Arthur and just this morning, Priscilla encouraged us to not live our lives in our natural abilities but under the anointing of the Lord. She explains, "In our natural abilities we might be able to teach the class, mother the children, stay in the marriage, or write the book, but to fulfill the supernatural purposes of these natural activities demands an anointing by God's Spirit. The anointing causes women with children to become a developer of Christian soldiers. The anointing gives a mere speaker a message that penetrates the hearts of the listeners...."

She is so right! As a wife and mom, I can try to do it all in my own ability....and to be honest I do at times....or I can try to fulfill God's purpose in my life as a wife and mother, by doing it under His anointing. I may be able to meet their physical, daily needs, but I can't instill in them a deeper love for the Lord and a desire to serve and obey Him if I am not living under His annointing and if I am not in the Word daily.

This Busy Mom's Bible is a great place to start if you have never had a Quiet Time with the Lord and you don't know how to begin, or if you are like me and you just need a time of refreshment, even for one minute. You can find out more about the Busy Mom's Bible here (and no, I am not getting paid to write any of this). Blessings to you today!

*Updated: Just in case you think I have it all together (which, if you have read my blog at all you will find that is simply not true...not even close!) I want to share with you a conversation I had with Hannah this morning while I was driving her to school:

Me: (After hearing the girls arguing over clothes-oiy!) What was your devotion about today?

Hannah: I didn't have one~I didn't have time!

Me: (looking at her with a contorted face, I'm sure) What??? Did you have time to text anyone this morning?

Hannah: No!

Me: Were you on your phone at all?

Hannah: Well...I checked my Facebook

Me: You had time to check your Facebook but not have your quiet time? Do you know that not having your quiet time is like going to school naked...spiritually?

Hannah: Oh, well I kind of had my quiet time! I listened to the Barlow Girls CD!

Me: Oiy! (And then I mumbled something positive...like I'm going to take that cell phone away if you don't do what you are suppose to do in the morning~like having your quiet time! Yah, it was that positive!)

See? I'm not perfect, but I didn't holler or scream....'cause I had my Quiet Time...and now I need another one.

Happy 17th Birthday Rachel Ann

Happy Birthday, precious Rachel Ann!

You are a gift from the Lord in every way...and I'll never be able to thank Him enough for blessing our lives with you!

Your birthday weekend has been an absolute blast. You invited two of your closest friends, next to your sister, to see Alice in Wonderland. You had been counting the days for the movie release. We all had so much fun!

Ya'll are stylin' in your 3-D glasses:

And then dinner at Cheddars...yum!

And home to celebrate with Gigi's Cupcakes:

A yummy Sunday morning breakfast at home and then a delicious lunch at Nonnie and Poppie's house.

In perfect timing, your birthday bulbs bloomed:

I think I love this pink one the best! There is so much symbolism in this picture, isn't there?

This beautiful flower bloomed where it was planted...and it is a glorious flower. This past year would never have been what we would have imagined for your precious life...but it was by far better than we could have imagined because it was the path God chose for you...and He was there every step of the way!

Through all of your suffering and pain, you somehow managed to share the fragrance of Christ with all of those who came in contact with you....and He shined and continues to shine so beautifully through you. Your faith in the Lord has never waivered. You are an encouragement to everyone that knows your story. We thank God for what He has done and what He is continuing to do.

You, my precious daughter, have blossomed into the most beautiful young lady and your daddy and I are so proud of you! While on this day, your 17th birthday, my heart begins to race and I start dreading the days ahead...your senior year..going off to college....my mind reminds me that I have felt the same way every year of your life. You see, I knew then, even when you were only a month old, that we would be here in the blink of an eye and I have LOVED every minute, every moment, every single journey of faith with you! And I can't wait to see what God will do next...but at the same time I long for time to stand still.

You are the heart of my heart, the reason I am called Momma, and the apple of your Father's eye. What an absolute treasure you are. "May the Lord continue to bless you and keep you and cause His face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you" (Numbers 6:24-25).

With Much Love,

Momma

xoxoxo

Mother of the Year-a Video!

Yay! It's Friday! How about a laugh?

I am so ready for a good laugh. I've had "Growing in Grace" pains this week...and I've blown it several time {sigh}. I feel like I'm spiritually wearing bandages from head to toe...it has been quite a week.

I really should look at it as God is not finished with me yet and that He loves me far too much to leave me the way that I am. But, it still hurts sometimes.

This was suppose to be a fun Friday post, so I'll get back on track. If you need a laugh today, check out this funny video. It has been around for awhile, but I think all of us that are mothers have definitely been there. My friend Kelli sent it to me this week and I loved it and thought of all of you. Enjoy!

Sic 'em Bears!

Last night our family and Hannah's friend "S" headed to Lubbock for the Baylor Lady Bears vs Lady Raiders basketball game. We donned our best green and gold, except for "S" who insisted on wearing the red and black or TT as I called it (that stands for Texas Tech~but it's fun to call it TT). We were a green and gold minority in a sea of black and red, but we didn't care.

We stopped at Rudy's BBQ on the way for some delightfully delicious dinner and a quick photo in front of the Rudy's sign...and that's when I realized, my super-duper camera had been left on in my bag and it was completely dead~great! I had visions of taking awesome Lady Bear pictures from our fantastic seats...I had even packed all of my lenses...but no! I wanted to throw a little fit, but I didn't...okay maybe a little one. Oiy!

So, I pulled myself together and grabbed my I-phone and took a few pics anyway:


The crowd was electric~what a game! I am proud to say that Baylor won! Sic 'em bears!

We were only a few rows from the Baylor bench and that was exciting. Hannah couldn't wait to see Brittaney Griner, the 6'8" Freshman who can dunk the ball. She watched the game intently as if this would be the team that she would one day play for....I could see it all over her face...the dreaming....the hopefulness...and her excitement.

And then I joined in her dream and wondered if it might happen one day....if the Lord so chooses...and with a lot of practice...and it was fun to dream... until a fight broke out on the court!

Brittaney Griner and Tech's Barncastle had been fighting for position all night long....until Barncastle belligerently pulled Brittany to the ground...and then Brit got mad and hauled off and punched Barncastle right in the nose. We were stunned! Naturally, Brittaney was thrown out of the game, as she should have been...and then my dream of maybe one day watching my baby girl play in high school and possibly college and having to deal with yuck like that made my heart race...and not in a good way!

I looked at Mr. Incredible and said, "I'm not ready to watch Hannah play college ball" and then he looked at me as if I had lost my ever-loving mind....and then I chuckled...because he hadn't been joining us in our dream....and then I snapped back into reality.

He sweetly cautioned me that high school basketball was going to get more aggressive and that the fans would be too...so I resolved to remember to bring my headphones to every game and sit as far away from the other team as possible....because I don't want to pull a Brittaney Griner! LOL.

Here is a link to the ESPN video if you want to see the drama...but it's not nearly as dramatic as seeing it from the 5th row.

Thanks so much for stopping by my little corner of the world today. Ya'll are a blessing to me.

Hannah's Heart and Punchinello

This weekend, one of Hannah's friends was heavy on her heart. Her friend had been "going out" (I use that term loosely....'cause it's Junior High...but at the same time I remember what it was like to "go out" with someone who I thought hung the moon and then squashed my junior high heart like it was a bug) with a guy at school and then they broke up...and then he started saying ugly things about her to their friends.

While neither Hannah nor her friend heard these things first hand, but from another source, the words still hurt her friend...and they hurt Hannah too because she loves her friend. She loves her friend so much that she offered to kick this young man in a certain area...if you know what I mean, for her friend. Wait a second! She told me all of this while we were in the car driving home from a high school playoff basketball game. I wanted to chuckle out loud because the thought of my beautiful daughter just walking up to this boy and kicking him where it counts was kind of funny...but not really...at the same time.

I regained my composure and explained that this was not an option and to think again. And then her thoughts turned to her friend who was feeling really low because of what this boy had said about her. And then I reminded her of Max Lucado's book, You are Special.

Have you read this book? Every house should have a copy. Yes, it is a children's book, but it aptly applies to children of all ages. I reminded her of Punchinello who was labeled by all of the Wemmicks who were so cruel to him. They told him that he wasn't like them, he wasn't talented, not good enough, etc. Not only did they tell him these things, for everything they said, they would put a dot, or a sticker/label on Punchinello.

One day Punchinello came face to face with the Eli, the woodcarver, who told Punchinello that he was special and that "what they (Wemmicks) think doesn't matter. All that matters is what I think. And I think you are pretty special." Eli explains to Punchinello that the labels the Wemmicks were trying to put on Punchinello, "only stick if you let them. The stickers (labels) only stick if they matter to you. The more you trust my love, the less you care about their stickers." And then Eli explains, "You are special because I made you. And I don't make mistakes." Punchinello starts to believe Eli and then a sticker (label) falls to the ground.

It is a great reminder that we do matter to God; He loves us and cares about every detail. We may not meet the qualifications or expectations that the world has placed upon us, but we are special to God and we are somehow precious in His sight.

Heartbroken for her friend, Hannah called her to see if she could read this book to her...and she did and to another friend that happened to be there too.

And then Hannah typed her these Bible verses:

Psalm 139:14-18 and Psalm 37:4. And I marveled at her love for the Lord and her love for her friends.

And then I thought about some of those labels that I've let the world give me....you need to lose 15 pounds...so you are not good enough; you fed your family a fast-food hamburger last week...not good enough; you were impatient with your husband and you call yourself a Christian...doesn't measure up.....and then I compared those labels and thoughts to who God says that I am...and the labels fell off and landed at His feet.

Yes, You are Special is a book for children...of all ages.