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Check out Kim's scrapbooking give-a-away!! It is amazing.

2 Samuel 22:50 says...

For this, O Lord, I will praise you among the nations;I will sing praises to your name.


This is my verse today!!!! I have been praising God all day. I have been in tears all day... don't worry they have all been tears of joy.

Jill and Alex went for the BIG u/s this morning. She called to let me know that I will be gaining a niece in November. :) BIG GRINS!! I am thrilled. Because they are not putting this sweet little girl's name on their blog, I don't think I should be telling you either. So on my blog this beautiful princess will be fondly referred to by her Aunt E (That's me) as Niece A. And let me just tell you Niece A is already one very loved little girl. She has no idea how much God has already richly blessed her. Her mommy and daddy love her so very much and so does the rest of her family. Aunt E is ready to hold her and love on her and kiss her and buy her lots of cute stuff. Because you know... no one else is going to do this. HA!!

Thursday, we will know if Niece A is getting a boy cousin or a girl cousin. Uncle Andrew thinks a boy. Aunt E doesn't have a guess. Aunt E just has to figure out how to old two babies at once. :)


Today has been a very prayerful day for me today. I wish I could say that everyday was, but in all honesty it isn't. I just felt led to talk with God today while I was folding clothes. I prayed for quite some time. I asked God to provide for my parents financially. Like many people, they aren't doing so well right now. A couple hours later, my mom called to tell me that she got a check from her eye doctor. Apparently she paid more than she needed too. She also got paid to work until 3 but was able to leave at 2 today. I just laughed. I don't know why I'm still so amazed at how God works. He is good!!

And the big decision Andrew and I have been praying about... I think we have our answer. While it hasn't been the easiest decision to make, it has been easy. I know that doesn't really make since. It was easy because we know what God is calling us to do, but it means walking away from something great. I promise to explain soon. Right now Andrew still doesn't want me blogging about it. I'm very excited about what our future holds though. I think it is going to be good.

I went to buy groceries just a little while ago. I managed to literally walk my front door seconds before the rain started gushing down. :)

Today has been one of those days when I can't help but to praise my God. I've just been thanking him all day.

Hope your day is going as well as mine.

Summer is here!!

Summer is definitely upon us. The heat reminds me of this every time I step out the door. I'm not complaining...I'd much rather be hot than cold. Thankfully I'm on summer break so I don't have to leave my house very often.

Remember the website I posted about called vistaprint? Well, I've received both of my orders from there and was absolutely thrilled with what I received. I was very much like a kid at Christmas. Pictures of all my goodies will be showing up soon. I promise.

I'm working on some tags for a take away for Journey's women only pool party. I will post pictures of those too. I'm very excited to do them. It has been way too long since I've done any kind of scrapbooking. My room is a complete disaster. I'm really hoping that it will be all cleaned up and contain a desk in the very near future.

I'm still working on things for school. I am getting very excited about August. I have found a ton of brilliant ideas that I can't wait to try out. I'm thinking about starting a teaching blog to reflect on all my ideas and how they work.

Andrew and I are still praying about that big decision. Please continue to pray that we are very clear on what God wants us to do. I will share more about this as soon as I can. I'm not sure how much Andrew wants me publishing on my blog and I respect that.

Because they haven't been mentioned in a post lately let me tell you what I've learned. Dogs can get sunburn. Yep... it's true. I googled it. Liberty and Liam came in the other day and Liam Bailey was just as pink as he could be. He faded quite a bit, but he remained pink. It made me wonder if he could get a sunburn. After all, he is white especially on his little tummy. And he can. So now I'm paranoid about leaving them out too long. When he lays down his tummy, the lightest spot on him, is always exposed.

As far as my summer to do list... I'm accomplishing some things on it, but I'm going to have to get busy if it is all going to be finished in the next month. That's right. June is pretty much over. That means my summer break is half way over. I can't believe it. It goes by so fast.

A few exciting things coming up:
*The pool part on Saturday
*I found out if I'm getting a niece or nephew on the 30th. (Jill & Alex)
*I found out if I'm getting a niece or nephew on the 2nd. (Cary and Sara)
*We go to evening services only at Journey on the 5th.
*Penny Sales at Staples and Office Depot (Load up on School Supplies)
*Travs Game and Fireworks on the 4th.

What are you looking forward to in the upcoming days?

Baby Gracie

Please take a few minutes to read about Baby Gracie. She is home with Jesus now. Her Aunt Rachel is having a blog fundraiser to help other mom and dads who have suffered lost. For ever comment left on her post, she is giving $1 to Sufficient GraceMinistries.

The Lost Get Found

Ever since seeing her in concert at Winter Jam a couple of years ago, I've been a big fan of Britt Nicole. She is a young, spunky, female, Christian artist. I strongly recommend her to all teenage girls. She writes songs about real life things that girls go through such as parents divorcing, cutting, bad boyfriends. Every time I listen to her album, Say It, I can't help but to sing and dance and praise God. Of course most of the time I'm listening in my car. I'm sure I look crazy to people driving by. HA!

She has a new album called The Lost Get Found. The single is available on itunes but the album won't be released until August 11. I am so excited!! It is definitely on my birthday wish list. I have exhausted Say It. She has a video on her myspace telling the story behind the song "The Lost Get Found". Take a look!




As soon as she said she was scared to go talk to the woman at the checkout, the tears came. She is a performer and she is scared. I don't know why I'm surprised by this, but I am. This video really spoke to me. God has been dealing with me lately. I have not been right in my relationship with Him. Quiet time has been non existent for me lately. I have no excuse. I know that right now I really need to be spending time with Him and listening to Him. I need to be obeying him. My father-in-law says delayed obedience is disobedience. Well my obedience has been delayed long enough. I'm tired of being disobedient. It is affecting every part of my life and not in a good way. As Britt was saying, I want to be that light. How else will the lost get found? Cary has been saying that for several weeks now in his messages. How will the world know about the God I serve and love unless I tell them??

I challenge you tell the world around you and our awesome God. I challenge myself to do that. And if you have never listened to a Britt Nicole song, check her out. She is pretty awesome in my opinion!

Crammed Full!

This seems to be a pattern...

When summer gets here I immediately go into to gear for the next school year. Okay so I normally am in this gear before summer even gets here.

I spend my days researching all sorts of ideas online. Last year I had way too many ideas running around in my head. I never made the decisions I need to make. They remained ideas.

So this summer I have all of last year's ideas that were nerve used plus this years. I keep a notebook beside my bed for when I think of something. I'm until midnight or later every night, which is so unlike me. I'm normally in bed at 9, 10 at the latest.

I'm just constantly thinking about school and what I can do. I get so excited over the smallest thing. I'm sure I drive Andrew crazy because of course I must run all ideas by him.

Not only am I working on things for my classroom, but as student council sponsor I'm also working on that. I've signed up for the Juvenile Diabetes Walk in September. I am super excited about this. But it means designing yet another t-shirt. UGHHH!!

I have also discovered a new website that is fantastic. It is vistaprint.com When you create an account you start getting emails for free items. A small example, free business cards, magnets, sticky notes, note cards, invitations, brochures, t-shirts... the list goes on and on. I use them for school. I turned business cards into get out of a quiz card. I put my name and information on magnets to give to parents. It is amazing. And it is all free except s/h.


And then on top of all that... Andrew and I are praying about some major decisions. It is causing me to be very torn about some things. Sometimes it is hard being the wife. Andrew is the leader of our family and I totally respect that. I trust that he will follow God's prompting. But that means I sort of just sit back. I just constantly pray that God will give Andrew peace about what we should do.

So...even though I haven't physically done just a whole lot this summer it has been an exhausting summer. I don't know that my brain has shut off all summer. Even when I'm sleeping...I'm already having the back to school nightmares. You teachers know what I'm talking about... you are back at school and something goes wrong.

Okay back to designing business cards and notecards.

Al's Bum

Last week while I was out shopping, I picked up this little book called Scraps. I don't know how to describe it to you other than to say it is about scrapbooking. The first few chapters are about the history of scrapbooking. This particular story made me laugh so I had to share. I wonder if it is true.

Little background - This chapter is talking about the history of photos. It talks about how when photos were first taken, people never smiled... they were very serious. Eventually people began requesting cameras for gifts and were taking pictures of everything. Pictures began to pile up in homes everywhere. And that is where this particular story begins.


(Typing straight from the book) Then - according to a photo-friend of a friend - on day a man named Albert was fixing a leaky pipe under the kitchen sink when his wife, as a joke, took a picture of his substantial backside, which was showing just a crack. Well, as you can imagine, that photograph made a lot of people laugh out loud. After all, this was the late '50s, and visual humor was nowhere near as sophisticated as it is today. Right.
Albert, who did not mind being the butt of a joke, put the photo in a book for safekeeping and easy access. Eventually the book containing Albert's photo came to be called The Book of Al's Bum, which soon was shortened. As in, "The bishop could use a good laugh, go fetch the Al's Bum book!"
Inspired by the photo-in-book idea, Albert's oldest son soon started a little business that sold the world its first photo Al-bum.

A Mini Reunion

Today I was able to have lunch with two of my best friends from school, Mandy and Eric. Three of us went to school together K-12. They are like my brother and sister. I have seen Eric once since we graduate a long 8 years ago. Mandy and I still talk often but we're girls and there is always more talking to do. :)

We met at Coltons at 12:30. We ate and talked for several hours. We reminisced about elementary and high school and even college. We talked about where we are in our lives now and where we're headed. Basically we talked about EVERYTHING. We laughed a lot too.

It was so nice to have lunch with them. I think I had forgotten how much fun they. And Mandy and I... we truly are peas and carrots. Even though we live pretty different lives, they are so similar. I was amazed at how much we still have in common. She and I are both teachers so of course we have that. Eric works on cruise ships so his life is pretty exciting. He gets to travel all over the place.

Once we finally left Coltons, Eric left and Mandy and I stood in the parking lot still talking. The next thing we knew it was 5:30!! We decided we better get home to the husbands.

It's Wednesday

I know I know. Original title! Sorry that is as good as it gets today. :)

First I just want to sorry that I shared my emotional breakdown with all of you. I appreciate all the sweet comments and the prayer.

Now moving on... the blog isn't going anywhere. I enjoy it and it lets my Mommas know what is going on in our lives. :)

I have two pictures that I must share with you. They might be my favorites. The first one was taken yesterday in the backyard. Do you think she is a happy dog? I love getting to stay home with her all day.

I'm not sure when this one was taken. As I was pulling pictures off my camera, I discovered it. Apparently the other night Andrew came home and three of us were asleep. Liberty and I, being the good girls that we, were soundly sleeping on our side of the bed. Liam Bailey, however, decided he would watch some tv while curled up on his daddy's side of the bed. :) Isn't it cute??


These are definitely being added to my favorites.

Happy Wednesday!

Summer To Do List

I have so many projects that I want to complete this summer. I feel like my to do list might be a bit much. I thought it might be helpful if I could put my to do list out there for everyone to see. Then at the end of summer I will revisit the list and see how much of I actually go accomplished.


Bedroom - cleaned thoroughly, crown molding touched up, add extra nail so that picture above bed hangs straight, clean out closet and get rid of anything I don't wear

Bathroom - cleaned thoroughly, new shower curtain, new towels, paint

Kitchen - cleaned thoroughly, new canisters, new pictures (get rid of current ones), paint

Living Room - cleaned thoroughly (I see a pattern here), painted, new decor (small touches)

Back Bedroom - cleaned out, scrapbook desk installed (that's more of the hubby's to do list than mine) scrapbook supplies organized, scrapbooking done

Andrew's room - touch up baseboard

Guest Bathroom - set up so that it can be bathroom where dogs are bathed, paint, new towels

Lesson plans finished up through December

Start not one, not two, but three scrapbook albums that will be gifts

Finish my scrapbook album of our first year of marriage now that we've been married 5.5 years

Finish Florida album - we went two years ago. :)

Reupholster ottoman (if money allows)

Buy frame for the picture that my brother drew of Andrew and I

Create some sort of artwork for Guest bathroom



Okay I'm sure there is more but it will have to be added at a later time. This is more than enough to get me started.

A Schoolboy Again

Today my Daddy started classes at a local community college. He received a letter about a month ago from the company that he worked for stating that they would pay for two years of school. And by pay for, I mean any and everything Daddy could possibly need to go to school... books, calculators, or any other gadgets he may need.

After much thought and discussion, he decided he couldn't pass up this opportunity. I am so glad he taking advantage of such an awesome offer.

Anyways, his first class was at nine this morning. He had to go early to buy books and make sure he knew where his class was. He keeps saying he wishes I was there to help him out. Not sure why. Once he gets past algebra and comp one, his classes are about electrical maintenance and stuff that I know nothing about.

As I imagine any adult might be, Daddy has been a bit nervous about going back to school. I can't say that I understand that because I went to college right out of high school. But I know that it is a change for him and is going to require stepping out of his comfort zone.

I'm not worried about him at all. You see, I know that my Daddy can do anything. He's always been able to do everything and always will be able to. I am so incredibly proud of him for going back to school. I'm sitting waiting anxiously for him to finish his day so that I can call and hear all about it.


Daddy, I love you and am so very proud of you!! I know that you can do this and do it well.

Where are they coming from??

I've noticed in my last couple of post that links are appearing. It seems to be any word that deals with education. I'm not putting these there. Does anyone else see them?? It is very frustrating.

Anyone know what is causing this??