Pray for Arkansas

Sometimes there are no words.

The devastation, the heart break are too much.

I am thankful that even when we can't put a voice to our heartache, our God hears us.

Last night a horrible storm ripped through the state of Arkansas.

Photo from www.thv11.com

Homes and buildings were completely destroyed.

Families lost loved ones.

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:33

God is with us always.  In Him, we can have peace.  

God is peace.

I pray that God would wrap his arm around these families whose lives were forever changed so quickly last night.  I pray that he would give them the strength to walk through this storm.  I pray that they would find peace in Him through this storm.

Happy Sunday

BRACE yourself for an update

Dr. Lay was finally able to get a band around my crown.

Praise!

We all did a little cheer when he got it on last Tuesday.

I never thought I would be so excited to be all wired up.

This picture doesn't do my nostril any favors.  HA!

I've been wearing my braces for 41 days.

I can't tell much difference yet, but I know things are definitely happening.  I can feel it.  Achy teeth and having them feel loose is a definite sign that things are working and we are on the right path.

Dr. Lay said right now all we are doing is lining everything up vertically and that this isn't a real exciting phase.  That made me feel a little better, but I'm ready to see some progress.  I keep having to tell myself this is going to take two years.  It isn't going to happen over night.

This picture was taken at church this past Sunday.

My eyes go straight to my braces.  I'm still not loving how I look in them.  Hopefully I will get used to it or it is going to be a long two years.

And that guy standing next to me?  How thin is he looking these days?  I'm so proud of him.  He has been eating healthy and working toward a goal weight.  It makes me sick how easily he can lose weight.

He joins on me on this journey with adult braces tomorrow.  I'm not going to lie.  I've been so ready for him to endure all this too.

He goes tomorrow to have one extraction.  I wish that I was able to go with him since he went with me.  He insist that he will be fine and there is no reason for me to go.  And he is probably right.  He is not a big baby about this kind of stuff like I am.  I just wish I could be there if he needs anything afterward.  I won't get home until a couple hours after his extraction.

Such a goofball.


He will get his spacers this Friday and then his braces next Friday.

He only has to endure top braces.  Lucky him!

In just a few days we will be a pair of brace faces.

Spring is in the Air

We enjoyed some beautiful weather last week.  I loved every minute of it.  I would come home from work and Andrew would have our windows open letting a cool breeze flow through our house.


Our flowers and trees are really starting to bloom.  They are beautiful.

We've enjoyed sweet family time in our porch swing.

We have been buying a new yard game each week in preparation for our upcoming porch party.  The first one we bought was bocce ball.  A yard game I had never heard of until recently.


We have spent almost every afternoon playing.   It has become our new favorite past time.

Andrew has gone flag crazy.  He has ordered so many flags that I've lost count.  Flags are arriving at our house almost daily.

I think the 9/11 flag is my favorite.  Maybe because it represents a piece of history that I lived through and remember.

One thing is for sure - I've learned more about flags in the past couple of weeks than I ever knew was possible.


I have to admit though, they look pretty good flying on the house.

Andrew may or may not have a spreadsheet listing when we fly what flag.

He's a bit of a spreadsheet nerd.  :)

But hey, we all have our quirks.


My brother and I decided that we wanted to take some new family pictures for Mom for Mother's Day.  We haven't had any taken since he and Melissa got married.

Sunday seemed to be the only time we could all get together so we endured the windy day for a few good pictures.

We used a tripod and our remote to take them ourselves.  Who needs a photographer?

I love this pic of all six of us, but it cracks me.  When Seth was still a teenager he came home with a mohawk one time.  Daddy wasn't too fond of Seth's new hairstyle and Seth ended up with a shaved head.  Because of the wind Daddy looks like he has a mohawk in this picture.

Cracks me up!

The matching spouses is also funny to me.  I told Andrew that morning that I felt like a Duggar in our matching outfits.  :)

Lately...

This week teachers and students across the state of Arkansas are working through the Benchmark test.  It still amazes me how exhausting this week is not just for students taking the test, but also for teachers and staff who administer the test.  I spend my mornings walking in circles.  I'm not supposed to sit down.  I'm not supposed to read or work on anything.  I just walk around in circles making sure students are on the correct page - but without looking at the test material - and monitor the time.  It is a long week for everyone.

I come home wanting to do nothing but crawl into bed and sleep and then find myself wrapped up in party planning with the husband.  We are planning a porch party.

We could not be more excited about this.  We plan to have lots of food and yard games for everyone to enjoy.  Special outfits have been ordered.  Lots of flags have been ordered.  

I'm having such a fun time planning with the husband and Krystal who is serving as my co-planner.  

At the beginning of April I decided to do two different 30 day challenges.  So far so good.  But man were my legs sore those first few days.  The idea of a 5 minute plank scares me and seems impossible but I am determined to do it.

I have really been struggling with waiting for a baby this past week.  Satan has been attacking more fiercely than he has ever attacked in this area.  I've cried and felt guilty for wanting a baby. I've thrown a temper tantrum...more than once in the past week.  

And then God - who loves me far more than I deserve - reminded me of these words.

And I immediately began to pray.  

 I thanked him for this sweet time with my husband. 

It wasn't easy but I was able to truly thank God for our wait. 

 And I turned the wait over to him yet again.  

Growing pains are well...painful.

Fellowship Friday

Today I'm linking up with my sweet friend Miranda for Fellowship Friday.

I love her heart for this new link up party.

Fellowship with other women is one of my absolute favorite things to do and today's technology presents us with a new way of doing that with women we've never met.   

The idea is to share how God has been working in your life as encouragement for one another.  

I wanted to share one of my favorite hymns with you.

Happy Birthday

My sweet husband celebrates 33 years of life today.  And though he isn't big on birthdays I couldn't let the day pass without honoring him with a birthday post.

Happy Birthday babe!  I love you!