I don't wanna brag, but--

my girls totally rocked the house on awards night at SCA!

Virginia's class quoted a passage from Ephesians
Then she collected her smart girl awards with her 4.o GPA

She also got an awards for Christ likeness- must get that from her Daddy!
Leslie and her pals quoted a passage from Revelations. She did great and I was really glad she did not throw up in front of all those people.
She's not just a pretty face, she got an award for mentoring younger students. May be a preschool is in her future.
Best of all, school is over!

When I feel overwhelmed....

I love to read this verse:

Isaiah 41:13
I am the Lord your God,

who takes hold of your right hand

and says to you,

DO NOT FEAR!

This has been an overwhelming week.
I am a natural born worrier.
I cannot worry when God is holding my hand.
He even told me,
DO NOT FEAR!

Piano Girl

She played "Ode to Joy" and it was beautiful! I am so glad that she let me talk her into starting back on piano lessons. I could listen to her play all day. When I'm lucky, she asks me to play a duet!

Birthday gifts......

What is the best birthday gift you have ever given? By far, it was my husbands 24th birthday, when I woke him up about 5am in labor. I would venture to say that 11 hours of labor to produce his offspring was the greatest birthday gift he ever got. We were both 24 and actually very unprepared to try and parent a screaming red haired baby girl. She was a gorgeous baby with red curls all over her head. She is even more gorgeous today, and she and her daddy share more than just a birthday. They both:
1)have VERY long legs.
2)get a kick out of teasing/tormenting people they love.
3)are very quiet and kinda just watch what's going on around them before jumping in.
4)think things through for a long time before making a decision(wish I could master that one!)
5)are loyal to people they love
6)have beautiful blue eyes
7)love to sleep in
8)enjoy making and creating things
9)are the biggest gifts from God to me!

Yeah, actually, I think I am the one who got the best gift!

Happy Birthday Wayne and Leslie!

Life in psychadelic color

What if we viewed life in psychedelic color? That's exactly what I was thinking when I reworked this picture of my day lily on picnik. I found this super cool site from my friend Hollie's blog. This day lily looks so much more exciting than it really is. I hid all the dead edges of the petals and it looks so cool!

We could have used some psychedelic world view this afternoon when we got caught in a hail storm. The girls and I were TERRORSTRICKEN! There are more storms predicted tonight, but the fear has been eased by the promise of no school tomorrow!

More than I can imagine

This verse has occupied my mind for the last two weeks. Why do we limit God? Is it our lack of faith? Is it fear of the unknown? Is it being too comfortable with the way things are? I am glad that the God that loves me wants to blow me away with His goodness. Listen to this word from Ephesians 3:20-21 (MSG)

God can do anything, you know- far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, His Spirit deeply and gently within us.

Glory to God in the church!
Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus!
Glory down through all the generation!
Glory through all the millenia!
Oh, yes!

Happy Mother's Day

Lord knows I am not the perfect mother. I have many regrets and sure wish I could have a couple of do-overs, but being a mom to these two girls has been the best 15 years of my life! It is really amazing to see the best of you and the man you love make a whole person. Time is flying by so very fast. I saw the mamas and new babies this morning at church and it made my heart hurt to think that those days are already over. These days are filled with science projects, drivers permits and lots of spend the night company. I've traded in rooms strewn with toys for rooms covered with clothes. No more Barney on TV, now it's Ipods and Facebook. Instead of goldfish crackers, we consume huge amounts of chips and salsa. No more peek-a-boo, but we can laugh ourselves to tears over practical jokes.

I hope they know that while I've made mistakes, I love them more than life itself. I am so proud of them, and all that is good in them comes only from the grace of God. He takes our weaknesses and shows Himself strong.

Fantastic Friday

Not only was the weather beautiful, but I played hooky from work to go on a field trip with the girls.
We went to the High Museum in Atlanta and saw the Louvre Display from France. I loved it!



Leslie and her friend Becky were enthralled to see the world of Napoleon Bonaparte and Josephine come alive before their eyes!



OK, so maybe they liked the wood cut out house on the front lawn a little better.


What's a field trip to Atlanta without a stop at the Varsity? Their Orange Frosty is the best! Virginia and her pals had fun too!



When I got home I was so happy to see that last night's rain helped these beauties to bloom out:

Rice Krispy Treats

For the first time in my entire life I made Rice Krispy Treats. How could I have deprived my family for so long? How could I have not known the taste of heaven that is produced with marshmallow, butter and Rice Krispy's?

Here's what the taste testers had to say:


MOM!! YOU ROCK!!!! I've never eaten anything so light, so delicious in my life! If only I can be half as good a cook as you when I grow up!




Not only are you gorgeous and the woman of my dreams-- You make the world's best Rice Krispy treats. Here you sit down and watch TV while I clean the entire house!



Lady, if you don't toss me down a Rice Krispy treat I'm gonna chew your leg off!

A Big Fat Rock...

is sitting on the 4th finger of my sister's left hand! She could not be marrying a nicer guy. We love Morgan and are so excited for both of them! A November wedding in Florida...it's gonna be beautiful!Congratulations Lizabeth!

She's my foo-foo dog

Wayne started it. Shortly after we got Ginger, our beloved dachshund, he somehow came up with this ridiculous name of "foofy" dog which we shortened to "foo-foo". I think it comes from the fact that she is prissy and like every good baby dog(baby dog means that this dog takes the place of baby #3 which never found it's way from the stork's nest to our house, or maybe he got sidetracked in the cabbage patch, but anyways, this dog is ordained by my husband to be an outlet for all my maternal urges. I am allowed to babytalk, cuddle and love on this sweet baby in place of a real baby, who requires daycare arrangements as well as eventual college funding!)she goes absolutely bonkers when I walk in the door until I stop and pay complete attention to her.

I love this dog,and she loves me-- I think maybe more than my two-legged children. It looks like she is dead in this picture, but she is enjoying a leisure sun bath after her morning bowl of Old Roy.