Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow

You ever have one of those days where you just completely stop and are thankful? They are my favorite kind of days. They don't always come as often as I want, but when they do, I am so incredibly happy. Today, we made it to 9:01 church at 9:01. I know, I know, we should be on time every Sunday. One of my former student's mom gave her testimony today. I love when God speaks through people. I needed to hear what she had to say today. Then we went to our new Sunday school class. We are helping to start a new class at our church. I have felt God calling me to do this for a while now, and I am so thankful for the people that have also felt that call. We helped start our FBC class that exploded into a million people after we had been there for a few years. It is neat to see how God works in all of this. Then we went to lunch, brought the kids home for Whit to nap. Kennedy had been terrible this am. She was whiney and I told her she was going to sit in her room when we got home. She totally served her punishment and we had a very good talk about listening. It is hard to get through to her sometimes, but today it was the perfect lesson. I know it will happen again tomorrow, but at least I won that battle today. ;) Then we went to K's practice for the FBC Christmas program. She is dancing in it. She was so nervous when we got there. Then they started dancing and I can't describe the smile she gets when she dances, but it seriously makes my heart sing. I know it seems silly, but the love she has for it makes me so proud. She just lights up and dances her heart out. My little baby, the one I birthed 4 short years ago, can follow a whole routine and dance with the big girls. It helped that she was dancing with Kaylie, Allie, and Chandler.(all of the big girls she knows) Then I came home and went for a run. I ran for 30 straight minutes!!!! I finally accomplished my goal. I can't believe it!!! I have come so far since I began the Couch to 5K! I didn't think I would actually ever be able to run that long!

So, today, it is one of those days. I accomplished something I never thought I would. I watched my daughter beam with joy over something she loves. I watched Whit giggle with laughter and fall asleep with a hoodie and gloves on just because he wanted to. My babies giggled their hearts out in the bath and it was the sweetest sound I have ever heard. I am healthy. I have a wonderful husband who loves me unconditionally. I was given two precious children to raise. God is good. He's blessed me beyond what I deserve. Praise God from whom all blessings flow........... I hope tomorrow I wake up just as thankful. I hope you do too.

BUSY! BUSY!

I'm still here! I promise!! :) We have had a very busy month! We traveled to TN to see the cousins. Every moment of that weekend was special to me. I love having my family all together, or a least part of it! I have always been the sappy one about that. We've been to the aquarium, had a visit from Aunt Courtney, the kids went to the fair, fall festival at FBC, Red Ribbon week with lots of dress up, football games for LCMS.....I could keep going! :) It has been busy, but fun! Here are a few pics from this month!

K's class is dressing up as Pirates tomorrow. She is super excited about it!

Red Ribbon Week: It was camo day at my school and Tacky day for K!

Whit was SO excited I had on camo. It is totally against my religion! ;)

Fall Festival:FBC

PUMPKINS!

And my sweet babies! Happy FAll!!!!!!

Dead Birds???? EWWWWW!!!!!

I love Greg Olliff. I sometimes laugh at how I fell in love with such a country boy when I am the complete opposite. Whit is obsessed with all that is Greg. This is after his first bird hunt. G killed a bird and gave it to Whit. For the next three hours that bird (the very dead bird) was his pride and joy. He was SO excited to show it to me. By then the poor thing was barely hanging together. EWWWWW!!! I am going to have a hard time with all of this! Today he says, "Mommy, did you know that you can shoot an arrow at the deer and when it hits him, blood comes out!" OMG! What are we teaching him? Greg turned out fairly normal.....I'll just have to trust this is ok!

A few days later, "Hey Mommy! I killed me a turkey!" AAAAHHHHHHH!!!

I love you my litle redneck. Mommy is proud of whatever you love to do. Just don't ask me to come with you. I am going to draw the line somewhere.

ME!

Just thought I would prove we exist! :) I am always behind the camera chasing my kids around. We had a chance to go out on a grown up evening last night so I decided to document.

Chad and Jen

And our best photo yet.......;)

33!!!

Tomorrow I turn another year older. Birthdays used to be on a countdown. I could not wait until mine got here! Then I just realized how old I was getting! ;) Then I had kids and realized how special a birthday really is. It is celebrating a life that is such a miracle in itself. I cry each year as my children turn another year older. I am so very thankful for each year that I get to spend with them. Birthdays turned from being about how old I was to how thankful I truly am. I have been on earth 32 years and 364 days. I am thankful for each and every one of them. In all those years, I have been so blessed. We've had ups and downs through the years, but in the end, I wouldn't change a moment of any of it. It's made me who I am. Thank you to each of you who have been a part of my life. I am SO very thankful to have such wonderful friends and family. I am one blessed girl. So, tomorrow, I'll take 33. I'll take it with joy and happiness and look forward to what the future holds. God's blessed me beyond anything I ever imagined. I hope and pray I have many, many, more happy years to go! Love to you all!

Thankful

You know those nights when you tuck your kids in and you just can't help but say a prayer of thanks? Tonight was one of those nights. They frustrate me, they wear me out, and yet somehow, I can't imagine life without them here. I wouldn't want it any other way. Moments are fleeting. I never loose the memory of thanking God for these babies though. I cried huge tears over them as I rocked them to sleep when they were babies. I was so thankful. I am glad that feeling has stuck with me.

That's all. I just needed to remember this moment.

Like Father Like Son

He ADORES his Daddy. Whatever Greg loves, Whit loves 10 times as much. I am glad they both love me! ;) Today, Whit went on his first dove shoot. He was so excited he could barely contain himself. I think Greg was as excited as Whit was. If you don't know me, then you might not know how I HATE the woods, farms, and really anything that gets you dirty. I prefer to be clean and go shopping. Not my boys, though, and that is ok with me. They like to get dirty, spend time in the woods, and I am so thankful they have each other. Whit is growing up with a Daddy that adores him. Greg was beaming with pride when they left today. Who knew I would end up with such a country boy? God's got greater plans then we do, doesn't He?

I can't get over how GROWN he looks! This is my BABY! Good thing we enjoy every darn minute of him!! Sweet little redneck boy.....he is going to have to wear something smocked tomorrow to make up for this. ;)

And of course, they practice shooting the bow every night. Whit is getting pretty good at it.