Georgia Bound!!! :) :) :)

Thursday, I am heading out for Columbus, GA! :) My good friend Josh Goodson (Goodie) is getting married!!

I am so happy for him!!!

BUT...

I am SOOOOOOOOOOOO excited to get to hang out with these guys: 

Introducing my favorite Georgia people!!!! :) Yayayayay!!!!!!!! 

These 3 amigos are gonna be reunited!!! :) :) We always have so so so much fun together! 

See??

Matt Blake and Kristen... whom I've not seen since THEIR wedding last June!! :) So happy to see them!!! :)

Herro!! This crazy boy is Adam Bounds!!! He's hilarious and I love hanging out with him! 

Coco!!! :) Brian Cohen is one of my favorites!! :) 

Blake!! :) Hopefully we'll get the chance to ride around and make more memories like this one!!! Although, Hannah is choking me!!! :) hahaha. Always fun with Blake! 

And this HOTT piece of man is my boyfriend!! Jose!! :) I am hoping to see him this weekend while I am in Georgia!!

This trip is so special to me because I won't be at Souled Out this year! :( This is where our friendships have formed. I have made so many memories with these friends and am so ready to make some more!!! Look back next week for pictures from this weekend! :) :) :) Can't wait! :)

Memory Monday! (on a Tuesday!!)

Ok, so I'm aware it's Tuesday and I'm just now posting Memory Monday. Sorry!! :) This week I am remembering Gracie's (my neice) first few months of life! Wow, she just turned 3. It seems like forever ago but at the same time it seems like the other day!!! Enjoy the pics!!!

This was one of her very 1st pictures! If not the first. :) 

She was not happy here!! Which, in time, we realized was the usual!

I bought her these mittens... I loved them! Got Milk?

She was probably about 2 weeks old here. 

This was Mother's Day. Callye's first one. She was dedicated at church that morning. :) She looks so tiny in that carseat!

Expressing herself, which she is SO good at!!! I loved the robe and slippers!!! 

Haha. This is so sweet.

Relaxing on her Aunt Mer which has now become her "Juju"!! We just thought we had names picked out for her to call us. None of us turned out the same. 

"Cutie" I love it!!! She was so cute! And still is!!!

I remember this night! She chewed on that toy forever!! She still has it and sleeps with it. :) It's a little pink giraffe. 

It's crazy to go back and look at these pics. She has grown up so much in the last couple months. She is such a big girl now. Potty-trained and no paci anymore. :( Kinda sad. 

Here's a pic of now so you can see how much she's grown!! 

That is her with Jessie and I watching Manny's baseball game!

Chrissie!

I am asking your prayers for Chrissie. She is 4 years old and adopted from Serbia. Her family and she live in Texas and I only know them through blog world. I have been following them since April 19. That is the day that Chrissie had open heart surgery. She should not have lived past birth, much less to 4. This family adopted her less than a year ago, knowing her severe heart problems and needs. On the day of her surgery, she died. The doctors  God brought her back. She died again a few days later. Again, God brought her back. Miracle after miracle He has given her. She had progressed MILES, and amazingly has had no brain damage that they can tell from CT's. The last couple days she has taken steps backwards. She has a clot in her heart that is restricting blood flow to her right lung. She went from the ventilator back to the oscillator. Which is a much more powerful machine to force O2 into her lungs. Today, she has become septic. She has infection in her blood. This is not good. I ask you to pray to our Jehovah Rapha to save her once again. Today marks 29 days in the hospital. I can't imagine. This family has 4 other children. One of which just came home to the USA from Haiti. They are one of the most faith-filled families I have ever seen. God has done things for Chrissie that only He can get the glory for. No doctors, nurses, or parents. Him alone. That is how He works. So, pray that He continues to do things for Chrissie that only He can do. So that He may get the glory!! Visit their blog here.  Leave a comment so that her faithful mother can know you are there and praying!!! I will also attach a picture of this cute little princess!

Pray for this sweet little life to be saved for the glory of God!!!

********This is by far, the condensed version of her story!!! Please visit their blog and go back and read ALL the miracles that God has performed for this sweet sweet child of His.

Sometimes I wonder...

Sometimes I wonder why I want to be a missionary... Sometimes I wonder if it is for the right reasons... Sometimes I wonder why it is that I have a desire to go overseas...Sometimes I wonder why I am a little disappointed when someone says, "well maybe God will call you to be a missionary here at home" But ya know... I realized today while reading a girl's blog that I think the reason I have a dersire to go to another country is because I know as long as I am here in America, with everything at my fingertips, then I won't truly know what it's like to only have God. (Wow, that was a LONG run-on sentence!!!) But, this girl lives in Uganda, Africa. She has nothing. No malls, grocery stores, air conditioner, restaurants, tv, coke machines, etc... But she has God. And she's HAPPY and SATISFIED. I know that if I stay here in the USA then I won't ever fully know what it is like to only have God and to be satisfied. And more than satisfied. I won't ever fully realize what it is like to only have the things that I have because God provided them. And that is the ONLY reason I have them. Here, in the USA, things are easy. Things are available. God is here, for sure, but I don't seem to rely on God as much because I'm not doing without. I realize that He provided the things I have here, too. But, it's different. I want to experience God in a country that has nothing. African people are happy. Yes, they are sick, but they are happy. And not only in Africa. I've seen this first-hand in Nicaragua. And will see it in El Salvador this summer.

Yes, it will be SO SO hard to leave the USA. To leave my family. My friends. My job. My comfort. BUT I want God. I want to really know what it's like to fully completely rely on God. I know God has plans for me here. For now. But I pray that one day, He'll send me overseas. Is that crazy? Is that doing it for the wrong reason?

Don't get me wrong...I want to love like God loves. I want to find joy in the children of God. I want to show these kids what it is liked to be loved!!! I want to take care of orphans! But sometimes, I am scared that I'm doing it for ME. I DON'T want the glory to go to my name. Sometimes, though, I think I do things so that the glory will go to my name. I don't want it to be that way. It is a work in progress....

Wordless Wednesday

This is what we do on lazy Saturdays!! :)

Meet Mickey!! :)

I saw Mickey today on Reece's Rainbow. I thought he was just adorable! He is almost 5 so he needs a family, SOON!!! I wish I could bring him home. :) Just thought I'd share about Mickey because he caught my eye!

Isn't he a DOLL??????

This is what Reece's Rainbow says about him:

Boy, Born June 2005

China

Special need: Down syndrome (no heart issues)

This very sweet young boy was born June 2005. He has down syndrome. He is well loved by his foster mother and father. He was a dancer in the orphanage performance. Whenever he hears music he starts dancing. He was cooperative and happy. He can wash his face if his foster mom gets the towel ready and can do other self help skills. He can feed himself and. He can pull his pants up and down. He has good speech and can say many words. He pulls his chair to the table when it is time to eat and he will clean his mouth after he eats. He is kind when he plays with other children and does not take their toys. He likes to run around and play with balls. He is very curious and likes to watch large machinery outside. He loves cars and will play with them and watch them out the window for long periods of time. He was described as a “happy, curious and lovely child.” He is healthy and energetic. He is friendly to others and sensible! He does not have any heart issues.

Memory Monday!

Today's Memory Monday is going to be my very first trip to Nicaragua!!! This is where I absolutely unexpectedly fell in LOVE with this country and missions in general!! I had NO idea how much I would absolutely love this kinda work. I thought I would go, love it, and be ready for the U.S. after 7 days gone... but I ended up staying 5 extra days and then going back in October for a week!! It changed my life. I loved the kids, the people, and the whole country!!!! Enjoy the pics. :)

Mom and I on the plane!!! :) 

We made it to Nica and the driving is CRAZY!!!!! 

But the scenery was GORGEOUS!!!!

My first friends!!! Emmanuel, Jon-Franco, and Gabriella!

The kids at our VBS. It was fun and CHAOTIC!!!! :)

The 1st night of Crusade. Hilary and Joseph had witnessed to this man and invited him to our crusade and that night, he accepted Christ!!! :) :) :)

Hilary and Kristin with some sweet children that accepted Christ at the crusade! These people were so hungry for Christ!!!!

Sweet faces of Nicaragua!!! 

2nd night at the crusade!! These were 2 of our interpreters: Michael and Helday! 

Hilary with Mike and Rebecca! We fell in love with these 2. They are precious friends!

This was at Las Tias! One of my favorite places!!! :) It is a protection center for children whose parents work and they are left home alone. It is kind of like a Boys and Girls Club here! It is SO SO SO much fun!!!! :)

More silly boys at Las Tias!!! 

I love this picture!!! These kids live in the VERY poorest of the poor places. But they are SO sweet and loving!! :) We did a feeding center here. These kids usually only get to eat when there is a feeding center offered. Which is usually about 3 times a week! 

This is Michael. He became a very good friend. He translated for us the whole time. :) I still stay in touch with him!

We made so many new and sweet friends! I love the people of Nicaragua! I am so sad that I won't be there this year but I will be in spirit!!!

I hope you enjoyed my walk down memory lane!!! :)

Happy Mother's Day to ALL mothers!!!

Happy Mother's Day to mothers all over the world!!!!!! :)

On the riverbank.....

In the arctic......

In India.....

In Africa....

Within the ocean....

Somewhere near Wal-mart....

hahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!

Discipline!! :)

Hebrews 12:11No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.


I saw this scripture on a fellow blogger's post. It hit me kinda hard. She was referring to mom's and their children. But, I felt God saying that to me, from Him. Discipline is NOT enjoyable. It just plain stinks. You feel belittled and ashamed while being disciplined. BUT the good news is there WILL be a PEACEFUL harvest of right living! She also tagged Galatians 6:9 in there, too. Do not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time you will reap a harvest if you DO NOT give up. That goes along with it. It is important to not give up.

I sent this to my sister and her reply was: "Isn't that the exact opposite of sin?!" And yes, it is. Sin is fun. Sin IS enjoyable... but will reap a harvest of DEATH. Discipline is not fun. Discipline is NOT enjoyable...but will reap a harvest of RIGHTEOUS LIVING. Man, I needed that Word.

So, when finding yourself being disciplined....be HAPPY because this is gonna produce some righteous living!!!

Changes

You will begin to notice that I cannot keep the same background for very long!!!! :) I love to change things. And if you knew me well enough, you'd know that I do that in a lot of things in my life! Like, I LOVE to move furniture around! I love anything new or "moved" that makes something feel new!! :) I love it. So, get used to seeing a new background every few times you check my blog!!!!! Ha! I find it fun. Sorry if you find it annoying!

Wordless Wednesday

You would think that something VERY tragic just happened... but it was just that a little bunny was no longer on a game on my ipod (it was on there for Easter and then went away)!

And again, just because it's funny! :)

P.S. I don't guess it's "Wordless Wednesay" if I tell you all about the picture!!! Oh well! :)

Catharine

In a previous post, I talked about Darla. My mom was Darla's prayer warrior. Darla has been commited to by a family!! :) We were so thrilled. But, I realized that I have never shared my little girl with you. Her name is Catharine, she was born in December 2004. It says she is calm, affectionate, and sociable. I have been praying for this little girl. Praying that God will protect her, give her her needs each and every day. Praying that the family that God has matched with her to find her and go after her. She has no voice of her own to find her family. They must find her. I ask you to join with me in praying for her. She is older and will face an institution, SOON. How sad! She deserves love, attention, a home, and a family!! She did NOT ask for this life. She has had no choice. :(

Isn't she a doll??

As I was looking on Reece's Rainbow today, I realized that although many of these kids are being found by their families, there are still kids being born and added to orphanages every day!! We, as Christ followers, have to do something about this. It may seem like a never-ending cycle but we must not give up! We may not be able to change the world for all of these children but to a few of them, we can change their world! Are you a family that God has matched with a child? Have you just not taken that leap of faith to bring your child home? It may not be a child on Reece's Rainbow...but they still may be out there! They can't find you. You must find them!!!!

Sorry for the tangent!

Memory Monday!

I think every Monday I am gonna do a post on a memory of mine that is dear to my heart!! We shall call it "Memory Monday". :) I think it will be a good way to look back and remember things that I love.

 This week's Memory Monday is going to be from my very first Souled Out as a D-Leader (Disciple group leader)

This was my very first D-Group!!! :) I was pretty nervous but it ended up good! I learned a WHOLE lot from this first group!!! 

This is one of my very first pictures with Hannah!!!! We had no clue that the other one existed but we got in a car together and rode for 8 hours!!! When we left Olive Branch, MS we were stangers...When we arrived in Columbus, GA we were BFF's! And still are!!! 

Oh, Coco! Brian Cohen and I hit it off as friends! I didn't think we would be that good of friends but we still talk and keep up with one another! He is so funny and can always make people laugh!!! 

 

Chelsea Megan!! I love this girl!!! I never knew we'd become such good friends! We stay in pretty close contact through the year! She makes me laugh so much! :)

Goodie and the girls! We made fast friends with Goodie, too! (His name is Josh Goodson but everyone calls him Goodie!) He has become a good friend, too!

Wes! I love him! :) He is from Arkansas and grew up with Hannah. So I still get to see him every once in a while! 

Jose asked me to be his girlfriend while at camp!! Of course I said YES!! Who wouldn't?!?! :) He is so awesome! 

This was my 2nd group of girls!!! They were a little bit more of a challenge but I learned a lot from them as well!! This girl in the bottom right with the sunglasses on, was SO SO SO talkative and disruptive. I loved her, though. I prayed that she would be quieter and less disruptive and about the 2nd day in group, she COMPLETELY lost her voice!! Haha. I learned that God really does have a sense of humor! :)

This "Memory Monday" was fun!!! I remembered a lot of things about this experience! I hope you enjoy! :)