Sunday, February 20, 2011

Happy Birthday, Brad! :)

Well, I know I've been slacking on my 30 posts (I did good for a while)!! But today I want to dedicate a post to my awesome B-I-L, Brad!HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

God has blessed our family tremendously with Brad. He was the brave man who entered our hormonal, estrogen filled family all by himself. He was the pioneer! He not only got Callye, he got all of us! And he's done a wonderful job! If you know us, when you get one of us, you end up with ALL of us!! And he's taken the job seriously and looked out and taken care of all of us.

He and Callye started dating when I was only 13 or 14.  So, Brad has been around for a WHILE. He has taken such good care of Callye and now takes amazing care of Gracie. He's a good daddy, husband, and brother. :) He even threatened to move me and Hilary in with them when we were going through our "wild" stage.

God gave me the best brother I could ever have when Callye married Brad. We fight, get on each others' nerves, and pick on each other, but what brother/sister duo doesn't?!

Thanks, Brad for all you do! And for loving us as your own sisters. Happy Birthday!!! I love you!!!!

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Homesick.

Yesterday, I went to a funeral. Tomorrow, Shannon from Oregon (a friend of my sister) is going to a funeral. Friday, Becky is going to a funeral. And on Monday, another lady named Shannon went to a funeral. But all of these funerals were completely different.

The funeral I attended was one for a 80 year old lady who has been waiting to die for a while. Sad? For sure. Sad for her family. Her husband and her 2 grown kids. That was their wife and momma. She'll never be here again. They'll forever miss her.

Tomorrow, Shannon is going to a funeral for her 4 month old baby girl. She will be seeing a tiny little casket. A casket holding the body of her baby in her Easter dress. Sweet baby Reese died at daycare during her nap time. She died from SIDS. Something you can't see coming. This funeral will be so entirely different from the one I attended. A life well lived compared to a life just started. Shannon is trying to learn how to get rid of the emptiness that her arms feel. The baby's big brother is trying to learn how to be an "only child" again. The daddy is trying to learn how to live without his little princess.

On Friday, Becky (a good friend of mine) will be attending the funeral of her young aunt. Her aunt who never married nor had kids. An aunt who lived alone in Alaska. Lived alone and died alone. She was the baby of 5 girls. Her sisters and her mother and all her nieces and nephews will miss her terribly.

And this past Monday, a different Shannon attended a funeral. This funeral was for her father. This funeral was also only 8 days after she went to a funeral for her mother. Her mother died of cancer. Shannon kinda saw that one coming. Didn't soften the blow but she had time to say goodbye. Her father died suddenly of a heart-attack. This lady had to plan two funerals, attend two funerals, and bury both of her parents within 8 days.

As I sat in that funeral yesterday, I cried. I cried for all the hurt that each of these funerals caused. I cried at the diversity of each funeral. I cried because death does NOT spare anyone. You never know when it'll be your turn to plan a funeral, attend a funeral, or be the reason FOR the funeral. A lady at the funeral sang "Beulah Land". Oh, how that song hit me. The only cure for all of this is Heaven. I know God has each of our days numbered. He knows when we'll go. He knows when we'll plan and attend for someone dear to us. He doesn't leave us to do this alone. He doesn't leave us to deal with these things alone. He is with us. But how much better will Heaven be?! No more goodbyes. No more tears. Reunion with our families and loved ones. It makes me home-sick.I pray that you know WHO the giver of comfort is. I don't know how people go through these things without faith in the Lord. Without faith that there is MORE and there is BETTER. I'll leave you with the verses of "Beulah Land".

Beulah Land

I'm kind of homesick for a country
To which I've never been before.
No sad goodbyes will there be spoken
for time won't matter anymore.

Beulah Land, I'm longing for you
and some day on thee I'll stand.
There my home shall be eternal.
Beulah Land -- Sweet Beulah Land

I'm looking now across the river
where my faith will end in sight.
There's just a few more days to labor.
Then I will take my heavenly flight.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Day 23 - A picture of your favorite book.

Well I don't really have a favorite book but I LOVE all of Karen Kingsbury's books!!! :) I've read just about all of them! :) And she just recently had a movie out... "Like Dandelion Dust" you should watch it!! All of her books have strong messages in them. :) I love her writing...

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Day 22 - A picture of something you wish you were better at.

Something I wish I was better at is SELF DISCIPLINE!!!!!! I wish wish wish that I could MAKE myself get up early in the mornings... but I can't. I sleep until 10 minutes AFTER the latest time that I need to get up! I wish that I could make myself diet and exercise! I do some and then stop... I'll be good for a few days and then go back... I wish I could make myself SIT down STOP what I'm doing and have quiet time EVERY day! And really FOCUS and pray! I'm so distracted ALL. THE. TIME. Ugh.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Day 20 - A picture of somewhere you'd love to travel

Well, There are many places that I would love to travel to just for fun. I would love to go out West. See the Grand Canyon, the Rocky Mountains, California, Seattle, etc. When God called me to missions, I knew that I would be traveling, but just not to where I wanted to go for FUN. :) Somewhere I want to go for missions is Africa. I love the places I have been already. Nicaragua and El Salvador. I love those places. But I wanna see Africa. I am not sure that I'm being called to live in Africa. I just want to go there. The children and those eyes that they have... I wanna see it. I wanna see those children and love on them. I wanna love on the parents of these children who can't afford to feed them or care for them. There's a lot of sadness and desperation in Africa, but there's a lot of hope. I wanna experience that!


Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Day 19 - A picture of you when you were little.

Wasn't I cute?!?!?! :)
My daddy and me :)



The infamous shower cap pics. haha.

I'm the little one...

My momma and me!

Me in Kindergarten! I LOVED that Barbie outfit!!! 

I guess I started using that big ole grin pretty early in my life! :)

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Day 18 - A picture of your biggest insecurity.

I know that we all have insecurities. I have mine. I just don't know exactly what it is. I know that I hate my weight. I don't like certain things about myself. I wish that I worked harder. I wish I had more self-discipline. I am just not sure that those are insecurities. I know I have a few but I try not to dwell on them. I feel that the devil uses those against you. And they impair your work for the Lord. So, I try to just be who God made me and try my best each day. :) It doesn't really go with the title post but that's the best I'm gonna give. :) I deal with my insecurities enough that I don't need all of you knowing them!!! Haha. :) And like I said, I try not to think of them often. The devil does a good enough job on his own with reminding me of them. Get thee behind me, satan.

Monday, February 7, 2011

Day 17 - A picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently.

Um... can I just say this whole last year has made a HUGE impact on my life?!?! Within the last year I have realized the plight of orphans, accepted God's call to missions, moved in with a 92 year old lady, went and saw the plight of orphans first hand, realized that God was calling me to help the orphan, went a second time and saw these orphans, knew that God was calling me to help sooner than I had thought, prayed for God to release things from holding me here if I were to go, watched God take care of my 92 year old roommate, moved out of my apartment, wrecked my car, and finally saw God take care of every last excuse that I had to stay here. Each one of these things has been orchestrated by God to get me ready for missions. Each one of these things has impacted my life tremendously.  

These Reece's Rainbow babies were my first view of the orphans' life.

They showed me how orphans are in desperate need of a loving family.
Sweet Ann. She taught me a lot.

God showed me that although He had given me James 1:27 to know that we are called to care for orphans, that we are also called to care for the widow.     

Seeing these orphans in person made the biggest difference in my life.
Falling in love with these kids showed me that God wanted me to specifically work with orphans.
And after praying for God to take care of my car payment, I did this. He took care of it.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Day 16 - A picture of someone who inspires you.

Well, of course, I could put my mom! And I could put my sisters... but they know that they inspire me! They always have inspired me! But today, I am going to talk about Hannah. Hannah inspires me to be a stronger Christian. She inspires me to live life to the fullest. She inspires me to be for Christ no matter who else is. Hannah has been through a LOT in her lifetime, but yet her love for the Lord has never been shaken. She stands strong in her faith, knowing that the Lord has never abandoned her. She has trusted in the Lord when everyone around her has betrayed her trust. She has done all of this with a huge smile on her face. She is so strong and that inspires me every day. We have only known each other for a little less than 4 years. But on that day we met, in the 8 hour car ride with ultimately a stranger, I knew this girl was special. I knew we'd be friends forever. We got in the car in Olive Branch, MS as strangers and got out of the car in Columbus, GA as best friends. And we have been ever since. I love her. And I thank God for her and how she inspires me. :) She's pretty legit.

Friday, February 4, 2011

Day 15 - A picture of something you want to do before you die.

Not sure how to show you in a picture, but something I'd like to do before I die would be to adopt. I'd like to adopt a special needs child. I know that these children are forgotten and deemed unworty of being adopted. Everyone wants a "normal" child. They say if they have the choice they wouldn't choose a special needs kid. Well, my response to that is that child did not CHOOSE to be born with special needs. They deserve a family. They deserve love. God loves them just as much as He loves us. God's heart breaks for the orphan. All of them. But orphans who are healthy have better chances to be adopted. Although, ALL children, special needs or not, deserve to have a loving family.  If God's heart breaks for the orphan, so should ours. I will add some pictures of special needs orphans from El Salvador and off of Reece's Rainbow.

Go see Maxim's info here.
Go see Catherine's info here.

Go see Mickey's info here.





Thursday, February 3, 2011

Day 14 - A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without...







 This little girl... Since she made her very dramatic appearance almost 4 years ago... has been a bright spot in my life. She's been a blessing. She's been entertainment. She's been a joy. She's been a terror. She's been a mess. She's been high-maintenance. She's been LOVE. And she still is all of these things. But most of all, she is ours. She is our Amazing Grace. :) Gracie, I love you baby girl and I can't imagine life without your funny stories, your cute pictures, your crazy hard headed-ness, your unconditional love. You've brought so much joy to my life. :) I wouldn't change a thing about you. Even your crazy addiction/obsession to your paci. You make me smile, little princess.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Day 13 - A picture of your favorite band or artist.

This is one is kinda tough. I can't say that I have a favorite. I really like Christian music but don't have a specific favorite. I do know that I really love Lady Antebellum. Although, they are country, I really like their music! :) So I'll deem them my favorite!

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Happy 100th Post!!! :)

Just for fun, I realized I just posted my 100th post on my blog!!! :) I've been blogging a little over a year now and it has been so therapeutic for me! I love to write on here and be able to go back and read and see how far I've come since that post, or how I've forgotten the way I've challenged myself and not followed through! I hope you've enjoyed my previous 100 posts!!! I love how I can advocate for orphans and abandoned children, share funny stories, show sweet pictures of friends, pour my heart out, challenge myself and others, and just plain tell what's going on in my life. It's just a way to get off my chest what is weighing on it and if someone wants to read it they can, if they don't, they don't have to! :) I can't wait to hit my 200th post and I'll probably be in another country when I do that! :) yay!

Day 12 - A picture of something you love.

Love my Hannah.

My big boy.

Jessie. Such a pleasant surprise in my life.


Love sweet Spanish speaking boys. :)

Love my "little brother" at school.

Love my sissers.

Love my Ann.

Love these girls.

I love pool time.

Love watching Manny play baseball. :)

Love some El Salvador kids.

Love the freedom that the special needs kids feel when at the beach.

Love sweet Fransisco.
I LOVE this little guy.

Gotta love the bowling shoes and tu-tu. :)

Ahh.... SUMMER. How I LOVE thee and MISS thee.