17 days :))

Only 17 days until I get to see Kimberly, Tim, Jillian, Judah and hold little Josiah for the very first time ever! <3 I can hardly wait!! I've already volunteered to babysit for a day <3


such a little cutie!

an older pic of miss jillian [you can tell by her hair :))], but I thought it was SO cute :))

Jilli riding her trike

judah

what a mischievious little look that is on his face! lol

Come save.

I absolutely adore this song :)) Come Save by Sarah Reeves. Here is the link to hear ithttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qp2hesI5Tus, and below are the lyrics

Time is running out,
Come save.
Death is creeping in,
Come save.
We humble ourselves and seek your face
Pour out your mercy like rain

Your sons and your daughters
Cry for you.
The waves of the waters
Reach for you
And all of creation rises up
And screams out your name
Oh, come save

Addicted to our pride
Come save
Consumed in self delight
Come save
Break us and free us
From these chains
We desperately need your grace

Your sons and your daughters
Cry for you.
The waves of the waters
Reach for you
And all of creation rises up
And screams out your name
Oh, come awaken us from our sleep
Come bring us to our knees.
Come whisper truth in our ears
Come save

Your sons and your daughters
Cry for you.
The waves of the waters
Reach for you
And all of creation rises up
And screams out your name
Oh, Lord, Your sons and your daughters
Cry for you.
The waves of the waters
Reach for you
And all of creation rises up
And screams out your name
Oh, come save.
Come save.

that is SO a GOD thing!!!

my sister just called me to tell me that she saw the same "I <3 Ethiopia" bumper sticker on the same vehicle while she is driving! and we live in a relatively small area! First of all, the chance of anyone else "loving" Ethiopia as I do in this area is slim to none, and for her to see the same vehicle with the same sticker... oh me! that is such a GOD thing :)) I always knew You were for me :))

GOSH! I'm just SO excited and blown away by GOD's mysterious ways! :)) You've gotta love them!

p.s. by the way, just in case you didn't know I had talked about this "I love Ethiopia" bumper sticker in an earlier post [I think it was really close to the beginning of the blog]

the simple things and the heart of endurance

Some simple things just speak volumes, you know? Today as the little girl I keep [we'll call her K] and I were walking to my car to go get something to eat for lunch, she showed me this little stuffed frog she had won at Bible school last night. It said "Leap of Faith" on his tummy, and she asked me "what is faith?" I told her that it's believing in GOD. And I told her that a leap is like when you jump [she just turned 7 by the way], and she said, "so it's like taking a jump for GOD?" When she said that it was like something clicked inside my head. Not to say that I didn't know what take a leap of faith meant, but I'd never thought about it like that before. She made my morning :)) I'm going to take a jump for GOD. I'm going to graduate with an English degree and go on even further for my Master's. I'm going to go on a mission's trip, even if I end up having to go by myself. I'm going to adopt from Africa someday, no matter what some people around me may think or what they may have to say about it. And I'm going to live for GOD, no matter how hard the devil tries to make it!

<3

so faithful. so constant. so loving & so true. so powerful in all You do. You fill me, You see me, You know my every move... I know that You are for me. I know that You will never forsake me in my weaknesses. I know that You have come down even if to write upon my heart, to remind me who You are. ♥ thank You, GOD for being who You are!

africa <3

I don't know what to say other than GOD is still stirring up my heart for Africa, Ethiopia in particular. I can't explain it. It feels wonderful to know that GOD just put this country on my heart, and that He has a reason for doing so - that He has a plan. I don't claim to know everything that GOD is going to do, and I love that I don't know :)) It's like a little kid waiting to see what they're going to get for their birthday! GOD is great, amazingly great! & I am content with knowing that! I'm looking at pictures on flickr.com of a few african orphans and it just completely melts my heart and brings tears to my eyes. I just want to hold them in my arms SO badly and tell them of the love that Jesus has for them! I so desperately want to go on a mission's trip, I just don't know where to start. If anyone has any suggestions as where to look, I'd appreciate them very much :))

smiles, giggles & slobber :))

in other words, nursery, children's church & choir practice kids :)) These are my church kiddos!


aniya - 10 months [ she is such a sweetie! she's a kid with a permanent smile on her face :))]

nayt [pronounced like nate] - 6 months [this little kid has my heart & he is a tough cookie in real life. this little guy has had to go through a lot in his life]

mr. nayt! <3

little miss aniya <3 love her!

I have watched Aaron ever since he was little. It's so weird that he is growing up SO fast!

Lauren - such a sweetie! She has such a laugh that makes you begin to giggle too :))

Madelyn - 5 years I love this little girl. We have our struggles [as you guys know all kids can be at times :))] but end in the end she is one of the sweetest little girls I know!

Madelyn

Meredyth - 2 years sweetie pie! i love the way this little one talks :))

Meredyth & Cadence

Cadence - 2ish? This precious little girl's family has just recently started coming to our church, so I haven't known her for long, but I do know she loves to help me out w/ the other kids :))

I know that You are for me...

I absolutely adore this song by Kari Jobe! Here's a link to it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tCXObtC_fk&feature=PlayList&p=FD8F64DB50F21234&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=45, and below are the lyrics :))

You Are For Me
kari jobe


So faithful. So constant.
So loving and so true.
So powerful in all You do.

You fill me. You see me.
You know my every move
and You love for me to sing to You.

I know that You are for me.
I know that You are for me.
I know that You will never,
forsake me in my weaknesses

I know that You have come now,
even if to write upon my heart.
To remind me who You are.

So patient, So gracious,
So merciful and true…
So wonderful in all You do.
You know me. You see me.
You know my every move.
You love for me to sing to You

Lord, I know that You are for me.
I know that You are for me.
I know that You will never,
forsake me in my weaknesses.
I know that You have come now,
even if to write upon my heart.

To remind me that
I know that You are for me.
I know that You are for me.
I know that You will never,
forsake me in my weaknesses.
I know that You have come now,
even if to write upon my heart.
To remind me who You are.

I know that You are for me.
I know that You are for me.
I know that You will never,
forsake me in my weaknesses.
I know that You will come now,
even if to write upon my heart.
To remind me of who You are.

great news!! :))

There is great news about my Aunt Cindy (the one with the blood clot). She went to the doctor for a checkup on the bloodclot and they told her that her blood is a LOT thinner than it was! :)) How great is our GOD?? He still amazes me!

exodus 15:2

Well my second day off work was a bit more exciting :)) I woke up a bit earlier [yay, because I didn’t want to sleep in] & by two o’clock I had to go pick up my sister from our apartment an our away because her vertigo had resurfaced while at work. Then later tonight my oldest sister, Stephanie, and her two boys came by tonight. Below are some pictures of the day – OH! And some new pictures of Jillian, Judah & Josiah courtesy of my sister Kimberly on facebook :))

Here is little man Josiah! He is now 13 1/2 weeks old & he was dedicated at his church this past Sunday :)

Here is little buddy Judah. Mi sobrino es guapo :)

& here is big sister Jillian :)) <3 her

Josiah sleeping while relaxing at the beach.

this kid seems SO sweet!

love this picture! he is so so SO silly :))


& pretty Jilli :)

and here is my five year old nephew holden. i snapped a few pics of him while he, his mom & brother came to visit tonight at my parent's house

a little off, i know :) he didn't really want his picture taken at first


and here are just some pics of GOD's wonderful & marvelous creation!

"This is the kind of GOD i have, and I'm telling the world!" exodus 15:2

post # 4 today! oh me!!

Well, what can I say? I have the whole week off of work, and today it has been raining practically ALL DAY LONG!! :)) I snapped these pictures during a dry spot :))


here is my sister's cat Max [that stays at our parents' house]
"GOD looked over everything He had made; it was good, so very good!" Genesis 1:31 [the message bible]

my GOD is...

After reading the passage from the previous post, these were my thoughts :))


my GOD is
Marvelous
Breathtaking
Beautiful
Amazinggg
Worthy
Mighty
Capable
Bold
Unstoppable

my GOD is an amazinggg GOD!!!

Psalm 46
A Song of the Sons of Korah
1-3 God is a safe place to hide, ready to help when we need him.
We stand fearless at the cliff-edge of doom,
courageous in seastorm and earthquake,
Before the rush and roar of oceans,
the tremors that shift mountains.
Jacob-wrestling God fights for us,
God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.

4-6 River fountains splash joy, cooling God's city,
this sacred haunt of the Most High.
God lives here, the streets are safe,
God at your service from crack of dawn.
Godless nations rant and rave, kings and kingdoms threaten,
but Earth does anything he says.

7 Jacob-wrestling God fights for us,
God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.

8-10 Attention, all! See the marvels of God!
He plants flowers and trees all over the earth,
Bans war from pole to pole,
breaks all the weapons across his knee.
"Step out of the traffic! Take a long,
loving look at me, your High God,
above politics, above everything."

11 Jacob-wrestling God fights for us,
God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.





Is He not just great??!! I have been thinking SO much about ethiopia and her people. I find myself just tearing up at odd times and thinking how great He is to put Ethiopia on my heart, and what He has in store :))

Pink polka-dot sheets & a jade green bumper...

The room was dark and silent, a replicated picture of the night sky outside the open window, dotted with bright lights here and there, like cookie dough footprints of a toddler on black Berber. Shadows played off the orange sherbet walls, their origin from the trees rustling in the summer evening’s wind and the heat lightning off in the distant miles west.
Smooth, so smooth just like her baby brother’s. She traced the area where the tear fell down her daughter’s cheek, where some had been and dried; their attempt to shy away unseen botched by a mother’s instinct. She knew she was still awake, that she was only attempting to be brave in the face of all she had encountered. Her eyelids fluttered open - glassy, just as her mother had expected. Her daughter’s lips parted for words to be whispered, but were stopped as her mother placed her finger to her lips, her eyes softened as she pointed over to the crib in the corner.
With a solemn nod, staring at the pink polka dot sheets at her eyelevel, the little girl sniffed back a sob, her face giving way to the anguish tearing her up inside.
My brave little Emma… she doesn’t have to try so hard to hide it, we’re all suffering…
Pushing to the side her light hair, wet with tears, she kissed her hairline, one, two, three times.
Heading now over to the crib where her son lay fast asleep, she smirked upon seeing his delicate little lips formed into a pouty pose. Your father was right in picking your name; you are my little dark haired one… my Kieran. His tiny fingers curled about her thumb, his little muscles flexing in and out, in and out, in sync with the rise and fall of his small torso. The jade green pattern on the baby bumper next to his tiny features complimented his flushed complexion.
He is safe here.
But an unnerving thought crossed her mind as she stood there against the wall, waiting for her son to wake up for his eleven o’clock feeding. Unlike his baby boy, Bradley is falling asleep to the booming ring of missiles and the whizzing of shells overhead…
Slowly sinking to the floor, the wall behind her her guide, her chest shook with sobs…


p.s. Sometimes it's easy to forget what the men and women that serve this country go through, and I wrote this a while back after thinking about what life may be like for army wives/husbands/children. It makes me appreciate what they do for our country even more.

i'm just SO excited!

My sister Allisyn and I are going to visit my sister Kimberly and her family [jillian, judah and josiah's mom] in October for our fall break!!! :)) We had been thinking about it for a few weeks or so, and have finally decided to go through with it. Also, other than being really excited about going there, I am super excited/nervous about my first plane flight :)) LOL! Yes, I am 21 and have never set foot on a plane! So please pray that I won't be too scared :)) hehe.

jillian, judah & josiah <3

I just can't stop thinking about my niece and two nephews that are in Florida! I love and miss them SO much! so I thought a good way to help me through the day was to make a post about them & show you guys some more pics :)) These pictures are from the 4th of July. GOSH, how I wish I could have been with them! Only 35 days until I see their sweet faces in person!!



Here is my sister, Kimberly, and her family. From left to right is Kimberly holding Josiah [13 weeks], her husband Tim holding Judah [almost the big 3!], and little miss jillian [4] :))


Here is my buddy Judah-bug having fun on the 4th :))


Judah in the car


Judah and his sister Jillian playing around in the yard. A bit blurry, but I absolutely love their faces in this pic :)) It makes me want to be a kid again!<3


Little miss Jillian w/ a sparkler! I know she had to have had fun :)


And last, but not least, is little man, Josiah, who I cannot wait to hold for the first time! He is already growing up SO fast!

:))

Just an update on the cats :)) lol... since I can't seem to find my camera cord or the thing you stick in the computer I used my webcam to get some pics of the kitty babies :))


Here's little miss lexi & her prissy self :)) i think this little someone is still a bit jealous of the new kitten

here is mommy's little baby asleep on the couch :))
izzie in the light
and here is little izzie :))

GOD is just so great! The same GOD who created these beauties created me and cares about me! He wants to be involved in everything I do! It's just amazinggg! :))

I want to go on a mission's trip so badly right now!! Any suggestions??