Monday, July 16, 2012

Imagination

Anna Claire has an amazing imagination! She comes up with all sorts of things for her and Lizzie to play. Anna Claire is always in character, whether that's Molly the American Girl or the keeper of the fairies that live in her head or the mother of Mare Izabel (pronounced Mary Isabelle) her baby doll or one of the Von Trapp children from the Sound of Music. Mostly if I hear someone yell, "Mom!" I ignore it because if I answer the reply is inevitably, "I'm not talking to you." Lucky for us Lizzie is very good to oblige all the demands her sister requires, most of the time.
My two favorite games they play are "Marker Town" and today she came up with animating the states. She is currently tracing the fifty states to make them characters is her newest story, "Happy Birthday, Indiana!" For those interested, "Marker Town" was a game played in our car using two different packs of markers. They had awesome names like Blue and Bluey, Black and Blacka, Brownie and Cafe. Hours were spent entertaining each other with this fantastic game. The markers had amazing adventures that included parents dying and orphans, trips to Disney World, and going to school.
The other day I heard Anna Claire say, "Lizzie, where are you?" And Lizzie replied, "The living room." Anna Claire said, "No, I mean in real life." And Lizzie said, "Seriously, I'm in the living room!" At times Lizzie has enough of pretend land:) I've overheard her say,"You know that isn't real, Anna Claire?"

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Meatfest 2012

My family gets together every July to have Meatfest! As you can gather from the name grilled meat is plentiful. My aunt, uncle and grandmother provide the food, place and fun. There are 27 of us now!
One Grannie, two grandmothers, one grandfather, 5 grandchildren and their 5 spouses, 9 great-grand daughters and 1 great grandson (finally) plus the 3 Cs.
We had a great day and all the cousins had a blast playing on "the coolest water slide" according to Lizzie. Then we went to my cousin's pool to swim. Russ, my brother, and my two cousins entertained us with dives they're probably too old to do and are most likely regretting today.
Anna Claire "baby-sat" the 2 new babies. She LOVES them and thinks they are too cute! Jeremy brought fireworks that were loud. The kids loved the sparklers.
I can remember a family reunion at my grandparent's when I was little and I loved every minute. I know all my girls will remember these fun summer days!  

Monday, July 2, 2012

Last week a young mother from our school passed away from cancer and my heart was broken for her husband and three young children! She was an aquaintance of mine and I knew she had suffered much pain in her cancer journey. Her faith and trust in God was astounding to the very end - an example for us all! My heart was so heavy last Monday full of the "why" question that naturally comes after a death like hers. Graciously God reminded me of Matthew 11:6 "Blessed is the one who is not offended by me" and of the widow whose only son died and how Jesus had compassion on her. The comfort of His Word eased my heart and life rolled on when it seemed wrong to be happy.

Then a couple of days later, sitting on the balconey of my hotel room in the Smokies I read Psalm 65.

"Praise is due to You, O God in Zion, and to you shall vows be performed.
O You who hear prayer, to You shall all flesh come.
When iniquities prevail against me, You atone for our transgressions.
Blessed is the one You choose and bring near, to dwell in Your courts!
We shall be satisfied with the goodness in Your house, the holiness of Your temple!

"By awesome deeds You answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation,
the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas;
the One who by His strength established the mountains, being girded with might;
who stills the roaring seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples,
so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe of Your signs.
You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy.

"You visit the earth and water it, You greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water;
You provide their grain, for so you have prepared it.
You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers,
and blessing its growth.
You crown the year with Your bounty; Your wagon tracks overflow with abundance.
The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy,
the meadows cloth themselves with flocks, the valleys deack themselves with grain,
they shout and sing together for joy."

I know He hears prayer - He has heard mine and answered! I know He forgives sin - He knows all my sin and has forgiven them! And sitting on that balconey I was aware that I had seen His mountains and His seas and my heart rejoiced in the Lord! Though I cannot always understand, He is I AM!

School+Soccer+Summer=Craziness

cousin fun!
Dollywood!
Grotto Falls
Matching swimsuits :)
Time has flown since my last post in March! The girls played soccer on the Cotton Candy Kickers team and Russ was their coach. The school year ended with Lizzie having a horrible stomach virus that stayed too many days. VBS was a very busy week and then my brother's girls came for Day Camp. We've been to the beach and the Smokies in the past two weeks. Throw in swim team every morning, piano lessons and work - crazy! I am resurfacing for air! I truly have an abundant life and I enjoy every minute!
 

fleet lawsuit