Good Times

Last week I received a phone call from my dear friend Jenny asking if she could keep Eli a little while for me in order to get ready for our trip. If I have said this once I have said it a million times...the Lords timing is like no other. The Lord works in incredible ways. Eli loves his friends...and I must say Harper is at the top of that list (even though Harper is quite a few months older). I was reminded of the joy and encouragement friends are throughout your life, and what a special relationship that is. I am blessed yet again to have had so many friends along the way. I just pray that Eli can learn to be a true friend, and be someone that people can trust. Jenny was able to snap a few shots of them playing together (I so have to work on the picture thing!). Just thought I would share a few. We are blessed to have the friendships we have and we pray that Eli can be as richly blessed as we have been as the Lord blesses his life with friends.

Thought number 2: I also wanted to share the thoughts I have had on reading John 6: 1-15 when Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand....I am amazed at the heart of the little boy who gives his lunch to Jesus. Jesus simply asks us to come as we are and give all that we have to Him, because if we really think about it long enough it is ALL His anyways...but, I have so much trouble giving every part of me to be used for His purpose. Jesus took that lunch and multiplied it to where there was more than enough for all that was there.....yet another reminder that Jesus is more than enough for every need, want, and desire of our hearts. Do I have enough faith to give him all that I have....do I believe He is who He says He is....do I believe He is faithful with all things....if so what is my excuse for not laying it all down for him like that little boy did with his lunch....my actions have to match my words....my prayer is that it will for our family as we continue to get to know the heart of Jesus and be able to truly follow after Him with all of our hearts.

Faith and Blessings

Wow! Our family has been able to get some rest, recharge, and renew our commitment to one another as we left Atlanta for a few days and headed to South Carolina. We were able to enjoy Easter here with Mom and Dad Keith before leaving for our "retreat". It was precious to see Eli find eggs and follow bubbles from a bubble machine he was given on Easter. More than that it was a blessing to be able to reflect on what Easter was all about and why Jesus had to endure the cross to cleanse our souls....oh, how indebted we are for His sacrifice and His glorious resurrection! We are reminded of the truth found in Galatians 2:19-21

"For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"

None is more worthy of our everything than the One who gave us everything! I stand in awe!

It's hard to write after thinking of this gift, but I praise Him for showing me a glimpse of His greatness by walking on the beach with my wonderful husband on Monday afternoon! What a precious time we were able to spend together (without Eli). It was a much needed "time away" with "just us"...but, we missed the little guy (who was having tons of fun in Orangeburg with his Nana, great grandparents, and aunts! What a blessing family is! Needless to say we had an incredible time at the beach enjoying quality time together (my love language!).

We ended up going by Charleston on the way back to visit with family and see Eli....it was such a beautiful little town (crowded but sweet). We were able to get some good seafood before "our time" came to and end...but we were glad to see that Eli still remembered us!

We have been cleaning and doing laundry today, but it was nice to get back to a routine. We are more rested and are overwhelmingly blessed to have had the opportunity to get away and enjoy each other and reflect on how good the Lord is in all His timing! We are about the celebrate three years of marriage and so much has changed, but we are convinced more than ever that the Lord brought us together and isn't done showing us Himself and what He wants to do with us. We are forever grateful for His grace, mercy, and presence in our lives.

Thursday-Today

It has been a good few days. The weather was beautiful on Thursday which allowed us to spend a lot of time outside. Eli loves to be outside this is for sure! We went to FBCW playground for over an hour and enjoyed the day the Lord had blessed us with. Friday was rainy...but, God is so good to send our area rain...b/c we need it so much right now. We had a great dinner with Mom and Dad Keith that night....it is hard to get to really sit down and talk together b/c they tend to watch Eli for us during the week so Chris and I can go out to dinner, which we are truly grateful for...but we miss out on getting to have good conversation for more than just a few minutes. It is so incredible watching them love on Eli as well. They have so much love for him...and it's such a blessing to watch him with them! Anyhow, again we couldn't be more blessed for the parents we have!! It was a sweet time of fellowship and encouragement!
Chris and I got to spend most of Saturday with Eli which was nice....it's been a little hard with his class to find time to just hang out right now...but we did on Saturday and that was...nice...smile! We celebrated Harper turning two that night and it was much fun. Eli wasn't sure why everyone wasn't singing happy birthday to him...but, it was a lesson he will have to learn again and again...that everything isn't about him....Chris and I talked about how it's a reality check for us all at times!! He did really well though...and the birthday party was great....Jenny is so creative and the monkey cake was a huge hit!!
The time change hit us hard...still adjusting...will take us a little while I think...after church the girls in our small group celebrated the upcoming arrival of baby Johnson (Jenny and Nicks second little boy)....we can't wait to meet him. We had lunch and went to the mall for a little while. It was a very nice afternoon. It is always wonderful to have a good conversation with your friends. Chris and Eli had some guy time...and enjoyed a long walk to the playground and some time at the slide. We had fun hanging out the rest of the evening.
We are adjusting to the time change today pretty well though...I think Eli will just stay up longer at night and get up later...we'll see how that works.
Again, I am just overwhelmingly blessed. We do not deserve anything close to what we have....and I take so much for granted. I am reminded this day of the over abundance of gifts we have and want the Lord to show us how we can use every little thing for His glory...that is my prayer today.

Weekend to Kingsport

This weekend our family was suppose to make a trip to see my family in Kingsport....but there was a huge storm this week that pushed a real estate class to be rescheduled on Friday leaving Chris unable to really go and get the stuff done here that he needed to....so, after praying about it Friday night...I decided to go on Saturday morning, b/c the weather looked good for the weekend. It was a lot harder for me to leave than I thought (which that is a good thing I guess...more on this later). I was able to get everything packed and ready....this includes Eli. He was asleep before we hit the interstate and slept until we got to Cleveland, where we stopped for lunch. I can't tell you how wonderful he was as a backseat co-pilot! He was just so good! Anyhow, we met my sister and parents in Knoxville. It was a sweet time with them. We shopped a little while my dad pushed Eli in the stroller....and then we went and had some dinner. It was good to get to see Lindsey, b/c she has a lot going on trying to finish school! I am her biggest cheerleader when it comes to knowing that this is what she was called and created to do. There are some people that have such a passion and gift...and she has one for teaching! You can see it when she talks about the kids she works with. She lights up. Anyhow, if you read this Lindsey...it is a joy to see that you have found this thing that you truly are fantastic at...few people figure this out...keep allowing Jesus to use you for His glory...b/c I know He has great things to do through you as a teacher! It makes me smile so much to think of all the children you are going to have an impact on. I don't deserve to have you as my sister. I love you!
Anyhow, it was good to see my sister...and that time seemed so short...but then we traveled to Kingsport to hang out with the family...my mom road with us home. ...I am grateful b/c we had to stop and put on his pjs, give him a snack, and his milk....he was out before we made it in the driveway. Anyhow, I have said that it is such a joy to watch Chris with Eli....but, it is also a joy to watch Eli with his grandparents....(both in Marietta and in Kingsport). You have such an appreciation for what your parents did for you when you have a child...and it is my joy to get to see them loving on their grandchild...and how much love they have for them. Eli loves them so much (so do we of course)!! Chris and I are forever grateful and undeserving of all the love and support you all give to him....we thank you from the bottom of our hearts...we would not be who we are without you....we are blessed. You all made so many sacrifices so that we could do and see things that most people don't have the opportunity to do or see in their lifetime. I know I was not the most grateful person for those times growing up...and I am sorry...but I look back now and am so appreciative for all the memories you created for me. Thank you...and forgive me when I did not have the most grateful attitude.
Anyhow, we were able to have good conversation, food, and time together. Eli loves being outside, books, trucks, bouncing balls, elmo, and wagon rides...but we can officially add another place he loves being...my dad's "unique" basement....he is on sensory overload here...and could have stayed down there the whole time discovering new things and walking around looking at everything....it doesn't hurt that there is a huge tv ready to play an occasional video....but, he enjoyed being there greatly! If you haven't seen this place with your own eyes...words don't do it justice so I am not going to try to explain...I will have to take some pictures next time I am there and attach them to this post so you can better understand what I am talking about. We enjoyed hanging out down there..and I would guarantee no one you know has two cabin fronts in the basement! I love you dad...God has given you a creative imagination....and you have used it!
We ended up going to Bays mountain State Park (http://www.baysmountain.com/) on Sunday afternoon b/c it was so beautiful. Mom and Dad strolled Eli around for a little while, but he wanted to "get out in nature"...so he walked most of the time...we looked at deer, owls, wolves, raccoons, and bobcats in cages...he couldn't see all of them...but overall he seemed like he enjoyed it greatly....walking through the leaves was a huge hit for him as well. We tried to take some pictures....I'll get some up when I get them! It was a good time! This time again showed me that he already believes he is well beyond his years...b/c he thinks he can walk around like he is five...he is becoming a "big boy".

We then visited with my grandparents and cousins...another sweet time. Eli will never be short on people that love him that is for sure! We hung out with them that evening as well and my friend Amanda came over to see us before Eli went to bed....Eli had another wonderful day! I was able to have some good conversation with my parents...which was nice....I love them both so much and am grateful for the lessons they have taught me. Going to bed was hard, b/c I was missing my best friend again....it's hard when you are use to talking and going to sleep next to your husband...it was such a confirmation that he is who the Lord had in mind for me to do life with! I went to sleep thinking about how very blessed I am to have such an incredible family in all senses of the word!
The next morning I got packed to head home. My dad was able to spend a few minutes with us before he left for work....I was grateful for that! Eli and I met my grandparents for breakfast at Perkins...it was another great time. I love them so much! I couldn't leave without seeing my mom....what a selfless woman she is....so we ran by her school....she wanted to show Eli to everyone!! Eli loved being there too....he is such a people person. They all have seen so many pictures of Eli but many of her friends had not met him yet...so, it was a good time. Mom could not stop smiling....Eli kept laying his head on her shoulder too...he has a way of knowing what someone wants at exactly the right time....so, she was "in heaven". Mom, thank you for creating in him such a love for books...I know he has to have more books than he will ever need....it makes me smile every time I see him flipping through books....b/c I think of how much you would want to see him doing this so early! You have such a gift with teaching children to love books....I hope to help show Eli your passion in this area as well! I love you! Of course, I scrubbed him down before getting in the car....again, he fell asleep before getting on the interstate....to make a long story short....we stopped once for lunch....and made it back here before dinner...but he was wonderful in the car!! I was so proud of him. What a great little man he was all weekend!
I was so happy to see my husband when he got home! I had missed him so much. It was wonderful to come home to such a clean house...he was happy to see us home...but I don't think was ready to have all of our "stuff" back in a newly picked up house! Ha!
So, I have learned a few things this weekend....
1. I am blessed more than I deserve....on all levels.
2. Something is missing when my husband isn't with me. Oh how I love him!
3. Eli brings out the best in people.
4. I am truly grateful for the family the Lord has blessed me with and the things I have been taught through them.
5. I don't deserve anything I have been given....I know I have said this...but I don't.
6. God is good.
I end with that...b/c the question I was posed the night before I left was do I believe God is good. I thought about this question a lot over the past few days....do I just say God is good...or do I believe God is good....and though things in our lives..in the lives of those around me are not always easy...do I still believe God is good? The answer I have come to find out is yes...I believe that nothing changes that....b/c I look at how much I have been blessed and realize I don't deserve any of it....God IS good....circumstances might not always be...but God is the only thing that is good no matter what happens. God is good....nothing changes that....I claim this truth today.

Rainy Day

Oh goodness...before I write about our weekend I must first recount todays library experience (as if I didn't learn anything from last week's). Anyhow, we decided to try another storytime at a different library with our friends Jenny and Harper in the rain. We ventured out and made it before storytime started (not knowing how strict they would be on the time...a little more lax at this library). Anyhow, I let Eli go look at books and another librarian informs me storytime is starting...and I said that I had to go over there right when they started reading a book....she wanted me to go there then...so I did...well, Eli was not going to sit still while they did the rules on cd....so, before she was able to start reading a book we were out of the kid's section of the library because he wasn't going to do it (again, I might add that this was the same librarian from our trip to a different library last week...and to top it off Eli looks like he is 2 even though he is not and his ability to stay seated for a thirty minute storytime is a huge thing to ask....you could tell she wasn't real thrilled to see us back for this particular storytime). Jenny and Harper were late so we were able to meet them in the foyer. Good news (in a twisted way) Harper did not want to sit for storytime either (I say twisted b/c at least it wasn't just Eli)....so, she got a library card and some books and we left....so we saw each other for about twenty minutes and came home. Yet another memorable trip to the library...not sure you will hear any of these for awhile b/c I am not sure he is ready for storytime....deep breath....on my way out I am trying to hold onto Eli and get him in the car...all while the umbrella snapped backwards and I am trying to catch Eli (b/c he doesn't like to be held...but I hold him when we are in the parking lot)...thankfully Jenny helped...it was crazy....I wish I had a picture to document this...but unfortantly I do not...I was soaked...Eli had a jacket on so he was fine...I just had to remove it before he got in his seat...we are back at home where we will remain. If he only realized how exhausted I am by 1! He is sleeping soundly now! More crazy stories to come I'm sure. I realize that though we won't be going back to the library for awhile we are grateful that these opportunites do exist and we will try them again at a later time.