Where have I been...

you might ask (and then again...some of you may not care:) This has been one of the longest, hardest weeks of my life...I posted earlier that I had a friend from college who was in REAL BAD shape (scroll down to get all of the story!) I started a Caring Bridge page for her to try to recruit as many people as I could to pray for her...the outcome...
LEARNING THAT GOD IS GOD NO MATTER WHAT AND HE IS STILL DELIVERING MIRACLES...

I have witnessed it right before my very eyes...It has been one of the most awesome experiences...to know that a friend was in the most serious condition...hanging onto life by a thread...and that God has taken that situation and has slowly started to turn things around...

This is the update that I got to type this morning on her site..
(feel free to visit and leave an entry in the guestbook, she needs all the prayers and encouragement we can give her! www.caringbridge.com/visit/juliecossarjones)

MORE GOOD NEWS!!!
Can you believe it?! Of Course we can...Our GOD is so awesome...

You must know that Julie is almost at celebrity status at Vanderbilt...it seems that nurses are requesting her because she has become so popular!! The nurse that she had last night was determined that she was going to get better...and she did!

*She has remained stable even after getting off most of medications, she is opening her eyes, and keeping them opened for a little longer each time.
* The nurse last night told her that she was at Vanderbilt, that she has had a rough week (is that an understatement or what!!!!) and they were trying to get her better so that she could hold that baby girl...and she visibly nodded, as if she understood what she was hearing!
*They are actually going to take the brain monitor off that measures her ICP (inter cranial pressure) because she has remained stable for so long!
*They are starting to remove alot of the tubes that are attached to her
*They are really monitoring her as they give her spongebaths and massages that Julie is able to maintain steady heart rate, pulse rate, etc...
*They checked her liver profile and it seems to be improving each time that it is checked (just keep in mind that it is going to take a LONG while until it is regenerated!)
*The doctors and nurses believe that she has "TURNED THE CORNER" and will remain stable, continuing to small advances with each passing day!
*BEN is looking and sounding better as well. He IS going to make the trip to Jackson this morning to see Becca! Ben's dad is going to drive him there! (I can't wait to hear about that reunion!)

Was that list like music to your ears! PRAISE THE LORD! I am so excited to see God's hands working in all of this! The power of prayer has been so amazing and it has been so awesome to see the answers being revealed to us!

Please promise to continue to pray diligently...although she has "turned the corner" the road before her is still long! She (as well as Ben and Becca) will still need our constant prayer and encouragement! If you haven't signed the guestbook at the caring bridge website...Please do so...They need to know exactly how loved they are and how many people have prayed for them.

*pray that Julie continue to remain stable
*pray that although she is coming out of sedation that she will not be scared or anxious...ask that God will calm her heart and let Him be in total control
*pray for the reunion of Ben and his precious daughter...that it will give HIM the energy and strength to keep fighting!
*pray that Becca will continue to thrive, growing each day!
*pray for little to NO infection
*pray that we continue to see glimpses of hope that God is giving to all of us on a daily basis
*pray that all of us are effected in a way that we will forever remember the miraculous healing power of a Mighty GOD!

OUR GOD IS MIGHTY TO SAVE!!!


I love you all and as soon as I know...you will too!
Love in Him,
Kim Deaton McMillen<><



as soon as I posted this update I got an email from Karen Wright (Julie's aunt!) and just wanted to forwarded it to you...in her own words!

Kim,
Please post that Julie is alert & very responsive. I talked w/Ben just now & the Drs. think Julie may be turning the corner at last - there's still a long road ahead, but she's on the way. The ICP monitor is being removed today & perhaps some of the other connections. She's still being dialized & ventilated, but she will progress when the liver is more stable. AND, she has not seen her new "do", which will surely stir her. Becca was having some difficulty w/keeping formula down yesterday, & the nurses will go back to 1 tsp. feedings today.
Many, many thanks for keeping the updates posted & especially your prayers , good thoughts.
L & L,
Karen Wright


This week has taught me a huge lesson...and that is to "PRAY WITHOUT CEASING"

I will be completely honest with you when I say this...I pray, often...but I don't think there has ever been a time in my life where every moment of my life has been in prayer...and then to see God answer those prayers, in MIRACULOUS ways! It has been powerful, to say the least!

And there is still alot pf praying to be done! But this week has reaffirmed the fact that MY GOD IS BIG!! and that we should NEVER place Him in box...He is much larger, and grander (I don't think that's a word...but is there a word to describe the greatness of our GOD!!!) than we can ever fathom!

I would love for you to continue on this journey of miracles that God is bestowing upon Ben, Julie and Becca!

The road is long and it will be hard, but God has already paved it...and with every paved street, you can expect a few bumps...We would be naive to think that we won't stumble upon a few of those! But we know that God is ever present, waiting for us, to pick us up, wipe us off and set us on the straight path again!

Thank you so much for loving me enough to love my friend and to pray for her and her entire family!

I am hoping to return back to my weekly blogging, but until then be sure to visit my other "blog"-at least for now!!

Feel free...

to stop by the caring bridge website that I have set up to offer prayers to the family...I realize that most of you don't know her, but our prayers are all the same!

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/juliecossarjones

and know that I will temporarily holding off on blogging about my own life...as I try to keep everybody else informed about Julie! Please keep praying!!

URGENT prayer request

A good friend of mine,Julie Cossar Jones (from college at UT Martin) is going through a very terrible time right now and I am asking that you say a prayer for her and her family (Ben, Julie and Becca Jones)

here is an email that I sent yesterday...

I will try to do my best at explaining how this all happened...We have so many on our list now that not everybody is on the same page...Again...I might make mistakes and if that is the case, feel free to correct me!!

I got a text late Sat. night that said that Julie was having complications with her pregnancy (she was only 28 weeks preg.) and somehow I think that high blood pressure was involved!

Something happened and she went into labor and they had to do an emergency C-section..and delivered Becca (named after Julie's mom that passed away from cancer...)weighing in at 1lb. 11oz. and is 13 inches long at Jackson General...Becca remained there while they life-flighted Julie to Vanderbilt.
Ben went to Vanderbilt and his mom and aunt are staying in Jackson...
After Julie arrived at Vandy, they realized that her kidneys had failed and immediately placed her on dialysis. At some point they realized that her placenta had torn away form the uterus and caused major internal bleeding...when that happened...Her body's blood platelets couldn't keep up and they started attacking the liver (that is as best as I understand...again corrections are welcomed!) with that being said, I think the professional name for it is "Acute Fatty Liver Pregnancy" and it is very rare (1% occurrence...and Julie's case happens to be the worst that Dr.'s at Vandy have ever seen!)

That puts where we are now...lungs are not doing good and she is in desperate need of a matching liver ASAP!! and at last time I spoke with T-Lynn she is declining...

I hope this clears up any confusion about how this all came about!!

As of today, she is still waiting on the matching liver ASAP...They have paralyzed her from the neck down (with meds..and she is in a drug induced coma) and they are doing a CAT scan to try to determine the inter cranial pressure...The only cure for her is a LIVER!!

Thanks to Renee... We now have a picture of Becca Jones


...Isn't she precious!!
I just got off the phone with T-Lynn and she had just met with the doctors. (She says that she hates to call and give updates, because she feels like every new report conflicts with the one before...However we know that Julie is still critical and we have to expect some ups and downs as we travel this journey with her) That being said, these are the points that the dr. gave her this morning
*They were really hoping that she would progress on her own last night...They wanted to give her EVERY chance they could to pull through this...and she did not! However she didn't get worse either...
*They have gotten her stabilized...which was a big issue yesterday, she got real unstable late yesterday morning and into the afternoon...
*Liver transplant is the ONLY option at this point (which is what we thought last night!) The doctors have said that they agreed this morning that they were going to actively and aggressively search for a liver...It has to be the same blood type, same size and healthy...He did also mention that he was optimistic that they would find a liver (and he said that he wouldn't say that if he didn't think that it was true!)
*The neurologist has ordered a CAT scan...the ICP (I have no clue what this is...I am just typing what I heard!) in her brain is different on each side...Because she was having a problem with not clotting yesterday (meaning that her blood was sooo thin that they couldn't get her to stop bleeding at all!) they are wanting to check her brain for poss. bleeding
*Depending on the outcome of the CAT scan, will determine how actively and aggressively they search for a liver
*The lung issue from yesterday was a temporary setback and it seems to be doing better today!
*She still has NORMAL brain function (Praise the Lord!)
*they have increased the dose of BP meds to make sure they control the ICP (again...I have no clue!)
*The doctor will be back around noon (or sometime there after) and will hopefully know something about the CAT scan!
I hope that I have gotten all that out as clearly as possible...Again, I think that we need to stay focused on the positives, she has regained a state of being stable, she has NORMAL brain function, they are optimistic that they WILL find a liver, her lungs are better than yesterday, she has NOT gotten worse...We have alot to Praise the Lord about, yet we have alot to pray for! I ask that you pray without ceasing in the days and weeks to come. We all know that this will be a LONG road, but together as the body of Christ we WILL make it through it!

I love you all and as soon as I know..you will too!

18 month check up...

and FOUR shots...OUCH! So we went to get Avery's 18 mo. check up...Dr. Miller came in to check her out and make sure that she was healthy...and she passed! PRAISE THE LORD! She weighs 25.4lbs(50%)and is 32 1/2 inches long(75%)...we talked about her vocabulary and how it is coming right along, physically she is trying to accomplish everything that Brenly does...She has just gotten so big! We also had to talk about her kidney/bladder issue! She got diagnosed last Dec. with Stage 2 bladder reflux and has been on a daily antibiotic ever since! The hope is that she will grow out of it and never have any more problem with it! So we talked about getting her re-tested and Dr. Miller suggested that we stay on the antibiotic until Dec and then get re-tested! So please pray for Avery's little kidneys/ bladder that God has corrected the problem and that we won't have to go through surgery to correct it! Then the nurse looked at me and said, "Since you forgot her 15 mo. check up.." WHAT? I had no clue that she needed a 15 month check up..Whatever?!?! So b/c I forgot the last checkup Avery had to get FOUR shots in her legs...and it was awful! Normally they are really fast and before she realizes that they got one shot all of them all usually over! However that was not the case yesterday! She gave her one shot...fumbled around trying to get a band-aid on, took her time to give the second one, fumbled with another band-aid, etc...It was the longest series of shots that I have ever held a child down for...and then had the nerve to tell Avery (as she is screaming bloody murder) that she needed to lay still and not to move...Are you for real? Anyway...she got the shots and she was NOT happy for the rest of the day! However that was her last series of shots until Kindergarten! YAY! I am just so thankful that Avery is happy and healthy and is growing so big! God has given her such a funny little spirit and I just pray that He continues to mold her into the woman of God that He has created her to be!

1st day of pre-school....

and I didn't even cry...and neither did she! We have been talking about pre-school for several weeks...about her new class, her new teachers, new friends, all the activities, all the fun, etc...and she has bee very excited about the big day...So last night I had both the girls in bed by 8:30...which is a huge feat at our house...At about 9:00 I hear her crying, so I walk in and ask her what's wrong...She said..."I am just having a bad day" I asked why it had been so bad and she said that she had hit her head on the wall, and that MiMi never called her back (She had called MiMi earlier in the evening and she happened to be outside,and while returning in the house she never checked her cell phone...that will teach her!) So I told her that sometimes when we are having bad days, we need to talk to Jesus and tell him why we are sad! So we start talking to Jesus about school, praying that she will have a very fun day. Pray for her teachers, Mrs. Vickie (she got very excited that her teacher and her MiMi have the same name!) and Mrs. Leigh Ann, for her new friends (and she said, "but we don't even know there names" yes, my child but we can still pray for them!) and so after about 15 minutes of praying for EVERYTHING that had to do with school...I kissed her and told her that I was going to get ready for bed and that I would check on her later! At about 9:45 (so much for getting her in bed at 8:30) she still wasn't asleep...It was so funny to see my 4 year old have nervous energy about the first day of "pre" school. I took off this morning long enough to get her there and see her off (into the great unknown!) So this morning I got up early and got myself ready for the day and started to cook pancakes (her favorite) for breakfast, and then I wake her up (she is NOT a morning person) and it took her a while to get over the fact that it was so early in the morning! I sit her and the table and she eats her breakfast
and then I get Avery up and feed her! I proceed to get Brenly dressed and her hair brushed (another great feat), told her to potty and brush her teeth and we would be ready to go! So her is the big girl walking out the door



I had to get a picture of Avery of this monumental day...She is going to be soooo lost without "BeeBee" with her...She has never been without her...(and when I dropped her off she was so confused)
and we had to get a picture with Daddy (by the soybeans...aren't they lookin' good :)

And then we were off to school...and she has even learned how to buckle her seat belt by herself...She is so proud...Can you tell how happy she is!!

We make our way to the school and headed in to drop our supplies off! They don't open the doors until 8:55. We found Brenly's name on the door and her "hand print"


We left our supplies in the hall and headed back out to find Maci and CJ... they had just pulled up and Brenly said, "Hurry up Maci, we are going to be late for school!!" So we take several pictures outside



and then it was time to head in and get our things situated...
Mrs. Vickie and Mrs Leigh Ann (her teachers) greeted her, and pointed to where she will store her stuff


(Mrs. Vickie got down and told Brenly that she had been teaching for 25 years and she had never had a child in her class with her same birthday...until Brenly...So Mrs. Vickie and Brenly will be birthday buddies on March 16 :)
Brenly got to find her cubby and placed her book bag and her mat at the bottom and her lunchbox at the top!


And then it was time for mommy to leave her! I kissed her, told her to have a good day and I was out the door!

I think it was much easier than I thought because she was SOOOOO excited! That always makes things easier! I pray that my little "pre"schooler (She doesn't like the "pre" before school...she just wants me to say school, UUUGGGGHHH, she is growing up too fast!!) has a wonderful day and is just as excited to go back on thursday!

Spontaneous Surprise Adventure...

Occasionally, we plan surprise adventures for the girls...We plan an event and don't tell them what it is, get them in the car and they find out when we arrive at our destination! (ex. Dora and Diego and Lion King at the Orpheum, trips to the zoo, to the movie, Adventure Science Museum, etc...) so this weekend Ray was working and I was on the computer and Brenly comes in and asks when we are going to a Diamond Jaxx baseball game (we have taken her once before and she LOVED it) After she left, I clicked on the Diamond Jaxx link and it so happened that Sat.night they were going to have fireworks AND kids got to run the bases...OH my ,two of Brenly's favorite things. I called Ray as he was heading home and he said it was good idea! So Ray gets home, and we pile in the car and tell Brenly we are going on an adventure...It's funny because she tends to try to guess where we are going, and never quite gets it! So we get to the ball field in Jackson and she figured it out and was so excited! We get tickets, find our seats and as soon as we sit down, Brenly decides that she needs to go potty (of course she does!)...SO we go and she overhears another little kid talking about the fireworks...and that was that...no matter how long the game lasted, we were staying to watch them...We go back to our seats and Ray found out that they were playing a double header, due to a rain out the night before...UUGGGHHH, you guessed it! At 11:30 PM we were watching fireworks (Avery passed out during the firework finale) and running the bases!!! We didn't get home until 12:15am...But we had a BIG TIME! I am glad that we were spontaneous..Sometimes those are the best times!
We were being silly with the camera...


...and I was trying to keep them awake...It was a long night!!

Chin-Up Pull Over...

Last week I wrote here about Brenly and her Olympic bound gymnastic self...Whoa...I shouldn't go that far, but I did write about her getting TWO stickers for doing so good last week...So this week, I asked Coach Alana if I could step in real quick to get a few pictures of her as she masters the Chin-Up Pull Over...and so her you go...Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson...Eat your heart out!!!

"The walk over" Its hard work, but she is advanced...

Notice the slightly pointed toes...She can't get everything perfect!!

Please, do be jealous of her side pony tail that Coach Alana put in her hair!!

Never underestimate...

the power of a single conversation!! (I will try to make this short and concise...however there are many twists and turns to the story, so I hope that I as write it, you can understand what I am trying to convey!!) So last Wednesday night I was doing my Beth Moore Bible Study on Paul (To Live is Christ...It has been awesome, I am sad that it is coming to a close!) on that particular night I was reading in Acts 23:11 about how Paul was afraid (because of the the people that were wanting to kill him) however God stood near him and told Him, to "Take Courage" and "that he would also testify in Rome." (God given Paul insight by telling him that he would not be killed in Jerusalem, because he had yet to testify in Rome!) Beth remarks on this by saying, "Although exceptions may exist for reasons beyond our understanding, I believe that God allows His servants to live out their testimonies. The life of a committed servant which appears to have ended prematurely may have been fully completed to God" I immediately thought about my mom and how her life ended (in my standards) much earlier than I would have liked, however I believe that she truly lived out her testimony. I also thought about my Uncle Wayne and how his death was so abrupt, we were shocked...He had just finish seminary...we thought that his testimony was just beginning, however in the eyes of God, my uncle's testimony was fully completed! The next morning, I was at work and one of my favorite patients was on my schedule, Mrs. Evelyn. Every time that I have ever seen her, she has always been a light in this dark world, always speaking the truth, praising our God no matter what the circumstances. She is from a family full of preachers, including her husband, so she knows the truth, however sometimes its nice to be reminded. I could tell that she was a little subdued. We begin to talk (Yes, I can clean teeth AND allow my patients to talk...all at the same time :) and she tells me that she is worried about her sister who is very sick with sickle cell anemia, and how her sister has really struggled with her plot in life. I felt the need to tell her about the previous nights bible study and how we will be here until our testimony is complete. I told her about my uncle and the massive heart attack that suddenly took his life, but that he was exactly where he wanted to be..us, selfishly, well we want him back! I told her all about the study that I had been doing and told her that she needed to get it! She cried, we hugged, she left! Yesterday, while I was at work...I was reading through the paper and noticed in the obituaries (no, I don't make it a common practice to read the obituaries, but because I work at a practice that has a large amount of older patients, we do have to keep up with who has passes away...) and saw the name of Evelyn's husband, Tracey and he was only 45 years old! I was shocked and couldn't believe that I had just spoken with Evelyn about God allowing to live out our testimonies and when we have finished...God calls us home! I immediately pick up the phone to call and check on her! She picked up the phone and I told her who I was and she just started crying! She said, "Kim, do you realize that the conversation that we had just a week and a half ago, was preparing me for the unthinkable, Tracey passing away!" WOW! She said that since Sat. she had recalled our conversation many times, and it was what had gotten her through some of her hardest times! She kept talking about how amazing it was that God had orchestrated everything so that she might be able to handle all of this alittle better...Me losing my mom and my uncle (in my eyes, way too soon!) doing a bible study to understand that God allows us to live out our testimonies before we are taken from this earth, her having a scheduled appointment the very next day, me trying to convey what God had taught me, me reading the obituaries...It was all planned by the very hand of God! How amazing to truly see how God could use me...She continued by saying that her husband had to preach a funeral just one week before he passed away, and although she didn't know the woman that he was preaching for, she went to support her husband! She said that he spoke on "being absent from the body, means to be in the presence of the Lord!" and how he longed for the day the day that he would be able to sit at the feet of Jesus! Evelyn said that she sat in the pew and just cried her eyes out and felt somewhat silly for crying at the funeral of a woman whom she did not know! And now looking back, God allowed her husband to preach directly to her, by telling her that he was ready and there was no place he would rather be than his home...Heaven!! While I was talking to her, I asked if he had been sick and she said that he did have high blood pressure, but from what the doctors had told her, he went to the hospital because he wasn't feeling good and his heart just stopped...NO massive heart attack, no major pain, no suffering...one minute his heart worked, and was here on this earth...the very next minute his heart stopped and he was in the presence of the Lord! I still think about all that has happened and how clearly I can see God's hand in every single event! And to think that I was just trying to help her get to a place of peace about her sick sister, never in a million years did I know that I would be able to bring her to a place of peace about losing her husband, her soul mate, and her best friend! Being human, I am very sad for her, having to deal with such a sudden loss. I know that she is having a very hard time and I just ask if you have a minute please say a prayer for her...I know that she will be comforted by the fact that she is being lifted up in prayer! And never forget that any ordinary conversation can be orchestrated and used for the glory of God! Be sure to tell everybody today that you love them, for we never know when our testimonies will be complete!

Happy Birthday...

to our house???? You have to understand that Brenly has a wonderful memory...Not sure if that is an attribute of all 4 years olds, but she remembers little details from months and even years ago! We were driving down the road the other night and Brenly starts laughing to herself and says, "Wasn't that fun, mommy? I asked what she was talking about...She replied, "When we went to go watch those fireworks!" I agreed with her and said that we did have a lot of fun! She said, "We celebrated the birthday of our house!" I looked back at her, questioning exactly what she was referring to...( it was just a quick glance, after all I was driving!) She understood my look, and said, "Mommy, that is what you said...We were celebrating the birthday of where we lived!" It made laugh out loud...I suppose that as we were driving to the firework extravaganza, she asked why we were going and I said that we were celebrating the birthday of America...where we live!!! She must think that our small plot of land on earth where we reside constitutes as "America" So if your ever out in the country why don't you stop on by and see "America"!! Kids are just funny and never forget a thing!!

We had a large time...

and I still haven't recovered...This past weekend we went to Nashville to Ray's sister and her husband! We left Friday morning and took our time getting there! They both had to work Friday so we were in no hurry to get there. We got to Bellvue and decided to stop at the giraffe store (Toys R Us) to get out, stretch, potty, etc...And because Maci has a Hi-Pod (I-pod...Bren calls it a I-pad...Its all the same!) Brenly felt like she needed to look for one. I had already told Brenly that we could look for one, because we have 2 pretty long trips coming up (and instead of all of us having to listen to "her" music...she can use her I-pad!) So we finally find what we were looking for, Its a Disney mix stick- you can download music onto it OR you can buy a SD-disk (it looks like a camera disk) that already has music on it...And even better was the fact that it was on sale for $22.00 (It was originally $40 something!) and because it was such a good deal, we went ahead and snatched it up! She was soooooo excited! We then mosey down the road to their house and waited for Uncle Josh and NayNay to get home. As soon as they did, we headed out the door for Chuck E. Cheese (and yes, I took Aleve before we walked into the place!) Both girls (and Uncle Josh) had a large time playing games and riding rides!







After we got through with all that madness...It was still somewhat light outside and the weather was beautiful, so we decided to find a park...Uncle Josh knew of just the perfect one! We drove, and drove, and drove and we NEVER found it! By this time it was almost completely dark, but NayNay was going to come to the rescue...She knew of this "REAL" park that had lights, so we drove, and drove, and drove...and just as we were about to doubt their abilities to know about parks (But who can blame them, they don't have kids yet! Who, without kids needs to know where a park is!!) We round the corner and there it was...A "REAL" park with Lights! ALL of us had a big time playing. (and somebody was having a PARTY...so there was lots of good music playing!!) The park closed at 9:00, so we left and went home, only to realize that Uncle Josh and NayNay had nothing, and I mean nothing, for the kids to eat or drink...So while NayNay gets the girls ready for bed Josh and I made a Publix (I love that store!) run and got milk, juice, and goldfish to tide them over until we made it back home. We got home and watched just enough of the opening ceremony of the Olympics to get real excited about them being on for the next 2 weeks! We woke up Saturday and got ready to go to the Adventure Science Museum...It was lots of fun, and would've been alot more fun, had Avery acted halfway decent. She was exhausted and didn't really want any part of it! BUT it was still so much fun, Can't wait to go back when she is old enough to enjoy it like the rest of us!





We left there and went to Chick-Fil-A to eat lunch, played in the little rinky-dink playground and NayNay decided that we needed to go back to the "Real Park" so we left, went to get our stuff and went to play at the park...however it had turned hot, so the girls and I made our way back to Memphis! Are you tired yet, because I got tired just writing about it?!?!?
Thanks NayNay and Uncle Josh for having us! We had a blast and can't wait to come back and have some more fun!

Star Light, Star Bright...

First star I see tonight...I wish I may, I wish I might, Have the wish, I wish tonight! Last Thursday night, I was getting the car packed for me and the girls to head to Nashville to spend a little time with Ray's sister and her Husband (aka NayNay and Uncle Josh). We had gone outside and Brenly looked up in the sky and saw the first star of the night! She gasped and said, "Mommy...look at that star, Let's make a wish!" So we hold hands and proceed with the little tune. At the end, she said, "What did you wish for?" I said, "I wished that we will have a very fun weekend with NayNay and Uncle Josh. She replied, "OH RIGHT, Well, I wished that I could swim with a dolphin!!!" (What in the world and where did she get this idea?!?!---but I mean, if you are gonna wish, you might as well wish big!) So we wake up and Friday and start on our journey...Brenly, from the backseat says, "AWWW, what a beautiful day...BUT, Mommy, why is your wish coming true today and mine is not?" UUUMMMM...So if any of you know of a local swimmin hole, with dolphins you can swim with, just let me know! UNTIL THEN...Her wish will remain unfulfilled...
P.S. A post to follow of all of our adventures in Nashville...

Two stickers...

for a job well done! You may not remember but a while ago I posted here about the trouble Brenly was having at gymnastics...It seemed that there was too much going on and she could NOT concentrate on the task at hand! She was devastated the first night of gymnastics because she didn't get the prize for listening! Skip forward 5 months...We were at gymnastics Tuesday night (it was the start of a new semester) and there were 13 kids in her class! Half way through class time, they stop to get water and Coach Ashley asked me if I could come watch her do this certain "skill" on the bars. (I am sure there is a name, however, NOT so sure what it is...It is where Brenly has to hold onto the bar, walk her feet up the wall and flip over...after the flip she is suppose to use her arms and keep them straight...Supposedly something that alot of preschoolers can't master...)Well, it is with much excitement that I tell you that she did it all by herself and did a really good job! At the end of class, Brenly ran out of the gym with the biggest smile on her face because she had gotten NOT ONE BUT TWO STICKERS for being the best kid in class! She was so excited...She said, "Mommy, I got TWO stickers for doing so good today, I paid attention in class, I did everything that Coach Ashley told me to do AND I HAD MY LISTENING EARS!!! AAHHHHH---Music to a mothers ears...Not to mention a smile on a mothers face! I am so proud of you Brenly!!!

due,igh,ix,deddy,et,nigh,te...

and no...I am not practicing any foreign language..I am trying to write the number as if Avery were saying them...She doesn't like one at all, most of the time she skips three and four all together...however when she gets to five she is on a roll and will make it to ten...I tried to tape her this weekend as she was saying them...and this is the best that I could come up with...(I thought that I would add the best two out of three!)

Getting ready for football season...

and although we are primarily a "Tennessee" Family...We do have to root for Memphis every now and then...Its the least we can do for Mom...If she were here, she would insist that both of her grandchildren root for the Tigers!
So we thought we would share our excitement in how ready we are for football season in general! We love Football!!!
P.S. Please do notice the pearls that Avery found on her own and placed them around her neck...I think she might be my girly, girl!

Faith is caught, not taught!

This weekend, Brenly comes up to me and says, "Mommy, I need my white glasses and a pen so that I can do my Bible Study!" I proceed to get the glasses she was referring to and a pen and she goes to the kitchen table and takes her place. Never mind the fact that she is using her MISS PIGGY (Thanks Uncle Chad) notebook as her journal and she has picked up her Ratatouille book that MiMi had gotten her!



Although the supplies weren't exactly what one might need to do a proper study of the Bible, and although the only word that she might know how to spell correctly is her and Avery's name...The idea behind the statement is what made me smile. The fact that she knows that "doing her Bible Study" was the thing that she should be doing! At church today, Chris mentioned that Faith is caught, not taught! Its what your children observe you doing that they pick up as their own habits (I promise, I am not "tooting my own horn") and that statement really stuck with me...Do my children "see" me being a Christ follower or do they just "hear" me speak of Him every now and then? I want to be able to say that they can observe Christ in what I do, not just the words that come out of my mouth! I hope that one day soon, (I certainly don't want to wish her life away!) she truly understand the meaning behind those words and is able to sit down...with all the right materials:)...and really study the Word of God! Nothing would make me happier, and who knows maybe sooner than that, she can sit down with me and we can do a study together!

Funny Conversations...

with a funny girl! Brenly comes up with some of the funniest things to say...The other day we were outside playin "house" and she said to me, "So how was your day?" and I told her it went well...I asked her how her day at work was and she turned to me and with the most serious look on her face and said, "I do not work, I won't work until I'm 62...(I hate to burst your bubble small child, but I am not sure that you're gonna make it to 62 without a job!) and then she said, "Well, I come from Alabama!" (Uncle Chad have you been talking to her or did that come from her singing OH Susannah!)
Then we were playing together and Ray kept throwing pillows on us and I told her to tell Daddy that he was being ridiculous! She runs up to him and says, "You are being DEE-Lick-REE-us...I mean You are being DEE-Rick-LEE-us...I mean, UUGGGHHH...Mommy, what is he being?" SO be clear that if Brenly ever comes up to you and explains that you are being DEE-Lick-REE-us...She isn't cussing you, she just thinks you are being ridiculous:)